Decima Blake's Blog, page 2
September 29, 2017
Hingston's Box - one year after publication
One year ago today Hingston's Box was published.
It's been a great first year with many highlights:
The support from Chiswick Waterstones has been fantastic and their local authors events in March and September were superb. I was delighted to be invited to join the events (on Hingston's behalf, so to speak - Hingston is a Chiswick-based detective).
Attending the HW Fisher and Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival New Blood Drinks Reception in March 2017 stands out as one of the most memorable moments so far. It was a wonderful evening event in central London overlooking the Thames at which Val McDermid announced the four authors selected for the Festival's New Blood Panel in July. The 2017 New Blood authors were: Fiona Cummins (UK), Rattle; Jane Harper (Australia), The Dry; Joseph Knox (UK), Sirens; Kristen Lepionka (USA), The Last Place You Look. I was delighted to be one of approximately 50 debut crime writers who reached that stage of the event.
During the summer I attended five Hertfordshire branches of Waterstones for book signings and creative writing workshops.
The article about Hingston's Box and my research into Victorian two-per-turn musical boxes published by the Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) in their journal "Mechanical Music" was another highlight of the year.
It's been great to see Hingston's Box in the UK National Archives bookshop in Kew and I've returned there this year in order to research my second Hingston novel which is now over halfway complete.
I'm looking forward to concluding Hingston's second investigation in the coming months. More details to follow soon.
It's been a great first year with many highlights:
The support from Chiswick Waterstones has been fantastic and their local authors events in March and September were superb. I was delighted to be invited to join the events (on Hingston's behalf, so to speak - Hingston is a Chiswick-based detective).
Attending the HW Fisher and Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival New Blood Drinks Reception in March 2017 stands out as one of the most memorable moments so far. It was a wonderful evening event in central London overlooking the Thames at which Val McDermid announced the four authors selected for the Festival's New Blood Panel in July. The 2017 New Blood authors were: Fiona Cummins (UK), Rattle; Jane Harper (Australia), The Dry; Joseph Knox (UK), Sirens; Kristen Lepionka (USA), The Last Place You Look. I was delighted to be one of approximately 50 debut crime writers who reached that stage of the event.
During the summer I attended five Hertfordshire branches of Waterstones for book signings and creative writing workshops.
The article about Hingston's Box and my research into Victorian two-per-turn musical boxes published by the Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) in their journal "Mechanical Music" was another highlight of the year.
It's been great to see Hingston's Box in the UK National Archives bookshop in Kew and I've returned there this year in order to research my second Hingston novel which is now over halfway complete.
I'm looking forward to concluding Hingston's second investigation in the coming months. More details to follow soon.
July 3, 2017
15th July - Book Signing and Creative Writing Workshop - Waterstones Watford, Hertfordshire
On Saturday 15th July at 13:00 I will be hosting a creative writing workshop for teenagers at Waterstones in Watford, Hertfordshire.
Find out what it takes to write your own book, from characterisation to scene setting and plot development.
Younger children may also attend with parental supervision.
The creative writing workshop lasts approximately 1 hour and will be followed by a book signing.
For full details of my July events at Waterstones, please see Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/se...
Find out what it takes to write your own book, from characterisation to scene setting and plot development.
Younger children may also attend with parental supervision.
The creative writing workshop lasts approximately 1 hour and will be followed by a book signing.
For full details of my July events at Waterstones, please see Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/se...
9th July - Hingston's Box Book Signing at Waterstones Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
On Sunday 9th July from 11:30 - 16:30 I will be signing copies of Hingston's Box at Waterstones in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.
For full details of my July events at Waterstones, please see the Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/se...
For full details of my July events at Waterstones, please see the Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/se...
8th July - Book Signing and Young Adult Writers Workshop - Waterstones Hitchin, Hertfordshire
On Saturday 8th July at 10:00 I will be hosting a creative writing workshop for young adults* at Waterstones in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
Find out what it takes to write your own book, from characterisation to scene setting and plot development.
The workshop lasts approximately 1 hour and will be followed by a signing session.
Places are limited, so please contact the store for more details on hitchin@waterstones.com
*suitable for age 14+
For full details of my July events please see Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/se...
Find out what it takes to write your own book, from characterisation to scene setting and plot development.
The workshop lasts approximately 1 hour and will be followed by a signing session.
Places are limited, so please contact the store for more details on hitchin@waterstones.com
*suitable for age 14+
For full details of my July events please see Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/se...
June 16, 2017
Waterstones events scheduled for July
Following the creative writing workshops and book signing events held at Harpenden Books and Waterstones in Welwyn Garden City, my next events will be taking place at the Hemel Hempstead, Hitchin and Watford branches of Waterstones in July.
