Blog Tour: Shiva by Simon Sloane

Last Updated: 12 October 2024

Today I'm on the blog tour for Shiva by Simon Sloane. Keep on reading to find out more about the book!

Why Do I Write About the War? by John Wilson

I think that the first thing that I would say is that At the Dark Hour is not really about the war at all. It happens to be set in the Second World War but it is not about the war. The war is a crucible for what happens. The war makes things happen. It “accelerates things” to paraphrase what one of the characters says.

Interview: Michael Stephenson

Last Updated: 12 October 2024

Today I am thrilled to be welcoming author Michael Stephenson to The Writing Greyhound for a chat about his novel The Man On The Roof.

5 Unmissable Places to Visit in Croatia

Last Updated: 12 October 2024

AD* | Croatia is a wonderful destination for a holiday, providing the perfect blend of culture, history and heritage and that all-important warm weather! Although there are endless things to do and places to visit, there are several must-see attractions and destinations that are sure to feature on any round-up list. Therefore, I've compiled a few of my favourites to share with you below!

Poetry Block: The Long Body that Connects Us All by Rich Marcello

Last Updated: 12 October 2024

Poetry Block is back, hip hip hooray!

If you missed out on the last edition, featuring Erin Geil, don't forget to skip over and check it out!

Interview: Coleman Alexander

Last Updated: 12 October 2024

Today I am welcoming fantasy author Coleman Alexander to The Writing Greyhound for a chat about his life, writing, and his novel Between the Shade and the Shadow. Welcome to the blog!

The Backstreets of Purgatory and Caravaggio by Helen Taylor

Last Updated: 12 October 2024

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked about The Backstreets of Purgatory is how I came up with the idea for the novel. Caravaggio showing up in Glasgow? What’s all that about?

Are You Ready to Dive into the Wonderful World of Freebies?

Last Updated: 12 October 2024

AD* | Who doesn't like a good freebie? People will do just about anything to get some freebies - from queueing for hours to get free doughnuts or doing the unimaginable for a lifetime supply of chicken nuggets, certain individuals will go to extremes for freebies. If you plan on making it big in the freebie club, you have to know the game's rules. If you have already played the game, stick around, you may learn a couple of tricks!

Why I Can't Resist a House of Secrets by Katharine Johnson

A central character in Katharine Johnson's novel The Secret is Villa Leonida.

Villa Leonida stared back at Sonia, coolly defiant, battle-scarred but intact, daring her to come closer. The lemon trees on either side of the door had died in their pots. Grass had sprung up waist-high amid the stone chippings of the forecourt. The shutters were closed and skeletons of geraniums were all that remained in the window boxes. The sign tied to the rusted curlicues of the gates confirmed the rumours: Vendesi. For Sale.

If you’ve read The Silence, which came out last year, you’ll recognise the house in Tuscany as the one Abby stayed in as a teenager in 1992 with dire consequences, a secret which she has maintained to the present day but which now threatens to explode into her comfortable English life.

The secret that’s harboured by Villa Leonida in The Secret is very different and goes back to a betrayal in wartime Italy, although there is also a connection with the events in The Silence.

Interview: Kevin Arnold

Last Updated: 07 October 2024

I am excited to be on the blog tour for The Sureness of Horses by Kevin Arnold - a wonderful story that I just can't wait to share with you all! For my stop on the tour, I am chatting with the author - keep on reading to find out more.

Why I Write and Where I Write by Adam Alexander

Last Updated: 07 October 2024

I started writing my very first novel when I was still at university and didn’t own a computer. It was back in the day when computer screens were made of green text. I wrote it by hand, on my university notepad. It was about a homeless guy who survives a hit and run, almost by miracle, and post-recovery turns from rags to riches on the tennis circuit. I showed the first chapter to my girlfriend, who later became my ex-wife. She read it, slated it, told me how little I knew about the tennis circuit, and how much research I needed to do before I could write a novel, and I made the worst mistake ever. I listened to her. As a result, I stopped writing for fear of not knowing enough about what I was writing.

Book Review: Shoal - A Thanet Writers Anthology

Last Updated: 07 October 2024

AD* | Thanet Writers is honoured to present a handpicked collection of some of the finest short stories by the authors of Thanet, edited by Alice Olivia Scarlett and with a foreword by David Lee Stone. Dealing with family and belonging, outsiders and outcasts, this anthology is the voice of Thanet's writing community. Some of the stories are mournful. Some are grotesque, some are funny, some are magical. Each one has something to say. Welcome to Shoal.

Interview: Kenechukwu Obi

Last Updated: 07 October 2024

For this week's interview, I'm chatting with Kenechukwu Obi, author of the thriller novel End it by the Gun. Keep on reading to find out more about the book and the man behind the story!

Theatre Review: Matilda the Musical

Last Updated: 07 October 2024

As a musical theatre lover and a long-time Roald Dahl fan, I've been wanting to see Matilda the Musical for quite a while. So, when the UK tour was announced, I immediately snapped up tickets!

On 30th June 2018, I headed along to Milton Keynes Theatre to catch the show - super excited to finally get a chance to see it! So - did Matilda live up to my high expectations?