writers on writing Archives - Page 6 of 6

Last Word of the Week: Anne Coates

Posted on November 15, 2018November 15, 2018 by Clare

Today we are speaking with English author Anne Coates, who writes crime thrillers featuring protagonist Hannah Weybridge, a single mother and freelance journalist who lives in South East London – three characteristics she shares with her creator. However Anne insists that the similarity ends there and that gripping fiction takes over in the novels…

LWOTW: Hello, Anne, lovely to meet you. Can you tell us when you wrote your first story?

Anne: I remember writing a poem when I was six or seven about a bumble bee and later, like many teens, carried on writing poetry before I moved on to short stories. The first one I had published was a “confession” story for a magazine I worked on. It was wonderful at the time but it took a few years before I had another story published.

A confession! That sounds interesting. What do you think of dreams, imagination, and planning?

Dreams are central to my writing life. I often think about my characters or the plot before I go to sleep which sometimes results in horrific nightmares as I write crime thrillers! However, my dreams often offer solutions and plot twists. I’m useless at planning in the early stages and like to let my imagination take over and go where it will. Once the first draft is complete I construct timelines and have a card for each chapter and character but even then I go with the imaginative flow.

That sounds like the best of both worlds – planning and pantsing. And it obviously brings about great results! What’s the highlight of your writing career so far?

Being published is a huge buzz but nothing beats having people enjoy my books. It’s such a joy than being at a non-book event when someone says how much they enjoyed a Hannah Weybridge book. Most recently it happened to me at Tessa Jowell’s Memorial Service!

That’s totally awesome, good on you. What a great feeling. Tell us, what are you most busy with at the moment?

I’m writing the fourth in the Hannah Weybridge series. Plus on the back burner I’ve been toying with a stand-alone which is very different.

I suspect that like many writers, you have quite a number of back burners, Anne. If you could say one thing to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Read widely – not just your own genre – and write, write, write until you find your own voice. Then write some more.

And the Last Word of The Week: What’s your favourite colour?

That depends on my mood! Often yellow and red but never orange.

Very interesting! Thank you so much Anne for spending time with us on last Word of the Week.

Anne’s links:

Anne’s Website: www.annecoatesauthor.com
Anne’s FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AnneCoatesAuthor/
Anne’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anne_Coates1

Last Word of the Week: Tom Williams

Posted on November 8, 2018November 5, 2018 by Clare

Today we’re speaking with Tom Williams, English author of Napoleonic-era derring-do novels who can also dance a mean tango. We like the cut of his jib.

LWOTW: Welcome, Tom. Tell us, when did you write your first story?

I won a short story competition when I was 11. I presumably wrote something before that, but I can’t remember.

LWOTW: Congrats on the early success! What do you think of dreams, imagination, and planning?

You need all three.

LWOTW: I totally agree. What’s the highlight of your writing career so far?

‘The White Rajah’ was briefly #2 in Amazon.uk’s list for biographical fiction. I felt pretty good about that.

LWOTW: What are you most busy with at the moment?

This minute I’m replying to a questionnaire. After that I’ll probably do some more research on Napoleon.

LWOTW: Very good idea! Now, if you could say one thing to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Don’t.
You’ll be permanently broke, constantly failing to get any real work done and cursing your failure to make #1 in the biographical fiction charts. But if you really have what it takes to be a writer, you’ll ignore me and write anyway.

That is wonderful advice!

And the Last Word of The Week: What’s your favourite colour?

Yellow

Website: tomwilliamsauthor.co.uk

There are buy links to all Tom’s books at http://tomwilliamsauthor.co.uk/my-books/

Tom’s Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tom-Williams/e/B001KDZDOY

Tom’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTomWilliams/

Tom’s Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4466401.Tom_Williams

Last Word of The Week: Karen King

Posted on November 2, 2018November 1, 2018 by Clare

Today I’m chatting with Karen King, who started her writing career writing for Jackie magazine (a British magazine for teenage girls), and children’s comics such as Postman Pat and Winnie the Pooh. Karen is a multi-published author of children’s books and romantic fiction. She has published 120 children’s books, two young adult novels, five romantic novels and several short stories for women’s magazines. Karen signed up with Bookouture (the hottest digital publisher around) earlier this year for two romantic novels. The first one, Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel, will be available on 9 November.

