Tag: writing

New Horizons

I’ve returned to Blood Gift Chronicles Book 3 and it’s good to be back. In the midst of a revisit to early drafts, I’m no stranger to heavy-handed deleting, as I incorporate ideas I’ve been mulling over for a while. I plan and plot, dig deep for depth and meaning, while leaving space for the story to evolve and the characters to grow.

I’m excited for this story that will once again work as a standalone, but really, why wouldn’t you read the whole series! Each book is a story in itself, but they’re all connected by an overarching theme. The background mystery we’ve seen unfold so far, comes to a finale in Book 3, and as the world expands, new characters arrive, intermingled with familiar faces. As before there is grit and magic, mythology and drama, love and survival, and dragons… all driven by intriguing characters and spellbinding landscapes.

Like I said, it’s good to be back…

A Splash of Colour

There’s a familiar sight outside the window of my writing room: blurred by heavy rainfall, beyond the rooftops of red brick houses, trees are blowing in a blustery wind. While searching for inspiration for tomorrow evening’s open mic, I thought of May’s challenging weather, and came up with my reading: The Story of the North Wind. It’s actually an extract from my novel, The Warder (Blood Gift Chronicles 2). In the book, Suni is a storyteller, among other things, and The Story of the North Wind is a story she tells. It is a fable from the land of Shendi, the setting for my books, and with nature being the theme for tomorrow evening’s open mic, the fable fits in well.

Read more →

Pause for Thought

Taking tender steps into March brings the promise of Spring, despite the rain, howling winds and tumultuous skies. And as lockdown persists, I remain bedded down with my work. Fortunately for me that is no bad thing. I’m as busy as ever with writing and painting, and with a new book on its way, time to regroup and work on creative ways to welcome the new arrival.

That said, once in a while I poke my head above the parapet, in anticipation of being able to explore beyond the usual. It may be a while before we can travel further afield, but I look forward to more day-tripping in the Devon county. Looking back on some photos from December, left me hankering to explore.

Some places on our doorstep are so familiar we forget to stop and look, yet they are pockets of Devon quaintness. A while ago, when looking for inspiration, a couple of places sprang to mind, both places we regularly drive past or through yet rarely stop to look. So, we packed a flask and headed out for a stroll around these towns and villages skirting the city.

Topsham Town

Positioned on the east side of the River Exe, our most regular sighting of the town is from across the river.

This photo of lovely Kate was taken in spring last year; a pitstop on our regular cycle route.

Once a thriving port, Topsham’s location overlooking the estuary is beautifully scenic, even in the throws of winter.

Away from the glorious views of the waterside, the quaint, historic town has a cosmopolitan feel, with distinctive buildings and an eclectic cluster of independent shops and eateries, edged by cobbled streets.

It is also on a cycle route connecting Exeter with the seaside town of Exmouth, but oh for those hills…

The village of Ide

In a valley south west of Exeter, lies the picturesque village of Ide. Winding its way through the village is the Alphinbrook, a tributary of the river Exe. With quaint thatched cottages and narrow lanes bordering the brook, there’s an olde-worlde feel that makes it easy to forget the closeness of Exeter.

With windows and doorsteps decorated for advent (it was just before Xmas)…

And treasures of old meets new…

This tucked away village oozes charm.

I look forward to more getting out and about, exploring and appreciating the local surrounds.

XXX

 

Children’s Hour – Jacob’s Story

It’s been an interesting and entertaining journey so far on children’s hour. I had hoped that by giving children a platform during these times of a global pandemic, it might help them to connect with each other and the people in their lives. As far as what was sent in, I had no idea what to expect. I am delighted to see wildlife feature, among other things.

As a fiction writer, I spend much of my time thinking about different perspectives. In building characters, worlds, and cultures, viewpoint and empathy are everything.

Read more →

Children’s Hour – Imogen’s Story

I hope everyone is keeping safe and well. With rainbows fast becoming symbols of hope, it is wonderful to see so much colour around. And now, with the UK weather for once being kind, there is colour in the garden of the natural kind. It feels like summer.

Read more →

Children’s Hour – Beth’s Story

Here in the UK, social isolation continues. I feel fortunate to be able to step out for a walk each day, and to live close to the river Exe. On the way to the river, just beyond the railway tracks as dusk approaches, wild rabbits venture out. It always feels like a treat to see them, and now in our house we’ve taken to collecting vegetable peelings to deposit on the walk. Then the rabbits can enjoy an evening buffet.

Read more →

Children’s Hour – Alexander’s Story

With the UK still under measures of social isolation, I’ve been thinking about the theme of my last blog, Staying Connected, and all the imaginative ways people have been finding to stay connected to one another.

As a writer, it got me thinking about stories and what they communicate. A favourite pastime when I was young was whiling away the hours in my bedroom writing weird and wonderful adventure stories. I wondered what stories children might come up with at this time, what places their imagination might take them. And so, I spoke to children I know and asked them, ‘Would you like to write a story that I could share on my website?’ I was thrilled to receive the first entry yesterday.

Read more →

Female Characters

It’s been a busy few days, beginning on Saturday when I went along to Wincanton Book Festival. Reading an extract from Return of the Mantra, I chose the scene when Suni first meets a mysterious young boy who doesn’t speak. It reminded me of the tenderness that develops in this parent/child type relationship; a relationship that continues to grow in the sequel. Needless to say it was a lovely day promoting all things books, and as I chatted to interested people, I thought more about the complexities of my female protagonist, a girl who struggles to find her place in the world, who survives and adapts and learns to fight to save her homeland.

Read more →

The Human Condition

If a novel was good, would you care if it was created by Artificial Intelligence?

Inspired by an article in the Guardian, click here, this was a question posed a few weeks ago by Devon Book Club, a weekly forum on Twitter discussing all things books.

My response was one of resistance. My exact words were, ‘This is so inhuman it makes me shudder’.

Read more →