Authors Electric

  So last month I wrote about extreme cold, when the temperature in Finland was -34.5⁰. Last week I went to the Gambia, where it was over 40⁰. I am sitting here in Surrey writing this covered with insect bites, and really feeling the cold even though it isn’t cold at all. It’s just the contrast. Contrast is so important when you’re writing. When you shift from one setting to another you have to think about all the senses that make it come alive, and how things differ from your previous location. Visually: bright or dull? Busy or quiet? Sound: Voices? Traffic? Birdsong? Music? Silence? Smell: Foliage, flowers, cooking, wet dogs, drains? Taste: bland or exotic? Sweet or savoury? Familiar or unfamiliar? And finally, touch. That’s when you really notice the heat. Can you walk across a tiled floor by a swimming pool without burning your feet? Does picking up a glass of cold beer/Coke/Wonjo juice feel like heaven? Are you just as hot as night? What do you wear, and how well do you sleep?...

  One way or another, all writers must solve one great challenge: tracking and pacing the flow of their work and timing the release of essential information. Fiction or nonfiction, mystery or history, hack work or high art...All afford plenty of room for writers to bring their singular talents to bear. Tell a tale in reverse or jump cut back and forth from the present to the past. Interweave philosophy with a gripping narrative as in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.  The sky's the limit, baby. But know this when starting out:  Timing is still everything. And no matter how many chapters you have, the book's structure must be solid and efficient. The release of clues or key insights must be impeccably timed. And, ultimately, your work should have its own symmetry. I'm in trouble if my book has three distinctive parts, but the opening movement runs for 150 pages, while the middle runs for 90 and the ending stops short at 50. Just as bad, I doomed if I give the book...

  When my mum was in her nineties and becoming increasingly frail, she decided that she would move into sheltered accommodation. Her house was becoming a constant source of worry and although she had support from the family and friends there were times when she admitted she felt very lonely. In the past my sister and I had discussed the possibility of her coming to live with either one of us. We had the space, I even had the garage converted into what could be a granny bedsit, but somehow the plan never came to fruition. This was partly due to Mum’s reluctance to move away from the place she knew and her very full social life, which at the time we all thought was a good reason for her to stay where she was and we would visit whenever we could. Once I’d retired those visits became more frequent but there was always the lurking feeling that it wasn’t enough, plus the worry of what might happen if we weren’t there. This in spite of my daughter being a swift twenty minute drive awa...

In the riveting collection, Periscope City: Where the Lonely Go to Live Alone , debut author Benjamin Talbot introduces readers to a fictional city full of complex characters navigating isolation, desire, and disconnection. In this exclusive interview, Ben opens up about the origins of the collection, the surprising characters that emerged, and how his own experiences helped shape this strange, eerie world. If you’ve ever felt alone in a crowded room—or sought solitude in a noisy one—this interview might speak to you. Start off with the book trailer, which will provide you the general Periscope City feel:   Dianne Pearce (Dianne):  Hey Ben, I really appreciate you taking the time to let me quiz you about your book. I loved the book the minute I read the first story, which for me, was a story about a very strange ice cream shop. I have a similar one near my house, very unusual flavors, so it intrigued me. And I admit to being very surprised by where it went. The book has so muc...

  It was late in the evening and we were still sitting round the kitchen table in Yorkshire, finishing our red wine, knowing we should have gone to bed but relishing the time with our youngest son Archie and his wife Steph. We’d come up from Essex to this small West Riding town watch Archie’s pupils perform Mary Poppins . Steph had met us earlier with our granddaughter Ada, now sweetly asleep upstairs. It had been a lovely day away. Then my phone rang. It was Bertie, our son who lives as our ‘next door neighbour’ at home. This means a small separate building in the same space - 'the shed'. He and his dogs had unexpectedly left home that day, to visit a friend in distress. An unplanned absence.. He’d just returned, seen upstairs lights left on, discovered the back door open and our bedroom in chaos. Understandably he was shocked and upset. No, not normal mess ‘Call the police,’ we said. ‘You have to call the police.’ He did so and was told he mustn’t touch anything, mustn...

  We had a great evening with S.E. Lynes and Lily Samson last night at West Barnes Library. As both of them write psychological thrillers, we looked at what might happen 'Behind Closed Doors'. Their books: The Switch   by Lily Samson Whose life do you want? Elena and her partner Adam are house-sitting in Wimbledon and find themselves instantly seduced by their upscale surroundings and their enigmatic new neighbours Sophia and Finn. When Sophia proposes a wicked game to Elena whereby they will swap partners in secret, it's not long before Elena starts to experience a sexual awakening that blossoms into an illicit love affair. But Sophia's plans are far more complex and dangerous than Elena could ever have imagined… How far will she go to fulfil her desires?   The Perfect Boyfriend   by S.E. Lynes I know it’s him. He says we’ve never met. Why would he lie? Her When I see him, my heart stops dead. I tell myself it’s impossible, but I would recognise those s...