I didn’t have the best start to the New Year. A planned visit to friends was cut short because I had to return home for emergency dental treatment. That’s gradually taking effect, so hopefully things will just keep getting better for 2023. One thing which helps me believe that could be true is that I arrived home to find a copy of Ireland’s Own containing one of my stories in.
Whatever kind of start your year got off to, I hope the rest of it is even better.

I have a story in the current issue of Yours Fiction. The title is Careful What You Wish For. The warning in the post title is because, although I wish I could show you the illustration I’ve not yet tracked down a copy, and so am using that as an excuse to share some photos from our recent trip to Scotland. These were all taken in the grounds of Culzean Castle.

I’m taking part in a book Fair in Newbury on 3rd December, where I’ll be signing copies of Acting Like A Killer (and a few other titles). If you’re in the area it would be lovely to meet you. No hard sell, I promise!

One of my stories in the current (December) issue of Take A Break’s Fiction Feast is Autumn Mist.

I quite like mist. Not such think mist as Kelsey got stuck in, but the sort which hides part of the view and turns the familiar into something else. I know that when the weather changes everything will be back where it was, but until then it allows me to look at things differently – which sometimes means thinking differently.

I’m happy to have two stories in the current (December) issue of Take A Break’s Fiction Feast. No, sorry – I can’t introduce you to the model!
The idea for this came after I heard someone, who is prone to exaggeration, that she and a friend shared absolutely everything. I wanted to say that was rubbish, but instead I did what I always do in these situations and wrote her into a story.
Someone at the magazine decided that the theme of the story is ‘traditions’ which got me wondering all kinds of things, so that’s them going into another story.

We’re currently touring Scotland in our mobile writing retreat (campervan). I have been writing, honest. There have however been plenty of distractions, such as the lovely, wet and steep Crarae garden. Who knows, maybe I’ll set a story there one day. If I do, I’ll have plenty of photos to remind me what it’s like.

This hallowe’en, as often happens, we’re away in our campervan. Previously we’ve spent it parked by a ruined abbey, in woods full of owls, on a picturesque island with bats swooping overhead… This year we’re in a forest up amongst the tallest Scottish mountains. Perhaps you can see how I’ve managed to write so many ghost and other spooky stories? (You can one collection here – links to the others are in my previous post.)

I’m pleased to have a suitably spooky story in the current issue of The People’s Friend.  Isn’t the illustration nicely atmospheric?

I had the idea for this post when we got some new neighbours. They seemed nice, as in fact they really are, but as I described them to my husband I couldn’t help thinking that if we were all characters in a story then there would be some kind of catch or twist and wondering what it might be. Once I start thinking along those lines, I just have to get writing.

If you fancy some spooky, but not too scary reading for hallowe’en then one of my collections could be just right.

Ghosts, sixth sense and things not of this world aren’t always scary, though they can be. Some help or warn, frighten or comfort those who perceive them. Others are here for their own purposes, waiting for a chance to move on. We might see, hear or feel them, perhaps they’ll only reach us through our subconscious.

Are ghosts memories and echoes of the past, contacts from another time and place, or figments of our imagination? Whether you believe in them or not, ghosts, spirits and mysterious spooking happenings all provide stories. These collections each contain 24 of them.

Get them as paperbacks or ebooks here –

Slightly Spooky Stories I

Slightly Spooky Stories II

Slightly Spooky Stories III

Slightly Spooky Stories IV

To many people a pirate is an attractive scoundrel such as the one played by Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, or they’re one legged old codgers with an eye patch and parrot who always stuck to ‘the code’. I’m not sure why they’ve become such considered such fun, romantic and honourable characters when piracy was, and still is, the action of very dangerous criminals. I doubt many of us would like to parlez with a Somalian pirate.

Pirating work is the act of infringing a person’s copyright. This can be plagiarism, illegal downloads or reproduction of the work or using a picture you’ve found on the internet without permission of the person who took it.

Broadcasting without official permission is also known as piracy. I believe pirate radio stations were so named because the early ones broadcast from ships to avoid detection.

Gosh that wasn’t very cheerful was it? I can’t cheer you up with a picture of Captain Jack Sparrow as I’ve not taken one, so you’ll have to make do with these terrible jokes …

What are a pirate’s favourite pattern for jumpers?

Aaaarghgyle!

Why?

Because they aaaargh!

Where does he buy them?

He doesn’t he steals them from Asdaaaaargh! (Or Walmaaaarght! in the U.S.)

To flourish is to grow vigorously, thrive, prosper or be successful. These grape hyacinths have really flourished since I first planted them.

Flourishing something is to brandish it or wave it vigorously, or to show it ostentatiously. An elaborate expression, rhetorical embellishment or ornamentally curved handwriting could all be considered to add a flourish to your writing. (But not necessarily, especially those first two)

A fanfare played on brass is sometimes known as a flourish, as is an improvised addition at the end of a musical composition.

I hope you’re well, in top form and a real flourisher!