Well we’re into December and in true ‘Blue Peter’ tradition I’ve fashioned two metal coat-hangers, a heap of tinsel and pine cones, and four candles into a rather nifty advent calendar. The first candle is now lit and I have to admit I’m rather pleased with it. I’ve also splashed out on the latest sound system so that my guests may be entertained while I mess about with the coffee machine. On the sofa this week at The Coffee House is my good friend  John Holt. John writes crime fiction and historical fiction and is a great advocate for Indie authors. John can always be relied upon for a wise word or wisecrack and it’s my great pleasure to have him as my guest today.  

1 – Lots on the specials board today, John. I’ve been up since the crack of dawn and the cake platter is heaving with goodies. So, state your preference, please; coffee, tea or hot chocolate, and perhaps a little something to go with it?

JH - Well firstly let me say that it’s great to be here. Coffee will be fine, black and two sugars please. It used to be six but then I had to cut it down. I must say that Chocolate gateau looks pretty good, and you made it yourself. A slice of that would be terrific. Just the one slice - a large slice. Oh and a smidgen of double cream - a large smidgen if you don’t mind.

2 – John, perhaps you’d like to tell us how you ended up here on my sofa. Are you a full time writer or do you have an additional occupation or interest that drags you away from the keyboard. If you have a secret skill or moonlight as something particularly exciting we want to hear about it...we really do!

JH - I wish. No, sadly I’m not a full time writer, and if I weren’t actually retired I would need a day job to keep the wolf from the door. As it is I retired some years ago, basically because of a heart attack that I had in 2004. I used to be a Chartered Surveyor working for the Greater London Council as a Senior Project Manager. Then in 1986 I started my own surveying practice, doing reports for people buying houses, and preparing architectural drawings for extensions and new houses. I did a lot of work for a couple of local Estate Agents. Then I had the heart attack and lost several clients who could not, or would not, wait for me to recover. Then I began to lose interest anyway, and eventual stopped about five years ago. As for secret skills well I do like restoring old photographs, so if you have any old pictures with tears and scratches let me know and I might be able to restore it for you.

3 – How did you initially get into writing? Are you a disciplined writer with a daily word quota? What does your family think of all the time you spend with your fictional characters?

JH - In one way or another I guess that I have always wanted to write a novel, but apart from the lack of time, due to full time work, I could never think of a decent plot. Then in 2005 I suddenly had the time, my work load had decreased considerably, and the germ of a plot was presented to me. We were on holiday in Austria, staying at Grundlsee, one of three lakes. The next lake, Toplitzsee, had been used by the German Navy to test rockets during the war. As the war ended there were rumours of nazi gold being hidden in the lake. Hence came the idea for “The Kammersee Affair”, which was published in December 2006.
At first I think the whole idea of me being an author cost me a fair sum of money, and was not taken seriously. It wasn’t until my books began selling that things began to change. Now Tom Kendall is almost a member of the family. And no I don’t have a daily target. I write as and when I think of something suitable. I don’t believe you can force yourself to write, it has to come naturally, and in its own time.

4 – What was the first thing you had published and how did you go about it? Did you run the gauntlet of the query letter? Enter a competition or decide to self publish?

JH - Once I had written “The Kammersee Affair” I had visions of it being snapped up by a publisher and then I would sell lots of copies and make a lot of money. A search of the Internet soon had me thinking differently. It seemed that publishers were not looking for new authors who did not have a track record, or weren’t an A lister. But then I found a number of publishers who were more than willing to publish my works, a long as I paid them. The fees ranged from $10000 (I kid you not) from Dorrance Publishing in New York; £2400 from Austin and Macauley; £700 from Authorhouse; and £400 from Raider Publishing in New York. I agreed to go with Raider, after all it was good to see my book in print, and naturally I would sell lots of books and get my money back wouldn’t I? I started book number two, “The Mackenzie Dossier” (originally “The Mackenzie File”). That too was published by Raider, for another fee. By 2009 I had four books published with Raider. Sadly none of them were selling. Furthermore my contracts were only for a three year period. In March 2012 I decide to re-release all of my books, and self publish them myself. In August of that year Phoenix (my publishing brand) released “A Killing In The City”. In August 2013 Phoenix released my sixth book “The Thackery Journal”.

5 – From your own experience as a writer do you have any tips for those not yet published? Is there anything you would do differently with the benefit of hindsight?

JH - Hindsight is a wonderful thing. All I can say is I wish I had self published long ago, although I have to admit that it probably wasn’t as easy to self publish a few years ago. Now, with the likes of Lulu.com, Createspace, and Kindle Direct, self publishing is simple and cost nothing. Being self published does not stop you from also looking for a traditional publisher if that is what you want. But please do not go near any of the so called vanity publishers who charge to publish your works.

6 – I know you write crime, and adventure based on historical facts and wonder which is your favourite and why? Is there a particular genre or type of scene that you would avoid and if so why?

JH - Firstly I don’t suppose there’s any more of that cake around is there? Ah – right. “The Thackery Journal” took me four years to produce, on and off. I got quite bogged down at one stage. I had done a lot of research, and had pages and pages, but just couldn’t work out how to set it out as a novel. Then quite suddenly the whole basic layout came into my mind, and three months later the book was finished.  Despite the problems I had initially I really enjoyed writing this book, and I certainly hope to do another novel set during the American Civil War. Nonetheless I have to say that my favourite genre has to be Crime. I loved those old film noir movies with Humphrey Bogart, and Edward G Robinson. Genres I avoid are Romance, Sci-fi, fantasy, and certainly I have no interest in erotica.

7 – Where do you think your love of books and writing came from, John? As a child which was your favourite book? Do you have a favourite book and author now? What are you reading now?

JH - Every Friday evening when my father came in from work there would be a selection of sweets, which were shared with my brother Brian, and kept in a sweet tin; there would also be the latest issue of the Eagle comic, and a copy of the Enid Blyton magazine. I loved her Secret Seven, and Famous Five novels. Any time I was given the choice of what present I would like it would always be a book. My favourite book as a child was probably “Treasure Island”. My all time favourite book would be “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens. There is nothing to beat the opening two lines, or the final two lines. Brilliant, there is no other word for it. Nowadays I tend to read Alastair Maclean (a favourite from my youth). Regarding modern writers I stick to other Indie authors. One of my favourites is somebody who wrote something about “Wildewood Revenge”, can’t remember the author’s name. Another of my favourites is Alfie Robins who also writes a mean crime novel. I almost said that his writing was criminal. Just kidding Alfie, just kidding. I am currently reading "The Trojan Project" by Eileen Thornton, another Indie author - early days yet I'm about 10% into it. It reminds me of the sci-fi films from the fifties. It is scary, it is exciting, it grabs you and is taking me along into who knows what, but I'm hooked.

