Gordon Brown has eight crime and thriller books published to date, along with a novella and a number of short stories.

Gordon also helped found Bloody Scotland, Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival (see www.bloodyscotland.com), is a DJ on local radio (www.pulseonair.co.uk) and runs a strategic planning consultancy. He lives in Scotland and is married with two children.

In a former life Gordon delivered pizzas in Toronto, sold non-alcoholic beer in the Middle East, launched a creativity training business, floated a high tech company on the London Stock Exchange, compered the main stage at a two-day music festival and was once booed by 49,000 people while on the pitch at a major football Cup Final.

Please join us in welcoming him to the family. You can find him on twitter @GoJaBrown.

The Other Side of Fear, set in modern day Irish Midlands, tells the story of reporter, Sharona Waters, who gets pulled into a people trafficking story, only to find that her desire to expose the most sordid secrets collides with a ruthless gang whose only aim is to protect their business. At all costs.

It's brutal, it's visceral, and it made the whole submissions team cry. We can't wait to show you all. In the meantime, welcome Eoghan to the family, the way only you know how. Here's a little more about the man of the moment:

A native of Co. Roscommon, Ireland, Eoghan wrote his first story aged nine. At college, he studied Computer Programming, works in Sales Management & Marketing, but his passion for reading and writing remain. Eoghan’s stories were shortlisted for the 2018 Bridport Short Story Prize, and Listowel’s 2019 Bryan McMahon Short Story Award Competition. Others have been published in various anthologies. He has also completed two crime fiction novels in a planned trilogy set in the Irish Midlands, and has started work on the third.

A graduate of Maynooth University’s Creative Writing Curriculum and Curtis Brown’s Edit & Pitch Your Novel Course, Eoghan divides his time between Roscommon and Dublin.

Eoghan constantly explores ways to increase his knowledge in the art of writing. He enjoys attending literary festivals and is excited about the prospect of getting back to face-to-face discussions with readers and writers. He’s also a heavy metal fan, and, post Covid, can’t wait to headbang at a rock gig.

Find him on Twitter @eoghanegan

Set for release in March 2022, you'll have to wait to read that one.

But the very good news is that we will also be re-publishing her incredible debut, In The Wake as part of the deal.

In the meantime, give Helen a follow over on Twitter (@helentrevorrow) and get to know her a little more below.

About the author:

Helen Trevorrow is a graduate of the 2016 Faber Academy creative writing programme. She studied at Leeds University and has worked in marketing and public relations in London. She is a specialist food and drink PR.

Helen’s debut novel In The Wake is a feminist crime thriller about family, unrealised trauma and alcoholism.

Helen has ghost-written many articles for newspapers, magazines and websites.

She lives in Brighton, Sussex with her wife and child.

Red Dog Press are excited to announce they have acquired the rights to The Beaten Track, the latest psychological thriller from author Louise Mangos.

Sean Coleman, Red Dog Press publisher, said: ‘We're delighted to have won the rights for this incredibly tense thriller in the face of some stiff competition from bigger names than our own. We are very excited to take readers down The Beaten Track next year.’

Louise Mangos, who previously gripped readers with her stunning debut, Strangers on a Bridge, said: ‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the kennel of pedigree crime authors at Red Dog Press. When Sean told me how much he loved my novel and that I’d created something that makes The Girl on the Train look like Noddy, I was instantly ready to sign on the dotted line. I can’t wait to take readers on Sandrine and Jake’s perilous journey around the world in The Beaten Track.’

The novel is scheduled for publication in April 2022.

We honestly couldn't be more excited to sign Louise to the Red Dog kennel, and hope you, our dear readers, will welcome her as only the Red Dog Readers Club can – with open arms, and in eager anticipation of an absolutely incredible thriller early next year.

