Tag: writers

All the latest The Suffering news
News

An Unexpected Turn of Events

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We are only halfway through April, but I am thrilled to say we have some news worth shouting about already!

The Suffering is #1!

Last Thursday, following a US promotion of the book, I was astonished to see The Suffering reach #1 in British Horror Fiction, Occult Horror, and Horror Suspense in the US Kindle chart. This was without doubt the stuff that dreams are made of! While I had hoped the promotion would give sales a boost, I never dreamed I’d see such an incredible result.

The Suffering at number 1 in 3 horror categories on Kindle US

What’s more, it peaked at #238 in the Kindle store rankings overall. I’m told that this is quite something for a debut novel, particularly when it comes to horror. I’m extremely grateful to everyone who picked up and read the book during the last week and helped to make this incredible moment happen. I’m also sending gratitude to the members of the Facebook group Books of Horror, who tirelessly shouted about the promotion and helped the book to become the success it has been. It’s a wonderful group, so if you enjoy writing or reading horror books (or both!), I recommend you head over to the BoH page and join today.

As of right now, The Suffering is still #1 British Horror Kindle book across the pond. I can’t believe my eyes every time I open the page and see that little orange banner with “Best Seller” written across it! I keep expecting it to drop away any moment, but it’s still holding strong. I’m hoping that it’s still clinging onto the top spot when I hit 100 reviews (it’s currently at 88 in the US) as that will be a screenshot I treasure forever!

The Suffering is #1 British Horror book in the US!

I’m loving every moment of this crazy turn of events, and can’t wait to see what happens next.

The Suffering Short Reading

To celebrate the promotion, Wicked House Publishing posted a short reading on the Facebook page. This was a lot of fun to do, and it was interesting polling my friends to see which scene they recommended I read! For those who have read the book, I decided to record the scene where Lisa Vaughan’s horde of sailors appears to Cassie in the swimming pool. This is a moment that seems to capture a lot of imaginations, and I had fun reading it out (the word “barnacles” is surprisingly fun to say!)

A reading from The Suffering is available to watch on Wicked House Publishing’s Facebook page

Wicked House Publishing have been extremely supportive during this time, and have been the true driving force behind the book’s success. I’ve had a few writers sliding into my DMs lately to ask if Wicked House is really as good as it seems. My answer every time is a resounding “YES!” If you have a completed manuscript in the horror, thriller, or young person horror genres, don’t hesitate to give the WH team a shot. They’ve literally made my dreams come true. And you can’t get better than that!

Just For Fun

The Suffering Playlist

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Here’s a list of songs that I was listening to a lot when I was writing The Suffering. I thought it might be fun to put them in a The Suffering Spotify playlist so you can listen as you read the book.

I’ve added some information about scenes or characters in the book below that I feel the songs relate to, so if you’ve read the book please let me know if you agree!

  1. Coheed and Cambria – The Suffering
  2. Kishi Bashi – This Must Be The Place
  3. Bloc Party – Flux
  4. Boston Manor – I Don’t Like People (& They Don’t Like Me)
  5. The Front Bottoms – Cough it Out
  6. Alkaline Trio – I, Pessimist
  7. Dog is Dead – Talk Through the Night
  8. Billy Talent – Devil in a Midnight Mass
  9. Atreyu – Falling Down
  10. Jimmy Eat World – Firefight
  11. Band of Horses – The Funeral
  12. Billy Idol – Running From the Ghost

Coheed and Cambria – The Suffering

Well, this one is obviously eponymous. When I started writing The Suffering back in 2019, I outlined the scenario of the original gathering in 1876 and the ghosts that appeared. For a while, I couldn’t come up with a title that fit. I knew I wanted it to be something grandiose, that could link both time periods to the Victorian massacre and the ghosts appearing to the students in 2016. Taking a breather one day, I took my dog for a walk in the local orchard with my headphones on. This song came on, and the rest is history!

Kishi Bashi – This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)

I discovered Kishi Bashi’s version of This Must Be The Place when I was watching an episode of Titans. I loved the original (Talking Heads are the greatest!) but throwing an orchestra into the mix is really something else! I picture Lance listening to this as he cooks in chapter 7. When I (regularly) daydream about the book being made into a series, this song usually plays over the opening credits as the camera moves around the whole house. It gives me chills every time I think of it!

Bloc Party – Flux

I went back and forth over what song Cassie would put on the stereo during the party in chapter 4. I must have changed my mind at least 10 times (especially when I realised I’d picked songs that weren’t actually available in 2016!). I needed something at least a little rocky, since Cassie has a grunge rock taste, but also something that could be danced to at a party. Flux definitely fits the bill!

