Lee Allen's Blog, page 22
June 6, 2021
London Clarke's The Meadows - Review
The Meadows by London ClarkeMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A gothic supernatural chiller to haunt your waking moments.
Scarlett DeHaven plans to start life afresh, focusing on her songwriting and new business venture, leaving her history of addiction behind. Moving to a remote town, she purchases a property with plans to open a bed and breakfast. But Asphodel House has a disturbing history, one that haunts it from every nook and cranny.
The strange atmosphere of the house rapidly unsettles Scarlett and she begins to feel, hear and see anomalies she fears may not be real, while the prospect of them being real is more terrifying still. With its history of brutal murders, reports of paranormal activity, and its use by a cult purporting to be vampires, in the present day the Meadows poses a threat to Scarlett’s sanity.
As she descends back into addiction she hoped to escape, Scarlett desperately searches for answers, finding help from demonologist Hunter Massabrook, who has his own history with the house. But as forces of darkness coagulate around Asphodel House, it becomes clear that whatever malign scheme has played out within its walls has not yet come to its conclusion and no one who has been touched by its shadow is safe.
London Clarke’s first volume of the ‘Legacy of Darkness’ is a gripping, thrilling delight for fans of gothic horror – with its setting of a lonely, secluded property haunted by malign entities that may be demonic or spirits of the dead; the mysterious cult, calling themselves the Colony, which may or may not exist, while its members may or may not be vampires; a group of outsiders, aliens in this secluded spot, meeting an array of locals, some portraying their fair share of eccentricities.
Creative, troubled and aspiring for a new start, Scarlett is a splendid central character – at times endearing and at others difficult to relate to, perfectly capturing the jarring nature of a relationship with an addict, as both an observer and from Scarlett’s own perspective. Her mistrust of her own recollections and emotions heightens the mystery and suspense that envelope every twist and turn of the plot, as it propels towards its conclusion and the secrets of the Meadows are finally unveiled.
With its host of well-drawn characters, gothic imagery and lightning-paced plotting, the novel takes inspiration from the classics to conjure a contemporary tale of unease. By the time I closed the book on the final page, I was already very excited to delve into ‘Whickering Place’, London Clarke's second volume in the ‘Legacy of Darkness’ trilogy.
Gothic and atmospheric, ‘The Meadows’ is a well-crafted and thrilling paranormal horror novel, demonstrating the allure of the supernatural remains as resolutely unshakeable as the walls of Asphodel House itself.
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May 31, 2021
John Grisham's Sycamore Row - Review
Sycamore Row by John GrishamMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
A powerful sequel to the classic legal thriller ‘A Time to Kill’.
Seth Hubbard, terminally ill, hangs himself from a sycamore tree on his expansive property. His suicide triggers his carefully planned final wishes – a hasty funeral and the terms of his recently written last will, which disinherits his greedy, white family and leaves his fortune to his black housekeeper, Lettie Lang.
Jake Brigance has been appointed attorney for the estate as part of the decedent's final wishes. Though they never met, he claims Jake is the only lawyer he can trust, based on his reputation for fighting for justice against the tide of societal discrimination and corruption, and charges him to defend his final will and testament at all costs.
But Seth’s family refuse to accept the validity of the will and contest it. Once again, Clanton becomes the epicentre of a legal battle that is as much about race as it is about the law, vultures circling and flocking to claim a piece of the fortune.
John Grisham’s debut novel ‘A Time to Kill’ remains one of his most powerful novels, a modern classic of legal and crime fiction, and a fable about prejudice and moral justice. Many years later, Grisham has returned to the central character of Jake Brigance in ‘Sycamore Row’ – an immersive and captivating legal thriller; this time the central case a civil, rather than criminal, trial. The novel’s themes of racial prejudice, the shades of grey in which the law and morality may differ, and a fight for justice are deftly handled and superbly laced through its gripping, fast-paced plot. Building to an intense and dramatic climax, the case hinges on a dark family secret that may just unlock Seth’s motivations for his final actions.
