Story of a Novel: The Charter by Gillian E. Hamer

By Gillian E. Hamer

I’ve told the story of the birth - or maybe that should be the inception - of The Charter a few times now, and it means as much to me today as it did at the start of my writing career. This novel sums up everything I am passionate about. It stems from my love of history, adventure and tales told by local folks that fire up my imagination.

I can’t remember exactly how old I was when I first learned of the wreck of The Royal Charter off the coast of Anglesey in the great storm of 1859 claiming the loss of over eight hundred lives. But I think I was around eleven years old when the press were full of stories of gold bullion being recovered from the wreck by local divers after a winter storm, and an influx over several months the following summer of modern day treasure hunters.

One weekend, armed with a second hand metal detector, our family headed to a local beach, Red Wharf Bay and I can still remember the burst of excitement each time I found a penny in the sand – only to find out later that a relative had buried them for me to find!

The small Welsh island of Anglesey has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and even now it still often surprises me with its beauty or stories of the past. I find Neolithic burial mounds I’ve not known existed, or, as happened on this latest New Year holiday, discovered a new beach I’ve never previously visited.

There are hundreds of shipwrecks around the Anglesey coast, some you can see at low tide or even visit in estuary mud banks. But there was something about the story of The Royal Charter that touched my soul. It could have been the mystery around the missing Australian gold, or the fact Charles Dickens was so moved by the disaster he visited and wrote about it in his novel The Uncommercial Traveller. Or it could have been the visits I made as a child to the old churchyard in Llanallgo Church, where many of the dead are buried, and there now stands the anchor from the wreck along with a memorial to the missing.

But when I sat down and started to write novels, there was always one story I would want to retell in my own style. And to this day I’m so proud to say that the prologue of this book managed to secure me two literary agents.

And so The Charter became, if not the first novel I wrote, the first I published in June 2012. The audio version has become one of my best sellers, and even today sales of the book remain steady and more popular than others in the U.S.

All my novels are set on and around Anglesey and the North Wales coast and I have notebooks of stories, ideas, local tales and research that I hope one day will make their way in books in their own right – but I doubt any will mean quite as much to me as The Charter.

Prologue

October 26 1859

How can it be?

I stand on the edge of a high cliff. Holding back hair that whips across my face, I shield my eyes and squint through the stinging wind. Lifeless bodies dash against the rocks beneath me.

The ship disappears beneath the surface, battered by one huge wave after another. Rain mixes with tears that burn my eyes, and I feel as if I have woken from a nightmare of such terror my whole world has become horribly distorted. I know the sea. I have lived with the ocean all my life. I have been raised to respect Mother Nature, and to underestimate at my peril the power of the ocean. But I have never witnessed such a storm as this.

How can it be?
I have no memory of reaching this cliff. The last thing I remember is being wrapped in mother’s arms on the rolling deck as my da strapped a belt around my waist.

“Women and children first,” he said. “Now, hush! You keep your hand on this belt; it’s all we own in the world, my angel. My precious angel. You keep it safe for Da. And you take good care of your mam. I’ll see you on the other side.”
Cold lips press into my cheek. Calloused palms cup my face for the merest of seconds. The other side of where? I want to ask. But he’s gone and the ship is lurching violently beneath my feet.

“Da! Help … help me!”

A sound like a gunshot rips through the air.

“Port anchor’s let go!” someone shouts. “Sweet Lord! Brace the yeards, lads, starboard won’t take the strain, else!”

I bury my head in my mother’s bosom; she wraps her shawl around me. The shrieking wind carries away the sounds of crying children, sobbing women, men barking orders. I cover my ears as strong hands lift me, push me towards the lifeboat. I grasp my mother’s hand tighter.

Bang!

"Starboard anchor’s gone! We’re heading for the rocks! Get Captain Taylor!”

Seconds later, a ripping noise shakes the whole ship. The wooden deck shudders, and the bow gives out a loud moan. The ship tilts and I lose my footing, screaming as I slide towards the inky blackness, pulled by the weight of the leather pockets about my waist.

Water engulfs me.
Coldness engulfs me.
Darkness engulfs me.

How can it be?
I watch from the cliff edge as a pale dawn breaks. No golden rising sun, no blue skies, no welcoming warmth – just a gradual fading of blackness into misty grey.

The Royal Charter – the steamship that has carried my family from Hobson’s Bay, Australia to a ‘better life’ in England – is still being pounded by the storm. With every massive wave that crashes over her, I expect the ship to disappear, but after each surge of the tide she reappears as if trapped by the jagged rocks and unable to find release.

Bodies pulled and tossed by the furious tide, pushed inland one minute and dragged back into the white foam the next. Men I’d seen issuing orders; women I’d spoken to; children I’d spent many hours with over the past weeks. I close my ears to the screams and cries that circle my head like squawking gulls.

I stand there for seconds, minutes, hours, days … I know not.

The spray of the ocean is on my face. I hear the roar in my ears. I taste the salt on my lips.

But I know it cannot be. I know this cannot be real.

The truth hits me. Bile fills my mouth; I double over and retch.

When I straighten, I stand in silence and calmness. The storm still rages all around me, but I am protected. As if in the eye of the hurricane, my own space is quiet and still.

The answer is suddenly clear.

My name is Angelina Stewart.

I am eleven years old.

And I am dead.

Story

The legend of The Royal Charter is almost as famous as the story of the dead girl who wanders the cliffs at Point Lynas – a victim of the 1859 shipwreck.
After more than a decade away, Sarah Morton must return to her childhood home in Anglesey to bury her father. It’s her chance to say goodbye, and good riddance, to her past.
Yet her father leaves her a legacy. A letter. And a safe full of documents about the ancient shipwreck.
The Royal Charter had been carrying gold. Huge amounts of it. And her father’s death suddenly looks like murder.
Determined to discover the truth, Sarah is dragged into a dangerous journey, discovering she and the girl on the cliffs have more in common than she could ever believe.
Set along the dramatic and dangerous Anglesey coastline, The Charter is a story of greed and forgiveness – when the treasures of the past evoke the crimes of today.

Amazon Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Story telling at it's best, 11 Jun 2012
By pigginhell
… If I was one of these obsessive types who orders my library in genre order, I would not know where to put this one. Crime novel? Ghost Story? Historic Account? Adventure Story? It doesn't matter. It all works beautifully together. The elements, as diverse as they seem, sometimes just fit, which of course is down to old fashioned, damn good story telling.

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it..., 23 Sep 2012
By jaffareadstoo (England)
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) 
… It's not often that a book comes along which covers all your favourite genres in one fell swoop, but… The Charter is definitely one such book. Gillian Hamer writes with the passion of one who knows Anglesey well, and with great skill and imagination has turned this passion into a cracking good story.

