Hic

It's a really tough job being an aufor.

Especially when you can't quite work out how to bring all the strands of the plot together towards the end.

But when the publisher says "just drink some wine and write whatever comes to you, and you can tidy it up in the morning", now it all makes perfect sense to me.

So, here's to Florida Key.

Hic.

Direction Unknown

The fun thing about writing a few woids for Florida Key is that I don't know the direction they take until I go down that specific path.

It's like watching a film unfold in front of my eyes.

I had no idea that Yushi Yakamoto was gonna get pulled over by the cop, until he was.

Leaving

Sad to leave Montolieu and all that went with it. I got a lot of writing done. Florida Key is now well under way.

Who would have thought that a humble bicycle-handlebar radio could be such an effective moider weapon? Florida Key is coming, just as soon as I can get all the woids out, all in the right oider.

Hard Day at the Office

Hard at work in the office, I had discovered my character creativity was in correlation with the wine consumption.

Chief Moores and Sergeant Staples were no exception. Forensic scientist Katie Copeland was by this time in the bag, but I was waiting for the right opportunity for Mr. Dickinson and Miss O'Mahoney to come into the scene.

It was wine-o'clock time again. My routine was to be creative and let the thoughts flow freely. Then in the morning, the coffee would help me correct the errors. And there were many, to be sure.

End of Part One

To celebrate nearly completing Part One of Florida Key, I invited local good-guys Robbie and Jason to come round for a music night

My Set-Up

In February 2017, I took a month off 'normal' work, and set myself up in The Writer's Retreat in Montolieu.

Financed by my credit card, but crossing fingers that the crowd-funding by 'selling' characters in the book, would eventually pay off.

So, on warm winter days, I'd sit up on the terrace, and think of Florida.

My routine for 30 days: Crisps, check. Wine, check. Music, check.

Here we go . . . "Once Upon A Time"

Ooh la la, mais oui. It's a wonder I'll ever get past Chapter One at this rate. I'll just have one more to lubricate the mind.

Wine Time at Work

I was soon on a roll, helped by the incentive of wine-time to help oil the brain cogs.

The target was 5,000 words, and I managed it. "Just get the story down", I'd been advised. 

The following morning I could go back and make sense of it.

And sometimes I'd even resist the wine, and go for a Virgin Mary instead. Hail.

When Florida Key Began

It was back in November 2016 that I began writing Florida Key.

I had a rough idea in my mind as to some of the elements to the story. But it was one thing to have ideas in the head - a very different thing to begin actually working on it.

I was fortunate that I had a nice place to go and write - the place in Montolieu, France - known as The Village of Books.

If I couldn't get creative there, I wouldn't manage it anywhere.

Here, after 2,400 words down, I was invigorated, and felt I'd done a good day's work.

It certainly beat doing painting and decorating.

Dedication

This writing mullarkey has been getting to me. Here, my publisher, David Roberts proudly (and rightly so) holds aloft his latest tome, the only biography ever written about Mr. Stills, of CSN&Y fame.

I'm very excited to have been given a dedication - my first ever - in a book. His words: "For my 'brother' in music Neil, who convinced me I must write this book..."

Ta David, I'm thrilled alright.