Jim McGrath's Blog, page 6
September 17, 2016
A Death in Spring: 1968. What a cover
Many people have been kind enough to say how much they liked the cover for A Death in Winter: 1968. I saw today for the first time Dave Brown's cover for A Death in Spring: 1968.
Dave and I had previously discussed the content of the picture and I'd seen Dave's early sketches, but the finished painting blew my socks off. For those who thought the cover for Winter was creepy wait till you see Spring.
A photo of Dave's painting will be posted next Wednesday on Goodreads.
Best wishes,
Jim
Dave and I had previously discussed the content of the picture and I'd seen Dave's early sketches, but the finished painting blew my socks off. For those who thought the cover for Winter was creepy wait till you see Spring.
A photo of Dave's painting will be posted next Wednesday on Goodreads.
Best wishes,
Jim
August 15, 2016
Progress Report (7). A Death in Spring: 1968.
Hi,
There is an old saying in the theatre, If you show the audience a gun in the first act it has to be fired before the end of the play. When reading the finished draft M/S of Spring my good friend Dave Brown pointed out that I'd introduced a metaphorical gun in the final section and not 'fired it'. So I had a 1,000 word rewrite too complete.
Dave is now doing a proof read of the entire M/S and finishing off the cover for the new book. So the M/S will be going to Troubadour within the next two weeks.
As soon as Dave has finished painting the cover I'll upload an image of it for you to have a look at. It follows the same style as the Winter Cover and I think it's going to look great.
Cheers,
Jim
There is an old saying in the theatre, If you show the audience a gun in the first act it has to be fired before the end of the play. When reading the finished draft M/S of Spring my good friend Dave Brown pointed out that I'd introduced a metaphorical gun in the final section and not 'fired it'. So I had a 1,000 word rewrite too complete.
Dave is now doing a proof read of the entire M/S and finishing off the cover for the new book. So the M/S will be going to Troubadour within the next two weeks.
As soon as Dave has finished painting the cover I'll upload an image of it for you to have a look at. It follows the same style as the Winter Cover and I think it's going to look great.
Cheers,
Jim
What's in a chair, other than your backside?
Many years ago when I first went to Finland it was a bit of a culture shock. Not because the Finns are so different from us but because I'm a city lad and I suddenly found myself on a farm 18k from the nearest town, in the middle of the forest unable to talk to anyone except my girlfriend/future wife as no one spoke English.
But there was a great rocking chair in the farmhouse and it quickly became my favourite chair in the whole world. I read War and Peace in it in just four days. (I was young and pretentious - but it is truly a great book. (Once you get passed the first 50 pages in which just about everyone in the book is introduced to you at a party).
I've been looking for a reading chair like it every since. I've bought several over the years. My leather and wood office chair is great for writing. I wrote my thesis and all my books sitting in it. But it's no good for reading. I think it's because the arms are too high. Good for resting your arms on when you are typing but they stop you curling up with a good book in your hand.
I've purchased and got rid of at least three rocking chairs that didn't come up to scratch. One I threw out the day it was delivered! But at long last I think I've found my perfect rocking chair.
It's from Euro-chairs, you can see them on Amazon, and it's wonderfully traditional, full size and beautifully made. So now I've got no excuse. I can get on and read all those Hard Case Crime books I bought in the last eight months. If you've not read any HCC books start with Joyland by Stephen King buy it today. It's not typical of the series but it's a real gem. A mixture of coming of age novel, love story, ghost story and serial killer thriller.
Let me know if you have a favourite reading chair or place. I'm sure many of us do.
Cheers,
Jim
But there was a great rocking chair in the farmhouse and it quickly became my favourite chair in the whole world. I read War and Peace in it in just four days. (I was young and pretentious - but it is truly a great book. (Once you get passed the first 50 pages in which just about everyone in the book is introduced to you at a party).
I've been looking for a reading chair like it every since. I've bought several over the years. My leather and wood office chair is great for writing. I wrote my thesis and all my books sitting in it. But it's no good for reading. I think it's because the arms are too high. Good for resting your arms on when you are typing but they stop you curling up with a good book in your hand.
I've purchased and got rid of at least three rocking chairs that didn't come up to scratch. One I threw out the day it was delivered! But at long last I think I've found my perfect rocking chair.
