Pauline Rowson's Blog, page 69
December 7, 2012
The Perfect System For Writing A Novel
All writers have different ways of working and finding the ‘perfect system’ for planning, researching, plotting, structuring and writing a novel is often a matter of trial and error until something clicks. That’s how it was for me anyway.
Before I struck on my 'perfect system' I tried all sorts of ways of compiling my research, plotlines, and character outlines, from using note books to wall maps, from card indexes to ring binders. None of them worked. The ring binders looked nice and neat, all properly indexed, but because of my civil service training my mind told me that something in a file, was 'filed away,' and therefore actioned, finished with and a novel is a work in progress.
Read full article on my website blog at http://www.rowmark.co.uk
Death Lies Beneath
Before I struck on my 'perfect system' I tried all sorts of ways of compiling my research, plotlines, and character outlines, from using note books to wall maps, from card indexes to ring binders. None of them worked. The ring binders looked nice and neat, all properly indexed, but because of my civil service training my mind told me that something in a file, was 'filed away,' and therefore actioned, finished with and a novel is a work in progress.
Read full article on my website blog at http://www.rowmark.co.uk
Death Lies Beneath
November 23, 2012
The marine police unit provides plenty of ideas for DI Horton Mystery Series
My fictional detective, DI Andy Horton, is based in Portsmouth and the Solent area on the South Coast of England. The Solent is the busiest waterway in Europe and one of the busiest in the world with around one million commercial and naval shipping movements and in excess of 10 million pleasure craft movements per year, so it's a brilliant area in which to set a series of crime novels, with plenty of inspiration and lots of activity.
The DI Horton marine mystery crime novels include members of a fictional Hampshire Police Marine Unit - Sergeant Dai Elkins and PC Rilpey - who take Horton and members of the Major Crime Team across the Solent from Portsmouth (where Horton is based in CID) to the Isle of Wight to solve crimes there and get on the track of villains.
I was fortunate to meet some real officers from the Hampshire Constabulary Marine Unit at the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) Conference in Southampton on 21 April. The real unit as opposed to my fictional marine police unit consists of one Sergeant and nine PCs. But the work my fictional marine unit are involved in isn't that far removed from the real thing.
Hampshire's history of maritime policing dates back to 1873 when it used a rowing boat to combat crime around the docks. Things have come a long way since then. It has recently invested in a new modern fleet to police the coastline stretching from Dorset to Sussex and out to 12 miles offshore. The fleet includes a 12-metre catamaran with sonar, CCTV, thermal imaging cameras and the latest in satellite communications; a general purpose patrol launch, which has a body recovery platform, and two 8m rigid inflatable boats, which can reach speeds of up to 55 mph on the water. I've been promised a trip on one of these but I think I'll wait for a calm, sunny and warm day!
The role of the marine unit includes counter terrorism patrols, the reduction and detection of marine crime, investigation of marine incidents and fatalities, policing large events, supporting the UK Border Agency, Coastguard, and Harbour Authorities and responsibility for countering serious and organised crime and preventing child abduction.
Plenty there to give me ideas for crime novels.
Death Lies Beneath
The DI Horton marine mystery crime novels include members of a fictional Hampshire Police Marine Unit - Sergeant Dai Elkins and PC Rilpey - who take Horton and members of the Major Crime Team across the Solent from Portsmouth (where Horton is based in CID) to the Isle of Wight to solve crimes there and get on the track of villains.
I was fortunate to meet some real officers from the Hampshire Constabulary Marine Unit at the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) Conference in Southampton on 21 April. The real unit as opposed to my fictional marine police unit consists of one Sergeant and nine PCs. But the work my fictional marine unit are involved in isn't that far removed from the real thing.
Hampshire's history of maritime policing dates back to 1873 when it used a rowing boat to combat crime around the docks. Things have come a long way since then. It has recently invested in a new modern fleet to police the coastline stretching from Dorset to Sussex and out to 12 miles offshore. The fleet includes a 12-metre catamaran with sonar, CCTV, thermal imaging cameras and the latest in satellite communications; a general purpose patrol launch, which has a body recovery platform, and two 8m rigid inflatable boats, which can reach speeds of up to 55 mph on the water. I've been promised a trip on one of these but I think I'll wait for a calm, sunny and warm day!
