Jim McGrath's Blog
January 17, 2021
Return from the dead
Hi Folks,
Happy new year to you all. I hope you had as good a Christmas as Covid would allow.
I've not been well for about six months but I finally got to see a specialist and the the new regime of medication she prescribed is starting to work. One of the side effects of PSC is that as the liver starts to decline nasty stuff gets into the bloodstream and effects your brain. Thinking becomes foggy and it's difficult to concentrate and very hard to be creative. Thankfully my brain has quickly improved although names is still something I forget.
Anyway, I'm back now and trying to find an agent. If any of you know any literary agents who you think might be interested in my books please let me know.
I've started the fifth book but it's going very slowly. I'm not sure which story I'm trying to tell. It's either a gang war or a serial killer story. Maybe as with A Death in Spring: 1968 I could combine them. Again please let me know which story you'd like to see.
I know I've not been good at keeping this blog up to date but I will be posting something weekly from now on.
You take care. Best wishes,
Jim
Happy new year to you all. I hope you had as good a Christmas as Covid would allow.
I've not been well for about six months but I finally got to see a specialist and the the new regime of medication she prescribed is starting to work. One of the side effects of PSC is that as the liver starts to decline nasty stuff gets into the bloodstream and effects your brain. Thinking becomes foggy and it's difficult to concentrate and very hard to be creative. Thankfully my brain has quickly improved although names is still something I forget.
Anyway, I'm back now and trying to find an agent. If any of you know any literary agents who you think might be interested in my books please let me know.
I've started the fifth book but it's going very slowly. I'm not sure which story I'm trying to tell. It's either a gang war or a serial killer story. Maybe as with A Death in Spring: 1968 I could combine them. Again please let me know which story you'd like to see.
I know I've not been good at keeping this blog up to date but I will be posting something weekly from now on.
You take care. Best wishes,
Jim
June 26, 2020
A Death in Autumn: 1968 out 1st July
High folks,
There were times in the last year when I wondered if I'd ever finish A Death in Autumn: 1968. But I remembered my supervisor's comment that every thesis looks like rubbish half way through writing it and kept buggering on to the finishing line.
I'm happy with the final book. It's got the usual mixture of mystery, suspense, action and comedy. It also has a good strong story line that should keep you reading.
THE PAPERBACK AND EBOOK IS AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON.CO.UK FROM 1ST JULY.
I hope that you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed finishing it!
Please post a review, good or bad, on Amazon and Goodreads after you've read it.
Jim
There were times in the last year when I wondered if I'd ever finish A Death in Autumn: 1968. But I remembered my supervisor's comment that every thesis looks like rubbish half way through writing it and kept buggering on to the finishing line.
I'm happy with the final book. It's got the usual mixture of mystery, suspense, action and comedy. It also has a good strong story line that should keep you reading.
THE PAPERBACK AND EBOOK IS AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON.CO.UK FROM 1ST JULY.
I hope that you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed finishing it!
Please post a review, good or bad, on Amazon and Goodreads after you've read it.
Jim
May 31, 2020
NEW BOOK out very soon.
Sorry for the long delay in posting anything and sorry for failing to deliver the fourth Collins and Clark book A Death in Autumn: 1968 as promised.
I will be checking what my editor and publisher had to say on the latest book tomorrow and going through his suggestions over the next week.
Then it will be formatting book and getting it off to the printers.
A Death in Autumn: 1968 has been the most difficult book for me to write. I'm not sure why. Maybe I need a break from Collins and Clark. Maybe I'm afraid of repeating myself.
Anyway my next book will be different. The story will follow the career of a disgraced Royal Marine and his rise up the criminal hierarchy in Birmingham during the 1960s. Inspired by Martina Coles great writing about London gangsters during the 1960s and 70s.
Anyway stay safe and remember - Keep your distance.
Best wises,
Jim
I will be checking what my editor and publisher had to say on the latest book tomorrow and going through his suggestions over the next week.
Then it will be formatting book and getting it off to the printers.
A Death in Autumn: 1968 has been the most difficult book for me to write. I'm not sure why. Maybe I need a break from Collins and Clark. Maybe I'm afraid of repeating myself.
Anyway my next book will be different. The story will follow the career of a disgraced Royal Marine and his rise up the criminal hierarchy in Birmingham during the 1960s. Inspired by Martina Coles great writing about London gangsters during the 1960s and 70s.
Anyway stay safe and remember - Keep your distance.
Best wises,
Jim
March 5, 2020
A Death in Autumn is Finished
Hi Folks,
I finally finished writing A Death in Autumn: 1968 last Sunday.
It's been a hard slog but my good friend David Brown (he who paints the covers for the books) thinks it was bosting.
I've now sent it to the publisher and it should be published sometime in March/April.
I don't know why it has taken nearly a year to write I think I lost faith in the story after I introduced the IRA into story. Partly because I didn't know that much about the IRA as an organisation and you should only write about what you know. And partly because I failed to follow my routine for writing a novel.
What I do is list the scenes I'm going to write. Usually I have a about 20 to 30 scenes and I add new scenes as I write the book. But this time I tried to follow what Harold Robbins and many writers do which is write the last scene first and then work out how to get to it as you write.
