A Photograph of Diana holding a wine glass, wearing a fancy red sweater. She's got shoulder length brown hair, peach skin.

Diana Jackson

Views, reviews and muse related to my writing

Reading a novel

  • Diana’s July Book Review ~ The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht

    I was recommended to read this book and it is certainly an interesting and unusual plot, with fascinating characters. I liked the obvious close relationship between grandfather and grand-daughter. I could identify with this, having talked to my own grandma about just about everything. The way in which the grandfather’s life unfolded through the memories,…

  • Diana’s February Review ~The Private Life of Spies by Alexander McCall Smith

    Following on from my last blog post, when a friend claimed on Facebook that I told him that I had been a spy over a few glasses of wine once upon a time (in fact he is a member if my husband’s rock n roll band), I was amused to see The Private Life of…

  • Can You Leap Back into your Writing Life?

    Can you leap back? I’m not sure. I’m certainly striding forward in my hopes, dreams and aims for 2023. (see last post) Two weeks ago I searched for the unfinished manuscript for the third in my Mystery Inspired by History Series. (I finished writing it in October 2020, in lockdown, at the time I was…

  • Islands of Inspiration (5) Alderney ~ for me the Ultimate Island

    Alderney was the island which gave me the original inspiration to write my debut novel Riduna, first published by Pegasus in 2009, then Eventispress in 2012 when its sequel Ancasta was published. How time flies! I have not been back for eight years due to moving to Fife and increased family commitments. It seemed an…

  • Diana’s Autumn Book Reviews (5) The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea

    Why did I chose this book? It is a novel set on another familiar island; an evocative story based on truth. We visited The Orkneys several years ago and loved them, especially the uncovered layers of history everywhere you turn, from Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes through to World War 2. There is none more moving…

  • Five Star Review for ‘MISSING Past and Present ~ my latest ~ ‘Mystery Inspired by History’

    Lorraine 5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating & Enjoyable Reviewed in the United Kingdom  Format: Kindle Edition “MISSING, Past and Present is a wonderful book, with two captivating stories. In the first we follow Dorothy’s journey as she becomes homeless following the disappearance of her husband and the arrest of her foster son. This story is…

  • Author Roderick Hart takes up the ‘Throw a Dice Challenge’

    I’m really pleased to welcome author Roderick Hart who is taking part in my ‘Throw a Dice Challenge’ Please can you share your author bio:   Roderick Hart has published poetry in anthologies of verse, made bubble gum in Philadelphia, studied folk music in Afghanistan, and worked for many years in a recording studio, training…

  • Author David Ebsworth takes up the ‘Throw a Dice Challenge!’

    I’m really pleased to welcome author David Ebsworth who is taking part in my ‘Throw a Dice Challenge’ David Ebsworth’s latest and ninth novel is the final part of the Yale Trilogy about a 17th century nabob philanthropist and slave trader  Elihu Yale, but it is told through the eyes of Yale’s wife, Catherine. David…