A Year of Editing

This year I decided to take a break from writing. It’s not as if I don’t have ideas for further novels, I’m just not in the right frame of mind to attempt anything new. Consequently, I’ve stepped back and reviewed two of my previous books to see how they could be improved.

Visions (Same Face Different Place #2)

After receiving some good reviews for my debut novel, Beginnings (now free on all e-book platforms) it was time to take a critical look at the second instalment of my series, Visions.

Visions was always intended to be a slower paced, psychological thriller, drawing the reader into the 80s, where some radical changes took place across Britain. Visions is rich in 80s nostalgia, but I eventually realised that more was needed to hook the reader in and weave a little extra suspense into the pages. Since reading some excellent psychological thrillers by authors such as Caroline Mitchell, Dreda Say Mitchell and K L Slater, I began to wonder how I could turn my book into something more gripping.

Thinking about Visions, I feared it was overloaded with too many character backstories; first of all, James and his family, (owners of ‘Westbourne House’ a historic building in need of restoration). But after these introductory chapters, the reader had to wade through another character’s background.

Heroine of the series, Eleanor Chapman, consults her friend, Charlie, when James faces a dilemma about the restoration: should he leap into a risky partnership to save his home? Charlie’s first reaction is horror, but why?

This is where I want to keep readers guessing. So, I have broken Charlie’s story into smaller pieces and drip fed them into later chapters. This involved re-writing substantial chunks of the book, while at the same time, cutting down descriptions and shortening the chapters. I have taken on board some of my more critical reviews and as a result, would like to think Visions has more entertainment value.

VISIONS Edition 2 was re-published in April 2022, followed by a paperback version in May. Next I asked my author friend, Beryl Kingston, if she would like to read it, which she did. Beryl has been an avid campaigner in trying to save another historic building, Blake’s Cottage, in Felpham, Bognor Regis. I guessed it might appeal to her, since she was frequently embroiled in confrontations with some pretty odious characters! But I feel so strongly about her cause, I’ve included an extra dedication:

I also dedicate this book to my dear friend, Beryl Kingston, whose fight to save Blake’s Cottage in Felpham has inspired me. Visit her blog to read more about the deterioration of a historic house in need of repair.
berylkingstonblog.wordpress.com

Beryl has some wonderful stories to tell of her own and has written over 30 books, many of which are best-sellers, but do take a look at her blog. It is packed with information about her campaign.

VISONS CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE

To get a gist of the story, take a look at the book trailer I made for YouTube

PLEASURES (Same Face Different Place #3)

Once Visions had been given a complete overhaul, however, I could not resist continuing the process by applying the same treatment to Book 3 of the series, Pleasures.

It was impossible to change the story, because parts of it resonated through the concluding books of the series. Same Face Different Place is a murder mystery suspense across 4 decades and I wanted to reflect some of the culture I experienced in my life. From the late 80s to the early 90s, the music scene as well as the political climate changed with the arrival of the designer drug, ecstasy. Then came illegal raves. Thus, with the 2nd generation of characters growing up into young adults, there was much focus on this in my story.

Like Visions, I embarked on some brutal editing as I felt Pleasures needed to be more tightly written. So I cut down on descriptions which seemed over the top, improved characters, worked on the dialogue and once again shortened the chapters. There are sixty chapters now, but the length of the book is reduced by about 30k words.

My next job is to re-produce a paperback version but the e-book went live today.

PLEASURES CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE

For a flavour of the era and the story, take a look at my Pinterest Board for PLEASURES.

New fiction in mind

As often happens, I start thinking about my books long before I actually start writing them. But the next book I have in mind will be a psychological thriller, which brings back some characters from Same Face Different Place and is also a sequel to Lethal Ties.

I just need to get my writing mojo back!

People power and communities

What a very different year 2022 has been and after two years of restrictions, I’ve noticed a gradual return of the fairs and festivals that bring people together.

Back in 2011 when I started this blog, it was all about my writing. But in the aftermath of launching Lethal Ties, I needed a break. I felt exhausted, mentally drained and with a craving to sit back and absorb life. So, this year I’ve been people watching, soaking up modern culture and when I feel I have a voice that resonates with readers, only then will I attempt another novel (and I do have ideas for at least two.)

