VAL PENNY

Let's imagine you've finished writing your book, the editing is done and it's almost ready to go. Now is the time to write the blurb that...

We have all experienced it, reaching the end of a book and feeling let down or unsatisfied, by a lazy or boring ending. As a reader you...

I am trying to work my way through the selection of Lee Child books on our shelves. I find them easy to read and, if I'm reading at...

Every gripping story needs compelling characters to tell it and as the writer it is your job to create those characters and breathe life...

Some people say that everybody has a book in them. I doubt this is true. Even if it were so, I do not believe that everybody has the...

Authors generally fall into one of two categories, those who plot or those who don't. When I first started my writing career, I admit...

We learn early on in our writing journey that every story must have a beginning a middle and an end. We are also taught that our main...

Sometimes I have difficulty settling down to write and at other times I may struggle to decide what to write about. It is at times like...

I met up with Graham Bartlett again at Newcastle Noir, in December. The festival is run by the inimitable Jacky Gramozi Collins (aka Dr...

The main setting for the DI Hunter Wilson Crime Thrillers is Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is a beautiful city but relatively...

I am thrilled to be part of the tour for the new novel, Red Daisy by Gemma Owen-Kendall arranged by Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the...

I am taking part in the two day event that is the international book signing taking place in August. It is being arranged by authors...

The start of a new year is always exciting with the opportunity to look forward rather than back. This year my publishers, SpellBound...

I have just finished reading a book, Red Daisy , by an author new to me, Gemma Owen-Kendall. Not only that, but the genre, fantasy...

Today it is a delight to welcome my friend and fellow author Sharon Cook to the blog to explain her compulsion to write. Sharon's debut...

I thought for the new year I would start at the beginning so let's look at how to start your book in a way that will grab the readers'...

It is always a joy to welcome my friend and fellow author, Allison Symes to the blog. She is not only a talented writer but also an...

Before I review last year, may I wish you a very Happy New Year for the year ahead. The past year has been busy. Not only have I been...

It is my great pleasure to welcome author K.D. Sherringford to the blog today to discuss her journey to become a bestselling author. ...

One of the things I like best about Christmas is that my elder daughter and I often swap books that we have read and enjoyed during the...