Author Archives: Dianne Ascroft

About Dianne Ascroft

I'm a Canadian writer and author, living in Britain. My Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series is set in 1980s rural Canada.

Wartime Tales For National Short Story Week

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

Today I’m featuring wartime stories. This week is National Short Story Week (16th to 22nd November), an event I look forward to each year. I enjoy reading and writing this form of literature so I want to support this annual … Continue reading →

Posted in November 2015 | Tagged Byzantium, Dianne Ascroft, Eileen Stephenson, English Civil War, Hazel Gaynor, homefront fiction, Maybelle Wallis, Mel Logue, National Short Story week, short stories, wartime stories, World War I, World War II | 1 Comment

Irish Tales For National Short Story Week

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

I’m restraining myself – I will not say ‘Top of the mornin’ to you’ or use any other Irish cliché. But I am featuring Irish tales today. This week is National Short Story Week (16th to 22nd November), an event … Continue reading →

Posted in November 2015, Uncategorized | Tagged Dianne Ascroft, Irish American stories, Irish stories, Irish tales, J S Dunn, Mother America, National Short Story week, Nuala Ni Chonchuir, Roy Newell, short stories, Tim Hodkinson | Leave a comment

National Short Story Week With The Ex-Pats

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

This week is National Short Story Week (16th to 22nd November), an event I look forward to each year. I enjoy reading and writing this form of literature so I want to support this annual event by encouraging readers to … Continue reading →

Posted in November 2015 | Tagged Bound To Night, Dianne Ascroft, Doreen Porter, Foreign Encounters, historical fiction, Keeping Her Pledge, Louise Charles, National Short Story week, Nina Croft, paranormal fiction, short stories, Vanessa Couchman, Writers Abroad | 3 Comments

Romance and National Short Story Week

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

There’s romance in the air and on the page today. This week is National Short Story Week (16th to 22nd November), an event I look forward to each year. I enjoy reading and writing this form of literature so I … Continue reading →

Posted in November 2015 | Tagged Autumn's Gold, Byzantium, Call of the Alpha, contemporary romance, Eileen Stephenson, historical romance, Keeping Her Pledge, Lia Manning, Lucy Kubash, National Short Story week, romance, romance short stories, Tales of Byzantium, wartime stories | 1 Comment

Pondering The Other Side Of Life

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

A couple evenings ago I finished reading The Other Side of Life by Andy Kutler and I immediately began writing the book review because it had raised a few questions that I wanted to mull over. This is how Neverland … Continue reading →

Posted in November 2015 | Tagged afterlife, American Civil War, Andy Kutler, historical fiction, Pearl Harbor, The Other Side of Life | Leave a comment

‘Tis The Season – For Book Launches

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

It’s that time again – Halloween? Thanksgiving? Christmas? Not exactly – it’s anthology launch season. Not surprisingly, most writers’ groups endeavour to launch their latest writing collections in the run-up (you can interpret that as ‘sales season’) to Christmas. For … Continue reading →

Posted in November 2015 | Tagged anthologies, Fermanagh Authors Association, Fermanagh Miscellany, Fermanagh writers, Kaleidoscope, poetry, short stories, Tavern Told Tales, Writers Abroad, writers' group anthologies | Leave a comment

Remembering the Home Front

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

In the early days of November each year we remember the sacrifices made during the First and Second World Wars and later conflicts. Since I’m writing a series of stories set in Northern Ireland during the Second World War, I’d … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Armistice Day, civilians in wartime, Home Front, Remembrance Day, Remembrance Sunday, second world war, World War II | Leave a comment

The Serpent Sword Examined

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

We’re stepping back in time today to the early medieval period in Britain. Matthew Harffy joins me to discuss his novel, The Serpent Sword. Welcome, Matthew. Let’s get started, shall we? Tell us about your novel. MH: THE SERPENT SWORD … Continue reading →

Posted in October 2015, Uncategorized | Tagged early medieval Britain, historical fiction, Matthew Harffy, military fiction, The Serpent's Sword | Leave a comment

A Peek Into A House Divided

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

There’s only two days left until the release of A House Divided by Margaret Skea. The novel, set in sixteenth century Scotland, is the sequel to Turn of the Tide, winner of the Beryl Bainbridge Best First Time Author award … Continue reading →

Posted in October 2015 | Tagged A House Divided, historical fiction, Margaret Skea, Scottish fiction, sixteenth century Scotland, Turn of the Tide | 1 Comment

Does A Picture Say It All?

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Dianne Ascroft

What’s that saying about a picture and a thousand words? Yes, that one. If you read my previous post you’ll know I’ve been playing around with images lately. Since my first foray into ‘memeing’ I’ve ventured into the world of … Continue reading →