Newsletters

Each of my books started with a title that became a working title. One for Another was originally Cascading Wicked. It took a while, and my sister saying 'Cascading Wicked is cool, but what does it actually mean?'to even consider changing it. (It's easy to get...

Someone recently commented that even though they consider themselves well read, they needed to look up several words they came across in Hennessey's latest adventure. It's not the first time a reader has said this.I get it. Works set in the era of One For Another and...

As 2021 winds to a close, it is natural to reflect on the year that has been. I've decided that is a slippery slope as, of course, this past year has been such a strange one.I had great plans, but some of those plans fell by the wayside due mainly to border...

I'm afraid my newsletter is a wee bit late this month. I put this down to having started a new job. Actually, I started it 5 days before lockdown in August. Talk about timing! It's three days a week in a women's wear store, and I'm embarrassed to admit it was a bit of...

At the moment I'm writing a Hennessey novella that, in its rough state, is sitting around 16 500 words. My plan is to use it as a promotional tool. It still needs a bit of tweaking and polishing but my thoughts have turned to the cover. Of course, the importance of an...

I am very pleased to say that after a few miss-steps and tearing of hair DYING GRASS MOON has galloped into the big wide world. The official launch date was September 9, but the thing I had to remember was the rest of the world is hours if not a day behind New...

With the release date of DYING GRASS MOON fast approaching I have been musing on the different methods writers use to help them reach the day when the work they have slaved over goes out into the wild. I am part of a group of crime-writing Aucklanders who get together...

Writing a book is a solitary experience. I’ve seen this written in the acknowledgements section of multitude novels. Yes, I read that stuff, and often flick to the back matter before I start reading, because for some obscure reason I like to see the author photo and...

I have mentioned before and doubtless will again that I love research. Sometimes I include scenes while writing that I take for granted could have happened, although fact check the final draft to be on the safe side. That’s just as well, because there can be a few...

Since my books are set in 1880s Idaho Territory, my protagonist’s adventures involve extensive research. I find this part of the writing process fascinating, although it can become the proverbial rabbit hole down which I not only lose days, but where I’m often struck...