F.R. Jameson's Blog, page 19

Sunburn by Laura Lippman

[image error]

A young mother on a beach holiday with her loutish husband and small daughter gets up and leaves them both one morning. She gets as far as a small highway town and starts a flirtation with a guy she meets. However, this guy is a private detective who’s been hired to track down and inveigle his way into her life as a repercussion of the violent death of her first husband. The two of them enter warily into a romance, until another shocking death seems to force them closer together, or does it?

Laura Lippman’s SUNBURN is a superb, taut noir thriller which kept this reader on edge throughout. I don’t want to talk too much about plot mechanics, as I don’t want to give anything away, but Lippman clearly has a mastery of this kind of ultra-tense yarn and makes the feints count as much as the blows. What I will note though is that the world it creates is beautifully evoked. I could feel this small town around these characters inhabit, know even what it was like to work in the local bar.

For some plot is everything. They look at whether it makes logical sense while hiding its twists and see the book’s quality on that alone. But if a novel can combine a well thought out plot with beautifully evoked characters and a real sense of place, then it can truly be something special. SUNBURN most definitely does that.

 

Just a reminder, my own noir novel, DIANA CHRISTMAS is available now!

How to Write Quickly – my thoughts so far…

[image error]

I was actually hoping for more of a straight line as I described my writing process, and hopefully offered useful hints for anyone else who wanted to try and write well, but quickly. But to be honest, I’ve been a bit meandering.

One day I hope to pull it together into one incredibly useful guide, for now just take it as a work in progress and if you have any questions or comments, please do get in touch.

 

How to write quickly – intro 1

How to write quickly – intro 2

How to write quickly – part 1

How to write quickly – part 2

How to write quickly – part 3

How to write quickly – part 4

How to write quickly – part 5

How to write quickly – part 6

 

Hammer Horror Reviews

I’m still on holiday and still raiding the archives for blog posts. Forgive me, I’ll be back next week.

Ever since I was a ridiculously small child I’ve loved Hammer Horror films. I love the cheesiness, the rich red blood, the barely concealed sex, the fact that at their best they actually do manage to scare.

Having a wife, a baby, a full time job and aspirations to be a full-time indie author, I haven’t managed to watch them in order or on a regular basis. But I have seen a good few over the year. Here are my reviews.

[image error]Twins of Evil (1971)
[image error]The Witches (1966)
[image error]Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb (1971)
[image error]Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966)
[image error]Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
[image error]The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
[image error]Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
[image error]Scars of Dracula (1970)

Looking at them all listed like this, I realise that I really have been favouring Dracula movies over Frankenstein. I must do better this current year. I flipping love Peter Cushing, and feel that I’ve somehow let him down.

How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – the ideas so far…

As I’m on holiday this week, I’m filling up my blog entries with classics from the archive.

Actually classics might be a bit strong for these entries, but they get a lot of hits so I thought I’d give them a chance to shine.

The idea at the outset was that there’s bound to be a lot of fiction coming out around the current President of the United States, and most of it is going to treat him a bad guy. I had the notion then to write a story about him not where he’s the good guy, but where he redeems himself somehow, or sacrifices himself to save the world.

As the Presidency has gone on though, this has improved impossible to do. WORDS MAY HAVE INFINITE POWER, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO REDEEM THIS MAN!

Maybe one day I will find a way to make it work, which doesn’t just rely on Donald J. Trump being one of the worst people in the universe (also, they take quite a bit of time, which I don’t really have). But for now, here’s where I’ve got so far.

[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 2

(Part 1 is just a crap joke and can be skipped)

[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 3
[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 4
[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 5
[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 6
[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 7
[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 8
[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 9
[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 10
[image error]How would you write about Donald Trump in a horror story – part 11

I hope you enjoy!

And if you have any thoughts on how to develop this series, do let me know below.

Me, Not Writing, in 2018

[image error]

I write, or at least do something for my writing, every single day.

This weekend though I’m taking off. Or trying to take off. One never know when a brilliant idea which needs immediate attention might strike, but my intention is to take a break this long Bank Holiday weekend.

So, even though this post is written in advance, it feels odd for me to rhapsodise about the joys of writing, when I’m most likely sat back with a hot cross bun and a glass of dandelion and burdock and doing nothing creative whatsoever.

It’s really easy to get caught up in your work, to let it consume you. But the only way you can keep your sanity is to give yourself a break. To pull back occasionally, get some fresh energy, some fresh perspective and not burn yourself out.

So, whether you’re creating this weekend or not, Happy Easter, all!

 

Just a reminder, my brand new noir thriller, DIANA CHRISTMAS is on Kindle Unlimited right now. Check it out here!

[image error]

I Found it at the Movies: Film Noir Reviews by Debbi Mack

[image error]

There’s an enthusiasm in these pages which is infectious. The author clearly loves her genre and it’s impossible not to feel that pulsate through every review or short essay. I’d imagine that anyone who reads this book will have seen a fair share of these movies, but it doesn’t matter as you’ll want to charge back to the ones you have seen, while the ones you haven’t – well, you may not rest until you’ve tracked them down.

Definitely recommended for anyone like me who already has their head joyously full with black and white tough guy images, and wants to give the memory a fantastic jolt.

 

Fancy reading my own noir novel? DIANA CHRISTMAS is freshly published and really good (although I’m well aware that’s exactly the kind of thing you’d expect me to say). For your copy, just click here.

