As a life-long reader of crime fiction and suspense, I’m always intrigued by people who don’t like the genre. Too scary, too dark, too depressing… they’re all reasons I understand, even if I don’t relate to them, but a recent comment from a friend demanded further investigation. ‘I can’t bear psychological thrillers or crime fiction. […]
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Why does it take so long?
Much as I love chatting to enthusiastic readers – whether online or face-to-face – there is one question I dread. ‘When’s your next book coming out?’ ‘I’m working on it!’ I say; which could, of course, mean anything from ‘it’s off to the printer next week,’ to ‘I’ve started a new Word document and have […]
Authors on Social Media: what readers want
Long before I was published I loved following authors on social media, and now that I’m an author myself, I thoroughly enjoy chatting to readers and writers online. It is, however, an area fraught with risk. How much promotion is too much? Where is the line between personal and professional lives? What sort of posts […]
Sort of moving
We sort of moved at the weekend. There were no packing cases or cardboard boxes; no removal men or great big trucks. Just the five of us, the dog, and a few suitcases. From the Cotswolds, with their rolling hills, to Snowdonia, with its rivers and mountains. We have moved house before, but never with […]
An Author's Life: as seen by George, age 8
In the last twelve months I have spoken at around thirty festivals, book shops and literary events. Occasionally I attend these events with one or more of my children – often because of childcare issues, but sometimes because it looks like it’s going to be a fun trip. Right now I’m on holiday with my […]
Who to follow on Twitter?
How do you decide who to follow on Twitter? A quick glance through my Twitter feed offers an eclectic mix of other writers (of all genres), journalists, parent bloggers, beauty bloggers (my guilty pleasure), police forces, bookshops, publishing types, and Real Life Friends (yes, I have some). I asked some of my crime-writing buddies to […]