Richard Dee's Blog, page 57

Creating a Steampunk World

As some of you may know, I wrote a textbook on World-Building, I thought you might be interested in a sample chapter, dealing with Steampunk, that quasi-Victorian land of heroes and villains, not forgetting the King and a good cup … Continued

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A bread recipe. Carrot and Coriander Focaccia

As you all know, I love to make bread when I’m not writing and I love to try new flavour combinations.

Focaccia is one of those classic loaves, great for soaking up tomato sauce in a pasta dish or with cheese and a little Balsamic Vinegar as a snack. Here’s a twist on the traditional version.

First get everything for a basic Focaccia dough,

500g Flour,

20g Coarse Semolina,

320g Water,

50g Olive Oil,

10g each of Instant Yeast and Salt.

To this I added 120g grated Carrot and 1 heaped tsp of ground Coriander (Cilantro)

this was kneaded in my mixer on slow for about 6 minutes.

Then proved for an hour,

I divided the dough into two pieces and stretched it into two Focaccia in oiled trays.

and left to rise for another 45 minutes.

They had 20 minutes in the oven at 220°C.

You can see the carrot inside the dough. The bread tasted delicious.

I’ll be back on Saturday with some thoughts on writing and Monday, with another #OpenBook blog hop. Meanwhile, check out the offers below.

There’s a new bookfunnel promotion for Sci-fi boxsets. Including one of mine.

August Boxset Sale Promotion

Searching for your next favorite story? Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of new books. Available for a limited time.

And one for my amateur sleuth, Andorra Pett.

COZY MYSTERIES IN KINDLE UNLIMITED AUGUST 19TH TO 31ST

Searching for your next favorite story? Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of new books. Available for free for a limited time.

Check them out, there are lots of great stories available.

All my publications can be found on my Amazon page, at

Author Updates

Follow Richard Dee and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com’s Richard Dee Author Page.

I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.

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Story Arc. Can you see the future?

Welcome back to another blog hop, with #OpenBook. Here’s this week’s prompt.

What is story arc to you?

Oh no, not another technical prompt! Although this time at least it’s not grammar. I sort of get the idea of story arc, it’s the way a story (or series) flows and develops. For the technical definition, I had to go and look it up (again).

I found that, officially, there are eight stages of the arc.

These are: the stasis, trigger, quest, surprise, critical choice, climax, reversal and resolution.

So now I know.

In terms of how the story develops and the plot unfolds in what I write, it’s as much a mystery to me as it is to the reader. I have no great vision, no concept of what will happen in part three.

When I’m actually writing, I don’t even know what’s going to happen on the next page.

This is how it works.

I’ll see a situation in my head, a scene will play out, things will happen. There might be dialogue, perhaps it will just be descriptive. I’ll write it down.

There will then be a gap, it could be a day, it may be more (once it was a year). Then the action will start again and I’ll carry on writing it down. This sequence repeats until I get to the end of the story.

If it helps you to understand, imagine a movie or show that you’ve never seen before, you might have an idea of the plot but you don’t know all the details. You might even have seen a trailer, a compilation of the good bits but in no particular order. Now you’re watching it. You can slow the playback down or rewind and see it again, in case you missed anything, but you can’t fast forward and find out what happens next.

In the gaps, while I’m waiting for more information, I’ll get the same thing for another story, it’s as if the characters are taking it in turns to show me what’s going on in their own stories. It’s a bit like waiting a week for the next episode of your favourite T.V. show. In between, you watch other things.

That’s how I write. It means that the reader gets to the end at exactly the same time that I did. When I find out the identity of the murderer, or the smoke clears from the final shootout, whatever, it’s as much of a surprise to me to find who is left standing as it will be to anyone who is reading the book.

If you’ll pardon me blowing my own trumpet for a moment, I occasionally get reviews or comments from readers which will tell me how clever my twist was, or that they never would have guessed the killer, yet with hindsight, it was so obvious. The really weird thing is that half of the time, I’ve never noticed the clues I was leaving when I was writing. I only spot them when I read through the completed manuscript for typos.

Then of course, you come to the sequel (or prequel).

Where the arc (I can use the words with confidence now I know what it means) moves on, possibly in another direction but always following the same trajectory. Of course, I never know if any of my stories will even get a sequel, never mind carry on into a series. Some do, others appear to then never quite make it. In the end, it’s all up to the voices.

