A few practical ideas for my friends in the world of children’s books. Continue reading
4 & ½ tips for Writers & Readers
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Category Archives: Writing
Hear, hear
One of the features of a book worth reading is its voice. On panel events at festivals etc you will hear that publishers and agents are always seeking for a work with a distinctive voice.
What does that actually mean? Continue reading
Rapture on the lonely shore
The more, the merrier
Little girl reading a book in a burned-out forest by simpleinsomnia on Flickr https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
To be utterly straightforward, I want more readers. Continue reading
Dream on
Dreams and story-making walk side by side – no wonder the Aborigines speak of the Dreamtime in their creation tales. I’ve never forgotten Lucy Coats leading a shamanistic dream journey at the SCBWI retreat in Dunford House – a powerful way to go inside your creative self. Continue reading
Wagons – and falling off
The Queen smiles as she greets Archbishop of York, John Sentamu as she arrives for Maundy Thursday Service at York Minster Chris Jackson/Getty Images via Daily Telegraph.
This Lent I tried to give up two of my psychological props with rather mixed success. This Maundy Thursday, I’m reflecting on how it’s gone so far. Continue reading
Ticking the boxes
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!
St. Patrick’s day blessings to all my Irish friends – whatever fraction of green blood they may have in their veins. I would love to share in your celebrations – if you’ll have me… Continue reading
Flights of Fancy
There’s a great deal of cruelty in the news right now. It’s one of the reasons behind my Lenten retreat from social media. Still I can’t escape it altogether. A dear friend has been deeply affected by a child murder close to where she lives. Reality insists on being seen – so why on earth do I chose to write fantasy, to make impossible things up? Continue reading
Monsters – not just for fantasy writers
Geek Sphinx by Mage Cat
Last week I considered metamorphosis – prompted by listening to Dame Marina Warner at The Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairytale and Fantasy. Whilst I was pondering unnerving transformations, images of many strange mythical hybrid creatures came to mind (some prompted by this month’s Mslexia.) What is their attraction – and what does it matter to modern storytelling? Continue reading
Metamorphosis
Mention metamorphosis and two contrasting ideas flit into my mind. On the Humanities side there’s Kafka’s story of Gregor Samsa waking up to find himself a beetle, and Ovid with his tales of Greek legends. In contrast, amongst the Science stacks of the L-space in my brain, I recall Lepidoptera and Amphibians. All are to do with transformation. What influence has metamorphosis had on stories?