Last Friday I had a brief meeting with a business contact over coffee and afterwards we returned to our cars. His vehicle was parked alongside my own in a small car park at the back of a Tandoori restaurant as it prepared for its lunchtime trade, the spicy cooking smells teasing the nostrils. “It’s aContinue reading “Splat the Rat”
Category Archives: Other
When Two’s a Crowd
I was on a weekend away in the Cotswolds with old school friends recently. A medieval sarcophagus was standing outside the porch entrance to an ancient abbey, lid off invitingly in the late afternoon sun. Normally I would exercise solemn respect and walk on by. But on that day none of us were on ourContinue reading “When Two’s a Crowd”
Gritty Crime: The Pot Thickens
I am just getting this crime off my chest. At the weekend I made a winter soup on an industrial scale from the home-grown vegetables in the raised bed. I had pulled up the crop of parsnips, carrots and leeks and meticulously cleaned them before chopping and dropping them into an industrial-sized pan of vegetableContinue reading “Gritty Crime: The Pot Thickens”
Breakneck Speed
I like writing late into the night when the house is quiet. The early hours are conducive to getting into that brooding frame of mind. The witching hours when book characters step out from the shadows, without having to go searching for them. Let’s face it, it is hard to write about the dead ofContinue reading “Breakneck Speed”
Bashful Algorithms
It is not very British to blow one’s own trumpet. Please permit me a quick parp. Below The Strandline has received a four star independent review from Reedsy’s review panel. They said: “An impressive debut that leaves the reader wanting more. Perfect for murder-mystery fans.” Here’s a link to the full review and an upvoteContinue reading “Bashful Algorithms”
Muskets and Daggers
An old chum rang me this morning while I was out on a windy walk before work. I haven’t seen him for a couple of years and it was good to catch up. It was like old times. He was always hugely entertaining when we met up, holed up in a cozy pub over aContinue reading “Muskets and Daggers”
Exposé: The Doughnut Trade
I am working from home today. Not the book marketing this time which is riddled with crime and conspiracy, but my proper job which, well, isn’t. You know, the one that simply earns an honest wage. But then again, my book does pay for little extras like cake. And good coffee. Take my local shop.Continue reading “Exposé: The Doughnut Trade”
Cold Turkey
It’s been quite a successful weekend. The Christmas tree has been bought and the thirsty thing now sits in the back garden in a bucket of water, gasping. It has had a tough time getting to the tree enclosure at Aldi and I can’t promise it a better life when it moves indoors in aContinue reading “Cold Turkey”
White Noise and Quilogy
I imagine that all writers share the need to get into the right frame of mind for fresh ideas to spark and for the words to flow. There seems to be so much noise out there with politics, lock-downs, security alerts and endless chatter from pundits and pollsters, that it can seem that there justContinue reading “White Noise and Quilogy”
Time Rebel
Here in the UK, we have been gifted an extra hour. The clocks changed last night, so by the time lord’s convention 08:00 became 07:00. For me, Sunday should be a timeless, drifting sort of day, controlled by selfish impulse and hunger. I may be a bit unusual in this but if I can getContinue reading “Time Rebel”