9 – Okay, John, now you’re full of delicious cake I reckon it’s time to tell us a little about the books you currently have published.

JH - Well as I said earlier I now have six novels published. “The Kammersee Affair”, a story about hidden nazi gold involving blackmail, a murder or three and revenge. Then there followed four novels featuring my private detective Tom Kendall – “The Mackenzie Dossier” all about political corruption; in “The Marinski Affair”, there’s a murder or two, blackmail, a kidnapping, oh and a jewel robbery. But not everything is what it seems. Then we have “Epidemic” about a corrupt pharmaceutical company, and the sudden death of a young reporter, all set as a viral epidemic slowly spreads throughout the world. In “A Killing In The City” Kendall’s holiday in London is interrupted by the sudden death of a fellow passenger. My latest novel is “The Thackery Journal”, a ‘what if’ novel set during the American Civil War. It poses the possibility that the assassination of President Lincoln was actually planned by his own generals.

10 – If it’s not a closely guarded secret, can you give me a hint at what you have planned next? I won’t tell anyone...promise.

JH - I am currently working on two more Tom Kendall novels. One is about 50% complete, the other, set in Ireland, is about 30%. I have also made a tentative start on an adventure story based on an event that happened in 1931. A privately funded expedition planned on going to the North Pole under the ice cap. It never arrived, and later the submarine was scuttled in a Norwegian fjord. What happened has never been explained. I also have a very vague idea for another Civil War novel. But not a word to anyone, you are sworn to secrecy.

11 – And please tell us even more about the one you’ve brought with you, John. Also if you have a music track that you listened to while you wrote it, I’ll pop it on now. I did explain about reading an excerpt later didn’t I? Oh good. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, or coffee, for that matter.

JH - Many years ago I used to write articles, interviews and reviews, for a couple of Blues magazines, sadly no longer in print. So the music track I have chosen is “Dust My Broom” by Elmore James, hope you like it.

12 – Pick one of your characters and sell him/her to us in twenty words or less.

JH - I may have had difficulties picking a book excerpt, but when it comes to picking a character it’s easy. It has to be Kendall himself. He is featured in four of my novels, and two that I am presently working on. There is a lot of me in Kendall. He is stubborn, has a wicked sense of humour, is methodical, and never gives up.

13 – While I go and get your coffee topped up, would you like to read a short excerpt from your book?

JH - I wasn’t sure which of my books to pick, but eventually I picked this one. “A Killing In The City” was inspired by the economic crisis that affected much of the world a few years ago. Kendall, and his business partner Mollie take a much needed holiday and travel to London. A holiday which is interrupted by the sudden death of a fellow passenger.

John Wyndham Collier was a big man, big in every sense of the word. Six feet four tall and weighing a little over fourteen stone, he ruled this vast financial empire with an iron fist. Nobody crossed Collier, not if they had any sense, that is. Nobody disagreed with him. Nobody argued with him, and nobody ever questioned his judgement. Nobody dared.

He was a self-made man, who had worked his way up to the higher echelons of power. He was now head of this financial giant. He owned fifty-one percent of the shares, and was the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. Nothing happened in the company without his knowledge, and his agreement.

Of course he hadn’t done it entirely alone. He had made good use of several other people over the years. Not that they had any knowledge of what was happening of course, or had actually given their consent. Indeed they hadn’t actually suspected a thing. In fact, the vast majority of them didn’t even know of his existence. If they had known what was happening they would almost certainly have objected. Many of them had lost their life savings because of Collier, not that they knew of his involvement.

Always the opportunist, Collier had merely taken advantage of various situations that had occurred. And why not, he asked. If a few people were just too gullible, or too stupid, was that his fault? No it wasn’t. So they couldn’t think for themselves, was that his problem? Was he his brother’s keeper? No, he wasn’t. If a few people got hurt, or trodden on, along the way, well it was just unfortunate, wasn’t it? It was just one of those things, one of those things that couldn’t be helped. What did it matter anyway? Did anyone really care? Collier very much doubted it. Besides he wasn’t really worried whether they cared or not. In fact he wasn’t worried at all. So he had made a few enemies along the way, more than a few. But what did that compare with the power he now possessed. You couldn’t cook an omelet without cracking a few eggs, could you?

If you don’t want to get burnt, stay out of the kitchen. That was one of Collier’s favorite sayings. He had got burnt, once, many years ago. He had vowed then and there it would never happen again.

14- And let us know where we can find it?

Amazon Uk

Amazon .com

Kobo

Barnes & Noble

e-sentral

itunes




15– And where we can find you?

Website Here

Facebook Here

You can also catch up with John on Twitter -  @JohnHoltAuthor

16 - And finally before you leave, a test for your imaginative, story weaving skills. We’re playing a little game that I hope all my guests will contribute to. Can you give me 100 words of your choosing to follow on from this last line from Paul Trembling? Your last line will be picked up by the next guest... and so on:  (You can catch up with the story so far Here)

“We must find out about the Grey Woman!”...

“What do you mean, what happened to you?” Marcus asked. “And what has that to do with the Grey Woman?”

“I’m not sure,” replied the girl. “But I know that I’ve been here before.”

“That you have, Mistress Rose,” said Peter.

Marcus turned and shivered involuntary. “I knew we should never have come here.”

“Ye had no choice young sir,” replied Peter as he started to walk away. Then he stopped by the door. “It was destined. See for yourself.”

He held the lamp aloft. There on the wall was a painting of a lady, a lady dressed in grey, but the face was that of Rose herself.



JH - Thank you for having me here today. I really enjoyed it. By the way I’ve just remembered the name of that author I mentioned, you know the one who wrote “Wildewood” – it was a certain B A Morton. Did you say I could take some cake home with me. Well a little of that chocolate cake would be good, and those jam scones look good, and I do love meringues, and .... alright I’m going.

