12 Words – Life of Cri.me

12 Words, Author Q&A's, Blog Touring, Guest Posts

#BlogTour Anything For Her, 12 words with G J Minett

Posted on December 8, 2017December 8, 2017 by J

G.J. Minett studied at Cambridge and then spent many years as a teacher of foreign languages. He studied for an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Chichester, and won the 2010 Chapter One Prize for unpublished novels with the opening chapter of The Hidden Legacy.

Today, as part of the Anything For Her blog tour, he’s taking on the LifeOfCri.me 12 word challenge.

Rules

Answers should be complete sentences, and completed in no more than 12 words (unless otherwise stated)

Contractions count. It’s = 2 words.

LOC: What can you tell us about your latest release, Anything for Her?

GJM: When she asks for help, you don’t say no, do you?

LOC: How would you describe your writing process?

GJM: Practically OCD. Planned to the nth degree.

LOC: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt in your writing career so far?

GJM: Just how generous and supportive other writers and bloggers are.

LOC: What words of wisdom do you have for aspiring authors?

GJM: If you don’t believe you’re a writer, why should others?

LOC: Describe your perfect day

GJM: Maggie O’Farrell phones to say she loves the way I write (sigh)

And finally, just for laughs…

LOC: Thanks to the author Paul Finch, you’ve just woken up on stage in front of the judges of a TV talent show with just Aplastic skeleton, a staple gun and a roll of toilet paper. What do you do?

GJM: I cry and tell them my kids are all terminally ill

You’d do anything for the one that got away . . . wouldn’t you?

When Billy Orr returns home to spend time with his dying sister, he bumps into his ex-girlfriend Aimi, the love of his life. He might not have seen her in eleven years, but Billy’s never forgotten her. He’d do anything for her then, and he’d do anything for her now.

When Aimi tells him that she wants to escape her abusive husband, Billy agrees to help her fake her own death. But is she still the Aimi that Billy remembers from all those years ago?

Once Aimi disappears, Billy has to face the possibility that perhaps she had different reasons for disappearing – reasons that might be more dangerous than she’s led him to believe . . .

12 Words, Author Q&A's

12 Words with Luca Veste

Posted on September 26, 2017September 25, 2017 by J

Luca Veste is a writer of Italian and Scouse heritage, married with two young daughters, and one of nine children. He is the author of the Murphy and Rossi novels, with the third in the series – Bloodstream – released October 2015. The first in the series – Dead Gone – was also published in Germany and Czech Republic

Part psychological thriller, part police procedural, the Murphy and Rossi novels take place in the city of Liverpool. Taking in both sides of a contrasting city, they explore the changing landscape of Liverpool and “bad” things which can happen within it.

Today he takes on the LifeOfCri.me 12 word challenge.

Rules

Answers should be complete sentences, and completed in no more than 12 words (unless otherwise stated)

Contractions count. It’s = 2 words.

LOC: Then She Was Gone is the fourth in your series about DI Murphy & DS Rossi, what can you tell us about it?

LV: A prospective MP goes missing. His sordid private life points to revenge.

LOC: How would you describe your writing process?

LV: Days and nights spent worrying with infrequent bouts of clarity.

LOC: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt in your writing career?

LV: Even those writers with years of experience worry about the next one.

LOC: What’s the best book you’ve read this year?

LV: Black Widow by Chris Brookmyre

LOC: why?

LV: A masterclass in crime fiction. Great writing, great characterisation, great plot twists.

LOC: Describe your perfect day

LV: Wake up in Roma, eat all the food, read and watch TV.

LOC: What is the strangest sentence you have written/read this week?

LV: Steve Cavanagh only moisturises his head

(LOC: If you want to find out why, check out the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone Podcasts)

and finally just for laughs……

LOC: You’ve just woken up to find yourself on stage in front of the judges of Britain’s Got Talent, with just a Walking Stick, Six helium balloons and a Monkey. What do you do?

