C.J. Wright's Blog, page 2

The Amazing Pickwick Circus - Ramton Gallow Mysteries Book 2

Today is the day I release the second of the Ramton Gallow Mysteries books, The Amazing Pickwick Circus.  It's been a while since I stepped back into this strange town with its even stranger characters, but as I have ideas for a few more books in the series, I'm hoping that the next book in the series won't be too far behind this one.
Story:
It’s been a few months since Daniel Grade and his friends tackled Miss Sanderson, a soul stealing succubus who had disguised herself as their Art teacher, and all has been quiet in Ramton Gallow. Now, as the annual town celebrations loom on the horizon the mysterious Mr Pickwick and his amazing circus come to town, and everything is once again not all it seems.
Links:
Paperback
Kindle (UK)
Kindle (US)

My Interview With... Amy Cross

Having missed March, my Interview With... series is back with the prolific horror writer, Amy Cross.  With well over 80 books to her name it will take me quite a while to read them all, but if the quality, both in writing and in horror, are all like the first book of Amy's I read, The Haunting of Emily Stone, I am certainly in for a treat as I add more to the ever growing list of her work I have on my Kindle.
Below is my interview with Amy, and links to her social media and Amazon pages:

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I'm not sure, but I think an early influence was probably my mother. She used to write short stories for me, just a page or two, and the deal was that for each story she gave me, I had to give her one in return. I was only six or seven then, and I don't remember what I wrote, but I guess that got me started with the idea that writing stories was a possibility.
What are you working on right now?
I tend to write about three months ahead of release, so at the moment I'm working on things that should come out in the summer. I've been promising new Dead Souls, Grave Girl and Mass Extinction Event for a while now, so I'm focused on making sure I finally get those out. But as for what's coming in the next month or so, I would say vampires, ghosts and a computer genius are going to feature heavily.
Why did you choose the genre you write in?
I tried various other genres, but I didn't really enjoy them and I don't think the results were very good. For now, I prefer writing horror and paranormal fantasy, sometimes straying into thrillers or more traditional fantasy. I tried writing a romance novel once and I couldn't do it, so I re-wrote it as a horror story and released it as Other People's Bodies.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I usually start writing at 8am, sometimes a little earlier, and go through until midday, and then I take the dog for a walk. That's when the ideas come. And then I start again at 2pm and work until 6pm. Sometimes I do a little more in the evening.
How much research do you do before and during a writing project?
It depends on the book. For something like The Priest Hole or The Death of Addie Gray, where parts of the story are set in the past, I need to look things up so that I don't make any historical blunders. With The Priest Hole, for example, I had to read about that period in British history, just to make sure that I didn't include any anachronisms.
How does your writing process work?
It's quite scatter-shot. Sometimes I have a plan for the week, and then suddenly a new idea comes along and I decide to write that instead. I recently went on a binge of writing short stories, some of which I put out in a collection. The rest are sitting in a file on my laptop, waiting for an opportunity to come out.
Sometimes I plan out the structure of a book ahead of time, other times I dive straight in. When I plan the structure, I usually divide it into eight parts, which helps me to see how the plot and the characters are supposed to move along. Some books get written very quickly, while others sit around waiting for me to get started. The Death of Addie Gray, for example, started as a short story I wrote last year, and then gradually it expanded and expanded until it was around 70,000 words.
Who are your writing influences?
The first book I read and truly loved was Wuthering Heights. That one has always stayed with me.
What other authors do you read?
I just finished Peter Ackroyd's book London, which was a fascinating look at the history of the city, and now I'm going through a collection of Lydia Davis short stories.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Cooking. It's a good way to separate the writing day from the evening. I'm not a particularly good cook, but I try to keep improving, so I think I've gone from being bad to being pretty okay. Other than that, the dog is always happy to go for another walk.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Yes, I do, mostly via Facebook. It's always good to hear what people liked, and what they didn't like as well. I try not to promise release dates for books these days, since I almost always miss those deadlines.
 Links:
Website Twitter Facebook 
Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com 

My Interview With... Luke Romyn

February's author is one  I've wanted to get in my My Interview With... series since I came up with the idea, the USA Today Bestselling Author, Luke Romyn.
The first book of Luke's I read was The Dark Path.  I wasn't sure what to expect, I can be quite a fickle reader, but the character of Vain grabbed me from the beginning, and kept hold all the way to the end, never knowing what was going to come next.
His books span the genres of action, thriller and horror, with the right mixture of all these elements to create riveting reads of his ten previous novels, with his eleventh, Walking With Shadows out soon.
Below is Luke's bio, taken from his website, followed by my interview with him
A terrifying storm lashed Sydney’s North Shore on June 21st, 1975. Boats were swamped and
jetties smashed in what some claim was the worst storm to hit the coast for four decades.

