Sam Blake's Blog, page 6

Keep Your Eyes On Me

Keep Your Eyes on Me is Sam Blake’s first standalone, and like the Cat Connolly books features two strong women on a mission. Pick up your copy in your local bookshop or online here!

Described as ‘Strangers on a Train’ meets ‘Dial M for Murder’ it reveals the story of what happens when two wronged women, Lily Power and Vittoria Devine meet on a plane bound for New York.

Praise for Keep Your Eyes One Me

Original, twisty and very gripping – this is a rollercoaster ride to be savoured. William Ryan

One of those delights of scheming and machination where you really don’t know who’s manipulating whom until it’s far too late. And then tips you upside down at the end –  terrific!  Alex Marwood

‘Revenge is sweet in this deliciously entertaining thriller, as two women scorned aim to settle a few scores – with an ingenious plan that will have you cheering them every step of the way.’  TM Logan, author of The Holiday

I absolutely love a tale of women scorned getting revenge and this one did not let me down. I loved the escapism of it – I was living vicariously through those characters, I tell you. It was  pacey and exciting and totally joyous.  Jo Spain, author of The Confession.

 

The Inspiration Behind Keep Your Eyes On Me

After writing the Cat Connolly police procedural trilogy Keep Your Eyes on Me is a total change –  it’s a standalone psychological thriller that TM Logan, bestselling author of the Richard and Judy Book Club choice, The Holiday describes as: ‘Revenge is sweet in this deliciously entertaining thriller, as two women scorned aim to settle a few scores – with an ingenious plan that will have you cheering them every step of the way.’

I hope so! Published originally in trade paperback on 2nd January 2020 in print and digital in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand with Corvus Books, the paperback is out on 5th November 2020. I’m still pinching myself, but the audio book is read by Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch (she is really lovely!) and is available on all audio platforms.

To avoid spoilers for anyone who hasn’t yet read No Turning Back, let’s just say that Cat is busy getting super fit and learning a range of new skills for her role in a very exciting Garda unit, one that is suiting her down to the ground (well more up in the air, but there’s lots on the ground too), so, with her occupied, my agent Simon Trewin suggested that I wrote a standalone…

There was only one hitch: when you’re writing a serial character, each new story is a bit like walking into the pub, saying hello to everyone, and finding out what’s going on. Your characters are developed and you know them so well that you can hear them chatting to each other.  Each character has their own story arc, as well as contributing to the story arc of each book, and the overall arc of the series. A standalone is a completely different prospect, it’s a whole new cast, a whole new concept and this time, writing a psychological thriller, took a whole different approach.

The biggest questions were: what was the story and whose story was it? Coming up with a new idea took a while – there were lots of concepts sketched out and developed, each one took the story development and characters one step further until I knew I had the start of an idea that might work.

I knew I wanted to write a book that involved airports – I travel a lot and have had some very interesting and strange experiences. I’ve met the most fascinating people and listened to their stories; I’ve ended up transferred to completely different airports that I might not otherwise have visited. I always feel that places where people meet and their stories intertwine are bursting with story – airports, stations, hotels, shops, museums – and Keep Your Eyes on Me has all of these elements. In writing a completely new story, I was able to bring together a lot of places that I love visiting – Bloomsbury in London, Killiney in Dublin and New York.  Above is a story board featuring key locations in the book – this focuses on the London elements, with a dash of New York!

I create story boards for all my books; for me, writing is very visual and having the images in front of me helps bring me back to the story if I’ve had a busy day, and also helps hugely when I’m writing location descriptions. I want the world of my characters to be as real as possible so that if you, as a reader, visits the location, you feel like you’re stepping into the world of the book.

Keep Your Eyes on Me features two very strong women: Lily Power and Vittoria Devine. Lily is a recently graduated jewellery designer who has been offered the job of a life time in New York, but the night before she leaves for the interview, she discovers that her brother has lost the family business, his livelihood and his home in a card game. How can Lily take the job and leave Jack on his own?

