Blog

As a teenager living in Northern Ireland at the height of the conflict, I spent my days desperately wishing for peace. By the time I finished university, and with the violence showing no signs of ending, I left. A cop out, some might say when others stayed.

Perhaps that’s why I made the main character in my book a young peace campaigner, determined to change things for the better. My alter ...

It’s been an exciting few months since my last update. The door that’s been hanging off its hinges since Storm Arwen has finally been fixed; on my first try at aerial yoga I didn’t break a limb; and I notched up a new top speed of 31mph on my cycle route (all right, it was downhill). I’m also delighted to say that my first novel, Soldier Doll, was placed in the top 10% in the Cheshire Novel Prize. ...

1. Taking writing classes. I knew there was a process to writing a book. If I thought it would miraculously reveal itself to me as I went along, I was wrong. I need a basic framework because that's the sort of person I am. The classes have introduced me to tried and tested techniques, helped me discover my writer’s voice and provided early, all-important feedback. 

2. Reading ...

The story begins in the north coast of Ireland in 795 AD, a time that saw the first 'heathen' raids on Irish monasteries.

My cast of characters include a mother and her young daughter, an Irish monk and a Viking family. An interesting mix, to say the least.

The characters, and their voices, have begun to take shape and I’ve really enjoyed putting pen to paper on this one!