Author Tony Bayliss describes how a single poem launched his writing career
After working as a teacher, a school inspector and in property, Tony Bayliss was able to realise his life-long dream to work as a writer. His latest novel, Past Continuous, a sci-fi love story inspired by his son’s suicide, will be published by Sparkling Books on October 1st 2010. Here he tells us how he found the strength to tackle such a sensitive subject.
Eileen Carney Hulme tells us how her poetry takes her on unexpected journeys
Eileen Carney Hulme has been published by numerous poetry magazines, anthologies and websites, including The Dawntreader, Reach Poetry and Sarasvati. In 2005 her first collection, Stroking The Air, was published by Bluechrome. The Space Between Rain was published by Indigo Dreams Publishing in 2010. Here she explains how small press magazines contributed to her success.
Catalan author Maria Barbal describes the link between writing a novel and building a house
Maria Barbal is considered the most influential living Catalan author. She’s published eight novels and won numerous literary awards, including the Critics’ Prize and the Serra d’Or. Her 1985 debut novel, Stone in a Landslide, has recently been published in English for the first time by Peirene Press. Maria tells us how she’s kept her writing progressing in the past 25 years.
Freelance writer Melissa Lawrence celebrates being able to sleep by day and work at night
Melissa Lawrence is a freelance journalist, short story writer and poet. In her journalism she specialises in writing about workplace issues, education, parenting, health and the craft of writing. Here she tells us how making a section editor laugh resulted in her first commission from The Guardian newspaper.
Freelance journalist Lucy Denyer explains how she came to blog for The Lady, England’s oldest weekly women’s magazine
Lucy Denyer is a freelance journalist who recently relocated from London to Kansas. The former Sunday Times property journalist has also written for The Times, Tatler, the Daily Telegraph, and currently blogs for The Lady. Here she explains how she began her journalism career on a parenting magazine despite having no children.
Journalist Punteha Yazdanian gives us an insight into the world of news agencies
Until a week ago Punteha Yazdanian was a feature writer with regional news agency INS News, writing real-life stories for national newspapers and women’s magazines such as the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Fabulous and Reveal. Here she talks about her decision to now go freelance, and how she uses her writing to address miscarriages in justice.
Poet and author Shane Jones explains how his novel Light Boxes came to exist
Shane Jones completed his debut novel, Light Boxes, when he was just 26. After being published by Publishing Genius in a print run of 500 copies, Light Boxes gained a cult following that led to the novel being reissued in 2010 by Penguin Books in the US and Hamish Hamilton in the UK. Here Shane reveals the humility that, he says, all writers should embrace.
Author Terri Wiltshire talks about the hobo uncle who inspired the story of her debut novel
After being raised in America’s Deep South, writer Terri Wiltshire relocated to Newport, Wales, where she runs a role-play company for which she writes, acts and directs. Her debut novel, Carry Me Home has been shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year Award 2010. Here Terri explains how working in the theatre aids her writing processes.