That being said, I do have several series and I can see the progression, the hero’s journey, the continuity. Everything fits together, a bit like real life. But I don’t keep notes about who did what, when. It just happens as it’s transferred from my head to the page. My conclusion is that; whoever is dictating this stuff to me is the real star, I’m just the conduit.

And as long as they know what happens next, what the arc is, I’m happy to go with that.

Let me know what you think about this week’s subject.

I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.

Now check out all the other blogs in this hop by clicking below.

Check out the other great blogs here.

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Be Careful. A short story to make you think.

Today, I’m sharing a short story from one of my collections. This is the one that I (famously) wrote on my mobile phone while waiting for a delayed appointment. It was what prompted me to get the plug-in keyboard that I now carry with me.

See if you think it was worth the thumb-strain.

Be Careful…



We all want different things, but do we ever consider the consequences of our desires?

I woke, my alarm was buzzing. My head throbbed; I had drunk far too much beer last night. Then I realised it was quiet. There were no traffic noises. There was no Mrs what’s her name upstairs clattering around. There was just the sound of silence. I wasn’t used to it. And it deafened me.

I got up and crossed to the window, pulled back the curtains and looked out on the street. The window was already open, that wasn’t the reason that I couldn’t hear the sounds of the city waking up. The streets were empty in the early morning sunshine. I looked at my watch, it was time to get up, there were cars on the road and I could see a bus at the end of the street. It was just that none of them were moving. And no-one was walking on the pavements.

I felt the sun’s warmth through the window; the sky was dotted with a few small clouds. It was going to be a beautiful summer’s day. But there were no people, anywhere. If I strained my hearing I could just make out the sounds of the main road, a quarter of a mile away. I went to the bathroom, the light worked and water flowed, just as normal. I washed and dressed as fast as I could and grabbed a drink from the fridge. The light came on when I opened the door. The news on the radio was the usual boring old stuff, nothing about a mass disappearance of the population of SW18.  I looked online, there were no local traffic problems and no roads closed. No gas leak had caused a mass evacuation that I had slept through.

There was just an alarming absence of other people as I walked down the road towards my workplace. I saw a few cats in the windows of the houses; they watched me pass with that unnerving cat-stare. Televisions were on in front rooms. I started to feel fear, just a prickling sensation in my shoulders at first; it took over from my headache.

I only lived a short way away from my office job and unless it was pouring with rain I walked every day. I usually bought a newspaper at the local shop; it was open as usual but deserted. I took the paper and left the money on the counter, by the till. A quick glance at the headlines confirmed that the news was the same old normal. As I neared the main road the sound of traffic, the sounds of life got louder. But when I turned the corner and saw the junction, there was nothing. Again, there were rows of cars, lorries, and buses but there were no people. What was going on? I could still hear the noise, but now it sounded like it was in the next street. It was almost like I was in a bubble, all around me outside the bubble life carried on. Inside it was deserted. I lost it for a second and shouted: “Where are you?”

I ran down the road in a panic, turned left and reached the source of the noise. It was silent and deserted, just like where I had come from. Now the noise sounded like it was behind me. Not knowing what to do I retraced my steps. Back at the junction, it was still deserted but I could see that the traffic had moved in my absence. The pattern of vehicles was definitely different.

What was going on? I was really frightened now; I just stood by the traffic lights, I shook and I screamed, “Is there anyone who can hear me?” shouting it over and over.

As I turned around and around, I saw a lone figure, standing and watching me. I ran towards them, shouting out in the silence, “Wait, don’t go.”

As I reached them I realised that I had seen her before. She was tall and olive-skinned, with thick dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Where was she from? Was she like me, stuck in this bubble? I was shaking and grabbed her arm as if to anchor myself to something that wasn’t part of the crazy world I had found myself in.

“I know you,” I said, realising that it sounded stupid, all the things I could have said and I said that.

She looked at me calmly, as if being grabbed by demented people in a deserted street were the most normal thing. “Last night,” she said, gently removing my hand. “We met at Greg’s party; you were in a foul mood.”

