Simon Says is my monthly readers’ group communiqué. Sign up for the group if you want your copy delivered directly to your inbox.
Simon Says is my monthly readers’ group communiqué. Sign up for the group if you want your copy delivered directly to your inbox.
13 July 2021 » communiqué 057
Guns, bullets and other things the movies get wrong.
8 June 2021 » communiqué 056
If you haven’t seen The Big Lebowski, where the heck have you been since 1998?!? Go and watch it now. And if you’ve already seen it, then you should go and watch it again, several times…
11 May 2021 » communiqué 055
Markdown is a way to add styling and formatting to a document (headings, bold, italics, and more), but those markings are shown in the text. This approach offers advantages, not least the writer’s intent doesn’t get lost when text is copied.
13 April 2021 » communiqué 054
Have you been watching Spiral? The eighth (and final) season was broadcast earlier this year. If you haven’t seen it, perhaps I can persuade you to visit the darker side of Paris…
9 March 2021 » communiqué 053
We live in a secular age, but we’re still very tribal, and we still seek comfort and certainty with daily rituals.
9 February 2021 » communiqué 052
One of the most illogical aspects of the English language is that many words are not spelled as they are pronounced. I have solution…
12 January 2021 » communiqué 051
Recently, for the first time in fifteen years, I made a change to one of the key pieces of kit I use every day for my writing—I got a new keyboard. Now I would like to introduce you to the Moonlander.
8 December 2020 » communiqué 050
2020 didn’t turn out as we expected. While the year has been quite dark for many, there has been much to be very positive about.
10 November 2020 » communiqué 049
Text expanders are utilitarian tools that make each day a little bit easier, and anything that makes each day a bit better must be good.
13 October 2020 » communiqué 048
The first scene is literally the first thing a reader will read after they have committed to trying a book. The first scene has one single purpose—to draw a reader into a book. So what makes a good first scene?
8 September 2020 » communiqué 047
Listening to audiobooks is a primeval activity, hardwired into our psyche by our ancestors who sat around a camp fire listening to stories. If you haven’t already listened to an audiobook, maybe now is the time.
11 August 2020 » communiqué 046
Human beings are terrible at identifying, assessing, and managing risk. For a fiction writer, this human shortcoming is a great source of material.
14 July 2020 » communiqué 045
People used to want your money. Now they want your attention and they want your attention so they can make money. Perhaps the best reaction to the demand for your attention is simply to reach for the off switch.
9 June 2020 » communiqué 044
Writing, and finding the right pen.
12 May 2020 » communiqué 043
There is much to be said for the acquisition of wealth, but what are the consequences that flow from having wealth?
14 April 2020 » communiqué 042
Living in changed times.
10 March 2020 » communiqué 041
What is usury, why do we care about it, and why is a fiction writer interested in the notion?
11 February 2020 » communiqué 040
How do we stay in contact, especially under the most challenging circumstances?
14 January 2020 » communiqué 039
Why do we tell stories and why do we listen to stories?
10 December 2019 » communiqué 038
Baby Driver and The Irishman; the things we do to protect those we love, and the consequences of the choices we make.
12 November 2019 » communiqué 037
A return to Pollute the Poor. Podcasts: what to check out, the ethics of true crime podcasts, and how to listen to podcasts.
8 October 2019 » communiqué 036
Where do the ideas come from and which ideas then get chosen to become part of a story?
10 September 2019 » communiqué 035
Can you make yourself lucky? Renée Ballard, a new series character from Michael Connelly. LAPD internal politics.
13 August 2019 » communiqué 034
Let me tell you about some of the books I read in the first half of 2019 that I thought were great and which I think you’ll really enjoy.
9 July 2019 » communiqué 033
When Clementina met Liam Glass. Sometimes we tell lies with the best of intentions but usually our motives are less pure. Killing Eve, is season two as good as the first?
11 June 2019 » communiqué 032
Crime as a lens. Refusing to listen to advice. Heading back to watch TV.
14 May 2019 » communiqué 031
Looking and seeing to show and hide. Thank you. After the fire.
9 April 2019 » communiqué 030
Picking favorites. Currency, value, and living off the grid. More documentaries.
12 March 2019 » communiqué 029
Looking at the world afresh. Surrey Hills. Tattoo Your Name on My Heart. A gothic revival mortuary chapel.
12 February 2019 » communiqué 028
Frederick Forsyth’s latest book, The Fox. In case of disaster. Closer to the edit
8 January 2019 » communiqué 027
The Day of the Jackal—a great book and a film that is as good as the book. Who have I been talking about? I told you to watch Killing Eve.
11 December 2018 » communiqué 026
Music: Antonio Lauro, Leathan Wilkey’s soundtrack, and John Martyn.
13 November 2018 » communiqué 025
Killing Eve. The physics of story telling. Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.
9 October 2018 » communiqué 024
How we use words when we want to influence. Choosing the right keyboard. Setting up a comfortable work environment.
11 September 2018 » communiqué 023
A small presentational change. A DVR for your reading. Do I have the best solution for typing on the go? Five questions.
14 August 2018 » communiqué 022
Five questions.
10 July 2018 » communiqué 021
Residents of Wimbledon. Meet Saga and Martin. When does the sidekick become the hero?
12 June 2018 » communiqué 020
Story vs situation. Designing covers. Traffic signals in Paris.
8 May 2018 » communiqué 019
My introductory library. US English vs UK English. Meghan Markle, Queen of England.
10 April 2018 » communiqué 018
Spelling doesn’t matter. Taking characters from real life. What gives literature longevity.
13 March 2018 » communiqué 017
Sending problems overseas. Nurturing ideas. Lilja and Snare.
13 February 2018 » communiqué 016
More choice language. Interfering in foreign affairs. What to do while we’re waiting for the Oscars.
9 January 2018 » communiqué 015
Easing slowly into 2018. Seeing snow. Bad language.
12 December 2017 » communiqué 014
A wrap up of 2017.
14 November 2017 » communiqué 013
The Camera, free for a very limited period. Simon Says, 2017 and 2018. Comrade Detective.
10 October 2017 » communiqué 012
And what do you think about this? Turning points for Leathan. Telling lies with historical accuracy. Expanding your library.
12 September 2017 » communiqué 011
What do you think? Why I said what I said in the first place. Getting the first chapter right.
8 August 2017 » communiqué 010
In this edition, I’m doing things a bit differently…and there’s a chapter from a book I’m writing.
11 July 2017 » communiqué 009
A look back at Pollute the Poor and where Sylvia comes in. Make sure you’ve got all the books in my introductory library. Augmenting my review team. Sexy Beast.
13 June 2017 » communiqué 008
The Camera—what the reviews say. Get Clementina while the price is low. Leather floors are a thing. In what order should I read the Leathan series? What I’m wearing this season.