My thoughts about books, writing, life and so many other things….Judy Leigh/ Elena Collins.
This year has been an awesome one in so many ways. Of course, there were the intensely sad bits. People I love have been ill - thankfully on the road to recovery. Two lovely people have gone: there were heart-breaking funerals, then coping with grief. They were the inevitable moments when things get tough. G …
Continue reading Can We Hang On To That Warm And Fuzzy Festive Spirit in 2026?
Wishing you all the most wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice - or whatever you celebrate - with the hope that at this time next year you'll be happy, healthy and surrounded by so much love. Thank you for supporting my blog and my books. You have a special place in my heart. Judy x
A young man I know in his thirties was talking to me recently about the huge responsibility of having children. He believed that in these times of political upheaval and change, it was unwise to bring another being into the world. He certainly couldn’t justify doing it. I had a great deal of sympathy and …
Continue reading Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em. And We Wouldn’t Change A Thing…
When we were kids, we’d have a very clear idea of what we wanted for Christmas. In some way or other, it was based on something we thought would make our young lives better: a toy, a book. Something we could own, keep, enjoy. My mother told me she’d always get an orange or an …
It’s November now and hopefully everyone’s starting to settle into the cold months and feel the benefits of the nicer things that come with it; baked potatoes and hot drinks and fireside evenings. Am I the only person who’s had a tough October? I don’t think so. Lots of people find the decrease in sunlight …
The other day on my dawn walk, I thought I could smell autumn in the air. It’s a unique smell, sharp, tangy, new, a scent that tells me the seasons are changing. Of course I could be completely wrong, but I think I’ve always been able to smell it. It’s a sign that summer is …
I recently read There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak and absolutely loved it. It’s currently reviewed at 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon and I highly recommend it. So much so that I left a five star review. So many other people loved it too, so I’m in good company. Of …
Continue reading A Plea to Readers: Please Leave Book Reviews
Let’s start this blog post by saying that our sense of smell is a gift. I’m fascinated by smells; I have a keen sense of smell. I can often smell things others can’t. And I love to include smells as an integral part of my writing. It’s evocative.It's beautiful. Or it's powerful. While walking in …
This week I went to the RNA Awards Ceremony as a nominee for Historical Romantic Novel. The Wicked Lady. It’s the first time I’ve been nominated, so I had no idea what to expect. I’d seen The BAFTAS on TV and I assumed that’s what it would be like. It was. Pretty much. A really …
Continue reading The Speech That I Should Have Made At The RNA Awards
There are various things I don’t really do if I can help it, in terms of feeling certain emotions. One is regret. I don’t see the point of it, unless we learn from it and then put it away. You can’t go back and change things. Yes, it might be nice if life had taken …
That quintessence of dust 