I have two publishing events coming up over the next few months. The mass market edition of A Humble Companion will be released on August 29th and then on October 10th my new novel, The Liar’s Daughter. Last year I ventured into the world of social media and did what writers are now nagged to…

       I love a bit of wordplay.  My friend Mim and I indulge in it all the time. Writing being our day job we like to rip off our corsets (so to speak) when we’ve punched out for the day. I pray there’s no posthumous publication of the Collected Emails of Laurie and Mim. ‘Good…

A rather belated report on the two brief runs of The Dress Circle for which I must apologise, particularly considering the song and dance I made about it before it opened.  It was a mixed experience but the mix contained far more good than bad. I handed the script over to the director last year, and…

   The trouble with being self-employed is that when sickness strikes there isn’t anyone to deputise. Having wagged off for what was effectively two weeks, escorting my play on its travels, I really needed to come home and get stuck in. I had a few things on my list. 1. Complete construction of pantomime cow’s…

Five words a playwright hopes never to hear:  ticket sales disappointing so far.  I’m not a total stranger to this kind of announcement. Usually it contains the word ‘book’ rather than ‘ticket’. Nevertheless, it still strikes a chill. After all, this isn’t the London Palladium I’m trying to fill. Next Thursday’s performance at the Baron’s…

The way production schedules work it always seems that just as I’m getting into a new book I have to double back and copy-edit the one I’ve supposedly finished. Copy-editing is important, as you’ll know if you’ve ever read a self-published book full of typos and bloopers, but it’s a drag. It is to book production…

  All of a sudden I’m back in business. My publisher offered me another contract and it’s all systems go. The world looks like getting two more Laurie Graham novels, like it or lump it. I can’t tell you how energising it is to be told you’re still wanted. Well actually I can. It’s like…

People often ask me for advice about the writing process. I believe I disappoint them with how little I have to say. ‘I’ve got this great idea for a book,’ someone will say to me. ‘But I just can’t seem to get started.’ I can empathise with that. Except that quite often I don’t have…