Author, editor
Urban Fox Books is the new imprint I have created to reprint my Hannah Weybridge crime thriller series and in preparation for the launch of book six – Murder in the Lady Chapel – on 21 November, 2023
The series so far Includes:
All are available on Amazon as paperbacks and ebooks, the latter are free with Kindle Unlimited.
The series is available to order from bookshops and online from Blackwell’s with free delivery and £1 discount,
Today is a very special day for me as it is the first time I have heard my début crime novel, Dancers in the Wind, and the sequel, Death’s Silent Judgement, read aloud by someone else – namely Joan Walker on Audible.
Joan has a long track record as an actress and voice artist on radio TV and audiobooks and you can learn more about her here.
I was thrilled when I heard from Matthew Smith, Publishing Director of Urbane Publications, that Audible was going to publish my Hannah Weybridge crime novels and to have them available now as I am in the throes of writing the third in the series is an enormous boost.
If you have already bought the ebooks you can buy the Audible version for a few pounds more. Alternatively you can enjoy Dancers in the Wind and Death’s Silent Judgement as part of the free month’s Audible trial.
However to celebrate the launch today, I am offering two sets of voucher codes to buy both audiobooks.
All you have to do to enter the competition is follow this website and send me your email address via the contact form. The winners will be selected at random after 2pm on Thursday 5 October, 2017.
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In a recent interview with bestselling author Jane Davis (pictured left) for her Virtual Book Club series, one of the questions was about how I choose names for characters and I mentioned checking out the popular names for the year the character was born.
For Death’s Silent Judgement I went to a website that gave Somali names as well. A friend also wanted to be a character in the book and he fit the bill for one of them but sadly hasn’t made it to book three. That’s the trouble with crime novels – characters die.
In the third Hannah Weybridge thriller to be published by Urbane Publications next year, I have some Asian characters and am name-checking with my Asian friends as well as websites.
Currently I am completing the first draft which is basically a wobbly skeleton of the novel but have got to the point when I can’t keep putting XX or a question mark for the name of a character. Even I am getting confused!
So today’s job is to go through the manuscript naming names. Some characters have made it through from Dancers in the Wind and Death’s Silent Judgement so their names are set in stone. Others I can think about what suits them, their culture and age.
The novel opens with the discovery of a body in Peckham Rye lake – the Pond – by two young boys and I had their names early on: Jace and Ollie. These two local boys from a nearby estate are up to no good and I loved writing their (possibly only) scene!
So now I am off to read through the manuscript to find all those XXs and question marks to insert some names and add them to the little blue book that I keep for name checks, physical characteristics, ages, roles …
This time last week I was on the train to Bristol and my second CrimeFest courtesy of my publishers Urbane Publications.
What a difference a year makes! Last year I was looking forward to the publication of Dancers in the Wind in October. This year I had just celebrated the launch of the second Hannah Weybridge thriller, Death’s Silent Judgement. And I was booked to take part in a panel!
There are often three panels taking place at the same time so it’s wise to study the programme beforehand and make decisions. Friday was a busy day for me as I went to four panels and then appeared on one of the last ones of the day “Journalists: Characters who tell stories for a living” moderated by Rod Reynolds. Once I’d got over my nerves, this was great fun and the other three panelists, Walter Lucius, Antti Tuomainen and Matt Wesolowski were a hoot.
On the Friday evening there were two drinks receptions – the first being the Crime Writers’ Association’s Dagger Announcement always fun with a thrill of expectation. Not mine I hasten to add, but one day…
One of the wonderful things about CrimeFest is meeting up with other writers, book bloggers and readers, publishers and agents. Some of whom I know well, others I’ve enjoyed getting to know better. There was a wonderful woman from Melbourne who had a great idea for circumventing having to take numerous signed copies back with her. She asked authors on the panels to sign her programme and then bought the books in her home city.
