Author Archives: Dianne Ascroft

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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.

A Modern Museum: Headhunters Railway Museum

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

At a time of cutbacks as many museums are struggling to survive I had the opportunity to visit a museum that has found a unique way to survive and thrive. Headhunters Railway Museum is housed in a barbershop and funded by … Continue reading →

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Telling Lies: I Had To Discover The Truth

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

As the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in America is commemorated this month, I inadvertantly chose an appropriate novel to review. I was recently offered a copy of Telling Lies by Cathi Stoler to read and comment on as … Continue reading →

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Sunday Gathering in the Barrack Storeroom

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

Yesterday was the close of Fermanagh Creative Writing Group’s Autumn Kickoff week. And on a rainy, windy Sunday what better to do than gather with a group of writers (and a good few listeners) to share stories and poems? The … Continue reading →

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Studying Stories

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

I’ve been reading quite a variety of short stories lately. Some I really enjoy, others I wonder why they were written. The stories I’ve been reading have made me think about what makes a good short story and what I like and … Continue reading →

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A Creative Week Ahead

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

Why does everything seem to happen at once? This week I seem to be juggling at least 10 activities at the same time – I’ll tell you later whether I was successful or not. My co-editor and I are almost finished preparing … Continue reading →

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Foreign Flavours About To Boil

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

It’s less than three weeks until the deadline for submitting stories and non-fiction writing to Writers Abroad’s new anthology, Foreign Flavours.  The book’s theme is food and drink around the world. Expat writers are invited to submit material to be considered for … Continue reading →

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Irish HNS Chapter Were Back In Belfast

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

The Irish branch of the Historical Novel Society were back in Belfast at the Europa Hotel on Saturday afternoon for our quarterly meeting. We alternate each quarter between Dublin and Belfast. It certainly isn’t a chore to organise these meetings … Continue reading →

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Patricia O’Reilly Reveals A Type Of Beauty

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

I recently read A Type of Beauty by Patricia O’Reilly. It was my first introduction to Kate Newton and I was fascinated and moved by this dramatisation of her life. Prior to the book’s release authors Christine Dwyer Hickey and … Continue reading →

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Peering Into Her Past

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

Technology is slipping in everywhere – even into quiet Irish villages. In my story A Link To Her Past I consider what might happen when a middle-aged Irishwoman begins to surf the net and finds a webcam in the church she … Continue reading →

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The Full Moon Bride: An Old Fashioned Contemporary Story

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Dianne Ascroft

Recently I received a copy of The Full Moon Bride by Shobhan Bantwal to review. The novel explores arranged marriage and the difficulties living in two cultures often poses for Indian-Americans. The story follows a young Indian-American attorney, Soorya Giri, as she decides … Continue reading →

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