Sometimes writers are asked what they do in their spare time? Write of course! But when I'm not writing I'm either walking the dog, playing the piano, watching TV or drawing. I'm increasingly turning to music and art to relax. I don't know if it is the time of my life. Reflective rather than hurried, but they bring me closer to my own emotions and at the same time I feel more connected to this crazy beautiful world. So, I thought I'd share my scribbles on www.lovelydayart.com I've never really spoken about why I draw, paint or scribble. Sometimes I do it when I'm sad about the world. Sometimes I do it when I'm thinking about a plot. But, every time I do it I feel great. I highly recommend picking up a pencil and scribbling. I got started years ago doing the same. Then I bought procreate for my phone and used to scribble when I was on the train or waiting for a meeting. Love to you all, hoping you have found the thing that makes you happy. One of my scribbles below, of which you can find out how I drew them on YouTube here. Cxx
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Hello friends,
I wanted to post some photographs of the beautiful blossom in Cambridge at the moment. It is really cheerful and joyful to see. It has been a long winter, not cold, but a lot of dark days. Spring is always so lovely in England. Perhaps because of the temperate weather, the seasons are always so gentle as they blend from one to another. I have been finishing a screenplay this week. I started back in the summer and keep going back to it. Writing scripts is so different to novels, but I do enjoy it very much. Hope everyone has a great weekend. Cxx Hello friends,
tonight I have put POISON, Book 1 of The Cambridge Murder Mysteries on sale. It has come down from US$7.99 and UK£5.99 to US$2.99 and UK£2.99. I am going to keep the sale going for a week, so grab a bargain! Also, VALENTINE'S DAY - KISS OF DEATH is now on sale in the US at US$0.99, down from US$7.99. I will be sending out a newsletter this weekend, so if any would like to receive, don't forget to sign up here. Happy reading and happy weekend. Cx Hello friends,
I wanted to post a short blog about Goodreads. I know that it is a great resource for readers who want to find books in a genre they enjoy. As a writer, I have yet to understand how to connect with readers who enjoy my books on the platform. Some authors do so really well. If any readers have thoughts about what works well on Goodreads I'd love to know. I saw one author running polls about their characters on Goodreads. With so many different places to join, connect, talk on and comment through, I must admit I do find it hard to keep up! If ever you want to get in touch with me, I'm usually on Twitter every day. I like it most because it has gone after eight minutes most of the time (viral tweets not withstanding). I like the immediate nature of the posts. The easy way to connect with anyone. Perhaps I should have called this blog Twitter. Perhaps I will come to understand how, as an author, I can enjoy Goodreads more. But, I think for now, I am stretched too thin. Cxx I wrote a poem this morning...
Can’t Take My Soul I knew a man who once was there, who once there was, I knew a man. A man I knew who was not good, no good this man was everywhere. I knew a man who came to ravage Ravage our land, from left and right and right and left, and up and down and down. And up. He took it all. He took our children. He wouldn't stop until the end. But at the end was left my soul. My soul was still, but still at the end was my soul. My soul was at the end. He could not take that Take my soul he did not. For he did not know me, or I him a stranger from afar. He thought he'd win. Win, to win, to win. But he lost. Hearts and minds. Mothers and sons. Fathers and daughters. He lost us, he lost them He lost everyone. He took. Took took Everything but not our souls, not our spirit No matter how he fought. He never understood. Pity the man who cannot feel Who cannot share, cannot love For he is truly alone in this land and no friend of ours this man Charlot King Hello friends,
I wanted to let you know that I have started a book club. It might take some peoples' minds - if just for a short while - away from all the heartbreaking things going on in the world. I am sure my book club will be very small, but in case anyone else would like to read 'Where the Crawdads Sing' Delia Owens, I shall be posting about it next weekend with my review. If you have read it, do let me know what you think. Link below to Book Club. Happy reading! Cxx Hello Friends,
today I am posting a link in case you'd like to download 'Valentine's Day Kiss of Death' along with other books available through something called BookFunnel which are either free or currently on sale. Valentine's Day is currently only 99 pence at the moment. Hoping you all have a lovely day. Cxx Hello People,
Recently, I joined BookBub as an author. Some of you may already be on BookBub, but for those who have not heard of it, it is a book discovery service and makes a point of informing those who join of book deals. Free books. Books reduced from their normal price down to 99 pence etc. In case you ever want to be sure not to miss a price drop on my books, it is one way to keep in touch. The best way, however, is to sign up for my newsletter - as I tend to send one out when my books go on sale. Cxx Hello Peeps - hoping all are doing okay today.
