Research visiting

 A few weeks ago it was Oxford for a day trip. Research for the WIP. That same week I also took myself out on a research visit to Insole Court, which is a grade two listed Victorian Gothic mansion, in the suburbs of Cardiff. It was a lovely warm sunny day. I enjoyed the house, got plenty of ideas for the mansion I am creating for the WIP, had a ice-cream sitting in the grounds. 

The house was built and then extended by a local man who had made his fortune in coal, docks and railways, as did a number of others in the late nineteenth century. The house was extended in the Gothic Revival style, influenced by the work of William Burges, who was responsible for the fabulous and slightly crazy interiors of Cardiff Castle. Which is exactly what I am planning for my mansion - The Scholars' House.  Of course I took pictures to remind me what I had seen.

Exterior front. Sharp gables, tall chimneys, bay windows, a tower. 

The entrance. Lovely details. Looks like a church. 

Back view of the house 
 balustraded area overlooking the garden 

Interior. Painted frieze. Going to have one of those. 

So now you know what I am doing at the moment - creating a house of my own. I have some useful and heavy books out of the library. It is a lot of fun. 

New Look for my Christmas Romantic Suspense

 The new publisher Joffe has decided on a Christmas refresh to revamp the book formerly known as What Happens at Christmas. 

It is now A Stranger in the Snow, with an atmospheric new cover. Still the same mix of Xmas vibes with a scary plot. Lori and Drew are snowed in together, but you don't want to know how he came to be there. Actually, if you do, you need to read the book. 

PLEASE NOTE THST THIS IS A REISSUE. IF YOU HAVE READ WHAT HAPPENS AT CHRISTMAS YOU DON'T NEED TO BUY IT AGAIN. 

NOT UNLESS YOU REALLY LIKE THE NEW COVER! 

Out and About

 I recently did a book fair in Cathays. Now I'm out and about again, this time in Cardiff Library, at an event organised by Crime Cymru. I'm part of a panel and the whole thing is taking place on Halloween. 

Ticketed, through Ticketsource, but free. More details in a later post, but here is the poster, to give you the idea. 

Oxford trip

 Research can be very tiring - especially when it involves a day trip with there and back train journeys of nearly three hours each and two changes of train. My day out in Oxford was worth it though. I didn't set out at quite dark o'clock, but it was close. Changes going out were Cardiff Central and Swindon where I had time for a rather late second breakfast in a small but rather posh Starbucks located between the platforms. Once I got there I walked into town, found myself some lunch and then wandered in the sunshine soaking up atmosphere. The reason for the research is that my hero in the WIP is a tutor at Oxford, and I wanted to get some authentic vibes. Coming home was via Didcot, with a bag of crisps for my tea, but the journey went well, so all was fine. Home late, in the dark, tired but happy.

I was particularly delighted to find that Balliol College was open to the public that afternoon and with a self guiding map and a three pound admission ticket I was able to wander around for as long as I liked, picking up inspiration for the fictional college I am going to invent. It may be called St Baruc's. but I haven't decided yet. I'll need to do some in depth work to  confirm it is appropriate, but that is a job for another day. Last week I promised pictures. Here they are. I took lots to help my memory and planning. The layout, the colour of the stone, the shape of windows, the carvings, all useful. These are edited highlights. 

The first in a series of courtyards. Magnificent traditional flower borders. 

Ever get the feeling you're being watched? 

Mature trees within the grounds. I'm guessing they must be hundreds of years old. 

Just an idea of what the surrounding buildings looked like.

This was the gate to the Fellows' Garden.  I think the first sight of Logan in part two of the book will be in  my
equivalent. 

Literary Escape Festival

 The Literary Escape Festival will be visiting Cardiff this weekend. 

The poster below has the details and it's not one week to go now, but two days!

I will be there, on Saturday, sharing a table with fabulous historical author, Angela Sims.  

Come along and browse, meet authors, buy books, have them signed. 

Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

See you there. 

Wheel of the Year?

 Today I am tired. I had a very productive trip to Oxford yesterday - a marathon for a day trip, but worth it as I got a lot of the information I need for the next bit of the WIP. Enough to be  going on with, anyway. More about the trip in future posts when I have sorted out my photos. Yes - there will be pictures. 

But today is the Equinox - also known as Mabon. The time when day and night are equally balanced. Happens twice a year, now, and in spring. I'm keener on the spring one as it means the journey is into the light, not away from it. But soon it will be Yule and the whole round begins again. 

 I'm interested in the various old festivals that mark the movement through the year. I've probably mentioned that I am hoping to use Beltane in the WIP. Halloween, or Samhain is coming next month, when I will be celebrating with fellow crime writers at an event at Cardiff Library. More of that later. 

It may be one of those situations when a certain topic that attracts your attention comes up in repeated places, you know the ones, coincidence or simply that you are noticing., but it seem as if there may be a little more awareness at the moment of the wheel of the year - the name for the changing seasons. The Equinox was mentioned on Thought of the Day on Radio 4 this morning as a time of balance, which is a good way to think of it. I'm just wondering, hoping maybe, that we are getting closer to nature and back to old rhythms. When the world revolved around agriculture the festivals often marked significant points in the year, like the celebration of the growing season and then the harvest. 

Now with awareness of climate change, the focus on attracting pollinators into our gardens, of the benefits of connecting with nature, maybe we are getting some of those old connections back, or attempting it.  It is a nice thought.  

Creating the creepy house

 Regular readers will know that the WIP is leaning into the gothic. and if you have ever seen any vintage gothic romance covers you will know that it is obligatory for the heroine to be running away from the creepy house, or possible castle. Whatever the building, it looms, or lurks, or broods, or all three. It is night. She is wearing a white dress, or her nightie, maybe with a coak. In a storm, or a high wind. Down steps, cliffs or through woods/gardens. Occasionally there is a single lighted window in the house/castle. Very occasionally there may be a cat. 

So - from all that you will deduce that I have to have A BUILDING. I'm not planning on Nel running away from it in her nightie, but there definitely has to be a structure. 

This is the project for the week. I already know that it will be a Victorian Gothic Revival house, because it is a period of architecture that I love, it suits the story and it can certainly be made to appear creepy. Cardiff Castle and Castle Coch are big influences, mostly for the interiors. Now I am researching houses of the period and creating my own. Turrets, roofs like witches hats, pointed gables, tall arching windows, stone carving, tall chimneys, spiral stones like sugar canes. Maybe even a gargoyle or two.

The inside is going to be even more fun. Echoing halls, long mysterious corridors, wood panels, a library!

It has a name - The Scholars' House - and a location - the South Wales coast. So there can be cliffs. Maybe. At the moment it is taking shape. I'll report progress next week.