Review of 2024

 

The completed jigsaw puzzle

Good morning. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year. I'm back to typing this on my lap downstairs, as at present I have a jigsaw puzzle on my writing desk. It has been completed, but I cannot bear to pull it apart just yet. It will have a new home as I am passing it on to my youngest son and his wife. They love jigsaw puzzles and are masters at them!

Well, I keep threatening to have a new website or to switch to Substack, yet here I am still blogging on Blogger. I understand how it works and there is comfort in something you know. For now, I'm still here.

I'm starting with my submissions for 2024:

Flash - 9 sent and one published

Short stories - 6 sent and one published

Poems - 31 sent (some in blocks of 3 or 4), three published and one shortlisted. One was a prize winner, yet wasn't published! I won't be submitting there again.

Novellas - Around 7 submissions, all the same novella, my Christmas one. No takers, but one still pending.

Pending - 14 pieces of writing still pending. Some seem stuck, never heard back (do I class these as rejections?) and some more recent submissions that I don't hear about until around February.

Misc - I wasn't sure where to stick this one. I submitted Page 100 of a novella to a competition which gave feedback. I didn't get picked, but I received some very good feedback, in that it pointed out what didn't work! This will come in handy when I go back to edit the whole novella. 

I didn't submit as much this year as I've been working on longer projects, but I was surprised by how many poems I submitted.

Writerly things I took part in during 2024:

• Writing course with Indie Novella
• Writing and Walking week in the Cotswolds
• Various online Zoom/Webinar workshops/talks in writing, self-publishing and using Substack
• Outspoken event at Purcell Room, Southbank, London (poetry and music)
• Poetry Unbound - evening with poet Padraig O'Tuama at Southwark Cathedral
• The Alternative Book Fair, Islington, London
• Author/book event
• Read a poem at Cafe Writers open mic night, Norwich
• Worked with an editor (Developmental Edit) on a novella-in-flash
• Joined Sutton Writers
• Still continuing to meet with London Writers' Support Group

The top 5 books I read in 2024:

Fiction

The Naming of Moths by Tracy Fells (flash and short story collection)

Three Gifts by Mark Radcliffe (main character is told by someone that he can trade some of his living years in exchange for his life and the health of his family. Clever story)

Haven by Emma Donoghue (Monks who founded Shellig Michael and how it affected each one. Riveting stuff)

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex (Three families of lighthouse keepers and the story is told from different points of view. A keeper goes missing, but how? Will the truth ever be known? Brilliant)

Night Side of the River by Jeanette Winterson (Collection of ghostly short stories. Hauntings and new ideas of being haunted by AI. Great stuff. Couldn't put it down)

Non-fiction:

Rose West - The Making of a Monster by Jane Carter Woodrow (Harrowing, but delved deep into backgrounds. Very investigative)

In My Mother's Footsteps - A Palestinian Refugee Returns Home - Mona Hajjar Halaby (Eye opening, heartbreaking and written before the current conflict, Goes back to the times of the first expulsions)

Abroad in Japan by Chris Broad (Author goes to work in Japan as a teacher of English. This is about his time working there, his travels around the country and people he met. He is famous for his YouTube Videos of living in Japan. Funny and I learned a lot from this book)

Only When I Laugh by Paul Merton (He grew up not that far from me and I know the places he talks about, especially Bishop's Palace Gardens in Putney. A very shy boy who grew into a comedian and who I love watching on Have I Got News for You. We also something else in common - old black & white silent comedy films before the 'talkies'. I was a huge Buster Keaton fan.

I wanted to fit this one on the list, so as an extra I nominate Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear by Masab Abu Toha. This is by a Palestinian poet who was born in a refugee camp and writes poetry about his experiences, like seeing his friend killed, and living with fear and carnage around him. He speaks of just wanting to live in his own country free from persecution and with all the everyday things others take for granted, like regular water and electricity supplies. Again, this was book was written before the present conflict.

For three years I have bought various Planners for my writing, but none of them have really worked. Many have things in them I would never use, and I already have a system for recording my submissions (a book and index cards). This year I am doing something different and have bought a project book with tabs I can write on for various things like deadlines for submissions and to record the progress of my novellas through various stages of development. Hopefully, this one won't get abandoned half way through the year like some of the planners! I tried hard to think about what I really needed and what I didn't want. Besides, Planners are so expensive, especially when you don't use most of it.