Boston Manor – I Don’t Like People (and they don’t like me)

I originally thought of Cassie for this song, but it could actually fit Cassie, Pete, Lance, Jonah AND Caleb, at various times in the book! What a contentious little bunch of characters they are! Last summer, I went to Download Festival and had the pleasure of discovering Boston Manor. While Laika is my favourite song of theirs (please check it out – it’s outstanding!), this song has a special place in my heart due to the sentiment and how it fits the characters. Also, Boston Manor are from Blackpool, UK. I lived in Blackpool until I was 6 years old, so I love that shared connection!

The Front Bottoms – Cough it Out

This is Martin’s song. Poor Martin. I absolutely adore this song, and the lyrics really make me feel for Martin when I put him in the singer’s shoes! For me, it really sums up his relationship with Cassie, and its futility. The chorus blows me away every time, and it’s another song I love to stick on my headphones when I’m walking in woods, surrounded by trees. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Alkaline Trio – I, Pessimist

This is a fighting song if ever I heard one. It always gets me pumped up, and it’s one of my all-time favourite songs. There’s a cameo by Tim McIlrath from Rise Against, and him singing with Dan Andriano is an absolute treat. For me, this is Kyle’s song. He’s unsure throughout the book, never knowing if he’s on the right track or if what he’s doing is right. But he sticks at it. Rightly or wrongly, that’s what this song will always convey to me. Go, Kyle!

Dog Is Dead – Talk Through the Night

“Me and my friends we’re gonna talk through the night”. Unsurprisingly, this is the student’s buddy song. It popped into my head whenever they have group talks or close moments where they try to solve the secrets of the house and the ghosts. I love the whole complicated network that comes with a group of university friends who are different in so many ways, but so close in others. This song has that wonderful vibe where everything is in its right place, and you know you’re with people you trust to get you through anything.

Billy Talent – Devil in a Midnight Mass

This is the soundtrack that pops into my head whenever Pile is terrorising Lance! Although he’s Hellfire Club rather than church-based, Pile is such a cocky ghost he needs a good driving song behind his antics. I’m going to finally get to see Billy Talent at the Slam Dunk festival this year and I can’t wait. I’m sure he’ll do this song and, if he does, I’ll be singing along and thinking of Anthony Pile and Lance!

Atreyu – Falling Down

Another of my all-time favourite songs in the world, Falling Down should be played while reading chapter 22, the build up to Pete’s visit to the museum and Connor Rourke’s attack. I love seeing Kyle in my mind heading down the road toward the museum as the verse is playing, then Pete on the precariously slippery walkway just as the epic final chorus kicks in. It’s perfect! And that bassline is the BEST.

Jimmy Eat World – Firefight

This is another song that gives me ‘buddy’ vibes, and I imagine it when they are all gathered at the house for chapter 26 and 27’s showdown preparation. The lyrics “It’s firefight…I won’t run!” are so perfect for the moment when the students are stood outside, knowing that there really is nowhere to go. And that, although they are terrified, they have to face the ghosts.

Band of Horses – The Funeral

This one’s kind of self-explanatory. The atmosphere and build up are so perfect for the dazed and confused moments after the ghost attacks and character deaths, where the students are coming to terms with being surrounded by loss. It’s a fascinating song, and I hear something new every time I listen to it.

Billy Idol – Running from the Ghost

I only discovered this song after the book was finished, but it is absolutely the perfect ‘end credit’ song. I first heard it on the Mark Hoppus After School Radio show, and knew immediately that it would make the best final song of The Suffering. Although Billy is singing about his addiction demons, it’s easy to equate the lyrics to a house full of tormenting ghouls. It also builds to a rip-roaring final chorus that gets me so pumped up. I will definitely be listening to this song when I sit down to write The Suffering 2!

If you’ve enjoyed this playlist, let me know! You can grab your copy of The Suffering on Kindle Unlimited, standard Kindle, and paperback from Amazon UK and Amazon US, Barnes & Noble, and other top retailers. Read along and listen to the music that inspired The Suffering with the Spotify playlist here.

All the latest The Suffering news
News

March Book News

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A month after publication of The Suffering, I have four bits of great news to share with you.

Beyond Radio

Last Friday, I was invited to Beyond Radio to chat about the book, my inspirations, and what started me on my path to all things horror. It was unreal to head down to the studio, settle myself behind the microphone, and start chatting to the lovely DJ, all while live on the radio! When I got the email from Greg Lambert asking if I’d like to come in and give an interview, I foolishly expected it to be pre-recorded. I mean, I am quite sweary in general, as all my friends can attest to! So I didn’t think there was any way I’d be unleashed on the general public without the chance to cut and edit accidental F-bombs. Thankfully, I managed to rein it in and, apart from a pause where my mouth almost said “then the shit hits the fan” when I was describing the ghost attacks, I got through it without even a hint of a cuss word. Phew!

