Good Day!
I've sometimes referred to my latest novel, that I’m busy writing and editing as, ‘my baby’. This is an analogy that I’ve gestated for around nine months, gone through terrible pain to get out into the world ... and then it hardly ever telephones.

Thinking properly about it, it doesn't have much to do with writing a book at all. As once the baby is implanted and stable it will come without any more help from me.

But my book will not arrive if I sit around. I hate the idea of being negative. My new book will arrive only if I use a concentrated effort for whatever period I need to finalise the thing. Every day I look back and mull over what I wrote yesterday, and the day before and the weeks and months before that. Simultaneously I have to keep focused on what I’m intending to write that day, and the next week, and the next month.

I’ve heard that if short-story writers are like sprinters, then writers of novellas are like milers, and we novelists are marathoners!

So as a keen runner myself, I’m running a marathon and it’s nothing like having another cute little baby to bounce on my knee! In keeping that image alive it helps me to focus and be honest with myself.

So by acknowledging that what I’m doing is hard work, I’m not quite so shocked when, many pages in, writing the novel starts hurting. A writer can hit walls with writing, just the same way marathoners hit walls in their running. Inspiration may have got me to the first part but it’s a long way through to the end, and this is where I might need that refreshment stop. I could have written two hundred pages with another one hundred and fifty to go, when all of a sudden I realize there’s a hill in the middle of my track. Going up – not down!

But wait! Like real running (and I’ve done enough long distance runs to know what I’m talking about), the adrenaline kicks in. I get my second wind. Hurrah! The hill slopes away…

But does it really? This hill is real – it’s not easier. Completing this novel is as hard as running long distance. And I’ve found something else out too, after talking to lots of other writers – both new and old stalwarts to the game. It is not inspiration or a second wind that gets you there. It’s Commitment, and a commitment to a process that you have to adhere to.

I have to make a promise to myself that I will write every day – whether I feel like it or not, even a few lines… a few words that you might scrub out the next day but it fulfilled the criteria at the moment.

I take one day at a time, one line at a time, and one step at a time – the same as a long distance runner might. Every line, every word is as important as the next …

When I’ve finished I don’t have a new baby to show around. I have a piece of work that requires more fixing. I have to change words, write more pages, and make alterations.

But I have an achievement that I alone can claim. I made that book. I built it one word at a time, and I can take credit for every atom of its existence. I gave it life, and I did it the hard way. One word at a time, up that hill, because I promised myself I would.

But wait! Writing books is addictive – just like long-distance running. After finishing one novel I crave the challenge for another. I crave the "writers' high" I get on those fabulous halcyon days when the pages flow from my fingertips. And I crave the pleasure that comes from knowing that I am doing what I like doing best. So I’ll go away and write some more, I’m going for that winner’s cup. And what’s more I can do it exactly the way I want to. This is mine, I’ve earned that right.

Luckily - so far - I'm have a great time writing 'Children of The Plantation'. It's a slow process though as I'm not the World's best on the PC. I'm aiming to have it out before the Autumn, with a holiday beforehand! Wish me luck please.

Thank you everyone who've written to me this last week, I really enjoy your comments and posts - keep them coming! You can also get in touch with me on Twitter @FaithMortimer and via my FB page the link is here: https://www.facebook.com/FaithMortimer.Author

A Silver Lining at the Magic Teapot

Good morning or evening depending on where you are in the world. I say this every week – but where does the time fly?  0730 hours saw me frantically pulling on clothes, brushing my teeth, feeding the cats and endeavouring to eat a bowl of breakfast cereal; remembering we’re off to a party later this afternoon AND I still have a weekend blog post to write. And I confess I’ve not given it much thought.

After scanning Facebook, I noticed a fellow author Lia Fairchild asking what we all did for a living if not a full time writer- my initial response was ‘who has time for a job?’ For me this week has been particularly hectic and fraught at times.