LWOTW: Welcome, Karen, it’s great to have you here. Tell us, when did you write your first story?

Karen: I can’t remember. I’ve written stories ever since I was a child and had a poem published when I was about ten. My first published story was in Jackie magazine back in the early eighties.

A lifelong writer, then. What do you think of dreams, imagination, and planning?

I think ideas for stories come in many different ways and often a dream can be the catalyst then imagination takes it further and planning knocks it into shape.

A very neat summary. What’s the highlight of your writing career so far?

Being asked to open a library at a local school when I lived in Worcester and discovering that they’d actually written my name on a plaque on the wall. I was so touched and honoured.

That really is a highlight! What are you most busy with at the moment?

I had a two-book contract with Bookouture earlier this year and my first book, Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel, is out on 9^th November so I’ve been busy doing edits for it. I’ve also just finished writing the second book (I can’t divulge the title of that yet) so no doubt will have edits for that soon.

That’s a lovely sort of busy. If you could say one thing to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Don’t think too much when you are writing your story. Get the story out of your head and down onto the screen/paper. Then you can think what works and what doesn’t, what you can improve, tweak, rewrite. The story comes first.

And the Last Word of The Week: What’s your favourite colour?

Red.

Thank you so much, Karen, for joining us for the Last Word of the Week.

Thanks so much for hosting me, Clare

Karen’s links:

Website: http://www.karenking.net/

Twitter: @karen_king

Karen King Romance Author Facebook Page

Karen King Young Adult Books Facebook Page

Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/karenkingauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenkingauthor/?hl=en

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3187489145

‘Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel’ buy link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowy-Nights-Lonely-Hearts-Hotel-ebook/dp/B07GDTK16B/

Last Word of the Week: Paula Martin

Posted on October 26, 2018October 2, 2018 by Clare

Today I’m thrilled to interview Paula Martin, a British author whose contemporary romances have great characters, intrigue, mystery, and fabulous settings such as Connemara in Ireland. That’s one of my favourite places in the whole world. I’m interested to hear about Paula’s writing journey.

LWOTW: Welcome, Paula, good to meet you. When did you write your first story?

Paula: Probably when I was about seven or eight. I’ve written stories for as long as I can remember (including cheesy romances for my friends to read when I was in my teens). In 1968, when I was in my twenties, I had my first acceptance of a short story by a magazine, and my first novel was also accepted and published by the first publisher I submitted it to. How lucky was that?

LWOTW: I think luck was only a small factor! But it is the stuff of dreams, I agree. What do you think of dreams, imagination, and planning?

We all need dreams, in some form or another, but we also have to accept that not all our dreams will come true – like reaching the #1 spot in the Amazon rankings, for example, which is probably my ‘wildest’ dream!

Imagination, however, is boundless, and can take us wherever we want to go. My imagination takes me on an emotional journey with all my characters, who become as real to me as any real-life friends. I can also re-visit some of my favourite places in my imagination while I write my stories, such as London’s West End theatre world, the English Lake District, Paris, New York, Egypt, and Ireland.

As for planning, this is where I am a contradiction. In real life, I tend to plan everything beforehand; in my writing, I am a basically a pantser. I have a vague idea about where my story is (or should be) going, but my characters take over and tell me their story.

LWOTW: That’s an interesting refelction on your writing processes. What’s the highlight of your writing career so far?

I can’t pinpoint any one highlight, as there have been so many. Obviously my very first acceptance by a ‘big’ publisher (Mills and Boon), when I was in my twenties, was one of them. Equally, after a long non-writing period, an acceptance by a publisher in 2010, restored my faith in myself as a writer.

Since then, and ten books later, there have been so many different highlights. Knowing people are buying and enjoying my books is wonderful, and a good review can make my day. Another highlight has been making some wonderful writing friends, both online and in ‘real life’.

LWOTW: What are you most busy with at the moment?

