Christmas arouses so many emotions. Magical in childhood, often much more of a challenge in adulthood – which of us are “Ding Dong Merrily On High”, and which of us are “Bah Humbug”? I love many things about Christmas: The anticipation through Advent – Advent candles Christmas carols – many of them have the most beautifulContinue reading “Christmas: Time for Joy, Time for Mourning”
Category Archives: SC Skillman
A Passionate Spirit and Mystical Circles: Give Books for Christmas
Waterstones’ current slogan is Give books for Christmas. And I must admit I could find no better message to give those passing by my stall at the Clapham Terrace School Christmas Fair on Friday – unless of course it be Roald Dahl’s observation in “Matilda”: If you are going to get anywhere in life youContinue reading “A Passionate Spirit and Mystical Circles: Give Books for Christmas”
Out at the Christmas Fairs Meeting Prospective Readers
One of the joys of selling books at local Christmas Fairs is that you get a chance to introduce yourself to possible new readers and to chat to them about their reading tastes. I had some interesting chats at the Princethorpe College Christmas Fair on Sunday afternoon whilst promoting and selling signed copies of my two novelsContinue reading “Out at the Christmas Fairs Meeting Prospective Readers”
From the Launch of A Passionate Spirit to the Writing of the Next Novel
Only four days now until publication day for “A Passionate Spirit“. Instead of a bookshop party I shall be “launching” this novel with visits to three local Christmas fairs in Warwickshire this year, and then starting in February, I plan to do a series of signings, one in Kenilworth Books, one in Waterstone’s Leamington Spa, and aContinue reading “From the Launch of A Passionate Spirit to the Writing of the Next Novel”
Is it an Author’s Responsibility to Write a Satisfying Conclusion?
How important is it for the ending of a novel to satisfy? To what extent can an author be held responsible for this, or is it down to the heart and mind of the reader? In 2012 I published an online article about novel endings in which I quoted Robert McKee in his excellent book Story. Continue reading “Is it an Author’s Responsibility to Write a Satisfying Conclusion?”
New Life, New Season, Fresh Start at University
Autumn is often a time of new beginnings and a few days ago we moved our daughter Abigail into her new student room in her hall of residence at Gloucestershire University, Cheltenham. There she will be completing her studies in Media Production and we hope she will emerge as a great film-maker. Saying goodbye toContinue reading “New Life, New Season, Fresh Start at University”
Rain Soaked Odyssey of Delight Round Highgrove Garden
Drenching rains accompanied our tour round HRH the Prince of Wales’ intriguing garden at Highgrove but with so much to wonder at, we all kept going and completed the tour. Highgrove Garden made me think of the plot of a children’s book, quirky, fun, playful. At every turn there is a new surprise, like somethingContinue reading “Rain Soaked Odyssey of Delight Round Highgrove Garden”
Calais Refugees – re-blogged from Jaz O’Hara’s Facebook Post
Originally posted on Write to Inspire:
I wish more people would write like this. The British media and the majority of postings on social media just stir up anti, well anti-fellow-human-being feelings, if we are honest. This depresses me deeply. These are people! People like you and me. Put yourself in their place. How does that…
Lance’s Coach Tour #6
Originally posted on Write to Inspire:
The voting is over and my passengers are boarding for the sixth grand coach tour. Welcome aboard! The front two seats are quickly occupied by Sheila and Colleen, who are all ready singing even before the expected arrival of Howard boards with his trusty guitar. Following her success with the…
Believing in Dreams
It is a dream… of what has never been… true, it has never been, and therefore, since the world is alive, and moving yet, my hope is the greater that it one day will be… dreams have before now come about of things so good… we scarcely think of them more than the daylight, thoughContinue reading “Believing in Dreams”
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