What am I going to be writing next ...?

[Ursa major]

The basic premise is that the wife of my main character, an insurance investigator for Lloyds, disappeared off the Florida Keys in 2001

Will be taking out time from the family holiday in Florida to go down to the Keys and do some snooping around of my own! Will perhaps tell a little more when I get back.

Did you not think of sending your wife down to the Keys to scout them out, or wouldn't she go there on her own?


This looks very interesting, Mark, and offers the opportunity to bring yourself to the attention of a whole new group of readers.

Enjoy your holiday; and best of luck with the writing.

 

[BookStop]

Sounds like a neat project, Mark. The Florida Keys are quite interesting and, of course, a draw for authors *T Wiliams, E Hemingway*. I suspect the gorgeous weather and colorful atmosphere are the reason. Anyway, I'm sure you'll enjoy your research time there and I am very much looking forward to more information on this project as you suss out the details.

 

[Patrick Mahon]

Will be taking out time from the family holiday in Florida to go down to the Keys and do some snooping around of my own! Will perhaps tell a little more when I get back.

So how did the research/holiday go, Mark? Anything you can share with us at this stage?

 

[Mark Robson]

I got everything I needed and much, much more, Patrick. I came back with armloads of resources and invitations to email any further questions to every person I spoke with out there. It was fantastic. People were so friendly and helpful it was almost embarrassing!

I hope to start work on Chapter 1 tomorrow!

 

[thaddeus6th]

Glad to hear you enjoyed great success on your holiday

I mean, on your sojourn of grindingly difficult work

 

[Patrick Mahon]

I got everything I needed and much, much more, Patrick. I came back with armloads of resources and invitations to email any further questions to every person I spoke with out there. It was fantastic. People were so friendly and helpful it was almost embarrassing!

I hope to start work on Chapter 1 tomorrow!

OK Mark - by my reckoning, that's a whole week you've had since you started Chapter 1. Is the book finished yet?

 

[Writers Blocked]

Sounds like a really exciting project, Mark. I doubt you remember my attempt, but the mix of sci-fi and mystery really appeals to me.

(please note the complete lack of accusation in my tone here) but are you familiar with a show called Stargate: Atlantis? A while ago, they had a couple of episodes which involved an energy source which had a detrimental effect on an alternate universe. I'm pretty sure they weren't the first ones to do it, but it was the first thing that came to mind when I read your description.

The sign of a good beginning, though, is the questions it makes you ask - what is this other world like? do they know they're causing harm to us? will we visit there, or just have glimpses? IS there a way back at all? and when, dear lord when can we read it?

 

[Mark Robson]

No, it's not finished, Patrick! (haven't forgotten dinner, but am letting my diary settle before offering dates, if that's OK) I'm taking my time with this book. The first draft isn't due for delivery until next June. I want to make this the best book I can write, not be rushing it to make a deadline.

There are many questions I'm not willing to answer about the project just yet, WB, as I don't want to ruin some of the best surprises. I'm not a follower of Star Gate, though I'm aware of it, so I've not been influenced there in any way. I believe this book will hold a lot of surprises for anyone who chooses to read it. I've certainly never come across anything quite like I'm intending to try. I still don't really know if it's going to work, yet. Showing both sides of the story takes away much of the mystery from the reader, so it will be more of a thriller/action adventure than a mystery. I'm currently writing Chapter 3, so I'm making slow, but steady progress, which is probably the best way.

When will you get to read it? Probably about the end of next year/beginning of 2011 I would think.

 

[SpaceShip]

Well done Mark - things are certainly very exciting for you right now. Congratulations.

 

[Michael01]

Ooh! I think I should chime in there, too. Congrats, Mark!

And okay, I suppose this doesn't really help you that much, but I can get a copy of The Forging of the Sword from Amazon without paying an arm and a leg now. So I'm going to order it in October (along with Perdido Street Station). I'm just sorry I didn't get it sooner!

 

[Patrick Mahon]

No, it's not finished, Patrick! ...

I'm currently writing Chapter 3, so I'm making slow, but steady progress, which is probably the best way.

When will you get to read it? Probably about the end of next year/beginning of 2011 I would think.

How's the new book coming along now, Mark? I'm sure many other Chronners are waiting on tenterhooks, like me, to hear where you've got to with it in the last few months.

 

[Mark Robson]

How's the new book coming along now, Mark? I'm sure many other Chronners are waiting on tenterhooks, like me, to hear where you've got to with it in the last few months.

It's been slow progress with this one, Patrick. I'm currently writing chapter 14. I got to halfway through the book and realised it wasn't working, so I had to go back and re-write huge sections. It happens sometimes. My vision for it was good, but when I looked at it in print, I realised that one side of the story fell flat due to the reader's knowledge of the second side. Had the two sides of the story been told in different books, each would have been fine. It was very frustrating.

I am now happy with the first half of the book and progressing again. I expect to finish the first draft in about mid April (the deadline is June and the publication date is expected to be March 2011). I would finish earlier, but I have an enormous number of events lined up for March.