Hi folks, I’ll be posting something on Saturday, and then heading off into the holiday season straight after that. I will, though be on Facebook as usual, and if you keep an eye on my page there, you should see some shots of our madcap family Christmas and a trip to Athens we have arranged for the week after.

Meanwhile, a quick update on my work in progress: Follow the Van.

I have managed to move things on a little since my last post, when I was focusing on the release of ‘1892’ which, I am pleased to say, is doing well and has already gained several five-star rates and a couple of excellent reviews around the world, Canada and Australia, actually, which is excellent.

As for ‘Follow the Van’, that’s now up to 35,000 words and I am having one of those moments when the story is flowing, lots is building up, and I am approaching a halfway mark and yet… Oops! There’s a lot to set correctly in this one and I seem to be taking the time to construct a lead-in to the untwisting of the mystery. That’s not a problem, though, because when it starts, it’s going to unravel pretty quickly and, with strong foundations laid, it should be a fast and furious ride to the end. I shouldn’t read too much into that. It will probably all change when I get back to writing after my holiday.

Until then, I am still writing away, although today, I must also see about a kitchen light, write a review for one of my companies, play the piano a bit, and meet a friend for Christmas drinks tonight, but in between all of that, there will be some typing on ‘Follow the Van.’

Btw, part of the plot involves a song and a clue to the mystery is contained within it, so I have set about writing a late-Victorian music hall song in the appropriate style. I’m basing the lyrics on the song from which the book gets its title, ‘Don’t Dilly Dally on the Way.’ (The ‘way’ perhaps being a reference to Jack Merrit finding his feet and falling in love in ‘Fining a Way.’) The original song wasn’t written until 1919, but I’m only using the scansion and rhythm, not the words, so I think that’s fair. Also, I wanted a song that the reader might know, so that they could more easily imaging the song being sung, and I’m pretty sure most British people at least would have heard the song:

My old man said “Foller the van,
And don’t dilly dally on the way”.
Off went the van wiv me ‘ome packed in it,
I walked behind wiv me old cock linnet.
But I dillied and dallied, dallied and I dillied
Lost me way and don’t know where to roam.
Well you can’t trust a special like the old time coppers
When you can’t find your way ‘ome.

I’m not sure if that’s the original spelling, but you know what I mean.

Now, I must find my way home, pop the kettle on and settle down to do some writing. See you on Saturday!