Thanks for being a very entertaining guest,  John ... and yes, you can take some cake home with you :)

                                                                                                                                                                            Babs x

This week The Coffee House welcomes Paul Trembling. Not only is Paul a cracking author, he also has an unerring nose for a good book, which means I tend to take note of his recommendations. In addition he knows a thing or two about crime, from the right side of the law of course, which makes him a good guy to have on your side when you write crime fiction. So, without further ado, please come in out of the cold, Paul, have a seat on the sofa and make yourself comfy.  

1 - First things first. The stove’s hot and the kettle’s just boiled so what are you having? Are you a latte or a lemon tea?  A flapjack or a fruitcake? Or can I tempt you with something from the specials board?

PT - A cappuccino please, Babs.  And there was some mention earlier about chocolate, cherry and walnut cake, warm, with fresh raspberries and double cream … is that still on?  Good.  But just a big bit, please.

2 – Paul, let’s get to know a little bit more about how you ended up here on my sofa. Are you a full time writer or do you have an additional occupation that drags you away from the keyboard. If you moonlight as something particularly exciting, dangerous or downright dodgy,  we want to hear about it...we really do! And with all those books to your name, how on earth do you squeeze enough writing time into your busy day?

PT - Sadly, no, I’m not a full time writer.  I and my family would starve if I was.  My ‘day job’ (which, due to shift work and call outs can be any time of day or night) is as a Crime Scene Investigator for a UK Police Force.  Yes, a CSI, though (as I say at least once every working day) it’s nothing like you see on TV!  Not nearly as exciting.  I actually prefer the older job title of SOCO (Scenes Of Crime Officer) but no one asked my opinion.
Fitting in writing time is difficult.  Most of it has to be done on my rest days or when I’m on holiday.  Sometimes I get a bit done in the evenings, or in the morning if I’m on a late shift, but I’m often busy with other commitments (Dad’s taxi, for example!) or just too tired.  I often find it immensely frustrating, not being able to write when I want to.  But, to look on the positive side, I do get plenty of opportunity to think through story details before I finally get it written down.  Which can be good.  I’m currently trying to put together a military SF short story and have just about got to the end – but that end bit has already been re-written several times in my head!  Hopefully, it’ll be right when I actually type the words!

3 – How did you get into writing? Perhaps you’re lucky enough to be a member of a writer’s group. Or maybe you just fell into it by accident.

PT - Babs, I was a writer before I could write!  Or perhaps I should say I was a story maker.  Some of my earliest memories are of making up stories and telling them to myself as I lay in bed at night.  Not a habit that’s easy to break, even if I’d ever seriously tried!
Later on I began writing things down.  I’ve never stopped.  In fact, if anything it’s got worse!

4 – What was the first thing you had published and how did you go about it? Did you run the gauntlet of the query letter? Enter a competition or decide to self publish?

PT - I think the first thing I had properly published was probably a story called ‘Dry Murder’, an SF story that was accepted by a small magazine called ‘Threads’.  (You can read it on my website, if you like – link below) The feedback I got was immensely encouraging, and I submitted several more stories there over the years, before it sadly closed down.
I haven’t had a great deal of success with publishers since then, or with competitions, though I’ve tried both.  I’ve had some stories appear in on-line magazines, most noticeably in ‘Welcome to Wherever’, produced for several years by my virtual friend and another good indie writer, Mandy Ward.  She’s had to give that up now, though.
When I got fed up with rejection letters from publishers, or no letters at all sometimes, I took advantage of the digital revolution and started self-publishing.  My first e-publication was a crime novel, ‘Can of Worms’, based on my CSI experience, and that went out on KDP in August 2011.  Since then I’ve self-published ten titles of various sorts.
I’m still open to going down the traditional route, though, if someone wants to make me an offer!

5 – From your own experience as a writer do you have any tips for those not yet published?

PT - Just keep writing!  Get as much feedback as you can (I’ve currently got some chapters of a work in progress on ‘Youwriteon’ and the reviews have been very useful), learn from them, and write more.  When you’re happy with what you’ve  done, look at self-publishing by one of the many possibly routes open nowadays (I’m using Draft2Digital now, which has proved very good so far), unless you’re absolutely committed to finding a traditional publisher.  Then go and write something else.

6 – Paul, I love to genre hop, and I’ve a feeling you do too? Which is your favourite and why? Is there a particular genre or type of scene that you would avoid and if so why?

PT - Like you, Babs, I’ve mostly worked in crime and fantasy. I’m probably most drawn to fantasy, because that’s the genre where my imagination has the most scope.  No limitations imposed by awkward facts getting in the way of the plot!  If you can imagine it, you can write it (though it does need to stay consistent with itself) – and you don’t have to do a lot of research, either!  I’m not good at research …
In fact, I probably wouldn’t have written any crime stories if I hadn’t had the background and information presented to me on a plate by virtue of my job!  Even there, I stick quite closely to what I know, that is the CSI side of things.
I also like SF, but I’m limited by my lack of real scientific knowledge.  So my SF stories hover in the fuzzy boundary between ‘hard’ SF and ‘pseudo-scientific fantasy’ (to coin a phrase).
Some things I do avoid. Though I work in fantasy, I’m wary of anything that seems too ‘occult’.  That might seem strange, being as I’ve published a novelette featuring a demon! (The Orb).   I would find it hard to define exactly where the boundary is.  It’s a personal thing: I just won’t go where I feel uncomfortable!  Likewise, I won’t do any graphic sex scenes or erotica.  As a Christian, I don’t think that would be compatible with my faith.
Other genre’s I’m open to, if the right story comes along, but always remembering my aversion to research!
Any more of that cake, by the way?
Fear not, Paul. At The Coffee House there’s never a shortage of cake!

7 – There’s been a lot in the press lately about the reducing number of children who are read to/with at home. Were you read to as a child and did that develop your love of books? As a child which was your favourite book? Do you have a favourite book and author now? What are you reading now?

