Excited to be starting on a new crime novel - lots of ideas for the next DI Horton and a thriller

As I've said before on this blog ideas for my crime novels  and thrillers can come from anywhere: a location where my crime novels are set i.e. Portsmouth, the Solent and the Isle of Wight; an overheard conversation as in my thriller In Cold Daylight; or perhaps a news item in the local press, and here was one that I found interesting:

Powerboat race comes to Cowes

COWES has been named as the start port for one of the world’s most prestigious powerboat races when it  hosts the UIM Cowes to Monte Carlo World Cup Race — a resurrection of the historic London to Monte Carlo Powerboat Race — on Saturday, June 8 next year. A fleet of 50 high-speed powerboats will set off down the western Solent at the start of a 2,400 nautical mile endurance race, taking in 11 cities and five countries over 15 days.

So what could Horton be working on? A mystery death on one of the Powerboats before the race?  A mysterious accident as they set off? Only hope nothing untoward really happens.

Then there is of Cowes week in August and before that the Panerai British Classic Yacht Week and that's not to mention everything else that goes on in the Solent; the ferries, container ships, leisure craft, and the Royal Navy and so much happening in the vibrant and complex City of Portsmouth... no shortage of ideas there.



 

Then I've got DI Andy Horton's search for his mother and what happened to her after she abandoned him at the age of ten. The eighth in the series gives some further clues on this and number nine might actually reveal the truth behind her disappearance! Plenty to work on and I'm very excited at beginning  my research for the next DI Horton, number 9 in the series.

Now is the time to nominate your favourite crime author for the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) Dagger in the Library Award 2012.

This gives readers and librarians the chance to nominate their favourite crime author.  I was delighted to reach the long list  in 2008 and would be chuffed if I made it again to either the long list or the short list.

Nominations opened on 1st January 2012 and close on 31st March 2012 so there's time to get your vote in.

Sponsored by the publishers, Random House, the Dagger is awarded to a writer nominated by library users and chosen by a panel of librarians, all of whom work with the public. Unlike most other literary prizes, the Dagger in the Library is awarded not for an individual book but for the author’s body of work.

The nominated authors must be alive, preferably working in Britain. The award is for a body of work and entries from reading groups or individuals are submitted through libraries. Nomination forms may be downloaded from the CWA website by clicking the links at the top of the right-hand column.

Groups who nominated the winning author will be entered into a draw for £300 to be spent on books and all groups whose nominated authors are shortlisted are entered into a draw for two tickets to the award announcements

Details of long-listed authors will be announced in April 2012. Shortlisted authors will in May 2012. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Summer 2012.  For further information visit the CWA web site or  have a chat with your local librarian and ask them to nominate your favourite crime writer.