In the meantime, I’ve kept my blog going as an online diary to reflect on life. In 2020 I wrote a lot of stuff about lockdown and the effects of the pandemic. In 2021, I focused on mental health issues in line with the launch of my new novel.

I do miss writing; but without the drive to start anything new, I used my creative head space to do some editing on book 2, Visions (Same Face Different Place) and gave it a bit of an overhaul. More about that later. This post is about festivals and village events.

Oving Scarecrow Day

I’m not sure how long this event has been running, but this year’s was exceptional.

Never before has so much effort gone into the weekend, but it looked as if the entire village pulled the stops out to make it extra special. Everywhere you looked, there was hand-knitted bunting and decorated trees.

On Saturday we were rewarded with sunshine and the village came alive with music, from the steel band opposite the Jubilee Hall, to a Fisherman’s Friend’s style folk band, dressed as pirates. With tractor rides around the village and a medley of colourful scarecrows, this was a lively and happy event.

Bracklesham Village Summer Fair

Last year I joined authors from CHINDI (a writers networking group), to run a book stall at the Siddlesham Maze Garden Open Day. Sadly, it was cancelled ‘due to unforeseen circumstances,’ which worried us a lot! I wish them well, but we will miss the wonderful days they put on over the years.

As an alternative, however, one of our group suggested sharing a table in Bracklesham, so I jumped at the chance.

Bracklesham is a seaside village in Sussex and I reckon this event would have drawn more crowds if it had been better advertised. This doesn’t mean it wasn’t fun, though, with a children’s fun fair, street food, charity stalls and a fantastic Artisan craft market. The weather wasn’t perfect but despite that, we really enjoyed our day together.

A big thanks to Lexi Rees, a best-selling children’s author who writes inspirational books to inspire creativity, for arranging this.

It was also nice to see Sue Wickstead, who has written a series of colourful picture books, based on a Play Bus and suitable for younger children.

I was there with copies of my Sussex based psychological thriller, Lethal Ties, and delighted to sell a few copies. I did also enjoy browsing the other stalls!

Arundel Festival of Arts

August bank holiday was a good excuse to enjoy a walk around the beautiful Sussex hills, surrounding this town.

The festival was a bonus, giving us time after our walk to soak up the atmosphere, relax to live music and enjoy some tasty snacks. Apart from a bit of people-watching, it was great to see lots of families out and about and enjoying themselves.

Conclusion

Festivals and fairs are important in every culture, a way of celebrating and mixing with people from all walks of life. They give small entrepreneurs and businesses a way of promoting themselves and attracting new customers, which in a world where virtually everything is online, comes as a welcome escape. I’ve always loved markets and supporting small businesses. Events like these bring communities together, something I wrote passionately about in VISIONS, since people matter more than money!

VISIONS was the book I always wanted to write, focusing on an era that in my mind, changed the face of Britain. Set in the 80s, under Margaret Thatcher’s government, we saw the start of privatisation, where nationalised public utilities were sold to investors and profits put before service. With energy prices about to sky-rocket, we are finally seeing the true cost of this change… but enough said.

I hope we can use our united people power to advocate change, stay strong, celebrate happy events like these that hold our communities together.

WAVERLEY Book signing EVENT

Before the end of the summer I had a most successful book signing at the Waverley Pub, Bognor, and raised a few pounds funds for MIND, the mental health charity.

Anyone who follows my blog will know the Waverley Pub has special significance. Not only is it the hub of my characters’ social life, but a place I met Graham Levell, who described what it was like growing up in care, before his life was tragically cut short in October 2020.

For those effected, it is hard describe the event without mentioning Graham, for his spirit was very much present. In my last article, I referred to the scattering of his ashes on Bognor Beach, the gathering of his family, along with Dan Jones, who went back to the Waverley to raise a glass to him. This took place after my Festival Book Launch. On this occasion, I was delighted to meet some of Graham’s family, not just to hear them talk about him, but sign one of their copies of Lethal Ties.

