January 2021 Blog Posts (11)

The themes that keep me writing

As a crime writer, I am constantly drawn to familiar themes when creating my novels. They are the concepts that bring me back time and time again and spark my creativity as I weave them into my narratives.

The themes which keep me coming back include the lies that people tell themselves to justify their actions, the lengths they will go…

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Added by John Dean on January 28, 2021 at 10:44 — No Comments

New author joins Book Folks stable

I am delighted that my good friend Ian Robinson has joined the Book Folks stable of writers with the first in a new murder mystery series.

Latent Damage follows a London murder squad, and, in particular, Met detectives DI Nash and DS Moretti who are hoping for some down-time when a fatal knife attack occurs.

The kill is clean. A calling…

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Added by John Dean on January 26, 2021 at 9:32 — No Comments

The long and the short of novel writing

There’s a continuing debate in writing circles about ‘how long is long enough’ when it comes to novels. For instance, some of my novels are reviewed by readers who say they have too much detail whereas some others review the same book with the observation that there’s not enough.

Most authors receive similar reviews and you’ll sometimes hear…

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Added by John Dean on January 20, 2021 at 14:29 — No Comments

Boost for competition for unpublished crime writers

The Crime Writers’ Association has announced a new sponsor for its annual international writing competition for unpublished writers.…

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Added by John Dean on January 20, 2021 at 10:30 — No Comments

Gus Keane returns to action

Delighted to hear that the latest crime novel from my good friend Bud Craig has been published by The Book Folks. Stealing Time is the latest run-out for his private investigator Gus Keane. Much to be recommended. You can find out more, and purchase the book on Kindle or in paperback, at  …

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Added by John Dean on January 19, 2021 at 9:30 — No Comments

Reviews and ratings top 120

The number of reviews and ratings on Amazon for my twentieth crime novel is now well over 120. Thank you to everyone who has contributed.

Kill Shot (The Book Folks) plunges DCI Jack Harris into a scenario where what appears to be a local murder not only challenges his view of an old friendship but also turns out to have national and…

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Added by John Dean on January 13, 2021 at 11:36 — No Comments

Catching up with old friends

Having recently delivered the manuscript of my latest DCI John Blizzard crime novel to the guys at my excellent publisher The Book Folks (No Age to Die has now been published), my attention has turned to the next DCI Jack Harris mystery.

It’s always an enjoyable moment for an author, not least because having spent many hours editing their…

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Added by John Dean on January 13, 2021 at 11:30 — No Comments

Meet the Authors

I am really looking forward to joining fellow crime writers Jackie Baldwin and Ian Patrick as part of the Tall Tales Mysteries virtual murder mystery weekend on January 22-24.

You will have the chance to meet us on Zoom from 4pm until 5.30pm on Saturday January 23 when you can hear us talking about our work and answering questions. I’ll be…

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Added by John Dean on January 13, 2021 at 9:27 — No Comments

Characters that engage the reader

As a writer, a lot of my time is taken up with the creation of characters who engage the reader. I think the key to getting it right is to create someone about whom the reader cares; the reader does not necessarily have to like them, but they should care about what happens to them.

If you place a character about whom the reader has no feelings in a dangerous situation, the reader won’t be that bothered if they survive or not. Make the character one that they care about and they won’t…

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Added by John Dean on January 11, 2021 at 11:12 — No Comments

Characters with a job to do

In a recent blog, I wrote about how I am always interested in what triggers a new character for a writer. When and how do they burst into life?

I am thinking of this once again because I have been working on the latest DCI John Blizzard novel for the Book Folks and, although some of my regulars appear, I needed some new characters as well, preferably trailing behind them a new plotline!

For me, characters often start out with the jobs I need them to do within the story. They…

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Added by John Dean on January 5, 2021 at 9:25 — No Comments

A brilliant opportunity for aspiring crime writers

A reminder that The Debut Dagger competition for new crime writers, which is run as part of the UK-based Crime Writers’ Association’s annual Dagger awards, is open for entries until February 26, 2021.

It’s a brilliant opportunity for writers seeking to break into the genre and you can find out more at…

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Added by John Dean on January 4, 2021 at 11:00 — No Comments

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An exciting character

Author Ian Robinson has a new crime novel out - and it’s attracting plenty of glowing reviews. Criminal Justice (The Book Folks) introduces undercover police officer Sam Batford, a man who walks the narrow line between successful detective and corrupt cop. The novel sees him sent to work with a serious crime team in London in an investigation which sees him play the good…See More
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Authors highlight different ways of starting to write a book

I have just started writing my next crime novel and I have more time to concentrate on it now that Kirkcudbright Book Week, which I help organise, has come to an end for this year.In fact, the subject of how best to begin a story cropped up during Book Week, not least when I chaired an in-conversation event at the Selkirk Arms, featuring crime writers Traude Ailinger,…See More
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Tackling the dreaded blank first page

 I am working on a new DCI John Bizzard crime novel for my publisher The Book Folks, and that means being faced with the dreaded blank first page.So, how do writers get going under such circumstances? How do they start writing their story? Well, in this hectic world, I have always felt that there is a lot to be said for holding back and allowing myself a little time to…See More
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