My thoughts about books, writing, life and so many other things….Judy Leigh/ Elena Collins.
How often do I read that phrase in reviews of books? 'I hated that character.' 'I didn’t like that character.' ' The character was horrible.' Some reviewers never do it and are much better reviewers for it. Some do it and qualify their comments – they get that not all characters are loveable. That’s a …
Here's a short story, a prequel to my new cozy crime series, beginning with Death in the Dordogne. It's published on August 10th and you can read iit here. This tells how DI Archie Darling met Juno, the Dalmatian you'll read about in every book in the series. Juno. DI Archie Darling stared at his …
Meet DI Archie Darling, the main character of the new series. The first one, Death in the Dordogne, is out in August and A Body in Bordeaux follows fast on its heels in January. So, meet Archie Darling. Archie is fair haired, thirty nine years old, from County Mayo. He is sharp witted, mischievous, up …
Continue reading All About Archie Darling. Meet the hero of my new cozy crime series…
As an author, I recognise that wide reading is important for me. Other writers’ books inspire me and set me thinking about the craft and the effect of the narrative on readers. I love to take a few days off writing, and read all sorts of books in all sorts of genres. I’m always a …
Continue reading Three books I’ve just read. I wonder what you’ll think of them…
I was sad to read about the death of Bonnie Tyler a while back. I’m not a great Bonnie fan, but she was really good at what she did. And for the rest of the day after I heard the news, I had her song Holding out for a Hero running through my head. Over …
Hi. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to write a blog. I’ve been flat out working, which has felt strange to be inside the house as the sun blazes outside. It’s been cool indoors at the laptop encased in stone walls, and blindingly bright outside in the sunshine at coffee break time. Then …
Everybody seems to be moving house. This past year or some lots of people have up sticks and moved. Three members of my family. Four friends. Gorgeous houses in to-die-for locations. It feels like everyone’s off to pastures new. And so I have itchy feet. It doesn’t take much for me to be watching the …
I’ve had cats around since I was a kid. So I know enough about felines to be no moggy’s fool. They can be adorable, changeable and totally infuriating. They can be perfect. Then they can let you down. TS Eliot was right. Before a Cat will condescend To treat you as a trusted friend, Some …
As a writer, I’m asked lots of questions about writing. Such as: How do you come up with new ideas? Do you ever get writers’ block? Do you write about people you know? The answers are simple: Ideas come to me quite easily. No, I’ve never had writers’ block. I wouldn’t dare write about people …
I’ve been given the following advice so many times. Don’t kill the dog! That’s what writers are told over and over. It’s a big literary no-no. Readers will put up with a lot in the name of jeopardy – cliffhangers, deceit, murders, infidelity. But not a dead dog. Or cat. Entire films have been based …
That quintessence of dust 