MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR! (plus, 2012 highlights).

It's been a tough old year, chasing the writing dream while working full time and feeding the family. Just wanted to send my hearty good wishes for the festive season to my online friends / readers, and say 'thanks' to you all for your ongoing support and friendship, which is invaluable and truly spurs me on more than you probably realize.  

Writing update: My little old ebook of gritty crime shorts, MANCHESTER 6, is still selling consistently (pushing 400 now), considering it was just an 'appetite-wetter' while I continued with the traditional publishing route. When I've finished the third draft (big sigh) of 'novel attempt two' for my agent, I'm pleased to announce that I'll be bringing out another ebook of shorts via Ganglion Press. I've just got to go through twenty shorts and maybe whittle them down to the best dozen or so. Look out for THE COPS OF MANCHESTER in early(ish) 2013.

Highlights of 2012: 

... Going to my first Harrogate Crime Writing Festival with Graham Smith and meeting...  Howard Linskey, Michael Malone, Nick Quantrill, Matt Hilton, Chris Simmons, Luca Veste, Neil White, Jo Evans, Scott Turner, Zoe Sharp, Ali Karim and Kevin Wignall, among many others. 

... Briefly chatting with three of my favourite crime authors, Simon Kernick, Stuart Neville and Mark Billingham.  And... being in that room when TOSSERGATE erupted! (Quickly digressing...)

... Going to London to meet class acts, Bill 'AJ' Hayes and Richard Godwin, and having a damn good 'chinwag' and walk along the Thames with their lovely wives (don't tell Richard 'n' Bill though!). Richard even took us to Richmond Park which inspired the 'Woodlands Murders' in Apostle Rising - my fave novel of 2012 (that's when I read it anyway).

... Then, off up to Gretna with the family to chew the fat at Graham's gaff, with 'me old mucker', David Barber (& his lovely fam'), Denise and Matt Hilton, Sheila Quigley, Michael Malone and the man who fatefully introduced me to Matt nearly four years ago, Richard 'Thommo' Thompson. 

... Without that intro', the annual Gretna gig wouldn't exist, and arguably, neither would Thrillers, Killers 'n' Chillers ezine.

... Personally, I was thrilled to bits that my short story, MOPPING UP (Tonto Books), made The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime 9, alongside the likes of Mark Billingham, Peter James and Zoe Sharp... and FISTS OF DESTINY (from MANCHESTER 6), was selected for The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime 10 beside Lee Child, Ruth Rendell and Paul D Brazill, among other top crime scribes.

Non-writing highlight... obviously...!

All the best everyone. Let's make 2013 a year to remember too! 

All the very best,
Col

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays 'n' may your New Year prosper!

A heartfelt thanks for all your support to date. 

I hope Christmas 'n' New Year fulfils all your dreams!

Best,
Col 'n' family.

HAPPY NEW YEAR... plus some musings on 2010.

So 2010 draws to a close. Personally, it's been a tough year mentally and I've learned a few lessons along the way (more on this below). After somehow fitting in a total rewrite - plus edits - of my crime novel, under the able tutorship of my agent, alongside a jam-packed family life, full-time work and editing webzine, Thrillers, Killers 'n' Chillers, I managed to keep my head above water... just! In between I also penned a dozen or so short stories, some of which made it into anthologies, others featured in webzines, and four recent ones are currently under consideration as I try to branch out to newer 'markets'.

Meanwhile, my beloved Manchester City are making steady progress near the top after 34 years of waiting! Perhaps I'm mirroring them with the writing journey, and 'success' awaits...?

Who knows what 2011 will hold for any of us? I'm still in that limbo of wondering whether my endeavours will prove fruitful. Maybe the global credit crunch is having a major impact on publishers committing to new authors. Or, perhaps, I'm just a shit writer!

The wait to find out has taught me a couple of important things, and they 'spring to mind' as cliches - guess that's why these cliches were initially coined.

Keep your feet on the ground... always. Never count your chickens... Don't put all your eggs in one basket. And the most crucial ones of all for wannabes... Never lose sight of the importance of family. Look after and appreciate your bread and butter - your job that pays the mortgage, because writing won't... not for a long time, if ever. Sacrifice, yeah, but get your priorities right.

I kinda new these things already, but this wait for news (it was mental torture at first to a sensitive soul such as little old me, but now I'm easy) has reminded me big time of my responsibility to my wonderful wife and kids.

HOWEVER, writing is my passion. I MUST do it. So I will continue with belief and enthusiasm. And, to end on another cliche: patience (most definitely) is a virtue.

A hearty thanks to all those of you who've offered support and words of wisdom throughout 2010. Have lovely New Year celebrations with your families, and may your individual 2011's be propserous.

Regards,
Col

Ps. This was initially gonna be me saying which crime stories, shows and novels I'd enjoyed in 2010, but, as us Mancunians say, 'I went off on one!' :)