PT - I can clearly remember my Dad reading to me when I was young.  He’d come up every night when I went to bed and read a few chapters.  Usually, he read ‘Biggles’ books.  I don’t think they’re much known now, but they were wonderful adventures featuring a group of pilots (aircraft, not ship!).  Written by W. E. Johns, a marvellous story teller, who had been a pilot himself in the First World War.
That must have had a big influence – as I said before, I was making up my own stories before I could even read myself, let alone write!  Good father-son bonding as well.  I think that Dad  was a little disappointed when I learned to read myself and no longer needed his services in that area!  But I can still remember that the first book I read on my own was one of the ‘Biggles’ books.
Another big influence (and this is something that only occurred to me whilst thinking about your questions, Babs) was my church background.  The Bible, of course, is full of stories!  But perhaps more significantly, it was through church and Sunday school that I came to understand that stories have a value beyond just entertainment.  Stories can mean something.  They communicate ideas, explain things, have an influence.  There is more in a good story than just what happens to the characters.
 To me that’s one of the most important aspects of writing.  And whilst I wouldn’t want to preach at people through my stories (I’ve seen that happen, and it doesn’t work) I hope that some of the things I believe in do come through in my writing.  ‘The Orb’ for example, explores the nature of evil.  And in ‘The Empress’s Lover’ (a fantasy novel) the power and importance of love is a key element.
I think Tolkien said something like ‘I am a Christian, and what I believe is inevitably reflected in my writing’.  I can’t find the quote to confirm it, but I would hope that that is true of me as well.

Sorry, I do waffle on – what was the rest of the question?  Oh yes! My current favourite authors.  Too many to list!  A lot of my reading nowadays is of ‘independent’ authors – like myself!  We network a lot, and try and support each other’s work, and there are some very, very good writers amongst us!  I’ve just recently finished ‘Salutaris’ by Gev Sweeney, a really beautiful and original variation on the Vampire theme.  Before that, I read ‘The Rothko Room’ by Russell Cruse, a brilliant spy story and a marvellous parody on the traditional spy genre.  There’s been some other excellent indie books this year.  ‘Bedlam’ for example!  Now who wrote that?
Ha ha... I wonder. I like Gev Sweeney’s work too. I read The Grave Coverist recently and would recommend it.

9 – Okay, Paul, time to tell us a little about the books you currently have published.

PT - OK – I’ve already mentioned a few.  Additional to those, there are the ‘Dragon Slayer’ stories, twelve in all, currently published in four e-books on Amazon.  Kindle only at present, but one of my projects is to put them together in one volume and distribute them more widely.  (Draft cover idea on Facebook, on my ‘Paul Trembling – Writing’ page).
Then there’s ‘A Pattern of Murder’,  five CSI short stories: and my most recent publication is ‘Minutes of the Reality Escape Committee, Volume One’, a collection of fantasy and horror short stories. Both of these are on all the major e-book platforms and also available as paperbacks.
I’ve also written a children’s fantasy, ‘Trouble in Toyland’, under the pen name of Henry Linden (Kindle or paperback).
Phew! That’s a lot of books, Paul.

10 – If it’s not a closely guarded secret, can you give us a hint at what you have planned next?

PT - Well, there’s the Dragon Slayer collection as I said.  I’d like to write another story to go with that as well.   And my main WIP is ‘The Hidden Libraries’, a fantasy set in the same place as ‘The Empress’s Lover’.  It also has some of the same characters.  That’s been progressing slowly, but I need to do a little re-writing, as certain aspects of my main characters background have now come to light!  That’s the one that’s up on ‘Youwriteon’.  If anyone’s using that site, please take a look and let me know what you think.
Apart from that, I have a folder on my hard drive marked ‘The Back Burner’, full of ideas I haven’t got round to yet!  Frustration, again!  I really want to finish that Military SF story I mentioned earlier, but I’m not sure when I’ll get back to it.

11 – And tell us even more about the one you’ve brought with you. I did explain about reading an excerpt later didn’t I? Oh good. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, or coffee, for that matter…

PT - I’ve decided, after some deliberation, to bring along ‘The Empress’s Lover’.  It’s about an Empire in crisis, about the unlikely relationship between a lowly member of a religious order and the all-powerful Empress.  It’s about the conflict between the ruling classes – the First Order – and those they rule – the Second Order.  And of course, it’s about love.

12 – Pick one of your characters and sell him/her to us in twenty words or less.

PT - Thylan an’Darsio is a young Friar who teaches the children of the Palace servant’s, and falls in love with the Empress.

13 – While I go and get your coffee topped up, would you like to read a short excerpt from your book?

PT - Certainly!  This is from Chapter Nine.  The Empress has just received some serious news, and must react quickly  …

Across the courtyard now.  Thylan half running to keep up as they entered the Great Hall of the Emperors.  Gestavin was matching her stride, nodding attentively as the flood of orders continued.

“I want all the troops along that border alerted, against any interference from Murkarin.  Not that I expect it now, but we’ll give them no temptations!  Their part in this we’ll deal with later.  That doesn’t include the West Fornessy Garrison.  Stand them down until we’ve had time to sort out the good fruit from the rotten.  Confine them to barracks.  Tough on the loyal ones, but we can’t take chances.  Move a regiment of the Guards out there to cover.  Neighbouring Garrisons to provide support to Lady Gerrian until the Guards arrive”.

Up the Grand Staircase, along the Corridor of State.  Servants and guards all round, some rushing ahead to open doors, others darting off to carry out errands. Amazingly, Thylan saw that Gestavin was not only listening to Anatarna, but also managing to pass orders of his own.  Brief snatches came to the Friar’s ears   “…wake Captain Dekker, of the City Watch, to my office at all speed… Secretary to the Council, tell him to prepare for an extraordinary session tomorrow… Guard Colonel Thorance, his regiment to go on full alert and him to report to me directly…”

Even more amazing, Anatarna, without breaking either stride or flow, heard Gestavin’s own asides and responded to them.

“Tell the Secretary that I will address the Council at midday.  A full session, mind, and no excuses will be accepted!”

They exited the Corridor of State via the Diamond Chamber, skirted the Lower Lawns and charged through the Battle Room.

“Tell Lady Gerrian to take what samples she deems necessary and then burn the rest!  I want the whole filthy crop reduced to ashes, right down to the roots!  She can use the Murkarin slaves – they can be promised their freedom in return, and full citizenship in the Empire.  Or repatriation to their homes if they prefer.”

They were approaching the North Wing, where the Grand Chancellor’s small army of administrator’s laboured.   Gestivin’s own office was there also.  Anatarna paused, or at least slowed her pace fractionally, as they came to it. 