Last year I had to leave on the Saturday morning to attend a wedding, so this year I booked for the Gala Dinner which was great fun – especially sitting with and near other Urbane authors. The only disappointment was that Matthew Smith, CEO of Urbane Publications, was unable to join us.
Listening to other authors discussing their work is fascinating and instructive. My favourite panel was the last one I went to before leaving: Short Stories – Motives for Murder moderated by Martin Edwards and joined by fellow CWA grandees Ann Cleeves, Janet Laurence, Peter Lovesy and LC Tayor. The rapport between these five was brilliant and as writers they are inspirational.
So dates in the diary for CrimeFest 2018!
Panel photo courtesy of Joy Kluver.
For most of my life I have led a blessed existence. I come from a loving, supportive family and have had the luxury of working in areas that I love. Just like anyone I’ve had my sad and lonely moments and times when I’ve earned no money and wondered if I’d ever clear my debts. But I have never experienced homelessness. I have never had to rely on sofa surfing or been reduced to sleeping rough.
My second crime thriller, Death’s Silent Judgement, features some homeless people who used to inhabit Cardboard City in the Bullring, Waterloo in the 1990s. This weekend I learned what it is like for the homeless in 2017.
St John The Evangelist in East Dulwich joined the Robes Project, which operates in South London, providing overnight accommodation, food and company for people who would otherwise be on the streets. An unimaginable hardship during the freezing weather we have been experiencing.
I was part of the host team on Saturday. Previously a friend had said that one of the female guests loved reading crime thrillers and he’d told her a “famous” (ha ha) author would be on the team. So I took along a copy of Dancers in the Wind for her.
She thanked me and when I asked if she’d like me to sign it, commented that she’d never had a book dedicated to her before except the Bible. I thought that not many people do get author signed copies unless they’re in the rarified world of book launches and Twitter and duly wrote in the book for her.
She thanked me then looked at the book again. “Oh but you wrote this!” What she had meant by her earlier comment was that nobody had ever given her a book and signed it. No “love from” in a Christmas or birthday gift. I was humbled as I was several times that evening.
The food that people had cooked and brought was fabulous – every taste and dietary requirement was catered for and our guests were appreciative. A five star rating. As someone who has to be dairy free I could only look on longingly at the fabulous chocolate gateau. Everyone had more than enough to eat and had warmed up. The evening took on a party atmosphere with chess, cards and conversation. For others there was a chance to sit back and contemplate or read the newspapers.
I can only admire the good humour of our guests – some of whom actually work full time but still cannot afford somewhere to live, a cruel irony. Some shared a little of their story, some flirted and cracked jokes. I couldn’t help but wonder how I’d react in their situation. I moan enough as it is.
Those people were a joy to be with and gave us a lesson in humility that I think most of the hosts took away with them. It is an indictment of our government that more and more people are homeless through no fault of their own. A situation we should all be calling government to rectify as a priority. And please nudge me when I start moaning about my lot in life.
When I was a child, we had living with us “the doctor” and I often had to tell my mother not to sit in a certain seat as the doctor was sitting there. For many writers, the characters in their books are like imaginary friends. We chat away to them, blame then when distracted and hopefully enjoy their company – except, of course when they are the bad guys!
One of the (many) unexpected pleasures of having my first crime novel published, is having conversations with readers about characters and plot lines. One told me off in no uncertain terms about exposing Elizabeth, protagonist Hannah Weybridge’s baby, to the violent ending of the book. That’s all I’ll say, as I don’t want to give spoilers in case you haven’t yet read or finished, Dancers in the Wind.
A friend whose only comment on my short fiction had been that she didn’t like short stories, was, as usual, fairly mono-syllabic after reading my novel. As we were talking about the fact I was writing a sequel, she said, “Oh no you’re not going to kill off Tom Jordan are you? I like him!” She, like me, had fallen a little bit in love with the Detective Inspector. I smiled in what I hoped was an enigmatic way and told her she’d have to wait and see.
