My Poirot parody for Captain Hastings’ fans everywhere – Hide & Seek – approaches the climax of the traditional ‘big reveal’ and before writing the final post I thought it might be a good idea to read through all the chapters first. Having made great efforts to place clues and red herrings all the way through, I didn’t want to miss out any when the great Belgian detective announces his verdict. As it happens, this turned out to be a very good idea. Not only had I forgotten some rather crucial elements of the story, I had also completely omitted all trace of one of the characters who was lined up as a possible suspect early on.
The big risk you take with blogging a story – especially something complex like a murder mystery – is you don’t get the opportunity to go back and amend mistakes, fill in plot holes or (in my case) revive neglected characters. What you are essentially presenting to the world is the first draft of something that might, one day, be a fully-fledged work of literature. Obviously, this is not going to happen with this series as the Agatha Christie Estate might get the pip about it. In fact, they would almost certainly get the pip. Which is a great shame as I enjoy writing Poirot adventures immensely. Had it not been for the fact I am supposed to be writing my own book, I might very well take Hide & Seek (and Never A Cross Word, for that matter) and polish it up into novel-worthy shape. I cannot deny that Poirot has rather hampered progress on the next PorterGirl novel, but it has not been an entirely unproductive summer. In fact, Poirot and his little grey cells have been of great service.
PorterGirl – The Vanishing Lord was published in June and I began the next novel, Sinister Dexter, within hours of its release. Whilst it was great to get a sketchy draft down while things were still fresh, it doesn’t hurt to have a break between books to ‘rest’ the characters for a little while. I would be in danger of writing something that had become a parody of itself otherwise.
Writing Poirot makes me a better writer. It is quite the responsibility to take charge of such acclaimed characters and anything less that my absolute best would be an insult. I wrote Never A Cross Word in between books and it definitely improved my writing. This time around, I wrote against type of my usual characters. There were several genuinely unpleasant characters and the nicest ones were killed off. I learned that everyone loves a villain (especially ones that get their comeuppance) and that it’s alright to break readers’ hearts once in a while.
Never mind characters having a rest, I got a bit of a rest. Doing one 1,000(ish) word post a week of fiction is a huge drop in output for me and, with my life getting increasingly busier and spread between Cambridge and London, it has been good to take off the pressure. Since June 2015, when the self-published Secret Diary Of PorterGirl was released, things have been quite brisk. By the end of 2015 I had been picked up by a publisher and First Lady Of The Keys came out in September 2016. Between then and now I have written two Poirot parodies, launched Who Shot Tony Blair? and published The Vanishing Lord, as well as appearing in horror anthology The Box Under The Bed. That is a rather respectable offering. But it is rather tiring as I do actually have a real life as well.
So I find myself well rested, well trained and at the pique of writing prowess to get on and finish Sinister Dexter. It was hoped that it would be out by the end of this year, but that seems unlikely to me. Early next year is much more realistic. I’ve got this to swot up for, after all…
2018 was planned to be a quieter year but I already have three projects aside from PorterGirl lined up, so that also seems unlikely. Then again, there is little I like more than the unlikely, so perhaps this could be a marvellous thing after all.
Lucy Brazier 
I think having a break between books is an extremely sensible idea…especially if that break involves writing this awesome story and getting better at writing…
(IMO you were always fantastic at writing, but learning more is never bad 🙂 )
I am sure 2018 will contain many awesome unlikely shenanigans which will make for awesome books…and stories to tell over a gin!
You are so kind to me and I couldn’t have done it all without your awesome support – especially when things were not as super as they could have been. Ever onwards, with more shenanigans, more laughter and most definitely more gin! Forward, warrior goddesses!
That is what friends are for 😀 support when things are super and when they are not! I will always be there for that 😀
and shenanigans…friends are for that too!
Warrior goddesses shall take on 2018 with much more laughter and gin and some meeting up in person for shenanigans!
I am a lucky lady to have you as a friend 🙂 Thank you so much for everything. I am here for you too, for the best of stuff and the very worst of stuff too. Weirdly, I am moving slightly closer to our Westminster aims and this can only be due to the future-predicting magic of our invented government!
Most definitely we will get together in 2018, if not before!! Shenanigans here we come!!
I am very lucky too 😁😁 I am already doing things I never thought I would and it is completely because of your encouragement!!
I think our government has future prediction capabilities…if not actual future influencing ones!!
Yes!! 2018 and before too possibly!!! 😀
Woohoo!! Shenanigans!! And gin! And Bernards!!
Hurrah for the magic of blogging! It brings people together for the good of the land! Well, the good of us, anyway.
Bring on all the gin and Bernards!!! Westminster had better prepare itself… 😉
Very much for the good of us!! And probably also the land 😁
Westminster will bow down before you 😁😁
I don’t know about bowing down… maybe if I stick my foot out and trip it up… 😉
that totally counts 😀
😀
You are a whirling dervish. Spinning out the most amazing tales in expert form, it’s a mystery how you do it but not looking a gift horse in the mouth ( an idiom, no offense lovely) . I would love the PDF…you are extremely generous and much appreciated. Sending hugs and congrats on your awesome success. Well deserved! x
You are the sweetest thing, thank you. I believe that hard work and always trying your best leads to good things and so far I have been proved right. I never take anything for granted and am so very grateful for my brilliant readers – especially you, my lovely! Pop me an email to lucy@verticalrecordings.com and I will send you the completed Poirot in due course. (The final chapter isn’t quite written yet, would you believe!)
The email will be coming over. I don’t know how you do it all and so beautifully.
Your email is received and tucked away in my Poirot folder – you will get the PDF in due course. You are so kind, thank you so much xx
Thank you Lucy, xx.