An Exciting New Year Beckons

As I write this we stand on the cusp of a new year. As you read it the New Year will already have begun, in Scotland anyway. New Year is always a time for hope, looking to the future and wondering what the year will bring. 

As a writer the past year has been an absolute blast. I have been to several conferences, met some lovely people and brought out four new books. These were Killer's Cut and Killer's Crew in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries, The Dagger's Curse in the Fergus and Flora Mysteries and one non fiction book. The non fiction book is called Power Packed Book Marketing and was written to accompany a talk and workshop I was doing. 

Over the year I have been a speaker at several conferences and run workshops at several more. Book week Scotland was crazy busy with 11 events in 8 days. The highlight had to be being on a panel at Bouchercon in New Orleans. This was special in many ways. It was my first time speaking at an International Festival as a writer, also my first time in New Orleans. I also met a number of delightful people who I now call friends. 

Killer's Countdown, the first book in my DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries won a Chill With a Book Award. This was my first writing award and I felt quite emotional. If you haven't yet read this series then now is the time to start. To celebrate the award Killer's Countdown is only £1.99. You can get it from any Amazon

As I say 2016 was memorable. It was fun and full of adventure and excitement. It was also full of wonder. Wonder that this was happening and gratefulness that it was. 

I am excited about what 2017 will bring. I have already been asked to speak at several conferences including the Scottish Association of Writers Conference and the Dublin Writers Conference. I will also be attending a number of other conferences including Killer Nashville and Bouchercon in Toronto. The Crime Writers Conference is happening over my birthday so I am looking forward to that. I have been asked to run a full day of writing workshops for The Prince's Trust

I have a number of projects and books ongoing. The Haunted Broch, the next book in the Fergus and Flora Mysteries will be with the publisher any day now. The next Shona McKenzie book will also be out in May or June. I believe that 2017 will be just as exciting, if not more so, than 2017.

Many people are choosing their word for the year. I have decided my word will be opportunity. I know that there are a number of opportunities which could come along. I plan on embracing them and making the most of them. Where they will take me I can not tell. I do know that I will continue to follow my dream. To enjoy every single minute of the journey and let it take me where it will.

As 2017 approaches I urge you to follow your dream. Take the first step, then another and another. You will soon be well into your journey and on your way to reaching your goal. If that dream is to write a book then pick up a pen, or pull forward a keyboard and write the first word. Share what your dream is in the comments below. Your first step could be telling the world. It will make it somehow more real.

However, the year has not just been about writing. It has also been about reading. My first read of the New Year will be The Kill Fee by Fiona Veitch Smith. Expect a review on here very soon. What book are you starting the new year with. Let me know in the comments so I can get some recommendations.

Whatever you may be doing I trust you will have a blessed and happy year. Thank you for sharing the last year with me and I look forward to sharing the next year with you as well. 

  

Celebrating the Year Just Gone

As we start the year as writers we tend to look to the future. What will the year bring? What will be writing? What projects have we got planned? We often forget to look at what we have achieved so that is what I am urging you to do today. We are always growing and developing, both as a people and as writers. If we look at what we have done this can help us to move forward.

As writers we can often be despondent about our work and our achievements. We feel like we don't measure up or are not as good as others. We should be celebrating our successes whatever they may be. Take NaNoWriMo as an example. There are a number of writers celebrating because they reached the finish line. However, some will not have reached that Goal. Celebrate what you have done. Be it 10, 20, 30 or 40 thousand or even a thousand words, that is more words than you would have written if you had not been doing NaNoWriMo. You are that many words closer to completing your book.

As I look back over the past year I was genuinely astonished that I have completed 4 books and had short stories in 3 anthologies. This started with Power Packed Book Marketing in March, Killer's Cut in April, The Dagger's Curse in September and Killer's Crew in November. What a year and definitely worth celebrating. It has been non stop with conferences attended, speaking at conferences, speaking engagements, book signings and meeting readers. I signed a publishing contract for a series of young adult books and have an idea for another series. In short it has been a fabulous year, full of fun, laughter and writing.

Although the year has not ended yet I think one of the best ways to end Book Week Scotland was when Killer's Countdown was given an award. That, and the fact readers are enjoying my books make me a very happy writer indeed.

When taking stock of the year just gone it helps us to make decisions about the year ahead. Knowing what I am capable of has made me realise what I am capable of if I try. It has given me encouragement to achieve even more in the coming days and months and on into the future. If you are a writer I would encourage you to do a similar exercise. You might be amazed at what you have achieved without even knowing it.

