I'm delighted to tell you that my Cold War spy story, The Red King of Helsinki is finally out in paperback! This novel, which I wrote right after I'd finished my MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, is a story of a rookie spy, a young gymnast, and a violent KGB officer. I know this is a … [Read more...]
How a film inspired The Nordic Heart Romance series
Have you ever wondered what inspires authors to write their stories? I find this a fascinating subject, especially as no one author, or story, is the same in this respect. My books are inspired by several things: memories, places I visit, other novels or just something I've overheard. I often also … [Read more...]
Kindle Countdown Deal
Want to forget all about the Brexit vote? (I certainly do) Immerse yourself in The Red King of Helsinki, a Cold War spy tale set in Finland in the chill of midwinter. And now there's good news! I bet you didn't think I'd say that this morning ... The Red King of Helsinki is now £0.99 … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Learn Your Craft: Advice for New Writers Part 5
In the previous posts I wrote about how practise makes perfect, but I also said that writing, like any form of art is something that can be taught. You need aptitude and talent too, but these two alone may not be enough to make you into a successful author. Learning you Craft In this post I will … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 3: How Long Does It Take to Write and Publish a Novel?
This is number three in a series of posts about writing and publishing fiction. You can find the previous posts here. How long does it take to get your novel into print (or out in ebook form)? Writing a novel takes time. How long a first draft takes to produce is highly personal, but at … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 2: I’ve Completed the First Draft – What Now?
Last time in this series of posts about what to do if you have an idea for a book, I talked about reading in your genre and writing as much as possible. Today, I'm going to talk about what to do when you've finished the first draft. What to Do When You've Completed the First Draft? When you've … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 1: I have a great idea for a book – what should I do next?
I must be getting old, because I am often asked for advice about writing by young (and not so young) authors, who are just starting out, and wondering what they should do to get a book out and published. Last week, I was speaking to yet another one. She had an idea for a book, which she was … [Read more...]
The Year That Was 2013
2013 has been quite a year for me. I'm not sure I can recall a time when so much happened in a mere twelve months.First of all, I finally took the plunge and published all of my novels on Kindle. After the success of The Englishman (over 2,000 downloads as we speak and counting), I was encouraged to … [Read more...]
I’ve won an Alice Award!
I am absolutely thrilled and amazed that the lovely people at Displaced Nation have given The Red King of Helsinki an Alice Award! Here is what the Alice Award is all about: What's An Alice Award? Displaced Dispatch presents an “Alice Award” to a writer who we think has a … [Read more...]
Free book offer!
For a very limited time, you can download my Cold War spy novel, The Red King of Helsinki, FREE!Click here for your free copy of this wintry tale of lies, spies and gymnastics on Amazon.co.uk and here for Amazon.com.This crazy summer holiday offer starts today, Saturday 27th July and ends Wednesday … [Read more...]