Brimming with an array of well-drawn characters, with many returning from its predecessor, the novel demonstrates how a dark chapter in human history continues to leak into our modern society – its powerful and moving message timely and crucial. Through the setting of a small town, we see prejudice and attitudes that are mirrored all around the globe; in many ways as potent today as it ever has been in the past.
While ‘Sycamore Row’ can be enjoyed as a self-contained story, it references many of the events of ‘A Time to Kill’ – so I would highly recommend starting with the first novel (or alternatively watching the brilliant, and mostly faithful, film adaptation). Jake and his family make for endearing characters and the overarching themes shared by both novels make this a superlative series – one that continues in Grisham’s recent novel, ‘A Time for Mercy’.
Packed with legal wrangling and courtroom drama, fraught with poignant and tragic moments, ‘Sycamore Row’ is an emotive and enthralling thriller and a worthy successor to a masterpiece.
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May 19, 2021
Bookstagram Author Interview
1. What does literary success look like to you?
It's something I've often considered - as I'm not sure what the measurement should be. Should it simply be by number of books published? Critical acclaim or commercial success? Topping a bestseller list or being able to stay at the top? Maybe it's longevity and building a body of work, one that becomes a legacy. I'm not sure of the answer, but then that's looking at it from the outside.
For me personally, success is simply for a reader to enjoy my work. For just one reader to have said they love my book, then all of that hard work has paid off. It turns my personal achievement into a success.
2. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I usually research the next book's themes in detail before I start, while I then continue to research throughout writing, finally often double-checking details during redrafting. A lot of that research may have no direct impact on the plot or characters, or some research may only influence a small section - perhaps just a sentence. But I think context and authenticity are both very important to a story. Plus it gives me an excuse to order another pile of books for my non-fiction and reference library!
3. If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
Well, writing isn't actually my day job. I currently work as a project manager and have done various planning and administrative based jobs. I work on my books around my day job.
Back when I was in school, I was planning to study and train to become a psychologist, specifically a forensic psychologist. I think if I wasn't on the writing path, I'd be working within a forensic or legal role.
4. How do you select the names of your characters?
Sometimes they come immediately when I think of a character; sometimes their name doesn't come until I begin to physically write the story. Perhaps I'll try out a few name ideas while I'm plotting to see whether it fits or not. Some of my main characters originally had different names, but they didn't feel right, so I thought about different names until I found the right one. Maybe it's a bit like naming your children. You think about a lot of names and maybe have a few preferences, or even think you've picked one - but when you finally meet them, you just know which name is for them.
5. What was your hardest scene to write?
It's an interesting question, but I'd have to say I haven't really found any scenes difficult to write. When I'm writing, I'm in the moment and in the heads of the characters driving those scenes.
The difficulty may come when you read the scenes afterwards. I remember when I read back a particularly violent scene towards the end of my first novel, 'Those Crimes of Passion', which was uncomfortable to visualise. There's also a traumatic memory that comes to the surface in my novella 'Alone' that comes to mind.
However, I find hard scenes very positive. I want to get them right, which brings with it challenges. If they might be difficult to read back, it suggests I've achieved it. Some things should always be difficult to write or to read - I think the danger is in us becoming too desensitised.
6. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
I'm not sure I can point to a particular experience, but from an early age stories had a profound effect on me. I have loved books and reading for as long as I can remember. I've known I wanted to write from a very young age. Perhaps it's the power of stories rather than language that first influenced me.
I think an appreciation of the power of language is something you develop across a period of years - the ability it has to tell those stories, and has had for millennia. No matter the specific language - be that cravings on cave walls all the way through to our plethora of modern languages - it has been a medium to communicate those stories in a way that people understand, empathise with and relate to. Everything and everyone is a story - I think that's where the power lies and is the reason we will always be in love with them.
7. Do you try more to be original or to deliver what readers want?
I think most writers, or artists in general, probably strive to achieve both simultaneously. If you consider any piece of work that's considered someone's masterpiece, it's been original, compelling and popular.
However, when I'm working on a book, I don't allow either to drive me. I get lost in the story and my characters and try to tell it in the best way I can. I expect if you were to worry too much about delivering something original or how many glowing reviews you might get or striving to write a bestseller, it's not going to work.
The story and characters come first and, when it comes to the later stages and finally releasing it, you hope it's the best piece of work you could have produced at that time. It's the readers who will decide how it's received.
Interviewed by A Limitless Reader - see the post on Instagram.
Order Bitten from Amazon, Lulu.com, and Barnes & Noble.
View all my reviews
Visit me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
It's something I've often considered - as I'm not sure what the measurement should be. Should it simply be by number of books published? Critical acclaim or commercial success? Topping a bestseller list or being able to stay at the top? Maybe it's longevity and building a body of work, one that becomes a legacy. I'm not sure of the answer, but then that's looking at it from the outside.
For me personally, success is simply for a reader to enjoy my work. For just one reader to have said they love my book, then all of that hard work has paid off. It turns my personal achievement into a success.
2. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I usually research the next book's themes in detail before I start, while I then continue to research throughout writing, finally often double-checking details during redrafting. A lot of that research may have no direct impact on the plot or characters, or some research may only influence a small section - perhaps just a sentence. But I think context and authenticity are both very important to a story. Plus it gives me an excuse to order another pile of books for my non-fiction and reference library!
3. If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
Well, writing isn't actually my day job. I currently work as a project manager and have done various planning and administrative based jobs. I work on my books around my day job.
Back when I was in school, I was planning to study and train to become a psychologist, specifically a forensic psychologist. I think if I wasn't on the writing path, I'd be working within a forensic or legal role.
4. How do you select the names of your characters?
Sometimes they come immediately when I think of a character; sometimes their name doesn't come until I begin to physically write the story. Perhaps I'll try out a few name ideas while I'm plotting to see whether it fits or not. Some of my main characters originally had different names, but they didn't feel right, so I thought about different names until I found the right one. Maybe it's a bit like naming your children. You think about a lot of names and maybe have a few preferences, or even think you've picked one - but when you finally meet them, you just know which name is for them.
5. What was your hardest scene to write?
It's an interesting question, but I'd have to say I haven't really found any scenes difficult to write. When I'm writing, I'm in the moment and in the heads of the characters driving those scenes.
The difficulty may come when you read the scenes afterwards. I remember when I read back a particularly violent scene towards the end of my first novel, 'Those Crimes of Passion', which was uncomfortable to visualise. There's also a traumatic memory that comes to the surface in my novella 'Alone' that comes to mind.
However, I find hard scenes very positive. I want to get them right, which brings with it challenges. If they might be difficult to read back, it suggests I've achieved it. Some things should always be difficult to write or to read - I think the danger is in us becoming too desensitised.
6. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
I'm not sure I can point to a particular experience, but from an early age stories had a profound effect on me. I have loved books and reading for as long as I can remember. I've known I wanted to write from a very young age. Perhaps it's the power of stories rather than language that first influenced me.
I think an appreciation of the power of language is something you develop across a period of years - the ability it has to tell those stories, and has had for millennia. No matter the specific language - be that cravings on cave walls all the way through to our plethora of modern languages - it has been a medium to communicate those stories in a way that people understand, empathise with and relate to. Everything and everyone is a story - I think that's where the power lies and is the reason we will always be in love with them.
7. Do you try more to be original or to deliver what readers want?
I think most writers, or artists in general, probably strive to achieve both simultaneously. If you consider any piece of work that's considered someone's masterpiece, it's been original, compelling and popular.
However, when I'm working on a book, I don't allow either to drive me. I get lost in the story and my characters and try to tell it in the best way I can. I expect if you were to worry too much about delivering something original or how many glowing reviews you might get or striving to write a bestseller, it's not going to work.
The story and characters come first and, when it comes to the later stages and finally releasing it, you hope it's the best piece of work you could have produced at that time. It's the readers who will decide how it's received.
Interviewed by A Limitless Reader - see the post on Instagram.
Order Bitten from Amazon, Lulu.com, and Barnes & Noble.
View all my reviews
Visit me on Facebook
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May 14, 2021
Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End - Review
We Begin at the End by Chris WhitakerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A powerful crime thriller that explores the fragmented nature of justice, penance and redemption.
