Diary

This is the space where I will waffle at you now and again about what I’ve been up to and how the work in progress is coming along.

I’ll also let you know of any signings, appearances, general news etc. So watch this space!

18th October 2009Yes, I am still here!!!

OK - I realise I need to start with abject apologies for the lack of communication. There is a reason, maybe you won't think it's a good one, but it's a reason, nevertheless.

The sad truth is that Hutchinson (my publisher at Random House) and I have parted company. Staff turnover at publishing houses is phenomenal and my "champion" at Hutchinson - Sue Freestone - unfortunately moved on and was replaced by someone to whom my style obviously didn't appeal. Sad - but that's life, I guess.

All very well, I hear you say, but why not tell us? That's what a diary is for... Quite true, but I thought I'd wait until I placed my new book with another publisher and could present the change as a fait accompli. A shame then, that the search for a new contract should coincide with the great "credit crunch". It all took a lot longer than I (or my agent, Dorothy) anticipated, and the longer I left it, the more important it seemed that I should have something positive to report....

Well, now I have! My latest effort NO GOING BACK is to be published by Severn House and will be coming out in February 2010, so start saving your pennies right away! Happily, I can report that James, my editor at Hutch, who I always enjoyed working with, is now also at Severn House, so it already feels like home.

Other news... I've been quite busy this summer giving readings/talks in local libraries. Thank you if you're one of the many who supported these. I've had some lovely audiences, who kept the evenings swinging along with lots of intelligent questions and very gratifying compliments. All wonderfully encouraging to an author temporarily cast adrift! :-)

I didn't attend Crimefest 2009 but have registered for next year's event and am greatly looking forward to it. I did, however, go to the St Hilda's Crime & Mystery Weekend in Oxford, which was lovely. Such a nice atmosphere, and the opportunity to meet old friends and make some new ones. I was pleased to see Kaye C Hill again - author of "Dead Woman's Shoes" and "The Fall Girl". Check those out if you like your crime novels to have a light-hearted feel.

On the personal front, I've taken up Mojive (dancing - think Ceroc) a great fun way to keep fit, and also been to France for a short touring holiday on my new motorbike (a Honda VFR). Myself and a few friends went to the Mayenne region. Quote "Tucked away quietly between Southern Normandy and the Loire valley". Stayed at a great B&B where they spoilt us rotten - see http://www.mayenne-bandb-tours.com/

Also been doing dog agility with little Twiglet - my brindle and white, sticky-up-eared, curly tailed, pocket sized bundle of fun. We entered our first proper show this last weekend and she brought home two clear round rosettes from four classes. Not bad with me blundering round with her!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have taken the time to send me emails over this last year or so, saying how much they've enjoyed my books and asking when the next was due. It's really sweet of you all, thank you. I even had one guy, quite deservedly, taking me to task over the lack of diary updates!

Well, I'm going to stop there but I will endeavour to update (slightly) more regularly in future. NO GOING BACK is with the freelance editor and I must get to work on the plot for my next one.

Bye for now...

29th November 2008Oh Lord! Somebody mentioned Christmas!

It wasn't until I was making a hairdresser's appointment and she asked me if I wanted to fit it in before Christmas, that I realised how stealithily it had crept up on me - once again! I've only just got used to it being Autumn, and here we are with less than four weeks to go. Help!

I must apologise for neglecting this diary :-( I have been doing a few talks locally - mostly to libraries and reading/writing groups - which is quite fun once I get past the nerves. I usually start by reading a few pages from one of my books, at which point my command of the English tongue completely deserts me and I wonder why I write sentences that are so full of verbal tripwires. Looking at the front row of my audience, I usually find one particularly stern-faced senior citizen watching me closely and heartily wish that my character wasn't about to use an expletive in a couple of sentences' time. Actually, though, the ones you think will disapprove, often aren't the ones that do. One lady asked me if I would be bringing Gideon Blake back again - "I like him," she said. "But you did give him a terribly hard time. He was beaten up, knocked off his motorbike, trampled by a stampede, electrocuted and attacked in his own home."

"Yes, I did rather," I said. "I am trying to put my heroes through a little less strife, these days."

Her face fell. "Oh, no!" she said. "Don't do that."

Once the reading is over, I can relax and enjoy myself. People are really nice, in general, and it's such an ego boost for a lonely writer to get such positive feedback from readers, some of whom have only started reading my books when they saw I was coming to their library.

