The greater the romance, the bigger the bruise?

Getting yourself into the chair.

The day of my official international launch. Who would have thought, way back, that we would end up here? Me least of anyone. Yet here we are.

Why do you seem to think everyone needs an agent? Don’t they just take your money?

What's in a title, and how and when to come up with a good one.

Not the post I meant to write.

An awards dinner, and a stupid accident

The Diary of a Debut | 4th to 7th April, 2011

Someone's nicked my idea! And a trip to my publisher.

Literary festivals, meeting Lionel Shriver

A birthday, a licence to kill, a funeral

My first book, Before I Go to Sleep, first came out in April 2011. I’d completely forgotten that in the January of that year I started keeping a journal to chronicle things as they happened.

My entries were sporadic, and some intensely personal. I’ve tried to edit it as little as possible, however.

There's failing, and there's failing in public. But it's only paper, right?

Harrogate launch, meeting my heroes plus exciting news

What a dilatant mixture can teach us about creativity, resilience, and the power of slowing down.

My nose is broken, and other catastrophes.

A crisis of confidence, and meeting Kristin Hersh

Look at me! Plus major hiccups.

Email of the day from [my publicist]. Apparently Nigella Lawson was lunching with a female friend (Who? Brix?) who began eulogising Before I Go to Sleep. Nigella asked her PA to ring Transworld to get a copy. How exciting!

Mentioned in the Guardian’s review section today. One of the books to watch in 2011, which is great. Plus I also received two more Amazon Vine reviews - one four star and one five, and both very reasonable, I thought. The four star one did take issue with the ‘literary’ nature of the journal section, but the other answered that (’S J Watson has made Christine a writer, explaining....’) so I didn’t have to,

This week's primary procrastinations...

Watching David Hoyle, and pondering the anti-gay movement

This is what makes writing both fun and terrifying.

My first book, Before I Go to Sleep, first came out in April 2011. Until this morning, I’d completely forgotten that in the January of that year I’d decided to start keeping a journal to chronicle things as they happened.

My entries were sporadic, and some intensely personal. But, on rediscovering them this morning, I was transported back to that time, a time of hope and fear and uncertainty and excitement.

I thought my reader-supporters might enjoy them, so I’m going to share them here, bit by bit.

I thought I’d share some images of my notebooks…

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too.

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too.

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too.

No one thought there’d be a new Cure album. Not even their leader, singer Robert Smith. Since their last record came out in 2008, he’s repeatedly made comments preparing hungry fans for the fact that, though they have continued to play live pretty consistently, their recorded output was almost certainly done. He’d only do another record, he said, if he felt there was one that needed to be made, rather than just doing one for the sake of doing one. He continually reminded us that as the members of the group got older, less and less of their time was consumed by The Cure, and more and more in their other life.

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too.

Subplots is my more-or-less (less more and more less lately, tbh) weekly snapshot of where I am in life, what I’ve been up to, what’s been preoccupying me etc. The life of a writer is pretty varied, and though much of my time is spent alone at the desk chatting to imaginary people, not all of it by any means. So here’s (some of) the rest…

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too.

In the years since Before I Go to Sleep was first published I’ve done many, many events, and lots of interviews. There are a few questions that crop up repeatedly, but two in particular I’ve been asked more than any other, almost every time in fact.

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too.

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too.

Next week, my first book, Before I Go to Sleep, is being reissued, wearing brand new clothes! It used to look like this…

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too.

Subplots is my more-or-less weekly snapshot of where I am in life, what I’ve been up to, what’s been preoccupying me etc. The life of a writer is pretty varied, and though much of my time is spent alone at the desk chatting to imaginary people, not all of it by any means. So here’s (some of) the rest…

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too

The Saturday Compendium is where I round up a few of the things that have interested me in one way or another this week. Some cool, some not so cool, some that have made me think, some that have inspired me to action, some that have shaken me out of a rut. Some old, some new, all borrowed, some possibly blue. But whatever else, they’re all things I think you might find interesting too

Wednesday, July 17th

I’m going to karaoke party on Saturday. I’ve never done karaoke and frankly the thought of it terrifies me. Which is why I think I need to do it.

Anyway. Typical me, I downloaded an app and I now know I’m a baritone but haven’t got the greatest range. Apparently this can be ‘developed with practice’ but y’know, I have neighbours and all…

What I’ve been watching: Patti Smith on the importance of daydreaming

I started this as the first entry in next week’s Subplots post. But then it grew, and grew, and it turned out I had quite a bit to say. So I’m releasing it early, as bonus, solus post.

Subplots is my weekly snapshot of where I am in life, what I’ve been up to, what’s been preoccupying me etc. The life of a writer is pretty varied, and though much of my time is spent alone at the desk chatting to imaginary people, not all of it by any means. So here’s (some of) the rest…

I trawl through the highs and lows of culture and ideas, so you don't have to.

What I've been up to this week...

What's been tickling my fancy? What's been grinding my gears? I trawl through the highs and lows of culture so you don't have to.

The Breeders, confidence, Couples' Therapy and more. What's been floating my boat? What's been getting my goat?

Something else new from Compendia! Subplots is going to be my weekly snapshot of where I am in life, what I’ve been up to, what’s been preoccupying me etc. The life of a writer is pretty varied, and though much of my time is spent alone at the desk chatting to imaginary people, not all of it by any means. So here’s (some of) the rest…

A personal story from the writing of Before I Go to Sleep.

Another chunk of my work for you to enjoy, but as you read it remember it’s Draft Zero. I make no apology if anything about it is a bit shit. That’s the point, according to Hemingway at least, and I kinda think he knew what he was talking about.

Here’s a glimpse of where I’m up to with my new project. I hope you enjoy this chunk of my work, but as you read it remember it’s Draft Zero. I make no apology if anything about it is a bit shit. That’s the point, according to Hemingway at least, and I kinda think he knew what he was talking about.

I returned from a brief trip away this week, and when I least expected it a visit to an art gallery taught me something profound about the nature of art, what writing can be, and how publishing is an industry that values breadth rather than depth, to its detriment. I was also moved, almost to tears, by twenty bales of hay and some T-shirts.