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Thriller Writer Claire Stibbe

23/11/2015

Claire Stibbe

Today I am delighted to welcome an author of many talents - and several genres - to my Guest Blog. Claire Stibbe is originally from England but lived in Hong Kong for three years before eventually finding a second home in New Mexico, USA with her husband and son. Her genres include Historical Fiction, Action and Adventure, Psychological Thriller, Mystery and Suspense.

Claire's latest novel, a psychological thriller, 'The 9th Hour', has just been released by Crooked Cat Publishing and is available on Amazon as an eBook. and she is currently working on the second in the series, 'Night Eyes.' Claire has written two historical fiction novels, 'Chasing Pharaohs' and 'The Fowler's Snare', both set in ancient Egypt during the 18th Dynasty and several short stories for an anthology of fantasy and crime tales. The collection won Best Anthology of 2014 in the Independent Book Awards hosted by eFestival of Words.

Hi Claire,
Welcome to my Guest Blog. I know that this is a very exciting week for you; the first novel in the Detective Temeke Series, ‘The 9th Hour’, was released last Tuesday by Crooked Cat Publishing. Why don’t you start by telling us tell us a bit about ‘The 9th Hour’?

The first book takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico where a nine-year-old African American girl has been abducted. Temeke, a detective working for violent crimes against children, is called out one early December morning to take over a case nobody wants. Why? Because former lead Detective Jack Reynolds was found dead under the bridge on Exit 230 to San Mateo. He had a gunshot wound to his head.

With a new partner, a new case and a new set of wheels, Temeke takes to the roads in search of a man who keeps the body parts of his eight young victims as trophies and has a worrying obsession with the number nine.

How did you research ideas for the novel? And did you enjoy that part of the process?

Researching ideas for The 9th Hour, the first in the Detective Temeke Series has been so much fun, especially driving around Albuquerque through all the areas Temeke & Malin would go.
With so many state parks here in New Mexico, the hiking trails are numerous and great places to soak up the mood and learn about the history of the southwest. Big blue skies, palisade cliffs and all kinds of fauna only add to each scene. With the help of detectives in the local police department, this has been crucial in piecing together the steps of a serial killer.

‘The 9th Hour’ is a very atmospheric and brooding thriller. What inspired the mood of the book?

Slate-grey skies, a sheet of rain one minute and the growl of thunder the next has provided the right mood for my book. I love the characters and the way they lead each chapter to who knows where. And yes, normally I have a structure, only this time it all went out of the window.

New Mexico National Forest

Why was that?

It’s David Temeke’s fault. His dry wit always goes for the jugular, rubbing the Duke City Police Department up the wrong way. Unit Commander Hackett is clearly suspicious of Temeke, an African/British ex-pat, and has reluctantly assigned him a new east coast transfer, Malin Santiago. It’s a high profile case where her Hispanic/Norwegian roots are a valuable asset to the team. Can’t say why. You’ll just have to read the book. Only, Temeke believes that Santiago lacks the necessary experience for such a case which is adding a considerable strain to their professional relationship. Not to mention her physical attraction to him which is about as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party.

You talk about your characters as if they were real people. Is that how they feel to you?

Oh, yes. I often sit in my favorite coffee shop and ask my characters questions. It’s amazing what they come up with. I wrote a scene for Santiago that would change Temeke’s view of her; maybe give him something to chew over. But being despicable Temeke, he wanted to leave things as they are. Unrequited love in the Northwest Area Command is much too much fun to watch. And Malin isn’t all smiles and teeth. There’s a certain metal in her psyche that gets stronger with every book. She might have started out as a pit-dweller, but she’s sure making up for it now.

It sounds a fabulous thriller, Claire! Thank you for taking the time to be my guest. I’ve really enjoyed talking to you.

‘The 9th Hour’ (November 201) Crooked Cat Publishing is available to buy as an eBook on Amazon here.

Claire is also the author of two Egyptian Fiction books, ‘Chasing Pharaohs’ and ‘ The Fowler’s Snare.’ For more information on Claire Stibbe, please visit:

http://www.cmtstibbe.com/
https://clairestibbe.wordpress.com/

Feel free to follow us on https://twitter.com/CMTStibbe and Facebook http://buff.ly/1NPgLIH

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William Burton McCormick

25/8/2015

1 Comment

William burton mccormick

William Burton McCormick

I am delighted to welcome historical novelist, William Burton McCormick, to my Guest Blog. And I am also pleased to announce that he has sent me a link to a FREE short story, On Record, for my readers. (Scroll down to the end of this interview for the link.)

Originally from the U.S.A., Bill (as he prefers to be known) now lives in Latvia and writes historical fiction set in the Baltic States and Russia. He was elected a Hawthornden Fellow in 2013 and a member of Mystery Writers of America, the Crime Writers Association and International Thriller Writers. Three of his short stories have been finalists in the prestigious Derringer Award and he is, quite simply, one of my favourite writers.

'Lenin's Harem', is set in the small Baltic state of Latvia, It is an epic and enthralling novel of love and war, which sweeps the reader and the characters through the first three tumultuous decades of the nineteenth century. William Burton McCormick brilliantly recreates the tensions and horrors of war-torn Latvia as it struggles to assert its identity and gain its independence, while being ripped apart by successive invaders and treacherous politics. McCormick’s prose has a lyricism which fascinates the reader and wards off revulsion as he steers us through the gas-filled trenches of World War One...

For my full review of Lenin's Harem
follow this link

Hi Bill,
So how did you first get into this crazy world of novel writing?

I had been a natural storyteller since youth and in a previous life I was a video game producer, so the creative juices I guess were always in my nature though in very different forms. After I left video games, friends in the industry would still hire me to write dialogue scripts for sports games and even a gaming adaptation of the movie Scarface. Apparently, they felt, I had a naturalistic style that communicated a lot in little words. Well, I enjoyed writing these scripts and this lead me to toying with the idea of writing more fleshed-out fiction. Around this time I heard about the MA in Novel Writing Programme at the University of Manchester. I was living near Washington D.C. at the time but I made a bet with myself: If I could get in the programme, I would go. So I whipped up two chapters of a World War II thriller set in Latvia, and sent it in with my application. I was successful. That was probably my first big break. My second was when the editor at Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine accepted two of my stories in one year - and actually paid me for it! Well, then I was off and running as a professional fiction writer.

What attracted you to the genres of Crime Fiction and Historical Fiction?

I've been a gigantic fan of crime fiction since I read The Maltese Falcon, Hound of the Baskervilles and The Whitechapel Horrors back-to-back-to-back one summer when my then girlfriend marooned me at the beach. I got more than sunburn, though, I was inspired. I'm also a big Hitchcock fan and loved how he played with audience's expectations. I found I wanted to make stories that manipulated my audience in the same way.

However, when it came time to write that first novel, I quickly knew I wanted a historical setting. I've always loved history if told correctly. There are so many wonderful stories there. I was an Ancient Studies as an undergraduate mainly because it was an excuse to do two things: listen to great stories and imagine what it was like living in civilizations of the past.

So, it was pretty natural that my novel and most my stories have both a crime element and a historical element. Probably always will.

How easy –or hard - was it for you to find ideas for your more recent works?

Easy. It's too easy in fact. Since my time at the University of Manchester I've lived in Latvia, Estonia, Manchester (again), Russia, Ukraine and now a second stint in Latvia. For this American guy, living in these locales inspires stories daily. I've such a backlog I know I'll never get to write them all. But inspiration is not the problem, getting them all down and done is the challenge.

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

By living there. Going to the places I'm writing about. Wandering about and making notes of my reactions to these locales, cultures and people. If it’s a more serious work like my novel Lenin's Harem, then in addition to living in Russia and Latvia, I'll meet with historians, museum curators, sometimes even politicians and descendants of of survivors of the events I'm describing. When my draft of Lenin's Harem was finished, for example, I sent it to four historians and asked them to read it for historical accuracy. I was pleased that they none of them suggested anything more than trivial changes. But I had to get it right.

Of course, I don't do such things for every story. If the work is essentially a fantasy or adventure I can trust my own research alone. The history isn't the main focus. But with a work that is supposed to dramatize actual events like my novel, you have to be accurate. Too many people died to get it wrong.

What was the most surprising thing you learnt about the publishing industry after you had been part of it?

How hard it is to get published, and even more so, how hard it is to get paid.

What are your next writing projects?

I've nearly finished a murder mystery novella set in late 19th century Odessa that I think will be quite good. Writing it gave me an excuse to visit Odessa a couple of times and journey down into those unending catacombs. I've also working on another murder mystery novella set in modern Riga with a somewhat light cosy tone as a change of pace. The protagonists of both novellas have already appeared in stories in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine so I know there will be an audience.

Then in it's onto another historical novel, which features some of the characters from Lenin's Harem in World War II.

What is the most rewarding experience you have had in your writing career?

Lenin's Harem is set in Russia and Latvia (mainly the latter). Despite all my careful research, when I was writing it, I was very apprehensive of what ethnic Latvians would think of the book. I thought they'd catch culture mistakes I made and odd perspectives that I was bound to have as a foreigner, even one living in their country. To my surprise the book was embraced by the Latvian-American community, and then, when published in the native language, by European Latvians as well. I did a book signing in Riga and there were people in tears telling me stories of how their grandparents went through these events, that I depicted them so accurately, and that it meant so much that someone wanted to tell the world about what happened in their country. One Latvian man who had read the book couldn't believe it was written by a foreigner. He insisted it was ghost-written by a Latvian. It was quite an honour for me.

What is the best part of being a writer?

The inspiration. Waking up in the middle of the night with a story you know will be good, stumbling around to get a pen or turn on the laptop so you can write it down before it's gone. That's the part I love - the imagining of it. That first moment of inspiration, then assembling the puzzle in your mind. The rest is just work. Sometimes highly enjoyable work, sometimes absolutely tortuous work. But work nonetheless.

Have you any advice for newbie authors?

Understand that it’s a craft. That with practice you're writing will get better, the words will come faster, but be willing to throw away a lot of what you write, especially at the beginning. Learn to take criticism. Find a focus group to read your drafts. Find a good publisher you can trust, it will make everything easier.

And enjoy the journey.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Bill. It was fascinating. Good-luck with your future projects!

You can read more about Bill and his fiction on his
Facebook Page

and follow him on

Twitter

To read
'On Record'
by
William Burton McCormick
click here

1 Comment

Moonyeen Blakey

2/6/2013

1 Comment

MOONYEEN BLAKEY

Moonyeen Blakey

Today I am delighted to welcome historical novelist, Moonyeen Blakey, to my Guest Blog. Moonyeen (or Moon as she prefers to be known) writes Medieval historical fiction with a supernatural twist. I have had the pleasure of visiting Moon at her home in Cleethorpes and can confirm that she makes delicious chocolate cake and lives with two of the softest - but biggest - cats on the planet: a pair of Maine Coon cats called O'Shea and O'Malley.

Moon's debut novel, The Assassin's Wife, tells the story of Nan, a servant girl gifted with second sight. Nan becomes embroiled in the traumatic events at the end of the Wars of the Roses, through her relationships with those in the household of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard III. I read the novel and loved it and found it an imaginative and fascinating insight into the truth behind the king whose remains were so recently discovered beneath that car park in Leicester.

King Richard III, The Duke of Gloucester

O'Malley

Moon was born in Cleethorpes, a so-called 'seaside' town in Lincolnshire. Strictly speaking it's not a sea which laps up her coastline; it's the treacherous River Humber. But the resort still attracts visitors seeking golden sands, donkey rides, arcades and amusements.

Educated in Grimsby, Moon feels she owes a great debt of thanks to her Junior School, Old Clee Primary. It was this new, innovative school which nurtured her creative talents, and here she enjoyed some of the 'happiest days' of her life. Inspirational teachers fostered in her a profound love of literature and drama.

Moving on to the Girls' Grammar School, she became completely engrossed in the study of literature; studying the works of the English 'masters', as well as those of France and Germany. Her passion for drama and for writing continued unabated. Indeed, her desire to act drove her to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow and she enjoyed a brief theatrical career.

Further study at Bishop Grosseteste College in Lincoln sent her into teaching. In schools, she wrote plays for her students to perform.

Now retired from teaching, Moon is currently busy writing and editing her second and third novels. Her debut novel, The Assassin's Wife was published by Fireship Press in 2012.

Hi Moon,
Thank you for taking part in this interview. Perhaps you could start by telling us how you first got into this crazy world of novel writing?

I've been writing stories ever since I can remember. I suppose I was what people call an 'imaginative' child, and I made up stories even before I could write! I lived in a fantasy world which seemed more real than our humdrum existence, and it was peopled with exciting characters and animals whose adventures I shared.

At junior school my story-telling was encouraged with genuine enthusiasm. Reg Lowis, one of my teachers, was a published author of children's books ('Beyond the Rainbow' was a special favourite - now probably out of print) and he encouraged my writing as well as my artistic talents. Olive Little, the drama teacher and author of children's plays, proved another source of support and inspiration. By the time I left this school I was already determined on a career in the theatre with writing as a side-line!

At grammar school I continued writing. Walking with friends to and from school, I read them episodes of 'serials' I'd written. I blush with shame to recall these dreadful, melodramatic tales of war and intrigue - but they were extremely popular with my friends!

When I started working in schools I began writing plays. These were performed by the students and I sent one of my scripts to Macmillan with a view to getting it published in their Dramascript Series. It was well received and I had positive feed-back, although in the end they decided not to go with it as the villain got away with his crime. Things were pretty moral back then. But I was invited to send more of my writing...

By this time I was working with Sixth-Formers and decided the one-act play I'd written for them would make a great three-act production. The publisher for this kind of play had to be Samuel French, so I sent a submission. Imagine my excitement when I received a reply asking to see the whole manuscript! Sadly, this too came to nothing. The rejection I finally received spoke of their interest in the drama, but that they felt it too 'provincial' for their market...Hmmm...

Joining a writers' group provided the stimulus to getting down to serious novel writing. I'd tinkered about with an historical novel for some time, but the discipline of having to produce something for each meeting was just what I needed.

How did you get your first break?

Helen Corner's WowFactor National Novel Writing Competition in 2007 inspired several members of the group to send in the required 5-page submission. I remember then being asked to send the next fifteen pages--and so it went on until I ended up in the final three...I won.

Winning the competition elated me. It made me feel as if I could write an engrossing historical novel and perhaps living in Cleethorpes wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire

What was the prize you won?

The prize was to have the novel professionally edited. Helen Corner also promised to introduce me to three agents. She mentioned several who'd shown some interest but they wanted to see the ms when it had been re-vamped. She introduced me to another who spoke to me on the phone a number of times, but historical fiction wasn't really his thing. He offered me some useful advice but didn't feel he could take me on. So I settled down to editing. The professional critique I received from someone named 'Dinah' was brilliant, detailed and encouraging. It remains in a folder by my desk to this day.

It took me a long time to come up with a satisfactory re-write. By then Helen Corner had lost interest in me, and so had those once enthusiastic agents. I learned a very hard lesson from this experience. Submitting to agents and publishers can be soul-destroying. One needs a thick-skin and reckless determination. Most agents don't even bother to reply. Those who do send curt 'standard' rejections. Some keep you 'dangling' for months.

Finally, just before Christmas 2011, I received an offer from Jessica Knauss of Fireship Press....an offer I couldn't refuse! My first novel, The Assassin's Wife was published the following year.

'The Princes in the Tower'

What attracted you to the genre of Historical Fiction?

I've long been drawn to the fifteenth century. I suppose seeing Shakespeare's history plays at Stratford-upon-Avon as a teenager really engaged my imagination. I began reading all I could about 'The Wars of the Roses'. Ideas for a story buzzed in my head for a long, long time. It wasn't until I was unemployed for a long time that I began my research in earnest. Ashamed of being out of work, I hid myself in the library and filled folders with notes as I studied the famous men and women who'd lived during this turbulent period. I got the library to send for more obscure books and so my information grew.

This research made me determined to write an historical novel set in fifteenth century England. I felt drawn to the powerful female characters whose stories had been told only through the eyes of men. I loved the intrigue of this particular period, and revelled in the machinations of powerful, manipulative men like Warwick the 'Kingmaker' . I was absorbed by the mystery surrounding the disappearance of those 'Princes in the Tower'. But rather than telling a story about the rich and famous, I wanted to show the events through the eyes of a simple, peasant girl...a girl with Second Sight.

How easy –or hard - was it for you to find ideas for your second novel or second series?

I have so many ideas for novels I don't suppose I'll ever get round to writing them all--I'm not a quick writer--I spend a lot of time editing and re-jigging my work. It has to be 'right' before I can consider submitting it for publication. I wish I could speed up this process, but I haven't found the 'secret' to this yet!

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

Meticulous research is vital to make my novels authentic and unique. I'm always checking facts and discovering new information. I loathe inaccuracy in historical fiction--and there's a lot of it about! I know the average reader isn't too bothered about it, preferring a 'good' story to accuracy, but I'm a bit of a pedant when it comes to getting the facts right. Of course I also follow my intuitions and have been amazed and delighted when some of these have turned out to be correct! I try to visit all the locations in my novel to get the atmosphere and allow myself to imagine what it would have been like in fifteenth century England.

What is the most surprising thing you learnt about the publishing industry?

The most surprising thing I've learned about the publishing industry is that I'm not surprised by its 'closed shop' attitude. I'd discovered how difficult it is to break into the acting world - to acquire that magical equity card which opens doors. I'd suspected the same thing would happen in the publishing world, so it was no shock to find it true.

Unless one is published by one of the 'Big Five' then one is pretty much on one's own, and getting noticed is more difficult than writing a novel. The public is wary of authors who are published by 'unknown' small presses. They like to 'know' the author is published by a firm they recognize. That way they feel the authors' work must have value. The 'Big Five' still dominate the book shops and supermarkets. Even libraries order their stock from 'the catalogue' which lists all the new books from the 'Big Five'. How to break down these barriers? That is the question!

I believe the future of publishing is definitely in e-books (in spite of what the media would have us think.) Young people down-load books to their e-readers happily. 'Regular' books still enjoy a place in the world, but perhaps when our generation is gone, their popularity will diminish too.

I worry that the e-publishing market is flooded with poor quality books though. I read stuff which had clearly not been edited, is badly constructed, poorly plotted, mispelt even. The 'world and his wife' is self publishing. Sadly so much of what is being churned out, is dire. This means that 'good' writing from self-published authors gets over-looked--lost in the mass of rubbish. Readers become increasingly reluctant to try a self-published or indie published 'newbie'. I think this will mean the 're-birth' of quality editors and agents. I think we have to have some kind of 'quality control' to secure readers in the future.

What are the best and worst things about being a writer?

The most rewarding experience for me has been 1) winning the Cornerstones' WowFactor National Novel Writing Competition in 2007; 2) seeing my debut novel in print; 3) my launch and subsequent 'presentations' when I can meet readers face-to-face and get feed-back on what they want.

The worst and most difficult thing I have to deal with is the marketing. I try social networking, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin etc., I join forums and discussions on various websites, I do free presentations around the country, I try to get reviews in newspapers etc., I try everything and anything to get noticed! But it's so time-consuming and often un-rewarding and I just want to write novels! I could do with someone to take care of this aspect for me. I do love meeting readers and talking to them, but the rest is just a hard slog. I'm a pretty private person - especially with regard to my personal life - so I don't enjoy the social net-working aspect.

Have you any advice for newbie authors?

I strongly suggest they join a writers' group where criticism is honest - ruthless even - but constructive. I urge a willingness to listen and take advice. I recommend discipline, determination and perseverance. I can't stress enough the need for courage and endurance and an inner wisdom which knows when it's right to discard all the 'rule books' . Too many authors spend all their time going to workshops and talks on writing instead of listening to their own hearts. By all means go to some of these 'classes' but remember that these so-called rules are mere guidelines. Many of our best novelists break all the rules!

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Moon. It was fascinating. Good-luck with your next novels!

You can read more about Moon and her novels at her website: www.MoonyeenBlakey.com

1 Comment

Karen Maitland

29/4/2013

6 Comments

KAREN MAITLAND

Karen Maitland

Today I am delighted to welcome Karen Maitland, best-selling author of the medieval thrillers Company of Liars, The Owl Killers, The Gallows Curse and Falcons of Fire and Ice to my guest blog. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Karen in person at a Library Talk in Stockton and I can report back that she is not only a talented - and very interesting - historical novelist but she's also a very friendly, kind and generous woman.

Karen at Lincoln Cathedral

Karen lives in the beautiful medieval city of Lincoln. She is fascinated by the myth and magic of the Middle Ages, which she draws on for her novels. She experienced the medieval lifestyle for real, when she worked for eighteen months in a rural village in Nigeria, living without electricity, plumbing or sanitation. She contributes a regular blog on The History Girls website on the 8th of each month.

Her first medieval thriller was Company of Liars, was set at the time of the Black Death in 1348. This was followed by The Owl Killers, about the beguinages, the medieval cities of women. The Gallows Curses is set in the reign of bad King John and The Falcons of Fire & Ice which is a dark thriller, set in Portugal during the Inquisition and Iceland at the time of the Reformation. She is published by Michael Joseph/Penguin, UK and Random House USA.

Penguin UK has also just released The Gallows Curse and Falcons of Fire and Ice on eBook for the USA market.

Karen is also one of six historical crime writers known as the Medieval Murderers – Philip Gooden, Susannah Gregory, Michael Jecks, Bernard Knight and Ian Morson – who together write an annual joint murder-mystery novel, recent titles include The Sacred Stone, Hill of Bones, The First Murder and The False Virgin, published by Simon & Schuster.

Click here for my review of The Sacred Stone.

Hi, Karen. Please can you tell us how you first got into this crazy world of novel writing? How did you get your first break?

With incredible bad timing I found myself working in a hospital in Belfast during ‘The Troubles.’ I needed to get those experiences out of my head, so I wrote a futuristic thriller about terrorism. It was published by a small regional publisher and although it was very small print-run, the book got shortlisted for a major national award.
Bizarrely, as I result of being short-listed I started to get commissions to write non-fiction books. It took me several years to get back to fiction writing and by then I was interested in writing historical fiction.

What attracted you to the genre of Historical Fiction?

I’m fascinated by the Medieval period, because the supernatural was so much part of their every days lives, from the clergy being trained in necromancy to a belief in demons and angels. While at the same time, a medieval female physician was pioneering the first plastic surgery.

In those early days, how did you juggle the demands of family life with a writing career and the day job?

My first novel was written in the evenings after work. When I started to get commissions for writing I was able to go to a job-share, so I could write half the week. Eventually, I was earning enough from writing to risk giving up the day-job, which I did on 1st January 2000. Then I supplemented my earnings from writing by tutoring Creative Writing for Adult Education. Only when I finally got the Penguin contract could I afford to write full time.
Most published authors write their first novels in the half hour they squeeze in between working, cooking, ironing, shopping etc. But if you can carve that out half hour every day and write solidly in it then it’s amazing how quickly you can get a novel written.

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

Reading old books and archive records often throw up details you will never find on the web. I also visit the settings for the novels and ask myself – Could my murderer have got up onto the roof of Ely Cathedral during a service without being seen? What kind of trees grow along this river? I also do the things my characters do, such as teaching myself to use a medieval lucet to weave cords.

What was the most surprising thing you learnt about the publishing industry after you had been part of it for a year?

The author is a tiny cog in vast machine and the manuscript the author produces is the most insignificant part of the publishing process. On the other hand, I discovered how generous established authors are to newbies authors, freely offering advice on everything from agent fees to registering for PLR and sharing contacts, as well as providing shoulders to cry on.

What do you predict will happen in the future to the publishing industry?

E-books will include more interactive features as the technology to produce them becomes cheaper. This will change reading into a multimedia experience. But e-books will drive publishers to produce print books with even more beautiful covers and layouts because those books will be bought to collect and keep.
But I suspect the number of authors able to earning their living through writing full-time will greatly diminish and most books will be produced by authors writing for pleasure in their spare time.

What is the best part of being a writer?

Getting an email from someone you don’t know saying they loved your book. That never ceases to move and thrill me, especially if I having a bad day.

What was the most difficult thing you have had to deal with?

Publishers’ deadlines. You don’t have the luxury of being able to write when you feel like it. You have to give up holidays and a social life. Often you find yourself writing having just returned from a funeral or when you’re ill with a raging temperature. It’s also hard making friends and family understand they can’t just drop in because you are at home.

Have you any advice for newbie authors?

My break in historical fiction came when I went to a book talk and got chatting to a lady in the audience who told me about the Historical Novel Society. I joined and went to the HNS conference where a manuscript appraiser was offering ten minute one-to-one slots to discuss manuscripts in progress. She turned out to be a talent scout for an agency and offered to show my work to an agent who signed me up and got me my contract with Penguin. So go to literary festivals and writing workshops – you never know who you might be standing next to in the queue for the loo.

Thanks, Karen. That was a fascinating insight into the world of an author published by one of the biggest publishing houses in the world. We really appreciate the time you took away from your hectic writing schedule to answer these questions. Good luck with your next release.

You can read more about Karen Maitland at her website:

http://www.karenmaitland.com/

6 Comments

J. Sydney Jones

1/3/2013

1 Comment

J. SYDNEY JONES

J. Sydney Jones

Gentlemen are like buses. You don't get one for a year and then three come along all at once. This week I am delighted to welcome to my Guest Blog the third man in a row: the acclaimed crime-fiction author, J. Sydney Jones. It is really fitting that Syd should be my 'third man,' as his popular series of crime novels are also set in Vienna - just like the famous film: 'The Third Man.'

J. Sydney Jones is the author of over a dozen books of fiction and nonfiction, including four novels of the Viennese Mystery series, The Empty Mirror, Requiem in Vienna, The Silence, and The Keeper of Hands. He lived for many years in Vienna and has written several other books about the city, including the narrative history, Hitler in Vienna: 1907-1913, the popular walking guide, Vienna walks, and the thriller, Time of the Wolf. Syd has also lived and worked as a correspondent and freelance writer in Paris, Florence, Molyvos, and Donegal. He and his wife and son now live on the coast of Central California.

Hi, Syd. Thank you for being my guest. Perhaps I could start by asking what attracted you to the genre of Crime Fiction?

I've always loved both reading and writing thrillers and mysteries, and I have an abiding passion for history. I lived in Vienna for almost twenty years and have been researching the history of that city, especially the turn of the 20th century, for even longer. I had written several nonfiction books on Vienna, and I finally decided to put all of this together in the Viennese Mysteries series.

How easy –or hard - was it for you to find ideas for the second or third novels in your series?

My Vienna series has a hook that helps me to come up with story lines. Each of the books features one or more of the luminaries of Vienna 1900--and there is an ample supply of those folks in the arts, literature, sciences, music, politics, philosophy--you name it. These real-life characters force me to build my story with a close eye to the historical record. Thus, it is not so much a matter of coming up with new ideas for the series, as it is culling and refining the wealth of stuff available to me.

For the first in the series, The Empty Mirror, I have the painter Gustav Klimt accused of being a serial murderer, a tale that morphs into a thriller dealing with royal assassinations. The second in the series, Requiem in Vienna, finds my fictional private inquiries agent, Karl Werthen, and his sidekick, real-life father of criminology, Hanns Gross, hired to protect the composer Gustav Mahler from attacks on his life. Book three in the series, The Silence, features the ten-year-old future philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, the modernist architect, Otto Wagner, and the demagogic mayor of Vienna, Karl Lueger, in a tale of political chicanery and personal vendetta.

Your fourth book in the series, The Keeper of Hands, has just been released in the U.K. What can you tell us about this novel?

The Keeper of Hands was published in the U.K. by Severn House at the end of February 2013. It features literary Vienna (Arthur Schnitzler and others), a famous fictional madam, and the pacifist writer, Bertha von Suttner (who convinced Alfred Nobel to establish the prize named after him) all caught up in an espionage thriller.

Tell us a bit more about your sleuths: your fictional private inquiries agent, Karl Werthen, and his sidekick, real-life father of criminology, Hanns Gross.

My cast of regulars not only includes Werthen and Gross but also Werthen's very capable wife, Berthe. The books are set about a year apart, so that I can also use the back story of the domestic life of Werthen and Berthe as an anchor for the entire series. In essence, I have two story lines in each book--the mystery-thriller that forms the bass line, and the marriage and working lives of Werthen and Berthe.

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

I was fortunate to live in Vienna in a time when it was still Central Europe. In the late 1960s, Vienna still felt and showed the effects of WWII and harkened back to an even earlier time. I remember as a student waking in the pre-dawn to the clopping of hooves on cobbles as horse-powered wagons brought fresh milk into town. There was a rawness and a faded elegance to the city that I loved. Gone now, of course, in the modern Eurozone. But I have that breath from the past in me and use it with each of the novels in the Viennese Mysteries. There is also the research--I love that part of the process and I indulge myself with it for several months with each new instalment before getting into manuscript. I also spend hours and hours living in the photographs and the newspapers of the time. Not that long ago, doing such archival research would have necessitated a trip to Vienna, but so much of it is online now. And for accuracy, I also do beta testing of my manuscripts with a small and very discerning group of readers as familiar with and enamored of Vienna 1900 as I am.

What are your plans for the future?

I have a story arc for the Viennese Mysteries that takes my characters up to the first years of World War I. The series opener was set in 1898; I am currently working on book five, which is set in 1901. So I think I'll stay busy with this series for a number of years yet.
I also have several stand alone projects--thrillers set just after World War II and in the days before World War I, and one just after the reunification of Germany. Like I say, I love thrillers, mysteries, and history.

Wow! You have a lot of projects on the go at the same time, Syd (I love a man who can multi-task.) Good luck with the U.K. publication of the The Keeper of Hands - and thank you for being my guest. This was a fascinating interview and I now have book one in the series, uploaded onto my kindle.

Visit the J.Sydney Jones at his home page:

http://www.jsydneyjones.com/

or at his blog, Scene of the Crime:

http://jsydneyjones.wordpress.com/

The Keeper of Hands, due out in England on February 28, 2013, is available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Keeper-Hands-Viennese-Mystery/dp/0727882694

or as of June 1, 2013 in the U.S. at:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Keeper-Hands-Viennese-Mystery/dp/0727882694

1 Comment

Keith Houghton

3/2/2013

4 Comments

KEITH HOUGHTON

Keith Houghton

This week I am delighted to welcome Keith Houghton as a guest onto my website. Keith is the successful author of the Gabe Quinn crime thriller series.

Thank you for joining us, Keith. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m English. An Englishman. Made in England. I’d get it tattooed on my rump, but I’m scared of needles.

People on the Continent mistakenly think I’m Swedish or Dutch. Sometimes German. My passport says I’m British. A citizen of the UK. Some Americans hear my English accent and think I’m Scottish. Is it any wonder why I spend half my life wondering who the heck I am?

Some facts I am clear of: I’m middle-aged. Probably less years ahead than behind. I’m losing hair. What remains is slowly succumbing to the grey. That which is lost huddles in the plughole like a damp rodent. My joints ache. I broke a collarbone when I was 19 and it has a nasty habit of reminding me how silly it was to try and leap over a rubbish bin with more alcohol in my veins than haemoglobin. My eyesight is going. I keep looking for it, but it’s sneaky. My skin sags in places – namely anywhere I’m standing. And the smile lines around my eyes no longer think it’s funny.

Aside from that, I am a proud father, giggling Grandpa, weary master and lucky lover. Proud, because I have raised fantastic children who display all the attributes of being fine Human Beings – so I did something right somewhere. Giggling, because I am one of those silly ‘let’s play monster’ grandpas who love acting the fool with my beautiful granddaughters. Weary, because I run around like a demented fool on the tail of my beastly Cairn Terrier, Jake – the mutt with 666 tattooed behind his doggie ear. Lucky, because somehow I managed to attract (and keep) the most wonderful and wise woman a man could ever hope to have. I walk in her shadow – mostly because sunlight burns.

So how did you first get into this crazy world of novel writing? When did you first start writing fiction and how did you get your first break?

Right from an early age I wanted to be an author. I remember reading Enid Blyton’s ‘Famous Five’ series under the bed sheets by torchlight when I was an impressionable eight or nine year old. I loved the sense of adventure, of mystery and intrigue. Over the following years, I discovered science fiction and loved it so much that I started writing my own other-worldly stories when I was eleven. My first real break came with the success of my crime thriller “Killing Hope” – which broke into the Kindle Top 20 in the US and the Amazon UK Top 40 in January 2012.

What attracted you to the genre of Crime Fiction?

It has always been my intention to earn a living from my writing. My first literary love is science fiction. But it’s a small hotel with not many vacancies. In order to make a living, I had to change genres. I chose the thriller category simply because it’s a larger bank with more opportunities for breaking in. This meant writing in a style which was less flowery and more gritty – basically, adopting a more commercial voice. It was strange at first, since I’d never read any crime thrillers. The only commercially successful author I knew of was James Patterson. So I picked up his first book and set about learning the craft.

How easy –or hard - was it for you to find ideas for your second novel or second series?

When writing “Killing Hope” I always had in mind the essence of its follow-on novel “Crossing Lines”. I knew by introducing past scenarios for my main protagonist throughout the first book, I’d help set the stage for future stories. Even before finishing “Hope” I had the plot of “Lines” worked out – so it wasn’t too difficult to continue in the same vein. Coming up with book #3 is much more demanding. Both “Hope” and “Lines” have been a success. The third outing has to be just as good, if not better. And therein lies the challenge.

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

Once I have a plot worked out, I pretty much know what kind of settings and characters will be involved in it. Setting my thrillers in the real world means that the locations must be exact and true to life. I spend a lot of time doing research, browsing location information and studying photographs. I want to make absolutely sure my settings feel as real as possible, and this takes time and patience to get the details right. The one thing my readers always comment on is my locations – whether they’re dark and scary or sunny and cheery. Character-wise, I let my characters surprise me as I go along. They don’t necessarily need to be completely unique (we all share similar traits), but they do need to be believable and act true to form in any given situation, depending on mood, mind-set and influencing factors.

Are we Northern novelists at an advantage or a disadvantage, in any way?

The only disadvantage I find is our common use of northern slang and northern sayings – some of which can creep into our stories if we’re not too careful. The last thing I want my Los Angeles American-born-and-bred detective saying is “Ey up, lass, put kettle on.” Somehow it just wouldn’t hold water. I work really hard making sure my characters speak in a way they would in real life, staying true to their roots, and this won’t change until I have a Mancunian or a Scouser working in the LAPD.

The one advantage we have is our humour. We northerners share some of the best humour on the planet, and I think this can sometimes make us see things slightly differently, which filters through into our writing.

What was the most surprising thing you learnt about the publishing industry after you had been part of it for six months/a year?

The most surprising thing I’ve learned over the last 12 months is how supportive my readers can be and also how nasty my critics can be. Kind words of encouragement are always uplifting and remind me to stay humble and keep ploughing away. Hate comments remind me that as an author I am exposed to the big bad world out there and that jealousy is one of our worst emotions.

What do you predict will happen in the future to the publishing industry?

Over the coming years, I think there will be a steady transition from hardcopy publishing to electronic publishing, especially in the fiction market, which will see the steady decline of the traditional high street book store. More and more readers are abandoning print books altogether and are switching to electronic readers, mostly out of convenience. I think in years to come, the only books to still go into hard print production will be non-fiction, such as educational books, encyclopaedias etc.. Sadly, paperbacks will go the way of the vinyl record, existing only as a niche product in a small hard core market.

What are your own plans for the future?

I intend to write a third installment of my Gabe Quinn Series this year and then spend the next couple of years concentrating on standalone thrillers. I have several ideas I want to try out. They keep buzzing round in my head. They need to come out before I go insane.

I do intend to explore print publication with future standalone novels, but for now I publish my Gabe Quinn Series books directly to Amazon for the Kindle and Kindle Apps for smart phones and tablets.

What is the most rewarding experience you have had in your writing career?

By far, the most rewarding experience is the feedback I get from my fans. I have been lucky enough to pick up some very loyal readers along the way. I value their input and genuinely appreciate all their support. The best part about being a writer is I’ve finally managed to earn some money from it after thirty years slogging away – which means I can finally quit my day job and concentrate on doing what I love most.

Have you any advice for newbie authors?

Believe.

Thank you, Keith, for finding the time to answer my questions - I loved the Northern humour! The first Gabe Quinn book is now on my kindle and I can't wait to start reading it. Good luck for the future.

Read more about Keith Houghton on his webpage and follow him on Face book and twitter.

Web: www.keithhoughton.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeithHoughtonAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KeithHoughton

Buy his books on amazon:

“Killing Hope” – Amazon UK
“Killing Hope” – Amazon USA

“Crossing Lines” – Amazon UK
“Crossing Lines” – Amazon USA

“Two Ways To Die” – Amazon UK
“Two Ways To Die” – Amazon USA

4 Comments

Steve Robinson

5/12/2012

2 Comments

STEVE ROBINSON

Steve Robinson

I am delighted to welcome my friend and first gentleman writer, Steve Robinson, as a guest onto my website. Steve is the successful author of The Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Crime Mysteries.

Steve was born in coastal Kent, UK, and now lives near London on the Essex/Hertfordshire border. His passion for writing began at the age of sixteen when he was first published in a computer adventure magazine and he's been writing by way of a creative hobby ever since. When his career in telecommunications ended in redundancy he began to write full time. In the Blood, his debut novel, was the result.

He writes for the mystery/thriller genre with a family history angle, having become interested in genealogy as a means to tell the story of In the Blood and perhaps because at the time he had no idea who his own maternal grandfather was - which is something that has always intrigued him. His grandfather was an American GI billeted in England during the second world war. A few years after the war ended he went back to America leaving a young family behind and to Steve's knowledge no further contact was made. Steve traced him to Los Angeles through his 1943 enlistment record and discovered that his grandfather was born in Arkansas. Perhaps this is why Steve's lead character is an American genealogist, Jefferson Tayte.

"When I was made redundant in 2005, becoming a full-time writer wasn’t on my list of job options. I’d worked in telecoms and planned to go in disaster recovery management, but suddenly having some free time on my hands, I began to write. I’d had an idea for a story turning through my mind for some time, which I got from a National Trust pamphlet while staying in Cornwall. It contained a damning verse, which I’ve included in my book, written by a farmer in 1803 as he waited for the Helford ferry to take him and his cart across the river. It was aimed at the often drunk and tardy ferrymen who operated the Helford ferry at the time. In the Blood evolved from the question: what if the farmer was murdered the night he wrote it. Then came the question of why, and unbeknown to me at the time, my writing career began."

It took Steve a further five years and three books to make any headway in terms of his work finding an audience. He secured an agent with In the Blood and it took a year for it to go the rounds with the major publishers, most of whom said nice things about it, but ultimately turned it down. Sadly, he left it to gather dust for a year as he tried in vain to get a publisher for his second book, To the Grave.

He decided to have a go at independent publishing and in June 2011 he published In the Blood for the Kindle, followed a few months later by the paperback. That year it became one of Amazon UK’s ‘Best Books of 2011’ and earlier this year he released To the Grave, which was featured in Your Family Tree magazine and awarded their ‘Seal of Approval’. His third book, The Last Queen of England, has just been released for Kindle and will be published in paperback in the spring.

What attracted you to the genre of Crime Fiction?

I write for the crime, thriller and mystery genres and often with a semi-historical narrative. I mostly like to read books from these genres so when I started to plot In the Blood it was no surprise to me that it began with a murder. I love a good mystery, too, so I combined all these things into a book about a genealogist who uncovers past crimes, the past providing the main mystery, while the present provides the thriller as someone inevitably tries to stop him.

In those early days, how did you juggle the demands of family life with a writing career and the day job?

I’d been made redundant and could write full time but the greatest struggle for me was a mental one, in that I was suddenly without income and had to watch my wife go out to work every day, while I sat at home writing in the seemingly impossible hope that one day it would all work out. It took five years for that to happen and I’ll be forever grateful to my wife for believing that I would someday make a go of it. I do all the cooking and cleaning and other household chores, of course.

How easy –or hard - was it for you to find ideas for your second novel?

My second book, To the Grave, came to me quite easily because I think it was one of those stories a writer has to get out. It was inspired by my own family history so I had a good stock of things to draw from. I particularly loved writing the scenes set during World War II, about the life of a young girl called Mena. In many ways that part of the book seemed to write itself as I’d become lost in that period of time for days on end.

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

Unique ideas are difficult to find, but I think having a fresh approach certainly helps. Authenticity, if you’re not already an expert in the subject you’re writing about, comes from research - lots and lots of it. I knew little about genealogy when I started out, but through my research I’ve been able to write about the subject with confidence. My books are read by many amateur and professional genealogists and many have remarked on how well and how accurately I’ve dealt with the subject and I’m sure that’s because through my books I’ve become something of an amateur genealogist myself.

What do you predict will happen in the future to the publishing industry?

In the short term I think it will find a balance. EBooks are certainly here to stay and traditional publishers will have to keep a close eye on the digital market. I like both paper books and eBooks and there’s currently plenty of demand for both, but in the longer term, as the technology continues to improve, I can’t really see paper books surviving. I think things will change with the generations. You only have to look at the music industry to see it. EBook readers are to words what iPods are to music.

What are your own plans for the future?

I plan to keep writing for as long as readers wish to read my books and I’m able to write them. I’m working on my series of genealogical crime mysteries now and I’m keen to see how my main character’s life is going to turn out. When I start a book, I feel I owe it to my characters to finish it - to tell their story.

What are the most rewarding experiences you have had in your writing career?

Going to see a literary agent in London and coming away again with the knowledge that she was going to send me a contract. I couldn’t stop smiling all the way home again and rang my wife and my mum as soon as I got outside (around the corner of course). That didn’t work out, but it was still one of the highlights for me. Seeing and holding my first ever paperback is also very high on the list as was selling my first book to someone I didn’t know - knowing that they wanted it because they liked the sound of it and liked my writing enough to give it a go. Topping all that through is spending my first royalty cheque on my wife. It wasn’t very big, but I wasn’t touching any of it for myself. Having not earned anything for so long, it was incredibly rewarding just to be able to buy her something again with my own money.

What was the most difficult thing you have had to deal with?

Obvious thoughts here are all those rejection letters and the isolation that goes with writing full time. But while I have certainly felt these things - as I’m sure every writer has - the most difficult thing for me has been the worry of failing to make a career from my writing - of letting someone you love down.

Have you any advice for newbie authors?

Keep going. Writing a book takes time and the journey is rarely an easy one, but if you write a little every day or every weekend, it will get written. And try not to take rejection or criticism personally. It’s an opinion, that’s all. What you chose to make of it is entirely up to you.

Thank you, Steve, for finding the time to answer my questions. That is a very personal and honest interview, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having read and reviewed, In the Blood, I can heartily recommend Steve's novels. I wish you all the best with The Last Queen of England, Steve and good luck for the future.

Read more about Steve Robinson on his webpage:

Steve Robinson

Buy his books on amazon:

In the Blood on amazon.co.uk

In the Blood on amazon.com

To The Grave on amazon.co.uk

To The Grave on amazon.com

The Last Queen of England on amazon.co.uk

The Last Queen of England on amazon.com

2 Comments

Kristin Gleeson

1/7/2012

2 Comments

KRISTIN GLEESON

Kristin Gleeson

I am delighted to welcome my good friend, and fellow Knox Robinson Publishing author, Kristin Gleeson as a guest onto my website. Kristin writes both biographies and historical novels and recently achieved an amazing 'double first,' when she accomplished something that would-be authors can only dream about.

While on a romantic break in Italy with her husband, she received emails from two different publishing houses offering her contracts for both her historical novel, 'Selkie Dreams' and her biography about a First Nations Canadian woman entitled, 'Anahareo: A Wilderness Spirit.'

In an industry where it is notoriously difficult to get a break, Kristin had achieved the impossible. She was about to become a published author of not one, but two books simultaneously.

All her ships had sailed home to port at once.

Originally from Philadelphia, Kristin Gleeson lives in Ireland, in the West Cork Gaeltacht, where she teaches art classes, plays harp, sings in an Irish choir and runs two book clubs for the village library. She holds a Masters in Library Science and a Ph.D. in History, and for a time was an administrator of a national denominational archives, library and museum in America. There she handled the letters, diaries, reports and artefacts of Alaskan missionaries and assisted Tlingit Indians in recovering their land and their past. Later, she served as a public librarian in America and in Ireland.

She has also published short stories and historical essays. Her essay, ‘Blazing Her Own Trail: Anahareo’s Rejection of Euro-Canadian Stereotypes’ was published in, Recollecting: Lives of Aboriginal Women of the Canadian Northwest and Borderlands edited by Sarah Carter and Patricia McCormack, Athabasca University Press, which has awarded the Canadian Historical Association prize for Canadian Aboriginal History.

Selkie Dreams

So how did you first get into this crazy world of novel writing? When did you first start writing fiction?

I loved stories and being read to when I was very young and would make them up in my head when no one was around to read them to me. Then when I could read them myself I would still imagine them in my head when I was in places I couldn’t read, like church (whiled away many hours there). I guess I was about 8 when I started my big novel writing adventure when I wrote ‘Professor Dealy’s Inventions,’ complete with illustrations. It was a big hit among my dolls.

What attracted you to the genre of Historical Fiction?

I’ve always been passionate about history and ending up taking two degrees in it. It’s the people in the history that attracts me the most, their stories, all of which make up history. I guess it all started with King Arthur and Merlin when I was really young, a magic sword, an eccentric wizard and a kingdom at your feet. Who could resist?

In those early days, how did you juggle the demands of family life with a writing career and the day job?

It’s still early days for me, I suppose. I’m fortunate at this point that I teach art classes part time and that allows a lot of flexibility. On the other hand, over the years I have had to squeeze my writing into various different schedules and responsibilities. I moved from America to England and then from England to Ireland where we renovated an old farmhouse, all of which required a creative approach to finding time to write. When we first moved to Ireland we had no electricity so I resorted to writing by hand by oil lamp. Great background experience for writing historical novels!

A 'selkie' is a mythological Celtic creature

How easy –or hard - was it for you to find ideas for your second novel or second series?

I’m lucky in that I have more ideas than time to write. I have several folders on my computer with ideas fleshed out to different degrees. I get my ideas various sources—could be the TV, the newspaper, talking with people, a book, or even staring out the window on a train journey (or overhearing something on a train journey).

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

I do try and research as much as possible the setting if I haven’t been there before. Since the introduction of the internet it has been much easier to even see the place through video clips, photos and website descriptions. There’s bound to be some kind of youtube clip or tourist website for most settings so it’s hard to go wrong. For Selkie Dreams, I was fortunate that I’d been to that area of Alaska, but in actual fact I’ve never been to Belfast. I studied images of both Alaska and Belfast for the time period, the late 19th century, to ensure that I could create an accurate picture and also read a few books. I also studied maps of Belfast for that period too, to trace a believable path for Máire’s walk through the streets.

My characters in the novel are created and so it is a case of ensuring that they are believable for the time period and culture. For the Tlingit Indians in Selkie Dreams I researched the culture and relied on my conversations with Tlingit and the curator of the Sheldon Jackson Museum to help as well.

Kristin's biography of Anahareo

What are your plans for the future?

Live to 100 so I can write all the stories in my head. That and read all the books that I have on my ‘bucket list.’

What is the best part of being a writer?

Creating the stories and being able to share them with others who enjoy them. Sounds corny but it’s true.

What was the worst/ most difficult thing you have had to deal with?

I assume you mean in terms of my writing career. I suppose it was the deafening silence I had from agents when I first submitted queries online after moving to Ireland. There was no sense of closure and initially I would often wonder if they even read emails. I eventually realized that the publishing industry had gone to a lower level with all the recent pressures and changes in the industry. But even with that knowledge it was difficult and seemed worse than an outright rejection letter.

Have you any advice for newbie authors?

Well, as I’m a newbie myself in terms of publishing a novel, I can only repeat what others have said to me, and that is don’t write to the market because it will change quickly and read the area/genre you write in as much as possible.

Thank you, Kristin. I cannot wait to read 'Selkie Dreams' - and 'Anahareo: A Wilderness Spirit.' They're both on my 'bucket list' but I don't intend to wait until I'm 100 before I read them!
Good luck for your future writing.

2 Comments

Jean Gill

19/3/2012

6 Comments

Jean Gill

Jean is a writer and photographer who lives in the south of France with her husband and a large white dog. She is the mother or stepmother to five grown-up children. She taught English for many years and was the first woman to be a secondary school Head Teacher in the Welsh county of Carmarthenshire. With Scottish parents, an English birthplace and French residence she can usually support the winning team on any sporting occasion.

Adventures happen when least expected and after moving to France, she met top French dog trainer Michel Hasbrouck through online dog forums. She has since been trained by him at his Swiss home and she translated his bestselling book into English as Gentle Dog Training. She works with Hasbrouck to provide online advice to dog-owners, with a special understanding of Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. She is currently owned by her sixth Pyrenean Mountain Dog.

Her fourteen books, published both conventionally and self-published, include two books of poetry, autobiography, two military histories, five novels, non-fiction on goat cheese and translated works on training dogs. Her articles on French life, cheese and plumbing have appeared in France magazine, accompanied by her own photographs.

She’s been lucky enough to win prizes for poetry, short stories and journalism and On the Other Hand was shortlisted for Cinnamon Press's Novella Award.

Photography portfolio

So how did you first get into this crazy world of novel writing? When did you first start writing fiction and how did you get your first break?

When I became 40, I gave up sugar in tea and coffee, became a secondary school Head Teacher, and turned to prose, writing my first novel, after having written and published only poetry previously. Giving up sugar was the hardest.

What attracted you to the genre of Historical Fiction?

I've written and published in twelve genres (so far). This is probably one reason I've never found the Editor of my dreams, one who would love everything I write. For me, the idea comes first and chooses its own genre.

Song at Dawn, the first of my historical novels, started from a statement I read in in a book about troubadours. 'It is rumoured that there was a female troubadour touring the south of France with a large white dog.' Given my love of Pyrenean Mountain Dogs, poetry and the south of France, it was a story I had to write. I enjoy reading historical fiction and I always try to write the sort of books I'd like to read, whatever the genre.

In those early days, how did you juggle the demands of family life with a writing career and the day job?

Writing came last in my priorities and I felt frustrated as a writer until I went freelance in my forties and could control my time between my paid career as an educational consultant, my writing and my family (all equal in my eyes). I had a demanding career and I think writing offered an absorbing alternative world, a kind of mental balance. I do remember two family holidays where I sneaked writing time while the family went out without me, so I must credit a supportive husband and children.

How easy –or hard - was it for you to find ideas for your second novel or second series?

Ideas come easily to me and I have hundreds of ideas for poems, plays and prose, on scraps of paper in my desk. My problem has always been finding time and even now that I can write full-time, I have to accept that it's just not possible to write up all my ideas.

I don't get writer's block (touch wood) and I think one reason for this is because I always stop writing at a point when I know what comes next, so I'm always keen to carry on, rather than staring at a blank page, wondering. If I stare and wonder, it's in the middle of a writing session and I get past that before I stop writing for the day.

Jean Gill

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

A year's research, using books and the Internet, in English, French and a little Occitan (a Romance language spoken in southern France.) Then, when I'm writing, I look up details again, as needed. Others must be the judge of what - if anything - is unique in my work but the characters and stories are alive for me. When I'm awake at 3 a.m., I find it better than counting sheep to play my story in my head and test it for false notes. I need to know each character's motives and feelings, which are the basis for everything that happens, even if they're rarely explicit. At 3 a.m. I often think, 'Ah, so that's why...' and then the next day that knowledge underlies what I write. I take my time over writing and feel I am discovering what does happen rather than creating it.

What was the most surprising thing you learnt about the publishing industry after you had been part of it for six months/a year?

That small presses funded by Arts Council grants produced top quality, beautiful books and had no money or motivation to market them, nor to sell them.