Well, I've spent the day in Bath. Big mistake! The train - which goes not only to Bath but also to Bristol and Cardiff - was only three carriages long! Bear in mind that there are only three more shopping weekends till Christmas and throw in a rugby international at Cardiff, and it doesn't take an Einstein to guess that it might be a tad insufficient! It was full when it reached us and got successively fuller at the next three stations, until finally, not another sardine could squeeze on. Bath - when we reached it, wasn't much better! as for finding somewhere to eat - forget it! A day best forgotten.

Apologies once more for the lengthy silence, and I'll try not to let it happen again. Bye for now, LS.

3rd August 2008Yes - I'm still here!

Sorry it's been so long. I don't know where the time goes...

When I wrote here last, I was shortly on my way to Crimefest, the new crime writers convention in Bristol. It's long gone, now, but as the first event of its kind that I've ever attended, I can report that it was great fun. A whole weekend of talking about books and writing, with a bunch of friendly people who are all either writers themselves, or crime novel fans.

I think it brought home to me, as much as anything, just how knowledgeable and enthusiastic so many people are. I felt a bit of a crime genre ignoramus, especially during the quiz held one evening. Luckily it was a team event, so I could hide behind the far superior knowledge of others (but I think we still came last!) My excuse is that - although I write crime/thrillers - I don't actually read very much of it. Partly because I don't want to be influenced by another plot or style while I'm writing, and partly because (and here I pull a balaclava over my head to hide...) I don't actually like much of it!

To return to Crimefest, however. I met some lovely people, and made new friends. The days were arranged into a series of "panels", where four or five authors were encouraged by a "moderator" (who was also a writer) to share their writing experiences with the audience, and then take questions from the same. I was only on one panel - perhaps because my books are slightly different and difficult to categorise, but it was great fun. It was also very informative to attend the panels of other authors, many of whom I knew by name but had never seen in person.

I was invited to share a breakfast table on the first morning with Caro Ramsay, a new writer from Scotland, who was shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger for her first novel, Absolution, and with whom - I discovered - I share my love of German Shepherd dogs. I also made friends with Kaye C Hill, whose first book Dead Woman's Shoes, I much enjoyed.

Blackwells had a whole room full of books on sale, and authors were available to sign them after each panel, but the only one I bought was by a Canadian writer, Louise Penny, whose series of "cozy" crime novels feature the middle-aged and likeable detective Inspector Gamache and are set in a small country community. Louise Penny's books have been showered with plaudits and awards, and having read the first of the series "Still Life", I can report that her success is well deserved. That is one crime series I will be reading.

Well, I'd better be going now; my new hero - working name, Daniel Whelan - awaits. Daniel is an ex-dog cop (never sure how to hyphenate that...) with (of course) a troubled past and (equally predictably) his faithful GSD at his heels. That's all I'm saying for now...

1st May 2008Whoops! Where did April go?

Had a couple of very successful library talks. I'm saying successful because:

a) A good number of people turned up - both to the daytime and the evening one.

b) Nobody fell asleep.

c) They laughed in the right places.

d) Nobody left before the end.

e) They asked sensible questions.

f) Several people bought books before they went

One strange thing... I'm quite good at talking - I mean, I've been doing it for most of my life - and I'm not a bad reader, though I say it myself. However, put me in front of a group of people and ask me to read a few pages from one of my novels and my powers of diction completely desert me! "Why, oh why..." I ask myself, "do I use so many long words in my books? I don't even attempt the accents. Scottish or Scouse, that sounds so clear in my head, comes out sounding like a resident of New Delhi, who was schooled in New Zealand, spent a significant amount of his formative years in Cardiff and has married a woman from darkest Yorkshire! Much safer to cop out! :-)

Anyway, people seemed to enjoy themselves and, gratifyingly, said they were pleased to have discovered my books. One lady said she'd read four of them in the previous two weeks! Steady on, please! Do you know how long it takes me to write those!

Next on the agenda is CRIMEFEST 2008 in Bristol, June 5th to 8th. Find details on www.crimefest.com. I'm doing my first Authors' Panel there, and I'm not quite sure what to expect, so wish me luck.