I’m busy promoting my ‘Mist Na Mara’ series. The first four books were originally published between 2014 and 2017, and sold steadily during those years. However, my publisher closed in the middle of 2017, and the books were offline for several months before being republished, so I lost the momentum of sales, and am now trying to promote them again. The fifth book in the series was published earlier this year.

All the books in the series are stand alone novels, with different heroes and heroines, but are linked by their setting at my imaginary Mist Na Mara House in the beautiful Connemara area in the west of Ireland. I didn’t set out to write a series, but somehow, one thing led to another!

At the same time, I’m writing the sixth in the series (as yet untitled), which is a reunion story following the acrimonious break-up several years earlier between the main characters.

LWOTW: You certainly have a lot on your plate. If you could say one thing to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Never say ‘That’ll do.’ Never be satisfied with less than your best, and keep trying to improve on your best.

And the Last Word of The Week: What’s your favourite colour?

Blue, the colour of the sky and the sea.

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me, Paula!

Paula’s links:

Website: http://paulamartinromances.webs.com

Blog: http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulamartinromances

Amazon author page: http://author.to/MistNaMara

Last Word of the Week: Steven Neil

Posted on October 18, 2018October 18, 2018 by Clare

Today I am very happy to be interviewing Steven Neil, an English author who writes historical fiction with a twist of intrigue and mystery.

LWOTW: Welcome, Steven! Tell us, when did you write your first story?

I wrote my first story when I was seventeen. I thought I would study English Literature at university and become an author. In fact I studied Economics instead and didn’t write another story for thirty-five years. When I retired I studied English Literature at the Open University and my writing began again.

LWOTW: We’re very glad that you got back to it! What do you think of dreams, imagination, and planning?

Dreams and imagination are the creative spark for any writer but it is planning and the ability to implement a plan that takes a writer through to publication. I always thought I could only write short stories, but if you can write one 2000 word short story, you can probably write ten 2000 word short stories. Once you understand that, it is only a question of having the persistence to write, say, thirty-five linked 2000 word short stories and you have written a novel! That is the way I did it.

LWOTW: That’s an interesting way to go about it. Thanks for that. What’s the highlight of your writing career so far?

Writing and publishing my first historical fiction novel The Merest Loss in December 2017. In doing so, I achieved something I never thought I could do. It took three years of research, during which time I completed a Masters in Creative Writing.

The Merest Loss is a story of love and political intrigue, set against the backdrop of the English hunting shires and the streets of Victorian London and post-revolutionary Paris.

LWOTW: It sounds wonderful. Another one for the TBR pile. What are you most busy with at the moment?

In some ways writing a novel is the easy part! It doesn’t feel like it at the time but once you embark on the process of trying to market your book, you realise how difficult it is to achieve recognition in a very crowded marketplace. However good your novel is, and however many 5* reviews you garner, you need to work at it to make sales. I’m currently busy creating my social media profile, developing my network of independent booksellers and building a programme of speaking engagements. Books don’t sell themselves on their own when you are a first-time author!

LWOTW: With luck your background in Economics will help! If you could say one thing to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Never give up. If there is a book in you, it has to come out.

And the Last Word of The Week: What’s your favourite colour?

Brown.

Here is Steven’s independent author network profile, containing twitter and facebook links and buy links:

http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/steven-neil.html

THE MEREST LOSS #HistoricalFiction #Romance

A story of love and political intrigue, set against the backdrop of the English hunting shires and the streets of Victorian London and post-revolutionary Paris.

Available in paperback and ebook in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Merest-Loss-Steven-Neil-ebook/dp/B077D9SHB5

https://www.amazon.com/Merest-Loss-Steven-Neil-ebook/dp/B077D9SHB5

https://www.amazon.ca/Merest-Loss-Steven-Neil-ebook/dp/B077D9SHB5

https://www.amazon.com.au/Merest-Loss-Steven-Neil-ebook/dp/B077D9SHB5

Broad Plain is almost here

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Clare

I’m getting a bit excited about the release of the next book in my dystopian survival series. Broad Plain Darkening (The Pale #2) will be published on October 20th. Thank you to my awesome publisher Odyssey Books.

