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Well, I am well under way on book 2 in The DI Nick Dixon Crime Series. It has the working title of ‘Relentless’ at the moment, which fits well with the plot. No doubt the final book title will come to me as the writing progresses.

I have a detailed synopsis, characters and chronology all mapped put. All I have to do now is write it!

I am aiming for publication at the end of September but don’t forget to sign up for my Early Bird List for advanced notification (or warning!). This will include notice of the free days!

Anyway, for those who cannot wait, here is a taster of the opening, which also serves to wrap up a few loose ends from As The Crow Flies.

Prologue

To the casual observer she appeared alive and well but anyone who knew her would tell you that she had died twelve months ago when her daughter had been taken from her. She was still breathing, still crying and still feeling pain. Apart from that, she did and felt nothing.
[Read more…] about Relentless; Book 2 in The DI Nick Dixon Crime Series

I have received a lot of very kind comments about my knowledge of the technical aspects of rock climbing and thought I ought to share a photo of me climbing at Brean Down. The photo was taken in 1988 and what strikes me most of all about it, even more than the climbing itself, is the amount of hair I had back then. Sadly, it has all but gone now!

I spent many happy years climbing all over the UK and Europe and, I hope, have put this experience to good use in As The Crow Flies.

An understanding of the technical references is not essential to appreciate the plot but I hope that they provide an additional point of interest. Anyone with any queries is most welcome to post them here, of course, and I will respond.

This is a great photo of the iconic Burnham-on-Sea lighthouse. Perhaps iconic is a strong word but I think it really is applicable! It is unique (as far as I am aware) and certainly instantly recognisable.

It is not manned, obviously, and is controlled from the lighthouse further inland. It’s made of wood too, which makes it all the more remarkable that it survives the salt water treatment.

It’s always been a mystery to me how it survives the pounding it must get from mother nature too and I marvel at how deep those stilts must go into the sand.

I have the fondest memories of it, of using it as goalposts as a boy and trying to climb the stilts using the bolts as handholds. More recently, walking my dogs on the beach and watching them play in the deep puddles at the foot of each stilt. Happy days!

This is another great view of High Rock, this time taken from the car park looking straight up the wall. Oddly enough you can even see a crow flying past.

You can certainly see the extent to which the top section overhangs!

Double click on the image to see it in high resolution. It’s worth it…

The obvious corner on the right of the photo is the classic route, Coronation Street, which I did many years ago.

This is a cracking shot of High Rock, Cheddar Gorge, in all its glory, taken by me in December 2012. I was standing on the terrace at the foot of Heart Leaf Bluff on the north side of the Gorge, beneath a rock climb called Dinner Date. You’ll have to read the book for the significance of that!

As The Crow Flies goes straight up the blank wall in the centre left of the shot, starting at the obvious horizontal crack line. It’s a direct finish to the classic route Crow, which goes at E3 5c and wanders up the cliff starting in the car park below.

The upper wall is fiercely overhanging in the top section, making for a strenuous outing.

It truly is an outstanding crag and deserves much greater attention from climbers than it receives. The restrictions are largely to blame for that, of course, with climbing being banned on the south side of Cheddar Gorge from March to October.

If you are ever out and about in North Somerset, Cheddar Gorge is well worth a visit but don’t forget to look up!