Monthly Archives: July 2018

Ink by Alice Broadway

Posted on July 28, 2018 by cathyhemsley

This is a story about the power of stories. ‘Ink’ is a fantasy novel about a sixteen-year old girl, Leora, who believes the stories her parents, friends, teachers and authorities tell her, until her father dies and she gradually discovers, … Continue reading →

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Learning from great (and not so great) literature

Posted on July 25, 2018 by cathyhemsley

I am stating the obvious here, but you can learn a lot about writing skills by careful reading of books. Here are some lessons from recent books that I’ve read. (Warning:  spoiler alerts…) ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ by Gail … Continue reading →

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Not Sure Where They Are Going

Posted on July 16, 2018 by cathyhemsley

–              Oh, there’s a café!  Can we stop?  I’m gasping for a cuppa. –              No. We’ve only just set off. –              We haven’t. We left ages ago.  We’ve been going for hours. –              One hour, 31 minutes, actually. And I’m … Continue reading →

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Christian Thrills from The Gardener’s Daughter

Posted on July 10, 2018 by cathyhemsley

I’ve just galloped through ‘The Gardener’s Daughter’ by K. A. Hitchens.  It is a fast-paced thriller, with an intricate plot and subplots, high-quality writing and a neatly satisfying ending.  The characters Zavier and Boody are particularly delightful. There is a … Continue reading →

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Feeling tense?  Need a flashback?

Posted on July 9, 2018 by cathyhemsley

Do you know the difference between the past tense and the past perfect tense? It’s fairly common for novice writers to slip between tenses without realising it, so that the reader gets the odd impression that he’s stepped back in … Continue reading →

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L is for Leviathan with a Fish-hook

Posted on July 8, 2018 by cathyhemsley

Originally posted on Just another Christian woman…:
I’d like to mention another work from a fellow member of the Association of Christian Writers. Leviathan with a Fish-hook, by S L Russell.  I’m afraid I haven’t read it yet, but it has…

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Classic Adrian

Posted on July 5, 2018 by cathyhemsley

The Shadow Doctor by Adrian Plass Wonderful Adrian has written another novel, and it’s brilliant. Enjoyable, full of wisdom and insight, great concept, compelling characters. Thanks to a revealing posthumous letter from his honest and fascinating Grandmother, Jack meets the … Continue reading →

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