*Photo: Stick to the music for Last Night of the Proms First published in the Isle of Thanet News of Friday 28th August 2020 Boris Johnson thinks
Tag: writing
Will my window-cleaner be oven-ready?
*Photo of the Book launch via Zoom on May 7th 2020 ~ with, from the left:Top row: Janie Millman, Jane Wenham-Jones, Katie FfordeMiddle row: Jo
Didn’t I have a lov-er-ly time…
Another to add to my list of fab festivals I have worked for. Had a great time at the Buckingham Literary Festival last weekend, interviewing three
The Archers come to town…
So fab to host the Archers event last Friday at the Pavilion in Broadstairs with ace scriptwriter Keri Davies, the gorgeous Annabelle Dowler (Kirsty Miller),
Rum de tum ti tum de dum….. Calling all Archers fans!
Looking forward to this very much. Are you an Archers fan? Do you fancy a day trip to Broadstairs? Tickets from here . Would be brilliant
Colin Dexter – it was great to meet you too
Time to say goodbye to another luminary of the book world and to fondly recall the day in 2009 when I met Colin Dexter at the
Happy Valentine’s Day!
This first appeared in Woman’s Weekly Fiction in 2010. Can’t say much has changed…. 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day! You might think that someone who has
Plain Jane meets the Liberal Democrats
I AM looking forward to meeting South Thanet’s Russ Timpson for two reasons. Firstly, the man has a sense of humour (not always a given
Plain Jane 130315: Meet the Candidates
A friend of mine once sat next to Nigel Farage on a plane. “He was very charismatic,” she said, clearly charmed even though her politics
Plain Jane 270215: Meet the Ukippers
“What a place to live!” wrote a friend from the Cotswolds, who’d been watching, aghast, the documentary Meet the Ukippers, aired last Sunday. I was at
Plain Jane 130215: Wearing bubble wrap and buying champagne
FRIDAY 13th. Time to don the bubble wrap and protective headgear, avoid ladders, leave plenty of time to catch the train, and for the chaps,
Plain Jane 310115: Saving the NHS is down to US
WITH under 100 days to go until the general election, the big issue, pundits tell us, will be the future of the NHS. It will
Plain Jane 160115: A look back at 2014
WELL, how’s yours been so far? My New Year greetings come late, after spending the opening hours of 2015 horizontal and groaning, in the clutches
Plain Jane 191214: The season to be jolly… and moany
OUR columnists Jane Wenham-Jones and Mike Pearce don’t need a certain supermarket to remind them that Christmas is for sharing. Every year, she gets out
Plain Jane 121214: Make a list
I DON’T know whether they teach this in journalism school – I am entirely self-taught (also known as untrained ) – but it is a
Plain Jane 281114 – 3D pregnancy scanning
I THINK I know this area pretty well, but from time to time I am surprised to discover somewhere in Thanet I had no idea
Plain Jane 191114: Every Lidl helps
MALE friends won’t believe me, but I don’t much like shopping. Not for me “a day out” at Bluewater, or an afternoon “just looking” at
Plain Jane 311014: Why prescribing Viagra to all men over 50 could save NHS
Plain Jane 311014: Why prescribing Viagra to all men over 50 could save NHS GREAT discoveries, it seems, arise from a split second of blinding
Plain Jane 171014 – It’s chocolate week
Somewhat after the event, but every day is chocolate day where I come from …. 🙂 Plain Jane – It’s National Home Security month, Dyspraxia
Plain Jane 190914: A megaphone, soapbox, and cheap-suited lackeys needed
Thank you to all those who have suggested that, further to my last column, I stand in the next election myself. My initial thought –
Plain Jane 050914: Of course Nigel Farage won the hustings, he’ll win the election too
Of course Nigel Farage was selected as our UKIP candidate for South Thanet. He was always going to be and I am surprised that those
Plain Jane 080814: From the art crowd to a new crowd and an old row
Margate is in the news again. Described as “the formerly gritty seaside town”, Margate has made its way onto yet another list, coming in at
Plain Jane 090714: Three cheers for poo-lice
ANDY Murray lost the tennis; the Germans won the football (so far). Type two diabetes is on the rise, standards are falling. Rumour has it
Plain Jane 130614: Is Thanet really only known for the shipping forecast?
