not A Duff word

Mission Impossible Fallout blasts onto the big screen this week. Like him or loathe him, Tom’s back with his sixth outing as Ethan Hunt. Before this message self-destructs, here are five things the franchise reminds us: 5     Mission Impossible is in its 22nd year. If you’ve got a winning formula stick with it. 4     “This message will self-destruct … Continue reading This message will self-destruct in five seconds

Do you know that little voice in your head? The one that’s always there. That internal commentary is the narrative to your life. It dictates what you will do today, tomorrow and ever after. Ever notice how often your internal story clings to the negative but slips away faster than a greasy egg in a … Continue reading The word that will change your life

I’m part way through a book. It’s about a guy who is serving life in prison for murder. He says he’s innocent of the crime. The reason he’s in prison, he believes, is because his story was too complicated for the jury to understand. Earlier this week I spent half an hour reading and reflecting … Continue reading The ‘too hard’ shelf

“I’ve got a brilliant idea for a book,” I said. “It has been in my head for about five years. It’s all there. I just need to write it.” “Then why don’t you?” my new acquaintance with seven published crime novels under his belt asked me. “I just don’t have the time. My job is … Continue reading The best piece of advice I ever received

I feel most free when… writing.  Writing is like magic – without the trickery.  You start with nothing, to create something.     Worlds, both real and imagined, are built with words. These carefully crafted lands of language last lifetimes. Crossing time, age and borders to frame our thoughts. From Ali Baba to Zorro, colourful characters … Continue reading I feel most free when…