After the whirlwind that was November, I haven't done any writing since. It didn't feel right to jump straight in to editing and I decided to take a step back and take stock of what I have been doing and where I want to go with the novels. I'm reading a book called...
Yesterday, I offered our summer house up for free on a Facebook forum, provided the person could come and take it away and make the area safe. Within minutes, it was a bunfight and I was inundated, but I sold it to the first person who said a definite yes (I thought)...
Could this Black Friday weekend be the perfect time to stock up on some new Christmas decorations? We say Black Friday, but really, we're talking about a whole weekend of knock-down prices aren't we? That means you can make savings on Saturday, Sunday and Monday,...
Never more so are we reminded of how fragile life can be following the events of Friday evening in Paris. 129 lives ended simply because they were out enjoying themselves but happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's a time of reflection and as I took...
I'm in the thick of it at the moment, writing wise. In the middle of a 50,000 word challenge for National Novel Writing Month and typically, I get a report back on the first three chapters of my novel. I wasn't happy about the amount of work I still need to do on it...
I spent last week in Italy and that meant plenty of relaxing and reading time. My holiday book of choice was Here We Lie, by Sophie McKenzie. It's a murder mystery that I would thoroughly recommend as it kept me guessing right until the end. This is one of those...
So I did it. I signed up to do this year's NaNoWriMo. That doesn't mean that I have signed my life away and committed myself to something I can't get out of, but it does mean a step that makes it seem real. I've spent most of this year re-writing my novel. Having done...
Wasn't it cold this week? Even though I love the colours at this time of year, I hate that it's becoming so cold. Although it's tempting to utter 'winter is coming' every five minutes, I've resisted the urge and just advanced the heating instead. How was your week? I...
The blurb on this book tells of the discovery of a skeleton on the roof of a derelict building in Edinburgh and of a vigilante seeking vengeance for past crimes. What it doesn't tell you is that this story links to the time of the Balkan's wars and the terrible...
Ever wondered how the rest of the world lives? Do people really live by their stereotypes? For a sneaky peak in to the living styles of people from around the world, take a look at this amazing info graphic. Compiled by Homify, the online platform for inspirational...
A mid-term inset day doubles as a great excuse for a day out and one-to-one mother-daughter time. After a hectic first few weeks at secondary school, it was a welcome day off too. Having booked the Harry Potter Studio Tour well in advance, we set off towards Watford...
Welcome to Friday Fiction, my weekly fiction post. It's the first Friday of the month (already), so that means it's link up time too. Please see the blue frog link below and follow the instructions if you would like to add your own fiction piece or book review. I look...
Regular followers of my blog will know that I publish a Friday Fiction post every week. Except that is, on the odd occasion when I'm not feeling inspired enough or I've been taking a break. This is one of those weeks, but I'm here anyway to remind you that NEXT WEEK...
As I approach the end of my thirties, I'm beginning to look back and think where the hell did the last ten years go? Of course, it's a fog of babies and young children, from which I've now emerged, sanity just about intact, but memory and body somewhat worse for the...
What does it take to be a writer? You might think that all you need is an idea and the ability to put that idea into words. Well let me tell you, bloggers, writers and authors of today can't survive if all they can do is write. We have to be so much more than that....
When the children go back to school, it feels like the start of a new year. It's the beginning of a new phase and a great time to get back on track with anything that you've gotten out of the habit of doing over the summer months. For me, that means working on my...
If you like action thrillers or mysteries, The Boston Girl isn't the book for you, but for an easy read and a feel good tale, you will definitely find that with this story. Telling the story of her life, is octogenarian Addie Baum and it's a tale of growing up in the...
Being a blogger brings with it the unique opportunity to be a voice, a messenger. If there was ever a time when using that position to spread an important message, it's right now. I'm writing this post in order to spread the word about the plight of the children and...
Welcome to Friday Fiction. As it's the first Friday of the month, I open my doors to invite other bloggers to join me. This is the place to link up your fiction posts and book reviews and join the discussion. All you have to do is click on the blue frog at the end of...
This is the second book on my summer reading list and one that fellow blogger Maddy, from Writing Bubble also read as part of an on-line book club. In Bitter Chill is a classic mystery story, centered around the abduction of two girls in a quiet Derbyshire town in...