As for goals for this year, the only two I want to see come to fruition is for my Christmas novella to be published, and to finally publish my flash story collection. I shall continue to submit to small press magazines and the odd competition.

Do please feel free to comment on anything I've said. Maybe you have a top book list, a way to record your writing progress, or something else you would like to share. 

Happy New Year, and happy writing and reading.

Christmas is coming

 This will be my last post until the New Year. It has certainly been a busy time and a good year ending writing-wise. Cranked Anvil published my flash fiction called Little Fawn in their 123 Micro fiction section online. You can read it here. I also had a poem shortlisted by Ink Sweat & Tears for their Christmas slot. They said they ran out of room for it, but encouraged me to submit to them again next year. 

Although I was unable to attend Sutton Writers Christmas party (I had a previous engagement), I did attend their prose night a few days beforehand. I read a new flash fiction which went down well. People laughed in the right places and were very complimentary about the humour and dialogue, so I was chuffed. There were some good stories to listen to and I find it encourages me to write more, which is no bad thing.

To end this year, I'd like to share with you a seasonal short story I wrote only yesterday, and edited frantically last night and again this morning! This is my thank you for reading my blog and following me on my writing journey. I hope you will travel with me again next year.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

A turkey story

That year, dad brought home the largest turkey we’d ever seen. Mum was in a panic.

‘It won’t go in the fridge,’ she cried. ‘Whatever possessed you?’

‘We could put in the greenhouse until we need to stuff it,’ granny suggested.

My sister Molly moved closer to the turkey and reached out a finger.

‘Don’t touch it,’ mum said, pushing her hand away.

I thought the whole thing was funny, especially when mum threw her hands in the air and glared at dad with a, ‘Will it even go in the oven?’

Dad shrugged. I guess we’d have to wait and see.

*

‘Where’s your sister?’ mum asked me. It was a dull morning, and I was sitting by the fire reading. I’d not seen Molly for a while. ‘Go find her; it’s time for lunch.’

‘Do I have to?’

Mum gave me one of her looks. I put down my book and went to look for her, but she was nowhere in the house. Finally, I looked out of the kitchen window, and there she was in the greenhouse, staring at the turkey. I went outside.

‘What you doing, Mol?’

‘It’s got feathers.’

‘There’s always some left. It’s normal.’

‘No, I mean, there are more feathers now than yesterday.’

I moved towards the turkey, sitting on the largest platter mum could find. It looked just the same to me. ‘Mum says it’s lunchtime.’

‘I’ll have mine here. I don’t want to leave the turkey here on its own.’

‘Mol, it’s dead. It doesn’t know you are here.’ I grabbed her arm, and she pulled away. I stomped off back to the kitchen and told mum.

‘I’ll get her,’ granny said, taking Molly’s anorak. ‘She’ll catch her death out there.’

‘She’ll be like the turkey, then,’ I said, sitting at the table.

A reluctant Molly came in and drank her soup so fast she must have burnt her mouth. She stuffed crusts into her mouth, the crusts mum had cut off the bread before making breadcrumbs for the stuffing. As soon as Molly finished, she asked to leave the table, and soon she was slipping on her anorak to go and sit with the turkey again. I asked if I could have her tinned peaches, but mum said she’d save them for her.

Because I had nothing much else to do, I wandered out to the greenhouse to annoy Molly. Molly was two years younger than me. I would be going to big school after the summer holidays next year. ‘You will be a little man,’ granny said. I didn’t really want to be a man yet. I enjoyed playing with my friends. I didn’t want a job like dad. Homework was bad enough.

Molly was sitting on the cold concrete floor. Mum would say she’d get piles, but that’s her look out, but I did wonder if I should lend her my scarf. I slid the door shut behind me against the cold wind and shivered.

‘It’s got even more feathers now,’ Molly said.

‘Don’t be daft.’

‘And it’s throbbing, like it has a heartbeat.’

My sister had always been weird. I mean, girls are, aren’t they? But sometimes it’s like she’s from another planet.

‘I brought you a mince pie.’ I pushed my hand in front of her nose. Molly ignored it.

‘See,’ Molly said. ‘You can see it.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Molly, it’s got no neck or feet. Its innards have been dismantled and stuffed into a plastic bag inside it. It’s dead like that parrot in Monty Python. It is no more.’

Molly turned to me. There were tears in her eyes. ‘You don’t understand.’

‘I understand that it will be a tasty Christmas dinner and I’ll fight you for the wishbone.’