I had a lovely letter today, from someone who bought one of my books at a signing, knowing that they were crime/thrillers, but not realising that they were horse-based. She explained that she has spent most of her life feeling sorry for horses because she felt they must hate being used for man's purposes, and would much rather be free to run as nature intended. She admitted that her prejudice had been based on ignorance, and said that in reading Cut Throat, she had learned a huge amount about the relationship between horses and their riders, and felt much better about the whole idea, now. What a result! And how kind of her to write and tell me - it made my day!

Well, I must go. The dogs are waiting for their walk - taking not a blind bit of notice of the black clouds and frequent downpours. It's round the village, today, I think, and try to keep Twiglet out of the church pond! I'm not at all sure it's the "done thing" though I should imagine, The Almighty - if he's watching - would chuckle to see a small brindle dog enjoying a swim in His pond. That same little dog starts obedience classes next week - that should be fun! It's not so much that she needs the training, she's a good little pup, but more that she needs socialising. Her elder sister, being a typical GSD, shouts a lot as soon as she sees another dog, and I'm afraid Twiglet is following her example - so off we go.

Well, if I don't come back for a waffle before, maybe I'll see some of you at Crimefest.

Thanks for visiting my website. Please carry on contributing to the forum, and reading my books :-) Bye for now.

4th March 2008March - In like a lamb, so watch out!

What a lovely spring day! Daffodils nodding, primroses peeping shyly from the hedgerows, cherry blossom bursting into life, lambs leaping in the fields, birds singing etc etc. It makes it very difficult to concentrate on writing about a cold winter's day.... Okay - you spotted it. That was just another excuse for not getting on :-/

Actually, I'm feeling really miffed, right now, because I've just spent absolutely ages composing a diary entry, only to have my computer lose it when I hit the submit button! I hate computers! I'm afraid this second effort is going to be a great deal shorter as I have to go out in a little while.

I recently had an interesting email from a reader in Texas, requesting that I tone down the language. Personally, as one of those who don't feel it necessary to "eff and blind" every other sentence (or word!) all I can do is apologise but I have to keep my characters realistic.

The point was made that in my latest book even the "Good Guys" are frequently using the "F word". Actually, I dispute that; they are remarkably clean-mouthed considering the men's world they inhabit! The hero, Matt Shepherd, is a jockey and I think it would be naive to suppose that the language in any sports' changing rooms is of the sort that would be welcomed at a royal garden party :-) These are tough men engaged in a tough occupation, and often under a great deal of pressure. I think we have to expect that the odd profanity will slip out! After all, gone are the days when the Good Guys wore the white hats and the Bad Guys wore black. My characters are painted very much in shades of grey - even the villains - and personally, I feel that makes them more believable and, hopefully, more likeable.

I thought I might add a "Chatter" section to the Forum, so you can add your own views to subjects like this - if you feel so inclined, and of course, bring up your own topics for discussion. All I ask is that you keep it polite. Anything offensive will be promptly removed!

To finish, I'd just like to say thanks to all of you who supported my recent signings at Bridport and Salisbury, and please come along to the talk at Warminster Library at 2.30pm on Thursday 6th March, if you fancy hearing me wittering on about writing and stuff :-)

30th January 2008Procrastination is......... my middle name, unfortunately :-/

When I'm away from the computer, I spend much of my time stressing that I should be writing, and trying to organise my life so that I can get back to it for a decent chunk of time. All very natural for a writer, I hear you say. Why then, when I finally make it back to the keyboard, do I immediately think of a hundred and one things that I really ought to do before I get down to work?

And today we have the added complication of a lovely sunny day. Not only are there a hundred and one things inside that I could be getting on with, there are at least another dozen jobs outside - to say nothing of taking the motorbike out for a buzz or the dogs for a lovely long walk. And after all, the weather might not last.....

Stop it! Get that cup of coffee, draw the curtains, turn up Classic FM and GET ON!

Just had another nice review for Murder in Mind "...gripping... will keep you up at night... Tight and tense". All good stuff, and I have the book signing at Bridport in Dorset on Saturday - always a bit of a worry in case no one turns up, although Bridport Radio have put a nice bit of publicity for it on their website, and hopefully it'll get a mention on air.

Well, I'd better go and make that cup of coffee, I suppose. The dogs keep giving false alarms about the arrival of the postman with his usual sheaf of junk mail- that'll be another distraction, when he finally does arrive, but you have to look, don't you? There might just be something interesting that requires one's immediate attention...

More Dates For Your Diary

March 6th, 2.30pm ~ A talk/"meet the author" session at Warminster Library in Wiltshire

11th January 2008On a wet January day...

