I'm thrilled to announce I have teamed up with author Daisy White to host Sussex Writing Retreats.

Following on from the inaugural one this year, we have four scheduled for 2022.

The first one is to take place from 1-3 April, and will focus on New Beginnings. Every day we'll feed you great food, inspire you with experts across many fields in publishing and give you the space to create your own work. 

To book your space (places are limited) or ask any questions, go to www.daisywhiteauthor.co.uk. 

I'm very excited to announce I have been signed by Annette Crossland at the A For Authors agency.
She will be working with me on getting my novel, Star Survivor, out into the world.
Watch this space for further updates!

As of this week I'm adding to my portfolio by writing for lifestyle and travel website, Sussex Exclusive.

My area of expertise, which I've got something like 15 years' experience in, is food and drink producers in the South East. That means it's great to shout about the amazing artisans of food and drink in this stunning area of the UK to live in.

The only task I have to fulfil is to find interesting and exclusive finds, and then write about them. 

For the launch week I put together articles on Firebird Brewery, Coolhurst Vineyard, Amanda Jane Flowers and Afterthought Spirits.

I'm providing copy for two articles a week, so am looking forward to discovering more amazing finds.

Ooo this was a good month for reading. I mean, most months go pretty well but this month I've enjoyed some incredible finds.

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

This wonderful book - and equally wonderful author, won numerous prizes and plaudits last year and quite rightly so. I don't even know where to start with this book. It's about Shakespeare's wife and family, though he never gets named, and is all about what was going on 'back home' when he was off being the Bard.

As soon as the novel began I was sucked into the world O'Farrell had magicked up and from there on in I was hooked. The writing is sublime. She's masterful at descriptions that put you right.there.in.the.moment. She doesn't use silly plot devices, just the changing of seasons to move things along when needed and purely because I wouldn't wish to give anything away, all I can say is I did actually cry at the end. I'm so rarely moved by a book in such a way and she managed it. 

I would give my right arm to write as well as Maggie does.

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

My husband bought this book for me purely because the protagonist had the same name as my own novel Star Survivor and that's entirely where any similarities with my work and Taffy's ends.

I was so worried about what to read after Hamnet. I honestly considered just re-reading it because nothing could possibly compare. However, despite the cover which for some reason I found off-putting (I know, don't judge a book etc) I was instantly drawn into Taffy's New York and protagonist Fleishman.

The book follows the story of a couple going through a divorce, mainly through the eyes of Toby Fleishman. So far, so what I suppose you ask? Well, it's just so darn current. There's online dating. A touch of catfishing. A lot of sex. 

But it's so raw. The emotions Taffy gives to the Fleishman's make them as real as you or I. I read it breathlessly, wondering where it was going and able to touch, taste and smell the New York streets. 

By the time I finished it. Well, I won't give anything away. But yes. There's a fair bit of trouble, and a hell of a lot of good writing.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I've mentioned before how I like to take recommendations for my reads, and often my son recommends something to me he's enjoyed (and vice versa). I love the connection we have and the fact he can enjoy something so much he adds it to my TBR pile means an awful lot. My daughter has begun to do the same and I'm always heartened by what the pile next to my bed contains when someone has left a suggestion.

This month, my son recommended The Maze Runner, and after two cracking 'grown up' books, I was keen to be diverted in case I chose a duff one, so it was good timing for this scary coming of age YA novel. 

The premise, that a group of teenagers are in some sort of dystopian world - ours maybe? - but have a class system, have to look after themselves and don't know how they get there (other than they arrive in 'the hole') is sounding a bit like Lord of the Flies, well, drop the notion as there's also a huge maze next to them, with enormous nasty creatures ready to chop them to bits. Nice huh? 

It's actually good fun. I read it quickly but enjoyed the characters - none of which followed any awful stereotypes - and was hooked to the end, then discovered it was part of a trilogy! So I'm left hanging now to find out what happens to the characters I've grown to know. I'll wait for the next one to arrive on my TBR pile shortly!

Holes by Louis Sachar

We read together as a family, and this novel, set in the States in current times was...interesting. 

