One of the things that fascinates me is the way that writers tackle difficult subjects.

There are various reasons for embracing tough subjects, one of which is, of course, that difficult subjects make for dramatic stories.…

Emotion is something of which some writers are wary, preferring to produce work without revealing too much of themselves. However, for many other writers, there cannot be fiction without a sense of themselves in it.…

Are you a budding writer with an interest in the coast and the natural or historic environment? Or do you work with young people or adults who are interested in writing?…

Seeking inspiration for your writing? Fancy writing in a 160-year-old house on a hill? Looking to learn more about how writers draw inspiration from their surroundings? Like to find a peaceful corner of a garden to write (weather permitting!)? And all with delicious home-cooked meals?…

The idea for my DCI John Blizzard novel A Breach of Trust, published by the Book Folks, grew through my experiences as a newspaper journalist in the eighties and nineties.

During that time, I reported on many business closures, from mines to factories, shipyards to shops, and witnessed the devastating effect that they had on people and communities.

As a newspaper man I myself worked at several titles which went through rounds of job cutting and each time strong emotions were…

Continuing my recurring theme of evoking reactions in your reader, I think that good writing is about triggers - words, phrases, images, places, sensations that reach deep into the reader’s mind.

That reaction will be based on something the reader has actually experienced, or maybe something that the reader dreads ever having to experience. It is why horror and…

I recently taught a creative writing course part of which focused on the unreliable narrator, a character who tells a story that the reader cannot take at face value.…

As a writer, I have learned the hard way about the need to write with pace, through watching where my editors over the years have deleted text. Each time they do it, the experience improves me as a writer.

This comes to mind because I have just cut 1,300 words from the final draft of my latest novel. Only small cuts but they do so much to keep the story moving.

As a teacher, I have been in the same position as my editors, working with several writers over the years who create…

I am proud to have edited Darlington-based Inkerman Writers’ latest anthology of short stories, Inkerman  Street, which based on the demolition of a fictional northern street and the stories of the people who…

The Crime Writers’ Association recently announced the shortlists for the prestigious annual Dagger awards for crime writing. You can find out if your favourite author was selected at …

As a writer, I am always inspired by a sense of place. Whether it be a gloomy city or a stunning hillside, a glass-strewn council estate or a majestic waterfall, something about my surroundings repeatedly triggers…

A Breach of Trust, the latest in the DCI Blizzard crime series is out!

A corrupt wealthy industrialist is…

A recent review of The Railway Man on Amazon stated: “I really like the character of DCI Blizzard. The interaction with other colleagues and staff is very good. I like the humour in the books and often find myself laughing out loud. Blizzard has his faults and can be quite set on his ideas but I think that's what makes him more interesting.”

I was delighted to…

Any crime writer – in fact, any writer - must deal sooner or later with conflict. Usually sooner.

Indeed, I have just finished the first draft of a novel in which a much-loved character is forced to question everything and…

If you have a crime fiction manuscript and need some advice before submitting it to a publisher, agent or competition, why not check out the Crime Writers’ Associations’ Criminal Critiques initiative?…

Following the news that I am running an online crime fiction course , I thought it would be useful to look at how to write a good crime story:

* The…

I am delighted that Wigtown Book Festival in Dumfries and Galloway has been named as Scotland’s top cultural event of the year just as preparations get under way for the 20th annual event in September.

The award was given as part of the Scottish Cultural Awards, described as the country’s Oscars, with the winners being announced at a major event in Glasgow.The awards are organised by the Sunday Herald in association with Edinburgh Napier University.

Adrian Turpin, artistic…

I’ve been thinking a lot about my Dad in recent days. I don’t know if it’s because his birthday was in June or because I have been doing some talks in libraries in Dumfries and Galloway where I live (Dad was a librarian) but…

Reading the thoughts of top writers is always interesting so it’s worth taking a look at an interview given by Michael Connelly, winner of  the Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger…

Barack Obama as Sherlock Holmes, Joe Biden as Watson? Surely fake news? No, it’s the new book Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer!…