Plus I’m thrilled about the launch: at Readings Carlton on Monday November 5th.

If you are keen to reacquaint yourself with the canini and to meet the equii, this is the sequel you’ve been waiting for. Oh, and there are some interesting humans as well, not to mention the humachines of the Pale…

In the meantime, I’m playing with a number of online tools to create posts and notices. The beautiful wolves above are from Canva’s extensive library of free images.

Last Word of the Week: Patricia M Osborne

Posted on October 12, 2018September 19, 2018 by Clare

Last Word of the Week: Today I am very pleased to welcome Patricia M Osborne, an English author/poet whose novel House of Grace: A Family Saga does for the 1950s-1970s what Poldark does for the late 18th century: presents us an immersive historical world with great characters, love, trials, conflict, tragedy, romance, and the promise of more story to come. (You know, part of me flinches when describing this period as ‘historical’!)

Patricia: Thank you, Clare for inviting me over to chat.

LWOTW: When did you write your first story, Patricia?

I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember but I was around twenty when I sent my first story into a competition. I’d typed it up on my portable typewriter. To be honest, after studying Creative Writing since 2011, I can now see that it wasn’t very good. It had far too much telling and not enough showing.

LWOTW: I think we learn a lot about our craft as we go along, the ‘telling vs showing’ thing especially. What do you think of dreams, imagination, and planning?

I’m all for dreams and see them as a gift: whether it’s a nice dream or a nightmare, it can be used for story purposes. I have a vivid imagination, which is a great tool for a writer. Re planning, I plan to a certain extent but also run with it so see where it takes me.

LWOTW: Interesting. I think I need to do more planning! What’s the highlight of your writing career so far?

The publication of my debut novel, House of Grace, A Family Saga, in March 2017 just before my birthday but also winning first place in a poetry competition, student category at Brighton and Hove Poetry Festival earlier this year. The icing on the cake was having my prize presented to me by Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. The presentation was worth more to me than the £100 prize.

LWOTW: How amazing! What are you most busy with at the moment?

I’m just finishing off my thesis and a poetry collection for my MA dissertation in creative writing. The research has been fabulous fun as I explore the myth, folklore and legend around trees and express these stories in poetry. I am also working on the sequel to House of Grace, called The Coal Miner’s Son, which can also be read as a stand-alone. I’m hoping to release it later this year in time for Christmas. So watch this space.

LWOTW: We certainly will! If you could say one thing to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Believe in yourself. Get involved with other writers and offer and receive critique/feedback. Critique helps to make a better writer. And never give up. Sorry, that’s three things.

Three very valuable tips! And the Last Word of The Week: What’s your favourite colour?

Purple is my favourite colour. As a child it was always blue. I love purple and plum and wear these colours a lot as I find they suit me. I had purple as my theme on my wedding day.

Thank you for having me, Clare. It’s been fun answering your questions.

It’s been an absolute pleasure! We must chat again 🙂

Patricia’s links:

Twitter: PMOsborneWriter

Facebook: Patricia M Osborne, Writer

Website: patriciamosbornewriter.wordpress.com

Email: patricia.m.osbornewriter@gmail.com

Where can you buy Patricia’s book, House of Grace, A Family Saga?

http://mybook.to/HouseofGrace

Something to Say: S.C. Karakaltsas

Posted on October 9, 2018October 6, 2018 by Clare

Today I’m pleased to host S.C. Karakaltsas on Something to Say, an occasional blog series in which I chat with creatives who have a timely event or launch to talk about.

S.C. Karakaltsas is the author of two historical fiction novels, Climbing the Coconut Tree, and A Perfect Stone. Sylvia has also written a contemporary short story collection, Out of Nowhere. She has received awards for two of her short stories and has work published in the Lane Cove Literary Awards Anthology and Monash Writers Anthology. In her spare time, Sylvia also blogs and reviews many amazing books at https://sckarakaltsas.com/

Welcome to STS Sylvia. What project are you talking about today?

Thanks for having me. My current project is my new novel called A Perfect Stone.