On his release from prison, Vincent King returns to his hometown, collected at the prison gates by his old friend, now sheriff, Chief “Walk” Walker. Vincent was imprisoned when a young girl was killed thirty years earlier. The girl’s sister, Star Radley, also still resides in their hometown, living in the shadow of the past.
Star’s daughter, Duchess, only thirteen years old, often finds herself in the position of carer to her younger brother and to her mother, whose substance abuse and lack of stable employment endanger the stability of a family barely held together by a thread. The neighbours hover around Star like vultures, men who have no good intentions in mind.
Duchess strives to protect her mother from the predators at their door, unknowingly triggering a chain of tragic events with unforeseen consequences that may ultimately unstitch the fragile fabric of the past and leave only desolation in its wake.
‘We Begin at the End’ is a character-driven, epic tale, beginning with the smouldering embers of emotional trauma and slowly building to an intense, emotional inferno. Written in a style that perfectly evokes the detachment that comes with emotional trauma, while simultaneously shackled to the pain of history, its deep scars a constant reminder; the novel paints a tragic tapestry of childhoods lost and characters barely clinging to living a life, merely surviving from day to day. Whitaker introduces us to each of the players, immersing us into the story until we are as emotionally invested as the characters themselves.
Central characters Duchess, Vincent and Walk are particularly well-written, encouraging empathy even when you cannot agree with their actions. In many ways these three are, or should be, at odds with each other and in other ways so similar – each is on a journey, the end to which they have no control over; their focus on others rather than themselves, doing penance for sins that may not be their own, suffering for choices that were taken away from them. There are many hidden depths to the story that are not fully realised until the very end, with a final, tragic twist that is beautifully done and a denouement you can feel deep within your soul.
Moving and thought-provoking, ‘We Begin at the End’ is a superb, slow-burning drama that will continue to resonate with you long after you’ve read the final page.
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April 30, 2021
Lynda La Plante's Judas Horse - Review
Judas Horse by Lynda La PlanteMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Jack Warr returns in a gripping police thriller to hunt a dangerous gang of violent burglars.
Returning to work following paternity leave, DS Jack Warr is seconded to an inquiry in the Cotswalds – a series of audacious burglaries, recently increasing in severity, the perpetrators having needlessly killed a dog who was still at home.
Jack’s determination to apprehend the burglars and prevent their crimes escalating further affords him little patience for bureaucracy and leads to clashes with senior officers. Unfazed, he has no qualms about cutting through the red tape and bending procedure for the sake of the greater good.
When the burglaries are connected to the discovery of a body several months earlier, Jack knows that they have little time before these killers strike again. He also knows there is only one way to capture them – he needs to find an insider, his Judas Horse, to bring the gang to them before they are able to evade capture and escape justice for good.
‘Judas Horse’ is the second in Lynda La Plante’s series featuring Jack Warr, following the brilliant ‘Buried’ – a series which also has its roots in the classic ‘Widows’ trilogy. It grips you in its clutches from the opening page, before launching you into the investigation that quickly becomes a race against time, hurtling towards its dramatic action-packed finale. Featuring authentic characters, detailed police procedure and multiple twists and turns, I didn’t want to put it down. As with all Lynda’s books, I wanted to race through to the finale, yet simultaneously did not want it to end.
Jack makes for a brilliant lead character – both likeable and endearing. After pursuing his family history in ‘Buried’, he feels he has found himself, which shines through in his work; already a dogged and determined detective, skilled at reading evidence and tracking down the truth, but unafraid to cross over into the grey areas when he believes police procedure is impeding an investigation. At heart, he is a good man, while also possessing a roguish quality – a darker side that even Jack himself does not yet fully comprehend. Blended perfectly with the procedural narrative of the central crimes is Jack’s family life – his relationship with his partner Maggie is beautiful, their newborn daughter Hannah the perfect addition to their family. This is as much an emotional drama as a police procedural.
Thrilling and engaging, ‘Judas Horse’ is a superb slice of police drama and a fantastic sequel to ‘Buried’. I have been a huge fan of Lynda La Plante for the last two decades, having quickly devoured her back catalogue, eagerly anticipating every new book and TV drama, and she never fails to deliver! I cannot wait to see what will be next for Jack Warr.