Keep an eye out for more details on The Beaten Track, and in the meantime, here's a little about the author:

Louise Mangos grew up in the UK but has spent more than half her life in Switzerland. Her debut psychological thriller Strangers on a Bridge was a finalist in the Exeter Novel Prize and long listed for the Bath Novel Award. Her second novel Her Husband's Secrets (previously titled The Art of Deception) was published in June 2019. She lives on an Alp with her Kiwi husband and two sons, and when she's not writing you can find her on the cross-country ski trails or wild swimming in the lake, depending on the season. She also writes short stories and flash fiction which have won prizes and been published in various anthologies. She has recently completed her MA in crime writing at UEA.

Aubrey was given his name because my partner was reading John Aubrey’s Brief Lives at the time. As Aubrey said to me later, he was grateful not to have been called Brief.

Aubrey was a big male tabby and had been at the rescue centre for months – much longer than any of the other cats – probably because he was neither fluffy nor cute. When we visited the centre, he walked straight up to us, parked himself on my partner’s foot and stared up with his big gold green eyes. Game over. We loved him right here right then.

Aubrey had been taken to the rescue centre by a well-meaning stranger who had found him wandering the streets. However, we suspected we were not his first owners as he appeared to have had certainly been well looked after. From the very beginning, he was loving and affectionate, although it would be true to say that he never missed a food opportunity.

The day we took him home, we showed him the garden. To our horror, he jumped out of my arms and made straight for the fence. He took it in one leap and ran across the fields at the back of our house. We thought we had lost him. Yet… I called his name and he leapt straight back into the garden and towards us!

The idea for the Cat Noir series came about one day when my partner was watching Aubrey strolling about the garden. He turned to me and said, ‘Do you know, that cat always looks as if he’s got a purpose in mind. Like he’s just off to his club. Or he’s got a bit of admin to catch up on.’

Or maybe a crime to solve …

What if you could re-tell your story? What if you could shift the balance of power? What if you could change hearts and minds by demonstrating your abilities, and take the focus away from your disabilities? This is exactly what Ceartas set out to do when we employed Donna Moore as a writer in residence thanks to Big Lottery funding. We were then able to facilitate a creative writing course for people who use health and social care services across East Dunbartonshire.

I had always dreamed of combining my love of books and writing with my passion for human rights, equality and justice. The creative writing group has allowed that dream to become a reality.

Many individuals who seek advocacy only do so when all other routes have been exhausted. Numerous people report that they feel disempowered and voiceless. If independent advocacy is about ensuring individuals have a voice, then what better way to assist that process than using creative writing as a means of providing an outlet for their voice? There are so many labels and assumptions around people living with long-term conditions; many face stigma and discrimination as part of their daily lives. They are often denied a voice or lack the confidence to use their voice and speak up for themselves.

Words and language are important: we need them to tell others what we need and how we want to be treated. They are essential to connect with others. Words can inform our mind, excite and thrill our spirit or warm and kindle the flame of our hearts. We all have a voice, and we all have stories to tell.

Members of the group came along to try something new, but with little belief that they could write their stories. During the course, participants were encouraged to attempt creative writing activities in a safe and supportive environment. They were not only given the opportunity to be taught some of the skills used by writers, but they also learned and understood that they too had a voice and that they too had stories to share. They came together to support, encourage and learn from each other. In the process, they created powerful pieces of work.

The enthusiasm for the group was such that the sessions have continued. Our weekly creative writing Zoom meetings (a necessary tool during the pandemic) have provided an almost therapeutic outlet for some of the frustrations we experience throughout these difficult times. It has also been a wonderful way to stay socially connected. The best part of this initiative is the fun we have all together, and what’s life without a little bit of that in it?

Sharon Bairden is the author of Sins of the Father, a disturbing, heart-breaking thriller.

A Leap of Faith began with two things: an episode of Call the Midwife, and Peter Wildeblood. After watching the 2016 Christmas special of the former, which features a mission hospital in 1950s South Africa, the idea for the book lodged itself firmly in my head. I’d long wanted to explore LGBTQ+ history in my writing.

When I read Wildeblood’s Against the Law, I realised something crucial: as much as things were different “in the past”, we can’t help but view those events and people through the lens of hindsight, and interpret them in light of what came after. I love historical TV dramas, but the short time available for on-screen character deep dives means that some facts about bygone times will receive short shrift.

