Maps, myths, and messy writing

Hello from the writing desk — or more honestly, from a mess of coffee cups, notebooks, and crossed‑out pages. July has been the month of learning by doing (and un‑doing).

✍️ Writing Update: Learning as I went

The novelty of starting wore off, and the reality kicked in: how do you actually write a book? I tried a few software tools, but mostly I just pushed forward. No outline, no map — just characters dragging me into scenes. Chaotic, but addictive.

🕵️ Behind the Scenes: The Composite Lead

Paul, my main character, isn’t based on one person but a cocktail of many — colleagues, clients, overheard pub stories. The scams he bumps into come from the same place: half‑true legends and whispered tales. Familiar enough to feel true, slippery enough to be fiction.

📚 Book Recommendation

This month I read We are all Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter. Dark, intense, and emotional. If you like humour threaded throughout, it’s worth a swerve!

🎭 Question of the Month

What is this book actually about? A caper? A thriller? A rom‑com in disguise? I didn’t know yet. The only answer was: keep writing.

Enjoy these? Get new notes by email: Join the Reader List.