Editors are a vital part of the indie publishing machine. But they don’t often get the same airtime as indie writers. I’ve featured editors on my blog before, and the reception has always been very good. So I’m guessing writers like hearing that editors have to say! That in mind, I decided to interview Claire […]
Did the Queen Rat of London really live in the sewers?
If you’ve read China Miéville’s King Rat, then you’ll know dark things can stir beneath London. But perhaps it’s not a King Rat. Perhaps it’s a Queen Rat. Only those who venture into the deep, dark places would encounter such a creature. Let me introduce you to the toshers. What does a tosher do? When the River […]
What is the dark secret beneath Newcastle’s Black Gate?
Walk south along St Nicholas’ Street in Newcastle and you’ll spot a medieval building on your left. Surrounded by the behemoth of Milburn House and the engineering of the railway arches, it seems out of place. But the Black Gate once stood as the entrance to the formidable Castle Keep. This 13th-century barbican repelled invaders […]
What books did I get for Christmas?
I’m not normally a fan of showing off what I got for Christmas. But this is a blog by a writer, and a book-loving writer at that. So it seemed fair enough to show off the books I got for Christmas in 2016! The links are affiliate links but any money generated goes to pay for my […]
Should you buy Accused: British Witches Throughout History?
Should you buy Accused: British Witches Throughout History? In a short word, yes. But that wouldn’t be much of a review if we left it at that, would it? Written by #FolkloreThursday‘s own Willow Winsham, Accused examines the stories of 11 British witches. Winsham starts in Ireland in 1324, while our final witch is as recent as 1944! […]
How to choose locations to boost your story!
Knowing how to choose locations is the easiest way to ensure the success of your world-building. After all, writers often spend a great deal of their time concentrating on developing authentic dialogue. They need fleshed out, 3-dimensional characters. And they spend hours creating a coherent plot, contained within a sensible structure. But what about setting and location? […]
