At that stage, it sounds like a dream.  You're desperate to get onto it.  But when you've actually managed to get a book out, and - heaven forfend! - another one is commissioned, or perhaps even more, that's when you start to feel it.

It's how authors often refer to the continual demand of publishers for more books - the pressure of expectation.  If your first effort has done reasonably well and made them some money, they immediately want more.

It's quite understandable - from a business point of view, anyway.  I've often said that, for all the romance surrounding it, writing is just a commercial industry.  If a publisher can make cash from you then you're in.  If not...

The trouble is that the commercial view often conflicts with the artistic spirit (cue creative flounce).  Writers don't want to be thought of as just commodities, churning out a product. 

We're special!  (Or so we like to think, anyway, even if that may not be entirely justified.)

About now is when you feel the conveyor belt the most sharply.  The glow of publication of your new book is starting to fade, and - that's just three weeks on! - the inevitable question comes.

Have you started work on the new book yet?  When will it be ready?  What's it about?

Sigh...

A quick interlude with a pleasant diversion, because I need it before I carry on.  I had a great time at the Devon County Show last week (a wonderful heartbeat of the county event), and here's a picture of me in action (as it were) with an expression that actually looks like a passable smile for once.

Right, back to the belt. 

I suspect it's just simple human nature, applied to writing.  I remember clearly how when I bought my first flat, it was a huge battle to get it, then I had the excitement of moving in, and then... a post fun slump when I started to doubt whether I should have bought the place at all.

Such are the trials of this great game called life. 

Anyhow, I don't mean to sound downbeat.  That would be daft.  It's a privilege to be a writer, as I've often said, and even more so to be asked to pen another novel.

And yes, since you ask, plans are afoot for a new book, number seven in thetvdetective series. 

And guess what?  I'm starting to fall in love with the idea and very much enjoying sketching out the plot and characters.

Maybe that old conveyor belt isn't such a bad thing after all.

On reflection, I should have expected it.  When you come to think about it, we're all taught how to read and write from such an age that it means it's ingrained. But I think now I appreciate just how deep that feeling runs.

I had the pleasure of teaching creative writing for an afternoon at Plympton Library, after doing a book talk there (this is me in full flow.)

(How kind of the audience to look interested - at least that's how it seems in this view from the back!)

Anyway, as I was saying, about the unifying force.  To start the teaching session we did a few quick introductions, and it was remarkable the range of people who'd toddled along.

There was a barrister, a university science professor, a teacher and an actor, amongst others.  All come  to learn about the art of writing a novel.

Which was, if I'm honest, a rather intimidating start to a course - all these clever and talented people, and me, something of a hitchhiker on the big writing road, trying to sound as though I know what I'm doing.

Anyway, all went well; the group was sparky, smart and good enough to say the course was worthwhile,  and I had a fine time.  I enjoy these sessions as much as the people who come along, and sometimes, I suspect, more. 

And it left that wonderful thought, about another of the great powers of writing and reading - how they bring us together.

Whether it's wanting to actually write the books, or just read them - look around you on the train, the plane, the beach on your hols - so many different people with their different books, but all brought together by the simple joy of words.

I've said it before and I shall say it again - writing is such an amazing journey, of both discovery and self-discovery.

There are a few more events planned to support the publication of Shadows of Justice, including one at South Brent on Thursday. 

Details are on the News and Events page, if you're interested in coming along -http://www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

So far, all is going well.  Phew!

I've given the first talks about the book.  They've got good audiences and been well received, happily, in particular when I give a reading from the book.

This is the most nerve wracking part of all.  Will the audience feel the scene?  Will they be carried along with it? Will they believe in the characters, the setting, the action? 

I'm delighted to report that so far, they have.  There has been quiet, closed eyes, imaginations at work, and plenty of signs of appreciation.  Double phew!

This is me with some of the folk who got to hear one of the first Shadows of Justice talks, the lovely ladies of the Sidmouth Probus Club. (photo by Alex Walton, courtesy of the Sidmouth Herald).

I've also had some very warming comments on email from people who have read Shadows (that was fast going - less than four days - which I take as a compliment in itself.) 

It's such a wobbly period for a writer - the time between publication and getting the first feedback.  You know people are reading the book, but it's like a vacuum time.  You're just left in limbo, waiting to see how they'll take to it - or not.  

The first review has also appeared on Amazon.  I read it with hesitation, hopes and fears aplenty, but was delighted to find that it's been kind, too. 

A quick aside here - whatever writers may tell you about not caring about reviews is tosh.  We all say that, whilst still waiting nervously for them, and then taking them entirely to heart, however much we may insist otherwise.

(You know what writers are like.)

So, I'm a contented author, and looking forward to some more events to come.  There are details on the News and Events page, if you fancy toddling along to one you'd be most welcome. http://www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Yours, for now, with all due relief that the culmination of several years of work is feeling appreciated.

It's like being caught in a very bright spotlight.

I don't mean that in a bad way.  I suppse it's like an actor's nerves, when he or she is about to step onto the stage. It's what they do, what they've worked towards for all this time, but it's such a big moment and it's charged with electricity.

It's not just about me, either, these feelings.  I can sense the pressure of the expectation of others upon me.

Most importantly, there are my dear and long suffering readers, I've been so touched by how many people have been kind enough to get in touch to tell me they're looking forward to reading Shadows of Justice.

Thank you all, very much.

But here's the curious thing.  I'm also feeling the pressure from my imaginary friends, my beloved characters.

It's as if they're with me, clustering around me, sharing the anticipation of the moment when they can be freed into the world again. 

There's the delightful Claire, wondering what the idiot Dan will be up to next and how she can cope with him.  Adam is waiting as impatiently as ever for his next case, with all his usual dedication to solving it.  El is hovering in that dark and dirty way of his, seeking a seedy but lucrative snap.

And as for Dan himself - it's the usual fretting about his emotions, trying to do his day job and report on the story, whilst secretly settling himself into the case and doing his best to solve it.

People keep asking me about the plot of Shadows of Justice and I'm so keen to blurt it all out, but I've managed to stop myself.  All will become clear in just a few hours now.

In the meantime I shall try to distract myself from the excitement.  With a run around the river in this wonderful sunshine (at last), thinking about some teaching I've got coming up, sketching out the plot for a new tvdetective novel, anything that helps to pass the time.

There are some events going on to mark publication.  If you're interested in coming along, you'd be very welcome.  You can find the details on the news and events page - http://www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

For now, I shall go back to counting the seconds as they pass.  Yours, breathlessly...

In fact, it's what I've mostly been thinking about these last few weeks, as the day of publication of Shadows of Justice nears.

Have I mentioned the book is out on May 1st?  I think I may have slipped it in occasionally... just once or twice...

Forgive the excitement, please.  What I wanted to talk about was the preparations I've been making, and one in particular...

... choosing a reading from the new book. 

This is proving tricky! 

I've got a few events to do to mark publication, and it's only natural that the audience will be keen beyond belief to hear a sample of my scribblings. (Maybe.)

But which to choose? It's an obvious thought to go for the beginning, but I'm not sure that's right.  I want to give a sense of the book, its plot and characters, and the style of my writing, but not to give too much away. 

Plus it can't be too long, or the audience will go into standby mode and may never recover.

I think I've sorted a page or two, and interestingly they're not the very start, but a little way into the book.  I hope they'll be just enough to give a flavour, and hopefully leave people wanting to read more.

I've also had a little photo shoot done, for an article in a magazine.  Enclosed is one of the snaps, for your interest / amusement.

It's supposed to be mean and moody, as befits a crime writer, but make your own judgement.  (A big thanks to James Millar, the photographer, who was great in making the best of the limited raw materials available.)

I've planned the talks I'll be giving and rehearsed them, which means they'll doubtless come out nothing like I intended, but such is the way of live performance.

If you're interested, there are details of the events on the News and Events page - http://www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

So, all is almost ready, or as ready as it'll ever be.

Only a week to go until the book comes out now.  Not that I'm (still) counting...

This is a strange time in the life of an author.  The work is done - all two years and more of it - so all that's left to do is wait.

The final edits have been signed off, the cover and blurb, the marketing copy, it's all complete.  Now it's just a question of awaiting publication day.

It's a curious feeling.  Every day, I have a thought about the printing presses running with page after page of my scribblings.  A marketing department contacting bookstores, libraries, readers groups and so much more.

And I just count away the days to May 1st.

There's not much else I can do.  After the launch day, it's into signings and book talks and all the rest of the promotional efforts.  But until then, to borrow a very fine phrase...

"He waits.  That's what he does.  And I tell you what: tick followed tock followed tick followed tock followed tick..."

It's like so much of life - waiting for a holiday, or a concert, or a much anticipated day out, or an interview, or whatever.  The darned time will flow slow until it comes. 

And so it flows... in a glacial manner... and I wait.  That's what I do.  With growing nerves and excitement.

But! I do find distractions. (Otherwise you just go mad.)

One of which is my careers work, and I'm still aglow with pride at my mentee, Sanya, getting into City University, London, to study journalism.

This is us at a mentoring event at Exeter University, with Sanya giving a talk on how our partnership went - how proud do I look?!  And that feeling has only grown.

And this is a shot of the two of us afterwards - I include it because you get so many photos of me, and at least half of this snap is attractive.

Thanks to all who sent their best wishes and congratulations to Sanya as she went through the ordeal of the interviewing process for City - it was much appreciated.

So then, after distracting myself for a while with this little musing, it's back to waiting.  Two weeks and one day...

Tick tock, tick tock...

The easy response is that there's little more important in all our lives, in my view, than to do our best to help the next generation.

The tougher answer goes to the heart of character, which is why it's such a powerful and impressive question.

Before we go on, a quick visual interlude of me at St James School in Exeter, talking about the importance of hard work in finding a good career, during a prizegiving evening.

The reason I'm so committed to careers work is because of the impact other people's efforts had on my past and indeed present. And it was so very profound that it's made its way to the heart of my character.

When I was at school, I wasn't a great kid, to say the least - always in trouble, being disruptive, I was suspended and excluded a few times.  I doubt you're surprised by that?

But then came the intervention of a couple of fantastic and inspirational teachers, who more or less told me - you've got talent and potential.  Go and use it or forever regret it.

It was such a formative experience that I've never forgotten it and will always be hugely grateful.  It was that, I think, which made me so determined to help young people in the sort of way that I, myself, was once helped.

Just a few minutes, a few words, can have such an impact, as they did on me.

Go on then, as you're doubtless so keen, have one more shot of me in action, as it were -

I don't just include these pictures to scare you - I get the sense from them that I'm talking with passion.

And that's the heart of character, which we scribblers aim to find when creating people to feature in our books. If you can get that deep into someone, understand the fundamentals of what makes them tick, then you're well on the way to finding a living and convincing character.

And that's where the careers work sits in mine.

It's not just the whole writing thing (which has been a delight in itself), but one particular area - the battle between the people and the plot in a novel. 

And it is a battle - because they're both jostling for a limited space.

When I first started writing, I was much more interested in the plot.  I suspect that's quite usual for authors of crime fiction - the story does tend to dominate.

But my view has changed over the years.  I've become more and more interested in the characters in a book.

I suppose it's a reflection of life.  What unites us all more than an interest in people?  Whether it's friends or neighbours, family or strangers, we're all fascinated by others.  

And I love watching people.  I like trying to read them, see inside them, discover the motivations of their lives and the reasons behind them.

It's an essential art for an author, and one which brings the great bonus of being fun, too.

So, without really noticing, I've begun working harder and harder on character, and I hope that shows.  Have I mentioned my new book is out in just under a month? (27 days in fact, not that I'm counting or anything.)

Yes, I know I've posted the cover before, but please indulge me... I just wanted to see it again.

I've now signed off the final proofs for Shadows of Justice, and am getting more and more excited about publication.

But one thing I did notice when I was doing the final read through - how much more attention I'm paying to the characters and their lives.  I feel them much better now, and hopefully have improved in the ways I try to make them live on the page.

It's all part of the wonderful journey of writing.  I've learnt so much about it, and perhaps even more about myself.

It's how I've come to think of it - as my yearly children.

Each year, I get to mentor a couple of students from Exeter University who want to find their way into a career in the media.  And one of the great delights is watching them grow.

I usually meet someone brimming with talent, but a little unsure of their place in the world and their future. And all I do is nudge and shape, provide some thoughts and guidance, and off they go and do it.  It's that simple.

For a relatively small amount of effort and input, the rewards are enormous - both for me and for them.

I was fortunate to be invited to a celebration lunch at the university last week, and asked to say a few words about what it meant, to be a mentor. 

I won't bore you with the speech, aside from the conclusion.  You know how we hacks like a bit of hype and a soundbite?  I summed up by calling mentoring not just a win win, but a double win win. 

A win win win win, if you like!

The mentee benefits with finding a future.  The mentor with the wonderful warm and fuzzy glow that comes with doing something worthwhile.  The university with another successful outcome for a student, and, perhaps most of all, society benefits - with a fine addition who will go on to make a difference to our world in a very positive way.

On the subject of mentoring, I was also invited to Exeter School last week, to talk about careers in the media -

(A tip - if you take pictures from the back, you can't see whether the students are nodding off.)

Thanks to all the group and staff for making me so welcome, and such an enjoyable session.  A week on, and the wonderful warm and fuzzy inner glow persists. 

Lucky me, indeed.

Don't forget, if you're interested in me giving a talk about careers in the media, or any area of my writing or teaching work, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - http://www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

I haven't answered a question for a while, so for today's ramblings/musings I thought I would, and it's taken me on a pleasantly surprising tour of my personality.

The question was this - "Your love of Devon is obvious from the tvdetective books, particularly Dan's journeys into the countryside with Rutherford, but is there one walk that's your favourite above all others?"

The answer is yes, and more of that in a moment.

First, the point about reflections of character is that when I was thinking of the answer, I quickly realised that Dartmoor is my favourite destination in this wonderful county.  And then, of course, I started wondering - why?

Why not one of the fabulous walks on the dizzying coastal path?  Or over Exmoor?  Or through the countryside of the South Hams? Or the east Devon pebblebed heaths? Or so many other places...

I think the answer comes down to this - contrasts.  It's the beauty and the bleakness.

And that's where I find the reflections of my own character.  I can delight in this world, and sometimes I can find despair here. 

And that's what Dartmoor does for me.  It captures the extremes of mood, and all those in between.  On the sunshine days, it can shine.  On the darker ones it can brood.  The open spaces are full of light and joy, the valleys and woodlands clustered and claustrophobic. 

For me, Dartmoor encompasses all the moods a man, or author, could need.

So, many thanks to my correspondent for prompting the thought.  And finally then, to answer his question.

My favourite walk is to the Ted Hughes memorial, on the north of the moor, the one which Dan and Kerry take in The TV Detective.  It's partly because I actually found the thing, but mostly because of the stunning scenery the hike engenders and the sense of achievement when you actually find the memorial.

It's a great spot for a picnic, and well worth exploring.  If you're interested, there are plenty of directions on the web, or just see The TV Detective!

Don't forget, if you've got a question you'd like to ask about any area of my writing or education work, you can get in touch via the Contact page of the website - http://www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Actually, I quite often have ideas.  It's just that they're commonly not terribly good, so nothing much comes of them. 

But this one I like.

It's a radical piece of potential organisation and planning.  Because this idea is for the new tvdetective book after the one that's not even been published yet.

Wow! I told you it was boldly and innovatively organised.

But, before we can go any further together, as ever with ideas, we've got to go through the dating process to see if we're compatible.

At the moment it's at the very early stage.  We've spotted each other across a crowded bar.  She's being a little coy, just occasionally looking over at me and giving me a little smile.  I'm doing likewise to her.

It's such a game, a farce even, as these things often are.  We both know we're going to be spending some time together and wondering what will come of it.

Will it just be a few minutes' thing, when we quickly realise we don't have a future, and that's it? Perhaps a few hours and she'll only make for some element of a setting or sub plot?  Or maybe a few days' affair, and she'll become a fully-fledged new character?

Or will it be the big one, the real deal, and she'll grow into an entire book?

Oooh, the excitement!  There's little I love more in life than having an idea.

We've got work to do.  We've got time to spend together, so we can get to know each other better.  We've got to gaze into each other's eyes and explore what we find there.

(Because I always believe that the idea finds the author, just as much as the writer hunts down the idea.)

So who knows how it will all turn out?  But the joy is that the beautiful idea is there, and for now that's enough aplenty.  I'm enjoying the journey, without yet knowing where it's going to end.

Perhaps the countdown to Christmas would be a better way of putting it.  It's now just under seven weeks until the new tvdetective book, Shadows of Justice, is published, and I'm in the process of busily working myself into a frenzy.

I've said it before, but there's no better comparison I can think of - it takes me back to being a child, and watching the days pass, ready for the arrival of Santa.

As is the way in the run up to publication, there are lots of things going on which are a constant reminder - the sorts of thought-poke which I don't mind at all.

Firstly, I've just finished approving the final edits of the book. 

This is the dots and commas stage, and it's far from exciting.  But it does keep Publication Day (I've decided capitals are warranted due to its importance) continually in mind.

Secondly, something more interesting has been happening this week.  It's a dilemma, causing much agonising, but highly enjoyable for it. 

I've been choosing which part of the new book to read when I come to give talks about it.

You might think this is simple - just go for the first couple of pages.  But they're not always the best at giving a sense of the book.  So perhaps you pick something from a bit later, some action, or mystery, or intrigue, or drama...

It can't be too long - no more than four or five minutes, or the audience will begin to shut down.  But it's still got to make sense and provide a taste of the story, the characters, the settings...

Ah, decisions decisions.

But!  I have finally settled upon a reading, after much faffing. 

And here's the exciting part (for me, at least).  I've got a talk to do about the tvdetective books on Saturday (16th March), and I'm going to give the reading its debut there.

Cue much walking up and down, determinedly practicing my intonations and inflexions.

If you're interested, the talk is at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter at 2pm, as part of the celebrations of the anniversary of the Devonshire Association.  There are more details on the News and Events page.

But for now, it's back to counting down the days to an author's Christmas.

I know I'm relatively young and ought not be thinking such thoughts, but I suppose it's a consequence of how the year has started - with the loss of more family, and in this case the closest of the close.

It struck particularly hard on Thursday evening, when I had the privilege of being invited to St James School in Exeter, to hand out the awards at the prizegiving ceremony for the youngsters who'll be leaving this year.

It was an absolute delight to be there.  There was so much pride in achievement from students and their parents alike.  I got sufficiently bound up in the atmosphere that I was caught out when I was asked up to the front to speak, and had to stir myself and shift.

The speech was easy enough to give, because it was all true and even more - entirely from the heart. 

I won't bore you with the details (the youngsters suffering it is quite enough to inflict upon the human race), but it was about the importance of working hard and the wonderful places that endeavour can take you. 

I was so pleased that quite a few students came up for a chat afterwards, said my words had made sense (that was plenty enough of a relief), and had even given them something along the lines of... wait for it...

... inspiration.

And that was hugely warming and more.  In fact, the glow is still with me now, two days on, and I hope it remains.  It's a fine friend.

In conclusion, that I will happily take.  I've said many times before that it's my education work which means the most to me of all I do. 

So, if I can raise a few aspirations, lighten some lives, nudge some youngsters onto fulfilling paths they may not otherwise have known, it'll do me fine as the legacy thing.

For what finer cause is there?

For me, the part that's the most fun is the idea.  That one little grain of grit which grows to become the beautiful pearl.

If you analyse most books - and it's certainly true with the tvdetective series - at their heart lies one fundamental idea, character, event, or premise.  There's much else built upon it, but that's the foundation.

And that's the part I love.  Finding the foundation of inspiration and feeling it grow; shaping it, madly scribbling out page after page of notes on how it'll come to make a book.

Then follows the actual writing.  Which is still good fun because the book will continue to evolve, will surprise you by going off in directions you didn't expect, but which is also darned hard work too.

After the first draft however, for me, the excitement begins to wane.  Then you're into the re-writing and editing.  Which is still vital - don't get me wrong - but frankly rather mundane.

And as most of my books have been re-written six or seven times, by the point you're getting to the end of that process it's starting to become almost a chore.

Which is the strange thing, the upside down element.  Because at that point, you should be getting the most excited as that's when you're nearest to actually seeing the book published.

There is - happily - one caveat to all that, and here it comes - with due fanfare, flourishes, and a fly by from the Red Arrows...

It's when the cover is finalised.  And lo!  Here it is. 

That's when the excitement starts to kick again.  When all the work is worthwhile, you can almost see the thing on the shelves and feel a copy in your hand.

And not that I'm counting, but publication day is eight weeks tomorrow.  So, if you'll forgive me - woo hoo!

Yours, excitedly.

It happened to me yesterday, when I was lecturing in careers in the media at Exeter University -

It's something I love doing for all the reasons you've heard before - putting a little back into the community, offering the students a thought about a rewarding way of life, feeling young again as I get to engage with the future of the nation, delighting in that sense of life, talent, energy and optimism etc. 

So I was enjoying the lecture because of all that when - out of nowhere - the idea came.

It was during the question and answer part, at the end.  When I sensed something about the audience had changed. 

An interesting number of the questions were about how to find a work-life balance; secure a good degree, but also do a part time job to try to minimise debt, while at the same time getting some work experience to enhance your CV, and also the important issue of actually having a life, too.

It was apparent that being a student has suddenly become a very serious business.  With all the money they now have to spend on getting a degree, they want to make sure they get it right and get something very worthwhile for it.  And that seems to have made them much more earnest and thoughtful. 

The rights and wrongs of all that can be debated endlessly.  But what it did give me was an idea for a new tvdetective book, featuring that sense of the modern day pressures of being young. 

I'm liking the idea, because I think it'll make for a strong plot, and it's also about capturing a moment of change - and that's part of the job of a writer, or so I'm told.

So, thanks very much to the group (here's some of them, being kind enough to look interested! - )

... for playing along with my games and strange ways of teaching, for all the kind and warming feedback, and for giving me inspiration, too.  And the best of luck to you - on the evidence of yesterday, you'll go far indeed.

Looking back on life, even from the earliest days, I can see how I became a writer.  I had lots of imaginary friends as a child (some may say I still do!), and delighted in making up stories.

And that's the writing thing, in essence.  Yes, there's lots of actual hard work, planning and shaping, and then the battering away at a keyboard for months, but it all stems from the original idea.  Without that, we're nothing.

I love it when I have an idea, simple creature that I am.  It lights my life.  I could almost dance with it.  I delight in its company and carry it around with me, to make us both happy. 

It's oddly like a romance - I tend to fall in love with my ideas and hope they do the same with me. 

I mention this now because I'm teaching media careers on Thursday at Exeter University.  Not one for standing at a lectern for an hour and waffling, I like to make the sessions different and interactive.  That makes for a far more fun and memorable time.

I was searching the old jungle of the imagination for an exercise which would illustrate part of a hack's life, and came up with what I think will be a very jolly one.  It's to do with news priorities and pressure, but more I won't say as I want it to be a surprise.  So, it's time to try it out and I'm looking forward to it (if you're coming along on Thursday, beware!)

Earlier this month, when I was teaching creative writing at Otterton and Drake's Primary Schools in east Devon, I tried out another idea which came upon me, the Storyball (the pink thing I'm holding) -

We threw it to each other, with everybody who caught it contributing a line of a story, and it worked so well the youngsters wanted to keep on playing. 

I loved it!  Even more so as, like many good ideas, the Storyball will translate to just about anywhere.  I even plan to use it for teaching writing to grown ups as well - and I bet they enjoy it just as much. 

(For as I've often said, at heart we are all still children, not least me.)

Right, I must be off now to make sure Thursday's careers session is well-prepared, new idea and all.  Finally for this blog, thanks to all those who've been kind enough to say they're enjoying the addition of photographs to these rambles. 

On the subject of which here's one from this time last year, a fond memory of me in Switzerland where I was teaching the Geneva Writers' Group -

I chose it because I've got the kind of look that suggests I may just have come up with a new idea - that or been drinking some of the fine local brews... Here's to ideas!

It's certainly been the case for this specimen of late - family issues of a kind which tend to strike at this time of life have been causing me troubles. 

However!  This blog isn't to be a wailing lament of my bruised soul, you'll doutbless be relieved to hear.  It's about my best efforts at finding a way through.

One of the favourites is indulging in the things I love.  And I was fortunate enough to be scheduled to do some teaching of the writing thing with youngsters.

To be frank, I wasn't sure I should go ahead with it.  I was hardly feeling sparkly, enthusiastic and entertaining.  But I hate letting people down, particularly children, and so on I went.

And was delighted - and more - that I did so. 

I love the looks on the faces of the youngsters at Otterton Primary School - for once it seems like I'm being interesting, or maybe even entertaining!

And the class I took at Drake's Primary, in East Budleigh, were equally engaged and charming. 

It was the most wonderful, uplifting day.  The title of the session was The Secrets of Storytelling and we played lots of games, and had plenty of fun, to try to illustrate the simple joy of words.

I came away feeling so much better.  Proud of helping the youngsters to appreciate books and stories, but perhaps more importantly at that point - as if there was life and hope in the world, rather than the darkness of the opposite end of existence which had been surrounding me.

It was also a great pleasure meeting the staff, a very dedicated and talented bunch, and many thanks to all the youngsters too for playing along with my strange ways of teaching.  Keep writing those stories!

The day reminded me of this, and very welcome it was too -

There are always diamonds in the darkness.  It's just a question of finding them.

(photos courtesy of the Sidmouth Herald and Exmouth Journal - thanks for both papers for your kind support.)

When I'm teaching writing, I usually dedicate a session to social media, and how a writer can use them to help with marketing.

Blogging or Tweeting is high on the list of activities I think aspiring authors should be engaging in.  Sadly, a response that commonly comes back is "But I've got nothing interesting to say".

Nonsense!

You want to be a writer?  Of course you've got something to say!

If you've got eyes, and an imagination (and I believe they come as standard in the department of creation known as the "human" model) then you've got something to say.

Even if you haven't been published, you can write about your battle to get your work out there.  About the ups and downs of it, how you cope with them, how you keep going.  Your hopes, your dreams, so many things.

You can write about your inspirations, your characters, your storylines, your motivations.  Your thoughts and feelings about the world and how they translate into your work.

There's a common denominator to what we're all interested in, and that's other people.  And if someone is talking passionately about something, even if you're not particularly interested in the subject, you will be in what they're saying.  Because that basic human art of engagement is built upon emotion. 

A strange example from my past -

I once interviewed some people who collected the unique identification number of electricity pylons (yes, honestly, it's true.  They walked all across the land, collecting the numbers.)  I expected it to be a dull assignment - dealing with some pretty odd folk - but it turned out to be fascinating.

Why?  Because they spoke from the heart, with feeling, and that made it fascinating.

So, shame on you if you don't think you've got something to say.  The raw material of this thing called life is the finest of inspirations, and the extraordinary supercomputer commonly knows as the brain is the greatest of tools. 

Blog on, as the saying almost goes, and do it with pride.  I, for one, will look forward to reading your thoughts.

I've been asked to take up a position of responsibilty.  Now, I know what you're thinking - what blundering buffoons would commit such a basic strategic error?

But I'm rather proud they have.  Because it's turned into a hugely fulfilling experience.

What I was asked to do is this - to become a judge in a youngsters' storywriting competition.  But not just any contest.  This was the excellent idea of asking the children to demonstrate "Extreme Imagination".

I always get a little awkward about being asked to judge anything.  I know how much work goes in, how much heart and soul - be it writing, or painting, or whatever - and to sit there and choose whose efforts are the best can make a man feel ruthless and heartless, emotions which I don't care for. 

However!  I did it because of my commitment to trying to get young people more interested in the wonderful world of books, writing and storytelling.  And I'm very glad I did. 

The efforts I judged were simply wonderful.  There was a great range of some of the most extreme of imagination on offer.   I was hugely impressed. 

But what perhaps surprised me the most was that an obvious winner jumped out at me. I can't say any more here as the victor doesn't know yet, but it was a quite stunning piece of work (and that in just a few hundred words.)

Not just because of the extremes of imagination, but also the sharpness of the social commentary.  It was a real acidic poke in the eye for one of the obsessions of our times - and that from someone so young. 

The judging was a great pleasure, and I'm looking forward to meeting the winner, and the runners up, tomorrow.

I rarely do plugs here, but on this occasion it's worth indulging.  The event is at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) in Exeter, tomorrow (Saturday, 16th Feb) at 5.30pm, for a couple of hours.

If you can come along, I'd thoroughly recommend it.  I'm confident you'll find the Extremes of imagination you'll hear as delighting and uplifting and I did.

Yes, ok, that's partly one of those big, melodramatic statements with which I'm fond of commencing a blog.  For those who have suffered it, see my teaching session on the importance of opening lines in a novel!

But it's also true, and in a couple of ways. 

Firstly, I've been working on the outlines for two more books in the tvdetective series. 

(If you're getting confused with where we're at - and I do, and I write the things - then The Shadows of Justice is coming out in May.  That's number six.  Two more books have been commissioned, and I'm thinking there'll probably be two more after that before the story concludes.)

These final two novels, in terms of our "hero", see Dan getting older and reflecting on life, as he is prone to do. 

He's now officially middle-aged, and feeling mortal for the first time in all his days on the planet.  He can't run as fast as he used to, and colds and other self-inflicted ailments, (due mainly to an overdose of ale) take longer to shake off.

Once again I find myself thinking that it's interesting how, entirely subconsciously, part of yourself seeps into your books.  It seems impossible to write the things without a little of the soul escaping the cages we set for it, and bewitching the words. 

Dan is also reflecting on the people he's seen fall by the way, something which sadly and inevitably accompanies a certain stage of life - both in books and reality.

He's learned though, at last.  And where once the Swamp of the depression that has always stalked him would take him, now he can fight it with that most precious and powerful of human weapons - hope.

It's a beacon in the darkness.  After many years, finally the fine old phrase has come to have a resonance.  And long may it remain so. 

Carpe diem.

However, I once (perhaps foolishly) promised to be honest in these meandering journeys of thoughts and feelings.  So here we go again with a truth that many authors find uncomfortable, but needs facing anyhow.

It's this - we writers like to think of ourselves in romantic ways.  As somehow set apart from the rest of humanity, struggling with our souls to define the world and all its ways with the power of words. 

Which is, in a way, an arguable case.  But what is incontestible is that we are, in essence, simply fillers of a tin of beans. 

I've been asked by quite a few people how I really feel about my new book being re-titled by the publishers. 

(If you missed it, tvdetective novel number six is now The Shadows of Justice, not The Justice Mirror.)

The truth is that I'm fine with it.  Partly because it was my own suggestion, and I actually like it, but also because I've come to accept the reality of my part in the publication process.

I'm no expert in marketing and publicity, how to interest a potential reader in a book.  I'm merely the writer, doing my best to create a passably decent product. 

And that's the truth of it.  We authors fill the can with beans. 

We might be consulted on how the can is presented, we might have a few ideas what it should look like, but it's not our department. 

All that is for the commercial people, and they're usually a world away and more from authors in what they do and know, and how they work. 

It's the harsh truth about writing.  You're just producing a product, like any other; beans, TV sets, mobile phones. 

It'll be judged by whether a publisher thinks they can sell it and make money from it.  We may not like that - it hardly fits with the dreamy view that writers tend to have of themselves - but that's the way it is. 

There is one final thing all this stark reality won't change - the joy and excitement of actually having your work published.  And that, I can assure you, is in no way diminished.

I remain, as the great Charles Causley put it - "A child in the land of Christmas."

No, I'm not comparing myself with a fairly well known writer of bygone days.  That, I'm fully aware, may be a contest where I wouldn't come off well. 

I'm talking about the name of my new book, The Justice Mirror. 

Or to borrow from another piece of more contemporary phraseology, the book formerly known as The Justice Mirror. 

Because it isn't any more. 

Confused?  How do you think I feel?!  But let me try to explain...

When you write one of these novel things, and then go through the publication process, you're usually expected to fill out various questionnaires about the content, themes etc.  They're so the marketing and publicity people can get an idea what they're talking about  as they do their work.

One of the tasks you're expected to do is to offer alternative titles, in case your original choice isn't somehow treated with the love, admiration and awe that it should be amongst the publishing powers that be.

All this I duly did a few months ago.  And all was heading along swimmingly. 

Except that now, not three months from publication, back has come word that the title is to change to one of my other suggestions. 

I've spent a few hours getting used to this (gazing through the air, drinking soothing beers etc), and I'm now fine with it.  In fact, I rather like the new title. 

But it did take some adjusting. 

I've been working on The Justice Mirror (as was), since the initial idea stage, for probably four years now.  And as ever, it was a relationship I had with the book, its plot, characters etc etc.

Now the title's changed, it's like the name of your partner, the person you've spent the last four years with, suddenly changing.  The content is the same, but the big headline of the name is different. 

I wonder what you'll think of the new version.  Do please drop me a line via the contact page and let me know - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  - it might just help to reassure me all is well!

And ok, yes, I shall stop teasing now.  The new name of tvdetective novel number six, the book formerly known as The Justice Mirrror, is...

.... The Shadows of Justice.

It's this - what do I really think of myself as an author?

I did wonder if my correspondent was a fellow hack, as it's a great reporter's question.  It's short and sharp, straight to the point, and it doesn't allow for refuge in bumbling or dull lists of facts.  It cuts straight to the soul and demands an insight to a person. 

(I shall remember it for future interviewing!)

However, enough evasions and time for an answer.  So, deep breath and here we go -

(Why did I once promise to always be honest in these blogs?!  Anyhow... )

In honesty, the answer is this - I think I'm a mid-ranking, jobbing and adequate author. 

My self-report goes; I reckon I'm pretty good at plots - can put together a decent story, with some pace, intrigue, mystery and a surprising twist or two.  I'm a bit behind that on the characterisation front - I tend to get more interested in the plot, which can be a weakness.

I do reasonably well with the sense of place.  People often tell me my love of Devon and the south west comes through clearly in the tvdetective books, and I'm very glad about that.

Another factor in my books is that I think I give people an insight into what the world of TV news can be like.  I know readers like that, and I enjoy it, too.

So, in summary - an adequate wordsmith, who can turn in a decent piece of entertainment, which is going to keep a reader entertained for a few hours on a holiday beach, but never going to win top awards in a blaze of lights.

Which - perhaps bizarrely, after that painful burst of self-analysis - I find that I don't mind at all.  Because...

For me, writing has been a personal journey.  It started as a challenge to myself, to see if I could get published.  And it's taken me so amazingly far - into education, and travel, and the theatre, and charitable fundraising, and so much more - and I've learnt so much about myself, it's been a joy.

It's a whole new world to me, one which has fulfilled one of my personal tenets of this strange thing called life.  Savour it, delight in it, do your best with it, and never ever waste it.  Always keep on exploring it. 

And that I think I've done, and hope I shall continue to do.

But finally, on the honesty theme, there is one more important thing to mention -

It's a huge thank you to all those kind readers who have tried the tvdetective books, said they enjoyed them, and encouraged me to keep writing.  Although this blog has been all about my favourite subject (i.e. me), none of what I've been privileged to experience could have come about without you. 

So - thank you.

Don't forget, if you've got a question you want to ask about my books, education work, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

(And please, don't feel obliged to try to better the question that prompted this blog - I'm not sure my emotions could withstand another such battering quite so soon!)

I'm teaching writing in Falmouth on Saturday (26th Jan), and it's quite a challenging assignment.  I'm trying to cover how to write a book and tips to get published in... wait for it... an hour and a half.

Which is taxing, but also fascinating.

So, it's going to be a quick fire session, that's unavoidable.  But to make it work, everything has got to be stripped back to its basics and it can't just be me waffling.  It's got to be a good mix.

This, I've come to conclude, is much of the art of successful teaching.  It's about variety. 

It's like my day job, and the wonderful old mantra of the BBC - to inform, educate and entertain.  And all that in the space of a relatively few minutes.

I've tried to fill the time with changes of pace; from me waffling to set the scene for a subject, to an exercise, to a group discussion, to the odd anecdote and some fun, to a few minutes for thinking and even a musical interlude. 

That way, it should (hopefully) keep the people engaged, stop them drifting away, but still tell them all they need to know.

(I think I mean engaged, rather than just plain baffled.  We shall see)

I'm even going to include the Golden Secret to getting published.  And no, I'm not telling you what it is here.  That costs money!

It's the first time I've tried to cover so much ground in such a short time.  It's like Twenty20 cricket, or Speed Chess, but in literary form.

I like trying something new (what's the world for, elsewise, isn't it just a big playground?), so I'm looking forward to it.  But also with that tingle of anticipation which comes with a step into the unknown. 

And that is one of my favourite companions in life.

I'll let you know how it goes after the weekend.  If you're in the Falmouth area, and are interested in coming along, there are more details of the day (I'm just providing one element) on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

However, take heart!  On this occasion, I'm talking about a book jacket.

Work has begun on the cover for the new tvdetective novel, The Justice Mirror.

This is a time of high excitement for an already easily excitable author.  Suddenly, the reality of publication is coming home and it feels most delightful.  All that work nearing fruition!

But first comes the sizeable matter of acutally agreeing on a cover.

This is a curious process.  It tends to happen relatively late in the lifetime of producing a book.  We've gone through all the initial talk about plots and characters, then editing, the marketing angles, publicity stuff, and the blurb for the back.

Then, as if as an afterthought, someone says - Oh yes, we mustn't forget the cover.

I do sometimes wonder how much help I am in this.  I want to get across so much - a sense of darkness, mystery, drama, intrigue, suspense and shock, twists and turns, the TV angles to the books, and lots more besides.

And all that in a few square inches of space. 

What tends to happen is the publisher, agent and designer calm me down (often with the assistance of a couple of pints of ale (they know me well enough by now)) and go through some drafts, based on my summary of the book.

The images that work best, in my humble view, hint at the theme of a book, but without being too overt.  I like a sense of mystery; I think that draws people in. 

Because that's the basic ambition of the cover - to get itself noticed.  To tempt someone to pick up the book and look at the blurb about the story, then perhaps try a few pages etc etc...

We're early in the cover design process, but happily I'm liking the look of some of the ideas. 

So now it's several weeks of images flying back and forth on email, the disussion of fine details, then lastly another conference (some "full and frank discussions", as the old euphemism goes), before the final look is settled.

And only three and a half months now before the thing comes out.  I must contain my excitement somehow, or I shall be appear to be a blur when May 1st comes.

Some events are being organised to mark the publication of The Justice Mirror.  I'll put them on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  as they arise.  Hope to see you at one.

But for now, excuse me.  I must be off to do some more agonising about a certain book jacket...

A strange feeling it was, listening to myself doing the readings.  I'm used to hearing myself on the radio when I've been reporting a story, but this was very different.

I was all nervous and wobbly about it, and had to keep stopping the readings for a few minutes (I listened back on the iplayer) before I was calm enough to carry on.  Even when I actually recorded them, I was nervy. 

And I've sat in a studio countless times, talking to a microphone...

I think the reason must be the stepping over the line thing - going from being objective, impartial, distanced and dispassionate about something, as I am in news mode, to actually being a part of it. 

It's something you've created, and as is usually the case, that means it's something you love.

These books things you write, it's impossible to do so without letting part of yourself seep into them.  It's a kind of exposing of a segment of your soul, and that's scary enough to do in public, let alone with thousands of people listening.

And yet, here's an irony - giving a reading is one of my favourite parts of doing a talk about my books. It's a primeval thing, and deep within us, even from the campfire days; the joy of storytelling and listening.

Choosing the readings was a sizeable dilemma, too.  There are five, over the period of a week, and each lasted for about five minutes.  That's just five short segments from a hundred thousand words or so of the book.

Pick the best bits, I was told.  And of course I answered - it's all the best bits!  I try to do nothing but.

On top of that, you've got to be careful to make sure you give a good taste of the book, but without giving away the endings, naturally.

Oh, the artistic agonising!

Anyway, they are now done and seem to have been well-received.  I was gratified on Friday to meet a fellow gym-sufferer, who remarked she was off home to listen to the final part of the series.

If you want to have a listen, all five readings are still on the BBC iplayer, and will be for a couple more days -  www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d7nc/episodes/player 

They begin about one hour and ten minutes into the programme.  Here's hoping you enjoy them, in the same way as I (can now say that, with hindsight, and it all being over) did.

(Technically that's two questions, but call it a new year sale thing and I'll deal with both for the price of one.)

As with many answers, it's a simple one but with deeper layers.

The simple fact is that I write the acutal novels onto a laptop.  But, there's a but!  And it's this - there's an awful lot of longhand work that goes in first.

I'm aware more and more writers do just about all their work onto a computer; from planning a plot, to outlining the characters, to imagining, and even sketching out the settings.

But not me.  I like my notes to be handwritten.  I think scribbling away on pieces of paper, adding thoughts and ideas as they occur, crossing other bits out, then popping in loads of arrows to connect up various disparate themes just feels more appropriate.

It's a kind of link to the heart and soul, which is where the writing thing comes from.  I find if I try to think onto a computer, it acts as a barrier and takes away that creative random bouncing around of ideas which can be so essential.

Yes, I need the laptop to type the finished product - partly because my handwriting is so awful it would be impossible to translate otherwise - but that final writing of the book is often the more mundane part of the process. You're only formally setting down all the ideas which you've spent months preparing, and that's the fun bit. 

And as to how much scrawling goes into a book, before the hundred thousand words or so actually come together on paper?  It's usually about half to three quarters of an A4 notebook for me. 

Which shows you (despite what it may appear) that rather a lot of thought does go into the books. Promise!

I very much enjoy getting questions from readers, as they often make me think more deeply about what I'm writing, and why and how - and I can learn a great deal from that.  So, if there's a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, education or careers work, please do get in touch.

You can do so via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

What doesn't look like work, but actually is?  And very important work, too.

The answer - thinking.

I was sitting in a pub over the weekend (surprise, surprise), doing some of that very thing.  I know this, not because I remember it well, but because someone said to me today "I saw you sitting around, doing nothing".

Hence I feel stung into writing this little blog-rant to refute the charge.  Because for me, thinking is one of the most important things a writer can do.  Thinking time is never wasted time.

And it's certainly not doing nothing!

In fact, I'd go further.  I'd argue that the art of thinking is easy to avoid, or overlook.  You watch people when they're sat on their own for a minute (as I often do when in observing mode.)

Most will immediately get out their phone and start playing with it.  It's as if the danger of stopping for a moment, to look around, truly see the world surrounding you and think a little, is too dangerous to possibly contemplate.

Me, I just like to sit and think. 

Every day that goes past, I try to make worthwhile in some small way.  It's hard to measure the value of a day, but generally if I've had an original thought or two, and translated them into writing, either on the TV or in my books, or even one of my strange Tweets, then I'll be passably content.

Thinking is where all creativity stems from.  It doesn't just fall from the sky (some days I wish it did), but has to be imagined.  And that can be a hard-won battle. 

In the episode in question here, I was thinking about some careers teaching I'm doing in a week's time.  It was a way to try to give the students a brief insight into the kind of dilemmas a journalist can face, and how to resolve them.

It took a while, but with some thinking (that's not just "doing nothing", but thinking) I reckon I managed to get there.

So that's thinking; one of the most important pastimes any of us can partake of, in my humble view, and certainly a Hall favourite.

(But I will remember not to leave my mouth ajar the next time I drift off into dreamworld.  On that score my protagonist had a point.)

Yours, thoughtfully.  Or, at least I think so...

Which is this - I'm trying not to get nostalgic, downbeat, and feel the weight of the passage of time, and instead to look forwards.

So, here we go, in my final blog of 2012, a glance towards the new year as it looms large upon us.

One of the great experiences of this year was the play, An Unnecessary Murder, and people kindly keep asking me if I'm going to write another.

Not for now is the honest answer.  I need to get back to some novel writing.  My new book is out on May 1st.  I'm told I can finally reveal the title, and so, with due fanfare...

... ta ra raa etc ...

It's to be called The Justice Mirror. 

It's another tvdetective story, the sixth in the series, featuring all the usual cast of characters. The plot centres on revenge and vengeance, those old Hall favourites, it revolves around a unique court case, and that's all I'm saying for now.

So, much of the year will be spent on promoting the new book.  There are already a few events being lined up.  I'll post them on the News and Events page -   www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  as they're confirmed so you can rush along (maybe!)

Plus, I've been commissioned to write two more tvdetective novels following on from Justice Mirror (there is no escape!), and I'm well into the planning stage for them.

And yes, yes; for you romantics out there who suffer my scribblings, and keep nagging to know, the Dan and Claire entwinement is working towards a resolution. 

I've also got quite a few teaching events booked for next year.  I want to try to improve the way I teach, particularly the key matter of plots in novels, so that too will keep me entertained.

There are also lots of careers sessions coming up.  Yet again this year, I've been touched by the number of youngsters who have thanked me for helping them into a position in the media.

It makes such a difference to young lives that the careers work is something I want to focus upon and expand.  I think it's so very important.

And then, just for completeness sake, there are the usual forlorn hopes - to drink less beer, eat less choc, do more exercise etc.

So maybe it's time to end this blog now, before I get carried away in the world of impossible dreams.

Finally, a thought for you, if I may -

Thanks for taking the time to read my scribblings, be interested in my small corner of existence and what I'm doing with it, and the very best of wishes to you for the new world of hopes and adventures that is 2013.

Before Xmas came upon us, I'd decided to give myself a couple of days off from writing. Just two, nothing excessive, only a little break to recharge over the festive season.

No chance!  Not a hope.

I lasted a couple of hours at most.  Then my mind wandered to a new plot I've been thinking about for a tvdetective book.  Some fresh ideas sparked.  And there I was, grabbing a pad and busily writing them all down. 

As so often happens, the momentum built.  One idea beget another, then another, and it was like the snowball tumbling down a mountainside.  Before I knew it, I'd been happily scribbling away for an hour.

Right, I think - now that's done I shall have a break. 

And then... another hour or so later, up pops yet another idea - this time for a teaching exercise (on finding your voice as an author, in case you're interested) and I'm writing away again.  

It made me reflect upon the impossiblity of having a break when you've been seduced by the writing thing.  It really is like falling in love.  You can't leave her alone.  And happily, so very delightfully, she loves you right back and absolutely refuses to play it cool, too.

In a way, it's a little frustrating.  But only a little.  Never getting a break is a small price to pay for all the joy writing brings me (if not necessarily my readers!)

It's why I always keep a notebook, or at least piece of paper and pen with me everywhere. The old brain never stops chewing over thoughts and ideas, and can come up with a good one when least you expect it.

I would say about the only time it switches off is when I'm asleep, but even that's not true. Commonly, when I awaken in the morning, I find my mind full of ideas and have to scawl them all down before doing anything else.

The only explanation can be that the brain thing has been working away overnight, but been forced to wait to reveal them until I'm conscious again.

It's yet another curiousity of this writing life, the inability to ever have a break, even at Xmas.  But, do you know what?  

I wouldn't change it for anything.

It's one familiar to writers of crime novels, but that's not to say it makes it any easier to resolve. 'tis this - how to make minor characters feel real when you've only got a limited amount of words to lavish upon the poor creatures.

It comes down to the old debate between plot and character lead books. The majority of a crime novel tends to be dominated by the plot, so that's where the mass of the writing has to go.

You're always working towards a word count target - usually around 100,000 - which leaves less scope for characterisation.

The major players - Dan, Adam, Claire, El, Rutherford, etc., tend to take care of themselves, especially in a series like the tvdetective books.  Most readers will already know them, and they feature so heavily in the plot that it's easier to make them live - by introducing their habits and hobbies, showing glimpses of their home lives etc.

It's with the minor characters that the problem comes.

I'm thinking about this now, because I'm working on the story to come after the new book (released May 1st, since you ask, I know you'll want to put it in your diary!), and I'm going to need quite a few minor characters for the plot I have in mind.

And since I can feel you asking again (because, as one of my wonderful readers, you're kind and curious like that) the idea centres around a battle between generations and sections of society.  But more I am not saying for now!

The solution, as best I can find for my neglected minors (as it were), is to drop in a few dense passages here and there about what they're up to, their outlooks, hopes and fears etc., and trust that it's sufficient to make them feel passably real.

It's not ideal, but then again - how much of this lark called life isn't, in some way, a compromise?

I'm looking forward to a few days off over Xmas, happily sketching out ideas for the next book. (And yes, probably with a festive ale in hand, you guessed it.)

It just has to be better than re-enduring all the films you've already spent countless Xmas days of the past watching...

I've been asked this - how do I feel in the run up to a book being published?

Excitement is the headline.  Not a day goes by without me thinking about it.  A seasonal comparison is that it's like having an extended advent calendar.  I do tend to mark off each day in my mind.

The publication date for the new tvdetective book - all being well with the editing etc. - is May 1st, so it's almost half a year's countdown.  That's quite some build up!

The other prevalent feeling is nervousness, which alternates with the excitement.  How will the book be received?  What will people say?  Is it worthy of being published at all?

I've developed what I've come to think of as a fear scale this year.  I'll explain it in the traditional reverse order.

At number three is being on TV.  That's nerve wracking enough, particularly when broadcasting live.  But at least the camera doesn't react to what you're saying.  It just stares at you, in its emotionless way.

At number two is the publication of a book.  I rate that as more nervy than TV, because it's such a personal thing.  It's impossible to write a novel without putting some of yourself in there, exposing a little of your soul.  And that's a scary thing to do.

But at least you're not actually sitting with the people as they read your offerings, which leads us on to...

At number one in the fear scale is writing a play and seeing it performed, as I was so lucky to experience this year.  Because then, not only are you exposing some of your inner self to public view, but you're also amongst the audience as they journey through it. 

And that means feeling every nuance of their reaction, whether you've designed a section to be funny, scary, emotional, dramatic or whatever, and seeing if it works the way you intended.

Now that is really unnerving. 

So, although I'm only on the mid-ranking of my fear index with the new book, it's tummy-wobbly plenty enough, I can assure you.  And there are still five months to go until publication. 

As a proud wordsmith, perhaps the best way I can sum it up is simply this -

Eek!

Don't forget, if you've got a question you want to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing work, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

I'm still not allowed to tell you the title.  It's being kept back, ready for the trumpeting of the marketing launch.

But I can say that it's number six in the tvdetective series, it's 98,000 words long, and - yet again - one of the main themes is justice and revenge, that old Hall favourite.

The body count is quite high for one of my books (I'm not usually that bloodthirsty, but must have been in a grim mood when I was planning it), there are explosions and kidnappings and the odd twist or two.

And yes, for those of you who keep asking, it will update you on how Dan and Claire are getting along, or not, as the case may be.

And no, I'm not telling you any more about that yet, either.

I'm feeling a mix of pride and sadness at finishing the book.  Pride because it's been two years of work finally completed, and so much effort has gone into it. 

Sadness because it feels like I've lost a friend.  I've been carrying the idea with me all this time, the characters too, and suddenly they're gone.  And, strange though this may sound, I'm missing them.

When you spend so much time with an idea, get immersed into it, then it can start to feel very real.  Again, that may sound rather weird.  But, as I always say - if it doesn't feel real to me, I'm never going to be able to write convincingly about it and make it real for a reader.

Now it's a question of waiting for the dizzying day of publication. That's scheduled for May 1st.

Still to come is the dull part of the minor edits, the dots and commas, which I don't much care for.  And then there's the blurb for the back, which is more fun, and finally the arguments about the cover design, which can be very heated and hugely entertaining.

It's something to look forward to over the next few months, particularly the cold and gloomy slog that is January. 

Only five months until publication, and I'm already ridiculously excited.  Again it's a strange comparison, but I sometimes see it as being like an expectant father.  Waiting, waiting, waiting for a much anticipated day...

Now that I'm back on the lovely firm land, the wonderful stuff that doesn't bob up and down all the time, I've been doing a little reflecting (yes, ok, that's also very me.)

It's been interesting how many people have referred to my "jolly" and "holiday", since I've been back, when I have to say the cruise was neither of the above.

I know it was a trip overseas, and to some fine places, and I'm grateful for that.  But it was working.  Honestly, it was!

And yes, I have often said it's a lucky person who can call it work - firing up their imagination, writing down the results and then talking about it all - but work it definitely was.

I had a fascinating time, which was often fun, but I did spend long periods thinking about what to say in the next lecture; how to structure it for a mix of fun, poignancy and insights into the writing process. 

(When you've got several hundred people staring at you, all waiting to see what you're going to talk about next, it does tend to concentrate the mind.)

Thinking back now, it was only on the Sunday night, the last one of the cruise, day 16 of 17, when I'd delivered my final lecture that I actually relaxed. 

I sat in my cabin and concluded I'd done a decent professional job - even if feeling very seasick on a couple of occasions - and found a sense of satisfaction at a new adventure successfully negotiated.

Which, being me, necessitated a treat.  So, from the ship's duty free shop came a bottle of champagne cognac, which was duly opened and well sampled a few minutes later. 

It was deserved!

As I've said before, I've always believed life is about testing yourself, never stopping, stretching your abilities, trying something new. 

I certainly did that with the cruise.  And looking back, I'm contented, and perhaps even proud, of what I managed to achieve.

On then to the next adventure, whatever it may be.

Firstly, I'll be a good professional (for once) and do the work bit. 

The final lecture, the R in my MURDER acronym has been delivered.  It stood for ridiculousness, and contained some of the strange and bizarre experiences that can befall a TV reporter and author.  And there are plenty of them, believe me.

The idea was to cheer us up as the end of the hols neared.  And it seemed to work.  As so often, the favourite story "What to do when you really need a dead otter" made an appearance, and was much enjoyed.  It's one I never tire of telling, which is just as well.

A confession here - when first I was asked to do this trip, I was fearful I wouldn't have enough material to fill almost six hours.  But I'm feeling chuffed I managed to string together a series of reasonably coherent and entertaining talks, whilst also occasionally fighting the clammy grip of seasickness.

And naturally, when do I seem to find my sea legs?  On the last couple of days of the 17, of course.

The people on the cruise are largely older, and it's been touching to see how many couples have grown old together.  They've looked after each other for years and go on doing so, even in the silvering times of life.  They bicker, of course, but you can see the love and respect, and it's warming and heartening.

I don't think I've put on too much weight, though it's been a struggle to keep the discipline.  Last night there was a food exhibition, wonderful displays of so many types of meal and produce, and particularly puddings.  We were allowed only to look and photograph for half an hour, and then it was straight into it. 

And it was wonderful.  Especially the chocolate fountain, which tempted me greatly to perform a graceless Augustus Gloop dive into its sweet flow.

The gym will, however, have to be a priority visit upon my return to Blighty.

I've been privileged to meet and work with some great entertainers, from comedians to singers and magicians.  It's been great to hear their stories and get an insight into their experience of the entertainment profession.

And what a bizarre business it is.  Being paid for bobbing around at sea for 17 days, talking about my world of writing and TV.  No wonder such strange careers aren't advertised.

I'm ready for home now, and looking forward to seeing Exeter and all again soon.  I shall ignore the messages from friends which tell me pub profits in the city are down 20% since my departure.

Fear not, I'm heading home and keen to indulge in some of the fine local ales we're so lucky to have in Devon.

Oh yes, and see my family and friends, too...

With that thought, this is seafaring Simon, signing off the final despatch of his first cruise.

It's not like any overseas homecoming I've known before.  It feels as though it's happening in slow motion. 

Usually you fly away, enjoy the heat and sunshine, then you're back in the matter of a few hours in the air.  When you're cruising it's a far more protracted process, the weather getting noticeably colder and more grey by the hour.

Lecture 5, the E of my MURDER has been presented.  It was Environment, the backdrop or setting for a book, and seemed to be well received. 

I talked about how writers try to create a vivid sense of place, and even played a little game with the audience.  They had to close their eyes and trust me while I toyed with their senses of smell, touch and hearing, which may not seem like a wise idea to you (and I might well agree), but it made the point.

Even if it left some of the group traumatised...

That just leaves R, for the last full day at sea, Sunday.  I won't give away what the R stands for, but it's all about some of the more bizarre events that can befall a TV reporter and writer. 

It's designed to provide an emotional lift as the holiday ends - or that's the theory, anyway.  We shall see.

The seas are bouncy and boisterous today, courtesy of a Force Ten wind whose kind assistance we could well do without.  But I'm coping ok, dosed up as I am with every form of seasickness remedy known to humankind, plus ginger beer, ginger chews and wrist bands.  I don't know which of the set is working, but I'm certainly grateful.

I had a great experience last night - running laps of the top deck in the gathering wind.  It was ridiculous in that the wind assisted legs were very fast, the others very slow, but it was all absolutely exhilirating. 

To be blown around like that, with the seas whipping around you, and the view of a glowering sky for miles around - so very uplifting.

But it's true to say that I'm looking forward to getting back.  It's been an adventure, and well worth doing, but I'm not answering the commonly raised question from fellow passengers - whether I'll come cruising again?  I'm taking the Fifth Amendment for now!

Finally, and most worryingly, you'll be alarmed to hear that I'm runnng short of clean socks and pants.  I think I've probably got enough to see me through the final lecture and back to Exeter (Monday), but it's getting close.

Maybe that Force Ten wind will come in handy for drying some emergency washing...

We've just made port in Tenerife and I was so glad to see the island that I rushed out and hugged the ground. 

Yes, I've been suffering seasickness again, and it's been horrid squared, plus some more horrid thrown in, with a bit of added yuk. 

Anyhow, I'm feeling better now, so 'tis time for a quick update on the Hall at sea saga -

Lectures three and four are done, and with differing degrees of success and enjoyment.

Lecture three in my MURDER acronym was Reality.  I talked about the truth of crime, its dreadful impact on victims (including my experiences of being sent into London to cover the 7/7 terrorist attacks), and that strange contradiction - people are horrified by crime, yet also fascinated.

Part of it was heavy going, but I don't think you can talk honestly about crime without that.  Still, we also found some much-needed lightness in the lecture, about the reality of broadcasting and how it can make for embarrassing moments.  And yes indeed, I have plenty of anecdotes in that department.

Yesterday's lecture was D, for Detectives.  Despite being dosed up with tablets, I was feeling sick throughout, which made for less energy and digressions than usual. 

For once, I stuck fairly closely to a script, and managed to get through.  I know the audience enjoyed it, as they were kind enough to say so, but it was a tricky one for me as I felt lacklustre.  At least I got by.

And didn't achieve the memorable accolade that I feared - of having to dash out of the theatre and make for the toilets in mid flow.

Today it's ashore in Tenerife, then the start of the long haul home.  Two more lectures to do, my E and R, more on those later. 

I'm looking forward to getting back, if not the rough seas which may lay ahead, and a wondering what I'll find in Exeter after all the flooding.  What a time to be away from home.

I know the passengers are playing along with my lectures and games, because I've now had four riddles from them, left stuck to my cabin door.  I suppose it's their form of revenge!

I'm still going to the gym when I feel up to it, like a good boy.  Captain Robert, alongside me on a weights machine, said he wanted to come to a lecture to see how I did it.  To which I replied - that was odd, because I wanted to pop into the bridge to see how he steered the ship.

He didn't laugh.

The worst part about all about the seasickness was that I missed the Elvis karaoke night.  And I was all ready to go with my version of In The Ghetto.

Perhaps there's an upside to seasickness after all...

But there are many oddities to a cruise.  To illustrate -

Here's a question; what are the three most redundant features on the ship?

The answers...

1. The "late night disco". 

The Balmoral is filled almost entirely with older people, who get up about 6am and go to bed before 10.  The disco is entirely empty, night after night, but all the more memorable for that.

In fact, when a group of we "entertainers" went up there (it's on the attrium deck) a couple of nights ago, just to see this marvel for ourselves, one of the wholly unemployed bar staff began cleaning windows with a mop on a long pole.

Which just added to the atmosphere no end.

Myself and the other entertainers are planning to go to the disco before the end of the cruise, just to frighten the DJ.  I wanted to speak to him the last time we went up there, but I didn't have the heart to wake him.

2. Salad.

There's always a whole section of the stuff in the restaurants, but as it's placed alongside piles of pies, venison, curry, fajitas, stir fries, pasta dishes and Thai, Chinese and Indian food, it gets as much use as would indicators if fitted to the ship.

3. (related to Salad, above) Fruit.

There are always bowls of lovely apples, pears, oranges, grapes etc.  But as they're located next to the cakes, ice creams, trifles, crumbles, chocolate puddings etc., they too live a forlorn and pointless existence.

Although I did take an apple yesterday, to the general amazement of the waiters.  One even wanted to get a photo, but his colleagues prevented him.

Aside from all that, the cruise is going well.  My next lecture is tomorrow, when we come to the "R" in my MURDER acronym.  No, I'm not telling you what it stands for yet, I'll report again in the next few days.

We set sail for the Canary Islands later.  I have fond memories of Tenerife from my days of misspent youth, so am looking forward to that.

On the subject of which, tonight is Motown night, which is one of my favourite styles of music and also reminds me of days of yore - particularly scooter rallies.  Perhaps I'll break into a dance.

But then again... maybe I'll save that delight for the night of the visit to the legendary late night disco.

I'm still going to the gym every day, as the food is endless and ever-present.  On the subject of which, I must be off.  The barbecue is over and we've had a ten minute break from refreshments, so it's time for afternoon tea. 

And cake, of course.  That's if I can resist the rival charms of the fruit and salad...

Lecture Two went jolly well, so much so in fact that I was delighted to receive a wonderful and original piece of feedback. 

A lady said to me - "I've seen alternative comedy.  But you do alternative lecturing."

And this I'm very contented with indeed.  I may even adopt it as a motto!

I've done my best to make the talks entertaining and a little different.  There are six in all, and as they're on the theme of Crime and Punishment, I've given the series the acronym MURDER.  How cheery...

But, it seems to be working.  Talk one was "Meeting", as we were all getting to know each other and I was talking about the basics of the writing art.  Yesterday's was "Unexpected", as I was focusing on some of the cunning ways that crime writers put twists into their work.

