A two-part first

I'm having a lovely summer of innovations - for another first has just come visiting. 

I've been working on a new tvdetective book, and hit a problem. There's a time shift to be negotiated, and I always think that's a tricky problem for any author.

It's not huge, just the matter of a couple of months. But nothing much happens in that time, so I can't afford to linger there - my poor, long-suffering reader would get bored.

So, I'm left with the question - how to make the time vanish, but without being overly, and painfully, obvious about it. I don't care for headings, like you see on films "Two months later..." etc.

I grappled with this for a few days, before the solution came to me. And as so often, it was a simple one, and all the better for that (which then leaves you with the stark and irritating thought - how come it took so long to find?)

However, that's how it's going to be, a book in two parts, a before and after thing (like those weight loss ads!) And I'm particularly tickled by the idea because I've never written a two part novel before.

The only problem I'm finding is... trying to partition the rundown old brain, so that I remember what half I'm in and don't go giving the game away by writing something that shouldn't be there.

Cue lots of notes, some in VERY BIG CAPITALS.

I do think that's part of the joy of writing - coming up against issues which you have to think your way through. It's a continual learning process which always leaves a sense of satisfaction when you make some progress.

Finally for this blog, a photo, in case you thought you'd escaped -

It's from the wonderful Torbay Bookshop, where I did a signing at the weekend. And that was another first - a signing in shorts! No wonder the poor customer looks more than a little worried.

Thanks to all at the shop for looking after me so well, the chocolates you kindly gave me (they only lasted as long as the train ride home (just because I feared they would have melted otherwise, that's all)), and the kind people who came in to indulge themselves in yet more of my scribbles.

Yours...                                        For now...

(That was a sign off in two parts, in case you missed it. Oh, some days I'm so funny I just amaze myself.)