W.R.I.T.E. with Derek Power explores the mind behind Ireland's foremost (and only!) fairy detective, Filthy Henry. Using this not-at-all-contrived acronym, we chat about writing and author stuff like that. No leprechauns were hurt or injured in the making of this interview, despite what they might tell you!

When we sleep, our brain starts its "night shift" in a form called Lucid Dreaming. Creative types have used this time to great effect - from Mary Shelley to Stephen King. My post explains how it works and why it can help writers.

Writing your book is great but it's only part of the job. Getting recognised, building a fan base, gaining acceptance from other writers - it's all part of being a semi professional author. Here are some tips to reach that level.

Speculative fiction is filled with clichéd, over-used and predictable concepts - what we call tropes. I've inverting some, turned them on their heads, to provide inspiration!

William Shakespeare did not write the plays that carry his name. He couldn't have done. A simple boy from the Shires, with a basic education and who never left England - how could he have written such lyrical, thought-provoking material? My article presents facts which dispute the traditional perceptions and proves the real author of literature's greatest works.

Author collaboration can be powerful. Based on experiences from our Realm Raiders project, I've written how we've grown as writers and enjoyed ourselves in the process. We've inspired each other, discovered things we didn't think we could do and learned from one another. The result is enormous satisfaction for a project that's brought pride and personal growth.

What were the sparks of inspiration that drove me to write? The answer lies in 1950/60s speculative fiction and the fire it ignited.

An exploration of the origins, the likely biological causes and appearance in literature of the vampire. It didn't all start with Dracula!

The werewolf myth is over 4,000 years old and appear in global cultures. Why is it so timeless? History, media & psychology offer reasons.