My recent visit to an English Heritage castle, Goodrich Castle in Herefordshire, stirred up some reflections on life. A visit to a medieval castle cannot help remind you that this great pile represents in stone the major themes in human nature: war, power, wealth, moral and economic hierarchies, social injustice and religion. Of course whatContinue reading “The Fatal Flaw in Human Nature, Castles in the Air, and Dreams and Visions”
Category Archives: SC Skillman
New Cover Design Coming for Edition 3 of Mystical Circles To Be Published by Luminarie on 31 August 2017
Mystical Circles will be published by Luminarie in a new third edition on 31 August. Instead of the present cover, it will have a new cover created by the designer behind the cover of A Passionate Spirit. The cover design will be darker and more mysterious than that for edition 2, in keeping with the toneContinue reading “New Cover Design Coming for Edition 3 of Mystical Circles To Be Published by Luminarie on 31 August 2017”
Find Me on the Authors Stand at the UK Games Expo 2017 in Birmingham
From 2nd to 4th June 2017 there will be a big event for games players and lovers of fantasy, thrillers and roleplay at the NEC Birmingham. There’ll be four authors at the Expo, of whom I am one. Click here to find out more about the authors Jonathan Green, Richard Denning, Gareth Baker and myself.Continue reading “Find Me on the Authors Stand at the UK Games Expo 2017 in Birmingham”
Joan of Arc: Mystical Experiences and Empowerment
The other day I saw an encore screening of George Bernard Shaw’s play “St Joan” from National Theatre Live. I studied this play at university. Then, as in my recent viewing, I was entranced by the character of Joan herself, and by the words Shaw puts into her mouth. Joan has special resonance for me becauseContinue reading “Joan of Arc: Mystical Experiences and Empowerment”
The Laborious Art of Book Writing
I love this post by Lucy Mills and it echoes my own thoughts about the process of writing a book. Lucy is writing an inspirational book, not a novel, but she describes an experience common to all those who throw themselves heart and soul into writing a full-length work for publication. Lucy refers to theContinue reading “The Laborious Art of Book Writing”
Whatever Happened to Small is Beautiful?
In 1993, E.F. Schmacher published a book entitled Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered. It was well received, and promised a potential revolution in ideas for capitalism and for the consumer society. Recently I saw a plea from a Christian charity for us to invest in poor (“small” in economicContinue reading “Whatever Happened to Small is Beautiful?”
What do the Secrets of the Australian Swagman Have to Say to Creative Writers?
“Ashes are much hotter than flames”.This is an observation I heard online a few months ago, and you’d think, OK, what does that have to do with creative writers? Well, let me take you to the Australian Outback to explain. The ‘swagman’ of Waltzing Matilda fame traditionally goes walkabout through the Outback of Australia withContinue reading “What do the Secrets of the Australian Swagman Have to Say to Creative Writers?”
Creative Artists: In the Minority, and On the Outside Looking In
Today on Radio 4, whilst stuck in slow-moving traffic due to an accident on the M40, I listened to the Midweek programme, in which Libby Purves interviewed four guests – Diana Moran, fitness expert; Jack Thorne, playwright; Dashni Morad, singer and presenter; and finally Omid Djalili, comedian and actor. For the purposes of today’s blogContinue reading “Creative Artists: In the Minority, and On the Outside Looking In”
What the Camp Comedian Has To Say to the Creative Writer
I love camp, on-the-cusp comedians who subvert gender stereotypes. A good example is Julian Clary who is above all a genius with words – playful, teasing, fluid, quixotic, suggestive, subversive – and he has an acute sense of irony. His camp public persona in itself subverts what I believe may lie much deeper in him,Continue reading “What the Camp Comedian Has To Say to the Creative Writer”
My New Book ‘Perilous Path: A Writer’s Journey’ Out Now
I’m delighted to announced that my new book is out now and available to buy on Amazon, both as a paperback and as an ebook. Perilous Path: A Writer’s Journey is a short informative and encouraging book of 126 pages, giving an insight into the writer’s life. It will appeal to aspiring writers, keen readers fascinatedContinue reading “My New Book ‘Perilous Path: A Writer’s Journey’ Out Now”
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