What I do, is so weird!

My job is downright weird at times. Who would write letters to their mother, or those close to them, from imaginary people? Maybe the better question to that is WHY would anyone bother to write letters from imaginary people?

Fist answer… Me! Second answer… I’m trying to get to know my characters from The Runner better. Last week, after I finally handed in edits on The Buried, after I practically had to rewrite the entire book, I rang my publisher, Anna and said, ‘you know what? I’ve had 28 goes at getting the ending right and with all this practice I’ve had, it’s never worked. How can I get better at endings.’

If you read Goodreads, (which I try never to, because it’s a review site and most people forget that authors have feelings too), one of the biggest criticism I get is my endings are too rushed. That’s a fair observation.

My new project, Letter’s to Mum

There are two types of writers; a plotter and a pantser. A plotter, plans every part of the novel out - they know every little red herring and and the ending. A pantser is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of writer. And for examples, Jane Harper is a plotter while Chris Hammer is a pantser.

Yours truly is also a pantser. I’ve always thought that if I know how the story ends, you guys might work it out too and I don’t want that. I want you turning the pages until the very end. (Although I know you might have worked out who the bad was in The Witness. That one was more about was everyone going to get out the situation safely.).

So after a long conversation with Anna, we decided I might do some type of course that helped with endings and then I came up with the idea of writing letters to the people closest to my characters to get to know them quickly, rather than getting to know them as I write and then the edits, especially during the beginning of the book, so crazy it makes me want to tear my hair out.

So this week, I’m writing from a few new characters and a few old ones. top the people they are closest to. And here’s a question, who do you think Detective Angie Sullivan is closet to?

Bank review hour

Sometimes just before dusk, there is this really special type of light that we farmers call Bank Review Hour. It’s when there a glow from the sun cast on everything and makes it seem more beautiful that everything actually is. It’s a weird thing, doesn’t happen all the time, just some particular nights. That’s when we always joke the bank manager should come out for a look and we should ask for more money because it looks like we can pay it back! There’s been a couple of days this week, where that special light has shone. It’s one of my favourite times of the day. I was out on the road going to visit my best friend when one of them hit last week. The crops looked amazing as did the sky. It’s enough to make you fall in love with nature.

New releases and soon-to-be released…

Here’s a some new releases and soon-to-be-released books that turned up for me this week. I inhaled The Palace of Lost Virtue by Anthea Hodgson. Such a great read, and even more special as it’s based in Kalgoorlie too, although in the early 1900s, rather than the present day as mine are.

I was asked for a cover quote for The Reckoning by Vikki Petraitis. This comes out in September and if you want a read that races along at a blistering pace, this is the book for you. I’m starting on the The Yacht next, then The Whistler. I’ve heard mixed reports about Yesteryear. Have you read it? I’d been keen to know what you think.

Anyhow, have a wonderful week. Once I’ve finished all these letters, I’ve got more books to write and a dog to walk!