 5.0 out of 5 stars Wild and spooky Wales, 19 July 2012
By Cathy "cathyagain"
… A GOOD story well told is always great to read, and this one cracks along with atmosphere. The setting is wild Wales, the coast of Anglesey.
Author Gillian Hamer has a way of gripping readers that goes beyond the twists of her plot. Her writing is superb. This is five-star stuff.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book With A Wonderful Blend Of Genres, 18 July 2012
By M. Stork (North Yorkshire, England)  
… the drama and beauty of the writer's descriptions of the rugged Welsh coast. The descriptions were so breathtakingly beautiful I felt I was there, and could hear the waves crashing against the shore. The characters are wonderful … the pace was perfect


If you'd like to read The Charter for yourself please CLICK HERE.

The Beauty of a Boxset

As the nights draw in, curl up in front of the fire and dive into a boxset. Binge-reading is good for your health, mind and brain, thus heartily recommended by all great authors.

Here are two crime series and two historical fiction sets for you to devour. Plus there's more where they came from ...

The Gold Detectives

By Gillian E. Hamer

Includes the first three crime novels of the series in one handy boxset.

Encounter the dark underbelly of North Wales and the island of Anglesey - featuring DI Amanda Gold and her team.


What readers think:

If you like Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Ann Cleeves or Peter May you’re seriously going to love Amanda Gold and her team.

I've become addicted to Ms Hamer's books! After thoroughly enjoying the first in this series, I read her other books before coming back to the Gold Detective books. The characters are complex, with their strengths, foibles and personal problems making for a realistic -though gruesome! - story. As usual, the body count is high, and there's some painful detail, but it kept me hooked to the end. And what an ending! 

Hamer does something quite special with her writing. She manages to combine glorious descriptions of Anglesey with quite gruesome murders. These combined with a pacy narrative, make her novels a compelling read indeed. 

The Beatrice Stubbs Series 

By JJ Marsh

Meet Beatrice Stubbs, your new favourite detective.


For lovers of intelligent crime fiction, three heart-racing adventures through Europe
Beatrice Stubbs: detective inspector, metaphor mixer and stubborn survivor.

What readers think:

For those who like their crime with a lighter, less gruesome touch. - The Bookseller

If you've not yet read a Beatrice Stubbs book, I envy you. What a treat you have in store. - The Bagster

My favourite thriller / procedural novel type has a strong female lead. One that is convincingly human and real, who isn’t the classic maverick detective, but works as a cog in a team, supporting her colleagues, just like in real life. Oh, and she needs to have some flaws. I need them to be written honestly, with interactions, opinions and emotions that echo people I know. Beatrice has all this in spades. - Dawn Gill

Overlord 

By Jane Dixon Smith

My name is Zabdas: once a slave; now a warrior, grandfather and servant. I call Syria home. 

I shall tell you the story of my Zenobia: Warrior Queen of Palmyra, Protector of the East, Conqueror of Desert Lands …

What readers think:

JD Smith's wonderful characterisation and meticulous research paints a vivid and dramatic picture of Syria in the 3rd Century AD at a time when Rome is disintegrating under the weight of its own corruption. The early years of Zenobia, one of the great enigmatic figures of history, are seen through the eyes of her cousin Zabdas, a slave who becomes a general. Zabdas is the perfect narrator and his story follows Zenobia from clever, precocious young girl to imperious manipulator of kings and emperors, from the desert kingdom of Palmyra to Rome and back. Full of passion, intrigue and drama it draws the reader in and holds them to the very last page.
Douglas Jackson, author of Caligula

Syria's Boudica [Boadicea], self-styled Cleopatra, and real-life Daenerys Targaryen.

Zenobia, Queen of Palymra, can now take her place beside a couple of other picturesque and photogenic fictional queens - Danerys and Maergery from Game of Thrones. The difference is, Zenobia really existed.

Historical Fiction at its best.

The Bone Angel Trilogy

By Liza Perrat

Three standalone stories exploring the tragedies and triumphs of a French village family of midwife-healers during the French Revolution (Spirit of Lost Angels), WW2 Nazi-occupied France (Wolfsangel) and the 1348 Black Plague (Blood Rose Angel) in one boxset.

What readers think:

Olga Núñez Miret, author/translator (English/Spanish), psychiatrist, book reviewer:
 … a must for lovers of historical and women’s fiction. Beautifully written, carefully researched, and emotionally charged, the three books are connected by an amulet
and the female legacy it represents … adventures of strong, brave, and
determined women who will pull at your heartstrings.

Terry Tyler, author: An intricately researched and beautifully written series that artfully shows how the threads of the past link generations together.

C. P. Lesley, author of The Golden Lynx and other novels: Three compelling heroines linked by a bone angel with a mystical past—a French village struggling with revolution, world war, and Black Death. Follow Victoire, Céleste, and Héloïse as each undertakes a richly imagined, emotionally complex journey toward a definition of womanhood that is uniquely her own. This trilogy--on my list of Hidden Gems--is one not to be missed.

Josie Barton, Book Blogger at JaffaReadsToo: … grips your imagination from the very beginning and the momentum doesn’t stop until all the stories are completed.

Cathy Ryan, Book Blogger at Between the Lines: … a sweeping saga following the fortunes of three strong women bound together by a bone angel talisman, passed down through the generations. Fascinating, moving and realistic - a must for lovers of historical fiction.

Book Launch Preview # 2 - Gillian E Hamer & Sacred Lake

What is it?

A standalone crime novel which is the third in The Gold Detective Series

Who will enjoy it?

Those who like crime with an edge. I call it Anglesey Noir. Or ‘Hamer is Anglesey’s answer to Ian Rankin’ – Amazon reviewer.

When is it set?

Two murders, four decades apart, all centred around a sacred lake with a long history of Druid activity on the beautiful island of Anglesey.

Where should I read it?

Set in mid-winter, so curled up in bed, with a mug of hot chocolate and a pack of digestives.

Why do you write crime fiction?

Because I have read crime fiction all my life and I love the genre. From Enid Blyton to Agatha Christie strong, female writers have influenced my writing.

How many books will there be in the series?

I have six stories in my head, so I’m planning six books. But let’s see where the characters take us …

Extract from Sacred Lake

JANUARY 1st 1977

I jump the gate and run for my life. Lungs on fire, legs pounding, I zig-zag through a misty tunnel of high hedgerows and out onto a road. I stumble along the centre white line, unbalanced and disorientated, one way, then the other, praying to see a car. The road is an empty black strip disappearing into the distance. Which way? I stop, hands on knees, panting, head turning, back and forth. Come on, which way!

A muffled cough spurs me onwards. The road leaves me too exposed. I leap a ditch, heading for the cover of trees, and the distant lights of houses beyond. Willing my legs to move, not to fail me now. Breath swirls around me as I stumble like a blind man, crashing into unseen obstacles but not daring to slow my pace. Slipping, sliding, arms wind-milling.