I popped in a little game, which both entertained and infuritated the poor audience (as was the intention), and an interactive exercise too, along with the usual strange Hall anecdotes and some ramblings.

Next it's R, which is on Monday (no, I'm not telling you what it stands for yet) - a report on the session to follow.

Aside from lecturing, the important business of having time to relax is going well.  Madeira was stunning.  As promised, I was introduced to some local ales - wheat beers - which were delicious. 

A group of we cruise "entertainers" (I'm never quite sure if that word applies to me) sat on the promenade, drinking and chatting, and someone raised the subject of bad weather back in the UK?

Maybe I'd better not go into that, as we continue to head for the equator, amidst blue skies and sunshine...

Next port of call is the Cape Verde islands, tomorrow morning. 

There's so much food that I've set myself the challenge of going to the gym every day, simply because I need to.  It's an extraordinary place, in that it's forard on the ship (the pointy bit at the front, for those of you who don't speak maritime), so you exercise whilst staring at the vast panorama of the seascape.  It almost makes the exertions easier.

It was, however, a little disconcerting yesterday to be working out next to the captain and his second in command.  (Err, excuse me asking, but who's steering the ship?)

Last night was an Elvis cabaret.  You'll be relieved to know my fellow entertainers stopped me from joining in - and just in time, as I was readying my best rendition of In The Ghetto.

I've found a lovely bar at the very top of the ship where you can watch the sunset and stars, which is great for inspiration if you're doing a bit of writing work. (And they serve real ale, which is a big win-win, in my view.)

The edits on the new book are coming along nicely.  More of that when I get home.

Finally, to give you an insight into the levels of excitement we sometimes reach here on ship, the programme of entertainments to come includes a class in...

... wait for it ...

... napkin folding.

On the subject of which, please excuse me.  I must be off to beat the rush and book my place.

(For those who don't know, I'm on a Crime and Punishment themed cruise to the Cape Verde islands for 17 days, talking about my writing.)

Let me be a true journalist and deal with the bad news first.  It was seasickness, and it was yuk yuk yuk (translation = horrid and worse.)

Most of day two I spent an unedifying shade of green.  We were several hundred miles from home, but given the option I'd have happily started swimming back for Blighty.

I was sore afraid of being unable to deliver my first lecture, which was due the next day.  But, I was happily saved, and here comes the start of the better news -

Some people are so kind.  My wretched state was observed and I now have sufficient tablets to fill a pharmacy. 

All manner of seasickness cures are mine, courtesy of the kindness of my fellow passengers and their endless donations.  I even have a wristband, which was attached to my arm, despite my protestations that I didn't much believe in such remedies.

Eat those words Hall, along with enough pills to make you rattle.  I'm now feeling much better.

It all made for a far easier first lecture, which I'm delighted to say was well received.  I talked about my career as both hack and author from the early days, with the odd anecdote and a few bits of fun thrown in.  I even got the audience writing a first line of a crime story set at sea, and the offerings were of a very high standard.

I'm pleased to say I got some warming feedback.  But it could have been so different, had I achieved the unwanted distinction of having to run off mid-talk to find the toilets.

Otherwise, life afloat is settling down.  There's a gym on board, but I'm preferring to run around the deck (four laps is a mile).  I try to time my exercise for the end of the day.  There's something so uplifting about running to the backdrop of a maritime sunset.

The food is great and I'm trying - and mostly failing - not to eat too much of it.  Hence the need for the running.

The cabin is most comfortable, with a lovely sea view, and a delightful maid who is so diligent she even folds my underwear.  She even laughs at my jokes. 

I don't know whether to tip her or suggest counselling. 

Tomorrow we make landfall in Madeira, where apparently I'm to be taken to a traditional pub which serves a Portugese version of real ale (my love of beer has already been noted.)

I haven't seen any mermaids yet, but I live in hope.  I suspect they live nearer the equator, as all the pictures I've seen show the ladies wearing few clothes, presumably because the weather is warmer in the place they inhabit.

Or perhaps it's the difficulty of finding something that fits when you've got a tail?

Anyway, on the subject of warmer climes, I'm very much looking forward to seeing the stars as we travel further south.  Oh, the night sky at the equator.  All say aaahhhhh! 

(See, I'm not just a cynical old hack / scribbler - I do retain some ashy remnants of what was once a heart.)

The next lecture is Wednesday.  I shall keep you updated.  No doubt you can hardly wait.

Yours, to all you back in grey old England, from somewhere sunny on the seas west of Portugal, this son of a seafaring nation is signing off for now.

I'm away on this cruise thing later in the week, and it's got me in a mild flap.  Not a dreadful one, like a swan's frantic attempts to take off, but enough to irk.

The curious thing is why.  I'm giving six talks about my books and writing, each of an hour's length.  These were daunting enough, but I've been working on them, on and off, for the best part of a year.  And now, at last, I'm mostly happy with how they look.

The concerns centre on ... and here comes the confession ...

The packing for the trip.

Yes, I'm in a state of turmoil about what to take.  And before you start laughing, it's not simple.

I've got to have clothes for presenting the lectures, clothes for formal dinner nights, for semi formal nights (whatever that means), and for leisurewear.  And all that not just for equatorial climes (that's where the cruise is heading), but leaving England in November and returning in December means I have to be prepared for that, too.

Cue the angst.  And how.

I've bought a new case, which is the size of a barge, but I'm still going to have to take other bagto supplement it.  And suit and shirt carriers, too.

And that's before I even get to sun creams, insect repellants, toiletries, travel sickness pills etc etc.

In short - aaaaggghhh!

It's the old story of being pitched outside of the comfort zone.  Talks I can mostly do.  Packing I'm less used to, and clearly cannot.

Which is where the apology comes in.  Sorry for a lack of blogs of late.  As you may have guessed from the ranting and rambling above, I've been a little preoccupied with other matters.

On the subject of which, would you kindly excuse me?  I've got to get back to some more diligent agonising about what to take.

I'm not sure what internet access the ship will have, but I'll try to post a few thoughts about how the cruise is going.  That's assuming I remember to pack my laptop...

Firstly, my view on Twitter, Facebook, Linked In etc.

That's straightforward.  I'm instinctively not an online person. I prefer the hideously old fashioned way of communicating, that was once known as "going out and talking to people."

How passe!  However...

I do think the online sphere has a place, so long as we don't make the fundamental error of mistaking it for that weird existence known as "real life".

For a writer, social media is very powerful.  You can reach lots of your readers simply and in a few seconds.  You're now expected by publishers, agents and all else in the business to be there.  So there you have to be.

When I was told to get on Twitter, some 18 months ago, initially I resented it.  But now I've become a convert.  I think it's more useful and flexible than Facebook, and that its brevity is its strength.

The key for me is to keep it interesting (or try to).  However hard a fellow Twitterer may find it to believe, I'm seldom fascinated by them waiting for a bus, having a coffee, de-fluffing their navel, or any of the dozens of other amazing (and not for positive reasons) posts that I see.

Because it's not instinctively my world, I treat Twitter with a bucketful of salt - a pinch would never be enough.

A bit of humour (at least I think some of my Tweets are funny, although many may disagree), the odd quirk, a sideways glance or two at life.  For me, that's what it's for, an add on to a real life, not a substitute.

And because of that outlook, I don't spend ages at the computer, composing Tweets. I tend to create them in my downtime, most commonly when I'm out running, or brushing my teeth, or partaking of some other such chore, and then fling them at the world afterwards. 

(I thought up three whilst making my sandwiches this morning, if you're interested.  Cheese and ham, with a little green pesto for added flavour, since you ask.)

If you find yourself strangely compelled to see more of my Tweets (and who wouldn't be, after this magnificent discourse?!), you can find me  @thetvdetective  

I'm off now to have a coffee, de-fluff my navel, wait for a bus, then eat my newly made cheese and ham (with pesto for added flavour) sandwiches etc., as you'll doubtless be fascinated to discover on Twitter as the day unfolds...

I was chatting yesterday about what it takes to be a decent teacher, following the lecture I gave to the teaching students at Plymouth University.

A brief digression here - thanks to all of you for being such a great group to work with, for not minding my strange ways of teaching, for not complaining about being frightened, or molested, or sprayed with my scents (particularly the lady who wanted to know how she was going to explain the waft of male deodorant to her partner when she got home).

Also for playing along with my games, even laughing with my Tweets, and especially for the lovely feedback you sent me - it's hugely appreciated.

At the start of the lecture, I had to make a confession.  Which is that I have no formal qualifications in teaching at all - and that means everyone else there knew much more about it than I did.

So why did it seem to work?  I think the answer came down to belief.

Teaching is a job which can easily be argued as amongst the most important in the world.  If you can read this blog, for instance, thank a teacher.  I know the profound and inspirational effect that teachers (and two in particular) had on my life. 

So, it seems to me to be a career we should believe in, respect, and support as much as we can.

And that's where the passion comes from, in talking about it.  If it means something to you, it makes it so much easier to communicate, and to enthuse others.

And as for the energy - when you've got two hundred people watching (some of whom, perhaps, looked a little jaded from Halloween partying and in need of waking up?!), then if that doesn't make the adrenaline fire, what will?

Energy and passion - they go a long way to making a decent teacher.  I think they're what help me to get by, even if my actual knowledge of the subject is not exactly expansive.

Finally, on a personal note, the lecture was a great pleasure to give.  I almost felt young again - and being reminded of youth, zeal and zest, passion and energy can be a heady thing, even after all these years.

It's lecturing the education students at Plymouth University.  It's a great privilege to be invited, and I'm flattered.

But, as ever in life, there's a but...

It's also more than a little intimidating. 

These are keen and talented young men and women who are au fait with the ins and outs of all areas of education theory.  They spend three years learning how to be teachers, and know their stuff to degree standard.

Whereas my formal qualifications in the environs of educating add up to exactly zero.

So, as often when it comes to teaching, I find myself wrestling with the question - who am I to say what I think is the way to do it?

However, the people who run the course have been very kind, and reassuring, and so I'm going to give it a try.  As I've mentioned before, education is my passion and I'd feel it was a lost opportunity if I didn't.

All I can do is what I always try to do in life - tell it the way I see it.  I've long thought teaching should be as much as possible about fun.  So I'll show the students my little games and exercises, which hopefully will be entertaining but also instructive.

It's really the old story - hide the teaching in the disguise of some smiles.

And if I can pass on a few thoughts, or insights, or just ideas, and perhaps help to influence the trainee teachers and their precious charges in the years to come, then I shall take away with me that wonderful glow. 

The one that makes it all worthwhile, which comes from within and warms you throughout.  The one that makes so much of life worthwhile.  The one that whispers, however small your contribution may be, you made a difference.

I've been writing the final details of the six talks I'm giving on next month's cruise, and I realised I've now been working on them for almost a year.  Now, that's a long run up!

But such seems to be my way when faced with something new and sizeable to tackle.

I noticed it when I did my first extended spell of teaching of writing, at the wonderful Swanwick Summer School last year.  I started the planning eight months in advance, during an Xmas break from work.

And for the cruise I can top that - it was more like a year ahead.

It's not that I do the detailed work at that stage.  It's just important to me to start considering the flow of what I'll be doing, and how to divide up the various stages. 

But perhaps more importantly is the variety in what I'm presenting.  I always try to make sure any event I do has a mix of the poignant and funny, insights and entertainments.  And when it's in lecture format, also interactions and exercises.

I hold to the hope that if I keep the audience guessing about what's coming next, it'll keep them engaged and entertained.  That's the theory, at least!

It may well be because I have a low-Watt brain, that I have to start working on these things so far in advance.  But it seems to be the best way for me.

The thoughts coalesce over the days and weeks, new ideas come to me, other elements get discarded, and eventually it all gets shaped into a reasonably coherent plan.

Then comes the tricky bit - actually presenting the things.  And although I've got outlines for the cruise talks, I just know they're going to change when I meet the audience and sense the kind of things they like and are interested in.

Such is the way of the performing art.  Which, of course, is what makes it all fun.

Or perhaps I mean terrifying...

First aside of this ramble - thanks to all those who came along for being so kind, and to the organisers for being so effective and excellent.  I had a splendid time.

Right, back to the main point.  This may come as a surprise but I always think carefully about what to wear for a talk.  I never claim to be a master of fashion (an apprentice might be more accurate), but at least I can try.

The balance I try to strike for talks is to be smart enough to look professional and prepared, and to ensure it's obvious I'm taking it seriously ...

... yet relaxed enough to be a cool, arty, authory type  (and also to feel comfortable.)

It's not easy, to say the least!  In fact, it's multi-tasking, and I'm a man so say no more.

However, the look I've settled upon over the years is a good pair of shoes and a decent shirt (always some shade of blue; it goes with the eyes, don't you know?) and a jacket (to demonstrate the smartness), but a pair of jeans (to emphasise the cool side.)

I rarely travel to an event thus dressed though, as it can involve a fair drive and I want to be fresh when I start.  So I tend to make use of a green room, as they're called in the luvvie trade, to get changed.

Which is all very well, as went the plan today at Sherborne, except -

I walked into the hall with plenty of time to spare before the talk, dressed in trainers, white shorts, a T-shirt and a hoodie...

... only to find that punctuality is a local strong point, and the place was already mostly full. 

Cue some surprise, rapidly followed by excuses along the lines of - I went to the gym this morning, I will get changed I promise, my apologies... and a quick and red-faced dash to the green room.

Ah well, happily the people were forgiving folk, and the talk went nicely.  It was great to be back in Dorset, a wonderful county where I was fortunate enough to be first posted by the BBC as a trainee TV reporter. Happy days, and twenty years ago now. Sigh...

I like to try to learn lessons in life, so the next time I do a talk I will investigate the existence of a side door or back entrance!

Fear not, I don't intend to burst into song on you.  Even via a blog, that would be a cruel and unusual punishment, as I believe the saying goes.

Today I'm thinking of regrets about writing.  Or, more accurately - regrets about not writing.

It's an issue which has come up several times in recent weeks in my chats with aspiring authors.  They very much want to start writing a book they say, but they can't find the time.

I understand the problem. Who wouldn't?  Life is busy.  There are jobs, families, friends, a whole world to attend to. 

But I still very much believe there's always time.  It's just a question of finding it. 

For those who work hard, but still yearn to write, I sometimes ask this question - do you wake up in the morning eagerly looking forward to going to work?

To which the answer is mostly no.

But if you ask - do you wish you had time today to do some writing?

That answer comes back very different.

Which tells you something...

Before I get accused of simplifying the problem, I'll let you in on what I did.  Work was hectic and demanding, as it always was, but I was desperate to try writing.  So I amended my life.

I started going to bed early and getting up before six in the morn, so I could do at least a couple of hours before I went about the day job. 

I thought it would be difficult, a chore.  But guess what I found?  I loved it so much that it was a great pleasure, and I couldn't wait to wake up every day to start writing again.

I did it as an experiment, a challenge to myself.  Just to give it a try, because I wanted to.  I never expected to be published, let alone go on the wonderful journey which it's offered me. 

And that was just over eight years ago. 

So, looking back now, I wonder how much I'd regret it each passing year if I'd never started writing. 

I think of it like this - if something is calling you so strongly, then there's surely a reason for it.  So it would be a shame, to put it very mildly indeed, not to follow the call.

Because you never know where it might lead you.  At the worst, the realisation of a passion and an ambition.  And at best...

Well then, go find out - just like I did.

Yes, it's dialogue.  (And yes, as I can sense you thinking, the World's Funniest Man does indeed strike again.)

I've always just got on and done dialogue without really thinking too hard about it.  It's important, of course, for conveying character, moving a plot along, giving a sense of reality to a book, and for so many other reasons.  But this new tvdetective book is the first time I've stood back and really studied the art.

I've noticed the dialogue this time around is shorter and sharper than it's ever been before, in particular the interchanges between Dan and Adam. 

And the parts where they're bickering - as often the pair do - are becoming highly enjoyable to write.  They can be such an old married couple and that's a delight to capture!

I suppose it's only natural they're like that.  The boys have been together for seven years now, and you know what couples can get like after such a considerable period of time.

Anyway, that's more of a character issue and I'm digressing again, as so often I do in these blogs.  Apologies.

I was talking dialogue, and how I hope the way I'm managing to use it has improved.

I've come to wonder if that's down to the play I was fortunate enough to see staged earlier this year, An Unnecessary Murder. 

It was a wonderful experience, as I've waxed lyrical here in the past, but there were a few critics of me doing it.  The general complaint went that perhaps I should be concentrating on writing a new tvdetective book, not happily dabbling in the world of the stage.

Maybe that's so, but looking back now, as so much of playwriting is about the dialogue I think I learnt a great deal about how it should be done.  Which, in turn, I hope has made me a better novelist.

Which handily chimes with a pet philosophy of mine, if you're interested - it's that few are the experiences in life which are wasted.  From just about everything, we gain something.

Right, before I start getting too deep and finally for this blog, a quick mention of an event next week, as it's a lovely one.  I'm lucky enough to be giving a talk about the tvdetective books and other areas of my writing at the wonderful Sherborne Literary Festival in fair Dorset. 

If you're interested, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  If you fancy coming along, it'd be a pleasure to see you.

It happened again this morning.  I spent some of last night working on how to communicate a strangeness in a character, without resorting to something obvious like have them running down the street naked apart from their undies, waving the flag of the European Union. 

I was tired and not getting anywhere, so I got fed up with it and put it aside.  And lo! There's the solution when I awake, clear and beautiful.

It just goes to emphasise how powerful are these wonderful brain things that we've kindly been kitted out with - and how little we really know about how they work.

I was wondering if the reason for the sudden inspiration this morn was simple - that I'd had a chance to rest and so was fresher to find the idea as I woke.

But I suspect it's deeper and more subtle than that.  I'm sure the mind is working away, even as we sleep.  It's a restless machine of remarkable abilities.

I did wonder if the dream-thinking thing is connected to instinct.  How often we sense something is right or wrong in an instant.  And then go on to convince ourselves otherwise, perhaps because we've been brought up to think long and carefully about problems or issues.  And so any answer we find at once must - we suspect - be wrong.

I've come to conclude there's a great deal to be said for trusting your instinct, particuarly in this authoring lark.  Many times now I've written something instinctively, then looked back on it and thought it was amongst the better of my humble scribblings.

The other great advantage of dream-thinking is that it necessitates a lovely cosy lie down - and what could be much better than that, as these dark and damp months surround us more and more by the day?

Socks, pants, shorts... fear not, before you stop reading right here, there's more to this blog than a laundry list. Or I hope there is, anyway.

I was thinking about the priorities of what I need to take.  And I've realised that the first things I pack whenever I go away for a writing event are the tools of the trade, and they're very simple - it's a notepad and pen.  The mundane bits of clothing, toothpaste etc. come a long way second.

And it doesn't stop there.  Such is the way whenever I go out anywhere. I feel naked unless I have a piece of paper and a pen with me.

My poor friends are quite used to us being out for a beer or two, and I'll reach for my pen because some idea has just struck.  At night, I keep paper and pen by the bed, as I know I'm prone to waking up with an idea.

And I hate losing them!  They're the raw materials of the job. 

One of the great things about writing is that it's such a simple art, requiring so little in the way of start-up materials.  All you need is pen and paper, some time to think, and some ideas.  And off you go...

I could get by on the cruise with just my notepad and some pens and be quite happy.  Such is the way with writers.  We can happily live in a world of our own, and almost indefinitely so.  (Some may think I've been doing this for quite a while already.)

But, to finish on the packing theme, I think I will take some shorts, shirts etc etc.  It's only fair on the other passengers - the alternative is far too unpleasant to contemplate!

I'm doing some teaching of creative writing tomorrow at Cheriton Bishop Primary School in Devon.  Every time I do a session, I like to vary it from the last one, or try something new.  That way I don't get bored, and I can also find out what works well and what doesn't.

Tomorrow, once more I'm going to try something a little different.  But it's different in a samey kind of way.

Perhaps I'd better explain...

I want to do some work on characterisation.  So I've been thinking about how to do it, how to make it work with fairly young children. And I've come to an unexpected conclusion.  i'm going to try teaching it in almost exactly the same way as I do with the adult novel-writing classes. 

I'll sub down some of the detail, and pitch it rather simpler, but in essence it'll be much the same. And do you know what?  I think it works.

Which has left me reflecting - how odd that a certain technique can be effective over such an age range. 

The way I'll do it - without giving too much away to anyone who may want to come to one of my sessions, be they younger or older - is a mix of examples, analysis, and - so very importantly - interaction.

But I suppose it comes down to this - we all like to listen to stories, and to tell them ourselves.  And we also like to play games.  Which just about sums up how I teach.

For what's the point of this app called life that we're all lucky enough to have downloaded, if we can't have some fun with it sometimes?

Don't forget, if you're interested in the education work I do you can find out more on the Teaching page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/teaching.html   And if you are interested in asking me to hold an event, please feel free to get in touch. 

You can do so via the Contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  It would be my pleasure to try to help. 

At least, I think so.  But then, I find curious things exciting - I got oddly into watching a cormorant fishing on the River Exe on Friday, wondering if it was going to catch some lunch.

Before you start to worry, the purpose of this blog, however, is not about bird-watching.  It's all about the new tvdetective book.

Hence the ooohh!

It's finally started to become real for me, the fact that it's going to be published. I was having discussions with the publishers on Friday, and it's scheduled to come out in April or May of next year.

It's a strange thing, but up until that point I hadn't thought a great deal about it.  I'd written the thing, then done some editing and sent it off, and then... sort of forgotten about it with all else that's going on. 

But now it's all back and prompting a lovely tingling of the system and a swirling of the stomach. I've finally started to think about seeing it on bookshelves and in libraries, and that's such a smiley idea.

I can't tell you what the title is yet.  The marketing people want to release that at a date which suits them.  And in the modern world, the marketing department must always be obeyed.

But I can tell you the book is all set in Devon, althought a lot more of the action is in the countryside than previous tvdetective novels.  And Dan and Adam are faced with two interlocking mysteries, over a period of several months, both of which surround sad, and even tragic, events.

Ok, enough.  I wasn't supposed to say that much, but you know how good I am at keeping secrets when I get excited.

It's a very fine feeling, to be counting down to publication again.  It's scary, in that once more you put yourself out there, awaiting nervously to hear the reaction to all your work.

But that's the way life goes, in this humble scribbler's view.  No risk, no reward.  No trying something, no progressing.

I like the timing, too.  It feels like something to keep me absorbed over the winter, doing the edits, working towards publication. 

More on the book as I'm allowed to tell you!  But I'm already carrying the thought of it around with me, like a new friend.

(And finally, as we say in the news trade, in case you were wondering - the coromorant didn't catch a fish.  But life is like that.  It can't all be happy endings.  And no, that's not an allusion to what's in the new book... or is it?!)

It's one of those agues which have made me sweat and shiver and feel like I've been beaten up all over - twice.  But the curious thing is that it hasn't affected my brain.

Or, at least, I don't think it has - it might have done so to the extent that I'm delirious, but haven't noticed.  You'll have to be the judge of that.

And then, of course, comes the question as to whether there'd be a great deal of difference to the ramblings of the "normal" me (I use the quotes advisedly.)  But that's enough digressing.

One of the great curses of being ill is the boredom.  What else is there to do except feel sorry for yourself? But that hasn't been a problem this time. I've simply been laying and thinking.

And my mind has ranged far and wide, to the extent that it's even surprised me (and I'm normally used to its oddities).  It's been working happily through ideas for new books and stories, characters, thoughts about teaching, and how to sort out these six writing lectures, as well as a whole load of things you really don't want to know about.

I can only conclude my brain has taken offence at the frail confines of the physical world and gone off on a wander of its own.  Which is fine by me, because it's been an interesting experience.

It's not something I want to happen often, but it has tapped into a seam of creativity, and that's made me think about the way these mind and body things work.  Sometimes in harmony, sometimes in opposition to each other.

And as is so often the case, in truth we understand very little about why, as is the way with much of the mystery of life.

On a happier note, thanks to the folk who've noted my forlorn Tweeting ( @thetvdetective  if you're interested) and got in touch to wish me better times - that's been much appreciated.

And finally, something I rarely do, but I will anyway, because it's deserved.

A few months ago, I was asked to contribute to a book on what it's like being an author.  A copy arrived this week, and I was hugely impressed (and I don't mean at my bit - I'm talking about how thoughtful it is, and what fine advice it offers.)  It'd be very useful for budding authors. 

If you're interested, this is the link - www.amazon.co.uk/Be-An-Author-Would-ebook/dp/B0096S9WGA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0 

Excuse me for now, I have some more groaning and recuperating to do. And no, it's not man-flu, before you even think a word of it.

How do you find your authentic style, the one that people grow to like and even treasure, and which - so very importantly - distinguishes you from other writers?

Like so many things, the answer is something which sounds simple, but in fact is not.  Oh, far from it!

It can take a long time to find your voice, and I fear that some people never truly do so.  But for me, the solution is this -

It's a case of being true to yourself.  You have to shake off the years of conditioning and influences, and be yourself.

I suppose it's similar to finally finding yourself in life - no longer being what you were taught to be, or think you probably should be, or even what people want you to be.  But instead, going ahead and being yourself.

With an author, that means writing how you really see the world and in a way you truly feel. It means escaping from the chains of the teaching at school and college, and the conventions of society and politeness and political correctness, and writing what you think.

It's about facing down the fear of what people will think, being brave and telling it like it really is - in your view, anyway.

Some will love it, some hate it, but hey, that's life - in just the same way that some people will like or love you and others not.

As I mentioned, it's easy to say, not quite so easy to do.  It's a big leap and takes real bravery.  But if you can crack it, it's so very worthwhile. 

It's cathartic, in that it's a sudden release, a revelation of finding that which you sought for so long.  And it's hugely uplifting.

A friend of mine has just found her voice.  And it's as stark as if a switch has been thrown, to shift from darkness to light in an instant. 

The effect it's had is extraordinary - at first a sort of stunned trance, almost like the lingering warmth of being pleasantly tiddly.  And then a growing delight at the understanding of what she'd found.

It's a great pleasure to see. Because it's a formative moment in the life of a writer; so very important, and never to be forgotten.  A step into another world, a rite of passage, all that kind of thing.

So if you are writing, go out and try to find your voice.  It may not be easy, but it's invaluable.

Finally for this blog, a big thank you to the wonderful ladies and staff of The Maynard School in Exeter, for making me so welcome and for playing along with all my games and strange ways of teaching (that's my voice coming through - and it's not a conventional one!)  And most of all for being so talented and enthusiastic, and for making me feel what a very fine future this world has.

And also to the folk who came along to the Crime Always Pays panel of the Plymouth International Book Festival, for your excellent questions and thoughts.

Finally, to all of you who came to the events, for being good enough to tell me they helped you and gave you an insight into the writing world - which makes it all worthwhile for me.

Over the months and years of giving talks about the tvdetective books, I have come to find a kind of formula for how I structure the sessions and what I say.

I use the words "kind of" advisedly, because it's a point of professionalism and pride that I tailor each for the individual audience and what I think they want to hear.  And they all react differently - sometimes most unexpectedly so - which often prompts some very hasty rethinking!

But, there are certain anecdotes and insights I know will usually work, in either proving  entertaining or poignant, and I do tend to fall back on those.

No longer, however!  I'm adding some more variety.

Part of the reason for that is that I don't want to get bored with giving talks.  I think that it's a privilege, for people to want to come and hear my musings. And if I'm not enjoying it, how can I possibly expect an audience to do so?

It's also about the old story, the one I've mentioned several times before in these blogs - needing to challenge myself and innovate.

But there's another, more practical reason, which is moving in fast.  It's now just two months until I go on a cruise where I'm giving six hours of talks.  That's far more than I've ever attempted before (and not all in one go, you'll be relieved to hear), which means I need to test out some new material.

So, if you're coming along to a talk in the next few weeks (and there are a few scheduled; see the News and Events page for more - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html ), please forgive me if I need the occasional pause to think and work out where we're going next.  It's all for a good cause!

I'm enjoying thinking through some new things to say, because it's forced me to consider where I am in my writing life, what it all means to me, and where to go next.  And that's no bad thing, to stop occasionally and take stock.

It's also had the benevolent side-effect of making me think what a lucky chap I am, and I very much like that.  A little gratitude is good, in my humble view.  It offers a warm glow, which is much appreciated as the days shorten ever onwards, and the chill winds of the winter begin to sweep in.

All right, that may not come as any surprise to you, but it's not quite true anyway.  What I've been thinking about are spaces.

It was in my mind on my way back from a talk about the tvdetective books I gave in Plymouth on Wednesday night.  As ever, I tried to weave in some humour, and the kind folk of the audience were good enough to laugh in the places I hoped.

I also mentioned a couple of the more poignant experiences from my life, and how they translate into my writing.  And what tied both those anecdotes and the humour together, were the spaces.

People need time to think and react.  If you babble ever onwards, there's no pause for breath, no time for reflection.  It's not an easy thing to do when you're standing up in front of 70 people, just to stop and look at them.  But it's a very worthwhile art to try to master.

It's just the same in a conversation. A formal talk is only an extension of that, after all.  But I always find it interesting (and often irritating) how many people are exceptionally good at talking (and usually about themselves), but not at all talented at the noble pastime of listening.

And that's what I've come to think of as one of the most important parts of giving a talk - listening to the audience. 

Only that way can you give them the space to take in what you're saying.  Plus, it helps to assess them - to see what kind of things they're interested in hearing about, how to pitch any humour, all that kind of thing.

I'm having a space type phase in my writing life at the moment.  I'm not working on any major project.  There are quite a few things going on - talks, teaching, a series of lectures -  but nothing overwhelming.

Which is most enjoyable.  Because it's giving me the space to do that thing I so very much enjoy, the root of writing and creativity.  Yes, it's thinking time.

I'm thinking about plans for a new tvdetective book, a possible diversion into trying writing for children, a few new ideas to test out in my teaching work, all sorts of fun thoughts.

On the subject of which, I must be away.  I'm being a good boy and going to the gym, but I want to walk around the river to get there, to enjoy one of these beautiful amber September mornings, to see the geese and ducks and swans playing their games, and yes - to do a little thinking.

A member of the group was a young person, and by that I mean very young - 14 years old, in fact. 

In the days before the session, I got a call from one of the librarians asking if it would be all right if she came along. Given the potentially adult nature of the crime theme, it was understandable her parents were concerned.  

As I don't tend to do the really nasty crime stuff - the gory details of crimes, all the kind of thing - I said it would be fine.  I did though have a few amused imaginings of what people thought one of my crime writing classes might have been like.

Perhaps me entering by kicking in the door, laying down some covering fire from my shooters, yelling every profanity known to man (plus a few others), then doing a bit of robbing and pillaging to source some cash for my hard drugs and whores habit?! 

(Perhaps I'll keep that in mind for another course, as a little surprise!)

But no such drama, it was all relatively genteel.  Not only was she allowed to come by her kind parents, I thought we should encourage her and it was great to have her along.  All too much is talked about "young people nowadays" with a glum look and sour tone etc., but when you meet a teenager who's already decided she wants to be an author, and is busily going about doing so, how can you not have faith in the future?

It's particularly impressive when I consider that I never had any real idea I wanted to be a writer, and only fell into it when I hit my mid-thirties.

Maybe I'm just a late developer.  Don't respond to that!  But it was remarked upon on Saturday that my inner child was very healthy, active, and apparent from the way I teach.  It's true, I just don't like to do things straightforwardly.  There's always a more entertaining way.

Anyway, thanks to all who came along, for making it such an enjoyable session.  Good luck with your writing, and don't forget the golden rule - that anything that gets published, I expect 10 per cent of the take!

And in particular, may I say good luck to Rosa, who touched my feelings by being the youngest ever student in a Hall crime writing class. 

Not only that, but she did so with calm and charm in what must have been an intimidating atmosphere; all those strange grown-ups she'd never met before, not least the particularly odd man who was trying to do the teaching.

How remarkably radical!  Why would anyone ever want to leave this heavenly county, I wondered? Surely, as the old saying goes, all life is here?

But then again....

I've just got back from a trip to Strasbourg, to the European Court of Human Rights.  That's a reporting trip, I should add, not appearing in any way - and certainly not as a defendant!

It was a fascinating time, which did give me pause for thought as to whether I should send Dan and Adam away on a journey abroad.  There's certainly plenty of material to compare with Blighty, and often favourably.  I could see it making quite an impression on the curious pair.

Adam would certainly appreciate the shift in attitude.  The city was so strikingly clean, with little in the way of litter or graffiti.  There was a real sense of civic pride, and of believing in a shared society, just the sort of thing of which my traditionalist friend of a detective would approve.

The ways of officialdom would appeal to Dan.  In Britain, all too often the mantra is "you can't do that."  Go to a court in this country, and you're largely on your own in trying to find your way. In Strasbourg, we were welcomed, shown around, and offered every courtesy. 

The beauty of the city would also delight Dan.  The architecture is magnificent, plenty for him to go off on one of his little musings about.  And there are some wonderful backdrops to stage a chase or two, making this writer happy. 

As for the beer - the bad news was there was no real ale in sight. Of happier appeal was the lager.  It's not like the British stuff, to say the least, not gassy and insipid.  I wouldn't be surprised if you could run a motorbike on it.  A couple of pints was quite sufficient to ensure a good night's sleep.

Yes, it was an uplifting experience, which left me thinking about perhaps doing a little writing based in another country.  So were my ideas on the train home - until, that is, a story broke, and we had to rush back and cover it, complete with making all the necessary calls as we travelled.  Such is a reporter's lot.

All jolly exciting, and perhaps also material for a future story...

A kind lady from the hotel was driving me to the airport, and we were talking about writing. She said - as folk often do - that she'd like to try writing a book.  But then followed it up with a statement I found rather breathtaking and saddening - that there was no point, as everything had been written and there was nothing new to do.

In a word - no!  Or, in several words - no, no, no, no, no, no!

I understand in part what she was saying. Many things have indeed been written about, but originality and creativity (in my humble view) are only as limited as the human imagination, and for me that's limitless.  There's always something new to do, a different turning to take, a new mountain to climb, another place to explore - otherwise life would become dull indeed.

However, her words did get me thinking. Which I was grateful for, as I had to get on a plane, which I like not at all, so they did prove a fine distraction.

I even remembered back to school days (that's how much I needed a distraction from the flying!) and what may have been my first understanding of my own creativity.  It could even have sown a few of the seeds that set me off on this writing lark.

I would have been about 14, in an English class.  We were told to write a story about "My First Love".  I didn't think twice and just wrote about it, why it was my love and what it meant to me, and handed it in. 

I was then very surprised to be picked out in class as the most original of writers for doing nothing more than that which was obvious to me.  Whilst everyone else was writing about boys or girls, I wrote about music. 

So there you go.  There's always scope for originality, and thankfully so. 

If you are thinking about writing a book, or any kind of story, here's my advice - don't hesitate, just go for it.  It's the most fulfilling, wonderful experience.  It takes you on a journey both through yourself, and whatever world you're writing about.  I'd be lost without my writing. It may even have taken over from music as my love.

And so, before there's too much of an outbreak of the waxing lyrical, to the final choice of songs (you see how seamlessly these blogs work?!)

I'm going to be different once more, and break the rules.  I first said I'd choose my absolute favourite song, and so I will. But there are a couple of others which mean a great deal to me, and I want to set them down here, so I shall. 

In which case, it's last three songs time!  And, in reverse order in the traditional manner, these are they -

3. Hallelujah, by Leonard Cohen, because it's soulful and stirring and so much else.

2. I Just Can't Help Believin', by Elvis (the live version, with the full orchestra and the couple of slight fluffs, which just make it all the better) because it's so beautiful and moving.

And the all time Hall number one is -

1. Paint it Black.  And I don't need to say why.

Right, from here on in, no more songs, so I should have the space to answer a few more questions about the tvdetective books, or any areas of my writing.

If you've got a question, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html    I look forward to hearing from you.

And it's also encouraged a little of the dangerous pastime of doing some thinking, of which more in a moment.

First, that project.  I'm off on a cruise at the tail end of the year (the first time I've ever tried one), where I've been asked to give six lectures, each of an hour, on my books and writing.

I'm not complaining, naturally, but it is a little worrying.  Never before have I tried to string together so many coherent talks about how I write, the important question of why, my thoughts about how to do it, characters, plot, all that heady stuff.

At first, the main worry was that I wouldn't have enough material - which may come as a surprise to those of you who could be of the opinion that I can talk all day on just about anything. Well, I now think I'll be ok for content, but it did nonetheless give me a few fretful hours.

As for the spectre of thinking it created, that went roughly along these lines -

Why?

As in - why do I get myself into these things? And that's where the title of this blog comes in.

I've been forced to conclude a major feature of my personality is a restlessness.  I never seem to be able to stop.  I set myself one target, then have to move on to the next almost as soon as I've come anywhere near to attaining it.

I wanted to go to university, then be a DJ, then join the BBC, learn to be a reporter, then work in TV, then write a book, get it published, then do another one, then start teaching, write a play...

I seem to always need something new to entertain me.  I don't think that's necessarily an unhealthy thing (he attempts to comfort himself), as it certainly makes life interesting, but the question is - am I missing the occasional time when stopping might be a good idea?

Ah, maybe.  But then, it comes down to this, doesn't it?  How can we change what we are, and why should we?

And with that, I sense it's time to stop this musing.  Except to say - as I mentioned a few weeks ago - I'm coming to the end of the favourite songs I'm going to choose to accompany these writings. 

So, the tune I'll pick in my next blog will be my all time favourite.  Which means I'm not going to mention one here.  Instead - and I don't often do this - but how about a little quotation for a change? Oh, go on, you know you want to...

It's been sitting in mind since my thinking on the subject of restlessness started, to the extent that I added it to my new fangled internet Facebook thingy earlier -

"Clay lies still, but blood's a rover;
Breath's a ware that will not keep.
Up, lad; when the journey's over
There'll be time enough for sleep."

A E Housman - just wonderful.  He was a restless soul, too.

It's second only to the dreaded writer's block.  I've come to think of it as the long drop, and it's the point at which you part company with a major piece of work.

How best to explain it?  Well, probably like this -

I think of writing as all about relationships, with the author at the centre. I have relationships with my agent and publishers, my characters, and most of all my readers.  And with every new book, or other big writing project I get involved in, I come to have a relationship with that, too. 

It's often little different to falling in love. 

You find an idea you like - it comes upon you, or you just meet up.  You spend some time with it, and the fondness grows.  And then it matures into the knowledge that the initial idea can become a book. 

You spend many months planning it, and then even more months writing it.  And so, when you reach the end of all that, and it's done... you can feel lost without it.  You get used to having it around, thinking about it every hour, and suddenly it's all over, and you're wondering how you're going to cope without it.

Am I sounding melodramatic?  Perhaps, yes, but that's the best way I can think of to try to describe the feeling.  It's happened with every big piece of work that I've undertaken, from books to play to teaching sessions.

I'm now getting to that dreaded stage with the new tvdetective novel I'm working on.  The first draft is almost complete, there's just one chapter left to write, and I can feel the separation looming.  And I very much don't care for it.

There are lots of other bits of work about to occupy me - plenty of talks and teaching, as well as thinking about some other writing I want to start sketching out the ideas for.

But, in the next few days, the love of my life (for the last few months, anyway) will be leaving me.  Until that is, we're reunited, when it comes time for the editing.  But that's never as exciting as the first time we got together.

Oh dear, now I am going on.  Maybe I should start writing romance?  But, then again...

Finally then, before I depart to contemplate the looming of the long drop, a choice of tune for this blog. Today, I'm going for Knockin' on Heaven's Door, because it's a great song, and because I'm in that kind of mood.  Everyone say - aaaaahhh!

And lastly, finally, (I promise this time), I've been booked for a few rather interesting events in the next month or two. Keep an eye on the News page, if you're interested, and when I've finished dropping I shall duly post them - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I've just about landed back in dear Devon after a week of teaching at the wonderful Swanwick Writers' Summer School, so 'tis time for some reflections.

Well, it was certainly a week of innovations.

Firstly, never before have I tried to explain what the media are interested in regarding writers, so that was quite an experience.  Thanks to my class for playing along with my strange ways of doing things, particularly the newsroom exercise - it was certainly illustrative how many of you went for the tutor caught in bed with a delegate story.  You scandalmonger bunch!

Here's a tale to learn from - beware of friends who ask for a "small favour".  Would you help me by reading a couple of lines in a play I've written? he asked, with all innocence. No problem, said I... only to discover my part was half of the play - I was a dim and officious policeman, say no more -  including some very bad dancing on stage in front of a couple of hundred people. 

Give me live TV for being less nerve-jangling anyday.  In future, I shall stick to writing the words, not trying to perform them.

Thanks also to the small group of most amused delegates who gathered to enjoy me cooling down and stretching on the lawn after a run across the beautiful Derbyshire countryside - I was only sweating so hard because of the weight of all the food we'd been eating, ok?  It's nothing to do with my fitness levels!

And when one very sweet lady asked me to autograph a tvdetective book in that state, how could I refuse? On a practical level, I was far too weak to do so!  Never have I signed a book in such a situation before, and I was pleased not to drip a drop of sweat upon the work in question.

The courses were as excellent and informative as ever, and have left me with a taste of what to do for my next venture. I think it's time to try writing for youngsters, on the very sensible basis that I'm still a big kid at heart.

And that's so much of what Swanwick is about - sparking new ideas and enthusiasm.

Another memorable experience was being called over to a table of giggling ladies at dinner, with the so very naive thought they wanted to talk serious matters of writing - only to find they wanted to test the muscles they'd seen in my exercises of earlier.  I should charge for such services!  Although I'm not sure how much I'd make...

The entertainments were as enticing as ever - the Latin Dancing (no, I couldn't do it, before you ask, what did you expect?), and the Buskers' Night were particular delights.  I could have listened to the Songsters of Swanwick until dawn.

The delegates so friendly, so keen, so talented, it's truly a land of smiles, a delight and privilege to be a part of.  The tutors so warm, so instructive.  Ah, such a fine time, I'm missing it already.  So here's a big cheers to one and all for a great week!

Finally then, a favourite tune for this blog. I think I've got to pick one from the Buskers' Night, so I'm going for The Boxer, that seminal Paul Simon song.  He's probably my favourite songwriter, were I forced to pick, with lyrics that can so easily make the skin shiver. 

And if you're interested, it's curious that my favourite part is the "missing" verse, about the passage of time.  As to why, well, it's because... ah, that's for another blog.

So might the verdict have gone at any stage of my education, but the point of this report is that it's mine on my day of teaching the youngsters of Falmouth about the joys of books, writing, and being a journalist.

I think it went well.  Or do I mean hope?!

I've never quite come to understand how of all the talks and teaching I do, it's the sessions with the kids that make me the most nervous. 

I was thinking about that as I drove to Cornwall yesterday, and wonder if it's because I believe they're the most important.  The battle for a child's mind in this modern world is such a competitive one.  They're always being bombarded with the lure of video games, TV, the internet and so much else.

To instil a love of reading and writing seems quite a challenge.  But I'm glad to say, from what I've seen, that love is very much there.

My main message of yesterday was about the joy of the imagination. Why, in summary, I'd contend that books are better than films - because films force someone else's imagination upon you, but with a book you have to engage your own and picture the world the writer is creating.  It's harder work, yes, but far more rewarding.

I was delighted the youngsters were very receptive to that.  I did what I usually do when teaching children, and tried to hide the education/message bit in a fair pile of fun.  We played a few games - like a mock newsroom, complete with some bizarre breaking stories, and followed a puzzle trail of clues to lead us to a solution. All in all, I think they enjoyed it and got something from it.

As for me, I got plenty, perhaps more even than the kids, which is often the case.  And I don't just mean the booze kindly donated by the organisers, the excellent Barrington Green!  I learnt more about what works best in this teaching lark, and I felt - for one day only, as the old saying goes - that I was almost young again.

There's so much energy, zest, creativity and enthusiasm in these mini-adult things. It's infectious and uplifting.

Now I'm turning my attention to teaching the grown ups, with a session at the wonderful Swanwick Writers' Summer School.  Speaking of which, I'd better get working on the last details of what I'm planning, as it all starts tomorrow.  One day, I will be more organised...

Right then, finally a favoured Hall tune for this blog, and why not Guns N' Roses and Sweet Child O' Mine, as it kind of goes with the theme of these musings.

Don't forget, if you're interested in any of the teaching work I do, either for the big people or the smaller, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  

I can always guarantee enthusiasm with the teaching, it's just the ability part that's more debatable..

I spent some of last night tieing down the details of the end of the new tvdetective book, and found myself with this problem -

I thought I knew exactly how I wanted it to end, but now I can see a different denouement is not only possible, but perhaps more appropriate, given the subject and the roles of the various characters.

Cue some agonising, searching of the soul (or what's left of it after all these years as a reporter), lots of scribbling, lots more crossing out, and (more happily), several tins of beer to help me wrestle with the ogre.

I still haven't quite resolved it, but I'm mostly sure which way I'm going.  Forgive me for not revealing too much, as it could spoil the book for you if you come to read it, but what I can tell you is this.

It's a classic issue which has faced authors all down the years - whether to go for a happy or sad ending.

It's also caused huge debate throughout history.  Years ago, I read with fascination about Dickens battles with himself - and indeed his publishers - about how he should end his books.  Great Expectations was the argument I found chimed particularly.  I was never convinced a more optimistic ending worked.  As, indeed, was the great man himself.

In America, when churning out another film, Hollywood won't abide a sad ending because audiences hate them (and thus may not come back to the cinema for too long = less money for the producers etc.)  But they're often so much more true to life.

So, with this dilemma I shall be spending the next few days, and we'll see how it all gets resolved. 

But I'm not so unhappy about having a decent problem to work on - it's all part of the writing business, and keeps me entertained.  I'm seldom more contented than when armed with a notepad, a pen, and some thinking to do.

Finally then, another choice of tune to go with this musing, and today it's Blondie, and One Way or Another, because it's kind of in keeping with the blog, but also because it's a darned fine song.

So, here we go, with the Hall take on it all -

It is a question I sometimes have put to me; that a problem with the tvdetective books is that, in real life, it's unlikely a journalist would be allowed so close to a police investigation. But happily,  I never worry too much about reality.

(Quick digression - I suspect I'm all the happier for it, but back to the point...)

As to why I don't worry unduly about reality, well, there's a clue in the specialist word for these book things that we such authors write, and it's this - fiction.

We're here to entertain.  Not to give you chapter and verse on police procedures.  For that, a book known as non-fiction is required.  And they tend to be rather less popular as good old escapist entertainment.

The world can be unpleasant enough - or even less than exciting - for plenty of people. Why add to it?  Why not entertain instead?

I'm not saying there doesn't have to be some connection with the real world.  I think a plot and the characters should be plausible.  But even if unlikely, so long as they're providing decent entertainment, what's the problem?

If readers want to be analytical, they're quite capable of dividing what's likely to be the way things really are, and what's not. 

If books which contain an element of policing try to be too true to life, they'll end up reaching  thousands of pages long and be deadly dull for most of their span. For such can be the mundane reality of the job.  A policeman's lot, is indeed, not always a happy one.

We writer folk just take a few hints of reality and dress them up in action and drama, intrigue and suspense.  I enjoy writing them that way, so hopefully people will enjoy reading them, too.

The critics who have a problem with it perhaps take life a little too seriously.  And in my humble view, that's a dreadful error.

I am though, of course, always happy to answer questions about the tvdetective books, or any areas of my writing work. If you've got a question, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Finally, a song for this blog, and as I'm on a theme of not taking life too seriously, how about something a little different?  Thus I choose I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major General, from The Pirates of Penzance.  Because I defy you to listen and not smile.

My chapters are getting shorter.

When first I was published, the chapters tended to be around three thousand words in length. Now they're about half that.

Which set me wondering - what's going on there?

I'm not sure is the honest answer. I suppose you'd expect a writing style to change and evolve.  It happens with everyone in the arty way - from musicians to painters, and all in between.

As to why, perhaps some of it is about learning. As you go about this great writing journey, you try out new things. Some work and some don't, and you learn and adapt. 

One of the great benefits of shorter chapters is that they bring real pace to a novel - they ensure that developments happen fast.

I wonder if it's a reflection of modern life, with busy people and shorter attention spans.

It could be similar to these television programmes, like soap operas, where the writers try to make sure no single scene lasts for more than about two minutes. That way they can do their best to retain their viewers' interest. 

Or maybe it's just the natural pushing the boundaries thing that we curious humans do - trying out new things.

Whatever, it wasn't a conscious decision - it just happened.  Which is a key theme in these little musings, as regular sufferers will know.  One of the great joys of writing is that it taps straight into the nexus of your mind, to reveal what's going on there - even if you may not know it yourself.

Now, a couple of other things to mention, before I sign off for this particular wandering of the thoughts. 

My publishers and I have just begun thinking about the cover and blurb for the next book, which is all jolly splendid.  As it's a new publisher, I expect the jackets to look very different from the previous selection, which is both a little daunting and exciting, too. 

There's some work to be done and doubtless a few robust discussions to be had.  But that's the way of these things and I'm looking forward to it. The book is on course to be released in April of next year. 

I'm afraid I still can't reveal the title though, as these things can change at short notice!

Finally, a tune for this blog, and today I'm going for Free Fallin', by Tom Petty. 

That's for no better reason than I heard it on the radio whilst driving to a story this week, was reminded how fine a song it is, and also because it feels appropriate for the current (unprecedentedly!) sunny weather.

I've spent part of the weekend thinking / wondering / agonising about how to do it (most of the rest I've spent along with the others of the English nation, staring in awe at the fiery newcomer to the sky.  And about time, too.)

I've come up with a conclusion, which is that probably the best way to teach them is to disguise the fact that it's happening in lots of fun and games. So goes the theory, and that's all very well - now it's a case of trying to make it happen.

I've devised some exercises which I hope will appeal, and interestingly they're much the same as the ones I play with the grown ups when I'm teaching them. Which I suppose is a good thing, or indeed tells you something in that they're just smaller versions of we lumbering adult things, after all.

I know it's something I should be doing, however much thought it's taking.  In this age of the internet, and video games everywhere, I think it's more important than ever to get youngsters interested in the magic of books and the kingdom of the imagination.

But it is the teaching of children that drags me furthest out of my comfort zone, forces me to think the hardest, and makes for the most apprehensive.  It's also the time when I do the most improvising, and sometimes in very strange ways.  You just never know what they're going to ask.

One session I did, a young lad put up his hand, right in the middle of the lesson. I thought it must be urgent so I asked what he wanted to know, and he said "Do you like ice skating?" Which wasn't exactly what I was expecting, to say the least.

(Not really is the answer - I'm not very good at balance and coordination and tend to fall over a lot.)

I reassure myself that I shall have excellent assistants to help me through, but also with this thought - as I'm a big kid myself, it surely can't be too much of an ordeal.

Right, music time, and this morning, as another Hall favourite, I'm choosing Price Tag, by Jessie J.  Partly because I was stung by a recent comment - do I like any modern music?! - but mostly because of the sentiment behind the song, and how it fits with today's ramblings.

It comes to mind now after last night's talk at the Chudleigh Literary Festival (my thanks to all who came along for laughing at the right points in the performance, and being so kind and welcoming.)

I enjoyed myself, and felt the talk went well (hope you did too, if you were there!), but it was particularly noteworthy for two of the oddest interruptions I've ever experienced.

The first was the arrival of a large dog, who came bounding in the entrance to the marquee, sniffed around at a few people, chairs etc., frolicked a little, and was then retrieved by his flustered owner.

And there was me hoping it was someone else coming to hear me...

Well, I managed to move on from that rather bizarre interlude, and a few minutes later came the next ....

... a mobile phone burbling out loudly with a ring tone which was none other than The Archers.

I must confess, I found myself at rather a loss to know what to say.  What can you do in situations such as those but ride with them and laugh along with everyone else? In fact, I'm still giggling now.  It was quite an achievement to get through the rest of the event.

It all served to remind me of an occasion at work (day job work), where a man strolled up to me for a chat.  That, in itself, isn't unusual, but what stuck in my mind was that he did so while I was live on air. 

It took a few seconds to explain that I wasn't being rude, but really couldn't speak to him at that moment.  And he was kind enough to understand.  But I was sure I could hear the laughter around the region, and all directed at me.

Such is life.  I suppose it would be dull if it all went the way we expected - it certainly doesn't for me, or for poor Dan in the tvdetective books.  But then again, I wouldn't mind if it just occasionally ran according to my plans!  Just once or twice...

Right, time for a favourite Hall tune, but first a quick answer to a question. I received an email last week asking how many of my top songs I planned to list here?

(Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html )

I hadn't considered before, but have decided around a hundred will be it.  I average about two blogs a week, so that's a year's worth of songs and it feels right.

Back then to this ramble's choice, and today it's Pulp and Common People, because of that fantastic video, but also as there's a bit of fine improvisation in the song in what Jarvis decides to show his new found friend.  It's a wonderful piece of work all round, and always makes me smile.

I sometimes think it's a curse.  It means I can never stand still, and any notion of a holiday which consists of just laying upon a beach is banished to the far reaches of fantasy.  But, on the whole, I'm glad of it. 

I think it makes life more interesting.  Indeed, what's this great game of existence for if not to explore as much of the thing as you can?

I raise the thought in this blog, because last week I did a talk to a business breakfast group in East Devon (quick aside - thanks for all being so welcoming and kind, by the way), and decided I'd try something new, just to see if I could do it.

When I give a talk, I usually note down a few key points that I want to mention and chat around them.  But on this occasion, I thought I'd put the notes aside and see if I could just talk for half an hour, without referring to them.

It was a little nerve-jangling at a couple of points, when I found myself wondering what the bloody hell (if you'll excuse the phrase) to say next, but I think it mostly worked.  And it was a very interesting experience, forcing myself to think on my feet and talk, whilst at the same time working out what was going to come next.

For a man, that's taking multi-tasking to a nigh unprecedented level.  It certainly gave me a buzz and allowed me to think I'd tried something new.   Which ticked a big Hall box in the list of life.

I'm currently working on the next talk, for the Chudleigh Literary Festival, on Wednesday (July 18th), and may try the trick again... but then again may not.  I suspect it'll depend on how big the audience is, and how confident I'm feeling. 

If you're coming along, I'll leave it to you to judge how it goes! There are details of the festival on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html   It looks like a great event, and a real tribute to the community to set it up, so do please support it if you can.

Finally then, another favourite Hall song, and today I choose one of my top Beatles tunes. It's Don't Let Me Down, because of the sentiment, the soulfulness of the vocals, and no doubt the sentiment the poor people at Chudleigh will now be suffering after this blog.

And it got me thinking of the past, as these things can often do.

It's a lingering regret that I didn't study history after the age of 16. I realise now how much I enjoyed it, and how much I would probably have got out of it.

I raise this now partly because there's a historical sequence in the new tvdetective book.  It's not so very far back, only the 1980s, but the research was great fun.  It made me feel very nostalgic, which is always kinda cute, as the saying goes.

I've noticed I often put a dabble of history in the books.  There's a fair chunk in The Balance of Guilt. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it, but it's about the dilemmas of history, and what the Churchill - Coventry bombing debate taught us.  There's something about a dimension of history which adds great depth to a book.  It's like a trip to another world.

Which brings up a theme I've commonly followed in these meanderings - how much you can learn about yourself when writing.  That's one of the great joys of the journey.  It's as much an exploration of yourself as anything else. 

The delight of it is that it's all subconscious. Never did I sit down and decide I'm going to write something with an historical echo.  It just emerged.  Which is all very interesting. 

Writing, it seems, allows me to let myself go.  Perhaps it's even a form of therapy.  It's certainly a stress release.  Heaven knows I need it some days.

Anyway, back to the history thing, before I digress too far, and perhaps what set off the nostalgia was the sight of a me with less stomach and more hair.  Ah, those lost perks of youth.

Right, before I start shedding tears, perhaps it's time to get back to the writing.

Finally then, a song for this blog, and today it's a strange one, but I'm going for it anyway as we're on a history / time theme. 

It's Abba, and The Day Before You Came.  Yes, because it's of the past, but also because I love the way of describing that wonderful moment in life when everything can change so much in just one instant...

I'm a happy chap, because the contracts for the new tvdetective books have been signed and all is going ahead swimmingly.  The kind publishers want three, spread out over the next two years, which is all very flattering but of course brings a little problem - 

Writing the things!

However, that's not so bad. As regular sufferers of these rants will know, I write as a hobby. The fact that people actually read, and even enjoy my scrbblings, is a delightful side effect.

The ideas for the next three books are in place, which I always think is a large part of the battle. The plans and structures for the stories are mostly done, just need a bit of refining, and some of the writing is there too, so all is on course.

Where the unexpected problem comes in, is here - it's in the titles of the new books.

Usually, I don't have a trouble with titles. They're one of the first things I feel about a book, and normally I have a strong instinct if they work well.  Maybe that's down to my journalistic background - the way we hack-creatures hunt for a headline to sum up a story.  It's a similar art to coming up with a title for a book.

But on this occasion, the titles are proving problematic. Not for the first of the books, I think I've got that taped (and no, I'm not telling you what it is yet - mystery and suspense is part of being a crime writer, and you know how I like to tease.)

Books two and three however, are proving slippery.  Try as I might, I can't quite find the titles to suit. 

Ah well, I console myself with the thought that I've got plenty of time, and something will come.  For now, I'd best just get on with writing the things. Which, if you'll excuse me, I shall duly do.

I'll keep you up to date with progress and publication developments etc. on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html   But I can tell you that the provisional plan is for the first of the books to be released in the spring of next year.  Yeah!

Finally for this blog, another favourite tune.  I did get an email asking how many I intended to pick (it was largely complimentary about my choices, happily!), to which the answer is probably about a hundred.  That equates to around a year's worth of blogs, which feels right.

So today I'm going for Genesis, and Turn it on Again, because it (very approximately) fits with this blog, but mainly because I very much like the song.

BBC Radio Devon have kindly asked me to serialise the most recent in the series, The Balance of Guilt.  I've completed a sequence of five recordings of various sections of the book, each lasting around five minutes.

As you can imagine, this entailed some considerable agonising. I wanted to give a good sense of what the book is about, but without giving away all the plot and twists and turns, and certainly not the ending.

If you consider the book is about 100,000 words long, and each reading no more than around 800, that's only a tiny fraction of the actual novel.

So, there were many late nights sat up in my lovely study, debating, deciding, then changing my mind, then changing it back, before I finally settled on which sections to read. 

Then came the actual recordings.  And for a chap who's quite used to sitting in front of a microphone, it was strangely nerve-pummelling.  I suppose it's the old story, because it's such a part of me, so very close to my heart, that makes it all the more pressured and potent.

I love reading aloud.  When I do a talk about the books, it's one of my favourite parts (although the audience may well disagree!) It takes me back to childhood, and being read to - and also to the old days of reading to Niamh. 

All these memories I could feel following me as I sat in the studio, reading away.  Never did I ever suspect I would become one of those people whose scribblings people read - a writer is the correct technical term, I believe?! - and it felt so curious, yet so warming and wonderful. 

This authorship lark is an utter privilege, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

I'd better mention the details of the serialisation, or I'm not doing my job and giving you the whole story.  The readings are on the excellent Judi Spiers programme, which runs from 9am to noon. I'm told I'll be on in the hour from 10 - 11.  If you miss it, the show is on the BBC iplayer for a week following the broadcast.  There is no excuse or escape!

Finally then, a song to go with this blog, and today I shall choose Radio Gaga, by Queen. Not as any comment on the fantastic medium of the wireless, because it gave me my break in the media back in my DJ days, and I love it greatly. 

It's because it's a great song, particularly when performed live.  Once I was lucky enough to see that, but there lies another story...

How can you ask an author of crime novels not to be a tease when that's exactly what he enjoys? Toying with poor readers and trying to put them off the scent.  It's called suspense and intrigue!

However... I shall try to explain.

It's down to a couple of things.  Firstly, it probably stems from the research I did for The Judgement Book, (tvdetective novel 4), which was all about secrets. 

I found some interesting stats about how many people keep secrets which they think big enough to either destroy, or have a hugely damaging impact on their lives, if they became known.

The answer was surprising, (for me, anyway), and not a modest percentage!

From there, I've used secrets quite a bit in my writing. And so popping the concept into the teaching I do seemed a natural progression.

Characters are one of the foundations of any book, so I devised a little game, based on the kind of secrets that people might keep, and tried it out at the weekend in Winchester.

It was edgy, very close to the soul, and I had my concerns about whether it would work, or if people might feel too uncomfortable with it.  But I'm delighted to say everyone played along and it turned out to be a very worthwhile exercise. 

It gave us an insight into how to help build real and convincing characters, who may have powerful motives to commit crimes.  Just what you want in a crime novel.

And more I'm not going to say, as I want to use the game again and it only works well if it's a surprise.  But I hope that helps to (at least partially) answer the questions.

Finally a song for this blog, and this morning it's Black Eyed Boy, by Texas, because I love the metaphor and it kind of fits in with this musing.

Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

It really did feel like a carousel of excitement and enthusiasm, as hundreds of aspiring writers rushed back and forth between seminars, lectures and so many other activities.  An abiding memory will be sitting on the steps at the heart of the university, and watching people rush in all directions, a starburst of motion and colour, as they sought their next destinations.

I was teaching crime writing, and had a great time. I'd like to thank all those on my courses for being so keen, so creative, and for playing along with my strange way of doing things.

I can confess now that I threw things at you that I've never tried before - and some were very edgy indeed (I was actually nervous at a couple of points, in case you took umbrage!) But I did it because I thought you were up for it, and that it was worthwhile in getting to the soul of this writing business. 

And as for the secrets game we played, I can reassure you now that your secrets are safe with me!

I came away with a sense of awe and wonder at the sheer amount of talent and energy on display - and that from writers who are, in the main, unpublished. I heard some wonderful ideas for books and stories, saw some excellent examples of the writing craft, and met people who made me think and smile in equal measure. It was a magnificent experience - thank you one and all, delegates and organisers.

I was so impressed with the conference that even a return to the student bedroom experience (width of bed - my backside plus a little margin for error, a plastic mattress, and shared showers and loos) made me feel nostalgic for the lost days of youth.

Here's to all those I met.  I hope I managed to help you, just a little, upon your way, and wish you all the very best with your writing.  And do keep in touch and let me know how it goes.

I love the teaching thing that I do, and when I hear about the success of someone who I may have helped, it can give me a warm glow for weeks. 

(And don't forget the ten per cent cut of any future earnings.  Did I omit to mention that bit?!)

Finally, as ever, a choice of one of my favourite songs to accompany this blog, and today I'm going for Bon Jovi's Keep the Faith.  Because it's a reflection of how hard life can be when it's not running for you - and how often that can be the case for aspiring writers! - but also, critically,  the importance of never giving up.

As I said when I ended my sessions at Winchester - just make sure you do Keep the Faith. Because from all that I've seen, I certainly have faith in you.

Those who've suffered my ambling orations will know that I tend to make them light-hearted affairs, with a few (vaguely) amusing anecdotes from my life reporting and writing.  But this time, I've been asked to make the talk more thoughtful and serious.

Cue a mild panic, as I try to come to terms with those weighty demands. However!

I've spent the last couple of weeks thinking about what I'm going to say, and am hopeful I'll make a decent stab at it. Without spoiling it for anyone who might be coming along, I'm planning to go into more depth on characterisation, the intimacy of the relationship between the author and the reader, and the old (yet still fascinating) issues of soul searching about how and why we scribblers write.

Anyway, as with so many things, when you start thinking about it in some detail you tend to learn a fair bit yourself. And I've come to this curious conclusion in recent days.

I've been writing for eight years now, and I think I could argue that time has effectively been a long, but hugely enjoyable, period of study akin to an English degree. 

I've been trying to understand for myself how books work, how characters are formed and interact and live, how plots and sub-plots and various forms of narrative work, and all that kind of clever stuff.

I read Natural Sciences at the big school which is commonly known as university, as I harboured ambitions to be a teacher at the time. It would have meant I could teach maths, physics and chemistry, which seemed more interesting than just one single subject.  Now I wonder if I got the decision wrong, and should have studied English.

Ah well, it's a Hall principle that there's little point having regrets, or overly revisiting the past, so I won't dwell on that one, however interesting a thought. 

But it does go to reinforce what I always think about this wonderful game called life - there's plenty of time within it to have more than one career. And, as I shall be telling the doubtless fascinated and captivated folk at Winchester next week (hopefully!), I'm very glad I found this writing one, however late, and via however wandering a route.

Ok then, a song for this blog, and today I'm going for Rattlesnakes, by Lloyd Cole, because he's a great (and underrated, in my view) songwriter, and it's a very fine tune about one sad journey of life.

Finally, I've had quite a few good questions come in of late, and I will get around to answering some soon, I promise.  Don't forget if there's anything you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Holidays are good in that they exist.  They're less good in that they come to an end.

However, I had a splendid time. As with my dear friend Dan in the tvdetective books, I tend to holiday close to home, usually in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

The reasons are twofold - being frightened of flying (and I mean proper scared - wanting to open the plane door and get out, despite being 30,000 feet up) rather scuppers any hope of going much further afield.  Plus, I just love the south west.

Walking is a preferred pastime, and not just to the pub.  And where better than here for some fine walking? I've just followed some new trails, around the Roseland in Cornwall, and Falmouth too, and it was wonderful.  The only thing missing was a dog like Rutherford to take along, but that day will come.

One of the finest gifts a holiday bestows is the time and space to do some thinking. The working week can get so busy and tiring that there's precious little space left for much, apart from the basic art of survival.

I used some of the respite to work on ideas for the latest teaching I'm doing; next week (June 22nd/23rd) at the Winchester Writers' Conference.  I like to vary the lessons, and I've come up with a couple of exercises I hope are going to be both fun and thought-provoking.

They're on two themes - secrets and surprises.

Surprises, or twists, are so important in crime, and I think I've found an entertaining way to make people think originally in order to try to create them.  I try to put at least a couple of surprises in each of the tvdetective books, and not just the fact I've actually written the things!

The secrets part may get a little edgy, as it digs into the danger zone of our souls, but I think (hope?!) it'll be worthwhile.  It's my view that keeping secrets is a fundamental of human existence (The Judgement Book is all about secrets and was highly enjoyable to write for that), so it's certainly worth exploring.

No more about the exercises here - I don't want to spoil it for those of you coming to Winchester. I'm greatly looking forward to the conference, it seems a feast of writing fun. If you're interested, there's more on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

So, I'd better get back to planning it all, but first a favourite song for this blog.  Today, it's Wrapped Around Your Finger, by The Police.  A great tune, for the enigma of the music, but also the age-old, but no less intriguing story of master and apprentice...

Everywhere you looked were people determined to celebrate, and in great numbers.

It set me thinking about the times when communities really come together.  I see it myself in my day job as - as does Dan in the tvdetective books.  And it's always about the extremes of emotion.

In the mundane, ordinary days of life we plod onwards, often with little thought for much but simply surviving the week.  But when disaster strikes, it's about the only heartening element of the episode, the touching humanity and sense of society that draws people together to try to help each other.

There's plenty of bad news to be had for Dan and I in our careers. But I'm proud to say that we both do our very best to present the positive side of life, too however much it may be hidden.  And that's what I've observed countless times, people helping others who are suffering or struggling.

At times such as the Jubilee, the togetherness is easier - it's a celebration, after all. But even there I saw strangers sharing cups of tea to keep warm and umbrellas to try to shelter from the rain.

I mention all this now because there's a big sense of community coming together in the new tvdetective book, which has made me reflect on all I saw at the weekend.  It's a great human phenomenon, a real test of the strength of our society, an uplifting spectacle, and long may it continue, too!

Finally then, a song to go with this blog, and how about a bit of Beatles, to try to make the theme work?  Let's go for Come Together, a very fine song and also a great sentiment.

It was this - why doesn't Dan, or any of the other characters in the tvdetective series, have a hobby?  Would this not help make them more rounded people?

I do sometimes worry about how thoughtful my readers can be.  I never claimed my books to be high literature - just a few hours worth of passably passable entertainment, some thrills, a good mystery and perhaps the odd insight into the world of television, (and my strange mind). 

Anyway, I shall attempt to answer, and I think there are two parts to the response.

Firstly, there's the dull old practical one.  You only have a limited number of words to play with when writing a book (circa 100 thousand), so the more time you spend on background characterisation like hobbies, the less you have for the real action and plot.  And that tends to be the most important element in crime fiction.

But yes, of course, the characters have to be real.  And that's where the second part of the answer comes in.  My dear friends do have hobbies, but not necessarily of a widely-recognised kind.

I could, for example, argue that Dan's hobby forms the core of the series - solving crimes. It's not his real job, just something he finds interesting and has a talent for.  He does also have a kind of other hobby in exploring the wonderful Devon countryside with Rutherford.

As for Adam, he's rather too dedicated to his detective work and family, Claire has her hands more than full dealing with Dan and his daft emotions and vulnerabilities, and El's driven so much by getting those lucrative snaps that you could call it his job and his hobby all in one!

And as for the (alleged) master of the gang (I say alleged as they don't always do as they're told by any means), I suppose his main hobby is writing.  It's not my day job, after all, and I'm just fortunate enough that some kind people saw fit to publish my scribblings, and some even kinder folk decided to read them.

I also enjoy my walking, particularly around the beautiful River Exe, and composing the odd curious Tweet (as you may have noticed), plus some judging at Beer Festivals, and tending to my bizarre and often wayward gang of real-life friends.  That lot's more than enough for a man.

So, I hope that's a satisfactory answer to the question of hobbies.  Finally then, to a hobby that's been with me since the earliest days I can remember, singing along in the car to the tunes my parents would choose, and a song to go with this blog.  Where would the world be without music?

Today, I choose T-Rex and Hot Love, as it's one of those that has stuck in my mind since the faraway days of being so young - I must only have been around 3 when it came out.  I can still see Dad and I, drumming on the dashboard...

Don't forget, it you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, I always enjoy hearing from you.  You can get in touch via the Contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  And if you want to follow my Tweetings, you can find me  @thetvdetective

Is it a problem if my characters keep changing the ending I'd planned for a story?

It was well-timed, as I'm currently working on characters for a new tvdetective book, and one in particular; a man who'll be so central to the novel (and fascinating, hopefully) that I want him to dominate it.

For a while now, I feel I've been guilty of the old charge levelled at we scribblers of crime fiction - that we let the plot dominate to the extent that it eclipses the characters in a book.

I've always thought this is very likely, if not inevitable, in a form of story-telling which is, by its nature, driven by the plot.  But I do also think that with some thought and work, you can get a balance which means the participants can have at least as much prominence as the storyline.

I won't go too much into my new character - writer's jealousy and secrecy, and all that! - but I'm greatly enjoying getting to know him. He's very weird, which always appeals to me, and I'm currently trying to get his backstory right, to work out exactly why that is. 

But more importantly, he's so interesting and appealing to me that he's now left me working the rest of the book around him.  Which is a first for me, and brings me back to the question that started this blog.

The answer to which is clearly - no!  It's great if characters start to dictate what goes on in a book, because that way they're living real lives, and so are rising from the paper to be genuine people.  And if they're convincing you, as an author, that they're real, then they stand a much better chance of doing the same for your readers.

Back then to my new friend, (who, if you're interested, I'm currently giving a distinctive smell to - odours are very important in characters in my humble view.  Most people have them in some way, and they can be highly evocative - in a good or bad manner.) 

But before I go, a choice of favourite song for this rambling, and may I humbly propose Billy Joel's Piano Man.  Because in just a few lines it creates a vivid sense of a character; his life, his plight, and his irresistible hopes.

Finally, don't forget if you've got a question you want to ask about the tvdetective books - or any area of my writing - or leave a comment, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

I was covering the loss of the three Weymouth and Portland fishermen, following the sinking of their boat last week.  And it was an emotional experience.

I spoke to many people who knew the men, and read the scores of tributes which had been left all along the quayside in Weymouth.  And it was impossible to come away without feeling very moved, and deeply saddened.  The men were Dorset born and raised, well-known, and very much loved.

Whilst on the quayside, I was asked by a couple who knew the men - and very kindly, I thought - about how I cope with such difficult times.  It's a very good question, and one I've often asked myself.  Dan does the same in the tvdetective books, and it's some of what he thinks that I think is the answer.

Firstly, every single one of such reports he produces, he always remembers. It's the humanity of such a sudden, unexpected, and utterly unfair loss.  Dan says it etches an indelible mark on the heart, and I'd certainly agree with that.

Secondly, such times can be highly emotionally charged, and the media may be less than welcome.  I tell myself that if it wasn't me doing the reporting, it would be someone else, and they may handle it less sensitively.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, I always try to get what I say just right - not only accurate, but well-judged and appropriate.  Thoughtless or careless words can really hurt, so I do my best to reflect the people who have been lost in the way their friends and family would wish.

It was very emotional this week, but a particular moment lifted me as we left the quay that evening. A member of one of the men's families told me she thought we had been very respectful and sensitive in the way we conducted ourselves and compiled our report.

And that meant a great deal to me.

I said it at the time, but I'd like to say it again here - my thoughts go with the family and friends of David, Robert and Jack.

Finally, if you don't mind, I won't choose a favourite song to go with this blog, as has been the tradition of late.  It just doesn't feel right.  I'll wait until the sun is shining unmarred once more.

It's a question I'm often asked.  And for me, there are two answers - one more complex, one very simple.

The intricate one first.  It's about the preparation.

I think you've got to get plenty of variety into a talk - some humour, a bit of seriousness, some poignancy, a few anecdotes, and also an insight into what you do and why. 

It all helps to keep the audience engaged, stop them switching off.  And that mix of textures can only come from planning the thing, and doing it well.  

I always put plenty of work in beforehand - usually for each hour of a session, there are at least two, perhaps three of preparation.  When I'm teaching writing, it's even more - often four or five hours of preparation for each one of delivery. 

The second part of the answer, the simple one, is this - it's about speaking from the heart.  If you're talking about a subject, it's because it interests you, or you have some considerable knowledge of it, or preferably both.  So, don't be afraid to let it go, the reason it appeals to you. 

One thing we're all interested in about this curious game of life is other people.  And a route into someone else, when they give away a part of themselves, is invariably intriguing.

It sounds easy to do, but we're modest and reserved, and so it's not quite that straightforward, but... have a go and give it a try.  It can be very refreshing and rewarding, both for the speaker and audience.

If you're interested in coming along to the talk, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  along with others I'm doing this summer. It promises to be a busy one, happily.   As Oscar Wilde might have said, there's only one thing worse than being very busy...

Finally, a song for this ramble, and as we're talking about the heart, I'm going back to the 1980s and ABC's All of My Heart.  Some great lyrics, and taken from a very fine album (The Lexicon of Love), which is well worth a listen if you haven't tried it and fancy something new.

Not because they carry lots with them, or anything such - no, it's because they take a darned long time to change course.

I've been trying to switch from playwright mode into novelist, with what can only be described as limited success.  After the delightful immersion in An Unnecessary Murder, I'm now getting back to trying to edit the new tvdetective book, but... here's the thing.

Every time I attempt to wax a little lyrical - describe some scenery, take a journey through a character's thoughts, or meander off on a little sub-plot, I keep finding myself wanting to write more dialogue and action.

I suspected it might take a while to get over the addiction of the theatrical world, but now it's becoming silly.  It won't leave me alone!

I can only conclude it's the old story of getting old, and it taking a while for the brain to switch modes.  I've noticed it can also happen in the day job - if I'm doing a piece of radio reporting, I have to think very hard about how to make it work, creating the pictures with words, instead of having them there to write about.

Ah well, I think it's coming, or at least hope so.  My poor publishers have been very patient, waiting for me to get over the emotions of life's storms, and then working on the play, before finally getting round to finishing the new book. 

On a more positive note, it is coming and I hope to have firm news about it in the next few weeks - negotiations are underway, as they say, etc etc.

Finally then, a song for this blog, and today I'm going for New Kid in Town, by The Eagles. Because of the poignancy of its lyrics, particularly on the theme we've been discussing - the cycles of life.  We've all felt this way...

If you're joining me at either, I think I can offer you an interesting time.  I've come up with a couple of new exercises, on the dangerous but fascinating themes of secrets and surprises.  They delve into the soul of this being human / writing lark and I'm looking forward to trying them out.

It's all gone to remind me just how much I enjoy teaching.  It was the career I first thought of following, back in those far-away dusty A level days. Likewise at university, until I got beguiled by the lure of DJing and the media. (More drinking, more late nights, more girls etc.)

I suspect the interest in teaching is partly why I became a hack, too - the job is all about informing, but with some entertainment mixed in.  And I suppose that might be part of why I went on to write. Again it's all about entertaining, along with informing.  The kind readers of the tvdetective books who get in touch often say they very much enjoy the insight into the strange world of television.

It's been another part of the writing journey, the getting to know yourself thing. There's often so much going in in these busy modern lives of ours that we can neglect the most obvious area to explore - ourselves.

One of the joys of writing has been getting to know myself better - seeing the things I love and hate come out in print, and often without the input of any conscious thought.  It's curious how that happens, but certainly instructive.

And teaching has been a big part of that.  I love the opportunity to give people a fresh insight or thought about something, and the interactions with those who come along.  It always makes me think, keeps me on my toes, and I often come away having learnt as much as anyone.

It's one of those wonderful features of this big and exciting / scary game called life in which you never stop learning.  And that I relish.

Right, time for another favoured Hall tune to end this entry, and today I'm going for Father and Son, by Cat Stevens.  You'll know by now of my weakness for great lyrics, and few come finer than this - and all on the theme of (a kind of) attempt to do some teaching.

I suppose it's part of what writers do - liking to try something different, shifting out of the comfort zone, setting yourself a new challenge.  What's life for, if not to move onwards, learn and innovate?

Much of this week has been spent working in London, and it's there I'm considering as a setting.  It's a little different from Devon, to say the least.  Many people may rave about the metropolis, but it's certainly not to my taste. Nor do I think it would be to Dan's, although the tougher and more stoic Adam would probably cope better.

The first thing I always notice about London is the noise. Endless traffic, people shouting into phones and at each other, the near-continual screaming of sirens. It's a setting which would certainly make for a stressful, highly pressured backdrop if I'm dabbling with a thriller of a plot.

Everything in London is such a hustle, whether it's for a space on the tube, or a seat in a bar or restaurant.  Nothing is simple.  I could certainly set some interesting challenges for the boys in the big city.

But then... I came home to Devon and the thoughts started to wane.  I struggle to imagine anywhere better than here to live, so why might I want to write about anywhere else?

The upshot of this blog is that I'm very glad to be home.  To be able to breathe air, rather than chew it, is a simple, often overlooked pleasure.  And to be able to hear birdsong and the trees whispering in the breeze...

Yep, I think I've managed a first in this little musing - I've been debating with myself what to do about the setting for the book for a few days, and in the space of this I've talked myself out of basing it in the capital.  I'd be ashamed; It would feel disloyal to my wonderful home county!

Right then, finally a song to go with the blog, and today what better than Paul Simon's Homeward Bound?  A lament to longing to be back where we belong.

As with so much of his work, it taps straight into an emotion shared by every member of the human race at some time in their life.  And it's a darned good song, too.

My stock humourous answer is currently yes, but only when I've calmed down after An Unnecessary Murder - which probably means in about ten years or so.

I've take the question as a compliment, as nobody has added the rider "let me know so I can be sure to avoid it". Quite the contrary, I've been lifted and flattered by all the kind and warm feedback, so thanks very much to everyone who's got in touch.

Back then to the question, and the answer is yes - I would try to write another play, although not for a while. It's about time I got on with finishing another tvdetective novel first.

(And a quick aside to those of you who keep asking - yes, work on the next one is well advanced.)

My experience of the fascinating world of the stage was a great privilege on many levels. Early in the process of the shaping of An Unnecessary Murder, I realised I was learning a huge amount.  Not only about the theatrical life, but also about the arts of writing character, dialogue and action - very useful indeed for a humble novelist.

As the rehearsals proceeded, I told myself it would have all been worthwhile even if no one came along to see the thing.  But that, of course, was my safety net in case of disappointment (a basic human need, isn't it?), and I was delighted when so many people did.

And then there are the friends and allies you make on such a project - a truly emotional and bonding journey as you strive together in pursuit of the common goal, the best possible performance. I still miss the play and the cast and crew, and suspect I shall for a good many months.

As ever in life, it's the humanity of an experience that touches you the most.

If / when I do write another play, I'll keep you updated on the News and Events page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  I've been sloppy about filling it in of late, but have resolved to be more diligent.  I've got quite a few talks and events coming up in the next few months, and will pop them on.

So finally, a favourite song to go with this blog (however vaguely).  And this morning I'm going for my first classical choice, and Carl Orff's O Fortuna, from Carmina Burana.  I've chosen it because it feels dramatic, and is a good musical estimate of my emotions as I  watched the performances of An Unnecessary Murder.

It's my happy experience to report that when people want to have a chat with me, almost without exception they're very polite and charming and there's never a problem.  They just want to talk about something I've covered on the TV, or one of the tvdetective books, or more recently the play.

A quick aside here - can I say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who's taken the trouble to get in touch and tell me how much they enjoyed An Unnecessary Murder. Your words have meant a great deal, both to me and the cast and crew. 

Anyway, back to the point, and it was this public life. The most common look you get used to when you serve the penance of appearing on television is a kind of "I know you from somewhere... is it work, do you live around the corner, did I once meet you at a party" type of thing. 

But often people recognise you straight away, and will smile and nod, as is the polite way of we English, sometimes have a little chat, and occasionally a longer one.  Which is never a problem, because almost always it's done sensitively and with warmth and charm.

Do you sense a but coming here?  Indeed you may, and I use the word "but" advisedly, or perhaps butt would be more appropriate.  Because...

Occasionally I get asked to sign the odd autograph, which is all very fine, but on this occasion...

I was in a pub watching a band, and a group of young lads - who, in fairness, may have enjoyed the odd half of fermented vegetable juice - decided they wanted an autograph.  I duly signed a couple of beer mats, but that was deemed insufficiently creative and exciting, and so then became the signing of one lad's chest, and then...

... as Rolf Harris would have said - can you guess what it is yet? ...

... another gentleman's rear.

Yes, I jest not.  I really did have to sign a backside.

Ah well, there are plenty more ups than downs in my times.  And so, a tongue in cheek tip for approaching me, in rhyming form if you will -

It's best to proffer beer, not rear!

Finally then a song for this blog, and how about Billy Joel's Piano Man?  Because it's a beautiful piece of music, of course, but also a haunting story which hints at what can be the reality behind a public life.

And also this morning I'm reminded of the great TS Eliot quotation -

"Words strain, Crack and sometimes break, under the burden,
Under the tension, slip, slide, perish, Decay with imprecision, will not stay in place..."

It's difficult to sum up the emotions but that's a part of this writing lark, so I'll have a go.

An Unnecessary Murder was like nothing I've ever done before. I've been given an insight into another world, the life of the stage, and it's been utterly fascinating. But that part I expected.

Here's what came as a surprise, the twist so beloved of we crime writers - it was the extraordinary, uplifting camaraderie. The taking of a group of people who largely didn't know each other and watching them grow into a team, close knit and bonded by the desire to do something worthwhile and do it bloody well.  And the privilege of being a part of that.

Last night, at home, after the final performance, I realised how it felt.  It took me back more than twenty years to the night I left university.  When a life forged in shared experience was coming to an end, and the world would never be the same again.

And that I never expected, and has come as the most moving part of an amazing journey.

Alongside the searing emotion, I've learned so much from the talented and dedicted people who I've been so very fortunate to work with. I've been touched and humbled by the kindness and generosity of all those who have helped and supported us.  And I've delighted in the reaction of our audience, night after night.

It's been delight upon reward upon insight upon privilege upon joy.  And so much more, too.

I've been a long way from my comfort zone these last few weeks.  It was a risk - no one might come to watch, people could hate it, it might all go wrong in a very public manner - but it was a chance worth taking.  Because how wonderfully it feels that it's all paid off.

And so life returns to normal.  But then, as Dan reflects at the end of The Balace of Guilt, that's a concept which has always tended to elude him - and indeed us both.

I know I said it last night, but I want to set it down again, here on my website, in writing - thank you one and all for such an extraordinary time.  Thank you so much.

Right, finally, before I choke - or break into a Penelope Ramsden waterfall of tears! - a favourite song to go with this blog. 

Today I choose the beautiful, and very moving, Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers.  I'd like to dedicate the song to An Unnecessary Murder, and all those who sailed with her.

As promised, my 3 literary picks (after all due agonising) -

1. Favourite Book as a Child - The Nonsense Rhymes of Edward Lear. 

I chose this because Lear gave me the great gift of friends to accompany everywhere with his characters (I was an only child and life could get lonely), and because I loved the imagination and rhythm and rhyme of the verse.  The humour was wonderful, too. 

On top of which, how he stands the test of time. His work is still read and loved by children today, more than 150 years on from its creation.

My personal favourite of the whole set - The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.  Because it's a mix of funny and also, as with much of his work, there's a little message in there.

2. Book Which has had the Most Influence - Down and Out in Paris and London, George Orwell.

Orwell is my favourite writer; he's so deceptively simple, yet so powerful and evocative. Yet the thrust to this question isn't favourite, but most influential, which is why I chose Down and Out.

Firstly, Orwell was a journalist, and the book is a model of how a hack should do his research.  He went out to find poverty and actually lived it.  The result is a vivid slice of history of the dreadful times of the 1930s.

But perhaps more importantly for me, Orwell made the journey from hack to writer. It's one I've followed, and I wonder how much I have him to thank for inspiring / making me think such a transition could ever be possible.

3. Guilty Pleasure - Dr Seuss

I chose Dr Seuss because he takes me straight back to the carefree days of childhood, something I think we all need every now and then.  Plus, I'm still a kid at heart.

To this day, I keep a copy of his work in my study.  I defy anyone to have a bad day, then come home and read Dr Seuss and not smile and feel better about life.

I also greatly admire the clever way he lures young people into loving books and writing with his extraordinary characters and sense of joy with the language.

My personal favourite of all his work - probably the Tweetle Beetles and their battles, but there are so very many.

It was a great evening, and one which really made me reflect on my love of books and the great privilege of actually being a writer.  Thanks to all who came along, my fellow panellists for their fascinating and insightful choices, explained so thoughtfully - often poignantly - and always entertainingly. 

And also the fine folk of the library service who put in all the hard work of organising the event.  It was a pleasure to be a part of it.

Monday (April 23rd) is World Book Night, and I've been invited to Plymouth to be part of a panel to discuss some of our favourite books. But the cunning librarians have made it a lot tougher than that.

They've asked us to pick three books, in these categories -

1. You favourite book as a child

2. The book which has influenced you the most

3. Your guilty reading pleasure.

It's taken a great deal of thought, to say the least. Part three I managed to nail without too much agonising.  Number one took quite a while - there are so many to choose from!  Books were a great companion to me as a child and how many I read and delighted in.

But it's question two which took the real time, partly as it's such a smart one. Not my favourite book, but the one which had the most influence, and that's very different.  I spent several hours in my study, going through the shelves of books, narrowing the list down and then debating with myself which deserved to win - and, importantly, why.

It was quite a task, but ultimately an enjoyable and very rewarding one.  And it taught me a big lesson, about just how much of an influence books have had in my life.  I'm forbidden from revealing any answers here, but I'm looking forward to the event (Plymouth Central Library, 7pm onwards) to see what books the others on the panel have chosen and what the audience think.  I'll reveal my choices after that.

Finally, I'm not talking about An Unnecessary Murder in this blog, despite it being just four days away from the play opening, as I'm already in quite enough of a state about it!  But I think we're on track and doing ok... think.... hope... pray... beseech the powers that be etc etc.

And lastly a tune, and again with remarkable planning, here's one to go with the books and reading theme (told you this was all planned, didn't I? It's nigh on seamless!)

My choice of song is  Wonderful World, by Sam Cooke.  It's just a delighful piece of work, simple but joyous and endearing.  All say aaaahhhh!

I'm trying to distract myself with work, writing, exercise, composing even dafter than usual tweets (quick aside - I'm proud to now be followed by the UK Asparagus Festival - how wonderfully random is that?!), but not much is working.  The play won't leave my mind.

I'm not surprised.  It's the first time I've tried a venture like this, and you know what doing something new can be like. Plus with this writing lark you inevitably expose part of yourself, a piece of your soul in your work, which makes it all the more daunting.

However, I do want to say this, and it's a massive thank you.  I've been so touched by all the support we've received.  From the cast and crew, of course, but everyone else who's got behind us - printing, designing, sponsoring, putting up posters, promoting the play on their work message boards and so much else. 

It's been a wonderful and incredibly kind effort and is hugely appreciated. Whatever may happen over these next dramatic days, I just wanted to make that known.

And now to the performance itself... I've been warned each night will be different.  There'll be ad libs, departures from the script, improvisations, varying reactions from the audience and so much more.  But that's what makes it live and that's what makes it theatre.

I'm a curious mix of abuzz with anticipation and utterly terrified.  But I'm also immensely proud of everyone involved and all we're doing for Hospiscare, such a fine charity.

If you want to know more about the play, there's a special page on the site - www.thetvdetective.com/play.html  And if you'd like to come along (and please do, it's all for a great cause)  there are a couple of media articles with details about how to buy tickets at the foot of the home page - www.thetvdetective.com/index.html

Right, I'm off for a run to clear my mind before the working day (or at least try to). But first, another top Hall tune. 

I'm tempted to say The Final Countdown, as it's appropriate, but certainly not a favourite.  So instead, how about - on a dramatic and crime type theme (see how well-planned these blogs really are?!) - Sinnerman, the Nina Simone recording. 

I can't listen to it without a shiver, and that certainly fits in with the feeling of the coming week...

Don't get me wrong, I like a few pleasures like any of us - a fine ale, good meal, a new shirt (not always terribly tasteful, it's true), but I'm not driven by accumulating wealth.

This little musing arises from a question I received about the tvdetective books, and Dan in particular.  As some seem to think he and I share much in common - how could they, when he's so bumbling and hopeless at so much of life?! - my correspondent wanted to know if I enjoyed similar pleasures? Simple things like walking the countryside, time to think.

The answer is yes. I've never hankered after new kitchens, the latest model of car, luxury holidays, all that stuff.  I've tended to find contentment closer to home, and often just within myself.

I've never been driven by money.  So many of my fellows from college days have earned mass multiples of anything I've managed.  But that doesn't always make them happy from what I've seen - often far from it.

My pleasures are writing - I love the challenge, the fulfillment, and the opportunity to entertain a few people. The teaching work I do is hugely rewarding, and I still very much enjoy being a journalist, on the scent of a story, that sense of ferreting out a hidden truth that the public should know.

But on an even simpler level, just give me a walk around the river.  A few minutes watching the geese and ducks squabble over some bread, a cormorant fishing.  A drink in the pub with some of my fine friends.  Or a quiet night, trying to crack a crossword, listening to some music, or reading a book.  Maybe even composing some of the strange tweets which a few people have been kind enough to say they find entertaining.

I try not to think it, but perhaps the headline for this little stroll of the mind should be - simple man, simple pleasures.  (And very glad it's that way, too.)

Finally then some music for today, and how about the charming JCB song, by Nizlopi?   Because it's so simple, in tune, lyrics and concept, and all the more delightful for that.

I've never tried a cruise before. So, it was a very pleasant surprise to be invited upon one to talk about the tvdetective books.  I'm off down to the Cape Verde islands later in the year, since you ask, sailing from Southampton, and with a few stops on the way.

To earn my passage, I've got to give a series of talks, and that's what is currently causing me more than a twitch of angst.  Six in total are requested, each almost an hour long.

It'll come as little surprise to you that I don't think I'll have a problem with talking for six hours. The issue is making that time in any way interesting, or vaguely entertaining.  Only now have I started to realise the scale of the task - hence these initial wobbles.

Last weekend, I set about the challenge by doing something I've never tried before.  I went back through all the talks I've done about my books (I keep the notes for each, they're a handy reference point for when called upon to say something with little notice) and set down every single anecdote, story, fact, quirk, idea, thought or detail I've ever spoken about.

The good news is that I reckon I can cover six hours.  The bad news is - only just!  It's going to be a tight squeeze. 

(If by chance you're reading this and you're coming on the cruise, may I ask a favour - you laugh for as long as possible at any gags I throw in, and also do some extended clapping too, please?  It all helps to fill the time.)

The cruise is another of those wonderful opportunities which are daunting, but all the more worthwhile for that.  I'm looking forward to it with that sense of nerves which just makes it even more fascinating.

(And on that subject, no, I'm not going to mention An Unnecessary Murder here. I've banned myself even from thinking about it - not that that's in any way working, of course - as the tension is heightening as we get nearer and nearer to the play's opening night.  Eek!)

So, finally a favourite song for this blog, and I'm going for On the Border, by Al Stewart, because it's got a maritime theme (see how well planned these apparently random rantings really are?!), but mainly because it's a beautiful and haunting song, as are so many of his.

The producer of An Unnecessary Murder has hauled in a few extras for various scenes, and they're tending to be friends of both hers and mine.

Now, my friends are a wonderful, but by no means shy and quiet bunch, as I suspect you can imagine.  But when it came to their first rehearsal and the fledgling flaps into their parts... what a fascinating transformation!

They were so cutely touching.  A normally self assured and confident bunch went all withdrawn and bashful!  Ahhh!

I can appreciate it's intimidating, but what was particularly funny was the following. As they started to get their bearings, some became louder and more themselves, playing their parts perfectly well, but a couple - they just couldn't get enough, gobbling up all the available lines and even starting to ask for more!

Methinks we may have discovered a suppressed yearning to be on the stage and perhaps a shining future in amateur dramatics.

There is one specific tale I'll tell, without naming the chap as it wouldn't be fair (although tempting).  It appears that, for him, the little part he's been given is proving a kind of therapy.

He confessed to me the reason for his initial quietness was a throwback to childhood. He'd been aged around 7, in a school play about The Wombles, and he had the opening line. On to the stage he'd strode, in front of hundreds of parents, teachers and fellow pupils, and.... the poor lad had been stricken by terrible stage fright and utterly unable to deliver his words.

From that day onwards, he says, set in a vivid fear of public performance.  And now I'm honoured and flattered that he's chosen my attempt at a play to face down his historic demons.

This dramatics lark just gets more and more fascinating.  And now we're only three weeks from the premiere.  Ah, what exciting times and what jolly fun.  It's certainly been an experience, one of the most absorbing I've known for many a year.

Right, finally a favourite song to go with this theatrical blog, and how about David Bowie's wonderful Starman?  I choose it as a tribute to everyone who's put so much into the play (even taming their most secret fears to do so). You've all been both Starmen and Starwomen, and I'm hugely grateful.

The enquiry was about my thoughts on poetry, and was prompted by some of the stranger verses which I occasionally post on the long-suffering Twitter.

The answer is that I love poetry and always have, since even before schooldays.  In those early years I delighted in trying to read the tongue twisters of Dr Seuss (Tweetle Beetles were my favourite, along with the chicks with their bricks, blocks and clocks), and the wonderful works of Edward Lear (the Yonghy Bonghy Bo could make me both laugh and cry.)

In fact, I do sometimes wonder if such early influences helped me to become a writer - with the evocative and entrancing use of language, but also the creation of so many memorable characters.

In later years my tastes developed to more classical poetry.  In this field, as in many others, I tend to the old-fashioned.  Some will wince at me saying this - how twee! - but I still prefer my poetry to rhyme.

I love the gentler poets, particularly those who write about the natural world. John Betjeman is a delight, but probably my favourite is Housman.  And here, I shall attempt a Hall first for these blogs and try to quote one of my most loved of his works, and very appropriate for this time of year -

"Loveliest of trees, the cherry now / Is hung with bloom along the bough / And stands about the woodland ride / Wearing white, for eastertide."

Splendid! 

And here I emphasise, I'm not comparing my curious Twitter rhymes to these amazing poets, just trying to explain where the curse of my verse (I had to drop one in!) comes from.

Two final matters to mention here. Firstly, the site has a new page, dedicated to the play, if you're interested in reading more about it - www.thetvdetective.com/play.html

And finally, a song for this morning.  And given we're on a highbrow theme (or the best approximation I can manage), how about a similar-such type song?  In which case, I nominate Kate Bush's Cloudbusting. 

Aside from the beauty of the music there are some fascinating stories behind that one!  And if you look it up for a listen, make sure you try the full length version.  It's a truly haunting song, in many ways.

Sunday saw the first full run through of An Unnecessary Murder and thus an overexcited Hall, perhaps akin to a puppy out for his first walk, and with a choice of balls to run after and scents to sniff, as it were.

It's the first time I've been to a rehearsal for a few weeks - they don't need me hanging around, getting in the way - and I was hugely impressed with how the cast have done.  They've really bonded as a group, working together to carry the story along. And they've also got to know their own characters and are truly starting to feel and be them.

The interactions and exchanges felt genuine to me, and I found myself being drawn into the tale.  I started off with notebook and pen poised, looking for anything that needed work, but soon ended up just sitting back and watching and enjoying it.  That feels like a very positive sign and the passing of a significant test.

It's tricky for me to comment on how An Unnecessary Murder works as a play - as I wrote the thing, and so am more than a little close to it! - but I got the sense the director, producer and cast all believed in it and were enjoying themselves, which was plenty enough for me.

It's designed as the personal journey of a series of characters, set around a passably cunning murder mystery, and as such I think it does its job.  The rest will be up to the audience, and not so very far away that big moment now, the small matter of only a day over four weeks (gulp!)

So, this Tuesday morning finds me happily optimistic that we're going to achieve the aims we set out with - to entertain a few people and raise some money for Hospiscare. Yeah!

If you want to know more about the play, have a look at the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html    I've also posted links to a couple of articles.

Finally then, a song to go with the theme of the blog (see how well planned these apparently chaotic rambles really are?!) And how about a surprisingly modern one for me?

I think it's an excellent example of the songwriting art, a stark and powerful transportation into a certain state of mind - one which is often suffered by Dan in both the tvdetective books and the play - Robbie Williams' Come Undone.

It might have been because of the conjunction of the twin diamonds of Venus and Jupiter in the western sky, or the warmth, clearness and peace, but it was a stunning evening.

(And first aside here - to the more cynical of you, because I can almost hear you thinking it.  No, I'm sure it wasn't anything to do with the three pints of ale I'd enjoyed beforehand.)

Anyway, the point of this blog was a little musing about the night.  It's a favoured Hall time, not because I'm a creature of the darkness (although that may be entirely arguable), but because it's my chance to think.

The way I tend to write, whether it's the tvdetective books, or anything else I'm working on, is to do the actual scripting in the early morning, normally around this kind of time (6 - 8am).  But the evenings I set aside for thinking about what I'm going to be writing the next day.

I find it an effective way to clear my mind before setting of to sleepland, to help me relax after whatever chaos the day has inflicted, but also a very good time to explore a few ideas.

I lay back upon the sofa, or sometimes recline in a chair in my study, close my eyes and think.  There's always some music on in the background, not too loudly, just enough to tickle the consciousness (listening to music with the eyes closed always enhances the experience, in my view - it takes out the dominance of sight and makes for better concentration) and I let my mind wander.

And this time of year is wonderful for an evening's thought.  The promise of the oncoming summer, the renewal of the earth.  Ahh!   Tomorrow, when the clocks spring forward, we'll almost be in what John Travolta and co. would have eulogised in song as those Summer Nights.

On the subject of which, it's choice of song time. I was picked up by several people in my last blog for forgetting to mention some preferred music.  I apologise; this must have been due to the trauma of the Butlins weekend.  So, for this blog, I'm going with several songs on the theme of night, just to make up the average.

Try these - Franki Valli's and The Night, because of the dangers of the darkness hours, The Eagles and One of These Nights, for the same reasons, and because I'm a softy at heart, Nights in White Satin, by The Moody Blues, for its evocative lyrics and melodies.

And a final thought for this blog - tomorrow we're doing the first full rehearsal of the play.  Lots of people have been asking me about how it's going.  Standby for a report early next week, when I've calmed down sufficiently to write again...

This weekend, my notebook grew very fat remarkably fast with all I witnessed on my 70's themed Butlins weekend stag do.  How could it not?

Being the jealous type, I'm keeping them to myself. I can definitely see a tvdetective book based on such a premise!  But, as part of my public service duties, I thought I'd use my experience of the weekend to offer some tips about how to survive such times.

1. Don't bring a watch. You won't want to know how slowly time appears to be passing.

2. Drink lots (even if you're teetotal). If you're not drunk, you'll see the place as it really is, which would never do.  Note - your car can be searched for alcohol on the way in. If you haven't got enough, the security staff give you extras.

2(a). The drinking also helps you to deal with the undead creatures of the night which you'll meet, somehow magically resurrected by the power of a 70's weekend.

3. Leave sanity, dignity and civilisation at the gate.  As (2), you'll be searched on entry and if you've got some, it will be confiscated.

4. Don't bother using irony.  It's not a tradeable currency.  No one laughed when I asked for directions to the on site library.

5. And forget words with more than 6 letters, or sentences with more than 10 words, too.

6. Bring earplugs. Sleep is frowned upon. People come home at all hours, very loudly, and the soundproofing of the chalets consists of cardboard and papier mache.

7. Also bring bedding, or preferably a bed.  Those provided are as narrow as a fast-food addict's arteries, as long as a chav's list of qualifications, and as comfortable as laying on cobbles.  You won't sleep (see 6), but it's better to have somewhere comfortable to suffer.

8. Try to wipe from your mind the dictionary definition of "entertainment".  Disappointment will be your companion, otherwise.

9. Dancing.  A very important element this, and try to remember - if you've any sense at all of rhythm, tempo or time, do not dance. You'll be horribly conspicuous.

10. If you're really keen, practice some of the fun activities beforehand.  Projectile vomiting, public sex demonstrations, drinking, smoking, and screaming at artillery barrage volume levels will serve you well.

One final word - despite all this, I actually enjoyed myself.  As ever, it was down to the people I was with, which, I maintain, if you get right you can have a good time anywhere.  Cheers lads, if you're reading this!  Now, where did I leave the booking form for next year...?

(Don't worry, it's nothing too shocking, reading on is safe - or as safe as it ever is with me.)

It was about midnight, the turning point between Saturday and Sunday, and I was strolling home along with river.  There was a big splash and I looked over, but could see only ripples in the water.  I thought it was a fish so kept on walking, but then looked back - and there was an otter, happily swimming away on the surface.

I stopped to watch, and it was apparent the creature in question was enjoying itself (maybe otters have Saturday nights out, too?)  It swam back and forth for a while, hopped out of the river, shook itself off, stretched, and then plunged back in.

(No, it wasn't the beer, I'd only had a few, it really happened.)

How about that? An otter, right in the heart of a city.  What a great boast for Exeter.

Anyway, what it got me thinking was this - you've probably heard me say before that writing is a great way to tap into the subconscious.  You find yourself returning repeatedly to subjects which you weren't particularly aware were important to you, but clearly are. 

Justice is one of my key themes in the tvdetective books.  But so too is nature.  Dan is often out in the fabulous Devon countryside with Rutherford, thinking through a case but also delighting in the fantastic spectacle of the scenery. 

Nature is a fine justification of the old saying that the best things in life are free.  And that's even more so at this changing time of year, when Spring is sprinkling her magic and resurrecting so much of the natural world.  It feels like a time of renewal and rebirth, and is my favourite season of the year for that.

So then, finally for this blog, a song to go with the thoughts of nature - and how about Woodstock? (Joni Mitchell) I love the lines about bombers turning into butterflies, and all of us being stardust.  Wish I could write like that...

It's not easy being young at the moment.  We're saddling the generation with huge debts if they have the cheek to want to go to college for further study, and when they come out unemployment is a constant stalking spectre.

The thoughts - and obviously I can't give too much away here, they're mine and precious! - were along the lines of what might happen if a group became dangerously disaffected, so bitter and disillusioned that they decided to take revenge on society.  It feels like the idea has mileage, so I'll keep thinking about it, to see if it's got enough for a book.

Part of the reason I mention this now is that I had the pleasure of doing some careers teaching at Exeter University on Thursday.  (First aside - thanks to all who came to the session - I hope it was worthwhile - and for playing along with my strange games. As I warned you at the start, I don't like to teach conventionally!)

I like teaching for a variety of reasons, much of it altruism, but it also helps reassure me.  The young people I meet are invariably extremely clever (sometimes fearfully so), and equally keen, dedicated and determined to make a way in life and do some good.  Exposure to such energy and verve is invariably good for the soul, and that was exactly how I came away feeling from Thursday.

Young people get a lot of criticism, but the vast majority I meet are great and that's very reassuring  to know. 

(It won't, however, stop me inventing some bad ones as characters if this book comes to pass, but that's a thought for another day.)

So here's to the future, it's under good (trainee) management and not anything like as bad as we doom-mongers in the media will often make out.

Finally for this blog, another favourite tune, as promised, and how about one which is in keeping with my rant of the moment (you see how much care and preparation goes into these musings?!) 

In which case, I suppose it has to be The Undertones, and Teenage Kicks.  If it was good enough for John Peel...

And finally finally, an apology to Tennessee Williams for borrowing the title for this blog. It's because (you guessed it!) I'm very into the theatre at the moment, for obvious reasons, and Sweet Bird has always been a favourite play of mine. 

As to An Unnecessary Murder, I'm trying not to bore you with my excitement, but I'll doubtless churn out another blog with an update on progress soon. Suffice to say (for now) that we're less than 7 weeks from the opening night, and all seems to be going well. 

If you want to know a little more, there's a kind article just gone live on the fine Cyprus Well website - www.cypruswell.com/calendarFull.php

I don't think I've ever found a satisfactory answer. Sometimes I go on about a feeling inside, some drive or calling, or the desire to amuse / entertain people.  But there is another good reason and perhaps a little deeper one, which I didn't realise when I started out.

Writing is a great way to learn about life.

I love the whole education thing.  I think that's partly why I chose this strange career as a hack - you get to meet so many people, go to so many places and see such extraordinary events.  It all means you learn something (and usually quite a chunk) every day.

Maybe it's also why I enjoy the education work, passing on to others the few things I've worked out about this great game called life.

Anyway, that's a digression.  What I was thinking about writing is how much it teaches you, and in particular about one area of life, perhaps the most important of all.

I've learnt so much about characters since I've been scribbling; what makes people the way they are and how it influences their reaction to any given situation.  The contrasts and conflicts between the surface and the reality.  The debate about the influence of nature and nurture.  Instinct versus rationale.  All that stuff which goes into making people.

There's been loads more besides, but that's probably the most important for me.  I suspect I was always a people watcher.  But now it's become more of an addiction.  I just love studying people and trying to feel my way below the surface (metaphorically!) to find their drivers, passions, motivations and even detestations.

An additional small aside (can't resist it!) - another great part of that has been the play. The idea of being able to convey character only through words and actions.  How am I ever going to get to grips with that?!

Ah, you'll be able to find out, and not so very far away now.  It's just seven weeks until An Unnecessary Murder opens (not that I'm counting), and all is still ticking along nicely.  More of that as we get closer to the night itself (there's additional info on the News and Events page, if you require it -  www.thetvdetective.com/news.html )

Finally for this blog, another choice of tune, and this time on the theme of learning about life and exploring the mind.  Try The Windmills of Your Mind (Noel Harrison version) for its haunting melodies and evocative lyrics. Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel..

How do I know? Not because I've looked up the tweets in question, or that the info is stored in my smartphone (I don't think it's so smart, it's never made me a cup of tea or won an argument with me etc, but that's an early aside.)  I know because I've written the snippet in my diary.

Which, in itself, probably tells you much about where this particular musing is going. I don't keep my life on a computer, as do many these days, but still in that spectacularly old fashioned manner of a diary.

I suppose it's partly the same reason I haven't got an ebook reader.  I just like the physical contact of the thing.  It's a kind of comfort.  Plus, my diary has never crashed on me and erased everything I've written in an electronic brainstorm.  A small, but important issue.

Anyway, back to the point of this, which was a few thoughts about technology.  From a wary beginning, I've come to enjoy tweeting.  It strikes me as an obvious thing to do for those talkative types - like writers - who think they have something to say and that the world (lucky place that it is) should hear it.

I've set a few rules, like don't get into the mundane (I'm having a coffee... I'm cleaning my teeth...) and don't overdo it.  Instead just try to keep it either insightful, whismical, thoughtful, or just plain daft.

(The latter is my specialist subject.)

But the final rule is, for me, the most important, and it applies to all technology.  Don't let the tweeting (or texting, or any mobile communications stuff) become a substitute, or even distraction, from life. 

I continue to be irked with/disappointed by those folk who are walking along the river here in beautiful Exeter, past the fantastic scenery, the wildllife, and still have face firmly buried in phone. You're missing the world...

I think part of the reason for all this is just me, that I'm old fashioned enough to like talking to people, face to face, rather than emailing or texting them.  But there's also the fact that - as with Dan in the tvdetective books - the day job of hackery can mean relentless phone calls, emails etc.  So when the time comes to escape from them, I like to take it.

Right, two more bits to mention in this blog. First, I've been getting a fair few questions about how the play is going.  I will update you on that in the next couple of weeks, but I've been trying to give it a rest for a while so as not to bore you.  Fear not, it's all going well and I'm still as excited as ever.

And finally, a tune for today.  As this is a techno type blog, how about a related song? (See how much thought goes into these things!) 

So I've chosen Living by Numbers by New Musik.  Because it's another from my youth, but also a fine bit of thinking about the dangers of where technology can take us...

This is why - I've been asked to talk about my favourite children's book, the book which has influenced me the most, and my guilty pleasure (of a reading nature, I assume, or hope.)

Good questions... and ones which set me ruminating on the place that books have had in my life.

In the tvdetective series, it's Claire who tends to read more than Dan, usually settling down at night with some crime fiction. A little ironic for a Detective Sergeant, and a fine one at that, but she enjoys comparing them with the reality of her job. Dan tends not to read, he's usually engaged with thinking through a case. 

Which raises the question about whether I read a great deal? Well, the answer is that I do, athough not as much as I used to.  These days, spare time being rare and all that, I tend to spend my evenings thinking of the next piece of writing or teaching I'm going to do and working on ideas.

But it's always a book before bed, even if just for a few minutes.  It helps me to relax into a sleeping mindset and I suppose is a habit I picked up in childhood.  I've always loved books and creating stories and characters in my mind.  Which, I suspect, is much of what has enticed me into becoming a writer.

Anyway, back to the World Book Night event, and my thinking on the works I shall talk about. I've already mostly decided - if you're like me, some books just stay with you and never leave - but I won't reveal them yet.  It'd be like telling you the end of one of the tvdetective stories before making you wade through the preceding hundred thousand words first!

But what I will say is that there's going to be some humour in there, some poignancy, and also some fun.  Which, strangely (or not) reflects a fair amount of my character. 

The event is at Plymouth Central Library, and I'll post more details as I get them.  Keep an eye on the News and Events page  www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  if you're interested.

Finally for this blog, another of my top tunes, as I might have said back in my DJ days. As a guilty pleasure is to be part of the World Book Night event, I thought I'd post a favourite song of a similar ilk. 

So, with all due hesitation, a squirm and a reddening of the face, I thus unveil.... MacArthur Park (the Richard Harris version.) 

Yes, I know what you're thinking, I can almost hear it, but hey - anyone who can write a song which compares the break up of a relationship to a cake in the rain certainly deserves acknowledgement, if not necessarily respect.

It certainly made me think, as I suppose it's something I do more or less instinctively now.

Well, part of the answer can be found in that original question.  It's a clever one, because it's open ended, gives scope for a whole range of responses, and it's short and sharp. I've seen far too many interviews where the questions are long and rambling, and it's entirely unclear what sort of answer may be required.

For me, the best questions are those which penetrate far deeper than a simple factual response. The old; who, what, where, why, when and how can be revealed by just about anyone working to a formula (see Kipling's "I Keep Six Honest Serving Men").  But it's the uncovering of a sight of the soul which is much more memorable.

In essence, it's the old "how do you feel?" question which is key, but hopefully expressed in a rather less clumsy and cliched way.

Interviewing is such a fundamental skill, as we all use it every day - to find out what's bothering a friend, what's required from work, whether we do really need to buy some gadget etc.  But because it's so commonplace, the elegance of the art can be overlooked.

Much of the reason for Dan's success as an amateur investigator in the tvdetective books is that he's a perceptive interviewer.  He has that great gift of being able to read people and get a sense of what it is they're really thinking, the story behind the story, if you like.  And that can take someone a very long way in life.

A final thought about interviewing, and it's this; one of the greatest tricks is silence.  It leaves a great big space for the other person to fill, and we're so afraid of silence as a society that it can often be filled to startling effect.  That goes as much in everyday life as any professional sphere.

I think I shall curtail this blog here, before I give all my secrets away!

One last thing to mention - as I said last week, I'll list a favourite song in each entry, as my taste in music is one of the areas I'm most constantly questioned about.

For this week it's Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat.  Because it was of my era, of course, but also because the song is a powerful summary of the sad intolerance of the time, something which thankfully we've (at least mostly) left behind.

I haven't answered a reader's question for a while, so I thought I'd tackle a couple in one rant. 

The more substantive of the two is about money.  My correspondent perceptively notes that the tvdetective books contain few references to money and it's hardly used as a motive, when in the real world it's a very common one in crimes.

She goes on to ask why that may be? Which, as with so many questions from you educated and erudite bunch who somehow choose to read my books, is another very good one.  It's set me thinking, because it's another example of a part of myself coming out in the books which I was only vaguely, if at all, aware of.

Right, it comes down to this.  I don't much care about money. 

Now, I know that's a big statement and easy for me to make, as I do ok on the financial front. But even when I was younger, money never really bothered me.  Friends from college days set out to get rich, but I only ever wanted to do something passably interesting and worthwhile with my life.

(First aside here - please try not to start considering whether I've come anywhere close to achieving that!)

If I'm brave and journey further into the jungle of my past, I wonder if I might - at least in part - have a form of explanation.  If so, it's an odd one, but I'll try it anyway.

Much of my character is built on not being like my parents. Don't get me wrong, they loved me hugely, did their very best for me, made some immense sacrifices and I appreciate all that enormously.  It's just that, from an early age, I realised I had a very different outlook on life.

They worried continually about money.  I have a powerful early memory of them budgeting to get through a week, and thinking how unfair that was for such fine and hard-working people. I wonder if formative influences like that made me determined never to worry about money.

That then is my answer, as best as it can be.  I simply believe there are far more important things in life.  Which, almost seamlessly, you'll note, leads me onto part two of this blog, the happier subject of music. 

Despite me answering this in an entry last year, I still get much asked about my loves in music. So, for the next few months, I'm going to add one of my favourite songs to the end of each blog (assuming the aged and less than efficient Hall brain remembers.)

So, to start us off, put the needle to the record - as it were - for The Rolling Stones, and Paint it Black.

And as to why? What an evocative way of summing up a mood we've all know. Think of Dan and the eternal foe of his Swamp...

If you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

It's something which has always bothered me.  I often blame the childhood Saturdays of being terrified by Dr Who (Tom Baker was mine) for my fixation with time.  But be that as it may, it's never let me go.

It was a few years ago, perhaps just after I turned 40 that I started to feel truly mortal for the first time. I couldn't run as fast as I used to, stay up as late as I did, all that stuff which is nature's less than subtle way of hinting you're getting on.  Time was going about its insiduous work. And I liked the feeling not at all.

I'm not going to spend all this scribbling complaining about time - how pointless would that be?!  For an author, time can be useful. 

In the tvdetective books, some form of deadline always helps to up the drama and tension.  Without giving anything away, I've used a similar device in An Unnecessary Murder (the play wot I wrote) to add to the pace and plot.  It's a well trodden path by writers, after all.

When i was thinking of what I was going to write for this blog, I remembered just how much some of the great artists were bothered by time.  One of my favourite paintings is Dali's Persistence of Memory (the floppy clocks) which I find a beautiful but unsettling work.  And Eliot's Four Quartets is a favoured poem ("Footfalls echo in the memory...") Now that's writing!

Given that attachment to time, I wonder if it's unsurprising I chose the curious career of becoming a hack. Time is the eternal enemy there too, with deadlines always chasing you down.  For poor Dan in the books, it's even worse, with the twin deadlines of producing a report and the solving of a case to face.

I've come to the conclusion that time bothers/ fascinates me for one main reason. In life, I've always done my best to overcome any difficulties, do as well as I can with whatever is presented to me and try as I might not to be defeated, however impossible an aim that can sometimes be.

And in the tvdetective books Dan and Adam do likewise, and - more often than not - face down whatever adversaries are set against them, and win through.

But for them and for me, as for all of us, time is the one enemy we can never defeat.  The final foe, if you like.

One aside here (it's a first - I don't think I've ever finished a blog with an aside before); what a cheery musing for a Saturday morning!  My apologies, I blame it on a hectic week which has left me rather jaded. 

I suppose it's as I said. There's just never enough time...

Wow!  How creative and crazy am I?!  Or yes, perhaps just daft.  But anyhow, the aside is - what a sweeping title for a blog.  I just hope the rest of the rant can live up to it...

So then, love.  Well, I was prompted by the passing of Valentine's Day to think about the issue of love in my scribblings.  And I suppose I've come to the conclusion I never really got the hang of it.

Even we bloodthirsty and nasty crime writers have to dabble a little in love in our books. It's such a fundamental part of life and this curious experience of being a human.  It can't be all murder and disaster, you've got to give your characters some leeway for other feelings, not to mention the poor reader.

But Dan, as many will know, is not good with the concept of relationships, to say the least.  Poor Claire - of whom I'm incredibly fond, as you may have noticed - suffers so much with the insecurities and doubts of the man she loves.  I sometimes wonder why she bothers, as indeed does she.

(Another aside - and yes, we will find out one day how that all comes out... or not.)

Anyway, I have been reassured by feedback from male readers of the tvdetective books that Dan is a fairly normal chap in regard of love.  And interestingly, there was a worry from my publishers, agents etc. that Dan being such an emotional idiot may alienate female readers.

But it doesn't seem to have done so, fortunately - I'm told that the majority of those who suffer my books are women.

Maybe they've met many a type like Dan before?!

So, that's it with the love thing, I've come to the belief that I'm just writing about what I know (or, in this case don't), which is often said to be the best way.  And finally on this subject, another important love matter... as for taking it all one step further, and putting some sex into the tvdetective books, that's a definite no!

If I never really got the hang of love, then I'm certainly not going into my understandings of sex!

And there I'm going to end this blog, before I get myself into some real trouble, aside from to say....

There is a dabble into the world of relationships in the play, too.  I couldn't resist mentioning it because it's such a big part of my world at the moment, and I'm loving it.  

The rehearsals and preparations are all ticking along nicely, and I'm ridiculously excited, more than two months before An Unnecessary Murder even takes to the stage.  Even more so as I heard yesterday that tickets have just gone on sale and some have already been bought.

Thank you, kind people, whoever you are - at least I now know I won't be sitting alone in the theatre!

There's more about the play at the bottom of the Home Page - www.thetvdetective.com/index.html    Hope to see you there.

I did promise faithfully I wouldn't take a part in An Unnecessary Murder, much to the relief of very many people. But, I was told, if I did it'd be good for the play's profile, and jolly fun, and also encouraging for the cast and all concerned to have me there, so I relented.

Quick aside (you knew it was coming) - in truth, as a chap who may suffer from the odd attack of egotism, the actual persuading work wasn't that tricky.

However! Thursday saw the time for my acting career to begin, and hell! It wasn't straightforward. Far from it, in fact.

I did think that, because I spend much of my time working in the curious world of television, I might just have a decent grounding in theatrics. Much of what we do on the box is faux drama, after all.

How wrong I was. I had a mere few words to deliver, and I could just about hold them in brainland adequately. But here's the issue - I had to walk, as well as talk, and also try to pull some form of vaguely convincing facial expressions.

Talk about multi-tasking overload! How could anyone ask so much of a mere man?!

Anyhow, I can't give too much away about what happens, so all I'll say is that after a couple of hours work I think we more or less cracked it. I shall remember forever - if not treasure - the look on Jac, the director's face, at my first attempt at saying my lines. Scathing wasn't it, but horrified might be!

And all that time, thought and effort, was just for a very small part in the play. So, I come away from it with a renewed, and very sizeable appreciation of actors, and even more so of the wonderful folk who are playing the parts in An Unnecessary Murder.

They're all giving their time for free, so we can raise as much money as possible for Hospiscare, and it's very much appreciated.

I can't wait to see it all played out on the stage. A certain small segment, featuring a very ham actor excluded...

The play premieres on April 25th, at the Barnfield Theatre in Exeter. I very much hope to see you there. And if you do come along, please be merciful about my acting efforts...

I haven't answered a reader's question for quite a while - apologies - but just that inquiry came in a couple of weeks ago, and it chimes with me at the moment, so let's give it a go.

The problem is that there's no easy answer.  I suppose the way I think of it is that it all starts with the idea.  And that can be anything; a place (as with Evil Valley), a character (as with Dan for the whole of the tvdetective series), or a plot (as with The Judgement Book and The Death Pictures). 

Then you get into a whole period of agonising as to whether the idea is good enough, interesting enough, has sufficient about it to sustain it for a whole book.  My view on that one is simple, if strange. 

Treat your idea like a relationship.  Give it time. Don't go thinking this is the one, just because you've only recently met and it's all new and exciting.  Spend some time together, and if the attraction keeps growing, if you're still in love with it, go for it.

Well, almost!  The temptation at that point is to start writing, but maybe that's not such a good idea, however understandable.  These book things take some writing - they average more than 100,000 words - and require months to do.  If you just run at it, you'll probably end up with a great waffling lump of words which has missed some of the key points you need to get in.

I hate to sound like the teachers of our old schooldays, but you need a plan.  And that usually takes me months in itself - to make sure the characters and backdrops are convincing and that the plot goes where it should, with plenty of red herrings and sub plot going on to keep the poor reader guessing.

When you've done all that, it's time to get writing.  You'll know if it's working out because you'll look forward to every sentence you write, and the characters will follow you around, even when you're not actually writing.  And keep going, and then...

Comes the real hard work, I'm afraid.  The re-writing.  And more re-writing, and then even more.  I usually do about seven re-writes of the tvdetective books.  Some lucky authors do fewer, others do more.

And don't worry about how the book starts. I was only thinking this week about how scary a simple blank sheet can be.  Just get going is my advice. The opening usually changes with the re-writing, or at least it does for me.  Not one of my books has been published with the same opening lines that I started it with, and some have changed perhaps even a dozen times.

But the key thing in all this - enjoy it.  Writing is a hobby, a job, but also an addiction. I struggle to think of a time before I was writing, how I filled my days, and more importantly - how I ever felt fulfilled.

So go for it, and good luck!  You never know where the journey will take you.  If you'd told me, five years ago that I'd now have five books published, have written a play which is currently in rehearsal, and be invited to teach writing at so many wonderful places I'd have laughed myself silly. 

It's a new world - and a wonderful one - and I'm so glad and grateful to have found it.  I'd thoroughly recommend joining it.

Don't forget, if you want to ask a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing or teaching work, or even the play, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

It's the issue of manners, and particularly regarding new (ish) technology. 

I mention it because I was on an outside broadcast last night, and was sitting in a bar, having a coffee (yes, I do mean coffee, I don't drink when I'm working - my brain is slow enough these days without the extra addling input of alcohol) and writing what I was going to say. 

The place was quiet, with only about ten customers in there.  But of those, two were on their mobiles - and that, despite sitting with other people.

