Hello Peeps - hoping all are doing okay today.

Tonight I listened to a talk by Kendall Feaver talk about her writing. It was very interesting. Sharing her process and also reminding listeners of the well trodden rules - give every actor a part, and find the comedy in the dark moments etc. It is always good to hear writers talk about how they write for the stage.

Both of my parents spent a lot of their spare time on the stage, which gave me a bird's eye view of acting, directing, the smell of backstage, the tensions, the prompts, the glorious leads knocking it out of the park. As I was 'dragged along' to trips to London to see shows. It all started to rub off on me.

It makes me sad that we have missed almost two years of live performance. Well, most of us. Thankfully, plays have returned properly since the end of lockdown. Somehow, most of the theatres have scraped by - no thanks to the government. Some have sadly closed. 

Plays are not my first love. TV is for sure. Then film. I have always preferred to go and see a stand up comic than to watching a play. I'm not going to lie. I do love both. But if I had to choose. But both share that feel of taking part in a shared experience. Both are good times out. Something to look forward to, to live through, to talk about afterwards. The good ones changing course of the participant - ever so slightly.

I remember before the pandemic, taking my son to the Arts Theatre, Cambridge, to see The Lady Vanishes (which was superb). I have not been since, as I have been ill as most of you know. And now, having watched a lot of TV and Film at home, I am yearning to go back to the theatre.

To sit in the slightly curved seats, velvety, which smell of coats and wine. To watch the people arrive around me and settle, rustling bar snacks and balancing programmes on their knees. But more than anything, to feel alive and part of something. A commonality. Connecting with those around me, jointly sharing the performance. And to watch those commanding performances, which transport you so successfully away somewhere else. Performances that hit you like a train. Performances that make you feel human, fragile, strong, excited, sad, different, that make you think.

My mother always used to insist on sitting in the front row. She used to want to get as close as possible to the action. As a small child, I objected to being spat on by the more enthusiastic actors, or having to look up the nostrils of a more mature performer. And then, there was the neck ache. But now, I crave it. I have been looking carefully at the Arts Theatre programme, ready to pounce on some tickets.

I have delved into playwriting myself, a little. I had a couple of short plays on in past years. One at the Corpus Christi Theatre, and one at the ADC. Both in Cambridge. I am polishing a play at the moment. Though I suspect it will languish in my metaphorical drawer for a long time yet, before I am ready to share it with the world. 

If you are going to the theatre this weekend, then I am truly jealous. I wish you the best time, and it won't be long before I am sitting in those seats again.

​Cxx

Hello friends,

We just had a storm over in the UK this weekend. I was recovering from an illness, possibly caused by the mouse bite, possibly a fever. No idea. But one thing I was able to do was write.

I realise that writing for me is a habit. It started when I was young. Life was busier then, so I parked it to one side. But the urge grew and I started properly in my mid thirties.

It was around that time that I worked for the BBC. I was lucky, and met very many talented people. Some of their habits rubbed off on me. I was told two things that stuck. Advice if you like...

1. If you want to be a writer, then write every day. This is very obvious advice, isn't it? But now that I can call myself a writer, it is surprising how few adhere to this but dream one day to be an author. Just write. Then rewrite. Make it a practice every day.

2. Don't wait for Christmas. Now this is a bit cryptic, but one of my favourite camera operators told me this when I was telling him that I wanted to write (I had not picked up the pen again at this time, or was in the early throws of taking it seriously). He reminded me that we cannot wait for our plans to happen, we have to make them happen. We don't have all the time in the world. We need to get on with it.

For all those new writers who might ask me what they should do, all I know is that these two pieces of advice have been the most important to me.

If you are still looking for more inspiration, I cannot recommend enough getting to know John Yorke's writing. I was lucky to go on a few of his courses when I worked in BBC Drama. I think a lot of his advice also applies to prose/novels. Good luck writing. 

Hello friends,

Over the past few days I have been feeling really ill. I am not sure if it has anything to do with getting bitten on the toe by a mouse. I am on antibiotics. I don't blame the mouse. He or she was caught in the clutches of my cat when I got bitten. I was in bed, awake, being brought the mouse as an unwanted present. But poorly I have been ever since, with a swollen toe.

