The Weekend Has Been Murder

The Swan Hotel Harrogate

The Swan Hotel had been swarming with some of the most ghastly brutal sadistic minds in the world when it comes to thinking up new and interesting ideas to murder someone. But I am happy to report that these ideas remain on paper, and are (hopefully) quite separate to reality.



Denise Mina in conversation with Martyn Waites

The 10th Theakston's Old Peculier (in this case, peculiar is meant to be spelt peculier) Crimewriter's Festival, has been an incredible success. This year organised by Val McDermid, it kicked off for me Thursday evening with the awards ceremony. Denise Mina, was described as the Hilary Mantel of crime after winning the Crime Novel of the Year award for the second year running with her book Gods and Beasts.
Ruth Rendell won the Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award or lifetime achievement award. She really shone the next day during her interview with Jeanette Winterson.


Val McDermid

Other highlights for me was Val McDermid's musical introduction to Peter James with her rendition of  Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out For A Hero.
 Peter was well deserving of such an introduction, as he was a replacement for Susan Hill, who sadly had to cancel due to illness. When Peter heard about this, he flew straight over from New York, had a six hour drive to do the gig, then straight back to the airport as he had a charity event in New York to attend the very next day.



Brenda Blethyn, John R Cowton, Ann Cleeves

Saturday, for me was a real treat with William McIlvanney in conversation with Ian Rankin, discussing the origin of the 'tartan noire' genre.
 Ann Cleeves, the writer behind the Vera Stanhope series together with some of the ITV Vera team, Elaine Collins executive producer, Paul Rutman  screenwriter, and Vera herself, Brenda Blethyn.
Lee Child was a good match to Sarah Millican's sharp wit during the afternoon. The evening ended for me with Mark Lawson and Kate Atkinson.
The weekend ended on a high note on Sunday, with Charlaine Harris whose tales of Sookie Stackhouse was developed into the True Blood series.


Leigh Russell, John R Cowton

However, the weekend was not all about sitting in events in the ballroom. It was about the energy generated by a gathering of likeminded readers and writers that inspired, enthralled, motivated and captured the hearts of one and all. My own personal thanks go to the organisers, the festival staff and volunteers, the hotel staff, Theakstons for their lovely beer and of course the writers.
Special thanks to author Leigh Russell and her husband  for their companionship, and introducing me to some of her associates, author Ricki Thomas for her continued support and inspiration. There are many more, far too many to mention.
Back to reality, but at least I've returned home pumped with Harrogate energy and Theakston's beer, ready for 12 months of writing before the next festival.

 

Harrogate Crime Festival 2013

Less than a week to go, and I'm looking forward to spending a few days in a place where I know it will be okay to speak to anyone I meet about writing. It charges my batteries, and sends me home with just about the right level of inspiration and motivation. There are still a few tickets left, but unless you have a tent or a caravan,  you may be out of luck for a hotel room.
Having left the car at home and taken the train last year, I have made the train a part of the Festival experience, for comfort and a good opportunity to read.
I will post a full report on my return.

Finally, congratulations to my sister for her comedy debut on BBC Four's 'Some Vicars With Jokes' Part One, which went out last night. If you missed it, I'm sure it's repeated and you can get it on iPlayer. Amazing  performance Jean, and I would be more than happy to write for you, if you wish to develop a second career. I'm looking forward to part two next week.

Eye problems, Mosquitoes and Hives, but apart from that it was a good holiday.

My writing plans have taken a knock back with problems with both my eyes having ulcerated and got infected from day one of my holiday. Fortunately it only slowed me down and not completely stopped me, so I got my first draft of Lifted complete and Ephesus is almost complete. Thank you Kindle for your adjustable font.

 It was a bit like reading Janet and John with my thumb operating the page turner at such a speed, in a way that took me back to my pinball days on the flipper buttons. Thankfully my Kindle didn't 'tilt' and I got through quite a bit of reading. I would have gone out of my mind not being able to read on holiday. I have added my holiday reads on the right hand column. Just scroll down.
Sleep deprivation was also a problem, due to our nightly visits from the local mosquito population. I think they are an essential component of the tourist industry for most countries. The local economy was making an absolute killing on their vast range of mosquito repellent products, all of which I bought and none of which worked. I was kicking myself for not putting my own arsenal together in the UK and bringing it over, but call me paranoid, but I think these were genetically modified designer mozzies resistant to anything short of a nuclear holocaust.
Finally, the flight home. I don't mind long haul flights at all. I think to myself, ten hours of sitting doing nothing at all except sheer indulgence, being wined, dined and in flight entertainment. I had decided in advance that I would shun the in flight movies and make my own entertainment reading a David Baldacci novel. However, I had a sudden attack attack of hives as soon as I got on the plane. My head appeared to be mutating, with large bumps appearing alarmingly fast. Soon my whole body was covered and the cabin crew were concerned whether I would be fit enough to fly. I said I did not feel unwell, but I was very uncomfortable. So much so that I couldn't sit still long enough to read. I gave up on that and tried to watch a movie, gave up on that, and just did lots of getting up and walking. Thankfully I had an aisle seat. No idea what the cause was, but I have had some blood tests since I've returned, and have completely recovered.

