It's just an allusion

I haven't blogged for a while as I have busily writing (the curse of the writer is that you have to write stuff, sadly) but I am now at the half way point of Lonely Emily (formerly Emily Alone and Lilly Alone). I was trying to get a first draft in the bag by the end of February, but unless I suddenly discover a time machine (unlikely, but not impossible) that probably isn't going to happen now.
It's a bit odd writing a book when you don't have a publisher, but oddly liberating too. Original Emily (alone/lonely/Lilly) was aimed at the under 12s - now, it's moved more towards my usual readership, 12-15 year olds, which means I can make it very, very scary - which is fantastic!
Part of the reason it has taken me a little longer to write is that I decided, as it was aimed at older readers, to be a bit more experimental, and add a some literary allusions to Charlotte Bronte's brilliant Jane Eyre - which I haven't read in over 20 years, so I was forced to read again. Believe me, it's not a chore, buy that book and read it, you'll thank me.
While Jane Eyre had a mad woman in her attic, my character, Emily Crow, has something far, far worse lurking in her attic...
Tony

Lonely, but not alone

After struggling a bit with general post-Christmas can't-be-bothered-ness I have started writing again. My aim is to put the new book into the Northern Writing Awards, and hopefully get a bit of support (but mostly to give me a goal, now I don't have a publisher). The book is now (probably) called Lonely Emily, and is aimed at a slightly older age group than I had originally intended, and will therefore be a LOT more scary!
What has inspired me most to start writing again is the news that my old playwrighting mentor Peter Straughan, along with his late partner Bridget O'Connor, has been nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay for Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy. Peter helped me write my first play, Surf City, which indirectly led to getting my first book published, so I am very grateful to him for his support and guidance in those early days.
And it's nice to know that the good guys make it!
Tony

Feeling Earnest

You could say the last few weeks have been a bit tricky.
After dissolving my contract with my publisher (more a matter of common sense than choice) and then managing to pick up another publisher, I have now managed to lose that publisher.
To misquote Oscar Wilde: "To lose one publisher, Mr Kerr, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness."
I was, frankly, a bit fed up and considered throwing in the towel. But then Christmas came, I had a bit too much to drink and eat, got sick, got well, watched some good telly, watched some terrible telly, read The Wind in the Willows and A Christmas Carol, and watched a lot of Laurel and Hardy, and felt a bit more optimistic.
So, I go into 2012 determined to pick up my pen and do better. I don't know if Maxwell or Emily Alone will find a publisher in 2012, but I am certain that I should not give up - to quote old Oscar again:
"The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly - that is what each of us is here for."
I've known what I was here for - to write stories full of adventure, fun and humour - since I was five years old ... and I'm not about to stop now.
Happy New Year!
Tony

Lilly lives

Have just confirmed that Lilly Alone will be published as a limited edition first edition by Chapter First in 2012 - I'll be signing the contract later this week. They are very keen to get the book into print, so it will be a fairly rapid process - as soon as I have some more news I will let you know.
Maxwell, as I have mentioned before, is having a year off - more news on his adventures soon, fingers crossed ... in the meanwhile Lilly and Sarah, and their cats Sampson and Chewy are preparing for a very, very scary adventure - you have been warned...
Tony

Two Lonely Girls

I have started work on Lilly Alone, and so far, so good - it will, of course, be a while down the line before you can read it, but here's a bit of a taster ... the first 200 words or so.
It's a little bit scary ... and it gets scarier!
Tony

Every night as darkness fell the terrible noises rose up through the house, and Lilly Cresswell lay in bed, frozen with terror.
During daylight the large house was a wonderful place, full of light, and happiness and toys for nine year old Lilly to play with. In fact she had so many toys that Lilly rarely left her room, but she did not mind this at all; and besides, Mrs Crow the housekeeper had told her many times that her health was delicate and she must be very careful to stay out of the sunlight.
So Lilly would sit in the dappled light of her drawn curtains in her large room, and though she could barely remember the last time she had left the room, and though she missed her parents very much, and sometimes it did seem that they had been away overseas forever, Lilly was very happy with her dolls, and toy boats and planes, and doll’s houses (she had five) and her wonderful books.
And, of course, she was not alone. She had Samson, her long-limbed black cat with its streak of silver fur that shot like a lightning bolt from between its pointed ears, down its back to the tip of its tail.
Samson lay at her feet now, curled into a ball, the silver streak a question mark in the darkness, as the terrible noise grew nearer and nearer and louder and louder...

Goodbye Mabel, Hello Lilly

My work on the National Novel Writing month has halted, as I have been offered a contract by a publishers to write a new book, Lilly Alone. There's not much I can tell you about Lilly Alone - it's in its very early stages - except that it is a ghost story, and, if all goes well, you should be seeing it within the next 12 months.
Mabel Maybe will have to wait a bit longer, but, fingers crossed, Lilly might pave the way for getting Maxwell 3 published, and I might finally get the chance to get some of these other stories written too!
More nonsense soon!

Tony

Pratchett and the distant siren call of 1K

Hit 971 words for Mabel Maybe today - according to the National Novel Writing Month website this means I'll now be finished by February 11, 2012 - I have to wonder about the science of this (and admit that I'm cheating, and have no intention of writing 50,000 words). So I'm nearly, but not quite at that 1,000 word count quite yet - I blame Terry Pratchett (am reading Snuff, his superb new book) and my slightly relaxed frame of mind as I approach my traditional mid-November forest holiday.
More nonsense tomorrow!
Tony