Corrie weekly update - The Darkness and the Light

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here.

This week I was wishing it had been filmed in one of the scouted locations on my doorstep. Find out where, here!

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Friday Fun - BBC Radio Newcastle interview

I'm on the wireless!  Yup, I've been interviewed on BBC Radio Newcastle every day this week as their My Tunes guest, which has been a real treat.

I was there to talk about my life in writing - my upcoming three novels, writing short stories for women's magazines, writing the first ever soap opera in the history of The People's Friend magazine, writing short stories for (and winning) competitions and a talk I gave this week as part of Sunderland Creative Writing Festival.

And every day I got to pick a tune. Today I picked a song that fires me up for the weekend and I chose 'Roam' by the B52s.

You can listen to the interview if you'd like to. It starts at 49 minutes here.

If you'd like to listen to the first part of my interview this week, see below:

Day 1: Monday Motivation, Monday 26 March 2018. 

Day 2: Tuesday Memory: Tuesday 27 March 2018.

Day 3: Wednesday Guilty Pleasure: Wednesday 28 March 2018.

Day 4: Thursday Dedication: Thursday 29 March 2018

Thank you very much indeed for BBC Radio Newcastle for having me this week, it's been wonderful. I LOVE doing radio!

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I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Thursday Dedication - BBC Radio Newcastle interview

I'm on the wireless!  Yup, I'm interviewed on BBC Radio Newcastle every day this week as their My Tunes guest, which is a real treat.

I'm there to talk about my life in writing - my upcoming three novels, writing short stories for women's magazines, writing the first ever soap opera in the history of The People's Friend magazine, writing short stories for (and winning) competitions and a talk I gave this week as part of Sunderland Creative Writing Festival.

And every day I get to pick a tune. Today I picked a Kirsty MacColl song that was dedicated to my husband.  

You can listen to the interview if you'd like to. It starts at 47 minutes here.

If you'd like to listen to the first part of my interview this week, see below:

Day 1: Monday Motivation, Monday 26 March 2018. 

Day 2: Tuesday Memory: Tuesday 27 March 2018.

Day 3: Wednesday Guilty Pleasure: Wednesday 28 March 2018.

Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below:



I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

The cupboard under the stairs

I've a short story in The People's Friend Fiction Special No. 155 which is on sale in the shops today.  It's a story I titled The Hoarder but has been changed to One Man's Junk... and involves marital disharmony with a row about the cupboard under the stairs.

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I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Wednesday Guilty Pleasure - BBC Radio Newcastle interview

I'm on the wireless!  Yup, I'm interviewed on BBC Radio Newcastle every day this week as their My Tunes guest, which is a real treat.

I'm there to talk about my life in writing - my upcoming three novels, writing short stories for women's magazines, writing the first ever soap opera in the history of The People's Friend magazine, writing short stories for (and winning) competitions and a talk I gave as part of Sunderland Creative Writing Festival.

And every day I get to pick a tune. Today I picked a guilty pleasure tune which might tell you more about me than I really would like you to know!.

You can listen to the interview if you'd like to. It starts with the song before my interview at 50 minutes here.

If you'd like to listen to the first part of my interview this week, see below:

Day 1: Monday Motivation, Monday 26 March 2018.

Day 2: Tuesday Memory: Tuesday 27 March 2018.

Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below:



I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Tuesday Memory Song - BBC Radio Newcastle interview

I'm on the wireless!  Yup, I'm interviewed on BBC Radio Newcastle every day this week as their My Tunes guest, which is a real treat.  

I'm there to talk about my life in writing - my upcoming three novels, writing short stories for women's magazines, writing the first ever soap opera in the history of The People's Friend magazine, writing short stories for (and winning) competitions and a talk I'm giving this week as part of Sunderland Creative Writing Festival.

And every day I get to pick a tune. Today I picked a memory tune which reminded me of running around a field in a ballroom dress. I also revealed my favourite, ever, Coronation Street storyline. 

You can listen to the interview if you'd like to. It starts at 49: 26 minutes in here

If you'd like to listen to the first part of my interview this week, see below:

Day 1: Monday Motivation, Monday 26 March 2018.


Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below:



I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Monday Motivation - BBC Radio Newcastle interview

I'm on the wireless!  Yup, I'm interviewed on BBC Radio Newcastle every day this week as their guest, which is a real treat.  

I'm there to talk about my life in writing - my upcoming three novels, writing short stories for women's magazines, writing the first ever soap opera in the history of The People's Friend magazine, writing short stories for (and winning) competitions and a talk I'm giving this week as part of Sunderland Creative Writing Festival.

Today I talked about Coronation Street, about running the fan sites Coronation Street Blog and www.corrie.net 

And every day I get to pick a tune. Today I picked a tune for Monday Motivation.