I would like to thank everyone who attended my book signing – bought a signed copy of Lethal Ties – supported my raffle – and to the staff at the Waverley, who were extremely accommodating and kind. The snug room itself evoked a warm and relaxing ambience and everyone who attended enjoyed their delicious home-cooked sausage rolls and pork pies.

I even managed to lure a few punters over, people who didn’t know about my book signing, but were happy to support the raffle, then be tempted the book itself! They liked the notion that it was set in Bognor.

The prize was a goody bag of my own making, including Lindt chocolates, Sussex ales and a signed copy of my debut novel, Beginnings.

Prize winning goody bag to be won in my fundraising raffle for MIND.org

But with the event coming to an end and crowds dwindling, I asked my husband if he would draw the raffle. Giving the box of ticket stubs a good shake, I was stunned when he read out the winner: Stewart Levell. Anyone of a religious persuasion might think Graham’s spirit had some influence (he had a wicked sense of humour), but what a coincidence! At the very least, this gave me a reason to call around next day to deliver his prize. But it was lovely to meet them again, talk in depth about Graham and gain some further insights into his life.

Lethal Ties paperbacks, left is the new style cover

Acknowledgments

I would also like to thank everyone in Bognor Regis (and beyond) who helped me to publicise this event. These include members of the Facebook group BOGNOR REGIS MATTERS – bognor.today – Unique Promotions for my posters, as well as everyone who displayed them: Heygates Books, Morrisons Supermarket, West Meads Post Office, the Laburnum Centre and Bognor Library.

Poster displayed in Bognor Morrisons

To conclude, I am delighted with how my Lethal Ties book signing went, sold lots of books and my raffle generated £45 for MIND. This is just a start and hope I can do more to support them.

You can find out more information visiting their website: https://www.mind.org.uk/

Tales from UK Lockdown: Week 10

Adjusting to a Different World

26.5.2020 So we’ve been in lockdown for over 2 months but now the government have eased restrictions a little, I wonder if life can ever truly go back to how it was.

Despite the negative press, many of us are lucky to spend quality time with our loved ones and still manage financially, thanks to the Government furlough scheme. Though I am aware that for some, this is living a nightmare. My heart goes out to our care workers, many of whom work unbelievably long shifts, surrounded by death and heartache on a daily basis. For them, the Corona pandemic cannot pass quickly enough.

The other major problem is the work place. Understandably companies cannot wait to get the economy moving which is fair enough. Though some people just want everything to go back to how it was which will ultimately mean filling the sky with aeroplanes again. But my gut feeling tells me COVID-19 isn’t done with us yet. Lifting restrictions too fast could easily trigger a second deadly wave… that being the case we’re doomed!

Alternatively, just cherish these days while you have them (if you can)

Over these past weeks I have enjoyed seeing the breath-taking photos people share from their daily walks; of flowers bursting into bloom, tranquil coastal scenes and the most vibrant of sunsets. Others continue to inspire me with their achievements.

Extra time

With more spare hours on our hands, we finally re-decorated our office. The plaster and paintwork was in a terrible state, a daunting task we put off for too long. Now it’s done (and having cleared out loads of unwanted crap in the process) we feel more productive than ever in our cleaner tidier environment surrounded by fresh white walls.

Country walks and keeping fit

Another month on and we’re finally allowed to drive into the countryside for walks. We missed the bluebells but enjoyed a picnic on the banks of East Ashling Pond, blessed to see a family of swans and signets gliding across the water. Halnaker Windmill yesterday was equally awe inspiring, the only sound the ring of birdsong, the air perfumed with the first lacy blooms of elderflowers. And talking of keeping fit, I’ve been doing kitchen aerobics with a set of hand-made weights (two water bottles filled with sand from the beach) and occasionally enjoy a zoom pilates class with Sussex Physiotherapy.

Making the most of fresh seasonal produce

If ever there’s a time to support local farmers it’s now and my favourite place is Runcton Farm Shop. This is a great opportunity to look up new recipes depending on what’s available for example local asparagus (delicious either as a side vegetable or in recipes such as Risotto Primavera). I also heard there was a surplus of products, due to restaurants being closed. Imagine my surprise when my husband brought home a kg of fresh mussels home, which cost £1.60. For the first time ever I made Moules Marinière such a simple recipe but absolutely mouthwatering, served with home made bread.