It meant that I was no good for love nor money for a day, but today at least I could sit on the sofa and write. I got a lot of writing done and it made me very happy. So mixed blessings. Thank you, mouse. And, I am sorry that I couldn't save you.

The writing process is usually stopped by other things in life taking over. So it is always satisfying to get a good run at it. Storm Eunice hit the UK today, which meant everything stopped for most people, as we were all told to stay inside. I did for most of the time, although I did pop out to walk the dog. Pic below of the fallen tree we saw.

I am currently finishing draft one of Book 6 of The Cambridge Murder Mysteries. I am very excited about this book and do not want to give anything away. But, I can say that I hope it will be out by August. 

It is the longest gap between novels, due to Long Covid, so I hope you find it worth the wait.

More next week. 
Cx

Hello friends.

I thought I would write a short blog to thank my readers in Australia for putting Valentine's Day - Kiss of Death on the No.1 spot on the Amazon best seller lists this Valentine's Day.

When I first started writing, I just had an idea for a character. I have said it before elsewhere, but I was out on a walk in Chilham Kent. My father had been head master at a primary school there when I was a baby. I was taking my son for a walk around the pretty small village to show him. And all of a sudden, this woman came out of her back gate from her garden to greet a neighbour. I don't know what it was about her, but I saw Professor Elizabeth Green right in front of me. 

Immediately, I went home and started to think of a story to put this character into. And the rest, as they say...

Wind on many years later and I am so grateful that I can share her with you. There are many more stories to tell and I hope I'm spared to tell them and write them for you. 

Charlot
x

Hello! I hope everyone is well today?

As I write it is raining outside and the least May 3rd Bank Holiday Monday weather I have known for years. More like January in England today weather wise. But, when we have days like this here, we just make the most of indoors time.

I have been writing. 2,000 words today and yesterday, mainly due to the absence of summer! I have just started to write the next book. Wish me luck.

Last week I said that I'd speak more about the audiobook process and next steps for the The Cambridge Murder Mysteries. 

For ages I couldn't decide what to do about them.  My books are still relatively unknown, and I haven't exactly had people banging down the door asking for audiobooks, so I am ashamed to say I let the idea drift a little. I think really because I couldn't settle on the type of voice I wanted.

I investigated a couple of options, but they weren't quite what I was looking for. It wasn't an easy process. So I kept my head down and kept writing instead.

It is a surprisingly difficult decision to make, as in some way the voice will define the series and bring the characters to life for those who will listen to the audiobooks.

The wonderful John Sharp has agreed to do the audiobooks!

So when I discussed it with John Sharp, all of a sudden it all made sense. It had been staring me in the face. 

John Sharp has the perfect voice that I was looking for.

John has been acting now for many years. But perhaps also importantly, he is a hugely talented singer with a deep resonant voice. Just what I was looking for, and no matter how hard a try, something I could never provide myself! (I did think for a short while of doing them myself, but thankfully I came to my senses...)

Below are some excellent photographs of John Sharp in various performances, including in The Mikado.

As well as opera societies, he has also been a member of a number of theatre troupes in Beaconsfield, Amersham and the Chalfonts for many years.

I'm really excited and so happy John will be doing this, and will have more news about this as the summer unfolds. What a fantastic and exciting thing to be happening!!

​Cxx

Hello, 

last week I spoke about how Amazon had offered to make The Cambridge Murder Mysteries available in hardback. It was a bit of a gamble. I thought if they looked awful I'd just remove them and none would be the wiser. 

Well, I got my copies this week and I am pleasantly surprised! First, they are robust and the quality feels good. Secondly, the covers have come up well in the printing process. So all in all, a good thing. A family member was impressed. It remains to be seen if anyone will buy them instead of paperbacks, or ebooks. But, here is a photo of my copies

The dreaded long covid has sapped my energy this week, but while horizontal I have been continuing to plot out the next book in the series. I am enjoying the process tremendously. 

Next week I will write more about getting some audiobooks made of the series. Hopefully, they will come out later this year if all works well.

In the meantime, hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

​Cxx

Hello, how is everyone? 

I thought this week I would talk about hardback books. For some reason, Amazon contacted me and said they'd like to offer me the opportunity to turn my novels into hardbacks. It came out of the blue as they are 'BETA' testing it - whatever that really is. It does mean that I have not been able to get normal proof copies, as it is all in the trial stage, so I nervously accepted - as I like my books to look good! As soon as my copies arrive I will take pics and let you know what I think.

