If it's good enough for Tennessee Williams, it's good enough for me. * So, tell me — what was the very first spark that made you think, ‘I need to write this story’? I've always been fascinated by stories that happen to ordinary people with ordinary lives. And the scariest of crime writing really does … Continue reading An interview… with myself
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Doubt and Mistrust: The Heart of Witness
From the earliest draft of Witness, I knew the story would circle around one of the most unsettling human experiences: doubt. Not just doubting yourself, but doubting the people you thought you could trust, the world you thought you understood. Doubt gnaws at certainty until you no longer know which way is up, and that’s exactly … Continue reading Doubt and Mistrust: The Heart of Witness
Plot Twists: The Secret Sauce of Thrillers
A thriller without a twist is like a joke without a punchline. The story might be engaging, the characters might be compelling, but what keeps readers talking long after they’ve turned the final page is that sharp intake of breath, the moment when everything shifts. And getting it right is a balancing act. It needs … Continue reading Plot Twists: The Secret Sauce of Thrillers
Meet the Characters of Witness: Sadie
For me, every story starts with someone's voice. Sometimes it’s loud, insistent, and fully formed from the start. Vida Henrikson was born fully formed into my imagination. Sometimes it’s quieter, a murmur in the background, waiting for me to notice it. Sadie was definitely the second kind. When Witness was just a seed of an idea, I … Continue reading Meet the Characters of Witness: Sadie
Five Things You Might Not Know About Writing a Thriller
People often imagine thriller writing as a glamorous pursuit — tapping away at a typewriter in a dimly lit room, sipping whisky, and staring dramatically into the rain until inspiration strikes. In reality? Not so much. Writing a thriller is as much about spreadsheets and coffee refills as it is about sudden flashes of genius. … Continue reading Five Things You Might Not Know About Writing a Thriller
The Spark Behind Witness
What if you saw something terrible, something life-changing, but when you spoke up, no one wanted to believe you? This was the first flicker of the idea that would eventually become Witness. Not a fully formed plot or character, just a question. A whisper. But it stayed with me and from that spark, a story … Continue reading The Spark Behind Witness
Why I write Crime Fiction
I'm often asked why I choose to write crime fiction. I could flip that back at people and ask them why they read crime fiction? Why spend our creative lives immersed in lies, secrets, and violence when the world already feels uncertain enough?
In praise of the reviewers
As you know, I’ve always been an avid reader. Also, I’ve always been pretty opinionated - on all topics but especially what I like and dislike. I’d be happy enough to verbally extol the virtues or dramatise the horrors of a book I’d read, but until I published Between the Lines, I had no idea … Continue reading In praise of the reviewers
The three children’s books I can’t wait to teach
Following on from yesterday’s post about what makes a good teachable children’s book (and of course they don’t all have to be teachable to be enjoyed by children!), here’s my top five I’m itching to get into the classroom. Long Way Down I read Jason Reynolds’ Long Way Down as part of the UKLA awards … Continue reading The three children’s books I can’t wait to teach
What I look for in children’s literature
Yeah, yeah... I’ve written a book. It’s still available to buy on Kindle - please feel free to indulge. And then maybe review. I wanted to talk about something different today though; children’s literature. It’s the time of year again when I shadow the Carnegie Award at school - me and twenty excited Year 7s … Continue reading What I look for in children’s literature
The biggest surprise of all
What an exciting weekend I’ve had. Got my COVID jab which was pretty cool. And released my book. Which was even cooler. I’ve had a massive surprise though, and something completely unexpected has just blown my tiny mind. I felt incredibly awkward launching the book. Too much look at me. I sent round an email … Continue reading The biggest surprise of all
A bit of horn-tooting
It's release day! Excuse me a little bit of my own horn-tooting. Let's face it; if I'm going to make it as a self-published author, I'm going to have to get used to blowing my own horn! It's not a state of affairs that comes naturally to me. Whether it's because I'm a woman, or … Continue reading A bit of horn-tooting
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