chrismctrustry

Writing Mechanics

And no, I don’t mean a person who repairs cars, trucks, tractors who writes. Although I’m sure there are mechanic-novelists out there. If you’re a budding novelist you have to make sure you can still pay the bills!

You can see what I mean by “mechanics“ below.

These pages are a literal chapter breakdown of my manuscript-in-progress called Burned. I’ve written fragments of a backstory for my protagonist and now I need to figure out where to slip them into the manuscript so the plot continues to unroll naturally and the reader can gain some insight (drop by drop – not massive info-dump) into the character without losing the momentum of the story. T’is a challenge . . .

Glory Days

I took a break from writing my novel and spent the afternoon watching my old football team. Back in the day, I was captain of the Figtree Titans and played for them for over 10 years. An added bonus for today’s game was that a bloke from work was playing for the opposition. The Titans prevailed 5-1. Yay!

The author flies through the air to make a powerful defensive header.

The photo above was taken at Coledale, a beachside northern Illawarra suburb.

Burned, my crime novel-in-progress progresses well.

The Hazards of the Modern Writer-Postman. Episode 2.

Once again, as my mother would say “damned annoying”.

Did some more scribbling on the postie run today on my new novel. Still waiting for news from my agent about my crime novel The Highlands as it does the rounds of publishers here in Australia.

The Hazards of A Modern Writer-Postman

As a writer moonlighting as a postie I don’t find this sort of parking “creative” or “inspiring”. Just “damned annoying” as my mother would say!

PS. New crime novel ‘Burned’ is progressing well. Very pleased.

Lockdown Writing Playlist

If anything, in ten years I can look back on the Covid 19 pandemic and check on what I was listening to while trying to keep healthy – and creative.

My wife Patricia and I were also completing a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle of the Eiffel Tower during the Lockdown.

My new crime novel Burned is progressing nicely (23,000 of projected 75,000 words completed). But the burning question is: What was I listening to while penning this thrilling tale?

Dave Graney – ‘n the Coral Snakes, and the Mistly, Show, and Claire Moore. Pretty much all of his bands. Albums: ‘You’ve Been In My Mind’ “kiss Tomorrow Goodbye’ ‘The Devil Drives’

EOB – Ed O’Brien from Radiohead. Album: ‘Earth’.

Damon Albarn – ‘Everyday Robots’

Spoon – ‘Hot Thoughts’

Literary Agent Secured

Yep. My wife and I returned from our Christmas in Europe to the news that Lyn Tranter at Australian Literary Management was willing to act as my literary agent. This is how the situation played out: the moment we got home from overseas, my wife and I combed through my manuscript looking for typos, spelling mistakes, poor formatting – and of course plot holes and character flaws. When we were happy with the manuscript, I emailed it to Lyn – and then waiting began . . . Every time my phone rang I would check caller ID, hoping it would be Lyn calling. I know this much about publishing – good news is rarely emailed to you. A ‘thanks but no thanks’ from potential publishers or agents usually drop in your inbox. But good news, such as ‘we want to publish your manuscript’ or ‘I’d like to take you on as a client’ are pretty much always a phone call. So, in mid February, that’s what I got. A phone call from Lyn requesting a meeting. ‘How about tomorrow?’ I said. We arranged a time in the afternoon and the next day I went into work early (4:00am) – remember I’m a postie? – delivered my mail at warp speed and drove to Balmain to meet with Lyn.

First off, we decided on a new title for the manuscript. Gone is Disputed Provenance and Murder is an Art. The new title of my first Liz Kolle crime novel is . . .

The Highlands

And now I’m faced with more waiting as Lyn shops the manuscript to potential publishers. I have my fingers and toes crossed that The Highlands will find a home soon. Mind you, crossed fingers make it hard to type – as I work on my next crime novel. It’s called Burned. I’ll tell you more about that one in future posts.

Very Encouraging News . . .

Well.

Here I am in Europe on the holiday, my lovely wife and I have been looking forward to for ages. In a word – wonderful! In another word – cold!!!

Europe, specifically Germany and Austria, in the winter is stunning. What a contrast to the drought, high temperatures and raging bushfires back home in Australia.

There I am, outside the Hofbrauhaus in Munich – trying not to look cold (to be fair it was only 1 degree Celsius). I think I succeeded in looking cool, but not cold.

But onto my news. Yesterday morning, in Munich, in Germany, I received a reply email from a prominent Australian literary agent (my number 1 and only choice to query) about my crime novel Murder is an Art or Disputed Provenance (still haven’t decided on which will be the title) with a request to read the complete novel.

Yee hah!

Of course it’s not a done deal, far from it, but it’s a huge step in the right direction to having my troubled (booze, in-laws, authority) detective Elizabeth Kolle introduced to the world of crime fiction. So, the moment we’re home and the jet lag has gone it’ll be one last read through and then my manuscript will wing its way to its destiny . . .

The Journey Continues . . .

Yes, folks. The journey – of holidaying, exploring new places, meeting new people, trying new food – continues as my wife Patricia and I head off to Europe for a northern hemisphere Christmas. Fingers crossed for snow. The last white Christmas I had was way back in- That’s not important. It was London. It was cold. It was snowing. It was magical. And now, Patricia and I are doing it again. In style!

We see this as a well-earned reward for a lot of hard work with our jobs and our families over the past few years.

But I have been working hard on my writing, too. I have almost finished my new novel entitled, Disputed Provenance or Murder is an Art (it concerns the brutal murder of an art forger and serial womaniser, who has spread his, ahem, good will amongst the Southern Highlands of NSW society).

I’ve also powered through the writing of another crime novel – with a comic and musical twist – called I Hate the Music. It’s the story of an ex-postman/ex-community radio deejay, who scores a job working for a major Sydney radio station. Danny Shaw is ambition, though, and decides to murder his way to the pinnacle of commercial radio – the Breakfast Shift. well, where would any of us be without ambition?

In closing, sorry I haven’t posted in such a long time, but at the moment, no one’s reading my jottings, so I guess it doesn’t matter. But. Maybe. Who knows. Someone will stop by and check out my mutterings. Fingers crossed. If you do, leave a comment.

Okay, signing off now. I gotta go pack!

Bon voyage!

My Writing Year, so far . . .

2019 is less than two and a bit months old, but I’ve been pounding the keyboard and scouring the Net for publishers, agents and opportunities.

1). Although it’s not actually YA fiction (at all), the big opportunity I’m pursuing is:

The Debut Dagger is a crime writing competition run by the Crime Writers Association of Great Britain and is open to writers from all around the world. Entrants submit the opening 3,000 words of their manuscript, along with a synopsis of up to 1,500 words. My entry, set in the NSW sSouthern Highlands about the murder of an art forger is called ‘Murder Is an Art’.

2). Later this month (i.e. March 2019) I will be entering my YA manuscript ‘I Was A Teenage Beard’ in Affirm Press’s manuscript development competition.

Three lucky writers will spend a week at Varuna Writers’ Retreat in the NSW Blue Mountains to write and receive feedback from Affirm Press editors. My entry is ready for submission.

I need a cup f coffee, NOW, so more news will follow soon.

Trade Children’s Books

The writing trade for children can be broadly broken down into two types: Trade publishing (books that can bought in bookshops – both physical and online) and education publishing (books that are used to teach children reading, comprehension and the like). Inherent to both of these forms of publishing are age brackets: