Blog

I first started writing this blog in December 2007 when, after a career as a technical writer, I decided to try my hand at a more creative style. More than […]

It’s three months since I’ve written one of these catch-ups in their normal format. In December, I merely wished everyone a good holiday and in January, I published my annual […]

Each year, my first blog post is  a review of how I did with the previous year’s writerly objectives and a list of what I hope to achieve in the […]

Another Year Closes For several years, it’s been my custom to spend November beavering away at NaNoWriMo and then begin my winter break on 1st December. And this year has […]

Well, that’s another November done with and my working year is effectively over. I traditionally take December off to concentrate on friends, family – and me, because, if you can’t […]

Another hugely busy month, dominated by a book launch (more of which anon). But we also managed to fit in some ‘us’ time as well. If you are ever looking […]

Another month gone by in a flash. September is always a favourite of mine, not least because it was the month I was born. Mind you, last year, we celebrated […]

Here in the UK, the last Monday in August is a Bank Holiday and has been for a long time, although when I was a child, it used to be […]

Although I didn’t mention it at the time, last month’s post was written on a tiny island in the Cyclades, where we were finally enjoying a much-postponed and much-needed break […]

Here in Chudleigh it’s time for the Summer Spectacular, a combination of traditional Carnival and more modern events. So far, we’ve had Open Gardens and the Summer Fete. Lots of […]

Here in the UK, it’s Bank Holiday Monday and the start of Half Term week. Usually, that’s a cue for cold, wet weather. But today, the sun is shining brightly, […]

For the first time this year, I’ve been working with the doors open to the garden. I can hear the birds singing in the trees above the gently burbling stream, […]

British Summer Time, Daylight Saving Time, whatever you call it, we’ve passed the point where the clocks go forward an hour. I have to confess that our walk this morning […]

Another month gone by and, despite the particularly chill wind here in Devon today, there are definite signs of spring. We went for an early morning drive and the sun […]

It’s been two months since I wrote one of these diary pieces, as I was on holiday last month. But time seems to be flying and our Christmas and New […]

Like me, this month’s guest is a scientist with a doctorate and a background in pharmaceuticals. Although we had no idea how similar our backgrounds were when we met as […]

Nothing (writerly) to see here It has been my custom for the past few years to take December off in order to prepare for the holiday season and rest after […]

In my monthly interviews, I try to cover the whole spectrum of writers and writing. Many of my guests have already published books, either traditionally or as indie authorpreneurs. Today […]

For a change this month, my guest is not an author in the sense that she has not published any books of her own. But nevertheless, books and authors are […]

This month’s guest is another writer that I’ve linked with over the past couple of years during lock-down. She lives in Virginia, USA and I live in Devon, UK; and […]

September is always special for me. It’s the month I was born, and even at my age, I still get really excited about cards and presents. But this year has […]

What a glorious month it’s been weather-wise. I appreciate that not everyone enjoys a heatwave, and I’m as concerned about water shortages and other environmental issues as everyone else, but […]

By the time you read this, me and the chilli plant (I mean, the chilli plant and I) will be in the car, heading for Devon. It’s a long drive […]

Having overslept yesterday morning and stayed up until very late last night (well, this morning really), how come I’m wide awake before 5am? My internal clock is shot to pieces. […]

Morning all! I’ve overslept this morning, which is a sure sign the week’s activities are starting to tell on me. Of course, everything is relative: it’s still only 6.30am, but […]

“Halfway through the week already. Who can believe it.” I know that’s what people will be saying over the breakfast table this morning. Hard to believe, after all the planning, […]

A fist banging on my door at midnight is not something I would normally associate with Swanwick! (Apart from the year we had the fire alarm, of course.) When we […]

I had cause to look back through my Swanwick blog entries yesterday. (We were trying to remember the name of one of the guest speakers from way back. But that’s […]

Okay, so I know in last month’s diary, I said I wasn’t going to do a daily post this year. But I also qualified it by saying I might change […]

I met this month’s guest via the Women in Publishing Summit. Leslie Powell Ahmadi discovered her attraction to language and all manner of cultural traditions in her parents’ home at […]

There was a certain inevitability about what happened this month. After two and half years of feeling vulnerable and keeping ourselves to ourselves, plus two major bouts of knee surgery, […]

I’ve been talking about the Women in Publishing summit for a couple of years now. And for the past few months, I’ve been introducing some of the members of ‘the […]

I may have said this about other months during the year, but May really is my favourite. It’s the time when the garden seems to explode with life and colour. […]

What a beautiful spell of weather we’re having here in the UK. For the past week, I’ve been working with my office doors wide open and we’ve eaten lunch in […]

One of the unexpected, but most welcome, benefits coming out of the past two years has been the expansion of my virtual writing ‘tribe’. In particular, I have spent a […]

My guest this month is a Swanwicker and fellow member of Chudleigh Writers’ Circle. He is interested in the fundamentals of what we humans are.  Do we have souls or […]

Today’s guest on the Virtual Swanwick blog will be a familiar face to all Swanwickers. Zana Lamont, together with her husband John, has acted as host for guest speakers for […]

Today’s blog post is a little different from my usual interviews. I’m handing over to fellow Chudleigh Writers Circle member, Celia Moore, who is going to talks about her love […]

In the introduction to last month’s blog, I suggested winter was on the wain. Last week we passed the Spring Equinox; and last night we moved into British Summer Time […]

When Boris Johnson announced a National Lockdown on 23rd March 2020, most people thought it would all be over in about three weeks. And many complained that three weeks was […]

I’m taking a short break from blogging. I will be back in the new year.

I’ve always been a planner. Every year, I set up a list of writing objectives to be completed over the coming twelve months. From this, I produce monthly plans, which […]

This month’s guest is a singer-songwriter; spoken word artist; music tutor; and the current Grand Bard of Exeter. When you become Bard you take an oath, a commitment to the […]

It’s hard to believe we are already into the second half of the year. One minute we were in mid-March, waiting for spring to begin, and suddenly we’re already well […]

Today, I am delighted to be hosting Carolyn Mathews on the latest leg of her blog tour to celebrate her time-slip novel, Temple of Dreams. My thanks to Kelly of […]

Today, I am delighted to be hosting Val Penny on the latest leg of her blog tour to celebrate the launch of her fabulous guide for newbie writers, Let’s Get […]

Today, I am delighted to be hosting Tadhg Coakley on the latest leg of his blog tour to celebrate the launch of his great new thriller Whatever It Takes. My thanks […]

Join me for a free webinar on Saturday 20th June at 3pm BST when we will review the key decisions you need to take to prepare for a successful indie […]