A couple of thoughts immediately occur.  Firstly, presumably they've come out to talk to the person or people they're with, so what are they doing on the phone?  Rather curious behaviour, I would say, not to mention simply rude.

And secondly - why do they need to share half their conversation with the pub, anyway?  What I overheard (it was impossible to miss, hence this blog) was so bland, dull, boring and mundane that it could surely have waited a few minutes, if not, perhaps, forever.

Now, here's a revolutionary idea!  Prepare to be shocked to the very core by its dazzling boldness.  How about... are you ready for this... showing some consideration for your fellows and taking a stroll outside to have your conversation? 

Wow, what a truly radical proposal!

It's one of Adam's little themes, how manners are struggling to keep up with the pace of technological change.  But I so very much wish they would.  How much better the world would be without the bawled semi-conversations so often inflicted upon innocent people who simply wish for a quiet drink and chat.

And on that subject - why must so many people shout into mobiles? They're not tin cans linked by bits of string.  Perhaps it's because of the noisiness of the surroundings.  In which case, going outside would surely be an even better idea, eh?

Having discussed the matter with dear Adam last night (I often chat to my characters, they're my friends and I enjoy their company), we came up with a suggestion.  How splendid it would be if the use of mobiles in pubs and restaurants could be treated in the way that smoking now is. 

That's to say - a very simple request.  Show some consideration and shift outside if you want to bawl into a phone!

Ah, that feels better.  Blogging, it's so cathartic!  The world put right and society transformed in a few lines of ranting.  Splendid!

By the way, I did raise the issue with Adam as to whether we were both in danger of becoming grumpy old men.  We decided that was a discussion best deferred...

Wednesday was the headline act, the first get together of the cast of An Unnecessary Murder, for the first read through of the play. 

I found myself abuzz and agog with excitement all day.  Despite the passing of more than a few years since childhood times, I remain a big kid at heart.  The only way I can describe it was like being a child on Xmas morning.

I still can't quite come to terms with - (1) that I've actually written a play, (2) that people who know about these things think it's passably ok to even moderately entertaining and worth putting on, and most importantly, (3) that it's going to be staged at a proper theatre to a real life audience.

Eek!

I can feel myself getting over-excited again, so back to my report on Wednesday...

Most of the actors don't know each other, so there was the inevitable awkwardness and inhibitions that come with the first introductions of a group - much like at a party, I suppose.  And they don't really know the parts yet, and haven't got a true sense of the characters or the plot.

But!  And this was the lovely, heartening and warming bit - it didn't take long for the frost to thaw and for everyone to get into it.  I was so impressed with how fast the cast picked up on their roles and began to transport them from lines of a piece of paper to making them live.  I could almost see each person changing, to become the one they were portraying.

And with that, a chemistry was emerging.  The actors were starting to get to know each other, and the feeling was transforming - from a number of individuals reading from a script into a cast, a unit, all living out a story.

By the end of the read through, I was giggling away at some of the lines (they were meant to be funny), very much enjoying the performance, and finding myself keen to know what happened in the end.  This despite me being the one who wrote it!

And all that was just on a first meeting and read through.  It's only going to get better as we go along.  So, if you'll excuse me indulging myself a little - woo hoo, yee hah and yeah!!  It's great!

And for any of the cast reading this, a quick reassurance - don't worry, I won't come along to all the rehearsals. It was only after the read through that a couple gently mentioned to me how intimidating it was to have the writer along.

That never occured to me!  I just wanted to see it all starting to happen.  So go ahead, dear and fair cast, do your stuff without me lingering and lurking, I have every faith - and more - in you.

There's one more thing to add to this.  Yesterday, I did some strange clothes shopping. Yes, I can hear those of you who know me saying that all my clothes shopping is strange, but in this case I mean particularly peculiar.

I can reveal that - after due consideration - I will be taking a part in the play after all, but in a small and unorthodox way.  Which required the shopping for special clothes.  The reason - the only hint I'm giving is that it's going to be messy...

For more about An Unnecessary Murder, including the all important details of when and where it's being put on, see the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I'm away now to rehearse at the bathroom mirror.  Lucky mirror, I hear you cry... maybe.

What a fine time!  Lovely people who made me so very welcome - many thanks to all in the Writers' Group - and a wonderfully beautiful place.  There's something that swirls the soul to being surrounded by ice-dusted mountains in a perfect blue sky. 

The contrasts are both stark and amusing / frustrating. From the English transport system - train to Reading late, bus to Heathrow late, plane to Geneva late, no one apparently surprised or even slightly apologetic; to Switzerland, when anything running late appears to be a capital offence.

And the state of the country - England, litter strewn, graffitti daubed, Switzerland clean and tidy.

And my favourite, the standards of service.  England with the all too often slouched shoulders, jutting lip and surly attitudes, whereas in Geneva it was all polite and prompt, and with smiles that felt genuine, even if they may not have been so.

I even liked the money, so much more colourful and interesting that Sterling, although I did cause amusement by thinking the chap on the 20 Franc note was Elvis himself (apparently he's not).

Most importantly, the workshop went well.  The kind folk weren't phased by my strange methods and odd ideas, and didn't even blanch at the "eyes shut, spraying my cologne and spooky touches" game, and some great ideas when we played the Tweet the day exercise. 

Yes, a splendid time, the only regret was that I had to jam it all into a weekend and couldn't have stayed for longer. Oh, and the chap at security on the way back, who insisted on confiscating my deoderant.  Doesn't he have one of his own?!

The food was darned good too, the sole omission being a complete (as far as I could tell) absence of real ale.  Which, you won't be surprised to hear, I made good as soon as I got back to Blighty.  Medical reasons only, of course - otherwise, it would have been an entire weekend without beer, which would probably have sent my body into shock.

On then to the next thoughts for travel, and a cruise down to the Cape Verde Islands late in the year, where a doubtless incredibly fascinated (and happily captive) audience can suffer more of my thoughts/musings/rantings/nonsense on the matter of writing. 

I truly am becoming a seasoned traveller... well, ish!

Finally, if any misguided souls should be at all interested in having me along to do some "teaching" (I think the quotes are well deserved here), the clever chaps who make this website work have set up a page to help - www.thetvdetective.com/teaching.html  And if that still doesn't put you off, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Traits, ideas, principles, beliefs, themes that you may have been vaguely aware of, knew were about somewhere in your character, can be sharply focused when you come to set them down in words.  I never knew how truly sceptical I was about the British justice system, for example, before I wrote about it, and out came...

Well, I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't read the tvdetective books (first aside here - what are you waiting for?! Chop chop!), but those who have will know exactly what I'm talking about.  The observations are far from fond.

The reason this comes to mind now, is that I've been thinking about the small matters of life, time and mortality of late.  I suspect this is much to do with it being the introductory month of a new year, an obvious time for reflection.  Plus it's my 40-somethingth birthday in a few weeks time, too.

I was writing a little section for a new book, about Dan going out with Rutherford for one of their familiar runs around Hartley Park.  And I found myself describing how he could no longer go as fast, or as far, as was once the case.  And Rutherford too was slowing up and not demanding quite the exercise he once did back in those younger years.

And then later on, when home at the flat, in the harshness of the electric lights - the growing grey in Rutherford's fur, the relentless erosion of poor Dan's hairline...

Yep, there's a definite feeling of mortality around at the moment, in a way I don't think I've ever known before.  When you're young you can go on for ever - or so you think - but as you age you can feel time going about her insidious work.

Maybe that's not such a bad thing.  It could be nature's way of dropping hints that it might be time to slow down a tad.  But it is something I'm not finding so easy to come to terms with. In my mind I'm still 19, even if the physical reality is very different.

I'm wondering if it's unfair on Dan, and the rest of the crew in the books, to let time go about her work on them.  Perhaps I should be more JM Barrie, and give them a Neverland to live in?

But then, I always do my best to keep it fairly real, so if I've got to suffer the attentions of the ageing process, then so can they! 

Excuse me, I must be off now, think I'll pop down to the shops to see what anti-ageing creams they've got... industrial quantities ruefully required.

This is a curious sensation, to say the least.  How much help I'll be is very debatable.  I still think my knowledge of the way plays work, how actors do their bit, and all the nuances of the stage world is approximately sufficient to fill an egg cup, and one which still contains the egg.

But what it certainly is - for me at least - is jolly exciting.  I suppose part of the reason I became a hack is that I love learning and doing new things.  And this jaunt into the theatrical realm is certainly that.  Enter Hall, stage left, as we say...

I met up with the director and producer on Thursday night and listened to their ideas. Wow! The creativity and energy is a marvel to behold.  They're already coming up with a range of thoughts to improve my script, and I'm loving it.  I'm actually starting to believe this is going to happen, and maybe even that it'll be passably entertaining for an audience.

So now we go on to pick the actors, and this in itself is going to be fascinating.  I've got a clear idea in my head of how Dan, Adam and the other characters look and sound. But given the wonderful way of the imagination, that's going to be different from everyone else, not least our producer and director.  I've got to have a kind of vision in my thoughts, but still be open minded too as the three of us listen to our candidates doing their stuff.

And the pressure of getting the decision right... I'm not thinking about that at the moment!

And then we go on to the first rehearsals, and then the play is actually put on. And people come and watch - hopefully!

By that point, I shall probably be in a state of nervous excitement such that I'll appear a blur to onlookers.  And as for the vision of being there for the opening night, that's just too strange to entertain at the moment.

Anyway, the thing is, it's all going ahead and I can hardly believe it.  It's certainly warmed and lightened the cold month of January for me. What a way to start the year.

A quick thanks here to everyone who's offered help with the play, from rehearsal space, to stage crew, making props, a special beer for the occasion (yes, really! Come on, you know me by now.)  Many thanks to all of you.  Your efforts are much appreciated by me, as I know they are too by Hospiscare, who will ultimately benefit from all the work.

If you want more details of the production, they're all on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I'm off now to practice shouting "cut!" in a suitably artistic manner, and to prepare some theatrical flounces for when the actors find themselves unable to correctly convey the subtleties and emotions of my finely crafted words...

That wouldn't be so, in fairness.  There's lots going on - the play, the trip to Geneva, ideas for a new tvdetective book - but it was such a penetrating question, which made me reflect hard, I thought it deserved a reply.

It was this - why does Dan never mention, nor even think about children?  And further, given the - extraordinary, highly speculative! - theory that there's much of me in Dan, and likewise, what of my own views of youngsters?

There are indeed similarities between our "hero" (my very strong quotes!) and me. Like him, I always knew from an early age that I didn't want to have children.  At that time, I couldn't explain why.  It was just something I knew. 

Now I've come to believe it's down to a couple of things. Firstly that I had an unconventional childhood, which wasn't always contented - excuse me for not going into details, that's all very sensitive - and secondly, I think it's in the genes. 

Both Dan and I suffer from this tendency to melodrama, to see the world in shades of blue, not to mention what Churchill always so aptly called the Black Dog - or The Swamp, as Dan knows it.  And never would he want to hand that suffering on to a child. 

Having your own troubles is one thing. But seeing one you love suffer so much, and knowing you are partly responsible, and that's there's nothing you can do to change it - that's very hard to bear.

So they, I think, be the reasons for the lack of youngsters in the tvdetective books. That's not to say there aren't any.  I do appreciate there are some very happy families out there.  Hence Adam and his domestic contentment, even though Tom is now approaching the teenage years, which could make life for our irascible detective rather more challenging!

However, as with the best of stories, there's a twist to the tale, or two in this case.  Firstly, of all I do it's the working with kids, showing them the way to a career in the media, or teaching writing, which I enjoy the most.  And secondly, and most extraordinarily, there's my daughter Niamh.

We met when she was two, and our relationship - unlike so many others - has never faltered, only grown.  One of the most touching experiences of my life was when she asked me to be her Dad - to the horror of her mum, and quite understandably! - and then insisted I remained in her life, even if mum and I were no longer together.

I feel blessed in many ways, but to have Niamh, when I had neither hope nor expectation of a daughter, is the greatest of joys.  So thank you life, even in this cold darkness of a midweek January morning, there is some sunshine to be found somewhere.

A final thought for this ramble - it's often the case with the blogs that I have no idea where they'll lead.  I just start writing, to make them as they should be, an honest sweep of feelings. And sometimes they can really run.

I shall file this now before I have second thoughts and delete it.  It's from the heart, and however sensitive such emotions may be, why shy away from them?

If you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing or education work, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  I shall try to answer a little more straightforwardly in future!

I thought I'd deal with a few potential resolutions that people might wish I would make, based on my experiences over the past year.  Standby... it's resolutions (or not) by proxy time, and who knows - some of your favourites may be in here... 

1. Explain your more bizarre tweets.  I don't want to start negatively, but you leave me with no choice. This I can't help with. Firstly, it says in my book of how to be a writer to never explain what you mean as it destroys the mystery and romance, and both sell.  Plus, there's the more mundane issue that I often have no idea what I'm talking about myself.

2. Write a new tvdetective book.  Ah, something more positive to say!  It's well in progress and depending upon editing demands, publishers' whims etc., should - I hope - be around next year.

3. That goatee.  Given my struggles with the issue of hair, it's more like a kidee really.  Feedback on this bold statement of fashion has been mixed.  One kind lady told me it was very sexy, but she had been drinking.  We got an email at work saying it made me look like a tramp, and messed up a viewer's HD television.  But for now I think it's going to stay.  It helps to keep me warm on the road in winter, plus if I can't grow hair on my head, I might at least try for some somewhere...

4. Can you tone down - or at least pick some tasteful - ties?   No, sorry.  For a man, they're one of the few ways of expressing personality, or adding some colour to an outfit, and I like them. Plus, my tastes keep at least a couple of the stranger tie companies in business, and we all have to do our bit at this time of economic woe.

5. Can you tone down - or at least pick some tasteful - shirts, when you toddle out for a beer of an evening?  No.  See above.

6. Dancing - can you stop trying to do it?  A very fair request. I know I don't do it elegantly, in time, or anything whatsoever approaching what the dictionary would describe as dancing. I'll do my best to curtail it, promise.

7. Can you stop taking paper and pen out of an evening and noting down what happens and what we say and do?  A common concern of my long-suffering friends, but I'm afraid the answer must be no.  You provide far too much invaluable material for books and stories with your curious ways and deeds.  All I can say is that I'll do my best to disguise the source.

8. Can you stop partaking of such quantities of beer and curry?  A request from my poor body, I think.  No is the answer. I like them, and a man has to have some vices, although perhaps not as many as I seem to manage to get through.

9. Can you stop running around the river?   One from my knees, which complain by aching hard afterwards.  No, I'm afraid not.  We need to do the running to cope with point 8, above.

10. Can you stop staring at us when you go running around the river, it's unnerving?  One from the cormorants who live on The Exe (there are 15 at the moment, I counted them on a run yesterday).  No. You're so entertaining!  I love the wings stretched drying thing you do, and also when you go fishing.  I never know where you'll resurface, and when you do so with a huge fish, and then try to swallow it whole, it keeps me giggling for days.  Good work those comical birds, nature at her most amusing best!

11. Can you stop talking to us when you bring bread, it's embarrassing?  One from the gang of geese who I love feeding.  No, It's far too much fun, and a bit of conversation is a fair price to pay for some supper.  Get on with it, and don't honk so loudly next time.

12. Can you get a sensible job and life and stop being a wally?  Ah, a question from the world in general, methinks.  Even up to the day she died, my mother kept asking when I was going to get a proper job/jobs (TV reporter and author not enough, apparently).  Another fair point, but I'm afraid the answer is no.  I've got away with it this far, and have no intention of stopping now.

Finally for this last post of 2011, a very big thanks - to all who read my scribblings, all who have helped and supported me this past year, to those who've come along to my talks and workshops - I've met some wonderful people this year - to all my fine friends, to the beautiful city of Exeter which I'm proud to call home, and to the Planet Earth and life in general for hosting we strange human things.

Time to go now, before it gets like one of those nauseous Oscar speeches.  A Happy New Year to you all!

I mention it now, because I've been hunting some ideas over the last few days.  Elusive little beasts they can be, hiding in the darkened corners of the brain and often annoyingly reluctant to reveal themselves, but I think I've managed to track a few down.

One of the (very few, you'll doubtless agree?!) flaws in my character is that I don't like to do things straightforwardly, nor conventionally.  I realised that from an early age, when presented by a rule, the first thing I'd look to do was to find a way to break it. 

Whether or not that's served me well in life is another matter, and not necessarily one I think I should go into here...

Anyway, what I'm talking about (I think) is the teaching I'm doing in Geneva next month.  I've got a couple of things I want to try to convey, and have been looking for a fresh and entertaining way to do so. 

(Part of this is that I also like to entertain myself when I'm teaching, but again, that's a digression too far for this little ramble.)

Happily, my most creative moments also tend to be amongst my most enjoyed - in summary, walking around the graceful River Exe, delighting in the antics of the avian world (the cormorants have been great this Xmas, on a real fishing frenzy), and sitting in a pub, trying new ales and letting my mind wander.

So, after an arduous few days of such pursuits - I had to fill my Xmas time off somehow, aside from overeating! - I think I've just about got somewhere.  I won't say too much, so as not to give away the surprise to the lucky folk who are coming along to the Geneva session, but a little fun with some darkness, and unexpected smells and sounds beckons... and one or two other tricks besides.

I've also come up with a few ideas for projects to amuse me for the year ahead, including one thought for a new tvdetective book, a bit more on the play (getting increasingly excited about that!), and some more bits and bobs.  All in all, it's been a refreshing, productive and enjoyable break.

So, finally, back to the point of this entry, and the lightbulb over the head.  I was thinking what a clever and appropriate way it was of representing an idea.  You can sit there, thinking, thinking, thinking, and nothing comes along, until all of a sudden... click!  It's like magic, the flicking of a switch, illumination, all suddenly clear where only a second ago there was darkness.

And what a beautiful moment it is.  It's one of my favourites of the entire creative process - the concept, the starting point, the idea from which everything flows. It can fill you and overwhelm you, lift you and carry you, and sometimes for months.

The one which has just popped into brainland is a little more mundane, but also important and enjoyable, so kindly excuse me if I go attend to it now... it's time for a coffee and a pain au chocolat!

Adam is the easiest to deal with - in an Xmas sense, anyhow - so I'll start with him. As befits a family man and traditionalist, he loves Xmas.  All the presents are beautifully wrapped, the Breen household looking well-decorated, and he's very content, having a few days off work for Xmas. 

The only slight stains on the pretty picture are twofold.  Firstly, there's Tom.  Being now a sufferer of the teenage ailment, he's out on Xmas Eve until 3am at the eariliest, and Adam is getting fed up with the early morning awakening, and having to wait until almost noon to open his presents.  Not to mention the sight of an uncomely green-tinted son over the dinner table. 

Plus Adam has volunteered to be on call over the New Year which tends to be busy.  He doesn't so much mind this - he sees New Year as more a time for the younger and single cops to enjoy than those ensconced amidst family - but he knows he's likely to be working on quite a few cases.  As the turning of the year can be a time for positive resolutions, it's also often the moment when people resolve to make a new start - perhaps escaping someone in their lives - in a very permanent and less than pleasant way.

For many years, Dan was a detester of Xmas, in the way that many more are than care to admit.  It was all down to his instinctive loneliness, and the vicious attentions of The Swamp, but these days, a few years on since we first met him, life is rather kinder.  By which of course I mostly mean the wonderful Claire.

Now, for those of who you seeking hints on how matters will end up between the pairing - and I know there are plenty - don't think that's any kind of clue. All that's happening is that they'd both rather be together than alone, and who would criticise them for that? So Claire will be spending Xmas at Hartley Avenue, bringing the great sack of presents she's thoughtfully and carefully collected, and seeing how things go as to whether she spends the night.

And Dan, protest though he may, is secretly very glad of that.  And with the mellowing of those passing years, has even made quite an effort to buy some fine presents for her too.  They'll open the gifts, eat together, (Claire in charge, naturally, you know how inept Dan can be in the kitchen), then go for a walk somewhere, and see how the evening takes them...

And as for Rutherford, he's happier even than ever.  For turkey is his favourite treat, and he's in the company of the two curious but pleasant human creatures that he loves most in the world, and who can be relied upon to spoil him at all times, and even more so at Xmas.  And Dan will air the observation that often he does at this time of year - that Xmas was made for children and pets.

And finally, as for the alleged patron of these three fine people?  Well, he always finds these contemporary Xmases a little hard.  They're so full of memories, of times past and family and friends faded away.  But he's glad at least of the time off work, and the efforts of most to be rather more pleasant to each other than usual, and tries hard not to raise the obvious question - why they can't manage that all year around?

Anyway, wherever you may be, whatever you may be doing, and whoever with, I wish you the hope of the Xmas you would wish for yourself.

But prepare yourself for a foray never before attempted in these blogs. We're going to try a little trespass into the daunting land of international politics.

Before you stop reading, just hang on and give me a chance. You should know by now this isn't likely to be in any way intellectual or impenetrable.  What I'm talking about here is the issue of nicknames.

How's that connected to politics? Well, stay with me, come on, you know you want to...

I was reading yesterday a series of articles about the death of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Il.  They were all very worthy, but a touch dry and analytical, until I came upon one much lighter and far more entertaining piece.  It was about the nicknames the man was given (presumably by himself, or those surrounding him / seeking various promotions / escapes from torture and death).

I'll share a few with you, for there were plenty - Unique Leader, Sun of the Communist Future, Ever Victorious Iron Willed Commander (my favourite), Glorious General who Descended from Heaven, Great Man who is a Man of Deeds, and Highest Incarnation of the Revolutionary Comradely Love. There were quite a few others too, but I think the point's made.

All that got me thinking it might be time to use a few more nicknames in the tvdetective books. I've only really employed one - Dirty El - and that's more of an epithet.  There is clearly an unmined seam here!

Dan might be - Insightful, but Rather Cowardly, Commitment Fearing Comical Buffoon.  For Adam, how about - Irascible Justice Hunter, Prone to Vanity and Pomposity? And for my lovely Claire - Fragrant Shimmering Beauty of Tenderness, Intellect and Patience, who Fortunately has a Weak Spot for Idiot Men.

Ah yes, I can definitely feel more nicknames coming on in future low brow works.  There's much fun to be had in them!  Thanks Kim, and all your toadies, for the tip. 

So that's it for another tour of the curious corners of my mind, and yet again I'm left wondering what it was all about. Heaven knows how you must feel, having to read these things.

Anyhow, best regards to you all on this winter, near Xmas morning, from the Well Meaning, Oft Misguided, Life Meandering, Occasionally Entertaining (usually when not intended), Mostly Affable, Sometimes Tempramental, Beer Enjoying, Daft Tweeting, Life Appreciating, Literary Aspiring, Jobbing Hack.

Well, whatever, I'm going to tell you anyway.

Here's the hard news bit; me in journalist mode (it does happen sometimes, though sadly perhaps not enough during the working week.)

It's all going ahead. The play in question - An Unnecessary Murder - will open on Weds, April 25th, 2012 at the Barnfield Theatre, Exeter.  The run will be four nights. 

Excuse me as I stand back while you rush for tickets... Go on then...

A few more bits of info.  It's being put on by a newly formed theatre company, Ad Hoc productions.  I am not - contrary to rumours / fears - going to play a cameo role, or any part whatsoever, which I suspect will come as a sizeable relief to you poor folk who suffer enough of me on the telly.  And audtions are at the beginning of January, so if you fancy yourself as an extra, or something more...

The characters are those you've come to know and love (or not) from the novels, and the initial story is loosely based on my first book, The TV Detective.  But the plot is an entirely new one, with a rather fun twist, if I do say so myself!

The play will be a charitable performance, the funds raised going to help Hospiscare, which is a cause close to what's left of my heart. 

And one more thing, because it's a favourite quirk of mine.  There's going to be a special beer to accompany the play, courtesy of my fine friends at the Exeter Brewery.  Cheers all!

Now the feely part.  What do I think of the play being put on?

It's a darned peculiar feeling is the answer!  It's an odd enough sensation, writing books and imagining them being out there, people reading them on trains, in the bath etc.  But this time I'll actually be amongst the audience, seeing how they react, as actors present my strange imaginings on stage.  And that's more than a little scary.

But it's always been a Hall maxim that the most rewarding bits of life are those we find daunting at first, when we dare to venture somewhere new, and it's a bit late to back out now, so here we go...

I'll keep you updated on how it's all going, and put more details on the News and Events page too, as they're confirmed - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Finally for this post, don't forget to pop the date in your diary now... please!  I wouldn't want to be all alone in the auditorium.

Regular sufferers of my rantings will know that I teach media and careers at Exeter University (lucky students, I hear you say), and that I find it one of the most rewarding features of my humble existence.

The pinnacle on that particular peak is when a student gets their first job.  Well, that's just happened with one of mine from last year, and in time for Xmas too.  Lovely!

Another thing I do (or perhaps try to would be more accurate) is the teaching of the creative writing thing.  And here, a lady I've been helping and encouraging for a year or so now has just had her first poem published, and been paid for it too.  Double lovely!

(Don't forget to send over my percentage, if you're reading this.)

Both the people in question have been kind enough to thank me for my help, and in warming terms.  But here's the curious quirk - if I'm honest, I don't believe I've actually done a great deal to assist, aside from one thing.

I've made them believe in themselves.  And how very potent that can be.

I've come to think that if you tell someone they're good at something, that often makes it so. Both the folk I'm talking about had lots of talent, but an issue with self belief.  So I just beat up the doubts and polished the belief, and voila!

I think it works for me too.  When the writing isn't going well, with my usual tendency to melodrama, I slump and convince myself that I'll never write again. And when it is flowing, it just runs and runs and runs and it can be an effort to stop it and remember the rest of the world. 

Belief, it's all about belief.  What a wonderful phenomenon is human psychology, and what curious creatures we are.

"It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen".  So said Muhammad Ali.  And he knew more than a little about talent.

Mind you, one final word here - belief does have limits.  I just told myself repeatedly how handsome, charming, witty, intelligent, charismatic and sexually magnetic I am.  The nasty old bathroom mirror however, disagrees.

And then the question then follows - all too naturally it seems! - whether I have a similar outlook?

The answer is yes.  Now, i don't want to sound like a Little Englander, but to adapt an old newspaper slogan, the way I feel about the south west of England is - all life is here.  Or, at least, mostly all I want from life.

I'm very proud of living here, and also, in truth, rather besotted with it. I love the natural environment, the moors, coasts, cliffs etc., so where better to reside?  I love the lack of noise and pollution and the simple delight of seeing the night sky, something so difficult these days. 

I also love the sense of community which persists in the south west, a great asset which ruefully seems lost in so many places.  And I'm very grateful that on this overcrowded island, my region has more space than most.

Anyhow, apart from a eulogy to Devon and Cornwall and their fine inhabitants - which I'm very happy to give anyway - there is an irony here. This teaching of writing thing that I've somehow gotten into is starting to require me to travel, and not just a few miles around Britain.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the opportunities I'm being given.  I'm very grateful, in fact I'm flattered by them!  I'm going to get to see places I've never before known, and that's such an honour and pleasure.

I'm off to Geneva next month, then a cruise down to Africa later in the year, which is all wonderful.  But, these blogs are supposed to be about the truth, and to be painfully honest... I'm a little nervous and daunted by it all.

Airports are big and scary things. So many people in such a hurry. I can feel very small and insignificant in such a setting, and do often wish there was someone there to hold my hand and guide me to the plane! (Aside - all say; aaaahhhh...)

And one final confession here, while I'm in the way of it.  Like my good friend Dan, I'm not the bravest of men and I'm terrified of flying.  I don't care for the take off, I can't abide the landing, and the bit in between I dislike immensely too.  Aside from that, it's ok...

I do however have a tried and tested solution to my fear of flying.  It lies in one of my other great pleasures in life, and a couple of easy and profitable hours in the airport pub before the ordeal of taking to the skies...

The thing was only really getting going in Britain when I started writing, and I remember thinking "I'll get round to that sometime, it's just some minor oddball thing, hardly a priority" when someone suggested I bag thetvdetective domain name and get myself a website.  I'm now very glad I listened.

For a scribbler, perhaps more than for most folk, the online thing is so important. Every week I get inquiries about doing talks, or festivals, or teaching work through the site.  And also comments from readers too, which can be very uplifting.

Many times before I've gone on at length - as can be my way, as well you know - about how lonely this writing lark can be.  The books are out there, and .... what?  What's happening?  Is anyone reading them?  Even enjoying them?  Or just propping open a door with them?

The net helps to ease the fear of no one noticing your work, when people get in touch to confirm they (a) have actually bothered to read your books and (b) are kind enough to say the experience has been a passably pleasant one. 

I'm often asked for advice on how to get published.  Part of that is getting yourself a good internet presence.  If an agent, or publisher, is interested in you, the first thing they're likely to do is look you up online.  And no website, Facebook etc. means you're far less likely to be approached.  It just looks as though you're not truly committed to the dark art of the writing thing, and that's what will be expected of you.

There's also fun to be had online.  Getting published is hard, with one great exception - the net.  There, you can publish away to your soul's content.  I very much enjoy my Tweeting, even if some of what I write does seem to perplex the poor folk who read it. 

Don't worry, what's going on in my head often baffles me too!  I just quite like sharing it (inflicting it?!), but do occasionally live in concern of a knock at the door of Hall Towers, and some men in white coats saying "We read what you posted online, would you mind coming along with us please..."

But I can't let this blog go by without the excuse for a little Hall sermonising / ranting / pontificating / being a grumpy old git.  So, a quick lesson for some.  Shocking as this may be - the net is not a substitute for having a life! 

If you've spent hours on your computer, try popping outside (you can see outside via a window, if you need your memory jogging).  Fresh air is a simple beauty; breathe deeply of it.  Take a walk across some fields, through a wood, along the coast, or around a river.  Listen to birds singing.  Feel the earth underfoot.  Look up at the joy of the sky, instead of down at your phone the whole time.  It's called the real world, and you never know, you might like it!

On the off chance you don't already follow me on Twitter (and you're clearly now gagging to do so), there's a link to my site towards the bottom of the home page -  www.thetvdetective.com/

I suppose I should first issue a health warning re. what nonsense I can babble, but I suspect you're already prepared for the kind of ramblings you might hear.  It's quite a challenge to compress my mental tangents into 140 characters or less (as the rest of this blog so amply demonstrates), but one does one's best!

Literally speaking, the answer is anywhere.  I always keep a notebook, or at least a piece of paper and pen with me, ready to jot down any gems which may suddenly arrive in brainworld, and the ideas for Tweets can strike at any place, any time.  They can sometimes be triggered by an event or situation - I had one yesterday while dropping off empties at the Bottlebank! - or just materialise from apparently nothing, as can often be the way with thoughts.

I do sometimes make a conscious attempt to create a Tweet.  And, if you really want to know - and you did ask! - I tend to do that in what I think of as downtime.

I don't like to waste time, as regular readers of my rantings will know, it being the one commodity we have a very limited amount of, and - in one of the great mysteries of life - never in fact know how much. So, even when I'm going about mundane tasks, like brushing my teeth, showering, or driving somewhere, I can often try to use the time profitably by thinking up the odd Tweet.

One that's aroused quite some interest of late is the Things and Thongs, Rights and Wrongs rhyme.  Many questions were asked along the lines of - What the hell were you going on about there?!

Good question!

A fair few folk also thought there was something a tad naughty to it, which made me smile.  I like your thinking, but I'm afraid I'm not 19 any more, nor indeed anywhere close...

As you know, it's a rule of the writing world that we're never supposed to explain exactly what we mean with our scribblings.  That would destroy the fun!  It's all down to interpretations.  Which, handily (and not entirely coincidentally), helps with the all important sense of mystery, publicity etc. 

But what I will say about my Tweeting is don't take it all too seriously, and certainly not literally.  You should know by now what a flippant way I often have, how I love playing with words and indulging myself in riddles and puzzles in particular, and that I have, on occasion, been accused of having a whimsical, lopsided, and even just downright weird view of this strange phenomenon called life...

Guilty as charged, I fear.  Now, maybe that's not a bad idea for a Tweet...

Don't forget, if you've got a question you'd like to raise about the tvdetective books, or any of my writing - however strange - you can get in touch via the Contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

How can words capture something so distinct and esoteric as a person?  I suppose the question answers itself.

A few writers rather better than I have wrestled with the problem of the inadequacy of the language. I remember Eliot talking about words slipping and cracking, never staying in place, and Orwell putting it more simply but still elegantly - as was his wonderful way - when reflecting on a love letter, and asking when in life do we ever manage to say exactly what we mean?

However, as words are our only weapons, we give it our best and come up with what we can, however we might look back and wonder whether it all works. 

I had a lovely comment about Adam, and how one reader imagines him looking like Alan Hansen, the Match of the Day pundit.  With that I was pleased, as in my mind it's not far off - a kind of focused intensity - so I must have got the description roughly right.

As for Dan, most people tell me they imagine him as pretty ordinary (apart from that precious perception), which again is mostly what I intended; an average man aside from his journey to discover and deal with that one wonderful gift.

And as for Claire... sigh.  Regular sufferers of my ramblings will know very well how I feel about her!

For the new characters, I suppose I'm trying to find a few words to describe them - enough to give a sense of what they look like to me - sufficient to set the imagination running, but without being prescriptive.  It's a fine line to draw and never easy to judge.  But they are starting to live for me - I'm talking to them, getting to know them better, and some I'm liking, others I'm taking against - which is a good sign. 

(Even if it might be midly worrying as an indicator of the kind of thing that goes on in my head).

Anyway, the good news is that I am actually writing again, and although it's not yet pouring out with grace, elegance and style (if ever it does), it is coming.  Which gives me hope I'm finally beating this horrid bout of lyrical constipation known as writer's block.

Which in turn is good for all those around me, as it holds out hope I'm going to be less grumpy!

Regular sufferers of my ramblings will know about the attack of the dreaded block which has been bothering me.  Those with longer memories will also recall that on a couple of occasions I've happily served up hearty portions of advice about what to do for those similarly afflicted.

Don't get too wound up, says I.  That only makes it worse. Walk away, ignore it, rise above it, don't let it goad or get to you, I preach.  It'll go away in time to be replaced by the sunrise of inspiration.

So, has Dr Hall been following his own recommendations?

He has not, you may be unsurprised to hear.

Yep, I've been trying, but it's not that easy.  It's so frustrating.  When you love something as much as I do with writing, it really is like being parted from a sweetheart when it's not working out.  So, despite my best advice, I've been getting cross and narky and entirely failing to be cool about it.

I have tried a few solutions. I've been running myself cross-eyed at the gym, and around the river, in the hope some pumping blood spurs my lethargic brain into action, and then going to the other extreme and laying back in a dark room, eyes closed, just trying to think.

Anyway, there is some good news, at LONG LAST!  I've felt the clouds starting to shift and a few beams of light head my way.  I'm beckoning and clutching and grabbing and hoping they'll be joined by more and more colleagues in sufficient numbers to deliver the muse back unto me.

I'm more than jolly pleased about it, to say the least.  I fear these darker days will be even more depressing without the company of my fickle love...

I suppose I'd best explain, or you'll be lost in my commonly puzzling thought processes without a map.

That rather opaque opener for this blog comes from a very specific question which has been posed of me, which is this - how do I write? And my interrogator is keen to point out she doesn't want some wafty artistic answer, but a solid and grounded description of where and when.

The easy part, the when, is usually I write early in the morn, say from 6am onwards. It's for two reasons - one, that's the only time I can guarantee not to be called by work and so have a chance to concentrate, and two, it's when my brain tends to be freshest and most willing to disgorge some passable ideas.

The more interesting element, or so I've come to realise (first aside - thank you questioner; as ever, often the person who learns the most when being interrogated is the subject themselves), is where I write.  Because it varies.

I commonly start the day by writing in bed.  That's part laziness - I'm very fond of bed - and part warmth, particularly in the winter, but mostly because I usually have a head full of ideas as soon as I wake and want to write them down before they evaporate, as they have an annoying way of doing.

But, just as I used to break up my revision in those long ago student days, I like some variety to keep me entertained. After an hour or so, I'll commonly decamp downstairs to the lounge, and write there (I work on a laptop), perhaps to partake of a coffee to accompany the artistry, and then, maybe another half hour later, upstairs to my study to continue.  That was never a conscious decision, merely instinctive; I find the change of backdrop helps keep me refreshed and creative.

And that's just the mechanics of the actual writing part. When I need to do some thinking, I can sometimes lay back on the sofa, listen to some music and close my eyes, or I might try a walk around the river, or a trip to the pub, for the wonderful inspiration of a pint of ale and a little of my favourite sport of people watching.

Variety appears to keep my oft-reluctant brain active, hence the itinerant writing style. So, very good question that inquisitor - thank you - and keep them coming in, it's always a pleasure to hear from readers.

If you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any part of my writing or education work, you can get in touch via the Contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

In my mind, the hunk of stone and the chisel. Afar, far afar, the sculpture.  Time to be brave and begin...

The question of where do my ideas for books, bits of writing, teaching etc. come from is one of the most common I'm asked, and I've waffled about it before. But perhaps what I didn't make clear was this...

I have lots of ideas and much of the time, and the large majority come to exactly nowt.  They're just passing fancies, the clicking of some electric synapse in the head area, and quickly discarded.  But I'm always glad that they're appearing, because at least it means the brain is firing, chewing away at some thinking, however sub-consciously.

The times I don't care for at all are when no ideas are coming, but that's another story and I'm trying to cut down on my asides!

What I was trying to answer here is how I know when an idea's good enough to be worth entertaining, perhaps even to the level of writing more than a hundred thousand words around it, ie. a book.

A tricky question, but what I've come to believe is this - you can often tell the worth of an idea by how much it grabs you. If the thing takes on physical form, leaps up at you, sinks its teeth into your arm, insists it leads you somewhere and simply won't let go, that tends to suggest it may well be worth bothering with.  If it loves you that much, I suppose it's only fair you should pay it some attention.

And after you've found that hunk of stone, and you're sure the pair of you make a match, then there's no other way than to grab the chisel and start working on it.  The idea, beautiful though it may be, is nowhere near enough on its own.  The annoying truth is that it has to be tended by a large amount of hard work to try to make it realise its potential.

Oh dear, this sounds like an allegory for certain other areas of life, but back to the point...

That's a brave process to begin, the actual working on the stone, and hence my little tweet. 

I've been feeling a tad off the pace of life this week, almost insulated from the world, and I suspect that's the reason - the idea has been occupying me, maybe too much, and I'm taking the first steps into setting it down on paper. It's an exciting, but daunting point of life.

Looking back on this blog - as is commonly the case with me - I'm not sure how much of the questions posed of me that I answered, but I hope it helps a little.

If there's a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Maybe if you do, I might finally come up with a more informative and straightforward answer..

I've heard a few scribblers say they either don't read, or don't bother about, reviews; claims which I believe not at all, not in the slightest.  There's not a writer who isn't proud of what he or she has come up with, who doesn't feel some sort of bond, or need to protect it. 

In some ways it's like being a parent.  You just have to look after and defend that which you've created, however flawed you know it might be.

Anyhow, given all that, let's trespass a little way into the dangerous land of reviews, because I was told of one offered of a book of mine this week which has made me chuckle every time I think about it.

It was on The TV Detective, penned by "The Librarian", and, in summary, went something thus - I was enjoying the book, got half way through and then left it on the tube, so I can't say any more.

Wonderful! This has set off all sorts of mental meanderings. What's become of the book? Has someone else picked it up and is reading it? And what of The Librarian? Has he or she gone out and got another copy, or were they perhaps not enjoying it quite that much?!

It's quite the most distinctive review I've ever had, so thanks to The Librarian for your contribution to my writing career, and for raising a much-needed smile in what's been a tricky week. 

All this had me reflecting on what's one of the most curious elements of writing for me - the wondering what's happening to your books when they're published. Are people reading them in the bath, on a plane, on a beach, at home in their favourite armchair... and are they handing them on to others with a recommendation, giving them a favoured place upon a shelf, or setting their course straight to the charity shop?

So, I can now happily add a new and certain experience to my little wonderings about what fate befalls my books.  I'm just hoping the novel in question has been found and given a decent home, and isn't still riding around on the Circle Line, much as its creator commonly does when he ventures out of the safety of Devon to the big city...

In fact, I might even cast him an envious look. At least he got somewhere with that boulder.  Mine currently feels like it's stuck fast to the bottom of the hill.

A few years ago, when first I started trying to write, this sort of situation would be the cue for much wailing and anguish.  It's true, I was very young when I first learnt the meaning of melodrama, and I've cherished the word ever since.

These days, life has taught me it happens.  I've learnt, through annoying experience, that when the muse decides to go off for a wander all my flailing attempts to lure her back will be spurned, and as befits such a fickle creature the only thing to do is wait until she decides to wander back.

That's not to say it's anything other than frustrating.  But at least I'm feeling irked with pursed lips and a glower, rather than a running around screaming episode.

Anyway, the point of this blog (you knew I'd come to it sometime?!), is that I've been wondering if the changing of the season and the harshening of the weather has been an influence on the absence of inspiration.

For all we like to think of ourselves as civilised and advanced creatures, in my humble view we humans are in essence animals, only with less hair (quite a lot less, in my case).  I wonder if the darker, colder days are sapping my energy and inspiration in much the same way as they're leeching colour from the world around.

I'm doing my best to combat it.  I've gone Xmas shopping, and bought myself some very fine presents (Happy Xmas to me, never mind you friends and family... did I mention I was an only child?), and I've found warmth and colour by sitting next to open fires in pubs and wearing whatever bright clothes I can find - usually ties and shirts - but it just ain't working.

So, this morning, when I've finished this ramble, it's back to a familiar liaison with an old friend; a blank sheet of paper and a wait more uncertain than that for a rural bus service. 

I think I might just take myself for a walk, enjoy the endless run of the river, the squabbles and fuss of the geese and ducks, and the view of the Devon countryside. That's if I can see it in the gloom.

Yours, not entirely cheerily, for this grey Wednesday morning, hoping the weekend forecast for some sunshine comes to pass and the muse wafts my way with it...

Wrong!

No, this is a response to a very fine question I was asked last week at the Chudleigh Book Fair (hello to anyone who went along, and thanks for such a fine evening - never before have I given a talk from what felt like a pulpit, another new experience).  It went thus - which of my activities do I enjoy the most? (that's professional activities, before you start over-imagining again).

I count myself very lucky in that I enjoy all I do, aside from the occasional off-day, which appears a contractual part of this thing called life.  But as for a favourite?  Well, having now thought about it, I'd say it changes depending on which of the particular fields is proving the most stimulating at that point.

On the TV and news side, I get a great buzz from covering a big story and trying my best to do it well. It's the sense of being at the centre of events, and so many people looking to you to tell them what's happening.

Writing-wise, it can be the simple of moments, like the idea for a new novel, character or piece of work, and happily filling in pages on a notebook, polishing it, extending it, testing it, seeing if it's got what it takes to make it to publication.

And as for acutally being amidst writing a book, that's a joy.  It's almost as if I leave this world for a while, to go and reside in the fantasy land I'm creating.

The education work I love too, thinking up new ways to try to teach people about writing.  I never like to do it all straightforwardly!  One thing I took from those long ago schooldays was that the best teachers were also entertainers.

But, finally coming to an answer, after all the usual rambling and digressions... at the moment it's the careers work which is lighting my heart the most. 

I feel very privileged to be able to teach and mentor some young folk, and help them towards a life in the media.  I heard yesterday that one of my students has just got her first job as a researcher with a TV company.  I could hear the shining smile in her message, and it's stayed with me this morning.

The first thought that came to my chaotic mind was that it's a kind of regression thing, a draw back through the years to childhood, and memories of those safe and carefree days of laying in bed, being read to. 

Reading aloud to a group of people, you often see them relax in a manner which is rare in this pressured world of modern life. Eyes close, faces ease, minds wander far from their usual haunt of troubled lands...

In fact, to this day, one of the richest experiences of my life, simple though it is, has been reading to my daughter Niamh, in her childhood times.  It was the age of Harry Potter, and, being the dramatist type I am, I would put on voices for the characters.

When I thought Niamh was falling asleep, I'd wind up and go to put the book away, and invariably a little hand would emerge from the duvet, grab me, and the word "more" would be whispered into the twilight of the bedroom air.

Quick aside, you knew it was coming - that, of course, was way before she became the teenager of today, fixated on the latest music, fashions, the agonies of exams, and boys.  Boys!  Eek!  And there I go no further!

Anyway, back to this reading aloud thing, and there's one other sizeable reason I think I enjoy it so much.  I won't overdo the loneliness of being a writer (I can imagine the tears forming in your eyes now), but it is a curious experience. 

You sit in a little room and type away, often for many months, huff and puff, struggle and sweat (I can sense those tears of yours growing), but it's only when the book comes out and you see the reaction of readers that you start to get a sense whether all that effort was worthwhile.

Reading some of your work to an audience - sensing and experiencing their feelings - is the true test of that. And so always a memorable moment.

I mention all this now, because the kind folk of Chudleigh have asked me to do a reading as part of tonight's Book Fair.  So off I must go, to practice some inflexions, as it were.

The Fair is intended to be a good place to pick up some signed and dedicated books as Xmas presents.  There are plenty of authors coming along, aside from your humble servant of a scribbler, so if you're about and free, do consider popping along.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

The answer - and prepare yourself for a shock here - is that it's no accident of chance, but actually planned and intended.  Stop laughing, it is I tell you!  I do occasionally, sometimes, just now and then come somewhere close to having a deliberate plan for some parts of this curious phenomenon called life.

The reason is straightforward, perhaps even (ready for another shock?) logical.  I thought as I was writing about a journalist, it would be appropriate to pen the things in a journalistic type style. 

Clever huh?  Hey, what're you looking like that for?! Oh, ok then, I'll just keep rambling...

First aside here (took a while coming, not bad for me) - journalistic "style" it may be, but hopefully without all the cliches of this disreputable trade that you know and hate so well.  "The battle's being stepped up (translation; nothing much is happening)... furious row erupted (a mild disagreement) ... only time will tell (I can't think of anything else to write to end this report) etc etc.

Anyway, it also helps me in that the old hack's way of writing is that which I've grown up with, and so it's like putting on a familar and friendly T-shirt.  I do sometimes slip into the odd bit of florid writing, but it's not really me - I'm a boy, after all.

Do keep the questions coming in, I always enjoy hearing from readers. You can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Final couple of things to mention here (in a sparse and factual style, naturally). Many thanks to the kind folk of Weymouth who ventured out in the autumnal typhoon to see me at the library last week.  It was a pleasure talking to you again. 

And if you're up for some early Xmas shopping, there's a book fair in the fine Devon town of Chudleigh on Wednesday evening (2nd Nov) where I shall be appearing and touting my "literary" wares, with a signed dedication for anyone of your Xmas choice. What mere mortal could resist?

And, of course, on the theme of questions, there are some which are better left unanswered..

I was thinking a little about the part the weather plays in the tvdetective books, and the world of words in general.  I defy just about any English author not to mention the weather on repeated occasions - we're programmed to do so! - but equally you've got to be careful not to let it become a cliche.

How many times is the denouement of a work set against a storm... how many times must a chase scene take place through the pouring rain... and a happy ending against a sunset?

Ah, some of it is unavoidable.  It's hard to write realistic misery when the sun is blazing down upon the characters.  It's just the way of sunshine, it magics up smiles.  And it's hard to be cheery when caught amidst a monsoon, unless you're one of those doommongers, the modern day Horsemen of the Apocalypse, known (with no obvious sense of due irony) as weather "forecasters".

(Quick aside - I use the quotes because if you look at most of what they say, they're telling you what's already happened - and even I could get that right! - and when it comes to the "forecasting", they always couch their visions in the most esoteric of caveats and provisos.)

However, as I was saying, the weather is so influential in our lives, I suppose it's inevitably going to play a big part in our literature.  I however, having thought about it, and being the contrary type I am (rules were made to be broken etc.) am now going to try to set some scene counterwise to the weather in a future book - perhaps a jolly wedding in the rain type thing - and see if my editors let me get away with it.

All this because some of my shoes are still drying on the radiator after they, and I, got a good soaking earlier in the week...

And at my window comes a rattling reminder of the presence of Autumn, and the fact that I now have to venture out into it again. 

Final thought for this ramble - if you are up to braving the weather, and you're in the Weymouth area tonight, I'm doing a talk about the tvdetective books at the town's library and you'd be very welcome along.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

And if you do make it, I promise not to go on too much about the weather... unless I get really wet today...

'tis this - the wisdom of animals. 

I'm not quite sure how the conversation started, but a friend was arguing that the most intelligent birds she knew were chickens.

How so? asked I.  Did you once come home to find one sitting on the sofa, in front of the fire, sipping whisky and doing The Times crossword? (This chicken isn't so smart, look - it hasn't got 12 across etc...)

No, her contention was the delight of the simplicity of their lives.  And from my observations of the birds in question, that's certainly true. Their entire existence appears to be taken up with (1) hopping around, letting out a squawk of joy every time they discovered a piece of corn (which happened a lot), and (2) sleeping. 

Personally, I favour geese, as there's a gang on the river here in Exeter of whom I've grown fond.  They recognise me to the extent they come running each time they see me, and are gentle and amusing whenever I feed them, taking the bread by hand and showing signs of being true English geese; that is, they queue politely for their turn for titbits.

Anyhow, we debated the matter (you may not believe it, but it really was a stimulating chat), until I pointed out that my favourite creatures are dogs.  Not because of their brains, but more to the point, the lack of them.  What I like about dogs is that they'll never leave you alone to be a fool.

If you're acting daft in front of a cat, it'll give you a look of pure and icy contempt.  But as for a dog... it will join in with your stupidity without a second thought, and often top it.

Which in turn brings us to my point (yes, I know that can take a while). As keen and thoughtful readers of the tvdetective books will know, Rutherford has, on at least a couple of occasions, been instrumental in solving the crime.

That's not to say he's climbed up on his haunches and whispered the answer into Dan's ear, appealing though the prospect may be. It's more that the joy of being outside somewhere with a dog, with time to think, and that wonderful sense of leaving the cares of the world behind, can free the mind in a way that allows the rare and elusive phenomenon called inspiration to edge in.

So, here's to Rutherford, and geese, and yes, if you must, to chickens, for being our kind companions on this wonderful planet, and such fine ones at that.

Lastly for this blog, a big thank you to all the folk of the University of the Third Age who came to my talk in Callington on Wednesday.  It was splendid to meet you, I very much enjoyed the morning, and you also make some of the finest tea I've enjoyed in my nomadic writing career.

And lastly lastly (promise), don't forget I'm doing a talk at the lovely Weymouth Library on Thursday evening.  If you fancy coming along, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I had a straightforward and simple title for this little musing - just the one word - but hesitated when I went to write it, as I thought the original version would put many people off from reading onwards.

I suppose that's because the word is very divisive, some people loving it and being almost addicts, others immediately shutting down their ears the moment it's aired.

Anyway, all that's a new record in itself, a digression to begin a blog, instead of at least having the decency to wait until I'm a few sentences in.  However!

The word I was thinking of is exercise.  And it came to mind yesterday, when I was thinking how much I envied Dan.

It's at this point of the year I really yearn to have a dog.  It's such a great time to go out on walks in fair Devon; not yet too cold, often just right in fact, and all that beauty in the countryside with the palette of autumnal colours, the spiralling leaves, the wonderful sunsets (they're my favourites in spring and autumn).

But, for now at least, this often chaotic lifestyle of mine doesn't allow for a Rutherford of my own, so it'll just have to remain a dream.  But this I have promised myself time and again - as soon as life settles down, one of the first things I shall do is go out and get myself a dog.

Anyway, all that was a bit of a digression too.  The main point of this was a little musing on how exercise helps me to write.  I went to the gym yesterday morning, and I can't claim to look forward to and enjoy it, but I do have a strategy to cope, one which works well with writing.

I find if I've got some issue to resolve in a bit of writing, my teaching work, or even just the scary business known as "life", then if I fix on that during the self-flagellation session it helps me to notice the pain rather less.

Interestingly, it usually also gets the problem solved.  Which is why I titled this blog the way I did - I find forcing the old and weatherbeaten body to get moving does likewise for the brain.

Maybe it's the blood flowing, perhaps it's just the space to think, but I've become a convert to exercise, and not just for the simple reason that it stops my bottom from expanding too much into middle age!

One final thing to mention here - if you're around Weymouth next Thursday evening (27th Oct), I'm doing a talk at the library.  Dorset is where I began my broadcasting career, so it's always a great pleasure to return.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Which all got me thinking about the broader issue of fashion, both in the tvdetective books, and the rest of my life.

The following confession will come as little surprise to anyone who knows me, and it's thus; I don't think I ever really got the hang of fashion.

I couldn't help but notice that, from the very first of the "fortunate" bunch, every one of the few girfriends I've ever had has gone about trying to amend, alter, or just entirely change the clothes I wear.  Every one!  There's a hint in there somewhere, surely...

Even my friends have, on occasions, looked me up and down, and if not said anything, then probably haven't needed to do so.   Sometimes the eyes are all that's required.

It's true I favour louder shirts and ties, but there's a reason for that.  As a man, there are only limited ways to express any form of personality, particularly in the working environment.  Gals get to choose skirts or trousers, frocks or jackets etc etc. We boys are stuck with the jacket, shirt and trousers, so any opportunity for a little indulgence I tend to take.

I'm often asked how much of Dan reflects me in the tvdetective books. Adam is a sharp and expensive dresser, and Dan admires his style whilst being unable to replicate it in just about any way.  Which I suppose provides an answer of sorts! 

I fear I just never got the hang of making clothes work.  Where my late and lovely gran could iron a shirt merely by glaring at it, I could spend 20 minutes just chasing a crease around the fabric. And as for the issue of co-ordinating colours... in my view, that's PhD standard fashion and I'm barely at GCSE, and struggling with that.

All this rambling of a couture kind was prompted by some Xmas shopping I did yesterday.  As is often the case - and curiously pleasantly! - I didn't buy anything for anyone else, but did get myself a scarf. 

It's rather colourful, a bit on the Tom Baker's Dr Who side, if you're old enough to remember that. But whatever the merits of the colouring, it's soft and comfortable and feels good on my skin, and that's largely how I tend to shop - by touch.  Maybe that explains a lot...

Final thought for this blog; my thanks to all those who've followed me on Twitter.  I'm grateful, even to the Swingers site I found had become one of my followers yesterday.  I'll take that as a compliment!

If you do want to follow me (swingers and all!), there's a link to my Twitter site about half way down the home page - www.thetvdetective.com/

It's something which strikes at the heart of we fragile human things, and which dominates many of our fears. In a word, it's rejection.

My first memory of the dreaded feeling was from age about five or six.  There was a singing lesson at school, and some of the class were selected to be recorded warbling Christmas carols.  The teacher went around listening to the various children and picked them out, one by one.  I'm sure my memory is making this worse, but the way I recall it is that every other kid got chosen, apart from me and the smelly boy in the corner who no one liked.

Cue constant waves of tears, all the way home and long into the evening.

And then come the rejections of later years - of first loves when the heart is lanced through with a blade of ice, of first jobs, when the stomach sinks lower than the deepest pit of the Pacific Ocean at that bland letter, thanking you for your interest, but...

Last night we were talking about being rejected as a writer.  The fall, I can tell you, is no easier now than with first loves or first jobs.  You have this great idea for a book (at least, you think so), you fall in love with it, you plan and plot it, you work on the characters, you write the thing, then re write and re write time and again, and then finally, all that time later, you send it to some publishers...

... who - almost inevitably - don't want it. 

And maybe the tears aren't so obvious as they were 35 years ago, but the feeling inside is no different.

So, I was able to sympathise with those members of the society who had tasted the acrid bitterness of rejection.  And all I can offer in return is the reassurance that everyone gets rejected in the writing world.  It's a rite of passage, nothing less.

And all the advice I can offer is to try to match the natural disappointment with another basic human emotion - resilience. Get back up and try again, and keep trying, because the editors by no means get it right all the time.  By no means!

Take this legendary rejection of a rather well-known woek.  It went along the lines of "the girl having no special insight which sets this book above the curiousity level".

Really?  Hmmmm... that was on Anne Frank's diary!  So there, literary editors!

Anyway, before I really start going on (told you rejection has quite a lasting effect!) my thanks to all at the Hampshire Writers, for making me so very welcome and for laughing at all the right places in the talk. 

It's much appreciated,  I hope to see you all again, and most importantly, don't forget - don't give up!

Finally for this entry, I've got a few more events coming up - if you're interested, for more details keep an eye on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

What I was thinking of is how we use our time and how much of it we waste. 

The reason for today's musing is this - another fine question has arrived in my inbox, and it asks in essence; "How do I come up with some of the strange tweets I post?" 

In truth I've edited the inquiry a little, there was a suggestion some were more than a tad strange, accompanied by the thought that my mind must be either jolly creative, or simply mad.

On that matter I won't - daren't?! - comment, but i will do my best to answer the question, and it comes back to the title of the blog.

I've always been fixated by time.  From early memories of watching Dr Who (very quick aside - it was the Cybermen who freaked me the most, not Daleks), i think I fairly rapidly came to the conclusion that time itself is the one enemy we can never defeat.

And from there, I've noticed time had featured strongly in many of my tastes in life.  One of my favourite paintings is Dali's The Persistence of Memory, with its mesmeric melting clocks.  A favourite poem is Eliot's Four Quartets, with its reflections on time.

For all the great innovations of mankind, it's time that always hunts us down in the end.  We can make new friends, make money, make so many things, but we can't make more time for ourselves.  And for that reason, I hate wasting time. 

What has this to do with the question I was posed, you may well be asking by now? Well, the answer is this.

It's unavoidable in life, I suppose, that we have moments where we have to wait, or be doing something we're not particularly interested in.  But I try to make even these passably worthwhile, and that's where the ideas for some of my tweets come from.

I'll think of them when I'm doing mundane chores, like brushing my teeth, or shaving.  And I'll often - at risk of traumatising you with the image - think of them when I'm laying in bed at night.  In fact, it's one of my ways of getting myself off to sleep.  I find it far more enjoyable than imagining sheep, as it were...

On which subject, it's time to be getting my kit together ready for my Saturday morning self-flagellation class at the gym.  So, as I assemble the offending articles, I shall think up something, this time probably on a theme of autumn, as she's currently busy swirling leaves and greying the sky outside my window.

Don't forget, if you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, any area of my writing or education work, or indeed any of my often strange musings, you can get in touch via the Contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

An email arrived a couple of weeks ago with the simple inquiry - what inspires me?

As with so many apparently straightforward questions, it's much more complex than it first sounds and there are a host of possible answers.  But one has been nudging me to talk about it, so I'll choose that boisterous candidate.

A quick aside here - I suppose it was inevitable - I've never been materialistic, and have always been glad of that.  I don't seek contentment in new cars and big foreign holidays, but tend to find tranquility and release in more modest manners.

Such it is with the answer to the question.  What I've been much enjoying in recent days is the simple pleasure of the sky.

I mostly write in my study, a converted attic with a skylight which looks out over Exeter. And often, when I'm searching for inspiration, I find myself gazing to the heavens. 

For all its many moods, the sky is always stirring. Be the great canopy filled with the fires of the autumnal sunsets we've enjoyed of late, the pure blue of the lost summer, the thousand shades of grey of the moody winter, or the racing clouds of classic October, there's always something to stare at and lose yourself in.

I wonder if it's a primeval thing, part of the root of so many beliefs that heaven lies in the sky, that so often causes us to look upwards when we find ourselves in times of need.  But be that as it may, in moments of pause, thought, reflection and searching, it's often be the simple sky that comes to my aid.

Perhaps it's a fine example of the old saying that the best things in life are free?  Which isn't to say I don't enjoy the sky most with the assistance of some material delights; a little background music, a pot of olives and a tin of beer being the commonest candidates. I'm no puritan, after all!

Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, which you'd like me to grapple with and then waffle about, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

First aside of this blog - and so rapidly! - I can sense you're starting to worry what I'm going to say here, and indeed whether it's safe to carry on... Fear not, it's nothing offensive.  Just, apparently, unusual.

I might as well get on with it, so here's the confesssion which it seems puts me out of step with much of modern society.  Deep breath, prepare myself, right, here we go, it's this...

...I am able to turn off my mobile phone and email!

Yep, that was it, but as bland as that may seem, it strikes me I'm unusual in doing so. 

The thought first came upon me in August, when I was teaching at the wonderful Swanwick Writers' Summer School.  A discussion was going on about how to keep writing when emails were a constant distraction, and I suggested the simple remedy of turning off your email.

To be given a reception roughly akin to the devil himself strolling in to join the congregation at a Christening!

Since which, I've carried out a little research, on the subject of mobile phones, and found that many people seem genetically unable to turn the things off.  Take the gym class I plan to toddle along to in a couple of hours.  It's a circuits thing, and some of the younger folk there take their mobiles in and check them every few minutes, between exercises.

What are they worried they'll miss?! Ok, if you're a heart surgeon, or firefighter, maybe you need to keep the phone on ready for an emergency, but is it such a great risk for most of us to turn the thing off occasionally?

Oh dear, this is turning into a rant, but as I'm enjoying it, I'll carry on anyway.

One of the great things about writing, is being able to have a dig about something that annoys you in print.  In the tvdetective books, Adam is continually irked by mobiles, particularly people who insist on shouting into them in pubs and restaurants.  There is a great invention known as the door, and a place called the outside, where you can carry on your conversation without annoying your fellows, my fine detective friend often comments...

Anyhow, back to the point, before I spiralled into that little tirade, and what prompted me to this blog.  It's been a beautiful few days of late, and as regular sufferers of my musings will know I like to have a stroll around the river, enjoy the air, take in the scenery and do some thinking. 

How many people do I pass with mobile clamped to ear, bawling away, and duly missing the wonderful spectacle all around them?

I'm not against all this modern technology, I'm doing my best to embrace it (120 followers on Twitter, 176 Facebook friends now, even had my first poke this week (as it were), very proud of all that!)

