It smells like rain, except it isn’t rain. It’s lies. It can’t smell like rain all the time.

‘You’re mistaken,’ he says again. ‘Deluded.’

Words come and go to him like a wet dog shaking itself free of wet. The drops go flying everywhere. It doesn’t matter where, just off, out of the fur.

‘Unavoidable,’ he says. ‘Work. Pressure.’

I am drenched with your words, by your tongue and the shake of your head that sends the wet drops flying at me, into me. Soaking me.

‘I hate being late, too,’ he...

Apples and Chamomile – Boston Literary Magazine

Heedful Nights – Storgy

Trapped – Flash Fiction North

Role Reversal – Potato Soup Journal

Waste Paper Love – Muddy River Poetry Review

Traces and View from a High Window – Nine Muses Poetry

Teacher – Listen Chamber Magazine

Before Crime and Punishment and the History of Tom Jones – Reflex Fiction

Dreaming Epidermis – Tales from the Moonlit Path

Reflections from an Epicure – Scarlet Leaf Review

Roadkill – The Blue Nib

Teacher – listen – Horla

After the...

Discussion Topics:

1. How does Emma-Jane's experience as Drew's captive change her as a person and a therapist? Do you think she emerges stronger or more damaged?
2. Discuss the...

Discussion Topics:

1. How does Doris's relationship with alcohol evolve throughout the story? What role does it play in her life and relationships?
2. Discuss the theme of betrayal in...

Discussion Topics:

1. How does childhood trauma shape Sally's adult life and relationships?
2. Discuss the theme of memory and repression in the novel. How reliable are Sally's...

The Psychology Behind the Page

As an author, I'm fascinated by the complexities of the human mind. In each newsletter, I'll share insights into the psychological themes that inspire my writing.

This month: "The Illusion of Control - How far would you go to maintain it?"

The Architecture of Control

The Illusion of Control is a fascinating psychological phenomenon that lies at the heart of many of our deepest fears and most compelling narratives. As humans, we have an innate desire to feel in...

Hypnotherapy stands as a controversial yet intriguing method of psychological treatment. As explored in my novel "Forgotten Dark," this practice can be both a beacon of hope and a Pandora's box of hidden terrors.

Proponents of hypnotherapy tout its potential benefits including stress reduction, pain management and behaviour modification

However, like the protagonist Sally, some patients discover that delving into the subconscious is not without risks including false memories, emotional trauma...