So I wondered – could stories set in the past be truer to the hard, cold facts of history? Maybe the answer is both yes and no. There’s never an excuse for being sloppy with the research and making avoidable mistakes about facts, like the correct production year of a certain car model. But as storytellers we have to make choices, even if they are as basic as deciding whose point of view to tell a story from.

In romance novels, the main characters must be at least likeable because the readers need to root for them sufficiently to want them to end up together. This begs the question, how can we like someone who, in their time, would’ve held certain beliefs we find repugnant today, such as homophobia, racism and other forms of bigotry? When I read Against the Law, I was surprised and dismayed by the homophobic attitudes Wildeblood held towards men who, in his view, were acting effeminate. I soon learned that this was a common perception at the time. I don’t think it makes him a bad person. We’re all creatures of our time. Just think back to how recently blackface was an accepted form of playing dress-up. And regarding Peter Wildeblood, once his first book became famous, he went on to interview a much more diverse group of men for his second book, A Way of Life. Attitudes change, people change. This is why charting these trajectories is so fascinating.

That led me to something else: how do we write about identity? As a concept – academic, political or otherwise – identity didn’t appear in the discussion until quite late in the 20th century, and many of the terms that have become the acronym used by the LGBTQ+ community are similarly recent in their current meaning.

I came across an article [https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a28984957/downton-abbey-thomas-barrow-gay-sexuality-1920s-history-accuracy/] in Town & Country. It asks the question: How well did Downton Abbey portray Thomas Barrow’s love story? And it makes, I think, a few really good points.

The definition of the word ‘gay’, as people will undoubtedly know, was not initially associated with homosexuality. Its original meanings are ‘carefree, cheerful’, which is how the characters in Downton Abbey and in A Leap of Faith would’ve used it. “Homosexual” was a clinical term and being gay was considered a disorder, and “queer” was still an insult in the 1950s.

Those were just terms used to describe certain behaviours. Today, the way we think about queerness is utterly changed. The Town & Country article touches on how gay men of the early 20th century thought of their sexual identity. Men who had sex with other men in many cases still got married to women. Some held homophobic views themselves, because they were socialised in an exclusively heteronormative society. This isn’t to say that people didn’t conceptualise these identities. E.M. Forster wrote Maurice in 1913/14 (though it wasn’t published until 1971) and he had discussed his homosexuality with friends since his university days.

By the middle of the century, the intensity of the discourse was picking up. The ‘purple scare’ and some particularly regressive lawmakers prompted a number of high-profile criminal trials against gay men. But the public sentiment was changing. The Wolfenden Commission was set up in 1957 partly as a response to the discomfort felt with the law’s interference in the bedroom. Wildeblood published Against the Law in 1955, and was the only openly gay man to testify to the commission. It still took until 1967 for homosexuality to become decriminalised.

I set A Leap of Faith at the cusp of that development because to me, it’s a fascinating moment in history. Yet, like all creators of historical fiction, I had to make choices. My characters are likeable, and free of homophobia, internalised or otherwise. I gave them the agency they needed to get their happy end, something that might seem overly optimistic for the time period if I’d stuck closely to reality. All of my writing is dedicated to the people from my community who fought the good fight. I do my best to research their history and strive to write the stories they deserve.

Murder on Thames is the first in the series, and it hits the shelves today – 12 June 2020. We will be publishing a new Cherringham Cosy Mystery every 3 weeks. Yes, every 3 weeks. So you will never be far from your next cosy read.

But that's not all. We have a host of new authors joining our cosy team. And the first of those is the delightful Alison O'Leary. We've signed Alison for the first three in her series of cosy crimes. Street Cat Blues is the first in the series, and will be hitting your shelves in September. For now, meet Alison, and welcome her to the Red Dog fireplace.