Vittoria is a former ballerina who had to give up her career after a car accident caused by her husband Marcus, an accident that also left her unable to have children. So when Vittoria discovers Marcus’s latest mistress is pregant she is devastated and needs to get away. He’s a pilot so she is able to use a crew pass and jump on the next flight to New York. When Vittoria and Lily meet quite by accident on the plane, they are both feeling vulnerable and are comforted by talking to a complete stranger – but as the conversation develops, they realise that they can help each other even the score…

In developing each character, I researched their backgrounds and created timelines so I knew exactly what they’d studied and where, as well as how old they were. Understanding them was crucial to understanding how they would interact and cope with the situations they found themselves in. It’s vital that characters change as a result of the story, or there is no story, and this is a book that is driven by the characters and their reactions to events. I’m a detailed plotter (more about the ways I do that here) but once the story starts to take off, I tend to write by instinct. Once I know what needs to happen and what the reader needs to learn in a given chapter, each one follows on naturally. That said, I always manage to make mess of the timeline somewhere, so now I write the date and time at the top of each chapter to try and keep it on track.

Keep Your Eyes on Me was inspired by Strangers on a Train (you guessed right), but also Dial M for Murder – it features stolen art, smuggled antiquities, and some devious scheming. I really enjoyed writing it and I hope readers enjoy it too!

Behind the Bestseller Podcast

What makes a book a success? What’s that magic ingredient writers need to bring to their manuscript to make it fly off the shelves?

Ever since I started writing I’ve been fascinated by what makes a bestselling book. As an unpublished writer I voraciously read debut novels to find out just what those authors had that had attracted an agent, and then a publisher, and got them over the line. As my latest thriller (a complete change from the Cat Connolly trilogy of police proceduarals) Keep Your Eyes on Me hits the bookshelves, I’m launching a new podcast, talking to bestselling and award winning authors, agents, editors and publicists from right across the industry to find out what makes a book a success.

Join me, crime author Sam Blake, as I chat to bestsellers from every genre to find out what makes a book fly off the shelves in Behind the Bestseller. Discussing concepts and ideas, where stories come from and how authors develop them into what you see on the page, I will also be chatting to agents, editors and publicists to understand their part in the process.

I started writing fiction in 1999 when my husband went sailing across the Atlantic for 8 weeks, I was convinced that first (terrible) book would be a bestseller – but it took me a bit longer than I expected to get published and it was actually my the fifth book that became my debut novel. Little Bones hit the number one slot for four weeks and launched detective Cat Connolly into the world, as well as launching my writing career.

In ‘Behind the Bestseller’, I quizz authors on exactly what made the difference for them and dig into the detail of how brilliant stories are born and how they grow.

My first psychological thriller Keep Your Eyes on Me arrives on bookshelves in January 2020 – it’s ‘Strangers on a Train’ meets ‘Dial M For Murder’; TM Logan, bestselling author of the Richard and Judy Book Club choice, The Holiday says ‘Revenge is sweet in this deliciously entertaining thriller, as two women scorned aim to settle a few scores – with an ingenious plan that will have you cheering them every step of the way.’

Join me in ‘Behind the Bestseller’ to discover the insider secrets – subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode!

Click here to listen on Spotify

Click here to listen on the Headstuff site

Behind the Bestseller PODCAST

What makes a book a success? What’s that magic ingredient writers need to bring to their manuscript to make it fly off the shelves?

Ever since I started writing I’ve been fascinated by what makes a bestselling book. As an unpublished writer I voraciously read debut novels to find out just what those authors had that had attracted an agent, and then a publisher, and got them over the line. As my latest thriller (a complete change from the Cat Connolly trilogy of police proceduarals) Keep Your Eyes on Me hits the bookshelves, I’m launching a new podcast, talking to bestselling and award winning authors, agents, editors and publicists from right across the industry to find out what makes a book a success.

Join me, crime author Sam Blake, as I chat to bestsellers from every genre to find out what makes a book fly off the shelves in Behind the Bestseller. Discussing concepts and ideas, where stories come from and how authors develop them into what you see on the page, I will also be chatting to agents, editors and publicists to understand their part in the process.

I started writing fiction in 1999 when her husband went sailing across the Atlantic for 8 weeks, I was convinced that first (terrible) book would be a bestseller – but it took me a bit longer than I expected to get published and it was actually my the fifth book that became my debut novel. Little Bones hit the number one slot for four weeks and launched detective Cat Connolly into the world, as well as launching my writing career.

In ‘Behind the Bestseller’, I quizz authors on exactly what made the difference for them and dig into the detail of how brilliant stories are born and how they grow.

