Originally posted on AUTHOR ALLSORTS:
As chance would have it, my allotted post on revision tips has fallen on the eve of my first structural edit for book three. So, no better time to think through the process, and gird my loins for the ordeal to come. ? Because publisher edits – particularly the first…
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Is Social Rejection the Key to Creativity?
Originally posted on Cody Delistraty:
On the psychology of why rejection and loneliness may be necessary evils for the creative genius “In the deepest and most important things, we are unutterably alone, and for one person to be able to advise or even help another, a lot must happen, a lot must go well, a…
Break Into Writing: SW.r1tes
As part of the SW.r1tes festival I was at Pimlico Library last night, talking about my experiences on the long and winding road to getting published. I tackled the usual topics: the pros/cons of writer’s groups (one memorable piece of advice I received was: “if it’s for kids it should have a dragon in it”),…
7 things you always wanted to know about me
Fletcher Moss, winner of the 2012 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction competition for his stunning novel, The Poison Boy, (check out his excellent blog at http://www.sleepwellandfly.blogspot.co.uk) has tagged me on this blog chain, which allows me to talk about my fabulous self for seven whole paras. 1. I have a very complicated family life, including…
The Chocolate Book Challenge
On this week’s blog chain we’re comparing our favourite books to our (or, at least, my) favourite foodstuff. This is an analogy that can only be stretched so far (I like my chocolate scary, with supernatural elements and er hazelnuts), but here goes: Dark Chocolate Good for you but occasionally bitter and not always…
The Costa Party!
Last night I was lucky enough to attend the Costa Book Awards party with my lovely agent, Eve White. For those of you who dream of being a writer I’d like to say KEEP TRYING, because it really is an awful lot of fun. It was a great party in many ways (free…
HMR made the Sussex Longlist!
After losing out on the Costa to that Riddell bloke The Hanged Man Rises has been longlisted for the Sussex ABAs. The ABAs, or to give it its full name, The Sussex Coast Schools Amazing Book Awards, is a book award set up at the start of 2011 by a small group of school librarians from…
The Hanged Man Rises is shortlisted for Costa award!
The judges said: “This is a beautifully evoked, gripping, Victorian chiller which will appeal to boys and girls.” And I hardly had to pull any of their fingernails out. Click to access 2013-CBA-Shortlists.pdf
A poetic Interlude
It’s been a while since anything of interest has happened so here’s the blog equivalent of the music they play when you’re on hold. In honour of the 2013 city of culture, here is my favourite poem by my favourite poet: The Whitsun Weddings, by Philip Larkin That Whitsun, I was late getting away: Not till…
Changelings and how to avoid them
In my research for Book 2 (which is now in the final editing stage!) I’ve learned some valuable 17th century tips to prevent your child being exchanged for an enchanted block of wood or a senile fairy, otherwise known as a ‘changeling’. 1. Lay the father’s clothing over the cradle. 2. Never let the fire…
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