I’ve just finished watching a documentary on Ernest Hemingway, considered by many as one of the literary giants of the 20th century. I learned that he was often plagued by self-doubt when it came to starting a new novel, and this got... Continue Reading →
Describing in my previous blog how I’d retreated to the relative safety of another personal journey for my latest novel got me questioning whether it was the correct strategy or simply the case of taking an easy way out? The... Continue Reading →
Spending your day coming up with ideas for new novels, it’s too easy to run away with yourself. That’s my excuse for having to put two projects that I’d spent months developing, and to which I had attached such high... Continue Reading →
A second Pesach, devoid of the traditional celebrations of the Exodus from Egypt, would have seemed unimaginable just a couple of years ago. But then it’s probably a blessing that we aren’t privy to what lies just around the corner. This is... Continue Reading →
With the end of lockdown and the return to normal in sight, one can’t help wondering whether things will ever be the same. Certainly, for people like me and I suspect for many others, the episode has left us with more questions... Continue Reading →
Feelings of low self-esteem are not at all surprising in today’s society, where comparative success appears all-important. In my case, my feelings of inadequacy certainly derived from school years, which were devoid of any achievement to write home about. Fortunately, education has moved on... Continue Reading →
Researching the earliest forms of writing for a new project, it was comforting to discover that the earliest wordsmith was also up against it, trying to get his point across. In his case, most of his formative years were spent... Continue Reading →
John joined the CHABAD Research Unit discussion panel to explore the role of creativity in mental wellbeing, and his own journey as an author. This series of encounters on the theme of Creativity, Spirituality & Wellbeing is in memory of... Continue Reading →
As 2020 drew to a close, quite understandably most of us were looking forward to a New Year free from the extraordinary challenges of the previous twelve months. However, the surreal conditions that accompanied the pandemic brought something more profound... Continue Reading →
When I first turned my hand to writing, it was without any conscious need to come to terms with a couple of traumatic experiences that I subsequently learned had remained submerged for far too long! Rather than seeking counselling for the bereavement... Continue Reading →
And there was I thinking there was light at the end of the tunnel! The projects that had just recently immerged from enforced hibernation were about to be mothballed yet again! The question of how to respond to this latest... Continue Reading →
Writing a novel is hard and some may even say a foolish pursuit. After all, with the tens of thousand of new titles published each year, what are the odds that yours is going to make an impact on the literary world?... Continue Reading →
The prospect of a virtual book launch didn’t exactly set the adrenalin pumping! With the surreal conditions, we’ve all found ourselves in this year, it was that or nothing for my latest novel, The Temple of Fortune, to see the light of... Continue Reading →
Another Pesach has come and gone but why, I wondered, did this one seem different from all other ones? Perhaps in the current lockdown, there’s been more time to reflect on this and other questions that I’d previously taken for... Continue Reading →
So, now for 2020... Starting 2020 with two projects programmed for the year, the prospects for 2020 were looking good - that is, until the pandemic hit. The question of how to respond to a crisis this time didn’t just... Continue Reading →
