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Mr Tumnal is my second book, but it is a standalone adventure to that of my debut novel published in May 2012. Fans of The End Of All Worlds though, might recognise a couple of characters from that story taking…
Continue readingSo, after the years of writing, the revising, the editing, and the anticipation, the day has finally come when my second novel, Mr Tumnal, is published. Go buy it, now, but before you do (or if you want to find…
Continue readingMr Tumnal has an eclectic taste in music. His music collection is entirely vinyl and (mostly) cassette, with some recent additions on CD, thus, Kathryn buys him an iPod which she has engraved for him: For your music collection and…
Continue readingFrom the very first page of Mr Tumnal, you know that music is very important to Lewis/Louis and to his lives. How important you will have to wait to fully discover. With such importance you might expect me to know…
Continue readingRooftoppers by Katherine Rundell I first found about this book when I saw a it in a window display from the bus and I added it to my To Read list straight away. However it was not until I visited…
Continue readingStories can come to the writer through deep consideration or through random chance. Mr Tumnal came to existence from the latter. As the acknowledgements in the front of the first edition, to be be published in just over two days time,…
Continue readingCuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge This is a dark and gothic tale, with a brother lost in the war, and a family torn apart through grieving for him. There is sibling rivally and a father with a dark secret. There…
Continue readingAlexandra Fry Private Eye Tutankhamun’s Gift by Angella Graff This is the sequel to Angella Graff’s wonderful adventure-thriller, Alexandra Fry: the Curse of the Lion’s Heart, a story that introduced us to our teenage heroine who can see ghosts, battles…
Continue reading26 Characters: celebrating childhood story heroes by Cambridge Jones (Photographer) Alice Rochester (Editor), Andy Stanton (Forword) The only problem with this book – the accompanying guide to the inspiring exhibition at Oxford’s Story Museum of the same name – is…
Continue readingLast Saturday we visited the brilliant 26 Characters exhibition at Oxford’s Story Museum. This morning I was reading some of the accompanying book, and by chance I got to the bit where children’s author Frances Hardinge talks about why she…
Continue readingThe Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory Whilst I enjoy historical fiction, I always approach the genre with a certain amount of trepidation, because of a fear that the characters and the settings are going to confuse me. I therefore was…
Continue readingToday 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…
Continue readingHow Novels Work by John Mullan Whether you are already and an author, aspire to write books, or just enjoy reading them I would recommend this book to everyone. I would defy you to read this and not think about…
Continue readingThe Princess Bride by William Goldman Ever since I first saw The Princess Bride film I have loved it – loved it as much as a dear old friend. How come then that I have only just discovered that there…
Continue readingLabyrinth by Kate Mosse It is clear that this story was inspired by the fortified medieval Cité of Carcassonne, and its a creative inspiration that I am all too familiar with. I was first told about this book shortly after…
Continue readingCold Comfort by Quentin Bates After the plodding start to the first book in the Officer Gunnhilder series of novels, the series settles down with the second story. Gunna has a new job in the serious crime unit and it…
Continue readingThe Woodcutter by Kate Danley Everyone loves fairytales don’t they? It seems from this debut novel that it is possible to love then too much. I wanted to like this book so much, but in the end I found it…
Continue readingFaceless Killers by Henning Mankell For the first time in possibly a decade I’m reading more than I have in ages; disiplining myself to set aside time to read just as I have set aside writing time, and its working….
Continue readingThe Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris I loved what Joanne Harris has done with the character of the Norse God Loki in her earlier books, Runemarks, and Runelight, and so the prospect of the story of the Norse world…
Continue readingElizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey This is a quite remarkable story from a debut novelist to watch in the future. Emma Healey’s story is told by Maude – an old lady living with the onset of dementia – as…
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