A kind-of win...

 I'm very proud to say that as well as setting up my own company this year, Emmeline Productions, I'm also a founding member of the Birmingham-based writing collective, Script Sirens.  

Having only been established a little over a year ago, the Sirens have already been nominated for two awards - the Royal Television Society Award as well as the Pod Bible Awards.

As you can see, we didn't win but we came second, which for something in its infancy, is pretty damned good. 

So keep your eyes peeled and your ears pinned back, because I hope to be able to give you a little update on exactly what we've been up to at Emmeline, very soon. 

Until then, happy reading and stay safe. x

A podcast interview

 The wonderful Lee Greenhough interviewed me about my hopes, beliefs and new pescatarianism. 

The short interview is here.

The whole interview in all its gory detail...  is here. 

Many, many thanks to Lee for inviting me to talk. Apologies if I made his ears bleed with all my chatter. 

Happy listening! xx

 

Here is a link to a new magazine by a good friend of mine, Richard Merli. I hope you enjoy it.

http://files.octoberhillmagazine.com/October%20Hill%20Spring%202017.pdf?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_messaging%3BVEGukgaXS%2Bq2u11x14P0kw%3D%3D


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!

An Exciting New Book

Oh it's a good start to the day...

I have just started to write a story that's been rattling around my brain for about three years. It's going to be a dark one!

Here's the very first paragraph:-

I sit on the hospital bed and wait for them to come for me. The smell of disinfectant is overpowering. It’s too clean, too sterile, as if it intends to wipe out every living thing from the face of the earth. Perhaps it should start with me.

There’s nothing here to look at except the other patients. I try to avoid looking at them, not because it’s rude to stare, but because I don’t want their attention returned to me.

Happy Reading!

A little bit of poetry to soothe the soul...

Every so often you come across someone who strikes a chord with you. This poet/author is one such person.

With his permission I have posted his lovely poem here.

This has come from a great writer friend of mine from 'across the pond'. It's about October - the magical month of my birth [of course it is]. Enjoy. xx

My Quarrel With October
Look up from the rich, black soil....
Fatigue never felt so good to me.
Look up from blinkered garden toil:

There is beauty and wonder in all I see.

Feel the soft warmth of the autumn sun.
Breathe in the crisp chill of October’s air.
Number life’s virtues when day is all done.


The majesty of October reigns everywhere.
Clouds sail past in a feathery sky.
The chill foreshadows the coming cold.
The woods serve up a feast for the eyes:


A leafy mantle of crimson, scarlet and gold.
The flowers of summer all bow their heads
To the mums, now crowned in purple and gold.
Spikes of royal lavender stand up in their stead.


The rhythms of autumn never seem to grow old.
See the blood red flush of the burning bush,
Twilight colors the sky violet and shades of red.
The palette of autumn has come on with a rush.


Nature’s beauty has made me drunk in the head.
Listen closely and one will hear
A wedge of wild geese on the wing,
And the serenade of the lark so near.


Have you ever heard a more beautiful thing?
The early crickets have come out to sing.
They rub their limbs to ward off the cold.
They long again for the warmth of spring.


No one told them the year had grown old.
Hear the rustle of the tasseled corn,
As restless and wavy as the open sea.
The wind gently sighs of winters forlorn.


All the while, autumn whispers goodbye to me.
I wipe rich, black earth from my hands.
The day has grown old at a quarter to five.
Autumn work draws forth the joys of a man.


Sweet October makes it feel good to be alive.
I stack a cord of wood from the pile.
The apple tree blushes red with her fruit:
There’ll be supper and apple pie in a while.


First I’ll light the fire and kick off my boots.
Thoughts of winter make a man sober:
I’d invite October to stay on, if I could.
Let this be my only quarrel with October:


There’s too little of her to last us for good.
There is beauty and splendor in all I see.
The senses reveal what mere words cannot say:
The splendor of autumn is far too lovely for me.

Has the world ever given us a more beautiful day?

Richard Merli
Copyright Richard Merli

As ever - Happy Reading! xx

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

A new story coming your way

Today I wrote the first two chapters of my newest book. This story wants to pour out of me.

Unlike most of my other books, the main character is in love and to some extent it is this love which drives the story. But my, is she in for a shock!

Dark, dystopian and fast-paced, this is a book which will keep you on the edge of your seat, right where Split Decision left you and where Ascension is about to find you...

Take my advice, before you start reading one of my books, surround yourself with food, drinks and everything you might need. Because once you start to read, I promise you won't put that book back down!

Happy reading. x

Do I or don't I?

Today I was faced with a moral dilemma. I can't tell you the specifics but suffice it to say that I was effectively damned if I did and equally damned if I didn't.

You may wonder why I am even telling you this if I can't give you the details but it wasn't ever really about that, it was about doing what I had to do. This weird conundrum came at a very strange point in my day - I had been editing my newest book, Invisible, and was pondering why the character had chosen to act as she had, because in fact there was no good way out of her situation, when indeed I found myself in a similar position.

In the book, she did what seemed right to her and in real life I did what seemed right to me. Were either of those things actually the right thing to do? I don't know. But I believe they were the most moral choices they could be.

So back to why I am telling you this. The simple truth is that like everyone else on this rolling planet, I haven't got a clue what it is I am supposed to be doing here, so I am just doing the best I can.

Is that good enough?
I hope so.

Happy Reading!

I write like...

During Monday's talk, I mentioned a programme which uses some sort of algorithm to decide which famous writer or writers you write like.

