Ask the Author: Peter Caulfield
Answered Questions (3)
Peter Caulfield
Work in the way that suits you best. Author forums are great for getting advice but much of it can be very conflicting. For example, many authors plan out their novels in finite detail, they not only know the story in advance, but every plotline and plot twist are mapped out in advance. Others are more organic. They know the story they want to write, but the plot comes to life as they put pen to paper. That's how I prefer to work. I believe that if you plan out everything in advance, it doesn't allow you to surprise yourself.# - and I like to be surprised. When writing my first novel (Legitimate Targets - as Peter Facer) I had a police inspector character - trustworthy and reliable, suddenly murder an old lady witness. In that split second I created a 'gasp out loud' moment that even I hadn;t seen coming.
All I can advise you to do is try out both methods and see which one works for you.
All I can advise you to do is try out both methods and see which one works for you.
Peter Caulfield
My three crime thrillers (written as Peter Facer) featuring an everyday village 'Bobby,' Jake Sullivan, who gets into all sorts of mayhem, finished up as a trilogy. I had no intention of writing another, but I was nagged by readers not to leave it where I had and to write at least one more. (SPOILER ALERT) That was potentially a problem as I had killed him off at the very end of the third book - The Trojan Code. (ANOTHER SPOILER ALERT) Luckily I have been able to plausibly resurrect him for a fourth adventure, tentatively titled "Ground Shock." I'm not sure when it will hit the shelves, but I'll keep you informed.
Peter Caulfield
My past novels (published as Peter Facer) have all been described as "High octane crime thrillers) but I've always had an interest in British history. I love Barbara Erskine's books and the way she weaves the present day and the past into compelling novels. Where hers tend to be more on the supernatural spectrum, I wanted to write something more akin to time travel. As it happens, there's a lot of the supernatural about "Catherine" too.
I can't really explain where the idea came from. I sat at the computer and simply wrote the opening sentence, "The point of the dagger hovered a hair’s breadth above the artery pulsing in her neck." At that point all I knew was that this person was an ancient Briton from the Dark Ages. I write very organically so I had no idea where this story was going until I continued writing.
I can't really explain where the idea came from. I sat at the computer and simply wrote the opening sentence, "The point of the dagger hovered a hair’s breadth above the artery pulsing in her neck." At that point all I knew was that this person was an ancient Briton from the Dark Ages. I write very organically so I had no idea where this story was going until I continued writing.
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