Gut feelings

Three months? Lots going on - some resolved - some not. I am due to have an exploratory camera thrust down into my gut on Monday afternoon. Hopefully that will sort out what has been plaguing me since I last posted. I am told that I must post the pictures on Facebook - not sure that will be wise.

I've completed some writing, but renovating the smallest room in the house took a considerable time - wouldn't you know it! What writing I have achieved has been mainly on the Jack Chandler sequel. Set in New York, Washington and London (and possibly Slovakia if the Trenchin Castle idea comes up trumps) it has action, assassinations and a secret society to end all secret societies (Dan Brown eat your heart out). Jack realises that the powers pulling the strings behind the scenes of Western Governments have an agenda beyond even his jaundiced imagination - but deciding who he can trust with the information is another matter.

I'll try not to leave posting so long next time - depends how the pictures develop!

As I was saying ...

Two months? Has it really been two months?


I have had my head down - doing a rewrite. The Messenger intentionally crossed set genres (thriller and supernatural) and it was suggested that it could pose a selling challenge to an interested agent. So, I decided to see how the story may fare from being purely a thriller without its 'other world' subplot. The exercise has been fascinating. Whilst the concept of the original story - (are war dead free from the pain of death?), poses a threat (the more we kill, the more likely we are to kill ourselves) and brings a message (those who profit from war will destroy us - so believe nothing - question everything) when the supernatural subplot is removed it creates a totally new focus. Iran and the Middle East dilemma are still the object of the story, as is the US invasion, but the 'new' story (for which there is no working title as yet) drops the wordage from 144,000 to 115,000 and reduces the characters. The pace, however, is increased and becomes more story led than character led. Both allow me to provide a sequel. So, there we have it - that's where I have been for two months.

Oh, yes, and I met up with Camilla Bolton (Darley Anderson) at the Crimefest event in Bristol and she has requested the first ten chapters of the revised story when it is finished (in around two weeks).

The local bicycles. Red of course ...

On Good Friday the journey from Calais to the Dutch hotel was tiring, but the food and accommodation more than made up for that. On Saturday we had a restful couple of hours on a boat travelling along the canals just outside Keukenhof - then visited the bulb fields and gardens - which are beautiful and have many hoardings extolling the Dutch connection with the USA. I didn't realise that the expression 'Yankees' comes from the Dutch, Jan (John) Kees (baboon). Not a terribly nice term I guess.
Travelling to Vollendam proved interesting if not a little eerie. We journeyed along a 19 mile length of roadway constructed from reclaimed land. The road was around 20 feet wide and only a couple of feet above the water on either side of us. The eerie part came in when we stopped halfway across and took in the view - water in every direction! God help the Dutch if sea levels rise.
In Amsterdam, on Sunday, the canals were atmospheric as were the buildings - the Venice illusion was strong. Back on dry land, I could not believe how many bicycles were parked up around the city - thousands of the things, in all shades of colour and age. Interestingly, despite the free use of Cannabis, the riders appear to obey the traffic signals - unlike some of the cyclists in this country. Again, I didn't realise that the title Coffee House (with an English spelling) signified where the drug is available - as opposed to Cafes where it apparently isn't. Anyway, we gave the spliffs and 'space' cake a miss, but not so the red light area. The streets are narrow and, behind the glass panelled doors, women, and I gather men, too, ply their trade. A range of bodily shapes and sizes are in evidence, but all are licensed, have regular health checks every six months and pay tax on their earnings. My wife, Jill, was shouted at by one woman for having her video camera open. Whether the lady concerned thought Jill was going to film her I don't know. Maybe she hadn't told her family what her real occupation was and didn't want it revealed on Utube.
Easter Monday saw us in Brugge, but not for long as Calais beckoned.

It's JFK, with clogs on ...

Well, after a month of editing, a hard drive crashing and flu, the 20 chapters have been sent off. I really hope Camilla enjoys reading them.

This last edit was a very good exercise - especially on the scenes where Leyla and her people appear. Jack's reaction to her, and them, has escalated from bemused confusion to doubting his sanity. The fact that he's on a collision course with General Falcon and FLAG means little to him at the moment, but it will. FLAG kills those who get in its way, not even Presidents are safe, so, a British Army Sergeant will be easy meat - or will he?

In Holland for the next five days. Catch you guys when I return.

Only eighteen to go!

On Thursday, writing buddy Rita and I spent five hours going through a hard edit of the next two chapters of the Messenger. On Saturday, when I managed to put the sixteen pages of alterations together in print, my laptop crashed and I lost it all. The machine crashed badly once before and I had the hard drive replaced, but I guess in the back of my mind, I knew there was still a problem. So, on Sunday, I bought a new laptop and transferred the story across - then spent until today rewriting and trying to remember what I had altered and how I had written it. Whoever is up there looking down on me is determined I will remain grounded and have to work my ba**s off for any success - which, I suppose, is the way it should be - and what I will do.

Does anybody else have a cat who won't pee unless it's done over a drain? I suppose we should be grateful it isn't on the carpet, but, in the middle of the night, it's a little disconcerting to find the cat in the bath using the plughole!

Say goodnight to the folks, Gracie.

It gets better ...

Camilla Bolton liked the revision, is 'intrigued' by the plot and has asked for the next 20 chapters. I must admit to being extremely pleased that an agent of her standing has taken an interest in my character, Jack Chandler. Camilla has kindly given me as long as I need to edit the work she has requested. Let's hope I can impress her with the next 20 chapters.
So, folks, even though outside it's raining cats and dogs, is cold and windy, I love today!

Changes rippled ...

Apologies - I haven't been around. I have been working like stink on rippling the changes, that Camilla Bolton suggested, through the rest of the manuscript. It took a while to do, but I have to say what she suggested has really helped - as you would expect from a professional in the business. I am working on the sequel and Rita and I had a meeting yesterday to iron out some ideas on it. Research is going to be a slog, but it needs to be done. Might need another trip to Slovakia to sort out one of the elements of the organisation I am going to incorporate in the story. Then of course, the chase scenes in Washington, will probably need more research too, haha. Now, when can I plan that for? The Fall is too long away.

Had an email from an old friend this week. It was nice to catch up and brought a lot of memories flooding back of when we used to work together in the seventies and eighties. Those were the days! Flares, shoes you could fall off, collars so long you could tuck them in your trousers - as for the men, that was a different matter. Hair, moustaches and sideburns were almost black then - although they've changed a little over the years - where there is hair, everything's silver!

Right, better get on with the sequel planning. Catch you again.