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Tag: Writing

A Waltz through the Dark Wood

My father was a voracious reader, and introduced me to writers like Guy de Maupassant and Ernest Hemingway. I was particularly struck with Maupassant, whose short stories are masterpieces of character and detail. His classic tale of snobbery and manipulation, Boule de Suif, is my favourite. Set during the Franco-Prussian War, it tells the tale of a French prostitute who…

On the nature of being

Life is hard – or maybe it’s just that being human we naturally make it harder. Reflecting back over a particularly difficult year, I should feel blessed to have gained valuable insight into this, my lifelong condition. But blessed in what context? Perhaps, like someone who’s discovered the lifeboats on a sinking ship and now has the means to save…

Murder, mayhem and chocolate digestives

The French term folie a deux was used originally to describe two people who shared a common psychosis. It literally means ‘the madness of two.’ Individuals who have this condition somehow manage to pass on their delusions to a third party, and the two go on to act out the symptoms in tandem. More recently, the term has been used in certain…

An ode to blue biro

How long is a piece of string? Or, to rephrase the question, how many times should I go over this crusty old manuscript before it resembles a novel? There is no definitive answer to this, but regarding a strategy, my personal weapon of choice is the common or garden blue biro. The art of rewrite is a strange thing. Unlike…

Doppelganger Performance Group

Live performance has many things going for it, not least the ability of the actors taking part to connect with an audience on a truly visceral level. The experience is unique and intimate, and doesn’t rely on special effects to create tension. Doppelganger Performance Group put on an intriguing and entertaining showcase of stage plays at Bournemouth University on Saturday…

And now for something almost completely different

Novelists often complain that reading their earlier work leaves them with a distinct feeling of unease. The passage of time between one piece of work and another inevitably leads the author to a different place – greater maturity and depth of insight, perhaps, or simply an earnest desire to improve upon his previous attempt. Writing a novel requires a considerable…

Heart of a Murderer

Neville Heath was an ex-RAF pilot who murdered a part-time actress in a London hotel room then went on the run, sparking the biggest manhunt in British history. A charming and extremely plausible psychopath who talked his way into all levels of British society, Heath left an indelible impression on the public psyche. After booking in to the Tollard Royal Hotel…

The killer is me

I’ve often wondered where my fascination with the darker side of life comes from. My writing tends to reflect this taste and leads me into areas other writers might choose to leave alone. Although I’ve drawn on autobiographical material in the past, the old advice to write about what you know has never really appealed to me. As a writer,…

   Delighted to have a feature article in the June edition of Dorset Life magazine!  If you can’t get a copy, it will be available online in July by clicking  http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/articles-archive/ The article details the crimes of ex-RAF pilot Neville Heath, whose murderous exploits captured the imagination of post-war Britain and are the subject of my screenplay, Heart of a…

The Art of Deception

I’m currently reading The Confidence Game by Maria Konnikova, which looks at why we are so easily taken in by the scheming of others. The book cites major frauds and audacious imposters as examples, and explains why we as gullible victims make their work so much easier for them. As a novelist, I’ve always been interested in deception as a theme.…