In the midst of the chaos, Luke Romyn’s parents battled to get to a hospital to birth their baby boy.
Normally their idyllic island cottage was a near-paradise; on this night the journey to the mainland in
their tiny boat seemed like a passage through Hell. Their son was born near midnight, but part of
the storm never left him.

When Luke reached fifteen years of age his father was killed while working in Fiji, leaving Luke and
his mother alone. At times, the only things to get Luke through his grief were the stories playing out
in his head, endless fantastical tales of lands both distant and near, with characters who would
protect him from any tragedy.

At eighteen, Luke began working in nightclubs as a bouncer. Unbeknownst to him, this was simply
the first step on a trek which would dictate much of his life from that point on. For over two
decades since, Luke has worked in the security industry; from bouncing in some of Australia's
roughest pubs and nightclubs to protecting Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew from the
overzealous jaws of tenacious toddlers. He's been bodyguard for celebrities internationally and
chased feral pigs and snakes from jungle sets on Steven Spielberg productions. Luke has traveled
the globe and spent time in some of the most amazing locations the world has to offer.

This experience fuels the Australian writer’s ever-expansive imagination, and he pours it into his
novels, combining fact with fiction, history with fantasy, delivering engrossing action-thrillers which
leave fans gasping for more. Luke’s quick wit has seen his social media following explode, and he is
currently one of the most prolific social media celebrities in Australia, with several hundred thousand
followers across the internet.

Luke Romyn has gone on to become a USA Today best selling author and is now one of the most
popular indie authors in the ever-growing ebook market. He personally completes everything from
cover art to final formatting, working tirelessly with editors to refine the best stories possible for his
readers. The results are international bestsellers you're certain to love diving into. Over 550,000
readers can't be wrong. - See more at: http://www.lukeromyn.com/Author_Bio.h...

A terrifying storm lashed Sydney’s North Shore on June 21st, 1975. Boats were swamped and jetties smashed in what some claim was the worst storm to hit the coast for four decades.

In the midst of the chaos, Luke Romyn’s parents battled to get to a hospital to birth their baby boy. Normally their idyllic island cottage was a near-paradise; on this night the journey to the mainland in their tiny boat seemed like a passage through Hell. Their son was born near midnight, but part of the storm never left him.

When Luke reached fifteen years of age his father was killed while working in Fiji, leaving Luke and his mother alone. At times, the only things to get Luke through his grief were the stories playing out in his head, endless fantastical tales of lands both distant and near, with characters who would protect him from any tragedy.

At eighteen, Luke began working in nightclubs as a bouncer. Unbeknownst to him, this was simply the first step on a trek which would dictate much of his life from that point on. For over two decades since, Luke has worked in the security industry; from bouncing in some of Australia's roughest pubs and nightclubs to protecting Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew from the overzealous jaws of tenacious toddlers. He's been bodyguard for celebrities internationally and chased feral pigs and snakes from jungle sets on Steven Spielberg productions. Luke has traveled the globe and spent time in some of the most amazing locations the world has to offer.

This experience fuels the Australian writer’s ever-expansive imagination, and he pours it into his novels, combining fact with fiction, history with fantasy, delivering engrossing action-thrillers which leave fans gasping for more. Luke’s quick wit has seen his social media following explode, and he is currently one of the most prolific social media celebrities in Australia, with several hundred thousand followers across the internet.

