Authors and Ideas Part One: Stephen King on Duma Key

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One of the most frequent questions I get asked as an author is where I get my ideas from. It got me thinking – not only about where I get my own ideas but how other writers dredge them up from the murky soup of the subconscious. I thought I’d do a series...

Gurkha Injustice

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It goes without saying that the government ruling on the Gurkhas’ rights (or not) to live in the UK is a shameful slap in the face to men who served the country with the utmost valour.  My dad served with the Gurkhas.  Gurkha soldiers helped teach me to ride as...

A Buzz At The London Book Fair

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I spent Monday afternoon at the London Book Fair and, whatever else anyone tells you, it was buzzing. OK, so the buzz was mostly concentrated around the bigger name publishers with queues in particular at the HarperCollins, Orion and Penguin stands.  Wiley was also...

The Horrors of School Visits

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I’ve been guesting on the Litopia After Dark writers’ podcast again, this time expanding on my theories about technology spoiling traditional plot devices (see A Cell Phone Ate My Plot).  My theories were borne out when my Skype connection kept dropping...

Free Mags!

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In these crunchy times a freebie is always welcome, particularly if you are a writer or even an ex-banker contemplating a career change.   For you, my lovely readers, I have ferreted out a pretty cool deal.   The Telegraph is running a promotion where you can download...