The Writer as an Outsider
‘As writers, we are all anthropologists, observing the natives and commenting on their customs. As writers, we can tap into that feeling of being an… Read More »The Writer as an Outsider
Royal Literary Fund
Rejection – Or How to Fail Better at Writing
‘I tried to remind myself of the rejections other authors had faced. JK Rowling was famously told that children did not want to read long… Read More »Rejection – Or How to Fail Better at Writing
What no one tells you about getting published…
(A love story in twenty-five parts) When the Royal Literary Fund asked me to write an article on this topic, I used Matt Haig’s poem… Read More »What no one tells you about getting published…
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
My desert island book
I’d want to read it on a desert island because it would remind me of the power and passion of human emotions.’⠀ Talking about the… Read More »My desert island book
My favourite translated book – The Glass Bead Game
My favourite book in translation is ‘The Glass Bead Game’ by Herman Hesse. The Royal Literary Fund has made a short film on books in… Read More »My favourite translated book – The Glass Bead Game
Sleeping Beauty – How Somerset inspired my thriller, One Year Later
‘The Pines is a rambling farmhouse that our parents, David and Eleanor, converted years ago, and although it no longer has the land it came… Read More »Sleeping Beauty – How Somerset inspired my thriller, One Year Later
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
Life-changing literature
I have dreamt in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the colour of my mind. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte I first read Wuthering Heights as a teenager, and since then, I've read itRead More »Life-changing literature
The best writing advice I ever received
The thing about being a writer and not having a ‘proper’ job is that we don’t have IT support, coffee breaks, water-cooler chats and personal… Read More »The best writing advice I ever received
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
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
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
How do I write?
Well, I start the day with a large black coffee and some dark chocolate! Writing a novel feels like being an ultra marathon runner. It’s… Read More »How do I write?
Why do I write?
The short answer, is because I have to! I’d write if I was shut in an attic at the top of a dark castle – … Read More »Why do I write?
Blurred lines: Separating fact from fiction
BLURRED LINES: SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION I’m delighted to be featured in Writer’s Aloud, the Royal Literary Fund‘s podcast. This week I’m talking about the… Read More »Blurred lines: Separating fact from fiction