Writing a Crime Series

When I decided to write a crime series, I didn't really think about the problems it might pose. I had a character that I'd lived with for some years in various short stories and false start novels and I knew that the character warranted more than one book. I am now two thirds of the way through writing the second book and I have to say that I have found this more difficult than the first, pictured above. I had a brief synopsis when I started but never knew the end. I wasn't worried about not having an ending because I was more than half way through the first book before I knew what the end was going to be.

Free Writing

I always try and do some free writing first thing in the morning, even if it is only half a page or so. It was the practice of free writing that gave me the ending for the first book. Up until yesterday, I had only a vague idea of how the book would end and what had to happen before it did. Yesterday morning when I was doing my writing exercise and thinking about the second book, I managed to get not just the ending, but all the chapters that lead up to that part, so I am now feeling a lot more positive about getting the second book finished in the next couple of weeks. I don't know what the third book will be about but I think I will leave that up to my subconscious and my free writing. The first book has not been a massive success but has been selling at least one copy a day this month, so we will see what happens when the second book goes up.

Writing the Second Lambeth Croak Book

I started writing the second book in the Lambeth Croak series during NaNoWriMo but I didn't get as far as 50,000 words, currently I am 36,000 so only 4000 words so far this month. I am finding the second book harder to write than the first. When I wrote the first book I started by the seat of my pants and about a third of the way through developed a plan for the rest of the book. For some reason the goal posts keep changing with this one. I think I know where I'm going and then something happens to take me in a different direction, which is all very well but a bit unsettling because where I thought the book was going isn't where it's going at all.

When I began it was with an idea that East European gangs would try a takeover bid on Yardie territory, noe, it's more of a police conspiracy involving a character from the last book so I don't really know where it's going. Anyway, what's it all got to do with me, I'm only the writer.

Lambeth Croak: Lambeth Croak: Writing a Crime Series

Lambeth Croak: Lambeth Croak: Writing a Crime Series: The reasons I decided to make Lambeth Croak into a series rather than a stand alone book were three fold. 1. I Love the Main Character ...

Lambeth Croak: Writing a Crime Series

The reasons I decided to make Lambeth Croak into a series rather than a stand alone book were three fold.

1. I Love the Main Character

I first came up with the main character and principle investigator in the series Bev Stone, twenty years ago when I wrote a Chandler pastiche for a writing class. Over the years I have written a couple of short stories and three unfinished novels before I came up with Death Came Stalking and the idea of the Lambeth Croak Series. 

I can't explain why this particular character is so important to me. Yes, there is some of myself on the page as there will be for many writers, particularly those with a series in mind, but at the same time she is nothing like me. She's childless for instance, while I have a large family, we're both dog lovers and have both survived domestic violence. Originally I wrote her as a simple private investigator but over the years that has changed, she is now a writer and social researcher (again like me) and a reluctant detective (not me). I don't know how the series will fare, nor how popular a character Bev might be, but I intend to keep growing with her over the foreseeable future.

2. I Love and am Familiar with the Setting

 I grew up in South London and as a child was often taken on shopping trips to Brixton in South London. Later, during my first marriage I lived in the area, and for a while in the actual road where Bev has her flat. if you've never heard of Brixton, the area became infamous during the riots of the nineteen eighties. I just love the feel of the place and its (as a rule) well adjusted multicultural atmosphere.

Situating my character in Brixton meant that it seemed sensible to me to make her of dual Irish and Afro-Caribbean heritage. As I have four dual heritage grandchildren I am well aware of the difficulties they face growing up in Britain. Having a character of similar background means that as time goes on there are other issues to explore.

3. Alter Ego

To some extent Bev is an alter ego for me. She does things that I have never really managed, I still can't drive for instance and although I can be as stubborn as she, I don't have the courage to get involved in things in the same way. Whether readers will feel sympathy with this particular character I don't know. Beta readers did find her engaging and sympathetic, it remains to be seen whether others will do the same. What does your series character mean to you?

Lambeth Croak Book 2 - Scivener

I'm currently trying to get the first 50,000 words at least of the second book in the Lambeth Croak Series written by the end of next Friday and am finding it tough going. While I did do some planning I get a few scenes down and then think of something else that should have come before those scenes. I have a mac now rather than a PC and so am writing the book with Scrivener. The beauty of Scrivener is that you can move scenes around in outline mode and it changes the structure of your document for you.

Prologues

Not all writers use prologues but I find them useful for setting the scene in third person as the rest of the book is written in the first person. I find that using both a prologue and an epilogue a la Sue Grafton a good way of beginning and ending this type of book. So I thought I would give you all a taste of the prologue to the second book {remember this is first draft and subject to change} See what you think, I'd welcome any comments.

The hubbub and complaints were suddenly subdued by a loud scream. Everyone stopped, a if they were in a movie still or Remembrance Sunday had come early. The newly promoted Sergeant Hughes handed the keys and discharge forms to the constable next to him and went through to the post room.

The mail clerk was surrounded by a circle of people, most of whom were civilian employees. There were a couple of weary looking young constables who were there to hand over notes and voice tapes for transcription. Some of the clerks colleagues were sobbing with her, all had looks of horror on their faces. One turned towards Hughes, “It’s a head sarge, some bloody lunatic has sent us a head.” 

Lambeth Croak: Death Came Stalking Lambeth Croak Book1

Lambeth Croak: Death Came Stalking Lambeth Croak Book1: The first book of the Lambeth Croak Series has been on sale at Amazon US and  Amazon UK . So far it's sold 13 copies in the UK but none ...

Death Came Stalking Lambeth Croak Book1

The first book of the Lambeth Croak Series has been on sale at Amazon US and Amazon UK. So far it's sold 13 copies in the UK but none so far in the US. I've not really done much at all in the way of promotion, which was one reason I took the advice of someone else to set up this blog, which I hope will last with the series.

Been working on the second book as it is NaNoWriMo month, although I'm a bit behind the curve right now I hope to have caught up by weekend. I've got an ending for the book now, which I didn't have when I started, but still not sure exactly how it's going to play out - so watch this space for that one. I don't know about anyone else, but even though I've got the first book up on Amazon, it still doesn't feel as if I am a published author.

I was lucky in that I had two excellent Beta readers who picked up style and structure issues as well as a few typos - virtually unavoidable when you start changing scenes and chapters around. I'd really like to know how you feel about Kindle publishing and whether you feel like a legitimate author - am I just being daft and pernickety? I have to thank my clever son Alan for the cover design of the book as that is supposed to go a long way with potential buyers. I've put it on at what is regarded as the sweet spot price of $2.99 as it is a full length novel - 78,000 + words. I'll be updating regularly here so keep a look out for the next post.

Death Came Stalking

I've called this blog Lambeth Croak, because I intend that is should be updates and commentary on self publishing a crime series. I'd like to publish the books on Create Space as well but am finding the formatting process challenging to say the least.

The  first Lambeth Croak novel, Death Came Stalking is available on Amazon Kindle. It's written in the noir tradition, although the private detective is female, and she walks the mean streets of South London rather than the mean streets of LA. When Bev agrees to search for a missing wife, a search that is hindered by her soon to be ex husband, she has no idea where the case will lead. As the tension mounts Bev's own life is on the line.

I decided to make Death Came Stalking part one of the Lambeth Croak Series. During NaNWriMo month I'm attempting to write the first 50,000 words of the second book - working title Death Gnagland Style. The story begins with research into a client's mysterious boyfriend, Bev also ends up investigating the attempted murder of the person who tried to murder her last time around. Will Bev succeed in her aims and prevent the streets of Brixton running with blood?