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April 26, 2021
Harriet Tyce's Blood Orange - Review
Blood Orange by Harriet TyceMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A sharp blend of domestic and legal thriller, with a dash of dangerous eroticism.
Barrister Alison is set to defend her first murder case, her instructing solicitor’s client a woman accused of the brutal murder of her husband. There is no question she committed the act, but Alison is determined to put together a legal defence that may mitigate for a lesser charge.
Yet her brief isn’t the only challenge she has to contend with. Her ongoing affair with solicitor Patrick adds a layer of complication to their professional relationship, one that is as potentially dangerous as it is obsessive; while, at home, Alison’s marriage to husband Carl is slowly deteriorating.
Alison struggles to carry the guilt that comes with her career, her affair and her marital problems, fearing the impact they may have on her daughter. Juggling so many stresses inevitably leads Alison’s life to begin spiralling out of control and, with it, beginning to crack at the seams. Yet it is through these cracks that the truth may finally bleed.
Harriet Tyce’s debut novel is a fast-paced, twisted journey into the lives behind the masks of domestic and professional relationships. Its exploration of themes of domestic abuse and sexual violence is both sensitive and vitally important. Alison may not always be the most sympathetic of characters, but this is part of the strength in the telling of this story and also a realistic development of her character in the context of the plot. Alison’s men, Carl and Patrick, display increasingly concerning behaviour, though, with Alison’s narration, Tyce very cleverly has you questioning both reliability and responsibility throughout. The most endearing and sympathetic character, for me, was Alison and Carl’s young daughter, Matilda, as Tyce also explores how the decisions and behaviour of the adults can ultimately impact on a child.
While I anticipated several of the twists, there is a killer of a twist that clicks into place just before Alison’s realisation and is beautifully done, building to a final climatic moment that deserves a gasp. The thread of moral, as well as legal, justice runs throughout, and, in the end, the reader can decide if either has truly been done.
Gripping from beginning to end, ‘Blood Orange’ is a superb thriller by Harriet Tyce; I will absolutely be devouring more of her work in the future.
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April 23, 2021
Mo Hayder's Skin - Review
Skin by Mo HayderMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
An intense, absorbing crime thriller that stalks the dark shadows of the human psyche.
In the aftermath of his previous investigation, Operation Norway (as told in ‘Ritual’), DI Jack Caffery is convinced the case isn’t over, that another accomplice, one who may or may not be supernatural in origin, remains unapprehended. He continues to pursue it, his suspicions roused by a series of suicides – much to the frustration of his senior officer, who insists he should be focusing on the disappearance of a footballer’s wife from a rehab clinic.
Sergeant Flea Marley, who assisted Caffery with the arrests on Operation Norway, continues to battle demons of her own. In attempting to clear up the latest issue her brother has created for them, she finds herself embroiled in a crime, frantically searching for a way out.
As Caffery unofficially investigates the suicides, he realises he may have stumbled across the work of another malignant mind. As he and Flea pursue their personal agendas, they both find themselves entangled in webs from which they may be unable to extricate themselves unharmed.
‘Skin’ is the fourth in Mo Hayder’s deliciously dark series featuring Jack Caffery, which began in London with ‘Birdman’ and ‘The Treatment’; this the second in the Walking Man series, which follows Caffery’s transfer to Somerset, also featuring Flea Marley. ‘Skin’ picks up in the days following ‘Ritual’, plunging you immediately back into the world of muti with evil intent, while also picking up on an incident with Flea’s brother that took place in the previous novel. There is also a new villain to pursue, one who has an obsession with human skin.
Mo Hayder is exceptional at delving into the darkness of the human mind, her characters psychologically developed, often experiencing or haunted by trauma; the plots woven with procedural and forensic detail. Both Jack Caffery and Flea Marley are superb characters, battling demons and wrought with moral dilemmas. I loved the previous three books and thoroughly enjoyed ‘Skin’ – another gripping entry in the series.
Gritty and disturbing, ‘Skin’ is an absorbing and relentlessly-paced police procedural; a superb example of the best that the genre’s dark side has to offer.