Best of all, I am back to writing with a renewed passion

I never imagined writing a standalone psychological thriller would be so hard but there were times last year I almost gave up.

It’s thanks to the people who helped me, I wanted to keep going; inspirational people such as Dan Jones who shared his experiences of working in children’s homes in the 90s and his friend, Graham, who was brought up in care. But with a police investigation at the heart of the story, more research needed to be done.

Research: talking to various senior police officers allowed me concentrate on the plot, a time I felt indebted to my good friend, Marion Kille, whose husband, Andy (formerly an ops controller with Sussex police for 30 years) was happy to answer a list of questions I had prepared. I also spoke to Peter’s cousin, Denise, whose husband worked in the CID but kindly pointed me in the direction of a recently retired Detective Inspector who for the last 10 years was senior investigator for similar cases to the one I am writing about. With a new focus, everything is finally beginning to slot into place.

Inspiration: Furthermore, I changed to writing in ‘first person’ for one of the characters. Last year I practised this as a writing tip – to write a scene in first person, depict their thoughts and feelings more powerfully – then change back to 3rd person. Sharing this on Twitter, #WhatWorksForMe I had a reply from Terry Tyler, one of my favourite authors, saying “Ever thought of just writing in the 1st person anyway?” It’s working very well and allowing me to get right inside this character’s head.

Re-writing this book is like untangling a ball of wool but finally I am unravelling the plot and teasing the story out of my characters. But more about that in a later post…

Eulogy to a Special Friend

In loving memory of Barney

You were one of two brothers in need of a loving home. When we met you at the rescue Centre in Liss, the moment you trotted through the door, your chocolate brown eyes met mine and I felt an instant bond. What a wonderful day that was when they told us we could adopt you.

Eleven years later, it feels hard to imagine where that time has gone but these are just a sample of the memories we hold in our hearts for you.

You loved your walks, especially on the beach. Winter took on a special meaning, the days getting shorter, as you bathed in the sunset.

Gorgeous winter sunsets on Bognor Beach.

Then came the snow, a thick white carpet in West Park where you played football with other dogs. I’ll never forget how much you loved that baggy old football!

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In the summer you became a big part of our holidays. Our first was in Dulverton with my family, days when you loved kids throwing stones in the river and we watched with pleasure as you dived in to retrieve them. I never met a dog who so much enjoyed swimming either, seeing your little head bobbing along in the river when we stayed at Sandy Balls in the New Forest.

Barney after his swim. We sourced a doggy bathrobe (though I was reminded of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood dressed as Grandma.)

Our favourite holidays were in the UK as you were a very special part of them. Ever since you became a part of our life we explored new places; Scotland, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, the Cotswolds, Cornwall and Wales.

Barney got to ride on a steam train in Yorkshire.

Securely nestled in a holiday cottage.

In a dog friendly cafe in Hebdon Bridge.

Fun and games in Camarthen, Wales.

The best ideas for my novels arose when we were walking along the beach. I still write. Yet this morning I was aware the huge empty space on the floor where you should have been lying. I’ll forever cherish the companionship you gave me in the morning.

It seems strange not to hear your incessant barking when people knock on the door. You always yearned to protect us, a devotion that manifested itself in the way your eyes used to follow us.

The silence in our house feels very deep right now but your presence resonates in our thoughts.

We miss you dearly old friend. You gave us eleven wonderful years and we will treasure every single one of them.

Taking a well earned rest in Ferryside.

Riches and Rags, a Day Trip to #Brighton

Brighton is a town of Colour

Today’s post is a recapture of a recent trip to Brighton. I’ve been visiting this town since my early teens, in fact it was 1980 when I was first captivated by the quirkiness of The Lanes.

The Heart of Brighton, leading to The Lanes

Nowadays, I treat myself to a mooch around this lovely seaside town at least once a year. With an ever growing array of amazing shops and restaurants, it never fails to amaze me. Brighton has it all. Added to the cornucopia of clothes shops, I spotted a shop selling traditional sweets, another selling vegan sweets, there were bespoke cakes and macaroons in every colour of the spectrum… It seems impossible to imagine so many temptations, which leaves me wondering if there is anything left to invent.

