Well, after having guests for a couple of weeks, it’s time to step back and take over my blog again. Which, as always, leads to the fun question of what on earth am I supposed to talk about?

The last time I posted here, I did something about top tens – basically how I wasn’t actually able to think about a decent top ten of anything. Luckily, over the last few weeks, I’ve been able to put a bit more thought into it, and I realised that I did have a really good idea for a top ten I could post.

A top ten of things about my stories. So here goes:

1. My stories are friendly. Really friendly. They’re the sorts of stories that just walk up to you on the street, shake your hand and say “hello”. And if you’re at a party where you don’t know anyone, my stories are the sorts of stories that will come up and start a conversation (unlike me – I’m a total wallflower).

2. My stories have got lots of jokes in them. Okay, so some of those jokes aren’t actually very good. Come to think of it, maybe most of those jokes aren’t very good. But they’re my jokes and I like them, and I think that’s the most important thing.

3. They’re original. I really do try my best not to copy or imitate. If I write a fantasy, I won’t fill it with the typical characters likes elves and wizards and dragons. I’ll create a whole new bunch of characters, like Kertoobies and Cherines and Glurgs. There now, doesn’t that make you want to read them?

4. They’re also not set in your typical locations. How many stories have you read set in an asteroid field, or a coral reef made entirely out of words? What, you haven’t? Then my stories might be for you.

5. I use some pretty cool words in them. I’m really into words. I love learning new words and trying to find ways to throw them into my stories. Sometimes, I read dictionaries, or do crossword puzzles, just to see if I can find excellent new words to put into my stories.

6.  They’re not age specific. Kids can read them and enjoy them. Adults can read and enjoy them. They’re just totally for everybody.

7. Their genre can be hard to define. They’re kind of fantastical and a little bit out there. They’re also kind of funny (see thing 2 above) but bits of them are also kind of serious. They have bits and pieces from all sorts of other different stories. That’s why I invented my own genre for them – dag-lit.

8. They paint pictures inside your mind. At least that’s what lots of readers have told me. It’s been one of the greatest compliments I’ve had as a writer for people to tell me how vividly they “see” my stories.

9. They’re about important things done in unimportant ways. Or maybe they’re about unimportant things done in important ways. Either way, they’re definitely about things.

10. They’re mine. They’re nobody else’s. I don’t think anybody else could write stories that are quite like mine, and that’s something I’m pretty proud of.

So there you go. Ten things about my stories. I could probably think of a few more things at that, but I’d hate to sound like a show-off.

If you want to experience one of my stories for yourself, you can download Doodling for free right here.

Have a good week.