50 years ago, we were sitting around our 12 inch black and white televisions, or glued to our radios, wondering how the courageous astronauts were doing up there, orbiting the Moon. Would they manage to land? Would they sink into
Book Review | The Unwinding by Juliana Rew
The Unwinding: Gin’s Story came as a Net-galley suggestion. Juliana Rew is the editor of the Third Flatiron Anthologies, so I was keen to see what sort of book she wrote herself. I am now totally insecure as a writer.
Book Review | Pan’s Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinth came out on July 2nd. Wait a minute, I hear you say, surely that’s been out for ages? Well, not the book, apparently. Guillermo del Toro directed the film and Cornelia Funke has helped him get it into
#30DaysWild – My wildness round-up and Pottery Bird
30 Days Wild is over for another year so it’s time to wind things up on the blog. First, a summary of the last few days, and then a quick review of the month. Days Wild 27 -30 In truth
Book Review | Needlemouse by Jane O’Connor
Needlemouse is out this week, or at least, so it says in my Netgalley list. Goodreads says it’s been out since April. Since the publishers were kind enough to send me an ARC via NetGalley I’m sticking to what it
Spacetime Reading Challenge 2nd update #spacetimereads
Hi there, Spacetime Reading Challenge buddies! It’s halfway through the year – so how are you doing? My Spacetime Reading Challenge progress I’m at 7 out of my target of 10 (Interstellar Explorer). I feel I’m not reading enough scifi
#30DaysWild | 4 – completing the missions
Week 4 of 30 Days Wild sees me completing the Gardenwatch missions, and adding in more Random Acts of Wildness. There are only four days left in June, as I’m writing this for Thursday. There’ll be a final round-up on
#Fi50 | Countdown – fiction in fifty words
Countdown is this month’s prompt in the Fiction in Fifty Words meme. Rebecca Douglass organises this, so join in any time you like. The year’s prompts are listed, together with the minimal instructions, on her page here. This is the
Book Review | The Dark Portal (The Deptford Mice #1)
The Dark Portal is the first in the Deptford Mice series by Robin Jarvis. I added it to my list ages ago, possibly at that Children’s Fiction workshop I did so long ago. Then I found a copy in the
30DaysWild | 3 – Random Acts of Wildness
More Random Acts of Wildness in the third week of 30 Days Wild. Such a wet week last week, I feel I should get out and see things a little more… planned or unplanned. Gardenwatch – Bird Detective As already
Caged Bird | Flash Fiction #WEP+IWSG
Caged Bird is the prompt for this months’ WEP+IWSG short story competiton. It’s a blog meme, but it’s also a competition, since there are winners, although nobody is a loser. The standard is generally impressive. This month was a great
Book Review | The Seagull by Ann Cleeves
The Seagull is the 8th in the Vera novels, and my first. This is thanks to my bookclub reading them out of order. If you’ve seen an episode of Vera on TV, you won’t mind a bit, at least, I
#30DaysWild | 2 – fully-fledged Bird Detective
Second week of 30 Days Wild… after several Random Acts of Wildness last week, what have I planned this week – and done? Gardenwatch – Bird Detective As explained last week, this is a citizen science project for BBC Springwatch
Five Facts about Trees | guest post by Patricia Lynne
Five facts about trees today, from guest author Patricia Lynne. You’ll remember she launched her new YA book, Leaves of Fall last month. I thought it was a great random act of wildness for #30dayswild as well. Five Incredible Facts
Book Review | Rough Magic – a horse tale
Rough Magic by Lara Prior-Palmer. The surname rang a bell, so I requested the ARC from Netgalley – I wasn’t disappointed! Lara’s famous aunt is Lucinda Green, champion three-day eventer. Like Lara, I grew up on Lucinda’s books of her
30 Days Wild | 1 – Gardenwatch #30dayswild
One week into 30 Days Wild… well, nearly, since I’m writing this on Thursday. What have I done that’s wild this week? Gardenwatch It’s a gift! BBC Springwatch programme started last week, and I caught up with it last Friday
#IWSG | Immersion in my novel’s world
Total immersion in my fictional world. That’s the thing that makes writing so exhausting—for me, at any rate. I thought I might write about this for this month’s Insecure Writers Support Group post, because I felt I really learnt something
One day of research into flying machines
Flying machines feature more strongly in the Princelings series as time goes on. I took the opportunity to visit Shuttleworth Air Museum on their annual Festival of Flying at the weekend. This post’s especially for Paul 🙂 …and for #30DaysWild
Book Review | The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
The Lie Tree was a non-winning nomination in our Great Middle Grade Reads Book of the Month last year. I thought it sounded good so I added it to my TBR. Then I saw it in the library…. This one
#30DaysWild | 30 Days Wild starts tomorrow!
30 Days Wild is the annual happening (event/inspiration/activity/experience) promoted by the UK’s Wildlife Trusts to bring us closer to the nature that is all around us. The recently published Global Biodiversity survey, shows over 1 million species in imminent danger
WRiTE CLUB 2019 – It’s the CAGE BOUTS
Cage Bouts are six rounds between three contestants. Again, you read the three pieces (each under 500 words) and vote for the one you want to win. These run from Monday (today) to Saturday, and voting closes six days later,
Book Review | Kill the Black One First – a biography
‘Kill the Black One First’ was a phrase shouted by rioters at Brixton as the police officers formed a barrier. This memoir from Michael Fuller is a powerful and thought-provoking book. I’m very grateful to the publishers and Net-galley for the
#Fi50 | Sweet Home, Alabama (flash fiction)
Sweet Home Alabama is the prompt for this month’s Fiction in Fifty words. You can join in by making your own fifty word story in response to the prompt. Link yours to (or just post it in) the comments on
Book Launch | Leaves of Fall by Patricia Lynne
Leaves of Fall was published yesterday! It’s the latest from Patricia Lynne, who blogs beautiful words and writes a darn good plot. Read more about it: Leaves of Fall by Patricia Lynne genres: Teen & YA / post-apocalyptic Armory was
WRiTE Club stage 2 – SAVE WEEK! #writeclub19
Save Week is the next stage of WRiTE CLUB 2019. For the last three weeks we’ve been choosing between pairs of finalists. Now, before we get into the next round of battles, there’s Save Week, where we vote to save