Plain Jane: Is Thanet really only known for the shipping forecast? As regular readers will know, I am an ardent proponent of this fair isle as the
Plain Jane 300514: My view on term-time holidays
RECENT figures have shown that 24,000 children each day are taken out of school for a family trip. If I still did the school-run, it
Plain Jane 160514: So here’s to you Iris, best of luck with Thanet council
So another shake-up for our beleaguered local government. In-fighting and power struggles down at Cecil Street are nothing new, of course, but I am genuinely sorry
Plain Jane 180414: Family tree research just to get my passport
Plain Jane: Family tree research just to get my passport If I can give you one small piece of advice this week – along with
Plain Jane 200314: I don’t like to complain but…
YOU know me, dear readers, I don’t like to complain – a regular little Pollyanna here, we are – but things have been, how shall
Plain Jane 200214: Who is worthy of NHS treatment?
SIR Andrew Dillon, the pleasant-sounding head of Nice (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), is expressing doubts about taking “wider societal benefit” into
Plain Jane 230114: Time for council to do some good, for a change
I am naturally thrilled to hear that Thanet Council have been hitting their targets, with a bullseye for 44 out of 58 “key projects”. I
Plain Jane 090114: With five diaries, why do I keep missing things?
OK HANDS up – who’s fallen by the wayside already? You over there with the fag and the cream bun – weren’t you going to
New Year’s Resolutions for Writers…
By way of an intro I must tell you that I found these on my computer while looking for something else. They were written for
Plain Jane 271213: My review of the people and places of 2013
Regular readers of this column (God help you) will know that my final offering of the year has historically been a round-up of my top
Mike and Jane: Christmas Time, Mistletoe and Whine…
My latest Isle of Thanet Gazette column – the annual joint offering with fellow columnist, my mate Mike 🙂
Plain Jane 221113: I like Laura Sandys, but…
I like Laura Sandys. While not a natural inhabitant of the same neck of the woods, politically, as our good MP for Thanet South, (to
Plain Jane 081113: Who says we can’t make our own entertainment?
WHO says we can’t make our own entertainment? This family, gathered round the kitchen table on a dark, windswept night, has just spent an enjoyable
How time flies… a big hand for Carole Blake!
How time flies… a big hand for Carole Blake! My small tribute to the Queen of Shoes and her Fifty Years in Publishing. It was
Doing NaNoWrimo??
I am not doing NaNoWriMo officially, but with a book to finish, another one to start, columns piling up, hundreds of emails to answer and
Plain Jane 251013: Why I’m welcoming Manston’s new owner Ann Gloag
SO MANSTON Airport has been sold for a pound. As the lovely Ed and I agreed, had we known it was going to be so
I couldn’t have put it better myself…
A lovely blog post here from the immensely talented Clare Mackintosh (watch out for her debut novel next year – it’s going to be astonishing)
Plain Jane 111013: Woe of Student Finance on deadline
I AM on a deadline or three. There’s a scarily half-done manuscript to deliver, and articles needed sooner. I have bills to pay, e-mails to
Plain Jane 270913: I flew to Manchester via Amsterdam and I’m not sorry
LAST week, much to the consternation of the local bloggers, I flew to Manchester. Via Amsterdam. Yes, I got on a plane at Manston, landed at Schipol,
Plain Jane 130913: Maturity has its reward, thank heavens
For those of you gagging to read my Isle of Thanet Gazette column without having to shell out 80p, here it is, hopefully better late
Plain Jane 280813: Everyone has a book in them…
THEY say everyone’s got a book in them and I say: Sometimes it should stay there! The explosion of ebooks and self-publishing has made everybody
Happy Birthday Morgen Bailey!
A quick post to say a Very Happy Birthday to the fabulous Morgen to whom I owe a great deal. This is the woman who
The Wannabe a Writer TV Show
Here at last…. Am all very thrilled – and not a little nervously twitchy 🙂 – to announce the launch of the first half of
Plain Jane 020813: My Top Parenting Tips
ALL together now, a great big ahhhhhh. I love a new-born baby (it’s the next 18 years that wears one down). And, together with the
Plain Jane: The heat is on, some tips for surviving the summer
SO THE heat is finally on – and has even reached Thanet – with temperatures predicted to soar into the thirties and stay there. Cue
Plain Jane in the Isle of Thanet Gazette from Friday 5th July
ONE of the things you learn as you get older is that whatever it was, it was always longer ago than you think. I was
Plain Jane, Isle of Thanet Gazette 07 June 2013: Council double-speak hides another waste of money
And now I AM on the new website… hurrah! But here is my latest Plain Jane for those who’ve got used to reading it here… And Happy
Plain Jane, Isle of Thanet Gazette, 24th May 2013: The Big Thanet Breakfast
The Isle of Thanet Gazette has a new website ( www.thanetgazette.co.uk) but it’s not yet sporting my latest column. So, for the strong-stomached, you saw it
We have a winner!!!!