We’ve had two different groups of friends staying for two nights on separate occasions. Don’t get me wrong, I love my friends and enjoy them to stay, but it necessitates extra house cleaning, laundry, shopping for food/drink and preparing some tasty meals –just for starters. I found myself sneaking off on odd occasions to check Facebook, Twitter and see how my books were faring (well!), but felt really guilty especially when the husband called me sad and to stop neglecting my friends. OK,OK.

Then we’re still suffering from the explosion that recently rocked Cyprus when 98 tankers of ‘impounded’ explosives detonated from a bush fire. Every day sees us with one or more power cuts  lasting for about three hours at a stretch – no electricity, no telephone, no internet. Apparently there is another pile of ‘arms’ lying in an army camp not from my village – are these stored properly? I have my doubts…

I was the featured author in Ereader News Today, on Thursday. This entailed more work, letting friends and fans know and sending out tweets and a blog – I apologise now if I overdid it but I thought I had to strike while the iron was hot, and judging by the sales it was well worth it!! The Assassins’ Village has soared on Amazon.com.

On top of that, with no air con or fans to keep us cool in temperatures well into the 100’s, I am plagued by the husband as he goes over new material for his gig on the 30th! Apparently he has a couple of numbers included  in the programme that I am expected to sing with him – er yes, I enjoy and regularly act on stage but I’m not so keen on singing in front of a large audience on my own, and I don’t know how to get out of it. Help - any answers please?

So you could say, well what a bummer of a week!

But wait a minute… going back to Lia’s question, I am ‘officially’ retired. My time is pretty much my own and yes, I have some commitments but I can mostly do what I like – acting, writing, walking, hashing, partying, reading John Locke’s new book on ‘how to sell a million books’.

Having friends to stay was great in itself and they all bought the new paperback edition of The Assassins’ Village, for their friends as well.

OK. So we have no power at times, but this gives me three hours at a stretch when I can’t do anything else much but crack on with novel number three, Children of The Plantation. Already I’ve written an extra 30,000 words and I’m getting near my first major edit.

As for the husband, well he’s performing at The Magic Teapot. This is going to be packed with friends, fans and summer visitors, most of whom have not yet seen or bought my new paperback! OK so I’ve got to sing, but I’ll have a captive audience!

So, I have to say that for me, everything that’s happened this week has a silver lining. What about you? Have you had a good week?

Thanks everyone for reading this and supporting me – you’re great!

Faithx

The Assassins' Village is the featured book of the day on Ereadernewstoday http://bit.ly/q1cl62 Please take a look and retweet#IAN1@FaithMortimer

Authors Mastermind Interviews: Round 1 

Good day and welcome to today’s edition of Authors’ Mastermind where I interview a different author each day. My name is Faith Mortimer and I welcome today’s contender. Could you please state your name and occupation?
Sibel Hodge, author of romantic comedies & comedy mysteries.

Now, can you tell us your chosen subject?
Writing!

Thank you. Now would you please answer the following questions on your chosen subject? You have a maximum number of 250 words on each question. If you do not know the answer, say pass and we’ll move on to another question. The total number of passes will be counted and deducted against your final score. Are you ready? Good then I’ll begin.

1.  Ms Sibel Hodge, how do you describe yourself; as a writer and as a person?
Crazy, quirky, loves to make people laugh, fun, feisty. All of those words sum up my novels and me.

2. Do you do anything that would tell us you lead an interesting or indeed a crazy life?
In my spare time I’m Wonder Woman! I’ve got an updated, sexy pair of knickers now.

3. Briefly, describe your journey into writing your first book and what or who inspired you.
I’ve always loved writing. When I was a little kid, I was always scribbling away. I started my first novel when I was about seventeen but didn’t have a clue what I was doing, so I binned it. I started the second one when I was twenty-seven but never got further than the first three chapters. My third one I started when I was thirty-five and went on to become my debut romantic comedy, Fourteen Days Later. I’ve now released four novels.
When I was living in the UK I was too busy paying the mortgage to be able to devote any time to my passion that one day I’d write a novel. 5 years ago I gave up the rat race and moved to North Cyprus so I finally had the time and opportunity to begin. I haven’t looked back since! (Ed. Great place to live! I’m in the South).

