The nine months of a pregnancy often seem to last for longer than that, though at times pass too quickly - okay maybe just in hindsight!
In my experience writing a book is a much longer affair, though painful in different ways, but today I'm absolutely thrilled to say that Lies of the Dead is well and truly published and out there.
I had the initial idea for the story and the three siblings who are the main characters about four years ago, though they sat quietly for a while at the back of my mind, but gradually they clamoured more and more to be heard.
Liam, the youngest of the three, was the one who claimed my attention initially, and I intended to tell the story through him, but every time I thought about scenes, or tried to write, it was Tom, the oldest brother, whose voice came through. Eventually I gave in and listened to him.
Lies of the Dead is set mostly in Cornwall, though Andi lives in Bristol and Liam in London. The Cornish scenery and people played a large part in forming the story, and it is an area of England I love.
What would you risk to find the truth?
How well do we know those closest to us? When Liam kills himself, his older brother Tom needs to know why suicide was the only solution.
Tom, and his sister Andi, search for answers but don't know who they can believe. Are Liam's friends and associates the people they claim to be? Tom and Andi are propelled into a world where their ideas of right and wrong don't exist, and where people demand what neither of them possesses.
Liam's legacy of deceit is dangerous, and when Andi and her twin daughters are threatened, Tom realises that truth may have too high a price.
The main idea of the story remains as it first came to me, but the path it took has changed considerably, although I find that is often the way.
Lies of the Dead is available in print and Kindle through Amazon and Amazon UK and the other Amazon stores, and in alternative electronic formats through Smashwords. It will shortly be available through other retailers including the Apple store, Barnes and Noble and Sony store.
If you read the story of Tom, Andi and Liam I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know.
I've written a couple of times about my problems with titles. My very first post about 18 months ago was on trying to come up with a name for the blog.
Over the weekend we've watched some films from a few years ago, one being State and Main. I was wondering what the film title meant, and how it fitted when I got the answer. The car accident happens on the corner of State and Main, and later the accident becomes a pivotal point of decision and change for the character played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. I liked it the way they used an almost insignificant item (intersection of two roads) as the title of the film, as what it stands for becomes highly significant.
That got me thinking about other film and book titles that I've liked for various reasons. The ones I've mentioned here aren't necessarily the greatest films or books, just that the titles have resonated with me for various reasons.
Back to the Future - the film has been around for so long and we're all so used to the title we don't think about it, but initially it took me a while to get my head around the idea of going back to the future, after all don't we go forward to the future.
I liked these next titles because they pull together items that don't usually belong together, but have meaning in the film/book. The Hurt Locker. The Devil Wears Prada. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
I thought The Time Traveller's Wife was an excellent title as the idea of time travel is always an interesting one, but this adds something more specific. Who is the time traveller? Who is his wife? What impact does the time travel have on her/them?
Thank you for smoking - a twist on the usual sign - Thank you for not smoking.
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - we're used to Lonely Planet Guides, and travel guides to various countries, but the Universe! Though obviously the title does need to have something to do with the book content, rather than just being a brilliant title.
Looking at these titles, and the reasons I think they worked, gives me a few pointers for selecting a title. Taking a critical choice or action from the manuscript, or looking at disparate items/names/places and using them together.
Now I'll have to get working on a title for my current work in progress!
