Get ready for it...

I'm reposting a post from a few years ago because I have just finished editing this book, ready for release. 

The Owners Volume 5 - coming soon. 

I have got to stop crying!

I have just written chapter seventeen, where one of my most beloved characters dies and I am heart broken. I didn't want him to die and I even tried to resuscitate him but his death was central to the plot and unavoidable.

And so I am grieving.

Unfortunately  this is not the only time in the past week I have cried. I watched the film District 9 the other night and it had me in floods of tears as well!

So now I have to add that to the list of film I can't watch without having a blubber. Here are my top ten...and in no particular order.

1. King Kong - I LOVE that hairy beast!
2. Truly, madly, deeply - the actors are so real and it gets me every time,
3. Dirty Dancing - I figure that's a kind of odd one here, but I cry!
4. District 9 - obviously!
5. Ghost - there's a definite Patrick Swayze theme here [ahem!]
6. The Lion King - yes I do know it's animation but when the daddy lion holds the cub up....
7. The notebook - oh my God I cried from start to end
8. I am legend - just because he is so alone [and the dog dies]
9. Schindler's list - they almost had to remove me from the cinema
 and finally,
10. Up - another animation which my children did not entirely understand in all its subtleties but I did.

There are of course many, many others, some of which have yet to be written.

But the hardest of all are the ones you write for yourself...

Have a great weekend and do something fun. I sure hope to.

What am I like?

Did I actually tell you what my books were like? Somehow in all the madness, I'm not sure I ever really did. So here it is:-

Split Decision is a thriller about the choice a girl has to make which might have devastating consequences, whilst Ascension is a dystopian thriller. Think The Hunger Games without the fighting.

The Owners series is a blend of Avatar, The Planet of the Apes, and 2012 ... where dystopia meets utopia, with a tiny fraction of The Waking Dead [minus the zombies] thrown in for good measure.

Of course it's not really like any of the above in their entirety but it does have elements of them all. It is set in a world where the relationships between the characters are similar to those in Avatar - there is a mutual bond of love and respect, there is a life/world changing event which creates mayhem and upheaval as in 2012 and then there is the struggle for life after this event, hence The Walking Dead.

So read one of my books today...it will set your imagination on fire!


Happy reading.

Matilda - The Owners, Volume VII: Hunter's Moon

A little peek at Matilda...

Careful you don't look too long though, for she is a feisty one!


Excerpt from The Owners, Volume VII: Hunter's Moon.

Matilda awoke before the others. Taylor lay beside her, his face partially obscured by the arm he had thrown over his eyes to block out the rising sun. Part of her longed to move his arm and gaze at the face she had known so long and so well but her resolve would not let her do so. She had taken on the role as leader of this hunting party and if it killed her, she would neither ask for his support nor subordinate herself to him. 

She owed it to their people to be strong and more than that, she owed it to the little child, Verity, who might already be dead.

Did I cling to her because I have no children of my own? It was a fair question and one she wasn’t entirely sure she could answer. Would I have felt differently if I had had a brood of my own children, clinging to my shirttails like all the other women? she wondered. Either way, does it really matter? Things were how they were, after all. She rose quietly, moving with a catlike grace, unwilling to wake the others until she was no longer sharing a space with Taylor.

On her feet, she circled the group. Everyone slept deeply and she was surprised into a revelation as she bent to shake them awake, one at a time.

“We could have been attacked and killed in our sleep, slaughtered without us even knowing we were in danger,” she said, once she had their full attention.

Taylor sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Well we weren’t. And I think that’s a little unlikely…”

Matilda didn’t give him time to finish. “Why not? You think that monster is afraid of us? After he snatched a little child right out from under our noses and left without even a scratch? Oh yes, he must be very afraid!” She heard the sarcasm in her own voice but was unable to reign it in.

She saw Taylor’s eyes widen in surprise and she instinctively knew it was not from either her words or her tone of voice but the way the criticism was directed straight at him.

“He was too high too fast for the arrows to reach,” he said simply.

“I know,” she agreed, hoping that he understood her frustration. They had been speaking as if there were only the two of them in the conversation, only the two of them standing there, with nothing and no-one else around for miles. Now she turned so that her words addressed them all, equally.

“From now on, we post a guard. If we do somehow manage to find him, the battle has to be on our terms, at a time and place of our choosing, not his.”

She was right, and they all knew it. Enough had been said, there was no point in pressing the issue. She bent and began to pack up their meagre camp.

If you would like to find out more, then follow the link on the right to find the first volumes in this epic tale

Happy Reading!

