Work in progress

This is a record of my work in progress, the word count.  Last November I started to write a stand alone novel then in April this year I began negotiating with a new publisher.  They suggested that I continue writing crime novels including my character DI Isobel Woods so I changed the plot, cutting out several thousand words, but I feel that I have really struggled with the story.  It's a difficult case for my characters and this seems to have transferred into my writing. The novel is now almost complete and soon the editing process can begin, only then will I know if I've done enough. Will I be satisfied with my work? The really annoying part is, the publisher that I was negotiating with decided not to take me on. At least I have another book in my crime series!

Trip to Suffolk

 My wife and I have just returned from a fleeting trip to Suffolk.  It's a county that we love and have stayed there before.  This time we went to a nice hotel near Lowestoft.

Outside one of my favourite breweries in Southwold.  Unfortunately we didn't take a trip or get to sample the ale.

On the end of the pier at Southwold.

Next we went to Framlingham to visit the castle.  We went there once before some years ago, it's a lovely place steeped in history.  

Looking down into the Bailey from the wall walk.  (She caught me without a smile)!

About to take a stroll through the dry mote and surrounding grounds.

We were only there for a couple of nights, so had a limited time.  

Left loads to see for another time.

The Photographer

‘Suddenly he was there beside her.  She could sense him, his shadow a spirit come to claim her soul.  Blinking rapidly in an attempt to clear her vision, she believed that if she could make eye contact with him she could appeal to his conscience – but she was mistaken, he was no longer there…’

Published in 2020, The Photographer covers another period in the life and career of my character Detective Sergeant Isobel Woods. 

 Synopsis 

 Professional photographer Matthew Cunningham returns home from a successful assignment in Paris and upon realising the loss of his camera case, he panics.  Not only does it contain expensive photographic equipment, but also hundreds of stored images.  Several days later, his girlfriend Libby Ellis receives an anonymous package containing both photographs of the models Matt works with and also herself.  After a meeting, Libby fails to return home and Detective Sergeant Isobel Woods begins investigating her disappearance.  Struggling with internal politics and a boss intent on discrediting her, she is told to solve the case as quickly as possible.  However, events take an unexpected turn.  Gradually women connected to Matt are drawn into the nightmare and DS Woods suspects his involvement.  Co-operating with the police while secretly negotiating with the abductor, Matt risks incriminating himself and is left with no option but to gamble with the lives of those closest to him.

The Photographer is available from Amazon as a paperback and on Kindle.  It can also be ordered from all good bookshops.

Cycling, my passion.

I once used to run marathons and compete in triathlons, training five hours a day over three sessions, swimming with the county team and cycling a lot. I did some long distance cycling events, some lasting for several days, then I reverted back to my collage days and joined the local rugby club. That was thirty odd years ago. I stopped playing and coaching rugby in 2000 and retired from serious fitness training. Wind forward twenty years and the pandemic arrived. As I live in the countryside we have many beautiful walks right on our doorstep so that's what we did, we walked gaining in fitness until I then decided to get on my bike. There was an old mountain bike in the garage so dusting it off, I went out and cycled to the nearest town (8 miles away), and it alost did for me! I found it difficult to hold back, cycle at a slower pace and enjoy the experience. I could remember my competitive days and 'slow' was not good enough, so I went out to buy a racing bike.

I couldn't resist this beautiful bike, a Giant TCR Once, used by the Once team in the Tour de France in the late 1990s. This bike was set up for an experienced cyclist and I found the gearing really hard to cope with on the hills, I definitely needed more or larger gears so I went out and bought a hybrid bike.

This one did exactly what I wanted, but up against other dedicated cyclists it looked a bit odd. Every serious cyclist rides a pure road bike. I train a lot on this bike and completed a charity 100 mile event in May two weeks after recovering from Covid.

Me at about 65 miles, 35 to go! I soon gave in and started to look for a road bike that I could ride on all the undulating terrain in the area where I live.

A Specialized Allez, just the job. It looks good and goes like a rocket. My average speed went up considerably.

Moments before the start of a 100km event in June.

On my various bikes last winter. (The Allez had not joined the stable at this time).

At the track with my son, another keen cyclist. Note the classic Raleigh Kelloggs Pro Tour racing bike circa 1980s, my original bike used to train and compete in all the events I did when I was young and fit!

The Witness

My psychological Thriller The Witness is my best selling novel.

It was first published in 2013 and continues to do well.  It is a popular choice at book fairs and signings and provokes interesting conversation.

The book cover

Have you ever experienced a day so terrifying that it changed your life forever?

The Witness, a psychological thriller guaranteed to excite you from the very first page.

 

Signing copies at the launch

Synopsis

 The Witness – Josie MacDonald, a landscape artist is visiting her aunt Molly who lives in the peaceful village of Garmouth near Spey Bay in Morayshire.  On a painting trip early one morning Josie was witness to an horrific murder.

 Mr. Mac, the deranged killer is aware that Josie has seen him at work but after a terrifying chase Josie manages to escape.  Mr Mac tracks her down to her home in London where his plan takes an unexpected turn.  Josie is forced to bear the brunt of psychological torture and anguish as one by one her friends are drawn into the nightmare.

 Josie has to return to the scene of crime in order to discover the truth.  The story reaches its climax when she unearths a serial killer who has been working in the highlands for nearly thirty years.  With time running out and a killer on the lose, Josie has to prevent her abducted friends from becoming victims whilst surviving long enough to bring their terrible ordeal to an end. 

 

The book continues to be popular with great reviews.

Pick up your copy today from Amazon or order from good bookshops.

From drawing to job complete

 My Grandson lives in a house with a terraced garden.  His play area is on a patio with a metre drop into thorny flower beds.  He fell into this recently and looked as if he had been mauled by a lion, so a fence was needed to prevent this from happening again.  First, the flowerbed was cleared, then I surveyed the site before drawing up the plans. 

A profile of the fence and wall including posts.

A plan view of the general layout.

Dimensions were added and the material chosen.  Not having worked in wood before, I was unfamiliar with the sections available, but after a bit of research I made my choices and the material was ordered.

Three 70mm X 40mm X 3 metre lengths for the posts and 70mm X 20mm X 2.4 metre lengths, four packs of five arrived, then the job began.

Marking out and sawing the sections to length

Laying the cut sections out before fixing

Putting the finishing touches to the gate

It was a very hot day and working on the lawn in the back garden was like working in a desert.

Fence in place

Gate looking good

Job complete

My son Jonathan helped to manufacture and fit.  We work well together, celebrated with ice lollies.

 

What are the chances?

 So, there I am six miles into a forty five mile cycle jaunt when along a narrow country path I catch my arm on a thistle and draw blood.  Moments later a wasp flies into the the vent of my cycling helmet and stings my head.  In the ensuing pandemonium the chain comes off and I cruise to a halt while struggling to release the wasp and avoid being stung again.

On a more positive note, some twenty miles later I stop for a refreshment break in a layby and promptly discover a pound coin laying on the ground.

Breaking my silence.

 So, not a lot has happened on my blog for months.  I've decided to have another go and post more regularly using this as a test to see just who is about and who actually reads my blog.

I'm busy at the moment writing my ninth novel, fifth in the crime series featuring DI Isobel Woods.  Woods first appeared in The Cellist, published in 2017, when she was a Detective Sergeant working with DI Terry Ashton.  Her character has developed since then and she had a greater part to play in The Photographer, published in 2020.

Both of these books are available from Amazon as a kindle download or in paperback format.

They can also be ordered through bookshops such as Waterstones.

Two more books are ready to go to the publisher, but I'm using these to help me find a larger publisher and/or attract a literary agent.

Anyway, enough of my news.  If this is successful and attracts some attention then I will write more updates about my work and other things.

Happy reading!