I have written blogs before about the importance of characters in the writing process and I have just experienced another powerful example of the role that they can play.

I am 5,000 words into the new Harris crime novel and was writing a scene in which I had ground to a halt. I knew what I wanted the scene to achieve but seemed to have hit a…

I am pleased to announce that I have a new crime novel out. The Name on the Bullet has been published by London-based The Book Folks and is the latest in the series featuring DCI John Blizzard.

In the book, which is my twenty third crime novel to be published, a high-profile detective on a reality television cop show is killed and Blizzard…

Tributes have been paid to publisher John Hale, who has died aged 92.

John ran Robert Hale for more than 50 years, and many authors, myself included, had good reason to appreciate his wisdom and patience.

As my first publisher, he taught me so much about the craft of writing and the publishing industry and I shall be forever grateful…

Did you miss out on an event at the recent Kirkcudbright Book Week? Or maybe you attended an event and would like to re-live it all over again? In which case, why not visit their podcast site and do exactly that?…

As the Crime Writers' Association Libraries Champion in Scotland (one of three UK Champions), I am…

With my most recent DCI John Blizzard crime novel having been submitted to the team at my publisher The Book Folks, my attention has turned to the new DCI Jack Harris story.

But what does a writer need when beginning such a large project? Well, there’s a lot to think about but, above all, the author needs an idea that is strong enough to…

A packed room enjoyed one of the early events of Kirkcudbright Book Week on Monday night (February 27) when four crime writers entertained the audience at Broughton House.

In an event entitled A Walk On the Dark side, Jackie Baldwin, Ian Robinson, Ann Bloxwich and John Dean talked about everything from how they create murderers and develop…

These are exciting times for crime author Ann Bloxwich with a new publisher, a new book and a forthcoming appearance at Kirkcudbright Book Week to celebrate.

Ann talks about her writing career in the latest in the series of podcast interviews by Book Week Society chair Chris Walker and author Gerry Hassan, who will also be appearing during…

I have been carrying out the final edits on the latest John Blizzard crime novel before sending it off to my publishers The Book Folks and an insight into my thought process might prove interesting.

I love the intensity and focus involved in going through every page, every line, every word, to make sure that each one is as good as it can…

A publisher and an organisation which helps promote authors have joined the list of sponsors of Kirkcudbright Book Week.

One of the UK’s leading independent publishers, The Book Folks, specialises in crime fiction, mysteries and thrillers, although they dabble in other genres, too. They publish three authors who live close to…

I am looking forward to featuring in this event as part of Kirkcudbright Book Week:

Tuesday February 28 Free on-line event Talking Of Crime…2pm

A  Zoom event featuring crime writers from around Scotland, who will take readers on a tour of the country with each author explaining what effect the Scottish location of their books offers…

A quick reminder that the most recent DCI Jack Harris murder-mystery novel was The Girl In The Meadow, published by The Book Folks.

The novel sees Harris and his team embroiled in a challenging investigation after a skeleton is found during the refurbishment of a remote house on a windswept hill, having been there for three…

I am hard at work on the final stages of the latest DCI John Blizzard murder-mystery novel for my publisher The Book Folks and crucial to a process which has sometimes  been problematic is threads.

Threads run through every story and the trick for the writer is to pull them all together. In the case of this novel, I found myself running into…

The first novel written by Darlington author Eric Foster is due to be published on January 28, based on a fictional re-telling of the life of Ireland’s patron saint.

Inspired by a long-standing love of Ireland, Becoming St Patrick has been published by Troubador Publishing and is based on extensive research conducted by Eric over…

It’s well worth checking out an entertaining podcast interview with crime writer Ian Robinson ahead of his appearance at Kirkcudbright Book Week.

Having spent twenty-seven years in the Metropolitan Police, Ian is now a full-time writer. Six of his crime novels have been published and Rubicon is currently in development with the…

Ann Bloxwich, who will be appearing with myself and fellow crime writers Jackie Baldwin and Ian Robinson at Kirkcudbright Book Week, has announced that she has signed a deal with a new publisher.

Her contract with Red Dragon Publishing Ltd means that her debut crime novel What Goes Around will not be available until its relaunch with a new…

I am delighted to see that the debut crime novel by New Zealand author P M A Hayes has been published. You can check out my review of For Murder Press 3 at

https://pmahayes.blogspot.com

You can check out some of my thoughts on crime fiction as Chris Walker and Gerry Hassan interview me for the Kirkcudbright Book Week podcast at…

I will be appearing with three fellow crime writers at an event during Kirkcudbright Book Week 2023, which is making a welcome return after twice being cancelled due to the covid outbreak.

The week, which will take place between Monday February 27 and Saturday March 4, 2023, celebrates the developing literary scene in Kirkcudbright and the…

I am quite fortunate in that I don’t really suffer from writer’s block but the work on my latest DCI Blizzard novel came close as the creative process came to a grinding halt.

The first 16,000 words had actually gone well. I had an idea which intrigued me and a character whose secrets gave me plenty of scope to develop the narrative as I…