They say a week is a long time in politics. Three years is a long time in the life of a writer.
My fourth novel, Troll Life, was published in October 2018. It sold well, and I knew what I was going to do next.
I had an idea for my fifth novel, and I had the experience of the previous four to know that I could get it written, edited and published within a year. … More Burying the doubts.
Whisper it, but there might just be a chink of light at the end of the tunnel for Sunderland fans. … More Chink of Light
Struggling to write during lockdown? Covid wiped out your creativity?
You’re not alone. … More Beat the block
You may remember that in November I had a spot of bother with my heart. My symptoms started appearing whilst in London for the Checkatrade Cup Final in March 2019. After months of tests, a coronary angiography showed that I had two serious blockages, a 90% one in my LAD (Left Anterior Descending) and a … More Achy Breaky Heart (Part two)
With Alan Bennett due to revive his Talking Heads series on BBC this week, I’m probably not going to be the first Alan people search for when looking to watch a monologue. I have however dipped my toe into the monologue scene for the first time and my screen debut, Parting Shot, premiered last week. … More Parting Shot
How to survive Coronavirus and other crises. … More How to survive a crisis
As has become tradition, here is my review of last year. A – Arvon. My week long residential writing course gave me a new insight into how to finish my novel. B – Burying Reggie. The working title for novel number five. C – Cultural Development Fellowship. I was awarded one. Thanks Sunderland Culture. D … More My A-Z of 2019
Anyone working in creative circles will tell you that the hardest part of the job is making it pay. We all love what we do but turning it into a living wage can be troublesome. I’ve done alright. I’ve self-published four novels and along with running workshops and doing various other projects, I’ve scraped a … More My week at Arvon
“Don’t tell my heart, my achy breaky heart, I just don’t think he’d understand.” Being a fan of Sunderland, there’s been plenty of heartbreak, it comes with the territory. As we went into penalties at Wembley in March following an injury time equaliser, the bloke next to me said “I don’t think my heart can … More Sunderland and my Achy Breaky Heart.
Four years ago, I handed my notice in to embark on a full-time writing career. I didn’t know how long it would last. I didn’t know how I would make a living. And I didn’t know how I’d adapt to working from home rather than being part of the office life I’d known for so long. … More My writing life – some changes
Alan Parkinson 