Firstly, can I please thank the wonderful audience who attended my most recent talk, last week. Not only was I told that my books are captivating and that my writing is beautiful, but I was also given cake afterwards. [I love this job!]

Today I am writing, so here is a little bit of a chapter from the book I'm currently working on, set in a dystopian world where things are beginning to fall apart...

“Where is he?" I am panicked and I expect her to try to calm me down. She doesn’t.

“There were complications,” she says distractedly. She moves as if to walk past me but I grab her arm, harnessing her in place. Her face is so close that I can feel her breath against my skin but only for a second, before she turns away.

“What do you mean complications?” I manage to spit the entire sentence out, even though the words threaten to choke me. Bile coats the inside of my mouth and I can’t seem to entirely swallow it back down. I am more afraid than I have ever been before.

Happy Reading!

Sorry guys!

I have had a couple of complaints about my book Split Decision. It seems that you ladies are enjoying the book so much, you are going to bed early... to READ.

And guess where the complaints have come from? Yup, your men folk. Now whilst I am delighted that you are all so engrossed, I have to say ladies what are you thinking of? Rather than have your man nag you at bed time, give in and give him a little of what he will love... buy him a copy of The Owners series!

Joking aside, these have been genuine complaints made to me and I make no apologies for writing such compelling reading.

So for your copy of The Owners and Split Decision, follow the links on the right of this page or read the reviews on the Reviews page.

Happy reading. X

P.S. New books coming soon...

Update

To answer all your questions, yes The Owners Volumes V, VI and VII are written. I have been holding them back for a little while. I'm sorry that this has made some of you fret that they are not coming. Trust me, they are!

I have just been so busy with Split Decision and then writing another few books [and of course moving home] that I haven't had a chance to do anything about The Owners. That's about to change.

Here's where I was at in 2013:-

The Owners Volume V

As I am almost finished editing the Owners Volume IV, I am aware that my thoughts are shifting towards Volume V.

Changes are afoot - they ar...e the noises carried by the wind, the strange and unusual scents pervading the air everywhere I go and the sights which fill my inner vision with wonder and excitement.

I can't wait to introduce you all to the characters, some known and familiar, others new and unknown...who are waiting to fill your minds and hearts with their stories.
Come on a voyage of discovery with me - I promise you will never look at things in quite the same way, ever again.

The Owners Volume IV : A New Epoch.

Happy reading! x

Volume VII: Hunter's Moon

This weekend I finished the seventh volume of the Owners series. I am both sad and elated.


For a very long time I have suspected that it was not going to  be a particularly good ending for some of the main characters and I was right. In real life sometimes there are events which change everything or which alter how things are perceived...so it is with my characters and books. Regardless of how badly I wanted them to be ok, writing in an all-encompassing happy ending would have been both unrealistic and tacky. And they deserve better treatment than that.


Like all of my characters I will miss them dearly but they will remain in my heart. However with the finishing of this volume comes a little joy, for Volume VIII will see the story returning to one of the very first characters to show how things became how they were. It will be lovely to deal with already known and loved characters - its rather like meeting up with an old friend in a warm pub on a stormy night - exciting, long-anticpated and more than a little curious. Are you wondering which character? Well I'm afraid I won't be revealing that just yet, so hunker down for the wait.

In the meantime, there are lots of other things happening. I have been working hard on my editing job and am very busy attending functions on the magazine's behalf. I have also been busy organising the launch of Split Decision which will be out next month [date to be announced].

Meanwhile my new house is coming along nicely and I have now chosen a new fire to go where the old one was. It's a super, duper thing! In fact I think the whole house will look quite good when its finished [courtesy of my fab builder - details to follow on how to book him later].

So if you see a smiling but frantic looking woman buzzing around in an old battered light blue Citroen Berlingo,  not knowing where she is going or what she is doing, give her a wave, 'cos it will be me!


Happy Reading!

I'm all aglow!

I have been working hard on Volume VII of The Owners today and am happy with my progress. 

Even more than that, I am ecstatic about a phone call I just received, which informed me that one of the readers I sold a book to at a recent event, has found the story to be totally engrossing, so much so that she 'can't put the book down'.

Now that's what I like to hear. And remember folks, Split Decision will be out soon. Keep your eyes peeled, you're going to love it.

Happy Reading! x

Unbearable excitement!

I am sitting bolt upright, laptop open on my knees...

