Caroline Hardaker

Send us your Fantasy Tales

Roll up, roll up! Read all about it – fantasy submissions wanted here! I was recently lucky enough to be invited to guest edit a rather special issue of Stepaway Magazine, an online journal which publishes walking narratives, usually through urban environments. The sights, smells, and wonders of human cities and districts – explored through…

Hello Lithuania!

It’s always exciting to see your work translated, and last month I got my first peek at Composite Creatures translated into… Lithuanian! This just goes to show that you truly never know where your work will end up. This is the first time I’ve seen my words carefully translated, but it won’t be the last….

Help required!

Lots of things grease the wheels of the publishing machine, not least of all – the words of readers. So I’m calling on a favour. Think what you will about Amazon (terrible capitalist machine or cost-cutting time-saver), reviews on their site make a huge difference to book sales and to future books being published. And…

Radio Silence Explained (grab a cuppa)

It’s been a while! But 2022 has already proved itself to be a year of new things. I think this is first time since starting this blog many many many moons ago that I haven’t stuck to my once a month schedule. But there’s been A LOT going on since New Year, and every moment…

That was 2021. But what about 2022?

What a year. Up and down. Left and right. Slow and quick. I’ve simultaneously stood with my head spinning while feeling like I’m made of stone. So much action, and all with the backdrop of a global pandemic, bristling away like white noise. Like many people, at times I’ve really struggled to balance it all…

Composite Creatures in The Washington Post

So last week, Composite Creatures was mentioned in an end of year literary round-up. A very special one. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. Composite Creatures has been named one of The Washington Post’s top science fiction novels of 2021! Unbelievable. One of the writers, the wonderful Silvia Moreno-Garcia, actually named it as her favourite science fiction…

The best quote about poetry you’ll ever read

I came across a quotation today that explains EXACTLY why I write poetry. I never thought that I’d find such a thing. I’ve never been really sure why I’m a poet. I’ve listened to so many poet pals wax lyrical about why they chose poetry (or why poetry chose them) and though I’ve related to…

Tools of the trade (and mantis wrists)

Having a space to write has always been important to me. Like most, I’ll have times where slumping on the sofa works best, or when taking my laptop to an armchair with a handy side table for many cups of tea is just what I need. But really I do struggle when I don’t have…

Join us on 13th August – ‘Being a Writer’ Panel

Just a quick one from me! Fancy joining a safe space to discuss your writing career and work? A day to identify the things you value as a writer, to craft your bio, and to find out how to maximise your own personal time to become the writer you were born to be? Well you’re…

How to love your bad reviews

OK, so that’s a bit misleading. No one could LOVE their bad reviews. But we can learn to love how they encourage us to grow. So far, I feel incredibly lucky that Composite Creatures, Little Quakes Every Day, ad Bone Ovation have been well-received. It’s one of the most wonderful feelings in the world, to…