Luke Romyn has gone on to become a USA Today best selling author and is now one of the most popular indie authors in the ever-growing ebook market. He personally completes everything from cover art to final formatting, working tirelessly with editors to refine the best stories possible for his readers. The results are international bestsellers you're certain to love diving into. Over 550,000 readers can't be wrong.(Taken from lukeromyn.com) 
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
There is no identifiable moment from my past when I suddenly thought, “That’s it, I’ll enter the masochistic world of writing.”  I think I always wanted to express myself in one form or another but never had the guts to step off the platform of the norm and into the swirling abyss of the unknown that was writing at the time. Eventually, however, the pull became too strong and I simplysat down at a computer and typed my first word. For the record, it sucked.
What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on my eleventh novel, titled Walking with Shadows. This is a definite sidestep away from the fantasythrillers I’m known for, with the premise revolving around an author and a young boy being the only two survivors of a plane crash in the Amazon. They’re set upon by guerrillas intent on kidnapping them for ransom, and the duo is forced to escape into the jungle, a realm where an author from New York and ten-year-old boy definitely don’t blend in. To communicate with the boy, the author begins to tell him fictional stories involving incredible characters. Unfortunately, neither of them have any idea how to react when the characters from his stories startto come to life in the rainforest around them. 
How does your work differ from others of its genre?
I have a very hard time niching my writing into a genre. This is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do. There are elements of thriller, action & adventure, horror, and fantasy in almost all my books; they don’t slip into a nicecategory that says, “Here I am, love me in all my glory!” My imagination at times takes off in odd tangents that I’m not entirely in control of, and sometimes this results in great adventures, but in others it ends up as a garbled mess that gets deleted and scrubbed from my memory as swiftly as possible. In short, I find it difficult to compare my work to anyone else’s. I think it’s good, and my fans tend to think it’s good, and at the end of the day, I believe that’s what really matters.
Why did you choose the genre you write in?
I never chose it; it chose me.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I get up every day and enter my office with a set plan of attack for the day, whether it be writing, editing, marketing, graphic design, or researching – sometimes a combination of more than one. I work there until it’s time to eat and have a break, usually around dusk. After I eat and chill out for a short while, I dive back into the office and work for another four of five or six hours. Some days this results in highly productive results, on others,I spend ten to fifteen hours bashing my face against the desk, yelling at my characters to get their act together.
How much research do you do before and during a writing project?
That totally depends on the project. For instance, there was barely any research needed for my latest novel apart from various trees and potential food sources available in the Amazon. When I wrote The Prometheus Wars books, however, based as they were on mythology, both Greek and Norse, I needed to look something up practically every line. Same goes for The Legacy Chronicles, which revolved around the Biblical end of days. I knew I needed to be on the money or risk being stabbed metaphorically several times for my ignorance. As a writer, you have to understand that someone, somewhere, is out there, just waiting for you to screw up.
How does your writing process work?
I have a timer beside my keyboard set to 40-minute intervals. For 40 minutes I write without distraction. Then for 40 minutes I distract without writing. My brain needs to cool down or risk going into meltdown. But if I get too sidetracked, I’m likely to wander off through the hills of social media, never to be seen again. The timer keeps me honest, and I usually manage 2000 – 4000 words per day, depending on how much research I need to do. Sometimes, if I’m on a scorching run, I skip the research and leave a note to go back to it.
Who are your writing influences?
I grew up reading all the time. We weren’t allowed to watch too much TV as kids, so most of my spare time was spent lost in books. Fantasy novels always attracted me. Just the way they broke free from reality, stretching my imagination in many varied ways, helped me to escape, and this translated to my adult life. Stephen Donaldson, David Gemmell, Raymond E. Feist to name just a few, but I also loved Stephen King’s sideslips from reality, what I always referred to as a slow suicide. His books are like subtle trickles that suddenly hit with a tsunami you likely never saw coming, leaving you gasping.
As an adult writer, I can’t bring myself to write epic fantasy, but usually allow something otherworldly into my novels, whether as a tangible element of the tale or, as in Walking with Shadows, an allusion to a character’s own intense imagination. I’m contemplating slipping right over to horror novels, I came close with The Dark Path, but we’ll just have to wait to see what ideas pop up in the future.
What other authors do you read?
Any whose books seem interesting. I recently finished Alive, a sci-fi novel by Scott Sigler, which was fantastic, and now I’m reading The Farseer Trilogy series by Robin Hobb. Dean Koontz is always fascinating, but on the other end of the spectrum, I’m constantly looking to read books by up-and-coming indie authors. There is so much talent available to lay your hands on these days, and readers have an absolute plethora of escapism available to them, and all at the tap of a button.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I tend to use those fifteen minutes to sleep.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Fanswho have read The Legacy Chronicles have told me how inspired they were by the story, which is truly heartening. People tend to love thehumor of Wes in The Prometheus Wars, but equal with this is the numberLinks:
Website TwitterFacebook Author PageAmazon.com

