Bluff, by Susan Yanguas, Reviewed.

Subtitled, a ‘Po-po Poker Mystery’, Bluff is a crime novel, set in USA, with a new detective and a sassy female ‘victim’ paired for the romance element. It is one of a series, hence the subtitle.

I know almost nothing about poker, but that didn’t impair my understanding, or my enjoyment of the book. There is humour, tension, a moral message and a credible outcome in this woman in jeopardy tale. The female character, Abigail, is strong and intelligent as well as ‘model girl’ attractive, which helps the plot and the reader’s enjoyment. The male lead is a detective of Italian descent, who I’ll call ‘Sal’, since great play is made of the fact that his colleagues find his full name more or less unpronounceable.

A good detective read, this book is a step above many others in the genre, simply by the inclusion of corruption amongst the wealthy business class and, in particular, a definite criticism of the American legal system’s vulnerability to distortion through the power of money.

I enjoyed the read. The story held my attention and the characters were well drawn. I recommend it to all who enjoy a good, honest crime tale.

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The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club, by Duncan Whitehead, Reviewed.

An unusual title for an unusual book. I was unsure what to expect from this book, which as I write this, has been listed as a finalist in the 2013 Readers’ Favourite annual International Award Contest in the humour category. There’s certainly an element of humour in the story and its presentation, and I did laugh out loud quite a lot whilst reading. So, I wish it well in that contest. Comedy isn’t noted for its ability to travel, so my enjoyment of the humour, as a Brit, suggests this one has managed that trick rather well.

If I say that the book is a ‘light’ crime novel, you might get the idea that it is a different type of book than the one I actually read. There is a deal of the minutiae involved in the lives of the many characters, all of whom are well drawn. Lots of detail and some repetition that describes the people and their lives; many of which are about to be changed. Superficial appearances are shown to be misleading. Love and lust are interchangeable for some of the protagonists here and the element of cheating is not uncommon, giving the whole community a slightly seedy feel.

I found myself rooting for some characters, only to discover in later pages that they weren’t the innocents I had first taken them for. The pettiness, selfishness, ambition and deceit of the characters come across well, so that their ultimate fates, initially apparently unjust, become almost desirable.

There are several surprises along the way in this well-plotted novel. I found myself quite convinced I had the identities of villains and victims sorted early on, only to discover that clever wording had fooled me. I enjoyed the read, even if it was a little longer than might have been absolutely essential. I suspect that the inclusion of so much detail was a way of conveying the very ordinariness of the lives that were introduced, only to then prove that these lives were, in fact, not at all ordinary. A good read that I recommend.

Losing You, by Nicci French, Reviewed

In Losing You, Nicci French has woven a tale bursting with emotional impact. The book reads like a personal experience, such is the depth of detail and intensity of feeling in the writing. And, for the reader, this is not so much a read as a personal trip taken with the extraordinary mother on her search for her missing daughter. I will say no more about the plot, as I have no wish to inflict spoilers on potential readers.

In common with many of today’s writers, I have a day job. Because I share the family car with my daughter, I sometimes travel to work by bus. I’m willing to put up with the inconvenience because it’s better for the environment and it gives me time to read. I tell you this only because this particular book made me miss my stop; twice! I was so absorbed by the characters and the tale that I was past my normal disembarkation point before I realised it. It was one of those books that, had I had the practical opportunity, I would’ve read from cover to cover without pause. Unputdownable.

The narrator, Nina, is so well drawn that the first person account propels the reader through the roller-coaster emotional ride with consummate ease. Every other character, no matter how insignificant, is drawn with care and attention, so that each is a believable person; rounded and complete. The story builds slowly at first, with subtle hints pointing at a potential disaster on the far horizon. But, as the various elements of the drama are revealed, the tension builds and builds, making the pages turn with increasing speed as the reader lives through the growing terror with Nina: a woman who sees herself as ordinary but who demonstrates that we all, in the necessary circumstances, have the potential to be extraordinary.

All the barriers placed before the lead character are utterly credible and Nina’s response to them illustrates our mix of frustration with authority and our incomprehension of the need for seemingly pointless protocols when these prevent us acting in ways that seem obvious to us. The urgency of the need for action instead of talk slowly increases as time passes and all the possible outcomes flood Nina’s mind with their horror and dread.

