When I wake up tomorrow it will be February; the shortest month in the calendar year and my birthday month. Yes, by the end of…
Tucked away in a wee close off of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is one of my favourite museums in the city. It’s the Writers’ Museum in Lady Stair’s Close and even though…
Today marks one calendar month since I began my PhD. And since I promised an update, here I am to tell you about it. Well, about…
My apologies, I seem to be in a poetic mood today. I believe…By Just Frances I believe in so many things.I believe in so many…
As regular readers may know, I am a fan of letters. Proper, hand-written letters sent to family and friends – or even to perfect strangers if there’s a cause. I honestly…
It’s been a calendar week since I formally matriculated as a PhD student and a “work” week since my first day as a PhD student. So, as promised,…
I went to Snoqualmie Falls on my way home from my Olympia/Portland journey and was amused when I noticed words embedded into the steps and sidewalk around the visitors’…
I wrote a piece about innovation and running for my [now former] job and it’s officially hit the press today (by way of the organisation’s monthly newsletter). Anyhow,…
A few weeks before Paul died I began the outline of a book. I was excited about it; Paul was excited about it. He was,…
Note: This is just a small draft idea for my most recent novel attempt. It follows on from a bit that I shared in May and includes…
Note: This is a piece I’ve been working on for a couple of years (I always have a few ideas/drafts in progress) and isn’t a…
I carry a notebook everywhere I go to jot down thoughts and inspirations when I’m out and about. Sometimes I immediately make use of those…
Today is just a random poetry day… And I wait By Just Frances I draw in a breath; long and slowAnd I waitDesperately, hopelesslyI wait…
You may recall that I made an enquiry about a PhD studentship back in May and that I was a bit uncertain about how it would…
As soon as she walked in, she felt the tension. She didn’t want to be there, but her friends insisted she go and enjoy herself.…
I took a bit of a self-esteem stumble after being pushed by some hurtful words over the weekend. I really let the words get to…
As part of Monday’s fun video shoot, I had to pretend to be hard at work doing academic-y stuff. So I sat and scribbled away in…
When I was accepted to my PhD programme, I went straight to work trying to determine how I would pay for it all. After all, the three-year…
It’s National Grammar Day in America, when grammarians will march forth on 4th March to spread the good word. (That’s good word, not well word.) And as a lingual hobbyist, I…
To celebrate submitting my first PhD application yesterday, I thought I’d share with you my first writing assignment from my master’s programme. This was written for my…