Writing – Six Faults
I was looking at a blog today, and it sparked an idea. The idea was, thinking of the worst advice ever given to aspiring authors. Where on earth would you start with a piece like that, I wondered. And then I started thinking … So here goes. My favourite bits of dreadful advice. 1. You … Continue reading
Critics – Be Kind
There are many critics in the world. And they have suffered some horrible comments in the past. Tynan said, “A critic is a man who knows the way but can’t drive the car.” Sadly, there are all too many critics around today. The advent of the internet has created an explosion of critical writing as … Continue reading
Thieves, ID and Piracy
OK, this is a blog post about the tedious side of publishing: money. Where does it come from and where does it go? The idea for this blog came from an email I had yesterday and another three this week. All were from friends of mine on holiday in the Philippines. Sadly, all of them … Continue reading
Persistent, Polite and Persuasive
This weekend I received a new book in the post. Actually I received three, but only one is relevant for this blog post. I regularly get books posted to me. Sometimes it’s a pain, especially when I’m in the middle of a book myself. Why? Because when I’m sitting at my desk trying to … Continue reading
End of the Series? Or Just a Pause?
This blog piece was prompted by an email I received this afternoon. The message was from someone who wanted to let me know how sad they were to hear the news that Baldwin and Simon’s series was to end. I know this has affected a lot of readers, so I thought it would be a … Continue reading
A Literary Heavyweight
It was about ten years ago we stretched ourselves and bought this house. And, I have to say, it’s been a good place for us. A hundred years ago it was put up as a purpose-built home and shop. The main building is rather like a pair of semis, because there are two front doors. … Continue reading
A Day in London – OR – A Travelling Author Muses
An excellent evening last night. In fact, a wonderful day. I was going up to see the guys at Goldsboro Books in Cecil Court, London. They always do a huge amount for new writers and for collectors. If you ever want a signed first edition of any title, they are, really, the only place … Continue reading
Gardening – and Cats
There are times when writing is a sheer dream. Other times, of course, it isn’t. Today I set out with the best of intentions. I managed to subdue the work displacement activities that immediately sprang to mind, and got on with work. Off, first thing, with the dog to keep her quiet while I worked, … Continue reading
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