Author Archives: ckmartinauthor

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About ckmartinauthor

I'm a writer who loves to travel the world, looking for the inspiration or location for my next story. I have a weakness for cheese and hedgehogs are my favourite creatures in the whole world.

Writer Life: Busyness, business and books

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Wow, this week has been a busy week. Between consultancy work and non-fiction, I’ve been working 16 hour days to get everything done. The reward? I get to spend the weekend exploring the beautiful south coast of England, giving my brain time to relax. I went tramping through a forest last weekend and was amazed by the boost just being outside with time to breathe and think gave me. So I’m trying to make this a feature of my life, to compensate for the hours spent in hotel rooms or chained to the desk.

I’m also now weighing up an iPad Pro for work on the road, so if anyone has any experience of whether that works or not, then hit me up.

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

Book four in The Lazarus Hunter series – now tentatively titled Things That Die In The Light – had to go on the back burner this week. I still managed to get around 5000 words completed to keep my brain engaged with the characters and the story. I like the way it is going so far but I can already see places where I need to ramp that tension up a bit! The title definitely needs some work though…

I also pitched the idea for another non-fiction book to a couple of people, so that’s an exciting step forwards too.

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

Some final minor tweaks last weekend to the non-fiction book, but they were simply some references changes, so nothing too strenuous thank goodness!

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

In week two, Dirty Little War has received some pretty great reviews, from people I definitely don’t know. There’s always a bit of a writer’s doubt that your mum is writing good stuff to make you feel better, like when you found out those Valentine’s cards you got as an early teen was just her using her left hand to write. Unsolicited stranger reviews are always amazing.

Okay, so I am still getting to grips with Facebook. I’m still not a huge fan, but have begun to see the real value it offers in connecting people. I’ve been able to talk with readers and other authors to get valuable insights into how I can write things that excite not only me, but also the people who want to read my fiction. So I guess Facebook is going to stay part of my life for awhile.

I’ve published a non-fiction book as my alter-ego this week, which has been an altogether different experience to publishing genre fiction. It’s been exciting though and I’m feeling really positive about it.

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

I’m having the weekend off now to spend time with my wife as she’s been somewhat neglected this week. Monday will bring with it a week of non-fiction marketing (honestly, no more fun for me than any kind of marketing) and getting back to Things that die in the light. If I can get 8000 words drafted in that small space between getting up and having breakfast, then I’ll count the week as a success.

Writing Best Bits

The best writing bit this week was letting something go. That sounds strange and with better timing on my part, I wouldn’t have had two large projects come to a conclusion so close together. One of my goals for next year is to better plan the contingency time so that if other people slip, then the pressure doesn’t fall on me!

Weekly success score: 7/10 (not enough downtime – even if I’ve done a lot, being a workaholic loses points, not gains them. Life is for living!)

Contact for credit

Contact for credit

Writer Life: Behind the scenes at author HQ week

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As I wrote a few weeks ago, there have been some recent changes in my life that have finally given me some space and time to get writing fiction back to the top of my priority list. So I thought I would take a few minutes each week to take a look at what that really means in my indie author life, as well as give people a sneak peek of what is coming up.

For me, ‘writing’ is no single act. There are so many stages, especially when you are making your living as an independent author, rather than simply writing for a hobby. You don’t just get to walk away at the satisfying end of writing a first draft. Much of what happens after that isn’t glamorous, but it can still be interesting.

So, broken down into it’s various parts…

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

I’m currently working on the first draft of book four in The Lazarus Hunter series. There has been a real slow burn in the relationship between the two main characters and  this is the book where we reach a tipping point. That’s making it so much fun to write, even if I did only manage 8,000 words this week.

Plot bunnies: according to my notebook where I scribble all my potential story ideas, the idea I am most excited about this week is a four part lesbian romance novella series, tied around a key theme. Food for thought…

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

No C.K. Martin editing taking place this week. I have been spending time going through a non-fiction MS after receiving edits, so that is enough for me to handle in this particular area, thank you very much.

