Books are magical, from the first spark of imagination, a spark that glows and grows as characters begin to populate it.

The characters jostle about, and some of them start talking to each other, friendships are struck, while others begin feuds, stories begin to form.

But there are many voices and no clear path in, a writer needs to bide their time, not trying too soon to pin a story down into print, for fear of it disappearing in a puff of smoke.

But once a way in is found and words start flowing onto the page, the trick is to listen, let the characters have their say, and there it is, the magic of writing, to let the imagination flow, just to see where it goes.

To write for yourself as if no one else is going to read it, is very freeing for the imagination.