Tuesday 1 January 2008

A new beginning

What better way to begin a new year than to start writing a new book?

I’m working on the first chapter of the fourth Lake District Mystery today. It’s always an exciting time, that stage when the wonderful story ideas that have sprung to life in one's mind haven’t been compromised by the limitations of one's talent. I always begin full of hope - and then after a while the angst starts to set in. Why isn’t the plot working? How do I get from this scene to where I really want the story to be? Does what I’m saying about this character contradict his or her past, as described in an earlier book in the series? Talk about a roller-coaster ride.

But today, at least, it’s going well.

I send my best wishes to everyone who reads this blog from time to time, including in particular those who either encouraged me to start it, or to keep it going (or both.) To my amazement, I've managed to produce a new post for each day since the blog began and I've found the whole experience thoroughly enjoyable. In 2008, I'll continue to combine updates about my own writing with thoughts about crime fiction in general, past and present, as well as the occasional excursion into true crime.

Here’s hoping for a peaceful and healthy year ahead. – and for some really good reading from authors familiar and currently unknown. In a short space of time, I’ve been truly gratified to get to know some very generous people through blogging. It’s a great community, and I’m thrilled to have become part of it.


5 comments:

Ali Karim said...

Happynw year Martin -

I enjoy your blog

Best for 2008 and all that

Ali
www.shotsmag.o.uk
www.therapsheet.blogspot.com

Maxine Clarke said...

Well, that's good news about the new Lake District mystery. I'll be sure to have read the second and third in time to read it!
I've very much enjoyed reading your blog this year. If I may make a comment, I am quite a voracious reader of book-related blogs as you may have noticed, and yours definitely stands out as distinctive. I hope you will keep on blogging. It is interesting to readers like myself to see a little bit of the author's mind and the "behind the scenes" of someone's output, but equally your blog is interesting in itself -- it has a clear voice that is not dependent on the fact that you are an author, and this is also what makes it an interesting and readable blog.
Happy new year to you and your family, especially your webmaster.
All the best
Maxine.

Martin Edwards said...

Thanks, both of you. Very generous comments to start off the new year.

Anonymous said...

Very Happy New Year from the Netherlands as well. Rather useless to say I have a log as well, it is all in dutch ;-)
And please keep writing!

Martin Edwards said...

Thanks, Liesbeth. I confess I just can't stop writing! And your English is a lot better than my Dutch. There was some talk a few months ago about a Dutch publisher translating the Lakes books, but all has gone quiet lately. Perhaps there'll be some progress there in 2008...