My first psychological thriller Keep Your Eyes on Me arrives on bookshelves in January 2020 – it’s ‘Strangers on a Train’ meets ‘Dial M For Murder’; TM Logan, bestselling author of the Richard and Judy Book Club choice, The Holiday says ‘Revenge is sweet in this deliciously entertaining thriller, as two women scorned aim to settle a few scores – with an ingenious plan that will have you cheering them every step of the way.’

Join me in ‘Behind the Bestseller’ to discover the insider secrets – subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode!

Behind the Bestseller

Episode 1: Sam Blake talks to Catherine Ryan Howard (2nd January 2020)

Catherine Ryan Howard is an internationally bestselling crime writer from Cork.

Her debut thriller, Distress Signals (2016) was an Irish Times and USA Today bestseller. It was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey/New Blood Dagger and the Books Are My Bag Irish Crime Novel of the Year, and it won Best Mystery at the Independent Press Awards (USA). Pre-publication, it was optioned for television by Jet Stone Media and it has since been translated into five other languages, including Swedish, Chinese and Japanese.

Catherine’s second thriller, The Liar’s Girl, was a finalist for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Novel, previously won by Stephen King, Ian Rankin and Raymond Chandler, making her only the second ever Irish woman to be nominated for this award. The Irish Independent said ‘solid plotting … propels The Liar’s Girl forward at a terrific pace. In this, only her second book, Catherine Ryan Howard has certainly pulled off, with remarkable confidence, the notoriously difficult task of surpassing a debut novel that was met with critical acclaim and garlanded with awards.’ It was named a Best Book of 2018 by the Irish Independent and Crime Time (UK) and a Best Audiobook of 2018 by Library Journal (USA). In May 2019, it was included in The Guardian’s list of 50 Great Thrillers by Women written since 1945. The Liar’s Girl has been translated into five other languages, including Polish, Norwegian and German.

Catherine’s third novel, Rewind, is out now in the UK/Ireland and North America. The Irish Times called it ‘a top-class thriller, fast-paced and vividly rendered … [which] confirms its author as one of Irish crime writing’s leading lights,’ while the UK’s Daily Mail said ‘[the] third novel from the precociously talented Howard … confirms her position as a major new talent in thriller writing.’ Rewind entered the Irish Original Fiction bestseller chart at no.2 and was shortlisted for the Crime Fiction Book of the Year at the 2019 Irish Book Awards.

In March 2019, it was announced that Catherine had signed a major new deal with Blackstone Publishing that will see her publish a further six books in North America.

Catherine began her writing career self-publishing non-fiction – a memoir, Mousetrapped,  about her year spent working for Disney. She has delivered workshops on the subject for Faber Academy, the Irish Writers’ Centre and Guardian Masterclasses, among others. But her goal was always to write crime fiction and to get  published. Catherine was once obsessed with the idea of becoming a BSL4 virologist and she still hopes to be a NASA astronaut when she grows up. Catherine graduated with a BA in English Studies from Trinity College Dublin in May 2018.

Catherine has a lot to tell me about where her ideas come from, how she writes and what the secrets of multiple award nominations are!

Subscribe now to hear from a range of authors including Shane Dunphy, ER Murray, Darach Ó Séaghdha, Alex Barclay, London based literary agent Sallyanne Sweeney and many more…

 

 

Join Us for the KYEOM Launch!

Join Sam Blake to launch KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME at the Royal St George Yacht Club Dun Laoghaire on 5th January – it’s free and all are welcome!

Keep Your Eyes on Me features jeweller Lily Power – book the launch and to have your jewellery cleaned by family jeweller CM Weldon, or book without jewellery cleaning so we can ensure there is enough cake for everyone!

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Praise for Sam Blake

What people say….

Keep Your Eyes on Me

Original, twisty and very gripping – this is a rollercoaster ride to be savoured.  WC Ryan

Riveting, complex and no bookmark needed! Laura Rash (Wonderchick40) Bookstagrammer USA

I absolutely *love* a tale of women scorned getting revenge and this one did not let me down. I loved the escapism of it – I was living vicariously through those characters, I tell you. It was pacy and exciting and totally joyous. Jo Spain

A delightfully dark and satisfying thriller that had me anxiously cheering on the wronged women in their quest for revenge. Roz Watkins

The Cat Connolly Trilogy

Sam Blake creates unforgettable characters and dark plot twists full of intrigue (Liz Nugent)

Instantly gripping, perfectly paced, and filled with a brilliant cast of characters, led by the utterly likeable and relatable Detective Cathy Connolly. Writer Sam Blake moves cleverly between locations making sure that the reader is always in an interesting and revealing place that will bring them closer to uncovering the truth. And from the murky depths of these buried secrets comes an ending that truly shines. (Alex Barclay)

A stunning slap in the face of a novel. Beginning with a crime so shocking in its intensity that you have to read twice to grasp the horror. Then the narrative truly kicks in with breath-taking speed. Superb writing and a plot of adrenalised depth. This is easily a contender already for Irish crime novel of the year.

