Welcome to the pages where I share my writing journey. The main reason for creating this website is to allow me direct communication with folk on my email list who will get a free copy of ‘What Love Survives’ (my short story collection), plus access to stories as yet unpublished as well as previews of novels I’m working on. I might advertise for beta-readers too, as reader feedback is invaluable! I’m also going to have a draw when I hit 500 subscribers to choose one to come (with partner) for a visit to the misty Isle of Skye! More on that later… Meantime please subscribe here.
I began writing in 2010 just before going on an Arvon course at Moniack Mhor in Kiltarlity outside Inverness, taught by Andrew Greig (‘Hill of the Green Corries’) and Lesley Glaister (‘Blasted Things’). Since then I’ve completed an OU course in Creative Writing and attended a hugely inspirational workshop from Claire Keegan (‘Foster’).
I was first published 7 years later (always a slow learner) in the literary magazine Northwords Now with a story titled ‘The Night Visitor’ which is now ‘The Girl from the West’ in my collection on Amazon. Recently I had a story published in the 2022 Fish Anthology of winners from their international competitions. The highlight of my visit to Bantry for the launch was rubbing shoulders with the real murder suspect in the Netflix documentary ‘Sophie’. You can read all about it in my blog.