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If you’re a woman (or even a man) then perhaps you like the look of Bradley Cooper … where did I put my mirror …

or for others, it’s relaxing to gaze at Liz Hurley … oh those lovely big eyes …

Whatever your preference – it’s nice to look at something and not feel eye-strain. With that in mind and to make it easier for folk to read my short stories and novel chapters I’ve conducted yet another revamp.

Yes, brimming with the milk of human kindness, I spent my morning easing all my creative writing out from column-width to page-width. ‘What difference does it make?’ I hear you ask.

Why not have a look?

It’s particularly important for me right now because I’m working on the final draft of ‘Hawk – A Vigilante’, my thriller set in Glasgow. The novel is set for publication on Amazon in September / October so the rewrite is taking up most of my waking hours.

The first three freshly reworked chapters are now available to read on my blog. Whether you want to see my style, or if the idea of a modern vigilante in a British city appeals to you, please feel free to read and leave a comment. If I find feedback I’ll add the next two chapters. I will – honest!

I appreciate all feedback so whether or not you like the early chapters it will help me to produce a better story. The main job is done – the story is written, so my job now is to ensure the sex, violence, death and mayhem sounds as realistic as possible. You could help me shape the plot.

That’s all for now while I let you all think about it.

Windmill painting - acrylic on canvas — Windmill painting – acrylic on canvas

It’s been four weeks since my last ~~confession~~ , I mean blog post. What excuses can I offer? Well for a start there was the first week when I got to grips with my second romance ‘Discovering Amsterdam’ and got the first draft completed. That story is now in cold storage until I get my thriller e-published on Amazon. There will be excerpts from each of my novels on both this site and my website.

I was then on holiday for two weeks. The first week was spent in Germany where we were based in Cologne, but we travelled further afield as usual. Favourite places on this trip with lots of pictures taken were; Cochem in the Mosel Valley and Monschau which is about 800 years old. On returning to the UK we managed a day here and there for the next week. I dabbled in my writing, but I also painted.

I’ve been looking through my recent pictures and I’ve got them down to a shortlist. I want to paint a scene from the Mosel Valley and one from Monschau, but they will be a while coming because I’m doing them a bit bigger than usual. Results will appear on here when completed.

Having just returned from Germany perhaps I would be expected to paint something of that trip – but no, not me. I have my Amsterdam Collection of paintings that was still incomplete. I had a canal, a corner café and a Dutch East Indiaman (three-masted ship). I decided that what was lacking was a windmill – so that has now been sorted. I had pictures that I had taken a few months ago on a trip over there.

The thriller is about a vigilante and it’s had various working titles. I tend to change the title when I do the next draft because that way I can get used to seeing it and I consider if the particular title will work. The latest variation is ‘Hawk – A Vigilante’, which seems to tell the reader what the hero is all about.

My intention is to have someone else design the cover for me on this occasion. I can give a brief of the story and see what comes up and it might be better if another set of brain cells has a go at it. As for the story itself, I’m now on the third draft and the whole thing is already feeling better. What’s better about it? I’m ensuring for example that there is an action scene in every chapter, two in some of them. There will be more death and violence than in the first drafts too – it is about a vigilante after all. I’ll post a chapter or two on here as they are completed and then if anyone has an opinion they can voice it. I do appreciate feedback.