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April 9, 2021
Deborah Harkness' Shadow of Night - Review
Shadow of Night by Deborah HarknessMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The second installment in the ‘All Souls’ trilogy; a magical journey back to Elizabethan England to uncover the history of the entwined lives of witches, vampires and daemons.
Picking up immediately following the conclusion of ‘A Discovery of Witches’, ‘Shadow of Night’ finds Diana and Matthew in Oxford in 1590, having travelled back into history in order to hunt for the manuscript that they believe holds the key to understanding the origins and evolution of witches, vampires and daemons, and to allow Diana to explore and harness her magic away from the threats of the present day. But the past is not free of dangers, with the added complication that their mere presence threatens to alter the future.
Soon travelling from England to Matthew’s family home in France, bringing Matthew face to face with his vampire father, the couple struggle to adapt to their new places in history. Having displaced his past self in the sixteenth century, Matthew must also ensure that his own timeline is not affected and that past actions continue to be adhered to, something that proves a challenge with his newfound affection for witches.
Returning to London and later journeying to Prague in pursuit of the lost manuscript, they know their time in the past must soon come to an end. Learning more about her powers and finally beginning to embrace them, Diana must face her fears in order to return them home. Enemies – vampire, witch, daemon and human alike – encircle them, as secrets are unveiled and they get ever closer to fulfilling their quest.
Since reading the first novel, I eagerly anticipated delving into this period in British history – fraught with the aftermath of religious upheaval and fears about witchcraft already igniting in neighbouring Scotland. Featuring a cast of historical characters, including cameo appearance from Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare, the novel is a blend of fantasy, historical, and romantic fiction, with a good measure of gothic drama to satisfy lovers of darker tales of witchcraft and vampirism.
Packed with detailed descriptions and vivid imagery of a long ago past, always reaching towards the future, this second novel in an epic saga effectively builds on the mythology of the first novel – a dizzying mix of allusions to history, science and spirituality, literature, art, and architecture; as well as plenty of emotional and dramatic moments, romance and mystery.
In ‘Shadow of Night’ we journey into the past and return to an uncertain future; the finale once again leaving us with tantalising threads that will lead into the conclusion of Diana and Matthew’s trilogy, ‘The Book of Life’.
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April 1, 2021
Val McDermid's Still Life - Review
Still Life by Val McDermidMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A thrilling police procedural featuring two investigations for Police Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit.
Fishermen pull a man’s body from the Firth of Forth estuary, launching an investigation by Fife’s local CID. DS Daisy Mortimer, recently transferred to the team, is both nervous and excited to be involved in her first murder inquiry. The victim is soon identified as a French citizen, but enquiries with the French police identify that he previously absconded to France to join the French Foreign Legion – prior to this he was a UK citizen and chief suspect in the inquiry into the disappearance of his brother, a civil servant, a case which quickly ran cold.
Meanwhile, DCI Karen Pirie is investigating the discovery of skeletal remains in the back of a camper van in the garage of a recently deceased RTA victim. It appears likely that this may be linked to the deceased's ex-partner. Karen and DC Jason Murray delve into both women’s backgrounds, while Karen finds herself distracted by an offender’s imminent release from prison.
With the live inquiry linked to the cold case of the civil servant’s disappearance, Karen is tasked with taking the lead on the investigation, one with lines of enquiry which sprawl through England, France and finally to Ireland. Juggling both inquiries, Karen and the team find themselves hunting two dangerous murderers whose unearthed crimes threaten to continue bleeding into the present.
I first encountered Karen Pirie back when ‘The Distant Echo’ was still a standalone thriller – I still recall its chilling imagery to this day. When I later picked up ‘A Darker Domain’, believing it to be another standalone, I was pleasantly surprised to recognise the lead characters. Since then I have eagerly followed Karen’s cases. This, the sixth in the series, is once again another high quality thriller from Val McDermid; packed with forensic and procedural detail, cross-jurisdictional sparring and cooperation, and the blurring of both historic and current cases – resulting in an intriguing, authentic police thriller, that builds to a suspenseful and satisfying climax.