4. Are you working on anything right now?
I’m working out some ideas for my next chick lit comedy called The Hen Night.

5a. Do you ever struggle with parts of the book you’re working/writing on?
Plotting! I hate the dreaded P word. Is there such a thing as plot-o-phobia? If I try and do too much plot outline before I start, I tend to lose my creativity. Most of the time I just start writing and my characters and storyline seem to develop on their own.

If you answered Q 4, then you next question is;
5b. What is your next book about, and where do you get your ideas from?
I get ideas from everywhere and anywhere - a film, a snippet of conversation, a story that friends have told me, a TV programme. Add a lot of creativity into the mix and you have the beginnings of a story. It’s about a group of women who go to Las Vegas for a hen party weekend but end up getting more than they bargained for!

6. How would you define your writing working day? Give us some indication of where you work, and the length of time you spend on your project.
When I’m writing a novel I write for probably fourteen hours a day. I’m so stuck into it that it’s a chore to even tear myself away for something to eat. My husband might as well be speaking Martian to me because I can’t even hear what he’s saying half the time.
I write anywhere. My husband seems to have stolen my desk so I write on my laptop on the sofa, dining room table, patio, and garden - wherever the mood takes me. I usually have a cat on my knee as well. (Ed. So do I so I can sympathise there!)

7. Tell us about characterisation. How do you develop your characters? Do you feel they are important in the overall picture? Do you ever base them on real people?
One of my favourite parts of writing a novel is creating characters. I lurrrrve inventing new people. You can invent anyone you want - even the perfect man! A lot of my lead female characters have some of my traits in them (I’m not telling you which bits, though!). My lead males have a lot of my husband in them. It was funny a while ago because a close friend read Fourteen Days Later and My Perfect Wedding and fell in love with Kalem, the lead male. Her husband and my husband were arguing over who he was based on! My other characters have got bits and pieces from friends and other people I’ve met. So if you get on the wrong side of me, you might end up as one of my villains!

8. What about the editing and redrafting process? When do you do this?
I don’t edit until I’ve finished the first draft. Then I’ll go through and add/delete. Normally my first draft is short and I have to add a lot rather than delete passages. Editing is the worst part of it. Going through the same novel over and over is mind-numbing sometimes. When I think it’s ready I hand it over to my editor who gives it the final edit, and then I go through it once more before it’s published. Yawn!

9. How have you overcome any trials and tribulations of rejection?
A few years ago, after I wrote my debut romantic comedy novel, Fourteen Days Later, I queried hundreds of agents and publishers. I got too many rejections to even count! OK, small white lie, a while ago I did count them out of morbid curiosity, and it was a whopping two hundred! I did come close a couple of times to being traditionally published, but it never quite worked out. It was either, “one group of editors liked it but another didn’t”, or “the chick lit market is saturated”, or “we love it but…”

When I first looked into publishing independently, platforms like Amazon Kindle didn’t support international authors. So the way I saw it, I had two choices. Either I could write another book, hone my writing skills and learn all I could about my craft, and wait for an opportunity to come up, or I could let all the rejection letters get me down, think my writing career was over before it had begun, and stick my head in the oven! Since heat tends to turn my curls into a ball of frizz, it was no contest, really. I wrote my next novel, a chicklit mystery called The Fashion Police, and waited. Because I knew, I just knew that I COULD do this. I could write novels that people wanted to read. If only I could get the chance. In the meantime, I entered several writing competitions and was thrilled to gain the accolades above. Surely I was doing something right, wasn’t I? But I still couldn’t get a mainstream publisher to take me on.  So when Amazon opened up their direct publishing service to non US authors, I went for it! I haven’t looked back since, and I went from 200 rejections to Amazon’s top 200 in eBook sales rankings. Considering there are over 550,000 Kindle books on Amazon, that’s not bad! 

The traditional world of publishing is changing immensely, and bricks and mortar bookstore space is reducing drastically. More traditionally published authors are moving over to Indie publishing because they have more control over their work and can benefit from better royalties. I’m certain that I’ve had more success as an Indie than I would if I’d been traditionally published.