Buenos Dias from Mexico

Despite a shaky start to this holiday, including eye problems which needed medical attention, I have got off to a good start with my writing and my short story 'Lifted' is now complete.

It's all systems go to complete 'Ephesus' once and for all, and I'm enjoying the portability of using pen and paper. I carry my notebooks everywhere with me now, and it has become my preferred method of writing, for at least the first draft anyway.
Thank goodness for Kindle, as my reading has not slowed down due to the extra large font I was able to use with my impaired vision.

Thankfully I am on the mend and am now down to normal size reading.
I have a waterproof cover for my Kindle, which is great for reading in the pool.
The locals don't seem too impressed  (see below).

Elementary my dear.... What's On?

 I love reading as much as I love writing. I read more than what I write, but then I think that's how it should be. I've not always read crime and I've not always wrote comedy. My literary tastes are and always will be very eclectic. I remember in my youth, my guilty secret was Thomas Hardy. I read everything he wrote. It was like time travel for me. I've spent my life flitting from one genre to another, Dickens, Neville Shute, Harold Robbins, Denis Wheatley, Agatha Christie, JB Priestley, Stephen King, John Grisham, Tom Sharpe, Ben Elton. In recent years I'm fascinated with crime, yet all my life I have avoided Sherlock Holmes, both in print and on screen. I now have The Complete Sherlock Holmes downloaded on my eBook reader.
My What's On Guide embedded in the theatre part of my brain, is telling me that until further notice, my reading list will be a mixture of ancient and modern, i.e., Sherlock Holmes, contemporary fiction. Often I will review contemporary fiction, and often I have met the author whom I am reading.
I have to be honest, and state that I wasn't excited with the prospect of taking on such a huge chunk of life commitment to read Arthur Conan Doyle's most iconic detective in the world. The concept of Holmes and Watson sharing an apartment, in a very unequal partnership; Holmes ego against Dr Watson's subservient admiration for Holmes didn't sit well with me.

How wrong could I be? Switching from ancient to modern is not going to be easy, as I finish one adventure, it will be hard to wrench myself back into the 21st century.
A Study In Scarlet was Sherlock Holmes introduction into the world. The first couple of chapters set the scene how Dr Watson invalided from the Afghan Wars came to be introduced to Holmes who was looking for a room mate to share the cost of his Baker Street apartment.
The writing is timeless, and the incredible detail does not overburden my poor old brain one bit.
Conan Doyle's mastery of the written word and the intricacy of his crime writing based on logic rather than procedure is simply refreshing in this day and age.
Obviously I won't be reviewing someone who is up there with the gods of literature, but every now and again expect me to say WOW.

A Diet of Words

Currently I've got the bug for writing short stories. I've taken a short break from Ephesus, to do this and will pick up where I left off when I fly out to warmer climes. Short stories for me is a bit like snacking between meals. What with that and my reading and my audiobooks, not to mention blogging, I'm shamelessly getting fat on words. I hope it doesn't give me a serious case of verbal diarrhoea or even worse IVS (irritable vowel syndrome).
I've got competition fever again. Nice to have a deadline that's reasonably manageable for someone with a full time job. For me it's an apprentice piece that is going to get judged. The prize may be small but the kudos that comes from winning the prize is invaluable for the CV and getting known by publishers and literary agents.
I've got a great premise, and am about half way through the first draft. So I had better get on with it and finish it or I'll have to eat my words, and that wouldn't be good for the colon.

 

Double Giveaway

This offer has now expired. However, Henley's Ricotta retails at only £0.79 and Ushabti is £0.77. To purchase, please use the links below.

Click here for Henley's Ricotta

From tomorrow, Saturday, both Henley's and Ushabti are both available for free download.

I think this will be a good promotion to raise interest before the launch of my third book Ephesus.

I'm going on holiday next month, usually for me, a productive time for writing.

Click here for Ushabti

This offer is open for 4 days for Ushabti and 5 days for Henley's Ricotta. (I have no idea why they couldn't be the same, ask Amazon.)

I hope you enjoy either or both books. If you enjoy what you read, please leave me a review. It costs only a minute or two of your time and a sentence or two will do.

Happy reading.