Recording of my poem, Tripoli Dreaming

As I mentioned recently, I won first prize in Trip Fiction's Voyages by Verse poetry competition. I decided to record myself reading it, so have a listen below. bexstonehill · Tripoli Dreaming

Guest Blog with a 93 year old Dancing Doctor - A Long and Fascinating Life

I'm delighted to welcome on to my blog today Dr Christopher Hopkins, my step-great-uncle (less complicated than it sounds!). He may be turning 94 this year, but Christopher is probably the most energetic person to feature on my blog: he is…

First prize in Voyages by Verse Poetry Competition

I am over the moon to have won first place in Trip Fiction's Voyages by Verse poetry competition. It is only more recently that I have been spending more time with poetry - both reading and writing it - and I feel really honoured to win this…
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Friday Night Drinks with A Little Book Problem

It was really fun to be interviewed by Julie Morris, book blogger of 'A Little Book Problem'. Like my previous interview with Jill of Jill's Book Cafe, there were some great questions provided by Julie, such as which two famous people I'd invite…

April-June Reading BAME authors

So how do I decide which books I'm going to read in this journey of only reading BAME authors during 2021? I have several pages in a big notebook where I have two lists of books that I 'must' read this year and books that I will 'maybe' read.…
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Five on Friday with Jill's Book Cafe Blog

I loved these unusual questions I was asked by Jill Doyle of Jill's Book Cafe Blog, such as what are my top 5 pieces of music, 5 things I can't live without and 5 pieces of advice I'd give to my younger self. It was really fun and thought-provoking…

Interview with Backlash Press

Recently, my third novel The Secret Life of Alfred Nightingale was selected by an independent publisher Backlash Press as one of their 'curated indie' titles. Backlash describes itself as a small, independent press publishing house dedicated…
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The Curious World of Waiting

There is a great deal documented about the process of writing a novel: crafting a plot and characterisation and the story arc or the editing process, for example. There has also been much written about the finished product of a book: working…
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The Public Library Love Letter

I have had my poem about my long relationship with public libraries published with online literary magazine, Idle Ink. Click here to read this very personal poem. Me around the age I started falling in love with books.

A Year of Reading Authors of Colour

I decided towards the end of 2020 that in 2021 I would read books only by authors of colour / BAME authors. I made this decision after realising that only a tiny proportion of my shortlisted favourite books from 2020 fell into the BAME category.…