Dear Readers,

First of all, apologies for not keeping in touch. However, I think most of you have now subscribed to my newsletter or have followed me on Twitter or Facebook. I am writing this in case anyone is still wondering what I have been getting up to over the past six months.

It's been a very busy year again. A Murder Of Crows has now been released as an Audiobook, which has sold very…

Dear Readers,

It's been quite some time since I last updated you with what's been going on, so please accept my apologies. Suffice to say, the publishing world has been keeping me very busy indeed!

First of all, I had an amazing time at the Bloody Scotland festival and have since also appeared at the Aye Write! festival, as well as making numerous other public appearances. I have great pleasure…

Hello, 

I just wanted to tell you that A Murder Of Crows has now been longlisted for the Guardian's Not The Booker Prize! This came as a complete surprise to me when it was announced yesterday and I am thrilled to say the least.

The vote is now open to the public and it would be wonderful if our book could make it into the shortlist. In order to vote simply click on this link:

https://amp…

Welcome back and sorry for the lengthy delay!

It's been a busy time of late what with proofreading and further editing but the latest stage of my arduous yet still rather exciting journey is done. Another mountain climbed!

So the proofreading is complete from my end and I'm very happy with it. I have asked to see the manuscript one last time before it goes to print just so that I can be sure…

Hello again, and welcome back!

Just to let you all know that the copy edit of A Murder Of Crows is complete so now I get some much needed reprieve, well I say reprieve but I can never really stop writing. At the moment I'm working on a short story and trying to catch up reading other writers' work; Denise Mina, Jennie Ensor and Graeme Macrae Burnet - there is never enough time! I have a small backlog…

When I was asked to do the final edit for A Murder Of Crows I thought it would be easier than the previous one but I was wrong!

Real life tends to get in the way of a writer's work and real life certainly caught up with me. Massive shifts at work and the death of a loved one contributed to what turned out to be a very tough few weeks. However, the end result is something I am very proud of.

Hello again.

It's pouring down with rain in Glasgow today but I've been keeping very busy with various projects related to A Murder Of Crows and a few unrelated writing projects too.

The first edit is now complete. As a result I think the book is now much more robust and realistic, with some additional input from not one, but two, detectives. My editor's suggestions were such that I…

Hello and sorry for the lengthy delay in writing my blog. It's been a very busy time of late!

I have just returned from a working holiday in France and Spain, during which I began the first proper edit of my novel. We spent two thirds of the journey sitting in a van, travelling the entire length of France and Spain. What little time we had for sightseeing was crammed in whereever possible - we…

Hello again!

Long time no see!

Forgive me for not being in touch this past month but I've been catching up on three months' worth of real life chores that were put on the back burner whilst all my energy was put into fundraising. Now that the book is funded I've been rewriting the last few chapters and working on other pieces (short stories and the ocassional poem) as well as getting various…

So, all the excitement has died down and I've had some, but not much time, to reflect.

The conclusion? I am happy and still can't quite believe that we did it.

And now the book funding has risen to 111%! Who would have thought?

I am now rewriting the last fifty pages of the book and then in about four weeks time it will be sent to my editor, Rachel Rayner, who comes from Transworld…

What a journey!

I cannot believe that I have made it this far and that my 'wee book,' as I described it some three months ago, has been fully funded - and two days ahead of schedule!

I am amazed at everyone's kindness and generosity and unstinting support - from the three separate pledges from Linda Hepper, who I have never met, but I am certainly indebted to her - to the double pledge from…

It's an absolutely beautiful morning in Glasgow.

A sky blue sky and everything seems as clear as a bell.

One thing isn't clear though - my poor head!

Last night, I went to Noir At The Bar at the Mitchell Library (part of  Aye Write!  - Glasgow's book festival) and even though I was absolutely exhausted from working long hours I found it very informal and entertaining. I finally got to…

Hello again!

Well, I am finally approaching the nailbiting finish line!

