How is Microsoft’s grammar checker still so ineffective?

Hello readers! This week’s post is a bit of a rant, I’m afraid. I’m working on a new edition of Highmoor that will be published in paperback form at some point in the next few weeks. My original plan was to release the third edition on the third anniversary of Highmoor’s publication, which was in … Continue reading How is Microsoft’s grammar checker still so ineffective? →

Attempting to understand “romantasy”

Hello readers! Have any of you visited a bookshop lately? A few weeks ago I was browsing Amazon, and I ended up scrolling through an endless stream of “romantasy” novels. I wasn’t seeking these titles intentionally (far from it), but as soon as I entered the fantasy section, Amazon assumed that romantasy was what I … Continue reading Attempting to understand “romantasy” →

Free book weekend: 23rd-25th August

Hello readers! This bank holiday weekend, from Saturday to Monday, all my books will be FREE on Amazon! My current series, Highmoor, is traditional high fantasy, and the first three books are now out (with the final instalment in progress). These books follow the adventures of three brothers caught up in a conflict between the … Continue reading Free book weekend: 23rd-25th August →

Free book weekend: 9th-10th August

Hello readers! This weekend, all my books will be FREE on Amazon! My current series, Highmoor, is traditional high fantasy, and the first three books are now out (with the final instalment in progress). These books follow the adventures of three brothers caught up in a conflict between the nations bordering their forest home. It … Continue reading Free book weekend: 9th-10th August →

Dune (1965) is a timeless classic

Hello readers! I finally got around to reading Frank Herbert’s Dune. Not sure why it took me so long, as I’ve been curious about the book for as long as I can remember. It is so well-known, so well-loved, and so well-integrated into the public imagination that most of us have felt its influence, either … Continue reading Dune (1965) is a timeless classic →

The Last Man (1826) is a miserable read…

Hello readers! I recently finished reading The Last Man, a dystopian novel written in 1826 by Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. I first learnt of this book’s existence when I was researching the origins of science fiction, as The Last Man is often listed as the earliest example of the dystopian, apocalyptic genre. The … Continue reading The Last Man (1826) is a miserable read… →

Free book weekend: 7th-8th June

New concept art: Nia

Hello readers! Just a short post this week, announcing the addition of another character to the Highmoor series “art” collection. This is Nia, one of the four major protagonists with perspectives that drive the story. She is the most headstrong of the main characters, in that she speaks her mind plainly and abruptly, and won’t … Continue reading New concept art: Nia →

Science fiction and the future: Part Two

Hello readers! In the previous post, we explored the challenges associated with setting a speculative science fiction story in a particular future year. The writer must choose a date that feels plausible to the reader, or else their credibility will be eroded, the foundations of their fictional world will be shaken, and their otherwise carefully-crafted … Continue reading Science fiction and the future: Part Two →

Science fiction and the future: Part one

Hello readers! I’ve been pondering the science fiction genre again – specifically, science fiction stories which are set in our universe, with some connection to our world. I haven’t done a thorough survey, but I get the impression that most science fiction falls into this category, rather than being pure science fantasy. And within this … Continue reading Science fiction and the future: Part one →