I just think technology can sometimes distract from what life is really about.. which for me is time to enjoy the beauty of this wonderful planet, the delights of your friends, and ok, yes, in my case get lost in the occasional thought-mire.

So, whether it be for thinking, writing, or just simple engagement with life, I can offer a helpful hint - it's not fatal to turn off your mobile or email for a while...

Whilst ensuring I concentrate on the road at all times, naturally (quick aside - that sounds like one of those awful disclaimers so beloved of the legal profession; we can no way be held to account for anything whatsoever we do in any circumstances arising from anything at all etc...) I also like to do some thinking as I drive.

I'll commonly be working through the plot of a piece of writing, or maybe a quirk or two of the characterisation, perhaps even mulling over a twist or turn for the narrative. But one of the most curious things I do - as I noticed yesterday - is that I like to have a chat with my passengers.

Which is odd, because I'm always alone.

This is what tends to happen. If I'm thinking about a story I'm covering, then I'll talk it through with Dan; how best to start the report, what we need to ask the interviewees, if there's anything creative we can do with the filming or structure.  If it's a crime we're covering, I like to speculate with Adam about who might have committed it and why, and perhaps how they're trying to cover it up and get away with it.

And when I'm thinking about a plot for one of the tvdetective books, I'll often ask the boys how they'd react in a given situation. 

Now, this may seem odd to you, as initially it did to me.  And I know that when I think there's something odd about myself, it's likely to be very strange indeed. But this is what I've come to believe.

I reckon it's only right that my characters should truly live for me. Because if they don't, how can I know them well enough to make them live on paper, for the readers?

Or is that just an oddball's justification for his insanity?

Anyhow!  As I was saying... and you may well think this even odder - Dan, and Adam, and all the other main characters in the tvdetective series have become like friends to me. Even when I'm not writing, they're still around, talking to me (and, as we've seen, I like to talk back), and often asking when I'm going to start writing about them again.

Well, I suppose everyone needs friends. And this little confessional all reminds me of what my late mother said, when I told her about me trying to become a writer, and then the publication of my first book.

"Well", she said, wisely, "I suppose I could have seen it coming.  From childhood, you always had a lot of imaginary friends..."

Yesterday, being the beautiful day it was, I mused a little on Twitter about the season and was flattered by getting plenty of feedback about it.

For those of you who missed the Tweet in question, it went thus; "Sweet September, King of the Devon months. Summer's love lingers, the county becalmed, & seasonal yellow sunlight caresses autumn's colours."

Quick aside (as ever) - I'm not sure whether you're supposed to use quotation marks on your own words, but hey, that's for clever people like editors to discuss, and not one to get bogged down in here.

Anyway, as I was saying, the Tweet prompted plenty of comment. Poetic even, one of my correspondents called it. Now, I'm not sure I'd go that far - poetry in 140 characters or less? Quite a challenge! - but what did strike me was the level of agreement my praising of autumn drew.  It's clearly a popular season.  Which in turn made me think, for the first time, about the seasons in which the tvdetective books are set.

I came up with an interesting realisation (at least i think so), and maybe this is another to file under the catgeory I've discussed many times here - how much you can learn about yourself through writing.

None of the books are set in the summer. One is rooted in the winter, the others go for spring and autumn.

Why should this be, I ask myself? Well, the lack of a summer book doesn't surprise me. I've never got on well with heat and too much sunshine, never been one for holidays which consist only of laying on a beach.  I'm more a creature of the darkness - hence perhaps becoming a crime writer - so seeing most of the books based in the darker months probably befits my character.

But I wonder whether spring and autumn dominate my writing for another, more subtle reason. 

A book, on a basic level, tends to be about some kind of journey, whether it's a character's personal quest or experiences, or in my case an attempt to solve a crime.  Which means it's all about change.  And spring and autumn are the changing times, so perhaps they feel more appropriate to accompany the narrative.

On the subject of which, it's time to venture out into another fine autumn morning to head for my weekly circuits class at the gym, followed by some work on a couple of talks I've been asked to do. 

There are quite a few gigs coming up in the months ahead, I'll post details on the News and Events page as they arise - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html - in the hope I might provide you with some entertainment as we travel together into the winter...

It's a big thanks to the very kind and dedicated people who organised the Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival.  I had a splendid time, felt very looked after, and hope the festival lives long and prospers, as they say in Star Trek.  It certainly deserves to.

Thanks also to those who came along to my talk, which is where this little musing arises from. One of the questions posed unto me was - are the characters or the plot more important in the tvdetective books?

It got me thinking, which regular readers of this will know to be a dangerous phenomenon, but anyway, here we go with an (attempted) answer...

It's something of a dodge, I suppose, but the truth is that I believe both are equally important. 

I've come to think of the characters as the mind of a book, the plot the body.  In life, you can exist and even thrive with a weak mind and a strong body - as perhaps some might say befits more than the odd professional footballer - or with a weaker body and a strong mind, as can be the way with some of the older generation.  The most feisty and opinionated emails I get about the books tend to be from older readers, but that's a digression I shall resist until another day!

Anyway, following my analogy, I'd say the body / mind relationship is roughly the same with books. You can get away with weak characters if you've got a compelling plot, and vice versa. But I think the best results, the most memorable writing, tends to come when both plot and characters are strong.

So, i do my humble best to come up with a mix of the both.  Whether I succeed or not, of course, is an entirely different matter!

One final thing to mention here.  You may remember how I resolved to get more "with" this new technology thing which is so pervading the world. 

There's impressive news on that front (at least, I think so) - I have now reached a century of followers on Twitter, (if so minded, you can follow me via the link further up the home page - www.thetvdetective.com/ ) and am feeling quite proud of myself.  So much so that I'm even going to tweet the birth of this blog, to a doubtless fascinated and entranced world. Or something such...

I don't do nerves particularly fetchingly.  Where some fortunate folk can show no visible effects at all, and others seem to manage to put on only a healthy and becoming glow, I flush and sweat in a manner which might best be described as looking like a beetroot which has been caught in a downpour.

I always get nervy before a performance, but some more so than others. For the smaller talks, perhaps to a group of 30 or so at a library, I'll give myself the grace of only being nervous on that day, maybe for a few hours.

For the bigger ones, I can work myself up into the kind of spin of which a Tasmanian Devil would be proud, and a lot longer beforehand. When I did a talk to the Women's Institute in Torbay this year - audience 1400! - I was so stressed and strained it was a wonder I didn't snap. And as for the week's teaching in Swanwick last month, I started to feel the flutters of concern in... wait for this... January.  

That was the record in the Hall annals, and one that still stands, an onset of nerves 7 months before an event!

I do tell myself it's only natural, and good for me, that the gut-wobbles come visiting. It pumps me up, makes me perform, but be that as it may it's still a companion whose company I could often well do without.

As a quick aside here (you knew it was coming!), I can still remember how nervous I was when I did my first TV outside broadcast - mere fragile words could never capture it, but I did wonder at the time whether the sensation would be sufficient to propel me into orbit.

Anyway, on this occasion, the nerves are probably around the medium stretch of the Hall scale.  They're setting upon me because tomorrow it's the Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival - Words by the Sea - and the kind (misguided?) folk there have asked me to come along and play.

I think I've got the talk worked out, I think it's got the right mix of insight into the writing of the tvdetective books, along with a bit of poignancy and humour, and I think it's the right length (another aside - the issue with my talks tends not to be having insufficient material but knowing when to shut up.) 

But the thing is, and this is where the nerves come in, however much you plan and rehearse, however much you prepare... you never really know how it's going to turn out until you step onto that stage, and start to talk, and see the reaction of the audience... and if they don't laugh at your first gag... if there's a cold and barren silence... aagghhh, don't go there!

(Pause to collect myself!)

Anyhow, as I was saying, the festival begins today, they've got a great line up, and so if you fancy something to entertain you this weekend do pop along.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Excuse me now if I go for another wander around my study, practising my oration, and no doubt stoking further the fires of nerves which are already enjoying their first dance of the day

I was reminded of this yesterday, and in a curious way.  You know how I sometimes (often? incessantly?!) say one of the greatest gifts of writing is how much you learn about yourself? Well, it happened again last night, as I was sitting in my study, looking out at the inspiration of an early autumn sunset, and thinking / working on some ideas for a new tvdetective plot.

Commonly, when I write a book, it doesn't come out as I'd planned, and sometimes nowhere close.  Because I like to have plenty going on, the usual problem is there's a sub-plot or character too many.  It happened in The Judgement Book for example, and so when it came time to do the edits, an entire sub-plot had to be removed. 

It felt like an operation, and was strangely painful as I was rather attached to it... 

However!

I didn't throw the idea away.  Aside from the notebook I take with me everywhere, on the desktop of this very computer from which I write, is a file less than flatteringly called "Left overs".  In there I put anything that doesn't make it into the final cut of a book, and from out of there last night was revived this particular character and the sub-plot which she creates.

It felt good because, on one level, it was exactly what the idea for the new book needed, a strong second strand to the narrative.  But in a more curious way - and this is where you'll perhaps start to fear for my fragile sanity again - it felt like meeting up with a long-lost friend.

That emotion stayed with me all evening, kept me grinning as I thought about her, even (am I really writing this...?!) accompanied me to bed, and - get this - came to join me in a very peculiar dream.

Yes, I know I'm fond of asides, but on this occasion down that particular alley we don't need to go...

This morning, I'm off to do a bit more work on her, as it were (sounds like something from a Carry On film?), and I'm enjoying that thought too.

So, I'm thankful for my little habit of trying not to waste anything.  I think originally - as with so many character traits - it must have come from my parents.  We weren't well off in my younger days, and I always remember Mum and Dad doing their best to plan meals so that any leftovers could be recycled for the coming days.  It's a poignant memory.

A final aside here - the one commodity (and I use that word deliberately, because I think it's the most precious of all) that I really can't abide being wasted is time.  Our fleeting stay on this fantastic planet is so limited that I always try my best to make the most of it, and sometimes in some curious ways.

But that's for another blog... 

I mentioned in a previous post that I was writing a stage play, based on the tvdetective books?  Well, it's almost done - albeit after much sweating and swearing - but that's not what this little post is about.  Instead... 'tis this.

When I was on one of the play's key scenes, I was happily typing away, following the plan I'd set out in my notes when something stopped me. 

Exactly what it was is hard to say, but I'll do my best to descibe it. I do try to make a living from lacing these slippery word things together, after all.

It was like a whisper from a corner of my mind.  And the strange thing was that I couldn't quite hear what it was saying.  All I knew was that it was there, both persistent and insistent, but I didn't know what it was.  And that, of course, was frustrating, to put it mildly.

Now, before you start to worry about me (I like to think you would), I've known this happen on many an occasion before. The first time I can recall was when I was at university, sitting some final exams.

An aside here - come on, you were expecting it, and it's a long way into the blog, they normally arise far sooner! - but exams are so traumatic that to this day, twenty years on from the last time I faced one, I still have a recurring nightmare about them.  It pops up on average once a month, and involves me sitting in the hall, being utterly unable to answer any questions. 

Anyway, returning to the point, and it was this.  Back then, in 1990, there was a question facing me and I knew I had the answer.  The problem was, think as hard as I might, the thing wouldn't come to mind.  I remember getting stressed and anxious, to the extent that I decided to try the only possible remedy I could think of.

I started imagining something else, probably going out for a few beers to celebrate the end of the exams, knowing me. And lo! Into mind the answer popped.

Thus it was earlier this week with my play.  I had this whispering sense that there was a much better way of tackling the part I was writing, but it stubbornly refused to come to mind. So instead of worrying about it, I went for a walk around the river, fed the geese, and.... it duly materialised.

This is the strange way I've had to come to manage some of my creativity.  My ideas clearly like to tease me, and the only way to deal with them is to play hard to get.  It's almost as if I have to mentally walk away from them, even stick out my tongue and call "na na na na naaa!", and eventually they'll come back to me.

What I'm wondering is - whether it's just my mind that works in this peculiar way, or whether others suffer similarly?  On second thoughts, maybe you'd better not anwer that, it might just make me worry about myself even more than I do already...

Anyway, a couple more things to mention here.  Firstly, there's the excellent Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival - Words by the Sea - next weekend (Sept 16/17), so if you're free, do pop down.  They've got an impressive line up, with the possible exception of a strange, gangly, bespectacled crime writer chap who's appearing on the Saturday.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

And finally for this post, being the keen child of the white hot heat of the technological revolution that I am (or not), I think I've managed to link my Twitter feed to my Facebook page.  I'm not quite sure how this happened, or what it all does, but it sounds good, and for you, dear reader, I'm afraid I suspect it means this... even less chance of escaping my meanderings and musings!

I think it's quite true that some people have a natural aptitude for writing, as with so many areas of life.  But what narks your spleen-venting author is the assumption that those lucky enough to have a modest talent in a certain direction then go on to churn out wonderful works of literary art in the passage of almost no time, and with the expenditure of little, if any effort.

Nonsense!

Time for the traditional Hall aside here, and I think that must be the shortest paragraph I've ever written in a blog. I confess to feeling quite pleased with myself for that, I do like a first.  An innovation a day keeps boredom away in my eyes, or some such thing, but anyhow, back to my narrative of choice, or somewhere close...

What I was saying was how I find it galling that some people seem to think writers are born and not made, and simply need to wander up to a piece of paper, armed with a pen, to then go about setting down strings of enchanting words.

My experience is to the contrary, to say the least.  I'm penning this today, because it's a kind of anniversary for me. I have now been writing (or attempting to write, at any rate) for seven years.

And in simple summary, this is how it went.  To start with, I had little, if any idea what I was doing, and the consequent product was of the most dubious of quality.  But I kept working and working and working away at it, learning what made for the better ingredients of a book and what didn't.

After almost four years of labour, I finally made enough progress to get published, which was wonderful, a milestone, an achievement, all that stuff, don't get me wrong.  But...

But... even looking back today on the first of the tvdetective books to be published, The Death Pictures, if I were writing it now I would go about it so very differently.  Because I believe that each time you write, you learn a little more about this subtle and beguiling art.

That's the point of this blog.  I reckon that now, I've - more or less, give or take, leave me a little leeway, with due and appropriate modesty etc. - got to the stage where I can claim to be a mostly passable writer. And seven years it's taken for that.  Seven! 

So, all this stuff about born writers... I wish!  It would certainly have saved me a great deal of time and effort, were that the case for me.

Finally for this blog, a quick plug and a couple of thank yous. The lovely people I met at the Swanwick Writers' Summer School were kind enough about my efforts to teach writing to suggest a new page on the site dedicated to my work.  And the clever people who run the site have duly obliged, so if you get a moment, please do see what you think - www.thetvdetective.com/teaching.html

I'm off now to continue with my apprenticeship. That's one of the great things about writing - the training course lasts for the whole of your life and never, ever gets dull.

I'm not just thinking about the straightforward ones here; the pleasure of seeing your scribbles published, the delight of getting to know more about yourself through such a simple act as setting down a few words, the satisfaction of capturing a thought or feeling on a page etc etc.

No, here I'm talking about the related benefits.  And in particular, there are two which have been engaging me of late.

The first is the teaching I've been doing.  I've mentioned before that in my younger years I always thought I may be a teacher. So teaching writing now has fulfilled that ambition, and it's been a delight; the places I've been asked to go, the people I've been lucky enough to meet. Plus passing on a few of my menial thoughts about this writing lark.

Attempting the gazing into yourself thing - "as like what these blogs is supposed to be about", apparently - it seems to satisfy some of the altruism of my nature, that I commonly feel I have to be doing something beneficial, or worthwhile, however small.

The other benefit I've been musing upon is the ability writing brings to highlight the odd cause and help out with it.  Without being pompous about it, I've had the pleasure of being asked to associate myself with one or two fine charities and have gladly done so.  Again that ticks my mental "making a difference" box, and thus makes me happy, too - or at least as happy as an often pessimistic soul such as I ever manage.

You've been preparing for the random - but traditional - Hall aside, I know, and I wouldn't want to disappoint you, so here we go.  A strange thought occured to me yesterday. 

I don't want to trouble you too much with my weird mental processes - you may never want to come back to this blog, let alone read any more of the tvdetective books! - but I commonly consider this cheery question -

What would I like as my epitaph? 

I suppose, if space were limited (as it's likely to be) something as simple as "he made a difference" (however small) would do me.

Right, before I get too maudlin, one final thing to mention, and it's on the theme we've been discussing.  If you're free tomorrow (Saturday) and in the Exeter area, I'm doing a little something to help Hospicare, a cause very close to my heart. 

If you can support it, there are more details on the Home page -  www.thetvdetective.com/index.html  and it'd be great to see you...

The answer is yes, and as it's the Saturday of a long weekend, and you've caught me at an upbeat moment, I can even give you a few little clues as to the outcomes. 

Firstly - and this is the most commonly posed question of all - yes, the Dan / Claire situation will be resolved.  But I'm not saying any more about that!  You'll just have to wait and see.

A little aside here (you were waiting for it, come on, you know me well enough by now), and it's one particularly for my female readers.  Yes, I know Dan is an idiot, yes, I know he treats poor Claire dreadfully, yes, I too wonder what she sees in him sometimes and why she hangs around, and yes, I'm sorry about all that!  He's just emotionally inept, and that's the way it is.  Give him some leeway, he might just come round and learn... maybe.

And no, don't start asking that other oft-heard question about whether Dan is in any way based upon myself!  That's a definite no comment.

Right, back to the point.  I'm guessing, at the moment, there will probably be around ten or twelve books in the series, which puts us roughly at the half-way point (that's based on the sizeable assumption / hope that people want to keep reading them, and some poor publisher will be willing to inflict them upon the world).

I've got plots in mind for at least the next three books, depending on how they pan out when I start planning them properly.  All the familiar characters should feature until the end - I don't have much in the way of plans to kill off one of the "stars", though it can be tempting sometimes!

There'll also be the return of a couple of other characters you've met along the way, particularly one from The Balance of Guilt, and for an important reason. Why?  Well, I do intend to let you know why Dan is such a coward, or at least appears to be...

And that's quite enough of that for now, before I write too much!  See how you make me give things away?!

Finally for this post, the big question of how is it all going to end?  I'm not sure how much I can say about that, except to disagree with - TS Eliot, was it? - about the way the world ends.  I hope to manage at least a passable bang, rather than a whimper.

And lastly finally (honestly!)... just a couple of sentences from the heart.  When the series is finally done, I sure am going to miss it, to put it mildly.  It's been such fun, an absolute joy, and the passage to another world for me, one that I've come to love.

She's been remarkably fickle of late, and I'm not quite sure why this is.

When I came back from the fine times of the Writers Hols in Swanwick, she was resolutely missing and not a clue where she might have gone.  This was quite a concern, until I came to think it was a mixture of tiredness - and boy, I was tired - and post hols comedown.

So I waited, got some rest, and bingo!  Back she came, bursting into my life, as only she can do.

I'm talking here in the context of my current "project".  A quick aside (you're well used to them by now) - I love the way writers use that word as it can cover such a huge range of work, from a few sentences to a great novel.

My project of the moment, as I've mentioned in previous ramblings, is a stage play.  I'm very much enjoying writing it, and making passable progress - but all that's conditional on the muse coming to visit.

And now she's really playing games.  Yesterday she was here and vividly and lovingly with me, as I just wrote and wrote.  And looking back this morning on what I did yesterday, most of it seems to make some kind of sense.

Today however... no matter how I search the house, or the reaches of my mind, not a hint.  Which is frustrating, to put it mildly, but then that's the way it goes. 

I was trying to work out if there was some link between the muse and my physical state, whether tired or fresh, my emotional mood, the weather, the time of the week, what I had to look forward to in the coming day or whatever.  And I can cheerfully report I have come to no useful conclusions whatsoever. She is simply fickle.

Yet another aside here - I'm wondering whether other writers suffer similarly; I'd sure be interested.  You're always welcome to let me know.  Don't forget you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Anyhow, back to the final point, and it's this.  I've now had to put into practice a hard-learned lesson.  When it ain't coming, it ain't coming and there's nothing I can do about it.  So for now I'm walking away, going for a run around the river, and thinking of other things instead.

And, like a lovelorn lover, desperately hoping she'll come back to me soon!

I suspect it's the old return home after being on hols (kind of!) thing, a sort of bumpy landing on the airstrip of normality.  As mentioned in my previous blog, I had an amazing time in Swanwick at the Writers' Summer School, but as ever with something so exhilarating it all ends far too soon.

A quick and traditional Hall aside here - why must it be the way in life that the dull bits drag on and the fun bits fly?  "Dear whatever powers that be, can you kindly change this in future upgraded versions of existence..."

Anyway, as I was saying, last night I slept for nigh on ten hours straight through - Swanwickers, you tired me out! - something which I can't remember happening since the carefree days of childhood.  And I awoke with a mix of great pleasure at the week and sadness at it being over.

Thanks firstly to all those kind people who've got in touch to compliment me on the lectures, and to request my friendship on Facebook.  I'm proud to report I now have 140 friends, which in my view almost makes me young and very happening!

And secondly, now my mind has settled, a quick recap over the many highlights, on the surface to share my thoughts with you, "like what these blog things is supposed to be about", or perhaps just for me to have the pleasure of reliving them -

The buskers night and the great entertainments there, the discos and the dancing (attempted dancing in some cases), the spontenous chats that sprang up anywhere and everywhere, fuelled by the shared passion for writing, the guest speakers, the pleasure of lecturing to a great and talented group of crime enthusiasts, and finally, and most importantly - simply the people.

I met some amazing folk at Swanwick, some of whom touched me in ways I wonder if they'll ever really understand.  Thank you so much one and all, I hope we'll stay in touch and get together again in the years to come.

Off to the gym now for my standard Saturday morning beating myself up session - I need it after all the rich puddings of last week (not to mention the odd half of fruit juice here and there.)

So, yours for now, with far less of a Monday morning feeling after reliving all those many smiles...

Firstly, there's a great and warming pleasure in that - from my perspective at least! - it's gone well and the kind folk who came along to the talks appear to have got a fair bit from them.

I think I can now reveal that a sizeable mass of work went into the lectures. In fact, the planning started just after Xmas.  I was keenly aware it was the first extended session of teaching I'd ever done, and quite something to take on.

So, there's plenty of relief in the old Hall mind at the moment too.  But there's also a strange sadness.

One of the most wonderful things about Swanwick is how quickly people bond here.  It may be the holiday thing, it may be the shared passion of writing, it might even be the excellent entertainments that we enjoy night after night (I tried some Latin Dancing last night, but that's another story entirely, and maybe an 18 certificate - needless to say of one cursed with clumsiness that my efforts weren't entirely successful, to put it mildly), but it just happens.

I've been made to feel so very welcome, and enjoyed the company of my group to the extent that when the lecture was winding up today I could feel a tremble in the voice and a gathering tension in my throat.

It's been a privilege to be here to share in a fantastic week, so here's a formal, but heartfelt, thank you to all the people who came along to witness my ramblings, and of course the organisers for all their hard work.

Finally, before I crash out for a much needed doze, if you've ever thought about writing I can thorougly recommend Swanwick to you.  I very much hope to be allowed back in the years to come, and to maintain the friendships I've found here.

And don't forget, if anyone wants to keep in touch, let me know how they're doing with their writing, or send me any feedback or thoughts about the tvdetective books, or my lectures, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html   It'd be a pleasure to hear from you.

Great is the simple answer!

The easy bit first, the teaching.  Regular sufferers of this blog will be familiar with my agonising about teaching - the old "who am I to do it, how do I even know what to do?" thing.  Well, the kind folk here have eased those concerns beautifully.  I'm blessed with a great group of aspiring crime writers, very talented too, some 50 in number, who have been good enough to listen to what I'm saying and even feedback that it's all making some sort of sense.

Big relief, and, if truth be told - big smile too.  I've been preparing for these lectures since just after Xmas!

Secondly onto the more vague issue of the "feel" of the place.  And that's a big rocket to the clouds too.  It's great.  All the people here, staff and students, have been so warm and welcoming, there was never an issue of me feeling awkward or out of place.  The campus is stunning; beautiful and peaceful too, as is the local countryside.  I never thought I'd say this, but I went for a run yesterday and it was nearly (nearly!) as fine as my native Devon.

The school is beautifully organised, it's impossible not to feel at home, and here's a measure of that.  We had a disco for our entertainment one evening, and even the ungainly, arhythmic Hall creature felt no hesitation in dancing, or some such approximation thereof.

So, for those of you who aren't here and might spare a tiny thought for this wandering author, fear not for all is well.  And for those of you who are, here's a hearty thank you for treating me to such a fine time.  Cheers!

Self doubts are a particular strength. And so I write to you today surrounded by a whole host of the carping crowd.

It's back to teaching again. Tomorrow, I embark upon the longest spell of the teaching of writing that I've ever attempted - almost a whole week, no less.  I've worked hard at the plans and ideas, the exercises and the interactive bits, and think I've come up with a passable series of moderately informative and even occasionally entertaining lectures...

...but now, as the moment to deliver them approaches, here come the doubts.

It's all back to the same old question, the one I've mentioned many a time before - who am I to try to teach?  What do I really know about writing?  Why should anyone listen to me?

I'm trying to reassure myself with the soothing whisper that such feelings are only natural, a sort of "first night nerves" thing, but nonetheless I'm feeling a tad on the wobbly side at the moment.

I know I'll get through, it's something I've experienced before.  In the run up to any big gig or talk, I'll commonly feel like this. It's only natural.

But that's not helping to ease the doubts away!

So, a curiously downbeat blog for a Friday.  I shall go take some of my special medicine, the fermented vegetable products type, courtesy of a nearby public house, and talk to some of my fine friends, and doubtless I shall feel better.

But the real point of this blog?  Just to ask you to occasionally spare a thought for the performer. 

As you sit at an event, a talk, a lecture, whatever, remember the person at the front there may not always be as calm and in control as it may seem... so, if you'd be so kind, smiling, nodding, appreciating and laughing at the right points is always very welcome for a fellow human being in a position that can often feel more than a little lonely...

For me, a key revelations is the trait that I have to continually challenge myself.  When I first thought about writing, the question was whether I had the discipline and ability to write a book? 

When I managed that, it was whether I could get the thing into a passable enough shape to be published.  And after reaching that rather surprising/alarming landmark, it was onto the nerve wracking business of going out and talking about the thing at libraries and literary festivals.

And then came the even more daunting prospect of writing another one...

The reason for this continual need to test myself goes back to my childhood I suspect, and feeling I always had to prove myself.  I don't think I'll go into any more of that here if you don't mind - I'm happy to say a fair bit in these blogs, but that might be a trespass too far into a very tender land.

Anyway, back to the point, and it was this.  I mentioned before about this play I'm writing, based on the tvdetective books.  I'm now looking back in amazement at how easily I agreed to do it, as if it were just the simplest of natural progressions from writing novels. Naive or what?!

I'm now well into planning the play, and have come to properly understand just what a mammoth task I'm taking on.  It's not just the plot and characters and writing, it's all the direction and lighting and scene changes and thinking about how to use the stage and so much!

I confess here to a very intense visit to the library, to look up some of the great playwrights and an attempt to crib tips from the masters.

Which isn't to say I'm not enjoying it - I very much am - but just a musing on what it seems to take to keep me entertained.  A continual need to break new ground, to challenge myself is, I've come to think, a welcome trait - mostly.  But the question that lingers in the darkness at the edge of my mind is - when do I ever rest and properly relax?

Well, I think I've said quite enough for this entry. That last question is not one I'm thinking about for now!  It's time to exit the online world stage left.  I need to get back to this play...

It doesn't feel so long ago that I wrote in a blog of why I don't - unlike quite a few other authors - quote or mention songs in the tvdetective books (to recap - because I think it can be exclusive to those who don't know the works in question was the reason).

Well, another musically themed question has arrived, asking what my favourite sad songs are?  And as I'm in a kind of appropriate mood to answer it, here we go.

A quick aside (you're used to them by now, come on) - part of the reason is that I've been feeling a little nostalgic of late.  It's hard to say exactly why, but at least some of the explanation is a song I heard on the very fine BBC Radio Station Number Two. 

It was Roger Whittaker's The Last Farewell, and it took me straight back through the many intervening years, an instant transportation, to my childhood.  I recall my parents playing it in the car, back in what must have been 1975 or so, and thus suffered the old misty eyes syndrome for days long lost.

Anyhow, back to the question, and away from another of the familiar Hall digressions.  The answer is as follows -

Oh, first one more little caveat.  I might just be speaking for Dan and myself here, if you know what I mean - and I suspect you do.

Probably the saddest song in our limited scope of knowledge and floundering efforts of opinion is Fleetwood Mac's Man of the World.  It's that ruthless puncturing of an image - one of someone so successful they could never have a care.  It's pure Dan, who on the surface is doing so well, but scratch a little at the surface and....

Following that, and not in any particular order now - Elvis's I Just Can't Help Believin' (the live version) is tearful for its summation of forlorn, lovelorn hope. Then there's For the Good Times, the Perry Como recording (although Elvis also did a belter), for its lament of the end of a precious relationship.

Another which thuds the heart is Kevin Johnson's Rock and Roll I Gave You the Best Years of my Life, because of the way it captures the cold death of a dream.  And finally for this little roll call, Dan would always point you to the Stones' Paint it Black, for the way it portrays how we - sorry, he - can sometimes feel.

Cor, that was quite a blog, it just flowed out and felt remarkably cathartic to write.  I hope it provides some kind of passable answer for my questioner (you know who you are!).  I guess, as Elton John once memorably sang, Sad Songs say so Much.

Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

The Writers' Club plot was beautifully put together, supremely well performed, and kept everyone guessing as to who may have been the killer, myself included.

And who would ever suspect the vicar's wife, eh?!  Scandal!

But a particular thanks must go to all those who were kind enough to come have a chat and be so very warm and encouraging about my fledgling attempts at writing novels.

I've mentioned before - it's a recurring theme in fact, looking back - how lonely this writing lark can feel.  You sit there, day in and day out, tapping away on your computer, and often you wonder whether what you're doing is any good at all, worthy even of ever seeing the light of day.

And even when you have the reassurance of a book actually being published, then comes the angst of imagining people reading the thing and imagining what they're making of it.

So it was a great pleasure to hear so many of you seem to enjoy the tvdetective series - many thanks for telling me so, it is hugely appreciated.  Some days a man needs an uplift, and you certainly provided it.

I'll try to answer one question here that many of you raised.  Yes, a new tvdetective novel is in production, is mostly finished in fact - apart from needing some serious editing (as ever), which may take a while - and I'm sorry it's been so long in the making.  My only excuse is that emotionally it's been a bumpy year in my life, with some traumatic family issues which made writing difficult.

However! I'm feeling better now and think I can sense the muse returning, so readers beware what you wish for.  I'll hope to bring you news of a new book in the not too distant future...

The title of this blog is the way I often think of the arrival of a new idea - as though you're looking into a great dark sky, searching for something, and suddenly comes this spray of light.  It's an instant transformation, from incomprehension to understanding, and can even leave me breathless. 

In the tvdetective books, Dan too sometimes marvels at that wonderful moment when he sees the solution to a case.  He calls it an epiphany, and sees it in much the same way.  It can be so powerful as to leave him unable to do anything for a while, apart from sit and come to terms with it.

Anyway, before we wandered off on one of the familiar Hall digressions, what I was saying was this - for me, ideas can come at any time and from anywhere.

I often get them from the newspapers, or seeing the proceedings of a court case, or just hearing or noticing something about the world as it flows around me.  But if you look at it ruthlessly, most books - well, certainly mine, simple creature that I am - usually come down to one basic premise upon which the great edifice is built.

For me, with The TV Detective it was the shock of the change of life for Dan and how he coped. In The Death Pictures, all revolved around that simple idea for how a code could work. Evil Valley was based on one very unbalanced man, The Judgement Book was all about the secrets we keep, and The Balance of Guilt was based on the unfolding horrors of terrorism and the extremes that some go to in order to fight it.

As with so much of life, for a humble scribbler the idea is all.  If that's right, then so much can flow from it.

The writers of Stoke Library have come up with a very good one and I'm looking forward to playing my part in it.  For now, I shall say no more so as not to risk giving anything away - you know how easily I can go on if I don't watch out!

If you're interested in coming along tomorrow, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Writing books is a wonderful way of taking revenge, or even vengeance on people in a suble, and commonly not so subtle manner.

It has been noted in the tvdetective series that I can descend into what the kinder readers describe as "social commentary", the more straightforward ones "a bit of a rant" about a particular subject, or group of people, who have the misfortune of attracting my ire at that moment.

Guilty as charged is my unavoidable response!

Petty officialdom is a common target, the legal profession also often feature, as do journalists who may not be in the Gifted and Talented set of the ignoble profession.

As ever, the question comes up; is this a reflection of my own views, and if so, what have these folk ever done to upset me?

And as ever, my answer is - no comment!  You must read into the novels what you will (it says this in my little book of How to be an Author - always be enigmatic, mystery sells, apparently.  And who am I to argue, a relative newcomer to this fascinating trade?)

But what I will add is this - if there's an issue that's bothering you, a hundred thousand words or so is a fantastic way of working it off!  It's like running a mental marathon, and you certainly feel better come the end, even if it takes a while, and a fair chunk of effort to get there.

Another common question posed of me is whether the newsroom characters in the tvdetective books are drawn of my colleagues?  I hope by now I don't need to tell you how I'm going to answer that point, except to say that for a writer, influences can come from all around, but some places more so than others...

Excuse me signing off now, but summer appears to have recalled her job description and there's a lesser spotted shining object in the sky, so I'm off for a run around the river, followed by a gym class. It's a Hall Saturday morning favourite, although I will confess that the best part remains the return home, the papers and a bacon sandwich!

It's drawn in my emotions for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, I'm lucky enough to be an occasional teacher at Exeter, passing on what scraps I know of the media and how to go about getting a job in this curious industry.  As part of that I mentor students, and it's always a delight to see them graduating and heading outwards and upwards for the career of their choice.

It all feels like a nervous step into a fascinating new world, and so very exciting for it.  Despite me now being twice their age, I still find myself sharing the thrill.  It's a wonderful sensation. 

In fact, the teaching and mentoring work I do is probably the area of my life of which I'm most proud.  Every Christmas, when I get cards from the young folk I've helped into the media, it makes it all so very worthwhile.  I suppose it's the old story of feeling you've made a difference in life, and actually achieved something.

The other reason the graduations have drawn me in is that they're always an instant transportation through time, twenty years and more, to my own day.  It was pure sunshine, surrounded by many friends who still endure and family who I've since lost.  I think I'd better stop this little passage now before the keyboard gets damp...

However, back to the eventual point of this blog, which was something to do with these tvdetective books that I churn out.  I've been asked a few times about Dan's history, of his upbringing and education, something which keen-eyed observers have noted doesn't much feature in the series.

It is a part of his life which is important, but in a way that makes it difficult for him to talk about.  Suffice to say, as with many matters concerning Dan, it's far from straightforward.

I can't go into too much now, as it'll spoil what you'll eventually come to learn towards the end of the series.  But I can tell you Dan did go through some very formative experiences when he went to university, and in the years afterwards, which will come to explain a fair amount about his character, and particularly why he can be such a coward.

Right, enough now, before I give it all away!  How come i always manage to say more than I intend in these little rambles?  Ah, maybe that's a question for another day.

Finally then, a reminder of the excellent Murder Mystery Night in Plymouth next week (Thurs 28th July), which I'm lucky enough to be compering.  It should be a highly entertaining evening (despite my input), so if you fancy coming along, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

My correspondent was kind enough to tell me of his enjoyment of the series, and his particular fondness for Adam. It's our detective friend's upright and moral ways which were most appealing, and importantly his dedicated dislike of ill manners.

Mobile phones, and their inconsiderate use was a key theme.  As you might expect, Adam has to have a mobile, but doesn't greatly care for it.  If he receives a call in a pub, or restaurant for example, he'll always answer it outside.  He regards people shouting (as they always seem to feel they must) into a mobile in the company of - and more to the point, to the annoyance of - others, a great discourtesy.

Do I, my correspondent enquires, share that view?

The answer is a very sizeable yes! It's incredibly annoying and utterly inconsiderate, when people are trying to relax and chat, to be forced to listen to half a conversation - and one which is invariably entirely tedious anyway.

I agree with Adam and his oft-aired view, that etiquette hasn't caught up with technology, but how I wish it would hurry up and do so.  I have a secret (not so secret now!) fantasy that mobile phone use in pubs and all public buildings will soon be treated in the same manner as the fate which befell smoking.

And while I'm in the familar rant mode - here's another keen Hall detestation regarding mobiles.  As frequent readers of my ramblings will know, I often take a walk around the river here for its beauty, enjoyment, inspiration, sense of tranquility, all that.  And how often do I suffer someone shouting into a mobile as they walk, and thus totally missing all those natural wonders, not to mention polluting the peace with their lack of consideration?!

Ok, deep breath, rant over.  But hey, that was cathartic and how I feel better for it.  These blogs can be so therapeutic.

One more thing to mention here, and it's a Murder Mystery night in Plymouth in a fortnight's time. The Stoke Writers' Group are plotting a bloody scenario which we're going to be invited to solve, and I've been asked to compere the night. 

It'll be my pleasure.  The last one was great fun, and I even picked up a few ideas for the tvdetective books!  If you fancy it, I know it'll be a mighty fine night out.  There are more details on the News and Events page, if you're interested - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Here's wishing you a fine - and mobile intrusion free! - weekend.

Don't get me wrong, I love moments of leisure.  Sitting by the river, watching a cormorant fishing, or the ducks swimming their endless circles, finding the corner of a pub for a quiet pint, or just strolling through the wonderful Devon countryside, they're all firm favourites.  It's just that while I'm doing any of that, I'm usually thinking about some idea for a new book, or how to write a particular scene, or maybe some element of teaching work.  My mind just doesn't idle well.

I was reminded of this at the weekend with a strange little quirk of my character.  I've made a resolution to get better to grips with this modern world thing, and try to use the new fangled internet and all its social media rather more effectively.

I am on Facebook, now have more than a hundred friends (which I'm very proud of - almost all of them I even know!), but am trying to get into the habit of using it more.  I don't think I'll ever be continually updating what I'm doing, as some people manage, but I have found a few little features which I fancy.

One is the quotations page, where you can leave a few words summing up your current thoughts, feelings, state of mind etc.  I've always been a sucker for some finely drafted lines, so I'm going to try to pop some on my profile.

I've never much used quotes in the tvdetective books - I think they can be a little exclusive, alienating more than bringing people in to the writing, and even too highbrow for my style - but now I see an opportunity to quote galore!

So, back to the point of this blog, which was my inability to waste time.  Up in my study is a dictionary of quotations, which has been fished off the shelf, dusted down and placed in the smallest room of the house, for me to peruse for long forgotten quotations while I go about my shaving, ablutions etc. 

Told you I was no good at wasting time!

For me it comes in two forms.  There's the straightforward go to the gym, do a bit of running, some rowing and a few weights, or there's the jog around the river.  The latter is my favourite by far; it's much more interesting in terms of scenery, fresh air and variety and is wonderful for getting my mind going.

If I've got a problem to solve, either in life or one of the tvdetective books, it's remarkable how often the answer will come to me when running around the Exe. It can't be a coincidence, it must be to do with the body working hard also prompting the mind to get a shift on too.

Curiously, as an aside here, I've come to enjoy running most in the rain.  There's something about its cooling, atmospheric effect, that I enjoy more than sunlight. Or maybe that's more to do with my sometimes depressive and pessimistic personality?

Anyhow, before I went off on the traditional Hall meander, the point of the blog was this. An enjoyment - or at least, a sufferance - of exercise is something Dan and I share. We both find it great for working off the stresses of a day, or week, and more than useful for giving ourselves some effective thinking time. 

I've noticed in the tvdetective books that Dan can often make a breakthrough in a case when he's out on Dartmoor with Rutherford, or just running around Hartley Park.  Commonly I haven't planned that, it just feels the natural point for it to happen.  I got into the exercise habit almost 20 years ago now, just after my time at university (college days were too filled with DJing, drinking beer and chasing girls!), and am very glad I did.

So now it is I'm off for some exercise (after a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich of course - a true athelete's preparation!), with a range of things to think over.  I've got a week's teaching of writing at the Swanwick Writers' Summer School next month, and there are a few little exercises and some strange bits of fun I want to try out on the poor students.  Well, you know me... nothing's ever straightforward!

The obvious answer is - of course!  I'd be delighted at so many more people being able to enjoy (hopefully!) the series.

There are, however, a couple of layers of caveats behind that. The first is - and this is a curious irony, given my day job - I'm not much fond of television.

That's an oversimplification, in fact.  I believe TV has enormous potential to do great good and provide a fascinating insight to the world.  Just think of those wonderful natural history programmes, or travel series - they can take us to see things we never otherwise would.  And there's some great entertainment too; wonderful comedy, drama series etc.

What I don't like about television is the way it's become misused - all pervasive and sometimes a substitute for thinking.  Is it just me that finds the endless daytime house makeover and fly on the wall programmes utterly tedious?  You can't visit some homes without the TV blaring all day in the background for no particular purpose. 

And as for televisions in pubs - don't get me started! If you go to the pub, surely you go to socialise, for a chat to your friends?!

Anyhow, that aside, back to the main point. There have been a couple of expressions of interest from TV companies in the books, but nothing has yet come of it.  (If you're a TV producer and in need of a new series, feel free to get in touch, despite all I've just said!) I suspect I'll need to write a few more novels first, to hone my craft and give a good basis for a series before there's any prospect of television.  I still count myself a newcomer to this writing lark, and learning all the time.

A quick confession here, and I always worry myself when I write that, but I have resolved to be honest in these blogs (for better or worse, as the saying goes).  I sometimes play a little fantasy game with myself, that if the books did make it to TV, who would take the part of Dan?

Well, given that so many people think the tvdetective is at least semi-autobiographical, I suppose the obvious answer would have to be Daniel Craig!

And with that, before I say more, I suspect it's time to sign off for this entry...

One final word - if you're looking for something to do in Exeter on Saturday, you could fare far worse that visiting the St David's Church Fete.  It's a fine day out, and this year they've secured some buffoon of a jobbing writer to open it...  More details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I usually keep a rough log of what questions I have to answer in these little rambles, and try to be good and British by addressing them in the order they find themselves in the queue.  But in this case, because it's such a good question, it's been promoted.

It's this - is Claire my ideal woman?

My correspondent believes she detects more than a certain softness towards Claire in my writing, and perhaps an irritation regarding how Dan (in his bumbling, idiot of emotion way) treats her.  The question goes on to ask - as quite a few do - how autobiographical this may be?

Well, some of that I can answer, some I can't, and - in the traditional manner - some I'm not going to!

I did once have a fairly brief relationship with a detective, a few years ago, but it didn't work well because like most of the breed she was adept at spotting the little falsehoods of male life.  (No, I'm not going to the pub after work, no I'm not planning to go to the football on Saturday afternoon, I'd much rather come shoe shopping with you instead etc etc..)

But yes, it's true, I am very fond of Claire. In terms of how she looks, she's certainly the sort of woman who would attract and hold my attention.  And as for her character, I love that mix of calm intelligence and patient tolerance, yet mixed with a core of steel. She's one of the people in the books I enjoy writing about the most.

And as to the final part of the question, one I've been asked many times before.  Yes, I do know how things are going to end between her and Dan, and no, I'm not even going to give you a hint!

I see summer has remembered its job description at last, so excuse me, I'm off for a run around the river and then to the gym for a circuits class (Man of Steel or what?!)  It's been quite a week, so some unwinding is in order.  I don't often mention work matters, but I had my annual appraisal this week, and it's good news (for me, if not the TV viewers of the south west) - I remain employed!

Don't forget, if you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

I've been asked to write a stage play based on one of the tvdetective books.  This has filled me with both eager anticipation and more than a measure of concern.

First (being one of life's pessimists), the worries. All that I know about writing plays you could compare with the average humility of a premier league footballer.  Ok, I've read some plays, I've been to see them at the theatre, but that's just enjoyment, nothing to do with thinking about how they work and all the effort that goes into them.

A quick aside here - Arthur Miller is my favourite playwright, partly because he matches my tendency to need some high drama in his work, and little he wrote can be allowed to end without the termination of society as we know it, or at least an impressive pile of corpses. All My Sons.. what a masterpiece!

Which admission, I suspect, tells you something about how my efforts may work out. 

However!  As I was saying... so to try to get an idea of the art of playwriting, I've been skipping through some dusty old collections in my study and doing my best to pick up tips from the masters.  Like so many things in life, it all looks very easy, until the critical moment that you actually try it yourself...

But, I'm going to give it a go, because it's something I've never tried before and I do have that need in me to continually try to break some new ground.  Even if it's with my taste in shirts and ties - they both seem to attract comment aplenty, and often far from positive.  But what's life for if you can't try something a little different?

There's also a sneaking desire in me, which I should really keep quiet, but in the spirit of these blogs will be open about.  It's this - I've always fancied treading the boards, and have a hankering to play one of the parts myself.  For the sake of society I'll probably manage to repress this, but it's there, nonetheless.

To be brutally honest, I'll even confess I've never managed to escape the fantasy of being in a musical.  I'd love to take the part of Joseph (I wore my coat.. with golden lining... aaahhh!), only being stopped by a lack of any musical or acting talent whatsoever.

Sorry, I digress (as usual).  Anyway, the point is that I've started working on an idea for the play, it'll be a new story, not one from the books, and I'll keep you updated on progress.

That's assuming I'm not too embarrassed by my efforts, of course...

It's this - am I a big food fan, or as reflected in the character of Dan in the tvdetective books, rather less than a culinary star?  Poor Dan, he does get some flack - rarely if ever attempts to cook anything fresh, and very seldom takes himself out for a decent meal, let alone the long-suffering Sergeant Claire.

Well, as for me, I suppose the answer to the enquiry comes in two halves.  Firstly, yes I am a food fan.  I love great cooking, particularly Indian, Thai, Mexican, and my favourite of all, Portugese. 

When I was doing my year's journalism diploma in Cardiff I first visited a Portugese restaurant, and was absolutely stunned by the wonderful flavours and style of cooking.  I've never forgotten it and will always seek out a Portugese restaurant if there might be one around.  Their take on fish is particularly sublime.

But the problem comes when it's time to think about cooking for myself.  I can do a reasonable range of fairly straightforward dishes, but nothing too complex. I love pasta with fresh tomatoes and pancetta, olives, mushrooms, that kind of thing.  It's something Dan goes for in the books too - easy to cook but so tasty.

The other issue for me comes with organisation. Life can get busy, and just like poor Dan I sometimes struggle to get to the shops.  Which can leave a less than enjoyable hunt through the backs of cupboards for enough ingredients on some kind of theme to knock together into something approaching food.

Funnily enough, however busy, the beer section of the cupboard never seems to run dry though!  Now why aren't you surprised by that?

A final thought for this blog - thanks to everyone who got in touch with a comment on my post about dreams. It seemed to strike a chord, and I've heard some great stories of the kind of visions of the night that people suffer or enjoy.  It seems I'm not the only one who experiences some real oddities. I won't go into them here, but have marked a couple down as possibly featuring in further books!

Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  I always enjoy hearing from you.

I don't put many of these in the series, just the odd specimen, and usually to illustrate some kind of anxiety or fear.  I don't know if that's because I think they can be overdone in books, or whether there's something deeper going on.  I am a vivid dreamer, and sometimes the visitations of the night can stay with me for days or even weeks.  I wonder if that means I'm a little intimidated by them?

When I was at university for example, I had a recurring dream at the end of the first year that I was going to die. Now, as you'll notice, it didn't actually come to pass.  Perhaps it was some kind of a metaphor, maybe for the end of one part of life - I was going through a very  emotional teenage type break up with my first real love at the time - but it did leave me fearful of sleeping for quite a while.

So, what's prompted this particular ramble is as follows.  To this day, even 20 years and more on from last taking an exam, I still suffer a recurring nightmare.  I see myself in an exam hall, turning over the paper, and being unable to answer any questions whatsoever.  It's horrid, and invariably leaves me waking up breathless.

There's an even worse variation, which my strange mind must reserve for the most angst-ridden of occasions. That has me in the exam hall, as before, and still unable to answer any questions, but this time I've even forgotten to put some trousers on.

Further into that I don't think I should go...

Anyway, back to the point, which regular readers of these meanderings know I'll probably get round to sooner or later, and it's this - last night, I managed a lovely new variation on the school / exam type nightmare.

I was with Mum and Dad at a Parents' Evening, and every single teacher they went to see gave me a look like thunder, then launched into a far less than complimentary analysis of my attitudes and abilities.

I've been doing a little attempting to interpret that dream this morning, and have come to the conclusion I'd better stop!  But some of it might just seep into the new book.  It would, after all, be a shame to waste such strangeness...

One final thing to mention here; if you're in Yeovil on Saturday and at a loose end, do pop into Waterstone's and come and say hello.  I'm doing a book signing for a couple of hours and it'd be a pleasure to see you.  There are more details on the News and Events page  - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I was musing on what I actually achieve when I write a book and see it published. There are lots of answers to that; the self satisfaction, the entertaintment I (hopefully) provide for a few folk, even some extra pocket money if you want to be very basic, but the question was nagging - is there anything more significant to it?

One of the most rewarding parts of becoming an author for me is small, but important nonetheless. You'll probably be aware that in the tvdetective books, Dan suffers with depression.  The swamp, he calls it, and I know that's a metaphor that chimes with quite a few people, because they've been good enough to get in touch to tell me.

Depression is far more common than many realise, and it's one of those ailments which shame people; is hard to admit to, even harder to come to terms with and tackle.  It can also strike the most unlikely of folk - I've known highly successful, charming, witty, outgoing and seemingly sorted people, those who should never be tainted, hiding the savage secret.

It's been a great source of pride to me that I've had more than a few emails along the lines of - hey, I suffer that, I know exactly what you mean with the Swamp, you've helped give me the strength to come out and admit it and try to do something about it.

A small something yes, but it means a great deal to this humble scribbler who knows how dark and dense the weight can be, and what a relief it is to have allies in the fight against it.

One final thing to mention here, and it's a book signing next Saturday (25th June) at Waterstone's in Yeovil.  It's my first visit to the store and I'm looking forward to it. If you fancy coming along I'd be delighted to see you; there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

It's this - what do I tend to do for my holidays? 

The question is broader, and indeed more cunning, than it first appears.  My correspondent wants to know if I favour the same kind of things as Dan in the tvdetective books, and further, if he can then deduce an element of how autobiographical they are.

Regular readers of these blogs will know the time honoured Hall answer to that question, and here it comes again. I always plead the Fifth Amendment - so, no comment!

Anyhow, back to the matter of hols, and yes it's true, there are similarities between Dan and I, but with one very big difference.

I can confess here that I'm terrified of flying, which rather restricts the range of what I might be able to do.  When I was younger, I could tolerate it, albeit only for a few hours, but the fear has only grown worse with the passing years.  So these days, as does Dan, I tend to holiday closer to home.

I love the literary festivals which I'm invited to across the country, they allow me to see lots of new places, which is a delight. But I'm rarely happier than when taking a break in my native south west.  For me, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset are very hard to beat. 

My ideal break is simple - a couple of fine inns to stay at, with good local food and ales, and some scenic walking to fill the days.  The coast path has become a favourite in recent years, but I also have a great passion for the bleak beauty of Dartmoor. 

The main difference from Dan?  Ruefully, I have no Rutherford to accompany me.  But one thing I've always promised myself - when life finally gets calmer and more predictable, I shall go straight out and find myself a dog.  It's something I've wanted to do for years now, and I'll be delighted when finally it happens.

As to what I'll call him or her - I can't help but think it's going to be very hard to resist Rutherford!

Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing work, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

One such was at the weekend, when I was privileged to address the Southern Writers' Conference in Sussex. 

Now, regular readers of my wafflings will already know the high state of angst that Hall manages to work up in himself when doing talks about the tvdetective books.  I won't bore you with another run down of that, but it was as enthusiastically present as ever.

It is a curious thing - you walk in there as a stranger to just about everyone assembled and thus go through a process which I suppose is similar to being the new kid in class.  You have to quickly work out who's who, what the unwritten ground rules of the group are, and most importantly of all - will they take to you?

It is a nervy experience, particularly when you know you're going to do a formal address at some point, which they will be expecting to be, in some measure at least, informative, educational, and perhaps even entertaining.

So, how did things go in Sussex? Well, first of all, let me report the oddities.  I found only two, and they were so minor -

1. The peacocks, although beautiful, rise with the dawn and do so noisily.  The first person to breed a mute peacock will be very rich very quickly.

2. Single beds! The Hall backside is too wide for such - I estimate I had approx six inches clearance either side.  It was like being back at college, a long forgotten memory, but not an unpleassant one.

But, those were the only quirks, because the place was great, the staff kind and helpful, and the people assembed were a uniform delight. Such a range of backgrounds, ages, outlooks, I felt at home instantly and enjoyed myself enormously.

So, a big thank you to all who came along - and for laughing at the right points in my talk - and the organisers for an outstanding conference.   By the end, I felt more one of the delegates than an outsider invited to speak. 

Thanks all you Southern Writers, may you craft your words well and long prosper.

Here's a little example from my recent trip to Bournemouth.  I was having breakfast in a hotel and the butter was all runny.  I asked for some more, and the waitress promised to get some, saying "there's nothing worse than runny butter."

Well, thought I, you could contend there may be one or two things worse - coming home to find your house on fire and your family trapped inside, for one.  Or the end of the world as we know it, for another. Etc etc!

But, nonetheless, it's a lovely little verbal tic, and one I fully intend to donate to a character in one of the tvdetective books.

As for mannerisms, they too can be most entertaining, useful, and sometimes downright offputting. There's one chap I know who nigh continually picks and scoops at his ear, but not content with that, then minutely examines the delightful harvest.  Even over dinner...

One of the great things about writing is that you learn about yourself.  I now realise I found such traits fascinating even before I was aware of it.  In the first tvdetective books, you get Lizzie and her heels, and Dirty El and his rhymes.  I didn't think hard about putting them in, I just did it.  I know I've always been a people watcher, but it was interesting to discover just how much.

Excuse me now, I must be away. It's time to prepare for the Southern Writers' Conference at the weekend where I'm doing one of my rambles of a talk.  And it's time for breakfast too, and definitely no runny butter - there's nothing worse!

One final thing to mention here.  I've had quite a few good questions about the books and my writing coming in from the website in recent weeks.  I'll get round to answering them soon, I promise!  But if you have got something you want to ask, do get in touch, I love hearing from you.  You can do so via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Well, firstly it's plenty of work!  I felt like a father / shepherd / performer all at once, and that's a fair bit for my little brain to cope with.  There's the research on the seven other authors, gathering up the audience, keeping things to time, making sure the writers are happy, everyone can hear/see/knows what's going on next, thinking of decent questions to ask, and lots lots more besides...

However, given all that, I think from the feedback it went well, which is a mighty relief!  We were certainly blessed with some fascinating writers.  For me, one of the most interesting things was the extraordinary variety in the way people write.

Some get up at 6 in the morning, others don't start until after midnight.  Some can set down four thousand words in one sitting, others struggle to get much past four hundred.  And as for the reasons they write, the passions that came through about their characters and periods of history - it was a delight to hear, a real privilege.

So, a big thanks here to the authors and the audience, and not least the organisers, the fine folk of Bournemouth Libraries.  Now I've at last calmed down and got some rest, I can certainly say I enjoyed the day greatly and hope many more follow.

For me, it's next stop the Southern Writers Conference in Chichester at the weekend.  Good job it's a Sunday - best start working on my talk!

On Saturday, I am chairing a Crime Readers Day at Bournemouth Library.  In the spirit of these blogs, which often turn more into confessionals, I can now admit it's the first time I've undertaken such a role and I'm feeling more than a tad nervous. To put it mildly!

It's difficult enough talking about my own books, which (in theory at least) I should know something about and be able to answer questions upon.  But introducing a range of other authors and attempting to make some sensible and insightful comments - cue something approaching a tailspin!

So, this morning, you find me in mid-research on a range of other writers, attempting to be calm, but feeling progressively more in awe as I go.  There are some wonderful authors out there, writing so evocatively about so many places, people and periods of history. 

I'm happy to say I've somewhat (only somewhat) come round from feeling daunted to believing that it's going to be a privilege to chair the day.  And this is mostly due to a resolution I've reached about how to go about it.

I'm going to take a lesson from the day job and employ a mantra which is drilled into cub broadcast hacks from the start.  If in doubt, just KISS - keep it short and simple.  So I shall introduce the acts, channel questions from the audience and largely attempt to fade into the background. 

It should be as the football pundits say of the referee - if you don't much notice him, he's had a good game. Hopefully!

If you're interested in the day, and the line up really is an impressive one, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html 

Fingers crossed and deep breath for how it goes.  I shall report back in blogs to come..

I was privileged to be invited to the launch of a new Writers' Group this week, and one of the issues they wanted me to address was the very straightforward - why do I write?

Like many great questions, it's one of those which sounds simple but very much isn't.  It took a fair bit of thought to answer, but this is my approximate response.

Firstly, I suppose I find it a curious question.  It implies some sort of burden, even a chore, and for me writing is quite the opposite.  It started off as, and has always remained, primarily a hobby.  I love writing. Even as a kid I used to delight in making up stories and writing them down. I had many imaginary friends (some say I still do!)

I look forward to writing, to making my characters live, to capturing the world they know, to setting down the latest part of the story I'm working on.  I can't imagine a life without writing now.  It's that much of a delight.

On top of that, there's the ability to capture a thought, a feeling, a moment, an emotion, a situation in words.  You can make a statement and comment on life, positively or not, praise or have a dig, all in words.

It's also a great way of getting revenge on people, albeit in your mind.  When I'm inflicting harm upon a character, it is often a temptation too far not to think about someone you dislike very much!  I suppose it's therapeutic in that way, and far preferable to going out and doing it in real life.

And as for the joy of being published, I don't want to sound pompous here but now part of the pleasure of writing is the feedback I get from readers, telling me how they've enjoyed the latest tvdetective mystery, and wanting to know when the next will be arriving on the shelves.

For all those reasons, and many more besides, I write.  Which is just what I'm off to do some more of now, so please excuse me...

One final word for this blog, and it's a big thank you.  To the lovely people of the Rame Head Readers Group, and to Looe Library and its readers and staff, for making me so welcome when I came visiting last week.

There are plenty more events coming up this summer, including a Crime Readers Day in Bournemouth next Saturday (4th June), which I'm chairing (and doing one of my rambles too).  If you're interested in coming along, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

However, being me, I can surely squeeze out a few more thoughts to a doubtless delighted and entranced world. Well, maybe!

Anyhow, this blog was prompted by a clever article I read yesterday concerning Facebook.  It claimed, and with impressive accuracy, that you could roughly tell a person's age by the number of friends he or she had.

Younger folk might have thousands, but for those of us in the decade of the 40's the average number of friends is 50 - 100. 

In one way I thought bingo! That's spot on.  I'm almost at a hundred and was - that's WAS feeling quite proud of nearing the milestone.  Until I realised that's only a fraction of the number many others have.

Ah well, at least I've made a start on joining the virtual world.  It was only a couple of years ago I began blogging, so I suppose I should expect gradual progress.  I was doubtful at first about its worth, but curiously (according to the clever people who run this site) my ramblings have become one of the most popular parts of it.

They've even persuaded me to start tweeting too, but that's a whole different story.  Get me to compress my waffle into 140 characters? Fat chance!

Anyway, back to the point of this, and I suppose it's that I count myself a fairly old fashioned chap at heart.  I know this will come as a shock to the younger generation, but the friends I have I prefer to know in person, ie. have actually met.  And - horror of horrors! - I still like to talk to people, face to face, rather than text them. 

Having said which, if you are on Facebook and need another friend...!

One final thing to mention here, and it's a fine event down in Looe in Cornwall tomorrow evening (Thursday 26th May).  I'm proud to have been invited to the launch of a new writers' group.  If you're interested, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

But the point of this little ramble was a rumination on transport and what the various modes do to the mind. Or my mind, at least.

I had the pleasure of visiting Teignmouth yesterday, and partook of the wonderful rail journey along the coast - the one where it feels as if you're right on the beach, then cutting through the cliffs of red Devon rock.  It's a stunning trip.

As regular sufferers of my meanderings will know, I always carry a notebook, and it took but a few minutes of the scenery before I started having ideas for bits of a new book, a couple of characters and also some quirks to pop in the upcoming series of talks.

All that inspiration from a view!  Now that's what I call value for money / time.

Anyhow, back to the point of the blog, and the stimulation of the mind the train trip brings to me is unique.  I don't have it when I'm driving or being driven, perhaps because I have to concentrate, or that driving is now such a mundane chore, one of the banes of modern life.

It certainly doesn't happen when I'm in a plane - I'm too busy being scared witless to think of anything apart from how soon we'll be landing and when I can enjoy the safe delights of the flatness of the earth again.

As for boats, they just make me sick, however calm the day.

I don't know what it is about being on a train - perhaps the rhythm of the wheels on the track, maybe just the ability to sit back and think, but they're definitely this author's transport of choice.

So here's to the delights of trains, a bow to what must be one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world, and the end of another Hall meander. 

Finally, regarding those events I mentioned earlier - if you're interested, keep an eye on the News and Events page for details - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

It's this - do I like poetry, and if so, what?

The answer to part one of the question is yes, and that's probably a good job or this would be one of the shortest blogs I've ever penned.

The answer to part two is a range, but I tend to favour older poetry.  This is going to sound hideously old fashioned, embarrassingly so even, but I like works that are full of rhythm and rhyme. 

My two favourite poets are probably Housman and Betjeman.  Housman because of the way he captures his time, his sense of lament about life (very important for someone as emotionally melodramatic as me), and his wonderful use of language. 

