I’ve loved crime fiction since I was a child, and wrote about my first encounter with the genre – through Stephen Chance’s Septimus and the Danedyke Mystery – here. The hero of that book is a police-officer-turned-vicar. Over the years I’ve enjoyed mysteries with all sorts of protagonists, from police detectives like Ian Rankin’s Rebus and Donna Leon’s Brunetti, … More Mystery fiction – selecting a sleuth
Today marks the sixth birthday of my publisher, Choc Lit, and we’re all celebrating. There’s a birthday round robin story to follow on Choc Lit’s blog and you can also join in by checking out #choclitparty on Twitter. And in a tenuous birthday link, I’m sharing the six bits of writing advice I’ve found most useful over the years. … More Six top writing tips (& Happy Birthday Choc Lit!)
I’m in that in between stage at the moment. I’ve just submitted a novella to my publisher, Choc Lit, and I’m having a nice time, mulling over the story I might write next. I’ve been working on books featuring two sets of characters – one lot based in London and one in Cambridge. The novella I’ve … More Inspiration for romantic suspense
A side-effect of my first book coming out is that I’ve had to try things I haven’t done before, and I’m sure this is good for me. Although I write about danger and adventure, in reality I’m a risk-averse wimp. So, since my last post, I’ve attended my first ever book club as a guest … More My first book club… as a guest author!
I had great fun on Sunday, taking part in a blog feature run by my fellow Choc Lit author, Rhoda Baxter. Her Inheritance Books series is inspired by the Inheritance Tracks slot from BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live. You get to share a book that was passed down to you from the previous generation, as … More The mystery ingredient…
A few weeks back, I put up a jolly post about how I was going to embark on a novella, a sequel to my first novel, You Think You Know Me. I’ve begun a Cambridge-based mystery series since completing my debut. I find the city fascinating; it’s such a place of contrasts. But, having taken a break, I … More Writing: getting started once you’ve stalled…
I recently finished Joyland, by Stephen King. It’s only the second novel of his that I’ve read, the first being 11 22 63. I can’t think why I didn’t start sooner. Neither of these particular examples belong to the genre that King’s most famous for, but each has elements that waive the normal scientific rules … More Stephen King’s Joyland, and the benefit of hindsight
