Pauline Rowson's Blog, page 62
March 10, 2014
CSI Winchester a great success, next CSI event at Portsmouth 8 November
Over a hundred people packed the performance hall at Winchester Discovery Centre in Hampshire on Saturday 8 March for CSI Winchester to listen to me and my fellow crime author NJ Cooper debate crime fiction and crime fact with crime experts from Hampshire Police, Jane Aston, Supervisor Fingerprint Examiner and Carolyn Lovell, Head of Operations for Hampshire Police Crime Scene Investigations.
The panel was chaired by Angela Hicken from Hampshire County Council Library Service. She put questions to the panelists and it was then opened up to the floor. There was a book signing to follow and the chance for the audience to talk to the authors and experts, and to have their fingerprint taken and pressed into a keep sake keyring.
The books were sold by independent bookshop P & G Wells of Winchester.
CSI Winchester was a morning event. It is modelled on the highly successful one day event, CSI Portsmouth, which takes place each year in November. This year's CSI Portsmouth will be on Saturday 8 November.
The panel was chaired by Angela Hicken from Hampshire County Council Library Service. She put questions to the panelists and it was then opened up to the floor. There was a book signing to follow and the chance for the audience to talk to the authors and experts, and to have their fingerprint taken and pressed into a keep sake keyring.
The books were sold by independent bookshop P & G Wells of Winchester.
CSI Winchester was a morning event. It is modelled on the highly successful one day event, CSI Portsmouth, which takes place each year in November. This year's CSI Portsmouth will be on Saturday 8 November.
March 3, 2014
Chance to win a copy of a DI Andy Horton crime novel
This week there is the chance to win a copy of DI Andy Horton number eight, Death Lies Beneath, which is being offered on the Crime Readers Association (CRA) website
The CRA was set up in 2012 by members of the Crime Writers’ Association with the aim of bringing crime fiction fans a superb range of crime novels written by top authors, as well as providing informative and entertaining articles written by published crime authors. There's a great deal more on the CRA website including author events and a blog. Membership is free and includes a weekly newsletter as well as an edition of the CRA monthly magazine – Case Files.
What else is happening in March?
I'll be entertaining audiences with tales of murder, mystery and mayhem and explaining how I write my crime novels. I'll be speaking about the inspiration behind my crime novels, how I research and plot them and I'll be telling the audience about the creation of my flawed and rugged detective, DI Andy Horton.
4 March 2014
New Forest and Waterside U3A
Pauline Rowson will talk about her crime novels and how she plots, researches and writes them 2pm
8 March 2014
CSI Winchester 2014
Crime writers NJ Cooper and Pauline Rowson are joined by crime experts, Head of Operations for Hampshire Police Crime Scene Investigations, Carolyn Lovell and fingerprints expert Jane Aston. Find out about crime research and evidence and how it feeds fiction.Book now!
13 March 2014
Pauline Rowson will be talking about "The perfect system for writing a novel" to the Chiltern Writers Group http://chilternwriters.org/
Writing
On the writing front I will be busy working on three novels, yes, three. I'll be revising DI Andy Horton 12, writing DI Andy Horton 13, and plotting out the novel in my brand new series of crime novels with a new series hero.
I'll also be planning for the publication in April of the latest in the DI Andy Horton series, Shroud of Evil, which will be published in hardcover in the UK and Commonwealth. Shroud of Evil will be published in the USA in August 2014.
For details of all my books, speaking engagements, blog, articles and latest news visit my website at http://www.rowmark.co.uk
The CRA was set up in 2012 by members of the Crime Writers’ Association with the aim of bringing crime fiction fans a superb range of crime novels written by top authors, as well as providing informative and entertaining articles written by published crime authors. There's a great deal more on the CRA website including author events and a blog. Membership is free and includes a weekly newsletter as well as an edition of the CRA monthly magazine – Case Files.
What else is happening in March?
