Abigail Thorne

Out in nature: A resolution

Is it a failed walk or a successful day out? You decide.

This is a story about failure and eventual success. (Kind of) so I’ll start with an explanation and a resolution.
About eight years ago, I discovered I had a back problem. Not unusual as we get older, but to cut a long story short, I very quickly began to lose mobility, and normal tasks started to become difficult if not impossible.
The problem was that my whole life at the time revolved around my being physically fit. We have four acres of land and a very old rambling farmhouse, doth of which need constant maintenance. At the time, we also had animals who needed looking after. Steve worked as an English teacher; I looked after the animals and the veg garden.
As my condition worsened, my world shrank, and the house and the garden both started to look shabby. We still have a dog and a cat, but other than that, the animals have gone, and our veg patch is down to a couple of beds. Two years ago Steve retired, and since then we have brought a bit of order back into our lives, thank goodness. Things are better, but my frustration has grown. I want to be out there, but I also realise that I have become complacent, accepting I can’t do things rather than searching for new ways to reach my goals.
For me, two good things came out of this sudden disability, though hate to describe it as a disability, as there are so many people with less mobility than I have.

I started writing and found my passion in life, and the medical treatment I have received has been excellent so the inevitable chronic pain is under control. But my mobility is still limited, and I still miss hiking, days out in the mountains, and my garden.
This year I have promised myself that I am going to push that mobility to the limit and see what I can still do and whether I can find a new way of doing things I used to do without a thought.
Last year I had an operation on my eye and afterwards realised that some of the fear of falling (because of my condition, I can not stand up straight, affecting balance) came from a loss of depth perspective because of my eye condition. This has given me more confidence to try new things.
Sorry for the long list of my health problems and the brackets. I was trying to keep the explanation short, but I felt you needed to know the background before I tell you my failed walk story, and to explain why there might be more of these stories as the year goes on, I will fail often, before I find a way forward, the hard part will be to keep going.

Here in Spain, the sixth of January is a bank holiday, King’s Day, the day when children receive their presents. Christmas doesn’t end until after Epiphany. We decided to go for a walk, so I looked on Google Maps to find somewhere new to visit and found an eleven kilometre walk, of which a section of four kilometres is wheelchair friendly.
Meaning I should be able to take my rollator (walking frame with outdoor wheels).
I should have looked at the photos then. If I had not, we might never have set off, and that would have been a shame because we ended up having a lovely day.
We woke up that morning to the coldest morning of the winter and wet, sleety snow. I was determined that we weren’t changing our plans, so we packed our picnic and our little camping stove and set off.
As we drove up into the mountains, the sleet changed into proper snow, and we drove into the cloud, so we couldn’t see much.
The Mammoth statues loomed out of the mist in front of us. on the right hand side of the road. They are magnificent even covered in snow.
The route we had planned is called the Route of the Mammoth. It should have started further along the road and taken you to two ancient castors or settlements, both part excavated, and then past these statues. The weather was closing in, so we parked by the statues to get a closer look.
According to the information. In 1961, workmen in the nearby limestone quarry found bones and teeth of Mammoths proving for the first time that giant mammoths roamed Galicia. The sculptures are based on that find.
It was snowing hard, so after taking some photos; We found the path next to the sculptures, abandoning the idea of doing the complete route because the weather was so bad. We started our walk there. That was my next mistake I didn’t check that it was part of the wheelchair – friendly section.

I took this picture in the summer, which explains the “hat” I have included it so you can imagine my wheels

It was hard going; the snow wasn’t cold enough, and kept getting stuck in my wheels, and where the sun hit the path, the snow had melted and refrozen a few times and there was a thin layer of snow and deep mud underneath. In the shade, ice had formed under the snow. I was determined to keep going, so I ploughed on for about five hundred metres, at which point the gradient, which had been a gradual downhill slope suddenly got steeper, I was exhausted by that time by pushing my wheels through the snow, I should have brought two sticks instead. I looked down the slope of the path and realised that if I did get down, there was no way I would make it back up. Reluctantly, I turned back, feeling bad for Steve because it meant he couldn’t go either.

I can’t believe there is no visible snow on this photo. It was everywhere. I had to wipe snow off my camera before I took it.