It has been extraordinary to be on the receiving end of so much kindness.

Thank you once again to all those who have pledged their support - all 128 of you!

And many of you have been very suppportive in other ways too, sharing my posts and encouraging me too - very much appreciated. And now my wee book has reached…

Hello again!

My novel has now reached the funding level of 71%!

It's been a long and arduous journey and I can finally see the end is in sight - two weeks to go!

But it's not over until it's over so please continue to pledge and share this.

A special thank you to all who have started sharing my posts of late in order to spread the word, and thank you for all your kind comments and gestures…

Well, the book reading at Hillhead Library was a huge success!

Thank you to all who took part - Gavin Mitchell and Jennie Ensor (who got some more pledges for her wonderful book) and above all to YOU!

It was lovely to see so many people turn up and so many friendly faces too. The event went smoothly and was a lot of fun for all concerned. I have to say I had a ball and I felt absolutely…

It's been in the planning for a while now and I learned alot from my previous reading in London.

So, at 1.30pm on Sunday 21st at Hillhead Library, Glasgow - me and fellow author Jennie Ensor, alongside actor Gavin Mitchell, will be reading from our novels in a bid for publication!

The scene is almost set, the flyers are printed and distributed, and the microphones are in place.

So get set…

It's a good question isn't it?

I have to say I had serious concerns when I started on this journey.

I figured that Unbound were just another vanity publisher or self publishing house - not that I am saying that's a bad thing - it just wasn't my thing. I reckoned they were simply accepting any old tat, after all, within 24 hours of sending it, my synopsis was accepted and off we went - it seemed…

It's been a very industrial time over the past few weeks, so much so that I have not had the time to write my blog because I've been too busy raising funds!

I teamed up with fellow writers Jennie Ensor, Phyllis Richardson and Martine McDonagh and we read from our books in front of a small crowd in a pub in Highgate, London. It was a long way for me to go just to read for 20 or so minutes but it…

Well, a major milestone has been achieved today thanks to you guys!

I am on target for my book which has been up and running for one month and is now 1/3 funded!

Blue Monday has been and gone so time to look forward. Thank you to the following for your support over the past few days:

Linda Hepper

Sandra Armor

Clare Barker

Stephen Driscoll

Thank you to all the above but in particular…

Wow! The past few days have certainly been eventful. The death of David Bowie was a shock. I don't normally shed tears for celebrities but I did for him because he was so much more than that - he was an artist and an inspiration to all. It's nice to see Unbound paying tribute too - check out their logo.

On a more upbeat note I read my short story, Inkling, to an audience - my first time performing…

So today has been another mega busy one sending emails asking for donations, preparing stuff for tomorrow (more on that in a mo) and writing of course.

And another patron has joined the growing list - thank you to Ken Britt - an old pal of mine from Canada!

We go waaaaay back lol!

But back to the present, I mean tomorrow...

Tomorrow my short story Inkling is being launched as part of an…

Phew!

Day 20 and I'm feeling much better since I gave myself the luxury of a lie in.

Believe me I needed it!

I had loads to catch up on but I also managed to track down another lead for a possible reading in a local pub!

I also have two more patrons to thank:

Annabel Wardrop

Ian Skewis Snr (my dad!)

Thanks to these lovely individuals my novel is now one fifth funded (21% and counting…

I'll admit it - I'm knackered!

Not only have I spent every spare minute promoting this novel on Facebook and Twitter since this amazing offer from Unbound started, but I have been knocking on every virtual door in order to spread the good word and raise funds - it's not easy!

But the kindness of people always makes my cause worthwhile.

Sara Park step right up!

Thank you for your support…

Thank you so much to Lorenzo Mele for your pledge today!

I am still touched by how kind people have been and the interest that this little project has generated.

I promised that there would be some exciting developments and I haven't forgotten. I intend to do some readings from the novel and today visited Hillhead Library to see about doing a reading there - but it is still shut for the holidays…

Hello!