If you scroll down this blog and click on the tag which states 'analysis' you can read the excerpts I used and what the outcomes were, but should you wish to take the text yourself, then here is the link.

 http://iwl.me/

Coming Soon

My latest book  [almost completed] is about a woman whose life falls apart after she hears some revelations. Is she like me? No, not at all, but even so, getting into her head space is draining and emotional. That is of course part of the joy and sorrow of writing - you personally bear the pain of every misfortune your character suffers. And then at the end of the book there is no real sense of release... the characters linger for a while. It's like that old saying they used to have in offices which read, "You don't have to be mad to work here... but it helps." You don't have to be insane to write your characters well but... :)

 

I'm not sure when this one will be published, as you know I have a bit of a backlog going on, but I'll keep you posted.

 

Happy Reading!

More information!

As I am trying to move house as well as finish the current book, please excuse my brevity here.

 

I got this comment on my blog : "Hi read book one - no review yet - book two read on kindle now need books 3 & 4. Just missed your Fairfield event when is the next one? ☺"

In answer to your question, Peter Gagen, the next one will be on the 11th of this month, details to follow.

I have also been asked yesterday by the Major of Solihull to attend an event she is organising, again details to follow.

 

In the meantime - Happy Reading!

The Letter

Here is the paragraph I have just written [yes I actually AM working today] in my lastest novel. I hope you like it:

The journey was agony, each mile covered bringing her closer to her nemesis, each twist and turn of the route seeming to parallel the shifts in her life, the sudden and almost inexplicable changes of direction.

What would this Cherie be like? The name conjured up a very explicit image in her head: short, tight skirt with high heels, a flurry of too-yellow, dyed hair framing a face that was heavily made up, yet still pretty. Attractive in an explicitly sexual, in-your-face sort of way. She would have ‘boobs’ not breasts, and they would be perched high on her narrow rib-cage, permanently on display in a top that was at least one size too small… she would be everything that Fran herself was not.

"3 o'clock in the morning...

and it looks like it's going to be another sleepless night..." to quote Crystal Gayle.

I have been up since three, penning a very painfully sad chapter in my newest novel. It was so sad in fact, that now I have written it, I am utterly bereft.

That's the trouble with writing.The emotions which lend themselves to good writing are draining and so now I am tired. I don't often get up in the middle of the night to write but I had started the chapter earlier today and when I couldn't sleep, I knew what I had to do.

Now it is just after six and I will get up, have breakfast, see the children off to school and begin editing another of my books which is due for publication. Ah back to the good old routine! I love it! Yawn...

Happy Reading.

Coming Event!

Don't forget that this Thursday you can find me at Lord Morton's Tearooms, where I will be giving a talk about my books, my love of writing and my plotlines.

For details contact 01299851201. I can't wait to see you there!

Happy Reading!

Post to follow shortly....

Me with Jasper Carrott today.

The wait is over!

I have kept you in suspense for long enough. I know. Actually I never intended to keep you in suspense at all, but several things needed to be done in the right order and this was just one of them.

Last week I was called into a meeting with the lovely owner of GEM magazine. I had thought that perhaps I was going to be asked to write an article about something, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect her to offer me the posts of columnist and Copy Editor to the magazine!

I was literally stunned into a moment of silence and believe me that doesn't happen a lot. If ever!

So there it was, the offer of a lifetime. And what do you think my response was? I was almost dancing on the table with excitement, especially when I was given full autonomy over what I chose to write about. Now my first column is written and the first articles I have to edit, are sitting in my inbox.

I am like a nervous fourteen-year-old all over again... excited, apprehensive, eager and terrified at what the big bad world might throw at me, whilst at the same time eagerly donning my heels and throwing back my head with abandon, ready for the ride of a lifetime.

What will they think of me, the GEM readers? Will they like my quirky style, my references to what's happening in my life, the little bits about whatever book I am writing? I hope so!

If you would like to find out more about GEM magazine, here is the link. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

http://www.gemmedia.co.uk


Happy Reading!

New life!

Today is the start of my new life. I have bought a new house, got rid of some things, ended some other things and am looking to the future.

I have always had a thing about new starts. Generally speaking they are fresh, clean and bright. Even if you made mistakes in the past, a fresh start allows you to put these to good use, to learn from them and move forward in a different direction.

It's strange how this new start has coincided with me writing an author's note  to be published at the end of Split Decision, and how my thoughts today have mirrored the sentiment in that note. [And no I'm not going to tell you what I wrote, you will just have to read the book :)]

But the weather is not reflecting how I feel. Outside it is cold, wet, grey, and generally uninviting, with the rain thrashing itself off roofs and pavements. Maybe I can start my new life tomorrow instead? What do you think?

Happy Reading!

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.

 

Today I am writing. And as usual when I am writing, I am eating chocolate. But this time it's not just any old chocolate, it's a very special chocolate that came from the wonderful MacDonald Burlington Hotel, which I attended for an event last night [more to follow later].

So here is a little peak at what I have just written :-

It seemed to take a long time before they got to the edge of the trees and with every step his heart thudded harder in his chest, obscenely loud in the quiet night.

They entered the dense undergrowth which grew below the soaring trees, full of trepidation and without a real plan, bunching close together, wary of ambush.

The forest seemed unnaturally quiet. No owls hooted or birds cooed. The only sounds were the brittle cracks of unseen twigs which littered the forest floor.

The almost preternatural silence was deafening. A solid wall of muteness seemed to surround them, so that the only noises were the ones they made themselves.

Taylor wished with all his heart that he had somehow made Matilda stay behind, that he had managed to convince her that the risk of their people losing her was too great… But to Matilda’s ears they would merely have been words and words could be no substitute for action.

 

These characters are heading for trouble and Matilda is destined to be in the thick of it. Why won't that woman ever listen? Now who is it she reminds me of...

 

Happy Reading!

 

Carmen.