The climb back to the mammoths was tough, but the views through the mist were great. There was that strange dead silence you get in snow, and the mist was rolling in and out, making the place look mysterious and magical, and the intermittent snow and sunshine covered everything with glittery Christmas fairy lights. Even though the weather stopped us, I felt as though it offered a consolation prize of the sheer beauty of the scene once we were away from the road.
I promised myself to return in better weather.
We could have had our lunch by the sculpture, but we both had wet feet. (Third mistake: I should have put walking boots on. I have a pair even though it’s been a while since I used them.)
We drove downhill to the reservoir, out of the snow, and sat in the winter sunshine at a picnic table and ate sandwiches and soup looking out over the water. It was silent and calm and way too tame.
I had another minor victory; the soup was homemade packet soup made of our own veg. I experimented a bit in the summer with dehydrated meals, and this was the first we’d tried on a picnic. It was a successful venture, and I will make more ready meals if we continue with these adventures.

So what is the moral of this brief story?
Better preparation for sure, twice as much as I have needed to do in the past.
Better gear. Limited mobility means I have to be waterproof and warm even on short, easy walks. I am slower, need more rest stops, and can’t run back to the car.
Keep trying. We had a magical day and enjoyed every minute. The only exception was the moment I had to admit defeat on the walk.
Build fitness, the stronger I am, the better it is, because everything takes more effort than it used to.
I have plans for the future, nearer to home, to car camp further away and try some more walking routes, so watch this space.
On a more serious note; Being out in the wild gives me inspiration for writing. In the summer, I often sit in one of the fields near my village to clear my head and let it fill with stories.
I don’t always write about it because it seems tame compared with watching the sunset on the top of a mountain. A challenge for me is a bit on the naff side for others, but we all need to get out, and we all need to overcome challenges, so at least we have that in common.

Resolutions or Not?

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I always have done in the past simply because I like to start the new year with a plan. I like the idea of a fresh start, that whatever happened last year is past and that the best is still to come.
That last sentence has become more important as I have reached and sailed past retirement age. Too many of my friends want to live in the past; too many of the next generation want to put me in the past, but I still want to live my best life. I don’t want to hang around waiting to die; I want to live while I have life left in me.
The thing that convinced me to make a list of resolutions is in the photo above. A bench overlooking a reservoir. The footpath was empty; there were no cars on the road, and we walked in companionable silence for an hour or so. I’m slow, I need walking aids, but I have never stopped loving walking amongst the trees.

The birds, twittering or startled by my arrival, the wind rustled the leaves so that the trees seemed to whisper to each other. The glint of water in the distance adds to the magic. Then we came across the seat, I wished we’d bought a flask of coffee or the little gas stove so that we could stop for a while and dream our dreams with a hot drink. If I want more of those moments in my life, I am going to plan to have them.

The wood burner in our sitting room is broken; the fix is not straightforward, and we have struggled to find a builder with time to do the job. We have a gas fire that uses bottled gas meant for emergencies. It is no substitute for the fire.This situation has gone on for a long time.
Over Christmas we had promised ourselves a couple of weeks doing nothing much, so the heating situation suddenly became an issue. I, of course, reacted to this with childish petulance, complaining that it was too cold to sit around. I bundled myself in blankets and complained if I needed to move for any reason.
Steve forced me into the car. He told me to work or to come for a walk. Of course, he didn’t say that so bluntly. He is much more understanding than that, but the implication was there.

We went to a local reservoir and had to ourselves and then went for a late lunch. Needless to say, the world was a better place when we returned, and I knew I needed to get out more often. In fact, I knew I needed plans, with a Plan B when Plan A failed.
Once motivated, we found solutions for the heating and looked for someone who could install a new fireplace. We both felt better; the cold doesn’t seem as bad when it’s back to being temporary. I am back in my warm study working, but we will spend time together when the fire is fixed.
I need New Year’s resolutions so I can control my life and not be defeated by circumstances, and I am accountable if they are here and published. The next problem is what resolutions to settle upon.
The problem in the past has been unrealistic expectations. Getting thin and running a marathon, for example, I long for both. The first has been on my list for 40 years, and it’s never happened, and since I need a walker for any distance of 500 metres or more, the second is unlikely. Write a novel every month and earn a million euros, likewise this is theoretically possible but would need some kind of miracle to achieve. Those are the type of resolution I am determined to get rid of.
So this year I have made a pre-New Year resolution to be practical and to set achievable goals, including those involving less productive work, not more. I am planning for moments when I have time to stand and stare.

