Blog posts
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Some of the most exciting new talent in the crime fiction genre has been named in the shortlist for the McDermid Debut Award, whose winner will be revealed at the opening ceremony of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate on Thursday July 24, 2026 The judges say that the six authors on…
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I have posted another free Handy Hint for authors, this time dealing with the dangers of entering the comfort zone. You can find it in the Handy Hints – General page
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Joffe Books has announced that it is working on an initiative designed to increase its hardcopy sales. With ebooks and Kindle Unlimited so dominant in many genres, Joffe is working to build up a print channel in the UK ‘non-trade space’, such as garden centres. Working with sales partner John Waters, it has offered a…
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The latest free gratis Handy Hints for emerging writers deals with dialogue and can be found at Handy Hints- Characters/Sense of place accessed off the main menu. Enjoy!
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Writing starts with creativity, with a flash of imagination, an idea for a story, a character around whom a plot can be built, a place which could be the backdrop for a cracking yarn. But that’s just the beginning and, if they did not know it already, the emerging writer will realise the scope of…
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Dates have been announced for the Bloody Scotland crime writing festival which will be held in Stirling between September 18-20, 2026.Headlining the festival will be Lee Child, creator of Jack Reacher, on the evening of Friday September, 18, 2026 in conversation with crime writer Denise Mina. Bloody Scotland established itself as the leading Scottish International…
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Author, actor and activist Cerrie Burnell has been announced as the keynote speaker for the Society of Authors’ Awards and Summer Party in June. More than £100,000 will be awarded for novels, non-fiction, children’s books, short stories and poetry. The winners of nine prizes will be announced at an event at Southwark Cathedral in London…
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A report has revealed the challenges facing the creators of comics, even though the sector is enjoying commercial success. The UK Comics Creators Research Report presents findings from a survey conducted by the Comics Cultural Impact Collective, the Association of Illustrators(AOI) and the Society of Authors (SoA), which showed that almost 90% of respondents who…
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There’s a real treat on offer for fans of bestselling Scottish crime novelist Aline Templeton, many of whose novels are based in Dumfries and Galloway. Her new novel, Truth to Tell, is published by Allison & Busby on May 22, 2026: ‘It is a bitterly cold night, with rain falling and an edge of snow.…
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Another Handy Hint for emerging writers facing the challenges posed by starting the writing process can be found at Handy Hints – Plotting, which can be accessed off the main menu on the home page. Summing it up, it’s ‘be yourself.’
John Dean - Crime Writer 