story-writing | Penstricken

I’m Not Just a Picture Book Author (Really!)

Posted on March 3, 2023 Leave a Comment

Here’s a wee update on my non-picture book related writing projects.

So, About That Chicken Story I Mentioned…

Posted on February 23, 2023 Leave a Comment

If you have read my new kids book, Detective Mo and the Mystery of the Stolen Cake, you might have noticed the title reveal of another book on the back page: Rollo, The Bravest Chicken in the World.

Detective Mo 3 – Title Reveal

Posted on January 7, 2023 Leave a Comment

Detective Mo will soon be back with a whole new mystery to solve.

Change of Plans

Posted on December 16, 2022 Leave a Comment

I recently gave you all a little progress update on Detective Mo 3. If you read it, you may recall that I was concerned it may be a little too heavy for the age-group I have thus far been aiming Detective Mo at (and I’m a strong believer in being consistent with your audience when […]

Detective Mo 3 Update

Posted on December 8, 2022 Leave a Comment

If you’ve been following me on social media, you might have seen me drop a few teasers about the next instalment in the Detective Mo series (title tbh) so I thought it was about time I gave you a proper update.

Throwback Thursday: 50 Character Motives For Your Story

Posted on November 17, 2022 Leave a Comment

I’ve listed a few possible character motives in the image below and I would encourage you to play around with different ways of interpreting and applying them.

An Arch-Nemesis for Detective Mo?

Posted on October 27, 2022 Leave a Comment

As I was showing my initial scribblings for Detective Mo 3 to my daughter, she suggested that the antagonist I’ve created should become a recurring arch nemesis for Mo.

Throwback Thursday: 7 Deadly Writing Sins

Posted on September 15, 2022 Leave a Comment

There remain some lines we should simply never cross; some crimes we can commit as authors which are just unforgivable. And so, I’ve listed a few of them here for your enjoyment and instruction.

5 Useful Posts for Novelists – Romantic Subplot Edition 😍

Posted on August 7, 2022 Leave a Comment

I’ve been trying to find some pointers to help me really polish off the relationship between my protagonist and the love interest. Here’s some links to a few of the more useful articles I’ve found.