If I’ve got something to say, I write it and then link to that post: Write Once, Then Link.
Follow this link if you want to read more about the thinking behind these posts. If you’re digging around and looking for the topics I’ve covered, you’ll find every page is categorized and tagged with either or both person tags and content tags.
If you’re unsure how this tagging can help you, then read this article.
last updated: 14 November 2017
I’ve been watching Comrade Detective. It’s fun…at least the idea is amusing, but I’m not sure it quite sustains over the full series.
Filed under
...continue reading: Comrade Detective
last updated: 10 October 2017
Long before I wrote the first Leathan Wilkey book—literally years before I wrote the book—I had the notion of a character who was later christened Leathan. I had an idea of someone who was very human. A man who connected with people on a very human level. But a man, for whom life was difficult because of his specific circumstances.
Filed under
...continue reading: Developing Leathan Wilkey
last updated: 11 July 2017
On the face of it, Sexy Beast is a gangster movie. In truth, it’s a love story. Sure, there are all the elements of a British gangster movie, a retired criminal living in Spain who is drawn back for one last job—a safe deposit vault heist. But dig deeper to the heart of the film and there is a love story. Gal Dove loves his wife Deedee, and is only forced back to take the job to protect Deedee.
Filed under
...continue reading: Sexy Beast
last updated: 11 July 2017
In Pollute the Poor Boniface plays Sylvia, a tune from 1972 by the Dutch prog rock band Focus. The track is an instrumental with a strong, quite joyful melody, but there’s a mournful undercurrent. It’s one of those tunes that speaks without using words—and, of course, since there are no words, you can imprint your own interpretation.
Filed under
last updated: 13 June 2017
I was asked the question: Do you wear anything when you’re writing? The question was less about whether I wear clothes, or otherwise, and more about whether I wear anything in particular.
Filed under
...continue reading: Do You Wear Anything?
last updated: 13 June 2017
Did you know that leather floors are a thing? Instead of carpets, tiles, or wood to cover the floor, you can have leather. Yeah, I didn’t know either.
Filed under
...continue reading: Leather Floors
last updated: 13 June 2017
If you’ve ever wondered about the order of the Leathan Wilkey series of novels…
Filed under
...continue reading: The Leathan Series: Order of Reading/Writing
last updated: 9 May 2017
If you haven’t watched BrainDead, can I suggest you do: it’s hugely entertaining.
Filed under
...continue reading: BrainDead
last updated: 9 May 2017
I set my second series—the Leathan Wilkey series—in Paris. I knew I wanted to set the books in a different city, I just wasn’t sure which city. All I really knew was that Leathan wasn’t going to be in London. And much of the reason for this choice is that, despite the many similarities, Paris is very different to London.
Filed under
...continue reading: Why Paris
last updated: 11 April 2017
The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow is a great book. If you haven’t read it, fix that and read it now.
Filed under
...continue reading: The Power of the Dog
last updated: 14 March 2017
It’s approaching ten years since then nearly-four-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared while on a family holiday. Yet somehow, despite there being so few facts—or maybe because there are so few facts—ten years after she was last seen, the disappearance of Madeleine is perhaps the mystery of our time.
Filed under
...continue reading: Madeleine McCann: 10 Years Later
last updated: 14 March 2017
Many readers have a preference for paper books, but there are good reasons to consider electronic books.
Filed under
...continue reading: Reconsidering eBooks
last updated: 14 February 2017
Many people think jealousy and envy are the same thing? However, the two concepts—the two underlying emotions—are very different notions.
Filed under
...continue reading: Jealousy and Envy
last updated: 14 February 2017
Amazon dominates. You’ve probably noticed. But if you’re looking for ebooks, Amazon is not the only choice. I’d like to make the suggestion that if you’re queasy about buying from Amazon you take a look at Kobo.
Filed under
...continue reading: The Alternative to Amazon
last updated: 14 February 2017
In any story, the protagonist needs to fail—at least on some level. Here’s one aspect of my approach to protagonists.
Filed under
...continue reading: The Protagonist Fails
last updated: 10 January 2017
Walter Mosley’s novel Devil in a Blue Dress is a noir masterpiece pulling together threads of race, friendship and betrayal, and political corruption in the context of post-war America. Read the book, then watch the movie—and watch the movie for the electric portrayal of Mouse by Don Cheadle.
Filed under
...continue reading: Devil in a Blue Dress
last updated: 10 January 2017
If you are prone to expressing yourself out loud, you may soon find your commands are obeyed with washing powder, cat food, and toothpaste arriving at your door.
Filed under
...continue reading: Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?
last updated: 10 January 2017
I had an idea for a second series of books which became the Leathan Wilkey series. I wasn’t certain about the location—Budapest and Sarajevo were possibilities—but the most likely location was Paris. So I went to Paris to have a look.
Filed under
...continue reading: Writing Bag Man
last updated: 13 December 2016
Goliath has pretty much every cliché there could be: Billy McBride was a hotshot lawyer, but he drank—and still drinks—and now is down on his luck, having lost his employment and his wife…but he’s still close to his daughter. He lives (and has his office) in a motel, although he seems to do a lot of work in the bar next door. His best friend is a stray dog and his assistant is also a call girl. Every cliché, but is Goliath worth a watch?
Filed under
...continue reading: Goliath (season one)
last updated: 13 December 2016
From time to time I get asked the question: How do you go about writing a book? Is it just a case of sitting down and typing? For me, I outline the entire story and only once I’ve got an outline in place do I start writing. But before I can really get to the outline, I need an idea. Or rather, not so much an idea, but a kernel for the story—a solid foundation of a human story that grips me.
Filed under