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penstricken · 5 months

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Book Review: The Tale of Elgol and the Witch

Check out my review of The Tale of Elgol and the Witch by @NancetMarques. A haunting children's story with the timeless appeal of an old fable. #childrensbooks #kidlit #fairytale #scotland #bookreview

The Tale of Elgol and the Witch by N.N. Marques is a haunting children’s story with the timeless appeal of an old fable, beautifully illustrated by Yamanu Taiji. Set in mediaeval Skye, this book tells the story of a poor boy who is transformed into a giant when he runs afoul of a miserly witch. Forced into a life of solitude in the hills, he eventually grows into a wise and bountiful mountain…

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penstricken · 6 months

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Book Review: The Satsuma Complex

Just posted my #review of The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer. Check it out on my blog 👇 #amreading #books #bookreview

SPOIILER ALERT Anyone who has not read The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer is hereby advised that this post may contain a few unavoidable spoilers. The Satsuma Complex is a complicated little novel about an average, slightly down-on-himself lawyer called Gary who becomes caught up in a web of deceit and conspiracy when all he really wants to do is ask out the hot girl he met at the bar while…

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penstricken · 6 months

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Not Sure What to Write? Try Clustering.

Clustering is the pre-writing technique you never knew you needed! 🤯 Check out my new post on how I use clustering with Scapple to brainstorm new stories and overcome writers' block 👇 #Scapple #clustering #fiction #writing @ScrivenerApp @scappleapp

The blank page. Is there anything more daunting for a writer than a blank page when you’ve got no idea what to write? Fortunately, there are a few pre-writing techniques you can use to get the old juices flowing, and today I want you to introduce you to one of my favourites. Clustering is a very simple pre-writing technique, similar to free writing, in which the writer begins with a single word…

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penstricken · 6 months

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TBT: Keeping Focused With Scrivener

This Throwback Thursday, I'm looking back at how I used Scrivener to help me plan and organise my writing. Come, have a look 👇 #Scrivener #writing #planning #amwriting @Scrivenerapp

Originally published 28/08/2016 Don’t you just love Scrivener? I certainly do. I was a little wary of spending money on another glorified word processor but years later, I still think Scrivener is the best thirty quid I’ve ever spent. However, simply having the right tools for the job does not an author, make. While Scrivener did provide the resources to easily research, plan and write my novel…

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penstricken · 6 months

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6 of My Favourite Books of All Time

I've just published a new blog post on some of my favourite books of all time! Check it out 👇 #booklover #bookworm #mustread

I love reading. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid and I don’t think I’m ever likely to stop. Still, there are some books that just stand head and shoulders above the rest. They may not objectively be the best books in the world, but for whatever reason, they are books that I just couldn’t get enough of. Books that stuck with me. Books that defined and continue to define the kind of writer I…

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penstricken · 6 months

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First Impressions: Summer at Blue Sands Cove

I've just started reading Summer at Blue Sands Cove. Not my usual fare, but it's off to a strong start. Read my first impressions in my new blog post 👇 #reading #romance #book

Spoiler alert Anyone who has not read Summer at Blue Sands Cove by CP Ward is hereby advised that this post may contain spoilers. I don’t normally read romance novels. They’re not my thing. However, in a bid to expand my horizons (and to give me more stuff to blog about) I decided to download the first free Kindle book I could find, and Summer at Blue Sands Cove by CP Ward was it. Given that…

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penstricken · 6 months

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Top Tips for Writing Beautiful Dialogue

Read my top tips for writing dialogue in my new blog post here 👇 #amwriting #writing #fiction #writer

Dialogue is a critical part of any novel. Apart from the fact it makes up a monumental chunk of your overall word count, it can be a powerful tool for creating suspense, driving the plot and fleshing out your characters. Get it right, and you’re halfway towards writing a killer novel. Get it wrong, and you’re done for. If you really want to see a master of dialogue at work, you should read Hills…

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penstricken · 6 months

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8 Useful Blog Posts About Writing

Want to improve your #writing skills? Check out these 8 useful blog posts from other bloggers 👇 #writingtip #blog

I always try to bring the best writing advice I can to my blog, but sometimes, I just can’t say it as well as my fellow bloggers. I have therefore decided that it is time, once again, for me to share a list of blog posts about writing that I have found particularly useful in recent weeks so that you, too, can benefit from their wisdom. If you want to up your writing game, you could do a lot…

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penstricken · 7 months

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VIDEO: 'Rollo, The Bravest Chicken in the World' Read by the Author

Here's a video of me reading my #childrensbook 'Rollo, The Bravest Chicken in the World' 👇 Be sure to grab a copy on Amazon if you enjoyed it. #ThrowbackThursday #pb #kidlit #education