Resolutions

Writing,
Finish my current WIP and complete the next book on my list. “I am nervous about that as it is not a crime novel. More about that in the future.
Improve the formatting and create the hardbacks of the Camino Murders series. Put them into Amazon’s virtual voice audio. More about that in a future blog.
Learn to make short videos
Blog more frequently simply by planning them in advance.
Gradually increase marketing efforts.

Health and fitness and home life
Go for a walk five times a week, and make at least one of those walks include a place that I can stop for coffee and fill my mind with the sounds of nature, and sight of God’s creation.
Lose the weight I have put on over Christmas (I haven’t checked, I am assuming a weight gain.) plus 5 kilos. This is because my blood pressure is a bit too high and will mean I can avoid taking more tablets. It is not an attempt to be thin for vanity’s sake. That was never on the cards.
Spend more time gardening, and less time writing. I hope this can be achieved by organising my time better, not by racing around like a mad thing. There is something magical about having your hands in the soil, and that’s when I get the ideas for stories or solve plot problems.
We have been experimenting with planning meals and cooking only once a week. We cook everything from scratch, which is time-consuming, and sometimes time constraints mean we don’t make healthy choices. With a plan in place, the hard work and thinking is done. This means that either of us can get meals ready, and it frees up my time.
One day-trip a month even if the weather is vile. Putting it on the calendar and then going whatever else comes up.

Hobbies and Crafts
Finish all WIPs
Clear my mending, recycling pile.
There is a year’s work in those; no need to add anything else.

That is it for now if I think of anything more, I’ll edit it in.
What about you? Do you have resolutions if so why. If you don’t, why not?

Christmas Traditions

Christmas has officially started in our house, or it will when Steve arrives back from his Spanish lesson. We are cooking today — some lovely treats — for our Christmas break. Of course, we are retired, so maybe Christmas break is a misnomer, but it doesn’t feel like that for us. It feels like a holiday, a change in routine, where we don’t worry about healthy diets or financial budgets or things that need fixing.
Here in Spain, Christmas it a quieter affair than in the UK, more church and family oriented, with a family meal on Christmas Eve and a quiet family holiday on Christmas Day. The big celebration and the commercial one in the past was Epiphany on the 6 of January or Kings Day, when the children get their presents.
That’s changing, though. American TV, the reliance on tourism and a need to boost sales in midwinter mean that more and more towns are making more of the Christmas season. Starting earlier, and going bigger, and having light displays and Christmas markets. Christmas seems to last forever now because no one can give up the Epiphany celebrations.
Historically, in Britain at least, Christmas started on Christmas Day and ended on January 5, the day before Epiphany — the twelve days of Christmas. A Christian celebration that joined together existing and much older festivals. It was the main or only holiday for workers and was eagerly anticipated.

Overlaying that are family and community traditions. Our family traditions have changed over the years. We always put the decorations up on the weekend after Steve’s birthday, that hasn’t changed. When the children were small, Steve and the boys put them up together, a kind of boys thing.with each other competing for the most interesting homemade ornaments and later for the most garish anti-themed Christmas trees. Steve still puts everything up, even now that the boys have their own families. He misses those times. He loved playing Santa, making up stockings and organising gifts.

My job was cooking, and it still is. Steve’s parents always came on Christmas Day. So I always planned a big meal. They loved to see the boys’ open presents, and they loved to play games with them in the afternoon when we were tired and too full of food to do much. Steve’s mum always thought there was too much of everything and she was right, of course. There was, but that was the point. We were a not particularly well off family and it was the one time of year when we could, with good conscience, have too much. Besides it meant we could invite other guests, single friends or people who for some reason weren’t having a family Christmas that year, I didn’t look for extra people but often found myself inviting friends who told me the would be on their own and I loved it the more the merrier.
For several years, a group from our church cooked a Christmas dinner on Christmas Day for anyone who would otherwise be alone. That was a lovely tradition to be part of, and it was something I was able to give. Most the year we were too busy and too cash-strapped to be as generous as I would have liked.
Another tradition that started with the children and that we still follow is watching terrible films. Not the big Christmas hits, although we watch those as well. But sentimental romances. You know the kind of thing; a big-city girl discovers small-town magic and the man of her dreams. Cheesy, I know, but somehow it adds to the magic. I crochet, and Steve does a jigsaw while we watch.

That’s another tradition of mine: a Christmas craft project to get on with while we watch TV. I have to confess that I don’t always finish these Christmas projects because by the time the new year comes around I have so many plans I can not possibly get them all done. My last year’s project is still sitting on my study shelf waiting for me to finish it. Perhaps my New Year’s resolution will be to finish everything I’ve started.