I'll revert to my old system when I start A Death In Birmingham in April.
If anyone wants a signed copy of Autumn, at Amazon's cost, please email me on Writer7@hotmail.co.uk.
Best wishes, Jim
I finally finished writing A Death in Autumn: 1968 last Sunday.
It's been a hard slog but my good friend David Brown (he who paints the covers for the books) thinks it was bosting.
I've now sent it to the publisher and it should be published sometime in March/April.
I don't know why it has taken nearly a year to write I think I lost faith in the story after I introduced the IRA into story. Partly because I didn't know that much about the IRA as an organisation and you should only write about what you know. And partly because I failed to follow my routine for writing a novel.
What I do is list the scenes I'm going to write. Usually I have a about 20 to 30 scenes and I add new scenes as I write the book. But this time I tried to follow what Harold Robbins and many writers do which is write the last scene first and then work out how to get to it as you write.
I'll revert to my old system when I start A Death In Birmingham in April.
If anyone wants a signed copy of Autumn, at Amazon's cost, please email me on Writer7@hotmail.co.uk.
Best wishes, Jim
October 9, 2019
Getting ready for the big push
I've spent most of the afternoon tidying up my study. When I was working my study was always clean and tidy with everting filed away within a week or 10 days. A true credit to the accountancy profession I was. But since I retired the place is a right tip. I've got filing from 2018 to do.
Now I need a clean uncluttered environment to write in for one very good reason I need to be able to find the notes I've written on the book and pieces of information that I've collected specifically for the book I'm working on. There is nothing worse then having to break off writing and spend half an hour or more looking for a key piece of information or an idea I scribbled down six months ago.
Well I can now see the floor and there is just the filing to do. But that will have to wait until tomorrow as I have to tidy the garage so my wife can use it as a gym.
I've written another couple of thousand words in the last week but hope to speed up as I get towards the climax of the story. Hopefully it will not disappoint any readers.
Stay safe,
Cheers,
Jim
Now I need a clean uncluttered environment to write in for one very good reason I need to be able to find the notes I've written on the book and pieces of information that I've collected specifically for the book I'm working on. There is nothing worse then having to break off writing and spend half an hour or more looking for a key piece of information or an idea I scribbled down six months ago.
Well I can now see the floor and there is just the filing to do. But that will have to wait until tomorrow as I have to tidy the garage so my wife can use it as a gym.
I've written another couple of thousand words in the last week but hope to speed up as I get towards the climax of the story. Hopefully it will not disappoint any readers.
Stay safe,
Cheers,
Jim
October 2, 2019
Hi Folks
Well another week has passed but I am 2,000 words closer to finishing A Death in Autumn: 1968. Looking over my previous postings I see that I've promised the book on more than one occasion only to miss the deadline. Well the book will be out before Christmas.
I've not done a lot of reading recently. I've mainly been watching Netflicks and Amazon Prime. A couple of shows worth watching are Glow, which is about a troop of women who are recruited to put on a weekly wrestling show on TV. Its funny but it's the characters and what happens to them that keeps you watching. Another good show is Goliath. Instead of being about an alcoholic cop its about an alcoholic lawyer. The first series was excellent the second not so good but the third series has had exceptional reviews. Again there is humour in the show but it's the characters that keep you watching. The acting is uniformly excellent.
If you are looking for a great serial killer novel have a look at Martina Cole's The Ladykiller. Superbly plotted and very well written by the best female crime writer in the business.
Alas my week ended on a downer with West Brom being beaten 1-0 by Leeds. If we'd avoided defeat it would have set a new record of not losing any of our first ten matches of the season. Still nine without loss is not too shabby.
Anyway have a good week. I'm just about to start writing.
Feel free to email me it's nice to know that I'm not alone in the world of Collins and Clark.
Best wishes,
Jim
I've not done a lot of reading recently. I've mainly been watching Netflicks and Amazon Prime. A couple of shows worth watching are Glow, which is about a troop of women who are recruited to put on a weekly wrestling show on TV. Its funny but it's the characters and what happens to them that keeps you watching. Another good show is Goliath. Instead of being about an alcoholic cop its about an alcoholic lawyer. The first series was excellent the second not so good but the third series has had exceptional reviews. Again there is humour in the show but it's the characters that keep you watching. The acting is uniformly excellent.
If you are looking for a great serial killer novel have a look at Martina Cole's The Ladykiller. Superbly plotted and very well written by the best female crime writer in the business.
Alas my week ended on a downer with West Brom being beaten 1-0 by Leeds. If we'd avoided defeat it would have set a new record of not losing any of our first ten matches of the season. Still nine without loss is not too shabby.
Anyway have a good week. I'm just about to start writing.
Feel free to email me it's nice to know that I'm not alone in the world of Collins and Clark.
Best wishes,
Jim
September 21, 2019
To use the IRA or not to.
As I said in my last post I am now back working hard on A Death In Autumn: 1968. One of the key reasons for the delay was my indecision about adding an IRA element to the story and if so how important should it be.