LV: I make the monkey do his best Charlie Chaplin impression.

Tim Johnson took his baby daughter out for a walk and she never made it home. Johnson claims he was assaulted and the girl was snatched. The police see a different crime, with Johnson their only suspect.

A year later, Sam Bryne is on course to be elected as one of the youngest MPs in Westminster. He’s tipped for the very top … until he vanishes.

Detectives Murphy and Rossi are tasked with discovering what has happened to the popular politician – and in doing so, they unearth a trail that stretches into the past, and crimes that someone is hell-bent on avenging.

12 Words, Author Q&A's

12 Words with Paul Finch

Posted on July 20, 2017July 20, 2017 by J

Paul Finch studied History at Goldsmiths, London, before becoming a cop in the north west of England. He then let his passion for writing allow him to follow a career in journalism. Now a full time writer, he first cut his literary teeth penning episodes of the British TV crime drama, THE BILL, and has written extensively in the field of children’s animation. However, he is probably best known for his work in thrillers and horrors.

Today as part of the LifeOfCri.me Theakstons Crime countdown he’s taking on our 12 word challenge.

Rules

All answers must be complete sentences and completed in no more than 12 words

Contractions Count. It’s = 2 words

LOC: Your latest release Ashes to Ashes is your sixth book to feature Detective Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg, what can you tell us about it?

PF: It is the darkest and most violent of the hecks to date

LOC: You are particularly evil to your protagonist, regularly putting him through the mill, why?

PF: I believe that personal jeopardy is intrinsic to a good crime thriller

LOC: How would you describe your writing process?

PF: A bit haphazard, but it seems to get the job done

LOC: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt in your writing career?

PF: Because my writing matters to me, that does not mean it matters

LOC: What words of wisdom do you have for aspiring authors?

PF: Pay attention to your rejections, and make sure you learn from them

LOC: What’s the best book you’ve read in the last 12 months?

PF: The Cartel by Don Winslow

LOC: Why?

PF: The ultimate account of a lone cops war against organised crime

finally just for laughs…

LOC: Thanks to the author Angela Marsons you’ve just woken up on stage in front of the judges of Britain’s Got Talent, with only an ironing board, a box of matches and an armadillo. What do you do?

PF: Warm the armadillo’s feet (through the board), to check out his moves.

John Sagan is a forgettable man. You could pass him in the street and not realise he’s there. But then, that’s why he’s so dangerous.

A torturer for hire, Sagan has terrorised – and mutilated – countless victims. And now he’s on the move. DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg must chase the trail, even when it leads him to his hometown of Bradburn – a place he never thought he’d set foot in again.

But Sagan isn’t the only problem. Bradburn is being terrorised by a lone killer who burns his victims to death. And with the victims chosen at random, no-one knows who will be next. Least of all Heck…

12 Words, Author Q&A's

12 Words with Lucy Cameron

Posted on July 18, 2017July 18, 2017 by J

Lucy Cameron was born in London and having lived in South Wales, Liverpool, York and Nottingham, currently lives in a shed in her Dad’s garden in Scotland where she wears thermals for warmth and writes by candlelight. Her debut novel Night Is Watching is published by Caffeine Nights and is available to buy now.

Today, as part of the LifeOfCri.me Harrogate countdown she’s taking on our 12 word challenge.

Rules

All answers must be complete sentences and completed in no more than 12 words

Contractions Count. It’s = 2 words

LOC: You’ve recently released your debut novel Night Is Watching, what can you tell us about it?

LC: It is a dark horror tale set in reality and the mind.

LOC: How would you describe your writing process?

LC: Wordy rambling first drafts heavily edited.

LOC: How would you describe getting your first book deal?

LC: Without a doubt the most spectacular moment of my life so far.

LOC: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt in your writing career so far?

LC: Believe in yourself, you can be as good as everyone else.

LOC: What words of wisdom do you have for aspiring authors?