100 Ways to Fight the Flab Competition. Judged by Janie Millman, Morgen Bailey (and me). …. It was very, very difficult to choose. We wrangled
100 Ways to Fight the Flab Competition – Top 5
Following on from last weekend’s Top 12, we are pleased to announce the creators of the Top 5 Flab-fighting tips, complete with the tips themselves, again in
Plain Jane: With beaches like ours, why are we still languishing in deprivation?
Plain Jane with Jane Wenham-Jones: With beaches like ours, why are we still languishing in deprivation? I BLAME my colleague Mike Pearce. I go to
100 Ways to Fight the Flab Competition – Top 12
Taa-Raaa – we have the first set of results of the Fight the Flab Competition, judged by Janie Milman, co-owner of the fab Chez-Castillon, Morgen-with-an-e-Bailey
Isle of Thanet Gazette: Plain Jane 260413
If Thanet councillors don’t want people to see them brawling, they should behave with dignity YEARS ago, when I was young and passionate, I joined
The Ab Fab ChipLitFest :-)
Well what a lov-er-ley time I had at this year’s Chipping Norton Literary Festival – a treat indeed. You would never believe the festival is
Plain Jane 12.04.13: Iain Duncan Smith could live on £53 a week – but that is not the point
Plain Jane 12.04.13: I am often asked to sign petitions and occasionally I do, but mostly I find them a pointless waste of time. And
With friends like Mike :-)
Whenever I give one of my friends one of my books to read (some are too tight-fisted to cough up for one themselves :-)) I
Plain Jane in the Isle of Thanet Gazette
I can’t find this up on thisiskent.co.uk despite the invitation at the foot of the printed column – if you can, please do send me the
A Very British Blog Post
*** Have been having a grand catch-up on my emails (just the 117 now left in my To-Answer folder) and discovered this British Blog Post
Plain Jane, Isle of Thanet Gazette, 15th March 2013: A heavy Pryce for us all to pay
Thought it was too good to be true. My Plain Jane column is up online but without my name on it. Again. But did write
RNA & Plain Jane 1st March 2013: The sartorial choices of the stay-at-home writer
Bit lax on the old blogging front lately but will catch up soon with the excitements of Richard and Judy at the book awards –
Plain Jane 15 Feb 2013: Lasagne? What’s the beef?
The trouble with writing a column five days in advance and then not getting round to posting it for three more is that by then
100 Ways to Fight The Flab – Womag Review
100 Ways to Fight The Flab has its second review! “heartily recommend for all writers, both big and small” “I must say it’s quite brilliant”
er… not on the radio after all…
Quick one to say that they have technical problems over at Radio Litopia so I won’t be on this evening after all… Will post new
Shortlists and radio shows
There – don’t they look pretty? Prime Time with the covers of the other lovely books shortlisted for the Romantic Comedy category of the RoNas.Very proud
Today’s Plain Jane
Hello and Happy Friday. We have progress of sorts. My column in the Isle of Thanet Gazette is finally online (hurrah) but does not yet
Guesting on Nikki Goodman’s blog
Those who are sharp-eyed and read my last author post with Peter Jones may have noticed that I failed to publish a post last Wednesday.…
Overly excited and thrilled
Am suitably delighted to report that Prime Time has been shortlisted for the Romantic Comedy category of the RoNas today. This is a massive honour of
Plain Jane. Isle of Thanet Gazette. Friday 18th January 2013
Eat crisps to beat the flab The problem with having written a weight-control book (one can hardly talk “diet” when tips involves chocolate) is that
100 Ways to Fight the Flab
I know I’m a bit of a show-off but even I wouldn’t display my bottom without good reason. These photos were taken as possible cover
Top Comment-leaver of 2012…
Yes, excitement, drum roll, etc. I am pleased to announce that… Tony Tibbenham has the doubtful glory of being crowned the most-frequent-commenter on this blog in
My-Mate-Mike in the Isle of Thanet Gazette 28th December
Remember my excellent advice on coping when the old man is suddenly at home ALL BLOODY DAY? My esteemed fellow columnist on the Gazette, Mike
Plain Jane 14th December 2012: Coping with (his) retirement
As some of you may know, I write a fortnightly column – alternating with My-Mate-Mike (he who hovers just to the right of Genghis Khan and
Thank you Sarah Salway!