Betjeman I love because of his delight in the countryside - particularly Cornwall - and his observations of people and life. He's also got a lovely joy and mischief in his writing.

I'm a fan of Eliot too, because of the tingling reflectiveness of his work.  I've always had a thing about time - the one unconquerable enemy in my humble view (perhaps I watched Dr Who too much as a kid) - and Eliot is so powerful in his thoughts about that slippery subject.

A thought has occured here (they do happen sometimes). I'm just hoping that my correspondent's question wasn't prompted by this week's little rhymes on Twitter.  I'd like to say at this point they weren't planned at all.  Monday's just struck me as something that I wanted to say, Tuesday's followed on which brought us to Weds etc..

If you want to see my efforts at micro blogged ryhme, there's a link to my Twitter page just above this blog.  And if you want to ask a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Finally, in the spirit of this musing - Work calls, so I must away / Catch you again another day..

It may come as a surprise to regular readers of these meanderings, but I do have some self-awareness and know how easily I can launch into a diatribe or eulogy, or just any kind of wordy careering downhill slalom.

However! I do have a little something to say on the subject of libraries - if you'll indulge me - but will keep it brief (as much as ever I do.)

Libraries, in my humble view, are simply fab, as are the folk who run them.  They do wonderful work, but so quietly and modestly that it can easily be overlooked.

Quite aside from the obvious, they can so often be the heart of a community, where many people come to meet.  In fact, I've spoken to some who say without the library they would rarely go out and have somewhere to see a friendly face and enjoy a chat.

And as for the librarians themselves - dedicated, kind professionals who spend their lives serving their communities without fanfare or self promotion.

So here's to libraries and all who work in them, particularly at this difficult time when all the pubic sector is facing a more than challenging future.

Where did this eruption of praise come from?  The answer is thus - my good fortune in being part of the Writers' Workshop in St Austell yesterday.  It was a superbly organised day, with a wonderful group of readers and equally fine librarians looking after them. 

By the way, hello to everyone who was there, thanks for making me so welcome - and most importantly for laughing at the right points in my little talk.  It was a great pleasure to meet you all.

Finally for this blog, I'm being allowed out to take part in a fair few more events this summer. On the off chance you might be able to face one, there are mMore details on the News and Events page -  www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I love doing talks about the tvdetective books, for a couple of main reasons. It gives me a great opportunity to visit new places, but it's a particular pleasure for getting to meet readers. They're so very kind and complimentary about my scribblings, which is highly reassuring because many are the days I doubt whether my work is worth troubling the world of publishing.

They also help me learn, by telling me what they like and don't like in books, and I'm grateful for that. I count myself a newcomer to this writing lark, but a mere child in class really, and so am appreciative of any tips for trying to get better at it.

I'm doing an event on Saturday (14th May) in St Austell.  It looks to be a very interesting one, with some fine writers offering hints about how to become an author (should you be so interested in the peculiar profession), plus a bit of waffle from yours truly, and a panel event to round up the day. 

There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html   I'll also post information about other gigs as we go through the summer.

Finally for this ramble, an answer to a question I'm commonly asked - do I get nervous doing talks about the books?

Yes is the resounding answer!  And curiously more so than being on the television, no matter how many times the number of people may be watching there.

As to why, I think it's because a TV camera, for all its intimidating power, doesn't yawn and fall asleep if you're boring it, or start to mutter, rebel and throw items of rotten fruit, whereas a live audience...

Go on then, as it's you, I'll talk...

I do have a study, albeit a rather ramshackle version. Regular readers of these ramblings will know I'm not into formality and ceremony, and thus it is with my little thinking and working space.

It's in the attic of the house, with a lovely skylight that provides a fine view over the Exeter cityscape.  There's a little square wooden table - forever cluttered with cuttings, notes and ideas - where I put my laptop, and a comfy padded office chair to rest myself upon.

There are two futons, both very comfortable, which I alternate between as my sitting and thinking positions. One is better for more whacky musings as it looks out of the skylight, the other is more useful for details thinking as it looks towards my stereo system and prevents me wandering into too many flights of fancy - a common Hall problem.

On the floor beside the stereo are lines of that quirk of history known as vinyl records - they date back to my DJing days.  They're both a fond memory and a source of inspiration, because the music that flows from them always sounds better than any CD or one of your modern MP3 things.

Finally, on the wall are some pictures - there's Niamh, my beautiful adopted daughter, a photograph of the young Hall, aged perhaps 5, with Mum and Dad, and a few posters and cards from various gigs and literary festivals.

The walls are off white, and it's an invariably warm, comfortable and quiet space (expect when the vinyl's in full effect!)  Just perfect for a place to get away and indulge in a little scribbling.

In fact it's time to hop up there now, with a cup of tea, a bit of toast, and get on with some work on the events I've got coming up this summer.  If you're interested in toddling along to one, keep an eye on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html and I'll post details as they come up.

I immediately suspect my correspondent has had the dubious pleasure of witnessing my performances on the television.  In which case, they'll quite possibly already think they know, but hey, the answer's rarely so simple (at least not with a Hall ramble), so here we go with an attempted response.

Firstly , I like combinations of colour.  In my humble view, when dressed for work, a woman has many options for expressing personality, or moods which are permissible.  There's the obvious skirt versus trousers issue, a suit, the style of shoes, the option of a dress, and even then so many more colours seem to be available to a man. 

For us chaps, the rules tend to mean a jacket (of some darkish shade) and trousers, plus a decent shirt, and perhaps a tie. 

Well of that lot, it's only a tie which can give you real freedom with colours and patterns, which is why I tend to get a little over excited in the neckwear arena.  Many are the comments I get about my ties, more so than any other area of attire. Being a generally polite chap, I won't repeat them here...

So I hope that explains a little about my thoughts on wardrobe.  However, back to the original question, and my favourite colour?

The simple answer is blue.  The reason - when I joined the BBC, many years ago now, I was put through one of those colour coding suitability things, when an expert advises on which shade is best for you.

The lady took a fast look and quickly pronounced me a "summer" person.  Which apparently meant gentle and pastel shades, and particularly blue. (The session was both depressing and expensive, as it consigned much of my wardrobe to the charity shops - apparently I had been wearing entirely the wrong colours for all my eartly years.  A lovely thought, particularly when I always fantasised that I had at least some kind of style.)

So there you go with what I hope is a passable answer, albeit in the usual roundabout manner.  Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing (but only on fashion if you really must!), you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

For me, one of the kindest things people have said about the tvdetective series is that my love of the south west comes through loud and clear. Whether its the walks Dan and Rutherford take around Dartmoor, or on the coast, I often find myself getting a little lost in enjoying the moment (albeit in words) and have to calm and curtail myself from going on too much.

In fact, on reflection, it's quite true that writing about the south west scenery is one of my greatest joys in the books.  And the countryside here is a great asset to have for the series.

But there's even more to the region than just its good looks.  It's got great quirks and character too.

Witness this from the travel news I happened to hear on the radio last night, whilst brushing my teeth afore bed -

There's a big pile up on the M6, many vehicles involved... long tailbacks on the M25 after a crash... and on the A38 in Devon there are minor hold ups because the police have introduced a rolling roadblock after some sheep escaped onto the dual carriageway.

Now that's the way to have a jam Devon style!  And it's the kind of little curiousity which may well make its way into a future tvdetective book, and which makes the south west so very easy, and indeed delightful, to write about.

Here's to enjoying its splendour over the coming holiday weekend...

Part of what bothers me is that it's such an illogical reaction. I know I should be feeling proud, even jubilant at managing to knock together a hundred thousand words plus, in some form of order that might just make a passable novel.  But, as discussed in previous blogs, it's simply that the book becomes such a big part of my life that when it's gone, even temporarily, I miss it.

However! It's not such a bad slump, just a mild version, and I am coping.  The wonderful weather, so atypical of the British bank holiday tradition, is helping. It's great to see people out and smiling with the sunshine.  A few days off is very welcome too.

From experience of this emotion, I've also learnt ways of managing it.  Going to the gym (however reluctantly), and catching up with friends over a coffee or beer helps, as does preparing for upcoming writing events. There are quite a few in the next months, details on the News and Events page as they make their way along - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I reckon I can busk a few more days of such work before I allow myself to begin reading through the book and thinking about the edits. I usually make myself have a couple of weeks away from it, so I can come back almost as a reader and pick up any inconsitencies, bits of waffle, digression, poor writing or just nonsense.

I've never been great at taking holidays, but in the meantime, it's scarcely a hardship to enjoy  a stroll out in the sun, so that's the plan for now - here's wishing you a fine Easter break too.

Firstly, I'm glad my correspondent noticed.  I am indeed hugely fond of Rutherford, and for a couple of reasons which I shall now plunge into.

The most obvious is that in the tvdetective books he's a very important character.  Dan is a bit of a loner, so he needs someone to talk to about the cases he's working on. Rutherford plays that part beautifully.

There's another motive in that he helps get Dan out into the wonderful Devon countryside when the pair take a walk, which is useful for variety in the books.  He's fun too, always causing mischief and getting into scrapes, which can be handy light relief in the midst of a very dark case.

But, as ever, there's a deeper reason for my love of Rutherford, and this is thus - for me, he's a reincarnation of the first dog I ever knew.

When I was born (in a pub, as previously mentioned, and to no one's surprise I noticed), Dad was worried about security, so went out and bought an Alsatian puppy to help guard the place. He was named Sam and I grew up with him as friend and companion.

Being a horrid kid I would poke him and pull his tail and it's family legend how he would never ever retaliate.  He also protected me throughout my childhood, always positioning himself between me and the gate to the garden when I was playing.  Even now, I remember crying for days when Sam died.

I can't have a dog of my own at the moment, the unpredictable and often antisocial lifestyle of journalist and author doesn't allow it. So for me Rutherford is my virtual dog, a friend and ally, and a way of making Sam live again in the books.

Finally, one quick aside here - when I write these blogs, some come quickly, others take longer to set down.  This one just flowed straight out and with a little lumping of the throat too. Time to go, I think before I get any more misty...

Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any areas of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

The sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed I haven't mentioned a title - there is a working version, but I'm not sure it's going to be the final one yet, so shhhh for now is the way.  And no more detail about what's in it either, I'm trying to be suitably author like and mysterious!

Now, as I was saying, the final full stop on the page leaves me feeling elated in one way, and sad in another. See previous blogs for my tendency to melodrama at the finishing of a book...

Anyhow, the point of this little musing is that for a writer it's rarely the end.  The finishing of the first draft is merely the start of work on the second, and when that's done the third, and so on until the publisher loses patience and insists on releasing the thing.

Some clever person one said that writing is rewriting, and I think that's very true.  It's a smart way of pointing out one of life's broader lessons - that annoying though it may be, there's no substitute for hard work.

John Cleese was once asked why Fawlty Towers was so good.  You must be a genius, the interviewer said.  No he replied, we just had a good idea and worked at it, and worked at it, and worked at it until it was as good as it could possibly be.

That's a little story I often mention when I'm doing writing workshops, to emphasise the importance of polishing your efforts.  The tvdetective books usually take about 6 or 7 rewrites before they're in a passably fit state to publish. I know other writers who do even more.

So, as the old saying goes, not an end but a beginning... and next week I shall commence work on the first rewrite!

A final word for this blog, and it's to thank the ladies of the Devon WI for making me so welcome at my little talk in Torquay on Wednesday. I must confess to being remiss and not asking the size of the audience before I came along. I was expecting a hundred or so.

Thus it was a silence inducing moment - rare in the Hall world - to arrive and be told the number was 1400.

But you were all very lovely - thank you - and even better you laughed at the points in my little ramble when I hoped you would.  The WI is a wonderful institution in my humble view, and long may you thrive.

Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, or are interested in my input to an event, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

You may well think this should be a cause of me feeling pleased with myself. And I am, a little, but there's more of a sense of trepidation.

Allow me to explain.  When I write a book, it's such a huge process that it becomes a part of my life. There's the planning stage, which takes months, and effectively involves me falling in love with the idea as I develop it and grow fonder and fonder of it.

Then there's the actual writing, which again takes many months - about five in this case.  During that time, the book becomes so close to me that I write some just about every day, and muse about it even more often.

I've thought hard about this, but it's not an exaggeration to say it becomes like a relationship. We spend a lot of time together each and every day, enjoying each other's attentions (well, I certainly enjoy the book's and I assume it enjoys mine as I'm writing it), and then suddenly comes a point when I can see the end approaching.

I'm left knowing I'll miss it badly, and wondering what can ever possibly replace it.  From experience of writing the other five tvdetective books, I know this can prompt quite an unpleasant slump in me. Hence the trepidation. 

I know that may all sound rather bizarre, but as I've said before I try to be honest in these blogs, and that's the truth of it.

So, when I've had a fortifying cup of tea, I shall commence work on the final chapter, with a little due tightening of the chest and a mistiness of the eye. 

Yours for now, in a slightly emotional / whimsical mood...

Why did I start writing?

It's something I haven't properly answered before, and prompted a little of that uncomfortable shining of the light within to see what murkiness might be found. 

After some such, here comes the best I can manage as an answer.

Top of the list, as so often in matters concerning Hall I fear, must be vanity. I just thought I could do it so I had a go.  I didn't plough into it thinking "oh, this will be easy", but I certainly didn't appreciate the dedication and degree of hard work required to produce around a hundred thousand words of fairly coherent and cogent book.  And that while working full time for a mistress who can be as demanding as the BBC.

Secondly I suppose, came the almost equally inflated thought that I had something to say, which furthermore people might be interested to read.

And thirdly came another lovely stroke of vanity in that I had the cheek to believe I could even make my ideas entertaining.

All that from such a short, but perceptive question! 

Anyhow, I'm glad I do write, it's a hobby that these days I wouldn't know how to live without. And I'm even more glad I bring a small measure of entertainment to some of you kind people who were good enough to tell me so yesterday in Torbay.

Thanks to all who came along to Sleuths and particularly the organisers. It was superbly well run and I very much enjoyed my visit.  I wish you all the best with more such fine festivals in future.

Lastly for this blog, with the reemergence of the world from hibernation, I'll be doing quite a few events about the tvdetective books. If you're interested, keep an eye on the News and Events page -

The inspiration for a book, character, storyline, or just some little quirk in a novel can strike me anytime, which is why I always carry a notebook, or at least a piece of paper and a pen.  But there are also certain ways of helping to promote some thinking.

One of my favourites is a walk around the river. I'm lucky in living close to the Exe, and it's a perpetual theatre. There are swans begging bread, ducks bustling about their busy trade, the wonderful spectacle of cormorants doing their wing spread drying thing, but I'm fondest of the gang of geese.

They're so excitable. The merest hint of a bread treat prompts a cacophony of honking - to my considerable amusement, if not that of those who live near where they nest!

A fine walk in the Devon countryside can also be a powerful source of inspiration. Dartmoor is my favourite, as witnessed in the many strolls Dan and Rutherford take in the tvdetective books. If you want a recommendation for these spring days, try the walk to the Ted Hughes memorial up on the north moor, as set out in The TV Detective. It's wonderful.

Finally for this musing, a simple way of making my errant mind work is to spend some time in my study. It's a converted attic and enjoys wonderful light.  I've got a desk and chair there, but also a little sofa, upon which I spread out and try to think.

The study is home to my vinyl collection too, going back to my old DJing days and even earlier, but that's another story!

Lastly for this blog, if you fancy something to do at the weekend, don't forget the excellent Sleuths crime writing festival in Torbay. I'm doing a couple of appearances - there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I'm doing two events, a crime writing workshop in Paignton Library and a talk about the tvdetective books at the Another Chapter bookshop in Brixham.  This Saturday morning finds me working out what to say at both, and happily making a little progress.

The talk is fairly straightforward, just the usual list of strange Hall thoughts and bizarre anecdotes, which many of you have been generous enough to say you find passably interesting or even amusing.

The workshop is rather more tricky.  Firstly, there's the self doubt bit.  Always when I'm asked to talk about how to write a novel, I start thinking - well, who am I to say?  All I did was one day - rather vainly - decide to write a book.  It came as more than a little surprise to get published, then to be asked for more! 

However, I'll do my best, as ever, and so this is what I've decided to try.  It's going to be a quick fire session in which I'll attempt to cover all the major points of a book. We'll start with the importance of a fine opening line, then go onto characters, plots and settings, and also one of the key parts of crime fiction - how to con the readers.

All that in an hour and a quarter!  It'll certainly be a challenge...

I always enjoy these events enormously, and often because I learn as much, if not more, than the poor unfortunates in the audience.  So, if you're coming along, I'll look forward to seeing you, and if you haven't got anything planned for next Saturday (9th April), do think about a visit to the festival.  It's a great event and growing event, and a real asset to the south west.

Back to the preparations then - no weekend lie in for me!  There are more details of the festival on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  if you should fancy a visit.

The first, and most straightforward, is that I'm enjoying it immensely.  It's strange to say, but I find myself wanting to find out what's going to happen.  Now, as the author, clearly I should know that, and I do!  But it's as if I want the relief for the characters, of knowing what's going to happen to them,and how the story will conclude.

The second feeling, which is more difficult to describe, is one of apprehension. 

When I write a book, I get so attached to it that it effectively becomes a very good friend. I look forward to seeing it ,being with it, writing it.  When I'm not writing, I'm often thinking about it - what's going to happen next, how I'll structure the next chapter, what a character might do in a certain situation, that kind of thing.

So now I'm starting to feel concerned about how I'll be when the last full stop is set down upon the page.  I know I'm going to miss the book, and will have to cast around for other things to occupy me, or I shall start to mope.

I suppose it's like many things in life - a mix of pleasure and pain. 

The good news is that I won't be without my friend for too long.  After the passage of a few weeks, I shall pick it up again, read it afresh and start the editing process.  So at least there's that to look forward to.

Back to the writing then, and onwards towards the end, however it might make me feel. Yours, for now, in a mixed state of emotions, this strange author...

I was fortunate enough to be invited to Park School in Barnstaple on Thursday, to work with Year 8 on an Enterprise Day - a challenge to get them to think about designing and managing the London Olympics of next year.  In teams, they had to work out schedules of events and entertainments, budgets, catering, design mascots, T-shirts, tickets, a whole range of problems.

Then came the sting - they had to perform a presentation to the whole of the rest of the year, marked by 5 evil judges (including me). Nerve wracking or what?

It was a fantastic day.  I've said this before, and I'll say it again, and many times I suspect. Young people get such a panning in the press that you'd think they all carry knives and do little but mug old ladies. But the kids I met were great, so enthusiastic, full of energy and ideas, not to mention creativity.  I was hugely impressed and found it a privilege working with them.

But the point of this blog is more about the teachers and classroom assistants I had the pleasure of meeting.  Their work is so important, yet so often undervalued by society, when what they do should (in the humble view of the Hall) be held in the highest of esteem.

I've mentioned before that without the intervention of 2 wonderful  teachers from my formative years, I doubt I'd have made much of my life.  On Thurs, I saw that all over again, as a range of teachers inspired the youngsters to find a vision, believe in it, and see it through.  Now that's what I call teaching, and it took me back to when I was 14, and the way Mr Warr and Mr Lewis helped me.

So there was a little misty nostalgia (which I hope I disguised), and a great day. Thanks to one and all at Park for making me so welcome, and congratulations and commendations on your efforts.  You all deserved to win in my view!

Firstly, I'm a tad saddened to say it wasn't the riot training part which created the worry - a grand total of no one at all has enquired as to whether I'm still ok, in one piece, a little bruised, singed by the petrol bombs etc.

No, what's caused the interest is the idea of the series coming to an end.  Let me make it clear here that I didn't set out to bother anyone in the last blog, nor was I seeking a little cheap publicity - I've always thought the books would finish some day, but I wasn't quite prepared for the reaction that's caused.

So!  A few words of reassurance, to address some of the emails I've received.

Firstly, the tvdetective series isn't going to end for a fair while yet (assuming of course, you kind folk are good enough to keep reading my scribblings).  I can't say exactly how many books are yet to come, but I've certainly got ideas for at least three, and that's before we come to the last one.

Secondly - and this is something which crops up time and again - yes, the relationship between Dan and Claire will come to a resolution.  Would I be so cruel as not to tell you what happens there?!  Yes, I do know what that resolution is going to be. And no, before you ask, I'm not saying which way it'll go.  That's one of the most common questions posed about the books and I'm staying stum!

Thirdly, yes, some of the unanswered questions about the characters will also be resolved, and I'm thinking particularly of our "leading man" here (if ever he deserves such a title).

Now, no more before I do my usual thing and go on too long. You know what I can be like.

Lastly for this entry, a mention for an event going on tomorrow night (Thurs) in Tavistock. It's a celebration of historical fiction, to mark the publication of a new book on the subject by local writer Myfanwy Cook.  Lots of Devon authors will be there, myself included, so if you fancy it, do pop along. There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I've been away for a few days in Kent, at the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Training Centre. This is a compound centred around a mock town where officers are drilled in all elements of crowd and riot control.

I've been learning how to survive while working in a riot, and an extraordinary experience it's been. The last time I was in anything similar was back in the 90s in Luton, and I'd forgotten how frightening it can be.  The training is very realistic, even to the extent that petrol bombs were being thrown. And that certainly concentrates the mind!

Anyway, I'm back home now, writing again, and just getting back into it.  It's amazing how fast you can lose your flow if you leave it for a few days.

So, following a familar bit of Hall rambling, the point of the blog is this.  For around a year now I've had an idea about how the tvdetective series of books might end (but not for a few novels yet, all being well and you kind people continuing to read the things!).  It's slowly coming together, and the training gave me a thought about what part of the book could contain.

Now, I'm aware I can get over excited and give a little too much away sometimes, and authors are supposed to be mysterious, so I'll stop there, except to say this - I hope the last book might just explain something rather fundamental about the main character and finally explain how he can do what he does and why he is the way he is.

Enough now, before I say too much!   But one final thought - if you're around Tavistock on Thurs evening (24th March), I'm in town as part of a fine event to celebrate historical fiction.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Until the next time...

I'm thinking not just as a long suffering member of the human race here - tired as most of us are with what's felt like an extended and bitter winter - but also as an attempted scribbler of the odd novel.

(And some odder than others I hear you say, but let's continue anyway...)

As an author, the longer, lighter and warmer mornings and evenings sure do help.  It's my routine to do most of my day's writing in the morn.  I usually get up about 6, to make sure I can fit in a couple of hours before work comes calling.  I tend to be at my freshest and most creative then.

In the evenings, I don't do much actual writing as I'm usually pretty jaded after the day. But what they are good for is thinking and planning.  I often sort out the next section of the book I'm working on in the evening, ready to set it down come the morn.

I also find it a remarkably powerful way to relax, switch off, and leave behind the tensions of the day; the simple act of settling back, closing your eyes, and letting your mind wander.

So, it's been splendid over the last few days to get a sense of the kinder season to come, and feel the inspirational power of the sunshine. Long may it continue!

A few questions have arrived over email in the last couple of days.  I'll try to answer them in the blogs to come, so apologies if there's been a short delay.  But do keep asking, I always like hearing from you.  You can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Thinking back, some of the highlights of the aforementioned -

Doing my first talk about the tvdetective books. I'll never forget this - I suppose for a scribbler it's kind of the literary equivalent of losing your virginity.  Or something such!

It was at Plympton Library, just outside Plymouth, on a dark winter's evening, to a lovely group of people, but I was so nervous I could have laid a carton full of eggs. I think it took approximately 4 days to calm down afterwards.

Another rite that sticks in my mind was the first talk I ever gave to the Women's Institute. It was in a village hall, just outside Dorchester, to an audience of around a hundred, and so was another beating for the nerves.

But my distinction there - apart from failing to recall the words to Jerusalem, and picking the winning Easter cake - was that I managed to present the whole talk with my flies undone.  As one lady pointed out - but only after I'd finished speaking.

Strangely, I've not been invited back...

Anyway!  The point of this particular blog was the latest rite I've negotiated, the source of my self satisfaction. It's this - (cue fanfare) -

The tvdetective novels are to feature as part of a doctoral thesis!

Ok, when you've stopped laughing, we can continue...

(In fairness, that was my initial reaction too).

A post grad student from Exeter Uni wants to interview me about the ideas and inspiration for the books, and my writing process, if such a thing even exists.  Well, it would be rude of me to say no, wouldn't it?! 

I'm just not sure the poor chap knows what he's let himself in for yet!  And as for me, the only worrying part is my scribblings being subject to some rigorous intellectual analysis.

Perhaps it's time to end this blog here...

Where do I get ideas for books from?

Well, the answer, albeit a little odd, is everywhere.

As I've mentioned before, I always carry a notebook to jot down thoughts. These can be as tiny as a detail of description - yesterday, for example, I scribbled a couple of lines about the impressive ruffling of a tree by a couple of frisky pigeons - or something much larger, like a concept for a whole book.

Looking back on the tvdetective series, most of the novels are based on one central theme. In The TV Detective, it's Dan's change of job and how that leads him to meet Adam.  The Death Pictures revolves around the central riddle and Evil Valley the hunt for an unbalanced man, and what he might do to take revenge on society. The Judgement Book is all about settling scores, and as for The Balance of Guilt - I can't say, because you don't get to know what the title refers to until the very end, and I don't want to spoil it if you haven't read it!

So I think that's how it works for me - to seek out one simple concept that might extend through a book and build on it.  I wonder if that's a reflection of my journalistic work.  One of the first things you learn as a cub hack is to be clear what your story is, and follow that narrative through.

Anyway, back to where the ideas themselves come from. One of the most common sources is the newspapers. I try to read a paper almost every day, time permitting, and some of the items can prompt plenty of thoughts about a possible plot.  But most of the work is done by our old and indispensable friend, the imagination.

Really, the secret of coming up with a good story - if one there even is - is simple. In my humble view, there's no substitute for sitting back in a quiet room, shutting your eyes, letting your mind wander and seeing where it may take you.

Difficult indeed in these busy times, but it works for me. Just giving your thoughts a chance, away from the noise and distractions of the world, and you can often be well rewarded.

If you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any areas of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  I'm always happy to hear from you.

Hence the correct young person speak title of this blog.  Or something such...

Anyway, before I go off on another Hall digression, the like of which you'll be more than familar with by now,  the point was this.

Young folk can get a very bad press, and often seem to be routinely portrayed as wearing hoodies to disguise their identity, whilst doing some mugging / drug dealing as they sport a knife (at best), and (more likely) a sub-machine gun. 

This is not my experience. I found the group I worked with today to be keen, interested, talented, eager and simply looking for a decent future and to do their best in the world.  If any of you should be reading this, it was a pleasure meeting you and thanks for listening so attentively to me.

Part of the motivation for this blog is that I've been bitten by an idea for a new tvdetective book, and it feels like it might have enough mileage to make the perilous journey from thought to reality.  If it does, it will revolve around a group of youngsters who - without giving too much away - get fed up with the way they're being treated by society and try to do something about it.

Enough, before I go too far and blow all my secrets!

Anyhow, that was the point - the thought that so often we old crusties look down on the young folk and tut to ourselves about what they're up to, when why shouldn't they look to us and do the same, and worse?  Who caused these present economic difficulties, for example, but us? And don't they suffer them just as much?

Ok, that's enough, before I really go on and fill the poor web with a rant of Hall-waffle. One final thing to mention here - I actually like doing careers work, with schools, universities, whatever, so if you're interested, feel free to get in touch.  You can email me via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html 

The same goes if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing. It'd be a pleasure to hear from you.

A slightly naughty question has arrived in my inbox, as it were.  It's this - why are there no sex scenes in the tvdetective books?

Yet again, as with so many inquiries from my wise and perceptive readers, it's a darned good one.

As befits the nature of the question, I shall be frank and answer by telling you a little story. 

When first I began writing, some 7 years ago now, I got to a point in A Popular Murder, where Dan and Kerry became so intertwined they were about to do what boys and girls have been doing for many a year.

From my subsequent  conversations with other writers, I now know this presents a dilemma for us all.  Romance is an inevitable part of most books, and when it comes to fruition that leaves the author a choice.  Do you follow the characters into the bedroom to reveal to the world what goes on there, or cease your journey at the bedroom door?

Filled with enthusiasm for my new found writing, on my first attempt I went into the bedroom with the lucky couple to observe and describe (imagine the scene!) and wrote it all up.

This had an unfortunate result.  Upon reading my efforts, my editor laughed so much that she claims she almost fainted.

And this had a suitably traumatic effect on me to - (1) remove the offending scene, and (2) never attempt to write another.

I hope that provides an understandable answer to the question.

There is, however, a little subtext here, which I'll go on to mention.  After the unfortunate episode of above, I did have to ask myself why I couldn't seem to write convincingly and impressively about sex.

And a nasty little nagging voice in a dark corner of my mind suggested that perhaps it was because I'd never really got the hang of it myself...

Enough! See what can happen if you ask questions!

Don't forget, if you've got an inquiry about the tvdetective books (although not another sex related one please), or any part of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Well, there are many - imagination, persistence, writing ability, determination, the list goes on and on.  But an often overlooked, although very important part of that, is a little notebook.

I find ideas for plots, characters, locations, or just pieces of dialogue can strike me anywhere and at any time, and it's maddening if you haven't got something to write them down on. If you're like me, a good idea can pop into mind, only to be long forgotten a few minutes later.

Hence, these days I carry with me, and just about everywhere, a little pocket notebook. It's not black, but a rather bright blue and white striped number. The reason for this is simple - it means I'm less likely to lose it!

It's become a subject of some amusement for my friends - we can be out having a drink, a meal, a walk, and like a gentleman of old with his sword, I'll whip out my notebook and scrawl something down.

If ever I'm stuck for an idea when writing a new book, whether it's a bit of plot, or a quirk of character, back to the notebook I go and usually the little tome of wisdom can provide an answer, or at least a suggestion to help.

If you're trying to write a book, along with all the other traits I've mentioned, I'd thorougly recommend getting yourself a pocket notebook.  It'll be a few pounds very well invested.

Don't forget, if you've got any questions about the tvdetective books, or any areas of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html 

I look forward to hearing from you...

I'm prompted to write about the issue of fashion, because of a conversation I had with a stranger earlier this week. The lady in question was kind enough to comment on the ties I wear, but then went on to say that there's little in the tvdetective books about Dan's dress sense.

In this she has a good point. I suppose it's because of the relative priorities of the characters - Adam's attire often gets a mention, as he's a fashion victim, but Dan seldom worries too much about such matters.  As I'm often asked how much of Dan is made up of myself, and usually fudge the answer, here at least I can say it's a fair comment - fashion isn't exactly my strongest subject either.  Hence I suppose it not featuring highly in the books.

As an aside here, a good friend once said that I found a style I liked in the mid 80s, and have stuck with it ever since. The cheek of it!  I was about to remonstrate when I realised he may have a point!

So, back to that incredibly amusing fashion story I promised you. In an attempt to be with it, as it were, I recently bought one of those ultra cool Superdry sweatshirts. It's a fine piece of fabric, very warm and comfortable, and indeed, I'm assured, wonderfully trendy.

But this is the point.  When I did some washing this week, and a couple of days later came to take the sweatshirt in question off the drier, guess what?  It was the only item of all the collection which wasn't dry!

Oh, the irony!  Oh, how I laughed...

When you've recovered from being overwhelmed by mirth, don't forget if there's a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  I'm always pleased to hear from you, particularly if you've got any fashion tips...

It was hardly the most encouraging of signs that it took a full 15 minutes to sort out how to get the back off and the battery in.  However!  Undaunted, I overcame that considerable hurdle, only to utterly thrown by what awaited me when I got as far as switching the phone on.

The new phone is one of those touchscreen things. It took me a while to understand why there was no keyboard... As for what it can do, the list is seemingly endless - surf this new fangled internet thing, send and receive emails, find out the weather anywhere in the world, tell me my GPS position, inform me of my appointments, so much in fact I was a little disappointed there wasn't a function to iron my shirts and cook my tea.

Anyhow, aside from pointing out what a technophobe I can be, the other thrust of this blog is to crow my achievement.  You'll be so impressed, I know.  Two weeks on and I have at last mastered how to make and receive calls, and send texts too. Now, how about that for progress?!

The real point of this blog, apart from wondering about the extraordinary advances of science etc., is to lament how such remarkable bits of kit can make the life of a crime writer much harder.  These days, it's more or less impossible to put a victim somewhere where he or she can't phone for help.  And as for disguising the movements of a murderer, it's not so easy when their mobile can be traced to within a few inches...

One final word on the subject of technology, and again I think you'll be impressed. Today, it being a Saturday of leisure and all that, I've decided to attempt to be ultra cool and modern and try to load some music onto my phone.  Something about MP3 players, or some other such jargon?  The only trouble is, looking at the phone, I just can't work out where to slot the MP3s in...

Now I know some of the less kind hearted types amongst you - if any such people could ever read my blog! - will immediately accuse me of overdoing my suffering, but boy, has it felt rough. Forget accusations of man flu, this has been more a mix of the plague, Lassa Fever, Black Death and many other an awful ailment all in one.

In short, as you may have guessed, I've been feeling more than a little sorry for myself. That sensation has only been enhanced by the fact that it was my birthday last week, and a cold seems a most unfair present from the fates.

(Incidentally here, many thanks to all of you who were kind enough to get in touch and wish me a good birthday - which I did my best to have, despite my suffering.)

I resent illness on many levels.  I hate feeling rough, I hate being cooped up at home without the energy to do much, and I hate the way it effects my writing. It makes knocking together any decent efforts at a book so difficult when you have to struggle to concentrate.

However, the good news is that I'm now feeling much improved and the scribbling has resumed. So I can respond to a question that I keep being asked - how is progress on the new tvdetective book going?

The answer is - very nicely.  The first draft is done, so it's now into the reading through and editing, sharpening up, cutting the unnecessary waffle, removing inconsistencies, all that sort of thing.  And it's a pleasure to be back at it, now that I'm once more feeling as near to human as the Hall ever gets.

So, please excuse me if I get back to it.  I'll keep you updated on progress, as ever.  And don't forget, if you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any areas of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

I wish you a fine, and hopefull cold free February.

In the traditional manner, I shan't be revealing the exact vintage of the Hall, but I'm well aware with this new fangled internet thing that it isn't too tricky to work out.

When you do, if you do, please say - Well, I'd never have guessed, rather than something like - Blimey, you look much older...

Despite my advancing years, the problem is that I still think I'm about 19 or so, inside my little mind at least. Perhaps that's one of the failings - definitions even?! - of being a man.  I'm well aware I'm not a teenager any more, because every time I go for a run I pant and sweat in a way that alarms all those unfortunate enough to be around.

It's an odd birthday this one, the first since the couple of family losses I've suffered over the last few months.  So I'm feeling a little reflective, although also warmed and flattered by the series of kind messages I've received.

Also, to compound the oddness of the emotions, as if fate is having a laugh at my expense I've managed to catch a cold.  Now, what kind of a birthday present is that?!

Finally for this post, one more thought - why must birthdays usually be on schooldays? My vote for the next Act of Parliament to be sponsored by one of us is for a Birthdays Only to Fall at Weekends Bill.  Wouldn't that make life more pleasant?

Off now for a celebratory Lemsip... I know how to live...

It comes from a chap who's just become a father (congratulations!)  He writes to thank me for the tvdetective books, as he tells me they've proved invaluable in the first days of parenthood.

This is how it goes - when it's his turn to get up in the midst of the night, he paints a picture of rocking the cradle with one hand, while reading one of the novels with the other.  And he's kind enough to say I'm helping to keep him sane with my attempts at scribbling.

Now that's a first!  Normally it's rather the other way around and I drive people towards insanity...

Lovely stories like that remind me of one of the common quirks of feeling of being a writer. It's knowing that your books are out there, in shops and libraries, that people are reading them, and then imagining the strange places they're doing so - in the bath, in bed, rocking the baby etc etc...

I remember the first time I saw someone reading one of the tvdetective books on a train. It was a very strange sensation indeed - but a most pleasant one.  I watched the person's reactions for a couple of mins and was delighted to see them nodding, occasionally smiling, but most importantly never letting up in their reading.

Wherever and whyever people read the things - be it in the flush of fatherhood or whatever - I'm just glad they do and hope they enjoy them.

If you want to get in touch with your own thoughts about the books, you're very welcome to do so.  You can email me via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

It's fairly long, but in essence my correspondent's contention is this - that the tvdetective series is no more than a vehicle for the love story between Claire and Dan.

Now that's some claim, and so has required consideration aplenty in return. 

It's certainly true that Claire and Dan, and their various ups and downs, is the consistent sub plot in the series.  But I'd never before thought that it was so prominent in the books as to eclipse the other things going on.  Having said that, looking back on each, I can see the point my reader is making.

As ever, having carefully read the book on How to be an Author, I won't comment any further, holding true to the old adage that mystery sells!

But one more point from the email which I would like to address is this. My correspondent - rather cheekily, in my humble view! - wants to know how it all ends up between Dan and Claire, and even offers her own opinion!

Upon that matter I shall certainly be making no comment... but read on, and you'll see...

Don't forget, if you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any of my writing or education work, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

And one final and chirpy note, on a consistent theme of this month's blogs - smile, January's almost over!

This is purely an anecdotal thought of mine, based on the number of emails, comments and invitations which have been coming through.  There's been a sudden increase, as if people can sense the dreaded opening month of the year finally coming towards an end.

Now, one of the emails contains a most interesting, and a tad intimidating, request, which I had to read several times to make sure I'd understood correctly. 

It's from a magazine called Ariel, which is a BBC in house publication, but available publicly, in libraries and everywhere that wants to stock it. The BBC is producing a series on fiction writing, presented by Sebastian Faulks, and I've been asked to contribute to an article to tie in with the series. 

Unsurprisingly, the Beeb has more than a few writers amongst its number, and some of us have been approached to say a little about their personal writing processes, and particularly characterisation.  They also want the writers to choose a passage of their own work to illustrate their thoughts.

This is a wonderful invitation, but also more than a little unsettling. Faulks is a great author, and a favourite of mine - Birdsong is one of the finest books I've ever read - so the idea of appearing in anything associated with him has sent Hall into another of his spirals of literary fear and self doubt.

However! I'm doing my best not to be daunted and working on what to say, and what piece of writing to quote as an example. But I have to confess I'm doing so with nervy fingers on the keypad.  I'll let you know when the article comes out so you can have a look, should you so wish to.

If I'm feeling particularly brave that day, I may even have a look myself...

Finally for this post, for more details of coming events through 2011, keep an eye on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html 

And finally finally - good luck with toughing out the rest of January.... take heart that it's almost over now!

A broader question that's come out of the little discussion is the role of humour in the tvdetective books.

I like to read crime novels myself, and have experienced plenty which are unremittingly bleak.  It's fair enough, sometimes there's little room for a laugh when you're dealing with some dreadful cases, but they're not my favourite and I fear they miss something fundamental.

I can't imagine myself writing a book which doesn't contain at least a little foolery or fun.  For me humour is one of the glues that binds us together as a society. Even in the darkest of times, I often see people raising their spirits with a joke or a laugh. That's certainly the case with the police officers I've been lucky enough to know.

From your feedback, I know the fun times in the books are some of those you value the most.  Thanks for that, because it can be an intimidating moment for a writer, and a delicate balance to find, when to stray into the land of humour.  You've reassured me I'm getting it roughly right, which I appreciate.

On then with the next book, and a courage newly fortified to stick by my instincts and time to inject a little fun!

If you've got a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, please do get in touch. You can do so via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Interestingly with El, readers are nigh on unanimous in their love of the idiot.  Only a couple of times have I read adverse comments about what he's been up to, despite him probably being the naughtiest of the bunch (after the criminals, of course).

I can happily reveal that I too am an enormous fan of El.  I'm fond of all my characters in different ways - they're like family to me - but I notice when I'm writing sequences about El, I inevitably end up smiling and often even laughing out loud at his antics.

So, back to the point, and the email posed the very fair question - what is the point of El?

That might be a little harsh - for what's the point of any of us?! - but I think I know what my correspondent asks.  It's rather a high level inquiry, the sort of thing a literature student might ask, and a tad worrying for that.  I'm not sure my writing bears such thoughtful analysis, but here we go with an attempt at an answer...

Firstly, as a freelance, unfettered by company policies, El can do things that Dan can't, so he's a great conduit for a little mischief.  Secondly, he's simply fun and I like to have a few laughs in a book.  Thirdly, I think he's just a great character.  He's also a kind of court jester, being a fool most of the time, but occasionally capable of unexpected wisdom.

But most importantly, for me El is a sort of link in the books, often holding various different parts of the plot and sub plot together. He's kind of a theme that winds through the narrative.

I hope that's some sort of an adequate answer to a very good question.  Don't forget, if there's a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Look forward to hearing from you!

But - a thought for you about what sounds like a fun way of spending part of August, particularly if you're an aspiring writer.

I've been invited to spend a week at the Swanwick Writers' School in Derbyshire, as their resident crime bod, doing my best to pass on what little I know about being a crime author.  It's a kind and flattering offer, which I'll be delighted to take up.

I've said it before and I suspect I'll say it again, and probably many times.  When I get invited to try to do some teaching, I go through agonies of doubt along the lines of - what do I know?!

But the kind folk at Swanwick have been gracious enough to say they like the tvdetective books, and all that's required is to talk (in some kind of structured way!) about how I get the ideas, plan, and then write them. Such I shall attempt to do.

In truth, I very much enjoy teaching.  Did I mention I thought about becoming a teacher when I was younger, only to be beguiled by the world of the media?  Anyway, much of the reason I like it is that I learn so much too, arguably more than the poor students.  It's only when you really think about, and break down how you do something, that you start to understand it better.

So that's part of my summer hols sorted.  It's not to say I won't be eyeing a beach and  cocktail related excursion for others!  And thinking about all that certainly helps the winter weeks to edge by...

However, I do my best to keep up with current affairs, and so am aware of this smart and efficient new way to do a bit of campaigning on a theme which is important to you.  I'm talking here about either starting up a Facebook page, or putting a petition on the Downing Street website.

But one movement that I haven't seen anywhere - and a good idea, I reckon - would be this. How about abolishing January?

It's only a week or so into the month, and I've had enough of it already.  It feels so quiet and dull, lethargic even.  Usually I get a good traffic of interesting emails, about the tvdetective books, literary festivals, all that kind of thing.  I reckon the flow rate is currently down to about half of normal.

Many people I know are reluctant to venture out for a beer, lunch or even a coffee, citing the unkind weather and being less than well off after the excesses of Xmas.  It feels almost as though the world around is toughing it out, with a collective gritting of the teeth and a wish that January would hurry on by.

Keen eyed readers of the tvdetective books have noticed that I tend to pop a mention of hedgehogs into each.  I'm a big fan of the little creatures, they're much underrated in my humble view.  One of the things I most admire about them is their attitude to January, and the winter in general - sleep through it.  Good idea hogs, wish I could join you!

So that's my little rant about January done, but there is also one point to this, of a writing type, anyway.  I've got an idea for a new plot that I think would work well if set in the dreaded month - I suspect you've already guessed it's not going to be a cheery one!

I have been asked to do quite a few events this year, which I'm looking forward to. So, as January does finally take the hint and leave us, I'll pop them on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  with the usual thought to please come along to one, it's always a pleasure to meet and chat to the kind souls who are brave enough to try my assaults on the world of literature.

Good luck to us all in surviving the remains of January...

A while ago, at a talk, I was asked where my ideas for the tvdetective books come from. In reply, I said all the places you might expect - stories I've covered, court cases, newspapers, or simply pure and weird imagination.

I've just realised that was a partial answer, but by no means complete.  Another important element is where and when ideas strike.

For the last couple of days, a problem with the new book has been bothering me and I haven't seen an obvious way to resolve it.  But I was just sipping the first few molecules of tea when the answer came along.  And that made me think that perhaps a setting or situation can be a big help when trying to do some thinking.

Work through the suggestion and I'm starting to believe there's something to it.  I have some of my best ideas first thing in the morning, as soon as I wake up.  That's why I always keep my notebook by the bed.  I suspect the reason for this is the brain waking up refreshed after some sleep - or perhaps the curious deeper reaches of the mind have been chewing the matter over while the rest of me has a break.

I've also noticed I have quite a few ideas when I'm out for a walk. Maybe it's the exercise, or the fresh air and scenery that helps.  Sometimes I even have little inspirations at the gym, so it might be down to getting some oxygen and blood pumping in the brain.

Whatever all that may add up to, there's certainly a lot to think about in this thinking lark.  I raise my cup of tea in tribute!

On the subject of which, I also tend to have quite a few ideas if I've had a pint or two of ale, but they're often far too wild for any book.

Time to stop musing and rambling, before I say anything else, I think.  I do recognise that occasionally!  Don't forget, if you've got a question about the tvdetective books, or any area of my writing, feel free to get in touch.  You can do so via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

It's something which has been on my mind of late, for a reason which will become apparent.

For me, the first line, or paragraph, is perhaps the most important part of a novel.  It's the one that sets the tone, tells you what kind of book you'll be reading, suggests what it's about, where it's going to take you, and all that in a matter of a few words.  Given that, it's not surprising it takes some getting right.

In the tvdetective books, of all the work that goes in, and all the rewriting and rejigging that gets done, it's the first line over which I agonise the most.  And I think that must come back to my journalistic instincts. 

As a hack, it's drilled into you early that the first line of your report must try to summarise the story, and be as interesting, attention grabbing, eye or ear catching as possible.  Otherwise, why would the reader, viewer or listener bother with the rest?

So I think it is with books. I try to imagine someone picking up one of mine, looking at the cover, the blurb on the back, then opening it to the first page and seeing how the novel starts. If that opening line doesn't make them read onto the second, then as a writer I think I've failed even before I've really begun.

I mention this now because I've been wrestling with the first line of the new book.  I've already written a fair few sections, got the plan mostly all sorted, the characters etc., but I still can't settle on the first line.  I was getting frustrated, but now I've reassured myself that's perfectly normal - I can't think of a tvdetective book where the opening line hasn't changed at least half a dozen times before the thing finally gets published.

A couple more things to mention in this post.  I'm often asked whether, if someone wants to book me for a talk or festival, it's better to get in touch with me or my agent.  The answer is just come straight to me - she's busy enough trying to straighten out my efforts at writing and make them into passable books!  If you do want to get in touch, you can do so via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  I'm always pleased to hear from you.

Finally, as we're on January the first, I'll leave you by wishing you a very fine 2011 and hoping it's a good one for you. Happy New Year!

I'm never quite sure about making resolutions.  It seems to me that often the only point of doing so is to see how quickly they're broken.  So I don't think I'll be worrying too much about that this year.

However, I think I will adopt some - how best to put this - maybe hopeful ideals?!  That sounds rather less daunting than the strident idea of a resolution.

The first is to make the tvdetective book for 2011 as good as it can possibly be, and perhaps a little different from those that have gone before.  As I mentioned previously, I'm shaping up some ideas, plot and characters at the moment, and enjoying it very much. I get the feeling they're all coming together well and should make for an entertaining novel.  Or so I hope!

The other hopeful ideal I'd like to follow is more educational work. This year saw me doing my first bits of teaching in schools about creative writing, story telling, all that kind of thing.  It was very hard work, and to be honest, daunting - I've never counted myself particularly good with kids - but it turned out to be hugely rewarding.  So a bit more of that would be welcome.

And I think, on consideration, I'll stick with those two.  I don't want to overdo it and stretch myself too far!

I've just had a look in the diary and I'm pleased to see I've already been booked for quite a few events next year.  I'll pop them on the News and Events page of the site as they come up, if you're interested - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Finally, and most importantly for this post - my thanks for all your support with my scribblings this year, and here's wishing you a great 2011.

I used to be of the romantic school of thought, and believed that to be the case.  I thought some people were simply destined to be writers, were so full of creativity and talent that they had little choice elsewise.  But since I took up this scribbling lark, I've come to see it differently.

My view of the tvdetective books is that generally, they get better as they go along. I think with each I grow more confident in how to handle a plot, when to tell the reader what's going on and when to hide it, and how to form good characters and set out convincing locations.

I've come to think that as with so many things in life, writing comes down to hard work.  Yes, you need a certain amount of talent, and yes, you have to have an idea or two, but essentially, if you work hard at it, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to make a decent fist of being an author.

I'm reminded of what the great John Cleese said when asked about Fawlty Towers.  The question was a flattering one, about how brilliant he must be to write such a masterpiece.  No, Cleese replied.  I think we had a pretty good idea, which we worked on and worked on and worked on, until it was as good as it could possible be.

Such is the way with writing.  Most of the tvdetective books get around seven re-writes, plus plenty of editing as well.  As I recall, the start, and much of the first part of The Balance of Guilt, changed about a dozen times until I was finally satisfied it made for some passable reading!

If you've got a question you'd like to ask, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  - and I'll do my best to answer!

Ok, that's rather an understatement.  It's been absolutely freezing, and how I know it - I've spent much of the last three days standing out in it.  I'm not a lover of the cold at the best of times, and my feet have been so chilled as to be largely missing.  Hot baths aplenty have been the order of the day.

The consequence of all this hectic broadcasting is that work on the new book has more or less ceased. Not only has there been no time to write, there's been little even to think about how it's going to all shape up.

But that's a familiar feeling.  A fair while ago I got used to writing in fits and starts, as it were. Some days, weeks even, were quiet enough on the news front for me to get some writing in before work, and then again afterwards.  But when there's a big story afoot, I get to bed early and sleep in as long as possible to help give me the energy to tackle it.

However, I've got a few days off over Xmas, so I'll be back at the writing then.  I'm looking forward to the break. As some of you have noticed, it's been an emotional year in the Hall world, so I'm expecting a quiet and reflective Xmas, which will do me fine.

Anyway, back to the point of this blog, which was twofold, and as often happens, got a little lost in the familiar Hall digressions.

Many of you will know how proud I am to live in the south west, and how much I love it here. It's been something quite a few have commented on in the tvdetective books, the sense of place that comes through.  Well, I'm particularly proud at the moment.

I've seen many people struggling with the freezing weather, but wherever I've gone, I've also seen this - a wonderful community spirit.  Everywhere, people are coming together to help each other through the snow and ice, and it's warming, heartening and touching.  It's something I suspect will make it into a future tvdetective book, perhaps one set amongst the snow of a hard winter. It'll make a fascinating and dramatic backdrop.

Thanks also to those who have made me so welcome wherever I've gone, and the seemingly never ending supplies of tea and coffee.  They've made the week much easier - so thanks very much.

Finally, I suspect this will be my last post before the day itself, so - a Happy Xmas to you all, wherever you might be, and whatever you might be doing.  Here's wishing you a splendid festive season and all the very best for 2011.

It's this - who is my favourite character in the series?

What a great question, so simple and direct, as the best tend to be, and as such, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be a politician here and fudge the answer in a very non simple and not at all direct manner.

I don't think I could say I have a favourite character, just that I'm very fond of them all. It'd be like asking a parent to admit which of their children they like the most!

All of the cast of the series have become like friends to me.  I love El for his deviousness, Dan for his occasional denseness, particularly on the relationships front, Adam for his cutting wit and determination, Loud for his surliness, Lizzie for her single minded insanity, the list just goes on and on.

And also the occasional characters I'm very fond of, most usually the villains. As a writer, you can have such fun with the lawless, often more so than with the good guys and gals.

So, I'm sorry not to be able to give a straight answer, but instead I can say there's something about all the tvdetective characters which appeals to me, and in a range of different ways. Otherwise, I suppose I wouldn't magic them into existence in print.

If there's a question you'd like to ask, please feel free to get in touch.  You can do so via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Ps. finally for this post, will whoever put snow on their Xmas list please put their hand up, admit it, and kindly take it off again?  I don't know about you, but I've had enough of the stuff now!  It's been so cold out there, my feet have gone missing, presumed lost. The best of luck to us all in struggling through it, and here's wishing you a very merry run up to Christmas...

Firstly, I've been away seeing my family for the pre-Xmas exchange of greetings and gifts.  And secondly, in truth, I've been in a bit of a sulk.

As some of you will know, or have guessed from the dedication in The Balance of Guilt, it's not been an easy year on the family front.  That's really come home as Christmas approaches, it being a time of reflection, and particularly one when we miss those who are no longer around. So that hasn't helped my mood.

Secondly, as I've mentioned before, I've been working on a new book in the tvdetective series.  It had been ticking along affably and comfortingly, but now I've hit a barrier and I can't, try as I might, work out exactly what's wrong, or where to go next.

Yep, it's a case of the old Writer's Block, that fabled and dreaded phenomenon amongst the scribbling types.

When I do talks about the books, one of the questions I'm often asked is whether I suffer from writer's block, and if I do, how I cope.

So, the answer to part one of that question is obviously a sizeable yes.  As to how I cope, I usually say the only solution is to walk away for a while, not hammer your head against the creative wall in frustration, and the answer will come to you when it's ready.  Such is the way of this writing lark.

The problem with that is that it's easier said than done.  When you're in mid block, it feels as though it'll never be vanquished.  I'm trying my best to follow my own advice and not let it get to me, but I'm still feeling more than a little tense and frustrated.  I love writing, and miss it when I'm not doing some.

Still, it's happened before and I've got through it, so I'm holding on to that thought.  In fact, I'm hoping the prospect of a few days off over Xmas will help, along with the traditional over indulgences of the season!

Finally for this less than chirpy post, and on a happier note, my thanks to all those who have got in touch with Xmas greetings or comments about the tvdetective books.  If you want to drop me a line, you're always welcome - it might help to cheer me up!  You can get in touch via the form on the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

It's this - how do I name my characters? I've said something on this before, but am happy to embark on another ramble, as ever.

For what a fine question it, and as with so many such, I hadn't really thought about it.  So, the enquiry has prompted a little searching of the curious maze of oddities which is my mind.

The answer is, a variety of ways.  Some names come to me instantly.  Without giving too much away, the idea behind Dan was that he'd be a generally ordinary chap who discovered a hidden talent for detective work.  Hence a very average name. 

Adam was supposed to be a little harder, but still a fairly average chap - hence what I thought to be an kind of ordinary name, but with a suggestion of being a bit tougher, having a potential edge.

Some characters give me endless trials with their names - it's quite common for me to have to go through the phone book, page by boring page, until I chance upon one which feels right for the person.

Other times, I'll meet someone, either through work, or just in day to day life and think - that name I have to use somewhere, it's great! Pinecoffin was one, Silifant - the old police doctor in the tvdetective series - was another. His name came from a firm of local undertakers, and was just too tempting to resist.

The trouble with all this of course, as so often, is that it's entirely subjective.  What a name may suggest to me, can be very different to someone else.  However! Such is the way of the world, and a humble author can only do his best.

On a related theme, I read an interesting article a few months ago, which said - claimed is perhaps a better word! - that people's names can influence their choice of career. For example, someone called Law was more likely to go into the legal profession, or a person called Gold might go into finance.  It sounded a tad supicious to me, but I might make some use of it in a future book.  I like little quirks like that, as you may have noticed!

Finally for this post, as we slip through the fading days of 2010, a thought for next year.  I've been lucky enough to be invited to some excellent events, including crime and literary festivals and even some teaching of this writing lark.  I'll keep you up to date with them via the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

In the meantime - good luck surviving the whirl that can be the run up to the festive season!

Well, it's funny you should mention that, because yes, there have.  A couple of companies have been in touch, asking about the rights to the books.  Now, I don't get too excited about this, because authors have become a tad cynical about such approaches. What's tended to happen in the past is that the TV companies buy up the rights for a fairly modest sum and then do precisely nothing with them.

These days, the clever people who are literary agents have grown wise to that ruse, and put a time limitation on the rights. No programme or series within a certain time and they lapse, and quite right too in this humble scribbler's view.  Who wants the good friends that are your characters languishing unloved on some company's shelves, when they could be having fun and living their lives on the screen?!

Anyway, the point of this - before I got into one of those traditional Hall digressions you'll probably be familiar with by now - is that yes, it is indeed possible that the tvdetective series could one day lurch onto television.

For now, it's a favourite little fantasy of mine, as nothing is signed and in production, but it's a notion I nonetheless enjoy entertaining.  It does however bring a couple of problems.

The first is that TV adaptations tend to bend the nature of the characters and stories. I've steeled myself for this - other authors tell me it's necessary, but that the producers have a lovely way of beguiling you into agreeing to their plans. Apparently, what happens is that they invite you onto the set as a "consultant" (note - no real power, just a comfy chair and a good view), and if they think something needs changing from your wonderful original work, they then put it to you.

But!  The clever part is they keep you well oiled with hospitality, thus vastly increasing the chances of a response in the affirmative.

As I've said, I'm prepared for this, and it doesn't sound too unpleasant an experience to me.

The other issue is this - who to play Dan? Well, as many have speculated that the tvdetective series is loosely autobiographical, if that's the case surely it has to be... who else but... Daniel Craig?!

Ok, you can stop laughing now!  It was just a thought.

One final matter to mention in this blog - and it's a big thanks to everyone who came to see me at Waterstone's in Exeter on Saturday, it was splendid to meet you all and hear that you're enjoying reading the books just as much as I enjoy writing them. 

Like Dan in the tvdetective books, I don't suffer the cold well, and for the last three days my feet have been largely missing. Happily, with the aid of a very hot bath, they seem to be back - for now at least.

But it is so very cold! It feels to me even more bitter than those extraordinary two weeks at the start of January.  We did a broadcast on the north Devon coast on Wednesday, and it was so icy I could barely get the words out.  Now that is something, when it's so cold it stops me talking!

The snow has however given me an idea for a new book.  As I've mentioned before, the weather plays an important part in the tvdetective series, but now I think I can see a way to make it even more prominent, almost to become a character itself. I shall keep plotting - but only when my hands have thawed out sufficiently!

A couple more things to mention here. I'm doing a book signing on Saturday at  Waterstone's in Exeter.  It'd be a pleasure to see you if you fancy popping in.  I've also just been interviewed to within an inch of my life on the radio.  You can hear that, or find more details of the signing, on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Bye for now, and keep warm out there - this week I set a new personal best with 7 layers of clothing, and sometimes it still didn't feel sufficient...

Firstly, contrary to the impression some newspapers seem to want to create about youngsters today, I wasn't once threatened with a gun or knife, and neither was I mugged or abused.  In fact - and sorry to spoil the myth of many a hack - I met lots of keen, polite and very bright and enthusiastic kids, who it was a pleasure to work with.

I'm very new to this teaching thing, so I suspect I'm learning as much as the youngsters themselves. Like most authors, I write by instinct.  Some ideas just seem to work and so I go with them.  But when you come to analyse why, break down what's going on with the writing process, that's when you start to really learn how it all goes together.

So - a big thanks to all the youngsters at Tiverton for their efforts, for teaching me plenty, and also for putting together some fine stories. I saw some excellent work and was delighted with it.  If you're reading this - keep up the writing!  You've got talent, that I know, so go use it.

Whilst I'm in mid Hall flow, I must also add an even bigger thanks to the teachers. Yet again when visiting a school, I was hugely impressed by their dedication and commitment.  The work they do never seems to get the recognition it deserves, in my humble view. They're not just teachers, but entertainers, social workers, friends and so much more.  I was wonderfully well looked and that's very much appreciated.

As an example of how hard the teaching job can be, when I came home yesterday, having finished my teaching stint, I fully intended to wander into Exeter, do some shopping and have a beer to celebrate. Instead, I was so tired I fell asleep on the sofa!

But maybe that's just a mark of getting old...

Upon which note, it's time to wind up, before I start getting melancholy.  One final thing to mention here, and it's that I'm doing a pre-Xmas book signing in Exeter next Saturday (4th Dec) at noon in Waterstone's.  There are more details on the News and Events page www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

If you'd like a copy of one of the tvdetective books, signed and dedicated to a friend or loved one, do pop in, I'd be delighted to oblige.

A question has descended upon me, and it's one I've heard a few times when I've done talks about the tvdetective books. It's this - how do I find the time to write a novel?

In fact, the more common form of the question is - I'd love to try to write a book, but I could never find the time.  Well, this is what I've come to consider to be the best answer to that.

We're well on our way up to Xmas (sorry, sorry, sorry for mentioning it), which is a time when people often look back on the year that's coming to an end.  And here's what I'd ask - how quickly does it feel the time has gone?

The answer that usually comes back is that the time flies by. It goes just like that, as Tommy Cooper might have said. Right then!  So, here's my simple sum.

If a year can slip by, seemingly sometimes as quickly as a blink, how many words per day would you need to write a book?

Most novels come in at around a hundred thousand words. So, by my menial reckoning, you need only write a mere 300 words a day or so for a year, and by the end of it - ding dong! You've got your book.

Ok, so there is a bit more to it than that, what with planning the thing, then rewriting it, etc., but that is the basic truth. Just a relatively few words a day and if you can keep it up, you can get there.

The point behind my little ramble is that I believe it's an error to see writing a book as a vast undertaking. Better to look at it as a series of small steps which can take you on a long and enormously enjoyable journey.

And that's the second point - it's quite probable that, like me, you'll come to find your writing a delight, which calls you back, and suddenly putting down those words on paper every day is something you find yourself looking forward to.

Here endeth the Hall lesson, for what it was worth, and I hope it helps.  If you've got a question, you're very welcome to get in touch and I'll do my best to answer it. You can do so via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

The final thing to mention on this post is the Callington Book Fair, on Sat (27th Nov), an ideal opportunity for some Xmas shopping with a range of books on offer - including some of mine!  I'll be there to sign copies, if you should so wish.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  Hope to see you there.

It's such a peculiar feeling.  All the work goes into planning and writing the book, then rewriting and editing it, and when finally it's published... it's like taking a very deep breath, handing this precious, very personal thing over to a group of strangers and saying - go on then, here it is, tell me what you think.  And because of all that work, you're always nervous about what people will say.

So, thanks to everyone who has read it and taken the time to get in touch, I do appreciate it.