LC: Keep going even when it is really tough, you will get there

LOC: What’s the best book you’ve read in the last 12 months?

LC: Behind Her Eyes – Sarah Pinborough

LOC: Why?

LC: The best end twist to a book I have ever read.

and finally just for laughs..

LOC: Thanks to the author Leigh Russell you’ve just woken up on stage in front of the judges of Britain’s Got Talent, with only A Stick of Celery, a Panda and a Top Hat. What do you do?

LC: Tickle the panda with the celery stick whilst wearing the top hat.

Can You Feel Your Blood Drain…

Couples are being slaughtered in their homes; women drained of blood, men violently beaten. There are no clues to track the killer, no explanation as to why an increasing amount of blood is being removed from the crime scenes.

Detective Sergeant Rhys Morgan is seconded to the ‘Couples Killer’ investigation. Tormented by vivid nightmares, he hasn’t slept soundly for weeks becoming convinced a creature from these nightmares poses a threat to him and his family. His behaviour becomes increasingly erratic causing his bosses to wonder if he’s the right man for the job.

As clues to the killer’s identity are uncovered, the line between what is real and what cannot be starts to blur and Rhys discovers the answer to catching the killer and exorcizing his own demons, may be as irrational as he fears.

12 Words, Author Q&A's

12 Words with Tony J Forder

Posted on June 23, 2017June 22, 2017 by J

On 1st February 2017, Tony signed to Bloodhound Books, who will publish his new edgy crime thriller Bad to the Bone in April. It is the first in a series.

Later this year, Tony’s second novel for Bloodhound Books, Degrees of Darkness, featuring ex-detective Frank Rogers, will be published.

Today he takes on the LifeOfCri.me 12 word challenge…

Rules

Answers should be complete sentences, and completed in no more than 12 words (unless otherwise stated)

Contractions count. It’s = 2 words.

LOC: What can you tell us about your recent release Bad To The Bone?

TJF: Gritty crime thriller, a dead case brought alive, featuring murder and corruption.

LOC: How would you sum up the partnership between DI Bliss and DC Chandler?

TJF: Sarcastic and witty, but also serious and professional. Friendly, caring and loyal.

LOC: What’s your writing process like?

TJF: Once haphazard, now measured. Furious typing followed by contemplation. Seat of pants.

LOC: What inspires you?

TJF: Good writing. A hunger to improve as a writer myself. Cold beer.

LOC: Describe your perfect getaway

TJF: A cabin, deck overlooking a lake, mountains beyond, breeze, cold beer (again).

LOC: Whats the best book you’ve read in the last twelve months?

TJF: The Poet by Michael Connelly

LOC: Why?

TJF: An oldie. A classic crime novel from a master of the genre.

and finally Just for laughs….

LOC: Thanks to the author Howard Lynskey you’ve just woken up on stage in front of the judges of Britains Got Talent with just A beach ball, a performing seal and a pint of beer. What do you do?

TJF: Let the seal drink the beer and then watch the mayhem ensue.

A skeletal body is unearthed in a wooded area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. DI James Bliss, together with DC Penny Chandler, investigate the case and discover that the young, female victim had been relocated from its original burial site.

A witness is convinced that a young female was struck by a vehicle back in the summer of 1990, and that police attended the scene. However, no record exists of either the accident or the reported victim. As the case develops, two retired police officers are murdered. The two are linked with others who were on duty at the time a road accident was reported.

As Bliss and Chandler delve deeper into the investigation, they start to question whether senior officers may have been involved in the murder of the young women who was buried in the woods.

As each link in the chain is put under duress, so is Bliss who clashes with superiors and the media.

When his team receives targeted warnings, Bliss will need to decide whether to drop the case or to pursue those responsible.

Will Bliss walk away in order to keep his career intact or will he fight no matter what the cost?

And is it possible the killer is much closer than they imagined?