My toe snags a tree root and I hit the frozen ground. Air escapes with a whoosh, and I bite back a cry, the tang of rusted iron filling my mouth. My eyes flood with tears that bring a little warmth to my cheeks, and I strain to see and hear in the dark silence.

I need a second to catch my breath and refocus. I cannot believe this has happened. My life has turned on its head, and I’ve looked death in the face, all since the chimes of midnight brought in the new year a few short hours ago. But we both knew. All our plans for a bright, new future were ripped into shreds, scattered to the four corners, the second we heard his voice and knew he’d found our secret place.

Footsteps thud to a halt and I’m alert again. Close. He is close. Heavy breathing and the acrid scent of him on the wind. A dog barks, excited and keen. A man’s angry retort as he struggles to control the beast. On hands and knees I crawl, belly flat to the ground. Slimy leaves heed my progress, smooth and glistening like a slug’s trail as I slip silently across the forest floor. Pine needles pluck at my clothes, animals scurry from my path.

And then I am in a clearing. I gasp. A sparkling expanse, like a ballroom of crystal, a dance floor of diamonds, spreads before me. On the furthest side, a high bank of stones edges the silver oasis, and beyond that the spray and crash of the ocean.

I step forwards, arms outstretched to keep my balance. Ice. A huge sheet of ice. I take a tentative step, then another, sliding my feet across the surface in tiny, baby steps, a novice ice-skater among a more confident crowd.

A twig snaps behind me and I come to my senses. I can hear, almost feel, his breath on the back of my neck. I try to run but lose traction with each stride, a picture of Bambi, on ice, my sister’s favourite cartoon, spirals into my brain. Torch beams glitter and dance between my feet. He is closer. A man’s voice penetrates the darkness, words snatched away with the breeze.

Then a cracking noise. Hard and sharp, like a pencil snapped in two.

To be continued ......


Order your copy HERE

Triskele Books New Releases!

This summer sees three hot new releases from Triskele Books!

On Saturday 3 June, we're launching Sacred Lake by Gillian E. Hamer, Bad Apples by JJ Marsh and The Rebel Queen by JD Smith. Here are the details:

Sacred Lake by Gillian E. Hamer

Two bodies discovered in a sacred Anglesey lake. One four weeks old. One four decades.

Random murders or ritual sacrifice?

Coincidence isn’t part of the vocabulary for DI Amanda Gold and her team. So when an up-and-coming star chef goes missing, the hunt for a killer is on.

Pressure mounts as suspect number one becomes victim number three.

DS Gethin Evans has an instinct. He is going to prove these crimes are sexually motivated, even if it means going it alone.

The hunt nears its end. The question is no longer who is right but who will survive?

If the sins of the past shadow everyone’s future, there’s no place to hide.

 *******

Bad Apples by JJ Marsh

 

“Some people are just rotten to the core.”

Acting DCI Beatrice Stubbs is representing Scotland Yard at a police conference in Portugal. Her task is to investigate a rumour – a ghostwritten exposé of European intelligence agencies – and discover who is behind such a book.

Hardly a dangerous assignment, so she invites family and friends for a holiday. Days at the conference and evenings at the villa should be the perfect work-life balance.

Until one of her colleagues is murdered.

An eclectic alliance of international detectives forms to find the assassin. But are they really on the same side?

Meanwhile, tensions rise at the holiday villa. A clash of egos sours the atmosphere and when a five-year-old child disappears, their idyll turns hellish.

From Lisbon streets to the quays of Porto, Parisian cafés to the green mountains of Gerês, Beatrice learns that trust can be a fatal mistake.

 *******

The Rebel Queen by JD Smith

My name is Zabdas: a son, father, commander and confidant. I am a man born of invasion, a warrior in a forgotten land. I speak of history, of Rome and Syria, and relay the story of Zenobia: wife to the king, sister to me, mother to her country, daughter of the gods …

Syria is finally at peace. The war against the Persians is won and a triumph held in honour of King Odenathus and his victories. Whilst the east prospers, so the west crumbles as Emperor Gallienus struggles to maintain power.

With success comes opportunity. Peace never holds for long as rumours surrounding Odenathus’ rising popularity abound and enemies approach on every frontier.

Zenobia must play the game of politics, forge alliances and press her advantage no matter what, if she is to secure the east. Zabdas discovers his past, and battles both conscience and heart as he chooses paths that will change everything.

It is the year of death. The gods are watching and no one is safe …

 *******

Mentoring - And Why It's Important to Writers

By Gillian Hamer


Look up ‘mentoring’ in the dictionary and the definition reads: ‘the activity of supporting and advising someone with less experience to help them develop in their work.’

This seems a perfect description. As writers, the thing we lack more than anything in our early days is confidence. How do we know our writing is any good? How do we judge? Who can we compare it to? Who do we ask for feedback? How do we get advice about publication? Within self-publishing the need for support is probably even greater, without an in-house editor or agent to work with, who do we ask for advice?

Our A Time & A Place Boxset

Mentoring can be many different things to many different people, but in writing, the fundamental need of the lonely author is support.

From early on in our incarnation, it was decided that one of our key roles at Triskele Books is to do just that. To use what we have learned over the last decade in our own individual writing journeys (and when you start to list it or visit seminars you soon realise what a huge amount of knowledge you know without even realising!) and hopefully put our skills towards assisting others who are just starting over in their own journey or are have trouble with previous decisions.

Each of us have our own different stories of how mentoring works for us.

Jill Marsh: "My Triskele team-mates have been my mentors for far longer than five years. We first ‘met’ on a peer critique site. Three things stood out – these people were excellent writers, insightful critiquers and extremely supportive individuals.

Under their guidance, my writing has matured. I’ve identified my own bad habits, built my confidence and learned plotting precision. As for getting the work out there, I lean heavily on the various contributory skills of the Triskelites. Mentoring, for me, is a question of sharing our experiences to make unfamiliar territory less daunting and a demonstration of our commitment to helping other writers."

Each of us within Triskele play our parts individually. Jane Dixon-Smith is not only a historical fiction author, but also an award-winning cover designer, who has recently been interviewed on BBC Radio and released a book to assist newbie writers, and is also the editor of literary magazine, Words with Jam. Jill Marsh as part of Nuance Words runs writing events in her home country of Switzerland, and co-produces The Woolf magazine. Catriona Troth is a professional editor, plus our eyes and ears on the ground, assisting with London-based writing events and also works with the Alliance of Independent Authors. Liza Perrat takes part in a writing community in her native France. And I have recently given a talk on ‘cross genre’ novels to a writing group in Birmingham, discussing my route to publication and feel I know a great deal about publishing.

Collectively, we’re massively proud of 'A Pathway To Self-Publishing' – our how to guide to assist writers who may be looking at self-publishing as an option for them.