My Interview With... Claude Bouchard

The first interview of 2016 is with USA Today Bestselling Author, Claude Bouchard.  I first met Claude online through Twitter, which is where I meet most of the authors I know.  We swapped books, I sent him a PDF copy of Killing Time and he sent me one of Vigilante, and we've kept it touch from time to time over social media since then.  Vigilante, the first in the Vigilante series, is a brilliant crime thriller, with some great twists.  What Claude thought of Killing Time I'm not 100% sure, I hope he liked it.
Below is a short bio taken from Claude's website, followed by my interview with him.  Enjoy.
Bio: Claude was born in Montreal, Canada, at a very young age, where he still resides with his spouse, Joanne, under the watchful eye of Krystalle and Midnight, two black females of the feline persuasion. In a former life, he completed his studies at McGill University and worked in various management capacities for a handful of firms over countless years. From there, considering his extensive background in human resources and finance, it was a logical leap in his career path to stay home and write crime thrillers.(Taken from ClaudeBouchardBooks.com) 
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?I wrote my first novel in 1995 and two more into 1997 but I can’t really say it was because I’d realized I wanted to be a writer. It was more so I had a story to tell which was then followed by two sequels. Though I did do a bit of agent querying at the time, I soon put my manuscripts aside and continued to concentrate on my career in management. Fast-forward to 2009. I learned of the growing self-pub industry and, as a pastime while job hunting, I dusted off my three novels, intent more on actually seeing them in book format than writing for a living. By the time I had revised and published the third, my mind was buzzing with ideas for a fourth then a fifth and so on and sales were starting to pick up. At some point along the way, I realized I was a writer.
What are you working on right now?I’m currently slowly progressing with Getting Even, the twelfth installment of my Vigilante series. In addition, I’m working with a Los Angeles producer on adapting my series for television.
How does your work differ from others of its genre?To say my work is unique would be a vast overstatement or, put more bluntly, a load of crock. With the sheer number of mysteries and crime thrillers out there, I have no doubt my works resemble others just as others are similar to mine. However, as writers, we all develop our own voice and writing style which does reflect our personal touch. My writing has been described as taut, stark and raw, to the point and generally devoid of fluffy fillers. For the most part, I avoid going into detailed descriptions, limiting myself to just enough to get the image across. Past that, I can say mine may be the only ‘vigilante justice’ thrillers often set in Montreal.
Why did you choose the genre you write in?The catalyst for my first novel, Vigilante, though my story bears no resemblance whatsoever, was the O.J. Simpson fiasco, a true life account of someone literally getting away with murder. Though I would never condone vigilantism in real life, making violent criminals pay for their crimes in my fictional world is highly satisfying. To summarize, consider the following which is the introductory text preceding my book descriptions:Doesn't everyone fantasize a bit about vigilante justice? Haven't you ever read or heard of some despicable act of violence and secretly wished you could have the opportunity to make the predator pay? Welcome to the VIGILANTE Series, a growing collection of suspense best sellers best described as thrillers and mysteries which will have you cheering for the assassin as justice is delivered in a clandestine fashion. But remember, this is fiction so it's not a crime.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?Unless I’m on vacation, which means away from home, my work week runs from Sunday to Saturday starting somewhere between 6:00 and 7:00am and ending at 4:00pm. Bathroom breaks are permitted as required as is meal prep time though meals are usually consumed at my work station. My days are spent behind the keyboard facing two monitors, one displaying an assortment of open internet tabs and the other, a variety of required documents, the main one generally being my current WIP. Although I do write in the morning, the best of my writing is usually done in the afternoon. Mornings are often devoted more so to social media, correspondence, promotion, recordkeeping and so on. It’s a wonderful, chaotic form of multi-tasking which I’m quite comfortable with.
How much research do you do before and during a writing project?My books are, at the very best, very loosely and vaguely planned ahead of time… Yes, I’m a pantser. That being the case, the bulk of my research is done while I work through a writing project as I generally wouldn’t know what to research before I started.
How does your writing process work?A vague idea leads to a title which, incidentally, is always the first thing I type. I then simply create a fitting story to match the title. Easy. :)
Who are your writing influences?Anything I’ve read has influenced me as will anything I read going forward. Reading is a major component of writing as it helps expand our vocabulary and further develop a variety of grammatical skills. That said, I could list hundreds of authors who have had an impact on me but I’ll name just a few such as Child, Deaver, Crais, Connelly and Grafton.
What other authors do you read?In recent years, I’ve been reading indie authors almost exclusively including Russell Blake, Gary Ponzo, Toby Neal, Nick Russell, Deborah Brown, Luke Romyn, Robert Bidinotto and many others.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?I’ve developed a growing interest in sleeping in recent years but only at night. I paint though not much of late. I also read, of course, play guitar, love to cook and my wife and I travel as much as we can.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?I do hear from my readers who say things like, “I hate you and I want to run you over with my truck.” Nah, I’m just kidding about the hate and truck thing. Seriously, readers contact me via Twitter, Facebook and my website, sometimes simply to tell me how much they’ve enjoyed my series and, often, to ask me if and when I will be releasing the next installment. It’s quite touching and flattering and it certainly is a wonderful bonus to this writing gig. Several have become good friends and there are couple of elderly gents to whom I send an email whenever I release a new book in print.
 Links:Claude Bouchard Books Twitter Facebook Facebook Author Page Amazon.com 

