Random Magic

Random Magic

Today, I submitted my entries to the Scribbles Creative Writing Awards. It was a nice feeling, even though I could improve the stories if I kept working on them (forever, ha!). These two characters were snapped in Seville a couple of years ago: a bit of ordinary,...
Writing Life Hurdles

Writing Life Hurdles

I began writing professionally when I was 26. In the beginning, I loved it so much it felt as though every moment was a joy, including all the muddy bits and the mistakes and the struggles. Fourteen years and 14 books later, the joy evaporated. That 14th anniversary...
Thinking of cork trees again…

Thinking of cork trees again…

Now that I’ve almost finished writing my young adult, science fiction, murder mystery novel, I’m almost ready to start volume II of the Promise of Stone series and I’m going to use a new method. In February this year I had the good fortune to be able to listen to Hugh...
My Language Nightmare

My Language Nightmare

Meet my… bond mate? shadow daughter? love niece? significant other? clone? daughter’s mother’s daughter? I’ve been thinking about English language kinship terms and their woeful inadequacy when describing contemporary family relationships. Wife, husband, mother,...
The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing

I’ve been off the blog for far too long (and by the way off the blog isn’t anything like being off the grog) but I’m back on it again because Patrick O’Duffy invited me to contribute to an online writers’ roundabout called the Next Big Thing. Each writer answers ten...