“I will speak to Vordivan immediately after breakfast.  We’ll see if he has anything to say for himself before we bring the formal charges.  Which will be immediately after I have addressed the Council.”  She nodded.  “When you have everything in order, My Lord, please attend me in my office.  We have much to discuss.”

Gestavin bowed and turned away.  Anatarna, resuming her march towards her own office, called back over her shoulder, “And a copy of that list to me as soon as possible, My Lord!”

Gestavin’s departure did not put a stop to the Empress’s torrent of commands.  “A message to the Murkarin Ambassador… I want him in attendance within the hour!  Not that I intend to speak to him until later…”

She turned a corner, strode through her Outer Office and finally entered her inner sanctum.  “Send for the Steward… mulled wine, and something suitable to eat with it.  And someone get me my slippers – my feet are freezing!”

14 - And let us know where we can find it?

AMAZON

NOOK

KOBO

15 – And where we can find you

        PT - My website is ‘Yearning Blue’, and it has some more about me and my writing, along with links to my published books and some samples of my writing – short stories, poems, and extracts from novels.  You can find it here
My blog ‘The Reality Escape Committee’ is also on that site.

I also have some SF short stories on other sites: you can read ‘Stumble Jack’ at Wattpad

You can get updates on my current writing activities from  Facebook

Or check out my latest article for crime writers Here

16 - And finally before you leave, a test for your imaginative, story weaving skills. We’re playing a little game that I hope all my guests will contribute to. Can you give me 100 words of your choosing to follow on from this last line from Karen Charlton? Your last line will be picked up by the next guest... and so on:

‘The – the what?’...

  Peter opened his mouth to reply, and froze.  The girl froze.  Everything stopped.
Marcus swore impotently at the unmoving image, then turned to the girl on the couch.

“Always at the same place!  The memories always stop just at the most crucial point!”
She opened her eyes, reached up to adjust the device strapped to her head. “Use more power!”

He shook his head.  “Too dangerous.  It could …”

“I know what it could do!” she snapped. “And we both know the consequences of failure.  We must learn what happened to me.  We must find out about the Grey Woman!”

You can catch up with the "story so far" Here
 
PT - Thanks for the coffee, cake and chat, Babs!

Thanks to you, Paul. It's been great to while away an afternoon in your company. Continued good luck with your books. Do let us know when the next one is available.

                                                                Babs x

This week I'd like to extend a warm Coffee House welcome to, Karen Charlton.  Karen is a hybrid - author, editor and the driving force behind Famelton Writing Services. She’s a Northern lass like me and has a wicked sense of humour. So, please make yourself at home, Karen. We don’t stand on ceremony here. Hang up your coat and kick off your shoes. Feel free to sprawl on the sofas or pull up a chair by the stove.




1 - First things first. Let’s get the domestics out of the way. Kettle’s just boiled and the cakes are fresh out of the oven.  The chef has excelled today and you’re spoilt for choice. So, Karen, name your fancy, or in this case the hot beverage and accompanying delicacy of your choice.

K -Thanks Babs, I’ll have a cup of Earl Grey tea, if that is OK with you? And a largish slice of Victoria sponge cake.  (Please don’t tell my Slimming World leader.)  And please don’t think I’m posh totty because I drink Earl Grey.  In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. This particular Northern lass hails from the back-street terraces of industrial Sheffield.  I played on the banks of a polluted river next to a railway line and used an outside toilet for the first five years of my life.  No, definitely not posh. 
I began drinking Earl Grey about eleven years ago during a family holiday to the USA.  We ran out of our normal teabags and the only thing we could buy was Earl Grey.  Hubby decided to stick to beer and coffee for the rest of the trip, but I became quite partial to the perfumed brew and I still drink it today.

2 – Don't worry, my lips are sealed regarding the cake. I won't tell a soul! Now, let’s get to know a little bit more about how you ended up here on my sofa. Are you a full time writer or do you have an additional occupation that drags you away from the keyboard? If you moonlight as something particularly exciting we want to hear about it...we really do!

K -It was always my dream to be a full time writer, Babs. Unfortunately I had to serve a long stretch as one of Her Majesty’s secondary school teachers before I was finally freed on unconditional bail with a redundancy cheque this summer.  I am now in the wonderful position of being able to devote my time to ‘all things literary’ and I love it. 
At the moment, Famelton Writing Services is dominating all my waking hours; the company has really taken off since its launch in February.  Apart from writing manuscript assessments, editing and proof reading for our clients, I also do all the company financial administration and most of the marketing.  We’re running a competition at the moment and offering free manuscript assessments for prizes.  Maybe some of your readers will want to check it out?

                                                   Famelton Writing Services

 In addition to this, I have just received back the publishing rights to my first two novels and I am about to self-publish them, which is very exciting.  I also have two half-written novels, both of whom are begging for completion… 

3 – Sounds like you're going to enjoy being very busy indeed. How did you get into writing, Karen? Perhaps you’re lucky enough to be a member of a writer’s group. Or maybe you just fell into it by accident.

K - I wanted to be a writer since I was eight years old when I used to scribble down stories in old exercise books. Unfortunately, real life got in the way of literary ambition and I just never got around to writing that ‘bestseller.’
Then one day we had the most amazing piece of good luck.  My husband and I had always shared a mutual interest in genealogy and In August 2004 we made a fascinating discovery.  When we shook our family tree, a convict fell out. But Jamie Charlton’s conviction was dodgy – even by the questionable standards of the Regency justice system.
It was like winning the jackpot; we had our very own miscarriage of justice to explore.  I also quickly realised that the perfect plot for a historical novel had just landed in my lap and ‘Catching the Eagle’ was born.  The more we unearthed about this incredible story, the stronger became my conviction that if I didn’t write this up as a novel, I would never fulfil my ambition to become a writer.

4 – What was the first thing you had published and how did you go about it? Did you run the gauntlet of the query letter? Enter a competition or decide to self-publish?