Tonight I listened to a talk by Kendall Feaver talk about her writing. It was very interesting. Sharing her process and also reminding listeners of the well trodden rules - give every actor a part, and find the comedy in the dark moments etc. It is always good to hear writers talk about how they write for the stage. Both of my parents spent a lot of their spare time on the stage, which gave me a bird's eye view of acting, directing, the smell of backstage, the tensions, the prompts, the glorious leads knocking it out of the park. As I was 'dragged along' to trips to London to see shows. It all started to rub off on me. It makes me sad that we have missed almost two years of live performance. Well, most of us. Thankfully, plays have returned properly since the end of lockdown. Somehow, most of the theatres have scraped by - no thanks to the government. Some have sadly closed. Plays are not my first love. TV is for sure. Then film. I have always preferred to go and see a stand up comic than to watching a play. I'm not going to lie. I do love both. But if I had to choose. But both share that feel of taking part in a shared experience. Both are good times out. Something to look forward to, to live through, to talk about afterwards. The good ones changing course of the participant - ever so slightly. I remember before the pandemic, taking my son to the Arts Theatre, Cambridge, to see The Lady Vanishes (which was superb). I have not been since, as I have been ill as most of you know. And now, having watched a lot of TV and Film at home, I am yearning to go back to the theatre. To sit in the slightly curved seats, velvety, which smell of coats and wine. To watch the people arrive around me and settle, rustling bar snacks and balancing programmes on their knees. But more than anything, to feel alive and part of something. A commonality. Connecting with those around me, jointly sharing the performance. And to watch those commanding performances, which transport you so successfully away somewhere else. Performances that hit you like a train. Performances that make you feel human, fragile, strong, excited, sad, different, that make you think. My mother always used to insist on sitting in the front row. She used to want to get as close as possible to the action. As a small child, I objected to being spat on by the more enthusiastic actors, or having to look up the nostrils of a more mature performer. And then, there was the neck ache. But now, I crave it. I have been looking carefully at the Arts Theatre programme, ready to pounce on some tickets. I have delved into playwriting myself, a little. I had a couple of short plays on in past years. One at the Corpus Christi Theatre, and one at the ADC. Both in Cambridge. I am polishing a play at the moment. Though I suspect it will languish in my metaphorical drawer for a long time yet, before I am ready to share it with the world. If you are going to the theatre this weekend, then I am truly jealous. I wish you the best time, and it won't be long before I am sitting in those seats again. Cxx Hello friends, We just had a storm over in the UK this weekend. I was recovering from an illness, possibly caused by the mouse bite, possibly a fever. No idea. But one thing I was able to do was write. I realise that writing for me is a habit. It started when I was young. Life was busier then, so I parked it to one side. But the urge grew and I started properly in my mid thirties. It was around that time that I worked for the BBC. I was lucky, and met very many talented people. Some of their habits rubbed off on me. I was told two things that stuck. Advice if you like... 1. If you want to be a writer, then write every day. This is very obvious advice, isn't it? But now that I can call myself a writer, it is surprising how few adhere to this but dream one day to be an author. Just write. Then rewrite. Make it a practice every day. 2. Don't wait for Christmas. Now this is a bit cryptic, but one of my favourite camera operators told me this when I was telling him that I wanted to write (I had not picked up the pen again at this time, or was in the early throws of taking it seriously). He reminded me that we cannot wait for our plans to happen, we have to make them happen. We don't have all the time in the world. We need to get on with it. For all those new writers who might ask me what they should do, all I know is that these two pieces of advice have been the most important to me. If you are still looking for more inspiration, I cannot recommend enough getting to know John Yorke's writing. I was lucky to go on a few of his courses when I worked in BBC Drama. I think a lot of his advice also applies to prose/novels. Good luck writing. Finally, a photo of my trustee typewriter, which I love dearly and use sometimes, but never enough. I reminds me how easy it is now to write on a computer, but also how hard it is on the eyes and the imagination. There is something pretty special about writing and not looking at a screen.
Cxx |
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