Very pleased to be featured on Sarah Salway’s website and thanks Sarah for the plug for Thursday’s event at Canterbury, Waterstones too. Also thank you Edith for
Plain Jane column 16 November – public speaking & event with Lesley Cookman
As some of you may know, I write a fortnightly column – alternating with My-Mate-Mike (he who hovers just to the right of Genghis Khan and
For those who don’t like tea…
You’ll be glad to know I have found one I don’t like either. It has to be a thumbs down for the teapigs‘ exotically-named tung
pure lemongrass, silver tips white, but no mint thank you…
I used to drink so much coffee it gave me blotches. In the decade that I gave it up entirely (I now have the odd
Tea(pig) anyone?
Those nice teapig people did a spot of sponsoring at the Guildford Book Festival – where I first discovered the teabag-with-real-tea-in-it – and have now kindly
Guildford Day Six
Yes a bit of a delay there but Saturday I was doing a workshop in HMP Send, Sunday I had taken to my bed with
Guildford Day Two
The end of the second day of Guildford Book Festival and tonight was Peter James and Ann Cleeves. Fab interviewees both – and both with
And off to Guildford….
It’s begun – I am here in my Guildford for my annual stint in the interviewing chair and. as always, thrilled at the prospect. Last
Back from Chez Castillon….
I came back on Saturday, in fact, but it took the rest of the weekend to sort the faint air of bachelor pad – why
Hot tips for Writers – am in the spotlight with Writer’s Choice
The nice people at Writer’s Choice have put me in their ‘spotlight’. Thank you PDR! 🙂 If there’s nothing much on TV, you can read
Greetings from (not-so) sunny Swanwick…
Actually it has been sunny but just happens to be p***ing down as I type. I am here at the long-running Swanwick Writers’ Summer School in
your free gift today
Is a copy – totally gratis – of my third novel ONE GLASS IS NEVER ENOUGH (and it often wasn’t, when I was writing it…)
Dancing on the table…
Yes, I’m afraid I did. I wasn’t going to. Thought I’d grown out of it, and all that. But as the boys told me, it’s
A night with the choir
The last night of Writer’s Holiday is the biggie. Wonderful to see all the chaps again. Below is a quick snap of the glorious Cwmbach
Greetings from Sunny Wales
And it really is sunny! Am here in Caerleon at Writer’s Holiday where yesterday people were dropping by the wayside with heat exhaustion cos nobody’s
Happy Git
Nothing like a lovely review to put a smile on one’s face… Long Live Sara Lawrence at the Daily Mail…
RNA Conference at last
Did two stints at the splendid RNA conference this year, brilliantly organised as ever by Jan Jones and Roger Sanderson. On Saturday, a panel
a right bleedin’ bargain
Even if I do say so myself. Wannabe a Writer? on Kindle, is a mere snip at 77p right now. Please pass it on.. Bargain. Photos
Loose Muse
No, I am not trying to summon the dead, lead the gospel singing or appeal to the Almighty*. This is me attempting to impart some
Fifty Shades of Wot?
Thank you to Neil, Gabriel, Donna et al at Thanet Waterstones where I had a most entertaining signing on Saturday. And even bigger thanks to
And the winner is…
David Rankin receives a copy of Prime Time plus a Wannabe book of his choice… If Clever Morgen was doing this there’d be thumbnails of
Prime Time paperback is now out!
Prime Time is officially out now! I am bracing myself to start peering in bookshops (does one copy mean they’ve sold em all or is
Prime Time paperback out 5th July
May 2012 Hello! I’m thrilled to announce that my latest novel, romantic comedy ‘Prime Time’, is now available for the Amazon Kindle and will be available in
