Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Broken Bones, via Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources Blurb Some bodies just won’t stay buried… After putting a stop to one of Edinburgh’s most notorious serial killers 3 years ago, DCI Liam Brodie is known as a man who can handle – and solve – the…
Tag: writing
‘Salt and Honey’ by Candi Miller
My Review (5 stars out of 5) In 1950s South Africa, Koba’s tribe are hunter-gatherers, following the traditional ways of life of an ancient culture. But when her family clashes with a group of white people, the outcome is tragic, leaving her orphaned. Taken to their home, the girl grudgingly learns to speak their language…
‘Summer Paths’ An Anthology
Welcome to my spot on the blog tour for Summer Paths, via Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources The Blurb This, the fourth and final selection of stories, completes the Seasonal Paths series created by a consortium of best-selling and award-winning North Atlantic writers. In this anthology you will encounter unintentional consequences, love in later life,…
‘The Night Shift’ by Gemma Rogers
My Review (5 stars out of 5) Nina spends her nights working at a storage facility where all she has to do is keep an eye on the occasional visitor while giving herself time to study for her medical degree. But one night a man appears whose behaviour makes her suspicious… This is the third…
Giving up the Ghost – the Agony of an Unfinished Novel
Like many writers, I’m a big fan of Stephen King, and have taken on board most of his advice about storytelling, character development and the routine of writing. However, his suggestion that ‘Stopping a piece of writing just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea,’ doesn’t always work for me. Having…
‘The Best of Me’ by David Sedaris
My Review (5 stars out of 5) This is a collection of David Sedaris’s best stories. From the absurd and the bizarre, to the touching and profound, we learn about his family, his relationships, and his often-hilarious insights into the human condition. I’ve read several of this author’s books already so, unsurprisingly, some of these…
‘Afua’ by Karl Drinkwater and Christoffer Petersen
My Review (4 stars out of 5) This is the second book I’ve read by Karl Drinkwater, though I’m not familiar with Christoffer Petersen’s work. Set in the Lost Solace universe, this is a sci-fi story featuring a strongminded heroine in the form of Afua. A fairly short read, the world of Lost Solace is…
‘I Am Legend’ by Richard Matheson
My Review (3 stars out of 5) Robert Neville believes himself to be the last living man on Earth – except, he’s not alone. It seems that the only other inhabitants of the planet have become blood-hungry vampires. Spending his days hunting and his nights locked into his fortress-like house, Neville carries out experiments, trying…
How to Be a Crap Writer (Part 3)
In my previous posts on the topic of being a crap writer, I’ve looked at identifying those among us who are not literary greats, as well as the kinds of silly writing mistakes many authors make. This time around, I’d like to share my thoughts on more subjects that irritate me, and spoil books that…
First Drafts and Other Hurricanes
Ernest Hemingway once said, “The first draft of everything is shit.” Maybe it is, but it also depends on what you term to be a First Draft. As my approach to writing has changed a bit over the years, I no longer write and edit as I go along, but instead, simply write until I…
Colin Garrow 