K - I’ve had some poetry and theatre reviews published in local newspapers but ‘Catching the Eagle’ was the first novel I had published.  I went down the traditional route and submitted to agents and publishers.  My manuscript was finally bought by Knox Robinson Publishers of Historical fiction.
KRP sent me an email which requested the full manuscript for consideration.  I had already gone to bed when my husband spotted it in my inbox.  This threw him into a terrible dilemma; did he leave it till the morning to tell me? Or should he risk a barrage of abuse and wake me up?  Snoozing is a favourite hobby of mine and I tend to be rather unpleasant when disturbed.
Eventually, the brave man decided to go with the latter course of action.  He came upstairs, shook me roughly on the shoulder and hissed in my ear:  ‘Don’t shout at me.  You need to come downstairs and see a message on the computer.’
Half-asleep, I grumbled (but didn’t shout) and padded downstairs in my slippers and nightie to read the email.  We were ecstatic.  It was only a request to see the full manuscript – not an offer of publication - but I had got a toe in the door of a publishing house, albeit a baby toe.  Too excited to go back to sleep, we stayed up for hours drinking tea in the kitchen and I did some very dodgy teaching at school the next day and needed matchsticks to hold up my eyelids.

5 – From your experience do you have any tips for those not yet published?

K - I used to advise people not to ‘give up’ with the traditional publishing route. However, now that I’ve been privy to the inside workings of the publishing industry for the last three years, I would say: ‘Don’t dismiss self-publishing.’
There is a lot to be said for being in control of your own novels and quite frankly, unless you are lucky enough to secure a deal with one of the big five publishing houses, the financial rewards from traditional publishing are pathetic and touting your novels around the country can prove a very expensive hobby. This is why so many published authors seek additional sources of revenue: editing, public speaking, teaching creative writing classes etc. The happiest and most commercially successful authors I know are nearly all self-published.  Crazy world, isn’t it?

6 – I love to genre hop, how about you, Karen? Do you write in a specific genre? Which is your favourite and why?

K - As far as fiction is concerned, Babs, I am firmly rooted in the Regency era and the historical fiction genre. There is something very attractive about this time period with its white muslin dresses, highwaymen, dashing scarlet uniforms and that intriguing whiff of decadence and scandal.
However, last year I tried my hand at a piece of non-fiction. After the book launch of ‘Catching the Eagle’, the interest in the background to the novel took me by surprise.  Newspapers, radio and even a TV station all wanted to know how we had discovered our unusual skeleton in the closet.  Genealogy groups, libraries and local historical societies invited me to talk about the subject, an experience I thoroughly enjoyed.
I soon realised that there might also be a wider audience for this extraordinary story and decided to write a complementary factual book, called ‘Seeking Our Eagle,’ which mapped our full genealogical experience and my creative journey into fiction.  ‘Seeking our Eagle’ was my own self-published little adventure. Its success means that I am comfortable and confident about self-publishing my other two novels once I regain their publishing rights in December.

7 – Is there a particular genre or type of scene that you would avoid and if so why?

K - I’m sorry to say this, Babs, but that would be horror stories and anything containing vampires or zombies.

8 – As a child which was your favourite book? Were you read to as a child and did that develop your love of books? Do you have a favourite book and author now? What are you reading now?

K - Although I was an avid fan of Enid Blyton and C. S. Lewis the first book to have a major impact on me was ‘The Hobbit’ by J.R. R. Tolkien.   I was about nine years old and our class teacher read it aloud to us.  The ending of this story made me cry and desperately want more. This was an unforgettable incident; I had no idea how powerful literature could be before then.  Needless to say, I became a huge fan of Tolkien, read The Lord of the Rings trilogy several times in my late teens and twenties and I just can’t get enough of the Peter Jackson films.

9 – Karen, can you tell us a little about the book you've brought with you: 'The Missing Heiress.’

K - ‘The Missing Heiress’, my second novel, is pure fiction and is set in your neck of the woods, Babs: Northumberland.  It‘s a Regency whodunit revolving around the mystery of a beautiful heiress who vanishes from a locked bedchamber.  Helen Carnaby is just weeks away from inheriting a fortune when she disappears and the local constabulary are baffled.   Fearing for her safety, her worried uncle sends out for help from Bow Street magistrates’ court in London.
Convinced at first that this is just a simple case of a young woman who has eloped with her lover, Detective Stephen Lavender and his Constable, Edward Woods, are alarmed to discover a sinister world of madness, violence and secrets lurking behind the heavy oak door of the ancient pele tower at Linn Hagh.
Hindered by Helen's uncooperative siblings, distracted by gypsies, rebellious farmers, highwaymen and an attractive and feisty Spanish senora, Helen Carnaby's disappearance is to prove one of the most perplexing mysteries of Lavender's career.

12 – Pick one of your characters and sell him/her to us in twenty words or less.

K - Stephen Lavender is thinking women’s crumpet:  intelligent, respected, sensitive, devoted to his job – and single.

13 – While I top up your Earl Grey would you like to read a short excerpt from your book?


        It was at this point, when the man from the hackney carriage decided to step forward and join his colleagues in the middle of the fray. 

            ‘Is there anything I can do to help, Constable Woods?’ he asked.    The bemused spectators regarded him curiously. One or two of them started with alarm and scurried away, but few in the mob recognised him these days.

            Woods beamed in delight.

            ‘Detective Lavender!’ He shook his hand vigorously. ‘Well met, sir!  It’s been too long.’

            ‘I agree.  So, what do we have here?’

            ‘We ‘ave been searching’ for this thieving trollop since yesterday.’ Woods sighed and jerked his thumb at the unconscious drunk on the street. ‘It’s claimed she stole money from a rich merchant a few nights ago - while ‘e slept in their bed in a bawdy house…’

            ‘I think I know where the money is, sir!’ the young officer interrupted. He was squatting beside the woman. ‘I ‘eard the paper rustle when she moved.’

            ‘Where, lad?  Where?’

            Constable Brown pointed nervously to the woman’s ample breasts.  ‘I believe it’s down there – between her habit-shirt and the bosom of her gown.’

            ‘Well, get it!’

            The young man blushed. His hand trembled above the two wobbling mounds of female flesh and the gaping cleavage.

            ‘Go on, son!’ someone jeered in the crowd. ‘Yer’ give ‘er a good fumble, officer!’ 

            There were howls of laughter.

            ‘Oh, for Gawd’s sake!’ Woods snapped.  He stepped forward, stooped low and thrust his hand down the bodice of the unconscious girl. He had a good rummage around.

            The crowd loved it.

            ‘Whayy!’ 

            ‘Try the other end!’

            ‘Don’t forget ‘er placket!’

            ‘I’m glad to see that you’ve not lost your touch with the ladies.’ Lavender grinned.

