B S Johnson and the British Avant-garde of the 1960s
This Guardian article, reminding us of the avant-garde British writers of the 1960s, is interesting for several reasons. They were maligned by their more conventional peers, possibly for their attention to form rather than content, yet today we are not fazed by such experimentation; indeed, it is welcomed, to the extent that such novels are […]
Essex Authors' Day, Chelmsford, Saturday 17th March 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed the Essex Authors' Day, on Saturday 17 March at Chelmsford, Essex, library. An Essex Book Festival event, it featured over forty local writers giving talks, readings and 'Meet The Author' sessions. All presentations were free. My talk on 'Writing Speculative Fiction' was well-attended. I described a number of sub-genres and offered suggestions […]
Busy Working on My Seminar for the Essex Book Festival 2018
I am currently busy working on my presentation/seminar on 'Writing Speculative Fiction' at the Essex Authors' Day, Saturday 17th March at Essex Libraries, Chelmsford, part of the Essex Book Festival. The session will be an interactive presentation and discussion of Speculative Fiction. I will give an outline of the genres and sub-genres, listing examples of the main […]
New Novel Complete - Next Step: to Find an Agent
My new novel, working title, 'Another Life', is written and I have completed two edits. The photographs show one of the key characters. The book describes a wide-ranging quest, combining folklore, legends and ancient beliefs with the protagonist’s reminiscences of his family life. It explores the borders between dreams and memories and the social and ethical questions […]
The Peregrine - a Classic Nature Book Set in Rural Mid-Essex
I’ve been aware for many years of ‘The Peregrine’, by J A Baker, as a classic of nature writing, although I have never read it. What I did not know was that it is set in the countryside around my home in Little Baddow, Essex, as described in this Guardian article from last weekend, which mentions […]
Essex Book Festival 2018: Essex Authors Day, Saturday 17th March
Essex Book Festival 2018 On Saturday 17th March I will be holding a forty-five minute seminar from 10a.m. at Chelmsford library, with the title 'Writing Speculative Fiction'. I will also be giving an author reading and have a 'Meet the Author' session. More details to follow. I look forward to meeting friends and readers.
A Storyteller's Christmas: Saturday 18th November 2017, Leigh-on-Sea
Together with 33 other local authors, I took a table at this event, which included book signings, storytelling and the opportunity to meet the authors (and some of their characters). Books for all ages and a raffle in aid of Southend Mencap SaveSave
Philip Pullman on Writing Fantasy
A pragmatic observation from Philip Pullman in The Sunday Times Magazine. Good advice for authors: stick to what you are comfortable with. For the full interview, refer to The Sunday Times Magazine, Sunday 15th October 2017. SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave