This month has been spent writing – working hard on Wesley Peterson’s twentieth investigation. I couldn’t resist including a little Sicilian sunshine into the new book but you’ll have to wait till 2016 to enjoy it, I’m afraid. In any prolonged period of writing, there are often times when I become completely stuck...when the plot just isn’t hanging together and I’ve written myself into a corner. At times like this, I tend to sit staring at my computer in despair. But then I remembered Raymond Chandler’s advice – when in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns! So I took the advice of the master (substituting two guns for one crossbow) and now everything’s flowing again.
On the 11th October I took part in a campaign to support local bookshops call Books are My Bag. I was proud to be one of the authors who backed this worthy cause – bookshops and libraries are so important and they really deserve our support. Here I am with the special Books are My Bag bag (I bought one and had it specially customised for my daughter in law...but don’t tell her yet – it’s a surprise).
It’s always fun to branch out a little and try something new and I must confess that I enjoy creating a bit of Gothic creepiness, especially in my Joe Plantagenet books. So when my publisher asked me to take part in a Halloween Blog Tour, I jumped at the chance. Myself and four other Piatkus authors have written a spooky story for Halloween, each one working on a different section. I’ve read the finished product and I can tell you it’s very scary!!! Also there are books to be won. For details please see http://www.piatkusbooks.net/halloween-blog-tour/
I’m very much looking forward to spending the evening of Wednesday 12th November with my fellow members of the Murder Squad at Linghams Bookshop in Heswall on Merseyside (see my Events section for details). I do hope to meet some of you there.