#TOPCRIME14 AKA LAUGHING AT LYNDA (LAPLANTE)

Had a fantastic time at Harrogate Crime Festival this weekend. Saw some inspirational panels and heard some fabulous speakers. JK Rowling was there as Robert Galbraith. She wore a man’s suit and a smile as she was interviewed by the formidable Val McDermid. Great to see the usual suspects milling around: Mark Billingham, Ann Cleeves,…

Writing Retreats Rock

I set off and of course, as is my life, there was drama before I’d even left the petrol station: in the form of an argument with a bloke parked over two pumps and a fuel spillage all over my person. Karma’s a biatch. I had to spray Lancome liberally to disguise the odour of…

SUCCEED LIKE A TOOTHLESS BUDGIE

My second blog. I’m no longer a blog virgin though far from a blog madam. I’ve been contemplating the success I had in my writing life last year and how it’s never enough. You achieve goals you never expected to achieve yet still you strive for more. A sign of someone who’ll be successful or…

Insomnia

Maybe it’s not wise to write my first blog at four in the morning when I’ve had very little sleep. That’s in part due to the fact that I fell asleep while reading ‘Kingdom of the Fairies’ to my six year old daughter and woke up on the edge of her bed, with Annabel (very…