I remembered it only too well, I had had a bad day and things were going wrong at work. No matter how I tried to sort the situation out people either wouldn’t listen or said they’d get back to me and didn’t. Then my boss had started hassling me, blaming me for other people’s errors and by five o’clock I had had enough. I was sick of them all. I got home to find that Mrs Upstairs was all too ready to criticise my lifestyle.

I walked away as she started on my music choices and volume. All this had coincided with a fall out with my family and to top it all I had a party to go to. I certainly didn’t feel like spending the evening in the company of a bunch of happy people. Even at the best of times, I wasn’t really a party person. Tonight I just wanted to be left alone to sort my mind out.

My girlfriend, Sal, arrived after I’d eaten and persuaded me to go with her. “It’ll do you good,” she said, “cheer you up a bit.”

I had been bad company, by ten Sal had got fed up with my moaning. She told me in no uncertain terms to sort myself out before I bothered to call her, and then she had left. I felt bad, I hadn’t wanted to go and now she had made me feel worse. I liked Sal a lot and didn’t want to lose her; despite my black mood, she was special to me. I just needed a bit of alone time.

Everyone else was having fun, that only made it worse; I couldn’t join in the dancing and singing. I just sat in the corner and drank beer. The only bright spot was at about eleven when the girl had turned up. She had a face you wouldn’t forget in a hurry. It had a kind of haunting, hypnotic quality and it had cheered me up a bit when she had ignored everyone else and come over to talk to me.

We chatted and although I told her my life story she gave little away. Refusing a drink, she said she had recently arrived from abroad and was trying to settle into life here. I asked her how come she was here alone. Her reply was that she wasn’t good at relationships; people always got fed up with her in no time. I couldn’t see why, she was intelligent and witty, not conceited like so many beauties are and easy to talk to, it didn’t make sense. She was sympathetic to my tale of woe and talking to her helped me calm down a bit.

She gazed into my eyes sometime after midnight, holding my hands and looking into the depths of my mind, “What do you really want?” she asked, “just imagine that you could have three wishes.”

The idea was appealing to my semi-inebriated state; I tried to marshal my thoughts.

“I just wish that everyone but you would just get on with it and leave me alone,” I said it confidently, hoping for a spot of sympathy and understanding. Instead, she nodded and got up. “I understand exactly what you mean,” she said. “Back in a bit,” she gave me an enigmatic smile.

“I don’t mean you,” I called after her, “you’re the only person who’s been willing to listen to me tonight.” She waved her hand and laughed as she turned and walked away.

That was the last I saw of her, I waited a while and when she didn’t return I sought out Greg, the party giver.

“I’ve lost a girl,” I told him.

“I’m not surprised that Sal’s gone home,” he answered; “you’ve been like a bear with a sore head all evening.”

“Not Sal, another girl, you must have seen her, you couldn’t miss her,” I described the mystery woman to him.

“Dark hair, blue eyes, no, not one of mine,” he shook his head, his eyes thoughtful.  “I would have shoved you out of the way if I had seen her, anyhow you shouldn’t be chasing other women, Sal will kill you. She won’t be thrilled if she hears that you’ve been you pouring your heart out to some stranger.”

“Sal got fed up with me going on, at least this one listened.” I said and Greg laughed, punching me on the shoulder as he told me off, “Well, I wouldn’t tell Sal that, she might not be too sympathetic. You’ve been an old misery tonight, but if Sal finds out, well, that’s how jealousy starts.” He was right of course, I needed to lighten up and sort myself out.

“Oh well if she isn’t coming back I might as well go home and sleep it off,” I told him, “see you tomorrow.”

“Where did you get to?” I asked her, “you never came back and I looked for you.”

“I had things to do,” she said with that enigmatic smile, “nothing personal. How’s your day? Are you feeling any better?”

“I can’t understand it,” I replied, “I can hear life going on all around me, it’s on the radio and the internet but it’s, well it’s just not here. I feel like I’m alone, but surrounded, if you know what I mean.”

“Don’t you remember what you said?” she asked me.

“What?”

“What you told me last night. I said what do you wish for. You went on about how you wanted to be left alone, isn’t this what you wanted? Do you mean that now you’ve got it you think it was a silly thing to wish for?”