Visiting Beyond Radio to chat about The Suffering

It was an incredible experience, and one in which I experienced the feeling of, “Yep. I could get used to this!” Hopefully the interview will be the first of many, as I had an absolute blast.

Books of Horror Author Smackdown

One of the main challenges I’m facing as a brand new author is swallowing down Imposter Syndrome. I think the more you put yourself out there, the more the “what if it doesn’t work out?” voice quietens. Because, if it doesn’t work out, who cares? At least you’ve thrown your hat in the ring. I’m trying to keep the phrase, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” at the forefront of my mind, to remind me that everything is worth a try, and there is nothing to lose. Thankfully, I had a burst of this mantra on Sunday night, when I was scrolling through one of my favourite Facebook groups, Books of Horror.

Last week, the admins announced that there would be an author showdown, where 32 books voted for by the group members will go head-to-head in a battle in September, giving everybody 6 months to read all the winning entrants in order to narrow it down to a winner. I knew what an incredible opportunity it would be to make it into the top 32 and have all participants read The Suffering. But, at first, the nagging voice was screaming in my subconscious: “As if you’d stand a chance! Don’t add your book to the potential list – people will laugh at you. Who do you think you are? You’ll not make it, then you’ll be disappointed, so why put yourself through it?” etc etc. But last Sunday, lying in bed and idling scrolling, I had a rush of the “Take a shot, who cares if you miss!” mentality. I added The Suffering to the list, with an apologetic disclaimer (“I know it’s only a month old so I don’t think many of you will know it, but what the hell!”).

I was blown away to see that I got 70 votes, and ended up making it into the ‘ring’ at number 31 of 32, out of 138 entries! So, no matter what that voice tells you, ignore it and take that shot. Making it into the Smackdown is huge exposure to horror-loving readers, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Bring on September! Virtual boxing gloves at the ready…

The Suffering Giveaway!

Another fun thing this month is a competition I’m running on Instagram, to win a paperback copy of the book. I love entering book giveaways, and it’s been fun seeing likeminded people entering and hoping to win. The competition is open now and will run until this Friday (31st March 2023) at 4pm GMT. So, if you would like a shot at winning a paperback copy of The Suffering, head over to Instagram now! Just follow my page (mjmarsauthor), like the competition post, and tag a friend who loves to read horror. Good luck!

BookBub Deal

Finally, some more fantastic news for the book. I was accepted for a BookBub deal! This was insanely fortunate, as less than 20% of applicants manage to secure a deal. I nearly fell off my chair when I opened the email stating the offer. BookBub deals can lead to huge boosts in sales and exposure, so I couldn’t be happier about it. The deal will begin on 13th April, so I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about it in my April news update!

As you can see, March has been a whirlwind of fantastic news. But I’m only able to write about each thing because I managed to shut up the negative voice for a few minutes to make applications, blow my own tiny trumpet, and ask others to believe in The Suffering. If, like me, you’re plagued with self-doubt when it comes to your writing, I hope this news roundup has given you a bit of a nudge to take some of your own shots in the coming months. If you miss some, who cares? But the ones that actually land could change everything.

If you haven’t yet checked out The Suffering and would like to, it’s available on Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, and paperback from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, and other international online book retailers.

Writing Tips

Writing Convincing Characters

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I used to feel extremely daunted by the prospect of character creation. Making up a number of well-rounded individuals with realistic traits that can all be recognised for their differences as the story progresses is no mean feat!

One writing class I took a few years ago enlightened me to what I believe is the key to writing great characters: Conflict.

By conflict, I don’t mean that all your characters have to be rowing constantly, or that the only good books are set in the middle of a warzone. Conflict in a piece of writing can be far more subtle. To equate it to something more relatable, my tutor at the time liked to give examples of food analogies. So, consider the conflict of caramel and salt. They’re both great flavours in their own right, but put them together and it makes for an unexpectedly enhanced taste experience! That’s how you subtly but effectively build a believable bunch of conflicting (and often conflicted) characters.

To delve into this a little deeper, I’m going to discuss a few of the characters from my latest book, The Suffering, so I have to add in a spoiler alert! If you want to read The Suffering but haven’t yet got around to it, you may want to click out now! It’s available at Amazon US and UK in both Kindle Unlimited and standard Kindle format, as well as paperback at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other international online retailers including Saxo and Takealot if you are interested in choosing The Suffering as your next read.

Cassie

When I’ve been reading the book’s reviews, I’m amused to hear how some people love Cassie…while others don’t like her at all. Instead of feeling an internal rage for my ‘book child’ and jumping to her defence, this is exactly what I hoped would happen. From one of the first introductory scenes for Cassie, it’s made clear that she is a ‘Marmite’ type of girl, and it’s explained that she finds it particularly difficult to gel with most other women. She’s strong-willed and a little self-absorbed, and is quick to think the worst of others (before they think the worst of her!).

