juliachalkley

The world waking up

The photo above is my cack-handed attempt to capture the extraordinary sight I saw on February 18th last year. I was out in the garden on a sunny day and saw red dots on a beech tree. As I got closer, I could hear what sounded like hundreds of bees buzzing around, and actually yes,Continue reading “The world waking up”

The New Year starts here

Maybe a little late to wish a happy new year, but I will anyway. The year still has that hopeful feeling to it, a long time before we start to ask where the year went and what are we eating for Christmas dinner? Aubergine moussaka this year. Even the cat refused turkey scraps by theContinue reading “The New Year starts here”

This One’s for All You Spammers

Yeah, this one’s for all you scammers out there. I’ve had five or six posts over the last few years, but the pace is picking up; I’ve had four in the last two weeks and one of them was a prize winner. Usually I get an email through the contact section of this page thatContinue reading “This One’s for All You Spammers”

Gladstone’s Library

I have just returned from a writing holiday like no other. I’m trying to describe it, and there’s no sentence big enough. You’ll see the photo at the top of the page and understand it’s a library, but… this is Gladstone’s Library. You can start with the fact that it is a library and moveContinue reading “Gladstone’s Library”

It’s That Time of Year

Coming up to Hallowe’en again, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the orange and black brigade have started up their annual whoo-hoo party. I had a manager who always got very upset by the fact that people marked Hallowe’en in any way at all; in his view they were inviting evil into theirContinue reading “It’s That Time of Year”

I’m Baaack

In the final words of the Lord of the Rings trilogy; “Well, I’m back.” We’ve just returned from a holiday that took us back to places we had been to before. Usually, I prefer to go to somewhere new. But the memories associated with this area is so good that I couldn’t stay away. Let’sContinue reading “I’m Baaack”

A Bouquet of Secrets

It all started when Sara Paretsky grew tired of being the only female author at the crime writers’ conventions she attended. She started a group for female crime authors called ‘Sisters in Crime’, hoping to encourage other women to get those crime thrillers published. There was obviously a need. The group grew and spread intoContinue reading “A Bouquet of Secrets”

I Can’t Keep It In…

I was out with a group of people on a youth club trip in 1975, and we stopped partway to our destination for a break to stretch our legs in a local wood. I went out to explore while the tea was brewing and came back with an empty plastic compost bag that had beenContinue reading “I Can’t Keep It In…”

A Walk in the Park

Last month’s adventure was a trip to the Self Publishing Show in London. I went last year, drawn in by an author friend, but this year I was going back with intent. I had so many questions that I’d wear a big hole in any friendship with them all, so I would be asking thoseContinue reading “A Walk in the Park”

Conference Call

Back in March, we went to the annual Scottish Association of Writers’ annual conference at Cumbernauld, with a few days walking around Northumberland as a treat along the way. I had to go to hand back the Largs Shield, and this time I knew I wouldn’t be winning it back because their rules (very sensibly)Continue reading “Conference Call”