How long does it take to develop a story idea?

In the underground passage, Capua Amphitheatre

I’ve been asked many times how I came to think up Roma Nova and the thriller story behind INCEPTIO. When I mention it started when I was memerised by a Roman mosaic at the age of eleven, people are surprised to say the least. The full story […]

Self-publishing times are a-changing

Maybe my RNA colleagues were being polite at the annual conference this last weekend, but I didn’t get one remotely pointed remark about my self-published debut novel, INCEPTIO. That sounds defensive, I know, but what a change from even 12 months, let alone 24 months ago.

Are we all now ‘published’ rather than self/independent/mainstream/traditional? Have […]

Not all self-published work is grey in the night

Not all self-published work is crap.

Not all mainstream books are good.

Many self-published works are excellent.

Many mainstream books are dire.

All true. But the demarcation between the two is blurring. A reader doesn’t give a toss who produced a book they love. The things they do notice are rubbishy covers, unintelligible blurb, coarse, […]

What I did at London Book Fair 2013

Three years ago, I spent a day at London Book Fair as a wide-eyed newbie writer. I loved it! This year, with INCEPTIO published, I went as part of the SilverWood Books author team to answer potential new clients’ questions from the author point of view. Very courageous and transparent of SilverWood Books (SWB) […]

INCEPTIO - Pembury Library talk

When I was planning the launch of INCEPTIO at Waterstones in Tunbridge Wells, I was very keen to go and talk at my local library on the same trip.

I lived in Pembury for over 24 years and spent many happy hours in the library when my son was small (storytime) and when looking […]