A traditional sweet shop

Julien Plumart, Brighton

As for the choice of food… cafés and booths sell just about everything from homemade cookies to noodle bowls. Mexican, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, I could go on forever listing the choice of eateries but I eventually stumbled across a little French Bistro; a traditional 13th Century Fisherman’s cottage tucked away in the oldest part of The Lanes. It offers an array of fresh seafood and shellfish but all I cherished was a tureen of fish soup. Warming and delicious it was packed with succulent fish and shellfish and a portion of rustic french bread, perfect for a light lunch.

D’arcys Restaurant in the Lanes

But a town blighted by Poverty

As I explored the streets, enjoying the decadence, I could not ignore the number of homeless people scattered around the town. Sadly, rising homelessness is the one regrettable downside of this age and this government conveniently choose to ignore it. It’s all too easy for people to say “get a job, lazy scroungers,” but the truth is NO ONE will employ a homeless person. To qualify for any type of work, you need a fixed abode. But how can anyone at rock bottom climb their way out of this trap? Rents in the south have quadrupled in the last six years but wages have not.

The reason for their plight is often more complicated than people think. Many turn to drugs and alcohol but in some way, I can empathise… No one chooses this existence and will surely turn to anything to numb the harsh reality behind their broken lives.

Graffiti in Brighton (interpret this as you will)

I don’t want to end on a depressing note but I will finish my saying that in my next novel (a work soon to be in progress), one of the main characters will start off as a homeless man before the suspense gets rolling… and that’s all I’m saying.

Back to the Beginning

What Next?

Reaching the end of a long-running series feels strange but at the same time, therapeutic as if an enormous burden had been lifted. All the story lines I had planned from the beginning finally found their way into the story where each character had their own unique ending. The Kindle version went live Amazon in August and by the end of the month, my paperbacks too had arrived just in time for Arundel Festival.

The final books of the series have gone down well and received some favourable reviews, starting with this most enthusiastic review from a Facebook Group!

Wow wow wow what a fantastic read…had me gripped from the start… this 5 set series is an absolute must buy…congratulations helen christmas this is your best yet

Delighted to embrace such praise keeps me motivated; but with time to fill (and not quite ready to start my next writing adventure), there is something I have been planning to do for a while now…

Re-visiting Book 1: Beginnings

The Same Face Different Place ‘Beginnings’ was written in 2011 and published in 2012. The story underwent further edits in 2015 but since finishing the series, my writing style improved considerably. Much of this was thanks to my friends who pointed out a few flaws in my writing. I was able to fix these issues for the 4th and 5th Books (Retribution) but it left me wondering if I should re-visit the 1st books again.

In many ways, it was really enjoyable looking back and while the story hasn’t changed in any way, another edit gave me a chance to improve the writing style, the descriptions and the characters. At the same time it put me right back in the zone; set in the 1970s, Beginnings is a very dark story, where the inherent fear and danger facing the main two characters reminded me of the most important selling points of this novel.

Relive 197os London on my Pinterest Board

Arundel Festival

In actual fact the timing couldn’t be better. Feeling very much immersed in the setting of ‘Beginnings’ paid off, especially at Arundel Festival. I had more impetus to promote my book and actually felt quite passionate about it when I was describing it to people. As a result of my renewed enthusiasm, I made more sales than ever before.

With experience came confidence.

Our CHINDI Fundraising Book Stall at Arundel Festival.

I will also say, I thoroughly enjoyed managing the book stall with some of my fellow CHINDI authors. Our goal was to promote ourselves as local authors, sell each others books as well as our own, and make as much money for Cancer Research UK as possible. We were rewarded with beautiful sunny weather during the August Bank Holiday, a lovely Festival atmosphere and best of all we manage to raise nearly £500 for charity.