Martin & Tad

I had fun with a brief scene where Cassie’s best friend, Martin, is chastised by Tad. Tad is a dark and brooding type, who is also extremely handsome. Cassie and the other housemates don’t even notice Tad’s looks anymore, but Martin is painfully intimidated by him. As an environmental engineer, Tad takes the plight of the planet seriously, and isn’t impressed that Martin has brought take-away coffee cups into the house. It’s a silly, inconsequential kind of conflict, but I had fun with the contrast between Cassie not giving a damn what Tad thinks and Martin literally withering under his stare!

Pete, Gaia, and Jonah

Pete and Gaia have been dating for years, but Pete has always been jealous of the friendship Gaia has with Jonah. Pete is quiet and contemplative by nature, while Jonah is brash and loud. Jonah’s ability to make Gaia laugh is one of the main problems Pete has with him. The complete juxtaposition of personality types between the two boys was fun to write. As the ghostly oppression in the house builds, the strain on Pete and Gaia’s relationship grows, sending Gaia inevitably into Jonah’s open arms.

An excerpt from The Suffering

I picked these 3 examples because they hit on the main types of conflict you can use in your stories to build tension and create more believable characters as you world build.

  1. The ‘difficult’ character. Although Cassie can be a handful, and will push people away before they get the chance to hurt her, she also has plenty of redeeming character traits that complement her personality type. She’s tough and headstrong, and the other characters know where they stand with her. Her background gives insight into the reasons why she may have had to build a tough exterior. It works well to drop little breadcrumbs throughout the story, letting the reader gradually get to know them as the story progresses, instead of explaining everything in the first few chapters.
  2. The comic relief. These types of brief interactions are pretty easy to work into the narrative, but they can be extremely effective in giving the reader more of a sense of each character and the role they play. Martin is vulnerable here, abashed as he is by Tad. Poor Martin is soon to meet a sticky end in the story, and this scene helps to build sympathy for him. It’s only a couple of lines about a coffee cup, but it helps to establish Tad’s moral standing, Martin’s inhibitions, and Cassie’s indifference.
  3. The romantic conflict. Be it an arguing couple, a love triangle, or an unrequited adoration, romantic conflict can always add a little flair to your character’s worlds. However the situation may end, the tension between the characters can be exciting to explore, and fun for the reader as the story unravels.

Of course, the main conflict in the book comes from the 5 monstrous ghosts attacking each of the students, but that’s not the type of conflict I want to discuss here. There are 2 main definitions of conflict in the dictionary:

1, Noun. A serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.

2, Verb. To be incompatible or at a variance; clash.

Oxford Languages

When writing convincing characters in their domestic settings, focus on the second definition. What are some small clashes or conflicts that you can sprinkle into your chapters as you build your characters? And when I say ‘domestic setting’, this is just referring to your characters’ day-to-day lives. Whether that’s trudging to and from school or work, or navigating to a distant planet in a futuristic rocket ship, mundane conflicts can make all the difference.

Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvellous.

Bill Moyers

Blog Post

From Rejection to Publication

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Scrolling back through my old blog posts, I stop at one and check the date. 18th February, 2022. Just over a year ago, now. The post is called “Reigniting the Spark”, and it laments the fact that I have struggled with motivation to write, particularly since finishing The Suffering and entered into the query phase. I’d been submitting queries for months at that point, and was disheartened to say the least.

A snippet from “Reigniting the Spark”

Although I felt bad that I hadn’t been writing anything new, I rationalised that it could be the universe’s way of telling me not to flit from project to project the way I usually did. To really see out the process and focus on getting The Suffering to as many agents and publishers as possible. And, boy, was I trying! As most of you who have gone through the querying phase know, it’s a bleak process. You submit with high hopes, silencing the voice of doubt by convincing yourself that you “have a good feeling about this one!” only for the inevitable rejection to come back a few weeks later.

When Wicked House Publishing opened its doors last year, I was pretty much at the end of my rope with The Suffering. Perhaps it wasn’t as good as I hoped it was. In fact, perhaps it was terrible! A book that nobody would ever want, and—worse—that nobody would ever get to read. I felt as though I must have been completely deluded when I closed my laptop after the final edit and declared with confidence, “I think this is pretty good!”

I remember when I saw the call-out for Wicked House submissions. It was a Sunday, and I was in the middle of a regular bout of burnout that made me stop to consider whether I could be bothered heading to my laptop to make the query attempt. I was feeling quite down-and-out, and more than a little hopeless about the whole thing. But, something made me haul my ass off the couch and spend the afternoon at the kitchen table, preparing my query and making sure my synopsis and opening chapters were as good as they’d ever been. I hit the submit button. By that point, I was way past “I have a good feeling about this one!” and instead prepared myself for rejection.

