Having a Break

We’re heading to UK on Friday, so will not be spending
much time on the PC or my blog, if any. I certainly won’t be writing, and
sometimes I wonder how I’ll manage to get back into it when we return. Whenever
I’ve been asked advice about writing, I’ve always recalled that Churchillian
statement: ’Never Give Up’. And that old, J.B.Priestley nutmeg about applying
the seat of one’s pants to the seat of one’s chair. It will be time to follow
my own advice. We can talk all we like about writers’ block and plot building,
research etc., but in the end it comes down to prevarication, or dithering
perhaps is a better choice of word. One sound of piece of advice I’ve come
cross is to simply write and not worry about the final result until you start
editing and getting the second draft prepared. I can’t use my struggle with
chemo as an excuse because it’s now eight weeks since my final dose. I’ve had
two subsequent medication sessions since then, but these are meant to improve
my system. I must say I have felt a marked improvement, and other people see it
in me too, but I also have to guard against complacency because I know I am now
100% yet.

Me and Pat are looking at our trip to UK as a welcome
break after the last, traumatic six months. We’ll be seeing our eldest son’s
new home for the first time. My elder brother is now living at a different
address, and two friends of ours, Brian & Pauline are living in UK after
about 17 years in Spain. We will also be travelling down to East Sussex to
spend a couple of days looking around, figuring out if we can afford to buy a
park home there. We’ll be in UK for ten days all told, and we are really
looking forward to it.

Getting back to the struggle to write; I thought it
might be interesting at this stage to put feelers out to my numerous readers
about the direction in which I should go with my novel. Bear in mind though
that I have completed a great deal of research and piled in about 40,000 words,
but I decided to let you all have a taste of the opening prologue; just to get
your thoughts on it. Here goes:

Charlie Picket woke but did not open
his eyes. He felt the dubious comfort of the hard mattress in the motel room
pressing into him, but preferred it to the squalor of the Mexican prison he had
just left. He hadn’t planned to stop on his way to the American border, but the
long drive had proved wearying, and he had finally succumbed and pulled over
for the night. He was in a small town called Los Montesinos, somewhere between
the desert jail that had held him and the border crossing at El Paso. The motel
looked like a dump, and there was nothing he found in there to change that
impression. The room was squalid, barely furnished and prompted thoughts of a
quick, morning departure barely minutes after he had stretched his weary body
out on the iron bed. But he needed something to eat before giving in to sleep.

There was a taverna
opposite the motel, its flickering, neon sign struggling to light up the
parched ground as darkness fell. Only the sound of music, faint but clear, gave
it life. Picket hadn’t eaten for several hours as he pulled into the motel, and
the thought of a meal and a drink to chase it down seemed to make up for the
paucity of life around the small town. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t eaten
for so long or had a beer for several weeks that he stayed too long in the bar.
The music was good, the guitarist accomplished and the señoritas happy to flirt.
Picket was an attraction some of them found hard to ignore, and he would have
been pleased to accommodate them, but he didn’t want to end up in some dried up
river bed with his throat cut. So he kept them at arm’s length and took comfort
in the ambience and the drink; so much so that when he stepped out of the bar,
the night air seemed to floor him. He staggered back to the motel room and
after clumsily undressing he collapsed on to the bed with the thin sheet pulled
over him.

He opened his eyes
and could feel the throb of pain beneath his skull. His bladder was full and he
had an erection that a cat would have found hard to scratch. He lifted his head
from the pillow and stared up at the sunlight filtering through the yellowing
curtain hanging loosely over the window. He groaned and laid his head back down
again, wanting the pain to go away and more sleep to come. But the nagging
pressure in his bladder forced him to push himself up on to one elbow and take
stock. He remembered where he was and groaned as the thudding inside his head
increased and the nagging discomfort in his bladder urged him to get out of bed
before he pissed himself. He pushed himself up on one arm and sat like that for
a while, his head drooping from his shoulders and his arm trembling slightly as
it supported him. The bed sheet slipped down to his waist. He grabbed at the
thin edge and was about to pull it off when he saw her.

‘What the f….!’

