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The World Has Missed You
May 2021… COVID lockdown restrictions had eased, so Mrs Treaclechops and I headed to the Isle of Wight for a few days. The…
Throwing in the towel
So, recently I’ve been thinking about giving this writing malarkey the heavy ho. It’s expensive. It take’s up a huge amount of my already dwindling…
Huminodun – A Borneo Legend
In the lush landscapes of Sabah, Malaysian North Borneo, dwells the Kadazandusun community, the region’s largest indigenous group. Their cultural identity is deeply entwined with…
The Zodiac for Writers: Introducing Gemini
This year the sun is in the sign of Gemini from May 20- June 21, 2025. The dates for the zodiac sun signs can vary…
Nobody Else’s Girl
I fell in love in Glasgow: green eyes and shiny brown hair. It was the evocative way she said, “Aye, ye’ll dae fur th’ noo,…
What Light Through Yonder Window
Mrs CW Jones was the heart of the cul-de-sac. For example, there wasn’t an unruly lawn in the neighbourhood. She arrived with a basket of…
Knights and Their Machines
The bees are buzzing around the blueberry bushes I need to plant, but it’s the first friday of the month when the chiropodist comes to…
When I Think of Blue
When I think of blue, I think of music. Not necessarily the blues, although that idiom applies. I think of Running Gun Blues, Silly Boy…
Her Beautiful Smile
Abandoned in a shopping bag in a public toilet . loneliness beyond comprehension. . Profoundly disabled . physically mentally . deaf blind . loneliness beyond…
Self-esteem and stuff I’ve learned about it
Nearly forty years ago I was taken to a self-development workshop by a new boyfriend (and yes, I did think maybe he was inviting me…
Be my, be my Beta.
I really need to spend less time on X. Once again, I’ve stumbled upon a heated discussion on social media that I can’t help but…
The Writer’s Zodiac: Taurus the Bull
Taurus (from the Latin for Bull) is a fixed earth sign; the second sign of the western zodiac, and represents the height of spring in…
The Power of Questions
How can questions drive plot? Here’s a summary of what I’ve learned. Un-put-downable books utilise these types of questions: The long (big) question: this…
The Untidy Desk
In an effort to repossess the poet’s soul I sold to Reality thirty years ago, I decided to tackle a form with some constraint. Like…
Character
Character arc/emotional journey/B plot – whatever you call it, it’s vital that you have one. But what does this really mean? As usual, this post…
One Day in April
Thinking back to 2022… a quartet of grandchildren: Jack (nine years), Jacob (eight years), James (six years) and Sophie (four years) came for…
Plotting
I’ve watched some great webinars on plotting recently and I thought I’d compile what I’ve learned, as much for myself as for anyone else who…
Everything Has Changed
Monday January 11th, 2016. I awoke to a text from Becky. Becky: You okay, Sal? Sarah: Yep. Why? Becky: Haven’t you heard the news? Sarah:…
Future Abstract: Crisp and Squish
SATIRE ALERT: This Future Abstract is entirely fictional and should not be taken as actual scientific research. No plastic was consumed in the making of…
Research
I tend not to write novels that require a lot of research (regular readers will be aware that I write romance/fantasy and psychological suspense-type books)….
Elon Musk: The Genie or the Janitor of the Galaxy?
Spring 1995. The Quad. University of Pennsylvania. The monthly meeting of Resident Advisors in the Quad Freshmen dorm has once again commenced without Elon Musk….
The Writer’s Zodiac: Aries, Stories of The Fiery Sky Ram
Meteorological spring began on March 1, but astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and astronomical autumn/Fall in the Southern Hemisphere began on the date of…
Why Mother, Why Father
Last year I made a short film. As a screenwriter with a drawer full of unproduced scripts I was eager to write something I can…
You Don’t Know Me
On The Honest Authors’ podcast, Gillian McAllister once mentioned that she was asked, “Do you really think that?” about something controversial she’d written in one…
Merlin
A carved wooden statue of Merlin stands in Carmarthen town centre. A mythical Celtic shaman, he was a constant in British folklore between the 5th…
Everything Is Going to Be Alright
It’s been a pretty bad week for me. It started last Monday when I took my mum for an appointment with the gynaecologist. She’s currently…
Book Club Programme & Dates for the Year
Litopia’s Book Club, run by @Jason, is an unmissable monthly event. There are – happily – lots of book clubs around. But none like ours….
The Stories in Our Stars: The Zodiac for Writers
We are now in Pisces Season. But what are its stars, what’s the ancient story behind it all, and what does it mean for writers? Time…
Dope Junkie
I’m a dope junkie, and I’m spiraling. Scrolling. For hours. Every evening, you can find me lounging on the couch or sprawling in bed, zoned…
The Moon vs. Brian Cox
Of the many jobs I’ve juggled, my latest presents a unique challenge. Sabah, in Malaysian North Borneo, is popular with Korean tourists. Five hours south…
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