The mind of the murderer (or the detective) can be quite an uncomfortable place to be at times, and I often find that I need a diversion. Some light relief, a relaxation, something that exercises the mind, but at the same time, also refreshes it.

So I have taken to playing with poetry – I hesitate to say that I 'write' poetry, as that would suggest that I am making some claim to be a poet ... which I am not. But there is something very special about poetry, and everyone should practice writing it, it is a wonderful exercise in self discipline, and economy. In a good poem, language can be stripped to its bare essentials, complex ideas distilled and conveyed by a single word.

Prose however beautifully crafted, always seems profligate by comparison. Although I think most people prefer reading novels – you live with them for longer as you absorb the layers of the plot and the complexity of the characters – everyone should read at least one  poem every day. Poetry is the crack cocaine of literature;  the poet can deliver a quick fix and an instant high, in a way that a novelist never can

Of late I have also started to write a story for children and if you are interested in reading any of this you might like to click on the links below

The start of a children's story

Some poetry

But - on the other hand you may have better things to do