Pauline Rowson's Blog, page 33

The inspiration for In Cold Daylight, turning an overheard conversation into a compelling crime novel

Ideas
for crime novels can come from many different sources, often a location
inspires me particularly with regard to the Andy Horton detective
mysteries which are set around the sea in the Portsmouth, Isle of Wight
area of the Solent. Other times a news item might create that spark or
an overheard conversation and such was the case with one of my
standalone crime novels, In Cold Daylight.



Read more about the story behind the crime novel, In Cold Daylight

Running out of space on the new bookmarks

With
a new Andy Horton mystery published on 28 February 2017, Lethal Waves, I
needed a new bookmark. The latest bookmark showcases all my seventeen
crime novels published, with one final space left (where the writing is)
as you can see for my eighteenth crime novel to be published later in
2017, which will be the third in the series featuring undercover marine
investigator Art Marvik. Click on the image to enlarge it.



After this  I will either have to stop writing ! Impossible. Or have a brand new design for my bookmarks.





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Celebrating my eighteenth crime novel to be published in 2017

Fabulous
news, my eighteenth (yes 18th) crime novel is to be published later
this year (2017). It will be the third in the Art Marvik marine mystery
series called, Lost Voyage, and before that the new Andy Horton
detective novel, Lethal Waves, is published on 28 February 2017.



I'm delighted that Severn House are to publish both Lethal Waves and
Lost Voyage this year and amazed that in the eleven years since I was
first published in crime fiction in 2006 with Tide of Death, the first
in the Detective Inspector in Andy Horton series, I have managed to pen
so many crime novels.



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What's on in February 2017

February
2017 and I'm on a countdown to the publication of the new Andy Horton
marine mystery, Lethal Waves, which is being published in hardcover in
the UK on the 28 February 2017 by Severn House.



Also this month I will be entertaining the people of Waterlooville and
Havant in Hampshire with tales of my crime busting heroes and revealing
how I write my crime novels.



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Join me at Waterlooville Library for tales of my crime busting heroes

I will be revealing the secrets of successful crime writing and talking
about my crime busting heroes, DI Andy Horton and Art Marvik, at
Waterlooville Library, Hampshire on Friday 3 February at 3pm when I will
explain how I plot,  research and write my crime novels set on the
South Coast of England. I'll be taking questions from the audience, and
this will be followed by a book signing.



Tickets cost £4.00 Click here for more information and to buy online.

Portsmouth Coppers event featured in the Portsmouth News

A
lovely article appeared in the Portsmouth News on my forthcoming event
at Portsmouth BookFest called Portsmouth Coppers where Graham Hurley and
myself will be quizzed by former barrister and crime author, Diana
Bretherick about our crime novels set in Portsmouth.



Click on the image to enlarge it or visit the Portsmouth News website to read the article.



Portsmouth Coppers is part of Portsmouth BookFest organised by Portsmouth City Library Service and the Hayling Island Bookshop.

Writing a crime novel - how I develop my characters

I am often asked what comes first, plot or character. For me it is the
formation of the characters.  Before that though I will have an idea for
the crime novel, which can spring from a location where a body is found
(as is usual in the Andy Horton Marine Mysteries), an incident that
occurs which can change someone's life, (this often features in the Art
Marvik marine based crime novels and I've also used it in my thriller,
In For The Kill), or an overheard conversation (which I've used in my
crime novel In Cold Daylight.)



Once
I have an idea for a victim or a main protagonist, I begin to create
them and the other characters that will surround them.  In order to
develop my characters I use a system of spider grams (or mind maps as
they are sometimes called). I draw a circle and put each character in
the centre of that circle and then throw out lines and ask a series of 
‘open’ questions. By answering these questions the character/s begin to
form.



Read more of this article

Join Pauline Rowson and Graham Hurley for Portsmouth Coppers at Portsmouth BookFest

Tickets are now on sale for Portsmouth Coppers, a brand new event as
part of Portsmouth BookFest, and I am looking forward to joining my
fellow crime author Graham Hurley in discussing why we both set our
crime novels in Portsmouth and what is it about the waterfront city that
holds such a fascination for us and our fictional detectives. We'll be
quizzed by another crime author and former criminal barrister, Diana
Bretherick.

Portsmouth
Coppers will give the audience the chance to hear how Graham and 
I research and write our crime novels.  There will also
be plenty of time for the audience to put their questions to  us and the panel debate will be followed by a book signing.



Read more about the venue, times and ticket information for Portsmouth Coppers

The relationship between a writer and her characters

Whatever the relationship between the creator and characters Pauline Rowson says it should never be dull. Creating characters and their lives is a fascinating game, as many children know from their play, and perhaps that's what a lot of us writers are - kids at heart.



Read the full article on the relationship between a writer and her characters

What's happening in 2017 a look ahead

Welcome
to 2017 which again looks like being another busy year for me with new
crime novels published, talks, radio interviews and lots of writing.



Here's a brief summary of what's in store.