Hello again and sorry! I have not kept you up to date with what's been going on. Suffice to say it's been a very busy time of late!
First of all, the novel, as you are no doubt aware, has been delayed. Again!
I noticed when I was reading the final proof that there were some errors in the timeline and some in the plot too. Nothing too major, but I wasn't happy at finding them and was annoyed that I hadn't noticed them up to that point. A little bit frantic at this, I asked my editor if we could have one more very detailed reading of the entire manuscript. We also undertook this strategy in order to get rid of some repeated words or phrases that kept coming up throughout the book - bad writer's habits to be ironed out! As you can imagine this has involved a lot of correspondence and another delay in production. However, the final copy edit is done at my end and I'm just waiting on the feedback from my editor. I am confident that there are no mistakes now! The final proof isn't far off and I'm pretty certain that publication is now only a matter of weeks away.
It's been a hugely difficult task trying to see this book through each stage but it's looking good. Writing a crime book of this calibre means having to ensure that all the clues, all the flashbacks and the various timelines all thread together into a coherent whole. I'm happy that this is now the case. The book has been very complicated to write and assemble but it should now be a streamlined and exciting read.
I have also been spending much of my time preparing for the launch by setting up various book readings, events and interviews, which has opened up a minefield of possibilities - and there are some very exciting things on the way.
Speaking of which, we have another world exclusive!
Last time you had a preview of the front cover. This time you will be the first to read two reviews that A Murder Of Crows has received from well known writers who kindly said the following:
'A Murder Of Crows is a dark and disturbing excursion into the Scottish Highlands. Skewis skillfully creates an atmosphere of foreboding from the opening and doesn't let go until, breathless, you reach the last page.' Michael J Malone, author of Blood Tears and A Suitable Lie.
'Ian Skewis deftly mixes gritty urban settings with sinister countryside in a multi-layered plot that keeps you guessing right up to the end. Strong characters and a finely crafted sense of unease lend this debut the star quality that will surely make it one of the standout thrillers of 2017.' Dr Brooke Magnanti, (previously known as Belle de Jour), author of The Turning Tide and Secret Diary Of A London Call Girl.'
So I hope this whets your appetite! There will be more news to come, and as the launch approaches, there will be more regular updates. Once again thank you for your support and your patience. Thanks also, to my latest patrons: Greg Erskine, Yvonne Maddox, Sam Morgan, Maria Nunn - and another anonymous pledger too!
Best Wishes,
Ian.