First draft of my 1950 detective novel completed.

Time to revise my second novel.

Hurrah! I finished the messy first draft of my third novel this morning. 88,658 words, enough sand from which I can shape a sandcastle with the second draft.

I felt satisfied completing stage one. It was hard work in the middle but easier towards the end. I know the hard work will continue, but it’s important to celebrate every milestone. Writing is a hard, lonely slog (like weightlifting) but I recognise the the process's rhythm.

I think (hope?) I’m better able to cope along the way. This draft will be left until I complete the revisions on Stone and Water (novel 2). Catherine Coe has sent me her recommendations. I’ll start that next week and hope to publish in February, one year after publishing, ‘The Poster.’

This weekend I aim to tidy up some Flash pieces and do multiple submissions in my twice-yearly ritual of futility.

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On Saturday, I read part of ‘The Poster’ to the audience at the British Fantasy Society online convention. I read part of Chapter 4 for 8 minutes, then answered some questions.

It was well received but generated no book sales (stop me if this sounds familiar…). Maybe this is because the audience is a die-hard fantasy audience, and The Poster is a dystopian thriller.

My reading generated a discussion about Suella Braverman:named Sue-Ellen by her ‘Dallas’ fan dad. Braverman’s teachers didn’t like the name so abbreviated it to Suella…

The hosts at BFS were friendly and I read from my office, so it only cost me my time.

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View from my office window this grim November morning. According to my fellow Gotham Writer, Leslie, it’s Noirvember (?). I read three of James M. Cain’s novels (Double Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Mildred Pierce) and this collection in a serendipitous month of reading.

I’m Noired out now, but I have a month before I can watch a few movies at Christmas. I’m not in that mode yet, despite Christmas decorations being lit in our village (ugh) and Christmas songs being played on the radio (double ugh).

I’ve got four weeks to be as productive as possible and then I can kick back for nine days.

My next post will be my top books of 2025, plus the complete list. George R. Stewart is my new favourite author after finishing, ‘Storm,’ last weekend.

It’s not too late to buy, ‘The Poster,’ as a present for a friend/relative. It’s got twenty reviews on Amazon now, which sounds like a decent number.

Thanks for reading.