Writing – Julia Chalkley

In Print

I’ve been working on the Part 2 of getting published – getting ‘Shilling Cove’ out in paperback. Not as easy as I thought. I really didn’t want to put the book up on Amazon, but as someone said to me recently – everyone uses Amazon because it works. Having had a look at the alternativeContinue reading “In Print”

In all the excitement, I forgot…

It was just seven weeks ago, but it feels like a year. On the last weekend of March, we went to the Scottish Association of Writers’ Conference 2026. Every welcome bag contains a Goals sheet like the one above for delegates to fill in and remind themselves what they mean to do by the timeContinue reading “In all the excitement, I forgot…”

Finally!

Finally, I can call myself a published author! I started this blog back in November 2020 on the prompting of a fellow writer. She had been on an author branding course and passed on her knowledge to the rest of us. One of her key points was ‘Start a blog’. So I did. At theContinue reading “Finally!”

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”

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…”

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”

Inspired by Art

High time I came back to writing a blog. I’ve spent too long head-down in serious work – making progress on the novel that took third prize in March and helping to get the new shower completed at home. Blogs are fun to write, and I’m in the mood for more fun. What else I’veContinue reading “Inspired by Art”