On the cutting room floor - the regrets of editing

Everyone has to face it at some point, even if they do all their own editing. You will have to cut things out sometimes, whether a scene you love interrupts the flow of the story or it just doesn't quite flow right, there will be times when you must be brutal.

One that springs to mind for me is part of the early version of the journey home within my Heir Non-Apparent novel. It was one of those sections of story that was good for the character (Androvich) but just was not necessary for the plot, especially with later edits.

I have so many scenes like that languishing on my computer. I know they will never be published but I just can't face getting rid of them.
Oh well, at the risk of spoilers (or complete incomprehension) for anyone who hasn't yet read the book yet, I will publish that little something on another page, just to console myself that it has been published somewhere.
Androvich on the Singer

Something a little different - British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) / Star Wars mash up

If the title sounds a little (okay a lot) weird then it's right.

One of my many loves in life is the BTCC motorsport series. Partly because I love fast cars and partly because of the characters involved in the sport.
Well, my love of writing has caught the attention of a few of my BTCC friends and they asked me to write a review of the first round of the season. For some very random reason it became a Star Wars themed review - because life is too serious sometimes.
I shared my review to the group and they liked it so much I am now expected to do it after every race weekend, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share my first attempt on my blog for everyone to see.

Apologies if you know nothing about BTCC but maybe it will inspire you to watch it. If you know nothing about Star Wars, how? Just how? Watch the films, read the books! Personally, I much prefer the originals to the later ones but that's just me being old school (or showing my age, I'm not quite sure which).

And just before I launch into the review, I want to make it clear I was not the first person to think of using Star Wars to parody the sport.

Posted on BTCC Memes (Facebook group)

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away, the Empire of B’Tcc was ruled over by the mighty dictator Lord Gow of Down Under.

Under his command, great warriors of skill fought to become his honoured champion on tracks of much danger while the baying crowds cheered on the epic destruction. His favourites were showered in champagne, the failures torn apart by orange clad executioners in clouds of gravel and dust.

We join this endless power struggle as Sir Flash of Shed’Den fights to retain Lord Gow’s favour against the young apprentices vying for fame and fortune.

At Brands of the Hatch, his comrade in arms Neal on the Matt (so named for he must kneel in Lords Gow’s presence so his size does not embarrass the great Lord) used his ramming skills to put off the competition and drive the Turk into submission. It was a tactic copied by the aging former champion Play-Toe (a names whose origin is thankfully lost to history) who is rumoured to bathe in the blood of conquered warriors to retain his youth.

Sir Jeff the Smith shocked all with his great speed, while the most handy Roberto Austini was lucky to survive the mauling he received from Lord Gow when he mistook a sacred flag of slowing for a promissory to pass.

A young cook, plucked from burger flicking obscurity to do battle for Stewart of Brum, has caused great upset among the old guard by out ranking them in the Lord’s favour for the final contest of the day. Can the young apprentice, Josh of the land of Maxi, succeed where his master failed?

The next episode, taking place in the land of Do’Nington is sure to take it’s victims. The much feared and beloved pet of Lord Gow, the monstrous Goose lives at this battle ground and Lord Gow merrily tolerates the sacrifices it demands in it’s honour.

On the day of veneration to the God Easter, whose dominion is Chocolate, Rabbits and Tooth Fillings, the warriors of B'Tcc will do battle once more.

Caffeine Works!

Brought to you exclusively by Caffeine and Carbs, I have Inspiration!

But honestly, why does inspiration always appear when can't get to my computer or even a pad and pen? This time I was in the middle of kneading bread dough, so full on sticky, yeasty, hands. It's nearly as bad as when you're hit by inspiration in the shower, but waterproof paper and pencils exist for this reason 😄.

Inspiration always hits when you're as far away from your keyboard as you can get

Perhaps when your body is busy and your mind is free to wander it is more likely to travel along a path bound for new discovery.


And yes that picture is me, five miles into an obstacle race, in a shipping container filled with ice cubes. I was struggling to breathe, I couldn't feel my fingers, and yet my mind was giving me a thousand ideas a minute. It was a very productive day, I only wish I could have written down a fraction of my thoughts to translate them into usable plot hooks.

Writers block - the bane of an author's existence

It's something every writer has experienced and everyone  has heard of.

Writers Block 😬

Argh, when it hits, it hits hard and it has no respect for deadlines or emotions.

Sometimes it's just that you have no idea what to write. You know you want to write or you need to write, but there is just nothing there, you can stare at the computer screen for hours without a single thought in your head before giving in.
That's bad, but you can walk away, clear your head and ignore the whole thing until inspiration hits you from behind and dumps you back in front of the keyboard.


Sometimes it's the most frustrating feeling of them all: You know exactly what you want to write, you can see the shape of the story in front of you, but the awful disconnect is between your brain and your hands. How is it possible to know what you want to write but simply not be able to do it?


I can see it, I can hear my characters discussing their next move and the whispers of plotting behind closed doors, but where do I start?
Sleep deprivation and a low caffeine supply are probably something to do with the problem.
I shall remedy this and try again.

Now available in print! Heir Non-Apparent in ebook and paperback formats

It's taken a long time (an embarrassingly long time), but the first book in the series has now been published.
Heir Non-Apparent the first of the Imperial Line series is now available to buy on Amazon in both paperback and ebook formats. If you are a Kindle Unlimited customer for a limited time you can even read it for free!

It's a strange feeling to know I have a novel published and ever stranger to know that people have already asked me to sign their copy of the book.

I will still be publishing on this website so keep checking in for freebies and extras.

It's a very loooooooooooooonnnnggggg time since I last posted here. Life has really got in the way, but I have made progress.

True Family now has it's final title and is complete.

Heir Non-Apparent

This is officially the first of a series and will soon be available in both ebook and paperback format.
Watch this space for updates!

A new Motor Sport inspired offering

I have been busy over the last few months, so much going on for both writing and real life. There should soon be a new offering for True Family, based at the Palace and introducing new characters whilst expanding on old favourites.
In the mean time I bring you the first offering of a new story provisionally entitled Super Series. This is a fusion of motor sport geek fan-fic and old fashioned romance.
As someone who now spends far more time than I should in and around the Paddock at major car racing events in the UK, I feel as though I have a little more insight than I used to when only watching the races from the comfort of my living room. This insight inevitably led to the creation of new fiction characters not at all based on anyone I have met at the circuits (there's the legal bit out of the way).
Enjoy.