Karen continues to be an endearing character, her own personal life intertwined throughout (while the novel can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the novels in order to avoid spoilers and best experience the ongoing character development across the series), her no-nonsense approach and desire for justice never wavering. An appearance by anthropologist Dr River Wilde is always welcome, while I very much like new recruit Daisy and hope she continues to feature in the series in the future. The Pirie novels, in particular amongst McDermid’s work, demonstrate a keen political and social awareness, current events bubbling in the background. With the novel concluding in March 2020, I’m very excited to see what may come next for Karen and her team.
Fast-paced, with a social and moral conscience, and gripping from beginning to end, ‘Still Life’ is another fantastic novel from the Queen of Scottish Crime, and, as ever, I shall be eagerly picking up the next McDermid thriller as soon as it arrives.
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March 21, 2021
Bookstagram Author Interview
1. Does writing energise or exhaust you?
Both, undoubtedly! Sometimes simultaneously. I love writing and researching and building my plots and characters. I can sometimes spend hours drafting scenes and writing notes. There are other times when I can barely manage the next sentence - though I believe this is often due to external factors or on days when I've allowed doubts and anxieties to creep in. Overall, I feel happiest when I'm writing and getting into the next scene always makes me feel happy and relaxed.
2. Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
I think perhaps ego may have the same impact for writers as it would in any area of your life or in any profession - if it gets too big, it'll get in the way; but it also needs to be big enough to allow for self-belief and self-confidence.
For writers, it's necessary for us to get inside the heads of our characters. We require a huge amount of empathy along with our imaginations. I suppose one's own ego being too big could get in the way of that. Equally, when you're writing, it's just you. If you don't believe in yourself and your writing, no one else is going to do it for you.
When it comes to putting your work out into the world, you need to have the confidence to do it. So perhaps you need to at least be able to fake it! I suppose we are good at making things up.
3. Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
I think emotion plays a huge role in any creative artistic process, but it depends on what you may be writing. For me, empathy and imagination are vitally important in writing fiction, as it must be with many areas of non-fiction, poetry, music - particularly if you want to create authentic and believable characters. It's probably particularly important in genre-fiction, as the events and plots you describe may be rare, unusual or fantastical. If the characters aren't realistic, you run the risk of losing the reader.
I believe if you can connect to a character's thoughts and emotions, you can let them drive your story and your readers will connect with them, and in turn their stories will resonate. As a reader, I most enjoy those stories where I feel I've connected with the characters. As a writer, I strive to do the same for my readers.
4. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
So far, everything I've written is a standalone, but while characters may not crossover, there are common themes between some stories. It may come to a point where characters will crossover at certain times or in certain places. I'm also planning for some characters to return in the future. There may be some sequels in the works, but I'm not ready to share what they may be quite yet!
5. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I always read my book reviews. I love hearing what readers thought of my work, if they've enjoyed the stories and found they resonated with them. I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who takes the time to read and review my work.
When it comes to anything that may not be so positive, I remind myself that art and entertainment are subjective. Not everyone is going to like everything. Though I am yet to receive an overtly negative review, so I have no doubt it would be disheartening.
What I've found most interesting with reviews for my short story collection, “Whispers from the Dead of Night”, is that different readers have different favourite stories. In fact, I've seen the same stories described as readers' favourites and least favourites. It just goes to show that people's opinions are different and you can't allow it to steer your writing.
Feedback for “Bitten” has been very positive so far, and I'm very excited to hear more of what readers think.
6. What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
I find it very difficult learning to overcome my perfectionism, particularly when it comes to editing. It can, at times, be very overwhelming and wrought with anxiety.
Perhaps the greatest difficulty is in overcoming the doubts and anxieties that creep in along the way - thoughts that I may never finish writing the story; persevering through all those doubts to get to the end. Once it's complete, it's then about summoning the confidence to release it!
It is the feedback from readers that keeps me going. On days I'm not sure of myself, it's their comments about how much they have enjoyed my work that help me put aside the doubts and keep on writing.
7. How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
I have several plots and scenes for multiple books floating around at any given time, all of which I intend to return to. As for books I've already started, there are two that are currently unfinished. They've not been abandoned, just postponed.