It's from Euro-chairs, you can see them on Amazon, and it's wonderfully traditional, full size and beautifully made. So now I've got no excuse. I can get on and read all those Hard Case Crime books I bought in the last eight months. If you've not read any HCC books start with Joyland by Stephen King buy it today. It's not typical of the series but it's a real gem. A mixture of coming of age novel, love story, ghost story and serial killer thriller.
Let me know if you have a favourite reading chair or place. I'm sure many of us do.
Cheers,
Jim
July 30, 2016
Progress Report (6) A Death in Spring: 1968 FINISHED!
Hi,
Happy to report that I finished A Death in Spring: 1968 yesterday. Or maybe it was the day before, if you don't count the minor changes I made to the ending yesterday.
I'm very happy with the final book. It's a longer and more complex novel than A Death in Winter but hopefully it still contains the same chemistry and humour between the characters as exists in the first book. Certainly the body count is as high as ever.
As I write, my good friend David Brown is paining the cover. It will be in the same style as Winter '63s cover, which so many readers and reviewers raved about.
With luck the book should be out towards the end of October/early November. Anything you can do to promote the book with friends and family through social media would be hugely appreciated.
If you are one of the many people who left a review or rating on Amazon or Goodreads for Winter '63 can I thank you sincerely. When sales aren't that great it's the appreciation of readers that really does keep me going.
Best wishes,
Jim
Happy to report that I finished A Death in Spring: 1968 yesterday. Or maybe it was the day before, if you don't count the minor changes I made to the ending yesterday.
I'm very happy with the final book. It's a longer and more complex novel than A Death in Winter but hopefully it still contains the same chemistry and humour between the characters as exists in the first book. Certainly the body count is as high as ever.
As I write, my good friend David Brown is paining the cover. It will be in the same style as Winter '63s cover, which so many readers and reviewers raved about.
With luck the book should be out towards the end of October/early November. Anything you can do to promote the book with friends and family through social media would be hugely appreciated.
If you are one of the many people who left a review or rating on Amazon or Goodreads for Winter '63 can I thank you sincerely. When sales aren't that great it's the appreciation of readers that really does keep me going.
Best wishes,
Jim
July 24, 2016
Progress Report (5) A Death in Spring: 1968
Hi,
It's been a while since I last wrote a blog. But I've got a really good excuse. You see I'm closing in on finishing A Death in Spring: 1968.
I'm on 82,000 words at the moment which means that I've got about 8,000 more to write. Further good news is that I know how the book ends. The bad news is I haven't yet figured out how to get all the relevant people to where they need to be for the climax. But it will come to me.
When writing non-fiction I always have a very clear idea of the structure of the book from early on. I never really believed fiction writers when they said that they often found that their characters took over the writing process and 'dictated' how the plot would develop. Well I can conform that it does happen.
Several events have occurred in the latest book that I didn't plan for. But they seemed right in the context of the story and the characters, even when it meant rewriting earlier sections to set the action up. I probably would have finished the book by now if such an event hadn't occurred a couple of weeks ago.
Do these changes make the book better or not? I don't know. All I can do is listen to my gut instincts and follow my feelings.
Ultimately, what you and I want as readers are characters that we believe in and have feelings for. To achieve that the writer has to have those feelings for his/her characters. Feelings of love or loathing are essential if the characters are to come alive. Therefore a writer has to let them 'live their life' and make their 'own decisions'. The problem with that is that they invariably make choices that are unexpected and that means rewrites.
Let's hope my characters have no more surprises for me.
Best wishes,
Jim
It's been a while since I last wrote a blog. But I've got a really good excuse. You see I'm closing in on finishing A Death in Spring: 1968.
I'm on 82,000 words at the moment which means that I've got about 8,000 more to write. Further good news is that I know how the book ends. The bad news is I haven't yet figured out how to get all the relevant people to where they need to be for the climax. But it will come to me.
When writing non-fiction I always have a very clear idea of the structure of the book from early on. I never really believed fiction writers when they said that they often found that their characters took over the writing process and 'dictated' how the plot would develop. Well I can conform that it does happen.
Several events have occurred in the latest book that I didn't plan for. But they seemed right in the context of the story and the characters, even when it meant rewriting earlier sections to set the action up. I probably would have finished the book by now if such an event hadn't occurred a couple of weeks ago.
Do these changes make the book better or not? I don't know. All I can do is listen to my gut instincts and follow my feelings.
