When Your Number's Up
In total I've had twelve novels published, originated wholly by me. I did also write a novelization of a film a few years ago. But the story wasn't mine and the script I had to use as its source was thinner than a catwalk model in a Karl Lagerfeld fashion show.
The first four novels were published under the author name Francis Cottam. I've done eight subsequently as F.G. Cottam - which sounds slightly more sinister, in keeping with their paranormal subject matter. That was the logic in the name change. It seemed a good idea.
The point of all this, is that my next book, The Lazarus Prophecy, is number 13. It's not a number I've shied away from, some of my novels have comprised 13 chapters in total length and I've been quite relaxed about the fact. But there's no getting away from the unfortunate reputation this number has acquired through centuries of superstition.
I'm taking it to be a good and fitting omen. The Lazarus Prophecy is the novel I'm happiest with and I think it merits its sombre numerical distinction. It's the 13th novel and it's the ninth F.G.- again an encouraging figure because it features so prominently in the plot.
Nine is a number close to the heart of my character Edmund Caul. Read the book and you'll soon discover why. It's to do with numerology. It's to do with demonology also ...
Do I need any more signs, portents, statistics of unearthly significance? Not really. I'll settle for what I've totted up so far. The fact that The Lazarus Prophecy is published on September 9 is, in the end, just a neat and tidy coincidence; one that might even bring a smile to the pale, knowing face of Mr. Caul.
The first four novels were published under the author name Francis Cottam. I've done eight subsequently as F.G. Cottam - which sounds slightly more sinister, in keeping with their paranormal subject matter. That was the logic in the name change. It seemed a good idea.
The point of all this, is that my next book, The Lazarus Prophecy, is number 13. It's not a number I've shied away from, some of my novels have comprised 13 chapters in total length and I've been quite relaxed about the fact. But there's no getting away from the unfortunate reputation this number has acquired through centuries of superstition.
I'm taking it to be a good and fitting omen. The Lazarus Prophecy is the novel I'm happiest with and I think it merits its sombre numerical distinction. It's the 13th novel and it's the ninth F.G.- again an encouraging figure because it features so prominently in the plot.
Nine is a number close to the heart of my character Edmund Caul. Read the book and you'll soon discover why. It's to do with numerology. It's to do with demonology also ...
Do I need any more signs, portents, statistics of unearthly significance? Not really. I'll settle for what I've totted up so far. The fact that The Lazarus Prophecy is published on September 9 is, in the end, just a neat and tidy coincidence; one that might even bring a smile to the pale, knowing face of Mr. Caul.
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rhiannonrising
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Jul 29, 2014 11:32PM
I can't wait to read it!
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I'm glad you enjoyed Bay and see you've started The Colony. They're a complete contrast, though I suppose written in the same style. I wrote Colony immediately after Bay and after the claustrophobic intensity of the Greer family, went for a large cast of characters in a story constructed on a bigger scale. Hope it warms you up nicely for Prophecy!
I loved The Lazarus Prophecy, it was a fabulous mixture of things. Just now finished Brodmaw Bay and reviewed it. Which of your books would you recommend I read next Francis?
I alternate between event driven (Prophecy) and character driven (Bay) because I don't want to keep going on writing the same novel. Thank you for your very generous review of Bay, but that was a slow-burner after the Prophecy fireworks display for anyone! I'd suggest you read The Colony, next. There are some typos in it, but it was self-published and I'd lessons to learn about that process. Nevertheless, I'd hope you'd enjoy the scale and scope and pace of it.