12 Words, Author Q&A's

12 Words with Rob Ashman

Posted on June 18, 2017June 24, 2017 by J

It took Rob twenty-four years to write his first book. He only became serious about writing it when his dad got cancer. It was an aggressive illness and Rob gave up work for three months to look after him and his mum. Writing Those That Remain became his coping mechanism. After he wrote the book his family encouraged him to continue, so not being one for half measures, Rob got himself made redundant, went self-employed so he could devote more time to writing and four years later the Mechanic Trilogy is the result.

Today, as he prepares for the release of Those That Remain on the 22nd June, Rob takes on the LifeOfCri.me 12 word challenge

Rules

Answers should be complete sentences, and completed in no more than 12 words (unless otherwise stated)

Contractions count. It’s = 2 words.

LOC: What can you tell us about your upcoming release Those That Remain?

RA: It’s set in Florida about a serial killer codenamed Mechanic

LOC: What was behind the decision to write a trilogy?

RA: A catastrophic lack of planning, or that’s what my wife says.

LOC: Whats the most surprising challenge you’ve faced in your writing career?

RA: Being unable to switch off, the voices in my head are relentless.

LOC: How would you sum up your writing process?

RA; Hanging onto the coattails of a story being told by others.

LOC: Describe your perfect day

RA: Having friends over for afternoon fizz, a curry and lots of nonsense.

LOC: What’s the best book you’ve read in the last 12 months?

RA: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes.

LOC: Why?

RA: The interlacing of the plot lines is genius, it kept me gripped.

and finally Just for laughs….

LOC: Thanks to the author Anna Smith you’ve just woken up on stage in front of the judges of a TV talent show, with just A recorder, a bag of dirty laundry and a bottle of cheap wine. What do you do?

RA: Play Frère Jacques, drink the wine and get off.

Lucas is coasting to retirement in a mundane Florida police precinct when a brutal serial killer, codenamed Mechanic, lands on his patch.

Three years ago they thought Mechanic was dead. But Mechanic is very much alive and no family is safe from the savage, ritualistic murders that this sadistic killer is compelled to commit.

Mechanic is always one step ahead and Lucas is forced to operate outside the law.

But who can he trust and who is Mechanic?

Soon Lucas will learn that the truth is more terrifying than he could ever imagine and in order to find the answers he needs, he might just have to put his life on the line…

Bloodhound Books will also be publishing the next two books in The Mechanic Trilogy over the course of 2017. Keep your eyes peeled for more info by following us all on Twitter….

@LOCrime @Bloodhoundbook and @RobAshmanAuthor

12 Words, Author Q&A's, Guest Posts

Blood and Bone – 12 words with Valentina Giambanco

Posted on September 14, 2016September 14, 2016 by J

After two years in the Seattle Police Department, Detective Alice Madison has finally found a peace she has never known before. When a local burglary escalates into a gruesome murder, Madison takes charge of the investigation. She finds herself tracking a killer who has haunted the city for years – and whose brutality is the stuff of myth in high security prisons. As she delves deeper into the case, Madison learns that the widow of one of the victims is being stalked – is the killer poised to strike again? As pressures mount, Madison will stop at nothing to save the next innocent victim . . . even if it means playing a killer’s endgame.

Today to celebrate the recent release of Blood and Bone, Valentina takes the LifeOfCri.me 12 word challenge.

Rules

Answers should be complete sentences, and completed in no more than 12 words (unless otherwise stated)

Contractions count. It’s = 2 words.

LOC: Your latest release Blood and Bone is the third novel in your series featuring Seattle Detective Alice Madison. What can you tell us about it?

VG: It’s a new impossible case, a new killer, a new heartache.

LOC: How would you sum up Alice to someone new to your writing?

VG: Madison is a poker genius, child runaway who became a homicide detective.

LOC: How would you describe your writing process?

VG: The writing process is like daydreaming with a purpose and a dictionary.

LOC: What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt in your writing career?