The expletive died in his throat as his
eyes fell on the young girl. She was sitting on an upright chair in the corner
of the room, barely three feet from the end of his bed. She could only have
been about twelve or thirteen; no more. She was wearing what looked like
pyjamas and was barefoot. Her hair was dishevelled and her pyjama top was torn
and stained with mud. But it was her small feet that drew Picket’s attention:
they were covered in blood. And she was sitting there as though she belonged,
holding a gun and pointing it straight at him.

Back to My Roots

There was joy in the Parker household last week because
I have started growing eyebrows and a moustache. For new readers to my blog I
must explain that this isn’t because I am searching for a new look, but because
my chemo sessions finished seven weeks ago and the hair is beginning to return.
It’s like the first shoots of spring. Pat is already looking at a long one she
can see, but I’ve told her there will be no trimming until I decide. For the
moment I’m enjoying the sight of hair and not having to look at a bald, white
face. We are off to England at the end of next week, so maybe I’ll look a
little more presentable when we go round visiting family.

Another kind of shoot is beginning to express itself,
and that is the development of my latest manuscript. Having re-worked it for
goodness knows how long, I have started again. Over the last few months of
deliberating and obfuscating, I knew there was a great deal wrong with the way
in which I was building my characters and the plot line: I needed a little more
realism. For that reason I have changed the backgrounds and lifestyles of a
couple of them, and also not pitched the plot at too high a level. This was
more for my own sake than anything else. I think there are times when you can
be influenced by other writers and forget that you should only write the kind
of novels you want to read. I also realised that I had made a technical error in
the way in which I plotted a plane crash. It would have been picked up by the
more observant reader. It wouldn’t have harmed the story at all really, but
sometimes I find myself complaining about the short cuts some top writers take
without giving much thought to facts and realism. Mind you; that’s what fiction
is about, right?

I have managed to edge further down the road with my new
website, but I have to confess that it is still some way off before I can ‘launch’
it, and much depends on my hard working son. Once we’ve knocked it into shape,
I’ll be happy. However, with regard to re-writing manuscripts and launching
websites etc., I will be hampered by our trip to UK. It’s only for ten days,
but leading up to it and getting back into the swing of things when we return
will eat into my writing time.

I’ve also made a promise to myself that I will try to
use the social networks more efficiently, and continue to spend money promoting
my books. At the moment my sales are very low, although fairly constant, but I
am nowhere near the stellar results some indie writers enjoy (and I’m not
talking about best-sellers). Time will tell though.

Our break in England is going to be a welcome release
for me and Pat after the last six months, which included selling the house with
all that it entailed. Pat did ALL the work because of my illness, and I thank
God for having such a caring, loving wife. My faith in God has also helped
through the dark times and I have felt His presence all along. 

Relaunch, coming soon.

It’s been a week of head
scratching for me as I try to build my new website. It isn’t available to the
reading public yet simply because I lack the necessary skills to update the
pages with confidence. But I am making progress and owe much to my son, Terry’s
ability and patience. The whole point about building a new site when I already
have one is that I can’t update my site because I’m not the administrator; my
son is. Consequently when I want changes, I have to ask him. We decided last
year it would benefit me if I took control of things, bearing in mind that I
intend to bring my current Amazon titles under my own wing. This will take some
time, but I hope to have achieved something before summer. Once the site is
ready, I will have it linked to my main site and can begin to add my titles. My
first will be THE EAGLE’S COVENANT, which should have a new jacket by the time
I have it ready. I need to check the files that I will have to upload to Amazon
first, just to ensure they are the edited versions that appeared on Kindle and
CreateSpace.

 I have also started on my
latest novel again (for the umpteenth time). Having come through the unpleasant
experience of chemotherapy, and losing the desire to complicate my flagging
brain cells, I and now feeling so much better that I decided it was time to
knuckle down and get creative again. Plus the fact that we are now living in
rented accommodation and I will find myself with more time on my hands. No
swimming pool or large garden to maintain of course, plus other sundry
maintenance that occurs in your own property. I will probably get into the
swing of things properly once we have returned from a short break in England
next month. Hopefully we will have a far better idea too of how much progress
I’ve made with my cancer. I will be having a blood test and seeing my
specialist on Tuesday, so with God on my side I should hear some heartening
news. Wish me luck!

