I was just wondering what I could tell you this morning, and coming up with nothing, so I have a photograph of some chickens and a panoramic view from the balcony. It makes it look like it’s an odd shape, but the plan was to show you the clear October skies and flat sea. What we seem to have are a lot of buildings and a bent balcony rail. Hey ho!
It’s been a week of the usual for me, with the added attraction of a rainstorm that watered the sitting room quite nicely because the shutters weren’t shut, and left the air crisper, though it was still 18 degrees in the courtyard this morning at four. Neil was let off the island to go to Rhodes, where he had a successful day, and I’ve published another book in my new Victorian mystery series, The Delamere Files.
I know that some readers of this blog are also readers of my other-name novels, the Clearwater Mysteries and the Larkspur Mysteries, and for that, I am very grateful. Those readers, though, may not follow my Facebook page (for Jackson Marsh), so may not see what I am about to post there later. Therefore, I’ll put a similar note here, so if you are interested, you can contact me and join the fun.
My idea is to produce a short novella in time for Christmas, and this will be given away to everyone on my newsletter list long before I publish it, if I ever do. What I am thinking of is a collection of five characters gathered together, each one telling a short story about themselves. We’ll end up with five short stories set inside another one where these five characters are together for some reason. The whole thing stays within the Clearwater world, and the characters can be whoever you want. Doesn’t have to be one of the principals, it can be one of the minor ones, like Mr and Mrs Killhaddock from the Larkspur series who are as mad as hatters, or one of the real people who make cameo appearances like Bram Stoker, Tennyson, or Henry Irving. It could even be one of the villains. So, the question to you is this:
Which characters would you like to see appear in this novella? You can select up to five from the Clearwater, Larkspur or Delamere series, and I’ll pick the most popular.
Obviously, if you’ve not read the series, then you’re on a sticky wicket, as Doctor Markland would say, and you’ll either need to read all 20 novels in the next couple of days, or not join in. But if you do know what I am talking about, drop me a line through the email address (at the bottom of this page), or by whatever means you usually contact me, and I’ll note your suggestions.
There, that’s something for us all to think about over the weekend, during which I shall be continuing with book three of the new series while trying to promote all the others, sweeping up the leaves from the courtyard, drying towels, and generally looking forward to not much else. I’ll see you back here on Monday. Oh! Here are the random chickens, plus a bonus cat.
