Andrew Milner's Blog, page 4

Perspective

We all seem to get bogged down in things, things which sometimes in the grand scheme aren't that important. We have aches and pains and headaches and general feelings of being unwell, coughs, colds and can't be bothered syndrome. I get annoyed when I experience one of my many writing blocks and figuratively speaking bang my head against a brick wall. How much worse must it be for the real poorly people, the ones who have awful things to live with, conditions that cannot be controlled, diseases that spread and ultimately kill but all things that affect their day to day lives and stop them doing what I take for granted.

As I continue to write another chapter of my third book and bash my head against the metaphorical wall when things don't flow, I remind myself, it can always be worse. I have my health and my brain works perfectly normal (in most cases), and I work full time, I have my house and my kids. Count the blessings time I think...

Anyway, back to my writing... think on people !!

Broadening my horizons

I have ventured into unknown territory recently by writing my first children's book. I will not give the title out yet or the subject but it has started its journey to the agent so my fingers are crossed on this. I think writing for children is harder than writing for adults due to the lower range of vocabulary that is available to you and people who know me will confirm that my adult vocabulary isn't all that varied lol... I have been told by a friend who knows more about children's books than I do ( I've only had a couple of kids, she has 30 every day) that it is good so I hope that she is right on this one. I will no doubt include any response from the agent in a future blog so will keep you updated. Meanwhile, if you're bored, have a read of my website lol.
www.andrewmilnerbooks.com

I'm only the writer !!

How strange it is that a book has it's own ideas. When I started planning my third book, I jotted down a few notes added a few ideas and thought of a character or two. The book as I write it is taking me to places I didn't want it to go and as hard as I have tried to steer it in the way I want it to go I am losing. I have now decided to let it take me... Oh dear, anything could happen !!!

Few weeks in

Well it's been a couple of weeks since THE HIDDEN PATH HOME became available. Early reviews seem good. Although I have only had two books published, it's always a bit of an anti-climax once the book is finished, edited and published as there is an empty space where the book was in your head. The hard reality is then what to do next. The thought of writing another book fills me with dread as it means you have to go back to thinking of an idea and then start adding the outer layers to build up the story before creating the inner layers which becomes the substance and the pull to the reader. However writing books is what writers do and the process has started again. I am now working on my third book which is not connected in any way to the first two other than having the same person at the head of the creative process...That is me obviously lol... And so the circle starts again....!!!

THE HIDDEN PATH HOME - Available

Finally my second book is out there on the market which I'm extremely happy about. This is a sequel to A FAR REACHING DREAM. Initially I wasn't going to do a sequel because it limits people who will buy it to the ones who read the first one, however I have to confess, I'm glad that I did.
It is available on Amazon along with A FAR REACHING DREAM. Think you need to read the first one though first !!

THOUGHTS OF HOW TO PROCEED

Sometimes it's a fine line between what I want as an author and what I believe people want to read. I try and let the book lead me as I think it seems more natural and less forced that way. There is a natural direction for a story but the characters also have their own take on it. The author is like a director of a film. Try to see it from all angles and decide on the best one.
My third book is under way and I'm hearing voices already. Lol.

THE HIDDEN PATH HOME

A few copies have been sold and it's a nice feeling to know people are reading the words that came from my head, although slightly worrying too as people will realise what actually goes on in my head.
www.andrewmilnerbooks.com

All new

I've not done a blog before so I have no idea where this will go. Think this is what is called learning on the job. I wrote a book a while ago called 'A Far Reaching Dream' which was published last year. I have now finished the sequel called 'The Hidden Path Home' which will be out soon. This blog will be about my writing.

A Far Reaching Dream

A Far Reaching Dream was published January 2013. It is available on amazon, lulu.com and www.andrewmilnerbooks.com.

Kate Arlen is a beautiful young woman who has the whole of her life before her. She had been with her boyfriend for a number of years but tragically he, Pete Phillips, died in a car accident on the same night that Kate had confessed a secret to him. Kate tries hard to get on with her life but is held back because after a period of time Pete finds a way to enter her dreams, and it's whilst in one of her dreams she realises that Pete is trying to kill her, or so she thinks. Through another dream she finds out a family secret, something that comes back to help her later. Kate starts to find life a struggle and goes to see her Doctor. He recommends that she go to stay in a psychiatric hospital for a while just 'to rest'. It is whilst staying in the hospital that she meets someone who, unbeknown to her, helps unravel all the answers. One of the answers she finds through the family secret, but it's not that easy. There's still time for things to go wrong.