When I thought about what to write this month, I looked back at my post of  October 8 last year, written as I was just beginning to learn about the horrors unleashed by the Hamas attack on Israel.  I wrote about my 2021 book What We're Scared Of, and in particular the character of Noah, a boy who has suffered violent antisemitism in France, and believes strongly that he will only be safe in Israel.  I still don't know the answer to that one -  hard to, when the world's only Jewish state is under attack from at least four fronts, and Noah by now would probably be in th ..read more

It might say something about Katya Balen's 2022 Carnegie winner October, October that I've spent more time thinking about the parents in the story than about October herself, the protagonist and narrator. Or, more likely, it says something about me. But it occurs to me that the way parents are depicted in the procession of Carnegie winners over more than 80 years is interesting in itself. Great cover by Angela Harding Before I get to that though I should say that I did enjoy October, October. The book is written in an intense and often poetic style, especially at the beginning ..read more

  THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster (a review)  Recently my son bought me a first edition copy of my favourite, ever, book.  It was an opportunity to reread this absolute classic. It was written by Norton Juster and first published in 1961. I read it first as a teenager and was delighted by all the clever wordplay and puns - its unique use of language and imagery. It was so unusual, I absolutely loved it. Illustrations by Jules Feiffer enhance the quirkiness of this book.  Milo is bored. But when he drives through the tollbooth he encounters a wonderful w ..read more

Hi, Yet again I'm caught out a day before 'my day'... To some extent as usual I've no words of wisdom to impart... however, I found an old page of classified ads... do you remember them? I hope you enjoy them. PS They're not real!!! FOR SALE. Old wardrobe. Found in an attic. No back for some reason.   -----------------------------------------------------------------   Marvellous Medicine available. Apply George. ------------------------------------------------------------------   Completely Indestructible Pills. Previously only available to cartoon characters. Ever wondered how ..read more

At the start of September, on social media, teachers started asking about poetry books and anthologies Then came art work inspired by poems and requests for poems on curricular themes. Some asked for poets who were ‘good at school visits’, some lamented the costs, while others posted links to free poetry videos.  Why the rush? Then something clicked. Of course! The reason for the buzz! This week there’s a big celebration: THURSDAY 3RD OCTOBER is NATIONAL POETRY DAY. And there’s plenty of information about it on the Poetry Day website.           &nbs ..read more

(Nothing inspiring to say about writing this month, so here's a piece I wrote purely for myself one day, and at a time when the Don still had two dogs. Apologies to all those who aren't as devoted to The Godfather as I am.)   BONASERA I believe in horticulture. Horticulture has made my fortune. And I raised my garden in the horticultural fashion. I gave it freedom but, I taught it never to dishonour its borders. It found some new growth. Not a cultivated plant. It took in some seeds. It let them grow. I didn’t prune. Two months ago, that first plant produced an offshoot. It made my garde ..read more

 At the end of May, we were lucky enough to go on a holiday to the Orkney Islands - invited there and expertly guided by my sister and brother-in-law. We went to Manland, staying in Stromness; to Westray (smaller); and then to Papa Westray, also known as Papay - even smaller. While on Westray, there was much talk of a film that had been made on the islands recently. Some of the Orcadians had been extras, and they'd filmed at many of the iconic sites. The film was/is of a book by Amy Liptrot, called The Outrun. When I got home, I sent for the book and read it. It's autobiographical. Amy Li ..read more

                       This is an exciting retelling of the story of naïve, ambitious Pip who is so caught-up in the promise of his ‘great expectations’ that he turns snobbishly against dear blacksmith Joe, his childhood protector. That, to me, is the relationship in the story that matters most. Yet, to Pip, it his love for steely cold Estella, warped by the disappointed life of Miss Haversham who Pip supposes is the source of his suddenly gentlemany life with no trade to follow but a great deal of debt ..read more

I've just arrived on Fair Isle for a month-long writing retreat at the Fair Isle Studio. I'll be getting my yearly fix of sea and sky and rocks and birds - and finishing a novel that has had to be set aside a dozen times over the last three years for other writing that actually had a contract attached and also because of just life. I was reading Rowena House's ABBA post on reaching the half-way mark of a WIP that has been taking its time and thinking, yup, sounds familiar! Based on word count, I'm at the 2/3 mark. But until I get the book stuffed back into my brain and the sta ..read more

 We're approaching the autumn equinox, when day and night are of equal length. This point of balance in the year is a good time to assess how your creative projects are going - to decide what's working and what isn't, so you can adjust accordingly. To think about your project from a different perspective, you might try making yourself a sand painting. Whether you're working on a book, a painting, or anything creative, a sand painting can help you adjust and balance your ideas, ready for the coming slide into winter.  (You don't need actual sand to make it by the way, it's just an umb ..read more