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

As I write this, Dirty Little War has been out for its first week and has done pretty well. It has charted as high as #5 in the US lesbian fiction charts and broke into the top 10 in the UK. As this was my first lesbian romance (rather than other genres with lesbian protagonists), I’m really pleased. I’ve also finally given in and am trying to get to grips with Facebook.

I also had to review the cover for my non-fiction book (it looks awesome).

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

Next week will be centred around non-fiction edits. In the spare time, I’ll continue to work on book 4 (really need to come up with a title, even if it is just a temporary one for this!). I’m also taking a writing mini break next weekend, so I need to be prepped for that.

Writing Best Bits

There have been quite a few ‘best’ bits this week. Unsolicited good reviews are always fab to get. Seeing people buy your book is always a thrill that makes up for the terror of letting your baby out into the wild to fend for itself.

Weekly success score: 8/10 (cute hedgehog in a cup worthy):

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Dirty Little War Playlist

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I think a lot of writers have a selection of songs they put together when they are beginning to write a novel. I know for me it is one of the key things at the beginning. When I’m actually writing, I don’t really listen to the songs at all. But a playlist gives me instant access to the themes and mood of the story, so when I’m out an about, I can put it on and instantly become immersed on the characters again.Dirty Little War

My latest novel, Dirty Little War, is a standalone lesbian romance, set on the gritty streets of East End London. It dips into organised crime and forbidden love. We all know that forbidden women are exciting and make us lose all rational thoughts about consequences, even when they are dangerous.

So, without further ado, the playlist for Dirty Little War:

  1. I’m On Fire, Bruce Springsteen
  2. Blank Space, Taylor Swift
  3. It Might As Well Be You, Del Amitri
  4. Take Me To Church, Hozier
  5. Tell Me, Billie Myers
  6. Sunset (Jamie xx Edit), The xx
  7. Casual Sex, My Darkest Days
  8. Spring Released, Grant Lee Philiips
  9. Coming Up From Behind, Marcy Playground
  10. Poison, Alice Cooper
  11. Steer, Missy Higgins
  12. I Drove All Night, Roy Orbison
  13. Point Blank, Bruce Springsteen

I know, it is a somewhat eclectic list in terms of musical genre and artist. But the songs work for the story I wanted to write and when I look back over the finished result, I can see the songs helped me stay true to the characters and what they were going through. Given that my characters were essentially prisoners of their families and the lives they were born into, I’m On Fire started me off in the right place for writing about the insanity of passion.

Each song had a special place too in that they directly tie up to certain key scenes. I always find this most useful when writing dark scenes about real life and the despair of escaping that comes with it. So for me it comes full circle, ending with Springsteen too…

You grew up where young girls they grow up fast
You took what you were handed and left behind what was asked
But what they asked baby wasn’t right
You didn’t have to live that life
And I was gonna be your Romeo, you were gonna be my Juliet
These days you don’t wait on Romeos, you wait on that welfare check
And on all the pretty things that you can’t ever have
And on all the promises
That always end up point blank, Shot between the eyes

 

It’s here! My new romance novel has been published today

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I’m thrilled to introduce my latest book to the world!

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In the dark heart of the city, a dirty little war is about to begin

Evie Baedeker knows her place in the world. Born into a life of organised crime in the gritty East End of London, she has endured nothing but hardship and disappointment. Then one night, in a sleazy bar, fate sends a dangerous opportunity her way.

Carmen Trogan, daughter and heir apparent to a rival business, has no idea who Evie is when their eyes meet across the dance floor. But Evie knows all about her. The chance to bring the rich and beautiful woman to her knees – both figuratively and literally – is too good to pass up.

Sparks fly from their first kiss, but Evie is playing a dangerous game. There are consequences that come with spending the night with a woman like Carmen.

Will she be able to walk away from the best night of her life, or will she risk it all to see Carmen one more time?