I think you’ll glean from the above that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It carried me with it on the breathless ride, involving me emotionally in every step and misstep along the road to the tortuous conclusion. The denouement is brilliantly written and constructed with such detail that the reader feels the author must have suffered something similar to bring such feelings and actions to the page.

I’ve read only one other novel by Nicci French but I shall be reading more. Just as soon as I’ve completed my self-imposed trawl through the 180 odd titles still on my ‘to read’ list. I have no hesitation in recommending this piece of superb writing to all and sundry.

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Does Indie Book Publishing Let Authors Write in Multiple Genres?

Caxton Showing the First Specimen of His Printing to King Edward IV at the Almonry, Westminster: With Edward are his wife, Elizabeth Woodville, and their children, Elizabeth, Edward, and Richard. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Publishing is an ancient industry. Ever since Caxton ran the first press, publishers, in many and varied guises, have intervened in the process of the author getting his book to his readers. In the early days, such intervention was necessary. It wasn't possible for an author to write and to get to know all those people who would be involved in the complex machinery of designing, producing, marketing and actually selling a physical book.

In those early days, and right up to the turn of the 21st century, the traditional publisher was seen as a vital part of the process. In fact, in many cases, books were actually initiated by publishers; authors being employed as jobbing writers by the book producers. For most authors, the prospect of getting their book into print was daunting and often became no more than an impossible dream. It's unknown how many great books never actually got published, but history is full of examples of those books that publishers, often in large numbers, turned down on various grounds, only for them to become best-sellers or even classics once a publisher with vision got hold of them. For the author in those not so long-gone days, it was generally the publisher who dictated what the writer would produce next. Genre was everything and woe betide the crime novelist who wanted to turn his hand to mystery, science fiction or, heaven help us, fantasy! Women were shoehorned into writing romance even when they had talent that developed character and story in a way suitable for literary novels. Men were forced to turn out series of adventure stories, even if they had a gift for displaying relationships and emotions.

Okay, I know I'm generalising, but this was more or less the state of the industry for all but the most fortunate and talented of writers. Many very good writers never had a book published. Some didn't even get as far as submitting their work because the process was too daunting for many sensitive souls. And when an author was fortunate enough to be recognised as having some talent by a publisher, often they were required to abandon their hopes of telling their own stories and made to turn out books that fitted into the narrow confines of the publishing house's list.

Nowadays, with the advent of both POD and digital book production, the publisher has become irrelevant for many writers. Not only does the lack of that publisher give greater freedom of expression but it also allows many writers to make more money from their creations than was possible in the past. One straightjacket from those early days, however, seems to persist into the modern field of writing. It seems that many authors continue to be caught in the genre trap. They believe they must write a series of books that all fit into a particular pigeonhole otherwise readers will be confused and won't know what they're buying. But is this true?

My belief is that readers, as a bunch of individuals, are generally amongst the more intelligent of human beings. I think they're perfectly capable of examining the blurb, character, and selling points of a book and determining whether they're looking at a murder mystery, a soft romance, a spy thriller or a historical romp where bodices will be ripped with gay abandon.  In other words, readers do not necessarily expect authors to write in only one vein. Publishers and their literary agents did expect this, because it made life easier for them, not for the reading public.

But is it true that an author can write in various different genres, under the same name, without confusing his readership? I believe it is. And I intend to prove it by doing precisely that. I've already published a romantic thriller, a sci-fi novelette, an anthology of dark speculative fiction, a collection of soft love stories and a short comic tale, all under the same name. The next book will be a collection of erotic stories and that will be followed by a comedy thriller and then, probably, an epic fantasy trilogy. I don't intend to alter my name or online presence in any way for these books, relying instead on the intelligence of readers to decide whether they're interested in the subject of the stories. The writing quality will remain the same throughout, i.e. the best I can possibly produce. The style of writing, however, will naturally suit the subject and the type of story I'm telling.