‘You’re horrible, you are, Timothy, horrible. Just leave me alone.’ Molly turned back to stare at the turkey again.

‘Do you want the mince pie, then?’

Mollie’s sigh meant no. Well, that’s how I took it, so I turned around and left her there and went back into the warm to eat the mince pie.

*

You know, I think Mollie would have stayed out there with the stupid turkey all night had dad not dragged her away. She was insisting the turkey had flexed its wings. Mum was worried, putting a hand to Mollie’s head.

‘I really don’t need Mollie sick on Christmas day,’ mum said to dad, ‘not with Bob and his family coming. She really can’t go out there again tomorrow. Anyway, I need to get that turkey ready for the oven.’

‘Great,’ I said. ‘Stuffing time.’

Mollie began crying. Mum picked her up and hugged her. ‘Come on, petal, time for bed. You need your sleep. It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow. I thought we might go carol singing with the church group. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You love Christmas.’

All I could hear was Mollie sobbing as she went to bed.

‘The child is oversensitive,’ granny said.

‘She’s bonkers,’ I said.

‘A little harsh,’ said dad. ‘You know how she gets over things once she gets an idea in her head.’

Yeah, bonkers, I thought.

*

I was woken by a commotion downstairs. Flinging on my dressing gown and slippers, I went to see what it was all about.

‘She must be running a fever,’ granny said.

‘She’s been out in the greenhouse since it got light, no wonder.’ That was mum, her hands flat on the table as if it was steadying her.

‘It’s true,’ Molly said furiously. ‘It’s alive, and it’s walking about the greenhouse.’

‘Fetch the doctor,’ granny said.

‘He’ll not come out on Christmas Eve. We’ll have to take her to the hospital.’

‘Can I come?’ I said. They all turned to me.

‘Timothy,’ mum said. ‘Get dressed and go and fetch your father.’

‘Why will no one believe me!’ Molly looked at me with pleading eyes. ‘Go and look. Please.’

‘Oh for goodness sake,’ I said, and marched out of the lounge, through the kitchen and out into the garden. Gosh! It was cold. I pulled my dressing gown tighter around me and headed for the greenhouse. I slipped open the door and was greeted by a gobble, gobble sound. The shock made me back away, and the next moment, the turkey, fully feathered and with a long neck, pushed its way out of the door and was running around the frosty garden. I looked back into the greenhouse. The platter the turkey had been sitting on was empty and there were black feathers scattered around. Then I spotted the open plastic bag where the giblets should have been. A blood trail ran from it across the floor. There was a ring of hay next to it. I blinked, unable to believe what I was seeing. Had someone switched turkeys as a joke? Had Uncle Bob done it? It sounded like the sort of thing he’d do, but he later denied it.

‘I told you!’ Molly was standing there with her arms crossed.

‘But….’

‘I don’t know how, but it wanted to live. I wrapped a blanket around it last night.’

‘Last night?’

‘I came down for its resurrection. Like Jesus. I even brought in some of Thumper’s hay for its re-birth.’

Now mum and granny were standing in the garden. Mum looked terrified. Granny shrugged. ‘Well, this is a fine how d’ya do.’

The turkey was foraging in the flower beds for any seed dropped from the bird feeder, looking very pleased with itself.

‘What am I going to do with all the stuffing I’ve made?’ mum wanted to know.

No one was prepared to offer a suggestion, but we didn’t eat turkey that year, and Mollie never ate it again. As for the turkey, Mollie named it Holly, and it lived with us until it died, naturally, ten years later. I found out that turkeys are only about twelve weeks old when they are slaughtered ready for Christmas dinner, so Holly had a good, long life. Of course, no one believed the story of the resurrected turkey, and whether you do, well, that’s up to you. But I grew to love Holly and found she made a good pet, even if she did decimate dad’s flower bed when she got out of the run he built.

©Heather Walker 2024

Photo by Ionela Mat on Unsplash

The agony of the developmental edit

My writing room in full Christmas mode

 There comes a time in every writer's life when you feel your manuscript needs to be read by an editor. Sending to beta readers will help, but unless they have the experience, they won't pick up things an editor would. But then there's the expense. I have to admit that unless I'm going to make money on my books, I can't keep paying out for editors. And for those on a low income, these professional services are a dream they cannot afford. I've even heard some writers dismiss editors because they clearly don't understand the work. I do think most editors want the best for your work, and to be fair, these editors people were slating worked for publishers. Now I do think they can take over to the extent that I've heard people say that the book no longer feels theirs.