Be warned, the ending will rend your heart (Ken Bruen)

PD James meets Karin Slaughter in this stylish debut. Sam Blake has created a heroine crime sleuths will love in DC Cathy Connolly. She’s feisty, yet vulnerable, extremely intelligent, yet deeply instinctive. In other words, the kind of woman you want to have a glass of wine with and pour your heart out to. (Niamh O’Connor)

It’s always a delight when fiction provides women with depth and personality . . . a deliberately paced, character driver mystery coupled with some genuinely creepy moments and labyrinthine twists makes Little Bones a worthwhile summer read. (The Irish Times)

This dark and juddering thriller . . . A major boon in Little Bones‘ appeal factor is Det Cat Connolly who leaps from the page . . . Little Bones has discussions to raise via Cat and her personal life, themes that colour the contemporary Ireland backdrop for the uninitiated. (Sunday Independent)

From the very first page the reader is treated to a tense, fast-paced journey of suspense. A thrilling debut with a gutsy protagonist and a memorable story. The pages will practically turn themselves . . . Highly Recommended. (Bleach House Library)

One to watch. (Crime Always Pays blog)

A truly engrossing read (Independent.ie)

‘Tightly plotted, believably charactered and told with style – what more can you want? A great debut.’ (The Bookbag)

‘With so many twists and turns, both expected and unexpected, this book is entirely engrossing. I enjoyed this book so much that at just over halfway in I was already recommending it to friends that I thought would appreciate it.’ (The Quiet Knitter)

Incredibly engrossing with many twists & turns along the way….I would happily recommend Little Bones to anyone looking for a fast paced crime thriller Source: Swirl and Thread Blog

The start of an exciting new crime series introducing fearless Detective Cat Connolly…. one of the year’s most thrilling reads. Source: Easons

Little Bones is a fascinating story about old sins and family secrets. I found the book engrossing from the start, thanks to both the interesting story and its characters. Author: Magdalena Johansson Source: A Bookaholic Swede Blog

I was incredibly impressed by Little Bones. If you like your crime fiction to involve the more traditional police procedural, one that has a little more complexity to the generic, this may well be a book that you will really enjoy. Source: Cleopatra Loves Books Blog

Little Bones has suspense, mystery, suspicious death, festering families, a brilliantly executed plot, PLUS characters with plenty of flavour Source: Little Bookness Lane Blog

It was a great book, with some unexpected twist and with an ending that first was promising and then turned devastating. I recommend this book warmly! Source: It’s a Mad, Mad World

A gripping read Source: Irish Country Magazine

Sam Blake’s debut novel is a fast-paced thriller with a twisting plot and a likable heroine Source: Irish Times (Weekend Review)

One to watch Source: Crime Always Pays

From the very first page the reader is treated to a tense, fast-paced journey of suspense. A thrilling debut with a gutsy protagonist and a memorable story. The pages will practically turn themselves… Highly Recommended Source: Bleach House Library

Another cracking thriller, delivering a fast-moving, tense and shadowy plot full of unexpected twists and turns, and the palpable sense of danger that is becoming a hallmark of the Cat Connolly books Source: Lancashire Post

There are so many amazing twists in the plot that by the end you don’t know who to trust. I also enjoyed the ending which was fairly ambiguous. It leaves you on the edge of your seat and it definitely leaves you wanting more from the series Source: Warm Days Will Never Cease

Sam Blake Author Photos

If you need a picture of Sam Blake for your event or website, please use any of the following – they are all royalty free and I own the copyright.