            Undeterred by the irony of his colleague or the raucous leering of the mob, Woods’ ruddy face was a picture of studied concentration. When he finally pulled back his hand from the woman’s stained underclothes, he held up a crisp banknote: a one hundred pound note.  The crowd around Lavender emitted a sharp, collective intake of breath and the laughter subsided. 

            ‘That lush will get more than a whipping fer being drunk and disorderly,’ Lavender heard someone whisper…


14- As someone who has read and thoroughly enjoyed 'The Missing Heiress' I can certainly recommend it, so you’d best  let everyone know where they can find it, Karen.

Amazon UK

Amazon.com






15– And finally if you’ve been paying attention to previous posts we’re playing a little game that I hope all my guests will contribute to. Can you give me 100 words of your choosing to follow on from this first line supplied by Kristen Stone? Your last line will be picked up by the next guest... and so on:

“There was a noise behind her. Her heart-rate increased as she ran to the door, pulled it closed… ”

‘Thanks, lass,’ said a gruff male voice. ‘I was bloody nithered wi’ that draught.’

She breathed a huge sigh of relief and with hand on heart, fought to control her trembling.

Peter, the aged footman, limped painfully into the pool of moonlight streaming through the arched gothic window.  He fumbled with his tinderbox and the warm blush of lantern light spread into the dusty corners of the castle kitchen.  His gnarled fingers lifted the swaying lamp up to her face.

‘Why lass, tha’ looks like tha’s seen a ghost.  Tha’s not been bothered by the old Grey Woman, has tha’?’

‘The – the what?’

To keep up with the story so far click    Here

Thanks so much for dropping in, Karen. I wish you continued success with Famelton Writing Services and in your self publishing venture.

                                                                                                                                                                    Babs x

I’m delighted to welcome Kristen Stone as our first visitor to The Coffee House. Kristen is an author, editor and co-founder of Blue House Publishing. We’re pretty easy going here, Kristen, so please hang up your coat and kick off your shoes. Feel free to sprawl on the sofas or grab a chair by the stove. Dogs are very welcome, biscuits supplied.

1 - So Kristen, first up. What are you having? Name your poison, or in this case the hot beverage of your choice. Are you a latte or a lemon tea?  A ginger parkin or a chocolate cake? Or did you have something else in mind. The chef is very accomplished with a whisk and a rolling pin.

KS – First let me apologise for being a bit late. It has been a hectic day. Still, here now.  Builder’s brew with just a dash of milk and no sugar, please. And I’ll have a piece of that Bailey’s cheesecake, please. My favourite, especially if there is a smidgen of Bailey’s poured over it, just a smidgen, mind, I’m                                                                                                    driving.

2 – Let’s get to know a little bit more about how you ended up here on my sofa. Are you a full time writer or do you have      an additional occupation that drags you away from the keyboard. If you moonlight as something particularly exciting,             we want to hear about it...we really do!

KS – I can now claim to being a poor pensioner – yes I am that old, I just look 18. I’ve never worked full time thanks to a     very hard working, old fashioned husband who still believes it’s the fella’s job to provide for his family. I’m not  complaining. It has been a wonderful life and I have always been able to do what I want to do – even if that’s nothing!     I’m a whiz on a computer and have spent my life doing various office jobs and have progressed from a manual                   typewriter to the latest technology available. I have never had any other ambition than to write. 

3 – How did you get into writing, Kristen? Perhaps you’re lucky enough to be a member of a writer’s group. Or maybe you     just fell into it by accident.

KS – I first put pen to paper when I was still at school. I loved English lessons when the teacher would give us a theme         or a title and often had to read my work out to the class. Fiction has always been my thing, 10 pages for a story, half a     page if I had to do something factual! I’m still like that now. I finally decided to give it a serious go when the thought         occurred to me that I could work somewhere in the sun during the winter. I was looking at becoming a web designer (I     used to be a computer programmer a long, long time ago, before desktop computers and microchips) but learning all     the code was too much to ask. Then I thought, why not sit and write all those books in my head. Fortunately we could     afford for me to rent an apartment in Tenerife for a month. We don’t go on any other holidays so it’s not that                     extravagant. I’m just about to go back for my fifth visit and this time I’m going for two months, with my husband             coming out for Christmas. And no, he doesn’t mind. Positively encourages me. Claims he doesn’t get nagged all the  time about what time he is coming home (he’s a white van man and loves driving. Can’t understand it myself).
Years ago I belonged to a writers’ group and when I started writing ‘seriously’ I went back for a couple of years and             actually won a couple of short story competitions but I prefer writing novels to short stories so left.  

4 – What was the first thing you had published and how did you go about it? Did you run the gauntlet of the query letter?     Enter a competition or decide to self publish?

KS – Yes, initially I went through Writer’s and Artist’s Year book trying all the agents. One was almost interested but I         think they only wanted money off me for editing. The one thing I won’t do is spend my hubby’s hard earned pennies on    someone trying to change what I write. I didn’t keep all the rejection letters, just crossed the names out. After that I  found Authonomy where I met some people I’m still in contact with.
Then I offered Edge of Extinction to Night Publishing and was accepted. By the time my next book was ready I’d                 worked out how to do it myself and set up Blue Hour Publishing with Stephen R Hulse (he tells me the R is very                     important). 

5 – I love to genre hop, how about you? Do you write in a specific genre? Which is your favourite and why?

KS – I hate that word ‘genre’. One book fits into horror without a doubt. One is a thriller, two are what I would call             ‘fictional biographies’ but others have called ‘human interest’ and where Edge of Extinction fits is anyone’s guess! I  have been told it is Literary Fiction which throws me completely because that sounds far too sophisticated for a girl from Stoke Newington. (That’s where I grew up in London).

6 – Okay at the risk of using that hated word, Is there a particular genre or type of scene that you would avoid and if so         why?

KS – I’m not overly keen on erotica, maybe because I’m getting older. When I was younger I read books by Harold                 Robbins, but I prefer to read and tell a good story these days.

7 – As a child which was your favourite book? Were you read to as a child and did that develop your love of books? Do             you  have a favourite book and author now? What are you reading now?

