Switching Genres
JK Rowling did it. Michael Crichton did it. And Ruth Rendell did it too. Now, I’m considering following in their footsteps as well. There are many reasons why a writer …
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Alveley & Upper Arley
My seven-mile route along the River Severn between Alveley and Upper Arley is in the June issue of Country Walking magazine. It’s a lovely stroll for a summer’s afternoon, and …
Ask The Agent: Sarah Brooks
Simon Whaley chats to Sarah Brooks of the Darley Anderson agency about the resurgence in Regency romance. Sarah Brooks began her publishing career in 2010 as a rights assistant at …
Changing Agents
It’s all part of the dream, isn’t it? Write a book, secure a literary agent, get a publishing contract, and then retire on the proceeds. But that second bit, securing …
Audio First
The audio market is booming and set to grow further. Simon Whaley chats to two writers about how writing for audio can improve our writing generally. Kerboom! Did you hear …
Cavernous Kinver Edge
“Where are all the cavemen, Granddad?” A young boy kicks the tiled floor with his shoe as he holds his granddad’s hand. “Years ago, Joshua, lots of people lived in …
Whixall Moss
My 8-mile walk exploring Whixall Moss and Bettisfield is in the April 2026 issue of Country Walking magazine. Here’s a ten-minute overview of the route: (There’s also one of my …
Ask The Agent – Jodie Hodges
Simon Whaley chats to Jodie Hodges of United Agents about writing for the graphic and comic book market. Jodie Hodges joined the Peter Fraser and Dunlop (PFD) agency in 2006 …
Write Streaming
One of the many things I enjoy most about being a writer is shutting myself away from the world when I write. But perhaps that’s because there’s nobody to watch …
Through the Ceiriog Valley
As hotel names go, this one’s a little unusual. Across Church Street, in the Welsh Border town of Chirk, is the Hand Hotel. Parts of it date back to 1610, …