Authors Electric

  When writing the first blog of the year it always leaves me wondering what I should say. As this one falls on the 16th of the month all the usual New Year's Resolutions have been covered and most people are gazing in dismay at the bills from Christmas. Add in the added pressures of COVID (there I said it) and lockdown and it really leaves me wondering - what the heck can I do to make this better. Well, I'm a definite glass half full girl and a great believer in making lemonade from the lemons of life. So, I handed myself a challenge to think about what good has, or could, come out of this as a writer. So let's see what it's like on the bright side.  The first thing that has happened since last March and the first lockdown is that I have had to stay at home. When I say stay at home, I don't just mean inside my house, I mean no travel and all speaking engagements have had to be cancelled. Usually I spend many weeks of the year travelling which I love. However, it me...

I'm  a writer who's been living on the edge of her one remaining nerve for the past couple of months. The look of panic on my face, as deadlines came screaming towards me, was something to behold. Did you note the plural nature of my word choice? Not deadline, but deadlines. Somehow, I got through them all, and was able to take a deep breath and relax. What did I learn in the process? The answer is I learned a lot, hence the reason I am able to give you this sage advice regarding deadlines.   1. Start early and give yourself time to do the task. Agreeing to write a 90,000 word novel by next week may seem like a good idea. Trust me, it aint. Full disclosure here, that's not what I did. It's an example.  2. Keep a detailed planner of when to do what. This may sound simple but setting clear blocks of time for each project will help you manage your deadlines.  3. Remember there are only 24 hours in the day. Filling up your diary with other projects or ev...

Last month, as everyone packed their bags and headed home after another fantastic Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate , I was buzzing. And, as much as I enjoyed the festival, it actually had nothing to do with my feelings of excitement and fear. Sunday 23 July was a big day for me because the third book in my DI Hamilton series, Deadly Friendship, was published. I thought my emotions would be far more contained than they were - not only was this my third book in the series, but, in total, it's the fifth I've published, so I should be used to publication day, right? Wrong! I've realised my nerves build the more I write ... and I'm sure many authors feel this. We're constantly in competition with the last book we've written - if readers loved it, can we match, and even exceed, their expectations? And if they hated it, can we better ourselves and our stories? We all know that we can't please all the people all the time, but gosh,...

In moments of idleness random subjects frequently leapfrog through my mind in rapid succession, turning subjects not merely on their heads but morphing them into something else entirely. Today, whilst making tea and boggling at the latest news headlines drifting from the radio, the process was begun in recalling the quote from Alice that runs, “ Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” (Through the Looking Glass,   ch 5 .)   I am a lifelong devotee of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and its companion Through the Looking Glass .  I loved these books as a child and again in my teens when they were must-read volumes of the ‘flower child’ revolution, and I have loved them ever since. So when I came across a gloriously OTT reading of Carroll’s Jabberwocky’ by Benedict Cumberbatch I was delighted and shared it around with glee. In the very same week  the great actor Sir John Hurt passed on, and in the plethora of obit...

Yes, nail-biting takes place in the run up to publication I never appreciated how frightening publishing book two in a series could be. If I thought the days and weeks leading up to the book birthday of In the Shadows was nerve-racking… No Safe Home has trumped it. It’s a strange feeling, because I know an author cannot please everyone, or cater to all reader’s tastes, or might miss a hook for a blogger. As a reader, I’m fully aware I’m not going to enjoy every book I read, or relate with every character I meet. Yet, despite this knowledge, I still found myself in author limbo – and it’s a scary place to be. I’m the kind of person who needs to know. I like answers and reasons and feedback (I was called nosey as a teenager, but I prefer the word inquisitive). I love to know why. I love hearing people’s thoughts and reactions to things and, no surprise, this includes my books. At the end of last year, In the Shadows received a one star review on Amazon.com, and ...

Though these women look quite pleased with themselves, I must admit, it's not myself and Mel This time last year, I would never have believed that I could say I am a self-published author. If I was also told I’d be embarking on a new crime series with New York Times Bestselling Author, M.A Comley, I’d say you were pulling my leg. But look at me, it’s happened and it’s a dream come true.      After speaking to a variety of authors online, I’ve come to realise co-writing isn’t for everyone. Some even say it would be their worst nightmare. And I can totally understand that. Having someone grill your work, edit it and not agree with your ideas could be frustrating. But look at it from a different perspective and it could mean that person is enhancing what you’ve written and enriching your ideas.      I find myself in a lucky position. I am working with an experienced author who has published over 35 books in five years and definitely knows her...

I am sure the whole world knows that Christmas is upon us. Everyone is chasing their tails trying to get ready for the big day, or two days if you celebrate on boxing day as well. I am no different to anyone else. My days have been filled with present buying, card writing, turkey buying, and a search for all the endless trimmings that go with a turkey dinner. What's this got to do with writing I hear you ask. Bear with me, I'm getting there. I have the added joy of being an author. This means that my Christmas has been full of book signings as well as all the usual parties and frivolities. Okay, my book signings are full of frivolity as well. I'll give you that.  The title of my post is Deck the Halls. Well it's not quite deck the halls today, but certainly dressing me. I have appeared in a number of guises throughout the festive period. In the photo above I was signing books at a local shopping centre. The picture above is me dressed as a smiling santa, comple...

As a writer I have discovered that inspiration strikes at the oddest times. I am currently on a bit of a working holiday in the South of England. Whilst staying with a friend who lives in Eltham, in London, she took me along to Well Hall Pleasance. It sounded pleasant (pun intended) so off we went. Little did I know what a treat I had in store. This used to be the home of Edith Nesbit who wrote The Railway Children and Five Children and It amongst many other books. The picture at the top is the Psammead from Five Children and it. There are a number of these wooden statues in the garden, all depicting different creatures from the books.  The Phoenix from The Phoenix and the Carpet How could one fail to be inspired in such a setting. Knowing that all these years ago E. Nesbit sat here and wrote such magical books, filled me with a sense of wonder. It also filled me with inspiration to write books which could be enjoyed by readers so many years down the line.  ...