Spring 2016

I have been somewhat quiet recently. This is simply down to a very busy period in my life. Organisation for hnsoxford2016.org has claimed much time. All proceeds well. We have over 300 bookings for the conference already and are almost full. Do go to the conference website for information if you are interested in coming. https://hnsoxford2016.org/ Now for an long … Read More

January Resolutions

We all make resolutions. Mine is to pop in here more often. Sadly, I do not. When I get back to this, I thoroughly enjoy writing it up. So how was 2015 for me? And you too? I shall just go through my year briefly, like one of those Christmas letters we receive from afar. I enjoy reading them but … Read More

March and April 2015

This March I was thrilled to be invited to speak at The Alderney Literary Festival. You can read all about that on my blog www.scribbling-inthemargins.blogspot. I think Alderney really do know how to put on a superb event and also how to make a festival such fun for all of us. I joined writers Simon Scarrow, Tom Holland, Danuta Reah, … Read More

January and February 2015

After a book launch in Bicester, Oxfordshire, on 11th December for The Swan-Daughter, we flew Greece again. We spent a wonderful if very chilly Christmas period in The Stone House we rent in the Greek Mani. Those who follow me on Twitter will have seen the photographs. I worked on The Betrothed Sister relentlessly, almost every day during December including … Read More

August and September

I think the best way to post about August into September is to deliver a small picture gallery. These two months have been really busy. Between 2nd of August and 13th September more writers have been staying in my house here in Greece. As a consequence, we have been sight-seeing and writing, eating fresh food, swimming and more writing. Despite … Read More

July Into August

It feels as if it has been such a long time since I climbed on an Easy Jet flight in Kalamata on 1st July to return to my Oxfordshire village. Yet, tomorrow, I climb back onto a plane to return to Greece for August and September. It has been absolutely wonderful to be home. I have had a fabulous July … Read More

June

June in the Greek Mani began with storms and thankfully June is ending with unrelenting sunshine. Simply, June is a great month to visit Greece. My husband Patrick arrived as June opened. He was closely followed here by two friends who live both in Australia and in Ireland. They have four properties between them. Yet they have been backpacking in … Read More

May in the Greek Mani

May began as a chilly month with occasional beautiful spring weather. The wild flowers here are stunning throughout this season. Rain has made them endure and today as the month closes they remain vivid. I spend my summers in the southern Peloponnese, in a rented house situated between Neohori and Agios Nicholas. Stoupa lies below me and Kardamyli is just … Read More

April 2014

The first week of April involved traveling. I rent a house in Greece for the summer months near Kardamyli and Stoupa in the Greek Mani. The area is inspirational. It is also my personal writing retreat situated close to where the famous travel writer Paddy Leigh Fermor had his beautiful home. This house features in the movie Before Midnight. My … Read More

February

On this page I try to update my news monthly. So…this month began for me with a visit to Kennington Library where I gave a talk on how the Bayeux Tapestry influenced my writing of The Handfasted Wife. The talk developed into a discussion of how to read the scenes in The Bayeux Tapestry and its hidden messages. If you … Read More