Ren′aissance wom′an n. awomanwhohasacquiredprofoundknowledgeorproficiencyinmore thanonefield. I dreaded forcing myself and my eyes to look up the term Renaissance woman and read the definition because although I suspect I already knew what it meant I wanted it confirmed, like bad news. Being proficient at many things was something I saw as a negative aspect to my character …
6 Things I’ve Learned about Being a Published Author
My aim had always been to be a published author. I have achieved my aim. Now what? Writing a novel or two is the biggest time, energy and mental pressure you can undertake. In fact to write this blog post I had to take two Nurofen and a double espresso macchiato in order to steady …
SCRAPS OF WOOL by Bill Colegrave: On Memory and Experience in 5 Places
Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen. – Benjamin Disraeli Memory decides our journeys long before we do. It is the narrative drive of our travels and forms the organisation of our experience. Bill Colegrave has collected and been inspired by travel books for …
Author Events, Cry of the Flying Rhino, General, Literary places, Published work, The Reading Life, The Writing Life
NEWSFLASH: I will reading @BRIXTON BOOK JAM, Monday 5 March 2018 @Hootananny, LONDON
South London, are we ready? I am coming straight out of my garret to read from my new award-winning debut, CRY OF THE FLYING RHINO, at the Brixton Book Jam, on Monday 5 March 2018 7:30pm at The Hootananny. (95 Effra Road, London SW2 1DF) – a large pub with a performance space that can hold …
Can You Learn “How to Write Like Tolstoy” from a Book?
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 …
REVIEW: BBC’s “Chinese Burn” appalling script, racial stereotypes, human detritus not diversity
Did anybody catch this on the BBC over the weekend? A terrible TV film about three Chinese girls in London called CHINESE BURN. The script is so shocking and racist I can’t believe it was made. One has a permanent cleaver looking at little dogs to chop up and eat. One is an out-of-work actress who …
Cry of the Flying Rhino, General, Literary places, Published work, The Reading Life, The Writing Life
READ Cry of the Flying Rhino FOR FREE: Now at Southfields Library, South London
Calling SOUTHFIELDS or WANDSWORTH residents/library members/mums/friends/neighbours! What are you waiting for?!!! READ MY BOOK FOR FREE!!! Support local libraries and read for free. If you don’t, they will shut down. We don’t know how lucky we are. When I was growing up I had to read really torn, vandalised or simply extremely old and falling apart …
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 …
DEBRIEF: Publishing Two Books!
This is a view of Bako National Park in Kuching, Borneo, home to millions of flora and fauna many of which are still undiscovered and unknown to humans. It seems the opposite of the Hong Kong in the photo below, yet both of these places are where Cry of the Flying Rhino was born. Publishing …