I have some writing progress to report. I have finished the fifth book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures. As you can tell from the illustration, I have changed the title from The Favourite Murder. That was Claire’s idea, a nod to King Lear. Whatever it’s called, it has been three and a half years in the making; I published Called to Account in August 2022. It is also considerably longer than the previous four books, weighing in at 110,000 words.
I have submitted it to two independent publishers and also entered it in the 2026 Edinburgh Novel Award competition. I shall take a short rest now, but wont stop writing. I’ll have my daily blog, and flash fiction for Milktown Writers, to keep my writing genie occupied. I’m also trying to tempt Milktown Writers to consider writing a book collaboratively. My editor’s writing circle, Canvey Writers, have done one. I think it would be great fun, we have some wonderful voices to play with.
You have to read in order to write, so I shall continue my progress through John Le Carré’s George Smiley series. Smiley’s People is next. I also need to make some progress with my golf, although I scored 38 points today, and the 14th hole was closed, so that’s pretty good for 17 holes. Whilst all my fingers are crossed for a publisher to snatch up my latest offering, as well as my back catalogue, it wont be the end of the world if they don’t. I shall enter it for a CWA Dagger and publish on KDP, as before.
If you’re wondering why I’m not mentioning the new name of my fifth book, the rules for the Edinburgh Novel Award were very strict about keeping your name out of your submitted novel. My post is obviously not my submission, but just in case any of the judges read this, I’m trying to keep myself at arm’s length from my title. If anyone from Joffe or Storm read this, my books have all had pretty good editorial reviews on both Kirkus and the Historical Fiction Company.