A standalone lesbian romance novel, this has all the bittersweet joy that comes with forbidden love. You can pick up a copy over at Amazon now!

Big changes ahead

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As I’ve indicated a couple of times this year, I’ve been in a crazy place when it comes to work and life. The good news is, a few key projects that have been consuming so many of those projects have finally begun to wrap up.

What does this mean? It means that after a year of not publishing any fiction, I will be in a position to begin putting my time and effort into this again to a much greater degree. I still intend to work on other projects, but my C. K. Martin fiction is some of my favourite. I love to spend the hours creating these women and their lives, so the prospect of being able to indulge myself is really very exciting.

It has been a year since my last book, which in independent author terms is sometimes seen as the equivalent of being dead. My current goal is to get back to the publishing rate of three books per year, which I was on course to do until the last twelve months hit. I spent a significant amount of time over the past weekend working out how I get to schedule my time in a way that works for me and helps me to achieve a higher quality output. September to December will be the real test of this. If it doesn’t work, then I may have to go back, tweak the approach and continue to push forwards.

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The most exciting thing now is the thought of finally being able to share characters and stories with you that have been more neglected over this past year than I would like. So there are exciting times ahead. Next week, I’ll be publishing my first lesbian romantic standalone novel and I’m a mixed bag of nervous and excited about the response. Regardless, I’ll be opening a bottle of wine when it appears on the kindle store, as a way of marking a new chapter in my life if nothing else.

Fantasy sexy vs real life sexy

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It occurred to me, while I was writing a sexy kick ass scene (of your traditional vampire hunter in leather variety), that there is an innate difference between theoretically sexy and real life sexy. The case in point: scars.

This is something you frequently see in both books and in film. Scars are a mark of strength. Of battles fought and won. Of danger and daring. These are the character elements that scars become a symbol of, yet without compromising in any way the (often stereotypical) ‘attractiveness’ of the character. Male or female, a strategically placed scar is sexy in books and on film.

In real life, that is more often not the case. Few people wear scars with the pride and confidence that fictional media imbues. Scars are more likely to be a trigger of a disturbing event. A memory that is often something better best forgotten. Frequently, scars are things that are covered, replete with a sense of shame. The bearer often feels the exact opposite of ‘sexy’ when considering them. Not in all cases, but in many.

On the opposite side to this self-perception, the response that scars provoke in others is similarly different when considering fantasy versus reality.  Scars usually provoke an instinctive second glance, a double take. The first assumptions are not around the ‘hot or not’ of the person, but a curiosity around the event. What happened, rather than what it made the person become. A significant size scar is likely to be associated with the word ‘disfigured’ rather than ‘sexy’. I am not saying that I personally feel that way, so don’t flame me in the comments. I am merely stating that scars – just one example of many – are portrayed significantly differently in the media to how they are perceived in the daily world we walk through.

So, as I write my character, complete with scar, I know that I am consciously choosing to perpetuate that cycle. With that needs to come an awareness of how the very nature of fiction can bridge or widen a gap.

And which of these options you really want to achieve.

Quiet does not equal ‘not busy’

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Yes, things have once again been quiet on the social media front. To my horror, I didn’t do a single blogpost in July. But quiet certainly doesn’t mean that things have been slow and relaxed around here. Exactly the opposite in fact.

There has been a lot of travel for the non-fiction projects in my life (these, whilst being considerably less enjoyable, do pay the majority of the bills), which means less time for fun things like blogposts and twitter. Isn’t this often the way? Sometimes I think there are a lot of people telling everyone about their life, rather than being in it and being present. However, social time has been something of a luxury, in real life and virtual.

Plus, it’s always harder to work in the summer when it is delightfully warm. Every task then feels like suffering when you cans see the sun outside and the beach is calling. I’m just being honest here.

However, projects have indeed been progressing nicely in the spaces between. I am happy to be writing the fourth book in The Lazarus Hunter series, which is great fun. I love my little foray into the world of urban fantasy and my favourite vampires. I’m also waist deep in the final edits for my new romance novel, which has slipped slightly off track but is still on its way out into the world during the next four weeks. Pesky days, only having twenty-four hours in them.

I hope everyone else is having as productive a time as me! Either way, enjoy the weekend. Friday night and the wine bottle is OPEN.

The return to the desk

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It feels like I have been away for a very, very long time. Which I have, I suppose, in the grand scheme of things.

As usual, time off to travel has given me a chance to ponder life and the directions it sometimes takes us. It’s also given me a chance to refresh myself when it comes to my writing schedule, which after the previous twelve months, was very much needed.

Today marks the first proper return to the daily routine. It actually feels quite exciting. I’m working on a new project, as well as getting the final stages of my next fiction book under my belt. As I’ve discussed many times, the editing process, that painful road which takes a book from first draft to published, is my least favourite part of the process. So to be able to come to it again with a renewed sense of what I want the book to achieve is actually a wonderful thing.

The flip side of the coin is that I’ve returned to England, which can only be described as in a state of turmoil. There is a clear divide between those of us who like to travel and have new experiences, and those who don’t really see their place in Europe. It is something I am still processing as a human, as a citizen and as a woman. More than ever, it highlights that writing is an escape that I will return to whenever things get tough.

Which is exactly what I shall go and do now.

Current Status: Off to South America

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Things have been quiet around here lately, publicly at least. One of the reasons for that is because offline, things have been crazy busy. I’m always envious of those authors who can have a manic real life and somehow still maintain a nice active social media presence – without massive oversharing of course. Having surgery, come snapchat with me and I’ll show you my scar is really not my kind of thing.

All of the busyness is now culminating in what is likely to be another bout of radio silence, albeit intentional this time. I am off to South America to spend some time with my wife-to-be (who will be my actual wife by the time I get back to posting again), to take a much needed break. Plus, I get to see some new places, which is always fun when you’ve traveled around the world as much as I have.

This will be part relaxation and part business. I’m hoping that the former will segue into the latter, so that once I return, I will be ready to hit the ground running with the next set of projects that are relevant here. I have a new book to draft out and one to polish up before its release at the end of July. I’ll also hopefully be better at scheduling time for this kind of stuff now my larger offline projects are out of the way.

So thank you for reading, thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to having some shiny new stuff ready for you soon. Until then, go and make some time for your own mental and physical health like I am. It will be worth so much more in the long run.

Genre Switch

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So, I remember saying something last time about showing my softer side in my next novel. That’s almost true. The novel being released later this year is actually going to be… *drumroll* a romance novel.

Don’t worry, it will still be very much in the same vein as the other novels I have written. By that I mean there will be gritty plot lines, tough decisions and kickass heroines at the heart of the story, but with a considerable amount of additional smooching between the leads. And then some.

To break it down, Teddie McKay, my protagonist in The Crochet Killer and A Taste To Die For isn’t a sexless lesbian by any means, but as its a crime novel, the emphasis is on the mystery solving, not the rolling around in the sack.

Elizabeth and Monica, the two main characters of Blood Inheritance have, at this stage, the kind of subtextual connection that I remember so fondly from my Buffy and Xena days. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was as frustrating as hell in the long run. Especially because even though the subtext was fun, you knew nothing would happen. But I’m in control now, so I know the truth *evil laugh*.

In this new novel, it follows all the rules of the romance genre (almost all, it’s more fun when you break a few). Which means that the romance is up a notch, the sex is up a lot and the whole thing is more playful and fun.

I know there are supposed rules about branding and genre, but I don’t really care. I like the book and it is one I think my readers will enjoy, so I am bringing it into the world. If new readers then go back and buy my other books, then I hope that even if it isn’t what they expected, then they enjoy those too. It’s all on Kindle anyway, so sample chapter yourself away!