My new novel is a departure for me as I find myself wandering into a genre that I have never written before: a supernatural thriller! The idea came to me in autumn last year and interrupted my work on The King of Pomerania. It did this by proving to be too powerful to ignore and totally taking over my imagination
characters
Should Iolos Fall – Part Five
Some of us need the fantasy to cope with the reality.
Risdun Hak and Eiji Tunshi
This is another one of those writing moments where characters seem to either introduce themselves or simply intrude into the creative process. Eiji Tunshi is too much of a gentleman to intrude, I feel that he just charmed his way into existence. I already had an idea for a character that became Risdun Hak. He … Continue reading Risdun Hak and Eiji Tunshi
Marsh and Cope
Marsh and Cope appear in my science fiction novel, Mesozoic. They are actually a reference to an infamous pair of Palaeontologists from the late 19th century, Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope. These two erudite academics developed a passionate feud fuelled by a hatred for each other that developed slowly but became almost all … Continue reading Marsh and Cope
Grace and Tom
When I wrote about Coenred and Mildryth I was reminded of another couple who had taken centre stage in one of my other novels; Grace Fielding and Thomas Morrow. They appear in Eugenica. They have no romantic attachment to one another, partly because they are quite young, and partly because they are thrown together by a series of terrible events rather than mutual attraction.
Coenred and Mildryth
Where do characters come from? I wrote quite extensively about how Artemisia Montessori developed from a very simple idea into the protagonist of my most recent novel, The Devil Within Us. Not all of my characters appeared that way, however. When I was researching The War Wolf I had no idea that there were three … Continue reading Coenred and Mildryth
Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Eleven
In the past I have never had a problem with deciding on a title for the book that I am writing. I usually have a working title first. I do not know why but it seems to help me with my vision of the book. The Sorrow Song Trilogy books were very easy, as was … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Eleven
Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Eight
One of the most interesting things about writing is when a story appears to take control of itself and starts making decisions for you, the writer. When I started Mephistopheles, still only a working title but I have got an idea that I like for a better one, I had only one protagonist in mind, … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Eight
Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Five
I am just approaching the 20,000 word mark. Some writers insist that the word count is unimportant but I do not agree. I like having both a target and a measure as to how I am progressing. 70,000 is the approximate minimum figure for a novel these days. I usually exceed this by several thousand. … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Five
Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Four
I have been busy! My status as a key worker has been revoked due to health concerns. Basically, I have been identified as vulnerable and my employer has decided that I should remain at home. This disappoints me as I felt that my work was worthwhile and I have already been exposed to the Coronavirus, … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Four
Peter C Whitaker 