Hello there. I’m Ian, and I was wondering if anyone in the group would be interested in a series of humorous novels I’m writing. These are modern urban fantasies with a slight flavour of Sherlock Holmes. A contemporary Holmes, the central character Bernie Quist operates as a consultant detective from Baker Avenue in the city of York. His eccentric personality and deductive methods resemble the celebrated sleuth and his assistant is named Watson, although this Watson is a youth from the Grimpen housing estate and he's definitely no doctor. The mismatched duo take on bizarre cases which invariably lead to the realms of the supernatural, a shadowy world Quist is all too familiar with. Cat Flap, the first novel, was launched yesterday by MX Publishing, the world’s largest publisher of Sherlock Holmes books. It deals with a shady cartel of northern businessmen, a forgotten Egyptian cult and an ancient evil lurking in the medieval alleyways of York I’ve never understood why more writers don’t use York as a location. This little city rivals Prague, Vienna and Saltsburg for architectural beauty and historic splendour. It seemed a natural location for these supernatural mysteries, and I’ve attempted to use the place as an actual character in the same way that the Morse and Rebus novels breathe life into Oxford and Edinburgh. The Yorkshire Wolds also feature. This area isn’t as famous as the Dales and the North York Moors and must feel like their poor relation – John F Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and that other Chappaquiddick brother who didn’t shine politically or get to sleep with Marilyn Monroe. The sequel is finished and due for release shortly, and if anyone fancies winning a copy of Cat Flap, I’m currently in the middle of a giveaway here on Goodreads. By making these stories funny and also, for the most part, staying away from the usual characters (the sullen, gorgeous vampires with the incredible six-packs, for example) I’ve tried for a different kind of urban fantasy. Writing something funny is always more fun and I hope these books might appeal to the members here. All the best Ian
Cat Flap, the first novel, was launched yesterday by MX Publishing, the world’s largest publisher of Sherlock Holmes books. It deals with a shady cartel of northern businessmen, a forgotten Egyptian cult and an ancient evil lurking in the medieval alleyways of York
I’ve never understood why more writers don’t use York as a location. This little city rivals Prague, Vienna and Saltsburg for architectural beauty and historic splendour. It seemed a natural location for these supernatural mysteries, and I’ve attempted to use the place as an actual character in the same way that the Morse and Rebus novels breathe life into Oxford and Edinburgh. The Yorkshire Wolds also feature. This area isn’t as famous as the Dales and the North York Moors and must feel like their poor relation – John F Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and that other Chappaquiddick brother who didn’t shine politically or get to sleep with Marilyn Monroe.
The sequel is finished and due for release shortly, and if anyone fancies winning a copy of Cat Flap, I’m currently in the middle of a giveaway here on Goodreads. By making these stories funny and also, for the most part, staying away from the usual characters (the sullen, gorgeous vampires with the incredible six-packs, for example) I’ve tried for a different kind of urban fantasy. Writing something funny is always more fun and I hope these books might appeal to the members here.
All the best
Ian