So I consider it the gift of rejection!

10. If you were not writing, what would be your choice of employment?
 I’d still be Wonder Woman - never a dull moment!

Thank you. Your score on your chosen subject is 8. You answered 1 question too many (5a) and Q9 was too long according to the rules. A good score though.

 Now for the General Knowledge section.

1. Which book(s) are you reading at the moment?
I’m in between books. I just finished Take No More by Seb Kirby and will probably start on a non-fiction book called Beautiful by Katie Piper.

2. Name your five favourite authors.
Ooh, this is soooo hard - I’ve got so many! Sophie Kinsella, Janet Evanovich, Marian Keyes, Harlan Coben, Ian Rankin. Can I sneak a few more in without you noticing?

3. Who, out of your five favourite people would you like to invite to dinner at your house. You will be doing the catering. What is your ideal menu, you would provide? (You must be able to cook this!)
Nelson Mandela - he’s my hero.
Kelly Jones (lead singer of Stereophonics) - he’s got such a sexy voice!
Ricky Gervais because he cracks me up.
Ricky’s friend Karl Pilkington who was in An Idiot Abroad because when they get together it’s just hilarious.
And for afters, I’d have…oops, I mean I’d invite Brad Pitt.

Being Turkish Cypriot I love Turkish food so I’d probably make a huge moussaka with salad, and roasted potatoes with garlic (although might have to reconsider the garlic with Brad around).

Definitely something chocolate for afters with Brad.

4. Do any authors inspire you? If so, which ones?
There are so many indie authors who’ve inspired me since I began this indie journey. Too many to mention!

5. What things in your life would you love to do that you haven’t yet achieved. Your answer should NOT be ‘become a rich and famous author’. If you fall back on this answer, then 3 marks will be deducted from your overall score.
Bummer! I like that answer! OK, then...
I’d love to travel around Australia.
I want to swim with sharks. (Done it before with the human variety!)
I’d love to see one of my novels made into a film.
I want to be a rich and famous…writer! Ah ha! I didn’t say author! (Ed. Smartarse – minus 1 mark).

6. Describe your ideal day; working and leisure (only clean answers please).
Swim in my pool, write a piece for my blog, work on a novel on the patio with the Cyprus sun beaming down, snorkel in the sea, and get together with friends for a BBQ and drinks. Lots of drinks!

7. What has been the most memorable thing that has happened to you in a, your writing career and b, in your private life (again, only cleans answers will be accepted).
A) Wow, I’ve been lucky to have a few: I was shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize 2008, I was a runner-up in the Yeovil Literary Prize 2009, I was a runner-up in the Chapter One Novel Competition 2010, and nominated Best Novel with Romantic Elements 2010 by The Romance Reviews. They are all pretty special to me.

B) Giving up my life in the UK and moving to North Cyprus. Oh, and I’d better say meeting my husband before he kicks me!

8. Are you a disciplined person in everyday life? How would/does this reflect in your writing?
I’m very disciplined. In fact, I think I’m turning into a workaholic! In some ways it’s good because it spurs me on to write, but it means I’m so blinkered sometimes to everything else around me.

9. Do you keep a dart-board handy with rejection letters from Publishing House editors’ photographs pinned to it? If so, what is your highest score?
Not a dart-board, but I’ve kept some of the letters and whenever I get a lovely review from a reader or book reviewer I just smile to myself and remember what some of them said. I had some lovely letters from publishing editors; it was some of the ones from agents that are now amusing considering what I’ve achieved. Agents nil, Sibel one! (Ed. Good answer +1 mark).

10. What are your five desert island books?
There you go again, trying to narrow it down! It’s soooo hard!
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
A Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela
Anything by Janet Evanovich
Anything by Sophie Kinsella
The Green Mile - Stephen King.

Tie-breaker question. Tell us the most outrageous/embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you. What were the consequences? A bonus of 5 extra points will be awarded to the best answer from contenders to the Authors Mastermind Crown.