On to Book Promotion

In addition to my the edit of ‘Beginnings,’ I’ve been looking at ways of raising awareness and focussing on marketing. In early September I finally succeeded in getting 50 reviews for ‘Beginnings.’ This is a significant bench mark with Amazon and I do believe, it will give the book more credibility as a saleable product. Thus, it is even more important to knock the book into shape and turn it into as polished a product as possible.

By the end of September, I hope to have the novel proof-read too and publish a 2nd edition. My next dream will be to obtain 1 or 2 editorial reviews; something I can promote through my social networking feeds…

I thought my work was done but a writers’ work is never really done. You think you’ve reached the end but there is always room for improvement, so it’s onwards and upwards.

From Thriller Writing to Growing and Cooking our own Veg

Okay, so this is a little ‘off the wall’ from my usual blog BUT to deviate from writing for a change, we find ourselves at this ‘time of year’ when our vegetable patch is exploding with courgettes. So I am trying to figure out ways of using them all. From our three main plants, we seem to have more than ever this year. Picking them as we see them, we try to make the most of our crop. Yet despite our most hawk-eyed scrutiny, somewhere among those prickly leaves, there are always one or two devious subjects who manage to escape the radar, resulting in bulging appendages of marrow-sized proportions!

So what to do with the glut?

So far this year, I’ve donated nearly all the ‘marrows’ to one of our lovely neighbours to make chutney – that is apart from one. With a tough outer shell as hard as rock, it is lurking on top of our barbecue rack. I actually thought it would be useful as a club to ward off opportunist burglars…

The next category of giants are still quite young with a softer, smoother skin and an appetising yellow/green mottling. These are fine for cooking if you scoop the seeds out and great for stuffing, either with a rich tomato and herb, bolognese mince – or for vegetarians, a wholesome mushroom and nut mixture.

I have also made three cauldrons of ratatouille, which went down very well with friends and neighbours when we invited them over for an alfresco dinner party in July. It freezes well too; handy for quickie pasta recipes or a vegetable accompaniment to enjoy with sausages or fish.

So having exhausted these two applications, it is time to get creative.

The cream of the crop

At the end of August, we are still inundated with fruits but the plants are gradually fading. Within a few more weeks, our bountiful crop will be finished so I will conclude this article by describing some of the innovative recipes I discovered on Pinterest (along with one of my own.)

On my Recipes Board, I have pinned two recipes for courgetti and feta fritters. My sister served these on my husband’s birthday. Lighter than air, these delicate and delicious morsels are a joy to bit into; best served with a creamy yoghurt and mint dip, bursting with notes of garlic and lemon juice. Nice! I’m yearning for the recipe now, which she more or less made up apparently; a combination of two, inspired by Jamie and Nigella.

I also found a recipe for courgette, roasted pepper and parmesan muffins which sounds so good, it is worth buying a lump of feta cheese. Half will go in the fritters (which I plan to make this week) and then other half will be sufficient to try the muffins too. Bon appetite!

Last of all, is a recipe I invented myself which I would love to share. My husband bought me a spiralizer for my birthday and I’ve been thinking of ways to use it. I was thrilled by my first attempt at making spicy potato rostis and with an abundance of tender young courgettes at my disposal, I was inspired to try something else…

Crispy Courgetti and Parmesan Rostis

Deliciously succulent and light, these rostis make nice accompaniments to a main meal. I use this recipe to serve 2 but the quantities can be adjusted according the ingredients. This goes really well alongside other vegetables such as steamed carrots and leeks, peas and sweetcorn. The first time I created these, we ate them with herby chicken fillets and a baked potato. They have a cheesy, garliccy flavour which balances well with the more subtle flavour of the courgettes; use young ones if you can get them, the fresher the better.

Ingredients

2 medium courgettes spiralized or thickly grated
1 fat clove of garlic finely chopped
1 escallion shallot finely chopped
2 tsp light olive oil
2 tsp dried herbs (I use herbs Provence)
A grind of Course sea salt (to your taste)
40g finely grated Parmesan cheese

Method

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C, 400 degrees F, Gas mark 6.

Use a clean tea towel or kitchen roll to squeeze as much water out of the courgettes as possible. A mixture too wet will result in soggy rostis as opposed to crispy ones.

