Blog
Back Again!
Yay, I am back online! As some of you may have noticed, my website was hacked some time ago, and my provider’s technical support, who had apparently been switched to a team in India, made things worse until I was only left with a 404. Annalisa, my writing coach,…
Genre Mashup Confessions
If you’ve looked at my bio, you’ll have spotted the list. Science fiction, space opera, urban fantasy, horror, fairy tales, noir, detective fiction, dark humour, to name but a few. Often more than one in a single tale, I always add, because that’s the genuinely…
Where Do You Get Your Crazy Ideas?
Every writer gets asked this eventually. I’ve had it at WI talks, U3A talks, Rotary meetings, in interviews, and at least once from an interviewer at Fenland Youth Radio who looked genuinely suspicious of my answer, as if I were holding something back. I wasn’t. The…
What Winning the Writers Forum Award Actually Changed
In 2023, the Writers Forum named me the author of their Book of the Year, with a joint award for Shuttlers and Paranormal City. I don’t remember exactly where I was when I found out, but I do remember the slightly ridiculous grin that took up residence on my face for…
Why I Came to Writing Late in Life
I get asked this a fair bit, usually with a slightly puzzled tone, as if the maths don’t quite add up. Someone discovers I’ve written well over two million words, am working on something in the region of thirty-five books, and have a couple of awards to my name — and…
Where the Idea for Shuttlers Came From
People assume that if you’ve written a space opera novel about beings who can slip between alternate realities, you must have had it all plotted out in advance. A nice, neat outline. Maybe even a spreadsheet. I did not have a spreadsheet. I didn’t even have a plot…
A Day in My Life with the Muse
People often ask me where my ideas come from. The honest answer is that I haven’t the foggiest idea. That’s not me being modest — it’s just that the Muse doesn’t leave a forwarding address. Nor does she give away her secrets. I know many who wish they had a consistent…
Unleashing Your Dreams
In March, 2024, I gave a talk to the local U3A (University of the 3rd Age) in Whittlesey, where I’m a member. The subject was “Unleashing Your Dreams… how to make them come true,” based on my book “Unleash Your Dreams: Going Beyond Goal Setting”. I think I entertained…
Setting the Record Straight
Some time ago, someone told me that a poster on Reddit was accusing my writing coach, Annalisa Summea, of being a fraud. This was the gist of the reply I posted in the thread. ****** Last week, I became aware of some people badmouthing Annalisa and the Writing Gym…
New Video Page
As part of my recreation/update of my website, I’ve decided to add a page with my videos on it. These will include book trailers and other incidentals that are not directly interviews. Here’s the newest one.
WhitLit 3
Earlier today, members of the Whittlesey U3A [University of the Third Age] gathered to listen to members of the Whittlesey Wordsmiths and the Voices in Verse poetry group give readings and talk about writing. The special guests included Eva Jordan and Alan Sharkey,…
Whittlesey Wordsmiths
Yesterday, the Whittlesey Wordsmiths met for our monthly get-together at Peel House. Two members were missing, Sandra and Jan, due to health considerations. In case you don’t know me, I’m the one in the funky T-shirt in the back row. Among other items, we celebrated…
Update to Celebrating My Birthday
Here’s an update to my birthday present for you. I’ve changed the way you play and download the music, as well as added an audio version to listen to on your smartphone. To celebrate surviving another birthday yesterday, I’m giving everyone a couple of videos I…
Ancestors
Someone recently asked me where I get my writing talent from and whether I have any writers as ancestors. That got me thinking. I only really know my ancestry back for two generations, except for a couple of great-grandparents my mother mentions whenever I talk about…
Celebrating My Birthday
To celebrate surviving another birthday yesterday, I’m giving everyone a couple of videos I created a few years ago. They have beautiful visuals, relaxing music, and subliminal messages to motivate us to become Awakened Millionaires, as defined by Dr Joe Vitale. One…
Free Story
Guest Post on “Date With the Muse”
Recently, I was asked to write a guest post for Date With the Muse, the website site of my writing coach Annalisa Summea. It’s part of my work marketing my books to the greater public. If you don’t know what one is, a guest post is when you get someone else to post on…
Stephen Oliver, Purveyor of the Paranormal
And yet another interview on a podcast, this time for the Blasters and Blades Podcast. You can find it in four different places below. Spotify Stephen Oliver, Purveyor of the Paranormal by Blasters & Blades and Stephen Oliver Video
An African Interview
On Saturday evening, I was interviewed by a very kind gentleman from West Africa. We talked about books and how important they are to the readers. Unfortunately, due to network problems, the interview was interrupted. This is the second half. I’m attempting to get…
What is the Writing Gym?
I’ve often been asked, “What’s this Writing Gym you say has helped you so much as a published author?” Well, here’s an interview I took part in on this very subject. Now, you can understand why I’ve achieved the successes I have. ***** When we first met, Stephen was…
Another Local Radio Interview
Fenland Youth Radio interviewed me again on Monday, the 24 th of July, 2023. We discussed two of my books sharing an award from THE WRITERS FORM, and one of them, Paranormal City, being shortlisted for the Imaginarium Convention’s Imadjinn Awards for the best short…