What is Liberation Day?

Even when there is not a coronation, I hang out the flags this time each year. During the pandemic, home-made bunting had to suffice, strung across the windows to the mystification of neighbours. Possibly they were too polite to ask whether I’d just joined the Brexit Party. Last year, a dog walker finally posed the... Continue Reading →

Snapshots of the Year

Writing is not very photogenic. Between the cover reveals and the book signings there are mornings tapping at the computer and afternoons quietly reading research books, all punctuated by country walks to work out this scene or that and simply stretch my back. Before this year's conference season and travel season begins, here are a... Continue Reading →

Writer, Archaeologist, Traveller – 2023

Winter keeps up its stubborn rear-guard action, but at least dismal February is done with. All three of my personas have been distracted during the cold months. Normal life stopped for Christmas, then stopped again for my second helping of covid. Essential family commitments ate up much of January and February, squeezing my writing time.... Continue Reading →

Keeping Up With the Crises

Most authors writing the biography of an artist have a straightforward task. The artworks are complete, and any meaning or symbolism embedded in art is fixed. It is slightly more complex if the artist is still alive and still producing new works, but a line can still be drawn. Time Limit (1979) Peter Le Vasseur... Continue Reading →

What to Leave Out?

When writing non-fiction, or indeed historical fiction, the temptation is to cram as much of your research as possible into the book. Firm discipline needs to be applied to fiction as you are not writing a textbook and explicit information-dumping must be avoided. In non-fiction the need for such discipline may relax because you are... Continue Reading →

Guernsey Books From Blue Ormer

Guernsey-based distributor Blue Ormer are now carrying stock of books written or edited by me about Guernsey, plus some to which I'm an editor or contributor. Most were previously difficult to obtain off-island barring occasional re-sellers on Amazon. The address for Blue Ormer's Guernsey history page is here. Discover more The Story of Guernsey in... Continue Reading →

The Fun is in the Detail

Peter le Vasseur's pictures can at first glance appear to be beautiful nature pictures. Look again, look closely and you can find detail that adds meaning to the work, sometimes indeed its title. This has been part of the fun of working with Peter and writing A Brush With Life. Picture 010 deer 5.tif The... Continue Reading →

Writer, Archaeologist, Traveller

'Thriller Writer, Archaeologist and Traveller' it says at the head of the website, and that was the plan at the end of 2019. Then guess what happened to spoil everyone's year... and the one after that too. Never one to be in fashion, it wasn't until the second anniversary of lockdown that I went down... Continue Reading →

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