Author Archives
James is a full-time writer.
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Exploring the real world… volunteers
January, 2019 It’s that time of year. Our Christmas tree is lopsided and the fairy’s fallen off. The decorations are pulling paint off the walls, our pots and pans are charred and ruined, black bags are filled with body parts,… Read More ›
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Exploring the real world… Goldilocks pubs
February, 2019 According to a recent census there are almost 10,000 people living in the parish of Bradford on Avon (north and south wards). More than 80% are 18-years-old or older which means there are roughly 8,000 adults living in… Read More ›
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Exploring the real world… a Christmas Carol
December, 2018 Bah! That’s what I used to say to Christmas. Humbug! An annual mugging of my hard-earned moolah. Decorations? Boughs of holly? Spare me the jingly bells and chestnuts roasting on an open fire. I was a writer, jaded… Read More ›
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Exploring the real world… the canal
November, 2018 In 1794 the first sod of the Kennet and Avon Canal was cut in Bradford on Avon. What interests me about that moment is the phrase, ‘first sod’. Every description of that inaugural digging uses those words. Not… Read More ›
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Stuck for ideas?
Brighten up a book lover’s stocking this Christmas… Available here.
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It was a dark and stormy night…
As the old joke goes: ‘There are three rules to writing novels. Unfortunately nobody knows what they are.’ I like that. Recently, I was a guest speaker at a writers’ workshop and I was asked what rules I follow. I paraphrased Elmore… Read More ›
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Remember Remember…
With Bonfire Night just around the corner – well, in a few days, I don’t think time goes round corners does it, or does it? Tricky thing time. I remember when I was young the summers seemed – anyway, yes,… Read More ›
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Exploring the real world… the ark
October, 2018 I’ve had a cold recently and I haven’t been exploring the real world as much as usual. Just hanging around the house drinking lemon and honey and cough medicine. Colds are boring and doing nothing started me thinking… Read More ›
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Exploring the real world… and preserving it
September, 2018 An English teacher once handed back an essay I’d written by scrunching it into a ball and throwing it at my head. When I unscrunched it (the essay not my head) every page was criss-crossed with creases. I… Read More ›
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Exploring the real world… divine inspiration
August, 2018 As I sit down in my garden preparing to write this month’s article for The Gudgeon, I can hear a Sunday morning church congregation. Their collective larynx rises in adoration and prayer, and I’m reminded that the human… Read More ›
