In 2021, Isla, a student of creative writing at the University of the Highlands and Islands, asked me to share my experiences of writing my first novel Castles of Steel and Thunder in this author interview. I’m happy to say that Isla also seemed to enjoy the follow-up book, Pieces of Sky and Stone, and…
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One of the surest things about writing, or indeed any kind of creative pursuit, is the experience of rejection. Offering work up for any kind of scrutiny, be it through books, competition entries, submissions to agents or publishers – all of it entails the risk of someone saying ‘no’. Rejection isn’t as clear-cut as the…
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In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety. Abraham Maslow You may (or may not!) have noticed that I didn’t write my regular blog post last week – unusual for me, as I try to keep up a weekly practice of posting. I did…
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Recently I’ve been trying to get back into the habit of writing, and to be honest, I’ve been struggling. After finishing the last school year on a high after completing the first draft of my novel, I’ve returned to the new year feeling, frankly, a bit flat. The origin of this dip in motivation is…
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