Thank you to the following for your pledges over the past 24 hours:

Paul Le Poidevin

Angus Wilby

Rob Collins ( to be credited soon!)

Maike Muller

Thanks to you my novel is now at 18% and growing some wings!

Happy New Year everybody!

I hope you all had a great one - I certainly did - and I'm still suffering!

However, I'm pleased to say that A Murder Of Crows has got off to a great start this year with three more pledges! So thank you to the following:

Tracey McMillan

Nikki Anderson

Greg Herren

Nikki and Tracey are old friends of mine from my student days and Greg is a professional and…

As someone who often goes for long periods of time with little or no contact with anyone it still amazes me that people even remember me sometimes. Take Stephen Drisoll for example...

I met Stephen many years ago - in 1995 to be exact - in London. I met him again in America in 1996 and again in the States in 1998. We were good friends.

After that?

Well, I drifted. I became a professional…

So today I went to Waterstones bookshop to see if I could do a reading there to drum up publicity for my book but alas, no, because they don't sell ebooks, only physical books.

I have to admit I prefer physical books too - but I will try to do some kind of limited run of physical copies and will discuss this in further detail with Unbound so watch this space!

I have a couple of options for doing…

Christmas has been and gone and it was lovely to be home again with my small family (Mum and Dad). As a result of the festivities I've been away from this blog but I haven't been idle. And neither have you it seems!

Below are the latest patrons of my novel, A Murder Of Crows:

Nikki Jay

Kathryn Stevenson

Mark Campbell

Martin Frame

Stacey Woods

Thank you all for your contributions…

I have three people to thank today:

Louis Hanlon-Bucher

Stewart Borland

and Karen Macleod.

Louis had pledged a few days ago but slipped through the net and I have sent a note to the publisher to add him to the list of patrons. (Might take a while as I reckon they will be closed for Christmas but rest assured it will be done!)

Stewart is an old friend of mine and it was a lovely surprise…

His name is Derek Wilson.

I don't know him.

But I think he's great!

He just helped fund more of my novel - a total stranger! There's nothing more amazing than someone who doesn't know you looking at your work and thinking, yes, this is worth it.

It reminds me of all those times when I was down in the dumps about my writing, thinking I was never going to be heard because I simply wasn't…

Amazing how kind people can be.

I've had a total stranger pledge for my book today and she also shared my post too! Suffice to say, we are now very good friends! I've also had pledges from my other friends which is so encouraging - it's a frightening prospect trying to raise the money for something like this. One is at the whim of other people's kindness. And how very kind they have been!

I…

Great news!

Three kind people have funded my book today!

They are: Anne Hanlon-Bucher, Gary Rooney and Mary Wells.

Thank you so much guys - you are the best!

So my novel is now officially 1% funded!

99% still to go!

I recall the android in the movie Prometheus holding a small drop of inky goo on his fingertip - the DNA of some terrifying new organism..."big things come from small…

Here in Glasgow the weather is predictably cold and grey. Everything seems as if it is in stasis, waiting to be activated. There is no forward momentum.

Or maybe that's just how I feel.

Yesterday, was manic. I must have sent reams of posts and blogs across all spectrums of social media in order to plug my book. One pledge arrived. A great start. And now?

Well, now it's a wee bit of a waiting…

Hello again!

Up until now I felt a bit lonely with my blog, wondering if anyone would be in the slightest bit interested in my wee book. That's the problem with writers - we have mood swings galore; one minute up, the next down. This is the first offical launch day of my book - and as such, was filled with more than the usual mix of swings. Thrilled at the prospect of getting it off the ground…

Hello!

A Murder Of Crows is my debut novel, in development hell for many years (since 1989 in fact) but finally complete!

The fact that a publisher of this calibre has taken an interest in my wee book is amazing and I am thrilled to be given this opportunity to breathe life into it - but I can't do this alone!

I need to raise the funds in order to pay for the editing, copy editing, illustrating…