Alison O'Leary was born in London and spent her teenage years in Hertfordshire where she spent large amounts of time reading novels, watching daytime television and avoiding school. Failing to gain any qualifications in science whatsoever, the dream of being a forensic scientist collided with reality when a careers teacher suggested that she might like to work in a shop. She didn't mean Harrods. Later studying law, Alison decided to teach rather than go into practice and has spent many years teaching mainly criminal law and criminology to young people and adults.

She enjoys reading crime novels, doing crosswords, and drinking wine. Not necessarily in that order.

We have more exciting announcements to come in this area, so stay tuned...

To Chris, thank you for writing a wonderful book that has already provoked such a great response. We know this one will fly! We are inordinately proud to be your publisher, and we cannot wait to see the first draft of the next Erika Piper novel. (Hint hint...)

Now, to our blogger army! A huge, massive, tail-waggingly, over-excited thank you to everyone who took the time to read, review and share the love for Chris's stunning debut. You have helped to launch this young author's career, and I hope that you are proud of your part in his success, because we couldn't do this without your support.

The wonderful thing about getting to know our bloggers is that we are fully aware of how hard you work and how much you have to juggle, while still taking the time to read, consider and review our author's work, for free, for fun, despite life often trying to get in the way. Illness, anxiety, house moves, lost internet, lost pets, interminable finance meetings, lost jobs, found jobs, essay deadlines, insomnia, more illness, floods, and twitter storms all tried to stop us, but you wonderful bloggers kept the bus rolling with cheer and grace. So thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

To everyone who entered our competition, thank you! The winner – drum roll please – is Ruth Harwood! Go congratulate her on twitter (@ruth120067).

And if you didn't win, we still have plenty of copies for sale in our store, and they come beautifully hand-wrapped. Buying direct from an Indie like us means more cash in our author's pockets.

If you're in a bookclub, give us a shout, because we can do you a deal!

Right, we're off to start getting the next launch ready... stay tuned folks.

To keep up to date with all things Red Dog, and to get discounts and offers on all of our titles and booklover merchandise, sign up to the Red Dog Readers Club. You even get to choose a free book when you do!

Tell us a bit about yourself, how did you come to write your first book?

My name is Chris and I have been a reader since I was young. I studied English alongside teaching at uni, as I was undecided between being a journalist or a teacher. Alas, teaching won.

After having two children in quite quick succession, I lost time for reading so at the start of 2019, I set up my blog to force me to read more. An idea for a story that I’d had ten years ago, at university, slowly began to percolate through again! So I used the time during night feeds to think about an outline of the story and where it could go. Then I started writing it, simply to find out if I could!

What was the last book you read that made a real impact on you?

Oh flip, can I change this question to bookS?

I’ve just finished The Shining, which is my first Stephen King book, and it is easy to see why he is held in such high regard. His scene setting is amazing and the storytelling is so clever. I’ve learned a lot from him.

Heleen’s Stay Mad, Sweetheart - as well as being a fantastic read, was such an important book culturally and socially. It really opened my eyes to the nonsense that women have to go through. I thought it was very cleverly written.

Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver was a dynamite read. Clever, shocking, dark!

I could go on but I’ll stop now!

Who were the biggest influences on you growing up that led you to be a writer?

Never in my life did I ever think I’d write a book, so I never read a book with author’s eyes, though some of the techniques must’ve sunk in. I always admired Chuck Palahniuk’s storytelling but more recently, the books of Olivia Kiernan and Vanda Symon – both with kickass female detectives, like I’d always envisaged mine would have – inspired me to put pen to paper.

Tell us what inspired you to write A Wash of Black?

I have three reasons.

1. I wanted to see if I could write a full length novel.

2. I had thought of the opening scene, of Anna on the ice, ten years ago and wanted to see where it would go next.

3. I wanted a front cover! I’d signed up to Kindle Publishing so that I could design my own!

It’s a great title, where does it come from?

It was originally called Neck Deep (after the band) but I love a quote at the start of a book. I went searching for one to do with artists and found the DaVinci quote that will be at the start of my book. I thought it fit perfectly with the story.

This is your first novel. How does it compare with other first times in your life?

Good question. It’s definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done (except, perhaps, adjusting to lack of sleep after having my first child!) Though I had no expectations for the novel. I thought I’d write it (and if I didn’t finish it, there would be no harm done), send it to a few publishers and then put it out on KDP if I didn’t hear anything back. Thankfully, I did!

When do you do your best writing?

I can only write at night when the kids are in bed, so then! And I don’t always fancy it, but I subscribe to Michael Connolly’s advice – every time you write, move the case forward a little every day, even if it is just one paragraph.

A Wash of Black is set in Manchester. How important is the setting of your books in telling the story?

My favourite books have always been those where the setting is so well described, you feel like you are there! Hogwarts, though it is fictional, is so real in my head. I feel like I know the corridors intimately. Having the story in a city you know, with its landmarks and whatnot, give the story a real grounding. I toyed with setting it in Coleraine, my hometown in NI, but thought the grittiness of Manchester would be ideal for A Wash of Black. Maybe I’ll get to writing cosy crimes by the sea in the future!

What did you edit out of this book?

Not much, actually. I took out some of the more obvious clues that pointed to the killer. But other than that, it was more of what I added in. You don’t realise how much of the story is incomplete until the editor gets their hands on it.

How thoroughly do you plot a book before starting?

Not at all! I had the opening scene in my head, but other than that, nada!

My process was (and is) thus – write the opening scene, a chapter usually takes about five days as I can only write for an hour or two per night. Once I finish the chapter, I consider where the case could go next and write three or four bullet points for the next chapter, then log off. I spend the next day fleshing out the bullet points in my head. So I’m very much making it up as I go along. I didn’t even know who the killer was going to be until about half way through when I was kind of forced into the decision!

What do you do to shut off, or are your characters always talking to you?

Because I was writing it whilst my baby was still having night feeds, I’d think about it all through the feeding. Then, when she went back to sleep, I’d get into bed with my head swimming. It took over my life for six months!

This time around, I’m much more chilled. Erika is not bothering me quite as much!

Do you need a big ego to be a writer?

I don’t think so. I’m quite shy and self-deprecating. I‘ve never been particularly proud of my accomplishments, aside from having two wonderful children. Maybe one the book is published, I’ll change and insist on being called Sir and having only purple skittles on my backstage rider…

Do you read your reviews? How do you cope with the good and the bad?

Aside from two or three beta readers and from the publisher, I’ve not had any feedback. Everything I have had has been positive or kindly constructive. I imagine I will cope with the good reviews with dancing and GIFS, whilst the negative reviews will be met with either stoicism or expletives.

What was the best money you ever spent for your writing career?

I don’t think I have, I don’t even own a laptop! I’m using my work laptop that occasionally gets taken in for PAT testing and the like, which curtails my writing for a few days. So if anyone wants to put together a crowdfunding to buy me a laptop…

I’d say buying a tonne of books over the years has been the best spent money, as all those stories have left an impression. It’s an old adage, but reading makes your writing better. I say it to the children in my class all the time!

What distracts you from your writing most frequently?

Children and trashy TV! Once the children are in bed, they’re usually settled and require little intervention. Right now, I’m being distracted from these questions by Flirty Dancing… my wife’s choice, not mine… honest.

What do you want your readers to feel at the end of your book?

I want them to feel like they’ve got their money’s worth. There are so many books out there, and I really want them to feel like the time they invested in mine was worth it.

Do your characters always do what you tell them?

Yes, otherwise they die.

What are your writing routines? Are you disciplined or freeform?

Freeform. Like I said, I can only write at night. With this book, I’d write every night like it was my duty. I went on a two week hiatus where I considered quitting and then got on with it again. Now, on my second book, I’m the opposite. I’m much more relaxed (despite being under contract!). Some nights I don’t fancy it, so some nights I don’t write.

How many drafts did you do of this book?

One! Then went through and changed a few bits but not much, then I sent it off. The first half was edited as I wrote. The second half I just wanted to get done! So the second half was addressed much more in the publishing editing stage.

How do you know when a book is finished?