Are we only allowed to give clean answers to this one, too? This is a clean-ish!

God, I’ve had loads! I was doing backstroke in our local swimming pool once and I was so busy concentrating on the ceiling to make sure I didn’t veer off and smack anyone in the face with my arm. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see people staring at me and wondered what they were all looking at. Then I realized that my boob had wormed its way out of my bikini top and was on full display to everyone in the pool!

Thank you. Your time is now up. You managed to complete all questions with no passes.
Your overall score is a whopping 19!  We shall see how you do against the other contenders. Well done and thank you!

Sibel Hodge has a website where you can read all about her books and more about her colourful life. The link is;

http://www.sibelhodge.com/my-blog.php

Good morning!

Welcome to another Sunday blog post. (I know - I’m early, but if you read my last blog post you’ll know we are having just a tad lack of power at the moment in Cyprus!) I have to grab the moment when it’s available.

This week saw the publication of my short story collection. Entitled, Echoes of Life and Love. I have written five short stories concerning these two topics and they are liberally sprinkled throughout with themes of ghosts, real life situations, romance and suspense. The five stories are:

The Bamboo Mirror, set in a 1960's Singapore boarding school, new girl Diana Rivers has an encounter with two mysterious children - Who are they?

The Cast Party - The lovely Linda, aspiring actress, has a plan. Will she be able to carry it out?

Making A Right - Sometimes two wrongs can make one!

Rebecca With Two C's - A poignant love story. What is real?

Summer Visitors - Has Alex made the right decision? Is real life like this?

This volume of stories has just over 17,500 words and is between a novella and a novelette. Already the book seems to have caught the attention of quite a good crowd of people as it’s already ranking #58 for short stories and about the same for ghosts and romance.

When writing these stories I found myself in a bit of a quandary. Which person was I going to write them in?

Do I choose first or third person?

 This is a decision you’ll find when it comes to starting your own masterpiece! I’ve always written in the third person up until now, but with my short story collection I’ve had some fun recently playing around with different ‘persons’ and tenses, as you’ll see if you own a copy of Echoes of Life and Love. So which should you choose to write that novel? Of course only you can answer that as it is a personal choice – and not always an easy one. Nevertheless, I have some thoughts that you might like when you're making this decision and then putting it into practice. Let’s take first person first.

First Person.

The most important thing to keep in mind with a first person narrative is that everything that happens has to be filtered through your narrator's perspective; the reader therefore sees everything infused with the narrator's personality and pathos. Things happen through the narrator's perspective.

The best first person narrators are the ones where a unique character gives you their view on something that is happening, and yet it's clear to the reader that this is not the whole story. You get a biased look at the world, which is really the centre of appeal of the first person narrative. So for example you can take reality which is slightly hidden, and get the narrator’s own thoughts and take on the scenario.   

Thus, great tension in a first person narrative is between the narrator’s story, and what the reader senses is really happening beyond the narrator's perspective. Or in other words it means we’re seeing the world only through one unique character's eyes. An example is a situation where someone is not being truthful, but the reader can sense that this is not true and there is more to the story.

The other main element of a first person narrative is that the narrator has to be compelling, redeemable and probably likeable. Nobody likes an annoying narrator, and this would kill a story immediately. I don’t mean the narrator has to be a good person. But the narrator has to pass the "stuck in a lift" test. Could you survive being stuck in a room with this person for hours? Could you listen to this person for hours? If the answer is no, then you might want to think again.

Third Person.

A third-person narrative can be crafted in many ways. Perhaps the hardest part is deciding how far you want to get inside your characters' heads. Do you want to show the reader every single thought? Or do you want to keep some thoughts hidden?

I believe that the most interesting third person narratives jump into character's heads showing their thought processes, but also leaving some distance between what is happening on the outside and what the characters are thinking. This way taking the example where someone is being untruthful, rather than knowing exactly what the character is thinking, the reader does the work to try and empathise with what the character is feeling at that moment and is based upon a character's actions.

Or thinking about it another way, we have reality with what the reader sees, and what the characters are thinking, which are also slightly hidden.

