Category Archives: WIP

Chapter Seven

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In today’s work in progress blog, I am pleased to tell you that I am now working on chapter seven of ‘Holywell Street’, and the story is progressing well. Hopefully, those aren’t famous last words and the story will continue to flow. It should do because I know where I am going (to a certain point) and by the time I get there, I will have discovered where I am to go after that, and so on until the end. I am already 25,000 words through it and that’s only in about a week, because I have little other work to contend with right now. That, in turn, means I’m pretty poor, but I continue to promote indie authors through my promotions (there’s another on to check out at the bottom of the post), and my loyal fans continue to read, while I pick up a few new readers along the way.

So far in ‘Holywell Street’ we have met two unscrupulous characters, and then we have started the story in Delamere House, where there have been some changes, mainly in the layout of rooms and in the staff. There are now five detectives, two of whom are in charge of research and records, and the other three are more out-and-about, Jack and Baxter included, and the boys still haven’t grown up. Soon, I aim to put on the blog a description of how the house is now organised. I wrote this for myself rather than to go into a book, but I will share it with you when I’m sure that’s how things are going to be.

A character in the new book and the cause of the mystery…

While I get back to creating book eight of the series, I’ll leave you with this promo. It’s a new one and only started on 9th April, so it has a while to run. Have a click, have a browse, and you never know, you may find another new and exciting author to follow.

Tales to Devour. Begin Reading This Hour!

April 9th through to May 10th.Genres: General Fiction / Literary Fiction, Mystery & Suspense / Mystery, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Science Fiction

https://books.bookfunnel.com/blindsidemysteries/2uwlpo9v4n

Acts of Faith Full Cover

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Hi all,

Today, I’m sharing with you the mockup of the full cover of Acts of Faith. I am currently doing my last read through and will book the interior layout process tomorrow. I am still aiming to have the book go live around 26th March. It would be slightly sooner, but I have to be away all day today, so things have got knocked back – but keep an eye out, and there will be more news at the weekend.

As you can see from the cover, Baxter ends up in the Thames not far from where Tower Bridge is still under construction, and if you want to know where the climax of the book takes place more precisely, get a map and have a look for the River Neckinger. This was, apparently, the area in which Dickens set Oliver Twist, and Fagin’s lair in particular. Not that that has anything to do with my story or Baxter being in the river, it’s just something to mention.

So, not long to go now. Thank you, as always, for your continuing support.

Back to Acts of Faith

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Hello everyone, I am back from my travels and I have started back to work on ‘Acts of Faith’, the Delamere Files book seven.

We had a great time away, despite Neil going down with the flu and me having a dodgy allergic reaction to something I ate in London. We caught up with my old cabaret partner, had lunch in Garrick Street, went to see ‘The Book of Mormon,’ surprised my nephew on his 30th birthday, Neil’s sister too, and my brother, I called in on my mother and stepfamily, and we stayed overnight in a pod in Gatwick airport. Now, we’re back, and both have colds, but we’re battling on.

I have some photos of Clearwater-related places in London that I took while I was there, and I will share them with you in time.

Today though, as my Wednesday work-in-progress blog, I wanted to run by you the first draft of the blurb for the next book. This, like the 1st draft, is still a work in progress, but this should be enough to give you the gist of the story and whet your appetite to know more. As for the writing, I am at 75% and am coming up to the smoking gun realisation, crisis and climax. It’s all in my head. It’s just a case of getting it down. So, here’s the blurb – and I’ll be back on Saturday.

Acts of Faith

The Delamere Files Book Seven

Jackson Marsh

When the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police assigns a personal case, failure is not an option. However, what starts out as a simple mystery soon turns into something far more complicated. An opera singer dead in her bath, a Smithfield butcher skinned alive, an unknown man found locked inside a steam locomotive… What is the connection?

With Benny Baxter’s help, the Clearwater detectives begin investigating the gruesome and seemingly unrelated murders, fully aware that failure could spell disaster for the agency.

Bringing in a handsome young constable seems to do little to aid the investigation, but Baxter recognizes in PC Inning a man trapped in a loveless marriage, with desires that lie elsewhere. As Baxter strives to prove his worth both in the case and in winning Inning’s affection, his search for a better life and love takes a chilling turn. He makes a horrifying discovery: the killer may be far closer than he ever imagined.

