It’s been a while since I’ve posted to this Coffee break chatter page. This is partly because most of 2023 was eaten up by work transitions and travel. More recently it is because I’ve discovered Substack, a platform that makes…
I have always been fascinated by the dividing line between heroes and villains. One of my favourite villains is Loki in the Marvel Universe. A complex character who is emotionally damaged and acts out of that place of hurt. Because…
So here’s a thing – writers love to write and yet so many of us seem to find it hard to embrace the discipline of writing regularly. Advice such as approach writing like a job, set yourself a specific time…
As we enter into 2020 and welcome a new decade, I found myself pondering, somewhat randomly, an often-used poetic artform: proverbs. Many proverbs are so familiar in the English language we probably use them without any thought as to what…
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m included amongst the writers who contributed to this anthology of poetry and prose fiction about the big and small gifts of life. Here is the description from Amazon: Inside you will find poems, pictures…
Show don’t tell. This is a mantra embedded deep into my brain as a writer. It is the first of the writing ten commandents – break it at your peril! I have never thought to apply it to public speaking….
What is your favourite season? In a YouGov survey conducted in November 2016, summer was the most popular season for nearly half of those interviewed (44%). Spring managed to win almost a quarter of the votes (24%). Autumn and winter…
One of my favourite things is travelling the world with my awesome and adventurous husband. This is a piece of life writing that covers just a small snippet of a fabulous tour we took through Vietnam and Cambodia in 2013….
I’m pleased to share the news that my poem ‘Lost in Words’ was published in May in the first of a new series of anthologies called Poetry and Visuals. Published by Sputnik, it features 19 artists and creative writers who…
I love the internet. It can be a treasure chest of wonderful inspiration. Today I came across an absolute gem: The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrow. Oh my, what a thought-provoking project this is. As someone who has started to write…