Monthly Archives: April 2012

HOW JAMES BOND WON THE SECOND WORLD WAR

On 30th April, 1943 a waterlogged corpse washed ashore on a beach in Spain. The dead man wore a British naval uniform and a life jacket, apparently the casualty of an airplane accident at sea. Among the dead man’s belongings … Continue reading

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KILLING FOR FUN AND PROFIT

People who know me well have often asked me: how did you dream up that twisted serial killer - Michel - in VENOM? Is there something you should tell us? In fact VENOM was suggested to me by the life … Continue reading

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HOW DO YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART?

So how do you? Like anything that’s broke, it’s important how you go about mending it again. It’s like a broken leg; it has to be set straight or you end up the rest of your life crippled or with … Continue reading

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To quiz or not to quiz?

April 23rd is a very significant day in the life of William Shakespeare so I thought I’d celebrate the event with a short fun quiz. How much do you know about the greatest dramatist in the English language? An easy … Continue reading

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THE MOST HATED WOMAN IN MEXICO

Hernan Cortes was probably one of the greatest of the conquistadores – which is a back handed compliment in a way, like being the best of the Nazis or being named Terrorist of the Year. He was a man of … Continue reading

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THE TITANIC ANNIVERSARY QUIZ IN 3D

A hundred years ago today, at just about now in fact, Jack was standing on the bow of the Titanic with Rose, arms outstretched. It seems like yesterday, doesn’t it? The iconic ocean liner was set to become the most … Continue reading

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I’VE BEEN TAGGED!

The wonderful children’s author Lynn Kelley at http://lynnkelleyrandomactsofwriting.blogspot.com.au/ and historical author Mirella Patzer (who has one of the best history blogs and review sites) at http://www.historyandwomen.com/have both tagged me for the Lucky 7 Meme. It works this way: 1. You go … Continue reading

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THE IMPORTANCE OF GREAT STORYTELLING

Great story telling is not an accident, it’s an art, as Lucas here demonstrates. Hope you enjoy this short video that illustrates why the ability to structure a good yarn is so very, very important. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gFxhJO1rfw&w=420&h=315]

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY

While I was at the Bellingen Festival one of the audience asked a panel member, writer Arnold Zable, what he thought was the difference between an ordinary person and an extraordinary one. ‘How you look at them,’ he said. Patrick … Continue reading

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THE 6 STRANGEST FASHION TRENDS IN HISTORY

1. THE CROW LOOK Doctors in the Middle Ages did not look like George Clooney, wear stethoscopes around their necks and drive Ferraris. They had beaks and carried long sticks. In fact they looked more like crows about to conduct … Continue reading

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