It has surprised and delighted me, how some readers have really taken to the prostitute in the story. Hers is a sad and unfortunately common story of abuse and betrayal; I am glad that I have done her justice and managed to make her a believable and sympathetic character. The interplay between her and Hannah has also been commented upon in many of the reviews and the dynamics between them are crucial to the plot.
Mark Mayes’ review on Amazon included this comment: “Hannah, Princess, and Tom, are all vividly drawn characters: nuanced, often wrestling with internal contradictions, as most of us humans tend to. The minor characters of the novel are deftly conveyed, as individuals.”
I found that hugely encouraging as many a TV, film or stage production is judged on how good or bad minor characters perform. An untalented actor can ruin the experience and just so with a minor character in a novel.
As Dancers in the Wind is the first of a trilogy, another unanticipated joy is being able to develop characters in the sequels. A minor character like Sam reappears in Death’s Silent Judgement. Things have changed in his life and maybe there will be further developments – but who knows? He’s competing with other characters who have been patiently waiting in the wings and as I write book three, they are ready to take a more central role.
Dancers in the Wind is on sale in Foyles and other bookshops and can be ordered from Amazon UK or Hive Stores with free delivery.
Death’s Silent Judgement will be published on 11 May 2017.
Creating a title for a non-fiction book seems comparatively easy. It needs to make a statement about the contents of the book and possibly the author’s stance. When I wrote my first two non-fiction books for Wayland Publishing they were part of a series so the title was agreed in advance. My university books: Applying to University and Surviving University (Need to Know) were similarly constrained and the books I wrote linked to my family website, Parenting Without Tears (Endeavour) worked well as a series title.
My short story collections (Endeavour) took their titles from one of the stories: Cheque-Mate and Other Takes of the Unexpected and A Tale of Two Sisters. However the latter did begin life as A Proper Pride!
However there was a sense of freedom that came with selecting titles for my crime novels published by Urbane. I wanted the title to encapsulate the story in a creative and perhaps off-beat way.
Therefore titles of the first two books are linked to favourite poets. Dancers in the Wind is a reference to a verse in Dryden’s poem Fortune:
“I can enjoy her while she’s kind;
But when she dances in the wind,
And shakes her wings, and will not stay,
I puff the prostitute away.”
One of the central characters is a prostitute and several are killed during the narrative, so that verse seemed pertinent to me.
For the sequel, which begins with the murder of Hannah Weybridge’s close friend, I worked on various connotations. I tried out various combinations of words from Death and Dispossession to Ambassadors for the Dead. Some 12 titles competed for the crown.
I was eventually inspired by Andrew Marvell’s poem, In Mourning – in particular the last verse:
“I yet my silent judgment keep,
Disputing not what they believe:
But sure as oft as Women Weep
It is to be suppos’d they grieve.”
So this led to title number 13 – Death’s Silent Judgement which will be published in May 2017.
Before deciding on these I made sure there were no other books with the same title by searching for books on Amazon and other websites. It’s amazing how often authors (or publishers) come up with the same title and confusion can arise sometimes with one author benefiting from the popularity of another.
Now I am writing the third book in the series and am considering titles. There are various facets of the narrative that I’d like to include but they won’t necessarily sit well together.
So again I am jotting down any ideas as they come to mind. Perhaps another poem will be the inspiration I need?
Finding new ways of promoting a book is difficult – how to make your book stand out among the thousands which are being published? Answers on a tweet please!
Signing sessions are an age-old standby, but I know from my days as a book publicist these can often be disappointing – unless you are a celebrity, of course. Nothing is more soul destroying than sitting in front of a pile of books and waiting…
However, ever the optimist, when a local hostelry, The Palmerston in East Dulwich, offered to host a signing session, I thought I’d give it a go. The venue is popular and on the main shopping street. Choosing the time between lunching and dining, we hoped to catch some passing trade. So posters displayed and social media alerted, I turned up on Saturday 29 October – the books had been sent on ahead by Urbane Publishers.
