I set out with good intentions as a new owner of a slice of the internet. One of those good intentions was to write a humorous ditty – a blog post, if you will – once a month. Well, it’s almost a year since my last post. Sheesh – you must feel awfully neglected. If I were you, I’d report me.

“Why haven’t you posted for a year, Andy?”

I’d like to say it’s because I’m a lazy bastard. But that is simply not true. I think this particular audience has been forgotten about because I post on social media, and I send out monthly newsletters. In my tiny mind, therefore, I’ve told everyone everything – job done, claps hands.

But I’m wrong, aren’t I? Not everyone is on Facebook, and not everyone has subscribed to my splendid monthly newsletter where I beg profusely for reviews. Only kidding (no, I’m not). Okay, I do beg for reviews, but come on, there’s a lot of other stuff I share in them, too. Have you signed up, by the way? Why not? Go here > Sign Up & Read

So I’ve forgotten to create blog posts because I’m spreading the word elsewhere. There, that’s why.

“Okay, then why are you blogging now, Mr Smartypants?”

Shit. Good question.

“I know.”

Okay, okay. I’m blogging now because this is the medium I see most closely associated with my website, and for far too long I’ve let it slide, and it’s about time I brought it – and you – up to date. The website is taking longer to do than I’d hoped, but I keep cranking the handle every now and then, and before you know it, it’ll be so new, so up to date that it’ll be able to tell me next month’s lottery numbers! Ha, you might laugh!

And this blog post is my way of encircling all that’s happened over the last year and bringing it to you in a concentrated fashion, if you will. Albeit, condensed.

This time last year I was still feeling ill with a nasty bout of Long-Covid, and that put me out of action until the summer. Thirteen months ago, I had hoped to begin writing a new series of detective novels propelled by a young lady by the name of Regan, a detective sergeant no less (why writers go for DCIs all the time is beyond me – all DCIs do is sit behind their desks shuffling budgets and staffing levels. They really don’t go trudging through woodland chasing shoplifters, you know), and had even worked out that if I wrote 1400 words every day for a year, I’d have a healthy six-book series.

Well, erm… A year later and I’m 7-thousand words into book three. I know, I know, stop shouting at me. Actually, that’s another reason why I’m writing this blog: I’m stuck fast. I have no doubt that I shall eventually write my way out of trouble but for the time being, the quicksand is up to my chest. I’ll really start to panic when it reaches my chin.

Anyway, I’ve decided it won’t be six books after all, it will be a trilogy. I ache to get back on writing Eddie Collins, but my OCD-ness won’t allow that until I’ve tucked Regan into bed and called it done.

What else? Well, I teamed up with a wonderful company who fell in love with CSI Eddie Collins, and specifically with The Pain of Strangers. That company is mad keen on television and film knows those industries inside out. They’ve been very busy on my behalf promoting the book to the telly and flicks people, and have had quite a bit of success doing so.

I really need to keep details out of this, but I can say The Pain of Strangers was one of the lucky stories to be selected by some attendees at the Birmingham Film and Television market in 2023. When I’m permitted to share more details, I certainly will (we all love good news, don’t we?). In the meantime, here’s an image of the laurel wreath.

As far as writing goes, yes I’m still on with the detective trilogy, and then I’ll be back writing a new Eddie Collins book. Prior to completing that, I aim to have a glossary of terms used by Eddie and other Yorkshire/English people, available to download for free from all good booksellers. I hope it’ll make you giggle as you search for that phrase or word you’ve never heard before.

Do you want to see what all the fuss is about? Click here to visit the Pain of Strangers on your Amazon

That’s all for now, and I hope to be back again soon. Well, sooner than a year, anyway.