A Pathway to Self-Publishing

So, for us the next natural step was to launch our Big Five Competition for 2016 #Big5 putting into place the definition of mentoring which seemed perfect to encompass all our ideas. A year working along with five published authors, skilled in areas such as professional editing, professional cover design and formatting, as well as getting the support network and advice that has made Triskele Books so successful.

Is this an offer worth grabbing? Do Triskele have anything worthwhile to offer? Well, from what we have discussed here I believe so!

Certainly life is full of choices. Traditional publishing is still a route for many to pursue, and an option I would encourage for anyone who wants to write and leave everything else to someone else. It has it negatives – the loss of control and speed at which the industry moves, but also doubtless has its positives – assistance with marketing and network opportunities.

Not many of us would be where we are today without some kind of mentoring. For some that may be formal qualifications, for others it might be physical support groups, for others online writing communities.

Personally, my first unofficial mentor would be the first literary agent who saw some spark of ‘something’ in my writing, and helped me develop the rough jumble of ideas I had into the framework of a novel that eventually become ‘Closure.’ Later in my career, I turned to a fellow author, Amanda Hodgkinson, who seemed to connect to my writing and was always supportive but critical to just the right degree. Would I be writing my sixth novel without either of these women? Probably not in all honesty.

But don't just take my word for the importance of mentoring. The judge for our Big Five Competition is Irish crime writer, Sheila Bugler. Soon to publish her third novel with O’Brien Press, her first big break into writing was via a sponsored mentorship scheme, and this was one of the reasons Sheila was so keen to payback her good fortune and judge our competition.

Sheila Bugler

Sheila says: “Early in my writing career I was lucky to win a year’s mentoring with an established crime writer. It was such a great experience. I learned so much about the craft of writing, the genre in which I was writing and what exactly I needed to do to turn my messy first draft into a final version that was good enough for publication. More than anything, though, being mentored have me the confidence to believe in myself and think ‘I can really do this.’ Mentoring is a really great experience and I would recommend it to any aspiring author luck enough to be offered this opportunity.”

The Big Five Competition #Big5 is one hell of an opportunity for one lucky author. If you're an established writer, tell someone who is just starting out or struggling with their writing. If you've been with a small press but are looking at fresh options, see if this is something that fits your needs. And if you have a book in you and want to support to see if it deserves its place on the bookshelf, take the plunge and let us advise you.

It means a lot to us at Triskele Books that we have the knowledge, skills, networks and experience to be able to offer this prize - and we look forward to sharing all of that expertise with one lucky author.

Find out more #Big5 details here

Getting the balance right - tips for writing Short Stories

By Gillian Hamer

Short stories are where my love of writing began. I’d sneak my gran’s Woman’s Weekly or People’s Friend into my bedroom, and lose myself in tales of romance, dark secrets or intrigue. Shorts were my first introduction to worlds and emotions I could barely imagine as an inquisitive, yet introverted child.

One day I thought … you know what, I reckon I can do that. And so began the tale of a beagle named Goliath and his adventures on an island called Geronimo. Goliath became a companion for many years. I used to draw his droopy ears and sad eyes, endlessly practising his signature. And so, several years later when I won my first writing accolade, age eleven (– a Blue Peter Badge for writing an episode of Grange Hill, I don’t think ever got screened.) … it was Goliath and his adventures I thanked.

Short stories are wonderful. If they’re done right. And that’s a BIG if. Getting the content balance right is crucial. Getting the POV to gel is difficult. And introducing characters your readers connect with in the space of a few thousand (or hundred) words is nigh on impossible.

I’ve read many books over the years bursting with practical advice. I've studied many How-To guides. And I’ve written many, many rubbish shorts. But it's a craft I have worked hard to succeed in. For me, balance is key. In almost every aspect of a strong, gripping short story it must be spot on. Here are some of my suggestions for achieving that perfect balance.

1. Read widely. As with novel writing, read lots of different short story styles by lots of different authors, from classic to contemporary. Study winning entries of important short story competitions (Bridport, for example) See what constitutes a prize-winning story and how you can make your own idea equally as compelling.

2. Simple plots and complex characters. Remember the famous tip from V.S Pritchett : 'A short story should capture a character at bursting point." Character is everything in a short story, you don't have time or space for complex, meandering plots so you must rely on killer characters to drive the narrative.

3. Content. Because of word constraints you need to compress content to the basics. This is easier if you plan before you start. Know where you want your story to end, and work at achieving the story arc in as succinct, yet fulfilling, way as possible.

4. Conflict and Change. These are the drivers of your storyline, Make sure you contain equal levels of both. Without conflict you have no story. If you have no story your characters fail to grow or change, and the story stagnates and dies. Getting this balance right is crucial.

5. What, when, where, who. Tick as many boxes as you can in your planning before you start to write. Who is telling your story? What is your theme? When and where are you setting it?

6. Pace. With fewer words to play with, you need to perfect your pace. Too fast and the story will lack depth; too slow and you'll bore the reader and lose drive. Learn to be succinct. Learn the power of suggestion. Allow your reader to use their own imagination and never, ever, over write.

7. Dialogue. Let your characters have their own voice, keep authorial input to a minimum. Allow dialogue to establish character, progress the story. Believable dialogue is vital and can turn an average short into a prize winner.

8. POV. Getting your choice of POV right is one of the most important decisions when planning. I tend to write most short stories in first person, present tense. Not usually a conscious decision, maybe that it feels more direct and immediate. Instinctively, POV often chooses itself, and it's no bad advice to go with your gut instinct.

9. Strong opening, stronger close. It is vital you hit the ground running and grab the reader's attention from line one. You do not have the luxury of easing the reader into a short story. It has to be instant. And a good closing punch line should stay with the reader. The closing line of a short story should be the BEST line.

10. Try something different. Break the mould. Drop the clichés. Experiment with your short story. A unique, unexpected voice can be compelling, so try something new. Write crime novels? Then try erotic shorts. Always write historical? Give sci-fi a chance. Short story writing offers a whole new world of experiences to a writer.

And now .... Triskele Boxsets!

It's been quite a few weeks for Triskele Books. New releases. Literary Festivals. Triskele Trail. Not to mention getting to spend a whole weekend with the five of us together under one roof (not for the faint-hearted) ... but now we have something new to celebrate.

Gillian Hamer and JJ Marsh are proud, excited, (and a bit giggly) to announce the release of their first ever boxsets. Cover design and formatting has, as ever, been left in the capable hands of JD Smith, and the end results are quite frankly amazing. A real positive addition to the Triskele brand.



Gillian's first three novels The Charter, Closure and Complicit make up the first of her crime thriller series.