Benjamin Baxter, 1893

The Book with no Title (as yet)

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As usual, I am still unsure about the title of the next Delamere story which is now up to 27,000 words – so just over a quarter of the way through, if it is to be a standard length. The characters are all in place, and the mystery has been set, though it is soon to lead to another, and then another until someone realises what’s going on and that someone may well be me.

I have been looking through old newspapers trying to discover if there were still any paddle steamers working on the Thames in 1893, but I haven’t had any luck so far. (Anyone? Any idea?) I discovered there were still paddle steamers for sale, but I think these were probably for scrap or refurbishing. I’ve not delved into this in much detail as yet, but here’s a piece I pulled from a London newspaper of March 1893:

Click to enlarge

The things aren’t integral to the story, but I wanted to use one for… some reason, so I went off on the distraction tour and spent a happy hour reading all kinds of advertisements and snippets. Also, in the process of writing a character’s backstory the other day, I mentioned the dance card, and went off to see if I could find an image of one to share.

Here’s a potted history of the dance card from the Newberry Library:

Popularized in Vienna in the nineteenth century, dance cards continued to be used throughout the early twentieth century. Names could be filled in just after a dance to keep as a memento, or early in the evening to ensure one had a partner planned for each dance, thus eliminating the risk of being labelled a wallflower.

Which of the characters used a dance card, you may wonder, and you will, one day, find out. I have a piece of work to do for someone else today, and then, I shall be continuing with chapter 10. Meanwhile, if you are looking for some new romance reads to start the year, I have several promos to share with you. Let’s start with this one, LGBTQIA+ Romance = the January Bookfair. Simply click the banner to check out over 45 MM romance titles.

Welcome to 2025

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Hello everyone. I hope you had a pleasant New Year and, like me, you’re looking forward to a year full of writing, reading, and losing oneself in fictional adventures.

My year has started well. I am working on the next Delamere mystery (book seven, as yet untitled), and for those who have asked to know more about Benny Baxter, you’ll be pleased to hear he features in this next story. He may even end up being the hero… We shall see. Here’s the drawing Dalston Blaze did of Baxter back in 1893.

Benjamin Baxter

The year also started well because of an email I received. It’s from a friend who has a friend I vaguely knew years ago, and that friend has read all the Clearwater books, and is two books into the Larkspur series, and, apparently, I am now his favourite author. What this friend has also done is spread the word around his older, wealthier mates, who are now also enjoying the series. The email goes on to say:

All his friends who have read the books agree that they ought to be picked up as a TV series and would love that to happen. I told him that you were already in the early stages of issuing the audio books and he thinks various others of his friends would welcome that.

Well, slow down a moment… The audiobook version of Deviant Desire is still in discussion because I am unable to release such a thing through Amazon as I would like, so I’m not sure what’s going to happen there. As for a TV series… I did have an approach from Bad Hat Harry Productions, but that may have been either fishing or phishing, as I’ve not heard anything more. There was another company interested in me giving them the rights to make a screenplay, but when I said, ‘Giving?’ and told them to name a figure, they slunk away. However, if any of my readers do know someone in TV or film, a production company or an artist with clout, and wants to recommend the books… Feel free! That’s how it works. I could spend months putting together a ‘bible’ for the world, characters, stories and so on, and then not be able to hawk a proposal around because I don’t live in London or LA, so I have to rely on chance or word of mouth, or email – which is where you might come in. You know, if you’re bored one day, send an email off to Netflix of someone…

Anyway, I can’t sit around here dreaming, I have a book to write, and I am going to get on with that right now, and will be back on Saturday with another update from the world of Jackson Marsh. Until then, here is an inspirational view to start the year.

Grave Developments

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The work in progress is progressing, albeit in fits and starts. Usually, I have a decent run at a first draft and start at the beginning and plough through in about six weeks. This time, the draft seems to have taken forever, and I am still only 75% of the way through. There are a few reasons for this, but mainly, it has been to do with my ‘tennis elbow’ (repetitive strain injury) which has meant I have had to spend less time writing. However, the story is coming together, and I am about to enter the ‘build to the crisis and climax’ stage of proceedings ahead of the ‘smoking gun’ moment and then, the denouement.

