fiction

  • I first met the lovely Glynis Peters at a writer event a few years ago. We hit it off straight away and became good friends. It’s been an absolute delight to watch Glynis’ writing take off in a very big way over the past couple of years. Her first book with Harper Collins, The Secret…

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  • Another Interview

    One of my former Writers Bureau students, Alan Dale, asked if he could interview me for his new blog. I was delighted to be asked and to support Alan as he starts on his blogging journey. Here’s a short extract from the interview: Perhaps we could start by looking at a few aspects of short…

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  • Happy Friday! Have a great weekend everyone. As it’s Friday, it’s time for my guest post. If you’d like to feature as a guest on my blog, please get in touch. I’m looking for stories and non-fiction pieces of up to 1500 words and poems of up to 40 lines. If you can also send…

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  • The quote from The Observer on the front caught my eye as I was traipsing round Waterstones searching for a new book: ‘Engaging and enchanting…a fairytale for adults, with all the wonder – and terror – that that entails…‘ Intrigued? I certainly was. I turned the book over and read the blurb: ‘It is 1917,…

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  • Markets For Writers

    Like a good secret? Well, why not enter The Writers’ Cafe Magazine’s short story and poetry competition? If you’re interested, send your stories (up to 1000 words) and poetry (up to 5 poems per submission) on the theme, “Secrets”, with a 3 line first-person bio to: marielouisebrooks@hotmail.co.uk by June 7th. No mention of entry fees…

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  • It was my absolute pleasure to interview the inspirational and delightful Ritu, who is already known to many of you. Whether she is or not, I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading more about her, her books, writing and all sorts of other things! Q. Your first novel, Marriage Unarranged, came out earlier this year. Can you…

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  • Markets For Writers

    Lots of writers aspire to write fiction for DC Thomson & Co’s The People’s Friend magazine. But did you know DC Thomson & Co also publish The Weekly News, a newpaper that features short stories in each issue? As you’ll see, from their writers’ guidlines, they’re after stories that have a little more edge to…

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  • It’s a pleasure to introduce you to Claire Huston. I met Claire at an author meet-up a little while ago and was very interested to hear about her forthcoming book. Q. Your first book, Art and Soul, is due out on April 23rd this year. Can you tell us a little bit about it? A.…

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  • Exciting News!

    Have any of you been to Swanwick Writers’ Summer School? No? Perhaps you’ve heard about it. If not, it’s known to ‘writers the world over‘ and ‘is legendary for the warmth of its welcome. ​If you love writing then Swanwick offers you the opportunity to learn new skills, hone existing ones, explore your creativity, make new…

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  • I met the wonderful Shelley Wilson at The Bloggers Bash in London some years ago. She’s a writing mentor as well as the author of several self-help books and YA fiction. I recently read her YA novel, Hood Academy, described on the cover as ‘a gothic page turner’. And it certainly is! The blurb says:…

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