As we emerge from Covid, so do book conferences start to blossom! Here are four that you need to know about!

What a time. We emerged from Covid - well, not entirely - to find a Russian maniac has declared war on an innocent nation. So what do you do, in a time like this, about promoting your book? Or even writing – all creative endeavours seem so puny compared with those losing their lives. I found this post by Kate McKean to be really helpful and please know this - I want to hear about your books and your writing. As Kate says, the one thing does not negate the other - and let's not let the Russian maniac destroy everything good in this world. 

Fabulous insights into Christopher Walken's unique delivery and tone! This may be a game-changer when it comes to writing prose! 

Also, E.E. Cummings and a poem that brings joy to my heart every single time.

You simply can't go wrong with words of wisdom from Margaret Atwood on how to succeed as an author!

"Feeling lousy? Depressed? Like a failure? As if what you’re doing at the moment is futile?" 

This post will inspire writers the world over - we've got this! Let's be fabulous, slightly nuts and live life our way! 

Featuring Patricia Highsmith. 

Are you struggling to read during this time of Covid? Are you struggling to finish reading a book you've picked up? And, if you're a writer, are you struggling to write? This post will help lift you out of the doldrums! 

Welcome to the Christmas Edition of I Read Somewhere That! Filled with fascinating facts about books and Christmas, lots of recommends and a tribute to Luciana Ricciutelli, always in our hearts. 

This week I give a shout out to authors Nate Hendley (The Beatle Bandit, Dundurn), Terri Favro (The Sisters Sputnik, ECW). Plus: do you suffer from abibliophobia, what’s the world’s smallest book, how much did the world’s most expensive book cost, how many books can you get from one tree, how Mills and Boon paved a crazy highway to romance, how long does it take to write a novel, which are the three most read books in the world, which is the most banned book as well as how many books are there in the world. Plus: I shine a spotlight on two fabulous artists, Fish Jones and John Bladen Bentley and I reveal ambitious plans for December!

Much ado about reviews and reviewers in this podcast! Question for reviewers: hard copy or PDF okay? The Twitterverse casts its vote! Goodreads are reviewing their reviewers - yay and it's about time! A great newsletter you should sign up for, a motivational quote, is life the spinning wheel of death and top tips from Instagram on how to write great horror! Don't miss out!

What do the readers love? I bring you some of the most popular book genres in 2021. But does writing in popular genres actually matters that much? Should you follow trends? Should you write children’s books, romance, horror or inspirational books? Plus, how to be a successful, popular author and are people sick of reading about death? Should we all be trying to write the next Ted Lasso? Do you have emotional maturity? Do you have radical empathy? Can therapy and meditation help you become a better writer?