But it made me wonder who buys hardbacks anymore? I don't mean to be critical, just curious.

I only have a small number these days myself and don't choose them as the first option for myself. But, I have to admit, I do like buying them as gifts! They feel more luxurious, indulgent, higher quality.

Unlike many, I don't keep most of the books I read. It does make me smile when I join a zoom call and see most people sitting in front of rows of shelves stacked with books - somehow trying to show that they read them and hence are intelligent. Call me contrary, but I deliberately sit with few if any books behind me so I don't give off this 'air'. I don't want anyone to think I'm intelligent. It's too much pressure!

I don't keep my books for two reasons. I don't have time to read almost all of them again, as I'm not getting any younger and there are so many new ones out there. So why not give them to charity someone else can? Secondly, after my mother died, I gave away a lot of possessions. Something about clearing things out and not wanting to leave a large pile of 'stuff' for any left behind to have to wade through themselves. I was surprised by how easy it was to let go of almost all my books once I had those two motivations clear in my mind.

Consequently, I must have about ten to twenty hardbacks left. Ones I just cannot part with.  I have a couple of art books, such as the drawings by Arthur Rackham which I peruse. I have an early edition of A Tale of Two Cities, and then a few remaining random books which will mean nothing to anyone. Just too sentimental to me to let go of - yet.

For me, hardbacks take up more space, they are heavier to carry, I presume use more of the tree, and always felt a little bit more formal. More scholarly. Traditional publishers would bring out the hardback first, wouldn't they - in the old days. Whereas the paperback was seen more as the airport novel. The commercial hit. The holiday romance read. At least in my mind. 

All those days have gone and both the paperback and hardback are interchangeable, I'm sure. 

And now it is the decade/s of the ebook. Sometimes I wonder what is coming next. The download straight into the brain book?

I must admit, I am surprised by Amazon's initiative. Are people going to go back to the hardback like those who have returned to the vinyl record? Is it the touch and feel. The gift. Something that ignites nostalgia? I would love to hear from you about why you love the hardback. Or, if even if you don't.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend.
Cxx

Hello Friends,

I wanted to post this time about Cambridge.

​For those of you who Follow me on Twitter, you will know that I spend a lot of time walking about the place, snapping what I see. A bit of a flâneuse. Mainly just lucky to live in such a beautiful city.

Being a shutterbug is partly because I feel like I just have to capture moments. When life is so fleeting, I want to make sure I never forget, and then want to share the magic.

Which brings me onto nostalgia. I do not find myself having sudden longings for the past, but do hold fond memories close to my heart, as we all do. 

Cambridge, however, breaks all the rules and I think I partly write about it because I want to highlight the magic, if not forever, then for others to share of so many past memories.

I have been lucky to live in other vibrant places, London, Brighton, even Rio de Janeiro and New York for a few months at a time. But Cambridge stole my heart long ago.

People often ask me why I am so loyal. It isn't just because I studied here, or because there is an unbelievably beautiful river that runs through it. Nor is it because all the cars have been banned from the city centre and you can walk about in peace and without breathing the fumes. It isn't because there are a large number of parks and open spaces right in the heart of it - Midsummer Common, Jesus Green, Christ's Pieces, Parker's Piece, Lammas Land, Stourbridge Common to name just some. Of course, all these things play a part.

It isn't because my family have flourished here, built good friendships, feel safe and happy here. But that makes a huge difference.

It is mainly the people, the attitude. An ethos which almost rises up into the air from a collective spirit and swirls around the city like a protective atmosphere. The feeling which I get from this is warmth, hope, then collective pride.

Cambridge is more than friendly. There is a sense of belonging. People aren't passing through. They have found Cambridge, almost like a secret, and are not budging. Perhaps because many have found something which is so elusive. Happiness. 

Importantly, I don't believe Cambridge is tribal. A word, sadly, which is growing in our vernacular. It is welcoming, inclusive to those in need. 

Now, this all sounds a bit sickening if you do not live here. And, who am I to say. I suppose I wanted to share to give more insight into why I write about the place. Why my murder mysteries are set here. 

I was wondering - and have in the past whether to write a 'tour' book, highlighting the places I have written about and wondered if there would be an appetite?

Happy weekend all,
Cxx