No one expects a painter to specialise entirely in one field, or an architect to design only sheds, or a musician to play only rock or pop or classical jazz. The whole point of being a creative artist is to produce and create those things that matter most to you as an artist. So, that's what I intend to do. I'd love your company as I travel this road. But whether I succeed commercially or not, I'll continue to do my own thing. Otherwise, what's the point in being creative? Oh, I know I could probably make a lot more money if I was willing to write formulaic fiction to fit in with some preconceived idea of what a good story should be, but it wouldn't really be my story, would it? In any case, I've spent my life going my own way, often rejecting opportunities to make more money simply because I refused to compromise along lines set by men who had no idea of my personal priorities and goals. If being a creative artist means anything, it means being true to yourself, doesn't it?

So, I invite you join me on my journey and, hopefully, to inspire you to do the same yourself. Let's show those who fear to take a step beyond the boundaries of convention that such steps often lead to the greatest adventures. Are you with me? Let me know what you think. Commenting is free and easy, you know.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Reviewed.

It must all have been said, of course. So, this review is likely to say more about me than about the author or his tales. In common with most people, I've witnessed the transfer of the written words onto the small screen in many versions and for many of the stories held in this collection. That connection naturally informs the reader. I enjoyed the reading, but, unusually for me, found the TV programs more entertaining and even more credible.

There are passages of fairly wooden dialogue and some of the descriptions of events leave a lot to be desired. The plots are, of course, wonderfully intricate, surprising and satisfying, as you'd expect. But there is a lot that the reader's expected to accept on trust. I suspect that much of the 'deduction' is open to question if analysed in any depth. Holmes expresses certainty about matters than can often only really be conjecture. But none of this detracts from the experience, of course.

Conan Doyle is as much a part of the English psyche as Dickens and Shakespeare and it's a brave man who would criticise such genius.

It took me rather longer to read this anthology than I'd expected; all sorts of interruptions took me away from the reading, but I also found I wasn't as compelled to read as I have been with many other books.

Gentle and often quite homely, apart from the more violent stories, the style is definitely of its time. I suspect many young readers will find some of the references so obscure as to be meaningless, but that's part of the charm. Like most readers, I approached this book fully aware that my previous exposure to the characters and some of the stories was bound to influence the experience.

One small technical niggle: whoever formatted the book for the Kindle, on which I read this, made a poor job of work on the symbols and the foreign punctuation. There's hardly a story that doesn't contain an odd set of characters either representing the £ sign or some of the French accents.

This was an interesting read without being astounding or particularly instructive for a writer. Would I read more? Probably not. Did I enjoy what I read? By and large, yes.

Are You On The List?

Avril Field-Taylor is a talented lady, who, I am pleased to say, shares a writing group with me. A writer of crime fiction, historical crime fiction, Sherlock Holmes stories and much else, she is also a very accomplished singer. In celebration of Christmas, she devised the following ditty, based on the song, Behold, the Lord High Executioner, from the Mikado, sung by Ko-Ko. It scans even better when sung to that tune.

Avril’s Christmas offering to her Hornsea Writer colleagues – with apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan.

 

When the Orange Fiction prize requires authors to be found,

I’ve got a little list, I’ve got a little list,

Of the stalwart Hornsea Writers who on keyboards daily pound

And to whom all life is grist, to whom all life is grist.

There’s Karen’s Granny Beamish who can really mess your mind

By making you eat sprouts or something equally unkind.

While not forgetting Georgie, the dog whisperer supreme

And her gorgeous cohort, Matt, who’s every thinking woman’s dream

She’s a definite contender and she’s not to be dismissed

So just put her on the list, yes just put her on the list.

There’s Linda’s Torc of Moonlight, so diverse and quite complex

Whose characters are damaged but they’re always up for sex

They interact and squabble as their feelings they convey

With sultry scenes of passion so hot under the duvet.

Oh yes, Linda is a writing force, on that we must insist,

So she’s going on the list, yes, she’s going on the list.

Then we’ve Madeleine’s romances that will really touch your soul

In far flung places round the world from Europe to the pole

Her settings are so well drawn, to our chairs she keeps us glued

And ne’er by word or gesture are her people ever lewd

So for sweetness and decorum, we need one romanticist

And she’s going on the list, yes she’s going on the list.