What do you predict will happen in the future to the publishing industry?

The next two years will see a peak in the digital publishing of more words than ever before. Then, the one-book writers will have got it out of their system; those who were hoping to be overnight millionaires mostly won't be, and will give up writing. There will be less crap out there but there will still be a wider range of books than ever before. Online reading groups, reviews and recommendations on sites like www.goodreads.com will become ever more important. Mark Coker will be President of the USA and amazon will have a monopoly on e-reader sales to extra-terrestrials.

What are your own plans for the future?

To be part of it. I want to keep some kind of balance in my life; to write some more books in the Dragonetz series, to continue improving as a photographer, to meet up with my photographer friends once or twice a year for a big shoot, to publish and market the books I write, to support other writers through my workshops on and offline, to continue my development as a dog trainer with Michel Hasbrouck, to stop doing what my dog tells me to do, to help those who have dog problems (especially giant problems with giant dogs), to keep my bees alive and get them to occupy the new beehive, to decorate the hall, and to have time for family and friends. What did I say about balance? Hmm.

What is the most rewarding experience you have had in your writing career?/What is the best part of being a writer?

Every time a reader says he/she liked something I've written, my creative work comes to life again for me and I feel like I've achieved something. I love writing, going into my own world. I love the satisfaction of finishing a book. But when a reader likes it, that is completion, and it happens often enough to keep me feeling good. I've had people write to me saying Snake on Saturdays expressed their feelings and helped them deal with a tragic loss. I've had people say that Gentle Dog Training saved their dogs' lives; and someone has become a dog-trainer, inspired by reading Someone to look up to - these responses are extra- special.

What was the worst/ most difficult thing you have had to deal with?

Thirty years (so far) wondering whether I'm crap really, and the drawer full of publisher rejections to suggest that yes, I'm crap. One specific example: one publisher, a women's co-operative, 'would accept my novel if I made some changes'. I made the changes, didn't hear from them, was avoided when I phoned up. I found out after a year's badgering that they'd had a new editor, who didn't agree with the consensus and wasn't going to publish my book. Presumably no-one had the guts to tell me. That's co-operatives for you - every one's decision and no-one's responsibility.

I have what I call Van Gogh days but then I remember that people have bought my books. No-one bought a Van Gogh in his life-time.

I have two inspirational stories that help me through Van Gogh days. One is about Gustav Holst. Apparently he hated people thinking of him as the composer who wrote 'The Planets' because he wanted to be remembered for his serious work. Jean's moral; be open to appreciation of anything you do and are, even if it's not what YOU thought you were best at. If people love my photography and hate my writing, I will hear only the compliment. If people think I'm a great cook, I won't sulk because they don't look at my photos.

The other is about the poet and artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti who was so overcome with grief when his model and lover died that he buried all his poems in the grave with her. A year later he wanted to publish them and dug them all up again. Jean's moral; don't burn your books. You might feel like that today but tomorrow, you'll want your work back. Which reminds me, I need to back up my hard drive…

Have you any advice for newbie authors, like myself?

Writing is a journey, not a destination, little grasshopper. Enjoy it. Believe in what you write or why should anyone else?

www.jeangill.com

Blog - http://www.jeangill.com

Thanks, Jean - that is really informative. I'm looking forward to reading Song of Dawn and while I have your attention, do you have any good tips for dealing with insane, ten year-old, male tabby cats who want to play at 4am?

Best wishes for the future, from 'Little Grasshopper.' :)

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B. A. Morton - Mrs. Jones

7/1/2012

1 Comment

B. A. MORTON - Mrs. Jones

B. A. Morton

Welcome to a brand new feature on my website - the GUEST BLOG SECTION. For my very first guest, I am delighted to welcome B. A. Morton.

Babs and I first met on the writers' website authonomy and have been firm friends ever since. Our friendship was strengthened when we discovered that we both came from the North East and then cemented into our lives when we both succeeded in acquiring book deals at the same time.

B. A. Morton is a writer of romantic crime thrillers and historical fiction.

After a twenty year career in the civil service she and her family escaped the rat race and relocated to the beauty of the Northumberland National Park. She now combines a part time job in the village surgery with her writing.

Her first novel Mrs Jones was released as an eBook in December 2011 and promptly leapt into the top ten in the Kindle eStore. The sequel Molly Brown will follow in 2012 along with Wildewood a historical romp set in medieval Northumberland.

Babs and I recently had a chat about all things publishing and I thought I would share her answers.

So how did you first get into this crazy world of novel writing? When did you first start writing fiction and how did you get your first break?

I’ve always been a scribbler, but began novel writing about eighteen months ago. My first romantic crime thriller Mrs Jones took six months to write. I joined Harper Collins’ Authonomy writing community for advice and feedback and following success with the novel at the 2011 Yeovil Literary Prize competition I approached Night Publishing.

NP and the Night Reading community is a wonderful network of mutual support provided by writers for writers lead by the irrepressible Tim Roux. Following the publication of Mrs Jones, NP has also agreed to take my next two books.

What attracted you to the genre of Crime/Historical Fiction?

Those are the genre’s I read most. I like to be entertained when I read, transported to another place...and that’s what I like to do when I write. Create an adventure, with characters to take you there.

How did you juggle the demands of family life with a writing career and the day job?

I mainly wrote at night and in fact still do, as I find there are fewer distractions. Working part time obviously helps.

How easy –or hard - was it for you to find ideas for your second novel?

Very easy, I have ideas bursting to get out. Often a single sentence or situation is enough to set me off. On those occasions I jot down basic details and store them for later. I have a huge store of WIP’s. Molly Brown, the sequel to Mrs Jones was a natural follow on for the main characters. It picks up about eighteen months further on and answers a few questions left hanging from the first book.

How do you ensure that the setting, characters and details in your novels are authentic and unique?

I try and develop my characters as if I know them personally, I give them quirks and faults as none of us are perfect. Historical details are extensively researched and if I’m using a setting I’m not personally familiar with I try to keep to basics.

Are we Northern novelists at an advantage - or a disadvantage - in any way?

We may well be disadvantaged initially by being remotely located, but we Northerners are a feisty bunch and benefit hugely by the regional support and pride which we seem to garner. The advent of the e-book and the Internet in general, has brought all writers, no matter their location or time zone, into the world-wide writer network. For Historical Fiction writers, our Northern heritage is a definite advantage. The region is awash with history and lore just waiting to be told.

What was the most surprising thing you learnt about the publishing industry after you had been part of it for six months/a year?

Probably, the need for continual self promotion; which I personally find the hardest part. I’d rather spend the time writing.

What do you predict will happen in the future to the publishing industry?

I think e-publishing will play a larger part. The big publishers are now developing their own e-book divisions. This will ultimately change reader awareness. Currently the big publishers decide what we should read based on profitability. The advent of the “no overhead” e-book has given that choice back to the individual reader and this allows opportunity for new talent to be discovered. There will always be a place for the book store and the look, smell and feel of a real book...but real longevity in any industry is about providing economical and viable choices.

What is the best part of being a writer?

To have someone unknown to me, read and enjoy my work. To understand and relate to my characters and to come away feeling better for the experience.

Have you any advice for newbie authors, like myself?

To any newbie author and I include myself in that...Believe in your story, hone your skills as a writer and then persevere. The ultimate aim of any writer must be to have your work read by others... selling your work is a whole different story.

Thanks for that, Babs.

website for B. A. Morton: www.bamorton.weebly.com

Links to Mrs Jones:

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

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B. A. Morton - Mrs. Jones

B. A. MORTON - Mrs. Jones

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