The role of the marine unit includes counter terrorism patrols, the reduction and detection of marine crime, investigation of marine incidents and fatalities, policing large events, supporting the UK Border Agency, Coastguard, and Harbour Authorities and responsibility for countering serious and organised crime and preventing child abduction.
Plenty there to give me ideas for crime novels.
Death Lies Beneath
November 19, 2012
Choosing names for characters in novels
Getting the right name for characters in my crime fiction novels can be a tricky business. Sometimes they come to me completely out of the blue, as I am creating a character, other times I will struggle to find the name that best suits that particular character and until I do the personality refuses to come fully alive. The name has to fit. If it's not right then the character isn't right. The name also needs to fit with the age and nationality although you can have exceptions.
When seeking inspiration for first names I turn to my little book of baby's names or I will look up websites of baby's names. I also keep an ear out for any unusual or interesting names when meeting people and will jot these down. One danger is over using a name. For some reason I seem to have a penchant for the name Eric, and when I did a search through previous novels found that I’d used it before for different characters, albeit minor ones. So no more Erics.
As to surnames, I let my finger do the choosing and tend to pick these out of an atlas or street map. Then I see if it fits with the first name and the character. The more novels I write, (I’ve now written eleven) the more I am in danger of repeating names, (it's easy to forget what you have already used) so I’m building a database in order to double check this.
Readers also tell me that some novelists have too many characters’ surnames all beginning with the same letter and they find this very confusing. Now I scrutinise my work to check that not everyone has a surname beginning with the letter ‘C’. Not sure why I gravitate towards ‘C’ but I do.
And finally where did the name of my main character DI Andy Horton spring from? I've no idea. It just came to mind. It was only recently however that I was contacted by his namesake in the Hampshire Police Force. A polite e mail asked me whether he had inspired the name and/or the character. I replied saying that if he was indeed tall, blonde, fit and handsome then maybe? He replied saying he was tall, fit, dark and his wife thought him handsome. I was somewhat relieved to find the real Inspector Houghton had a sense of humour and spelt his name differently.
Death Lies Beneath
When seeking inspiration for first names I turn to my little book of baby's names or I will look up websites of baby's names. I also keep an ear out for any unusual or interesting names when meeting people and will jot these down. One danger is over using a name. For some reason I seem to have a penchant for the name Eric, and when I did a search through previous novels found that I’d used it before for different characters, albeit minor ones. So no more Erics.
As to surnames, I let my finger do the choosing and tend to pick these out of an atlas or street map. Then I see if it fits with the first name and the character. The more novels I write, (I’ve now written eleven) the more I am in danger of repeating names, (it's easy to forget what you have already used) so I’m building a database in order to double check this.
Readers also tell me that some novelists have too many characters’ surnames all beginning with the same letter and they find this very confusing. Now I scrutinise my work to check that not everyone has a surname beginning with the letter ‘C’. Not sure why I gravitate towards ‘C’ but I do.
And finally where did the name of my main character DI Andy Horton spring from? I've no idea. It just came to mind. It was only recently however that I was contacted by his namesake in the Hampshire Police Force. A polite e mail asked me whether he had inspired the name and/or the character. I replied saying that if he was indeed tall, blonde, fit and handsome then maybe? He replied saying he was tall, fit, dark and his wife thought him handsome. I was somewhat relieved to find the real Inspector Houghton had a sense of humour and spelt his name differently.
Death Lies Beneath
November 14, 2012
Lovely to meet readers at Newcastle and Hartlepool Libraries
I'm back from a very successful mini tour of the North East of England where I was invited to give two talks.
This is the third time in three years that I have been invited to talk to readers in the North East of England and I shall be back up there at Gateshead Library on 25 April 2013.
I was speaking at Newcastle City Library on 12 November and on Tuesday 13 November I was at Seaton Carew Library, Hartlepool giving a talk as part of Hartlepool Borough Library twenty first anniversary celebrations. The audience at both events were as delightful as ever and I was thrilled to meet so many DI Andy Horton fans and to also introduce my crime and thriller novels to some new readers.
My thanks to both Newcastle and Hartlepool Library Services for organising the events and to all library staff for the fantastic and highly worthwhile service they provide to the community. Without the library service it would be a very barren landscape.
The DI Andy Horton novels are set in the Solent area on the South Coast of England where I live.
Death Lies Beneath
This is the third time in three years that I have been invited to talk to readers in the North East of England and I shall be back up there at Gateshead Library on 25 April 2013.
