That Bloomin' Apostrophe!

Cartoon, apostrophes

Source: The Apostrophe Protection Society

Briefly, possession and omission. Yep, it’s that easy.

People get very hot under the collar about apostrophes, me included. First my mother, then my wonderful English teachers – Mrs Campbell and Miss Robson – eradicated any nonsense about misuse out of me at an early age. Like other […]

Intelligencers, Spies, and Secret Agents: The King’s Intelligencer

Spies and secret agents are today the stuff of film, television and novels. We are more than intrigued by the countless documentaries and non-fiction accounts of espionage, deception secret operations, especially featuring gadgets, communications and tradecraft. Well, today Elizabeth St.John visits my blog to tells us that nothing really isn’t new under the […]

Across the sea to Dublin

I was delighted to be invited to speak at the International Dublin Writers’ Festival again. This year, the theme was the creative well, something essential to good writing, but a slippery one to grasp. In essence, it’s the part of you that feeds your imagination. If it’s kept at a healthy level, it will […]

Deborah Swift: Operation Tulip – incredible courage in occupied Holland

Today, I’m delighted to welcome Deborah Swift to the blog as part of her Coffee Pot Book Club tour. She’s a USA TODAY bestselling author of twenty books who is passionate about the past. Before becoming a writer, Deborah was a costume designer for the BBC. Now she lives in a former English school house […]

Speaking at conferences - the truth

Alison speaking at the International Writers’ Festival, Dublin

Whether you’re invited or have submitted a pitch to speak at a conference it’s the same on the day. You have a mass of faces in front of you. You re alone in the arena and the lions are pacing back and forth, tongues salivating. The be-tunicked and be-toga-ed are watching, a smile on their […]