The tension is still between what's really happening and what the reader sees, but in this case we're using our reading ability and natural empathy to deduce the character's motivations and feelings based on the narration of what's really happening in the world of the book. In other words, we see the outside world, but the inside is slightly hidden.

One of the most common mistakes writers make in third person narration is doing too much work for the reader – in other words telling the reader what the characters are thinking and how they're reacting, rather than trusting the reader to do that job. We’re all (or have been) guilty of telling when we should be showing. This is the cardinal rule of third person - show the characters acting upon their emotions rather than telling us how they feel. This creates a really fascinating barrier between what we're reading and what we sense is happening behind the scene.

So, in conclusion:

The tension in first person is between a character's unique perspective and what is actually happening in the outside world, while the tension in third person is between what the reader sees in the outside world and what is actually happening from the characters' perspectives.

There are however many more distinctions between first and third person. What do you think? Please add your own two cents in the comments section. How should we further distinguish between first and third person? Do you have any of your own tips for both? 

Once again I have to thank all you lovely people who have bought one of my four books - Thank you! I can't do it without you and your friends. Also if you promised me a review and have forgotten I'd love to hear from you - we authors need feedback.

Have a great weekend and week ahead,

Faithx

What Price Life?

Some of you know I live in Cyprus, and many will have heard of Monday’s horrific explosion that literally rocked our small island at the eastern end of the Mediterranean.

The explosion occurred when munitions, seized in 2009 from an Iranian shipment to Syria, apparently exploded when a wildfire reached a military base. The explosion caused loss of life and dreadful injuries and has led to the resignations of Cyprus' defence minister and the commander of the Greek Cypriot National Guard.

Now we have a lot of bush fires, some are accidental, some are deliberately instigated and some are just plain irresponsible. In this terrible tragedy, at least twelve innocent people lost their lives. I have included some of the ‘alleged’ facts as garnered from various World News Agencies:

“Rescuers walked among debris and bodies covered by sheets around the Evangelos Florakis military base.” (news agency)

The evening before, I was in the next village with a group of forty-three friends having fun at a pool party. We’d cooled off in the swimming pool, had a super evening meal and then danced into the early hours – little realising that our venue would be hit very hard in just over three hours’ time. I was fortunate in leaving the party before the time of the explosion –some of my friends were not. Luckily none have sustained serious injury but the venue will need considerable money and effort before it will be usable again.

“The early-morning explosion in the southern village of Zygi, which was felt for miles around, destroyed a power station, levelled houses and shattered windows, doors and even the railing of a highway, said witnesses and journalists reached by telephone. Sixty-two people were injured.” (news agency)

“The ammunition was confiscated in early 2009 from the Cypriot-licensed cargo ship “Monchegorsk” as it sailed from Iran to Syria, according to the official Cyprus News Agency. The seizure was carried out in line with the U.N. Security Council's arms embargo on Iran over that country's nuclear aspirations.” (news agency)

 “The blast left a deep crater where the munitions were stored and caused extensive damage to the nearby village of Mari, CNA said.” (news agency)

"There were 98 containers of gunpowder," a police spokesman told CNA. "They [caught] fire and huge explosions occurred." (news agency)

 “The island's largest power plant, located next to the naval base, was destroyed. Blackouts are expected just as the summer heat peaks. Cyprus lost 60% of its power."  (news agency)

Now we are told that only last week, another Cabinet meeting was held concerning the ammunition depot. It was reported to be unsafe and inadequately monitored and a decision was taken to protect the material.  However, residents have only major contempt for what they consider gross negligence …”But they had two years”…the government had been warned that the containers had become “warped” from being exposed to the elements ever since being confiscated. (Allegedly)

  How to shoot yourself in the foot, Cyprus-style (allegedly):

According to a reading of the newspapers, it is alleged that the position of the Cypriot government seems to have been:

1.     Allow a Cyprus registered ship to carry a consignment of munitions from Iran to Syria.

2.     When the ship is intercepted in the Red Sea by the US navy, insist that the ship is sent back to Cyprus. We don't want to offend the Syrians, because they might cosy up to Turkey and start running ferry services from North Cyprus to Aleppo