But it never came. A full manuscript request was sent instead. And, a few months later, an offer of publication.

Now, just over a year from posting a disheartened blog about fighting for motivation, I’m holding The Suffering in my hands. It’s being read around the world, and many of the reviews have been more positive than I could have ever dreamed.

Thank you to my lovely Mum for the champagne in celebration!

It would have been so easy for me to give up on The Suffering after receiving months of rejections. It’s hard, and if you’re experiencing something similar with your manuscript at the moment, I feel for you and send you virtual hugs and strength. Self-belief can only be sustained so long when multiple professionals in the business are telling you they don’t want your book. But here’s the proof that it only takes that one lucky shot. Never stop fighting for it. Haul your ass off the couch and make that submission!

Because one day it will be for the last time. And for all the right reasons.

Blog Post

Why You Should Never Listen to the Doubters

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With a week to go until my debut novel, The Suffering, is unleashed into the world, I wanted to tell you a story from when I was about 19 years old. This was at a time when I was feeling a little lost after a turbulent few years in my life, but I knew one thing and one thing only: I was going to be writer. It was the only thing I wanted to do.

I had no aspirations to be a doctor or a teacher. While my classmates were taking language classes so they could bag their dream roles in the tourism industry, perfecting tints and perms in beauty school, spending weekends at cadets to give themselves the right tools for a career in the army, or volunteering in a local lab while they worked through their science credentials, I was shut up in my room scribbling plots and character profiles.

I was close with my then-boyfriend’s mother, who was into new-age practices and spiritual awareness. One Saturday, she took me on a day out to a spiritual convention in Manchester. The day itself was a lot of fun, strolling from stall to stall. I browsed rows of glistening coloured crystals and listened to the whistle of a wand whizzing around the rim of a metal bowl. I was sprayed with various aromatherapy scents and advised which angel I should try and link to (Sandalphon – I even remember that today, for some reason, not that he and I have ever been in touch of course!)

We closed off the day with a psychic reading from a woman I was assured was “amazing” and “always right”. There was no crystal ball or velvet-covered table scattered with tarot cards. There was just a middle-aged, blonde-haired woman, smiling pleasantly as she took my twenty pounds and asked me to sit down opposite her. The reading was pretty generic, I imagine. Vague talk of a man in a military uniform hanging around, and general observations about my personality type. At the end, she asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I enthusiastically told her my dream: I wanted to be a writer.

“A writer?” she said, looking thoughtful for a moment. “No. I just don’t see that for you”.

I thanked her and went on my way but inside I was crushed. Remember, I was only 19 and very impressionable at that time, so when someone told me they could see into the future, I believed them. I remember going home and sitting in the bath crying my eyes out. My dream was pointless. The only thing I wanted to do with my life was never going to happen for me. It was devastating.

The thing is, I love writing. Even though I didn’t think it was in my stars to be a professional writer, I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Yes, it knocked my confidence. Perhaps things would have moved a little faster if it weren’t for that set-back. I do believe that dashing people’s dreams in that way is cruel and irresponsible. I’m more sceptical now, of course, but I believed her wholeheartedly at the time. Perhaps, like some people often say to justify a mis-fired psychic reading, that was what I really needed to hear in order to make it happen for myself. Maybe the stubborn part of my brain needed a battle of wits. An, “oh, you don’t think I can do it? Well, let me prove you wrong!” Who knows?

All I do know is that in exactly 1 week from now, I’ll be a published author. When people shoot down your goal and make you doubt yourself, always remember that the future isn’t already written. You have the chance to make your dreams come true.

No matter what anybody else says.

News

The Suffering Cover Reveal!

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They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but on this occasion, I’m happy if you do!

I’m thrilled to be able to reveal the cover of The Suffering, which was created by the extremely talented Covers by Christian, after consultation with my fantastic team at Wicked House Publishing. Here it is:

It feels a lot more “real” now that I can show the world what my little book is going to look like. My neurotic brain has been convinced somewhere in the dark recesses that something would go wrong. That somewhere along the way plans would change, or that the book would be randomly dropped for no reason. Something deep inside me has been holding a little reservation, not getting too excited just in case.

But, now that I can shout it from the rooftops, I am going to embrace it as fully as I can! I already have a print order for 2 different sets of flyers and some bookmarks ready for promotion. It’s time to pluck up the courage to head into every shop and establishment I can think of and ask if they would like one for their staffroom. Better yet, a noticeboard. In public. Eek!

I think this quote from Zadie Smith sums it up:

It’s such a confidence trick, writing a novel. The main person you have to trick into confidence is yourself. This is hard to do alone.

Zadie Smith

Having such a beautiful cover and such a great team behind me is definitely going to make this next part easier, the part my introvert ass has spent a lot of time dreading (promotion). But, you know what? Now I’m getting kind of excited about that part, too.

It’s really happening, guys. This is not a drill.

This time last year, I didn’t have a publishing deal. I’d been querying but getting nowhere – not even a hint of a bite. Looking back through my posts from around that time it’s easy to tell how disheartened I was getting. I’m going to elaborate a little more on this in an upcoming post later this month, but for now I just wanted to remind anyone who is querying or facing a lot of rejections that it really only takes that one hit to change everything. The only way you can be sure you’ll never get there is if you stop. So keep going.

The Suffering is coming in February 2023! Which ghost will haunt you?

Writing Tips

Are Writing No-Nos Really as Bad as They Say?

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Recently, I was scrolling through an interesting thread on a bookish Facebook page. The OP had asked what tropes or events in a book would cause you to stop reading in frustration. The answers were pretty surprising.

It wasn’t necessarily the answers themselves that interested me, but the response to the answers. For every person naming a certain pet-peeve as a reader, there were multiple responses stating “Oh, I don’t mind that at all, but I really hate it when…”.

As a fairly neurotic writer, I opened the post comments wondering if I should read it at all. I was afraid that the first 5 responses would list 5 of the things that I most definitely used in my upcoming book, The Suffering, and that I would cringe and sweat and quiver inside a little, wondering whether everyone would instantly see me for the big fat writing fraud that my brain insists that I am. But the responses were immediately comforting.

It was great to see the sheer spectrum of loves in comparison to the personal grievances of the reading community, and for just as many readers to reply and state that a particular trope or writing “faux-pas” is something they actively seek in a book, and get pleasure from when they see it.

Because it’s impossible to please everyone. There is not a chance in hell that you can write a book or create a piece of art that everyone will enjoy. Pleasure is unequivocally, beautifully subjective.

Just for fun, here are some of the ‘hated’ tropes or writing mishaps that were listed, followed by some of the rebuttals (although they are in speech marks, they are summarized from the answers given and are not direct quotes):

  • Spelling mistakes or grammatical errors (naturally – we need to make sure there are as few as possible!). But here’s what a few of the readers said: “I find it kind of comforting when there’s a mistake in a book. It shows that the writer is human, too.”
  • Writing a character’s accent within the speech patterns. (And if you’re looking for an example of this, think about all the recent Benoit Blanc memes for reference!) For all those who listed this as a gripe, others said: “I love it when a character has an obvious accent, especially when it’s familiar to the area I’m from. If it’s done well, I can hear it in my head, and I instantly warm to the character.”
  • A main character who vehemently dislikes someone, only for them to end up falling in love a few chapters later. While a lot of readers agreed that this was annoying and unrealistic, there were plenty who disagreed. “This is my favourite kind of tension in a book! The ‘will they/won’t they’ keeps me turning the pages until I get a definitive answer, and I love it when they finally get together. I don’t care how many times I read it, the characters are always different, so it doesn’t matter to me.” While another said, “This is how I met my partner – I hated their guts. It always feels realistic to me. We’re married now!”
  • The baddy becomes the goody or the goody becomes the baddy. While some readers find the switch utterly frustrating, others couldn’t disagree more. “Character development is the best part of reading for me. I put this in the same category. If the character changes dramatically, I can only see it as a good thing.” Another mentioned that they had been a bit of a bully in school and managed to turn it around. Reading a bad character turn good always felt familiar to them, affirming their choice to make the switch all those years ago.
  • Writers going into detail about the food the character is eating. This one surprised me, as I’ve always enjoyed a good food description in a book, and find it really puts me in the scene (Richard Laymon’s hotdog descriptions in Funland and The Midnight Tour, anyone?!). And let’s not forget about Hemingway. This was one of the most divisive topics. You either love it or hate it. But, like all good foods, perhaps moderation is key to this bug-bear. As one reader stated, “If it went on for pages and pages of description then, absolutely. But I like to experience the food along with the character if it’s within reason.”
  • Characters referencing pop-culture such as real-life movies, or using social media apps like TikTok or Instagram. This one intrigued me as some of my characters (students in 2016) actively use social media apps in the story. I felt the same way as many of the people responding to the contrary – “We aren’t living in the 1950s. If it’s a contemporary book about young characters, chances are they spend a lot of time on their phones, so it adds to realistic world-building.”
  • Finally, one of the readers (who was also a writer, I’m assuming!) hated the question itself. Why? Because there is no one-size-fits-all way of writing, and so she found the question frustratingly irrelevant.