I'll be entertaining audiences with tales of murder, mystery and mayhem and explaining how I write my crime novels. I'll be speaking about the inspiration behind my crime novels, how I research and plot them and I'll be telling the audience about the creation of my flawed and rugged detective, DI Andy Horton.
4 March 2014
New Forest and Waterside U3A
Pauline Rowson will talk about her crime novels and how she plots, researches and writes them 2pm
8 March 2014
CSI Winchester 2014
Crime writers NJ Cooper and Pauline Rowson are joined by crime experts, Head of Operations for Hampshire Police Crime Scene Investigations, Carolyn Lovell and fingerprints expert Jane Aston. Find out about crime research and evidence and how it feeds fiction.Book now!
13 March 2014
Pauline Rowson will be talking about "The perfect system for writing a novel" to the Chiltern Writers Group http://chilternwriters.org/
Writing
On the writing front I will be busy working on three novels, yes, three. I'll be revising DI Andy Horton 12, writing DI Andy Horton 13, and plotting out the novel in my brand new series of crime novels with a new series hero.
I'll also be planning for the publication in April of the latest in the DI Andy Horton series, Shroud of Evil, which will be published in hardcover in the UK and Commonwealth. Shroud of Evil will be published in the USA in August 2014.
For details of all my books, speaking engagements, blog, articles and latest news visit my website at http://www.rowmark.co.uk
February 17, 2014
Whose story is it? Pauline Rowson discusses viewpoint
Whose story is it? That is a question every writer needs to ask him or herself before starting to write a novel, or if not then certainly while writing and revising it. From whose viewpoint are you telling the story? Is it single viewpoint or multiple viewpoint? Is it male or female or a mixture of both? Beware the latter though and having too many viewpoints because that will not only muddle the story and slow it down but it will also confuse you, and more importantly the reader.
The purpose of the crime or thriller novel is to excite and intrigue, sometimes also to scare, therefore having too many viewpoints, i.e. switching to different characters every so many pages or chapters can bog down a crime novel.
When I first started writing I wrote from the female character's point of view but as I began to write more I found myself far more attracted to telling the story from the male character's point of view and when I created my hunky detective, DI Andy Horton, in the first of the Horton series, Tide of Death, I knew that I had found my 'voice' as they say in writing parlance.
Once I started writing from the male point of view everything began to fall into place. I also prefer single person point of view which means that you follow the story through the eyes of DI Andy Horton in my marine mystery crime novels, which are written in the third person, and through Adam Greene in my thriller, In Cold Daylight and Alex Albury in In For The Kill which are both written in the first person. Although this has its drawbacks in that you can not explain others inner emotions you can portray them through the lead character and it also makes for tighter writing and therefore a faster read.
When people ask me why I write from the male point of view I often joke that maybe it's because I am a closet man. But I don't really know and I don't think it matters, it's just the way I find comfortable writing.
There are of course some very strong females in my novels such as the pathologist Dr Gaye Clayton in the DI Andy Horton series. There are also female victims and killers and there is, from DI Andy Horton number three onwards ( The Suffocating Sea), Horton's acerbic boss, alpha female DCI Lorraine Bliss.
The two standalone crime novels also incorporate some intriguing and interesting female characters.
Finding your style and your voice takes time and practice but if you enjoy writing then that's not a chore, on the contrary it's always a pleasure to experiment.
The purpose of the crime or thriller novel is to excite and intrigue, sometimes also to scare, therefore having too many viewpoints, i.e. switching to different characters every so many pages or chapters can bog down a crime novel.
When I first started writing I wrote from the female character's point of view but as I began to write more I found myself far more attracted to telling the story from the male character's point of view and when I created my hunky detective, DI Andy Horton, in the first of the Horton series, Tide of Death, I knew that I had found my 'voice' as they say in writing parlance.
