Pause. Perspective. Intention At the end of last year, I finished the wild-and-wooly first draft of my novel. This time I’ve decide to take the second draft process more thoroughly: instead of diving back into the chaos I’ve created, trying to sort it out by reworking and editing, I’ve taken a pause to look and … Continue reading The Second Draft
The Music of What Happens
‘Put your faith in language — character will follow and plot, too, will eventually emerge.’
Christine Bell’s No Small Shame
Christine Bell’s No Small Shame is one of many novels that has been impacted by the Corona virus shutdown. But, it has been wonderful to see just how supportive the online literary world has been. Here’s hoping that Chris’ novel receives all the attention it deserves. Here a few thoughts. No Small Shame focuses on … Continue reading Christine Bell’s No Small Shame
Gulliver’s Wife by Lauren Chater
I don’t usually write book reviews for my blog, but there are so many good books being released and caught up in the Covid-19 isolation that I thought I’d give some of them just a little extra push. I love the premise of this novel, a fictional extension of Jonathan Swift’s eighteenth-century, Gulliver’s Travels, the … Continue reading Gulliver’s Wife by Lauren Chater
From the Editing Room Floor
You might have heard me jumping up and down with excitement a couple of days ago, when I found out that I had been longlisted for the Voss Literary Award. It is a huge honour to be on such a list. It came as a big surprise, and shook up my semi-solitary writing life. Book … Continue reading From the Editing Room Floor
BODIES OF MEN: THE LAUNCH
The launch of Nigel Featherstone’s Bodies of Men was a wonderful celebration. I was invited to say a few words about the man and his novel. Here they are.