Gillian said. "I am blown away by the look and design of the books. I've always loved my covers but somehow they look even more stunning side by side. I can't wait to write the next trilogy just so I can have another boxset! I think they make a fantastic gift."

What They Say:

"This is the third of Gillian E Hamer's books I've read and I think it's the best so far. A contemporary police investigation and hints of the paranormal are threaded together with enormous skill." - Chris C, Amazon Review

"As with the author's previous two crime novels, the plot never falters and moves along at a cracking pace, the writing is as always crisp and clear and the intertwining of both past and present and the gradual connection between the two is done with real skill. I'm now completely hooked on this series and only hope that Gillian Hamer can write really quickly, as I can't wait to see what she comes up with next." - JaffaReadsToo (Amazon Top 500 Reviewer)

"When you love a book as much as I loved The Charter by Gillian Hamer, you always approach the next book with trepidation. I needn't have worried - her latest, Closure, is even better." - Welsh Annie Reviews.

"Fast paced and compelling. With its rich landscape of shipwrecks, murder, lost gold, faith and forgiveness, The Charter is storytelling at its best." - Amanda Hodgkinson, New York Times Bestseller.

Buy Gillian's boxset on Amazon


JJ Marsh has released the first three novels from her Beatrice Stubbs series: Behind Closed Doors, Raw Material and Tread Softly in one beautiful boxset.


Jill said. "I love the look of this boxset so much, I'm tempted to put it on my letter to Santa. Indulge yourself over Christmas - curl up with a glass of red, a box of chocolates and Beatrice Stubbs."

What they say about Beatrice Stubbs:

“Hooked from the start and couldn't put this down. Superb, accomplished and intelligent writing. Ingenious plotting paying as much attention to detail as the killer must.” – Book Reviews Plus

“I heartily recommend this as an exciting and intelligent read for fans of crime fiction.”– Judging Covers

“The characters leap off the page, the prose is witty and intelligent, and the plot twists keep you hooked till the last. What more could you ask?” – Barbara Scott Emmett, author of European thriller Don’t Look Down

"... crackles with human interest, intrigue and atmosphere. Beatrice and her team go all out to see justice is done. And author JJ Marsh does more than justice to the intelligent heroine who leads this exciting and absorbing chase.” – Libris Reviews

"Thrilling new crime fiction from a seriously good writer" – Annemarie Neary, author of A Parachute in the Lime Tree

"Warning: once you start this book you may not be able to put it down, and you may find yourself talking to it" - Compulsion Reads


Buy The Beatrice Stubbs Series on Amazon or Smashwords


Both boxsets are on Promotion for the whole of December!

Please Don’t Write What You Know

All kinds of theories you get told in writing workshops, ‘Write what you know’ and that sort of thing, which I don’t believe at all. One of the great joys in writing is to try and explore what you don’t know. That’s exciting to me. – Kiran Desai

Write What You Know.

What does that mean, in practice? The trouble with a lot of writing what you know is that no one wants to read it. Because readers see through fiction-which-is-fact, sniff out wish-fulfilment and close their ears to lecturing. If they want any of those things, they can switch on the TV.

Fiction isn’t life. Otherwise, why bother? Toss aside Fifty Shades of Grey, grab the restraints, drag him away from the PlayStation and get creative. Just don’t write about it afterwards.

Here are seven ways WWYK can backfire:


But It’s All True!

Just because an experience happened, doesn’t make it a good story. When you’re telling a story, you’re giving a reader an experience. Relating yours, no matter how well you dress it up, is always going to be second-hand. Take the reader on their own journeys; use their own experiences to breathe colour and intelligibility; allow them the privilege of relating to the narrative first hand. Maybe reignite old memories or establish new ideals. Give them something new.

Same goes for character. One author used real people twice in her work. Both times beta-readers picked them out of the line-up at first glance. They stick out like Bob Hoskins in Roger Rabbit. They aren’t part of that world, they have no place there and the author’s crude attempts to disguise personal feelings towards those individuals are as obvious as a teenage blush. There’s nothing wrong with using the odd trait, mannerism or look from someone you know to add realism to a character, but make sure each person you create has a life and history of their own.

Even if a story is true, it must be believable as a story. Reality often makes the worst fiction. Add those details which bring the piece to fictional life. Omit those which don’t. – Janet Skeslien Charles

Dear Diary

JJ Marsh: “Someone I know spent a long time writing up an incredible round-the-world adventure. I’d heard so many of these stories; in the pub, in the park, around dinner tables. The storyteller possessed drama, humour, vocal range and facial dexterity. Those verbally recounted stories were always applauded. The book? I couldn’t finish. The equivalent of several thousand holiday slides.”

Contrast such a disappointment with Susan Jane Gilman’s Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven. Not only a distinctive voice, but more than one level of alienation and an increasingly tense plot involves the reader in an adventure. Yes, it’s a true story, but one hell of a way to tell it. Memoirs such as Dave Pelzer’s A Child Called It or Just A Boy by Richard McCann break the mould because the story they tell compels a reader through compassion. It should be fiction but it’s not, that’s how the reader copes with such gritty realism.


And if You Look To Your Left ...

Lecturing, something most writers have fallen foul of many times, can make a reader’s toes curl in embarrassment. Much like a bound foot. Foot binding was very popular in 10th century China because men found it to be highly attractive, and therefore became Chinese women's way of being beautiful and to show that they were worthy of a husband. The foot binding process begins with a young girl (4-7 years old) soaking her feet in warm water or animal blood with herbs. (Thank you, Wikipedia).

This is nothing more than another adage – Show, Not Tell. Don’t inform the reader, allow them to glimpse the details, catch a peep behind a screen, hear the muffled cry of a young voice expressing old pain.

Look at writers such as Eowyn Ivey (Alaska) or Monique Roffey (Trinidad) and absorb how they select and employ geographical detail like seasoning to enrich and attract, without drowning the reader in reportage. Read Salman Rushdie or Louis de Bernières as a lesson in how historical segues act as mortar to the story bricks, whilst rendering the two part of the whole.

If you need to be an expert in a given field – maybe a pathologist in crime fiction or WWII fighter pilot in a historical romance – make sure it’s the characters who sound like they’re living the life. Not the author trawling the internet.

One tip – our own Gillian Hamer took an Open University Forensics’ Course. In her novel where a pathologist takes the lead role, she must sound like she knows her DNA from her CAP – and sound like she means it. If the language and the words become second nature to the writer, rather than something quickly cut and pasted from a website, it adds so much more depth and gravitas to the characters. And the readers will appreciate the effort without even knowing what went into it. Making something incredibly difficult look incredibly easy is vital.

Me, But Better

Another pitfall is the writer who uses fiction as wish-fulfilment. This story’s hero/heroine is IRRESISTIBLY sexy, tall/petite, witty/winsome, glamorous/gifted, muscular/feisty, handy with a Colt 45/cauliflower coulis, genetically/genitally enhanced, an arrogant bad boy/a sassy sex kitten, a horse-whispering human marshmallow in leather trousers/a free spirit who sits naked in a peacock chair while her lover paints the sunset.