Originally posted 03/07/2023 Straight from my new Youtube channel, here’s a little video of me reading my newest picture book, Rollo, The Bravest Chicken in the World. If you like it, please consider supporting me by buying your own copy on Amazon or reading for free with Kindle Unlimited with the links below. 👇 🇬🇧 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C2DB9VR8 🇺🇸…

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penstricken · 7 months

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How to Keep Your Writing Clear

Does your writing leave readers confused? Learn how to keep your writing simple and clear in my new blog post. 👇 #writing #writingtip

There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a novel and realising you haven’t got the foggiest idea what’s going on. Sometimes it happens because you’re not really interested in the story, but more often than not, it is because the author has tried too hard to be clever, rather than clear. As novelists, we have a lot of information to communicate. We often need to transfer a whole world…

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penstricken · 7 months

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6 Six Word Stories for the 6th

My new six word stories are out in this month's edition of '6 Six Word Stories for the 6th.' Why not have a read, and maybe share a six word story of your own? 👇 #microfiction #flashfiction #sixwordstories #writing

It’s the 6th of October, so that means it’s time for another exciting editions of 6 Six Word Stories for the 6th! As usual, I have rolled six story dice and made up 6 six word stories which have been, in some way, inspired by the pictures on the dice.So, here we go. Red light. Saw you. Green light. Wallet found, containing torn wedding picture. Queen deposed as hive votes DEMOCRACY! Today’s…

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penstricken · 7 months

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TBT: The Nest

Throwback Thursday to this spooky 100-word story about a man haunted by fairies in his attic. Perfect for a Halloween read. #ThrowbackThursday #Halloween #spooky #scary #horror

The Nest By Andrew Ferguson Originally published 25/10/21 in Voice.club “It’s fairies,” the exterminator said. “Nothing I can do with fairies, they’re protected y’see.”He locked the attic door after himself. “You’ll just need to live with it.”“I can’t live with it. They’re interfering with everything.”“Nothing I can do,” he said. “They’re protected. Touch their nest and you’re breaking the…

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penstricken · 7 months

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First Impressions: The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

I'm only a few pages into The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz, but I'm already hooked! I've written a new blog post sharing a few of my first impressions. Come and have a look 👇 #TheWordisMurder #amreading #mustread

Spoiler Alert Anyone who has not read The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz is hereby advised that this post may contain some unavoidable spoilers. That first toe-dip into a new book is such a key moment for any reader. Those first few pages will either put a reader at their ease, enthral them or bore them senseless but one way or another, it’s a crucial moment between author and audience.…

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penstricken · 7 months

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My Book Ratings Explained

Curious what my book review star ratings really mean? Check out my latest blog post. #bookreviews #books #reading #amwriting

I’ve recently noticed a lot of (digital) ink being spilled on social media over the subject of book reviews. Well, I’m certainly not here to tell anyone how they should feel about a review their book has received, nor am I interested in telling other book reviewers how many stars constitutes an insult but given how often I review books on this blog I felt I should at least clarify exactly what I…

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penstricken · 7 months

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Book Review: The Marlow Murder Club

If you're a fan of light cosy mystery novels, I can highly recommend The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood. Check out my new review here 👇 #MarlowMurderClub #BookReview #amreading

SPOILER ALERT Anyone who has not read The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood is hereby advised that this post may contain a few unavoidable spoilers. I’ve always enjoyed a good cosy mystery, and recently I blew an entire book voucher on several mystery novels (which may, or may not, have something to do with the fact I’m secretly trying my hand at writing a mystery novel myself, *er-hem*)…

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penstricken · 7 months

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What Happened When I Tried Writing a Different Genre

They say a change is as good as a rest. I recently decided to put that to the test by writing a novel in a genre I have never attempted before: a cosy mystery. I usually prefer to write YA sci-fi/fantasy when I’m writing anything longer than a picture book, but I do love a good who-dunnit and after a brief wave of inspiration, I thought I’d try my hand. It’s coming along well. It’s still a…

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penstricken · 7 months

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5 Themes Children Will Really Understand

What are some of the best children's book themes that kids can really relate to? I've shared a few of my favourites in this new blog post. Have a look. 👇 #kidlit #writing #fiction #childrensauthor #writingcommunity

Good fiction is a vehicle for profound truth. I’ve spoken before about the importance of cultivating the themes that grow wild in your story, and it is no less important in children’s fiction that it is for adults’ fiction. When it comes to writing stories for children, especially young children, it can be tempting to either avoid including any particular theme at all (spoiler: that’s nigh to…

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