I was speaking at Newcastle City Library on 12 November and on Tuesday 13 November I was at Seaton Carew Library, Hartlepool giving a talk as part of Hartlepool Borough Library twenty first anniversary celebrations. The audience at both events were as delightful as ever and I was thrilled to meet so many DI Andy Horton fans and to also introduce my crime and thriller novels to some new readers.
My thanks to both Newcastle and Hartlepool Library Services for organising the events and to all library staff for the fantastic and highly worthwhile service they provide to the community. Without the library service it would be a very barren landscape.
The DI Andy Horton novels are set in the Solent area on the South Coast of England where I live.
Death Lies Beneath
November 6, 2012
Fantastic time at CSI Portsmouth, great audience, experts and crime authors
Here is the report (below) from the CSI Portsmouth event held on Saturday 3 November. It was very enjoyable and thanks to everyone for making it so successful. Already looking forward to CSI Portsmouth 2013.
Crime authors Stephen Booth, Ann Cleeves, Matt Hilton and Pauline Rowson, and crime experts from Hampshire Police, the University of Portsmouth and the University of Surrey kept a packed audience enthralled at CSI Portsmouth on Saturday 3 November when they were grilled by Cheryl Buggy, Station Director of Express FM radio, in two lively panel debates of crime fiction versus crime fact.
Over a hundred and sixty people attended the one day event held at the John Pounds Centre, Portsmouth to hear what police and crime experts had to say about their work and to listen to the crime authors talking about their novels.
The audience also had the chance to put their questions to the panel and to talk to the team from the fingerprint bureau and students from the Forensic Science course from South Downs College who provided a crime scene.
CSI Portsmouth 2012 is in its third year, the brainchild of Pauline Rowson who organises it with Portsmouth City Council Library Service and the Hayling Island Bookshop. Part of Portsmouth BookFest it is fast becoming a major fixture in the crime fiction festival calendar.
Joining authors Ann Cleeves, Stephen Booth, Matt Hilton and Pauline Rowson were Carolyn Lovell, Crime Scene Manager/Coordinator for Hampshire Police, DC Terry Fitzjohn, Fire Investigation Officer for Hampshire Police, Watch Manager Andy Earl from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Services, Adrian Fretter, from the Hi-Tech Crime Unit of Hampshire Police, fraud expert Dr Mark Button from the University of Portsmouth, Institute of Criminal Justice Studies and Professor Bran Nicol an expert on crime culture and stalking.
Both panel sessions ended with a book signing by the authors and there was the chance for the audience to talk individually to the authors and experts.
CSI Portsmouth 2013 will take place on Staurday 2 November. More details to follow.
Death Lies Beneath
Crime authors Stephen Booth, Ann Cleeves, Matt Hilton and Pauline Rowson, and crime experts from Hampshire Police, the University of Portsmouth and the University of Surrey kept a packed audience enthralled at CSI Portsmouth on Saturday 3 November when they were grilled by Cheryl Buggy, Station Director of Express FM radio, in two lively panel debates of crime fiction versus crime fact.
Over a hundred and sixty people attended the one day event held at the John Pounds Centre, Portsmouth to hear what police and crime experts had to say about their work and to listen to the crime authors talking about their novels.
The audience also had the chance to put their questions to the panel and to talk to the team from the fingerprint bureau and students from the Forensic Science course from South Downs College who provided a crime scene.
CSI Portsmouth 2012 is in its third year, the brainchild of Pauline Rowson who organises it with Portsmouth City Council Library Service and the Hayling Island Bookshop. Part of Portsmouth BookFest it is fast becoming a major fixture in the crime fiction festival calendar.
Joining authors Ann Cleeves, Stephen Booth, Matt Hilton and Pauline Rowson were Carolyn Lovell, Crime Scene Manager/Coordinator for Hampshire Police, DC Terry Fitzjohn, Fire Investigation Officer for Hampshire Police, Watch Manager Andy Earl from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Services, Adrian Fretter, from the Hi-Tech Crime Unit of Hampshire Police, fraud expert Dr Mark Button from the University of Portsmouth, Institute of Criminal Justice Studies and Professor Bran Nicol an expert on crime culture and stalking.
Both panel sessions ended with a book signing by the authors and there was the chance for the audience to talk individually to the authors and experts.
