One of the most common mistakes in writing is the misuse of either its or it’s. Continue reading
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How to Write Dates – Guest Post…
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I was delighted to have an article posted on Chris the Story Reading Ape’s Blog – about How to Write Dates in fiction.
Your mind is on fire as you type out your latest story at super-fast speed when, all of a sudden, you come to a halt. You want to include a date or a time period, and you’re not sure of the best way to express it.
Here are some easy guidelines to help you get started.
Dates
There are two simple ways to write a date but in fiction you should try to write the words out in full:
Thursday 9 June 2016 – with no comma and no “th”
or
Ninth of June
Always write dialogue the way your character would say it:
“She’ll be here on April the tenth,” said Mary.
Years
Write a single year in numerals:
2014
For a range of years, you can write the numerals:
1998-99 or 2002-2006
But for fiction, you should try to write the phrase in full:
She died sometime…
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A Visit to Haddon Hall
In my first thriller The Magus Covenant, billionaire Iago Visser lives in a remote part of Derbyshire’s Peak District in a walled medieval manor house. In the second book of the series, recently released, hero Jotham Fletcher is now the owner. What better way, then, to feed my muse on a recent trip to England than to visit enchanting Haddon Hall? Continue reading
Review of THE MAGUS COVENANT on the Pick of the Literate blog
A review of the Magus Covenant was recently posted on the Pick of the Literate blog. Here’s a link to that review:
Review of The Magus Covenant on the Pick of the Literate Blog
5 Star Review: THE MAGUS COVENANT
The Magus Covenant recently received a 5 star rating on Reviews by Karen.
You can read more here:
Avebury Stone Circle
Avebury Stone Circle is the largest neolithic stone circle in Europe. It is seventeen miles from Stonehenge in the beautiful Wiltshire Plain but in so many ways it far exceeds its more famous cousin as a source of inspiration and delight. Continue reading
How to Build a Story in 20 Easy Steps (Guest Post )
Chris from the Story Reading Ape Blog kindly posted my simple guide to building a story. Continue reading
Interview on Smorgasbord Open House
On 3 May 2016, I was thrilled and honoured to be interviewed by Sally Cronin as part of her new Sunday Show called Smorgasbord Open House. It will feature a series of authors, blog writers, poets, artists and musicians.
Here is the link to that article:
Smorgasbord Open House – Toni Pike
THE MAGUS COVENANT now listed in Booklife
The Magus Covenant is now listed on Booklife, a new Publisher’s Weekly website.
Many thanks for their support.
Here is the link to that listing:
THE MAGUS COVENANT now listed on Goodkindles
The Magus Covenant is now included on Goodkindles, a website that helps readers to discover the best ebooks. All books listed there must have at least ten Amazon reviews with an average rating of at least 4 stars.
Here is the link to that listing:
Author Interview on Beach Bound Books
I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Stacie from the BeachBoundBooks Blog. I think you’ll agree that The Magus Covenant would be ideal reading for a beach holiday. Continue reading
The Moment of Clarity (Guest Post by Author Toni Pike)
Chris from The Story Reading Ape Blog was kind enough to post my article about the moment we decide to achieve our dreams. You can read more here:
The Moment of Clarity
The moment when we decide to achieve a dream
The moment of clarity is the most mysterious part of achieving a dream. It is that one lucid moment before you start to follow a plan and achieve a goal. No one can explain why, after years of longing and setting targets that were never met, everything changes. It is a magic moment when the fog in your mind lifts and your purpose becomes clear.
Just pretend for a moment that you want to go on a holiday. Not just a few days by the beach, but an overseas trip that you have been thinking about for a long time. There is a vague idea in your mind that you would love to see a certain part of the world.
When and why did you decide that you would love to see Scandinavia or Asia or…
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Adrenaline – A Simple Guide for Writers (Guest Post by Toni Pike)
Chris from The Story Reading Ape Blog was kind enough to post my article about the effects of adrenaline. You can read more here: Adrenaline – A Simple Guide for Writers
This is a simple guide to adrenaline and its effects on the human body. An adrenaline rush is often referred to as the flight or fight response. You, the writer, put your characters into the most incredible situations and then decide if they will confront the enemy or run away – or do something completely unexpected. But what really happens when a person confronts an assailant or has a panic attack?
Adrenaline is a hormone that is sometimes referred to as epinephrine, but only in American medical circles – and that word may be slowly dying out. Adrenaline is the word of choice in all popular media and around the world.
Your characters are likely to have more than one adrenaline rush on their way to the exciting climax in your story. It happens in response to trauma, shock or a sudden fright. The hormone bursts out of…
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Review of THE MAGUS COVENANT
Many thanks to Sarah from bytheletterbookreviews who has posted a review of The Magus Covenant. Continue reading
Eat Pizza the Roman Way
Pizza has become a favourite meal around the world, one that has been popular for decades. Australians love to go to an Italian restaurant with family and friends, choose several different varieties laden with all sorts of toppings and then share slices around the table. And they usually eat it with a knife and fork. Continue reading
3 Steps to Achieving Your Dream
I was delighted when Sue Loncaric from Sizzling Towards Sixty invited me to write about achieving my dream of becoming an author.
Sue’s website is an inspiration for anyone who wants to reach their full potential and live their life to the full. Continue reading
Tarquinia – a brief guide
A hilltop town with Etruscan tombs near Rome
Tarquinia is an enchanting walled town with an Etruscan necropolis and impressive museum. For cruise passengers visiting Civitavecchia, it’s a delightful alternative to a day in Rome. Continue reading
Guest Author on Chris the Story Reading Ape’s Blog
On 18 December 2015, I was fortunate enough to be the Guest Author on Chris the Story Reading Ape’s Blog. Here is the link to that article:
How to write a book review
A very simple but effective guide
Car Chases
In The Magus Covenant, Jotham Fletcher is involved in at least two dramatic car chases, not to mention other characters such as Nathan and Antonella who also engage in some wild driving. Continue reading
Who was Simon Magus?
Simon Magus is a character mentioned in the New Testament, who was reviled by early members of the Christian church. This strange figure from two thousand years ago plays an important part in my thrillers, The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series. Continue reading
The Stockholm Archipelago
It takes two hours to pass through the Archipelago as you sail into Stockholm Harbour in the warmth of summer. That’s the way I first saw it on board a cruise ship, and it was a wonderful experience. Continue reading
