Interesting times afoot. Dennis Potter must be smiling from heaven.

It’s often said that writers are either pantsers (often rendered inaccurately as pansters, probably because it’s easier to pronounce) or plotters. Pantsers as in “write by the seat of your pants.” They make it up as they go along and don’t know where they’re going until they get there. I think there are writers who [...]

I’ve been thinking about the sudden surge to self-publishing and vanity publishing and the interest I’ve recently seen in various blogs and other places. Being a suspicious soul, I started to think about why this should be. Not all improvements come because the time has come and it’s right for them. Sometimes the situation is [...]

It’s the time of year and this is short, because I could go on and on, but I don’t need to. I live in Britain, in a small, unremarkable town. When I go into town to do some shopping I pass a cottage where Oliver Cromwell lodged on his way to one of the Civil [...]

Several bloggers have answered comments on the AAR forums about blogging recently. In doing so, some have noticed a recent snippiness and touchiness in the reading community, from readers and from writers. I was hanging around at Wendy’s blog recently, something I do a lot, and she’s noticed something similar, too. Mrs. Giggles has spotted [...]

Disclaimer – I’m British, so I don’t think the FTC rules apply to me, but just in case – the vast majority of the books I review I’ve bought for myself. Because something attracted me to it, and because I wanted to enjoy the experience. So I have a vested interest in any book I [...]

You might have noticed a slight absence here. Then again, you might not, why should you? But with all this blethering about writers and writing, and the endless push, push, push for a publisher, I thought I’d say something about writing. Specifically why I write, because I can’t speak for anyone else. 

Recently I read on a list that history is all a matter of opinion, not of specific facts, so I thought it was worth revisiting the historical romance, and the knotty topic of accuracy. Does it add to a romance, or take away from it?  [Gwen ed.: read more about the Ducks' views on historical [...]

For those of you who know what I write, it won’t be a surprise to know that I like my books sexy. But it’s not essential.

There have been some interesting developments recently in the development of the sub $200 ebook reader.   Manufacturers are looking at cheaper ebooks.  So here’s the latest news… 

Tonight is a huge night in football, and when I say football, I mean the game played with the round ball, not the funny-shaped one.  Football is the biggest sport in the world – bar none. Every nation in the world – except the United States – watches it with a passion. In most of [...]

Before I start this – please remember I’m talking generalisations, about the zeitgeist. There are always exceptions to the rule, always exceptional people and situations, but citing their examples doesn’t make it the norm. Authors generally work with the fringes, with the exceptions, so there’s a real danger that they can become regarded as the [...]

Every year RT is a little different for me. My first year was a process of exploration when I found what worked for me and what didn’t. My second was my first as an Ellora’s Cave author, and that made a big difference. I was also befriended by Kathryn and Ken, and it was sheer [...]

So to the last full day of the Convention. Looking back, I think this was one of the best ones I’ve been to, although this is only my third. The hotel was a good choice, although a bit spread out, campus style, the convention center was magnificent, and the events went smoothly. I spent most [...]

Today I succumbed. I slept. They say you can sleep when you’re dead, but today I could have slept standing up. I did two panels today and I was very nervous, but they went really well. The first was on alternative mythologies and the second on online promotion. Public speaking is not my thing,