The Mystery of the Second Alias
It is the most fun for me when a mystery reveals itself to me after several thousand words which I had not planned to write.
Albert Bridge
Of course, it is a Victorian bridge that appears in my novel’s opening chapters – the first named location.
Spiral Mind
Follow the crazy journey of my debut novel and Sherlock’s most impossible case in my blog!
3 Tips for Writing New Characters for Old Stories
As many of you will know, Spiral Mind and its sequel The Coriolis Effect are with the imprint Orange Pip Books who champion new characters in Sherlock Holmes stories. Having recently been working on weaving two new characters into the last instalment of the trilogy as one of the rewards chosen in my Kickstarter, I thought it was high time I shared what I’ve learnt in my process about bringing new characters into an old canon like that of Sherlock Holmes.
OUT NOW: The Coriolis Effect – Book 2 in the Spiral Mind Trilogy
It’s finally out in the world! As of 30th October 2023, The Coriolis Effect is officially released! What a journey it’s been. I first started writing The Coriolis Effect back in 2016 and it hadn’t even got its title then. Back in the day, I was still studying English and Psychology and religiously listening to the Baker Street Babes Podcast for inspiration. If you’d told me then that Baker Street Babe Amy Thomas would one day give my Sherlock Holmes novels a stellar review – you can read it here, but I still need to pinch myself – I would never have believed you. Now, I’m so incredibly grateful for the amazing things that have happened to me thanks to these little books I started writing so long ago. Maybe life really imitates art.
The Sequel is Here!
It’s finally time! I am so excited to announce that the sequel to Spiral Mind is now available to order from MX Publishing ahead of publication in October! Book 2 is called The Coriolis Effect, and our cover artist Brian Belanger has outdone himself again. Have a look!
How to Edit a Sherlock Holmes Novel
Crime is perhaps one of the more finnicky genres to edit, and a character like Sherlock Holmes will try their hardest to make matters worse. Coming up with the deductions, as anyone who’s done it will attest, is a bit of a nightmare, but going through them again and finding all the loopholes that the great detective never told you about in the original stories…
The Best 6 Ways to Get Yourself into the Right Headspace for Writing
It is so much more fun to write when you are in a flow, and that only happens when you’re fully immersed in your world. Come and immerse yourself with me. Use your five senses to transport yourself there.
How To Stop Yourself From Getting Distracted When Writing
These days, it is certainly the hardest thing not to find good entertainment but to escape it. When you’re writing, be that for half an hour or preferably half the day, the last thing you need is distraction.
Joseph Bell and a Writer’s Trip to Edinburgh
Much like Conan Doyle had a conflicted relationship with our favourite consulting detective, because his popular short stories were in the way of his ‘serious’ historical fiction, Joseph Bell felt uneasy about the connection between himself and Sherlock Holmes. It is this conflict between Bell’s inspiring personality and the extremely lifelike imitation that is the character of Sherlock Holmes, which drew me to dig deeper into the Scottish surgeon’s singular life.
7 Best Tips to Stay Writing in Busy Times
I will not attempt to explain what 2021 did to my creativity as a writer or blogger. It has been, again, a difficult year for all of us. Not only has the pandemic proven that it’s not yet over, and I’ve had to deal with a life-threatening situation for the first time in my life, I have also started working […]
This Writer’s Ritual
Last week, I had the pleasure of surviving my first book launch during a pandemic. I’ve already sent out lots of cheesy thank you posts on my socials, so I’m not going to ramble on about that again here, but I must say, I still feel genuinely grateful.