One thing I've particularly enjoyed is what people said about the end of the book.  Without giving too much away, in the other tvdetective novels I think it's fairly obvious within the first few chapters what the title refers to.  But in The Balance of Guilt, you don't get to find out until the very last four words - and even then, I wonder whether you can really be sure!

On which teasing note I shall leave you for now.  It's the weekend, the weather has finally been kind enough to stop raining (at least for a while), so I'm off to walk along the river and then head to the gym for a session of stretching and exercising.  Maybe more of the former than the latter!

One final thing to mention in this post.  If you're in Cornwall next Saturday (Nov 27th), it's the Callington Book Fair, a fine opportunity to purchase some Xmas gifts.  I'll be along, signing copies of the tvdetective books, and hopefully doing some Xmas shopping of my own! There are more details of the fair on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Firstly, I'm teaching at Tiverton High School this fortnight, on a project to encourage and improve creative writing.  The theme is superstition and beliefs, which gives us plenty of scope.  It's great fun and very rewarding, but also tiring - the kids are such a bundle of energy and ideas!  Every time I work in a school, I come away with more and more admiration for the wonderful work that teachers do, and Tiverton is no different.

As I've learnt you young folk say - respect!

A quick aside here in the rambling Hall tradition - years ago I thought I might like to be a teacher. But I just don't know if I'd ever have had the talent, stamina and commitment.  And anyway, I suspect the world of education breathes a sigh of relief that never came to pass...

Today, I'm in north Devon, doing some careers work with a couple of schools there - in Barnstaple and Ilfracombe - talking to the youngsters about a life in the media. Of all that I'm fortunate to be able to do, it's the education and careers work I find the most rewarding. I suppose it feels like a legacy thing, the ability to try to have just a little positive influence on a few lives.

In between all that - and there's not much time left, I assure, you, but I'm still trying to find some! - I'm working on ideas for a new tvdetective book.  Publishers are hungry beasts, who always like to know there's a new meal being prepared, so I'm trying to meet that demand too.

But after that little list of how busy life can be, I will now happily admit that I prefer it this way. A quiet life is something that somehow, I never got the hang of, and long may it continue.

Finally here, if you're interested in this jobbing author and passable hack doing some education or careers work with young folk in your area, you're very welcome to get in touch to discuss it.  You can do so via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

A few I was able to help with, as they seemed simple points of detail, others I was not - because you know what we writer types are like.  We revel in the mystery thing about our books and like to leave plenty of room for readers to imagine, discuss and debate.

Howsoever, the point of this blog is thus.  After an exchange of emails came the question as to whether I might be perhaps interested in talking to the group about the tvdetective books. It was delightfully (by which I probably mean flatteringly!) phrased, along the lines that doubtless I had many such requests, I was clearly a very busy and important man, and it was of course an imposition, but they just thought they would ask etc etc.

I told you it was very kind!  Anyway, this busy, important etc etc. man duly accepted, partly because a gentleman shouldn't turn down such a lovely request, but also for a couple of other more practical reasons.

Firstly, I think readers' groups are great.  They're vital in making sure the written word and a love of books continues to thrive, they're very sociable, and they're extremely effective in introducing people to books and authors they might not otherwise have tried.  They've always supported me well and I've spoken to a few in my relatively brief writing career, and always enjoyed it.

There is another reason though, and it's this.  I think I've learnt a great deal from readers' groups, about the sort of things people like and don't like in books. And I believe that's helped me become a better author.

The fact that the offer I mention came with the added bonus of a bite of supper and some wine didn't hurt at all!

So, I shall look forward to my trip come the spring of next year, and if there are any other readers' groups out there, scanning through my meanderings - (1) keep up the fine work and (2) if you want a wandering author to come talk to you, and you're happy to feed and water him, you know where I am!

Seriously, if anyone has any questions about the tvdetective books, or my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  I'm always pleased to hear from you.

My grandfather, Percy, was a gunner in the Second World War.  He survived, but the noise of the guns left him profoundly deaf for the rest of his life. I always think of him today, and how his story is just one of the many millions of sacrifices men and women of our past have made for our future.

As regular readers will know, I rarely talk about my day job in my blog, but on this occasion please indulge me. I'll be out on the road today, reporting some of the Armistice Day services, and it's something I consider to be an honour, just a little contribution to making sure those sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Much has been debated about the wearing of poppies, and I have no intention of getting into that here.  All I will say is that I shall be wearing my poppy with great pride and a similar degree of reflection.

I was doing some wandering around the shops in Exeter yesterday afternoon, when I... and steady yourself for this... are you ready?  You sure?!  Ok then, when I...

...did some Xmas shopping!

How's that for organised?  Or just oddly premature?!

It wasn't deliberate, I was just looking in some windows in Gandy Street (for those who don't know it, that's our little avenue full of distinctive, independent stores) and came upon a jeweller's.  I saw something which I thought would make a great gift for my adopted daughter, Niamh, and there you go, before you know it the Xmas shopping is underway.

Like so many such bugs, it took a hold fast and within an hour I'd done a load more. I've even bought and sent my Xmas cards, which will make the remaining relatives in the Hall clan either smile or grimace.  Mind, by sending them early I suppose you get better value for money.  This way they can be on display for a couple of months!

Anyhow, the point of this, before I started digressing (in the familiar manner) was that my little burst of seasonal shopping started me thinking about the times of year in which I set the tvdetective books.  I've noticed most tend to be in the turning seasons of spring and autumn. 

It's another case of something sub-conscious seeping its way into the novels.  They're my favourite seasons, not too hot or cold, and always with something interesting happening, whether it be the leaves coming down as now, or the renaissance of the natural world, as with spring.  For books which tend to be about life changing, they feel appropriate times for a setting.

And that, in turn, made me determined to try a different season for a future book.  So in the usual Hall roundabout way, I'm blogging to say I've got an idea for another tvdetective novel, which will be set in December/January, and in the snow.  I've got a few thoughts about how that could work nicely in a plot and am currently shaping them to see how they'll fare. It's rather exciting, a sort of early Xmas present to myself!

Finally, on the subject of Xmas, if you fancy a signed copy of one of the books as a gift for some poor unfortunate of your acquaintance, I'm doing a couple of signings in the run up to the day itself.  I'm in Callington later this month for the Book Fair, and also in Waterstone's in Exeter next month.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I had a bizarre dream, which took me back 20 years and more to my university days.  I don't know if I mentioned before, but I started in the media business by becoming a DJ, and I began spinning the "platters that matter" on the "wheels of steel" as it were at the college radio station.

In the dream I was back on air, aged 19 or 20, and I kept reliving every mistake I made, whether it was forgetting to cross to the news on the hour, or not playing the right records.  A strange angst dream indeed, but it did give me an idea for part of a plot or a character in a future tvdetective book.

So, to the nub of this blog, which those of you who are kind enough to read regularly will know can go missing, presumed lost, in a Hall ramble. Anyhow, the point was this - I've learnt from writing that inspiration for a story, or one of the participants in a book, or even a location or scene can strike at the most unlikely and unexpected of moments.

Hence I now keep a notebook, or at least some paper and a pen, with me wherever I go, be it out for a meal or a drink, shopping, just a stroll, or even when I'm at work.  Inspiration has a habit of striking when you're unprepared, so I now do my best to be ready for it.  I still live in fear of my early writing days, and how many good ideas may have been long forgotten and lost because I never had a chance to write them down.

On the subject of blogging, I received an email asking if my strange thoughts are all recorded on the tvdetective site.  The answer is (I'm afraid) yes, and if you're interested in my mental meanderings, you can find them on the blog page - www.thetvdetective.com/blog.html 

Personally, they sometimes prompt me to wonder what goes on in my mind, but make of them what you will, and charitably please, if you'd be so kind...

A very good question was raised at the Crime Writing Panel, and it was this - can you explain the continuing appeal of crime in literature, particularly when the subject matter can be so very shocking and distressing?

It set me thinking, so I'll do my best to try to venture an answer, in my humble view anyway.

Firstly, if we're honest, I think there's an element of voyeurism to it, a desire to witness events which are outside of our experience, and from the safety of our imaginations.  It's a kind of taboo thing, exploring that which is almost unthinkable.

There's the challenge too, the desire to try to outwit the author and uncover the killer, or perpetrator, from amongst a list of suspects.  That also is a powerful allure - just look at the enduring popularity of crosswords and other such puzzles.

Finally I think there's a big element of the age old story of a battle between good and evil.  In crime writing, you know which side's which and you can root for the good guys and gals and hope they come through.

Those are the main reasons I can think of - I'm sure there are plenty of others, as many as there are readers in fact.  But in brief, I'm just glad crime is still appealing, as it provides me with a great pastime in writing it!

Don't forget, if there's a question you'd like to ask about the tvdetective books, or any areas of my writing, you can get in touch via the contacts page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  and I'll do my best to answer.

As a child, I had lots of imaginary friends.  And before the cynical raise a word - no, I don't think it was because I was too unpopular to make any real friends! I just liked inventing characters to accompany me through life.

So it goes on today with the tvdetective books.  I'm currently working on some ideas for characters (aside from the usual suspects) for a new novel.  This is another part of the writing process that I find great fun, because it gives such scope for invention.

Akin to many writers I've been lucky enough to meet, I particularly enjoy putting together the villains.  It was something I was asked about last month, when I was doing some work in a couple of schools, and a very good question too - why is it that the bad guys and gals are often the most memorable in books and films?

After some frantic thinking, the answer I came up with was this - that with the goodies, they're usually all good in roughly the same way.  But with baddies, they can be bad in a delightful range of manners, so giving a writer far more scope for creativity.

Anyway, back to the original point, after yet another Hall digression (apologies), and imaginary friends. 

What I was going to say - confess in fact - is that the habit of creating and keeping them has effectively stayed with me, even to this day.  When I'm inventing a character for the books and I think I know enough about them, I'll have a chat with them, to see if I can be sure how they'll respond.  If I'm getting it right, then I'll know the character is working - I'm familiar enough with them to write about them convincingly.

And as for the family of folk you're used to seeing in the tvdetective books, Dan, Adam, Claire and all, they have become such a part of my life that I'll often have a chat with them about an issue facing me. 

It's not uncommon for me to talk to Dan about a story I've got to cover whilst driving there, or chat to Adam about a crime and why it may have been committed.  As for Claire, she's always my best guide for emotional advice, lovely lady that she is.

In fact, I was once asked whether Claire was my ideal woman, but that's a discussion too far for this post!

One more thing to mention this morning - the Poole Literary Festival, where your rambling (and, looking back on this musing, often eccentric) blogger will be appearing, heavens protect the poor people of fair Dorset.  It's on Sunday (31st Oct) and there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  Hope to see you there.

However! This current plotting process had not been going smoothly.

Without lurching into too much detail, and potentially spoiling any future books for you, I had a thought for a central theme of the new book which I reckoned would make a good plot. I was working away at it, but knew there was something missing.  I could see the end, I could see the beginning, but there was a strand running through the middle which I just couldn't visualise, try as I might.

The result was that I started getting frustrated and grumpy (some may say more grumpy than usual), and progressively disillusioned with the whole idea.

Then, on Thurs evening, after a long day's school I transported myself to a local pub and sat with my notebook working on it.  After approximately a pint and a half (a standard Hall measure of time) the solution just popped into my head.

The relief was wonderful - it required another pint to celebrate, naturally - and I've been pretty much smiling ever since.  The world now looks a much happier place, and I've been feeling energetic and very keen to start writing again.  All that stemming from just one second's inspiration.

So, I was reflecting just how much we can be influenced by little bits of psychology. Have a good moment and suddenly the momentum of life feels like it's with you.

I'm even feeling sufficiently positive to set off for a gym class now - wow!

One more thing to mention on this post, before I go working out.  Next weekend is the Poole Literary Festival, which looks like being a good show.  I'm doing a talk about the tvdetective books, a signing, and a panel discussion on crime writing.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Yet again, it's got me thinking about how - subconsciously - significant parts of myself find their way into my writing.

On a basic level, I suppose the answer is that food and drink are important to all of us being that they help sustain us on the planet, and so both are present in the books to an extent.  But it's also obviously the case they mean more to some than others. 

For me, as you may have noticed, I am fond of beer.  Yes, I know that's a masterpiece of understatement, but I thought I'd say it anyway.  I feel blessed to live in Devon for a great many reasons - the people, the scenery, the history, the quality of life, all that kind of stuff - but another factor is that we have some wonderful breweries here, who produce quite the finest ales I've ever tasted.  And taste them I do. 

I often wonder if my love of beer goes back to me being born in a pub, but that's another story...

So, as I was saying, beer features in the books a fair bit, because Dan and Adam both like a pint, and will often pop to a pub for a drink and to discuss a case.  We've got some brilliant pubs in the south west too, but I'll stop there (for now) as I'll only digress again otherwise.

As for food, don't get me wrong, I love a good meal, but it doesn't play the dominant role in my life that it does for some who seem to spend a fair portion of their lives in restaurants.  I'm not into restaurants and fine dining - I find that all a tad too formal for my more relaxed taste - my idea of an ideal night is a gastro pub, with great dishes and ales to complement them.

And so, without thinking about it, all that finds its way into the books - there's little about the characters enjoying meals, but more than the odd interlude in a pub!

I hope that answers the question, albeit in a very Hall roundabout type of way.  If you've got a question you'd like me to (attempt to) answer, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

From my experience of other authors, I've noticed a stark divide in their view of questions.  Some love that part of a talk, others hate it.  I suspect that's because most of a session can be controlled, with the author talking about their work, inspirations, reading from their books, all the usual kind of thing, and some writers like it that way. It's only when the questions arrive that things can get a little more unpredictable.

I'm of the school that likes the questions session, for the very reason that you never know what's going to come up, and it can really force you to think on your feet.   Well, one such fine question came up at Ashburton.

Which of the tvdetective books is my favourite, I was asked?

Now, this is a tough one, because I do have a favourite.  I'm just not sure I should reveal it!

I wonder if it's a little like a parent being asked which of their brood of children is their favourite.  If they were absolutely honest, they might admit they did have one, but would never say which.

So in that tradition I kind of take a literary version of the Fifth Amendment and don't answer - better to let you decide which you think is the best of the set so far, and wonder if I would agree?!

One final matter to mention here, the Poole Literary Festival two weeks today (Sun, 31st October). There's a very fine looking line up, into which somehow I've managed to sneak - I'm doing a talk and a panel discussion.  If you fancy an interesting Sunday out, it'd be good to see you.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I was musing on how it felt after a couple of media interviews in the last week, for the Western Morning News and Radio Devon.  And it strikes me it's not so easy as you may think, fielding questions.  You reckon you've got the answers prepared for all that you're going to be challenged with and then up comes something you weren't expecting.

The point I'm thinking of particularly was a question about the dedication and acknowledgements in The Balance of Guilt.  They're very personal to me, and are there because I wanted to recognise in print some important events in my life.  But being asked about them brings it all back of course, and that inevitably means a lump in the throat and a reddening of the eyes - and all that in mid interview!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, the questions I was asked were perfectly fair, I've no problem with them at all - in fact, the interviewers were two of the region's finest journalists and presenters, people of great talent in my humble view.  I just thought it was odd how you can be at full steam, talking about your precious books, and then up rears the past and bites you. Ah well, such is life, I suppose.

Anyway, I'm grateful for the interest in my scribblings and the thoughtful and gentle way I was interviewed.  The Radio Devon sequence is still on line - if you're interested in listening, see the news page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  You need to go 2 hours and 11 minutes into the programme.  The interview includes yours truly reading the first couple of pages of The Balance of Guilt, the first time I've done that live on air.  See what you think!

One final thing to mention here. If you fancy something to do on Saturday and you're in the Dorset area, there's the excellent Charmouth Literary Festival, at which I'm doing a guest slot.  It's a wonderful town and a great idea, which I'm delighted to support.  There are more details on the News and Events page, opposite the link to the radio interview.

It's a good question, particularly when my correspondent thoughtfully argues that surely I don't, given that I often appear live on the television with hundreds of thousands of people watching, as opposed to a few dozen at an event.

Fair point, but as so often when logic comes up against emotion, the emotion wins easily. I get very nervous, and for two reasons I think.

The first is that being a reporter, you have to be dispassionate, neutral, detached from what you're covering, however hard that might be. But when you write these book things, it's impossible not to let part of your real self slip into them.  They can almost be an insight into your soul, and baring that in public is a very scary thing to do.

The second part to the nerves is rather more practical.  On the TV, I can't see the masses of people watching.  But with a live audience, it feels very much more real. 

So the answer is a big yes!  I do get nervous, and sometimes horribly so.  But I also think that's healthy, as it helps to give you that edge and makes you perform.  If I didn't get jittery, I suspect I'd think something was wrong.

The question is well timed. I'm just setting off for a Readers' Day at Bournemouth Library.  I'm not due there for another 3 hours, and I'm already getting nervous... so imagine what it'll be like when I walk in and see all the people.  Gulp!

If there's a question you want to ask about the tvdetective books, or anything to do with my writing, you can get in touch via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Wish me luck in Bournemouth!

As you now know, you were amongst the first victims of my little ramblings about The Balance of Guilt, and I was delighted - and more than a little relieved - at your reactions to the new book.

It is an odd experience this writing lark, when you shut yourself away for weeks, trying to finish a book.  And even when it's done, then rewritten, edited and published, more than a few attacks of doubt creep in - is the thing actually any good?

It's only when you read some of the book to an audience do you get a sense of that - and I was so pleased by your response.  I see the first few reviews have also appeared on Amazon.  If youre interested, you can have a look via the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

Thanks also to the wonderful teachers and very boisterous youngsters of Willowbrook School in Exeter.  I was visiting to talk about writing, and possibly even more nervous than with the events I did at Torpoint and Looe!  I can now confess that I've never tried to explain my love of words and books to primary school children before, so it was an entirely new experience and way out of the Hall comfort zone.

However! I had a fantastic day, and suspect I might even have learnt more than the youngsters themselves.  If they're reading this - a big hello to Years 5 and 6!  And remember - keep reading and keep writing, they're brilliant things to do, as I hope we all discovered together.

Finally for this post, if you're in Dorset and fancy a day out on Saturday (9th Oct), there's a Readers' Day at Bournemouth Library, at which yours truly will be appearing.  There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

It's this - I have been the subject of my first podcast.  Now, those of you who are regular readers of the tvdetective blog will know I'm no great adopter of new technology. It took long enough to persuade the Luddite Hall to write a blog, after all.  So a podcast?  Wow! That's so futuristic it's akin to one of those Star Trek transporter things to this writer. However, being the intrepid, boldly going chap I am (well, almost), I gave it a try.

I'm pleased to report it didn't hurt, and I even found it all rather pleasant, if somewhat odd.

Perhaps I should explain a little more.  When I was at the excellent Writers Holiday in Wales in the summer, I met the even more excellent James Nash, a poet, writer, raconteur, and all round good egg.  He was kind enough to ask me to feature on his podcast, so I steeled myself and agreed.

In fact, all I had to do was be interviewed, but that in itself is a strange experience for the Hall creature. I'm used to asking the questions!

Anyhow, we did the interview, and I can now reveal that it has been unleashed on the world wide web thing. If you'd like to hear a few mins of me being grilled to within an inch of my existence about the tvdetective books, you can do so on the podcast section of James' website - www.jamesnash.co.uk/podcast/

One more thing for this post, I've got quite a few events coming up in October, to mark the publication of The Balance of Guilt. You can keep up to date with them on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

The reason - the first reviews of The Balance of Guilt have come back.

In my experience, the time between the release of a new book and starting to get feedback on it is one of the most nerve wracking in a humble author's life.  All this effort has gone into plotting, planning, writing, re-writing, and re-writing the thing once more, not to mention the discussions about the cover, the blurb, the marketing, all that stuff, and at last the book is finally out.

Then... all you can do is wait.  You see it on shelves, you know it's online, you imagine it sitting on people's bedside tables as they work their way through it.  And you wonder what they're thinking.

At last, you get some emails, and you gather your courage and open them.  Then you gather even more courage and actually read them.

Well, a dozen or so people have now got in touch with me about The Balance of Guilt, and I'm delighted to say they've been positive.  Hence the phew.  The very loud and very long phew.

Thanks to all who have been in contact, I very much appreciate your feedback and am delighted you liked the book.  And for those who have said that two of the new characters should make an appearance in more books, I agree and I've already started thinking about how.  More of that another time.

It matters not that I write this on a grey and grim Wednesday morning, with the hint of winter in the air, this author is a relieved and smiling chap!

If you'd like to know more about The Balance of Guilt, and my other scribblings, there are more details on the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

When I do go away, I rarely go far.  Have I mentioned I'm scared witless of flying? I know it's sad, I know it's illogical, I know it's the safest form of transport, I know all that, but fear defies logic, or mine does, anyway. 

I don't like the take off, I can't bear the landing, and the bit in between I don't care for at all.   And the fear has got worse, rather than better as I've grown older, so these days I tend to holiday at home, or near it.  And I also love the south west of England to an extent that it takes some beating in my mind. There are plenty of great places to explore here, so that's what I tend to do.

Anyhow, what all this is coming around to is that I've been on the Isles of Scilly, which is a convenient 20 minute helicopter journey away, well worth it for the treat of the Islands. I did a little book event when I was there, the first in the series to promote The Balance of Guilt in fact, and I'd like to say a few thank yous -

to the people of the Scillies for making me so welcome, the library users and book club members who came along to the event and were so kind, the lovely people at the St Mary's Hall Hotel for their hospitality, and Linda and fellow interviewers of Radio Scilly, for talking to me for their bookshow.

All in all, I now feel refreshed and relaxed, and am most grateful for it! 

I'll be doing a few more events to support the new book.  If you're interested in coming along to one, there are details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  Hope to see you there...

And before you start to wonder what Hall's going on about now, I'll tell you.  It's the simple pleasure of people watching.

I'm often asked where my ideas for characters come from.  The answer is a range of sources. Some are born of pure imagination, others take parts from people I know, have met, or hear or read about.  But often I find an element to make a character from the delicious delight of people watching.

It can be a mannerism, a detail of appearance, a quirk of their speech, just anything to make a character come to life. 

When I go out for a beer, or to meet some friends, I usually arrive about half an hour early, so I can sit in the corner of whatever bar, or cafe, and just watch the people doing their people things.  It's a rich source of material, I can promise you.

The reason I mention all this now is something I saw at the weekend, in a pub.  I was sipping a beer, reading the paper, and there was a couple opposite me having a meal.  He went up to the bar to get some more drinks, and the moment his back was turned, she scooped some of the food from his plate and swallowed it down!

Initially I thought she might confess when he returned to the table, and they'd share a smile about it, but not a bit of it.  She just kept quiet.  It was a lovely moment, a quirk I shall now bestow upon some poor character in a future book, probably to create the subtext - this is not a person to be trusted!  Who could put any faith in someone who steals your food, and so very ruthlessly?!

On the subject of which, as I was up early writing, it's time for breakfast.  An apple and cinammon bun I think, and all for me...

Don't forget, if you've got any questions you'd like an eccentric, rambling and strange answer to, or even just a simple one if you happen to enjoy the fair fortune to catch me on a near normal day, you can get in touch via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Ok, I'll stick to writing books...

But, the point is this - we go everywhere together.  Rarely do a few minutes pass without me stealing an admiring look at the other half of the partnership.  The subject of my adoration plays it a little cool - as they're wont to do - and just sits there, loftily, probably secure in the knowledge of its own beauty, but I think it loves me back.

It should do, after all the work I've put into our relationship.

It's been only a week or so now that we've been together, but I think a beautiful future beckons for us.  As the old saying goes, sometimes, you just know.

Yes, I'm talking about my time with The Balance of Guilt.  It is a funny thing - how I can't resist having a copy by my side when I'm at home, and taking one out in my satchel when I'm out.  I suppose it's because it's a culmination of all this work, the plotting, planning and writing and re-writing; days, weeks and months worth of effort finally made real.

Sorry for the strange meanderings, but it's just about the only way I can express the fact that I'm mildly chuffed with the new book!

More importantly, I'm glad to hear it's finally being distributed to you folk who have been kind enough to wait for it, and that you're starting to read it.  The initial comments on the book's cover, and first few pages have been positive - I await with trepidation your considered final views!

If you are interested in having a look at The Balance of Guilt, there are more details about it on the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

Please excuse me, I'm off now to spend some more time with my new love...

Like many a good question, it sounds simple but requires a fair chunk of thought and a longer answer.

The first and most straightforward reason is that I'm familiar with the city, after living there for almost ten years.  Some authors like to invent whole towns and countries, even universes, but I think there's plenty to go on in this strange world of ours, so I prefer to stick with what we've got.

It's more than just knowing a place, though. The location has to have enough about it to make it interesting to a reader.  In that, I reckon Plymouth certainly succeeds.  Take the history, those hundreds of years of naval tradition, the centuries of growth of the city, then the horror of the bombing of the Second World War, and the enormous effect that had on the Plymouth of today.

There are also the contrasts an author looks for - the affluent areas, particularly those of the old Victorian gentry, and the more gritty, inner city ones.  There are wonderful contrasts in the geography too, from the stunning Hoe and waterfront, to the functional concrete grid of the shopping centre.

And moving outside of Plymouth, where else could a writer need than Devon, and the south west of England? There's such beauty, such wonderful places - and more than a few odd and mysterious ones too - and such brilliant characters, inhabiting everywhere you might choose to go.

I'm often told that my love of the south west comes through in the tvdetective series, and I'm delighted by that.  It's absolutely true, I've never been happier anywhere. I came to Devon as a career move in 1996, with the idea of staying for two or three years.  I never left, and hope I never will.

One more thing to mention here.  To those of you who've been asking - and so very kindly doing so in a polite way. for which I'm grateful! - all the copies of The Balance of Guilt have now been printed, and should be with you in the next few days.  Apologies again for the delay.

Finally, if you've got a question you'd like to ask, feel free to get in touch.  You can do so via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  Or, if you'd just like to leave a comment on my ramblings, the clever people who run the tvdetective website have set up a new way to do that, via the blog page - www.thetvdetective.com/blog.html

I have been assailed with emails wanting to know where The Balance of Guilt is (that's literally, not metaphorically).  Amazon is telling you it's not in stock yet, as is whichever bookstore you've ordered it from.

The answer is, I'm told, that there was a problem at the printers.  Some technological, or mechanical issue, apparently - I'm just hoping it wasn't a quality filter going off and an alarm sounding, saying warning, warning!  We cannot possibly inflict this book on the public.

It is frustrating, I know, because I want you to have it, believe me.  I reckon it's worth reading, although I would have to say that, wouldn't i? The good news is that I'm told the problem has been resolved and The Balance of Guilt should be reaching you by next week.  Thanks for bearing with me.

To those who - cynically, suspiciously - wonder whether this was a deliberate ploy to up the anticipation, in much the same way that some entertainers like to keep a crowd waiting, I can assure you that's not the case.  Just like the dear Adam in the tvdetective series, I like to be punctual.  All I hope now is that the thing is worth waiting for. Hopefully, in the next few days, you should be able to answer that for yourselves.

Aside from that frustration, I've been flattered to be invited to a range of events to mark the publication of The Balance of Guilt.  If you fancy coming along to one, there are details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

And if you do come to one, I promise not to be late (this time)...

I've now flipped to feeling more like a new father. The finished book has arrived, and I'm going through the immodest but frankly irresistible "carrying it around with me everywhere" phase.

I'm not sure if other authors suffer this - it's not a question I've yet been sufficiently brave to ask any! - but I just can't help keeping a copy in my bag, or the car, and occasionally taking an admiring look, or perhaps opening a few pages and having a flick through.

I think I'd probably better stop here before I go a little too far!

I suppose such a feeling is inevitable (he says, trying to reassure himself).  Firstly, on an analytical level, the actual appearance of the book is the culmination of a mass of work.  The Balance of Guilt has been more than two years in the making, from the idea stage, to the plotting and outlining, the details of the characters, the structuring, and then the writing and re-writing, and re-re-writing etc.

In fact, on a quick calculation, I'd say the book has had eight re-writes, which is about average for one of the tvdetective series.

Then there's the harder to actually pin down part which is the emotion of the novel being published.  As the great Eric Morecambe might have put it, here, at last is this book what I wrote, held in my hand.  It all feels suddenly real.

The upshot of those Hall musings is that I'm feeling rather chuffed!

I've been kindly invited to some events to mark the publication of The Balance of Guilt.  If you fancy coming along to one (and dare to submit yourself to yet more Hall-waffle), I'll put details on the News and Events page as they come up - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

However, there is one compensation, which is now upon us. Being the keen and astute observer of the world that I am, I noticed almost immediately that the month has turned to September.

It's my favourite of the year's dozen offerings, and for a range of reasons.  Firstly, it's still relatively warm and the weather can often be clement.  It might be my skewed memory, but I seem to recall recent Septembers being as kind, if not more so, than the alleged months of the formal summer which preceded them.

Secondly, Devon and Cornwall grow a little quieter as the influx of tourists withdraw for another year.  I try not to be too selfish and possessive about the south west, but - akin to many others down here - we have this almost jealous thing about keeping much of the place for ourselves. 

I also love September for the colours.  I noticed on Thursday that some trees are already taking on the coppers and browns of the coming autumn.  Beautiful as that may be, it's not what I like most about the month.  My favourite is the colour of the sky at dawn and dusk.  For me, sunrise and sunset in September are the finest of the year's spectacles.

It's never been a conscious thing, but looking back, I've noticed a fair few of the tvdetective books are set in September.  I suspect the reasons I've outlined above may be why.  Only now have I really come to think about it - and yet again, I realise you often learn so much about yourself when you write these book things.

Finally for this post, I can't resist but mention that it's now only two days until The Balance of Guilt comes out.  The Hall excitement is mounting!  Thanks to all those who've been in touch, saying they're looking forward to reading the new book - here's hoping you still feel good about it when you've finished it!

If you want more details on The Balance of Guilt, have a look on the Books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html   I'll also be doing a few events to mark publication, for those see the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

It was never a conscious decision to make Dartmoor such a feature, it just arrived in the series, which I suspect is because of my attachment to the wonderful wilderness.  I got to know it well during my days covering the environment, and came to see it as the heart of the south west, both geographically and emotionally.  Given that, I suppose it was inevitable the moor had to feature.

So, what does it add?  Well, it's a beautiful counterpoint to the standard fare of the books, which is far more gritty, the reality of dealing with some awful crimes.  I also think Dartmoor tends to be more compatible with Dan's personality - that kind of way of his of melancholy, or simple depression - than other notable areas of the countryside, like the region's coastline.

It's a great place to give Dan space to think about some of the crimes he's working on, and sometimes provides an inspiration too.  And depending on how his relationship with Claire is going at that moment, it can be a powerfully romantic backdrop - see, I told you I had a heart!

Dartmoor's also a brilliant setting for a bit of action.  When I saw the name Evil Coombe on a map, I just had to set a book there.  So came Evil Valley.

I get quite a few emails asking about the walks I describe in the tvdetective series.  They're all real and I've followed the lot, so I can thoroughly recommend them.  My favourite is the walk to the Ted Hughes memorial, as described in The TV Detective, but that's one you have to prepare well for and is probably best tackled on a day of benevolent weather.

Finally for this post, there's my dear friend Rutherford.  I very much would like to have a dog of my own, but the lifestyle currently just doesn't allow it.  Rutherford delights in Dartmoor, so describing the days he and Dan have there is the nearest I can get to having a dog of my own at the moment, and I love it!

Incredibly exciting is the answer!

The only comparison I can make is like being a child at Xmas time.  You know the big day's coming, you know something special is going to happen and you find yourself counting off the days to get there.  And often impatiently so.

I thought the excitement might dim a little as The Balance of Guilt is the fifth in the tvdetective series, but it hasn't at all.  If anything, it's heightened. It still feels like the heady culmination of a very large amount of work, the chance to actually hold the end product in your hand.

And believe me, I do - when a new book is published, I adopt one copy and carry it around with me, like a new and favourite friend.

As if that wasn't enough, the excitment doesn't stop on publication day, by no means.  Actually seeing the book on the shelves of a shop, or in a library is an even bigger back shiverer. 

The next stage is a little more daunting, and that's when I start to get feedback and reviews on the new book.  That can be very nerve wracking, the thought of people actually reading it and forming an opinion as to its quality. 

Finally, there's the stage which for me is the most powerful of all.  It's when I do a talk about the new book, and read a few minutes of a sample to an audience.  To see the reaction of people to the action, characterisation, scenery, or some of your author's attempts at trickery of words is an incredible sensation. 

So, nine days to go, and counting... to finish on my initial Xmas theme, maybe I should make myself an advent calendar to accompany the publication of each new book?!

Lastly for this post, I will be doing a few events to mark the publication of The Balance of Guilt.  If you're interested, keep an eye on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I wish I could say yes and take the credit - and indeed I'm tempted to do so - but the answer is a simple no.  They're the work of some very fine graphic artists, who are so creative and talented  as to be well outside of the Hall thinking range.

All they get is a summary of the book - some read the whole thing, but not many - and from that comes the idea.  They produce a draft cover, it's batted over to the publishers who add their comments, then me, then back and forth a few more times until we reach some kind of agreement.  This can take a considerable time...

Which is not surprising, as the cover is so very important in drawing the eye and getting a potential reader interested.  It's often one of the most hotly debated parts of the publishing process.

I think I'm lucky in that the jackets of all the tvdetective books have been eye catching, which is a testament to the skill of the designers.  But I'm particularly impressed with the cover for The Balance of Guilt.  For me, it conveys in one glance the horror and pathos of the atrocity at the heart of the book.

If you want to have a look at the jacket, it's now up on the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

Just 12 days until it comes out...  Not that I'm counting, or anything!

It's something I've never really thought about, which is odd, when you consider how important they are.  It must be the title and jacket which first attracts a browser to a book, followed by the blurb, then a dip inside to sample some of the writing.

I was surprised to hear that quite a few authors only come up with the title of their book when it's finished, and even then often with the input of their editor and publishers.  I hope it's not me being my usual awkward self, but I tend to do things the other way around.

With The TV Detective, the whole premise of the tvdetective series seemed to flow from that first title.  The Death Pictures sets up the idea of the riddle - the entirety of the book came from that one, central puzzle and its title.  The idea for Evil Valley grew from seeing on a map the Dartmoor Valley where much of the action is set - Evil Coombe. I thought you just couldn't have a place with such a great name and not write a book about it!

Again, with The Judgement Book, the novel follows on from the title.  Which leads us onto The Balance of Guilt, and a departure from the Hall norm, if that's not a contradiction in terms.

It's the first of my books where I'm hoping you won't know - or at least not with any degree of certainty - what the title refers to until the very last page. And more I won't say, because I've probably suffered the usual Hall problem and said more than I should anyway.

What I can tell you is that, having just finished the editing, it's 340 pages long, and will be out on Sept 6th, as planned.  If you'd care to take a look at the cover and a little precis of the plot, it's now up on the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

The apparent cancellation of summer - in mid August, naturally - has set me thinking about the place of the weather in the tvdetective books. Working through the editing for The Balance of Guilt, I've noticed that in just about every sequence I write I make some mention of it.

I suppose it's an obvious part of setting a scene, but I suspect there's more to it than that.  Sometimes, I just have a feeling that certain weather conditions are better for a part of a book than others.  A happy time is often set in the sunshine, difficult, emotional moments come amidst dark skies, and a bit of rain is always useful to heighten the tension of a little drama.

With the books being set in Devon, the weather takes on an added importance.  So very exposed as we are in the south west to the prevailing westerlies, we often suffer extremes of weather before the rest of the country. 

Thinking back on my career (the day job part!), some of the biggest stories I've ever covered have stemmed from the weather, and that must have had an influence on me.

And as if on cue, as I write, on the radio comes the weather forecast, and today I'm in for a soaking.  Serves me right to blogging about the weather!

Don't forget, if you'd like to pose a question about the books, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  and I'll do my best to answer it.

A confession first - I had to be hard persuaded that blogging was worthwhile.  Originally, I wondered whether I'd have enough of interest to say, let alone the discipline to do so. 

I suspect that came partly from my younger years, of trying to write a diary (one of those hideously old fashioned paper and pen types) and miserably failing, and partly from seeing the sort of blogs/tweets that some people seem determined to fill the net with.  I'm really not interested in what coffee you've just bought, the socks you're wearing, etc...

However, if you are interested, I've just made myself a cup of very ordinary tea (tea bag, in a mug, fairly strong, dab of milk, no sugar), and I'm about to put on my very off-white gym socks and go to a circuits class - how's that for impressive dedication for a Saturday morning?!

Anyway, as I was saying, this blogging lark.  The odd thing is that it seems to be popular.  The majority of the feedback I get from the tvdetective site is about the blog, what I've been up to, and what I'm planning.  So, I'm glad you like it, and I will try to keep posting regularly. 

One thing the blog's particularly good for is answering any queries you might have about the tvdetective books. If you do have a question, you can get in touch via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  and I shall do my best to answer it.

Final bit to say - the edits on The Balance of Guilt are almost done, all is still on track for publication on Mon, Sept 6th (sorry if I put 8th on a previous post, finger or brain trouble, or a mix of both, knowing me).

To the gym now, in my off-white socks etc...

Firstly, I'm on the final edits of The Balance of Guilt, which is good (for me, at least), because it means the book should be out on time; Mon, Sept 8th. Such is the degree of conviction - or perhaps hopefulness - more details have now gone up on the books page, including the cover, which I rather like.  If you're interested, have a look - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

Secondly, a big thanks to the people who run and all those who visited the Dartmoor Folk Festival.  I very much enjoyed my visit at the weekend - great beer, fab music, wonderful dancing, a terrific and very friendly event.  Apologies again for the ode I wrote to the festival - it wasn't my finest literary hour, but at least it gave you a laugh!

Finally for now, the smart people who run this website have set up an alert system, to let you know when I've posted a new blog.  Technically they call it an RSS feed - I just call it clever and useful.  You can sign up on the blog page - www.thetvdetective.com/blog.html

I suppose if I was a true modern writer, I'd now have to go into a long legal waffle about being in no way liable for any injury anyone whatsoever may sustain if taking on - entirely at their own risk, naturally - any of the treks I mention in the books, which is no way implies authorisation or promotion on the part of the author etc etc.

But as I can't abide all that stuff, I'll say this instead.  The walks are all described from personal experience and I'd throroughly recommend any of them.

My questioner goes on to ask why Dan and Rutherford favour Dartmoor when there are so many other great walks to try in Devon and Cornwall.  

The reason is, simply, that Dan finds the moor in keeping with his outlook on life.  It's true, there are plenty of wonderful walks in the south west, the coastal path being chief amongst them.  But it can be a tad too cheery for Dan.  He likes the bleakness and solitude of Dartmoor. And Rutherford just loves the rivers and streams for a dip!

If you want a particular recommendation for a walk, try the Ted Hughes memorial, as featured in The TV Detective.  It's close to my heart, partly as I discovered it (after many years searching), but mostly because the scenery is fantastic.  It's all of Dartmoor in one jaunt, with the added bonus of a pub when you get back to Belstone.  If you're interested in the book, it's featured on the Books page www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

Finally for this post, I'm off to the Dartmoor Folk Festival later.  If you're looking for something to do today or tomorrow, I'd highly recommend it.  Great music, dancing, traditional arts and crafts, a fine day out for a whole family.  I've been honoured to be asked to open it, but don't worry - I'll keep that bit very short, no more than 5 mins, so you won't have anything to get in the way of the entertainment!

Looking back on the past novels, I must say guilty as charged, I fear!

To me, they're an important part of a book which are often overlooked.  Go on, ask yourself honestly - how often do you read acknowledgements, and indeed the dedication, if at all?

When I write a book, the idea might be mine, the characters, the plot too, but to actually make it work, I need an enormous amount of help.  Be it the usual experts of the detective and medical worlds, or sometimes particularly specialist assistance - for example, in The Balance of Guilt, I enlisted the assistance of a historian for some analysis about a famous story of the Second World.

As to why - you'll have to wait and see!  And not long now - all is still looking favourable for publication on Sept 6th.

But, back to the point of this post - the acknowledgements and dedication do mean a lot to me, particularly as I've been through some difficult times on the family front lately.  So if you can spare a second or two, do please have a look....

I was told to expect one of the friendliest events I'd ever known, and such it very much was. Everyone made me feel incredibly welcome. I'd like to say a big thank you to the organisers, Gerry and Annie, and also to all who came along - in particular for laughing at all the right places in my talk!

It was a superb event, a wonderful setting, warming people, and we even managed to learn a thing or two - myself included.  If anyone is an aspiring writer, and is interested in going next year, I'd thorougly recommend it.

And as for the Cwmbach male choir, the music was delightful!  What a memorable night.

So then, it's now back to work.  I'm on the edits of the fifth tvdetective book, The Balance of Guilt, which are ticking along fine.  It's never my favourite part of the writing process, as the fun of the actual book, the characters, the plot and all is done and this is the checking of the details of spelling, punctuation etc., but it has to be done.  I did warn you it wasn't all fun, being a writer!

Off to Topsham tomorrow for the Exeter Book Fair, a very fine event, which it's my pleasure to support.  If you're interested in popping along, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Back to the editing now... and I think I've found an erroneous apostrophe - sounds painful!

I'm giving a talk at the Writers' Holiday, a fine programme of events designed to help people who want to become authors.  It's at Caerleon near Cardiff, and if you're interested, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

The event has a great reputation as hugely helpful for aspiring writers, and as a good fun time too, so I'm looking forward to my visit. 

There'll also be a little mistiness of nostalgia, I suspect.  I took my journalism diploma in Cardiff, which was my route into the media, and much of the reason the tvdetective books came about.  It's a great city, very vibrant, so I shall look forward to revisiting some old haunts. 

You know what it's like, when the ghosts of days gone by come back to stay.  I'm expecting a poignant time. 

To the more practically minded, I'm also taking my laptop so I can continue the work on the new book, The Balance of Guilt.  The editing is still going smoothly, with all remaining on course for publication in September.  Long may it continue!

I've noticed it's happened to me more than a little in my life.  But on this occasion I'm talking about my last post and the news that I was once a DJ.

I don't want to go into it, said I, or at least not here.  And now, naturally, It's prompted a few questions. So, aAs I promised to answer any that are rasied, here we go -

Ever since I was a kid, I've loved music.  As soon as I could, I got a paper round in my parents' newsagents and spent most of the money on records.  That's singles, 45rpm chunks of vinyl, none of this modern downloading stuff.  I like music you can actually hold in your hand.

Well, the love of music stayed with me, and when I went to college, I looked around for clubs and societies to join.  One seemed to match my outlook perfectly - a place I could indulge myself in music and also talk a lot.  The university radio station...

I joined, was trained up (radio studios look like the cockpit of an aircraft when first you meet them - scary) and duly began jocking.  I started doing gigs in local nightclubs too, and quickly realised I could make more money for less work than my original intention on going to college, which was to become a teacher.

So, when I left, I did some DJing for a while, got bored with that, then shifted into radio news, which finally took me into TV news.  And, of course, working in the media led me into this writing lark, and the tvdetective series.

A confession here.  This post has made me go a little misty eyed.  It must be the fond memories of some fun times of younger days!

One more thing to mention today.  I'm at the Writers' Holiday in Wales next week, talking about the books, how to write novels and get published.  If you fancy coming along, there are details on the News page - www.thetvdetective.com/shownews.html

Why don't I put references to music in my books, I'm asked?  Many authors often quote, or cite songs, to complement scenes.  Why not in the tvdetective series?

It's not because I don't like music. I love it.  In fact, music is how I got into the media and so eventually began writing - I used to be a DJ - but that's a tale too far for this post and a blog for another day!

So, back to the question, before I go off on another Hall meander. Well, I don't put much in the way of music in the books because I fear it can be exclusive.  If you don't know the songs an author is writing about, and you're not minded to look them up, it can be a frustration, a feeling that you're being excluded from a part of the story.  It's as simple as that. 

It comes from personal experience - I have read books where I hear about some song, and it frustrates me, because I don't know it.

The other part of the question is - what's my favourite music?  I like all sorts, but if you pushed me to one songwriter, or artist, I'd go for Paul Simon.  He's got the lot - his melodies are beautiful and haunting, and his lyrics so original and evocative. 

I'm always interested in receiving questions about the books - if you have one, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

I can now reveal I was rather nervous about the whole event.  Firstly, I've done little in the way of trying to give people tips on how to write a book before, so it was a new experience for me.  Secondly, there's always that lingering question - who am I to try to teach?!

However!  I was delighted by the kind feedback (and the reassurances that it was genuine), to the extent that I'd be very happy to hold another workshop, if anyone is interested.  If you want to get in touch, about that or anything else, you can do so via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Last night was beneficial to me in another way, too.  It's often said that you learn as much as the people you're trying to teach when you attempt to pass on some thinking or experiences. That was certainly the case with me.  Preparing for the workshop made me think in detail about how a book works, and what the ingredients for a successful novel are.

I shall diligently attempt to apply those lessons in my future scribblings!

In it come the suggested edits for the new tvdetective book, The Balance of Guilt. 

The reason I always worry about this is the continual fear that I've overlooked some detail which would render the entire plot impossible.  That would mean, at best, a very large amount of rewriting work, and at worst, perhaps even having to start again, almost from scratch.

I'll give you an example of one little such error in a while, but first the main point of this post.

It's good news!  There were no major structural problems found by the editors, so it's only a question of some minor editing, a bit of tidying up, subbing and tightening, and some improved characterisation.

Phew!

That all means Balance of Guilt should be fine for release in September, as per the plan. 

As to the detail of the book, it's the first of the series to be set outside of Plymouth, and involves a terrorist atrocity, but more I'm not saying - for now, at least!

One more thing to mention here.  The Crime Writing Workshop I'm holding tomorrow night (Thurs) in aid of Oxfam.  If you've ever thought about writing a book, or just fancy an entertaining (I hope!) evening out, do come along.  There are details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Finally, about that previous little error in the editing process - an amused email from my publishers informed me that, in a previous book, the plot all seemed to hang together well, aside from the minor issue... of me killing one of the characters twice!

I've noticed that in almost every one of my scenes, there's some reference to the weather.  And without any conscious effort on my part, the conditions that I rope into my imaginary wanderings seem to complement the occasion. 

In the dramatic scenes, the weather tends to be either wet, or close and dense.  Come the (admittedly rather rarer) jolly interludes, I can usually be relied upon to encourage at least a glimpse of the sunshine.

It's only lately I've really noticed this, and I suppose it's inevitable, as we're all so influenced by the weather.  It's particularly pertinent at this rare moment of warmth, when the summer appears to have at last remembered its job description and people smile as they walk.

Long may it continue, although as ever with the English weather, I travel more with the companion of optimism than any sense of realism.

The answer can be just about anywhere.  I sometimes read a story in the paper, or hear one on the radio, that sets my mind off into a little flurry of thought.  Or I can just imagine one quirk, or theme around which a whole plot can be based - The Death Pictures was like that, the concept of the whole book coming from an idea for one central riddle.

Often I can find the beginnings of a plot in something I see.  Such it was at the weekend, and is the reason behind the odd title of this post.

Firstly, a confession.  I'm a big fan of Morris Dancing.  I think it's a wonderful evocation of a great tradition, and a hugely enjoyable spectacle.

On which subject, congratulations and thank you to all the Morris Dancers who performed in Exeter at the weekend to mark the 40th anniversary of the first Great Western Morris Whit Tour of the city.  I watched several of the events and found them most entertaining.

But!  I didn't realise how competitive Morris Dancing could be.  In the final dance, on Exeter Quay, there was more than a little lively rivalry regading who should be performing next.

Which set the Hall mind wondering about some future plot based around Morris dancing... well, we shall see!

One more thing to mention here.  A week today (Thurs 15th) I'm hosting a Crime Writing Workshop to raise money for Oxfam.  I've almost finished the planning, and it should be a fun night.  If you're interested, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

The good news is that - in my humble view, at least - it seems to hang together pretty well and make for a decent story.  I even got quite excited towards the end to find out what would happen - strange perhaps, when you consider I wrote the thing!

The odder news is that I appear to be struggling with my chapter structure.  I've noticed some of them can go on for scores of pages. So, some work to divide them up into more manageable chunks has been required. 

I think I've worked out why that is. When I'm writing, I tend to get so into the book - almost wanting to find out what happens next, like a reader (hopefully) - that I just keep on going and forget to portion it all up. 

The good news is that it's not hard to do - just a question of spotting the natural breaks, with maybe the odd added paragraph or two.  And after some debate, I've now convinced myself that my little chapters issue is a positive sign. 

At least it means I'm enjoying the story, wanting to tell it and believing in it, so coming back to insert proper chapters later seems a reasonable price to pay.

Forgive me for not going into detail, but they're still raw.  I'll be marking what happened in the dedication of the new tvdetective book, The Balance of Guilt, which is due out in Sept, but for now I'd like to just try to get on with life.  I know you'll understand.

The main point of this post is that I wanted to mention the Crime Writing Workshop I'm doing as part of Oxfam's Bookfest.  It's in a couple of weeks time in Exeter, full details are on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I've been thinking about what to cover, and I hope I can make it interesting and fun as well.  I'll be looking at characterisation, and how to make imaginary people feel convincing in print, as well as the importance of a sense of place in a book, how to make a novel pacey, and plots and subplots too. 

There's plenty to work through, but I'm getting a feel of how it's going to go and think it should be an entertaining evening - or perhaps I mean I hope?!

Be all that as it may, the event is being held to raise money for Oxfam's wonderful work, so if you think you can come along, please do.

Like so many questions, it's one which sounds simple, but in fact is far from it.

Firstly, I never set myself a target of the number of words to write.  I think that's a sure way to scare off any inspiration - it's far better just to try to let it flow, without any strictures.  Plus, a target also gives you an artificial definition of success or failure, which I think is unhelpful.  Surely it's better to write a small number of words which work very well, rather than a mass of nonsense?

The easier answer, if I'm pushed, is that on average, I probably write a couple of thousand words a day when I'm in full book flow.  This means that, given that I grant myself a day off every week to rest and recharge, a book can be finished (in the first draft, before rewrites, edits etc., of which there are many, I assure you) in about eight or nine weeks. 

If that sounds fast, remember that I've spent at least three months planning the book beforehand, so - in theory at least - I know exactly where I'm going with the plot, sub plots. locations and characters. Although that can usually change too!

The original question was part of a request for some advice about writing, and my simplest and best is this - just go ahead and try it.  Set yourself no targets or guidelines, feel no pressure, just have a go and, most importantly, enjoy it.  Take it from me, it's enormously rewarding, come what may of your efforts.

If you've got a question you want to ask, please go ahead and I'll do my best to answer it.  You can get in touch via the contacts page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

I was at the wonderful St John in the Wilderness Church, talking about the tvdetective books, and had a very fine time.  It's a beatiful building, set in magnificent grounds, and with a vibrant congregation - it was a pleasure to be there and help to keep the church in such great shape.

If ever you're passing, I'd thorougly recommend a visit.

Also!  I was faced with one of the more unusual questions ever asked at an event - whether I was musical, as, apparently, I have piano fingers!  No is the honest answer, I've always loved music and at college did entertain a notion of becoming a pop star, but was only stopped by a lack of any discernable talent.

I find it hard enough writing books...

Reports from around the country tell me that national Crime Fiction Week has been a success, so thanks to everyone who took part.  I suspect, given the feedback, we'll have another one next year, and hopefully with even more events.

Finally, more news of another event for next month.  It's a crime writing workshop, to be held in Exeter on July 15th, in aid of Oxfam, as part of their Bookfest.  I'll pop the details on the News and Events page, if you're interested in coming along - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

So, sorry, but you'll have to catch one of my little ramblings some day.  Suffice to say, the tale of the otter is a testament to the ridiculous things that can happen to a person ill-advised enough to take up a career in the media, and particularly so in television!

A couple of other matters - Crime Fiction Week appears to be going well, with lots of events bubbling away.  I'd like to thank the kind people of Ottery St Mary for looking after me so well last night, I very much enjoyed my visit, thank you.

Tonight, I'm doing an event in Tavistock, if you're interested in coming along, there are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  And yes, I suspect the otter will feature.

And lastly for this post, plans are afoot for a crime writing workshop in Exeter as part of the Oxfam Bookfest, next month.  I often get asked for advice about how to write a novel (and equally often wonder if I'm actually qualified to answer), but if you're interested, I'll give you more details as the idea comes together.

I'm doing a few, all in Devon, as it happens.  And please - nobody dare to suggest this is entirely deliberate so I can still be close to home to watch the World Cup!

All the events are at places I haven't yet visited, so I'm looking forward to meeting some new people.  I've just written the outline of one of the talks.  There are a few anecdotes I often tell, and I've been giving some a rest of late, so I don't get bored with them.  The effect of this has been that, on several occasions, someone has put up a hand and said - you didn't tell the otter.

The thing has become infamous!

For some of you, the otter in question will mean nothing, and, if so, I can't explain here, the story goes on for far too long.  Suffice to say it is one of the daftest things that has ever happened to me in a career which has been full of them.  But if you want to know more, the answer is - come along to one of the events!

There's a list on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Hope to see you - and tell you more about the infamous otter! - at one of the events.

I had a great time.  I thought the festival very well organised and a brilliant idea - I wish you all success with it in future, you very much deserve it.

Secondly, a confession - on which subject, isn't it odd how this blog appears to have become my little equivalent of the confession booth?!

It's true, I'm a big football fan, and I'm now getting caught up in the World Cup excitement.  It all kicks off tomorrow, with England's first match on Sat, and my friends and I are already engaged in a heated debate about where to watch the game.  It's the usual comfort of someone's house versus the atmosphere of the pub type debate. 

Interestingly, it's about the most animated we've grown about anything in the last few months.  Big decisions require careful thought and getting right!

World Cups always make me nostalgic.  My favourite tournament was Italia 1990 - I'd just finished the finals of my degree, the weather was great, and it was a clear run of watching games, with little else to worry about.  And we made it to the semis. Fond memories!

Anyhow, good luck to England over the coming weeks.  As ever, I journey in hope, although prepared for disappointment. Let's hope that hope triumphs this time...

Finally, next week is national Crime Fiction Week.  I'm doing a few events.  If you're interested in coming along to one, there are details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Happy Anniversary to me!

A quick confession here - I took a fair bit of persuading to start blogging.  I wondered if I'd ever have anything much of interest to say, and then of course there's the fear of entering this rather scary modern world of the internet.  It felt like something young people do!

However, I'm glad I did.

The website stats say - to my surprise - that the blog is the most visited page.  It strikes me it's a very good way of having an ongoing conversation with people who are kind enough to be interested in the tvdetective books, not to mention letting you know how the writing is going, and what gigs I'm doing.  I also enjoy writing these little diary pieces.

So, a big thank you for taking an interest, and I hope you continue to do so. I shall blog on, as it were!

Don't forget, if there's a question you'd like to ask, about the books, the writing, or just get in touch with a comment, you can do so via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

A couple more things to mention.  You'll be glad to hear, after that last post, that the writer's block has eased, and wow!  It's quite some relief.  I enjoy writing so much, it's painful when I struggle.  I'm back on track with the next book, and delighted about it.

Finally, I'm off to the Charles Causley Festival in Launceston today, and looking forward to it.  He was a wonderful poet, one of my favourites, and it's a great privilege to be invited.

It's a strange thing, because the work on the new book was going along swimmingly.  All was set fair and I was enjoying myself.  Then, I wake up one morning, to find I can hardly write a word.  And when I do, it's nonsense. 

It's frustrating, and the more annoyed you get, the harder it becomes to write anything at all. So, I've learned the lesson of walking away, however difficult it may be.  In fact, I ran away and went for a jog around the river, a common source of inspiration to me.

That seemed to help and I've been writing again, albeit rather stutteringly.  Someone once told me that you don't pick the people you love, they pick you.  I'm wondering if it's the same with writing.  You might think you're in command of your characters and book, and you can tell them what's going to happen - but, it appears, only when they're ready to let you.  Strange, eh?

Anyway, some better news - the sun is out, June is here, and I'm looking forward to the Charles Causley Festival on Saturday.  If you're about the area, do come along, you'd be very welcome.  There are more details on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

First of all a whinge at the elements and the irony of fate.  How come the weather's been great for most of the week, then it gets to the Bank Holiday and it's raining?  How unfair is that?

Still, it's made me resolve to get some writing done.  I'm just going through the plot, characters and outline for the book for next year, and it's shaping up nicely.  This is one of my favourite phases of writing, playing with ideas. 

The Balance of Guilt is still on course to come out in September.  The publishers are currently going through it, to suggest any amendments, check for inconsistencies, and all the usual grammatical errors I tend to litter first drafts with.  Regarding the consistency issue, it can be very important - did I mention I once killed a character twice?!

Several more questions have come in by email, some in response to my last post about which of the tvdetective books is my favourite.  It seems to have amused you!  I'll get round to answering them over the next few weeks when I post more blogs.  Don't forget, if you have a question, you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Finally, it's the Charles Causley festival in Launceston next week, and I'll be there.  Do come along if you fancy it, it should be fun.  There are more details on the events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

In the meantime, wishing you a fine Bank Hols weekend.  I'm off to see The Wurzels on Sunday and can't wait.   They're great, pure westcountry entertainment!

Which of your books is your favourite?

Like most fine questions, it's a tough one to answer.  So I'll say this.

After much thought, I've come to the conclusion that telling you which of the tvdetective series is my fave would be akin to a parent revealing which of their kids they liked the most.  It just can't be done, it wouldn't be fair, all that kind of thing.

I know my books are supposed to be inanimate and lacking in consciousness, but I just can't stop myself worrying about how the others would feel if they thought I didn't love them as much.

Does that make sense, and is it a passable answer, or is it more Hall nonsense?!  As we're talking questions, I'll leave you for now with that one...

I've always been a huge fan.  At risk of boring you, it goes back to my schooldays and O level English.  We were given Causley to study. 

Now, as a 14 year old, in full teenager cool/strop mode, I suspect you can imagine what I thought of that. But I tried reading some of the poems and was immediately hooked.  I love his way with words, his gentless and delight in the countryside, but also his reflections on his life in the navy, with all that could mean.

To this day, Causley remains one of my favourite poets.   I suspect his influence may also have helped attract me to Devon and Cornwall, so I have much to thank him for.

Anyway, I shall be doing a talk at the festival in a couple of weeks time (June 5th), and it will be a great honour.  There are details on the News page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

There's a whole programme of events for the festival - I'd thoroughly recommend trying one and getting a sense of what a wonderful poet - and man - Causley was.

I love the show for so many reasons.  At its heart, it's a great tribute to the south west's wonderful farmers, a stoic bunch whose important work isn't always appreciated.  All our fine food and drink producers are there too, and so many other companies and organisations - it's a showcase of all that's best about Devon.  And there's lots of it.

It's also a great place to pick up ideas for new characters, plots and quirks for the TV Detective books.  I've got some thoughts about future stories having countryside elements, so if you see me wandering around, looking thoughtful, that might be the reason.

Or it might just be sampling too much of the fine fare on offer!

Here's hoping for the blessing of good weather, and a great 2010 show.

It was also heartening to hear how many people had already tried one of the books and enjoyed them.

Another amusement was the number of chaps I met, walking fast around the store with one eye on their watches, trying to get the shopping done in time to get home for the FA cup final! What predictable creatures we men can be.

One more thing to mention here - I've just checked my diary and been reminded that national Crime Fiction Week is in a month's time.  I'm doing a few events, details are on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Do come along to one, if I'm at a venue near you.  It'd be a pleasure to see you.

I'll be in Waterstone's in Taunton on Saturday (15th May) at 12.30 talking about the series, and scribbling my often illegible scrawl on any that you'd like autographed.

It's the first time I've done a signing at the store, so I'm looking forward to it.  Hope to see you there. 

There are more details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

How do I write the first line of a book?

It's one of those lovely questions which sounds simple, but is in fact very tricky. 

I'm a sucker for first lines.  They're so important and can be so memorable.  Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, bright cold days on which the clocks strike thirteen, or just an invitation to call me Ishmael, they can stick in the mind always and lure you into a book.

So, to answer the question - I spend lots of time on first lines, but don't get bogged down by them.  I write one which feels appropriate, but then move on and try to write the rest of the book.  However, as I'm going along, and particularly when I review how the novel is going, I'll often think about the first line and whether it can be improved.  It almost always can.

I'll commonly think about it at other times too, like when I'm having a run or driving.  At a rough estimate, I'd say my first lines usually change around ten times in the course of drafting a book. 

If you've got a question, you're very welcome to ask and I'll try to answer it - you can get in touch via the contacts page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

The ideas for the next book are still shaping up well, so I shall do some more work on them today.  This is one of my favourite times in the writing process, just letting the imagination run and seeing what it comes up with. 

I estimate probably about three quarters of the ideas I have end up being discarded as not working, or being too limited, or perhaps just plain daft to make a book, or even a part of it.  But I enjoy working through them anyway.

And quite often in the comfort of a good pub - purely for research purposes, naturally.  Being able to look around and pick bits of character from people...

One more thing to mention here, and it's a big thank you - to all the people who've read The TV Detective, got in touch with their comments and posted reviews.  I appreciate the feedback and am glad that almost all of you seem to have been reasonably entertained by my latest scribblings.

If you want to see some of the comments, you can do so via the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

Wishing you a fine and enjoyable bank holiday...

Well, firstly I'm back from hols - I had a great time, fab weather etc.  Managed to do some work on the next book while away too, (that's the one for next year, 2011) and I think I've got a decent looking plot with some strong characters. 

In fact, I got so into the idea, and it's made such progress, that I'm starting to write some of it now.  So, that's where the apology comes in - sorry if I'm not in touch as regularly for the next few weeks, but I suspect much of my time will be taken up in writing, while the muse is here.  I will however keep you updated with any important news - promise.

Before I sign off, I must also say a big thank you to everyone who came to my talk at the Eype Literary Festival last week.  What a great place, and what a pleasure to meet you all.

