Flaming Nora

I've a short story today in The People's Friend Special No. 141 which is out in the shops today. It's a story about knitting and how the skill is passed down through the generations of one family - much like my own. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've a short story in My Weekly magazine, which is out today in the shops.  The story is called queen bee! and it's a tale of social media and bees. That's all I'm going to tease. It's a quirky little story and I hope you like reading it. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Today has been just about perfect.  A sunny Sunday in Sunderland. It started with a 10 mile bike ride with my husband in the sunshine. We cycled into town, through town, down to the river and back home along the beach.  Then we started working in the garden. Well, I call it 'working' in the garden but it's a joy to potter about with trowel in hand. I pottered, I weeded, I watered, I dug, I looked and smiled. I even took some photos . Then I made some bread. Focaccia, if you're asking. I picked rhubarb from the garden and stewed it for dessert after dinner tonight.  Then when the sun went in, we came into the house, tired, happy, ready for our second can of cider after the first didn't even touch the sides as we sat outside and drunk it in the sunshine. Well, us gardeners have to have our rewards. And while my husband cooked dinner in the kitchen, the soundtrack to the cooking is one of my favourites, perfect for sunny Sunday afternoons, DJ Derek with a strong re...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update  has just gone live here . This week in Corrie, Daniel the devil appeared. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Let me make it plain that I am not a theatre reviewer. I am however, a huge fan of musical theatre and my absolute favourite, all-time musical has always been Half a Sixpence. I fell in love with the Tommy Steele film as a little girl and have loved it ever since.  And so when it was announced that the musical was being staged in London, I had to go and see it, of course. Now then. When I go to the theatre I never buy a programme. Never. Programmes are expensive and tell you little about what you really want to know. But I made an exception for Half a Sixpence, because I love the show so much. And while I sat waiting for the show to begin, in those excited few moments before the lights dim and the overture begins, I read the programme (£4 if you're interested) and my heart sank. Here's why. This new version of Half a Sixpence isn't based on the Tommy Steele film. It's not even based on the stage play, and yes, I've got that soundtrack on CD. This new v...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update  has just gone live here . This week in Corrie, mess with the Battersby girls at your peril. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've a short story in this week's People's Friend magazine. It's called Afternoon Tea, and it's illustrated with cupcakes and teapots. It's a story of two women of very different ages, working for themselves and helping each other out. And it's set in Scarborough!  Plus my weekly soap Riverside is also in the mag. This week there's some nasty, threatening behaviour going on. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

A gash of cherry lipstick The tightest, shortest skirt Heels, blouse Hair teased and tangled into unnatural curls Blood oozes out Scarlet drops fall Pink flesh rips The blade travels down his arm Unaware, unknowing of who he really wants to be Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

May is Local History Month and I've been out and about this afternoon on a vintage bus. And I know I'm getting old when a 'vintage' bus is one that I remember from my youth. Off we went - and yes, I sat on the top deck at the front.  The bus tour was to Sunderland's Places of Worship.  As someone who only ever goes to church for hatches, matches and dispatches, having a neb inside some of Sunderland's churches and finding out more about them was intriguing indeed. Our first stop was St. George's United Reform Church on Stockton Road.  It was big, as churches usually are. It had an organ, as many do. There were pews, stained glass. So far, so usual, so churchy.  But then we were told about its Sunderland roots. The shipyard owners who bought the land and built the church. The stained glass windows dedicated to those owners with names like Steels and Bartrams. And the contempory glass art work dedicated to the life of Sunderland woman Margaret Drybru...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here . This week in Corrie, a lot of mithering went on. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've a short story in this week's The People's Friend magazine, which is on sale today. It's a fun story, about two Elvis impersonators. Planning the story made me laugh a lot and when writing it I kept chuckling too. I hope that it puts a smile on anyone's face who reads it. And also in this week's magazine is another episode of my weekly soap Riverside. This week there's war at the allotments as the residents take on the council. But can the council be bribed by Jenny's cheese scones?  Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora