WHERE STORIES REST IN PEACE
Over the years I have started and abandoned many books, but as I am now (supposedly) a dedicated crime and psychological thriller novelist, I decided to have a clear out of my ideas graveyard – better known as the hard drive folder marked Books.
The files I unearthed varied between the embarrassing (what was I thinking?) and the good idea (why didn’t I ever write it?) varieties.
The first title to jump out was, a dual timeline novel. Conceived in 2003, I’d created profiles for all the main characters, a chapter-by-chapter outline, as well as a synopsis (presumably I’d intended to sub it at some point). Wondering why I’d put in so much effort, but not actually written the book, I read the files and discovered the answer. The storyline in the past was set during the first English civil war between Stephen and Matilda circa 1144 – a period about which I know very little and so could never write with any authenticity. Saying I had been ambitious would be kind: out of my tiny mind would be more truthful.