The neat thing about this story, though, is even I still don’t know the who or why of the matter. Well, I kind of do, but things have been changing as I’ve gone along, and that’s mainly thanks to Jack Merrit going off on his own and doing his own thing. I know what’s to happen next, though. Jack and his assistant are about to interview the son of a woman who recently died. Then, Jack needs to call on Larkin Chase to translate a document for him, and that document is going to be somewhat erotic, so much so that Jack, who has been getting more and more horny these past few chapters, will give in to his lust and… A happy ending for both. It’s been a while since we’ve had any decent nookie in one of my stories, but it’s not always appropriate to put it in, as it were, and there’s no point bunging in sex for the sake of it. Anyway… What’s this?

It’s part of an 1846 tithe map of part of Stoke Newington where the story is set. Image from the Hackney History Archive Collection

The title has finally come to me as ‘Grave Developments’, and I should soon be thinking about a cover and a blurb. I will keep you informed.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for something to read, then I can suggest a quick browse of the books here:

Click the banner.

These are all LGBT etc., romances. There are a few Christmas romances in there (eek! Maybe too soon?), an animal-rescue-centred one, and a couple with classic ‘topless hunks’ on the covers. Definitely something to keep you occupied while you wait for Grave Developments to develop.

A Question of a Title

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Sorry I missed the blog last Saturday, I am still trying to rest my arm as much as possible, though I am still writing. It’s a little frustrating, only putting in half a chapter a day or around 2,500 words when I am used to writing 4,000 or so, but it has to be done. Anyway, I am not complaining!

Newsletter & Promos

If you want to check out loads of new titles and authors across various genres, then sign up to my newsletter. I have got into the habit of joining three or four free promos per month, and sharing the details with newsletter followers, pointing them towards a whole series of mystery, thriller, MM Romance, and LGBT stories, novels and collections. These are all free to browse, and I’ve picked up some great new reading from them. Each month, I send out a newsletter to announce that month’s promos, so if you want to be in on it, simply sign using the two boxes over there on the top right. >>

Here, for example, is a promo that covers: General Fiction / Contemporary Women, General Fiction / Historical Fiction, and Non-Fiction / Biography & Memoir.

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A Question of a Title

While that is happening in the background, I am still working on Delamere Six. I am at around 60,000 words, and the story is coming together nicely. It’s one of these where I know the climax and outcome, and am working towards it along planned lines, when one of the characters throws me a bombshell twist and I have to get myself out of his predicament. At least, that’s how it feels. This book’s subject started off as being about photography, and although that is involved, it’s now more about graverobbing and gay cruising grounds of the late 19th century.

What’s missing still is the title, and I have a few to consider. As it’s me, I like a play on words and thus, am thinking go ‘Grave Developments’, as that brings in both photography and the other theme of the novel. Actually, having spoken to you aloud about that possibility, I think I will stick with it! I also had in mind, ‘A Grave Affair’, but that sounded like ‘The Eyre Affair’ by Jasper Fforde (which I couldn’t get through, sorry), and I also thought of ‘A Very Grave Shock’, which is a line from the story, but which sounds too twee.

So, Grave Developments it is – it kind of fits with the early Clearwater in that it’s two words summing up the novel’s theme; ‘Deviant Desire’, ‘Fallen Splendour’, etc.

And the images today are relevant in that they are parts of what I have been researching recently. The Invalid Asylum for Respectable Women in Stoke Newington, and more photographic background.

A service that might put Dalston Blaze out of work.

WIP Update: Delamere Six

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Here’s an update on where I am with my current work in progress, Delamere Six. That might well end up being its title as nothing has yet sprung to mind. I am nearly at the halfway mark, well, nearly at 50,000 words and coming up to a nice twist, but things are going slowly. This is because of my arm injury, or ‘tennis elbow’ as the doctor called it. It’s a repetitive strain injury caused by typing and holding my tablet to play ‘Sherlock.’ So, I am trying to do less of both, and am doing more with my left hand, like lifting things and opening bottles. It’s amazing how weak the left hand/arm is compared to the right, but being right-handed, I guess that’s how it is.

