SC Skillman Author

Writing Stories That Grow Legs and Run Away From You

In my creative writing class at Lancaster University years ago, our tutor said to us: Once written and completed, your work is A Thing on the Table. The world can make what it likes of it. It doesn’t belong to you any more.” More recently, novelist Susan Hill, speaking at a local author event,Continue reading “Writing Stories That Grow Legs and Run Away From You”

Thrilling Holiday Reading: Mystical Circles and A Passionate Spirit

Looking for gripping novels to fill up your ereader with? Want to while away the time at the airport? Include A Passionate Spirit on your holiday reading list. If you like thrillers with more than a touch of the paranormal this is for you! Janice an Amazon reviewer, took A Passionate Spirit on holiday withContinue reading “Thrilling Holiday Reading: Mystical Circles and A Passionate Spirit”

New Book About Writing, For Aspiring Writers

I’m currently working on a new book about writing, which has the working title of Perilous Path: a Writer’s Journey. The book contains 30 short pieces I’ve published online over the past 6 years, both on ezine articles and on this blog, all on the subject of writing a novel. Here’s a taster from theContinue reading “New Book About Writing, For Aspiring Writers”

How To Start a Novel

When I was signing books at the Leamington Peace Festival on Saturday 18th June, a young man came up to my book stall and started chatting to me about writing books; it turned out he was writing a book himself and wanted any advice I could give on the best way to start a book. Continue reading “How To Start a Novel”

Come and See Me at Costa Coffee in Royal Priors Leamington Spa on Fri 24 June and Buy a Signed Copy of Mystical Circles And A Passionate Spirit

I had a great time at the Leamington Peace Festival over the weekend, and enjoyed chatting to many interesting people at my local author stall. Not only did I sell some books to keen readers, and meet someone who was uncannily like one of my characters in Mystical Circles, who asked me for advice onContinue reading “Come and See Me at Costa Coffee in Royal Priors Leamington Spa on Fri 24 June and Buy a Signed Copy of Mystical Circles And A Passionate Spirit”

Reflections on Australia: Binna Burra, Rainforest Resort in the Gold Coast Hinterland

As my daughter Abigail and her friend Gaby have just flown out to Australia to stay with my sister in Brisbane for the next few weeks, I’m thinking of Australia – and of the times I’ve visited that continent, and of the four and a half years I spent living and working there. I’veContinue reading “Reflections on Australia: Binna Burra, Rainforest Resort in the Gold Coast Hinterland”

Wildflower Inspiration from Highgrove

One of the loveliest things about England is the sight of our native wildflowers. For some it may be possible to take these things for granted, but to me, cow-parsley growing in the hedgerows, and bluebells appearing in unexpected places, is something miraculous – along with the oxeye daisy, the meadow buttercup, viper’s bugloss, redContinue reading “Wildflower Inspiration from Highgrove”

I’ll Be at Costa Coffee Royal Priors Leamington Spa on Friday 24th June 2016 Signing Copies of Mystical Circles and A Passionate Spirit

Please do join me in Costa Coffee if you’re in the Royal Priors Shopping Centre, Leamington Spa, on Saturday 24th June. I’ll be there between 11am and 2pm on that day handing out free bookmarks and postcards as well as signing copies of my two thriller / suspense novels Mystical Circles and A Passionate Spirit. CostaContinue reading “I’ll Be at Costa Coffee Royal Priors Leamington Spa on Friday 24th June 2016 Signing Copies of Mystical Circles and A Passionate Spirit”

Inspiration from Foreign Language Films in our Film Club

During the course of this blog I’ve written about sources of inspiration from many directions – from people, cities, landscape, history, buildings, travel, books, art, TV drama and films. Certainly films I love have enriched my creative life. Writers benefit from cross-fertilisation all the time! A few years ago my writer friend Meg Harper setContinue reading “Inspiration from Foreign Language Films in our Film Club”

Thank you to Mog and Pauline of Warwick Books for hosting my book-signing event on Saturday 7th May

Many thanks to Mog and Pauline at Warwick Books for hosting my book-signing in the shop on Saturday 7th May… and thank you to those lovely customers who bought copies of my two novels Mystical Circles and A Passionate Spirit.Although the beautiful weather kept custom low – I suspect all the regular clientele may haveContinue reading “Thank you to Mog and Pauline of Warwick Books for hosting my book-signing event on Saturday 7th May”