For the record, I list some books below that have educated or entertained or enlightened me as I nervously anticipate the final stage of life. Happy reading! Links are to the Amazon page for each book. Please share your own favourite books about these topics, and tell us what they gave you. (That'll be your good … Continue reading 19 books about aging, happiness, and the bonus years
Books
Reasons for writing: be glib or be puzzled
What prompts you to write a particular book, a specific book? For example, why did I write Fixing Mrs Philpott— rather than a memoir, a book about ageing, or a novel from scratch about an entirely different character? "Why did the author write this book?" This is a stock question at any writers' festival, and … Continue reading Reasons for writing: be glib or be puzzled
Why do we write the books we write?
I look at my latest novel and I think, why? Why did I write it, that book, that particular book in that particular way? Why didn’t I write a different novel, or write it in a different way? Why didn’t someone else write that novel? Why do I write any book at all nowadays? Don’t … Continue reading Why do we write the books we write?
Joy of writing #2—sharing
Most writers adore those moments when readers tell you how much they loved one of your books. When they quiz you about how you write, why you write, and why you wrote a particular thing a particular way. When their eyes glow and you know that you touched this person with your words. It's love you … Continue reading Joy of writing #2—sharing
A history of publishing through one author’s books
It's 2016, in case you didn't notice. That means I've been a so-called published author for 42 years: I'm a walking talking piece of history. My publishing record is a black-and-white snapshot of the industry over the last 40 years. You could draw a graph of international publishing patterns and it would look like a portrait of … Continue reading A history of publishing through one author’s books