My introduction focuses on a recent lived experience in which a line in a film triggered a distant memory loaded with overpowering emotions. I describe what happened, why this memory was so overwhelming, and the tactics I have used to soothe myself and cope with this incident in the…
Author Insights: Linda Peters, pen name L L Lewin
It’s been quite a while since I last posted here, but I think that this interview with the delightful author LL Lewin (real name Linda Peters) will make up for that! Linda’s stories lean heavily on astrology and mysticism as a thread running through her Neptune’s Window series of YA…
Site Now Secure Using Let’s Encrypt
After a nerve-wracking couple of weeks, delving into technical areas of the internet where few would dare to tread, I am pleased to announce that this site is now secure and can be reached using the https:// prefix, instead of the standard http://. It might be a good idea to…
GDPR – inevitably!
Just like everyone else who runs any kind of business on the internet, I’ve been busy over the last few days ensuring that I comply with the latest GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) which comes into effect on 25th May. Trust me, this has been as tedious for businesses as…
Author Insights: “Not Quite Lost” with Roz Morris
I’m delighted to welcome Roz Morris to the blog again, this time in a video interview about her new book Not Quite Lost, Travels Without A Sense of Direction which is published Monday, 2nd October 2017. Roz is one of the most popular guests I’ve ever invited here, and I…
Epic Fantasy Cover Illustration
I recently had an enquiry from an author who has written a fantasy novel, and was looking for fantasy cover illustration ideas. Epic fantasy is one of those genres where the audience has rather specific expectations of the kind of cover the book will have, so you either need to…
Author Insights: Six of the Best with JD Smith
Jane Dixon-Smith, known as JD Smith in the writing world, inhabits a space that almost exactly mirrors my own. By day, she’s a highly successful graphic designer, specialising in book jacket design. But in her spare time, JD Smith puts her fingers on the keyboard and taps out splendid novels.…
Author Insights: Six of the Best with Clare Flynn
Many thanks to fellow south coast author Clare Flynn for agreeing to participate in my Author Insights series. I first met Clare online via the Alliance of Independent Authors (see link top right above) and subsequently discovered she now lives not far away in lovely Eastbourne, a place I know…
Author Insights: Six of the best with Pippa DaCosta
I’m delighted to welcome Pippa DaCosta to my online home. I first met Pippa at the London Book Fair earlier this year, where I was struck by her huge energy, enthusiasm, intelligence and good humour—she may not be very tall, but she is a towering talent, as her USA Today successes…
Author Insights: Six of the Best with Keith Dixon
The next willing victim of the series is crime writer Keith Dixon. Keith has worked as a proofreader, a copywriter, an editor and a creator of online content for training organizations. For a while he worked as an organizational psychologist, running training courses for a variety of well-known companies. A Yorkshireman by birth, Keith Dixon then lived in…