Trouble is, it means I am doing less wringing too. Where I would normally aim for three to four thousand words a day, I am now only able to do two. That’s on top of the blogs, this one and my day-to-day life on a Greek island one, Symi Dream. This is why you might find my blog posts shorter than usual. At least until after I’ve had another treatment on the elbow thing, which should be in the next week or two.

Meanwhile, this week I am promoting a series of books that are all available on KU (Kindle Unlimited). You can click on any of these, and if you fancy their blurbs, you can find them in KU and add them to your reading list. Deviant Desire is in there along with some other intriguing-sounding titles and blurbs. ‘The Case of the Four Fingers’ looks interesting with two detectives one hundred years apart working together. I don’t have KU but I might buy it in Kindle format and download it to the tablet that way. Here’s the banner, just click it to find some new mystery, thriller and suspense reading.

A Snapshot of Snapshot

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Here’s where I am with Delamere six, which currently has the working title of ‘Snapshot.’ I am approaching 30,000 words of draft one and, although I am enjoying the ride, I may have given myself a case that’s far too complicated for one book, or which may be all mystery and no emotion. So, yesterday afternoon, I sat down to list what should happen next in logical order and was surprised at the results.

This is me working out my action plot, the mystery, the clues, and within that, the ‘Why’ of the matter. The ‘Who’ came pretty easily – who is the villain, and who is the hero (the Delamere boys collectively for this one), then there’s the ‘What’ does the hero want? To crack the case, and the ‘How’, by proving the Who did the other What (the crime), and there we have a complicated but perfectly explainable action plot.

Next is to weave in the emotional who, why, what and how throughline, and, in this case, there isn’t one. There’s no falling in love, friendship breakup or anything like that, yet there should be, otherwise, all we have is he did this then he did that. So, I need to consider what emotional issue my main hero, Jack, should deal with. It may be the temptation for more adventurous sex with Larkin Chase, because of something Jack sees while breaking into a mausoleum in Abney Park Cemetery late at night with Jimmy Wright in order to view a…

But that’s the story so I won’t give too much away.

Usually, when I get to around 30K words, I go back to the beginning to reread from chapter one. This reminds me where I am and how I got there, brings up anything that might need changing – because I often start with one idea and then change to another and there are subtleties to bring out or get rid of. That should take me today and tomorrow, and then, I can press on with the rest of chapter eight. I have passed the quarter mark, the end of act one, where everything is set out, and I am into the friends, adversaries, twists and obstacles section heading towards a twist/change around 50K words – but with no idea yet what that will be,

This is called being a ‘panster’ and flying by the seat of your pants and it’s how the last new novels have come about, so I’m not worried. What I am, is late for work, so I’ll leave you with a reminder that the current promos are running until the end of the month, and here’s the link to September’s LGBT Romance and Fiction promo with loads of new authors and titles for you to browse.

Nearly There

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Once again, I find myself typing ‘Nearly There’ as a title, because ‘A Case of Make Believe’ is nearly ready to be released. It’s currently with the guys at Other Worlds  Ink who do the layout for me, and I hope to have it back for checking in a couple of days. Meanwhile, I’ve started the next one, and have drafted the first chapter and a half. As per usual, I have an idea for a scene and have started with that with no idea where I am going or how this one will end. Sometimes I know the whole story, other times, I know how it will end. In this case, I know it will have something to do with early photography and murder, but apart from that…

Here’s the current opening line:

Of all the things Will Merrit imagined he would do as an investigator, locking himself in a pitch-black bathroom with two other men was not one of them.

If you were wondering about the opening of ‘A Case of Maker Believe’, then here’s the opening line of that one (which follows the date, January 5th, 1893)

She stood beneath the stage petting a rat and wallowing in the gasps and groans from the audience above, while through the dust-shedding boards came the sound of her lover’s footsteps as the story neared its climax.

And, to tease you further, the final line of the story:

The box of gifts still to be distributed, he watched, smiling, and could think of nowhere else he would rather be than home.

So, all I need to do now on the Delamere Files Book Six is to find a story and write it into 100,000 words. Meanwhile, as soon as book five is published, you will be able to find it here:

Click to find the series page on Amazon