writing – nature – supernature
As we watched COVID-19 spread across the globe, few anticipated the impact the pandemic would have on the book world. This blog casts its eye over the good and the bad of the literary lockdown, and at how we have learnt to do things differently. Literary Festivals While many literary events cancelled completely, some notable […]
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Whether an author is published traditionally or independently, marketing is essential for book sales. I will be writing about different aspects of marketing in future blogs, but here I want to focus on Amazon and the author. Amazon Author Page As Amazon holds around two-thirds of the global online book market, it is not a […]
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Plant hunters have been responsible for expanding our scientific knowledge, as well as introducing novel species to Europe. Many of the garden plants with which we are familiar today, came to us as a result of the intrepid explorers who ventured to the farthest and most inhospitable reaches of the Earth. The exploits of these […]
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The World Tree (also known as Cosmic Tree or Axis Mundi) is a recurring mytheme across many different cultures. It is a colossal tree whose branches extend to the heavens, the trunk exists in the realm of all living things, and whose roots delve deep into the underworld. So widespread is the myth, that it […]
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If you want an author’s website and don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. I promise this blog will give you plenty to think about. I’ll be covering the pros and cons of having a website, as well as site design and visibility. Is a website right for you? A website […]
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The plants and ecoregions of the world are under threat from urbanization, deforestation, mining, landfill, fire, climate change, plus air, water, and soil pollution. Much fine non-fiction nature writing addresses these issues, but is it preaching to the converted? What of the people for whom these concerns are too factual, too serious, too much to […]
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If you’re not famous for something else, if you don’t have some high profile names to spread the word, then you’re largely reliant on reviews, awards, and word-of-mouth. Tim Clare, author and poet, Three Weeks in the Life of a New Book (2019) Before you even get going, read Tim Clare’s blog on the importance […]
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by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Family bonds have never been so strong 1950s socialite, Noemí, receives a worrying letter from her recently married cousin, Catalina, and sets off to investigate. Catalina is now living with husband, Virgil, at his family home, High Place, a remote, dilapidated pile in which the family’s history and traditions are kept very […]
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LOST & WAITING A genre-bending Chilean adventure The discovery of a Victorian journal sets in motion a high-octane adventure fusing past, present and myth. When Evangeline comes across a Victorian plant hunter’s journal at Kew, it is the sign she’s been waiting for. Its author, Edwin ‘Chile’ Morgan, claims to have discovered a living myth: […]
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If you are confused by the term ‘magic realism’, you’re not alone. The wide variety of novels and short stories all claiming to be magic realism can be bewildering, ranging as they do across romance, family saga, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, surrealist, fabulist, slipstream, absurdist and weird fiction. How can this be? In literature, […]
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‘I was held, I laughed, I marvelled … this is such a winner!’ Fay Weldon CBE FRSL, author, essayist, feminist and playwright ‘Joyful, sensual, funny writing.’ Samantha Harvey, author and academic ‘A tremendous force and energy and a sharp wit.’ Gerard Woodward, novelist, poet and short story writer ‘Tantalises.’ Gavin James Bower, writer, editor, scriptwriter […]
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