Recently I tweeted a memory I had of my penpal when I was 12 and I was astonished when today it’s so far had 80 likes. I know it’s not viral, humour me. I had two penpals. The one from the Philippines is in the tweet: To this day I cannot bring myself to open …
My Morning Writing Routine
I wake up around 06:12 if I am good and 06:44 if I am lazy. I don’t need an alarm, it’s the same every day no matter what time I went to bed. I hit start on the espresso machine, make a skinny flat white. In my pyjamas I write before work, either working on …
Unboxing Heart of Glass from Penguin Random House box for Booksigning event
Watch me “unbox”. No, really. It’s called unboxing. My movie is a Norwegian indie arthouse film noir, with eerie music. (That’s my one line hook).
Interview with Los Angeles Review of Books (China Channel) now out!
I was interviewed by the LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS (China Channel) and it’s now out. “Writing about Asia or Asians is naturally something close to me. It is what I have grown up with. I am equally comfortable with writing about the West and white people because firstly, I have lived in the West …
How to sell your books at WHSmith Booksigning event in 10 steps
…without breaking the bank. Here’s my blow by blow account with HOT TIPS on how to organise booksigning at WHSmith, sell to total strangers and get paid. 1/ Decide why you want to do the booksigning. My objectives were fourfold: 1/ to test the market – what kind of total strangers are interested in my books, …
Finding Time to Write When You Think You Have No Time? Here’s How.
CAVEAT: Firstly, it is not time that has to be made. There are only 24 hours, you can’t make any more. Secondly, it is words that have to be made, not time. Thirdly, it is ideas that make the words, not time. And now I will systematically break down the entire week to show you …
Can You Write a Book while having Full-time Job and Children? Do the quiz and find out!
1/ Can you sit down for 20-40 minutes? This can be either days, nights, weekends, holidays, whenever. At any point can you sit down and not keep getting up? You know that writing is sitting down, right? First start with 10 minutes and then work your way up to 20 then 30 and finally 40 …
Book Signing at WHSmith, Southside Mall, Wandsworth, London
Sat 16 Feb 2019 from 2:30pm – 4:30pm I will be signing Heart of Glass at WHSmith in Wandsworth Southside Mall, SW London. Come and say hi. This is a great chance to ask me any questions about writing, editing, design, publishing etc. The event is FREE. RSVP here.
How to Develop a Cult Following in 5 Killer Moves
… for your book or product, with exercises to try out. Everybody knows at least 5 cult classics without even thinking. These are 5 of mine off the top of my head: Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting, 50 Shades, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, The Secret History. How did they become cults? How do you attract …
Money, job, marriage: you happy now?
Behavioural scientist Paul Dolan in his new book Happy Ever After: Escaping the Myth of the Perfect Life by Paul Dolan (out 17 January 2019) challenges the ‘success’ indicators of modern myths as narratives and narrative traps: Myth: expectation to be ambitious, wealthy, successful and well educated, married, monogamous and have kids. These are guidelines …