What makes a novel a Dystopia? This is probably the right ice breaker for a general discussion on the proliferation of ‘Dystopian’ fiction in recent years. There is of course no easy answer. The collection of novels that have gained admission to the debate come from very different times, both politically and in terms of […]
Writing
Our authors discuss the writing process
Meditations
I wonder if I am paying more attention lately, looking at things more closely. Have been hearing a lot about ‘mindfulness’ these days: being in the moment. I expect we all receive greetings cards with pictures of flowers, and flowers in vases. One of the most common subjects for cards, perhaps. I have more than most, as […]
Handbags and Gladrags
I could not understand, the other day, how I walked the length of the road to the gym in such a short time. I allowed well over half an hour, yet did it in twenty minutes. Ten years or more ago, I regularly visited someone half way up that road and it seemed to take a […]
Radio Knowledge
So, two months since ‘Knowledge Waits’ appeared and what now? Well last week I did a piece at a local radio station, and since then ‘Knowledge Waits’ has plummeted down the Amazon charts! Not that I ever imagined that a quick interview and reading an extract on a local station might launch me into the national […]
A Fear Of Birds
Years ago I took my mother into the cafe at a garden centre. In those days (I have not been there for many years now) the cafe was run adjacent to the plant sale area, and therefore open up to the outside elements and whatever might happen to be passing by. Therefore you could hardly be surprised […]