Event details to follow shortly.
Event details to follow shortly.
May 26, 2017
Creative Writing Workshops and Book Signings during Half Term
Looking forward to half term week.
I will be hosting a creative writing workshop for young people aged 14 years plus at Waterstones in Welwyn Garden City on Friday 2 June at 2 p.m.
Further details and how to book are on the Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/cr...
A book signing of Hingston's Box will follow the workshop, starting from 3.15 p.m.
I shall also be signing copies at Harpenden Books on Wednesday 31 May from 4.15 p.m. Further details on Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/cr...
I will be hosting a creative writing workshop for young people aged 14 years plus at Waterstones in Welwyn Garden City on Friday 2 June at 2 p.m.
Further details and how to book are on the Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/cr...
A book signing of Hingston's Box will follow the workshop, starting from 3.15 p.m.
I shall also be signing copies at Harpenden Books on Wednesday 31 May from 4.15 p.m. Further details on Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/cr...
May 12, 2017
Just scheduled a creative writing workshop for young adults at Harpenden Books
Looking forward to running a creative writing workshop for young adults on Wednesday 31st May, 3 p.m. at Harpenden Books.
For further details, including how to book via Harpenden Books, please see Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/cr...
For further details, including how to book via Harpenden Books, please see Waterstones' website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/cr...
May 7, 2017
Hingston's Box Goodreads Giveaway for #MysteryWeek
To celebrate #MysteryWeek I've set up a Goodreads giveaway which begins today, Sunday 7th May.
Two copies of Hingston's Box crime mystery are available. The giveaway ends on 14th May. To all who enter, thank you!
Two copies of Hingston's Box crime mystery are available. The giveaway ends on 14th May. To all who enter, thank you!
May 2, 2017
The Mystery of John Geoffrey Cadwallader and The Stowaway Tavern
A 5-Sentence Story for #MysteryWeek 2017 by Decima Blake
The Mystery of John Geoffrey Cadwallader and The Stowaway Tavern
John Geoffrey Cadwallader was a young, bespectacled Oxford graduate who sought himself an enviable Fleet Street accountancy position and who, on a November night in 1951, found himself as one of a dozen audacious revellers locked in at The Stowaway Tavern which stood close to his desired corporations.
The landlord, Charlie Peskett, was an immense, ruddy-faced narrator of seafarers' tales of disaster, villainy and improper women, which he had honed over his forty year ownership to keep the punters lively and the drinks flowing.
At two a.m. Peskett stamped twice on the Tavern's sloping floorboards as he recounted the plight of The Stowaway who drowned in 1751, not at sea, but in a beer barrel twenty feet below the bar they crowded.
This tale spooked Cadwallader to the great amusement of the other men who promptly cajoled him down the dank, dark staircase to the cellar, locked the door and teased "stay out of the barrels".
Back at the bar they continued laughing until a commotion was heard through the floorboards and they rushed back to the cellar to find it silent with Cadwallader's glasses on top of a barrel and his lifeless body submerged inside.
The Mystery of John Geoffrey Cadwallader and The Stowaway Tavern
John Geoffrey Cadwallader was a young, bespectacled Oxford graduate who sought himself an enviable Fleet Street accountancy position and who, on a November night in 1951, found himself as one of a dozen audacious revellers locked in at The Stowaway Tavern which stood close to his desired corporations.
The landlord, Charlie Peskett, was an immense, ruddy-faced narrator of seafarers' tales of disaster, villainy and improper women, which he had honed over his forty year ownership to keep the punters lively and the drinks flowing.
At two a.m. Peskett stamped twice on the Tavern's sloping floorboards as he recounted the plight of The Stowaway who drowned in 1751, not at sea, but in a beer barrel twenty feet below the bar they crowded.
This tale spooked Cadwallader to the great amusement of the other men who promptly cajoled him down the dank, dark staircase to the cellar, locked the door and teased "stay out of the barrels".
Back at the bar they continued laughing until a commotion was heard through the floorboards and they rushed back to the cellar to find it silent with Cadwallader's glasses on top of a barrel and his lifeless body submerged inside.
May 1, 2017
#MysteryWeek 2017
To celebrate the first day of Mystery Week I'm launching my new blog.
During the week I'll be posting a 5-sentence original story, answering the Mystery Week question and participating in a Goodreads giveaway with two copies of "Hingston's Box" to be won.
You can follow me on Twitter @Decima_Blake and on Goodreads. Feel free to ask me a question.
During the week I'll be posting a 5-sentence original story, answering the Mystery Week question and participating in a Goodreads giveaway with two copies of "Hingston's Box" to be won.
You can follow me on Twitter @Decima_Blake and on Goodreads. Feel free to ask me a question.
