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.
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!
“Avenge me,” he whispered evilly. “Make them pay – all of them!”
The year kicked off to a great start when I was selected as winner of the ‘Write Across Sussex’ short story competition. This was an absolute honour considering the panel of judges included such bestselling authors as Kate Mosse and Peter Lovesey. In some ways, I felt the same as I did when I came first in my infants school Sports Day ‘Space Hopper’ Race. I can still remember the face of the lady who pressed 3 toffees into my hand, as well as the warm glow of winning. It’s a feeling that stayed with me, especially considering I don’t often win much, something that should never be taken for granted.
In February, I ventured back to Kent for another research trip in Book 4, Retribution a lot of scenes take place in winter.) It was one of those days when I felt that luck was on my side; a beautiful sunny day, photogenic landscapes and everything perfectly timed to deliver me right where I wanted to be; from the remote landscapes of rural Kent to the glittering streets of London and Chelsea.
The final part of the story was completed by August. But before I embarked on a major edit, I found myself back in London for the entire August Bank holiday: excellent timing to achieve those all important, final bits of research I needed to do to improve the location details; Chelsea, Shoreditch and Wapping, along with various institutions and pubs – research that has definitely paid off…
Same Face Different Place 