A Perfect Stone is set for release today, I see. Congratulations! Is there one aspect of the novel that you relate to most – a favourite character, scene, or effect? Can you tell us more about that?

A Perfect Stone is a dual timeline historical fiction novel set in 1948 during the Greek Civil War and Melbourne in 2016. Released 10 October and launching 18 October, I am very excited about this project.

It’s a story told from the point of view of eighty-year-old Jim, who finds something which triggers the memories of the childhood he’s hidden, not just from himself but from his overprotective daughter. When Jim has a stroke and begins speaking in another language, his daughter is shocked and confused. Jim must confront what happened when, as a ten-year-old, he was forced at gunpoint to leave his family and trek barefoot through the mountains of Northern Greece to escape the Greek Civil War in 1948.

I fell in love with my character Jim. He’s endearing and vulnerable but also quite eccentric in some ways. He makes me laugh and he makes me cry and he reminds me of a few older men I know, including my own father.

That sounds really interesting. What do you think drives you to pursue your creativity? Is it family history or the past in general, for example?

With my novels, I’m inspired to tell little known stories. In my first novel Climbing the Coconut Tree, I was inspired by the double murder of two Australians living on a phosphate mining island. In A Perfect Stone I was inspired by the fact that 38,000 children from the ages of 2–14 were forced to leave their homes without their parents during the Greek Civil War. Of the ones who survived, many ended up behind the Iron Curtain and some never saw their families again.

I write short stories as well which are mostly contemporary looks at life in suburbia, poking fun or digging at the unexpected things that happen. I wrote a short story collection which was published last year called Out of Nowhere which was well received.

Many writers describe their processes using analogies – the famous Hemingway one, for example, in which he says that writing is simply a matter of sitting in front of the typewriter and staring at a blank page until you start to sweat blood. Others speak of stitching scenes together, following characters on a journey, immersing themselves in a storyline. What can you say about your process?

My process is purely and simply sitting down and writing to see what comes out and it often shocks me. I only started writing four years ago after having spent years in the corporate world and I’m staggered that I can string at least a sentence together let alone a whole novel.

That’s amazing. Finally, what five words would you use to describe yourself as a writer?

Persistent, single minded, wide-eyed and dogged.

That sounds like a recipe for even more success. Thank you so much for joining me in Something to Say, and all the best for the release and launch of A Perfect Stone.

You can find the books by SC Karakaltsas at these links:

A Perfect Stone : https://www.amazon.com.au/Perfect-Stone-S-C-Karakaltsas/dp/0994503261/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1538698782&sr=1-1

Out of Nowhere: A Collection of Short Stories : https://www.amazon.com.au/Out-Nowhere-collection-short-stories/dp/0994503245/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Climbing the Coconut Tree : https://www.amazon.com.au/Climbing-Coconut-Tree-S-Karakaltsas/dp/0994503229/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Last Word of the Week: Rachel Nightingale

Posted on September 28, 2018September 28, 2018 by Clare

Today we are speaking with Rachel Nightingale, and we’re all very excited about the release of Columbine’s Tale, the second book in Rachel’s delightful and mysterious – not to say addictive – travelling players series.

Last Word of the Week: Greetings, Rachel. Tell us, when did you write your first story?

Rachel: I think I was about 8. It was about Pasha the bear and his roller-skating little sister, Sasha. Unfortunately that marvellous manuscript has been lost to time, but I still have a copy of Big Chief Puff-Puff, which I also wrote and illustrated around that time. My dad even laminated it for me. I think it was the wish fulfilment of a child who wanted more cake than she got, because the chief ate lots of delicious food before exploding, so I had to draw cupcakes and lollipops and all kinds of tasty treats.

LWOTW: Sounds delicious – you must have had quite an imagination as a child. What do you think now about dreams, imagination, and planning?

If you mean dreams as in goals, I think they’re vital – they give drive and hope. I wouldn’t have got to where I am now without my dreams of becoming a published writer.

Imagination is one of the crucial tools in my writing kit. I try to exercise it as much as possible. Unfortunately, the downside of a very active imagination is a tendency to over-worry so I have to watch out for that.