Is it ever? The story was told and tied up, but I found writing the last scene quite difficult. All the action had finished, and the end scene felt anti-climactic. But needed I think. I hope.

What is a dream scenario for you as a writer?

A mansion. If you say anything else, you’re lying.

Honestly, the dream would be doing it full time. I’d love to spend my days creating life inside pages.

My realistic scenario is for one person to read and enjoy it. Which they already have, so anything from here on in is a bonus. I’m just thankful that so many people have already expressed an interest in being on the blog tour etc. So I’ll take this opportunity to say thank you in advance to everyone who plans to read, know that you are helping me realise a life dream!

What are your biggest hopes and fears for A Wash of Black?

Hope – that people will enjoy it.

Fear – that people will hate it and no-one will read the second one!

What’s your party trick?

I can do a passable Johnny Cash cover on the guitar! Although, I always find ‘Hurt’ brings the atmosphere down somewhat…

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Bon Jovi - Always

Are any of the characters in A Wash of Black based on people you know, and would they recognise themselves?

Not really on people I know. Afterwards, I tried to think who would play them in a film. Erika would be Emily Blunt.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I don’t want to be judged on this, because I think I have a pretty good taste in films etc. I love Tarantino, In Bruges and The Blues Brothers are my tied favourite films… But I do love The Notebook.

What’s next for you?

I’m writing the second in the DI Erika Piper series, All I Hear Are Whispers. I’m also looking forward to attending as many festivals as I can, and can’t wait to meet readers and other authors!

Follow Chris's journey on twitter @cmacwritescrime

And just in case you haven't seen the beautiful cover of his first book. Here it is:

"Wait. Who is this Chris guy?" I hear you ask. Well, let me tell you...

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure, before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime.

He tells us that A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. And if this is his first attempt, we can not wait to see what comes next.

Speaking of which, did we mention we're signing him for his second book too? No? Well we are. All I Hear Are Whispers is right up our street too.

But, first things first—what's A Wash of Black all about?

Sometimes it’s not life that imitates art. It’s death.

When the body of a famous actress is found mutilated on an ice rink in Manchester, recreating a scene from a blockbuster film she starred in years ago, DI Erika Piper must find the celebrity killer. Having recently returned to work after suffering a near fatal attack herself, she must once again prove her worth. But when another body is found, and the killer issues a chilling threat to Erika, she must put her demons aside and crack the case, or suffer the deadly consequences.

Apparently, Chris came up with the initial idea for A Wash of Black whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit considering the content, but it makes perfect sense once you've read it.

What else do we know about Chris? Well, he's a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. I mean, we like the last one, obviously.

A Wash of Black and All I Hear Are Whispers will be the first two in a hopefully long-running series of DI Erika Piper thrillers.

More news of A Wash of Black will follow shortly, but for now we are delighted to spill the beans on our new signing. So, back off everyone else, Chris McDonald is one of our authors now. Welcome to the family, Chris!

Give him a wave and a follow on twitter: @cmacwritescrime

In her life, Heleen has had to put up with being fondled, patronised and ordered to smile too many times by random men. This ended up being the inspiration for her latest novel.

STAY MAD, SWEETHEART is a feminist tale of revenge and retribution that resonates powerfully in this #MeToo era. The story sits on the periphery of crime, exploring the grey areas of consent, harassment and discrimination. A dark yet empowering tale of three women who join forces to plot the downfall of those who've wronged them.

Whilst Heleen’s professional understanding of technology start-ups fed the novel’s setting, its themes required no research: these are common to all women.

Heleen joins our small troop of inspirational authors with unique and interesting voices, and we have no doubt that STAY MAD, SWEETHEART will be one of the standout novels of 2020.

We are delighted to be part of Heleen’s publishing journey, and hope that all of you will join us in welcoming her to the family.

Heleen was chosen as an up-and-coming author at Bloody Scotland 2018. Her first novel, In Servitude, won the silver medal for Best European Fiction at the Independent Publishers Book Awards in the USA and was shortlisted for The Selfies award at London Book Fair.