And Penny’s Annie Raymond books are never ever dull

The stories all take place near here in Holderness and Hull

The pace grows bit by bit until the tension is extreme

And if someone interrupted you, you’d very likely scream.

She’s a master storyteller and her plots all have a twist,

So for that, she’s on the list, yes for that she’s on the list.

Not forgetting Stuart Aken, who can write with white hot heat

Complete a novel in a month, you know that’s no mean feat

His imagination knows no bounds and sometimes shocks occur

Ensuing mental visions make us all wince and go urrr.

But there’s no denying Stuart is a writing alchemist

So we’ll add him to the list, yes we’ll add him to the list.

An interview with Avril, the writer of these lyrics, can be accessed by clicking here.

And an interview with Karen can be read by clicking here.

My interview with Linda will be found by clicking here.

To read the interview with Madeleine, click here.

For the interview with Penny, click here.

And, for an interview with Stuart (yes, I know, that's me), click here.

Okay, so there's no picture of me, but, hell - the site's mine and I'm all over the place already!

My thanks to Avril for permission to use her piece of festive fun.

A very Merry Christmas and a staggeringly successful New Year to all of you.

Penny Grubb, Crime Writer Extaordinaire, Book Signings.

Penny Grubb who I've interviewed here, and whose books, I have also reviewed, has her previous three hardback novels now issued as paperbacks. They are, of course, available from all the usual online outlets and from high street retailers. But for those who live in England, she is doing a book-signing tour of WH Smith shops, and in some of these (maybe all) the three novels are available as a 3 book deal for £15.00, which, I assure you, is a damned good bargain.

Like False Money



The Jawbone Gang

The Doll Makers











are the three titles, featuring Annie Raymond, her Private Investigator.

Signings at WH Smith as follows:

17 Dec Hull, Prospect Centre - 12.00 - 2.00

17 Dec Hull, Kingswood - 2.30 - 4.30

If you live locally or are visiting on the dates, pop in to see Penny. She's a lovely lady and a super writer.

Author Interview with Stephen L. Brayton

I'm a Fifth Degree Black Belt instructor in the American Taekwondo Association. I started martial artstraining in 1991, earned my black belt in 1993, and gained my instructor certification in 1995.

In 1996, I opened up my first taekwondo club in Grinnell, Iowa.

In 2003, I assumed ownership of the club in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

I've written stories for many years, but started seriously while working at a radio station in Kewanee, Illinois. After I moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, I started attending a writers' group in Des Moines.  So much knowledge about writing and critique came out of that group and the others I've enjoyed.

I attended my first conference in 2007, Love Is Murder, In Chicago. Mike Manno introduced me to 'pitches' and we discussed writing and history and law while sharing the drive.

In 2009, while attending the Killer Nashville conference I was fortunate enough to meet Mary Welk of Echelon Press. Subsequent to the conference I submitted two novels to Echelon and in October, they BOTH were accepted for E-publication in 2011.

I'm a reader; a writer; an instructor; a graphic designer; a lover of books, movies, wine, women, music, fine food, good humor, sunny summer days spent hiking or fishing; and I'm a catnip drug dealer to my fifteen pound cat, Thomas.

Tell us about “Beta” in a few sentences.

Mallory Petersen is a private investigator and martial artist. Her clients usually lean toward the nuttier side, however when she accepts a case to find a kidnapped eight year old, she steps into a dark world of unspeakable crimes. The trail leads her around Iowa’s capital city of Des Moines to the Quad Cities.

Where and when is your novel set and why did you make these specific choices?

I’ve based it out of Des Moines mainly because I’m familiar with the metropolitan area. I’ve never been to New York or Los Angeles and could get lost in Chicago quite easily. I don’t know of any book where Des Moines has been featured. It’s also set in present day, although I don’t say which present day (if that makes any sense). I started this over ten years ago and since then, the Des Moines downtown landscape has changed and technology has changed. I kept making changes in my story to fit the current scene. However, I finally had to stop and go with what I had. So, some of the places I mention in the book don’t exist any longer.

How can people buy your books?

You may purchase this and the previous book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and OmniLit.com.

How do you set about writing a piece?

