Somerset Maugham famously said that there are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. How to Write Like Tolstoy by Richard Cohen should be read with caution. It is, like all other writing books, a How To book that is a How Not To, which means it shows …
Author Interviews, Book reviews, Cry of the Flying Rhino, General, Literary places, Published work, The Writing Life
ASIAN BOOKS BLOG: 500 words about Cry of the Flying Rhino
What were the inciting incidents which inspired Cry of the Rhino to become an award-winning novel? Asian Books Blog ran a 500 word article with answers and much more. I was also covered by the American author Robert Raymer in his insightful and entertaining blog, the Borneo Expat Writer. Robert and I interviewed each recently. You can also read the article here …
Lulu Allison: The Relevance of Art in Literature
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” – Edgar Degas Lulu Allison is a Brighton-based artist and writer. Before she started writing she had already been an established artist. Twice the Speed of Dark is told from the viewpoint of Caitlin, killed by violent boyfriend Ryan. Ten years on, her mother …
Cry of the Flying Rhino paperback, eBook
If you missed my reading at Brixton Book Jam, The Hootananny, London SW2 1DF on Monday 3 March 2018, no worries. Watch it here now! Cry of the Flying Rhino LIMITED EDITION, FIRST EDITION, SIGNED is now available! Find out why this book won outright for the first time in 9 years of the Proverse Prize competition. …
REVIEW: Write and Edit a Short Story Weekend Workshop 7-8 October 2017 @londonlitlab
I was very pleased to have applied for this course. It was just the thing I needed – the luxury of writing. I am not interested in posh hotel breaks or spa treats. What attracted me was the quality of the teaching staff. Zoe Gilbert and Lily Dunn are not only published writers, they are also lecturers. The venue …
CRY OF THE FLYING RHINO Sneak Preview: Doing my Bit for Postcolonial Literature:
Heart of Glass: Front cover done. Back blurb in progress. Some delays in August because I was torn between two cover options both of which I liked. Now we’re done being torn. Very exciting. Clue: 1980s! Yes! In sports news, Cry of the Flying Rhino: Hong Kong – the prize giving ceremony and launch is now only 4 weeks away! …
7 Lessons in Book Promotion (for Slackers)
1/ Someone once said “Writing is Showbusiness for the Shy”. Event/talk/gig tours to promote one’s paperbacks is quite a nice thing to do if you are a) young or b) young at heart or c) have tons of time and money or d) all of the above ideally. As I am having a déjà vu, …
The Brief Crowdfunding Pitch De-Brief
So you have pitched and now you are wondering how the hell did I do? 1. On the pitching letter. Make it pithy and make each one the best letter you ever wrote. If you know them v well, aim for the heart. Go deeper. Ask how Anna’s Grade V piano exam went and how James’ operation …
Your Crowdfunding Pitch Letter
The letter needs to be pithy and to the point. Short direct pitches work better cos firstly people have no time and secondly they have no patience. It should be in three paragraphs only. The first paragraph: Introduce your product and what it is. Learn to cut out all that “how are you hope you’re well” …
Editing, schmediting and COVER DESIGN!
I have been working on the cover design with the graphic designer who has designed bestsellers like The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith and Marina Lewycka’s A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. As a designer myself, I find it both easy and hard to take the back seat and let someone do …