Goodbye for now my Bookaholic friends. If you would like to buy signed copies of any of my books as Christmas presents then you can do so from my website. I'll get them out first class the day I receive the order. They make great stocking fillers as well.

You can also buy them from Amazon on the links on the right, Kobo, Nook and CLC Bookshops

See you soon my Bookaholic friends. Until then keep reading, and writing. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Is there such a thing as writer's block?

As this is the month of November I have been doing the annual NaNoWriMo challenge. As always there has been a mixed approach to this. Mostly the words flow and other times I feel like I have slammed into a brick wall. This got me thinking about writer's block and whether this really exists. 

There have been times in the month where the words just would not appear in my brain never mind the end of my fingertips. To put this into context I have had a busy month. I released my first book in the DI Shona McKenzie series and there has been all the attendant work which goes with this. My time has been taken up with Author events, book signings, and generally letting people know it has been available. Add to this that November is the start of the silly season which is the run up to Christmas. Add to this the stress of playing catch up with my NaNoWriMo word count and I think life just got a bit overwhelming for me. When I felt like this it was difficult to formulate words never mind put them into a coherent sentence.

It would be all too easy to allow this to take over and to say that I could not right. That things were just not working the way I wanted them to. This could quite easily lead to a protracted period of not writing which could be termed writers block.

However, this has taught me a thing or two about myself and my writing. Firstly, I get so many ideas when I am lying in the bath relaxing and not really thinking about anything. Obviously this blasts my mental decision that I cannot write and my mind, left to its own devices, takes over. Going out into the garden and staring at the burn (stream for anyone not in Scotland) has the same effect. It calms me down and allows my subconscious to strut its stuff. 

The second thing I have learned will make me sound plain weird. Still I will throw caution to the wind and tell you. I'm a writer after all and us writers need foibles. I write better if I go into my office and sit down at the computer, dressed in my work clothes and with a pair of shoes on. I think this has to do with the fact I have gone out to work all my life and my mind cannot get over the fact that I need to be dressed certain way to produce. Slippers and a dressing gown are all very well for relaxing, but if you want to do that writing thing, boy you'd better be dressed for the part. 

So overall I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as writers block. I just need to free my mind and out the words will tumble.

Now that my mind is unleashed from its fetters I am off to do some writing. DI Shona McKenzie is off on the trail of a killer in book 2 and she is champing at the bit for me to join her.

I would like to finish with a question. What do all you writers out there think about writers block? Is there anything you do to get yourself past it?

By for now bookaholics. See you all soon.

What Keeps a Writer Busy?

As many Bookaholic Readers will know I will soon be releasing the first book in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. These are exciting times for an author and let me tell you I am excited. The book Launch is in Waterstones Dundee on 17th November, so not long to wait now. 

I hadn't actually realised how much work there is whilst preparing for a book launch. My advice to all authors is start early. The time will go past more quickly than you can ever imagine or realise. Still, I am pleased to report that all is going well and I am on track for the launch. It sounds like it is going to be a great affair and I am really looking forward to it. By the looks of things it is going to be well attended and all my various friends, relatives and the local community are being supportive and are looking forward to the launch. 

I have to give a shout out to two young men who have gone above and beyond to help me in the process. Firstly, Nathan Gevers has built my author website. I am sure you will agree that he has done a fabulous job. Take a look and find out what he has done. Website

Joseph Wilson also deserves a mention. He is busy producing a video to go with the book and his ideas have blown me away. He is also writing, playing and producing the music to go with the video. Watch this space for an update the minute it is ready to go public. I can promise you it will be well worth the wait and anticipation.

Before the book launch I will be speaking at the Scottish Fellowship of Christian Writers Conference in Stirling. If you are a writer and live in Scotland it is well worth joining this organisation. At the conference I will be talking about Blogging for Writers, and will also be running a blogging workshop. I am very much looking forward to this. 

I will be posting about both the conference and the book launch in future blogs. 

As well as all the above, I am also furiously writing to try and finish the first draft book number two in the DI Shona McKenzie series. I am having a great time writing it but there are parts which send shivers down my spine. Never fear, Shona is on the case. 

So as you an see I have been very busy. Reading has taken a little bit of a back seat, but I will be back on it this weekend. I have the first in David Hewson's The Killing trilogy ready and waiting for my attention. See you all soon my Bookaholic friends. Until then keep reading and writing.