3.     Reject offers from the Americans, Germans and others to dispose of the cargo.

4.     Reject offers of specialist technicians to help neutralise the explosives.

5.     It's not our job to play the international policeman. So, we sit on it until the UN rules what to do with it (i.e. take it off our hands)

6.     Pile all 98 containers of explosives in a large pyramid (so as to maximise the force of the blast).

7.     Leave the containers in direct sunlight for two years, so that the daily expansion/contraction plus the weight of containers makes them crack and buckle.

7.     Reject pleas for proper conservation measures (disperse the containers, build blast-deflecting earthworks around them, put them in the shade), clear away the surrounding brushwood, because of "budget austerity".

8.     Make sure the pyramid of containers is only 300 m away from the largest power station on the island, responsible for more than half of the national electricity supply.

Too bad it went "boom" in the meantime.

As a resident of Cyprus, I am naturally saddened by Monday’s horrific events, especially as it appears that this should never have happened and was a blunder of enormous proportions. We have three days of national mourning, but this will do little to appease those families left bereft.

I am sickened by what goes for ‘all in the name of politics.’

For the next week I am going to donate $1 from the royalties from each of my novels towards charity.

Thank you for listening

Faithx

Cosy /Cozy Mystery and 4 Days in a Row

Well I’d set myself a tough target this past week whilst hubby was away visiting the family in England. I’ve wanted to write a small collection of short stories and now seemed the perfect time. After waving goodbye to him at the airport in Paphos I sat down to start on Wednesday morning. Four days later I have achieved just that. Super. I now have four short stories all around 2500 words long. Reading through them later they all seem to bear a moral tale too, strange. Give me a week or two and I’ll publish them on Amazon. Watch this space!

Some of my writer friends tell me that things have picked up since June. My book sales are slightly above par but revenue is up. Wahoo! Can’t wait for that Amazon cheque (turns away for a laugh!)

I’ve playing around with my website this week too. It’s still a bit of a mess – I’m no techie and I have to design by trial and error. I also lose things – somehow? Please excuse the site and I promise to try harder.

Recently, I’ve heard The Assassins’ Village described as a cosy or cozy mystery. Now I’ve heard of that term before but never really thought too much about it. What exactly does it mean?

When I was writing my second novel, I knew it was a mystery, but I wasn’t sure of its sub-genre. So doing a bit of thinking and research (I love that) I’ve come up with this.

A cosy or cozy depending which side of the Atlantic you’re on, is a fast-paced, feel-good read that, when you put it down, you can hardly wait to get back to it. The story contains lots of clues (as well as red herrings or wild-goose chases). This gives the reader a chance and the feeling of wanting to solve the mystery along with the sleuth. The victim has no real emotional attachment for the reader—s/he’s the villain —so the reader isn’t upset by their death. We have twists and turns as well as surprises but, in the end, justice prevails and the sleuth is the heroine as shown by my own Diana Rivers in The Assassins’ Village.

The cozy’s heroine is usually an amateur sleuth (take Jane Hickson in Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple). This role she’s fallen into because she’s intelligent, intuitive, and downright nosey. She’s usually connected to the crime by someone she knows or because she was nearby when it happened. She’s likable, though flawed in a way that is not going to offend the reader – often a minor flaw, showing the reader that the sleuth is human too.

The sleuth has strong relationships; lots of friends, family, acquaintances who feed her missing links to solve the mystery. These characters are often eccentric, annoying, or amusing—just like people we all know. Frequently the protagonist has a friend or spouse who knows facts about the crime that aren’t yet public. This could be a member of the police force, or a prying neighbour for example.

The cosy’s sleuth usually has another job—solving crimes is something she does because she wants to. She could be a shop owner, doctor, nurse, —or she might be retired with extra time on her hands. Instead of or in addition to a profession, a cosy might have a hobby such as sewing, knitting, tennis, or gardening.