Place in a bowl and spoon in the oil, garlic, shallot, sea salt and herbs, stirring to mix well. Sprinkle in HALF the Parmesan cheese and fold into the courgettes to give a slightly sticky mix.

Spoon into a cake tin or better still, 4 small batter tins. Bake in the oven on the top shelf for 20 minutes, turning half way through cooking.

Sprinkle remaining cheeses evenly over the rostis and finish under a hot grill to crisp up. Carefully slide each rosti onto a warm plate and enjoy!

Reaching the End of an Epic Thriller Series

Where have the last six years gone?

Yes, this just about sums up the enormous chunk in my life I dedicated to writing a decade spanning romantic British thriller series, titled ‘Same Face Different Place’ BUT I have to say, it’s been worth it! Since writing my last ‘book related’ post “Retribution to the End” in May 2017 I am pleased to announce, I’ve finally reached the end of this entire series – a thriller mystery which rolls over four iconic decades from 1972 – 2012. The 4th book ended up far larger than I planned but with so many characters and sub-plots, it turned out to be little like ‘Game of Thrones’ where every one of those characters had a storyline.

Retribution – Phase 1

The first part of Book 4 (Retribution – Phase 1) ran from 1991 to 1994 with a massive cast of characters. You can get an update of who is who from 2 of my previous posts, Who are the Good Characters and Who are the Bad Characters, published before the novel went live on Amazon. Reception to the book has been 100% positive with some glowing reviews such as this one:

“Wow again Helen! The ongoing story of Eleanor and her family gradually coming to a brilliant climax…..The writing and the different characters are superb. Just cannot wait for the last book in the series. Highly Recommended.”

Retribution – End Game

The final part of Book 4 (Retribution – End Game) was a work in progress but underwent a bit of evolution when I decided to change the cover. Going back to the previous post “Retribution to the End” I designed a cover and published an un-edited version on Amazon (for pre-order), just before my weekend in London on May Bank Holiday. Looking back, I was beginning to doubt whether it was the best image…

Looking at the thumbnail view on Amazon, I liked it less and less. The woman looked grey and insipid. There was something very negative about it which I was afraid would put people off so I sought the opinion of others. After finding an alternative ‘female’ image on Thinkstock, I posted this on several Facebook groups (alongside the original) and asked people if they thought it worked better. People were strikingly honest, which prompted me to change it for this more colourful, striking image and one which depicts a gutsy, ‘kick-ass’ female. You can judge for yourself from the resulting NEW cover below.

Before and After Cover Design Images

Creating the Paperback

I am pleased to say, the final edited version of Retribution End Game was published on Amazon on July 31st and the title can be downloaded via this link. I have also been working on the paperback. I always use CreateSpace as I find their interior and cover templates very easy to use. Once downloaded, I tend to copy and paste my book content from an original master file (the same one I use for Kindle), select a nice typeface such as Garamond, add the contents page and VOILA!

Once saved, it is simply a matter saving the book as a PDF and uploading it to CreateSpace then create a print-ready version of the cover. This needs to be high resolution (at least 300 dpi) and as soon as you know the page count of the book, there are templates to download to create a cover. Once submitted and approved, I recommend ordering a proof copy. You never know what your final published book looks and feels like until you hold it in your hands and leaf through it manually, just to check that everything’s perfect.

Arundel Festival

Following on from this stage, I am hoping to have copies of my brand new paperback in time for Arundel Festival. Hooking up with local authors is a great way to market self-published books which is the reason I joined CHINDI (Celebrating and Helping Indie Authors). Together, we are running a book stall in association with the Cancer Research UK Charity Shop in Arundel to raise funds for this worthy cause.

About the Series

So why should you read my series? Well, if you like crime and psychological thrillers with a bit of romantic suspense thrown in, then this series is for you! Set in the dark criminal underworld of London, the series kicks off in 1972, with ‘Beginnings.’ It is a murder mystery which slowly unravels over time. The next story ‘Visions’ has a more rural setting and based in the 80s. After that, Book 3 ‘Pleasures’ creeps into the 90s, a decade characterised by designer drugs and rave culture. Organised crime continues to be a common theme throughout the series and by the time I started writing ‘Retribution’ the bad characters (including London gangsters) definitely took centre stage.