Once I started writing from the male point of view everything began to fall into place. I also prefer single person point of view which means that you follow the story through the eyes of DI Andy Horton in my marine mystery crime novels, which are written in the third person, and through Adam Greene in my thriller, In Cold Daylight and Alex Albury in In For The Kill which are both written in the first person. Although this has its drawbacks in that you can not explain others inner emotions you can portray them through the lead character and it also makes for tighter writing and therefore a faster read.
When people ask me why I write from the male point of view I often joke that maybe it's because I am a closet man. But I don't really know and I don't think it matters, it's just the way I find comfortable writing.
There are of course some very strong females in my novels such as the pathologist Dr Gaye Clayton in the DI Andy Horton series. There are also female victims and killers and there is, from DI Andy Horton number three onwards ( The Suffocating Sea), Horton's acerbic boss, alpha female DCI Lorraine Bliss.
The two standalone crime novels also incorporate some intriguing and interesting female characters.
Finding your style and your voice takes time and practice but if you enjoy writing then that's not a chore, on the contrary it's always a pleasure to experiment.
February 10, 2014
Delighted to be the featured crime author of the month on the CRA website
I'm delighted to be the featured crime author of the month on the Crime Readers' Association (CRA) website a magnet for crime fiction fans around the World, set up by the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) in 2012.
The CRA was set up in 2012 by members of the Crime Writers’ Association, (CWA) of which I am a member, with the aim of bringing crime fiction fans a vast range of crime novels written by top authors, as well as providing informative and entertaining articles written by published crime authors.
Membership is free and includes a weekly newsletter as well as an edition of the CRA monthly magazine – Case Files.
February sees a series of articles written by me on the crime genre and how I write the DI Andy Horton crime series. There will also be a number of featured videos taken from my talks to audiences around the UK.
The first in the series of articles is on: why is the crime genre so popular?
Death Surge is the latest in the DI Andy Horton series (10), published by Severn House and is available in hardcover and as an ebook. Death Lies Beneath, the eighth in the DI Horton series is published in paperback and as an unabridged audio book this month.
Death Lies Beneath
The CRA was set up in 2012 by members of the Crime Writers’ Association, (CWA) of which I am a member, with the aim of bringing crime fiction fans a vast range of crime novels written by top authors, as well as providing informative and entertaining articles written by published crime authors.
Membership is free and includes a weekly newsletter as well as an edition of the CRA monthly magazine – Case Files.
February sees a series of articles written by me on the crime genre and how I write the DI Andy Horton crime series. There will also be a number of featured videos taken from my talks to audiences around the UK.
The first in the series of articles is on: why is the crime genre so popular?
Death Surge is the latest in the DI Andy Horton series (10), published by Severn House and is available in hardcover and as an ebook. Death Lies Beneath, the eighth in the DI Horton series is published in paperback and as an unabridged audio book this month.
Death Lies Beneath
February 3, 2014
What's on in February: DI Andy Horton (8) Death Lies Beneath in paperback and audio book, talks and writing
February sees the publication in paperback of Death Lies Beneath, the eighth in the series of British Police Procedural crime novels featuring the flawed and rugged detective, DI Andy Horton. It is also now released as an unabridged audio book published by Isis Publishing and read by Gordon Griffin.
Death Lies Beneath has already been published in hardcover and as an e book in the UK, Commonwealth and the USA by Severn House,where it has received some lovely reviews.
Kirkus Reviews says: "A treat for fans of the puzzle-box mystery," and Publishers Weekly who say, "Rowson’s solid eighth police procedural featuring Det. Insp. Andy Horton contains convincing characters and a coherent plot to bolster a crafty solution to the crimes."
Death Lies Beneath
A body found on a rotting boat being salvaged in Portsmouth Harbour throws Horton into a complex and frustrating investigation. As the tension mounts to solve the case, Horton receives a chilling message; time, it seems, is also running out for him personally…
Speaking Engagements
In February I'll also be entertaining the audience of the Young at Heart Club, Hayling with tales of Murder, Mystery and Mayhem on 5 February at 2.15pm and the Southampton and District Centre of National Trust on 20 February and I'm looking forward to meeting some DI Andy Horton fans.