In absentia

Since my last post, almost four weeks ago, I have done
very little in respect of writing, promotion & blogging etc., simply
because there was so much going on in my life that I couldn’t give my full
attention to what is mainly a hobby. My cancer treatment was drawing to a close
but still leaving me washed out; we were getting close to the date when we
handed over our house at the notary to the new owners, and we moved into our
rented accommodation and picked up a second-hand car which we plan to take back
to England when we return later this year. All in all it has been a kind of
tiring period for me and applying my creative juices to writing etc. became a non-starter.
Having successfully negotiated that period, I decided it was time to get back
on the hobby horse and begin writing again. It all means that I will attempt to
establish my new web-site, revamp and re-publish one of my flagging titles
(only one?), and look to get some promotion going.

So how will I do all this? Well, the writing will be the
standard plod through writer’s block until inspiration comes flooding into me.
The web-site will get done, but not without the help of my son, Terry, and once
that has been achieved I’ll try a ‘re-launch’. As for the flagging title; it is
THE EAGLE’S COVENANT, probably one of my best books, but probably not appealing
to the American reader because it is set in Germany. Sales have been abysmal.
Well; non- existent really. So the plan is to redesign the jacket, which is
already in hand, and to publish it myself on Amazon. At the moment it is
available as an Acclaimed Books publication, but it has been my intention for quite
a while now to take all my Acclaimed Books under my own wing. It’s more about
managing my own affairs once we have settled in UK again.

I learned from my publisher, Robert Hale Ltd., that my
novel, PAST IMPERFECT, is not due for release until January 2015. I was a
little disappointed that it would take so long, but it gives me a chance to get
stuck into my latest book and have it ready before the end of the year. I won’t
be offering it to Hale, but plan to publish it myself. Considering the time gap
between completion and publication; self-publishing wins hands down. I can have
my book available within two weeks of completion. Makes sense to me.

Another piece of good news is that Kindle will be
including my book, THE BOY FROM BERLIN in their Spring sale. Hale still hold
the rights to that, but at least it will help to expand my readership. Wish me
luck!

What makes life difficult for a writer?

Another phase.

I’m now into the last phase of my chemo and looking
ahead to the days when it will be just a bad memory. In two weeks’ time my
specialist will let me know what progress has been made. Progress in many
things is often difficult to find, and none more so than persuading book
readers to buy my books. I am currently promoting ROSELLI’S GOLD with Kindle
Direct Publishing, and have noticed a marginal increase in the daily sales.
Curiously though, the sales of NORTH SLOPE and SHADOW OF THE WOLF still
continue to outsell my other titles. This isn’t about advertising or a
promotion push, I believe, but simply getting good reviews. Or maybe it’s the
genre? I like to think good writing and storytelling is the reason readers
download my work. I have just about given up working on my current MS, mainly
because of the upheaval in our lives caused by our pending house sale and move
into temporary accommodation, plus the trauma of undergoing months of chemo. I
tell myself that I will pick up the pen again, but I can’t see that happening
for a few weeks yet. Some people will say this is “writer’s block” and that I
should work through it. That’s something I understand, and I have read articles
recently on the web by Stephen King and David Baldacci on how they cope with it
and work on through it. For me though this is more about my physical condition
rather than my lack of effort and willpower: when I apply my brain, nothing
happens.

Another project I have been working on, and having fun
in a peculiar way, is building a new website. My son, Terry, who designs my
book jackets and manages my main site, has produced something for me to get my
teeth into using WordPress. For me that means a huge learning curve, but once I
get the hang of it, and I have managed to add two titles to the main page so
far, the whole thing will be hooked into my main website and become the “new”
one. This is all a precursor to when I take on my own titles, currently managed
by Acclaimed Books Ltd., once we have moved back to the UK. I have no issue
with Acclaimed Books; in fact, quite the opposite. I have enjoyed working with
Peter Lihou (CEO) over the years and have every respect for his integrity and
abilities. But now, as I get closer to my mid-seventies, I feel I want to take
control of my work. On the down side; once this happens and my books are
de-listed by AB.c, I will lose all my reviews once the books go on Amazon with
me as the publisher. But as it’s my decision, it’s something I have to put up
with. It just means a new round of promotions and free giveaways. Wish me luck!

