Neolithic Houses of Skara Brae

My Neolithic detective novel Talus and the Frozen King is set largely on the remote island of Creyak, in an icebound and unnamed land that bears a suspicious resemblance to the north-west coast of Scotland. The model for Creyak is the Neolithic village of Skara Brae, which was inhabited between 3,200 BC and 2,200 BC. My tale … Continue reading Neolithic Houses of Skara Brae

Neolithic Names

Character names are a thorny issue for writers of fiction. If a name doesn't remind you of your old Uncle Henry, it probably conjures up an image of a famous actor or politican. Perhaps a notorious serial killer. Give your hero a long name and you'll be sick of writing it out by the time … Continue reading Neolithic Names

Dragoncharm Word Cloud

You may be wondering why I've posted a word cloud of the prologue to my fantasy novel Dragoncharm. I have no reason, other than this: it looks pretty. That's reason enough to do anything, right?

“The Old Man and the Water” – A Tale of Talus

Many thousands of years ago, in a cold and ancient land, a wandering bard undertook a long journey north. His name was Talus, and he told many a tall tale, around many a blazing fire. This is one of them: Once, there was an old man who walked across a desert to fetch water for … Continue reading “The Old Man and the Water” – A Tale of Talus

Copy Editing “Talus and the Frozen King”

Here's how the copy editing process works. Your editor emails you a copy of your manuscript in Word format, conveniently marked with proposed changes and pithy comments using the handy Track Changes feature, accompanied by a request that you read through their remarks, accepting or rejecting their suggestions as you see fit, before returning it for … Continue reading Copy Editing “Talus and the Frozen King”

Neolithic Board Games

'Tell me about this game,' said Talus. 'You mark out lines on the ground. Then you cross them with other lines. Each person takes a number of stones - one takes red, the other black - and you move the stones from one place to another.' Arak licked his lips, clearly excited. 'There are rules … Continue reading Neolithic Board Games

The “Dragoncharm” Travel Guide – Malham Cove

My novels might be fantasy, but many of the locations in them are real. Welcome to part 6 of this handy travel guide to a mythical world that bears an uncanny resemblance to our own. There are lots of cliffs in Dragoncharm. Some are sea cliffs, while others are parts of gorges or mountainsides. I make … Continue reading The “Dragoncharm” Travel Guide – Malham Cove

The “Dragoncharm” Travel Guide – Serengeti

My novels might be fantasy, but many of the locations in them are real. Welcome to part 5 of this handy travel guide to a mythical world that bears an uncanny resemblance to our own. At the very beginning of Dragonflame - the final book in the Dragoncharm trilogy - the wingless dragon Wyrm watches as a herd … Continue reading The “Dragoncharm” Travel Guide – Serengeti

The “Dragoncharm” Travel Guide – Meteor Crater

My novels might be fantasy, but many of the locations in them are real. Welcome to part 4 of this handy travel guide to a mythical world that bears an uncanny resemblance to our own. Towards the end of Dragonflame, the final book in the Dragoncharm trilogy, opposing dragon armies clash in the skies above an enormous … Continue reading The “Dragoncharm” Travel Guide – Meteor Crater

The “Dragoncharm” Travel Guide – Cheddar Caves

My novels might be fantasy, but many of the locations in them are real. Welcome to part 3 of this handy travel guide to a mythical world that bears an uncanny resemblance to our own. In chapter ten of of Dragoncharm, a dragon called Cumber is tasked with finding a waterfall hidden within a labyrinthine … Continue reading The “Dragoncharm” Travel Guide – Cheddar Caves