writing
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The Gateway
I got out that map of Barkmouth you gave me and looked at it, and it looked like it was shining somehow, right near the cinema, the one I thought might be staffed by Fae. Teddy was eager to get out and he was keen to find out what might be happening… And he pointed… Continue reading
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Lucy Skylark’s Magical Year
I’m so glad you agreed to be my mentor. It was very kind of you when you could be enjoying your retirement, so I’m grateful for all your time and advice. I’m so excited to be taking my first steps to becoming a full time witch. Continue reading
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Coming soon! Not new, but improved!
Hi all, I’m excited to tell you that I am going to be publishing the Magical Years of Lucy Skylark and Olive Framley this year in instalments, starting on Tuesday 3rd March, and then twice weekly as soon as Olive shows up. Continue reading
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Bad advice: Consistency is the most important thing
Welcome to Bad Advice, a series I’m writing that I wanted to call Bullshit Wisdom but chickened out because of Teh Algorithms. Sometimes advice is just bad. Sometimes advice is good but it strikes at our insecurities so we react against it. And sometimes it’s both. With all of these posts, I understand that people’s… Continue reading
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I mean, what isn’t…
What are your favorite types of foods? Yesterday exercise, today diet, what gives, Daily Prompt? That said, I find this question interesting because of the “types of”. I think without it many of us would be inclined to go “eh, chocolate? Pizza? Chips?” But “types of” suggests a connection and thinking about the foods I… Continue reading
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Walking – daily. Running?
This is the 10th anniversary of me finishing Couch to 5k! I kept it up for about 6 months after that. I haven’t run in ages but it’s always reassuring to remember I did this. I recommend doing Couch to 5k if you are, like me, someone who doesn’t think of yourself as sporty or… Continue reading
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Bad Advice – “Use generative AI to write your blogposts” is all filla and no killa
There’s a scene in so many movies, often Christmas themed, where some well-off but emotionally starved child longs for their parent – probably the dad, because Stereotypes – to finally come through with some gift, gesture or word that finally proves that they care. And the parent seems to be finally about to do it… Continue reading
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Bad advice: “You should have” is only good for time travellers
Imagine you’re doing something difficult, perhaps for the first time. Maybe you’ve made a new recipe. Maybe you’ve given a speech, run a training session, had a job interview or even flown a plane. And your family member, mentor, supervisor, manager, teacher, podiatrist or parole officer turns to you and says… Continue reading
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Lucy Skylark Entry 22, 4th July.
Bea asked us if we’d been to the ice cream parlour, Dessert Island. Suniya blushed then, and I felt embarrassed too. I told her about the chef seeming to have a glamour, and no reflection. She looked intrigued. “That’s certainly interesting, but I don’t know that I feel happy with you assuming there’s something wrong.” Continue reading
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Olive Framley Entry 20, 3rd July.
Dear Talia, It’s been a trying couple of weeks. Daddy is furious about the whole Magical Reporter debacle and the fact that people are now asking him what he thinks he’s doing, sending his well-educated daughter to mess around with potions and spells, and I’ve had journalists and paparazzi following me all over the place.… Continue reading
Helen Speaks 