Chapter 16 awaits and it is a high adrenaline point in the book. Here is where I left off at the end of the previous chapter and therefore my starting point for this new one:-

A lone owl hooted, its tone melancholy and cautionary, giving a solitary answer to his inner thoughts. Taylor shivered in apprehension.

In the distance the unsearched forest waited. Taylor stepped forward.

 

My fingers are eager to get on with the tale.

 

For the first few books in the series, follow the link to Amazon on the right.

 

Happy Reading!

 

Carmen.

 

News Flash.

I have had a frantic March. I know it's not over yet but this week at least things are quieter.

As you may know I am now working on The Owners Volume VII and loving every moment of it.

Split Decision will be out soon. The Plan, The Boy Who Rescues Pigeons, Saving Grace, The Trouble With Mellillia and Ascension will all follow shortly after Split Decision. Bear with me, I really am going as fast as I can...

Oh and to the fan who came up to me on Friday at the event I attended- thank you so much for your kind comments. I am so glad you are enjoying the series.

Happy Reading!

Frenzied excitement!

My heart is beating so hard and fast, I almost can't breathe!

What is the cause of this near hysteria? I shall tell you.

I have spent a whole year away from my beloved Owners series. There were other projects to do, other books which needed to be written, so I put aside the Owners for just a little while. It gave me time to recharge my batteries and to reflect on how I didn't want to be defined by this one series.

But now I have finished these other books, it's time to turn my attention back to where it all began.

The Owners, Volume VII : Hunter's Moon is about to begin. Hold on to your hats!

Happy Reading!

This Sunday you will find me at the Bromsgrove Holiday Inn where I shall be talking to readers and selling signed copies of my books.

If you have already purchased one of my books from somewhere else you can still come along and have it personalised. And we can have a good old natter!

I will inform you of other events and author talks nearer the dates.

To change the topic slightly - no, I still can't tell you my big news. I have been receiving messages from all sorts of places, enquiring what the secret is but I'm afraid you will have to wait just a little longer...

What I will tell you though is that a wonderful idea came to me for a sequel to Split Decision. However since I am still finishing The Plan and have yet to edit The Boy Who rescues Pigeons, I can't see me getting to it until next year.

That said, next year since I was planning on writing The Owners Volume VII, editing The Trouble with Mellillia [children's tale], finishing Ascension and writing another book for which I have yet to find a name, its going to be a squeeze to fit it in. Then again, I always did love  a challenge... ;)

Happy Reading!

Here is a little bit of my latest novel, currently entitled The Plan.


It is intended for adult consumption so not much of it will be pasted here, as I am aware that children and preteens also view this blog, following other books or series of books that I have written or which are currently underway. So relish the little bits that I can post!


Suzie regarded her companion with wide eyes. None of her friends spoke like this, it was not the type of conversation she was used to having but she liked the honesty of it, the cut and dried truthfulness.


Now to other news. As you are aware, Volume IV of The Owners has been recently released. Volume V and VI will follow shortly as both have been written. Split Decisions is awaiting an agent and The Trouble with Mellillia, Ascension and The Boy Who Saved Pigeons are currently on hold until The Plan is finished.


Early next year I will begin work on The Owners once more and hope to fire off Volumes VII and VIII.
I'll let you know if there are any changes to this plan!


[Oh and in between times I will be trying to fit in a life!]


Happy reading!

GLAD TIDINGS!


Good news! Volume IV is now showing as available on Amazon as an ebook [the paperbacks apparently take up to a month to show up - I have no idea why] and is priced at £2.00.


My other good news is that sales figures have just come in for Volume II and Volume III. Sales show that people who have bought and read Vol I are coming back for the follow on volumes, so happy reading all round!


As a writer its so lovely to know that you are enjoying the tales, journeying through the intertwined lives of the characters and empathising with them.


I think that is the real beauty of a good read...we all want to get lost in it but we want to find ourselves through it too and I hope that my stories provide at least some measure of that.


I will be at the wonderful Bleakhouse Library, [0121 422 2798]West Midlands, giving a talk on writing and my books on March 25th. The staff at the library are also taking pre-orders of signed copies of Volume III and will be happy to take your booking.


I visited this library about eighteen months ago when my first novel was published and the staff and customers are an exceptionally friendly bunch so do pop along.


I look forward to meeting you.

Forget what I said earlier about staying put...I desperately want to move!


You know I can almost see the men amongst you raising your eyebrows at my about-turn but the truth is that the heart wants what it wants...and mine desperately needs to move.


I have seen a house that I have irrevocably fallen in love with. It is a house with soul and a beating heart and it calls my name every time I pass it. You can think me crazy if you wish but this house is calling to me, pulling me in and nurturing me with images of how my life could be if only I could call this particular place home...


