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A year after publishing The Chic Crone, I’ve learned that writing isn’t just about finishing a book—it’s about continuing through mistakes, discouragement, and uncertainty, and building something meaningful one imperfect step at a time.

While writing a fantasy short story set in the world of Rowanswood, I stumbled into an unexpected research question: what do you call a group of selkies? The answer turned into a delightful folklore rabbit hole about language, mythology, and the small details that bring magical worlds to life.

December is the perfect month to slip away from the holiday bustle with a warm drink, a soft blanket, and a magical story. Here are three cosy fantasy and paranormal reads to help you unwind when you’re feeling thoroughly peopled out.

In many fantasy stories, familiars are mysterious, silent creatures—always present, but rarely heard. That’s … not how it works in Rowanswood. Here, familiars have personalities as big as their Crones’, and plenty of attitude.

What does the word crone really mean? Far from the cruel stereotype of fairy tales, the Crone archetype represents wisdom, transformation, and the power that comes with experience. In the world of Rowanswood, the Crone is not a figure of ridicule but a woman of authority, insight, and magical responsibility.

For me, Rowanswood isn’t just scenery, it’s a character. Every shopfront, every stone wall, has a story to tell. Villages like this draw us in because they feel safe and cozy, yet they whisper of magic just out of sight.

For many of us, midlife can feel like a crossroads. Our children have grown, our career has often plateaued, relationships change – sometimes dramatically. But as Olivia discovers, those moments of upheaval can be the very soil where transformation takes root.

One of the hottest topics in recent years has been AI especially for self-published authors. This post outlines my stance on using AI as a powerful writing tool, not as a replacement for human creativity. There are still a lot of unanswered questions around copyright, the ethics of using author

A great hullabaloo arose in Author World over an article recently published by The Atlantic. It blows open the extent to which companies like Meta are using pirated books to train their AI models. LibGen is the pirated books data base and it now houses millions of books

We’re only a week away from the release of The Chic Crone, a paranormal romance with a midlife adventure! It’s been a marathon over the past month. My middle grade books have all been traditionally published but this one I’m indie publishing. And it’s a whole new cauldron of spells!