Whispers in the Earth KICKSTARTER

Who doesn’t love losing themselves in ancient tales and mythical retellings? I’m honoured to be included in a new anthology of twenty linocut-illustrated short stories inspired by how myths travel and grow. Whispers in the Earth: World Folklore Reimagined represents a coming together of twenty authors from across science fiction and fantasy who all believe…

How to plan a novel in Microsoft Excel

Trying to write a novel but don’t know where to start? Want to plan your novel in a format that’s accessible and affordable but lack the specialist writing software, like Scrivener or FocusWriter? There’s a way of planning your novel and keeping your notes together that can be tailored to you, and it’s probably already…

Granite Noir 2024: Unsettling, Unnerving, Sublime

This week, I’m winging my way to Aberdeen to take part in a panel at Granite Noir 2024. Exploring the ‘Unsettling, Unnerving, [and] Sublime’, we’ll be talking bodies, weirdness, and the dark, twisty things at the heart of creepy storytelling. Here’s the event description: Three writers whose books leave you with that brilliant creeped out…

Current WIP – Faeries & Goblins

As scheduled as ever, a week or two after finishing the final draft of my third novel in August 2023, I began my next project. My baby daughter! The last few months have been a whirlwind of giggles, milk, sibling politics, and baby poop. But I also spent December yearning for the next story; drawing…

The Real Mothtown

At the MOTHTOWN book launch, I was asked whether there was a real place that inspired the story. Is Mothtown real? And if so, where is it? Well, dear Reader. Be prepared for a tale of daring. Adventure. And stupidity. Close your eyes and imagine Midwinter’s Day. You might be cosying around a fire. Drinking…

How did I get here?

​I’ve seen lots of writers, poets, librettists, and authors in the writing community share their ‘Writing Journey’, so here’s mine! At least what I remember of it. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, for sure. And it’s only when I see it all in a list that I realise how far I’ve come, and…

JOURNAL #26 – The next thing

Here I am again. At the beginning of a new story. Not just a new book to write, but a new fictional world to inhabit for a year or two. And I can’t decide. I’ve long wanted to do something with the sea. For years, I’ve drifted back to tales of selkies, mermaids, abandoned lighthouses….