The first critique I had on a manuscript last year (not a developmental edit) was a shock to the system, but the lady was so nice and we spoke for an hour as she guided me through how I could go about the edits. I believe she was right with her advice and my novella improved because of her.

This time I thought I'd go through Reedsy, a writing website in the USA, for my novella-in-flash. They offer a list of editors with the type of edits they offer and the genres they work with. Of course there are a lot of US editors, but I wanted a UK editor. I chose two to approach, but went with one whose timescale was better for me. What I had stupidly not realised is that Reedsy takes a cut before paying the editor. This is around £45. The guy I worked with was actually American, but living in the UK. My main concern was that my novella was only about 15,000 words, whereas a novel would be around 80,000 and I did query the fee. The other editor had quoted the same fee, so I was beginning to wonder if this was a set fee. I had paid a bit less than this for the critique (but it wasn't a full developmental edit that time).

So the expense is something you have to prepare yourself for, if you go down this route. The second thing you have to prepare yourself for is the actual report. Boy, it can be brutal! All I can tell you is how I react. Everyone is different, but I'm betting not that different. I couldn't read the whole of the editorial edits, because my feelings were getting in the way. The words were not going in anymore. I glimpsed at the developmental edits and gave up. I walked away from it all and had a sleepless night thinking I was a hopeless writer, and there was nothing in it my editor liked. I have to say, it felt he made more negative remarks and only a few positive ones. That could have been my view because I was so upset. My immediate reaction was to ditch the whole project. I couldn't reply to him because I was both angry and upset and I know I cannot respond to people when I feel like this. So I left things a couple of days. I returned to his editorial, printed it off and highlighted the things most important, and I made my own notes. This is something I did for the critique I had last year. It helped to focus my thoughts. I then left it some more before typing a reply to the editor. Everything goes through Reedsy, so I typed my reply in a Word document and left it another day to sit. Then I made amendments before pasting it into the reply box of Reedsy. I had calmed down a lot by then and saw the manuscript in a different light.

Most of what my editor said was right, and on reflection, I may have submitted this one too early, but I know I needed help. The timeline was confusing for the reader, and I needed to flush out the main character in more detail. These things I am gradually working on now. My editor was helpful with advice, and I actually re-wrote the first two sections and sent them to him, asking if this was a better start. He confirmed I was on the right track, and he gave me a list of novellas I might like to read to get a better idea of how these books work.

My novella-in-flash was written non-linear and now I am changing this to chronological order initially, editing as I go. Some pieces might be flashbacks. Once it is all or in order, there will be a second edit and hopefully it will read better and I can take it forward. So, after all that, the advice was good, and I believe what I am writing now will be stronger. Would I use Reedsy again? Probably not to find an editor. I kept getting emails reminding me that it is usual to approach five editors. Why, if I've found what I want? And then kept sending me more suggestions, which I no longer wanted. Payment is through Reedsy in four instalments over the month you work with your chosen editor. The developmental edit is thorough and deep, and I have still not read all the notes. I will do this as I rearrange each section.

I guess I wanted to see what Reedsy would offer, but I would look around elsewhere another time. One of the reasons I chose my editor was because he focussed on novellas-in-flash. I also wanted a male perspective on my work, as my main character is male and usually my readers are women! 

If you are a member of The Alliance of Independent Authors you can find an editor through them and gain a discount on fees. I'm no longer a member, but their list is still one of the best. If you know people in the business, even better. However you go about using the services of an editor, it will be scary, emotional, but they do know what they are talking about. As to the cost, it might be beyond some, but look around and ask around. It is also important to choose an editor right for your work/genre.

On a totally different theme, I want to mention Robin Houghton's great poetry spreadsheet of small presses accepting work. It tells you when windows open, if there is a reading fee, a payment and what they are looking for, along with links to websites. I find this a brilliant resource and have found small presses I've never heard of before and had successes with them. Do sign up. It's free.

A memory walk and other news

Cannizaro Park. Its herb garden is in one corner

 During Covid, my friend and I wrote in a lot of strange places. We still talk about it now. When we couldn't meet indoors, we met outdoors in gardens and parks. This graduated to shopping malls and drafty cafes with windows and doors open. But though they were the worst of times, they were also the best of times (sorry Dickens!). We made lots of memories and continued to write in different places.