A Dutch strategy consultant living in Glasgow and married to a Scotsman, she’s raising their son to be a good man and their daughter to kick ass.

You can follow Heleen on twitter: @hkist.

STAY MAD, SWEETHEART will be published in paperback and eBook versions from 19th November 2019.

You can get a sneak preview and pre-order your copy direct from our online shop and if you're in the UK, you can use the code STAYMAD at the checkout to get a 10% discount on the paperback.

The recreation of that scene from Flashdance nearly brought the house down, literally. Speaking of which, this literal remastering of Total Eclipse of the Heart remains one of the funniest things we've seen for a very long time. Treat yourself.

In all seriousness, though, we have been absolutely blown away by the comments, the community spirit, and the love you've all shared for Toby's first book in the series. (Yes, that's @TSHunter5's name) Our respect for the Book Blogging community has gone through the roof. Especially when we realise how long it takes us to write one simple round-up blog. Thank you all, from the bottoms of our hearts.

Aside from your wonderful reviews, your thoughtful questions, and your generous stars, you have all made a small Indie Publisher and an unknown author feel very loved, and riotously entertained. From the crazy photo shoots, to #MusicMondays, to the support you've shown for each other's posts. We are inspired and humbled.

So, thank you to @LaughingGravy71, @kellyvandamme, @TangentsBB, @lostinthelando1, @NextToTheAisle, @hardbackednooks, @ThatMattKeyes, @jojowelshghoul, @lacy_claire, @Walescrazy, @claireEESheldon, @Blog_AspiringA, @mozidogreads, @RACHELb75, @MarriedToBooks3, @lelbudge, @TheBookishGod, @LoveBooksGroup, @thedivinewrite1, @colman and @mm_cheryl for everything.

We can't wait to start the next one!

The miners were striking, royals were wedding, Live Aid was highlighting the plight of children in Africa, and everything in the UK was designer with a capital D—from stubble to, labels to jumbo political slogan T-Shirts. It was a bright, vibrant, excessive time. So why use this decade as the backdrop for a noir series?

Because while everyone else was enjoying their bright suits and big phones, Power jobs and Power Ballads, the gay community was facing a different reality, and one which has all of the hallmarks of a good noir setting:

HIV and AIDS stalked the streets, snatching lives like a serial killer specifically targeting the gay community. The police in Soho and King's Cross were actively targeting gay men coming out of nightclubs, using undercover officers as bait to entrap them so that they could be arrested under charges last used in the 1950s.

Back in the 1980s gay men were beaten—even killed—because of their sexuality, and more often than not, the police made little effort to solve those cases, instead dismissing them as a natural side-effect of being gay. This apathy is reflected wonderfully throughout the series, and leaves the perfect, natural opening for a pair of gay amateur sleuths to fill the gap.

Many of the freedoms that we now take for granted were being fought for during this time. It's one of the reasons we fell in love with this series in the first place—it reminds us that things were very different, not all that long ago. And while we've made some fantastic strides towards equality and fairness, we still have a very long way to go.

Hopefully, putting out a series of otherwise mainstream crime novellas, in which the majority of the characters are LGBTQ+ will go some way to normalising gay characters as leads, both romantic and otherwise.

Anyway we're not going to give you our review of the book—WE LOVE IT—we will leave that to our lovely bloggers, all of whom are listed in the banner here. Do follow the tour, it's going to be great.

You can buy Tainted Love on Amazon. Or directly from our shop at Red Dog Press. Or you can even go old-school and request that your local bookshop orders it on your behalf, for you to collect and enjoy, like we did in the 80s.

The second book in the series, Who's That Girl? will be published on 5th June 2019, and is already available as a pre-order here.

Careless Whisper, Crazy For You, Killer Queen and Small Town Boy will all follow quickly across the rest of the year, leaving you with a fabulous, rainbow-spined box-set in time for Christmas.

About the Author:

Claiming to be half-Welsh, T.S. Hunter lived in South Wales for much of his latter teens, moving to London as soon as confidence and finances allowed. He never looked back.

