What's in a name? Well, quite a lot, if I dare take issue with
the great one for a moment. Blood and tears have been produced in
the quest for a title for Book Four. (Regular visitors may remember
James Patterson stole my last one.) At the eleventh hour I thought
I had it. From nowhere came the idea: SNAP! Perfect, it seemed, for
a story that revolves around a) a copycat serial killer and b) an
ordinary person becoming unhinged, whose sanity eventually goes …
you see, it's not just me, you think it's good too.
It wasn't to be. Because even
She-Who-Is-About-To-Embark-Upon-The-Greatest-Adventure-Known-to-Womankind
has to bow before the might of the sales team. So, it's official.
Book Four will be called:
NOW YOU SEE ME.
Not my first choice, or even my second, but I have to admit it's
kind of creepy. And it does look good even on the very rough mock
up my website designer produced. Okay, it's growing on me.
Generally speaking, things have perked up since I last
blogged. Not only has book f - oops, NOW YOU SEE ME been
signed off by editors on both sides of the Atlantic, but also my
ideas for Book Five have been accepted. This means that Evi Oliver
(from BLOOD HARVEST) Lacey Flint and Mark Joesbury (both from NOW
YOU SEE ME) will be returning. Blimey, it could be the start of a
series.
Also, BLOOD HARVEST has made it through to the final shortlist
of four in the CWA Gold Dagger award. The other three are
Blacklands (Belinda Bauer), The Way Home (George Pelecanos) and
Shadowplay (Karen Campbell) The first two are excellent (damn it)
and whilst I haven't read Shadowplay yet, I'm sure it's equally as
good. I do keep having to tell myself the honour is in being on the
shortlist. And the fun is in getting a new dress for the occasion.
The eventual winner will be announced on ITV3 in early October.
In honour of its place in the final, Blood Harvest has been
given a makeover. Behold, stylish and rather scary new
cover.
Another bit of good news is that the wonderful Buckman women
have found me a Japanese publisher. Tokyo Sogenshah, who also
publish Ian Fleming, Minette Walters, Dean Koontz and Sarah Waters
have bought Sacrifice, Awakening and Blood Harvest and will be
publishing Sacrifice in the next eighteen months.
And finally, my pride and joy didn't need an operation to fix
his broken elbow, his cast has been removed, he's been signed off
fit to travel and we fly off to Italy on Saturday.
As, I think, someone else will be doing too. If you're reading
this, Powerful One, have a fabulous day, look as beautiful as only
you can, and come back in top form for the autumn grind. I
can't do it without you. Lots of love to you both from all of
us here. xxx