And I am listening with heart as well as ears, with a breathless anticipation of what could be if fate and fortune really do favour the brave and the earnest.


The neighbours to this property are lovely and there is a good feeling to the place...its like coming home after a long absence when no-one berates you for how long you have been gone or how distant you have had to be.


It just feels right.


I am a great believer in gut instinct. But even more than that, I believe in listening to my heart.


And my heart is shouting out this house's address.


Wish me luck readers - I hope I am about to embark on a whole new chapter!

COMING SOON!

I am always itching to get back to writing after any holiday and this half term is no exception.


I have never been one of those writers who sit staring at a wall for long stretches of time. But sometimes I wonder if the sense of achievement they feel at the conclusion of a book is greater than mine. Is it all the more satisfying to metaphorically lay their pen down after a hard and ferocious struggle to compose their thoughts into words? Or do they feel exactly the same as I do?


The reason that this is on my mind is twofold. Firstly, the fourth Volume of The Owners will be released imminently. And secondly - when the kids do go back to school I have to write the ending to The Decision and then begin the long editing process [and this one requires an extensive edit] but it is the final home stretch.


The finessing of a work is not as difficult as visualising the concept in the first place or transposing those thoughts and ideas into words that other people can relate to...it is merely the gloss put on afterwards.


And when it is finished? What will I feel?


There is a strange sadness that accompanies the ending of any book. The author has to say goodbye and good luck to the characters and like a mother, stand back and watch them rise to the surface or fall flat on their face.


And there is a heartbreak in there too.


But most of all, like a fickle lover, there is a desire to move on to the next book, the next concept, the next set of new characters...


I'll keep you informed of my progress.  :)

I continue to be surprised by the content and the characters in The Owners books. Even though it is I myself who writes them, there are elements of surprise in every twist and turn.

Do you remember me telling you about one of the characters who I had only just realised was a dangerously bad man? Well it turned out today that he met his match in a character who up until now was not a main player but rather a supporting one. Seems she was just biding her time, I guess.

And that's one of the things I love most about this series - every volume picks out the people it needs to tell that part of the story, so that in effect, we get to meet all of the characters at different stages in their lives.

I guess it is a bit like looking at our own lives, slicing out little periods discrete in time and examining who was important in our lives then and why. If like me, you have changed jobs several times, moved home, been married and divorced, you will see that your world was inhabited not with one set of friends or family but a multitude of different ones who all played their own parts.

If like many of my friends, you are fortunate enough to have been in a long-term stable relationship, perhaps you will be able to see how the dynamics of this has changed over time...

'Cos that's life - there is always change, even if you can't see it clearly at the time.

If you would like to have a chat with me about books, writing or indeed anything else, you can find me at the Science Fiction Family Fun Day at Avoncroft Museum on Sat. 16th November where I will be selling signed copies of the books and holding a creative writing workshop.

Toodle-pip!


http://www.avoncroft.org.uk/visiting-whats-on/events-programme/

Here is the very latest from The Owners Volume VI : Blood Sky

Perhaps because of the rapid beating of her heart and the icy fingers of dread which no doubt worked their way down her spine, her features seemed more defined, more entrancing.

Pity he would have to kill her in the end.

 

 

If only...

Ahhh...back to the trusty laptop for another chapter of The Owners, Volume VI : Blood Sky.

Last week I was too busy to get any writing done, having spent one whole day at a lovely school teaching creative writing to years 3-6 and another day doing book signings at the Women of the Year Luncheon and Awards Ceremony.

I had a fabulous time at both events and was lucky enough to meet some wonderful people and fantastic children. I was also amused to hear one little girl say to another when they were queuing up for my autograph, "my mum has all her books and she loves them."

The rejoinder to that was a swiftly delivered, "well so does my dad. He has all of them too!"

What made me laugh was the blatant fibbing going on. Now don't get me wrong, I am honoured that many people come back to me to tell me how much they enjoy my books but I am aware that I do not yet have the status or universal recognition of the likes of Ms. Rowling, for example. So the idea that both of these little girls' parents had my collection of books was ridiculous, if rather flattering.

Anyway onwards and upwards!

I will fill you in on how Volume VI is going throughout the week. In the meantime if you wish to drop me a line, well you know where I am.

Hope to see you at my next scheduled event, at the Dr Who/sci-fi event, where I shall be selling signed copies of my books and holding a creative writing workshop...be there if you dare ;)