A New Crime Novel

Image: PINewswire.net

I’m writing like a crazy person just now; I think I am back on track with my writing after being so out of it after my wisdom tooth removal. It feels good, nae, it feels awesome to be over it.

Gatecrash
My new novel is a crime novel. The first draft was written a few years ago, I think, during my last winning attempt at NaNoWriMo. In line with my GDRs for this year, it is the last major piece of fiction I have on my books that is classed as an “outstanding project”. Once this book is completely re-written and revised, it will see me caught up with everything: novels, novellas and chapbooks, which was my goal for this writing year: to tie off all outstanding work.

However, this is not just a simple revision; it’s a complete re-write. The book was written in a hurry and with no thought to plots or arcs. It was a simple spillage of words designed to reach a 50k word goal. The story has suffered terribly for that approach—the reason I’ve not done NaNoWriMo since—and so last night I began writing it from scratch.

And boy, was I grasped by the power of it. 6,900 words in a single evening/night. It’s not often I write that much in a single sitting (interspersed with a cup of tea and a home-made scone dropped off by my Mother-in-Law), and now my only worry is that I’ve burnt myself out going into the weekend. I think I’m safe though, as I’m burning to get back into it.

London Chapbook
In order to keep things balanced, and to avoid the potential for burn out while keeping up my momentous start, I’ve continued to work healthily on the London chapbook. It’s coming on nicely. There are many poems to be worked out and revised and a few more new ones are still finding their way onto the page.

I’m unsure how long this book will be. I’m tempted to include only the very best but it has to tell a story at the same time; it has to work as a tale through verse otherwise it’ll fail – it won’t be me. As far as poetry projects go, it’s very enjoyable to be back in the driving seat and emptying ideas into my notebook with such freedom.

Gig reviews
I’ve fallen behind with my gig reviews over these past couple of weeks. I’ve yet to write up the Roger Waters gig, and from Monday, my Adam Ant review has still to appear. I’ll get to these by the end of the weekend that’s for sure.

Friday Vid
Speaking of Adam Ant, this week’s Friday Vid is for all you Adam and the Ants fans out there. On Monday I was lucky enough to fulfil a boyhood ambition; one that I thought would never happen. I wasn’t the only one, and thanks to a wonderfully talented and imperfect man, we all lived the dream.

At the Glasgow Academy, I saw broadcaster and music guru Jim Gellatly tapping his toes with as broad a smile as the rest of us, and Vic Galloway, who saw the great one perform in Dundee last Saturday, were all transported back to a time when punk was new and fresh and Adam Ant was top of his game.

Yes, it was great to hear the likes of Kings of the Wild Frontier and Stand and Deliver, but to hear the older tracks from Dirk Wears White Sox—Cartrouble, Physical, Lou, Never Trust a Man with Egg on His Face, etc.—was an utter dream.

So here’s an HD video compilation I made of the evening. Enjoy, and happy Fridays!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8dFK3YnoVI

Click here to view video if you see nothing.

SPRING BARGAIN
Enter coupon code CYBERMAYUK305 at checkout and receive 25% off your order of my poetry books: FRINGE FANTASTIC, POOLSIDE POETRY and SILLY POEMS FOR WEE PEOPLE VOL.2. Offer cannot be applied to previous orders and only applies to books or ebooks ordered through the Lulu option. Offer expires on 31st May, 2011 at 11:59 PM.