Pumpkin Pies and Sensory Immersion

Pumpkin Pies and Sensory Immersion

Whenever I smell freshly grated nutmeg, my mind takes me to the kitchen of my childhood home. My dad and I stand side-by-side with our sleeves rolled up, wearing aprons: he mixes canned pumpkin with eggs, cream, brown sugar and spices, while I roll out pastry for a...
Embracing Failure

Embracing Failure

Writer Samuel Beckett coined the phrase “Fail again. Fail better” in his penultimate novella Worstward Ho in 1983. It became the mantra for individuals, entrepreneurs and writers around the world, urging them to overcome their challenges and continue striving to reach...
Nothing Wasted

Nothing Wasted

When I completed the first draft of The Engraver, I honestly believed it was pretty good. My brash opinion lasted only a few days. After I climbed down from my pedestal, I looked at the manuscript with fresh eyes and realised that no one would publish it in its...
Inspiration: Far and Wide

Inspiration: Far and Wide

I’m fascinated by the endless ways in which artists – whether musicians, painters, photographers, graphic designers, but especially writers – find inspiration. ‘If you want to be a writer,’ said Stephen King, ‘read a lot and write a lot.’ An abundance of...
The Muse

The Muse

When I visited a Frida Kahlo exhibition several years ago, I was struck by her revelation about the inspiration behind her art. ‘I am my own muse,’ she explained. ‘I am the subject I know best. The subject I want to know better.’ It explains why 55 of the 143...

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