You can see all my up and coming talks and appearances on my events page
On the writing front
I'll also be continuing to write the next in the DI Andy Horton series, number twelve, as well as working on the creation of a new series featuring a new hero and a rather unusual theme.
I'm looking forward to a productive and interesting February.
Death Lies Beneath has already been published in hardcover and as an e book in the UK, Commonwealth and the USA by Severn House,where it has received some lovely reviews.
Kirkus Reviews says: "A treat for fans of the puzzle-box mystery," and Publishers Weekly who say, "Rowson’s solid eighth police procedural featuring Det. Insp. Andy Horton contains convincing characters and a coherent plot to bolster a crafty solution to the crimes."
Death Lies Beneath
A body found on a rotting boat being salvaged in Portsmouth Harbour throws Horton into a complex and frustrating investigation. As the tension mounts to solve the case, Horton receives a chilling message; time, it seems, is also running out for him personally…
Speaking Engagements
In February I'll also be entertaining the audience of the Young at Heart Club, Hayling with tales of Murder, Mystery and Mayhem on 5 February at 2.15pm and the Southampton and District Centre of National Trust on 20 February and I'm looking forward to meeting some DI Andy Horton fans.
You can see all my up and coming talks and appearances on my events page
On the writing front
I'll also be continuing to write the next in the DI Andy Horton series, number twelve, as well as working on the creation of a new series featuring a new hero and a rather unusual theme.
I'm looking forward to a productive and interesting February.
January 31, 2014
Choosing titles for a crime novel, choosing characters names, and writing routines
Uploaded a new video to my Goodreads Profile,to my website and my You Tube Channel. This video was taken at Sandhurst Library in December 2013 where I gave a talk about crime writing and the DI Andy Horton crime novels. After my talk I took a very lively question and answer session. The video is an extract from that covering questions such as: choosing titles for a crime novel, choosing characters names, and writing routines.
January 24, 2014
A Killing Coast (DI Andy Horton 7) now available in paperback
A Killing Coast, the seventh marine mystery crime novel featuring DI Andy Horton has now been published in paperback. It has also recently been released as an unabridged audio book, published by Isis.
Publishers Weekly says, " Meticulous police work leads Horton to a particularly callous and ruthless killer as well as theft and blackmail…includes a few unexpected twists.” While US reviewer, Booklist claims it is "'Multilayered, twisted, and complex...with a surprising conclusion. A satisfying read."
When a body is found floating in the sea off Portsmouth harbour, Detective Inspector Horton initially judges it to be an accidental death. Soon though, to his dismay, he discovers he’s got it very wrong. Accused of being incompetent by his boss, and with the head of the Major Crime Team coming down heavily on him, Horton wonders if he’s allowed his ongoing investigation into the disappearance of his mother over thirty years ago to cloud his judgement. With no clear motive for the murder, Horton is sucked into a baffling investigation that he is determined to resolve despite the odds. Not only does he need to find a brutal killer, but Horton now has to prove to himself, and others, that he is still up to the job.
"If you like police procedurals with a twist, plenty of red herrings, and a strong sense of location, you'll like these." Mysteries in Paradise (Australia).
A Killing Coast is available from all good bookshops and on line.
A Killing Coast
Publishers Weekly says, " Meticulous police work leads Horton to a particularly callous and ruthless killer as well as theft and blackmail…includes a few unexpected twists.” While US reviewer, Booklist claims it is "'Multilayered, twisted, and complex...with a surprising conclusion. A satisfying read."