Ultimately, what you and I want as readers are characters that we believe in and have feelings for. To achieve that the writer has to have those feelings for his/her characters. Feelings of love or loathing are essential if the characters are to come alive. Therefore a writer has to let them 'live their life' and make their 'own decisions'. The problem with that is that they invariably make choices that are unexpected and that means rewrites.
Let's hope my characters have no more surprises for me.
Best wishes,
Jim
June 16, 2016
Progress Report (4) A Death in Spring
Hi,
I've just completed Part 3 of A Death in Spring: 1968. That means, if all goes to plan, I should finish the final part by mid July.
Of course writing a good draft doesn't mean that I have finished the book. Once I have a full M/S I'll probably spend a month amending, editing and polishing the work. That final stage is almost entirely concerned with critical evaluation. There is very little creativity involved. It's when I cut words, sentences, paragraphs and whole sections if need be to make the book as tight and focused as I can.
Sometimes it can feel as if I'm killing my 'children'. As I dump scenes and characters that I sweated blood over. In fact I'm starting to think that if I do sweat blood over a scene it's a good bet that it won't survive the final cut.
What the above all boils down to is that the October 2016 publication date for 'Spring' is now very likely.
Cheers
Jim
I've just completed Part 3 of A Death in Spring: 1968. That means, if all goes to plan, I should finish the final part by mid July.
Of course writing a good draft doesn't mean that I have finished the book. Once I have a full M/S I'll probably spend a month amending, editing and polishing the work. That final stage is almost entirely concerned with critical evaluation. There is very little creativity involved. It's when I cut words, sentences, paragraphs and whole sections if need be to make the book as tight and focused as I can.
Sometimes it can feel as if I'm killing my 'children'. As I dump scenes and characters that I sweated blood over. In fact I'm starting to think that if I do sweat blood over a scene it's a good bet that it won't survive the final cut.
What the above all boils down to is that the October 2016 publication date for 'Spring' is now very likely.
Cheers
Jim
June 7, 2016
You must be earning a fortune
People never ask you how much you earn. It's considered impolite. However, I've lost count of the number of people who have suggested to me that with ten books published, including an award winning management book, I must be earning a fortune. The truth is very different.
The average author in Britain earns £12,000 a year. I've never earned close to that amount. I've never even earned the minimum wage from writing.
So why do I do it? Well when I was teaching at the university it was expected that you would publish articles and/or books.Although my books didn't earn me a lot of money they did provide a great deal of professional satisfaction.
But why start writing fiction? It's certainly not because I expect to earn a fortune from it. Although I do think that Collins, Clark and Agnes would make great characters for a TV series. IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE TO.
I know I'm not a great writer. But I have stories and characters in me that I feel compelled to bring to life. My stories are an opportunity to live and explore any number of alternative lives that I might have led under different circumstances.
They are also a pathetic attempt to leave something of my mind and feelings behind me after I am gone.
No writer sets out to write just for money. We write because we have to. Writing is who we are. Even if it takes most of a lifetime to realise that.
Best wishes,
Jim.
The average author in Britain earns £12,000 a year. I've never earned close to that amount. I've never even earned the minimum wage from writing.
So why do I do it? Well when I was teaching at the university it was expected that you would publish articles and/or books.Although my books didn't earn me a lot of money they did provide a great deal of professional satisfaction.
But why start writing fiction? It's certainly not because I expect to earn a fortune from it. Although I do think that Collins, Clark and Agnes would make great characters for a TV series. IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE TO.
I know I'm not a great writer. But I have stories and characters in me that I feel compelled to bring to life. My stories are an opportunity to live and explore any number of alternative lives that I might have led under different circumstances.
They are also a pathetic attempt to leave something of my mind and feelings behind me after I am gone.
No writer sets out to write just for money. We write because we have to. Writing is who we are. Even if it takes most of a lifetime to realise that.
Best wishes,
Jim.
June 4, 2016
Progress Report (3) A Death in Spring
Thank God for word processors and cut and paste. How did the great writers of yesteryear ever finish anything? Patience and hard work I hear you shout.
Anyway, today I reached the magic 50,000 words.
I then decided to eliminate one theme in the story. This I think will produce a much more focused story line. It also has the advantage that the unused element can be recycled as the basis for Part 3 in The Handsworth Quartet.
