Crime fiction is one of the old stand-bys for me, when I’m looking for something to read that’s interesting, and a bit brain challenging. The old whodunnit. I enjoyed Agatha Christie’s work and I’ve read a number of others, mainly British. I suppose they must resonate with me. One writer who has become a ‘must…
Some books are without a doubt aimed only at children. They’re short, the printing is often larger, the language is simple, and they’re not full of sex and violence. But even books like the immortal Winnie the Pooh can be enjoyed by adults. Winnie the Pooh is full of humour that would zip over a…
I was a science fiction reader before I dipped my toe into the vast ocean of romance. More than that, I like space opera. Yes, I’m a Star Wars fan, despite the rather ordinary science. What attracts me is the aliens and the space ships and the amazing different worlds out there. And after all,…
I first met Terry Pratchett’s books in a news agency at Perth airport many years ago. I was looking for a book to read on the 5 hour flight to Sydney and idly picked up a paperback with a colourful cover showing all sorts of grotesque creatures. I read the first page (as you do)…
I’m an independent author, a writer who has decided to publish my own books instead of scrabbling to get a contract with a publishing company. I’ve published with small companies before and I’ve decided it’s not for me. I prefer to be in charge of my own destiny. There are pros and cons to going…
We’ve all heard of genetically modified (GMO) crops and many people say the acronym in hushed tones as though it’s something awful. And sometimes it is. But maybe not always. Wilde Temptation by K.M. Fawcett takes another look at genetic modification and unintended consequences. An apple to turn people on? Much more natural than viagra…
I had a doctor’s appointment last week. Back in the good old days (pre-covid) it was a rare opportunity to catch up on last year’s women’s magazines, although I tended to restrict myself to the cooking and gardening sections. These days there are no magazines, just a big screen telly with sub-titles. So, I take…
Like most writers I was first and foremost a reader. I read from a very early age and birthday and Christmas presents were more often than not, books. I guess that’s one of the reasons why I ended up getting a history degree – lots of reading. I did take one unit of English at…
You might recall a few weeks ago I shared one of the opening scenes where we learn a little about the Crimson Lady’s history. But now, as we track the ship through generations, I had to flesh out what happened at the start of my story. And I had to make changes so that the…
Progress is being made on the search for the crimson lady. Some of you might remember the name was the scarlet lady not so long ago. That was before an astute English friend pointed out that Virgin very recently launched its first cruise ship, named… wait for it… the Scarlet Lady. (Thanks, Mike.) Here she…