KS – Lots of questions here. So firstly… It’s a wonder being read to as a child didn’t put be off books for ever. The only     book I can remember from very early childhood was something with the word Nowhere in the title, which I read as             Now Here. I can’t remember much about it apart from the fact that there was an old man who wore several pairs of         spectacles at once and a spider in hobnailed boots!
I missed a lot of time at school when I was very young and as a result was late reading. Then I discovered The Famous     Five and the other Enid Blyton books, the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and then the historical novels of Rosemary Sutcliffe and from then I wanted to write.
Favourite author? Six years ago I would have said Wilbur Smith. But just lately I’ve really lost interest in established         authors and tend to read indies almost exclusively. I really like the books of Brendan Gisby (he pushed me towards Night!), Tom Winton, Stephen R Hulse, Gerry McCulloch oh, and some author called B A Morton,  not sure who that is but she/he writes fantastic books!    (Ha ha...extra cake coming right up ma’am)
What am I reading at the moment? I have three books on the go at the moment, Devil’s Brae by Faith Mortimer, Les         Miserables by Victor Hugo (I’ve been reading it ever since the film came out and haven’t finished book one yet!) and         another long book I keep dibbing into Doctor Who: The  Writer’s Tale by Russell T Davies (I’m a  bit of a Who fan and it     is a really good insight into writing).

8 – Tell us a little about the books you currently have published.

KS – The Edge of Extinction – my chosen book to read.
The Penhaligan File – a mystery thriller about a journalist who is blinded while looking into a reason for a drug         being withdrawn from his father’s company.
Shattered Dreams – the story of how Tony Walker copes after a devastating road accident. This story is told in             alternating chapters between Tony’s current life and his childhood.
Silent Love – my latest offering. A deaf boy meets an ordinary girl and they fall in love. Put simply like that it sounds     like a pretty standard love story, but there is more to it than that.
DayStalker – the most out of character book for me. A raunchy, bloody romp with a man who claims he is not a             vampire, he loves sunbathing and has a reflection, but lives entirely on blood – and Bloody Mary’s. I wrote it as a protest against all the lovey-dovey vampire stories that are about. It certainly isn’t for those of a sensitive nature!

9 – Can you give us a hint at what you have planned next?

K.S Well, this is hot off the press. I don’t know what will come of it but I’ve been asked to write a script for an anti-drug     video, emphasis being on the latest trend of ‘legal-high’ substances. Sounds quite exciting.
Added to that, while I’m away I’m hoping to work on two half-finished novels while I’m away this year.

10 – And tell us even more about the one you’ve brought with you. I did explain about reading an excerpt later didn’t I?         Oh good. Don’t think you get tea and cake for nothing.

KS – Edge of Extinction is my first and favourite book. It started, honest, when I learnt a song as a Brownie Guider             about what sort of tail would you choose. One option was a prehensile tail and from that song grew the idea of                 Kianda Mala, the Monkey Man. My aim was to create someone unbelievable and make that person seem real. From         the reviews the book has received, I think I managed that and touched on some sensitive subjects along the way.

11 – Pick one of your characters and sell him/her to us in twenty words or less.

KS – A man born by chance, intelligent and caring, worshipped by those around him but with his feet firmly on the             ground. (ok. That’s 21 words, will you let me off?) (That has to be Kianda Mala. And having read the book I’d agree. Well sold.)

12 – While I top up your tea would you like to read a short excerpt from your book?

To set the scene – Kianda Mala, the narrator, has left the jungle to find out why people in his village are dying. He has     been taken into the home of Hannah, an English doctor, as the  rains have started preventing him getting back home.     While he is at Hannah’s he has learnt to speak English and is learning about the world. His dialogue is purposely                 stilted, it improves as the story moves on and he learns more.

‘One day when Hannah came back from her work I was pacing restlessly around the                 room. I had been watching a DVD about the nature of the world and its place in the                     universe. It contradicted every belief that I had and I felt ashamed of my ignorance                         amongst all these wise and knowledgeable people. I could barely meet Hannah’s gaze                 when she came in, careworn from her day at the clinic. She swept through the house and     went to make some coffee. When she brought it into the living room I was staring out of         the window, my back to the room.

“Kianda, what’s wrong?” she asked.

I shrugged. Turning to face her I asked:

“Why you care about my people? We are stupid. We think the valley is whole world. That         stars are holes in blanket of night. What good are we?”

Hannah came to my side and stroked my arm.

“Come and sit down,” she said.

I followed her to my cushion and sat down but I could not meet her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter what you believe or what you know,” Hannah assured me. “Your people     have a right to live just as much as anyone else. Okay, they don’t know anything about             what is going on in the world but that doesn’t make them any less important. The world is    full of different peoples and different cultures. They all believe different things. They all             have their own myths and legends. Just because your people don’t know what the stars are, that doesn’t make them worthless. From what you have told us you have a wonderful life that many out here in the civilized world would envy.”

I sighed.

“Sometimes I wish I no learn about things,” I said. “There is so much. You no think I stupid     for believing Chachinka things?”

“Everyone believes what they are taught as a child,” Hannah said. “The only difference             between your people and mine is that we have lived in a world that has gained knowledge     over centuries while you have been isolated. Just because we know more, doesn’t mean we are any wiser. Every child has to be taught these things, we don’t know any more at birth than you do.” She reached out and squeezed my hand. “You and your people are very special. Don’t ever doubt that.”

Her smile and her reassurance brought a return of my confidence. That night when I whispered my prayers to the Kianda Chaka I did not feel foolish.’

13- And let us know where we can find it?

At the moment this book is on offer at 99c/77p or thereabouts. (Haven’t got my head around how these companies price things)

AMAZON

KOBO

NOOK

ITunes




14 – And finally a little game that I hope all my guests will contribute to. Can you give me 100 words of your choosing to follow on from this? Your last line will be picked up by the next guest... and so on:


“The door was meant to be bolted, but someone had left it unlocked... Not only  unlocked but open! The girl shivered as she looked around the empty castle kitchen. Where was everyone? She crept cautiously towards the open door that led out into the stable courtyard. Had the cook gone out for some supplies? Unlikely. The evening meal had long since finished. Had someone crept into the castle who shouldn’t be there ? More than likely, but what should she do? She was hardly in the position to go to the Lord of the  castle, she was just a serving girl.
There was a noise behind her. Her heart-rate increased as she ran to the door, pulled it closed… ” 

    Thanks so much for coming, Kristen. I wish you much success with your books and hope         you’ll come again and let us know how your script writing venture resulted.
       
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Babs x