Whether it was artistic symbolism, a PR stunt or a knee-jerk emotional reaction, the one thing that really stands out about Jeanette Winterson’s book bonfire is the fact that we forget how many people pour their hearts and souls into publishing books. Nobody with an interest in the world of publishing could have missed the … Continue reading Jeanette Winterson’s book bonfire is symbolic of how we dismiss those working passionately behind the scenes
Does mental illness make us more creative?
This is a topic that is ALWAYS up for debate. And it’s pretty controversial to boot. There has been a lot of research into whether or not mental illness makes us more creative - acclaimed US psychologist and author Kay Redfield Jamison released an entire book exploring the subject (Touched With Fire if you’re interested). But … Continue reading Does mental illness make us more creative?
Free Book Sample:The Twenty Seven Club
Fancy having a read of The Twenty Seven Club before committing your pennies to it? Well, turns out that Amazon will let you do that for FREE! This fictional tale takes you back to 1994, when the music world was mourning Kurt Cobain - and the concept of The Twenty Seven Club emerged - along … Continue reading Free Book Sample:The Twenty Seven Club
How anxiety makes the truth stranger than fiction
Trigger warning: Panic and health anxiety There’s a theme that runs through all my writing - the media’s impact on our anxiety. And my God, it’s very REAL. I’m not blaming the media. Not entirely. It’s just that, for us obsessives, the combination of health anxiety and health headlines is a bit of a toxic cocktail. … Continue reading How anxiety makes the truth stranger than fiction
10 Books on Addiction and Recovery
I’ve spent a lot of time working with addiction recovery charities over the last few years, and, as I was working on a project this morning, it inspired me to share some of the books I’ve read - and some on my TBR - on the topic. There really are some powerful, honest, inspirational, humorous … Continue reading 10 Books on Addiction and Recovery
GOING LIVE: The Writing Community Chat Show
Evening all! I’ve been sticking my face in front of the camera a bit and tomorrow I’ll be doing it again and going live - not with Gordon the Gopher and a sweary phone-in directed at Five Star - but with the Writing Community Chat Show. I’ll be talking all about The Twenty Seven Club, … Continue reading GOING LIVE: The Writing Community Chat Show
Why do so many rock stars die aged 27?
I wrote an entire book based on this question. The thing is, I don’t think we’re really asking the right question at all. Which is also why I wrote the book. It’s easy to find a headline. Especially today - conspiracy theories and drawn conclusions based on....well...a bunch of details we cherry pick from. But … Continue reading Why do so many rock stars die aged 27?
How showing vulnerability helped my social anxiety
So, I’ve started vlogging....never thought it would be my thing but I’m giving it a go. It’s focused on mental health, music and arts, and I thought I’d share today’s little ramble which is all about the value of showing your vulnerability... Please do have a watch / like / subscribe / comment. It’s a … Continue reading How showing vulnerability helped my social anxiety
The Twenty Seven Club – launch day STUFF
Yesterday was e-book launch day! I’m excited about The Twenty Seven Club landing on readers’ tablets - and of course nervous about the response! Anyway, to celebrate the day, I pulled together some stuff including an interview with former Senseless Things roadie, Gigsy; a celebration of Hull’s music scene pre City of Culture, and of … Continue reading The Twenty Seven Club – launch day STUFF
Join me for a chat on music and mental health!
Dear all, I’m feeling pretty excited as we gear up to the official launch of The Twenty Seven Club - with the e-book being released on Wednesday! If you prefer to digest your words digitally, do pre-order yourself a copy and it will drop onto your tablet in just two days! You can pre-order on: … Continue reading Join me for a chat on music and mental health!
