Why I don’t like Dickens
It’s that time of year - Dickens on every channel. You can’t have Christmas without Charles D. I grew up as a child thinking there was something wrong with me…
Painting the Spirit
Samhain was the start of the Celtic new year, so November was a good moment to begin a new novel. Although my subject is still Renaissance, it is a very…
Obedience to the Muse 1
'You're a writer?' they ask. 'So how many words do you write a day?' Well, I have no idea, because most days, nine out of ten days, I am re-writing,…
The Arrow-Maker and the Gorilla
There is an ancient story from the Indian tradition about an arrow-maker whose attention to his work was so focussed and fine that he was unaware of a boisterous wedding…
The Colours of the Church Year
I'm in the last days of editing A Gift for the Magus and Really Busy, thanks to having friends to hand who will say things like, 'Are you sure about…