VG: Focus on the writing: it is the only thing you can control.

LOC: Any tips for aspiring authors?

VG: Whatever it is you’re writing, first you must finish it.

LOC: Describe your perfect day

VG: It involves snow, huskies and cold weather. And probably chocolate too.

LOC: What’s the best book you’ve read in the last twelve months and why?

VG: Patrick Gale ‘A Place Called Winter’

VG: It’s a cross between Jane Austen and Jack London. Soulfully written.

and finally just for laughs……

LOC: Thanks to author Angela Marsons you have just woken up to find yourself on stage in front of the judges of a TV Talent show, with only, an ironing board, a box of matches and an Armadillo. What do you do?

VG: I would stand on the board, juggling lit matches, baffling the armadillo.

12 Words, Author Q&A's, Blog Touring, Guest Posts

Matching The Evidence – 12 Words with Graham Smith

Posted on September 4, 2016September 4, 2016 by J

Graham Smith is married with a young son. A time served joiner he has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since Christmas 2000 he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer and interviewer for the well-respected website Crimesquad.com since 2009

Today as part of the blogtour for his latest release Matching The Evidence: The Major Crimes Team Vol 2 he’s taking the 12 word challenge for LifeOfCri.me

Rules

Answers should be complete sentences, and completed in no more than 12 words (unless otherwise stated)

Contractions count. It’s = 2 words.

LOC: Your latest release Matching The Evidence is the next instalment of your series featuring DI Harry Evans, what can you tell us about it?

GS: Football hooligans are descending on Carlisle and Evans has to neutralise them

LOC: And how would you sum up Harry to someone new to your writing?

GS: An irascible, dinosauric bag of contradictions fighting against the meteorite.

LOC: How would you describe your writing process?

GS: Arduous and exhilarating depending on the part of the story

LOC: What’s the most challenging thing you’ve faced in your writing career?

GS: Getting published. It’s also tough for emerging authors to get noticed.

LOC: Any wise words for aspiring authors?

GS: Read your genre and write comprehensive reviews to better understand narrative flow.

LOC: Describe your perfect getaway

GS: Anywhere I can write, read, drink and smoke with those I love.

LOC: What’s the best book you’ve read in the last twelve months and why?

GS: Streets of Darkness by A. A. Dhand.

GS: An utterly compelling debut novel which sparkles on every page.

and finally just for laughs……

LOC: Thanks to author Howard Lynskey you have just woken up to find yourself on stage in front of the judges of a TV Talent show, with only a pint of beer, a performing seal and a beach ball. What do you do?

GS: Down the pint before the seal got the ball onto its nose.

12 Words, Author Q&A's, Blog Touring, Guest Posts

Kill Me Twice – 12 Words with Anna Smith

Posted on August 30, 2016August 30, 2016 by J

Anna Smith is an award-winning journalist who spent a lifetime in daily newspapers, reporting from the front line all over the world, and who has been the first on the scene in many world shaking events. She now writes full time, using her vast experience as a journalist to create the hugely popular series featuring Rosie Gilmour, a gritty Glasgow journalist who tears down the walls of corruption and will stop at nothing to get her story.

Today, as part of her blog tour for the latest Rosie Gilmour release Kill Me Twice, Anna is taking on the LifeOfCri.me 12 word challenge.

Rules

Answers should be complete sentences, and completed in no more than 12 words (unless otherwise stated)

Contractions count. It’s = 2 words.

LOC: Kill Me Twice is the latest novel in your series featuring Rosie Gilmour, What can you tell us about it?

AS: Rosie tears down the wall of lies, from showbiz to Westminster.

LOC: How would you sum up Rosie to someone new to your writing?

AS: Rosie’s a gritty, tough frontline journalist with a shade of vulnerability.

LOC: How would you describe your writing process?

AS: I become wrapped up in Rosie’s life, I forget the real world!

LOC: What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt in your writing career?