Normally, an idea will come to me at any given moment. I may write it down or I may contemplate it for awhile. If it won’t leave me alone, I may start jotting notes, interesting scenes, maybe a few characters. If it bugs me enough I’ll work on an outline and write a few research questions I’ll need to check out later. Then I’ll develop a few characters (names, descriptions, etc.). Once I have a starting basis, then I can begin with the prologue or the first chapter.

Beginning writers make many mistakes; what do you think is the most harmful?

They stop writing. They don’t believe in themselves. I read a statistic that 80% of Americans would like to write a novel. Well, why don’t they? Many do not take the idea seriously. Many stop after receiving critiques. Most critiques are given by other struggling writers, those who are also learning the craft. However, beginners think their stuff is crap and do you want to know the truth? It probably is. Everybody writes crap. I’m sure Stephen King, Ernest Hemmingway, and Shakespeare all wrote crap when they first started writing. But they had a dream, they learned, they honed their talent, they persevered and they believed in themselves. Don’t stop writing.

To what extent are grammar and spelling important to a writer?

What good are playing or singing the correct notes to a musician? What good is having good rhythm to a dancer? The right tools for a plumber or a carpenter? If a hockey player can’t skate, then he doesn’t play the sport. Spelling? Come on, every word processing software has a spell checker. Don’t tell me dictionaries suddenly have disappeared.  Grammar? Most of us do not write like we speak. Many Americans are lazy talkers. If you’re a writer, though, you’d better have learned something in those English classes because editors will nail you on the fundamentals.

How much revision of your MS do you do before you send it off?

When I write END, I stop writing the story. Then I celebrate that I’ve completed the task I had set before me. I may take a break, allow a few days to pass, then I will start at page one and read through the entire story, making corrections on dialogue, punctuation, grammar, continuity errors, etc. Then I’ll read through it again. And again. I don’t keep track of the number of times. After I get sick of looking at the manuscript, I’ll put it aside for awhile and work on another project. I may still be reading parts of it to a critique group, but I don’t actively work on it. Then after a period of time passes, I’ll pick it up with fresh, relaxed eyes and reread again. I know, though, no matter how many times I go through it, some editor will pick it apart and find those errors I still missed.

Do you have support, either from family and friends or a writing group?

I have a couple of really close writer friends. We try to meet weekly although the plan doesn’t work out all of the time. We’re all working on getting published either again or for the first time. Critique groups are invaluable and if you’re not part of one, you are missing out on free but priceless advice. And a whole lot of fun. Family? Wow, my family has supported me and encouraged my writing for years. When I was accepted by Echelon Press for my first two books, I called my Dad before I even replied to Echelon’s email.

Is there any aspect of writing that you really enjoy?

The research. I envy those authors who can create entire cities or worlds or people from nothing more than their thoughts. If I’m writing about a building, or a park, or a cemetery, I have to see it. I want to talk to people, ask questions. It’s fun because I’ve discovered little things I may not have known about if I hadn’t traveled to those places or talk to those people. Often, the little things end up in the story. I turn real people into fictional characters and include minor tidbits about a particular neighborhood. For instance, while looking at spots around Des Moines for a future book, getting lost and confused on directions, a friend and I discovered a Buddhist temple right in the middle of a residential area. Neither of us knew the place existed. It was a beautiful site. You just know that building is going to end up in a story somehow.

 

What are you writing now?

I’ve completed the sequel to Beta and am working on the sequel to my first book, Night Shadows. I’m also writing another private detective story I plan to finish this year as well as a obtaining more research to continue on a thriller.

Do you have a website or a blog that readers can visit?

My website is www.stephenbrayton.com. My blog where I do author interviews and post writing related stuff is www.stephenlbrayton.blogspot.com. My book review blog is www.braytonsbookbuzz.blogspot.com.

Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?

Awesome question. I’d like to give you an exotic place I could be, like Fiji or France or Tibet, but I don’t think I’d end up writing there. I’d want to explore. Ideally, though I’d love to write where I could have no distractions from the Internet, email, phone, or people stopping by for a visit, with an ample supply of food, and a station playing continuous, no commercials classical, jazz, or light pop.

Where do you actually write?

Usually at work (don’t tell the boss, though, okay?). Sometimes in the park, maybe a coffee shop.