My Interview With... Kristy Brown.

For December's author interview I'm glad to introduce YA fantasy author, Kristy Brown. I read the first in her Kiera's Quest series, Awakenings, a while ago and absolutely loved it. Kiera's Quest is in four parts, (Awakenings, Sacrifices, Perceptions and Choices) and is published by Muse It Up Publishing.
Below is a short bio from Kristy, and a synopsis of the Kiera's Quest series, followed by my interview with her, enjoy:
Bio: Kristy BrownI live in the North-East of England, UK. From an early age I had a love of writing, mostly poetry and short stories.
I trained and graduated in Performing Arts. After time went by, I wanted to re-visit my real passion. So after my first son was born, I began writing Kiera’s Quest.
I live happily with my very supportive husband and my two beautiful boys. I have many ideas for stories! I just wish there were more hours in the day.(Taken from museituppublishing.com)
Kiera's Quest series: Meet Kiera, a pretty, intelligent, and talented girl, brought up by her uncle, and abandoned by her parents. Life is as normal as she believes it to be, apart from the deep ache inside her, telling her she’s different.

For years, Kiera’s had dreams where she ventures into a different reality. She’s not alone; a presence is always there, keeping her safe, yet she feels vulnerable, and hunted.

Zakk, Prince of Zantar, is under the Witch Queen’s spell as she tries to take over his world. He crosses paths with Kiera, and their fates are entwined.

As their journey unravels, she learns that she is not the only one affected by this Prince. Who is on her side? Will she find out why she has been chosen? How can someone so young, defeat such evil? Will she find the strength to save the ones closest to her? Will this be Kiera’s only Quest?

‘Kiera’s Quest’ is a journey of discovery, from a small seaside town, to a Kingdom from another realm. Will her life ever be the same again?
 - When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I was about thirty. I'd just had my first child. I started with short stories whilst he slept and they just got a bit longer each time. I wrote a lot of poetry as a teen and still have the odd moment when I feel a poem coming on.
What are you working on right now?Right now I'm writing a Young Adult Paranormal Romance series. It's a lot racier than Kiera's Quest! It's in first person, not in third like Kiera.
How does your work differ from others of its genre?That's tough as there are so many writers that I haven't read yet. Hopefully mine is a mix of old classics like The Wizard of Oz and Clash of The Titans etc. It's a bit of a fairy tale with a modern twist.
Why did you choose the genre you write in?I love fantasy! I read it, watch it and write it. Reality can be a little bleak sometimes, so I like to get lost in a good tale, the more farfetched the better! I do like to mix it up though, so often I'll read something which is more down to earth.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?Well, I like to write for two to three hours Monday to Friday when my kids are at school. I need total silence!
How much research do you do before and during a writing project?That's the great thing about fantasy, hardly any! I can make up whatever land or race of being I want.
How does your writing process work?Usually I handwrite a chapter in rough. Then I transfer to the computer and edit and re-edit it as I go. I usually know how my book will end before I start them. I just need to find a way of reaching that point.
Who are your writing influences and what other authors do you read?There are so many great writers...Roald Dahl, John Green, Jennifer Armentrout, James Dashner, Rick Yancey, Becca Fitzpatric.... I could go on.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?Read, watch movies, spend time with my kids,  see my friends, think about writing...
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?I mostly read their reviews, which 'mostly' are great. If people don't enjoy my stuff,  that can hurt but I'm not silly enough to think I can please everyone! Sometimes a reader will Tweet me, it's always been a positive experience when they do.
Links:Muse It Up Publishing WebsiteFacebookTwitter

My Interview With... Leigh Russell.

I've been following Leigh Russell's writing career since I first found out about her debut novel, Cut Short, soon after its publication.  I hunted high and low for a copy, and managed to find one at Worcester library. I finished it after about three days or so, and I've been hooked on her books ever since. I am amazed at her ability not only to write two different crime series (the DI Geraldine Steel series and DS (now DI) Ian Peterson series) that also crossover, at the same time, but that she has added a third series, the Lucy Hall Mysteries, the first of which will be published early 2016.
Below is a short bio of the best selling crime author, followed by my interview with her. Enjoy:
#1 Bestselling Author Leigh Russell studied at the University of Kent gaining a Masters degree in English and American literature. Her first novel in the Geraldine Steel series, Cut Short, was published in 2009, followed by Road Closed in 2010, Dead End in 2011, Death Bed in 2012, Stop Dead in 2013, Fatal Act in 2014 and Killer Plan in 2015. The eighth novel to feature DI Geraldine Steel will be published in 2016. The series has received glowing reviews and has been so popular with readers around the world that Leigh is now writing a spin off series for DI Ian Peterson. Cold Sacrifice was published in 2013, followed by Race to Death in 2014. The third novel in this series will be published in 2015. As well as writing bestselling crime novels, Leigh runs occasional creative writing courses in different venues across Europe. Leigh Russell is married with two daughters and lives in North West London.
(Taken from Amazon.co.uk)
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
This might sound ridiculous, but I never had any plans to write a book before I had actually written one. One day I had an idea for a story and wrote it down, and that was the beginning of my writing career. It has been a lot of work since then, but that's how it all began. That manuscript attracted the attention of a publisher and here I am, six years after Cut Short was published, with eleven books out and contracts for another seven. Being an author somehow crept up on me and I still can't believe how lucky I've been.
What are you working on right now?
Blood Axe, the third Ian Peterson title, has just been published by No Exit Press, and I'm currently writing the second in my new Lucy Hall series for Thomas and Mercer. The first of these, Journey to Death, will be published in February 2016. Once that's finished, I need to plan the ninth novel in the Geraldine Steel series. The eighth title in that series, Murder Ring, is out as an ebook in December, with the paperback published in 2016. These days when readers ask me when my next book is published, I have to stop and think.
How does your work differ from others of its genre?
It's difficult to comment on my own books. Readers tell me they enjoy following the careers of my protagonists, trying to determine who the killers are before my detectives manage to work it out. That's not difficult in some of my books, but readers don't seem to mind spotting the clues before my detectives do. Most reviewers describe my books as page turners, and I think readers like the suspense as much as the mystery in my books. What differentiates each of my books, for me, is the motivation of the killer. Perhaps what makes my books distinct from others in the genre is that all of the detectives are different.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I write whenever I can. Over the past year I've been away from home for a total of about six months, with book tours and research trips taking me all across the UK and overseas. But with two or three books to deliver each year, I also have regular deadlines from publishers, structural editors, copy editors, and proofs. The treadmill of success is demanding, and means I have to write whenever and wherever possible. I write on an ipad which is sync'd with my iPad mini that goes everywhere with me, allowing me to write on train and plane journeys, in the car (not when I'm driving!), in bed before I get up... anywhere, in fact. People often ask me if I'm disciplined about writing, but I have no set routine, no writing schedule. I just write when I can.
How much research do you do before and during a writing project?
The story comes first for me, and I try to make sure that everything is there to serve the story. In common with other crime writers, I spend a lot of time on research. Some of my research is for information, and I find that people who are expert in their field are always very generous with their time and knowledge. Of course I'm happy to accept help, especially from my advisors on the police force, but even with a lot of assistance, many questions can't be answered by other people. My research has taken me all around the world to many diverse locations, from a closed prison in the UK to a beautiful beach in the Seychelles. I like to have my first draft completed before travelling to research a location and when travelling I try to stay focused on finding out what I need. It's so easy to be sidetracked!
How does your writing process work?
For me the process is a mixture of ideas, excitement, and hard work, beginning and ending with panic. To begin with I am anxious that my idea will not work. Once I start writing, excitement takes over, and then the hard work begins, until the conclusion of the editing process. At this point panic returns, as I'm concerned about how my new book will be received. But there is never much time to worry about it, as I need to start working on my next manuscript.
What other authors do you read?
Of course I read a lot of crime. There are so many brilliant crime writers, Peter James, Simon Beckett, Val McDermid, Henning Mankell, Linwood Barclay - there are too many to list. But I don't only read crime. Some of my all time favourites are not classed as crime writers at all, although their books contain crimes, as so much great literature does: Edith Wharton, Harper Lee, F Scott FitzGerald, Dickens, Steinbeck, Kazuo Ishiguru, Jane Austen... again, I could go on. What I look for in an author is an engaging story and characters I can feel some kind of connection with.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Readers contact me daily with messages on social media, as well as emails through my website, telling me how much they enjoy my books. Negative comments are rare, and I have only ever once declined to respond to an email. I sometimes wish people who contact me via my website would post reviews online. I know many authors ask fans to write reviews, and sometimes I wonder if I should start doing that. But it's always lovely to hear from readers, especially when they are fans of my books! 
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My Interview With... Myself.