A gap in the life of

Those of you who read my blog entries regularly might
wonder why it’s almost a couple of weeks since my last entry. Just looking at
the last couple of sentences of my last entry, I wasn’t aware then of what was
about to happen, but my immune system collapsed and my temperature went sky
high. Consequently I was hospitalised for six days during which time they
pumped all sorts of stuff into me to get me back to something like full
fitness. I came home two days ago and now I feel fine. While I was in hospital
I did a lot of thinking (no visitors for the first three days except Pat) with
the time on my hands. I found myself seriously contemplating giving up my
current writing project. I’ve struggled with it for so long now that I do
wonder if I’m going further and further down a cul-de-sac. But like a lot of writers (I suppose), once an idea has
taken root in my head, I find it difficult to shift; it keeps nagging away at
me. I have considered changing the opening, which would be the third change,
and even re-arranging the plot sequence. At the moment a lot hinges on a book
I’ve downloaded about world finance. I have to admit that I might have bitten
off more than I can chew: the subject matter requires a fairly good
understanding of the gold markets and money laundering. Not having served a
prison sentence for either crime, or being involved in any criminal activity, I’m
not in a very strong position. Perhaps I should go out and rob a bank, but Pat
doesn’t drive anymore, so I’d be stuck for a good and faithful getaway driver.
Back to the drawing board then.

Meanwhile, I haven’t given up on promotion. My novel,
ROSELLI’S GOLD, is part of a KDP review promotion for March and April. I have
also submitted it to eBooksoda for a slot on their site. Now I need to have a
look round for a reasonably priced advertising campaign to push it.

I contacted my publisher this week because I’ve been
expecting the PDF proofs for my novel, PAST IMPERFECT. I was told that because
the publishing date isn’t until next January, the MS hasn’t been sent to an
editor yet. It would be ideal if I could have another full length novel
available by then, but until I get my finger out, it isn’t going to happen.

On the house front; it is now less than four weeks away and
we will no longer own our villa. After eleven years living here, in a house that
we had built, it will quite a sad day when we walk out of the notary’s office.
But it’s all a means to an end, and we do want to move back to UK. I will be
having my final chemo session on Tuesday, and will do my level best to keep out
of trouble, eat the right food, not expend too much valuable energy and arrive
at the notary’s office as fit as a butcher’s dog. Wish me luck!

Busy Period.

I missed last week for some reason. Maybe it was because
I was due my chemo and had other things on my mind. I have made progress on the
book front, and now have a paperback copy of my non-fiction title, A WORD IN
YOUR EAR, in my hand. My son brought it over from UK. I have also ordered a copy
from Amazon.com simply because I was intrigued by the fact that postage from
USA is cheaper than from UK to Spain. How do they work that out? I will be
ordering several copies to give away, but will have those delivered in UK, post
free. I’ll be able to pick them up when we travel over there in May. I still
have to make a change to the paperback because I included the table of contents
(from the e-file), which is unnecessary. It’s not a major problem, but I should
be able to get that sorted within a day or so.

I have also started getting to grips with my latest ms,
THE GATEKEEPER (working title). As most writers will know, there is always a
point in the creative process when you run out of ideas. I’m no different, and
have struggled a little. I put that down to the fact that I put the book on the
back burner last year while I completed PAST IMPERFECT, and also the diversion
on to my religious book. Now I’m waiting for my publisher to send me the PDF proof
of Past Imperfect so I can crack on with that. It will also tell me that they
haven’t forgotten and have made progress with it. I’m looking forward to seeing
that.

Another project I have in hand is a new, updated
website. My son, Terry, is building it for me, and when he was over here for
the weekend, we sat down and went through the WordPress file learning a little
about building and editing. I’m hoping I can grasp the essentials of building a
site, but I have a suspicion that I may be calling on my son more than once for
help. Once the website has been updated, I will begin to move my titles over.
Should be fun.

On the health front: I had my fifth chemo session last
week and today I have hit the wall. I think it’s because I survived on adrenalin
while our son and his daughter, Gemma were over here for a couple of days. Now
the chickens have come home to roost. Not to worry though; only one more
session and I will be out of the woods. Wish me luck!