A quick catch-up.

With Christmas fast approaching, I'm working hard to get the three films I have been writing, finished and signed off.

Of course in this industry, nothing is ever actually signed-off until it is made into film, and even then scenes may be lost to the cutting room floor, or new ones inserted.

Part of the reason for this, is because making a film is like asking a bunch of theoretical scientists to all agree on a particular theory. Everyone has their own version, no matter how minutely different that is from everyone else's ideas. So it is with film.

Even the most brilliant scripts will be moulded to fit a director's mindscape, diverging from the original idea as conceived by the screenwriter. It's inevitable. It's just a question of how much really.

But I am very lucky in the quality of the teams I am working with - top notch directors and producers - people who really know their stuff, and who are happy to let me get on with my side of things.

So, after Christmas, what are the plans?

I will be working on two brand new films. One of which is set in Cyprus.

I'm really looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into this one, not least because of the rich tapestry of the story I will create, but because of how different it is to things I've written before.

So until I catch up with you again - have fun, eat well and happy reading.

Carmen. x

Edit. Cut, spice and dice!

Someone asked me recently if my own experiences filter into my books.

Well here is the bit I'm currently editing. I'll let you make your own decision.

I wake up in darkness. The bedside clock says 4am. It’s too early to get up and possibly too close to morning to be able to get easily back to sleep. I lie on my back and look at the ceiling.

It’s completely flat, unlike the ceiling of the bedroom I had before, which was actually a loft conversion. Our old house had five bedrooms, four on the first floor and mine in the loft.

Dad used to call it my Penthouse Suite. I loved that room. The bedroom I’d had before the loft was converted was nice enough, but nothing compared to the space and views over the neighborhood offered by the newest room at the top of the house.

The room had originally been intended as a study for Dad but it was far too big for that. Then it was suggested that it could be a family room, but the narrow staircase and the fact that it was two full flights of stairs from the kitchen, made that idea rather an impracticality. Besides, once I’d seen it, I’d set my heart on having it as a bedroom.

I miss the contours of that ceiling, the way the shadows would collect in some corners, changing the play of the sunlight through the windows, making the walls look lighter or darker in some places than others…

Shadow – the word brings with it a physical pain. Shadow is missing from my life now and always will be. I wish now that he’d had any other name than that – wish that he hadn’t had a name that will crop up in innocent conversations and inner ramblings and take me unawares all over again. Time and time again.

It’s the hurt that keeps on giving.

For a list [and view ] of books currently available, click on the links to Amazon, Barnes and Noble etc., on the right.

A read for those who are not faint-hearted

Goodness me this new book I'm writing is shaping up quickly! And it's certainly not one for the squeamish or faint-hearted.

Because of the sensitive nature of the book, I am unable to post the more adult sections so here is a little bit of where it's currently at:-

“I’ve done it Mum,” Sarah said into the phone.

“Does he know?”

“No. Not yet anyway. Unless John and Saranne have phoned him and told him.” It was a possibility, although she thought it unlikely that they would choose to be the ones to break the news.

“How did it go telling them?” Mary Sweeney asked. She had her eyes closed and scrunched up as she spoke. She could picture her daughter’s in-laws so clearly, and could imagine how shocked they would have been.

“Well it wasn’t nice, obviously. They have no idea what Colin is really like.”

Want to know what Colin is really like? Well you'll have to wait a little while until I finish writing it.

Until then, take a look at my other books, especially Split Decision.

Happy Reading! x

Am I mad or is it the rest of the world?

I have been watching a leading supermarket chain's television advertisement with growing horror. I can't mention the store on here but it's the one where two very familiar and well -known actors [think Gavin and Stacey] take an item of fresh food back to the shop and swap it for another item instead.

So far so good you think. So why the horror? Well there is a line of writing which runs underneath the action of the scene which states that all food purchases must be returned within date. Now there is only one reason for this request, and it is clearly due to the chain's intention to resell the food.

Whilst I hate waste, this is more than dangerous. Imagine if you will that I am  a religious fanatic of the sort who is increasingly infiltrating society. I inject a fruit or piece of chicken with poison and take it back to the store where they will resell it to some poor unsuspecting person...

A bit far fetched? The poison and needle marks are too easily detected by the naked eye? Ok then try this one. I buy butter, milk, frozen foods or raw meats, leave them in my car for a few hours whilst I drive somewhere else, get petrol and pick up a prescription. I then remember I already have some of these foods at home and that I have duplicated my shopping by mistake.

Do you want to be the one to buy what was once my butter which was left sitting in my car for hours, whilst my dogs excitedly sniffed the wrapper? Thought not!

So you see it is a terrible concept. Take back those mistaken purchases of shoes, bags and clothes by all means. But food? Well I'm afraid if you bought it, you should be stuck with it!

But that of course is just my opinion.

Happy Reading!

New story

There's a new story brewing in my head. I went to sleep thinking about these characters and their situation and woke up still thinking about them.

This tale is set to be a dystopian sci-fi romance and adventure with elements of thriller. I think. You see that's the thing about how I write, I let the characters and the plot unfurl themselves so that they can become the very fullest, most entertaining they can be. It makes for exciting reading and funnily enough it also makes for fun writing times.

So until I have time to get started on this book, [next couple of weeks hopefully] they will remain in my head, nagging me...

For now, its back to the editing of one of the other books! In the meantime, please take a look at my reviews, which you will find on a separate page to your right on this blog.

Happy Reading! x

What's new pussycat?

Excuse the title for this post but it was literally the first thing that popped into my head for some reason. Over the years I have realised that to question the things that pop into my head is a. pointless and b. a little too self-analytical. Indeed, often there turns out to be a strange serendipity going on which is not evident until much later...so now I try to go with the flow. 

Today I am beginning a new book. I am so excited! This is a story I started a couple of years ago but had to abandon due to the pressure of continuing with The Owners books. Since I plan to start back on The Owners next year, I thought this would be a perfect time to complete Ascension. [I might have to change its name as I believe there has been a film of the same name brought out since I started this book.]

This is a very different type of book [yet again] to anything I have written before. It is darker than The Owners but has that same feeling of hidden malevolence to it, that sense that all is not how it at first seems, and indeed it isn't! The story comes under more of a fantasy genre than anything else and is about a girl who questions the way her world is.

Without giving too much away, there are continuous twists and turns and plot revelations that I hope will make the reader stop and think. This one is set to be a deep book with dark forces running through it and pinches of gothic-style horror.

So far this year I seem to be challenging myself to see how many different genres I can write in. It was never a conscious decision, however since Jan 2014 I have completed a dark young adult book [Split Decision - now with my publisher], another cross-over book set very much in the real world [The Boy Who Rescues Pigeons] and a chick-lit book [The Plan] ! PHEW!

And did you see what I just did there? :) I slipped in my biggest piece of news!

I now have a traditional publishing deal for Split Decision [I haven't shown them the other books yet] and negotiations are underway.

Up until now I have been self-published but whilst this is great in some ways, it makes things a lot harder in others, so I am pleased that I now have other people to help me produce and publicise my books.

Anyway better get cracking, hadn't I, or there won't be any new story! Look out for excerpts from Ascension as soon as I get into the flow.

Happy Reading.