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At the same time as working on the final edits on the current DI Andy Horton ( number seven in the series) I am also working on ideas and the plot outlines for Andy Horton number eight. I already have a rough outline but this little item popped into my Google Reader yesterday, courtesy of the Isle of Wight County press: Ship Grounded off the Needles . "The cargo ship grounded off The Needles has been refloated. The 90-metre vessel was grounded on a shingle bank north of The Needles yesterday afternoon (Sunday). The British registered vessel, Paula C, which is owned by Carisbrooke Shipping, was reported to Solent Coastguard as grounded at 1pm. The vessel was subsequently refloated and made its way under its own power to Saltmead off the entrance to Beaulieu River where it is currently lying at anchor. Inspectors from the company will inspect the ship before giving it the all clear to proceed to Southampton where it will be inspected for damage in dry dock." Now wouldn...

I had a great walk on the beautiful Isle of Wight yesterday, sun, sea and stunning scenery, perfect. It's always fascinating to cross the Solent, so much happening: the ferries, hovercraft, container ships, tugs, pilot boats, police launch, small pleasure craft, fishing boats, dredgers and more. The contrast between the city scape of Portsmouth one side and the rolling downs of the Isle of Wight the other.  The historic Old Portsmouth and the new Spinnaker Tower.  Then there are the iron and granite Forts in the Solent, the sea and bird life, not to mention the passengers on the hovercraft and the small Island train, a remnant of the London Underground.  Everywhere there is inspiration, you simply have to see it. Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight and the Solent the perfect place for lots of new plot ideas for the next DI Horton crime novel. Better finish this one first though - back to the keyboard.

I know I've covered this here before but because it's the question that people ask me most often I thought there would be no harm in covering it again, albeit in a different way and with more information. People are genuinely fascinated to learn where writers get their ideas from and many people tell me they'd never be able to come up with an idea for a book let alone enough ideas for a series of novels.  But ideas really are the easy part of writing - once you have trained your mind to openly look for them, or spot them when they miraculously occur - it is turning the ideas into a novel of 80,000-100,000 words that is the tricky bit. Ideas for novels come from a variety of sources: overheard conversations, stories relayed by others, personal experience, locations and the news, which pops up in my Google Reader: for example a Windsurfing Festival on Hayling Island could serve as a potential investigation for an Inspector Andy Horton marine myste...

I've just returned from a very long walk on the beautiful Isle of Wight, bliss, and not blisters, though the legs do ache a bit after twelve miles. That's because I haven't walked so many miles since before Christmas, but spring will soon be on its way and then there will be no stopping me. It's great to have a break from the computer and to let the mind roam free, as well as take in the beautiful countryside and get some physical exercise for a change instead of sitting in front of a computer monitor.   This morning the sun was shining  over Sandown Bay in a pale blue sky, the sea was gently rippling on to the sands and the views from Culver Cliff across the bay towards the cliffs of Shanklin in the south and from Bembridge Down across the Solent to Portsmouth in the north were spectacular as always. I find the Island a great place for inspiration with all that fresh sea air, rolling downs, coves, bays and cliffs. As many of you know my crime thrille...