“But you don’t mean this is…” I stopped; she had to be playing with my mind. Did she want me to think that she had…?  That was a ridiculous idea. There had to be a rational explanation, it just needed finding.

“Anyway,” I reminded her, “I’m not alone, you’re here.”

“Yes,” she said, “you said everyone except me. It took a while to set up, longer than I thought but I had to do it properly. You’d gone home when I got back so I waited to catch you this morning. I thought you’d be pleased with me.”

None of that made any sense. “Can’t you just tell me in simple terms? What’s going on?”

“OK,” she said, the blue eyes sparkling and the smile playing across her face, “In simple terms then. What are your other two wishes, Master?”

I hope you enjoyed that. The story features in Volume 2 of Flash Fiction.

More exploring to do…

in the worlds and words of Richard Dee.

In this collection of short stories, you’ll find the secrets of a second-hand shirt, read about the history of the future and learn the true meaning of Christmas (And you thought you knew it already!).

Not only that, you can discover the secrets of the Methane seas of Protea, whose really in charge and why you should always be careful what you wish for.

If that wasn’t enough, there are cows in space, why would there be? 

“Richard Dee has done it again.”

“keeps the reader entertained from start to finish.”

There’s a new bookfunnel promotion for Sci-fi boxsets. Including one of mine.

August Boxset Sale Promotion

Searching for your next favorite story? Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of new books. Available for a limited time.

Check them out, there are lots of great stories available.

All my publications can be found on my Amazon page, at

Author Updates

Follow Richard Dee and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com’s Richard Dee Author Page.

I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.

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The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Back in the day, I used to join in a bloghop called Wordless Wednesday. In it, you posted a gallery of pictures based on a single topic, with no explanation except for the title.

I found some of these posts when I was going through my old blogger site and thought that I might share a few with you.

We weer looking forward to visiting the Lost Gardens of Heligan this year, it’s a great day out and we usually stop in Polperro on the way home for a look around the harbour and a pasty.

Of course, Covid put a stop to that, so we had to content ourselves with looking at the pictures from our last visit.

And Polperro

I’ll be back on Saturday with some thoughts on writing and Monday, with another #OpenBook blog hop. Meanwhile, check out the offers below.

There’s a new bookfunnel promotion for Sci-fi boxsets. Including one of mine.

August Boxset Sale Promotion

Searching for your next favorite story? Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of new books. Available for a limited time.

Check them out, there are lots of great stories available.

All my publications can be found on my Amazon page, at

Author Updates

Follow Richard Dee and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com’s Richard Dee Author Page.

I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.

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Adverbs everywhere

Welcome back to another blog hop, with #OpenBook. Here’s this week’s prompt.

Are adverbs really the devil? If they sneak in occasionally, does it mean we’re lazy?

As I’ve said to you many times before, I don’t do grammar. I failed English at school (twice as it happens) and wouldn’t know an adverb if it bit me savagely on the proverbial. And to be honest, I’m getting a bit too old to start learning it now.

I had to do a little research, this is what I found :-

An adverb is a word that modifies (describes) a verb (he sings loudly), an adjective (very tall), another adverb (ended too quickly), or even a whole sentence (Fortunately, I had brought an umbrella). Adverbs often end in -ly, but some (such as fast) look exactly the same as their adjective counterparts.

And this was some advice that I spotted about the use thereof.







Don’t use adverbs that state the obvious (everyone bellows loudly)Try not to be lazy…take the time to find a better wordDon’t add adverbs just to make a sentence longerIf your verb sucks, find a new one instead of trying to spruce it up with an adverbStay away from really and very (Yes, I’m sure I’ve used them lots of times)Try to use them only when the meaning of the sentence suffers without itDon’t use adverbs that are redundant

Just reading all of that made me so glad that I employ an editor. She takes care of such things for me, whilst I just write what I see on the never-ending film in my head.

As a result of her work, nobody has ever mentioned that I use too many adverbs, so she must be doing a good job.  

Which is a relief. I’d hate to get bogged down in technicalities, after all, I’m only really interested in writing. Any distraction can’t be good for the flow. If she was to tell me to cut the adverbs, I’d be totally lost.

As for what I think about the subject, it’s like anything, too much can be a nuisance and too little can leave you wanting more.

But.

