Tag: balgal

Australian Rural, Beaufort's Landing, crime, Memoir, North Queensland, Novels, Series, Writing

They’re Here! Plus, a not so quiet brag…

Book 4, Dead Ringer, hard copies are here and also available on Amazon and Books.by…

There will be a local launch here in Townsville at Arcane Bookstore Tavern street, Thuringowa, who also are carrying the follow up thriller Daughter Of Anger and the other Beaufort’s Landing Series. Keep an eye out for date announcements.

The other good news? aAs in title above, I’ve received two lovely reviews by email in the last month for Ruth In Pieces…Yes, yes I am bragging…

Life is shattering — available at Amazon and Arcane Books Townsville


I recently came across Ruth In Pieces on Reedsy and was immediately intrigued by its dark, layered suspense and the psychological undertones that echo through Ruth’s journey. The mix of international intrigue, medical mystery, and a detective’s obsession makes it exactly the kind of story readers… crave, ….Ruth In Pieces’ unique appeal, especially with readers who devour tightly woven mysteries with morally complex characters

(Sorry, don’t know why this is so small…)

aannddd….

From the very first lines of Ruth In Pieces, it’s clear this isn’t just a thriller it’s a haunting character study cloaked in quiet menace. Ruth is a fascinating creation: layered, enigmatic, and drifting in the shadow of doubt. As a reader, you’re pulled in by the mystery but as a human, you stay because the truth feels dangerously close to home.

This is the kind of psychological thriller that lingers. It doesn’t just twist and turn it unsettles. It builds an atmosphere where trust feels foreign, and every action is stitched with ambiguity. It’s stories like Ruth In Pieces that deserve to land in the hands of readers who crave this precise blend of suspense, subtle horror, and emotional depth… your book’s global backdrop, atmospheric tension, and deeply human questions about guilt, trust, and hidden truths, Ruth In Pieces has everything it takes to capture loyal thriller readers…

Seems my dark side can be appealing, lol…

How is your writing going? I hope you are getting lots of support, you deserve it. I believe in you. You’re amazing you’ve written, are writing a book. That’s amazing! Well done!!

See you soon,

Beaufort's Landing, crime, Novels, Series, Writing

New Perspective on Rewriting — Overcome to Energised

Oops apparently I for got to post this…

Dang that seems like a long headline! But, I want to share with you a new mindset I have decided to develop. Having finished my latest book’s first draft, I’m setting out on the mammoth task of reviewing, revising, and rewriting. Now, it’s not that I absolutely hate this task, it’s just that it has felt tedious, time-consuming and tiresome. I have always felt, well, there that’s finished, brush hands together and get onto the next one. However, I know it will get better after the beta readers, editors etc., but before I send it to them I want it to be the best I can achieve without help. It’s my story, my responsibility.

I have, therefore, given myself a good talking to and am trying to look at my work with new eyes and attitude. If I slow down the narrative long enough for the reader to establish the character in his/her setting, if I make the reader feel the feels, sense the smell, touch the texture, hear the accent/music/forest sounds then they get a much more immersive experience.

I love it when I get lost in the world of whatever book I’m reading (which, at the moment is Boy Swallows Universe – what beautiful writing). Isn’t that what I want for my reader? Aren’t they supposed to say, as they close the book, ‘Man, that was good. I was right there!’

There is a lot of advice, out there in the media-verse, to just get on with relaying the story. don’t use too many adjectives, don’t take to long in the telling, action is everything, move, move, move…

Well, I beg to differ…I say balance all that action with explanation and explication. You can’t ‘show not tell’ without taking time out to trace the feelings, smell, noise, taste sights. Sometimes those things are so overpowering, so amazing, so awe-inspiring that they deserve an adjective or two. They deserve the deep breaths and appreciation.

Let’s stop dissing adjectives and adverbs, but using them wisely build our worlds, however small and seemingly insignificant, into places our readers can fully inhabit.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? How do you go about your re-writes. Do you toss out all those words and start again? Or, like me, go back and build little by little, more truth, strength and realness into what you have already accomplished? After all, I wrote a book! I mean, that’s no small task. Why would I bury it, when it can be re-vitalised, brought back to radiant new life?

Let me know how you’re doing,

Novels, Short Stories, Writing

Book Cover Blues

Halfway through May, and I am still working on the Ruth In Pieces cover…slowly improving, but apparently still missing the mark. I am a stubborn ass and am determined to do something worthy of the genre. I must have done about 100 variations, and now have decided to take the last few to my Meet The Author/Workshop event in a couple of weeks 28/29th May. If your live in Townsville or environs. Come along and meet me on the Friday night and/or participate in the Workshop on short Stories. ALL FOR FREE.

I am going to write in more detail about this in the TIP-C group, if you’re interested in the gory details.

In the meantime, I have to confess I haven’t done much work on actually writing my mystery Series. Escape to Danger is available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback.The ebook of Tidal Secrets is up on Amazon and the paperbook will be up soon. The Curlew’s Cry is languishing badly, but I will be back on track by beginning June.

This link will take you to my page and You will be able to read some of the first pages, almost all of chapter 1.

The psychological thriller books, Ruth In Pieces being the first of the trilogy, is up on Amazon in ebook form also. However with a cover I”m told just won’t do…see above. Book 2 is with Allen and Unwin. Book 3 is in the pupa stage and vaguely mapped out with a start on Chapter 1 having been made…

I know you want to tell me to concentrate on one thing at a time, and I would if I could. Don’t worry I’ll get there…ummmm, yair of course I will.

My good twin Rosa Christian has been busy as well. Her blog will go up tomorrow on Rosa’s Work.

In the meantime, I need you to sign up for my newsletter and/or do a review for me on Amazon. If you do subscribe you get a FREE sample of the short story anthology Death, Danget and Dark Dreams. Just a mouse click away.

Thank you in advance.

subscribe to Percys newsletter

P.S. If you are an author, formatter, cover designer or otherwise involved in book publishing don’t for get to visit TIP-C and share your invaluable knowledge, experience and insights.