When I think of the word strength, I think of Mr Strong of Mr Men fame, sat at his breakfast table about to tuck into a platter of fried eggs. No high cholesterol for him. But strength isn’t just physical. Rather, strengths are the things you excel at through a combination of hard work and innate talent. Continue reading » “Embrace Your Strengths!”
Big London Dreams was my 19th lesbian romance novel, but the first one set in any other time but the present day. Writing an historical novel scared me at first, but then I decided to do what scared me. I gave myself extra time to do the research and editing, and a little bit more to get over my publishing nerves. Now I’ve done it, what are my key takeaways?
1 – Write a schedule.
I’ve done this already! First goal ticked off! Now I just need to remember to look at it and take action. Simple, right? I managed to do it last year, but it tailed off after August. The reason? I needed a break. More balance is needed this year so I don’t conk out part-way through 2020. Work consistently, maintain my physical health, and get help where it’s needed. I also plan to reassess my schedule every quarter, as well as writing down wins and where I could improve. I’ll bring myself a strong coffee to sweeten the deal.
Of all the things readers ask when they write to me, one of the most common questions is: “I’m coming to London on holiday, what should I see?”
This, as you might imagine, is a big question. London is a huge city with loads on offer. If you like museums, this list might not be for you. But if you like walking, water, music, food, drink and exploring London’s hidden gems, then there might be something here that tickles your fancy.
If I was a tourist in London, here are the top ten things I’d recommend…
It’s 2018! Holy moly, how did that happen? But happen it has, and having been away for the past month, I’m raring to tackle the year and try to stay sane during the process. Will I succeed? Only time will tell. Here’s my goals for the coming 12 months in lesbian fiction…
Whether you’ve read one of my books or all of my books, here’s some things you should know about me…
Continue reading » “Clare Lydon: Ten Things You Should Know”
October 11th is National Coming Out Day – happy coming out day! All of which made me think about my coming out. About how scary it was and still can be; and about how it never ends, how life is an ever-rolling series of coming out to new people, who mostly assume my partner is a man. Can it get tiresome? Yes. Is it necessary? Absolutely. Here’s my coming out story…
Today, I thought I’d do a little blog about me. 25 things about me to be precise. Things you might not know about me, things that make up the very core of who I am. Ready? Continue reading » “25 Things About Me”
When I was at primary school, we didn’t have World Book Day. On the contrary, we had a postage stamp library and we penned our own novels in our final year, aged ten or eleven. Mine was a sci-fi romp entitled ‘They Came From…’. I drew a barcode on the back and everything. I would have loved World Book Day though, with its focus on telling stories, book characters and reading. I’ve always been a sucker for a good yarn… Continue reading » “Three Cheers For World Book Day!”
As the UK wilts in the summer sunshine, I got to thinking about the best things about summer. Obviously, if you don’t love summer you are a massive curmudgeon and should never be allowed to eat a Cornetto ever again. That’ll learn you. For summer is the season of love, of joy, of getting burnt to a crisp when you fall asleep in your garden. Here are my most favourite bits… Continue reading » “Top Ten Things About Summer”