When digging through the writing archives gives you pause for reflection.
Category: On Writing
Being Afraid Made me a Better Writer
This is a little story about how one moment crystallised being afraid and how that helps me create believable tension in stories. It wasn’t the first time I’d been afraid of the dark and of unseen noises–as a teenager I’d walked home often enough in the dark after watching horror movies with my friends to Read More …
Three reasons why we love suspense
Ever wonder why we choose to escape into suspense fiction when we would never voluntarily go into danger? Here are three reason why we love it!
Teaser Tuesday: Bad Things Happen: Joey Baptiste
Book 1 in the Ashes to Ashes Series Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, where I share a snippet of one of my present or forthcoming novels. I’ve previously shared an excerpt from Journalist Charlotte Ashe’s point of view, one of the leads in the forthcoming suspense novel Bad Things Happen. This short excerpt features the other lead, Read More …
Teaser Tuesday: Bad Things Happen–Charlotte
Book 1 in the Ashes to Ashes Series Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, where I share a snippet of one of my present or forthcoming novels. Here is a short excerpt from my soon-to-be-released novel Bad Things Happen. But first… the blurb When Charlotte Ashe gets the scoop of a lifetime she thinks it’s her ticket Read More …
Choosing Setting: Why Italy?
Why Italy? When I look back I can see that choosing to set All That’s Left Unsaid in Italy was a no-brainer. But when I first sketched out the idea (all those long years ago!) I had no inkling that’s where it would be.
Choosing the Setting: Australia
You may have heard the expression write what you know. Early in my career a good friend of mine suggested it should be write what you want to know. Both good advice. I have to tell you though, writing what you know is much faster! And it is pretty cool to embrace everything that made Read More …
Grip Lit: What’s Really Going On?
Grip-lit is a phrase sweeping literary circles. Journalists (and now publishers) have claimed it as a handy genre description, citing the success of ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘Girl on the Train’ as examples of reader interest and it’s validity as a genre. Yet like all new terminology its definition is still in flux. So what is Grip-lit?
Six Rules for Swearing
How do you feel about swearing in novels? Is it offensive, acceptable, or does it all come down to whether it gels with the story and character?
A Twist in the Tale
There are points in any story where adding a plot reversal or a surprising revelation can really ramp up the tension. Finding them, and that all important final twist, is what every suspense writer strives for. When developing twists I love to challenge my main character’s beliefs about her world and in doing so, hopefully, cast a different light on everything you, as a reader, understand about the story. This is great fun in a novel. But what happens when that happens in your own life?