The premise was intriguing. A boy, who has committed a crime, is sent to a camp where he, and a gang of other naughty lads, are tasked with digging holes. They're not told why. As they dig, and we begin to learn more, there's clearly a reason for the digging and events unfold/

My children, aged 8 and 10 enjoyed it. I found a lot of it quite predictable and wasn't surprised by the various twists and turns. This is probably because I'm not the target audience as it's been picked up and turned into a movie, so, what do I know?

One of the best, and often repeated pieces of advice I've been given by successful authors is to read, read, read and read some more. 

Reading has never been an issue for me, I 'completed' the school's library when I was about 9 and went on to have books curated for me by a wonderfully sympathetic librarian. I think her love of books, and my enjoyment of someone picking out books I should read, have held me in good stead since and not a week goes by I haven't been reading something.

I must confess though, I do have a hangover from those curated book lists from my librarian. I find it incredibly hard to choose my own books. I feel overwhelmed with what's best, and just want to read them all so instead I go by recommendations and loans from friends and families. I don't have a specific genre I favour and will give anything a go. This tends to mean I have an eclectic reading list. 

January's reading consisted of - 

Don't Touch My Hair, by Emma Dabiri

As I mentioned, I tend to not 'choose' my books, and Don't Touch My Hair was loaned to me by a fellow #curlygirl after I mentioned having one of my curls pulled by someone in a shop (yes, even in Covid stay outta my way times). 

The incident for me, was completely out of kilter with how I expect people to behave, so my eyes were sadly widely opened when I read Dabiri's fascinating essay on the rich history of Afro hair and the huge amount of stigma around the different hair types.  Dabiri writes in a dry way, sometimes shockingly so when referencing cultural appropriation, racism and the various challenges women (in the main) face when looking after their hair. 

The Paris Interviews (vol4) edited by Philip Gourevitch

This book was recommended on a Curtis Brown writing course I recently completed, and, being a good student, I diligently bought it as it professed to give an insight into well-known writers. 

Whilst I found many of the mini essays within the book interesting, not least the level of alcoholism involved and hideaway retreats so many run away to, it didn't live up to expectation as the 'bible for readers and writers' that The Observer claimed. Whilst reading it, I got the sense that social media has rather overtaken this need to document in this way, I'm far more interested in seeing an author's writing room on Instagram or read their views on Twitter.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Confession time. I asked for this book for Christmas. I did say I was generally lent or recommended 80% of the time, there are occasions when I decide I specifically want to read something and recently it was this. 

This was my only adult fiction book this month and I enjoyed getting stuck into the character driven narrative. I'd managed to stay away from the adaptation before reading it and I'm glad I did. Whilst I didn't warm to either of the lead characters, I think that's the point. They're normal people, living relatively normal lives and it's a window on their world over a few years. 

Sometimes with books with so much hype, you fear it'll be for nowt, but I devoured this novel. It was so earnest. Not in a do-gooding, sickly way, just, tender and sad, and bittersweet and lovely and a bit sexy.  Not a bad choice by me.

Secret Seven by Enid Blyton with the family

Since lockdown no.1, the two children, my husband and I all sit and read together most nights. It started with Harry Potter, which we read the entire series of, and we then moved to one-off books the children wanted to read with us. 

Their first choice was Secret Seven. I read this as a child in the 80s, along with Famous Five etc when I didn't know any better, and, oh dear, it has not aged well now we're in 2021. As a family we had a good giggle at the patriarchal way Peter bossed the other six around, always leaving the girls out or ignoring their suggestions. My daughter (8), was the first to pipe up that poor old Janet never got listened to, and she was quite right. 

Anyway, we read the book. It had the first three Secret Seven novels published in it. We won't be reading any more.

I was thrilled to be asked by the lovely author Anna Jefferson to contribute to her latest project, 'Writing Around the Kids'.

As someone who has done this for the past ten years or so I like to think I have a few pearls of wisdom. I've shared one of them with the team at Writing Around the Kids, enjoy!

writingaroundthekids.co.uk/prompts-and-tips/lisa-brace/

(Also, please appreciate the fact it took me over 20 times to get the recording just right, what with forgetting my advice, a dog jumping on me, bad hair and an unexpected sneeze).