Putting Writing on Hold

How many of us have put writing on hold? I have found I can’t because of deadlines. My writing friend, Gail Aldwin, did, not because of the pandemic, rather because she did an amazing thing. She took a four month VSO placement in Uganda, Africa, where she worked in one of the largest refugee camps in the world. I am … Read More

Cosy Crime by Lesley Cookman

Today, I welcome cosy-crime writer , Lesley Cookman to the Writers’ Hub. Her stories are such refreshing great fun. Lovely easy comfort, Christmas reads. She has a new novel out published by HeadlineAccent. But, of course, she writes ‘series’ so do look for her stories. By the way, I absolutely love this post. Five Things I Learnt About Writing Cosy … Read More

Writing a Series of Standalones by Deborah Swift

Today, I welcome Deborah Swift to The Writers’ Hub. I really love Deborah’s books and enjoy them all. The paperback Entertaining Mr Pepys dropped through my letterbox last week. It is superb. Here is what Deborah writes about writing a series, and in this particular instance, a Trilogy about Samuel Pepys. His mistresses are her protagonists. They are all engaging … Read More

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Today on The Writers Hub I would like to share a review of my favourite novel of this summer. I had the privilege of visiting Ann’s Bookshop in Nashville in June. Of course I was tempted and returned to Oxford with a few books by this author whom I had not read before. The cover is beautiful but the story … Read More

Meet Author Fiona Valpy and The Bee Keeper’s Promise

I met Fiona at this year’s RNA Awards Ceremony. She was shortlisted for The Historical Novel of the Year Award with her fabulous novel The Beekeeper’s Promise. It was my personal joint favourite in tandem with Charlotte Betts who wrote The Palace of Lost Dreams, a novel I had beta read before its publication. Read both! Today Fiona visits The … Read More

Meet Karen King-Six Things I Have Learned About Writing Popular Women’s Fiction

Meet Karen King who is a very successful author of Women’s Romantic Fiction. Today she lets us into a few of her writing secrets with  ‘Six things I have learnt about writing popular women’s fiction’. Her advice is excellent. Welcome, Karen, to The Writer’s Hub. Thank you for sharing this with us. Characters are King and should be relatable When … Read More

Seven Interesting Discoveries about writing 11th century non-fiction

Today I welcome Sharon Bennett Connolly to The Writer’s Hub. Sharon writes Historical non-fiction. Please read about her below and then enjoy her seven interesting discoveries about writing eleventh century non-fiction. I have often been tempted to write about eleventh century women in non-fiction myself, having researched many women from the period but I am too busy writing novels. I … Read More

Writing Stories About The English Civil War

Today, I welcome author, Cryssa Bazos to The Writer’s Hub. Cryssa’s book Traitor’s Knot is one of my favourite books set in this period. It is a page-turning novel and I highly recommend it. Here she shares a few very good reasons for writing and reading books set during a time of great upheaval. The English Civil War: A Fresh … Read More

Seven Tips for Writing Historical Fiction by Deborah Swift

I welcome author, Deborah Swift, above, to the Writer’s Hub. She has just published the second novel in a series set in Restoration London. It is A Plague on Mr Pepys. I think she is a superb writer and highly recommend all her novels which can be found in bookshops or ordered from Amazon.  Do enjoy reading her advice concerning … Read More