[image error]

Ready, Steady, Go by Shawn Levy

[image error]

It’s probably no surprise that this history of London in the swinging sixties is more than a little superficial. That it never truly grasps something that was so ephemeral and fleeting and meant so many different things to different people.

Both men are mentioned in the text, but did Terence Stamp really have the same experience of the sixties as Syd Barrett? It was a multitude of different things; a bubbling (sometimes) drug-filled soup of ambition, promise, heartbreak and despair.

[image error]

And so, to pick out some individuals involved does make for a string of lovely anecdotes, but – really – nothing more substantial than that.

The narrative focuses on the lives of a few young meteors: including, the aforementioned Terence Stamp, as well as David Bailey, Mick Jagger, Brian Epstein. (There are a few women as well – Jean Shrimpton and Mary Quant – but they never emerge as much to the fore as the men.) We follow their lives, their adventures throughout The Sixties but not much more. Yes, London happened for awhile, but no one can really explain why it happened (beyond The Beatles being the most exciting thing in the world and having moved down south). Then suddenly it didn’t happen anymore. The world moved on and the book ends.

READY, STEADY, GO – it takes its name from a pop show of the era – is an entertaining read, even as it flaunts its superficiality. Those wanting more depth should hunt elsewhere (Dominic Sandbook’s two books about the 1960s, for instance. They’re more political in nature, but do try to contextualise London in Britain’s experience of the decade). However, if you just want some facile fun, then it’s without a doubt entertaining.

Just a reminder, that my new novel, DIANA CHRISTMAS is available at the ultra reasonable price of £1.99/$1.99 on Amazon now.

[image error]Buy Now!

Me, Taking Stock, in 2018

[image error]

Looking back on my diary this week – my real one, which I write just before bed and consequently has a variable prose style depending on how tired I am – I realised that it was March the 18th last year when I first published something on KDP. When I actually and properly started my new existence as an indie author.

The story in question was FOLIAGE, which is a gruesome slice of apocalyptic fiction. But realising it was only a year ago makes me think – even though I have so, so far to go – of how far I’ve already come.

DIANA CHRISTMAS was published on Wednesday, and with the launch of any book it’s always slightly anticlimactic. Even though I haven’t done too badly with sales these last few days, it can’t live up to how you imagine it. So, there was about an hour when I was feeling a bit deflated, but then I geed myself up.

A year ago I was largely clueless about this. I knew I could write, but I’d had a long time since I’d actually finished anything substantial, and I had no idea how to reach an audience. Now I’m charging on with my writing, DIANA CHRISTMAS is published, EDEN ST MICHEL is nearly there, the follow up to that is taking shape. I have a short story collection that I want to get out by the end of the year. And I am fully embracing the indie author life.

Yes, it’s taking me longer to build up my audience than I’d have hoped (although if you want to help with that, you can sign up to my readers’ group here), but I am getting there and trying to learn constantly and hopefully one day down the line this will all work for me and I can make a career just out of my writing.

For now though I’m going to take a step back and pat myself on the back. I may be a long way from where I want to be, but at least I’m on the road.

 

Fancy reading my new novel? It’s really good and available here!

[image error]Available now!

 

Diana Christmas is published today!

Well, the day has come – DIANA CHRISTMAS is finally published.

[image error]Out now!

Do you want a brand new noir thriller? One crammed full of unexpected twists and turns?

What happened to the glamorous film star who disappeared?  What sordid secrets derailed her life?

My new novel, Diana Christmas, is published today and is currently available for the bargain price of £1.99/$1.99, or on Kindle Unlimited. Click to get your copy now!

 

If you get chance, please download it and let me know what you think. You can either leave a message on this blog, or – if you have time – leave a review on Amazon.

Reviews are the lifeblood of an indie author, what makes a difference between us scrabbling along and us actually making a living out of our writing. So, if you’re able to find the time to leave your thoughts on DIANA CHRISTMAS, then I would be tremendously grateful. Of course, a positive review would be most appreciated, but if you don’t much care for it and leave a less than glowing review – that’s fine too. Although I can’t guarantee that I’ll keep you on my Christmas card list.

Once again, here’s that all important link.

I hope you enjoy!

 

Book Review – Confined Spaces by F. R. Jameson

I received this lovely review of my short story collection, CONFINED SPACES over the weekend from David Gundersen at Gallifreyan Buccaneer. An entertaining blog which makes this one, even at its most DOCTOR WHO obsessed moments, seem like the work of someone who just has a passing interest. Anyway, the review is well worth a read and I thank him kindly for it.

Gallifreyan Buccaneer

A short story collection daubed ‘Claustrophobic Tales of Terror’ on the front cover.

This is a very strong collection focusing around different individuals in some truly terrifying situations. If you’ve got a fear of confined spaces this is probably your worst nightmare.

A couple of stories stand out from the rest as being particularly strong. The first story ‘Adultery’ captures a post sex couple, one of whom is married, lay in bed in a grubby hotel room. They hear strange noises coming from the next room and suddenly their worst nightmares come true. I was particularly fond of this story because of the moral dilemma the couple face when deciding whether to report the gruesome crime they witness.

The second stand out story is ‘The White Room’. A poor soul wakes up in a completely white room unaware of who he is or how he got there. He drives himself…

View original post 61 more words