Filled with the nostalgia of the 70s, 80s and 90s, I have created a Pinterest Board which provides a visual and cultural background for each book. For more information you might like to visit my boards, all of which can be viewed from my Pinterest Page.

Before I go…

Finishing my series has been a great achievement but an emotional journey too. I created a varied cast of characters, many of whom became very real to me. I decided to close the series with an Epilogue based in 2012 for two reasons. 2012 was an iconic year in Britain because we celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and it was also the year of the London Olympics. Who could forget that? One of the children of the series is even a torch bearer in the Olympic relay. I have loved all my characters and it’s been very sad to say goodbye to them; but unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

So what do others think about writing a series?

Given that this is likely to swallow up several years of your life, is it a good idea to embark on a series? Once started, you will be committed to finishing it so I’d be interested to hear what others think. Thanks for reading!

The 1990’s, Princess Di, MC Hammer (not to forget the recession)

Well – I am over half way through the final edit of Retribution (Phase 1), Book 4 in my crime noir thriller series, based across the decades of Britain… 23 chapters have undergone a complete editting process with only 11 more to go, to deliver a total of 35.

Having gone through the story again, piece by piece, I have to warn readers, this story is a lot darker than the previous books!

Running from the year 1992, (where the last book, ‘Pleasures’ ended), we follow the characters through the next three years . But throughout the coming chapters, I have addressed some of the worse depravities human beings are capable of; from the abuse of children in the Catholic care system, to the sadistic cravings of those labelled in our society as ‘sociopaths.’ As I continue with the edit, I have already started thinking about the next Pinterest board for the 4th book in the series.

So here is a sample of the fashion, music, TV and current affairs that stirred our lives in the early 90s…

CURRENT AFFAIRS

THE CATHOLIC CHILD ABUSE SCANDAL

St. Benedict Orphanage – fictitious example of an orphanage where a character was abused by a Catholic priest. It is not a real location, but based on this sketch of St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage, Glasnevin, Dublin. Note the imposing chapel which dominates the design.

THE WAR IN BOSNIA

UN Peackeepers including British Troops

The war across Yugoslavia is an ongoing concern for army officer, William as depicted in one of my earlier posts (click to view the post.)

PRIME MINISTER OF BRITAIN JOHN MAJOR

(Source Wikipedia) Throughout his reign, John struggled with the early 1990s recession, the Gulf War, the Downing Street mortar attack 1991, ratification of the Maastricht Treaty and the Maastricht Rebels, Privatisation of British Rail, The National Lottery, “Back to Basics” campaign and the Dangerous Dogs Act to name but a few…

TV AND FILM

Robin Hood and the Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner was a big blockbuster in 1991, never to forget the soundtrack by Bryan Adams which stuck at the number 1 spot in the UK music charts for 11 weeks. In 1992, the big movie was the Bodyguard along with its timeless track by Whitney Houston.

TV shows mentioned in ‘Retribution’ include the Australian soap opera Neighbours which is still going and the early series of Men Behaving Badly with Harry Enfield.

MUSIC AND FASHION

Princess Diana was an icon of fashion in the 90s. I can relate to owning a pretty, pastel suit very similar to this. Throughout the decade there were extremes in fashion, from the ultra chic, to the utterly outrageous, including Grunge fashion.

In many ways, the 90s was a decade of huge diversity – something that is slightly lacking nowadays. It was the same with music; added to the echoes of early 90s rave, the hit parade was dominated by a mishmash of styles from the energetic beat of MC Hammer to the subdued melodies of Simply Red. But if there is one song that features prominently in this book, it is ‘Fairytale of New York’ by the Pogues, featuring Kirsty Maccoll.

‘You’re handsome – you’re pretty – queen of New York City…’ It delights me to hear that this is still a very popular Christmas hit and there was even a petition to get it to no. 1 for Christmas, this year (2016.)

SO THAT’S MY RESUME.
SAME FACE DIFFERENT PLACE ‘RETRIBUTION – Phase 1’ is due out this year, possibly in April but definitely before the end of Spring 2017.