I’ve known Jenny on social media for some time now. I was familiar with her as a romance author, but last year, I was excited to see she was bringing out a thriller. The Stepsister had me reading late into the night; you can get a copy here. Jenny’s latest, Missing in Wales, is just … Continue reading Getting to know Jenny O’Brien – author of Missing in Wales @ScribblerJB
Category: Inspiration and method
The making of a novel – inspiration & method
I’m celebrating today as my second Cambridge mystery, One Dark Lie, is now available across all ebook platforms. It's set in the run-up to Christmas: cue lots of snowy pics! Writing a novel can be a bit of a long, slow process, and encouragement along the way truly helps, so it seems like a … Continue reading The making of a novel – inspiration & method
Sophie Hannah and Jill Dawson at the Cambridge Literary Festival
Last weekend I had a thoroughly self-indulgent time attending a talk by Sophie Hannah and Jill Dawson. Hannah has recently written Closed Casket, her second Hercule Poirot mystery, commissioned by Agatha Christie Limited. Meanwhile Dawson’s latest book, The Crime Writer, is about novelist Patricia Highsmith, and according to The Guardian “achieves a wonderful blurring of … Continue reading Sophie Hannah and Jill Dawson at the Cambridge Literary Festival
My experience of the editing process
So, the edits for my second novel are finally finished. Once again, it’s been a really thorough process, making me feel that every aspect has been considered, to make the book the best it can be. Here's how the system works for those published by Choc Lit: The Tasting Panel Choc Lit has a panel … Continue reading My experience of the editing process
Mystery fiction – selecting a sleuth
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, … Continue reading Mystery fiction – selecting a sleuth
Six top writing tips (& Happy Birthday Choc Lit!)
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. … Continue reading Six top writing tips (& Happy Birthday Choc Lit!)
Inspiration for romantic suspense
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 … Continue reading Inspiration for romantic suspense
The mystery ingredient…
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 … Continue reading The mystery ingredient…
Writing: getting started once you’ve stalled…
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 … Continue reading Writing: getting started once you’ve stalled…
Stephen King’s Joyland, and the benefit of hindsight
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 … Continue reading Stephen King’s Joyland, and the benefit of hindsight
Clare Chase 