World Building

Invitation to go Mental

Common sense (and about five mountains of psychological research) tell us that conformity suppresses creativity, individuality, and well-being.And yet, conformity is still the rule, taught and expected by parents, teachers, bosses. Why?

Apr 10, 2025

•

6 min read

Subvert the Familiar

Here's a fun thing I love doing with cliches and stereotypes: GUT THEM! And then rearrange them to see if I can turn them into a story premise.

Sep 4, 2024

•

2 min read

Self-Reflection

When I made this little meme, I realised that my quirks are also reflected in my fiction. And it took me only a decade to notice 😂

Aug 31, 2024

•

2 min read

No Humans Involved — The systematic dehumanisation of marginalised groups

Why did law enforcement and news reporters “forget” that girls and young women are sex trafficked from jails — a crime that has been going on for more than a hundred thirty years?

Aug 30, 2024

•

4 min read

The Real People who Inspired my Mystery Series

Several scenes and characters in The Lion’s Courtship (Prequel to the Kronberg & Holmes Mystery Series) were inspired by historical photographs from John Thomson & Adolphe Smith in Street-Life in London - a small, tattered pocketbook I bought ages ago.

Aug 1, 2023

•

3 min read

On Killing

It's Halloween. I've just dealt two death blows with an axe.

Oct 31, 2018

•

5 min read

Victorian Erotica in Film & Literature

Believe the Victorians uptight all you want, but they invented the first recreational spanking machine, the vibrator, and erotic film. Don’t ask me how I came across Victorian erotica while doing background research for my murder mysteries, else I’ll post nauseating details on Victorian postmortems. On the other hand... Maybe I’ll do it anyway.

Apr 3, 2018

•

3 min read