Welcome to the first in my author interview series, and to start off I'm going to interview myself.  I've done a few interviews before so for some of you my answers may be nothing new, but for most of you, I hope this will help you get to know me a little bit better.
I shall be aiming for one author a month, but I'll see how it goes. I'll be posting my next interview, with the brilliant crime author, Leigh Russell, next week.

If any authors would like to be appear in my interview series please contact me via email at cjwrightbooks@live.com and put in the subject line: Author Interview.
So now without further ado, here's my interview with... Myself.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always had a vivid imagination, but it was when I met Sue Townsend, the author of the Adrian Mole books, when I was eight years old that I knew I wanted to be a writer.  I guess a lot of authors have been influenced by meeting a published author face-to-face, and I most definitely was. I believe it was the 23rdof November 1985, and Sue Townsend came to my primary school, the one she had attended when she was a child, and I was in awe of her.  She spoke to us about her books, and writing, and from that moment I knew that it was something I wanted to do too.
What are you working on right now?
I have two new books scheduled to come out next year so I’m busy doing edits.  I’m also doing primarily work on the final book in my Vampire Hunter Trilogy.  Due to my health, my writing has been a bit sporadic over the past few years, but I’m now getting into the swing of things by writing mainly at night or early in the morning when I’m at my most alert.
How does your work differ from others of its genre?
I try to go for spooky rather than gory horror.  I’d rather make my readers pulse race than turn their stomachs, and with the amount of gore in horror these days, especially in movies, most horror fans are de-sensitised to it all.  Also I hate to use profanity in my work, unless I really can’t help it, and then only in dialog.  Swearing for the sake of it just seems lazy writing, if you ask me.
Why did you choose the genre you write in?
I don’t think I did choose it, it chose me.  I’ve always been a fan of horror, whether it be in the form of films, comics and of course, books, and all my writing seems to gravitate to that.  I’m often asked why horror, particularly by my family and friends, but it just seems natural somehow.How much research do you do before and during a writing project?As much as I need, really.  I like to create as much of the world in my imagination if I can, but for the things that need to be correct I check online, and from more than one source if I can.  Just because Wikipedia says it, doesn’t mean it’s true.
Who are your writing influences?
Stephen King, who is an obvious choice, but true, and I’ve seen and read numerous interviews and documentaries about him, and I’ve read On Writing a number of times.  The same with J.K. Rowling.  Though I don’t think I’ll ever get to their level of fame or readership, if you don’t at least have a level to aim for you’re not really going to get anywhere.
What other authors do you read?
I read pretty much anything, both fiction and non-fiction, but my favourite genre to read is crime fiction.  When I was younger I read a lot of Agatha Christie, especially the Miss Marple stories, because they were quick reads which held my childhood concentration.  When I tried something longer I usually lost interest unless it grabbed me right at the beginning I gave up not long afterwards.Some of my favourite crime authors are Colin Dexter, Leigh Russell, Robert Galbraith (AKA J.K Rowling), James Patterson and Tess Gerritsen.  Though there and many, many other authors enjoy.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I watch a lot of Netflix.  I’ve always preferred to relax with TV show box sets than movies.  Other than that, because I am disabled and have to take a medication that makes me tired a lot of the time, when I’m not sleeping I’m either reading or spending time with my wife.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I do hear from a few of them, mainly on Goodreads.com, and so far it's been pretty positive, but I’d love to hear more from them.
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Work, work, work...

