Quarter Quell: April Reading Wrap-Up
Ten books and a novella (so far) this year. Here’s what I’ve been reading, but have I kept to my resolution to read better?
Four Reasons You Don’t Have to Finish Reading That Book
Reading is a joy. We read to learn, to relax, and to escape but we only have a limited amount of time. It can be so easy to feel guilty about abandoning a book part-way through but there are legitimate reasons to do so.
REVIEW: Elizabeth is Missing
Someone keeps leaving cups of tea all over Maud’s house. And for some reason her cupboards are full of tinned peaches. It’s all very strange but she’s struggling to remember. One thing is certain though, her friend Elizabeth is missing and no matter what anyone says, Maud is going to find her.
Is Writing Every Day Right for You?
‘Write everyday!’ It’s one of the most famous pieces of writing advice. I make the case both ways but it’s up to you to decide: Is writing every day right for you?
5 Things to Ask When Naming Your Characters
People really do call their children La-a, Fredriel is the new Legolas, and if you can’t holler your protagonist’s name from your garden gate, you might want to rethink it. Here’s five things to ask when you’re choosing names for your characters.
21 Writer Problems
We all know life is a bundle of giggles. Here are 21 (perhaps a little comical) problems that writers face.
Review: Precious Bane – Romance Done Well
Born in rural Shropshire around the time of Waterloo, Prue Sarn is a strong, independent soul, cursed by her hare lip never to be accepted nor loved. But this curse is her ‘precious bane’.
Five Underrated Romances You Should Really Read
For some reason, relationships between characters seem more powerful when they aren’t the sole focus of the novel. Perhaps because there’s more to life than romance, who knows? Whatever the case, these subplots are often overlooked in favour of the obvious. So, since it’s February, here are five underrated romances in fiction.
On Writing a Believable Love Interest
It’s February, so we continue the conversation about romance in fiction. Apparently there’s more to relationships than rippling muscles and fluttering eyelashes, so what makes for a believable love interest?
Three Reasons Why We Need More Platonic Protagonists
There’s nothing worse than setting off on an epic adventure with an exciting pair of protagonists for company only for the author to force them into a relationship. Here’s why we need a few more platonic protagonists in our fiction.