This kind of fantasy belongs in teenage notebooks or in locked jewellery boxes, encoded and set to spontaneously combust if any other eyes but the author’s should happen upon them. Unless you're E.L. James.

Just as your average teenager tries on a variety of identities to see which suits, a writer should experiment, move away from oneself and stretch beyond what is comfortable.

I became interested in writing different points of view. And I think I came from a student background and cultural generation which was very nervous about writing outside one’s own experience; gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and cultural space. I think The Slap is my attempt to resist that. Not to say those considerations aren’t important, but if I can’t write as a woman, a black person, an old man or a teenage girl, what the hell am I doing writing at all? – Christos Tsiolkas

Isn’t It Exotic, Don’t You Think?

At a workshop for non-Fiction Writers in Zurich in 2011, Andrew Crofts (The Ghost Writer) listened to various accounts of the expat experience and finally, with a deep sigh, told it like it is.
“Yes, but the only people who will be interested are other expats. Write a blog instead.”
This astute writer knows her audience and shows how it should be done.

Who are you talking to? Other versions of you? Or do you want to address a wider audience with a story anyone can access? Why will anyone else care about what you care about – and how can you make that happen?

Empathy is a key ingredient. The old adage of getting the reader onside from Chapter One is a rule to ignore at your peril. Whatever genre you chose, make sure that the characters and world you create encompass the reader, so that every emotion is heightened and explored. Hate is fine, sympathy is better. Anger is necessary, passion is perfect.

Write for a wide audience, so that people of all backgrounds and persuasions can live and involve themselves in your world. Fiction is not the place for walking on narrow ground.

Dull as dishwater

Another problem many writers face when they stick to safe territory and write what they know is that unless they are widely read or have imaginative scope beyond a normal person’s wildest dreams … life can be pretty crap. And often pretty dull.

Most of us in our daily life relive on repeat a pretty good take on Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5. It’s normal and banal and just life. We don’t make eye contact with a tall, dark handsome stranger on the bus and experience a life-changing frisson of electricity. We rarely see an armed robbery during our lunch hour while picking up an egg and cress roll from Greggs. No one is going to want to read about an eight-hour shift at a call centre, when the highlight of the day was a visit by the window cleaner.

There are, of course, elements of our life we can take with us on our journey into fiction. Emotions. Experience. Knowledge. Conversations. History. We have a melting pot of resource information bubbling away in our brains. But to make all of those ingredients come together in a perfect recipe, we need to transport the reader away from the normality of everyday life.

Even if we’re only transporting them on the Tube from Holborn to Greenwich. Even if we’re not planning on whisking them away to the Maldives or Great Barrier Reef. It’s still the job of the writer to create a believable world to relate their story, that although the reader can pick out bits they recognise, fits the story you have created – not the one you live on a daily basis.

From all things that you know and all those you cannot know, you make something through your invention that is not a representation but a whole new thing truer than anything true and alive. – Ernest Hemingway

Location, Location, Location

Many of you will know that location is a strong theme in Triskele books. And while it’s clearly not practical for every author to visit the place they set their novels (our JD Smith may find difficulties visiting the lands of Palmyra circa 1st Century AD) a strong setting can really carry a story – and again it needs to be something that although the reader may recognise in passing, does not linger too long on the M25.

Some writers, take for example, Stef Penney and her wonderful The Tenderness of Wolves, admit they have never set foot on the land they so wonderfully describe. But they spend years researching the layout, the towns, the traditions and languages. This is a gift coupled with hard work.

Many writers prefer to visit the location to feel the atmosphere of a setting, and there is nothing more satisfying than to be told in a review that your description of a place has prompted the reader to pay their first visit.


But let's not forget that there are times when writing what you know is the most important thing you can do - for yourself, and for others. Jade Amoli-Jackson is a humbling example.



It’s a big world out there. So, whichever way you do it, take a chance. 

Break the rules. Open up and let the reader in.



by JJ Marsh

Copyright and Permissions

By Gillian Hamer
To substantiate the importance of the following article, let’s simply quote a Guardian headline from May 2010.

‘I still have invoices. For quoting one line of “Jumping Jack Flash.” £500. For one line of “Wonderwall.” £535. For two lines (eleven words) of “I Shot the Sheriff.” £1000. All plus VAT. Book total = £4401.75.’ 

If that doesn’t make you sit up and take note, nothing will. That cost could easily wipe out a typical advance from a publisher, and most likely wipe out all future profits from a single novel by an indie author.

And that was doing it right, getting permission from the required sources and paying for the privilege. Had the author chosen to ignore, or feign ignorance, of the law those costs could have been easily ten times more and would most likely have seen him on the wrong end of a scary lawyer’s summons and an even more costly day in court.

The article in question was written by author Blake Morrison, and related to a party in his novel, South of the River, at which the DJ’s somewhat dubious choice of music – and more importantly the context of the lyrics in relation to his novel – ended up costing the author dear.

Copyright and Permissions is a minefield. This obviously covers not only song lyrics, but use of images, letters, quotations, and extracts of prose or poems (more detailed list below).

In very simple terms, permission is required to quote any part of any work that is in Copyright. In the UK (and in most parts of the world) for most works this is until 70 years after the Copyright owner’s death.

So, how can a writer get around these permissions? Answer: you can’t. In the example above - you could safely name the song and/or the artist, but once you decide to put Bob Marley’s words down on paper and you can see no way around it that won’t ruin your novel – prepare to pay out.

You may argue that Bob should be grateful for the free advertising, happy that you may through your books, encourage a whole new generation to seek out his music. Good luck selling that one. It’s very unlikely his estate or his record company would agree. At a time when illegal downloads and sites like Spotify are eating into its multi-million pound profits, the music industry needs every penny and will have no hesitation seeking out a writer who breaks strict UK copyright law – even accidentally.

However, it’s important to take a balanced perspective. Your work should remain just that. And while permissions are big business now, not only within the music industry but also the literary world, the law is in place to protect you as the owner of your copyrighted work. Many literary agents and publishers have specialists who deal with permissions for their clients, and often you will see publishers have a section of their website that deals solely with these requests. For famous, best-selling writers, this can run into millions of pounds in potential lost income if not handled correctly. For example, imagine how many times Harry Potter may get mentioned or quoted, or have trademarks abused, and imagine how much money JK Rowling could lose without a band of eagle-eyed lawyers protecting her assets.

