The repatriation of artefacts
Should museums return artefacts to their country of origin?
Category: In the news
Shakespeare’s First Folio
One of the most influential, and thus valuable, books ever published…
On men reading books by women
Research has shown that men are less keen to read books by women. Why? And is this a helpful attitude?
An end to libraries?
‘I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library,’ wrote Jorge Luis Borges. But, as John Lennon suggested, imagine that there is no heaven, no Paradise – no library…
Dreaming of a white Christmas
‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know,’ sang Bing Crosby. But just why do we associate Christmas with snow, and how likely is snow on 25th December?
Perfectly imperfect art
Recently, a memoir caught my eye. Published in February this year, Sounds Like Titanic by Jessica Chicceh Hindman is an account of her time playing the
After ‘The End’: revisiting past books
‘I would love to return to each of my story worlds. I would love to tell the stories from different angles and perspectives, go back in time and forward, fill gaps, reimagine – dream it all over again…’
Why I am proud to be a romance author
‘I will always read romances and write romances, and I will always be proud to do so, because it feels to me that every happy-ever-after is a candle of hope…’
What makes us fall in love with a romance novel?
Recently, the BBC published an article entitled ‘Is it time to re-think the love story?’ about a new study into what makes an enduring romance novel. What is it that makes us really fall in love with a romance novel?
Writing, and reading, beyond debut novels
We live in a time when ‘new’ is highly prized. New is shiny and exciting and interesting; new is coveted. But should new be the focus in publishing?
Print books favoured over ebooks
On Monday, I posted an article celebrating eight years of blogging here. Over those years, I have revisited certain themes in my articles, and one of those is the ‘print versus ebook’ debate.
Making books accessible with ebook versions
When I wrote my first novel, Burning Embers, there was no such thing as an ebook. My dream was simply to see the book in print; to hold the novel in my hands. By the time I came to publish Burning Embers, however, the digital revolution was in full swing. My publisher informed me that the novel would be simultaneously published in print and ebook formats.
Books as treasure: valuable first editions
‘I ransack public libraries, and find them full of sunk treasure.’ So wrote Virginia Woolf, and how right she was, in more ways than one. Of course, libraries are full of amazing books to inform and entertain and inspire – but they can also contain treasures of real monetary value.
Making your local library your haven
Last week, libraries were in the news in Britain: firstly, because Essex County Council reversed its decision to close 25 of its 74 libraries after
Audiobooks: The power of oral storytelling
One of my earliest memories is of a castle. Turrets so tall they touched the clouds, beautiful gardens and a princess running across the lawn,
Scent: the powerful, and lasting, ingredient in attraction
‘Pleasure is the flower that passes; remembrance, the lasting perfume’. — French writer Jean de Boufflers In my new book, Concerto, when the hero and
On treasuring print books
I find it hard to recall a time when I did not want to be a writer; it feels like it has always been part
Finding inspiration in literary tourism
On an ordinary street in Dumfries, Scotland, beside the River Nith, lies an extraordinary house. Moat Brae, which was built in 1823, is a quite
Leaving a literary legacy with the Future Library
Have you heard of the Future Library project by Scottish artist Katie Paterson? The concept is simple, and very beautiful. In a Norwegian forest, 1,000
An end to cinemas, and bookstores?
Cannes is just an hour away from my home in the south of France, and I always follow news of its film festival, held at
On immersing yourself in reading
A recent article in the New York Times has attracted hundreds of comments from readers. It is entitled, ‘Why You Should Start Binge-Reading Right Now’.
On random acts of kindness – via books
‘A random act of kindness, no matter how small, can make a tremendous impact on someone else’s life.’ This quotation, from Roy T. Bennett’s book
Rewarding readers – here, there, everywhere!
It is an indisputable fact that reading is good for us. Reading builds understanding and empathy – ‘We read to know we’re not alone’ (William
Why write? To tell the story that must be told
‘There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.’ So wrote the great American poet and author Maya Angelou. Her contemporary Toni Morrison
Writing about passion – and with passion
Readers of my fiction will easily notice a common theme in my writing: passion – between characters, of course, but I hope it is also
Tell me a story: Why we will always read books
In 2014, Svend Brinkmann, professor of psychology at Aalborg University, Denmark, published a book entitled Stand Firm: Resisting the Self-Improvement Craze. In the book, Brinkmann applies
Braving ‘the anxiety of publication’ to share a new novel
Sir Winston Churchill, politician and prolific writer, said this of the writing process: Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a
Who reads romance novels? Women… AND men
It’s no secret that there is a stigma attached to romance novels. They’re unrealistic, they’re cheesy, they’re silly, they’re cringe-worthy, they’re formulaic, they’re not ‘proper’
Reading to combat loneliness
Over the past couple of years in the UK, loneliness has become a topic for discussion. The Duke of Cambridge’s campaigning on mental health is