I guess my summary here is drawing the same conclusion, but unlike the final reader’s response, I’m glad the question was asked. It reminded me that even if you accidentally (or intentionally) include a reader’s most hated trope or writer mistake in your work, there WILL be another reader who appreciates it.

So the old adage that you should write the book that you always wanted to read really is true. If you like it, chances are there will be many more who feel the same way. And don’t be disheartened if you get bad feedback. Sometimes, the ones who don’t like what you do are the ones who shout loudest, or take the time to voice their opinions. In the background, there may be 10 more people for every 1 of the ones who don’t like it just quietly thinking how much they love what you do. Don’t fixate on that negative opinion because it looms largest.

As with all things, you just have to find your audience.

Writing Tips

Resolutions for Writers (And How to Stick to Them!)

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Happy New Year my fellow geeks and ghouls.

This is a strange and exciting start to the new year for me as I’m currently preparing for the launch of The Suffering in February, so my goals and strategies for this year have shifted considerably compared to previous years. To kick off 2023, I wanted to share some of the things that worked for me and helped me to get to this crazy stage.

Plan Your Time

Use an online calendar tool or a good old-fashioned pen-and-paper chart to visibly block in your time and work out how you can squeeze your writing needs into your week. When you’re working a demanding job and have family commitments, this can be pretty daunting at first. But being able to see those small snippets of spare time can really help you to focus on making writing fit into your schedule each week.

  • Start with a list of categories depending on what stage you’re at in your writing process, and what you need to focus on above all else.
  • Break each category down into smaller sections and be realistic about timescales. Do you really need to start worrying about getting beta readers or an editor when you’ve still got half the book to write? Move tasks that can wait until a few months down the line into a separate list that you can revisit later in the year.
  • Make the timetable less daunting and easier to reference at-a-glance by using colours, stickers, or specific fonts to break up each task.

Explore What Works for You

Your writing process is completely unique to you, so the best tips even a bestselling writer could give you may not resonate at all with your style or personality. Don’t try to follow a list of things that work for someone else if they just don’t fit your needs. The best way to understand your own process is to reflect on the times you were most productive. If you’ve just started out, or can’t think of a time when you felt as though you had a good ‘flow’, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do I work better when I have a variety of things to do, or do I work best when I focus on one task at a time?
  • Do I work better in a group so that I can bounce ideas off my peers, or am I better working alone until the writing is over?
  • Do I start writing and see where the characters take me, or do I like to plot the entire book before I start?
  • What is more engaging for me: the characters or the plot?

Questions like this can really help you to understand how your brain works, and what makes your writing tick. You may even be surprised by your answers, especially if you’ve been told there is only one way to write in the past.

Work through each question (and add a few more of your own!) and consider how to plan your writing time around your answers. For question one, my answer is changeable depending on what part of the process I’m at. Usually, I love having a number of things on the go in order to keep my excitement levels high and avoid getting stagnant. I check lists of short story sub calls (Authors Publish is a great one!), or pick a random writing exercise to keep up my inspiration levels. But, when I’m nearing the end of a project, or I’m in final edits, there’s no way I can work on anything else but the biggest task at hand. Your answers may be just as changeable, and that’s perfectly fine! Do what works for you at any given time.

For the question about character or plot, you may think, “That’s stupid. They’re both just as important.” And you’re absolutely right. But usually when you begin to write, it’s because you’ve been inspired by one or the other. Perhaps a brilliant character has popped into your mind and you can’t wait to write them down. In doing so, you unlock members of their family and friendship group, followed by their antagonist/s. That might lead you down the path of who the villains were in the past, and why they are the way they are. When you’re on a roll of discovering characters, you might not want to pull away from worldbuilding to plan out a specific plot for them. If you stop and think, “Wait, I need to actually work out what happens in the book, otherwise I’m going nowhere with this,” you may find your inspiration dries up completely. Finish getting out all you need to know about the characters, and then work on the plot. You don’t need to do it all at once. The most important thing is finding a way to work that keeps you interested and inspired to keep going each week.

Be Firm But Fair

This goes for the people around you, but also yourself.