The willingness to cut lumps out of wonderfully wild creation is I think an essential part of writing. Yes you have to be creative and write what is in your mind. But in the course of writing there are many occasions when you have to say; Does this add to the story or am I just trying to complicate things to show how cleaver I am? If it's the latter cut it out like you would a gangrenous leg. Otherwise it will kill your story.
Rewrite done I ended the day still above 50,000 words at 50,176. So like my heroes I had a cuppa and a fig roll to celebrate and watched The Martian for the second time. Really looking forward to the next Jason Bourne film - Matt's back.
Best wishes,
Jim
Anyway, today I reached the magic 50,000 words.
I then decided to eliminate one theme in the story. This I think will produce a much more focused story line. It also has the advantage that the unused element can be recycled as the basis for Part 3 in The Handsworth Quartet.
The willingness to cut lumps out of wonderfully wild creation is I think an essential part of writing. Yes you have to be creative and write what is in your mind. But in the course of writing there are many occasions when you have to say; Does this add to the story or am I just trying to complicate things to show how cleaver I am? If it's the latter cut it out like you would a gangrenous leg. Otherwise it will kill your story.
Rewrite done I ended the day still above 50,000 words at 50,176. So like my heroes I had a cuppa and a fig roll to celebrate and watched The Martian for the second time. Really looking forward to the next Jason Bourne film - Matt's back.
Best wishes,
Jim
May 30, 2016
Progress Report (2) A Death in Spring:1968
Years ago I heard a writer, I can't remember whom, say that he always wrote the last page of a book first. That way he knew where he was going. Well being young and stupid I didn't think much of his advice.
But now, just half way through A Death in Spring: 1968 I spent today writing the last major scene in the book. Certainly some of the details contained in it will change before the book is finished. However, in essence it will remain the same.
When writing A Death In Winter: 1963 it was at exactly the same stage that I felt compelled to write the final scene of that book. About 95% of what I wrote appears in the published book.
I've been thinking why do I need to do this? My conclusion is that in the middle of any long project everything you've done looks like rubbish and you doubt your ability to finish the task. It's the saggy middle that you have to push past to achieve your target.
By writing the ending it gives me reassurance as to where I'm going all I then have to do is work out how to get there. Well it works for me.
Best wishes,
Jim
But now, just half way through A Death in Spring: 1968 I spent today writing the last major scene in the book. Certainly some of the details contained in it will change before the book is finished. However, in essence it will remain the same.
When writing A Death In Winter: 1963 it was at exactly the same stage that I felt compelled to write the final scene of that book. About 95% of what I wrote appears in the published book.
I've been thinking why do I need to do this? My conclusion is that in the middle of any long project everything you've done looks like rubbish and you doubt your ability to finish the task. It's the saggy middle that you have to push past to achieve your target.
By writing the ending it gives me reassurance as to where I'm going all I then have to do is work out how to get there. Well it works for me.
Best wishes,
Jim
May 26, 2016
To kill or not to kill
Writing is about decisions. What do I put in? What do I leave out? What does this character look like? What happens in this scene? One of the most difficult decisions is who do I kill off?
I had that decision to make earlier in the week and I decided to do X. From that moment on everything I wrote was hard work. The scenes wouldn't flow. the dialogue was stilted. It just didn't feel right.
Then while I was shaving this morning I realised that if I allowed my decision to stand I'd have to write a very different book to the one I'd envisaged. The entire direction and nature of the book would have to change.
So I went back and changed my decision and had to dump 3,000 words. Suddenly the words were flowing again and an idea occurred to me which I will be able to capitalise on in Book Four A Death in Autumn.
Some people may think that I had a moment of inspiration. But it could just be another example of my unconscious tacit knowledge at work. Either way I can't take credit for it, as it involved no conscious thought on my part.
Cheers
Jim
I had that decision to make earlier in the week and I decided to do X. From that moment on everything I wrote was hard work. The scenes wouldn't flow. the dialogue was stilted. It just didn't feel right.
Then while I was shaving this morning I realised that if I allowed my decision to stand I'd have to write a very different book to the one I'd envisaged. The entire direction and nature of the book would have to change.
So I went back and changed my decision and had to dump 3,000 words. Suddenly the words were flowing again and an idea occurred to me which I will be able to capitalise on in Book Four A Death in Autumn.
Some people may think that I had a moment of inspiration. But it could just be another example of my unconscious tacit knowledge at work. Either way I can't take credit for it, as it involved no conscious thought on my part.
Cheers
Jim