"Bitten" was one such half-finished book when I chose to concentrate on "Whispers from the Dead of Night" in September 2018. Following its release, I returned to "Bitten" last year.
As for completed books, I have two stories for children that remain unpublished. I hope to share them one day. In the meantime, I have begun working on book six.
Interviewed by Tanmay Mehta - see the post on Instagram.
Order Bitten from Amazon, Lulu.com, and Barnes & Noble.
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Both, undoubtedly! Sometimes simultaneously. I love writing and researching and building my plots and characters. I can sometimes spend hours drafting scenes and writing notes. There are other times when I can barely manage the next sentence - though I believe this is often due to external factors or on days when I've allowed doubts and anxieties to creep in. Overall, I feel happiest when I'm writing and getting into the next scene always makes me feel happy and relaxed.
2. Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
I think perhaps ego may have the same impact for writers as it would in any area of your life or in any profession - if it gets too big, it'll get in the way; but it also needs to be big enough to allow for self-belief and self-confidence.
For writers, it's necessary for us to get inside the heads of our characters. We require a huge amount of empathy along with our imaginations. I suppose one's own ego being too big could get in the way of that. Equally, when you're writing, it's just you. If you don't believe in yourself and your writing, no one else is going to do it for you.
When it comes to putting your work out into the world, you need to have the confidence to do it. So perhaps you need to at least be able to fake it! I suppose we are good at making things up.
3. Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
I think emotion plays a huge role in any creative artistic process, but it depends on what you may be writing. For me, empathy and imagination are vitally important in writing fiction, as it must be with many areas of non-fiction, poetry, music - particularly if you want to create authentic and believable characters. It's probably particularly important in genre-fiction, as the events and plots you describe may be rare, unusual or fantastical. If the characters aren't realistic, you run the risk of losing the reader.
I believe if you can connect to a character's thoughts and emotions, you can let them drive your story and your readers will connect with them, and in turn their stories will resonate. As a reader, I most enjoy those stories where I feel I've connected with the characters. As a writer, I strive to do the same for my readers.
4. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
So far, everything I've written is a standalone, but while characters may not crossover, there are common themes between some stories. It may come to a point where characters will crossover at certain times or in certain places. I'm also planning for some characters to return in the future. There may be some sequels in the works, but I'm not ready to share what they may be quite yet!
5. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I always read my book reviews. I love hearing what readers thought of my work, if they've enjoyed the stories and found they resonated with them. I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who takes the time to read and review my work.
When it comes to anything that may not be so positive, I remind myself that art and entertainment are subjective. Not everyone is going to like everything. Though I am yet to receive an overtly negative review, so I have no doubt it would be disheartening.
What I've found most interesting with reviews for my short story collection, “Whispers from the Dead of Night”, is that different readers have different favourite stories. In fact, I've seen the same stories described as readers' favourites and least favourites. It just goes to show that people's opinions are different and you can't allow it to steer your writing.
Feedback for “Bitten” has been very positive so far, and I'm very excited to hear more of what readers think.
6. What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
I find it very difficult learning to overcome my perfectionism, particularly when it comes to editing. It can, at times, be very overwhelming and wrought with anxiety.
Perhaps the greatest difficulty is in overcoming the doubts and anxieties that creep in along the way - thoughts that I may never finish writing the story; persevering through all those doubts to get to the end. Once it's complete, it's then about summoning the confidence to release it!
It is the feedback from readers that keeps me going. On days I'm not sure of myself, it's their comments about how much they have enjoyed my work that help me put aside the doubts and keep on writing.
7. How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
I have several plots and scenes for multiple books floating around at any given time, all of which I intend to return to. As for books I've already started, there are two that are currently unfinished. They've not been abandoned, just postponed.
"Bitten" was one such half-finished book when I chose to concentrate on "Whispers from the Dead of Night" in September 2018. Following its release, I returned to "Bitten" last year.
As for completed books, I have two stories for children that remain unpublished. I hope to share them one day. In the meantime, I have begun working on book six.
Interviewed by Tanmay Mehta - see the post on Instagram.
Order Bitten from Amazon, Lulu.com, and Barnes & Noble.
Visit me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
