My Blog
What’s the story on ‘quotes’ for book covers?
With the ms of the new book with the copy editor, I'm thinking ahead to the upcoming stages of the book's production. I'll be using the same cover designer as on the previous five novels, and have a brilliant photo image already bought and paid for: now I'm wondering...
Character, setting and story: the perpetual balancing act
When I started writing it was really all about setting and character: there was a background story line, but after a while that declined in importance and the interplay of the characters against the West Cumbrian backdrop became the main driving force. Readers love...
How long is long enough?
Last week's issue was the business of 'murdering darlings'. This week I'm looking at the carnage and wondering - to use yet another metaphor - whether I've thrown the baby out with the bathwater. The main victim of last week's murderous rampage through the third draft...
Self-publishing: getting it right
WARNING People write books about this: one blog post can cover only the bare bones We can split the process of going from story in your head to books available to readers (in whatever form) into three parts. As a self-published writer, you're on your own: whatever...
The positive power of feedback
All my plans for meeting readers at the Lake District shows this summer went west the moment I fell down the stairs in mid-August and emerged with a ruptured Achilles tendon and damaged shoulder ligaments. Couldn't walk for a while, couldn't drive, couldn't lift or...
First audiobook!
At last, it's done! I started on this project months ago, thought about it, blogged about it, struggled with the abridging, rehearsed, found a recording studio, got help and did it. Then the master discs sat and looked at me for a while: what was the point of all that...