I thought it high time for a blog post, as I’ve not blogged for a while. I know, I know… Who keeps a blog these days? I do! I’m not an Insta-pouter, nor do I want to be a Tick-Tack influencer, and I don’t go around enthusing into a phone in the hope of drawing in thousands of dollars from people with nothing better to do. Why, I only really use BlueSky to post promos and see what the writing world there is up to – yet why do I end up with what I don’t want to see? For example: people of other countries swimming in clinging underwear, or discovering men peeing behind a tree, people falling over and everyone laughing, and demonstrations on how to wrap a cat in a box… Is it any wonder the world is dumbing down?

Anyway… Forcing myself away from all that, I shall remain blogging here with my thoughts and updates on my books, so let’s get to that…

First: the Three Clearwater series is/are finished. (‘Series’ is one of those English words that has no plural, like ‘sheep’ or ‘dozen.) This leaves me free to move on to something new while trying to publicise the arse out of the existing books – and without being an Insta-pouter or a Tacky-Tick twink, how do I do that?

The new novel is titled ‘Untitled’ at the moment, because all the suitable titles are either over-used or simply naff, so I am waiting for the right one to fall into place.

I am currently about 58,000 words into the first draft, and although I have a sketched plan for the story’s progression, I am allowing myself the pleasure of forgetting about it and simply writing. I am letting the characters develop on their own (none of that endless background preparation for me!), and that’s working successfully. I mean, I have some basic facts, but in terms of dialogue and what comes out of their mouths, that’s up to them. I will edit later, of course.

Is it a mystery? Not really, although there is a mystery and possibly a death (accident or natural), and my two main characters are involved in that, but this will not be another Clearwater, Larkspur or Delamere mystery-based story with a dramatic climax. It is, essentially, a story of finding love and keeping secrets.

When is it set? Spring of 1895. The Oscar Wilde trials are taking place in the background, but bear no immediate relevance to my characters – except for what the final verdict meant to other gay men.

Where is it set? Mostly, seven miles south of Canterbury, Kent, in a fictional village that is based on others around it on the Kentish Downs.

Any pictures? It’s far too early for covers, but I have been using Chatgpt to produce images for my amusement. These will not be used in the final book! I only use AI for deep research (which I then verify with books and learned articles), but in order to make it worthwhile for you visiting this blog, I will put some up as I go. The only danger of this is that you get an image in your head of the main characters which may not accord with what you imagine when you read the book, but as that is months away yet, it shouldn’t matter.

I’ll start by leaving you with an image of a character that the computer came up with based on my description. Below that is a link to one of this month’s worthy promos if you’d also like to take a click and boost my kudos, and hopefully, find some new reading along the way. Meanwhile, meet Josiah Bell, widower and churchwarden of the parish of Runton in 1895.

Some recommended reading

I have a top suggestion for you, and several promo lists offering all manner of indie reading, MM romance, mystery, thriller and biographies, so let’s start with this, from Sue Brown.

Sue Brown is a Londoner with a dream to live on a small island. Coffee fuels her addiction to writing romance with hot guys loving each other, and her Adorkadog snores in harmony as she creates.

Read the full blurb and find the book here: Island Detective.

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