This afternoon I’m making herb and spice mixes. Mixed spice for a fruitcake, a herb mix for stuffing, flavoured butter to go under the turkey and herbs to mix into the stuffing. Maybe even a mix for mulled wine. (Last minute evening edit: I have a mug of mulled wine in my hand a great success.) I was thinking about it last night as sleet was flinging itself against the skylights in my study.
Boxing Day has its own traditions, of course. We always breathe a sigh of relief that the frantic stressful bit (Self imposed and I always want that part) was over and we had a family day. Left over Turkey with chips for lunch and lots of playing games and watching films and a boxing day walk when the boy’s were older they often played football so the walk would be Steve and I. Boxing day was always my favourite day because the pressure was off and could relax.

Typical family traditions here in Spain differ from typical UK events, I expected that but when we moved here, I was surprised to discover that only British people enjoy Christmas pudding, mince pies, Christmas crackers, and Boxing Day, as people of other nationalities have never heard of them. I made mince pies for my neighbours when we first came; they appreciated the sentiment far more than the pies.
Here, El Gordo, the lottery, is part of the tradition. The draw is today, the 22. Families buy each other tickets, and the draw takes all day. It is one of the most-watched TV shows in Spain, and it has a theatre-style production. For weeks, people will ask each other if they had won anything, or knew anyone who did.
We are not lottery-type people, but we buy a ticket now. so that we can be a part of the conversation; it has helped us to integrate. Our neighbours sometimes give us a ticket as a Christmas gift, and they tell people we are OK because we do El Gordo and we eat pulpo. (Octopus.)
What are your traditions? Have they changed over the years? Let me know in the comments and, above all else, have a very blessed Christmas and a hopeful new year.

A Rainy Day out in the mountains

We always celebrate birthdays in our house, sometimes extending the celebration over days or even a week. Small pleasures have replaced expensive gifts. A day at the beach or in the mountains, an enjoyable meal out. Time to read books or do jigsaws, and eat chocolate or treats — anything that breaks up our normal routine.
Steve’s birthday is extra special because it marks the start of the Christmas season. We wait to decorate the house, buy presents, or shop for Christmas food until after celebrating his birthday. The anticipation makes up for the miserable weather, which is almost inevitable.

When we set out not a glimpse of sunshine brightened the day. Rain bounced off the lane as we walked to the car and I was already cold by the time the heater kicked and dried our clothes. Had it not been a birthday treat we might well have changed our minds.
The friend who recommended the restaurants raved about the spectacular views as well as the food. We set out early, planning to stop in Samos for a coffee on the way.
Samos is a pretty village with a giant monastery. It is on the Camino de Santiago and summer it buzzes with people. The tables from bars and cafes line the narrow streets. Today, on a cold wet winter morning, it was deserted and the cafes on the main road were shut up tight.

On a better day, we would have stopped and walked along the river path, admiring the Monastery gardens and the stone cottages set against the browns and golds stretching up the sides of the narrow valley to the mountains beyond. The rain bouncing off the car bonnet and the whirr of the wipers fighting the constant downpour encouraged us to drive on through.
Once past the village, we turned right, steadily climbing into the mist. The rain slackened, but as it did, the cloud descended. The road was surprisingly good many roads here are single track, and covered with-rain filled dips and hollows. This was wide and smooth and completely deserted. The occasional house came into view, but in the mist there was nothing to see but trees or the gorse bushes that line the moors.

Driving into the cloud

The photos don’t do justice to the strange shadowy shapes looming out of the mist or the deadness of the sound as we wound upwards.

We came upon the restaurant suddenly, positioned on a roundabout in the middle of nowhere. Steve slowed the car.

“We are early,” he said “The table is booked for half past, but the the dining room won’t be open yet.”

There were cars, the first we had seen since Samos, so we could have had a drink and waited in the bar.

The sky had cleared, or maybe we were now above the cloud. I wanted to see where we were and get a sense of what the area was like. I had felt rather than seen the magnificence of the scenery around us and wondered why we had never ventured here before now.
The mountains rolled on, the colours only getting more and more impressive. The mist cleared enough for us to see the winding road ahead twisting and turning into another valley.

We turned around about halfway down and returned up the steep slope to the restaurant. The parking area was already full, so we took the last space and went inside. A stone by the roadside told us we were 1100 meters above sea level. And I wished once again that we could see the view.

