My thoughts about books, writing, life and so many other things….Judy Leigh/ Elena Collins.
In complete harmony with my rock and roll lifestyle, I'm keen to celebrate my novel coming out in paperback today. Available at Waterstones, Tesco, Amazon, at all good bookshops throughout the UK, 'A Grand Old Time' has finally hit the shelves. I have been on book tours, had radio interviews, been featured in newspapers, on …
Continue reading My novel is out today! But how should I celebrate?
Like most writers, I started young, with a pen and any paper I could find to scribble on. I wrote my name on the kitchen walls when I was two and had a slap for my efforts. I penned poems on empty Corn Flakes boxes. I filled jotters with an assortment of stories. In my …
Continue reading How I became a novelist – the journey so far
Happiness is about enjoying the small things. It's about getting the most from each moment and not letting an opportunity pass to feel grateful and blessed. Of course, there is happiness to be found in the big things: presents, promotion, pastimes, but perhaps real happiness is something we can connect with every day. It's true, …
For International Women's Day, I've taken five writers who inspire me. I have chosen them because their use of language is unique and thrilling and because they do not follow other writers' rules and conventions. They are iconoclasts, writers who write their own way, in their own style, and the result is stunning. Have …
Continue reading Five inspirational writers on International Women’s Day.
Last night was lovely. Perfect ingredients: London skyline, champagne, a real home-made cherry clafoutis (baked with love,) a giant cut-out campervan. A team of Avon angels, lots of smart independent booksellers and hundreds of great books. Wine. Canapes. Speeches. And me. My first Indie event with HarperCollins Avon was such great fun. I met the …
January isn't most people's favourite month. I've heard a lot of people complaining about it. It's cold. Christmas has gone and won't be back for a long time so it seems like there's nothing to celebrate. It hasn't snowed. It probably won't. A holiday to somewhere warm would be nice but.... So, with a brief …
Continue reading My top ten to bring us in from the January cold
Christmas is over and we have finished celebrating the arrival of a new year. It’s now a time when we can look forward to the wonderful gifts 2018 can bring. We all hope for health and happiness for ourselves and for those we love and we wish for world- wide peace and an end to …
I took time out last weekend to see Josie Lawerence in Mother Courage. It was in a lovely little theatre in Southwark. I had front row seats, which is ideal for a Brecht play, to be able to take in every facial expression. I couldn't understand why the theatre was three quarters full: tickets were …
Continue reading Amazing production of ‘Mother Courage’. It should be on national TV.
There are lots of things we disagree on. Some things are inconsequential – a matter of taste – tea or coffee, cats or dogs. Some things are cultural, embedded in our way of life, important to us morally, such as choices about religion, matters of lifestyle. We all know that we have the freedom to …
A friend of mine sent me a lovely piece of writing this week and asked my opinion on its worth. By coincidence, I'd just read a bestselling novel by someone I worked with a few years ago. I was pulled in by the intrigue and the characters of both stories straight away. Although the styles and …
That quintessence of dust 