He has variously been a teacher, a cocktail waiter, a podium dancer and a removal man, but his passion for writing has been the only constant.

He's a confident and engaging speaker and guest, who is as passionate about writing and storytelling as he is about promoting mainstream LGBT fiction.

He now lives with his husband in the country, and is becoming increasingly active on social media as @TSHunter5.

This prize draw opens on 12th April, and closes on 26th April. Winners will be announced within 48 hours of posting. Entry is free and easy. Enter by following our twitter feed, liking our facebook page, or commenting on this blog. Each option bags you another entry! Go on! Do it!

1. This man doing a blackflip with his dog.

https://twitter.com/Inacreditavel6/status/1088405915043315712?s=20

2. Notes on Writing: ALLi Editors' Top Tips for Indie Writers

https://selfpublishingadvice.org/editors-top-tips/

3. Our love for Crime Thriller Bloggers is celebrated here: https://www.loungemarketing.com/lounge-blog/31-crime-fiction-book-bloggers

Follow these people to stay in the loop.

4. This review of The Lingering by SJI Holliday from one of our favourite Bloggers, Matt Keyes.

https://itsanindiebookblog.com/2019/01/20/review-the-lingering-by-sji-holliday-from-orenda-books/

5. This cheeky cover reveal for our new signing — Tainted Love is the first book in the Soho Noir series of crime novellas. We're excited to share them with you all.

We've been plotting out the year's forthcoming publications on the Big Whiteboard of Days and it's looking satisfyingly full, but clear, tidy, and pretty damn joyful. At least in our strange little minds.

It's going to be a busy year, and that gives us more than just a spark of joy.

RDT

“A plot is just one thing after another, a what and a what and a what.” —Margaret Atwood.

On several writer's groups of which I am a member, a question which appears from time to time, causing much debate, is whether fellow writers are plotters or pantsters. I have to admit, I had to look the latter up the first time I read it—it refers to a writer who flies by the seat of their pants, allowing the story to unfold as it comes.

This is not for me. I like to plot. I like my coloured record cards and coloured pens, my columns and my graphs. I plot visually first, with crazy sketches and scribbles charting the character arcs throughout the story, and overlaying them where appropriate.

Then I move onto record cards, and fill in the detail. I spend between two weeks and a month plotting solidly every day. I write the main scenes out on their own cards and lay them out in order. At the beginning of each plotting session, I read through all the cards looking for gaps to fill, shuffling, adding, and removing scenes, until the pace and story feel right.

I keep the sentences brief—little more than bullet points. This means I don't get stressed about dumping whole scenes, even chapters. I learned the hard way that I get too attached to a clever phrase or lovely scene if I've written it out in full. I find it too hard to delete them, even when I know they're impeding the story.

So I keep it short and simple until there is a well structured plot for the whole book. Everything stays as bullet points on those little cards until I am happy with the pacing, plot and character development and then I turn to the computer, create all the scenes as blank templates, and start writing.

Each scene has a silly title to remind me what it's really about, like 'Chasey McChase Scene', or 'Oh Look, An Angel', 'Everybody's Dead–Part 1'. This means I have a strange file tree full of spoilers and flippant comments about important plot points, but I find it helps me to focus on the essence of the scene and not get too hung up on getting everything right in that first draft.

This is the point in my writing where I let the story unfold and find its own pace. Perhaps because I am happy that I have a decent map of the path I will walk down with the book by this stage, I feel happier to let the writing flow.

Despite the weeks of rigorous planning, this is where the surprises tend to come. This is where writing, for me, becomes fun. Characters turn out to be undercover agents, or the killer's sidekick, or suddenly—and most unexpectedly—dead.

The thing is, I don't think I would find this stage fun at all, if I didn't have my route map to fall back on. I can go off on these little journeys of discovery, but if they prove to be red herrings or false starts, I still have the skeleton to go back to, and that means I have the space to create.

Everyone has their own process for plotting a story but, over the years, I have found that this works for me and allows me to power through the words to the end of the draft. Just one thing after the other, as Margaret Atwood said.