19. October 2023
If you're looking for a supernatural read in the run-up to Halloween, why not check out some of Shelley Wilson's YA novels? I first met Shelley at a self-publishing conference back in 2015. Since then, Shelley's path as a writer has resulted in an extensive collection of YA fiction, alongside her non-fiction books about subjects such as well-being, meditation and business writing. Here Shelley talks about her creative path, what inspired it and how she manages the different aspects of her work.
03. October 2023
As a fantasy and paranormal author, October has to be my perfect month of the year, culminating in Halloween and the Day of the Dead on November 1st. Of course, this world in which I love to read and write exists all year round, but October is the time to focus on such things as ghosts, goblins and things that go bump in the night! To celebrate all things supernatural, here is my round-up of my five favourite scary stories!
26. July 2023
In my past interviews, at People & Books #3 and #9, I interviewed author Val Karren and his wife, Christine, who publishes Val's books at Fly-By-Night Press. Now there's a new addition to the family's creative activities. Daughter Lucy has written and illustrated her first book. Here she explains how it came about and what inspired this first creative venture.
22. July 2023
Before Covid, my husband and I began to explore Europe via our shared passion, our motobike. Between 2005 and 2019 we travelled to Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Andorra, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark and the Netherlands, the country in which we eventually settled. Along the way, we discovered some amazing scenery, great people and interesting historical and cultural places, all reached by motorbike, which is the only way to travel!
15. June 2023
I'm super privileged to be able to interview children's author Jenny McLachlan. I first met Jenny in London in 2016, when she ran a workshop at the Writing for Children & Young Adults Conference. After trying her hand at literary fiction, Jenny has discovered her talent for writing funny stories for both YA and younger readers. Her new book Stink: WORST. FAIRY. EVER! was released this year. Here she talks about how she began writing and what her writing journey has been so far.
04. June 2023
I love this image of Molly and the white stag, drawn by Kirsty Boar. If I hadn't moved to Maastricht in 2021, I wouldn't have met Kirsty at all. She's a Maastricht-based author, illustrator and fellow member of the Maastricht Writers Workshop. She has a background in librarianship and when we first met, she was working in the English Bookstore Maastricht. By this time, I'd already written Footprints in the Snow and Save the White Stag, which are parts 1 and 2 of a Forest of Dean series for...
15. May 2023
I'm so excited that Kathy Hoyle has agreed to be part of my People & Books blog. I've been following Kathy's writing activities online for some time. She likes to explore flash and short fiction, and her awards prove she has a talent for this genre, but what I also find interesting about Kathy's work is that she's involved in activities to encourage new and emerging writers. Kathy has a BA (hons) and an MA in Creative Writing, and has just started a PhD at the University of Leicester. She...
30. April 2023
Although Hamelin is in Germany, the tale is well-known in English popular culture and is widely read in primary schools. Just like a lot of children, I read the Robert Browning poem and the Brothers' Grimm story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, how he saved the town from a plague of rats and then kidnapped the town's children when he wasn't paid for his work. When we decided to visit Hamelin, I didn't know what to expect. Had the town embraced its Pied Pier heritage? Or was it something that,...
13. March 2023
I discovered Limestone Books by accident when I walked past it in the Grote Gracht. I immediately went in to say hello and to introduce myself and our writing group, Maastricht Writers Workshop. Now that I've made a connection with the store, I'm really pleased to be able to interview Chen Jhen, one of Limestone's founding team. From the start, it's clear that Chen is supportive of the local community and is working hard to create links with creative people in the area. Here she explains the...
