Blogs

Ok, here's the thing. I've got two paperback copies of my first full-length Josiah and Archibald novel, 'Bring Out Your Dead' to give away. All I ask in return is a fair review (doesn't have to be good, just fair) on Amazon and/or Goodreads and anywhere else that takes your fancy. If I get more than 2 enquiries, I'll draw names out of a hat. Offer closes midnight BST on Saturday, 17th August. If you're interested, pop a message in the comments...

As a writer in exile, writing about a writer in exile, PETRA JOHANA PONCAROVÁ offers an authentic voice. Neither English nor Gaelic is her first languages. She was brought up speaking Czech. To paraphrase Paul Valery, Language is a thing that belongs to us; but for us it is not entirely a thing; and it belongs to us a little less than we belong to it. I’m no poet. And I do not speak Gaelic. No surprise then that I hadn’t heard of Derick Thompson...

Brene Brown is a Licensed Master Social Worker. She gained her Ph.D working with women and researching Shame. We’ve all got our own ideas of what shame is and what is shameful. The most toxic kind is when we identify with the shameful labels others give us. Brown suggests her lightbulb moment came when was working in residential care. A clinical director said: ‘You cannot shame or belittle people into changing their behaviour’. Bree’s working...

I take it Gordon Brown added an initial J. (middle-name) to his name, so he doesn’t get confused with the dour Raith Rover supporter and former Prime Minister (author of a 1999 Blairite victory, economic policy from Number 11 Downing Street). Gordon J. Brown’s debut novel takes the reader back to the 1974. There’s a picture of miner’s leader Joe Gormley in the Daily Record that year, facing down Tory Prime Minister, Edward Heath that epitomises...

For the Love of Libraries One of my fondest memories from childhood is of my local library. It’s the one in Kingstanding, Birmingham. I fell in love with reading through the first book I tackled on my own: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Despite the personal flaws of the author himself, his stories transported me to another place and another time. I will forever be a fan of his work. I can still see the book shelves loaded with...

Just fyi, I'm more than a bit disgusted with X (Twitter as was). I know that, when you post a new story on ABCTales, you are automatically prompted to post about it on FB and 'Twitter' but I'm seriously thinking about coming off X as a platform (I only ever use it to promote my ABCTales stories), so I'm experimenting by not promoting this week's Undertakers story on there but on Blue Sky instead. We'll see if that makes any difference (although...

Tam Donnichie was always a welcoming presence. There’s a great photo of him and a couple of the lads in the Drop Inn. Swiggy (2001? RIP) with a moustache. Barry Brennan (2020, RIP). Tam (2024, RIP) his curly black hair retreating to baldness and he wore specs. The sensible one in and out of the photo. Turning to stare at the camera, And the youngish, black-haired Charlie Mac, the insensible one. Eon Brennan, Barry’s older brother, with his arm...