When I first started writing the Haven Chronicles, I knew I wanted to create more than just a magical story. I also wanted to set the series in a world that readers would enjoy investigating and be keen to return to. That had to include the physical landscape we find Read more
When I originally wrote the second book of the Haven Chronicles, I envisioned a very different ending to the one that appeared in the published novel. It was darker, more isolating for the main characters, and left readers guessing how Steve and the darkling could possibly escape to safety. I Read more
From writing the very first pages of the Haven Chronicles, I’ve immensely enjoyed creating the world of this futuristic fantasy series and populating it with a generous mix of characters, both magical and mundane. I’m still enjoying it as I work on the fourth book in the series and I Read more
One devastating element of editing my novels is having to cut scenes out. Don’t get me wrong: this is no Draconian order from my publisher. Instead, it’s a realisation (by me) that removing that scene or character will improve my novel. It happened with Magic Bound where I had to Read more
I’ve blogged before about the challenges of writing book two and those challenges haven’t diminished as I work on the third book of the Haven Chronicles. What I haven’t written about is the rewards of writing a fiction series. Writing a series isn’t easy, but it can be incredibly satisfying. Read more
Let’s be honest. As readers, we pay most attention to authors when they’ve recently released a new book. Ooh, shiny new reading material with a pretty cover. How exciting! And that’s perfectly understandable because even if we scour their monthly newsletters, look them up on social media, and gush over Read more
“So it’s more like super-hero powers than wands and spells then?” “Super-hero. I like that,” said Hartley. “It’s actually a little of each.” Haven Wakes, and the other books in the Haven Chronicles series, are filled with magic. I knew from the outset that I didn’t want to copy what Read more
It’s been one of those weeks when the writing is slow, and the brain fog thick. I have articles to complete for a client and the first draft of my novel to get on with. I know the words are somewhere in there but they’re reluctant to make themselves known. Read more