CSI Portsmouth 2013 will take place on Staurday 2 November. More details to follow.
Death Lies Beneath
November 1, 2012
Death Lies Beneath, DI Horton 8 published in US today and as ebook
Death Lies Beneath, which was published in the UK in July, has now been published in hardcover in the USA by Severn House and is also now available as an e book on Kindle, Nook and Kobo.
Death Lies Beneath is the eighth in the Solent based marine mystery crime series featuring DI Andy Horton and has received glowing reviews from both the UK and the USA.
"This is a fast paced excellent mystery, with an interesting diverse set of characters, and an intriguing hook at the end that has me eagerly awaiting the next instalment in this series. Highly recommended." Mystery People
It is available to buy on line and from all good bookshops and can also be loaned from libraries in the UK, USA and Commonwealth.
Read more about Death Lies Beneath and the DI Horton series on my website at http://www.rowmark.co.uk
Death Lies Beneath
Death Lies Beneath is the eighth in the Solent based marine mystery crime series featuring DI Andy Horton and has received glowing reviews from both the UK and the USA.
"This is a fast paced excellent mystery, with an interesting diverse set of characters, and an intriguing hook at the end that has me eagerly awaiting the next instalment in this series. Highly recommended." Mystery People
It is available to buy on line and from all good bookshops and can also be loaned from libraries in the UK, USA and Commonwealth.
Read more about Death Lies Beneath and the DI Horton series on my website at http://www.rowmark.co.uk
Death Lies Beneath
October 29, 2012
Pauline Rowson on You Tube talking about CSI Portsmouth 2012
You can listen to me talking to Tony Smith of Angel Radio about the forthcoming CSI Portsmouth event being held on Saturday 3 November at the John Pounds Centre, Queens Street, Portsmouth UK.
This video appears on my You Tube Channel where you can also find lots of other videos and interviews with me discussing my crime novels and my writing.
Click here to view Cybercrime, Fraud, Crime Scenes and more at CSI Portsmouth 3 November.
Tickets cost £10.00 with £3.00 redeemable against a book bought on the day. Box Office open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm - call 023 9268 8037. Or you can buy a ticket at the door on the day.
This video appears on my You Tube Channel where you can also find lots of other videos and interviews with me discussing my crime novels and my writing.
Click here to view Cybercrime, Fraud, Crime Scenes and more at CSI Portsmouth 3 November.
Tickets cost £10.00 with £3.00 redeemable against a book bought on the day. Box Office open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm - call 023 9268 8037. Or you can buy a ticket at the door on the day.
October 22, 2012
Footsteps on the Shore, no. 6 in DI Horton series, reprinted in paperback and available as an e book
Footsteps on the Shore, the sixth in the DI Andy Horton series of marine based mystery crime novels set on the South Coast of England has been reprinted in paperback and is also available as an e book on Kindle, Nook and Kobo
Published by Severn House, Footsteps on the Shore has received critical acclaim in the USA. It was given a starred review by Booklist who said: "It deserves mention in the same breath as works in the upper echelon of American procedurals (those by Ed McBain or Joseph Wambaugh for example) and their British counterparts, including the work of Peter Robinson and John Harvey. Procedural fans who haven’t already read Rowson should be encouraged to do so in the strongest possible terms."
There are eight in the DI Andy Horton series of British police procedural novels with two having been published this year, A Killing Coast and Death Lies Beneath and the ninth, Undercurrent, to be published in January 2013. They are all set against the backdrop of the sea in the Solent area on the South Coast of England in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
Footsteps on the Shore
Published by Severn House, Footsteps on the Shore has received critical acclaim in the USA. It was given a starred review by Booklist who said: "It deserves mention in the same breath as works in the upper echelon of American procedurals (those by Ed McBain or Joseph Wambaugh for example) and their British counterparts, including the work of Peter Robinson and John Harvey. Procedural fans who haven’t already read Rowson should be encouraged to do so in the strongest possible terms."
There are eight in the DI Andy Horton series of British police procedural novels with two having been published this year, A Killing Coast and Death Lies Beneath and the ninth, Undercurrent, to be published in January 2013. They are all set against the backdrop of the sea in the Solent area on the South Coast of England in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
Footsteps on the Shore
October 11, 2012
Death Lies Beneath, Di Andy Horton, gets great review on Publishers Weekly
Death Lies Beneath, the eighth DI Andy Horton marine mystery set on the South Coast of England, in the Solent area of Portsmouth, has received more good reviews in America where it will be published in hardcover and as an ebook on 1 November 2012.