It was the kind of place that travel writers or video makers love. A cosy bar with a fire, and a group of men playing cards round a table in one corner. The man at the bar showed us the dining room at the back. Another fireplace dominated the room with a large open grill beside it. The walls were stone, and the dark wooden tables packed closely together. Was the same colour as the beams that stretched across the ceiling. The waitress, who we later found out was the owner, led us to a table by the radiator. I was grateful for the cold air, and driving rain outside. I faced the grill but was too far away to feel its heat.

Only one other table was occupied, but that changed quickly; by the time our starters arrived, every table was taken. I was the only woman other than the waitress. Not that unusual here and often a sign that the meat is good and the portions generous. I wondered where they all came from we had just driven eight kilometres from Samos and five or six in the other direction and not seen a soul. The choice of main course was small: grilled meat, grilled steak, or grilled sausage. Today the sausage was homemade chorizo. We had gullas, (imitation baby eels real ones are way out of our price range) and mushrooms with Serrano ham to start, grilled meat with salad and chips for the main. The meat and chorizo kept coming until we said stop.

The grill was full of meat and sausages, and the owner walked round the tables with the meat on a huge wooden board, heating onto plates.
It was impeccable. The best chorizo I have ever tasted is so good that they announce on social media when the new season’s chorizo is ready. The meat is local and seasoned to perfection. Everyone in the room had the same. The bread was local and warm, and our bread basket was never empty.
The desserts were homemade and looked amazing, but there was no way I could eat one, however good they looked.
I would recommend a visit, for the ambience and the food. The Facebook page is Casa Aira Padron

The weather cleared on the way home, much to my relief as I had taken over the drive. The colours of the autumn leaves sparkled like Christmas ornaments, and I daydreamed about coming back one day and spending a night parked in a lay-by, spending the evening watching the scenery as dusk fell. I have these flights of fancy from time to time.
I didn’t think about my story once, and, as always, the break from writing refreshed me.
There is a balance I find when I am in the middle of writing a new book. A day away is good; three days away is a disaster, and the story begins to unravel in my head. I guess it’s different for everyone. What do you think?

Coming Soon

Bitten in the Bathroom

Book two of Brown’s books will be available for pre- order by the end of this week.

New year resolutions Part 4

At last I have reached the final five resolutions. The nice thing about this time of year is that everything represents potential. We know that spring is coming and the days are getting longer, but we don’t see it yet. Instead, we look hopefully for the first buds. We peer at the sky in the evening to see if it is lighter than the day before. There will be rain, snow, and cold before the long days and first flowers arrive. Now we have hope in our hearts. The year is not over; it is just beginning.

1) Predict and prevent real crimes. Use your writing to foresee and stop actual crimes before they happen. (Tongue in cheek)
The computer finds this either amusing or impossible. There is irony in this, yet it lies at the core of a crime writer’s work. I ask myself the question ‘what if?’ before I plot a book. This is especially clear in my book Mass murder. I ask what happens if the church hides child abuse or the police don’t act decisively enough. What if it pushes one victim over the edge?
Develop a believable criminal and offense that could happen.

2) Solve a real life mystery. Get Inspiration by solving a local mystery or cold case.
This idea hadn’t occurred to me; it’s excellent. I don’t think I could negotiate the Spanish or Galician to tackle a local one. (before anyone comments, Yes I do speak Spanish, and use it to talk to neighbours, etc.) But negotiating cultural differences and Galician, most people’s first language, make tasks, like the legal system extra hard.
Search for real crime TV shows and follow them to gain a deeper understanding of the processes involved.

3) Write in every known language. Write and publish your book in every know language. (Tongue in cheek)
That’s aspirational; I’ll translate a book, eventually. AI’s advancements suggest future possibilities for everyone. For now, I’m not getting into the AI argument for serious things and nor can I afford a translator.
Save this one for the future, it won’t happen anytime soon.

4) Embrace the cliches. Write a story featuring every crime fiction Cliche you can think of.
Nice idea! I have already planned this year’s projects. However, a cosy mystery series based on popular tropes is a possibility for the future.
Another one for the back burner. Unfortunately, I’ve planned three plots already. I have enough inspiration to last a lifetime.

5) Make a detective fall in love with your villain. Write a story so compelling that real-life detectives admire your fictional antagonists. (Tongue in cheek)
I cherish this one so much it’s become a lifelong writing aspiration.
Improving my villains is already on my resolution list. I now have a clear idea of how much I will push it.

