I awoke with a jolt, the chilling sound of a child’s distant cry echoing in my ears. My heart raced as I fumbled for my phone, desperately trying to orientate myself. As I sat on the edge of the bed, my head pounded after abruptly being pulled from a deep sleep. The crying stopped once…
Book Review This book absolutely blew me away! I was hesitant about whether it would capture my interest, but I was proven wrong from the very first page. Based on the blurb and social media posts I’d seen, my expectations were not particularly high, but I am so glad I read this book. I loved…
Hey there, fellow creatives! Today, I want to dive into the stimulating and sometimes challenging world of the arts and creativity, with a particular focus on the craft of writing. As an author, I have experienced the ups and downs of navigating through the creative process, and I’d love to share some insights and tips…
Freya and Lucy sit on a wooden bench outside the front of their school. Sweet-smelling roses surround them in an ornate garden edged with perfectly shaped hedges and manicured flowerbeds. But instead of savouring the horticultural delights, their gaze fixates on the wrought-iron gates, hoping for a fleeting glimpse of any fit boys passing through…
I thought I would dedicate a blog post to one of the main characters in the book I’m currently working on. The reason being I was inspired by a special lady who frequents our café. I first met Betsy four years ago when she was ninety-six! Yes, she turned one hundred this week, and my…
I blink my eyes to try and get a clearer picture of what I’m seeing. What looks like dozens of tiny pink mice are hanging lifeless on the washing line in our neighbour’s garden. It’s a dull, grey day, the mortar-coloured landscape exacerbated by the net curtain hanging between me and the bedroom window. I…
I throw my rucksack down in the hall and make a beeline for the kitchen. There’s no smell of burnt food or trails of kitchen paraphernalia, which means either mum’s not cooking until much later, or, (hopefully), we’ll be having a takeaway tonight. There’s one packet of skips left in the cupboard which won’t go…
Every good novel needs more than just the classic hero and villain archetype. They also need side characters that provide depth, especially in psychological thrillers – which happens to be my genre. My current work in progress has a side character who is stalking my main character, but this stalker offers much more than a…
Book Review I’m a real fan of Lisa Jewell’s books, and this one didn’t let me down. She has a way of writing that’s easy to read, with plenty of exciting action and intriguing storylines. The book is written with short chapters and plenty of cliffhangers; I had difficulty putting the book down at times….