The strangest place we wrote was at what was then called Centre Court shopping mall in Wimbledon (now called Wimbledon Quarter...not got the same ring, sorry). There was nowhere to sit, so we perched on a tiny window ledge of a shop. Not the most comfortable and at one time we thought we were going to be moved on by the security staff! The ledge was opposite some comfy chairs, all occupied. We kept our eyes on them and tried to move in when someone left, but always missed our opportunity, until a guy offered us his seats as he was leaving. What a nice man, and what dedication we had to writing during these weird times.

We sat away from the icy wind to write in Hays Galleria near London Bridge.

Then there was the bitterly cold day we met in Wimbledon and walked to Cannizaro Park by Wimbledon Common. We headed to the herb garden, a wee gated garden with benches. We wrote in gloves about silly stuff like Hot Lips Salvia, a plant in the garden, who became a person. And we drank homemade vegetable soup I'd brought in a flask. 

By the time cafes were re-opening, the cafe we used to go to had closed down and we found another nearby in Hammersmith by the River Thames. Our laughter often got out of hand over our writing, and we wondered if we would be asked to leave! 

Our bench in Fulham Palace Gardens

Now that friend has moved away, but we still see each other, email and text. Even though we may not have met for months, when we do, our laughter rings out in cafes, and it's just like yesterday. So, I dedicate this section to Julie, my writing buddy and treasured friend. Long may we write and laugh together wherever and whenever we meet.

I am excited to say that I have just had a poem published in London Grip, an online magazine. Nice to end the year with a success. Follow the link and then click on my name (Heather Walker) for a read.

One other piece of news for now - I have joined Sutton Writers. They run a prose group and a poetry group, though the latter is online. They are hoping to set up a writing group in January, which interests me most, and the first session I went to was a try-out for this group. It went really well with people reading and then writing to prompts, and reading again. I also attended the prose group where people read stories or flash stories they have written and feedback is offered, if people want it. They are a varied group and all ages. I read at both groups and look forward to getting to know people better. I find meeting other writers stimulating and encouraging. The sessions are something to aim for and get writing.

I also met up with the London Group on Saturday. I'd missed the last two meetings, so I was pleased to get there for this one. We caught up with one another and what we were working on before writing for an hour on our projects. I am doing edits to a novella-in-flash, which I will talk about next time.

Now, I'm enjoying the Advent season. December is probably my favourite time of winter, with lights and music. I have a concert to sing in next Sunday 8th, so I hope to keep well. There's nothing more soul destroying than having learnt everything 'off-copy' only to be ill on the day of the concert. It has happened to me.

Until next time, keep writing and reading and have a joyful Advent.

Crazy October

Dragon Hall

 I'm not sure quite where October has gone. It's almost over. The month has felt like I have been spinning plates while I've been considering my projects and catching up with friends. Then I've had a couple of mini breaks. All good fun, but I almost ended up double booking myself. Luckily the other friend couldn't make that date, so I didn't have to cancel one of them.

One of my trips was to Norwich to meet a friend and to attend Cafe Writers' open mic night. It had been a long time since I had been to anything like this, so I was both excited and nervous, especially as we were going to put our names down to read.

But before the open mic, there was time to visit Norwich's National Centre of Writing. They hadn't been open when I had gone to Norwich before, but this time, as it was a Monday, they were. So after lunch we had a wander around. What a beautiful place. Dragon Hall was built about 1427 by a wealthy merchant named Robert Toppes and used as a trading hall. The hall is magnificent, with beams spanning the roof and the walls. Look up and you will see the one remaining dragon. There are also 'witches marks' around the fireplace and some other beams. Please use the link to read the history of the building. Writers' Centre Norwich took on the lease in 2015. Downstairs are rooms where classes are held, a hub where you can hire a desk for writing away from distractions. There is a small shop, lots of information, and the hall is now used for social events. Outside is a garden, beyond which is the River Wensum. It is free to visit (donations welcome).

Witches' marks

Looking towards the garden

Spot the dragon

Old wallpaper

Dragon Hall

After our visit, we ended up in another cafe to talk about the poems we were going to read. We'd each brought along several possibilities, but in the end we decided the ones we had originally said we would read, we would read!

