May 04th 2018
Last week I met an Englishman living in south western France. Nothing unusual in that you might think, but how he got there is. The man, who for the purposes of this reading, I will call David, was born brought up in Barnsley and was an IT specialist working in the financial district of New […]
Read more...
November 08th 2017
I’m currently reading a fascinating book called ‘Walking with Cattle.’ I know it hardly seems an immediately enticing read but I came across it in a splendid new, independent, book shop in Fort William in the Highlands of Scotland. Despite Fort William’s strategic location close to the foot of Ben Nevis and enjoying magnificent views […]
Read more...
March 09th 2017
I was talking to someone a few days ago who informed me that their child was being taught about subjunctives and gerunds at primary school. This is proof, perhaps, that Mr Gove’s tenure as the Government’s Education Secretary was not entirely wasted, despite bleatings from teachers about yet more changes to the national curriculum. It […]
Read more...
March 03rd 2017
A short story: Gannet: Sula bassana. Very large seabird, cigar shaped with a six foot wingspan. Narrow, black tipped wings and a white body with ochre head. A superb, graceful flyer, prefers open sea except when breeding. Dives from a great height to catch fish. “When thou going to get ‘itched then Tommy?” one of […]
Read more...
November 11th 2016
Preamble: I wrote this piece for my ‘Radio for the Blind’ recording on 01 November, my predictions appear to have been prescient as we had a heavy fall of snow this week. Well we are heading for it now. The clocks have turned back and I have lit my open fire, as I write the […]
Read more...
August 21st 2016
Read more...
June 28th 2016
I know this is not the end of the referendum debate by a country mile but it is time we just stopped expressing our anger, horror, surprise, joy or whatever emotion June 23 stirred in us and thought about the future. Looking back is pointless, it is time to look ahead and seize what opportunities […]
Read more...
May 10th 2016
The communications industry is obsessed with ‘content’. In layman’s language this means copy and visual material for websites, blogs, social media sites and internal briefing documents. There is an overload of ‘content’ and therefore a greater need for brevity and conciseness. Engaging audiences among the tsunami of non-stop communications has become harder to achieve and […]
Read more...
March 19th 2016
From the early stages of writing my first novel I had decided on the name, ‘The Windelton Absurdities.’ I felt it accurately characterised the absurd, outlandish and hilarious roll call of inhabitants and place that is the imaginary, small Yorkshire town of Windelton. So why did it end being called ‘Hidden Lives’ you might ask? […]
Read more...
March 11th 2016
It is stating the obvious that different subjects will require different pace and tone; writing about an insurance policy needs a more serious treatment than say, a pair of Levi’s (although some may disagree), but understanding the motivations of your audience remain paramount. It is all too easy to forget when messaging, whether it be […]
Read more...