The murder in a cosy isn’t described with an excess of gore – this is no Patricia Cornwell look alike. It usually happens before the real story begins like at the beginning. Sometimes there are multiple murders, but they’re described in general terms—not too much blood and guts.

A cosy is often geographically specific, usually in a small town or village, my novel is set in an old and small Cyprus village, complete with a motley collection of people all given rounded characters.

Of course there has to be law enforcement—but they are often short-staffed, unavailable and ineffectual in the short term. Procedural accuracy is often overlooked and not necessarily needed in this genre and the police seldom take the protagonist seriously. A lot of cosies are written as a part of a series because this allows the reader to become emotionally involved with the recurring characters on an on-going basis.

I believe the real measure of a cosy, is a book you want to read while snuggled in your favourite chair on a cold, miserable afternoon, hot chocolate to hand. This is a book that when you finish it, it leaves you with a smile on your face and you’re left wondering when the next one will be published.

Just noticed! The Assassins’ Village is now ranking number 28 in Kindle #mystery & thrillers #women sleuths. AND The Bamboo mirror is ranking number 10 in Kindle #history #horror #ghosts! Wahoo! These are the highest rankings these two books have reached.

What a fantastic week. Thank you everyone! And I hope you all have an equally good week yourselves ahead.

Faithx

Good morning! Another fabulous day in Cyprus!

It’s been another busy week for me. After finally putting Romeo and Juliet to bed, it was about time to crank up those writing skills again.

For some time I’ve been trying to sit down and write either a short story or a collection. Yesterday, I achieved the first. I wrote a 6400 short ghost story. Not ordinary fictitious stuff, but a story that is almost 100% true. It’s set in a boarding-school in steamy, lush Singapore back in the 1960s. It was my first real stint of living away from home at the tender age of eleven and I wasn’t too sure if I was going to like it.
Almost as soon as I set foot in the house, I could feel very strong vibes around me and they soon had me totally engrossed in the strange events that occurred.
Read it - believe it – I’m not making it up! It really happened.

The Bamboo Mirror ~a Diana Rivers Mystery & short true paranormal.

Recently, readers will have read my previous posts about leaving comments on blog posts. I am delighted that comments sent to me have gone up by quite a few 100%! Some I leave on the page – others I delete if they’re not relevant.

And this leads me on to my second theme today: Why I like to Personally Respond to My Readers.
Despite the low royalties I (and many other writers) receive for my hard work I was always brought up to practice good manners!
I could ignore them, and I could (if I had the know-how) probably get something automatic to do it for me. Bit I look at it like this. You, the reader have taken valuable time to write to me, so I should reciprocate.
When you read my book, write a review, take the time to find my website and leave your name and email address, and then tell me you loved my book, why would I not? You’ve given me money for my book and you’ve given me your time to read it!
You’ve spent a couple of days, weeks or even a month giving your time towards my product. I am honoured.
You are why I sit alone, hour after hour, chewing my pencil or tapping away at my laptop and if you take the trouble to write to me after reading one of my books then you deserve a few minutes of my time saying thank you!
You after all, are why I love to do it in the first place!
Thank you, thank you, and thank you.
Faithx

Good Day!
I am delighted to let you know - just before it's launched -  about my brand-new short paranormal TRUE story: The Bamboo Mirror.

This story is set in hot and steamy Singapore in the 1960s. A day when Changi was still a dusty village with an amazing Chinese authentic street market. Set in a boarding school, Diana Rivers has some strange experiences when she meets two young children - who are not quite what they seem...the ending will astonish you!
If you'd like a copy then look out for my coming notices and the odd tweet or two.

As a very special offer** if you buy a copy of The Assassins' Village (currently at number 42 in Mystery/womens' sleuths) then I'll let you have a copy of The Bamboo Mirror for FREE. Just buy The Assassins' Village on Amazon, and you'll see the special coupon voucher at the end of the book. Contact me from this website with your coupon number and I'll send you your free eCopy. Easy!!

Thank you for your splendid emails, comments and a huge thank you to those who've bought my two novels so far. Without you,I'd be lost!
Faithx