American Book reviewer, Kirkus says, "Horton’s 8th is a treat for fans of the puzzle-box mystery."
Death Lies Beneath has also been reviewed on the highly influential magazine, Publishers Weekly who say, "Rowson’s solid eighth police procedural featuring Det. Insp. Andy Horton...convincing characters and a coherent plot bolster a crafty solution to the crimes."
Death Lies Beneath was published by Severn House in hardcover in the UK in July. It has already attracted one excellent book review from Mystery People who said, "This is a fast paced excellent mystery, with an interesting diverse set of characters, and an intriguing hook at the end that has me eagerly awaiting the next instalment in this series.Highly recommended."
Death Lies Beneath will also be published as ebook and available on Kindle, Nook and Kobo from 1 November 2012.
The new DI Horton crime fiction novel, the ninth in the series, Undercurrent, will be published in January 2013.
Death Lies Beneath
American Book reviewer, Kirkus says, "Horton’s 8th is a treat for fans of the puzzle-box mystery."
Death Lies Beneath has also been reviewed on the highly influential magazine, Publishers Weekly who say, "Rowson’s solid eighth police procedural featuring Det. Insp. Andy Horton...convincing characters and a coherent plot bolster a crafty solution to the crimes."
Death Lies Beneath was published by Severn House in hardcover in the UK in July. It has already attracted one excellent book review from Mystery People who said, "This is a fast paced excellent mystery, with an interesting diverse set of characters, and an intriguing hook at the end that has me eagerly awaiting the next instalment in this series.Highly recommended."
Death Lies Beneath will also be published as ebook and available on Kindle, Nook and Kobo from 1 November 2012.
The new DI Horton crime fiction novel, the ninth in the series, Undercurrent, will be published in January 2013.
Death Lies Beneath
October 5, 2012
A whole host of DI Horton crime novels to be published over next eight months
A whole host of titles in the popular DI Andy Horton crime fiction series are to be released over the next eight months. Responding to demand Severn House Publishers is to publish the new DI Andy Horton crime novel, Undercurrent, the ninth in the series, in the UK in January 2013 and in the USA in May 2013. They have also brought forward the publication in e book format of the two most recent titles in the series, A Killing Coast and Death Lies Beneath.
A Killing Coast, the seventh in the DI Horton series, which was scheduled to be published as an e book in January 2013 has now been released (1 October 2012) and Death Lies Beneath, the eighth in the Horton series which was due for publication as an e book in July 2013, is to be published on 1 November 2012. Both titles are already available in hardcover.
In addition, Undercurrent, the new DI Horton crime novel, the ninth in the series is to be published in hardcover in the UK in January 2013 and in the USA in May 2013 when it will also be simultaneously published as an ebook.
Footsteps on the Shore the sixth in the series is to be published in Large Print Format in March 2013 and will also be released as a paperback on 16 October 2012.
The DI Horton novels are set on the South Coast of England,in the Solent area around Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. They are published in the UK and in the USA and have been translated into several languages.
Available in hardcover,paperback, e book and some are also published as audio books from all on line book stores and bookshops as well as on loan fromlibraries in the UK, USA and Commonwealth.
Read more by visiting http://www.rowmark.co.uk
A Killing Coast
A Killing Coast, the seventh in the DI Horton series, which was scheduled to be published as an e book in January 2013 has now been released (1 October 2012) and Death Lies Beneath, the eighth in the Horton series which was due for publication as an e book in July 2013, is to be published on 1 November 2012. Both titles are already available in hardcover.
In addition, Undercurrent, the new DI Horton crime novel, the ninth in the series is to be published in hardcover in the UK in January 2013 and in the USA in May 2013 when it will also be simultaneously published as an ebook.
Footsteps on the Shore the sixth in the series is to be published in Large Print Format in March 2013 and will also be released as a paperback on 16 October 2012.
The DI Horton novels are set on the South Coast of England,in the Solent area around Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. They are published in the UK and in the USA and have been translated into several languages.
Available in hardcover,paperback, e book and some are also published as audio books from all on line book stores and bookshops as well as on loan fromlibraries in the UK, USA and Commonwealth.
Read more by visiting http://www.rowmark.co.uk
A Killing Coast
