“Talus and the Frozen King” – Publication Day and Free Sample Chapter

Yes, I know. I put up a post here a couple of weeks ago announcing the launch of my new novel Talus and the Frozen King. Now, here I am again, telling you today is publication day. What gives? Have I gone crazy? Frankly, the jury's out on that. The reason things are getting a bit … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” – Publication Day and Free Sample Chapter

Ghostwriter Diaries 22

FIVE DAYS until submission! My editing session this morning was smooth and strong, much like the coffee that fuelled it. Today's challenges included bringing an important secondary character a little more centre-stage (I'd inadvertantly sidelined him in the thick of the battle action). I also made a few changes in one chapter that needed foreshadowing … Continue reading Ghostwriter Diaries 22

Ghostwriter Diaries 21

SIX DAYS until submission! I had a better morning this morning, with two chapters edited before I descended into the bowels of the day job. In the narrative, the final battle has begun, which means my original prose had occasionally strayed away from my main characters' POVs and adopted a more omniscient, authorial perspective. It's … Continue reading Ghostwriter Diaries 21

Ghostwriter Diaries 20

SEVEN DAYS until submission! Here begins my final-week sequence of blink-and-you-miss-them ghostwriter reports ... A 5:15am start rewarded me with 90 minutes of precious editing time before the day job kicked in. I edited only one chapter, due to the need for some delicate rewriting: weaving character relationships more fully into steadily mounting pre-battle tension; … Continue reading Ghostwriter Diaries 20

Writing in Technicolor

I write in Technicolor. Perhaps I should explain. Like most writers of my generation, my writing style and sense of narrative have been greatly influenced by cinema. If you asked me to list the stories that have had the greatest influence on me, I'd be as likely to cite George Lucas's Star Wars as John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, … Continue reading Writing in Technicolor

Ghostwriter Diaries 19

After a solid day spent editing, and with a little over a week to go until my final submission deadline, it's unlikely this entry will make a lot of sense. But if I don't check in now, you probably won't hear from me again until it's all over. And that would be a shame. Today, … Continue reading Ghostwriter Diaries 19

“Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 4

We're another week closer to the official UK launch of the paperback edition of Talus and the Frozen King (it's out in the US, and available as an ebook, already), and here are the latest reviews … Crime Fiction Lover More than just a whodunnit – this is a story about the power of stories, and a reflection … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 4

“Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 3

There are plenty of reviews still coming in for Talus and the Frozen King. Here's this week's crop … Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing The manic energy of modern day our modern Sherlock Holmes is a difficult thing to transpose to a book. To take such a character and place them in the Stone Age without the aid … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 3

Neolithic Houses of Skara Brae

My Neolithic detective novel Talus and the Frozen King is set largely on the remote island of Creyak, in an icebound and unnamed land that bears a suspicious resemblance to the north-west coast of Scotland. The model for Creyak is the Neolithic village of Skara Brae, which was inhabited between 3,200 BC and 2,200 BC. My tale … Continue reading Neolithic Houses of Skara Brae

“Talus and the Frozen King” – US Launch Day

It's launch day! Talus and the Frozen King is now out in the wild. So, stop reading this announcement and go buy yourself a copy. Now! If you're in the UK, your buying options for the paperback may be limited until the official release on 6th April 2014, but you should be able to pick up … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” – US Launch Day