Well, there you are folks, you have my resolutions. I’m so pleased with these. I’ll update you on my progress at the end of the year. I have a lot planned for this year. Keep your ears pealed for news.

New year resolutions part 3

Here are the next five resolutions. The most interesting are the tongue-in-cheek ones. Turning those into something possible and practical has been inspiring and I am looking forward to my writing year.

1) Invent a completely new crime genre. Create a new sub-genre of crime fiction that becomes an instant sensation (Tongue in cheek).
Crime is one of the most successful genres, in that people never tire of it. There are two conflicting issues that any crime writer has to deal with.;The first is how to satisfy readers with enough well worn tropes so that they come back for more. The second is how to keep your writing fresh and vibrant without losing readers. It can be a delicate balance. I have recently been reading several classic crime novels to help with my research. I wanted to know why some writers’ work has stood the test of time. I have noticed that fashion plays a big part in popularity.
Although I am certain that nothing is new. I have been thinking about new future series and what sub genre I should opt for. So watch this space I’m ready for a change.
Research sub-genres and classic novels to give me options for future series.

2) Attend a writing workshop. Improve your skills by attending workshops and conferences.
I would love to, but here’s the rub, they cost money. Writing can be extremely expensive if you’re not careful with your spending. More people want to write books. More people want to charge money to teach you how to write a book. If that sounds cynical, it’s not meant to be. I need to earn more money before I do something which, although helpful, is a luxury. I have already found two that interest me both close enough to my home to be feasible.
Earn enough money this year to book a workshop or conference for 2026.

3) Never use any crime cliches. Write an entire crime novel without using a common trope of cliche. (Tongue in cheek.)
I spent a long time thinking about this one. Readers like tropes, they like something familiar to guide them through your novel. So there is a danger of losing your reader. A good trick would be to turn some of the most cliched tropes on their head with good story twists. My desire for originality and distinction in my stories means I’ll postpone my new resolution.
Keep thinking through cliches and tropes in order to write more original stories. My stories for this year are all planned, so this will be one of next year’s resolutions.

4) Experiment with different POVs. Try writing from different points of view to add depth to your storytelling.
Funnily enough, I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Classic Crime novels I’ve read mostly use a third-person omniscient narrator. Modern novels use a close third-person or first-person perspective. I’m not sure I’ve got the nerve to move away from current fashion. Short stories are a good place to experiment so , you might see some short stories from me soon. I quite like the idea of a narrator. I might also give 1st person a go. I love it for short stories but have never done a full novel, so these resolutions stand exactly as written. I’m determined to experiment.

5) Find a real-life criminal mastermind to collaborate with. Co-write a novel with a notorious criminal mastermind (Tongue in Cheek)
How am I going to find a criminal mastermind? Do I already know one? Do I advertise, and if so, what would their credentials be? This brings up so many questions.
I you know of a criminal mastermind who needs someone to help tell his or her story please get in touch.
Keep my ears open for opportunities to talk to criminals and either listen to their stories or offer to work with them.

New Year resolutions part 2

Here is part two of a crime writers new years resolutions I hope that you enjoy them.

6) Read more crime fiction. Immerse your self in the genre by reading a new crime fiction novel every month. (Serious)
Reading in the daytime makes me feel guilty, because I at the back of my mind Is the list of other things I need to do, Either house work, garden work or writing work. Now as I sit here thinking this through, I wondering if I dare schedule a reading hour into my normal work day. It feels scary but do you know what I am going to do it.
Read more crime fiction. Spend at least 1 hour a day reading crime fiction, preferably the sub genre I plan to write next.

7) Create a perfect crime with no Plot holes. Write a crime story so flawless that not even a seasoned detective could find a single plot hole. (Tongue in cheek)
Believe it or not, this is what I aim for every time. It is about planning and editing rather than writing and I have been working on both.
Pay close attention to planning and editing in order to produce a more satisfying experience for the reader. Review my planning and editing techniques in order to eliminate plot holes. Now I’m wondering if I’m setting myself up for trouble by making this public.

