The Divide is out now!
One dead girlfriend. One missing girlfriend. Who will believe he is innocent? My short story, The Divide, has been published in The Book of Bristol,… Read More »The Divide is out now!
crime
‘The Beautiful Game’ – Filled with dread
‘The Perfect Crime’, a collection of crime fiction short stories by diverse writers, is reviewed by Peter Kalu on Writers Mosaic. Peter says, ‘There are… Read More »‘The Beautiful Game’ – Filled with dread
My favourite children’s book
‘It’s such a moving, powerful story but it’s also beautifully written. It’s about kindness and compassion, about how what we’re like on the inside should… Read More »My favourite children’s book
The Perfect Crime is out now!
22 bestselling crime writers. 22 deadly destinations. One deliciously sinister collection 🔪 I’m delighted that ‘The Perfect Crime‘ is out now, published by Harper Collins. It’s… Read More »The Perfect Crime is out now!
Wuthering Heights – the novel that has influenced me the most
When I was a teenager, I steadfastly refused to believe that so-called ‘classical literature’ could be better than the assortment I chose from the local… Read More »Wuthering Heights – the novel that has influenced me the most
My Mother’s Secret – Location
There’s a thin band of cream silhouetting the cranes that hover over the half-built office blocks in the city centre. I head home, below an… Read More »My Mother’s Secret – Location
How to create the perfect villain!
Today I ran a lesson about villains for homeschool with my nine-year-old daughter. She loved it and created a supreme baddie: Galactica, Queen of the… Read More »How to create the perfect villain!
One Year Later
Here's what One Year Later is all about. https://youtu.be/lVmBz2DAQw0
One Year Later – Behind the scenes: The Cottage
When we bought a large plot of land and a house that we were planning on renovating in Somerset, I had the idea to set my next psychological thriller, One Year Later, partly in Somerset. In the garden of our house we found the ruins of an old cottage…and I started thinking, what if aRead More »One Year Later – Behind the scenes: The Cottage
Blueprint for a house…and a story
In May 2017 we bought a house in Somerset. It was originally built in the 1950s and for almost two years we’ve been renovating it.… Read More »Blueprint for a house…and a story
Letter to my younger self
What would you tell yourself if you could? The Royal Literary Fund recently gave me the opportunity to write and record a letter to my… Read More »Letter to my younger self
My writing talisman
My writing talisman is a beautiful painting by artist, Elaine Jones. It’s of Cornwall – have a look to see why I love it so… Read More »My writing talisman
How I write
The Royal Literary Fund has recorded a mini -podcast with me on how I write – with a black coffee, and some dark chocolate and… Read More »How I write
How to write a thriller
In a few days time I’m heading to Ted Hughes’ old house, Lumb Bank, in Hebden Bridge, to teach an Arvon Foundation course on how… Read More »How to write a thriller
Becoming a coach
I’ve just returned to working for charity, First Story, this month. First Story’s aim is to change young people’s lives through writing, particularly those… Read More »Becoming a coach
Diversity in Fiction
I’ve written as a Jesuit priest in Outer Mongolia, a nine-year-old in inner city Bristol, a child abductor, an angry teenager, a man in his… Read More »Diversity in Fiction
My Mother’s Secret: Stories within the Book
I’m delighted to welcome Tasha Locke to my blog this week. Tasha graduated from Bristol University this year with a degree in English Literature. I… Read More »My Mother’s Secret: Stories within the Book
One Year Later
As My Mother’s Secret has been wending its way into the world, I’ve been working on another psychological thriller. It’s called One Year Later… One… Read More »One Year Later
My Mother’s Secret – Launch party!
It’s hard to believe, for me at least, but after doing little else but think about the characters in My Mother’s Secret for a year and… Read More »My Mother’s Secret – Launch party!
My Writing Toolkit
Book blogger and health journalist, Victoria Goldman, asked me to tell her what my essential writing toolkit is for her blog, Off-the-Shelf Books. Here goes: Office… Read More »My Writing Toolkit