You can listen to the interview if you'd like to. It starts at 51 minutes in here.
Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below:



I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Corrie weekly update - Ironic Wallpaper and a rover's return

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here.

This week I have decided that it's my coffee I like strong and dark, not my soap opera.

Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below:



I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Help! My Husband's A Hipster

In January of this year I had a short story called Help! My Husband's A Hipster published in The People's Friend Fiction Special magazine.   As if that wasn't exciting enough, in this week's magazine there's a letter from a reader saying how much they enjoyed my work. I'm over the moon!

Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below:



I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Corrie weekly update aka Weatherfield week of woe

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here.

This week - and many of the previous weeks - have started to make me question why I continue to watch this show.

Six episodes a week have diluted the storytelling, ruined the characters.

Plots have become sloppy with too many holes.

Attention to detail is laughable.

There is no love behind the scenes, it seems, for mistakes are being made which are obvious to those watching.

And yet... we're still supposed to care?

Not for much longer, I fear.

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I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Noirville: Tales from the Dark Side #amwriting

Last year I entered a short story competition run by Fahrenheit Press, an independent publisher. I was one of the lucky 15 winners chosen to have their short crime stories picked to be included in the first anthology from Fahrenheit.

It's called Noirville, Tales from the Darkside and it's available in paperback.

If you'd like to order the book, it's here.

My short story is called The Canary Islands Crime Boss.

I hope you enjoy reading it.

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I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Loving it in Lanzarote

I've just returned from a wonderful week in the sun in one of my favourite places in the world - the Canary Island of Lanzarote. 

That's me, above, on the left just in case you're confused. On the right is international superstar actress Penelope Cruz in a scene from a film shot on Famara Beach in Lanzarote.

You can find out all about the books I read on my holidays, if you'd like to.

And I've written a blog post all about why I love Lanzarote so much. It's been written for Lanzarote Information, a blog I've followed for almost 8 years. 

If you'd like to read it, it's here.

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I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Two stories in Take a Break's Fiction Feast

I've two short stories in this month's edition of Take a Break's Fiction Feast magazine. 

The first story is called Secret Destination and was inspired by a friend of my husband's whose family went on holiday to Scarborough from their home in Harrogate.  While in Scarborough they booked a mystery day trip and ended up back in Harrogate!  

The second story is called The Forgotten Garden and is about a plant thief who isn't all that he seems.

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I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Mother's Day Story in My Weekly Magazine

I've a short story in My Weekly magazine this week. It's called Pink Wafers and is inspired by real-life.

I rarely write about myself or real-life in my stories, but this one is very special and poignant. I actually started writing it a couple of years ago as a piece of prose, trying to put down into words something I couldn't articulate, not properly.  The short story grew out of that piece of prose and has this week been published.

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I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition

Some good (actually, it was great) news came my way last week.

I'd entered the Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition, which was organised by Interact Stroke Support.

And while my story didn't made it to the final three of the competition, it did make it to the short listed top 12 stories out of the 165 submissions received.

The top 3 will be read aloud at the awards ceremony on 6th April at Orange Tree Theatre in London. Well done to all those who made it to the final!

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I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Books I read on my jollies, March 2018

Just back from a wonderful week in the sun and while sitting by the pool or on the balcony, here are the books I enjoyed:

I'd started this book before I went away but as I read it on the plane going on holiday and finished it off while there, I reckon it counts as a holiday book.  It took a long time to get going, concentrating as it did (too much) on the work of apple grafting rather than the characters and stories. But once it got going, I really enjoyed it. Could have done with some pruning and more flesh on the fruit though.  I've loved all of Tracy Chevalier's novels but felt that this one could have been improved by more editing at the start. 7/10.

What a stunner of a book. I've not heard of Eowyn Ivey before but it's a name that will make headlines. The Snow Girl is being made into a musical.  It was a magical read that gave everything you hope of a novel. I lost myself in it completely. 10/10.

Another good one from Douglas Kennedy but why his book covers always resemble soft porn I will never understand. His publisher needs to have a word with themselves. His books are hard-hitting, adventure stories featuring (usually) unlikeable couples. This was no exception. Rattled along at a grand old pace. 9/10.

Another new author for me. Gangsters, detectives and an area of California that I lived in, once. Loved it to bits. 10/10.

Started reading this book on the last day of the holiday and on the plane home so it still counts as a holiday read, right?  I really enjoy Andrew Martin's train books, whether novels or fact. He wears his knowledge lightly and never preaches, but invites you inside and takes you on a journey with him. So far, so good. 8.5/10.

Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below:



I'm on twitter @flaming_nora