The End Of The Street

Flank Street, that is …

I closed the door on Flank Street a few days ago, the story complete and ready for the editor and beta readers. It felt good, although I will miss some of the characters’ daily visits, and nightly intrusions into my dream world.

The title, Flank Street, was just a working title, something to give it form, and initially, direction. Whilst writing the concluding chapters, my mind roamed around the story looking for a more appropriate title. I came up with a few possibilities, including … nope, it’s gone again. It sounded great at three in the morning.

For now, I’ve retained the original working title. In part because it is a story of the street, and also just out of a liking of the name. What are your thoughts? Any suggestions after reading?

I was going to release this book in two parts. It does divide up quite nicely, but in the end, and partly influenced by my daughter who was one of my early beta readers, I decided to tell the complete story in one book. After sober consideration, the other way felt like a rort, like selling a car, then telling the unwitting buyer that the engine was extra. There seems to be a profusion of stories on Amazon, divided into three or more small books, and I’m not going to join in with that, regardless of how it looks impressive having that string of titles.

The story is written in first person through the eyes, and in the mind, of career criminal Micky DeWitt, and picks at the scab hiding the dark side of human nature that we all carry. Greed, shallowness, and cowardice are all in there waiting to leak out.

Micky washes up in Sydney with nothing other than a run down yacht and his wits. Needing to earn, and not wanting a regular job, he ends up working in a bar in Kings Cross, and on the lookout for opportunity. Nothing is what it seems, as Micky falls into a honey trap that spins his life out of control. He’s faced with an impossible decision, and no matter which way he jumps, someone’s going to get hurt.

Original image via Flikr Commons courtesy of Chris Woodman photography

His decision leads him into a hedonistic free-fall, and then close to the edge of sanity before finding a warped redemption.

Some characters from Heather make an appearance, including Mitchell, Sonny, and the enigmatic Ray Peterson. Maybe even Heather herself …

If you think you would enjoy reading this book, you can sign up here, and get a free pre-release review copy. All I ask is that if you do read it, consider writing a short review on Amazon.

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For those of you who don’t like free, Flank Street is due for release in May 2015, and will be available for pre order on Amazon in early April.

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Until then, happy reading.