MURDER ONE! Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival

I am SO excited to bring you news of this…

In a UNESCO City of Literature that boasts innumerable festivals all year round, you might think that all bases had been covered, but with the increasing popularity of genre festivals, this is not strictly true.  Crime writers have regularly appeared at the major Dublin literary festivals but crime writing has arguably been under-served thus far.  All this is about to change with the advent of Murder One, a new three-day long weekend crime writing festival that will feature readings and interviews with Irish and international authors, panel events, and a free speakers corner where attendees can listen to readings from some of Ireland’s newest crime writers.  Murder One will be a broad church accommodating the kindred genres of thrillers and spy fiction, police procedural and supernatural.For a first festival the line-up of crime writers is massively impressive. International bestseller, Michael Connelly opens with a special preview event on October 28th at 2.00pm in City Hall with Declan Burke moderating.

Thereafter the main programme takes place in Smock Alley, one of Dublin’s premier event venues, from 2nd – 4th November.  Featured over the weekend will be a stellar cast of crime and thriller writers including Lynda La Plante, Peter James, Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Clare Mackintosh, Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware, Mick Herron and Robert Goddard together with many of your favourite Irish crime writers including Liz Nugent, Jane Casey, Karen Perry and many more.

International bestseller Lynda La Plante will also bring festival attendees a unique free workshop for anyone interested in the world of forensics or Crime Scene Investigation. This interactive event is hosted by Think Forensic whose experts include CSI’s, forensic scientists, and senior investigating officers. In Lynda La Plante’s CSI Murder Room, get a hands on introduction to forensic science during which you will be briefed on the crime of the day, inspired by Lynda’s newest thriller Murder Mile, and help the team solve it.

The festival has been developed and will be curated by two of Ireland’s most experienced literary event programmers, Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin of Writing.ie (also SAM BLAKE

Short Story Anthologies

I’ve been very privileged to be asked to contribute to several landmark anthologies – the short stories in them are all related to the Cat Connolly books and are extra stories about the characters.

Looking At The Stars was a limited edition anthology of Irish writing edited by Kerrie O’ Brien and Alice Kinsella to raise money for the Rough Sleeper Team of the Dublin Simon Community.

It features a mixture of poetry, prose and non-fiction from a host of incredible Irish writers but, most importantly, it will also feature writing from those currently in the services of the Dublin Simon Community. It raised over €15000 for the Dublin Simon Community.

The Broken Spiral is an anthology of short stories by Irish authors in aid of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. The project is named The Broken Spiral as this is the symbol of the centre, and because it is emblematic of the winding, re-winding and often circuitous journey towards healing that those who have experienced trauma face. This symbol also serves as the shape of the collection, which, though it inevitably explores darkness and difficulty, ultimately offers solace, and a way out of the labyrinth. The Broken Spiral has raised much-needed funds for the centre, but also act as a restorative to survivors of trauma who have spoken out and survivors who remain in silence through the redemptive power of storytelling. The aim of the collection is to bring hope to the reader, and to re-establish a belief that healing can, and does, happen.

The Broken Spiral anthology launched in mid-November 2017 at the Irish Writers Centre.  Featuring writing from Pat McCabe, Mia Gallagher, June Caldwell, Louise O’Neill, Colin Barrett, Sinéad Gleeson, Roisín O’Donnell, Rosaleen McDonagh and Claire Hennessy. Sponsored by Dublin UNESCO, Bodytonic, Mutiny and the Irish Writers Centre. Edited by R.M. Clarke.

Reading the Future is a wonderful limited edition anthology of 250 Irish writers celebrating 250 years of Dublin’s oldest bookstore, Hodges Figgis. Edited by Alan Hayes it features bestsellers, award winners and two Booker shortlisted authors Donal Ryan and Sally Rooney.

My story features Anna Lockharte, a character in No Turning Back, and who I hope will feature in a future book!

 

Sam Blake at The Professional Writing Academy

Sam Blake is a guest tutor at The Professional Writing Academy Crime Fiction Online Workshop designed and facilitated by course director & Unsung Hero of Publishing 2018 Tom Bromley. 

Are you passionate about crime fiction? Would you like to expand and hone your writing skills? This four-week online course will help you master the conventions of crime fiction as you develop ideas, create compelling characters and inject suspense into your writing. You’ll learn how to develop page-turning plots and put this knowledge into practice by writing a short crime story or start of a novel. Broaden your palette of writing techniques and explore the world of thriller, suspense and crime  – and you can do it wherever you are in the world!

About Tom Bromley (but obviously the pic above is *me*