writerlywitterings

BBC and all that

Posted by writerlywitterer on 21/09/2015 · 6 Comments 

Still had time for an occasional walk!

Last week was another busy one. Plenty of writing and planning, but then I had to go up to London to discuss the next books.

I am currently on a two book contract. The first of the pair is written and submitted: it’s the last of the Vintener Trilogy, and deals with events ten years after Crécy. I really like it. There is a pretty high body count, but most folks are happy with that. The questions was, though, what my editor and I should look at next. Some people have been asking me to write about Agincourt, which is an appealing idea, but for that I’d have to invent a bunch of new characters and work through a different period, while many readers would expect something to follow on from the other books. They are all in the Hundred Years War, after all.

In any case, I eventually decided that I ought to go back to my roots, as it were. So the next book will be set in the Crusades. And yes, I think there will be a bunch of Templars involved.

However, I also had a bit of a surprise yesterday (Sunday) when I had confirmation of another project coming to fruition.

Some weeks ago, I had an interview with Michael Chequer at BBC Radio Devon, when I was promoting my latest book. I had an idea at the time, which I mentioned to Michael, which was that I should interview my friends here in Devon to talk about their books and writing, and what inspired them most of all about Devon. After all, we have an embarrassing number of writers who live down here. Michael, thank goodness, thought the idea had merit. More than that, he spoke to his producer and got permission to loan me a BBC recorder.

The excellent Michael Chequer in his natural environment!

Thus it was that I found myself wandering the wilds of Devon with various friends. First to be recorded was Donna Baker (aka Lillian Harry), who has written extensively about a village on Dartmoor; then there was Becky Tope, who has written many crime books set in Devon, the South West and further up in the Cotswolds. However, we don’t only have fiction writers here. So I’ve also spoken to Ian Mortimer and others.

The first interview went up on Saturday (they forgot to tell me!) with Ian, and I understand that there will be an interview every week, with luck. If you want to hear two old friends chatting, you can hear us here: BBC Radio Devon. Go to about 1 hour 55 minutes in and you’ll soon here us chatting inanely about research and writing.

That was Saturday’s surprise, which I learned about on Sunday while Morris Dancing at Drogo Castle. They have an Edwardian day every year, and it’s always good fun. And now it’s back to the desk with the stern duty of work ahead.

Dancing with Tinners’ Morris at Drogo Castle

This week I’m writing the first chapters of a new crime story, which will be an exciting change of writing style, of format and period. On Thursday I have to go to a judging meeting for a new writing prize. I have to review a couple of new books urgently, and I have decided on a new project, too, which is taking up a lot of thinking and planning time: I have decided to make my own bottle, a leather water (or beer) carrier that I can carry about when dancing or even just walking the moors. Pictures of similar ones are here. That will be fun, with luck. However, there are dangers with such projects. I’ve already melted, and then dropped, a goodly portion of beeswax all over the kitchen.

How I can still be married is a surprise to many …

Have a great week!