NEWSFLASH! - MURDER IN MIND IS OUT IN PAPERBACK!

I'm sitting here trying not to notice as the winter pansies disappear under the small lake that is forming at the edge of the "flower" bed. I put the word in quotes because the half dozen pansies are the only flowers showing their heads amongst the clumps of brown and straggling vegetation that are all that remains of last year's show.

Little Twiglet puppy came into season for the first time yesterday, so won't be able to go out for a walk - what a shame! I was so looking forward to trudging round the fields and woods in a downpour - not! I think the others can have a day off too, in a spirit of solidarity, if this foul weather goes on...

Well, the publicity drive carries on apace, with me stuffing envelopes with letters and flyers to remind bookshops, libraries and magazines that my new paperback is out and that I'm here and willing to do my bit should they wish for a signing or 'meet the author' session.

Dates for your diary

Book signing. February 2nd - The Dorset Bookshop, Bridport.

"Crimefest" - Crime writing convention in Bristol. June 5th - 8th. Book now, it looks like being a good one.

21st December 2007In Retrospect...

Although it happened in the summer of 2006, I felt that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share with you the thrill of meeting Robert "Choc" Thornton whilst researching MURDER IN MIND.

I contacted him through his website, asking whether there was any possibility that I could ask him a few questions, and was very excited when he kindly suggested that I might visit him in his cottage in the Cotswolds on a non-racing day in August.

Wow! What a nice guy! He gave me a cup of coffee and fully two hours of his valuable time, answering my hundreds of questions patiently and even fetching articles of tack and racing clothing to show me. In common with all research, you can read the facts for hours until your eyes ache, but you can never beat the chance to talk to someone who is an expert in their field, and who can tell you - not what is supposed to happen, in an ideal world, but what actually does happen, in practice.

Wonderful. Thanks again, Choc.

01 December 2007December 2007

Greetings from a cold and soggy Dorset, where I’m busy working on Book No 7. This one is a slight departure from the norm for me because it’s going to be the first of a series featuring a new character. This guy is an ex-cop with a troubled past…

“How very original!” I hear you cry.

Yes, well the problem is that there are only certain sorts of people who would willingly tangle with bad guys time after time. Your average Joe would just go running to the police at the first whiff of trouble (as I would!), which makes for a short and fairly dull book. It is difficult enough to keep finding reasons why the heroes of my books don’t do this anyway, but to do it over and over again with the same person becomes ludicrous! So, he’s an ex-cop - an ex-doghandling cop to be precise. Surprise, surprise, I’ve brought a dog in again.

Anyway – I say I’m busy writing, but I’m also working on a bit of a publicity campaign to coincide with the publishing of the paperback of Murder In Mind in January.

As with many writers, I’m not all that comfortable with self-promotion but unfortunately those of us who are not already celebrities when we start writing have to work quite a bit harder to get noticed.

Other distractions at the moment include trying to find the time and energy to have a blitz on my workspace, which looks as though a tornado has hit it. This, I’m ashamed to say, is quite normal but I have an ongoing resolution to become one of those neat & organised people who we all love to hate. You know the ones – they get up at the crack of dawn and do an hour’s workout before drinking a healthy smoothie for breakfast and then sitting down to write for six hours without a break…

Um – maybe not.

I dread to think what important letters may lie forgotten under the piles of books, paper and envelopes on my worktop, but I guess if they were very important, the senders would have followed them up…

I spend at least half a day each week taking my gorgeous Inca-dog to her acupuncture or hydrotherapy session; necessary because she injured one of her hip joints when she was a pup and it’s troubled her on and off, ever since. Now, at eight, I think she has a little arthritis in it, but I’m not keen to put her on drugs for the rest of her life, so we are soldiering on with other therapies.

New pup on the block, Twiglet, aged seven months, is a rescue dog, brought over in a van load from an Irish dog pound. About the size of a Jack Russell Terrier, she is brindle with a white bib and sticky-up ears. She’s absolutely scrummy but rather too fond of jumping into my lap whilst I’m sat at the computer, which isn’t a great help.

Teazle, the mini-lurcher, is very pleased with his new playmate, who gives him a run for his money when he gets up to 80mph doing laps of the garden!

Other things to do in December… hmm. If anyone mentions Christmas shopping, I’ll shoot them! I haven’t even bought my cards yet…