Category Archives: On Writing: The Novel

Cover Reveal: All the Murmuring Bones

I’m sooooooooo delighted to finally be able to show everyone the cover of my new novel! All the Murmuring Bones is set in the same world as the Sourdough and Bitterwood mosaic collections, and will be released into the wild on 9
Read more…

New Novel

So, I’ve started writing a new novel, Morwood.

Like Blackwater it’s a gothic fantasy set in the Sourdough/Bitterwood world, and I’m at the stage where I love it. It’s new and pretty and we’re in our honeymoon period.

Here’s a first draft sample (no
Read more…

Bad Women: Flip

Connie Willis_1996_BellwetherThis week Kathleen Jennings nominates her favourite “bad” woman:

My favourite “bad” character is Flip, a sullen, difficult, way fashion-forward… assistant seems the wrong word for her. She appears very early in Connie Willis’ charming novel of chaos
Read more…

A.K.A. Livia Day

trifleMulti-award winning Fantasy author, Doctor Who commentator, PhD owner, caster of the pod Galactic Suburbia, and newly minted crime author, Tansy Rayner Roberts is one of the leading voices of the Australian Speculative Fiction Scene. I had a chat with her
Read more…

Today …

… is back-at-the-novel-day.

It’s also, coincidentally, the first quiet day I’ve had in the two weeks since the British Fantasy Awards were announced. I’ve spent large chunks of that time talking about myself – which is not my usual setting and,
Read more…

An Invitation

Hello there.

I suppose you’re wondering why I’ve called you all here today. Well, it’s about a launch. The launch of our (Lisa L Hannett and moi) new book, Midnight and Moonshine, which is being published by the very
Read more…

Galleys! Galleys!

So excited! Galleys for Midnight and Moonshine are here and ready for the final read-over.

Huzzah!

Read more…

Progress

This is what 20,000 words look like when piled up.

That is all.

Now, on to the next 20k.

Mmmm, why yes, my novel does ressemble a dog’s breakfast

So, this is what writing a novel looks like at my place at least.

Whiteboard with insane reminders about structure and what belongs where, periodic flashes of “OMG!”, and basic first principles to (hopefully) keep me on track.

The novel
Read more…

To Write a Novel, You Really Need to Finish One

One of the best things I’ve listened to recently is Justin Cronin’s craft talks on writing.

Go to the Tube of You.

It’s totally worth it.

And the above bit of advice? Particularly apposite at the moment as I’m finishing Brisneyland by Night.