A library in Cumbria is wrapping books in plain paper, to encourage readers to expand their choices and pick up something they wouldn’t normally read. It’s not a new idea (Google ‘blind date with a book’, and you’ll see what I mean) but it’s a great one. Covers are hugely important. as I write this, […]
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Guest post: The Missing One, by Lucy Atkins
I recently read The Missing One by debut novelist, Lucy Atkins, which comes out on 16 January. It is a compelling and at times uneasy read, about a woman looking for the truth about her mother, and I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed it so much I asked Lucy to explain how the story […]
Ten things not to say to a writer
1. Wow, you’ve got a publishing deal! I bet you’re raking in the cash now. Yes, absolutely. In fact I’m struggling to type this, so bejewelled are my fingers. 2. Will you dedicate your book to me? I’ve only met you about three times. I don’t even like you. Why on earth would I dedicate […]
A Misunderstanding at the Pharmacy
Over the last few years I have accumulated quite a cache of drugs. Nothing wildly out of the ordinary, just an array of prescription painkillers with a sprinkling of sleeping tablets thrown in for good measure. Most of the packets were out of date and several were untouched so I thought it wise to get […]
Accidental parenting: naked beans night
Just because I subscribe to the Gestapo approach to motherhood doesn’t mean that I’m totally immune to the occasional bout of Accidental Parenting. Accidental parenting refers to all those times when a lapse of good intentions create a habit so ingrained you never succeed in reversing it. The children who can’t go to sleep unless […]
What would the nanny want with your pants?
“They’ve vanished – every single pair.” We’re going away for a weekend wedding and my husband is tearing around the house looking for a pair of pants. There is not a single pair to be found anywhere. “The nanny must have taken them.” “Don’t be ridiculous – why on earth would the nanny take them?” […]