I walked home in the rain. The sky was heavy and grey. I felt heavy and grey. It was hot. I was hot, sweating in Mum’s navy-blue blazer and my ripped jeans. Although I’d been given my diagnosis two years ago, I was unaware that depression and OCD could affect you physically as well asContinue reading “This is Always Yesterday”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Cutting It
A brilliant writer-friend of mine, Val Penny, asked me if I’d like to write a few hundred words on writing, for her blog. This is what I sent her: So. You’ve always wanted to be a writer, have you? Mmm. We’ve never heard that before! Oh, and you’ve actually written a novel, have you? Mmm.Continue reading “Cutting It”
What Are We Going To Have For Tea?
It was an anniversary of my Mum’s death recently. She died not long before my son – K – was born. On the day of the anniversary, I didn’t really feel sad – I was getting on with things as usual – so I felt bad for not feeling sad when everyone else was feelingContinue reading “What Are We Going To Have For Tea?”
News News News!
Happy May Day, everyone! I have exciting news! Cover Your Tracks, my first self-published novel, will be released later this month! Watch this space! #indieauthor
Untethered
All of a sudden (as things that have been a long-time-coming tend to happen) I find myself untethered. It’s a weird feeling. At first, I felt abandoned, helpless, and hopeless. Five minutes later, I was walking around with tear-stained cheeks, seeing the world anew – liberated and elated. I could do anything! There was nothingContinue reading “Untethered”
The Delay
There’s too much background noise, that’s the problem. I can’t concentrate. I’m compelled to act – to write – but I can’t find the words because everyone else is talking, and everything’s already been said. And I know that the background noise is the stuff of life. The themes may change, but the questions areContinue reading “The Delay”
Lighthouses, Sandcastles, Drive.
I’m about to crash. I’m not. I’m in control. I just want to crash, so I can reset. Today is a pea-souper. A relief from the interchanging torrential rain and blasts of sun. Driving through the drizzle-mizzle-rain home. The sky is white-grey. I add to the queue of cars on the slip road. The coloursContinue reading “Lighthouses, Sandcastles, Drive.”
Character Traits
As I’m over at fellow #darkstroke author, Joan Livingston’s blog today, I thought I’d share my thoughts about Kayleigh – a character central to the Glasshouse series – here, too … About Kayleigh. How can I try explain Kayleigh without trying to explain everyone around her? People are inextricably linked, which is the reason IContinue reading “Character Traits”
Writing Matters
I was shivering behind a market stall just before Christmas, trying to cajole my numb fingers into string some festive fairy-lights over my display of novels. A tall woman strode over to me, with that patronizing smile I’ve seen on so many faces at events like these over the three years I’ve thought of myselfContinue reading “Writing Matters”
Good Luck? Bad Luck? Who Knows?
A friend of mine who I met at Manchester University went to Japan after she graduated and hasn’t come back. I remember thinking, when she left, how strange it was that the (arguably) least confident member of our group (we met in a Halls of Residence, after which we shared a dilapidated Victorian house onContinue reading “Good Luck? Bad Luck? Who Knows?”
