The Telegraph Creative Writing Group September theme was ‘Hype’ and ‘Hinky-Dinky, Parlay-Voo’ is a short story about the conflict between the hype of war and the reality… Read more “TCWG September Short Story: ‘Hinky-Dinky, Parlay-Voo’ #amwriting”
Category: Historical fiction
The Immortal Lavoisier: July TCWG Short Story
#amwriting The Telegraph Creative Writing Group July Competition has ‘Ocean Crossing’ as its theme. ‘The Immortal Lavoisier’ is based on the connection between E I du Pont,… Read more “The Immortal Lavoisier: July TCWG Short Story”
Gold, and blue…
March’s theme for the Telegraph Creative Writing Group short story competition is ‘Money’, set by Pavlovaqueen, who once took me to see some of the finest treasures… Read more “Gold, and blue…”
Hearts of Darkness
I shall be reading an adaptation of my short story ‘Death at the Red Rose’ from ‘A Receiver of Stolen Words‘ at this open mic evening in… Read more “Hearts of Darkness”
October story: ‘The Best of All Possible Worlds’
The Telegraph Creative Writing Group October Competition sets a theme of ‘Life Change’. I’ve had a story about Voltaire knocking around in my computer for a while,… Read more “October story: ‘The Best of All Possible Worlds’”
Write-Track and the October Short Story
I’m using the newly launched website, Write-Track, to set and track writing goals. I haven’t encountered anything quite like it before and I’m uncertain how it’s going… Read more “Write-Track and the October Short Story”
Setting up home in 1840
After reading the advertisements in the Yearly Journal of Trade, 1837-8, I have been fortunate enough to obtain a fine cast-iron range, with a patent self-acting oven,… Read more “Setting up home in 1840”
Negotiating with the Dead
I was inspired this month by Margaret Attwood’s ‘Negotiating with the Dead: a Writer on Writing’ in which she expands on the theme of Death, on a… Read more “Negotiating with the Dead”
The Analytical Assurance Company
The Telegraph Creative Writing Group October topic is ‘Computers’. I’m in a historical mood at the moment, so decided that ‘The Analytical Assurance Company’ would be steam-driven.
Historical fiction, on the wall in Amalienburg
These are tiles on the wall of the Electress’s Kitchen, Amalienburg, in the grounds of Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich. If you look closely, you will see that some… Read more “Historical fiction, on the wall in Amalienburg”