  • If you live in a busy household and there’s no way of getting out to write, try to set a firm boundary around the hours or minutes that you schedule in to work on your writing. If you have young children or carer’s demands, etc, you might need to consider adjusting the time you get up in the morning, or trying to work later into the evening. This isn’t always healthy, so be sure you’re setting acceptable goals that won’t impact your health and wellbeing.
  • Acknowledge that some weeks just don’t work out. Life gets in the way of writing and that’s okay. Instead of beating yourself up and frantically scrabbling to get the time back the next week, simply re-set and start again, sticking to the scheduled plan. This will help you avoid burn-out and keep you motivated throughout the year.
  • Even ten minutes is better than nothing. Don’t obsessively count the minutes at your computer or your wordcount, just show up each week and the rest will follow.
  • An “unproductive” week might be anything but. By this, I mean that the time spent twiddling your thumbs and staring at a blank screen aren’t wasted moments. The ideas will come eventually, and by intentionally making the choice to work on your book, you’re setting the ball in motion for those eureka moments that will strike you when you least expect it.
  • Be extra kind during your writing time. Do you have a favourite coffee or tea? A type of sweet or another snack that you just can’t resist? Make it a part of your writing session. This works especially well if you have to fight to make the time to sit and write when you’re already pulled in a million directions and feeling exhausted from a day working hard at everything else life throws at us. Give yourself something to look forward to, and make it synonymous with your writing time.

In a nutshell, it pays to:

Be organised, be flexible, and be realistic.

Those are the main ways to see results as you start your new year of writing. But, above all, be kind to yourself.

Just For Fun

Meet The Suffering Ghosts

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Which one will haunt you?

When Professor Josiah Grant called upon young Victorian psychic, Lucius Holgrove, to host a séance in 1876, neither of the men could have been prepared for the massacre that followed. Under Grant’s instruction, Lucius called forth 5 spirits that would represent the elements needed for his divination spell: Strength; Stealth; Frivolity; Deception; and Malice.

After the deaths of all of the attendees at the séance, Lucius managed to banish the ghosts within the walls of Brackenby House, where they have been waiting for another chance to come out.

Now a student home, Brackenby House finds itself the setting of another séance. A distant relative of Lucius Holgrove has called out The Suffering ghosts, unleashing them back into the house. The only trouble is, unlike his notorious ancestor, Kyle has no clue how to banish them.

And the ghosts are determined to continue The Suffering…

Connor Rourke (Stealth)

A thieving factory worker, Rourke was caught stealing and tried to escape his punishment, plunging to his death through a trapdoor.

The poor wretch who is haunted by Rourke is plagued with vertigo, and the fast and endless echoing footsteps of Rourke’s final run through the factory rafters before his deadly fall will drive you slowly insane. Worse still, you may find yourself giving in to the sudden urge to leap over the railing and tumble to your death. It’s not the call of the void. It’s Rourke. And he won’t stop until you take the plunge.

Anthony Pile (Deception)

A member of The Hellfire Club who committed Satanic rituals to keep his stolen fortune in the afterlife.

The squeal of tortured cats and the smell of burning follow you when Pile is attached to you. You might find chairs pulled out around the house, the seat cold from the touch of a sitting devil. Your money may go missing, but poverty is the least of your worries when Anthony Pile is following you. He made a pact with the devil. And he wants to take you with him back to hell.

Lisa Vaughan (Frivolity)

A teenaged fortune teller who, in the early 1700s, cursed the sailors who sought her wares. Days later, the men would jump from the ship into the sea, joining her woeful spectral horde.

Powerful oracle Lisa Vaughan doesn’t have to lift a finger to torment her victims. You’ll find damp and condensation in the strangest of places, and the smell of the deepest, darkest seas will permeate your clothes. She has the power to drown a person where they stand, and, if you try and fight, her horde of lost sailors will stop you in your tracks. Beware the foghorn moan of Lisa’s horde. It may mean you’re next.

Jarvis Rice (Malice)

A corrupt 17th century executioner who enjoyed his profession so much he murdered women and framed their husbands for the killings, having them sent straight to his axe block. In the final moments before their death, he would whisper the truth in the doomed innocents ears.

When Rice chooses you as his next victim, expect to hear the thudding of an axe handle slapping against an impatient hand throughout the night. A smell of decaying flesh will follow you wherever you go. And, as he gets stronger, be sure to duck if you hear the swish of an axe cutting through the air. Executions are Rice’s favourite hobby. And he doesn’t intend to stop any time soon.

Po (Strength)

An ancient Peruvian monster. Not much is known about Po, apart from the fact that he has nothing in the sockets under his brows and 3 hate-filled eyes across his forehead. And that he’s the size of a truck.

Crashes and creaks in the basement just might mean that the Incan giant, Po, is lurking in the shadows. A tickle of breath on the back of your neck or a grunt in your ear may mean he’s edging closer. And, when the giant gets too close, close enough to touch you, you may just fall victim to the brute’s huge hands, ripping you to pieces in the blink of one of his 3 eyes.

As each of the 5 students at Brackenby are targeted by one of the ghosts, they face a race against time to uncover the secrets of the original séance before it’s too late. But the ghosts are growing stronger every day. And there’s no guarantee that Kyle, Cassie, Pete, Tad, and Lance will ever make it out of the second Suffering alive.

The Suffering – Prepare to Suffer! Available at Amazon

Meet the Students of Brackenby House!