As a writer, it goes without saying that I have always been an avid reader. And the older I get, the fussier I become with my reading, and the harder I am to please. But that does not seem to be the case with many other readers. The astounding success of a number of contemporary [...]
The other day I found myself on a Ryanair plane to London, with two and a half blissful hours of peace in front of me. Yippee! - I thought giddily to myself. No internet to interrupt the long, imminent reading session that lay ahead! I snuggled down in my seat (‘snuggling’ is something that’s pretty [...]
It’s Sunday again, blogging day; the summer vacation is almost as over – or will be by midnight tonight – and I’ve found myself thinking, Hmm. What have I done this long hot sultry summer? In terms of targets, what have I achieved? (What have you achieved?) What grade would I get for Not Having [...]
I thought I’d have a blog-chat about something completely different this week. Namely, about a novel that everyone in the bookish world appears to be talking about of late: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelikes. I’ve read a lot of books this summer holiday, but The Silent Patient is one that I have found almost impossible [...]
After two and a half years of slaving away at my latest novel, it is now, at long last, available on Amazon! (Please forgive the surfeit of exclamations and hyperbole in this post.) I’m sure that all fellow-writers will empathise with the blood, sweat and tears that go into the planning, creating, first draft, and [...]
With the recent scandal that’s come to light about acts of sexual abuse in two English monasteries over the last forty years, it’s made me think about my own experiences at a certain Benedictine monastery. Ampleforth Abbey, to be precise, tucked deep into the sweeping hills, yawning valleys and mythical forests of North Yorkshire, as [...]
When I visited the exquisite country of Rwanda eighteen months ago, together with my daughter and Errant Hubby (who was not yet errant back then, needless to say), I had no idea what was in store for me. I’m sure most people will automatically associate the name ‘Rwanda’ with the genocide against the Tutsi that [...]
