What is your view of the city? Is it a place you work in, and suffer all the stress of commuting? Or perhaps it’s a place you live in? In my novel Zoe emails her sister with these words: Hi, you in crowded, stressed old London from me in the peaceful, perfect Cotswolds… But thoseContinue reading “Places of Inspiration Part 2: The Heavenly City: A View of London”
Category Archives: British mystery romance writer
The Psyche of a Cat and Emily Bronte’s School Essay
Cats both domestic and wild have been worshipped, adored, feared, coveted, persecuted, psychoanalysed, parodied, wondered over, painted, written about, sculpted, photographed… and there is no sign of this fascination ever abating. Some of us find cats enchanting; others greatly prefer dogs. Personally, I love both; but admit that I’ve probably spent longer pondering the psyche of aContinue reading “The Psyche of a Cat and Emily Bronte’s School Essay”
Good Friday, The Magic of Believing, and Success and Failure
Once I tried to live by the magic of believing, in which positive thoughts always attract good circumstances into our lives – until I realised success and failure in this world cannot be understood in such a simplistic way. How straightforward life would be if that was so. The truth is none of us knowContinue reading “Good Friday, The Magic of Believing, and Success and Failure”
An Artist’s Feeling for Light and Relationship with the Creative Writer
“Show don’t tell” is one of the most common pieces of advice given to a writer; and this is the case with artists too. Yet sometimes we like to hear an artist explain their method of working. And so the other day I listened to Phyllis Davies, Painter and Textile Artist, as she discussed her art at aContinue reading “An Artist’s Feeling for Light and Relationship with the Creative Writer”
The Pessimistic Optimism of the Long-Distance Creative Writer
After being turned down by numerous publishers, he had decided to write for posterity – George Ade It is a truth certainly acknowledged by the author of the above quote that many creative writers struggle for years, enduring perhaps decades in the wilderness of submissions and rejections, before their persistence finally pays off. Most would-beContinue reading “The Pessimistic Optimism of the Long-Distance Creative Writer”
Highly-focused, intense, and brilliant: The First Hunger Games Film
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins provides a very exciting, stirring read, engaging young adults – and now of course adults too – with major issues in today’s world. I saw The Hunger Games movie having read the trilogy a couple of years ago. I found the books compelling in their narrative of horrific events, in the endContinue reading “Highly-focused, intense, and brilliant: The First Hunger Games Film”
Wisdom from Hermitage, Cave and Monastery
Sometimes you hear people say “What’s the use of being a solitary contemplative?” How can any of humanity’s problems be resolved by those who withdraw from the world, to live the life of a hermit or a monk? The vital role of the sadhu or holy man is long established in Indian tradition; and renewed interestContinue reading “Wisdom from Hermitage, Cave and Monastery”
Literary Criticism, Joseph Conrad Corns and Jane Austen’s Irony
A friend recently asked me this question on behalf of her daughter, an Eng Lit A level student: “How do you analyse a novel?” And I tried to be helpful… but what strikes me most about literary criticism is that even though you may analyse a novel on many levels, according to the personal preference of theContinue reading “Literary Criticism, Joseph Conrad Corns and Jane Austen’s Irony”
Favour, privilege, and royal fairy dust
My son mentioned to me that he had learned from Newsround that Garry Barlow of Take That had asked Prince Harry to sing a line in one of their songs. And that Harry had (so far) refused. This led to thoughts about royal power and privilege; especially as I later watched the excellent TV programme “She-Wolves” presentedContinue reading “Favour, privilege, and royal fairy dust”
How Do You Write About a Character’s Thoughts?
This was the question my teenage daughter posed when I said: “Ask me any question about writing novels. What would you like to know?” So I replied, “Put it in italics.” But I hasten to add that I don’t think that was the answer she wanted. Nor do I believe it really does provide the solution.Continue reading “How Do You Write About a Character’s Thoughts?”
scskillman.com 