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Why Writers Don’t Need Wastepaper Bins
Stephen King famously tells the story of how his wife fished the manuscript of his first novel Carrie out of the bin. I guess there will be times for all of us when we feel like doing exactly as he did...
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The Leap Into Space
I just keep watching this Boards of Canada video of Felix Baumgartners space leap and I know I’m going to write about it – somehow – although I’m not sure yet how or what. But what I will do is make...
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Finding Your Writer’s Voice
Here’s an extract from last week’s newsletter …… The very first time I attended a writing workshop and it came to reading round the table I was amazed by just how different everyone’s work sounded and...
View ArticleWriting in Cambridge
On Sunday I’m off to Cambridge and Sydney Sussex College for four days of writing with my writing buddy Wendy - hooray, can’t wait ! Eating, breathing sleeping writing. We did the same last year when...
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Snow Country
Sidney Sussex College Cambridge is a good place to be in a cold snap - the generous sized rooms are warm day and night and Patisserie Valerie is barely a couple of minutes away (and there are many...
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What’s in Your Notebook?
How many notebooks does a writer need? In my case at least three, usually four to five on the go at any one time, which is highly dangerous as I can end up writing anything anywhere and putting it in...
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Millie and Bird, the Costa Short Story Award, and Me
Where to begin? The Story – Millie and Bird was one of those stories that came almost fully realised, with a will of its own. I had no idea what I was going to say when I sat down to write it, no plan,...
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Pinterest – I Love It!
Mayberry’s Insects. Book sculpture by Kelly Campbellsuperawesomeshop.com – from my Pinterest board For some time I’ve been meaning to set up on Pinterest – I always knew it was something I would love –...
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Beginning Your Novel or Story – The Art of Not Thinking
I want to embark on a new project. I have a novel about a young woman in mind. I have a working title. I have an idea and in my usual impatient way I want to know all about it before I’ve begun. As...
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Good Things for Monday
The Poetry Project brightens my Mondays – and let’s face it the days could certainly do with brightening given the snow and icy winds that have wound themselves around us. So, what is it? The garden...
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Root – New Stories from North East Writers – IRON Press
Looking forward very much to meeting everyone at, Forum Books,Tea and Tipple cafe tomorrow evening in Corbridge, when I’ll be reading along with Beda Higgins, from the new Iron Press anthology Root....
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Back in the B.A.T.H.
Tomorrow evening I’ll be reading, once again, from the Iron Press anthology Root, this time alongside writer John Price. For me reading at B.A.T.H. – Bishop Auckland Town Hall - is like coming home....
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Writing and Music – Tribes
This morning on the radio I heard someone say, ‘music is memory,’ and it got me thinking straight away about writing – and the connections between music and writing. I thought about how much they...
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Gardens, Writing and Wisdom from William Trevor
Its taken me a while to come down from the Iron Press weekend. There has also been sun!! which has meant I’ve been out in the garden and not blogging or writing (well not as much as usual) I love my...
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Writing & Walking – Two Walks, Two Stories and a Poem
I Google walking and writing and see that I’m not alone in finding inspiration when I’m out walking. But what is it about walking that’s so creative? ‘Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move,”...
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To France – then Home for a Garden Writing Festival
Wednesday Market in Agde I am off to France! To the beautiful town of Agde in which I’ve spent many happy hours writing, walking along the canal du midi, cycling to the sea, browsing the markets,...
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After the Leaving…
Travelling can be hard work. In the past ten days I’ve travelled to London, then on to Agde in the south of France, back to London – out to Hertfordshire - to London again and finally home to County...
View ArticleWild Orchids
On my recent visit to France I stayed alone in a lovely studio apartment and wrote. I wrote something approaching 15,000 words in one week. On my Family holiday in Cornwall it was somewhat different....
View ArticleThe London Magazine
I’m really excited to say my story Hunting the Jaguar, from my Millie and Bird collection is appearing in The London Magazine’s Oct/Nov issue. I feel honoured to published in its pages especially when...
View ArticleThe Orchid House – selling on Kindle
I don’t know why but these last two months my novel – The Orchid House – has been selling on Kindle especially in America. There’s been a distinct increase in sales which is very welcome but a...
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