And I’m definitely a planner. I like to see the big picture laid out before me first, then I can jump into the middle of it and be confident about where I’m going.

LWOTW: That probably explains how you get so much done so well. What’s the highlight of your writing career so far?

There have been so many in the last year since my first book, Harlequin’s Riddle, was published, that it’s hard to pick one. I’ve learned that it’s important to celebrate all the highlights, big and small, because the rollercoaster ride has as many downs as it does ups.

LWOTW: A nice cautionary touch for all of us writers! What are you most busy with at the moment?

Finishing Pierrot’s Song, the third book in the Tales of Tarya trilogy. Although I have it all plotted out, it’s not just a case of getting words on the page because the end of a series requires me to tie up a lot of loose ends. All the characters need some sort of resolution to their story arc, all the elements of the mystery need to come together in a satisfactory climax, everything needs to have continuity. It requires a fair amount of concentration and I double check anything I’m not sure of. Mina has come a long way from the young woman who wanted to find her brother – now the weight of the world is on her shoulders and I need to make sure readers are happy with how she deals with that.

LWOTW: Sounds like quite a task. A writer’s work is never done! If you could say one thing to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Treat your writing as a craft, something that will continue to develop the more you work at it, and you will go a long way.

And the Last Word of The Week: What’s your favourite colour?

Mauve and aqua. Can’t pick just one!

Thanks, Rachel, for those words.

You can find Rachel at the following links:

Website and blog: www.rachel-nightingale.info

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TalesofTarya

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NightingaleRA

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16761365.Rachel_Nightingale

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/rlstarling70/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightingalerachel/

And you can buy Rachel’s books at the following Links:

Book One – Harlequin’s Riddle:

http://odysseybooks.com.au/titles/9781922200990/

Book Two – Columbine’s Tale:

http://odysseybooks.com.au/bookstore/#!/PRE-ORDER-Columbines-Tale-available-15-September/p/114463992/category=0

and keep an eye out in 2019 for Pierrot’s Song!

Last Word of the Week: Elizabeth Foster

Posted on September 21, 2018September 14, 2018 by Clare

This week we are speaking with Australian author Elizabeth Foster, whose middle-grade-approaching-YA novel Esme’s Wish I wrote a review about earlier this year.

Last Word of the Week: Greetings, Elizabeth! Tell us, when did you write your first story?

Elizabeth: When I was young, I never imagined I would write stories. It seemed outside the realm of possibility. I remember writing poems as a child, but unfortunately have no record of them. Luckily, my aunt kept a story I wrote back in primary school, about a girl with magic spectacles. Since I now write fantasy, it is a sweet story I’m glad I still have.

LWOTW: As a fantasy author, what do you think of dreams, imagination, and planning?

I write best when I am in a rather dreamy head space, almost as if I am once-removed from the work itself, so I guess dreaming is an essential part of my writing life. As for planning, I refused to plan my first book, but have since been won over to the idea that my muse quite likes some sort of guidance. When it comes to imagination, if there was no opportunity for colouring outside the lines I think life would quickly become very dreary.

LWOTW: Good point! What’s the highlight of your writing career so far?

I love the fact that Esme’s Wish is published and people actually read it and enjoy it enough to want to read the sequel – I’m still pinching myself! Another highlight that comes to mind is receiving Wendy Orr’s commendation for my book cover. A writer friend encouraged me to ask her and to my absolute surprise, Wendy, a wonderful and generous veteran author who has written many award-winning books, agreed.

LWOTW: That’s wonderful! So, what are you most busy with at the moment?

I have finally got back into writing the second book in the Esme series. I’m also working on getting better at photography. Now that I live near the water I am newly inspired. I used to paint and I miss being visually creative, even though I do get to imagine scenes for my books.

LWOTW: I’m glad to hear that Esme #2 is on the way. Now, if you could say one thing to aspiring writers, what would it be?

I always give the same advice. Write a lot, read widely, seek useful feedback and stay humble. Eventually you might find you have on your hands a publishable story or two!

And the Last Word of The Week: What’s your favourite colour?

All the blues.