I wanted to do something a little different. We were asked to write a short piece introducing ourselves, for the second unit in my Masters of Creative Writing with Deakin University. So I ‘rang Martin Amis’ and had him interview me as we stood on the rooftops, he in Paris in the 1970s, and myself … More Martin Amis helps you get to know me
There are two points of the year when authors sink into a funk, and that’s March and October when we’re paid. Did you know that writers receive approximately ten percent of the Recommended Retail Price of their book? After publishers take off the costs of production, printing, distribution and marketing and a bit of cream … More The Constant Hustle of Publishing
It’s hard writing a book and even harder marketing one. If you’ve got paperbacks or hard copies out there in bookshops or online, well done. You’ve probably been on a long slog to get to that point. It’s hard work selling books as well and you have to feel for bricks and mortar booksellers. They’re … More On the Shelf
Good memoirs are about more than just the person writing them. They’re a broader account of things that we can all relate to, sometimes unexpectedly. ‘Hearing Maud’ by Jessica White is her account of growing up deaf in outback Australia, after losing her hearing through a bout of meningitis at age four. Jess was sent … More Hearing Maud – a gem in the memoir genre
I’ve been on Instagram for a couple of years and posted all sorts of stuff: pics from my farm, food I’ve eaten, and ‘Author Shots’ – a series in which I recreate shots of great writers using myself as… err… the model. But lately I’ve focused my account more on what I love – books … More How to do Instagram if you’re an author or writer
Just before she appeared in The Times and the Daily Mail, I asked best selling self-published author Nicola May if she’d do a Q&A for my blog – on what makes a best seller – both in the writing and the marketing of a book. Nicola is a lovely lady who can be found sharing … More Q&A with Nicola May – what makes a best seller
Bill Bryson doesn’t need reviews, but I write in the same genre, travel memoir, and sometimes my book has nestled thrillingly alongside his in the online booksellers categories (a very comfortable spot, thank you). Reading him again has been a reinvigorating experience, which I daresay he’d be quietly pleased to know. Bryson’s cleverness lies in … More Little Dribbling review
Books are the best gift. Always welcome, often surprising, long-lasting and enriching. I love to give books as gifts, so I’ve gone through my book shelves and chosen a few that would make great gifts for Father’s Day. There’s something for everyone here – whether the man you’re giving to is into health, travel, business, … More Father’s Day Gift Books
This post is mostly for authors – a look at that great and ongoing mystery, how the bloody hell you market a book. You’ve written it, you’ve had it published, held it in your hands and it’s real. Congratulations! But that was the easy bit. Now comes the real challenge – getting the bloody thing … More Marketing Your Book
Last year when my book was in the final stages of edit, three men in my writers’ group told me they would not buy it because it had the word ‘wife’ in the title. To put their remarks in context, we were having a discussion about the title, and whether I should change it. An old … More Do women and men choose books differently?
