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Two days ago I wrote this post about how new stories are emerging in my mind, and how I now had an unexpected sequel to Mr Tumnal. This morning whilst walking to work across the quad of Oxford’s Bodleian Library…
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I enjoy getting feedback on my stories. My latest 5-star review, solicited from a blogger in return for an honest review, was amazing, and just the latest review which has asked for/expected a sequel. I wonder if this is book…
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Today I have had the best afternoon out in Oxford, ever! Emma and I headed into the city this afternoon to go to the excellent and inspiring home of The Story Museum – I think that maybe this place, the…
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Time was that I used to have lots of story dreams, some based on real events, some completely fantastical, usually episodic across consecutive nights. Of late though, I’ve been having fewer of these, and when I do, they haven’t been…
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Today has been Emma’s birthday. As something a bit different this year, we’ve had a night away at the Bourne Valley Inn in St Mary Bourne in rural Hampshire. Yesterday we visited Avebury to see the biggest stone circle in…
Continue readingAccording to this article on the BBC website, Iceland is a country where one in 10 people will publish a book. I can understand that. The winter months in Iceland are long, dark, and cold, and for years the winter…
Continue readingMr Tumnal is the story of a man who marries his imaginary friend. Based on the dissertation of my friends Kirsty, You Were My Betty is another crazy idea from the same brain. Charlotte gets help with her dissertation from…
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Today, Emma and I finally made it into Oxford for the Magical Books exhibition at the Bodleian Library. I am so glad that we did. The exhibition space at The Bodleian is small but we spent about an hour in…
Continue readingAs is my way, after a flurry of writing activity is all gone a bit quiet again. In part, that is because I’ve found myself busy doing geeky, all-consuming, submersive webby/journal-style stuff. In this case it has been the process…
Continue readingAs is my way, after a flurry of writing activity is all gone a bit quiet again. In part, that is because I’ve found myself busy doing geeky, all-consuming, submersive webby/journal-style stuff. In this case it has been the process…
Continue readingI’m enjoying being back with my story. I love it when my characters invade my every waking moment with their stories as they are doing at the moment. Of course it can be a slight problem in that I want…
Continue readingI haven’t had as many story dreams in recent times as I used to – historically some of my most creative stories from dreams and sometimes from my serial dreams. Last night I had a brilliant dream, the prospect of…
Continue readingJericho, Oxford is a bohemian neighbourhood. It’s sought after and desirable for its community, attractiveness, and appeal, but when it features in Mr Tumnal Jericho is not quite bohemian enough. I’ve got to a part in the story when Kathryn…
Continue readingFurther to Hugo Lindgren’s provocative article in The New York Times, ‘Be Wrong as Fast as You Write’ it got me thinking about writing, and ideas and how one decides which ideas need to be written – or which ideas…
Continue readingI’ve had a very nice evening, helping to celebrate Claire and Neil’s wedding. We arrived in Abingdon about 7 o’clock for the evening part of the reception and Claire, looking beautiful in her wedding dress, leapt up to greet us…
Continue readingFollowing on from a successful writing week, I am back to the kind of writing which is more akin to snatching moments. These, most frequently, come at lunch, after the others have left, just finding enough time to get one…
Continue readingHave you ever been walking, cycling, or driving around town wishing that they would do something awesome there, or regretting that that row of streets was ever demolished? Have you ever had ambitious plans that would be so utterly fantastic…
Continue readingIn recent week’s I’ve now had two people read the first slice of Mr Tumnal. And both Jane and Emma have loved it. Which is really encouraging for me as I write it, and enjoy it, and find myself living…
Continue readingI cycle past this house every day. In its stone gateposts, and long gravel drive, huge proportions tucked back from the busy main road behind mature trees and shrubs, the house is so clearly something from the page of the…
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