AS: If you believe in your story and characters, someone else will.

LOC: Any tips for aspiring authors?

AS: Finish what you started, and keep writing. Have faith.

LOC: Describe your perfect day

AS: Morning walk on a sunny in Spain or Ireland, writing in the afternoons.

LOC: What’s the best book you’ve read in the last twelve months?

AS: The Burning Room, Michael Connelly

LOC: Why?

AS. Been so busy this year, I’m still not finished it. But it’s brilliant!

and finally just for laughs……

LOC: Thanks to author David Mark you have just woken up to find yourself on stage in front of the judges of a TV Talent show, with only, a wagon wheel, your teenage diaries and a human foot. What do you do?

AS: Read diary: ‘I knew the road trip had gone wrong when I woke up next to a severed foot.’

Dangerous secrets threaten to destroy lives from the sink estates of Glasgow to the corridors of Westminster in this latest case for Rosie Gilmour.

A beautiful model’s death uncovers an ugly conspiracy stretching all the way to Westminster in Rosie Gilmour’s darkest case to date.

When rags-to-riches Scots supermodel Bella Mason plunges to her death from the roof of a glitzy Madrid hotel, everyone assumes it was suicide. Except that one person saw exactly what happened to Bella that night, and she definitely didn’t jump. But Millie Chambers has no one she can tell – alcoholic, depressed herself and now sectioned by her bullying politician husband, who would believe her? And that’s not all Millie knows. Being close to the heart of Westminster power can lead to discovering some awful secrets…

Back in Glasgow, Rosie’s research into Bella’s life leads to her brother, separated from her in care years before. Dan is now a homeless heroin addict and rent boy, but what he reveals about Bella’s early life is electrifying: organised sexual abuse in care homes across Glasgow. Bella had tracked him down so that they could tell the world their story. And now she’s dead.

As Rosie’s drive to expose the truth leads her closer to Millie and the shameful secrets she has kept for so many years, it becomes clear that what she’s about to discover could prove fatal: a web of sexual abuse linking powerful figures across the nation, and the rot at the very heart of the British Establishment…

12 Words, Author Q&A's, Guest Posts

12 Words with Howard Linskey

Posted on August 7, 2016August 6, 2016 by J

Howard Linskey is the author of trio of books, The Drop, The Damage and The Dead, featuring David Blake. He is also the eyes (and everything else), behind Behind Dead Eyes the second in a series of books set in the north east of England, and sequel to No Name Lane.

Having recently read, and loved, No Name Lane, it was a delight to catch up with him again at both CrimeFest and Harrogate, and get him to participate in the LifeOfCri.me 12 word challenge.

Here’s what he had to say…

12 Word Rules

Answers should be complete sentences, and completed in no more than 12 words (unless otherwise stated)

Contractions count. It’s = 2 words.

LOC: Your latest release Behind Dead Eyes is the second to feature DS Ian Bradshaw and journalists Tom Carney and Helen Norton. What can you tell us about it?

HL: It’s a north east based crime mystery with some shocking outcomes.

LOC: How was it starting out with these new characters after your previous David Blake series?

HL: Reinvigorating to write something entirely new with different characters and situations.

LOC: How would you describe your writing process?

HL: Chaotic winging-it with a bit of planning either end of the story.

LOC: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt in your writing career?

HL: Stuff I make up is actually published as a book.

LOC: Describe your perfect getaway.

HL: Great food and wine, writing, family, a sea view from my window.

LOC: What’s the best book you’ve read in the last twelve months and why?

HL: Ian Ayris’ ‘Abide With Me’ is original, authentic and superbly written.

and finally just for laughs……

LOC: Thanks to author Quentin Bates you have just woken up to find yourself on stage in front of the judges of a TV Talent show, with only a Phone book, a pair of wellies and a corkscrew. What do you do?

HL: Use the corkscrew then make a bottle of wine disappear. That’s magic!