Patrick Hilyer's Blog

This is the first draft, first chapter of my latest book. I’d be very grateful for any feedback! P

[image error]Here’s the cover of my latest book, ‘A Devil in the Grape’ to be published on 17th July 2017 – long overdue, I know! I hope it’s been worth the wait…

[image error]With the release of my next book ‘A Devil in the Grape’, the cover and title of ‘Broke the Grape’s Joy’ has been changed.

Here's latest edit of my next book, A Devil in the Grape:

http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...

The opening chapters have entered the YouWriteOn Best Seller Chart. I should be getting a professional review from Orion or Random House at the end of the month...

At first I hear him, humming Auld Lang Syne. Then a shadow falls across my laptop’s screen, and I feel the weight of a powerful hand on my shoulder. His breath reeks of stale champagne when he whispers in my ear:

‘It is I, Annus Novus the Tenacious, the god of New Year’s resolutions.’

I dread these annual visits. ‘Oh, er, I was just––’

‘You haven’t forgotten your little promise, have you?’ he says, reaching over me, running his hand over my Christmas jumper then down, lower still, until it comes to rest below my belt.

‘No, no!’ I gasp.

‘Good. So, go on then – finish your pathetic little novel and try to spend less time looking at your ratings on Amazon. Understood?’

His grip tightens. I try to reply, but all I can manage is a breathless wheeze.

‘What’s that? A writer, lost for words? Bless my twelve bells, I’ve never heard the like!’

I nod my head and emit a falsetto whine.

‘Jolly good, old boy. That’s the spirit.’ He relaxes his grip just enough for me to speak, and I take my first breath in nearly a minute.

‘Please, Your . . . Januaryness.’

‘Yes, my friend?’

‘Can you let go of my testicles now?’

The bells in the church tower across the square chime the hour, and before I can say ‘Happy Hogmanay’ he is gone – well, at least for another year.

****

Happy New Year to all my friends on Goodreads.

P.

The Kindle version of the book “Broke the Grape’s Joy” will be available to download for FREE from Friday 21st December on Amazon.

 

Read the intro for FREE on Amazon here

Read what people are saying about it here

Download for FREE here

Happy Christmas and happy reading!

Patrick.

YouWriteOn.com is a great site for all independent authors and would-be writers. My work-in-progress novel “A Devil in the Grape” has just reached the No.1 position in the sites Top Ten Chart.  http://www.youwriteon.com/charts/general-chart.aspx

 

Never so much as a bottle of Liebfraumilch in the village fete tombola! Until now, that is. Goodread’s group have given my book “Broke the Grape’s Joy” an award – Best Synopsis November 2012. Thank you all!

YouWriteOn.com is a community writing site. It allows authors (of all kinds – and all abilities) to review and be reviewed. For me, the feedback I’ve received from reviewers has been of huge value, and my work has improved as a result (I hope!). To be a good writer - and especially a successful one – you have to read lots of great writing, and there’s plenty of this on YWO. There’s also a lot of (how can I say this?)… less polished material from young writers or those who are completely new to putting pen to paper. We learn from our mistakes, but we often need those mistakes pointing out. We learn from reading good writing as well as bad. A community of writers who offer constructive advice and criticism is a good thing – all budding scribes should join. And there’s a chance to get a professional review from a mainstream publishing house, and several YWO authors have gone on to win major publishing contracts. Some have even made money!

Anyway, an extract from my latest book A Devil in the Grape is currently available for review on YWO. I hope you can join.

www.youwriteon.com