The staff were brilliant. We had been allocated a whole corner of the pub which gave the affair a party atmosphere and there was plenty of space for people to mingle and socialise.
My lovely daughter, Olivia, once again provided book cakes and, although in terms of numbers we didn’t break any records, the buzz of the occasion was exhilarating. Some people brought along copies they had already bought and were reading or had read. Others bought an extra copy for a parent or friend.
For me it was an absolute joy to chat about Dancers in the Wind, my characters, the themes and what was going to happen next with people who were interested and enthusiastic. Some people I knew, others I was meeting for the first time. One person surprised me by having checked me out on Goodreads and knew about my other books as well. How flattering is that?
Everyone had one question or another about the sequel. However there were no spoilers… You’ll find out how Hannah’s life progresses in Death’s Silent Judgement to be published in May 2017!
Dancers in the Wind is on sale in Foyles and other bookshops and can be ordered from Amazon UK or Hive Stores with free delivery.
Gamekeeper Turned Poacher damppebbles book blog
The Long Journey to Publication Reading Room With a View
Hannah and Me Bibliophile Book Club
Creating characters Off-the-Shelf Books
Q&A Author interview with Liz Loves Books
From Short Stories to Novels on First to Last Page
The Influence of Reading on Writing Linda’s Book Bag
My Inspiration Guest Post for A Lover of Books
What’s your first draft like? Murder to a Tea
With thanks to Liz Barnsley for arranging the book blog tour.
Dancers in the Wind is on sale in Foyles and other bookshops and can be ordered from Amazon UK or Hive Stores with free delivery.
My last staff job was as Assistant Fiction Editor on Woman’s Weekly and Woman & Home – many years ago now. For a year before that I’d worked on a confessions magazine where I had my very first short story accepted and published. Strangely enough, that story involved a crime: blackmail with the perpetrator – the “I” of the confessional – ending up losing her job. Moral retribution.
Some of the serials we published in WW and W&H were written specifically for those magazines. Others were novels about to be published and serialised beforehand. Most were romances – although W&H allowed a wider remit and we had thrillers as well but always with a romantic perspective.
Most novels had to be abridged and each episode had to end with a cliff-hanger – some novels lent themselves to this easily. Others had to be worked on. I also had to learn the art of the synopsis as each week or month we began with “The story so far…” And even though I became adept at this I still find it difficult to write synopses for my own work!
Romantic stories tend to be predictable – the skill is to keep the reader hooked regardless. So many people (not authors) have told me that writing a romance is easy. I’d like to see them try. They are really difficult to get right. And if you’re not sincere, this will be exposed in your writing.
During this time, I tried my hand at short stories but without success. It took me some time to find my “voice” although I was given some encouragement along the way. By the time I left IPC magazines, I had some good contacts and translated two books from French for WH Allen (one under a pseudonym as it was an erotic novel for which I had to learn a lot of new words!).
While freelancing as a journalist, I started writing tales with a twist for Bella and also wrote longer stories. A lot of the twist stories had an element of crime – from bigamy to murder – involved. I also wrote an historical crime story linked to Sherlock Holmes, which was published in Candis.
Then came the commission to interview a police officer and a prostitute at King’s Cross and the knock on the door in the middle of the night which started a trail of “what ifs” that eventually became Dancers in the Wind.
I’ve always had a passion for reading crime fiction from Dickens and Wilkie Collins to Edgar Allan Poe and, of course, Arthur Conan Doyle. Patricia Highsmith, Minette Walters and Sara Paretsky all feature in my list of favourites. There are some great crime writers around now – each one with different skills and perspectives – and I love reading them especially the police procedurals that I’d never attempt myself.
In my novels the police investigation is in the background while Hannah investigates from a journalist’s point of view although there is always a personal connection which leads her into harrowing situations. And just with a nod to my past editorial roles, there’s also just an element of romance.
Dancers in the Wind is on sale in Foyles and other bookshops and can be ordered from Amazon UK or Hive Stores with free delivery.