A few weeks ago I took part in a panel discussion on the future of books at the Fitzrovia Festival in London. The event was hosted by Author in Residence at Virtual Futures, Stephen Oram, and included talks from writers of various disciplines. It was a very interesting evening and my thanks go to … [Read more...]
New novel title reveal!
So the Brexit vote is over and done with, and whatever side you were on, I think you'll agree that the result was a shock for most of us who live and work in Britain. If you follow me on social media you'll know by now that I'm a firm believer in the European Union, and that I am more than … [Read more...]
It’s Time for the Crouch End Festival!
It's here again! The Crouch End Festival, UK's largest community arts event, is now in its fifth year, and this, the 2016 festival will be bigger than ever. There's everything from open air cinema, live music, art, poetry, food and even a Latino Day when Crouch End goes all Latin. Check out the … [Read more...]
Memories of the London Book Fair
It's a month or so since the hustle and bustle of The London Book Fair, and I have just about recovered. As usual it was a very busy time for me, catching up with fellow ALLi indie authors, attending seminars, meeting new and interesting fellow book people (most memorably sharing a sandwich with a … [Read more...]
5 Tips for Writing Historical Fiction by Clare Flynn
Clare Flynn is the author of A Greater World, Kurinji Flowers and Letters from a Patchwork Quilt. Clare's latest novel, The Green Ribbons, which is set in England in 1900 will be published in May 2016. But as luck would have it, today you can pre-order a copy of the new novel. (Tap here to order … [Read more...]
Self-publishing Has Let Me Follow My Art And My Heart
I've known Roz Morris professionally and have admired her writing (and writing advice), from the early days of The Alliance of Independent Authors. I was thrilled when she agreed to tell me more about why she decided to become an indie author. After thirteen books I became a real author My … [Read more...]
5 Questions for Crime Writer JJ Marsh
I've been a fan of Beatrice Stubbs, the female sleuth of murder mystery novels by JJ Marsh, for a long while now. When the latest book, Human Rites, (number 5 in the series) came out before Christmas, I again consumed the novel within a week. I've written several reviews of the novels in the series … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 6: Traditional or Self-publish?
In this series of posts on Advice to New Authors, I've talked about writing the 1st draft, about editing your work, how to increase the speed of your writing, how long it takes to publish a novel, and about ways in which you can learn your craft. Today I'm going to talk about self-publishing versus … [Read more...]