The correct amount should be left up to the reader. I’ve said it before, language evolves and tastes change. There’s no place for the grammar police or the plot patrol in determining what’s acceptable. The language I use is appropriate to the action that’s unfolding. So there!

If I use them, am I lazy?

No. I’m not. I just write what I’m told and spend a considerable amount of my life doing it. The idea that my choice of words indicates someone who can’t be bothered is not one that I subscribe to, especially when I’ve been slaving over a hot keyboard all day.

Let me know what you think about this week’s subject.

I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.

Now check out all the other blogs in this hop by clicking below.

Check out the other great blogs here.

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Andorra Pett takes a Break

You might think it’s strange, given that The Hitman and the Thief hasn’t even been published yet, but I’m already looking at my next release.

It will be an Andorra Pett adventure. The fourth full length mystery that she has to deal with and after her exploits on Mars, Earth and the space station, I’ve decided to give her a holiday.

At least to start with. As always there’s more going on under the surface and she soon has to do a little light sleuthing.

Once again, the brilliant Gill Trewick has come up with a great cover concept, so let me present Andorra Pett takes a Break.

It was billed as the trip of a lifetime. It was certainly that, but for a different reason altogether.

Yearning for peace and quiet with her partner, Derek, Andorra Pett heads home to the space mine off Saturn. Despite her good intentions, she soon gets dragged into the station’s politics, so it’s a relief when the chance of a holiday comes up.

All she has to do to get the trip of a lifetime is give a speech on the maiden voyage of the Solar Breeze, a new sort of cruise ship.

Its voyages around the solar system will be the must-have vacation. Once the great and the good have had a sneak preview, on a cruise taking in the delights of Venus and Mercury.

But nothing is ever simple in Andorra’s life. Things get really serious when the Solar Breeze is hijacked by eco-terrorists.

A trip around the sun will never be the same again.

The latest draft is currently with my editor, but I’ve run this extract through the spellchecker myself; so that I can give you a flavour of the story. We join Andorra and her partner Derek. They’re in their cabin, after her speech has caused a bit of a stir.

I woke with a jolt; I was sure that I’d heard a shout.

I nudged Derek, “Derek, what was that?”

“I don’t care,” he muttered, pulling the pillow over his head, “probably nothing.”

I dug him in the ribs, “listen,” there it was again, a high-pitched wail, turning into sobbing, like a wounded animal. And hammering, like someone was stuck inside a locked door.

Derek sat up, “you’re right,” he said, “it was a scream,” he looked at his watch, “it’s half one in the morning; let the crew deal with it, we’re on holiday.”

I got up and reached for my clothes, “we need to do something; I bet they’ve never had a murder on a luxury cruise ship before,” I said, pulling my jeans on.

“Andi, just leave it. I know you love solving mysteries but honestly, can’t you just pretend that nothing’s happening, just for a few days.” 

“Someone’s hurt,” I said, “and I don’t know about you but I can’t just leave it.”

I dragged a tee-shirt over my head and fluffed my hair out, I was decent. “I’m taking a look,” I said. I went to the door. It was locked. Of course it was, I’d locked it myself, just a couple of hours ago. I flicked the catch and pulled. It was still locked.

“Derek.”

“What is it now, why can’t you just give it up, it’s all gone to your head, just go back to sleep and the crew will sort it in the morning.”

“We’re locked in.”

“You dozy thing, there’s a catch under the handle.”

“I know, we’re still locked in.”

Now he was awake, he got up and tried the door. “You’re right,” he agreed, but there was no real interest. I was waiting for an apology but it looked like it would be a long wait.

“Oh well,” he eventually said, “that solves it, they’re probably broken. At least we’re safe from whatever’s happening outside. I’m going back to bed.”

Wasn’t he concerned? we were locked in this cabin and goodness knows what was going on. He started snoring, clearly he wasn’t.

I got undressed and got back into bed, but I couldn’t sleep. Something was not quite right, there was trouble brewing.

It all seemed to have gone quiet outside. The noises had stopped and all I could hear now was Derek snoring gently. I snuggled up next to him, in the morning there would probably be a perfectly logical explanation. Fee was probably fixing the locks now.  Before I knew it, I was asleep again.

If everything goes according to plan, Andorra Pett takes a Break will be published later this year.

I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.

