paperbacks

I started this year by returning to Selena: Sea Nymph, which I still find a challenge, which is just as it should be. I am, however, already ten chapters (30k words) in with McLennan, my next thriller.

To date, I’ve never considered myself to be affected by ‘Writer’s Block’ because, for many years, I’ve maintained multiple projects. I always have a primary Work in Progress and at least one (but usually two) other writing projects.

Some authors say they can’t move from one story to another, but I rest my work often and for long enough to make this possible and desirable. When I ‘rest’ my work it can be for two weeks or more. Apart from reading and reviewing, I might draw, paint, bake, complete a domestic project (like building a new garden gate or bird table), or head off with our caravan. Whatever else I do, there is always the need to write.

Within weeks of this new year beginning, I was making a list of possible content for A Life of Choice: The Retail Years,* which is a follow-up to my popular A Life of Choice series.

As recently as this week, while revising poems in my Natural History volume, I considered it might be worthwhile to produce a paperback edition. Poetry: Volume 3 – Natural History contains 45 poems, so I believe it would need to be increased to at least 60 or 70 poems to work as a paperback.

The new verses are underway, and when they’re ready, I’ll add them to the digital edition and also create the paperback. Apart from my Light at The End books, my natural history writing is possibly the only genre I’d recommend for those under 18.

However things work out, I’m confident that this year, I’ll produce at least one new title and possibly a second.

I sincerely thank my regular readers for taking an interest and supporting my brand. If you’re new to my writing, I hope you’ll soon become one of my valued readers. Thank you for checking out my blog.

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*A Life of Choice: The Retail Years. The Foreword and first chapter, 1. One Door Closes are available in my Work in Progress menu.

Crusader is available as an eBook, and the paperback edition will follow soon.

Once again, I immersed myself in the story, aiming to create not only believable, but memorable characters and situations. There are only so many plots irrespective of the genre, so it’s the duty of the author to create twists and turns to develop the tale from the first word to the last.

Writers often create a formula which works for their readers, and while this is acceptable, it is the differences that will spell success or failure for an individual story.

Another area that can affect how a new tale is received is the length. My first draft of this story ended at 120k words. It took a lot of work to reduce it to 112k words which is how it went out to my beta readers. In response to their feedback, and because I wanted to tighten up the narrative, I reduced the content to 106k words.

As explained in a previous post, my secondary character was taking centre stage too often, so I removed whole chapters, and Constance deserved her own story. You’ll see from my Work in Progress that her tale will be the sequel to Crusader.

For those of you interested in such things, a handful of characters from the Beyond The Law and Codename titles play cameo roles in Crusader, and they earn the right to be there. I may get Constance: Crusader – Part 2, underway, but I’m in no rush. It has to feel like a different hero taking the lead, and to create that, I must leave the Jason and Constance team alone for a short while.

If you’ve never read my crime thrillers, this would be a good one to try. If you have read my work, I’m confident that you’ll enjoy Crusader.

Thank you, once again for valuable input from fellow author, Carmen Lopez, and from IASD authors: Lesley Hayes, Barbara Speake, Penny Luker, and Ruth Coulson.

My thanks also to those who take the time to read my work, and this writing blog.

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