8) Join a writer’s group. Engage with other others writers for feed back support and motivation. (Serious).
There is a story here. When I first started writing, a friend and I formed a writers’ group in our area because almost every ‘learn how to write’ course, book, or video will tell you how important it is. It did not go well. I was nervous from the start because I am not a group person, and that became obvious at once when I failed to be the easygoing bubbly, let’s all help each other, type of person needed. People seemed to enjoy picking holes in everyone else and most of us felt both put down and attacked and the answer seemed to develop into attacking others before they attacked you. The COVID lock down came as a blessed relief and the group never restarted. However, my friend Jackie and I continue to meet regularly and that has been fantastic. We have learnt so much by working together in each others weak areas. She doesn’t write crime though, so I possibly would benefit from another crime writer to talk to.
Continue meeting with Jackie. Develop a solid timetable of learning for the year to come.

9) Make every reading guess wrong. Ensure that every single reader is completely surprised by the twist ending. (tongue in cheek)
Now this is an interesting suggesting, I have never consciously tried to have a twist ending that is a complete surprise to the audience. I am more of a wind back-and-forth kind of writer, but it would be good to write at least one book that has a really good twist.
Plan a new future novel with a surprising twist ending. Research different ways to surprise the reader and produce a brilliant twist ending.

10) Create stronger villains. Develop more complex and compelling antagonists.
This should have been on my list, even without AI, in many ways the villain is more important than the protagonist who never really changes. I always intend to do more research but never do.
Look at my antagonists and see how I can make them more compelling. Possibly one for my writing days with Jackie.

Here we are with five more resolutions. I’m so glad that I have done this as it has given me some concrete ideas for the year. I hope that you also find something that inspires your writing journey.

New Year resolutions Part 1

This year I had no plans to make any resolutions, but several things have altered my perspective. My health has taken a nosedive yet again, so I will take whatever steps possible to improve things involving boring tasks such as losing weight and increasing physical activity. However, some issues needed medical attention, so changes will occur with the doctor’s advice. However, we will delve into that later.
My author friend Jackie Is coming on Friday, for one of our regular writing days. And she is keen for us to set goals for the year and review last year’s achievements.
This is panic territory for me. Every year she achieves a load of stuff. Check her website. She has two wonderful new books, either out or coming in the next month, which are worth looking at here – Jacqueline P Vincent . She is full of ideas and enthusiasm.
I usually sit biting my cheeks to avoid self pity while she lists her achievements, knowing that my writing journey is going backwards. I can’t do much about my lack of achievement last year, so I thought I’d preempt things and write resolutions for the coming year in advance.
So I sat,
And I sat some more and gazed at my keyboard.

I tried a pen and then a pencil
Went on a walk and still my mind remained blank.
I finally asked my computer for a solution. I asked for ten practical and ten amusing resolutions for a crime writer. Here is what it came up with. I included the practicality of each resolution and the altered version.

This is part one of a four-part series.

1) Write every day. Commit to writing at least one page of your crime novel each day. (Serious)
Sounds easy and obvious, but I’m wriggling already. What does every day mean? Does that imply I never have a day off? What about Christmas or my birthday, or Sundays, or days when we want to take a picnic in the park? Eek. What does it mean by write? I mean, when do I edit, or do marketing tasks? Objections run through my mind like a herd of reindeer avoiding Santa.
So my verdict is…. I need to rewrite to make it work for me.
1) Write most days. Commit to writing at least half a page of your crime novel each working day. Devote the remaining hours to editing and marketing. Editing counts as writing when approaching deadlines.

2) Write a crime novel in a single day. Finish a full length intricately plotted crime novel in just 24 hours. (Tongue in cheek).
This got me thinking I know it’s a joke resolution, but I wonder how much I could get done in a 24 hour writing sprint. Very often it’s these sprints that trigger a sub conscious creativity which doesn’t happen, in normal planned writing. It can overcome procrastination and writer’s block, or so I’m told. This isn’t as silly as it initially seems; Nanorimo’s popularity amongst authors indicates this.
2) Plan two days a week in the next year to do long writing sprints and see where it takes me. Give myself a fixed period to write with a word target and see what happens.

3) Research diligently: Spend dedicated time researching police procedures, legal systems and forensic science. (serious)
Research is important, but it takes time and if you are not careful, it eats into writing time. Because it’s easy to disappear down interesting rabbit holes. This could be the time to prioritise efficiency over effort.
3) Make a research folder and keep it organised. Instead of doing separate research for each novel. Make a folder including both general and specific information. Design an indexing system ensuring easy access to all necessary information for the next novel, avoiding duplicated work.