Summary of Material Requiring Permissions

- quotations of over 300 words from a book

- quotations of over 50 words from a journal, newspaper, or magazine article

- reproduction of certain works of art

- photographs

- charts, tables, or graphs

- reproduction of web pages or screenshots

- any third-party software used in a CD, DVD, or website supporting an author’s work

- film stills and film grabs

- reproduction of advertisements

- certain trade mark usage

- certain photographs containing recognisable people

Summary of Material not requiring permission

- in ‘fair dealing’ cases (see below reviews and critiques)

- excerpts falling within the STM Guidelines for Quotation and Other

- Academic Uses of Excerpts from Journal Articles (provided that the relevant publisher is one of the signatories to the Guidelines)

- direct quotes from interviews (conducted by the author)

- facts or ideas

- public domain information

- Crown copyright material covered by a Click-Use licence or waived by OPSI (Office of Public Sector Information, formerly HMSO) – for more details see www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index.htm

- certain use of trademarks, logos, and company names

- mathematical and chemical equations

- substantially modified material (just credit the source)

- useful forms

Where can authors look for advice?

The first place to turn for advice prior to publication would be The Society of Authors. They have detailed guidelines on Permissions and Copyright and Moral Rights.

The use of images, quotations, extracts of prose or poems has rules concerning ‘substantial’ extracts that requires detailed study. Copyright of song lyrics gets a special mention, as the music industry has a reputation for rigorously defending its rights. And the Society makes it very clear that it is you, as the author and owner of your work, that must take responsibilities for any permissions required.

Another area that needs highlighting is the use of quotes in reviews or critiques. This is another trap you may fall into unawares. The subject is covered by what the SOA call ‘fair dealing’ – allowing the use of a single extract of up to 400 words, or a series of extracts (none of which exceeds 300 words) to a total of 800 words from a prose work, or 40 lines from a poem that does not exceed a quarter of the poem. If the law is so complicated when simply looking at reviews of a copyright work, you can probably see how stringent it is when quoting another person’s work in your own novels.

The SOA Permissions guidelines are substantive and worth a read, covering areas like: Who obtains copyright permissions? Who or what to ask? When do I need permission? How much will it cost?

They also supply a comprehensive list of agencies to contact if seeking copyright permission is difficult, and they’ve produced a Model Permission Licence Letter in this regard.

These guidelines are available free to members and for a nominal charge to non-members – please contact the SOA via their website for more information.

More sources:

Another useful source of advice and information in this regard and others is the Writers & Artists Yearbook, which can now be found online. They have a section on Rights & Legal Advice that deals with Copyright issues, as well as financial advice on granting permissions and who to contact if you do find yourself in breach of the law. The website is a useful resource for a community of writers, offering a wealth of advice on all aspects of writing and getting published, the opportunity to gain feedback on your work and access to regular writing competitions.

Another superb resource for writers can be found in The Writer’s ABC Checklist (written by Lorraine Mace and Maureen Vincent-Northam) which also has a helpful, regularly updated blog that keeps writers up-to-date with changes that may affect them. They have an in depth section on Copyright in the handbook (available as an eBook or paperback) that puts to bed myths like “passing off”, copyright in names and titles, how to handle copyright with co-authors and the use of the registered © symbol. They have written a blog detailing the tough stance taken by the music industry about use of song lyrics.

There is also a list of useful resources that offer specialist assistance for writers in a variety of areas which is well worth studying.

My Top Ten Crime Writing Tips

 By Gillian Hamer

Gillian Hamer has published three cross-genre thriller novels via Triskele Books – The Charter, Closure and Complicit. She is now working on the third book in her Gold Detective series after the successful release of Crimson Shore and False Lights. She's a founder member of Triskele Books and an avid reader of crime novels. 

Here, Gillian imparts advice and tips she has accumulated over more than a decade writing in her favoured genre - for any writers who may be considering trying their luck in the murky world of crime and thrillers.

Knowing your market.

Read widely and varied - by that I'd suggest as many authors as possible, not necessarily as many books. If you’ve read one book by Rankin or McDermid, then move on. Find what else is out there. That means reading the classics but also being aware of current market trends too. For example, I had a meeting with an editor of a major publisher who liked my writing but thought I needed to make my style darker. ‘Read Tess Gerritsen, she said, try Kathy Reichs (both authors I’d never previously read) - those are the writers who are selling now.’ Sample everything out there and see what style suits your writing.

Location.

Not something you may expect in the top ten of my tips on the genre – but I’m a firm believer that getting the setting right and creating a backdrop that stops the reader in their tracks is as important as a strong lead character. Written well, location can become a character in its own right. And I’m not alone in my view. Think of Dick Francis who based all his books around horse racing or Colin Dexter’s use of Oxford as a fabulous backdrop or Ian Rankin’s view of Edinburgh. Try to think of somewhere original. Research or visit the area. Make the reader connect with the place if they know it – or close the book wanting to visit. Having a solid foundation for your crime novel will improve your chances of success.

Conflict, conflict, conflict.

Plot and getting it right are crucial in crime writing, central to that is the subject of conflict. Without conflict there is no crime, in fact without conflict there is no drama in any genre. Always take care to make sure your plot has enough tension and conflict to keep the reader hooked, but also enough breathing spaces to keep the story real. Getting the level of drama in the right place, at the right time, is another consideration when trying to create a plot with tension, twists and turns. You want to amaze the reader, not frustrate them.

Killer Opening.

It is more vital in crime fiction than any other genre to grab the reader's attention during the first page, first paragraph or even the first line. Readers expect shock and awe in the first chapter and they don't want to be disappointed. So, make sure you kick off the book in the means you want to continue.

Killer Ending.

It is also vital to ensure that the reader stays with you for the journey and comes to the end, not only entertained but satisfied with the summary and conclusion. If you're writing a crime series, the best way to ensure your reader reaches for the next book is to ensure you get the end of the previous one right on all counts.

Killer characters.

While plots are crucial to the novel, they can be easily forgettable, and by the nature of crime fiction can often feel very similar. Characters, on the other hand, never leave us: Poirot, Marple, Lecter, Rebus. Characterisation is crucial in crime writing – whether that’s the goodie or the baddie. There are a wealth of new UK writers who have this nailed. Ann Cleeves with Vera for example. A character who shouldn’t work, who we shouldn’t like, and is the antithesis of everything we expect – and yet Cleeves is steadily building mass market popularity. A lesson in how to be different and competent at the same time.

Research your genre.

There's a lot of emphasis on research when writing crime. Whether it be police procedure, medical terminology or historical resources - it's vital you get it right. Credibility can be a huge stumbling block. And whilst, most of us won't know how it feels to be a pathologist or a murderer, being as accurate as possible is vital in keeping the reader's attention. If you want a forensic scientist to excel in their field, for example, and baffle your reader, make sure you study the subject yourself, not simply rely on the Wikipedia. Maybe do a forensic science course as I did. Make sure you sound as much of an expert as your characters. If you don’t get it right, your readers will – and you’ll be caught out.