When a body is found floating in the sea off Portsmouth harbour, Detective Inspector Horton initially judges it to be an accidental death. Soon though, to his dismay, he discovers he’s got it very wrong. Accused of being incompetent by his boss, and with the head of the Major Crime Team coming down heavily on him, Horton wonders if he’s allowed his ongoing investigation into the disappearance of his mother over thirty years ago to cloud his judgement. With no clear motive for the murder, Horton is sucked into a baffling investigation that he is determined to resolve despite the odds. Not only does he need to find a brutal killer, but Horton now has to prove to himself, and others, that he is still up to the job.
"If you like police procedurals with a twist, plenty of red herrings, and a strong sense of location, you'll like these." Mysteries in Paradise (Australia).
A Killing Coast is available from all good bookshops and on line.
A Killing Coast
January 21, 2014
Writing a crime novel - creating memorable characters
Creating a likeable, interesting and complex main character, one the reader can have empathy with, one they want to trust, feel his/her pain and disappointments, root for throughout the story is the key to creating a successful and riveting crime novel.
But it's not just the main character it's also the supporting cast, the villains and the walk-on parts who all need characteristics that are believable even if they are eccentric. The cast must be real to the writer and therefore real to the reader.
Read the full article on my website
But it's not just the main character it's also the supporting cast, the villains and the walk-on parts who all need characteristics that are believable even if they are eccentric. The cast must be real to the writer and therefore real to the reader.
Read the full article on my website
January 15, 2014
Pauline Rowson talking to Julian Clegg BBC Radio Solent about crime writing and DI Andy Horton series
My first radio interview of 2014 was today (15 January). It was a very early start to reach the BBC Radio Solent studios in Southampton from Hayling Island where I live by 6.30a.m. but at least I avoided the rush hour traffic on the very busy M27.
I was talking to the lovely Julian Clegg on his Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Solent about the DI Andy Horton crime series which is set in the Solent area, of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
We chatted about the Horton crime novels Death Surge which has just been published in e book format, Death Lies Beneath which comes out in paperback on 27 February and the new DI Andy Horton, Shroud of Evil, which will be published on 30 April 2014.
It was, as always, great fun being on the radio.
Death Surge
I was talking to the lovely Julian Clegg on his Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Solent about the DI Andy Horton crime series which is set in the Solent area, of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
We chatted about the Horton crime novels Death Surge which has just been published in e book format, Death Lies Beneath which comes out in paperback on 27 February and the new DI Andy Horton, Shroud of Evil, which will be published on 30 April 2014.
It was, as always, great fun being on the radio.
Death Surge
January 10, 2014
First talk of 2014 and what a great audience
On Wednesday I gave my first speaking engagement for 2014 at Monks Brook U3A and what a lovely audience they were. Over a hundred people turned out to hear me talk about my method of writing and the DI Andy Horton crime series set in the Solent area on the South Coast of England in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. I talked about my method for developing plot lines and creating characters and signed copies of my crime novels.
There were plenty of questions from the audience including writing routines, first drafts and revisions, and what inspired me to write crime novels. You can read articles on all these subjects on my blog on my official website
U3As are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time work, providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences in a wide range of interest groups and to pursue learning not for qualifications, but for fun. They are always a lovely audience and I'm honoured to have given so many talks to members of this great organisation. I have many more talks lined up at U3As and other groups in 2014.
To see all my events for 2014 visit the Events Page on my website at http://www.rowmark.co.uk
If you would like me to speak to your organisation, company or library please contact me via my website.
There were plenty of questions from the audience including writing routines, first drafts and revisions, and what inspired me to write crime novels. You can read articles on all these subjects on my blog on my official website
U3As are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time work, providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences in a wide range of interest groups and to pursue learning not for qualifications, but for fun. They are always a lovely audience and I'm honoured to have given so many talks to members of this great organisation. I have many more talks lined up at U3As and other groups in 2014.
To see all my events for 2014 visit the Events Page on my website at http://www.rowmark.co.uk
If you would like me to speak to your organisation, company or library please contact me via my website.
