On writing a story...

An analysis of writing the book "A Most Extraordinary Gardener" 

(Soon to be available on Amazon - price £9.50) 


I have just finished a novel set in and around Sittingbourne and Sheppey and although I use locations that are familiar to local residents there is a temptation to over describe. I have probably erred on the side of a lack of description concentrating on the characters and the action instead. This concentration  drives the story along easier than a lot of purple prose about the prettiness the scenery.

I began the story before the advent of Brexit and although I was tempted to adjust the story and perhaps make some wild predictions I did not. The tale has little to do with Brexit and mic to do with a illegal immigrants, modern slavery and one man's struggle to live a normal life.

The issue of any story seems to be conflict resolved in some fashion that the reader can understand or enjoy and attempt not to tie up too many loose ends too neatly. Like all writers there has to be some portion of your own moral philosophy in any story, yet at the same time you must have some empathy with your character however nasty they may be. You have to recognise that there is value in people and their actions that are carried out within their moral codes or standards. I hope I have succeeded in doing that.

This story may be a thriller dealing with some raw issues but at the sane time there is a modicom of humour, an attempt to make characters be themselves in dramatic situations and at the same time try and avoid the pedantic task of getting everything correct according to modern practice.

My police officers follow my expected procedures rather than the most accurate police procedures of current practice. I assume then reader is not interested in the details, the tale is not aimed at the detail picky reader. I am trying to tell a human story about a man whose life, because of his circumstances is different to what is expected to be normal.

The pleasure is becoming part of the character's world - identifying with him or her and suffering the troubles, feeling elated at their triumphs and feeling the anxiety as they work their way through the tale you have created for them. Drives you mad eventually.

But, I know feel the needs of Colin Rickman and see his world almost as he sees it yet still, despite him being my creation, realising that his story still goes on and there is much in his tale that I still do not know.

And now, as the book is about to be made public, it would be a nice thing if people shared Colin's story with me.