Author Updates

Follow Richard Dee and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com’s Richard Dee Author Page.

There’s a bookfunnel promotion for Sci-fi Boxsets running in August. There are some free and some discounted titles. Including one of mine, Get all three parts of the Balcom Dynasty for just £2.99 ($2.99). Check it out below.

August Boxset Sale Promotion

Searching for your next favorite story? Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of new books. Available for free for a limited time.

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Make your own Clotted Cream.

With summer here, I thought that I’d revisit a post that I regularly repeat, a simple ‘how to’ that will help you recreate a Devon (or Cornwall) classic. You get the Strawberry Jam and I’ll tell you how to make your own Clotted Cream.

I’m a big fan of Clotted Cream, my Grandmother used to make her own and I remember it when I was growing up.

These days, you can get a supply fairly easily, several supermarkets sell it and even if you aren’t living in the West country, you don’t have to go without.

But, what if there was a simple way to make your own? Click the link below to find out how.

Homemade Clotted Cream

While you’re here, check out this great Boxset promo for Sci-fi and fantasy. There’s one of mine, The Balcom Dynasty, included in this selection at the special, low price of £ ($) 2.99 for all three parts.

August Boxset Sale Promotion

Searching for your next favorite story? Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of new books. Available for a limited time.

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Putting a face to a name

Welcome back to another blog hop, with #OpenBook. Here’s this week’s prompt.

Do you draw your main characters so that a forensic sketch artist could put them on the cover, or do they belong to the reader?

Until this question was asked in the prompt, I’d never really considered the subject. So, I had a look through my portfolio (which sounds a lot better than I read a few of my stories again). Strangely enough, I’ve only really described the physical appearance of one or two. And that was only in general terms. Even though I can see them clearly in my mind.

Andorra Pett, for instance.

It’s about time I introduced myself, I’m Andorra Pett, my friends all call me Andi. I’m short and feisty with a few curves and a mess of dark hair.  

And that was it.

The rest of them I have either left up to the reader to picture, giving hints on their appearance in what other characters have said about them. That, of course, is subject to their opinion and relationship.

Like Ballantyne Alysom. I tell you at the start of Survive that he’s seen by the general population as a genial, philanthropic explorer. Then I reveal the fact that he’s short and makes sure that he’s always filmed to make him appear taller (this includes having a specially made chair to make him seem bigger), I don’t say much about his appearance. But, with that hint, do I need to say any more for you to get an idea of what he’s like?

Why do I do it like that, I hear you ask?

Rather than describe their physical attributes, I’ve concentrated on what they’re like as people, I’d rather do that than set up a stereotypical good or bad guy (gal).  I think that gives me a bit of wriggle room with the moral or ethical side of them, while at the same time showing that it doesn’t really matter, after all, it’s what’s on the inside that’s important. The reader can then ascribe any detail. Perhaps they will remind them of someone they know, so they can think of them in that way.

A reviewer said of Ballantyne Alysom that he was someone that everyone has experienced at one point in their life! Which kind of proves the point.

And using their co-stars to describe them means that the picture is clouded, just like it is in reality. In the research that I did for my psychological thriller Life and Other Dreams, I found out a lot about perception. How we see things is not always how others do. There is no real correct version of much, as far as we are concerned. The way we see, taste, touch, smell and hear is subjective and personal.

So why not have two (or more) separate ways of describing a character, depending on how the other players see them?

If you can see someone’s personality from multiple points of view, isn’t that just making the story more lifelike? You can choose to like or dislike them, just as you do with everyone you meet. And perhaps, as the story progresses, you might change your mind, see them in a new light as more of them is revealed.

Let me know what you think about this week’s subject.

I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.

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The Hitman and the Thief

My next novel, a stand-alone sci-fi adventure, is published on September 1st, and for the month of August, you can pre-order the eBook for just 99p ($0.99).

The Hitman and the Thief was written as my NaNoWriMo project last November (2019). It grew from an idea that I had while writing examples of backstory for my World-Building course.

Here’s the cover and blurb, click the cover to go to the Amazon page.

Assassination can be a messy business, especially if you’re having a bad day.

Dan Jones is the ultimate problem solver, the hitman for crime boss Fliss Bauer.

Fliss has a rival, Kalindra Dallin. She runs a particularly unpleasant planet. Dan is told to arrange her demise. It’s just another job; until a random event means that it all goes horribly wrong.

To save his skin, Dan is forced to try again, only this time he has to work with a partner. He doesn’t want to but it’s the only chance he’s going to get; if he wants to put things right.

Can the hitman and the thief get the job done, more importantly, can they keep each other alive?

Here’s Chapter 1

I was sitting by the pool, with a tall glass of gin and Athleberry (lots of ice), when I got the call. The Hanseker Tower was the best hotel on Lestran, an exclusive place on an exclusive planet, a popular destination for the great and the good. I was neither; I would just have to hope that nobody noticed.

It was my first holiday in years, about time that I had a few days to myself. As I said, the hotel was top end. I had a luxurious room, the pool was inviting and the few other guests that I’d seen looked interesting, especially the single female ones.

The hotel was one of those places that took your personal phone off you at the gate, ‘to preserve the privacy and peace of the celebrity guests’. They probably had some sort of EM shield as well, just in case. I didn’t care; the phone was a nuisance, being without it was as much a holiday as anything. Anyway, there was no celebrity that I was interested in taking pictures of. I’d seen more than a few close-up, they were no different to me or you. After all the complications I had managed to fight my way through recently, a break with no reminders of work was exactly what I needed.

With no wireless field, it meant that the hotel’s phone was on a long cord that snaked across the tiles. I watched as the uniformed steward manoeuvred it between the rows of sunbeds, heading in my direction. It felt inevitable; I could see it coming but could do nothing to stop it. It was like the micro-second before a car crash when your brain stretches time. Even so, I kept my head down, willing him to pass me by.

He arrived by my side, his training had kept him from standing in front of the suns; at least I wasn’t blinded when he coughed and I looked up. He gave me the handset. “A call, sir,” he said unnecessarily, before stepping back and turning away.

Nobody knew I was here, except the person who had sent me, all expenses paid, as a reward for completing the last job she had given me.

“That was a messy business, Dan,” Fliss Bauer had said, just a few short days ago. “You did well, have a few days off on me. It’s all been arranged.”

What new problem had changed her mind? Couldn’t it have waited for a few days?

“Hello, Fliss,” I said. “I thought you told me that I was on holiday. I’ve only been here a day, scarcely time to get drunk or check out the ladies.”

“You’re slowing down then,” she laughed; an explosion of mirth that, even from fifty light-years away, still did things to me. “I won’t tell Hesta the last bit. I have another job for you, just came up. It’s urgent, sorry about that. I’ve organised a ship, there’ll be a car outside. Call me when you’re on the way.”

The line went dead before I could reply, which was a good thing. I might have been on first name terms with her, but I was still an employee and not too indispensable to get away with telling her what I thought. Where I would be going and what I was about to do was a matter that could be discussed privately.

Sighing, I handed the phone back to the steward. “Thank you,” I said as I picked up my drink and my towel. There was little point in moaning about it, my holiday was over. At least I didn’t have much packing to do; I had hardly taken anything out of the case. The ladies would have to wait. There would be nothing to tell Hesta.

Story of my life.

I took a last longing look at the pool, the trees that hid the security fence and the land beyond, with the sparkling waters of a sail-dotted lake and happy, smiling people everywhere. I finished the drink in one, put the empty glass on a table and headed inside.

There are a couple of reviews already, on GoodReads. Find them here.

The Hitman and the Thief

Assassination can be a messy business, especially if you’re having a bad day. Dan Jones is the ultimate problem solver, the hitman for c…

As a special bonus for readers of this blog, here’s a sample from the audio version, due out on the same day. Narrated by Charles Mallet.

I hope you enjoyed the sample and the opening chapter. If you want to know what happens next, get the book delivered on September 1st by pre-ordering for just 99p ($0.99).

I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.

Author Updates

Follow Richard Dee and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com’s Richard Dee Author Page.

There’s a bookfunnel promotion for Sci-fi Boxsets running in August. There are some free and some discounted titles. Including one of mine, Get all three parts of the Balcom Dynasty for just £2.99 ($2.99). Check it out below.

August Boxset Sale Promotion

Searching for your next favorite story? Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of new books. Available for free for a limited time.

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