Have you ever met a writer who almost seemed apologetic about their own work? Or are you a writer who tells people that your book is “a horror, but it’s all a bit silly really”? Stop apologising for your own work. When I told people that I had my first book coming out, I was naturally […]
Books
Free Book for World Book Night
It’s World Book Night tonight, so in the spirit of the moment, I’ll be giving away a free and signed copy of my first novella, The Guns of Retribution! All you have to do is share this post on Twitter (using my handle @IcySedgwick so I can see it) or Facebook (tagging in my Icy […]
Going Goth: Exploring the English Landscape
A rather long yet oddly compelling article appeared on the Guardian’s website on Friday, exploring the eeriness of the English countryside. The post explored the move by writers and artists towards an exploration of landscape, picking apart notions of ownership, heritage, and the rather nebulous concept of “belonging”. Robert Macfarlane, author of the piece, manages to name […]
The Plague Doctor (Free Story)
Doktor Pinaldi swept along the close, his waxed leather cloak swishing behind him. He peered through the eye holes of his moulded mask, the scent of flowers drifting up from its beak to his nose. Other medical men believed the smell warded off the plague, but Doktor Pinaldi knew that was ridiculous. He just preferred floral […]
Just Why I Love Edinburgh
As some of you know if you follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook, I went up to Edinburgh at the weekend for a research trip. A visit to its Mary King’s Close attraction back in 2012 gave me the inspiration for the Underground City of The Necromancer’s Apprentice, and I […]
Winning at NaNoWriMo
You’ve probably seen plenty of Facebook statuses or tweets about rising word counts for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this November. For those who don’t know, the general point is to write 50,000 words in thirty days. I’ve ‘won’ NaNoWriMo in 2008 and 2010, but I had to drop out in 2009 after being made […]