Pace and Style.

Getting the pace and writing style right is another crucial element. Crime thrillers need to be tightly written, no flowery language to muddy the waters, and as a general rule you can look to reduce your first draft by at least 10%. Be ruthless in your edits. If a scene doesn't move the story on, then cut it, keep the style taut and the pace tight.

Aim for Perfection.

Today, if you have any hope of getting your work noticed, published, acknowledged – it has to be Great (with a capital G!). And that is what you have to aim for no matter how many drafts it takes. Soak up advice, good or bad, and don’t disregard a single opinion until you’ve considered it carefully. Of course, it doesn’t mean every single person who comments on your work is right – but make sure they’re definitely wrong before ignoring any advice.

Practise Makes Perfect.

You learn by experience. The more you write, the better you become. Every chapter, every draft, every novel … you will improve. Think about building your skills, engaging with fellow writers, researching the industry as well as the genre, or maybe getting expert editorial advice. All those things will increase your maturity as a writer and get you one step nearer to establishing your goal. Remember, writing can be a lonely place, but you’re not alone.

And on that note, I’ve asked a few up-and-coming crime writers what their one top crime writing tip would be.

Scene Building … JJ Marsh.

I hate violence. Which is tricky to avoid as a crime writer.
So with a violent scene, I try it both ways.
I write it twice - from victim and perpetrator perspective. Sometimes, even from the POV of an observer.

When I read the whole thing back, my instinct tells me which voice should relate the incident.
It all comes down to the effect I want to have on the reader.

JJ Marsh, author of the Beatrice Stubbs series. 

www.beatrice-stubbs.com

POV … Frances di Plino

When writing your antagonist’s parts of the book, you have to inhabit his or her head to the extent that you understand why they act as they do.

Frances di Plino – author of Bad Moon Rising, Someday Never Comes, Call It Pretending and Looking for a Reason

http://www.francesdiplino.com/

Action … Chris Curran

When you're writing a fight scene or a physical struggle, always act it out.

Chris Curran – author of After the Darkness and Her Turn To Cry.

https://chriscurranauthor.com/

Background … Sheila Bugler

Read as much crime fiction as you possibly can. Understand the different sorts of crime fiction and where your work fits within the genre. Laura Wilson's regular crime round-up in Saturday's Guardian newspaper is a great way of discovering new crime fiction writers.

Sheila Bugler, author of Hunting Shadows, The Waiting Game and All Things Nice
http://sheilabugler.co.uk/

For more ideas and tips on writing crime and thrillers, check out this post on The Writer's Workshop

A Year in the Life of an Indie Author ...

By Gillian Hamer

When Triskele Books celebrates its first official birthday in June, I shall take a moment or two (probably over a glass of fizzy stuff) to consider the rollercoaster journey I’ve been on since the inception of this mad idea over posh tea and equally posh cakes in a scarily posh hotel in Park Lane, London two Christmases ago.

Since then, everyone involved with Triskele has come one hell of a long way, and experienced the delight, or the imminent delight, of getting their books published. The feel of holding your novel in your hand for the first time is something that probably never leaves you. It makes up for all the traumas of … ISBNS, formatting, editing, paper colour, web design and marketing … combined.

There have been numerous highs – and yes, a few lows. But independent publishing has been a rewarding and worthwhile experience for me and I do not regret one single moment.

I thought it may make interesting reading to find out if other authors agree. And discover what we have actually learned over those first critical twelve months, starting with Triskele members … but also opening up the question to members of ALLiA (the Alliance of Independent Authors) and getting their thoughts also.

The first batch are below, more to follow …

------------------------------

JJ MARSH (TRISKELE)

Quality. Good writing will find its audience. Marketing sleight-of-hand works, to a point. But no matter how slick your promotion is, people can tell the difference between snake oil and story. Good books find good readers who tell other readers ...

Flexibility. 'Published' previously meant set-in-stone, unalterable, liable to date, and every mistake an eternal albatross. Not so now. E-books can be updated, corrected and tweaked to reflect the Zeitgeist.

The author is in control.

www.jjmarsh.wordpress.com

LIZA PERRAT (TRISKELE)

Last year at this time I knew nothing about indie publishing, a big fat zero. I came onboard the SS Triskele rather later in the journey than Jill and Gilly; only three months before our launch. So, I had to learn everything in a tearing hurry. The result was a vague idea about all aspects of self-publishing, but a lot of confusion remained.

A year on, I have had more time to learn about it. I'm still far from an expert, but I have learned SO much about all the aspects of the process in one short year, and feel far more confident than I did a year ago.
www.lizaperrat.com

JANE DIXON-SMITH (TRISKELE)

I know how important it is to work together as a team.

www.jdsmith-design.com

ALLiA Members :

CATHERINE BROPHY

It’s not as easy as it looks …BUT… After a zillion publishers said “We love your writing but…” I was thinking of taking up knitting - socks perhaps, for Antarctic explorers. But we’re short of Antarctic explorers in Ireland. Then I read about AlliA, joined up, went to a meeting and Wheeeee, I can publish myself. Suddenly I had a huge surge of creative energy.
The learning curve is incredibly steep. I’ve spent hours trying to figure out Internetty things. At times I felt like curling up in a virtual corner and weeping… Still do. BUT… Next time will be a lot faster.

It is easy to get overwhelmed … BUT… After one of my internet meltdowns I remembered my father’s advice. “The way the monkey fought the bees on the Naas road…one by one” I focused on the next step and ignored everything else. Now most of those bees are back in the hive.
When you know for sure that you’re going to be published a wealth of ideas leap into your head.
When you know for sure that you’re going to be published you discover that you can write a lot faster than you thought you could.
Would I do it again? Absolutely.

http://www.catherinebrophy.ie

JOANNE PHILLIPS

That it's both surprisingly easy and incredibly hard, and that this constant contradiction is something you just have to get used to! I'm not sure how useful that is to someone starting out, though; it's kind of like a mum telling her teenage daughter there are plenty more fish in the sea - there are some things you just have to find out for yourself. 

What I know now is that there is no excuse for not diving right in - and I wonder why any decent author would bother hanging around waiting to be 'discovered' by an agent or publisher when there is a whole world of readers out there just waiting for you. 

But - and it's a big but - the work is overwhelmingly multi-faceted. You become everything all at once: writer, editor, marketer, promotions manager, cover designer, blurb writer, distribution manager, IT professional, webmaster, PR consultant, project manager - plus you have to actually get on and write the next book. 

Many indie authors have jobs, and families, and lives (!) as well. I wouldn't change a thing about the last twelve months, but I do wish there were a few more hours in the day. The biggest contradiction of all: Indie publishing puts out some of the most amazing reads around, but still we have to fight to be taken seriously.

www.joannephillips.co.uk