Last week I had an interview for The Vale about the publication of Unravelling. The Vale is a monthly magazine distributed across the Cotswolds and the Vale of Evesham with a circulation of 60,000 readers. Okay – it’s not millions, but it’s still the possibility of a lot of new people... read more
How many times have I heard people say you can’t teach creative writing? And the question never seems to be all that well meaning. There’s usually a hint of aggression – or suspicion at least – that somehow you are offering something under false pretences. Because, of course, we can all... read more
This is a quick post – I haven’t been able to get on to the blog for several days as there have been problems with the server. Technology is a wonderful thing until it doesn’t work and then it makes you want to tear your hair out. I can’t believe how... read more
The proofs have arrived from Matador. It already looks different – not like my manuscript, the font, style and layout are changed – but also not like a book. Instead, it’s a tantalisingly glimpse of what the finished product might be. I feel a glimmer of excitement. However, the main feeling is one of... read more
I’ve just finished reading ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ by Khaled Hosseini, a number one bestseller, the cover proclaims. It also shouts out the high praise the book has received: ‘A suspenseful epic’, ‘A triumph’, ‘Unforgettable’, ‘A masterful story’. Does it, I wonder, deserve such acclaim. Would it be such a success if... read more
I’m going to be talking about ‘Unravelling’ at the first Chipping Campden Literary Festival in May! I wrote to the artistic director Vicky Bennett with an idea for a talk. At first she was hesitant about a self-published author (although she’s successfully published her own novel) but when she saw my... read more
Communications about Unravelling come from Matador thick and fast. There’s so much to decide: the book’s details and my biography for bookshops and online stores, such as Amazon; a press release; marketing materials … And most difficult of all the book’s cover. This is the aspect that causes me most anguish.... read more
Wow! The editing and rewriting are finally done. The title of my novel is on its third incarnation. Now I need a publisher.
My very first blog. There’s so much advice: make a contract with your reader – they have to feel there is something worth investing their time and effort in. Raise a question. How to start? Who’s the main character? Well, me, obviously. Or is it you? Make your reader care.... read more