4) Solve a real crime while writing about it. Simultaneously write about and solve an ongoing real life crime case. (Tongue in cheek.).
I don’t suppose the opportunity to do this would ever occur in real life, but it made me think. What if I could follow along with a crime case on the news and use that coverage as a basis for my research for a novel? The two would not happen simultaneously, but it might help me with some realism to my stories.
4) Look for a news story involving an ongoing crime and research it including motives and psychology. Plan a novel using the information gained. This will improve my writing I’m sure so I need to pick a time between books.

5) Outline Thoroughly. Create detailed outlines for your plots to ensure consistency and prevent plot holes.
This one is perfect timing. Jackie and I have dedicated almost a year to mastering this skill to enhance our storytelling, but I haven’t had the opportunity to apply it yet. This one is remaining unchanged.
I have always been a plotter, but we have studied books and watched endless you tube, to help us each to find something that works. It’s been hard work, but I feel as though I have learned so much about storytelling in the process. I recommend John Truby and his anatomy of a story. Not an easy read, but so useful.

Like most people I have a love hate relationship with Ai, but this time it really did work out well for me, Of course I changed almost everything suggested, but it gave me a basis for some really good ideas going forward into the New Year.
I like having tools that I can use like this.
I also discovered that my fear of failing stops me from doing so many things. You know as I sit here typing this, I realise it’s not a fear of failing. It’s a fear of looking stupid or being laughed at. Does anyone else feel like that? Or maybe it’s just me.
Back soon with more resolutions.

Work in Progress

I have never been afraid of getting older in fact until now; the benefits have outweighed the negatives. Even the back problems I have suffered in the last few years haven’t seemed insurmountable, just annoying.
Then at the beginning of summer, in the first week of summer sunshine I got covid and everything changed. I have had all my vaccinations, so had no reason to believe it would be bad. It wasn’t bad in the sense that I didn’t need hospital treatment, but I am not completely recovered 3 months later. I have spent whole days in bed or lying on the settee too exhausted to move or gone for a walk and spent the rest of the day in bed.
For the first two months, my brain felt as though it was full of fog. I couldn’t think clearly, I certainly couldn’t write, or sew, or crochet even mending was beyond me. At the moment I have more and more good days where I feel normal. Great, that sounds positive you must be recovering, you may be thinking. Well yes, but then we spend a day in the garden or go out for a long walk, and for the following two days, I am back to sleeping all day.
The worst effect has been psychological, it’s affected my confidence. The advice, anecdotal and medical is to wait it out because it will improve.
So the point is that at the moment, I feel old and useless and cannot guarantee when I will get anything done.
This nicely brings me on to my work in progress. I am hoping it will be out by the end of January, but for the reasons stated above, I do not dare to put it on pre- order until I am confident that it will be ready by then.

The book, as you can see, is called Bitten in the Bathroom. Esther investigates the Murder of the local newsagent Martin Munro. The trouble is that the four suspects are people she likes, and she hates the thought that one of them might be a murderer. Will she use her head and put logic above emotion? Only time will tell.

I have also re edited the book of herbal medicine which will be published under the new name of Murder in Matlock and act as a prequel to the Browns books series. So look out for both of those.

Writer almost in the wild.

I missed the summer, so sadly, have spent little time outdoors. Another thing which had a negative impact on both my mental health and my ability to be creative. I’ve been longing to get outdoors again and spend time in the woods with my notebook. Until I can do that, I am making do with slow dog walks,

I was hoping to find ceps along this path, but only found parasols. We left them as I knew there would be plenty in the field below my house. I dry Parasols but, unlike Ceps, normally ground them into powder to use in one of the seasoning mixtures we use regularly. They are mild in flavour but in a seasoning have a lovely umami quality.

This is the farmhouse we passed today. It was an old granite house with barns attached, but must once belonged to someone very wealthy and it was enormous with ornate stonework and spectacular views. The photo doesn’t do it justice.

Welby had no interest in stopping and admiring the view. Each time we did so, he turned and looked at us in disgust.

The path we followed ran through fields and woods, and because of the proximity of the farm were filled with curious occupants. They were not at all phased by the racket that Welby was making. (Don’t worry, he was on a lead at this point. We live in a farming village and are careful about other people’s livestock.)

Special offers.
November will be a month of special offers on my books. All of the will be discounted each at a different time, so if there are any that you haven’t read, keep your eyes open for the discounted days.

Keep in touch with me in two ways: by subscribing to my readers’ group and receiving a newsletter, or by subscribing to my blog and receiving an email each time a new blog is published. However, there is more news to come on this, and all will be revealed in the new year.

That’s all for now folks, so enjoy yourself.

Abigail