And finally, I know you're going to ask, and yes, I do have a title in mind for the new book, but no, I won't be saying what it is just yet!

I'm off on a week's hols now, so excuse me if I'm out of touch for a while.  I'm visiting family, but also going to a wedding next weekend, so probably won't be back with you until after then.

A couple of bits of news in the meantime - Crime Fiction week (14th - 20th June) is filling up nicely with events.  I'm doing three, in Exmouth, Tavistock and Ottery St Mary.  There are more details on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  

But if you're interested in staging an event, there's still some room left in the week, so feel free to get in touch.  You can do so via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Got to get packing now, but don't forget if you're in west Dorset next week, I'm doing a talk on Tues night (20th April) as part of the Eype Literary Festival.  Hope to see you there.

Next week (Tues, 20th April), I'll be at the Eype Literary Festival, presenting a talk about the tvdetective books, and signing copies.

I'm very much looking forward to the visit.  I've always loved Dorset, ever since I was first posted there as a trainee journalist, many years ago. 

So, it'll be a pleasure to come back, particularly if this fine weather persists and allows for taking in some of the fabulous Jurassic coast.  For more details of the event, see the News page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Hope to see you next week.

I won't tell you her name, but it went along the lines of - is it actually possible to solve the riddle from the clues in the book?

I've answered the email, but wanted to mention it on the blog because it's a point of great importance to me.  The answer is a resounding YES!

I don't want to sound like a politician, but I do promise you this.  In each and every one of my books, there will always be the clues which enable you to solve whatever crime or riddle I happen to drop in.  There'll be plenty of chaff and red herrings too, to distract you, but the important bits will be there.

It's important to me because far too often I've been really into a book, am happily reading away, then get to the denouement, and the killer is someone who appears for a couple of lines, way back, then entirely disappears again.  That's cheating!  So - I won't be doing that to you.  Call it value for money, or professional pride, or whatever, but the clues will be there.

If you want to get in touch with a question about the tvdetective series, you can do so via the contacts page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  and I'll do my best to answer.

Look forward to hearing from you.

I had most of the time off, but incorporated it with doing some book bits.  I'm working up ideas for the new tvdetective novel for next year, and decided to spend time on the characters.

I particularly like this part, as it involves a favoured passtime of mine - people watching.  Whenever I go out, I always take a piece of paper and pen and note down little ideas.  They can be a mannerism, a quirk of appearance or conversation, or just about any detail that can help bring a character to life.

My poor friends have just about got used to it by now, but still have the odd qualm when I jot down a note, wondering what part of themselves they're going to see in a book!

Apart from the scribblings, I've also finished the audio recordings of The TV Detective. It'll now go through the editing process - which can take a while, given the number of fluffs I make - and then be released later in the year.  I'll keep you posted.

I've signed up for two (so far!), in Tavistock and Exmouth.  There are details on the events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

But I also wanted to mention, if you'd like to host or hold an event as part of the week (14th - 20th June) do get in touch via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  and I'll see what I can do to help.

Don't forget too the beautiful Eype Literary Festival, where I'm appearing on the evening of 20th April.  It's my old stomping ground, just up the road from Bridport where I lived when first I became a TV reporter.  Ah, the tingle of memories of yesterday... it'll be a great pleasure to return to such a wonderful place.

It's going to be a working one, but enjoyably so, or at least that's what I hope.  I'm happy to report the first stirrings of an idea for a new book are agitating in my mind.  I won't go into too much detail, as sometimes - often even! - these thoughts of mine come to nowt, but I'm feeling confident there's enough to make a decent novel.

A couple of quick details - it'll be another in the tvdetective series, to follow sequentially from The Balance of Guilt in the characters lives.  And I'm thinking the central theme will be a kidnapping. 

As you may know, I try to do something different in each book, and we haven't had any abductions yet, so perhaps it's about time.  I'm just working on the structure, twists and turns, new characters needed, and will keep you up to date with how it goes. Assuming it does!

That's the thing about this publishing lark - it works to such long time scales, compared with my day job.  If this book does come to be the next one, it's being prepared 18 months ahead!  And usually, I struggle to plan more than a few days ahead.

One final quick word - thanks to all the people who came along to the signing in Waterstone's in Newton Abbot on Sat.  It was good to meet you, and I hope you enjoy the books you kindly bought.

I'm at the Waterstone's in Newton Abbot on Saturday (27th March), from 12.30 for a couple of hours, to sign copies of the tvdetective series.  They'll have the full range of books, from The TV Detective to The Death Pictures, Evil Valley and The Judgement Book. 

I've also got some bookmarks to give away.

There are more details on the events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Do come along, have a chat, and pick up a copy of one of the books - or preferably all!

One such has just come in.  It's - where do I get my characters from, and are any based on real people?

It says in my book of how to be an author that mystery sells, so I shouldn't give too much away.  But I can tell you that only one character in the series is based entirely on a single "person" - and you'll see why the use of quotes there in a minute.

Most characters are what I think of as composites, built up from several different quirks of a range of people's mannerisms, behaviour, or appearance.  So yes, I do borrow a little from real life, but only usually a tad per person, and always combined with plenty of imagination.

But - back to that real "person".  Here, I'm talking about Rutherford.  He's based on the dog I grew up with, a wonderfully protective and loyal Alsatian called Sam.  He was my companion through the early years of childhood, and to this day I remember the weeks of tears I shed when he died.

Rutherford is my way of bringing him back, as best I can. 

Firstly, The Balance of Guilt is now complete in its draft form and has gone to the publishers for their comments.  This is always a nervy moment, as I await their views.  I like it, but then, I would, wouldn't I?!  It's still due for publication in September and there's already talk of some events to mark its arrival.  I'll keep you posted.

Regular readers will know that this author isn't the best when it comes to new technology, but I must tell you about this, as it's a first.  I am now available as an "app" for the iphone.  The first couple of chapters of The TV Detective, along with an interview with yours truly, is on line as a free taster.  If you want to try it, go to  itunes.apple.com/gb/app/the-tv-detective-lite/id362756920

I must also mention - a big thank you to the kind people of Yeovil who came along to my Crime Cafe talk last night.  You made me feel very welcome and I had a fine evening. 

Finally, a word about a book signing in Newton Abbot next weekend (Sat 27th March).  For more details, have a look at the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

It was a pleasure to be asked to open it.  As I mentioned in my little speech, I've lost two close family members in the last few years, both of whom were wonderfully cared for by the hospice in their final days.  I feel I owe quite a debt, so for me, yesterday was at least a small way of repaying some of that.

I wish the shop all the best, and Hospiscare another 30 years and much more of great work in the community. 

I was a little nervous about the book - more so even than usual! - it being a retrospective, but you seem to have enjoyed the story of how the boys met, which I'm delighted to hear.

I've been asked to narrate an audio version too, which I'm about to start work on.  I do enjoy doing the recordings, but it is remarkably tiring.  You wouldn't think just reading aloud could require so much concentration and effort.  And I still make plenty of fluffs, which happily in these days of digital editing the engineers can take straight out.

Not quite sure when it'll be released, it depends on how the readings go, but I'll let you know.  And if you are interested in audio books, I'm told the versions of Death Pictures, Evil Valley and The Judgement Book are all coming along nicely and should also be available soon. When they are, I'll put the details on the news page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

And amidst all that, the first draft of The Balance of Guilt is almost complete, so the book looks on course for publication in September - hopefully!

I've mentioned this before, but I think it's worth saying again, as it's such a welcome feeling.  It's a definite sign that spring is here, the world awakening as people actually start to make plans to venture out from the warm safety of their houses of an evening again.

So then, before I started waxing on, those dates.  Next week, on Tues (March 16th) at 10am, I'm opening the new Hospiscare shop on South Street in Exeter.  It's a wonderful cause, which I'm delighted to support.

The following Thursday (March 18th), in the evening at the Octagon in Yeovil, I'm at the Crime Cafe, talking about the tvdetective books.  

And some more advance notice for you - at 6.45 on the evening of Tues, April 20th, I'm at the Eype Literary Festival in my old stomping ground of Dorset.  It's a new festival, which I'm proud to be invited to.

I'll put all the details on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Hope to see you at some, any or all of the events, you'd be very welcome

To celebrate two years of the my tvdetective books, my kind publishers have decided to make the first one, The TV Detective, available free as an ebook. 

It's a limited offer, so if you want a copy, grab one now.  Just go to the Accent Press website - www.accentpress.co.uk/  and click on the banner a little way down from the top.  There are no strings to this, it's the whole book, absolutely free.

Just as a small quid pro quo, if you do have a read, please feel free to get in touch with me to tell me what you think.  You can do so via the contact page of my site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Feel free to pass the news onto friends and family, so they can download a copy too. 

Happy reading, and hope you enjoy it.

On this occasion however, please excuse me.  I've just been ill for four days and...

I hate being ill!  I loathe and detest and abhor and dislike and can't bear or abide or in any way whatsoever tolerate or even manage to be relatively calm and accepting of being ill.

It's such a foul feeling, each passing moment being unpleasant.  It's scarcely what life's for, in my view.

And it's such a waste of valuable, precious time, when all you can do is lie on your back and groan.  I tried thinking of ideas for new plots to distract myself, but my poor mind wasn't even up to that.

And I suppose, in the scheme of things, I only had a relatively mild illness too - tum problems with accompanying fever. 

So, as you can see, I don't care for being ill.  Please excuse the rant, but it felt cathartic!  And sorry for being out of touch for a few days, but now you know why.

So then, back to more important matters.  I'm feeling better and back to the writing.  The first draft of The Balance of Guilt requires only a few more days work, so I'm getting on with that.  And hopefully, at the weekend, I'll start narrating The TV Detective as an audio book.

And what a joy it is to be able to do all that, feeling human again!  Wishing you a fine - and healthy! - weekend.

On Tues, 16th March, at 10am, I've been asked to open the new Hospiscare shop on South Street in Exeter.  It'll specialise in books, art and music and I'm delighted to help.

Hospices do some wonderful work - I've seen that at first hand, with members of my own family - so please do pop in.  If you can't make the launch, then bear in mind the shop's there if and when you're shopping in Exeter.  It's a fine cause.

Looking further ahead, on Sunday, August 1st, there's the Exeter Bookfair, in Topsham, which I'll also be opening and will too have a stall for some of the tvdetective books.

I hope you can make one, or perhaps even both, of the events.  I'm proud to support them.

I'll keep you updated on those two, and all other events on the news page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

It feels to me like people are starting to sense the end of the winter, and time to reactivate a few social events after the long cold days of late - perhaps even humans go through a form of hibernation?!  And who'd blame us, given the weather of the past three months?

As the events come in, I'll pop them on the news page www.thetvdetective.com/news.html so keep an eye out there.

A couple of other bits to mention.  The first draft of the new tvdetective book, The Balance of Guilt, is almost done and ready to go to the publishers, for their thoughts on what edits may be required.  Usually quite a few, ruefully, but that's the publishing process.

I've also been asked to record The TV Detective as an audio book, which means more hours in a studio, but it is also flattering - at least it should mean the others I recorded were reasonably acceptable!

The new library looks superb - a wonderful use of the space and so light.  It's such a transformation compared to how it was.  It'll make a great focal point for the city - I hope to be invited back to see you all again.

Now, onto Facebook.  As those of you who amuse yourselves with my scribblings will know, I'm doing my best to keep up with these new ways of communicating.  It does sometimes feel like watching a very fast train accelerating off into the distance and doing one's pathetic bit to catch up, but I'm trying...

As part of that, I'm told a Facebook group has been set up about my writing.  If you're into these things, and fancy joining, by all means have a look.  I've joined, but as I said on the site - as I write the books, I suppose I should!

The library has had a big revamp, and is holding a series of events to celebrate.  Friday is Crime Day, and I'll be there to talk about the tvdetective books.  There are more details on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I've got a few things to tell you about the new book, The TV Detective, plus plans for the next novel, The Balance of Guilt.  And yes, if you're interested, no doubt I'll pop in a few anecdotes from my strange life too. 

There should be copies of the books available too, which I'll be very happy to sign for you.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new library.  It's always a pleasure to come down to Cornwall, so if you're about, please do pop in, I'd be delighted to see you.

It's great to be asked to narrate my own books - I just know that if an actor had done it, I'd have taken issue with just about every different voice and inflexion he or she used for the characters.  Not that I'm precious about the TV Detective series or anything, but they're my friends; mine, mine, mine!

So, it's a compliment to do the recordings myself, but it sure is odd to hear your own voice coming at you, telling you the story of an apparently pointless murder of a dying artist.  I'm still not sure what to make of it.

You'd think I'd be used to hearing myself on the radio or TV by now, so it wouldn't feel strange, but that's not the case.  I think it's probably because the books are so very personal.

Anyway, if you fancy trying them, they're on the Apple Store to download.  If you do give them a try, let me know what you think via the contact page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html - but please be kind!

No, before you ask, I'm not saying how old I am!  But thanks to the kind people who got in touch to wish me a good day.

Back to the writing, and there are a few things to mention. The TV Detective is now well and truly published, the review copies have gone out to various papers, websites and magazines, and that means I get nervous, waiting for the verdicts to start coming back. 

It is a shaky period, awaiting the first reviews, wondering what people will make of the book.  Here's hoping you enjoy it!

Work on the new novel - The Balance of Guilt - is also going well.  I've completed a first draft, and am now going through that to refine it, check it's all consistent and plausible, that kind of thing.  It's due with the publishers by the end of the month, for their thoughts, then we'll go through the re-editing, and then more edits, and then the final edits etc., until hopefully a passable novel emerges. 

I'm not saying too much about the plot at this stage, but it'll be terrorism based, and looks like being the most dangerous adventure Dan and Adam have so far faced.

One last mention - the Crime Day at Truro Library a week on Friday (Feb19th).  It's to mark the renovation of the library, and I'll be there to talk about the new book.  If you fancy coming along, it'd be great to see you.  There are more details on the news page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

A mixture of ways is the answer.  Some just come to me, as did the concept for Death Pictures - just that one thought for how a code might work was enough to base a book on.  Evil Valley came from seeing the actual place - albeit under its true guise of Evil Coombe - on a map of Dartmoor.

Others, like The Judgement Book, come from a mix of my weird imagination, and things I see or hear - I think Judgement Book started to form after I read a newspaper article about blackmail.

So, I just read papers, listen to conversations, keep thinking, and sometimes an idea will sparkle. 

The idea for The TV Detective came from the weather, but more than that I won't say, to make sure I don't spoil it for you!

The book is currently at the printers - sorry for the small delay - but should be out in the next few days.  The details are up on the site, if you want to read more - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

The reason I've headlined the blog, This Childish Author, is that's exactly how I'm feeling.  Like a kid at Xmas time!

I've planned, then written the book, done the re-writes (about half a dozen or so now), gone through all the details of the edits, approved the cover and blurb, and now it's finally time to see the finished product.

It's the moment at which all the work feels worthwhile.  When I finally get to hold the completed book in my hand.

When my sample copies arrive, I'm not ashamed to confess my little hands shake, and I tear away at the cardboard of the wrapping like a man demented.  All say - aaaahhh!

From what I can tell, the book's come together well.  But I'll leave you to decide on that, as you start to read it.  It should be available within the next week or so.  There'll be a link on the site when it is released.  See the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

One more piece of news on The TV Detective - as the other audio books in the series are ticking along nicely, I've been asked to record a version of this one too.  I'll be starting work on it in the next few weeks.

Apologies, but the book is a little behind schedule.  That was due to the fortnight of freezing weather at the beginning of the month, which left me very little time to work on it, and my poor publishers were also snowbound and struggling.

However, all is now proceeding smoothly - or as smoothly as does ever anything when I'm part of it, anyway - so The TV Detective should be out early in Feb. 

I've had quite a few questions raised about how Dan and Adam met and began working together, along with others about the genesis of the series.  I hope the book will answer all those, and manage to entertain you a little too.

So, now it's onto the next book in the tvdetective series (in terms of the lives of the characters) and I'm pleased to report that's all well underway.  The Balance of Guilt, as it will probably be called, is due out in September, and will be the story of a dreadful terrorist atrocity, the most dangerous case that Dan and Adam have yet faced.

Finally, for this dispatch, I was reading today that Monday is the most depressing day of the year - cold, dark, the despair of broken New Year resolutions, no money etc. 

That's all entirely understandable.  But I'm trying to be cheery and am looking at it another way.  The grim month of January is almost done, and the nights are definitely getting a little lighter!

Yours, with an attempt at a smile, and wishing you a fine weekend and a not too miserable Monday to come...

As a child, I remember the simple delight of exploring a library to find a new book, and the excitement of taking it home to begin reading. 

As I've moved from reader to writer, I've come to appreciate libraries even more.  They're so much more than just a place to find a book, look something up, or search the internet.  For many, they're a lifeline, a place to go to meet people and have a chat, and a focus of the local community.

They've also been wonderful in supporting me in my fledgling writing career, for which I'm very grateful.

If you're asking yourself what this little ramble is about - and I suspect that's a common question with my blogs - the answer is this.

I've just got the figures back from the library service about the number of times my books have been borrowed, and I'm taken aback.  Thousands of you are reading the things!

This has come as a most pleasant surprise.  Writing can be a lonely business.  You're never quite sure who's reading your scribblings, if anyone, so it's great to know that all the work isn't being wasted.

Thank you to everyone who's given the tvdetective series a try, whether it be The Death Pictures, Evil Valley or The Judgement Book.

I often do talks in libraries, so if you're interested, keep an eye on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html  and do come along to one.  I'd love to see you.

It's been an extraordinary month.  Last Friday, I was working in a temperature of minus 15.  Minus 15!  In Devon!  Who'd have thought that?  It was so cold the camera froze, and I've never known that before.

Not to mention the reporter...

And then there were the poor swans on the River Exe, frozen into the ice - that was such a sad sight - but happily they were all freed with no ill effects.  And so many other remarkable and memorable sights too.

And through all this, there's been wonderful human kindness and resilience.  From people helping each other out while they've been trapped in the snow, others coming to feed the swans and ducks and geese on the Exe, to make sure they're ok, and also those who have taken pity on me.

I don't think I've ever been offered so much tea and shelter before.  And my favourite of all - a big thank you to all the people who got in touch offering to get me a hat to help keep out the cold!

I can now confess I do own one, but the old vanity issue precludes me from wearing it on camera.  Thanks so much though for your thoughts and kindness.

The cold and consequent busyness has rather limited any chance to work on the books, apart from 3 things I'll share with you. 

First, thanks to everyone who's got in touch with praise for The Judgement Book - I do appreciate it very much.  Secondly, I can feel a tvdetective story coming on when Dan and Adam have to investigate some crime set in a big freeze. I feel I know plenty about icy weather now!  And finally, the second round of edits on The TV Detective are underway, and the book should be out roughly on time at the start of February. 

I'm off out for a run now - wearing my hat, naturally... 

It feels like the world is hibernating to me.  The roads, towns and villages have been so quiet, the countryside too, covered in its spread of white. 

It's all been very busy on the news front, which hasn't left much time for writing.  But over the weekend, I've finished the first batch of edits for The TV Detective - one down, one to go! - which should mean we're still on course for the book coming out early next month.

As I write, the snow is falling again in Exeter.  It's been a bizarre few days, and more to come, according to the forecasters. When will it end?

One word of thanks - to all the kind people who've made us welcome, wherever we go, and have provided cups of tea to keep us warm.  I can hardly communicate just how much it's appreciated - thank you!

Firstly, that the new book, The TV Detective satisfactorily answers the questions which have been put to me, about how Dan and Adam met and began working together, and also provides you with some amusement and entertainment in the process.  The edits are just about done and so all looks on track for it to be published in February.

Secondly, that the other next new book of the year in the tvdetective series, The Balance of Guilt, comes together smoothly.  It's now written in outline form and so I can tell you - with reasonable certainty! -  that it's going to be about a terrorist attack, and the first to take the boys outside of Plymouth.  It's due out in September.

Aside from that, my other new year hopes are for the move into ebooks to go well for the series - it'll be interesting to see how ebooks take off this year - and that people enjoy the narrations I've recorded. 

Oh, and a bit warmer weather would be nice too - it's freezing in Exeter this morning!

Wishing you all a fine year...

Apart from a few very pleasant days off, it's also given me a chance to work on the edits of The TV Detective, and I'm enjoying it. 

It's a strange experience, because often, the suggested changes come back from the publishers a good while after you've written the original book, so it's almost like discovering the story anew.  It's been interesting to see how the relationship between Dan and Adam develops, and to follow their first escapades together.

It feels so long ago now that I began sketching out how the pair met, but in fact it's only just a little over five years. So much has happened in that time! 

I hope you'll enjoy the book too. It should help to answer a lot of the questions readers have been asking about how the tvdetective series began.  I think I can promise you the odd surprise or two as well.

Publication date is Feb 1st - provided I keep getting on with these edits!

It's Xmas Eve and I've actually done all the required shopping, I've got a few days off to look forward to, and so I'm feeling relaxed and contented.

The time off has also given me space to come up with a few ideas for new books in the series.  I'll spend some time working on the ideas over the hols and see which shape up into adventures for Dan and Adam. 

In the meantime, wishing you a great Xmas time. Cheers!

I meant what I said about getting in touch to give me feedback about the books - it does help me to learn what readers like and don't like - so please do. 

You can send me your thoughts via the contacts page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

But most of all, I hope you enjoy reading the books over Xmas!

I'll be in the Waterstone's in the High Street from 6.30, signing copies of The Judgement Book, and the other tvdetective novels, The Death Pictures and Evil Valley too.  I'll be very happy to dedicate books to friends, family and loved ones. 

There are details of the signing on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

After that, I must confess I shall be scuttling off to do some Xmas shopping of my own.  Funny how fast it looms up... and how unprepared I always seem to be...

It was heartening to find out how many people had already read either The Death Pictures, or Evil Valley, and now wanted The Judgement Book.  The feedback I get from readers is an invaluable part of the writing process.  It helps no end to find out what you like and don't like, so I can try to improve future books.

A lot of rot is talked about writing - the mystery of creativity, structure and pace, the claim that some are born authors and don't have to try, all that stuff - but I have to say, I see it as a career like many others.  You're not a master carpenter, or sculptor when you start off, you get better by learning.  It's just the same with writing.

So, the feedback helps, and thanks then to all who stopped in for a chat to give me some.  I hope you enjoy the books you bought.  Please do get in touch to let me know what you thought when you've finished them.  You can do so via the contacts page - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

This is one of my favourite parts of the writing process.  It's fairly simple and goes like this - sit down with pad of paper and pen and think of bizarre, strange, quirky, cryptic, original, odd, twisted, insane, double crossing and entertaining plots, combined with a few similarly interesting characters to go in them.

Occasionally, I have to admit, the thinking is assisted by sitting in a pub with a couple of beers.  For inspirational purposes only, naturally.

So, if you see me in a bar, apparently staring into space and lost in the world of dreams, fear not.  It's normal for subject.  Or this subject, at least.

What I particularly like about the ideas phase is that in its initial stages they tend to be really whacky, before finally calming down to something approaching a feasible plot.  I've had a few odd ones over the last couple of days, including one based on ballroom dancing.  I think that was in part inspired by a dream I had when I was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.

And not terribly successfully, either.  A sense of rhythm has always been noticeably absent in my life.

Anyway, what this was all about was that I think the outlines of a new plot are emerging and I'm very much enjoying shaping them up.  Call it an Xmas present to myself! 

I've also managed to come up with a few other thoughts for more strands, plots or sub plots.  So, that was the point of this little ramble of a blog - there's plenty of life left in the tvdetective series yet!

Off to do some more "thinking" now. (Yes, you've rumbled me, it is Friday night so you know what that means).

Right, final point for the moment - don't forget I'm doing a couple of signings in bookshops in the run up to Xmas, so if you'd like a book dedicated to someone for a present, do come along.  There are details on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I've also been asked to do another book signing, so if you'd like a distinctive Xmas present, dedicated to family, friend or loved one, do pop along for your personalised copy of one of the tvdetective books.

There are details of the signings on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

It's probably a tad too early to wish you a Merry Xmas, so instead I'll wish you a successful and relatively stress free run up to Xmas.  Good luck to us all!

It's called The TV Detective, and is the story of how Dan and Adam met and began working together.  It's a reworking of my first fumbling attempts at writing a book, which led to A Popular Murder.  But don't worry if you've read that - the new version is very different.

And better - or at least I hope so!

It's been a real pleasure to write.  There's something curiously entertaining about going right back to the start and meeting all the characters for the first time.  It's almost like time travelling - to a school reunion, being the age you were then, but knowing what you know now.

And I can hardly believe I just wrote that sentence.  Maybe it's because it's a Friday?!

Anyway, back to the point.  The new book's now with the editors.  Given a couple of read throughs and final amendments, most of which I can do when I get some time off over Xmas, all should be ready for publication at the start of February.

I popped into town yesterday to get a sandwich, and Xmas music was trickling - and in some cases blaring - from many a shop.

It appears Dec 1st is the chequered flag for the country to go into full Xmas mode. 

I have given myself an early Xmas present, or at least achievement.  After another long recording session at the weekend, the audio versions of the first three tvdetective books - The Death Pictures, Evil Valley and The Judgement Book - are finally finished.

I feel a tad odd about this.  I thought I'd be relieved - it has been a big chunk of work, and it's remarkable how tiring just talking to a microphone can be - but instead I'm feeling a sort of post-big project emptiness.  It's like a good friend who you've got used to having around has suddenly left your life. 

Even when I wasn't recording before, I was looking through the books to see what came next, what kind of tone and pace to put into the recordings, that sort of thing.  Now I'm just back to thinking about and sketching out possible ideas for new books in the series, and it's not quite so exciting.

Anyway, back to what I was talking about at the start of this blog - as there are now no excuses left, this weekend I'm going to get on with some Xmas shopping.  It's not something I greatly enjoy, or indeed am good at.  The last time I tried to make a start on it, a fortnight ago, I only managed to buy a couple of things for myself.

And lastly, on the subject of Xmas shopping, I've been asked to pop into bookstores to sign some copies of the tvdetective series for presents.  You can find details of the sessions on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

If you too are currently steeling yourself to brave the Xmas shopping time, may I wish us all the best of luck!

I'm delighted to have been able to help raise funds for such a fine cause and wish you all the best of luck in your continuing efforts to renovate the beautiful St Paul's church.

Just one thing - the questions I was asked last night were, without doubt, the oddest I've ever faced after a talk. Despite them haunting my dreams last night, and receiving more due consideration this morning...

No, I still have no idea why dead badgers only seem to be found at the side of the road and not in the middle.  No, I still don't know Dracula.  And to the lady who asked what the time was - it's currently 7.51 on Saturday morning.

Last night may well have provided more inspiration for another book than you realise...

I've not been well - nothing serious (although it felt like it, I can assure you), just an annoying winter cold thing.  Enough though to knock me out for a few days.  I'm still not a hundred per cent - when am I, you might say?! - but I'm feeling much better now, happily.

So, I'm back with news of an event tomorrow night (Fri, 27th Nov) in Barnstaple, north Devon.  I've been invited to give an after dinner speech at a fund raiser to help restore the roof at St Paul's church in Landkey.  It's a beautiful church and a fine cause, which I'm proud to support.

The event is at the Park Hotel, and starts at 7, so if you're in the area and at a loose end, do come along.  I believe there are tickets still available.

I love after dinner speeches, because the audience are always mellow after a few drinks, and I can trot out some of my odder anecdotes.  I think I can promise an entertaining time!

Off now for some more Vitamin C....

An interesting one has just come through - how well do I think I know my characters?

The answer is very well indeed.  I could tell you what Dan and Adam, for example, would think or do in any given situation.  They've become as real and familiar as old friends to me.

For example, here's an odd thing - if I'm sent to cover a story, I'll often have a quiet chat with Dan on the way about how best to report it.  Likewise, when I'm dealing with a crime, I'm quite likely to have a discussion with Adam about who might have committed it, and why.

And here's something even odder.  It's occasionally the case in the books that one of the characters will do something that surprises me.  I won't have planned for it, but they'll go off and decide to act in a way I don't expect anyway. 

I find Adam is the most common culprit for this.  He can be strangely unpredictable.

When it first happened, I worried about it.  How can my characters possibly do something I don't expect?  I'm supposed to be in charge here, after all!

Then I learnt to relax about it, and this is the reason.  I now feel the characters live for me, and that has to be right.  Because if they don't live for me, if I don't really believe in them, they'll never live for you.

Told you it was a good question!  I just hope that was a reasonable - and not too insane - answer.

If anyone else has a question about the tvdetective books, you're very welcome to submit it.  Go to the contacts page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html - and I'll do my best to answer.

Going back many a year now, I did my journalism diploma in Cardiff.  It was that which I suppose started me on the track to becoming a crime reporter and then a crime writer, so I'm very grateful.

Since I first visited the city, I've always loved it.  Such a vibrant and happening place, and very friendly with it.  There's some wonderful countryside around Cardiff too.  Yes, I'm looking forward to returning.

The reason for my visit is that tomorrow (Saturday), I'm in Abergavenny, at the Criminal Intent event, a crime writing festival for the valleys.  I'll be talking about all the tvdetective books, probably reading a little of The Judgement Book, and also letting you know about future books and projects.  There are more details on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

If you're in the area, and fancy an entertaining day, I hope to see you there.

After a couple of mammoth recording sessions, I'm now more than half way through Evil Valley.  The Death Pictures is done, which only leaves The Judgement Book. I'm hoping the set will be complete by the end of November and ready for Xmas.

I've learnt a lesson doing the books - that what might seem for me like an ideal way of spending a day, talking the whole time, and not just that, but words I've written too, isn't quite so straightforward.  It's more like hard work, in fact.  I get very dry and quite tired doing it, but I am enjoying it nonetheless.

It was a big decision, saying I'd do the narration myself.  But I'm so close to my characters, and so fond of them, that I'm not sure I'd be able to trust an actor to get them right, just the way I imagine them.

For those who are interested in what I've discovered, this is the way the maths works out.  Each page takes about 2 mins to read on a rough average.  The books tend to be about 340 pages each.  That should equate to around 12 hours reading time.

But! There are always going to be fluffs - more than a few, if truth be told - and some pages are more full of text and denser to read than others, particularly the ones with lots of description.  That makes it about 15 hours reading time per book. by my estimate.

So, a fair bit of work, but a great opportunity to bring the tvdetective series to a wider audience - particularly those who have difficulties with their sight - and so one I'm relishing.

A quick confession - I have tried to do the voices of a few of the characters as I imagine them. As to how that's come out, I'm making no further comment!

I hope you get the chance to listen to one - or more! - of the books, and enjoy them too.  I have to say, I find the thought of me reading to someone in their favourite chair, or driving, or even lying back in bed, quite surreal...

Well, the interview has been posted on You Tube, so if you want to have a look, here's the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us5VVPyFtA8

The lady interviewing me, Amy, is a local student who's interested in a career in the media.  From how she did grilling me, I'd say she's got a fine future awaiting her!

It's an odd position to be in - very much the tables turned! - being interviewed myself instead of doing the interrogation.  It's also a useful lesson - I must remember to tuck my collar in next time I'm filmed!

I had a great time, and was thoroughly impressed with the cunning plot the Stoke Writers Group came up with. 

I was equally impressed how many people in the audience were so quickly on the trail of the killer, discarding the various red herrings and discerning the true motive with ruthless efficiency.  It's heartening to know we have plenty of fine amateur detectives out there!

Thanks also for your kind reaction to my own scribblings.  I was delighted so many of you had read The Judgement Book, and The Death Pictures and Evil Valley.  It's always good to know your efforts are appreciated!

The event proved so popular that the format for the evening is one I suspect  we'll use again - anything to lift the gloom of these dark autumn and winter evenings - so keep writing those thrillers and mysteries...

I've been asked to come along and host the event, which will be my pleasure.  I've already seen the plot, and it's a cunning one, which I can certainly say is worth trying to work out.  I may even borrow a bit of it for a book one day!  It's all based around Plymouth, and I won't give too much away, but it involves sordid secrets, drugs, sex and lots of other naughty bits too - just my kind of thing!

I'll also be doing a little talk about The Judgement Book, and have been asked to give some tips on how to write a crime thriller and get published.  That has caused me to question what I actually know about the subject!  However, I've scribbled down a few thoughts and will be happily airing them.

The event is tomorrow night (Thurs, 29th Oct), at Stoke Library, and starts at 7pm.  I'm told there's no need to book, just turn up.  Hope to see you there.

I'm pleased - delighted in fact - that you've been almost entirely positive.

It's a nerve wracking time, when the book is first published, people start reading it and coming forward with their views.  In the world of the internet and email, it's so much easier to air your opinions these days.  So much work goes into writing and editing the book, but the real moment - the judgement moment, if you like! - only comes when people start to read it.  To hear about their enjoyment is a wonderful vindication of all the work and very uplifting.  So - thank you!

If you're interested in some of the comments, you can have a look via the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

One more thing to add - I know you're a very polite and kind bunch, from meeting many of you in the talks I do, but I'd just like to say that I don't mind a bit of criticism either.  I count myself very much a newcomer to this writing lark, and comments from readers always help me with how I put together future books.

On the subject ot which, got to get back to just that very thing now.

Wishing you a fine week.

But we're talking Talking Books again, as it were. 

Firstly, an apology for being silent for a while. The reason is that I've got quite a bit on at the moment.  There's the first new book of next year to get sorted, or the initial draft, at least.  It's due in with the publishers by the end of the month, which means it's controlled panic time.

Well, mostly controlled!  Some days more so than others.

More about the new book in future blogs.

The other thing that's been occupying me is preparing to turn the tvdetective series into Talking Books.  I think I've just realised how much work is involved.  From reading a few test pages, and some quick calculations, I reckon it'll take about 15 hours recording time per book.

So, that's 45 hours or so for The Death Pictures, Evil Valley and The Judgement Book in all - or more than a working week!  I shall rule off my weekends for a fair few to come...

But, the important point is that it's flattering to be asked, and I'm delighted the series is to become Talking Books.  Although I have to say, I do find it a surreal thought, the idea of readers driving around in their cars, or lying in bed listening to me.

The other thing I've been doing is preparing a few voices for the characters.  I'm no actor, but I think I should at least have a try at making some of the gang sound the way I imagine them.

It'll be interesting - to say the least - to see if it's the way you imagine them too...

For quite a while now, people have been asking me when the tvdetective series is going to be turned into talking books.  I've come to understand how many folk have difficulties with their sight, or just fancy listening to them as they drive, or curl up to sleep.

I've always been keen to see the series as talking books, but the negotiations have taken quite a while - apologies about that. It's all commerce stuff, of which I understand little.

I also made a rod for my own back.  When I was first asked about adapting the series, I said only if I get to read them, they're my stories, after all!  It was a joke, but...

...that has now come back to haunt me.  I have indeed been asked to become the voice of the tvdetective talking books, and naturally I said yes.  I view it as flattering, and an honour.

It'll take quite a while, as all three books (so far) will be recorded.  The Death Pictures will be first, then Evil Valley, finally The Judgement Book.  But I hope they'll all be available by Christmas, which will be great.

I'm also practising some of the voices to use for the characters - that might be the most interesting (or amusing!) part of all.

Or here, in fact.  So ends my little tour to promote The Judgement Book - I've enjoyed it greatly, but I'm feeling like I need a holiday now!

A big thank you to the kind people of Appledore, who made me so very welcome at the Book Festival.  They take pride in calling it the "friendly festival", and I can certainly see why.  It was a delight to be there.

In fact, many thanks to all who hosted me on my travels.  I hope you enjoyed our meetings, and hope too to see you again in the future when I've completed some more scribblings of the things that some people kindly refer to as books...

As I am, and just heading to Appledore for the Book Festival, to talk about The Judgement Book, and lots of other stuff.

I'm performing at 6pm, if you're interested in an evening out - I think I can promise some reasonable entertainment!

Just agonising over what to wear - I am such a fuss at that.  I'll work something out... it probably won't match, or coordinate, but then I never really got the hang of fashion.

As you may have noticed!

Have a fine weekend, whatever you're doing...

For a relatively new one, it's already secured an excellent reputation.  Appledore is a wonderful place, the people are amazingly friendly and there are some great hostelries to eat and drink.

Thus, I'm very much looking forward to my visit!

If you fancy coming along, I'm performing at 6pm on the Friday (2nd October), and will be talking about The Judgement Book, along with an update on plans for the new tvdetective books for next year.

I imagine I'll probably come out with some of the usual oddball anecdotes too, if pushed... go on, you know you love them!

Wow, I'm tired, but also very pleased.

Lots of people came along to listen to my talks, and thank you all very much for doing so.  Even better, you were most kind - I was heartened by how many people had read the tvdetective books, and how much you said you enjoyed them.

Thank you all.  It helps give me the faith to keep writing.

From now on, I'm doing a few events, here and there - keep an eye out for them on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html 

The main thrust of my work next though, will be the new books for the coming year.  There's also a move on to turn the tvdetective series into talking books.  I'm fully behind that, as I've met many readers now who have asked for them.  More on the project as it pans out.  I think I'll also have a surprise for you about it too!

Finally, if you're free next weekend and looking for something to do, how about a visit to the Appledore Book Festival in north Devon?  I'm there on the Friday (2nd) at 6pm, but there are lots of other interesting events too, and it's a beautiful village.

Excuse me now, I'm going to have a weekend off - I think I deserve it! - hope yours is a good one too.

No talks to give today, the first time that's happened for a while.  But I have been working, honestly. 

I'm off to London tomorrow, for another couple of gigs to help promote The Judgement Book, so I've been writing the talks for those.  I confess to being a bit of a country boy at heart, which means it can be a little nervy for me.  But every time I go out of my Devon homeland to talk to people, they're always very kind - for which I'm most grateful. 

I've also been working on the new books for next year.  I reckon they're coming along fine, although there's still plenty to do.

Still, I'm enjoying it, which makes it very worthwhile - as does the reaction of the people I've been speaking to about the tvdetective series this week.  Thanks to you all!

I was amazed to see so many people - not to mention more than a little nervous about having to do a talk to you all!  But I think the evening went well, and I greatly enjoyed it.  It's always special to do a gig in your home town.

Thanks also to the fine folk of Exeter Library and the Devon Library Service for their support, the Old Porch Band for their music, and the Exeter Brewery for providing such enjoyable refreshments.

I was touched with not only how many people had tried my books, but how much you knew about them. 

I even had to think carefully at a couple of points about answering your questions - some people seemed to know more about the novels than I did!

The tea in Poole was the best cup I've had for ages, the home made cake in Seaton superb, the questioning in Exmouth very fine and fiery, and there was a splendid lunch in Taunton.

So thank you to everyone for organising the events, and for coming along.  I enjoyed them all, and was heartened to meet so many people who had read the tvdetective books, and even more that you enjoyed them!

There are still more events to come.  If you fancy popping along to one, there's a list on the news and events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I'd be very pleased indeed to see you - but don't forget the tea, cakes etc..!

I greatly enjoyed both events.  It's always interesting to talk with readers about what they enjoy and also don't like in books - it helps me learn! - and other authors about what they're working on.

St Ives was stunning in the September sunshine, a real taste of the summer we never had. I treated myself to a naughty Cornish pasty, some local fish and even a Cornish ice cream too, only in the name of aiding the local economy, of course. Delicious the lot!

Thanks too to the organisers of both festivals.  They worked smoothly and efficiently, and were a real pleasure to perform at - I could see how much the people who came along enjoyed themselves.

Sometimes the organisers get forgotten, but they do a great job, so a big thank you to them.

On now with the rest of the Judgement Book tour - I'm off to Taunton, Seaton and Poole today.  Busy, but always entertaining.

I even had time this morning to do some work on the books for next year - yes, I did say books plural!  More of that later...

I very much enjoyed the evening - I've not been to Colyton for ages, and was happily reminded what a beautiful town it is.  I'm flattered so many people came along when it was carnival time and you had the rival attraction of the bingo to draw you away!

From here, on the road, tomorrow to the Reading Crime Festival, then the St Ives Festival, then all over the place!  It promises to be a busy, but fun time. 

If anyone is interested in me coming along to do a talk, do please get in touch via the contacts page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html   I'll do my best to help.

I feel like it's my birthday!

I can now confess, I was more nervous than usual - it was almost all new material, so I was by no means sure how it would go down with an audience.  But the good people laughed, booed and grimaced in the right places, so I think all was well.

Probably most importantly, the reading I gave from Judgement Book seemed to be appreciated and enjoyed.  That's the first time any of the book has been read to an audience, so it was a big moment for me.

It helped to be on home turf too.  All in all, it was a most enjoyable start to the round of gigs I'm doing.  Many thanks to you all for coming along.  For those who bought copies of The Judgement Book, I hope you enjoy it.  Please do get in touch when you've finished it and let me know what you thought. 

Don't forget I'm doing plenty more talks and signings in the next few weeks.  There's a full list on the News and Events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

If there's one near you, and you fancy coming, it'd be a pleasure to see you.

Someone told me yesterday that it was now officially the end of summer.

I'd like them to tell me when it actually began?  Perhaps I missed it?

What it all means for me, apart from getting even wetter and colder when I'm out on the road reporting, is that it's harder to get up in the morning to do some writing.

There's something about the early morning summer light which makes it much easier to rise at just after 6, my usual getting up time.  When we're in the dark and cold wells of the winter, with rain beating at the window, it's not such an appetising prospect.

However! Getting around to the point, as I eventually do, given the demands of my fine publishers, the fair folk at Accent Press, a good lie in bed is not going to be much of an option this winter.

We've just been having a discussion about what they'd like me to produce, in terms of writing, next year.  It's quite a bit, to say the least!

I won't tell you just yet, as it's all still to be finalised - and sorry for being a tease, but you know me! - although I will say this.  It promises to be a very busy year for Dan and Adam.

And that strange chap who writes about them, of course.

I'll let you know more as soon as it's all sorted.

A final thought for this tvdetective post - it's now just four days until the Judgement Book comes out.  I'm getting more excited by the day!  I never got the hang of growing up...

The acknowledgements are the oddest I've ever written.

I can't remember when I wrote them, but I'm wondering if I might have had a drink or two at the time, or was feeling light headed.

They're certainly creative, to put it mildly!

I won't spoil it for you by saying any more, but if you do have a look, I hope you find them endearing, rather than just mad.

Thanks to Amazon, who are kindly offering The Judgement Book at an introductory discount of two pounds off the usual cover price.  If you're interested, you can look it up via the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

My copies of The Judgement Book have just arrived, hence the excitement and the rather odd title for this blog.  It's like being a child on Xmas morning!

It all looks rather good, in my humble opinion.  You never quite know how a book is going to turn out until you hold it.  For all the proofs you get sent of the cover, the only way of really knowing how it'll come out is when you see it.

And I'm very pleased with this one.

That, incidentally, is why I think these electronic book reader things (spot the technophobe) will do ok, but never make old fashioned actual physical books disappear.  There's something about holding a book in your hands, the smell of the paper and the feel of it, plus the stack by the side of your bed, your little personal collection of reading, which is irreplacable - to me at least.

Or is it just me being an old codger?!

The answer is a mix of places.  Some I simply hear or see in the course of this thing called life.  The doctor in the tvdetective series, Silifant for example - I borrowed his name from a firm of undertakers in Exeter, just because I thought it was such a great one.  It felt to me as if it summed up an aged and grumpy medic.  It's odd how some names do that - they seem to describe the person.

I often leaf through the phone book to get a mix of ordinary and more jazzy names - I hope the combination is convincing.  There's such a great range to choose from!

A recent development is that friends have asked for their names to be used.  One old school pal makes it into The Judgement Book as a long dead parish priest.  The slightly worrying part of this is that he wanted to be a madman, or mass murderer!  But he's far too fine a chap for that.

I've also put in a couple of friends who are getting married, as a sort of strange wedding gift.  But before you ask, no, that's not just me being mean - I have bought them a proper present too!

Last thought in this blog - I'm told The Judgement Book is now listed for order on various websites.  If you're interested, do have a look via the books page - www.thetvdetective.com/books.html

Thus, some of today has been spent thinking about what to say!

The good news is that, in the course of my strange life, I think I've accumulated enough to amuse, interest and hopefully even entertain you for an hour or so.

So, if you'd like to know the rather embarrassing reason why I always carefully check the flies of my trousers before a talk, how I've been most severely told off by readers for some of the things I've done in the books, or indeed what plans there are for future tvdetective adventures, do please come along to one.

There's a list of all the events on the news page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Hope to see you there!

The answer is that I don't have to.  I enjoy writing immensely and think of it as my hobby.  The fact that people seem to enjoy it too, and want to know more about the adventures of Dan and Adam just makes it even better. 

I don't even set myself a target of how many words to write in a day or a week.  I've found that to be counterproductive.  It puts me under pressure, which is a sure way to scare off any creativity or inspiration.  I just try to relax and let it flow.

It's a tough lesson to learn, but writing is a fickle mistress.  Some days it just works easily and I can write good sections of a book with little real apparent effort.  On other days the muse simply refuses to come, and she can be very obstinate.  Those are the most difficult, and used to leave me frustrated.  Nowadays I've come to accept they happen and can walk away, knowing that the next day will be different.

Or hopefully anyway!

Where I have had to discipline myself is in writing thetvdetective blog.  It's new to me - I'm rather old media, when it comes to technology - so I've had to try to set aside time for it in my writing week.  I'm hoping I've just about got the hang of it now and am enjoying it - I think it makes for a good way of having a conversation. 

And finally for this posting, as for the people who keep asking me about what happens in The Judgement Book, you'll have to be patient!  It's less than a month until it comes out now...

It's all in preparation for the launch of The Judgement Book.  I'm rather fond of the book's cover, which now dominates the site's banner, and I hope you like it too.  It strikes me as attention grabbing, something that should be easily spotted on a shop bookshelf, and nicely in keeping with the TV camera theme of The Death Pictures and Evil Valley.

Large amounts of work goes into the book jackets, with ideas and drafts often going back and forth between the designers, the publishers and myself for several weeks, until finally we come up with something we all like.  No wonder it can be a long process!

The final edits on The Judgement Book are now done and it'll be off to the printers in a couple of days.  Which means my copies should be coming through in a week or two.  Which, in turn, for me is a jolly exciting moment.  This is the point at which all the work finally feels like it's come to fruition.  A real book!  At last...

Thus!  It looks like the Crime Writers Association will be holding another event next year, and this time it may grow - 7 fold to be exact.  So as not to tie writers and readers down to one particular day, next year it will probably become a Crime Fiction Week.  For those who want to get a flavour of what it was like this year, have a look at the archives section of the news page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html 

Next year, we're hoping for more events, and more variety in the things we do; signings, talks, maybe even writing workshops and other educational activities.  I'll keep you posted.

One more thing to mention.  I don't normally do this, as it's quite personal, but I think you'll understand why on this occasion.  Excuse me if I'm out of touch for a few days, but I'm off to Jersey for a wedding.

It's the union of one of my longest standing friends, John Ayres, to his wonderful partner Emma Ruminski.  I first met John when I went to university, all those years ago, where he was the radio station manager.  It was he who encouraged me to get involved in journalism, which in turn led to me becoming a writer.

So, as you can see, I owe him a great deal, and I'm very much looking forward to being there for his happy day.  All the very best to a delightful couple!

The letterbox creaked and the doorstep thudded with the final version of the manuscript earlier this week.  My poor postman must hate me, with all the weight he has to lug around on my behalf, but that's by and by.  The important thing is that we're almost there with having it ready for publication.

I'm about half way through this last read through, and still finding the odd little typo, spelling or punctuation error. I was thinking how remarkable/annoying that is following so much work - after writing the book, I usually go back over it four or five times myself to tighten it up or amend the odd bit or two.  Then it goes to the publishers for their scrutiny, read throughs and suggested amendments - then back to me for the final read throughs and signing off.

And after all that, I'm still finding little mistakes!  Mind, I was wondering if any book had ever been published without at least one little error in there, be it a missing speech mark, or missing or repeated word, or whatever - perhaps not so surprising when you consider most books are over a hundred thousand words - but I'm meandering againg, so back to the point.

The Judgement Book is nearly done and ready for publication!  Just five weeks now... I'm very pleased with how it's all shaping up, and looking forward greatly to my little tour of the libraries and literary festivals which have been kind enough to invite me along.

And if you're wondering what I'm talking about - and my friends do say that's a familiar feeling - I've been asked how many more books I think I can write about the adventures of Dan and Adam.

The answer is quite a few.  Just about everywhere I go I carry my little silver pocket notebook, for handy jottings down when an idea bites - and they can do so at the oddest of times.  These thoughts can be tiny, like a little mannerism for a new character, or an observation on a piece of architecture or scenery, or they can be far grander, like a potential new plot.

So, in answer to the question, I've been having a quick look through the notes, and I think there are outline ideas for at least another half dozen books there, and possibly even more.  The reason I can't be precise is that sometimes I find I have an idea, get myself all excited about it, then start to work it up as a plot and find it doesn't have quite enough to it to make a book.  So about, kind of approximately, roughly half a dozen is the best I can manage in terms of the answer.

It is remarkable how one single idea can carry a book if it's strong enough - I'd say that was the case with Death Pictures, the whole novel revolving around that strand of the riddle, what the answer was, and what it all meant.  Sometimes the characters themselves can carry a book, as with Evil Valley and how it's dominated by the person we're hunting - I won't name them in case you haven't read it - don't want to spoil it for you!

As for The Judgement Book, all I'm saying is that what carries it is probably a mix of some of the new characters you're about to meet (along with those you already know, of course) and the plot too, but in this case it's a little different, as it's the first time I've made a character of something inanimate - the Judgement Book itself.

6 weeks to go until it's released - and I have to confess, I'm getting a little excited about it...

Many thanks to all who came to the event in Plymouth yesterday.  I had a splendid time meeting you, and doing what many observers seem to think this writer / broadcaster enjoys the most, that is, naturally, talking about himself.

I'm glad to see the Samaritans' 24/7 campaign to raise awareness of their work got plenty of media and community interest, as indeed it should.  The fine and invaluable service they provide is well worth taking note of, and I was delighted to be involved.

I know plenty of people will be struggling to keep children entertained over the long summer hols, so I've made sure it'll be child friendly, should you want to bring youngsters along.

I've just about finished writing the talk - although I always find I manage to ambush / waylay / distract myself with a few digressions along the way - and I've got quite a fresh new things to tell you about, whether it's the new book or some of my escapades over the past few months.

Copies of my books will be on sale, courtesy of the kind folk at Waterstone's, which I'll be very happy to sign for you.

I'm looking forward to it - although I always get a little nervous before these things! - and I'd be delighted to see you there.

Have a look, and if there's one near you and you fancy coming along, please do, I'd be delighted to see you.  I've got quite a few new stories to share!

It promises to be a busy, but entertaining couple of weeks.  Thanks to everyone who's been kind enough to invite me to come and do an event, I'm very much looking forward to it. 

Apart from being a refreshing rest, it's helped me to work up some ideas for new books.  I don't mean to be a tease, but I think I've got the outlines for a couple now, although no more details at the moment - I'm still simmering the ideas to see how they come along!

It also gave me time to work on the talks I'll be doing to support The Judgement Book, when it comes out on Sept 7th.  Only 7 weeks now...

If you've come to one of my talks before, then I'm afraid that's not going to be an excuse for not coming along to one of the new ones.  I've got lots of fresh stuff to tell you about, which I hope will at least be mildly entertaining! The list of dates will be going up on the site in the next few days. 

Finally, on the subject of which, please don't forget the talk I'm doing to support the Samaritans in Plymouth next week (Fri 24th July, 2pm at the Theatre Royal).  They're a great bunch who do some wonderful work, so the more people who turn out to support them the better.  I'd be very grateful and pleased to see you there.

The start can often be just one simple basic idea - as with the riddle of the Death Pictures - and the rest of the book then gets built around that.  It's fairly similar with Evil Valley, as that too is built on one central premise, the man who's gone badly off the rails and what that then means for the people who come into contact with him.

After the initial idea I sketch out sub plots, to give the book pace and variety, thoughts on what new characters I'll need, and what they'll be like, and what's going on in the lives of the usual gang, Dan, Adam, Claire El, Lizzie and all. Combine that together and you've got the ingredients for a book.

Then comes the skelton, or structure.  I write down pages of notes about what will happen to start with, how the story will progress and then ultimately end.  Around that evolve the sub plots and the characters' lives, but with a mind to always work back towards that skeleton of the narrative.

However!  There is an oddity to all this - I've never yet written a book which has followed my planned structure entirely.  Things tend to happen as you write which you don't expect, and can lead the book off in odd direction - it's usually the characters which cause this little problem.

And so arises an interesting / worrying question.  If they're my characters, and I'm supposed (nominally, at least) to be in charge of what's going on, how come they seem to manage to live for themselves and end up doing their own thing.

And to that, despite many hours of thought, as with many of the strange things that go on in my head, I still have no answer...

I'm doing a little talk and book signing in the Oxfam Bookstore, in South St, Exeter, on Saturday (11th) at 4pm.

It's part of Oxfam's Bookfest campaign, to help raise money to alleviate poverty around the world.

It's a great cause, so if you can come along, please do.  I'd be delighted to see you.

It makes quite a thud, coming through the letterbox, and I have to confess, has me scampering for the door to get it, not to mention clawing at the packaging to open.

It's the old "Child at Xmas" syndrome - some things we never grow out of!

Seeing the book properly set up and formatted, albeit in loose leaf form, is quite a thrill.  I can now reveal it goes on for 329 pages, and I'm already almost half way into the read through.

This is more like a detailed examination than a leisurely read - I'm looking for any spelling or punctuation errors, missing words, things like that.  Following this, we do yet another read through (both myself and the publishers), then we're set to get the thing out there.

All is still on track for Sept 7th.

Back to the reading then...

It's at the Theatre Royal, in Plymouth, on Friday, 24th July, at 2pm.  There's more on the events page - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

I'm just working on the talk now.  For those of you who have suffered my rantings before and thus are weighing up whether to come along then fear not - I can promise you some fresh anecdotes from my strange life, plus an insight into my new novel, The Judgement Book, which is published on Sept 7th.  By the time of the talk, the final edits should be done and the book ready to go - or so I hope.  I'll update you on the day!

There'll also be copies of my previous books on sale, which I'll be very happy to dedicate for you. My publishers have kindly provided some freebie bookmarks to hand out too - call it your reward for sitting through one of my talks!

As you'll probably know from the books, Dan has a tendency to depression, which has led him to some very dark corners in life.   It's for him, and the countless many like him that the Samaritans are always there, ready to listen but never judge.

I'm extremely proud to be supporting them.

I walked past the store one evening at the weekend, going into town with some friends, and lo!  There was piled a load of my books, plus a picture of your truly leering out from the window.

Apart from frightening the children, it also caused much amusement amongst said friends.

Not to mention much embarrassment for me.

As if it isn't bad enough seeing myself on the TV...

However!  I am, of course, very grateful to Oxfam for their support, and am much looking forward to the event.  If you're about in Exeter that Saturday (4pm) please come along.  Oxfam do wonderful work in trying to relieve poverty across the world, so I'd .like to try to raise as much money as possible. 

Aside from a little chat from me, there'll be lots of copies of my books to sell, which I'm very happy to dedicate to whoever you like for a small extra contribution to Oxfam...

It's well timed as I'm just in the middle of that stage at the moment.

How it starts is with just a single idea.  It can be for a character, as with Evil Valley and the viciously embittered Mr Gibson, or it can be for a plot, or just a quirk of how it works, as in the central theme of riddle of The Death Pictures.  Whatever, just one decent idea can be enough to construct a whole book around. 

It's one of those odd things, like some have said about arthritis, or love - you only truly believe in them when you have them.  It''s the same with an idea - you only really know it's a decent one when it bites you. 

So, this is how it goes.  I have the idea, and from there I nurture it.  I work other ideas around it, maybe a sub plot, perhaps a twist or a character or series of characters.  I write them down longhand on a big pad and then play around with them all, to see how they can interact or develop in the stages of a book. 

I like my books to have plenty of pace and variety, to keep you interested and guessing what's going on, so I have to build in lots of developments or surprises.  I hope I'm doing that ok!

I keep on building on the basic idea - almost baking it in fact is the way I think of it - a process which can take several months - until I'm sure I've got the skeleton, or structure of the book worked out - and only then will I start writing.

Most of my books are around 110 thousand words, so it needs that kind of momentum, built up over quite a period of time, to carry me through writing them...

That's one of the greatest differences between the worlds of publishing and journalism.  In publishing, there are lead up times of anything up to two years for a book, and sometimes even more.  In journalism a story breaks and you just go cover it.  A lead up time is a rare luxury!

Anyway, as I was saying, next year.  A new book has been ordered, which is great to know - it makes me feel I must be doing something right!  The problem now of course is waiting for the elusive concept called inspiration.

And it can feel like a long and frustrating wait...

However!  The good news is that I think the idea thing for the new book has finally decided to grace me with an appearance, and it's shaping up nicely.  It'll be another tvdetective adventure, but probably the most difficult, and possibly most shocking case that Dan and Adam have come up against so far. 

I won't give away too much at this stage - not least because I'm not entirely sure how it's all going to come out myself! - but I think there might well be a terrorism theme to it...

I think we're now looking at about 20 events across the country, a fine assortment of crime writers giving talks and doing book signings. 

I'm told events will be listed on the Crime Writers' Association website, so do have a look there to see if there's one near you to come along to.  Your support would be much appreciated - it's a great cause.

I've talked a little in my blog about when I write, now I'm asked about where.

The answer is just about anywhere. I suspect it's to do with my journalist's background, but I can write in almost any place without being distracted by what's going on around me.  One of my favourites is on the train.  I like watching the countryside trundling past, getting ideas from the scenery and the places I pass.  And one of the richest sources of characterisation is my fellow travellers.  A few minutes looking around can always give me an idea for some quirks to give to characters, the sort of tiny human traits that can make a person rise from the paper and feel properly alive.

For much the same reason I also like to sit in pubs, jotting down ideas. Thus I can categorically deny I'm only there for the beer!

But my most common workplace is my study.  It's in the loft of the house, has a lovely skylight which looks out over Exeter, and is great for prompting creativity.  The room itself is just a chair and a desk on which I put my laptop, a stereo system for a little background music, my stack of vinyl from my younger days (yes, I am that old fashioned), plies of cuttings and sheets of papers filled with ideas, and a soft chair, to sit and think.

It's such a pleasant space I have been known to fall asleep up there...

It looks like being a fortnight of events in the middle of September.  I'll be at the Reading Crime Festival, the St Ives Festival in Cornwall, and the Appledore Festival, along with quite a few talks and signings at libraries.

All the details will be posted on the site as they're confirmed.  Please do come along to an event near you.  I still count myself very much a newcomer to this writing business, and audience feedback helps me greatly.

I'm very much looking forward to the tour - and have even started shaping up a few new anecdotes to tell...

The Crime Writers' Association is joining forces with Oxfam to do a series of events at Oxfam bookstores around the country.  Well known authors will be giving talks and doing signings as part of the two weeks of the Oxfam Bookfest.

I'm delighted to have been invited to take part - I'll be at the Oxfam Bookstore in Exeter on Saturday, July 11th.  There are more details on the events page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html

Please do come along!  I hope we get lots of people there to raise money for a great cause.

Good question!

The answer is that I tend to do the bulk of my actual writing in the morning.  I get up most days about six, which means I can usually put a couple of hours in before being scrambled to a story. Combine that with a few hours at the weekend, and it's remarkable how quickly you can build up a book.

In the evening, I'm usually too tired to do any actual writing - after a long day, the thought of sitting at a computer isn't entirely attractive - but I find it a great time to outline the next stages of a plot, along with the quirks of any characters who we're going to meet.  I'll usually just crash out on the sofa, put some relaxing music on, lay back and think.

Some days it comes easier than others!  At the moment, it's going nicely, which I suspect is because of the long and light days.  Sunshine can be such a fine catalyst for creativity.

That's fine by me.  If you do have any questions, just get in touch via the contacts page on the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html  and I'll see what I can do to answer them - as honestly as possible, within the bounds of taste and decency!

I'm just starting the final edits of The Judgment Book now.  If I'm honest, this is not by any means my favourite part of the writing process.  I like building up ideas, letting them grow, then setting them all down in the first draft of a new book.

Now, this might well sound daft, but although I already know what's going to happen (at least in theory) it can feel like I'm also reading the story as I go along.  Sometimes I even get frustrated at the slow pace of my writing because I want to know what happens next!

Odd, eh?!  But that's how it is with me.

Anyway, as I was saying, that means the editing process sometimes feels like lots of quibbling over the dots and commas of precise punctuation, but I know it's important and has to be done, so if you'll excuse me, I'll be getting back to it...

I have been doing some writing work - promise! - and also sorting out a few of the details of the round of events I've kindly been invited to as part of the promotion of The Judgement Book. It's looking like an exciting few weeks are in prospect, with visits to Reading, St Ives, Taunton and Appledore, amongst others. 

I'll make sure the details of events are posted on the site as they're confirmed. If there's one in your area, please do come along.  It's always a pleasure to meet folk who have read the books.  Feedback helps me no end.  I still count myself as very much a newcomer to this writing lark, and any thoughts or ideas you have are most welcome.

They might even find themselves incorporated in a future book!

Huh!

However... all is now fixed (until the next error message pings up, naturally) so I shall renew my relationship with modern life, and blog on, as it were.

So - the new novel, The Judgement Book, is just about done.  I've seen the cover and it looks great, another TV camera style image.  I won't say any more so you can judge for yourself when it comes out.

The book is released on Sept 7th.  The next few weeks will be taken up with the minor edits, all punctuation and grammar issues, which may sound small but can take up plenty of time and cause more than a few arguments.  

As for the plot, it's a story of sordid secrets, a bit of sex, some corruption, lawbreaking and blackmail, and the first case in which Dan and Adam find themselves personally involved - at great risk to their very futures...

It's been great fun writing!