It's been a while, as it usually is between posts, but I have been working hard on two new books that will be out next year. They are both sequels, the first is the next Ramton Gallow mystery: The Amazing Pickwick Circus, which sees Daniel Grade and friends tackle a new adventure when a strange circus comes to town. The second new book is Rising Star, the sequel to Falling Star. There will be a third story completing the Star trilogy, but that is a little way off yet.
With those two books going through the editing process, I'm starting to turn my attention to the book that will finish off what I started with my first published novel, Ritual of Blood. Wampyre's Gate is the last book in the Vampire Hunter Trilogy and will bring everything full circle for Victor Drake, Jessica, Brice Hawk and Lucinda Beaufort.
In order to bring more content to this blog I'm going to post interviews with fellow authors of all types of genres in a My Interview With... series.  I'll be starting with myself, and then hopefully posting one interview a month, though it will be more if my number of authors wanting to be interviewed increases of course.
So, watch this space for more news, and I'll catch you all next time :)

Becoming a Writing Coach.

I've spent pretty much most of this century writing in one way or another. Ideas grew, stories were written and books have been published, and what's more, I've learned a lot. It's true that the more you write the better your writing becomes, like exercising a muscle over and over; striving through the pain, resting when you need to, and making sure you feed the muscle with the correct nutrients (that would be reading a lot of good books, and I mean A LOT!). There's always been something else I've wanted to do, and that is to help other writers grow and hone their craft.  I'm not saying that I know everything, I don't think anyone knows everything. There's always more to learn, more to discover, about life, about the world, about our own selves. What I've decided to do is to become a Writing Coach along with the publishing services I mentioned in the previous post. Writing is a lonely journey, and I'd like to help it not be as lonely a journey by giving help and support to those writers that want it.
I'm still working out the kinks, seeing what is needed to set it up as a business, how I can help, how much I should charge (which is the hardest one for me to determine). I've already had a little interest shown, and if I can help just one person it would be worth it (OK, maybe not financially worth it, but I would get that nice warm feeling inside, probably). If you or anyone you know is interested then you can check out my Writing Coach page on my website, and fill out the contact form at the bottom:
Writing Coach page. 
Along with all this I'm still working through my new Ramton Gallow Mysteries book; the sequel to The Witch of Primrose Hill. I am hoping to get this new book out by the end of the year, so fingers crossed. 
As a side note, I only recently found out the the word Gallow is a now obsolete word from around the 17th Century that means 'to frighten'. Seeing that it is part of the name of a town where strange and scary things happen it seems quite apt.
As another side note, Ramton is a completely made up word so I can have it mean whatever I want it to mean. If Shakespeare can make up words then so can I. (Shakespeare also uses the word Gallow in King Lear).

It's been a while.

It had been almost a year since my last blog post. To be honest things have been going slow for me this past year, a decline in health hasn't helped, but I have been working on new projects, and hope to have a new book out some time this year.
I have also started looking into expanding Dark Crucible Publishing to include publishing other peoples work in ebook (ePub and Kindle) and paperback formats. The process is in its early stages, but if anyone is interested in having their work published and promoted by me (Dark Crucible Publishing) then feel free to drop me an email, or message on Twitter or Facebook.
With Dark Crucible Publishing I will be interested in publishing Horror and Sci-fi novels and short story collections to begin with. If there is interest in using my services for other genres things may grow in those directions also.
I will be posting more information about the expansion of Dark Crucible, and the progress of my own writing more often from now on, see keep a eye out for new posts mentioned on my Twitter feed (@CJWrightBooks).