River Wensum, Norwich

Time for tea and discuss poetry for the evening

It was soon time for me to check into my hotel and grab something to eat before we met to walk to Maddermarket Theatre where the event was to take place. We arrived early and hoped to get our names down in the first half (so we could relax in the second). Even so, we ended up reading in the second half. There were four poets invited to read with open mic slots in between. My friend had told me there might be around fifteen people there, but it was packed, and there were probably nearer 40-50 people! Invited poets were Matt Howard, Jenny Pagdin, Jane Wilkinson and Rachel Goodman. What a great evening. All the open mic-ers read impressive poems, including a couple of amusing ones, which I was pleased to hear.

My friend and I did ourselves proud, I think. Nerves were there, of course, but we drove on through. I tried to remember all the advice I give others about reading and didn't rush. The audience was appreciative as they were with everyone. The poem I read was one of very few new poems I have written lately, and quite personal to me, making me conscious of the last couple of lines that I had to get through without stumbling. But I did it. Both of us could breathe easy at last!

Reading my poem

And suddenly it was all over. It was hard to say goodbye. The day had gone so fast and in the morning I was on the train going home.

Although Winchester (where I went the next week!) is my favourite city, Norwich is definitely my next favourite. It is excellent for writers as there is so much going on. Unlike London, where things are scattered across the many boroughs, everything in Norwich is central. I am very impressed by the city, and then there are all the bookshops!

A collection of booklets from the Writing Centre

September roundup

Rue is two now, and more settled.
He will allow me to write until about 11am before he says it's my turn now!

 So, here we are at the end of September. Where has the summer gone? The only thing about the months towards the end of the year is that I get writing more. With the rain we have been having, there is no excuse not to go back to those projects that have been left while I've been doing other things.

Several things have happened to make me re-think my writing life. The death of my cousin and the fact that I will be seventy next year have really brought a new focus to my work. If I don't get on with things soon, it might be too late. This has coincided with an 'up' mood and the desire to pull things together.

I currently have four projects on the go. That sounds a lot, but they are all at different stages and most have been lingering while I put off doing anything with them, due to my own lack of confidence. That negative voice always outweighs the positive one. Why is that? One can get lots of wonderful feedback, but that one piece of negativity still eats away inside ones head.

So what am I doing? Well, most of you will know that my Christmas novella is out on submission. Still no takers, but I will review this again next year and find a new direction to take it. I have sent the first 3,000 of my YA novella to Mslexia's competition, and just in case I get asked for the full manuscript, I am currently editing the rest of the manuscript. If it doesn't get asked for, it will not be wasted. My collection of flash fiction (some published and some new stories) is away being proofread, and in November I will be working with an editor on another novella. The last project was a spur of the moment decision and I am excited and terrified at the same time.

Talking about editors, I read this very interesting article on Substack, which really made me think. Do have a read. And speaking of Substack, I took a Zoom workshop recently to learn all about it and whether it would be worth my while using it. I found the workshop really interesting and took copious notes, but there was a download later, so I was able to keep the Powerpoint presentation. There was also a good article in Mslexia about Substack which I have kept. I interact with a couple of writers on there already, so have an account. Perhaps this would work for me, but I need time to learn all about it and how to approach it. Watch this space. Do comment if you use Substack or are considering it.

And while on the subject of the business side of writing, I have signed up for a couple more Zoom workshops in October. These Zoom classes are run by Jane Friedman, or through her website. I learned about formatting Word for Amazon KDP through her website. The classes are very professional and some you have to pay for. All I would say is they are worth it. I don't part with my money easily!

On the submission front, I have had a few rejections, and there is not much out there on submission now, but I did manage to submit two flash/short stories this month.

That's it for now. See you next month. Do leave a comment or question on anything I've spoken about here. It's lovely to hear from people.

Books - what I read, what attracts me to a book and a whole lot else.

Part of the reading material in my writing room.

Physical books or e-reader? No contest. It has to be a real book. Just the smell, the feel of it in my hands, the art of browsing bookshelves, the cover. Everything about a real book is sensual. I carry a book with me when I'm on a train and always when travelling. There is a book in my rucksack sometimes when walking and always when I'm on holiday. I sometimes have to pick the right size if space is limited, but without a book, I am totally lost.

 What do I read? If you look at the side panel of this blog, you will see what I am currently reading and what I have read lately. I have a small TBR pile and try not to let it get out of hand. During Covid I finally read through most of my then large TBR pile, and I promised myself I'd never let it get that bad again. I tended to leave non-fiction to one side (even though I'd had to buy that book at the time) because I always crave novels, but these days I am reading more non-fiction.

Genres? Probably best to list what I don't read than what I do. So the no list is fantasy, romance and gory horror. If I had to pick a favourite genre, then maybe crime/psychological thrillers would just about edge it. I like things with bite! But I also like comedy, gothic, lit fiction, dystopian and the odd sci-fi and stories that include interests of mine. I also read poetry and YA.

I read on average one book a week. Of course, that depends on the length and time I have available. I won't attempt books with tiny fonts! I often alternate between fiction and non-fiction, but again it depends on what I have on my TBE pile.

Where do I source my books? Amazon. I hate to admit that, but it is easy and quick. I also buy books from bookshops, especially when there is a 3for2 offer or my kind friends/family give me book tokens (my dream present). There is nothing more pleasurable than spending time browsing in a bookshop. I also buy from charity shops (as well as donate books), do books swaps with friends and use the library. There is no space to keep the books I have read, so I donate them, unless it is something I will use for research (usually that's  non-fiction).

Classics. Yes, I do read the odd classic book. I've read a few of Dickens', the Bronte's, Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, Mary Shelley. I even read Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome because it was based on my beloved River Thames. It was the most ridiculous story. Sorry, if you like this one, but I struggled to finish it. I gave up on To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, which pained me because I am a big fan of The Bloomsbury Group. Maybe I will come back to it one day when I've matured in my reading habits!

So, yes, I do abandon books. Though not often. I hate doing it, but there are so many great books to read, I will not waste my time on one I hate. Books put aside include Wolf Hall and A Gentleman in Moscow. The latter was so slow and I wondered when it would get started and if anything would happen. I know this book has high praise. I guess it's good we don't all like the same things.

What attracts me to a book? Sometimes it's the cover (I'll come back to this), but most definitely the blurb. I never read all the endorsements from other authors/newspapers on the inside cover, nor do I read the starting chapters of the next book at the end. If I want to read that author again, I will buy/borrow it, anyway. I do enjoy interviews with the author and sometimes skim book club questions. I love maps or lists of characters and the very rare Spotify link offered by the author for music to go with the book, something I would love to do for some of my books.

Covers. I find a lot of covers generic and boring. They could all come from the same publishing house. There was also a trend where every other title sounded the same. Some originality would be good.

Best-seller lists. I have to say I don't often buy bestsellers. The publishers say they produce books people want to read. Huh? I do wish readers would branch out and try something different. There are many Indie books that I have loved. Of course occasionally I might come across one that doesn't quite work for me or there are formatting issues, but I've never given up on a self-published book. I usually find Indie/self-published titles through Twitter or Indie Book Fairs. Because I send some of my own work that way, I get to know the books they publish.

Hype. There is a lot of this around. I'm not going to pick any titles here, but often they can be disappointing. I never go out to buy a book that has won an award. Usually I pick them up accidentally because they interest me.

Recommendations. I do look into books recommended to me or appear in the book section of newspapers if they appeal. I try always to read a new author from time to time. We all get stuck in our safe reading zone and find it hard to venture out of it. I'm as much to blame as the next person. But recently I discovered Kate Rhodes and Jim Crace, two very different authors. Kate writes crime/thrillers and Jim writes about different subjects and I find his stories compelling. I'm also a fan of Graham Norton's books. I'd also suggest giving Bob Mortimer a try.

Books from my past. In my teens I read a lot of Jean Plaidy and ventured in Maeve Binchy. I read every book of hers and loved how she wrote about the ordinary and sometimes characters from one book would appear in another. I'm now on a quest to finish the Inspector Montalbano Sicilian detective series by Andrea Camillier. I have three books left to read.

Non-fiction. I love books about walking (Thames Path and Raynor Winn's books), our ancestors (especially the stone age) and nature. I find trees fascinating, though I'm a hopeless tree spotter. I enjoy the odd biography or autobiography, books about art and writing and poetry. My latest acquisition is Walking the Bones of Britain by Christopher Somerville. I also devour books on forensics, how the mind works (why people do what they do) and some real crime.

Magazines. I don't often buy magazines, though growing up I bought lots. I subscribe to Mslexia and often buy Writing magazine. I rarely buy a woman's magazine these days as I prefer reading novels or short story collections. Sometimes I might buy a copy of The Simple Things or a walking magazine, but there is nothing out there that really ticks my boxes these days. I used to buy a very good art magazine, more about the artists than a how-to, but sadly it folded.