I had two problems to decide on: 1) Did I know enough about the history of the IRA and 2) The troubles really only started in 1969. It took a long time and numerous rewrites to resolve those issue.
So I can now say that the book deals with corruption in Birmingham City Council over the sale of land and planning permission and the danger that the IRA might have an involvement in the case.
The book will be between 85 and 90,000 words and will complete the series.
I'm proud of the Collins and Clark books and the response that I've had from readers. But I think I need a new challenge. So book five will start in 1958. When 18 year old Joe Larkin, who's living on the streets, saves the life of a major gang boss in in Brum. It will chart his rise up the criminal organisation over the next ten years. It's possible that he may run into Collins and Clark but the story will be told from his
point of view.
Anyway stay fit and well,
Best wishes,
Jim
.
I had two problems to decide on: 1) Did I know enough about the history of the IRA and 2) The troubles really only started in 1969. It took a long time and numerous rewrites to resolve those issue.
So I can now say that the book deals with corruption in Birmingham City Council over the sale of land and planning permission and the danger that the IRA might have an involvement in the case.
The book will be between 85 and 90,000 words and will complete the series.
I'm proud of the Collins and Clark books and the response that I've had from readers. But I think I need a new challenge. So book five will start in 1958. When 18 year old Joe Larkin, who's living on the streets, saves the life of a major gang boss in in Brum. It will chart his rise up the criminal organisation over the next ten years. It's possible that he may run into Collins and Clark but the story will be told from his
point of view.
Anyway stay fit and well,
Best wishes,
Jim
.
September 15, 2019
A Wasted Year
Hi Folks,
Bet you thought I was dead or if not that seriously ill. Well I wasn't I just lost interest/momentum with A Death in Autumn: 1968.
But the good news is that It will be finished in the next six weeks and will be available from Amazon prior to Christmas.
If you haven't seen my third book A Death in Summer: 1965 its now available from Amazon. I was asked by my publisher to slide a book in between Winter and Spring.
Anyway now that I'm back I'll be posting a blog weekly. Stay safe.
Jim
Bet you thought I was dead or if not that seriously ill. Well I wasn't I just lost interest/momentum with A Death in Autumn: 1968.
But the good news is that It will be finished in the next six weeks and will be available from Amazon prior to Christmas.
If you haven't seen my third book A Death in Summer: 1965 its now available from Amazon. I was asked by my publisher to slide a book in between Winter and Spring.
Anyway now that I'm back I'll be posting a blog weekly. Stay safe.
Jim
August 24, 2018
Lazy Summer
It's Friday and I'm waiting for my daughter, her partner and their children to arrive for the weekend. I've not done much writing recently and I'm not sure why.
Maybe the book has taken a wrong turn which needs correcting, maybe it's become too complex, maybe I'm fed up with it. Maybe I have the dreaded writer's block. I don't know which it is but I'll get it sorted during September.
September is the month I've decided to start writing seriously again. For several years I've found myself working through the summer months to finish a book. I've always wanted to change that to writing during the autumn, winter and spring and resting during the summer. Anyway we'll see how it goes.
A Death in Spring: 1968 is now out and available from all good web booksellers. It needs a few reviews so if you read it when it was first published please review it. Many thanks.
As always take care.
Very best wishes,
Jim
Maybe the book has taken a wrong turn which needs correcting, maybe it's become too complex, maybe I'm fed up with it. Maybe I have the dreaded writer's block. I don't know which it is but I'll get it sorted during September.
September is the month I've decided to start writing seriously again. For several years I've found myself working through the summer months to finish a book. I've always wanted to change that to writing during the autumn, winter and spring and resting during the summer. Anyway we'll see how it goes.
A Death in Spring: 1968 is now out and available from all good web booksellers. It needs a few reviews so if you read it when it was first published please review it. Many thanks.
As always take care.
Very best wishes,
Jim
July 25, 2018
New Book Published
Hi Folks,
Can I apologise for not being in touch for so long. There are reasons for my silence but they aren't very interesting.
Anyway this is to let you know that A Death in Summer: 1965 is available in ebook and print format from Amazon and other internet booksellers.
If you have read A Death in Summer: 1965, or read it in the future, can I ask you to write a review on Amazon. I've got 50 reviews for A Death In Winter: 1963. But not a single review for Summer.
A Death in Spring: 1968 which some of you may have read is to be published in early August in ebook and paperback. This was originally the second book in the series and did attract 10 very good reviews. Unfortunately, they have been lost, so, again, can I ask a favour, and ask you to post a review on Amazon.
With the books now available in paperback I will be looking at how I can offer signed copies as prizes on Goodreads.
I will post an update on the fourth book once Spring has been published. Sad to say I'm no further along with it then in April. It's still at 60,000 words. Although I have done a major rewrite.
Stay well
Best wishes,
Jim
Can I apologise for not being in touch for so long. There are reasons for my silence but they aren't very interesting.
Anyway this is to let you know that A Death in Summer: 1965 is available in ebook and print format from Amazon and other internet booksellers.
If you have read A Death in Summer: 1965, or read it in the future, can I ask you to write a review on Amazon. I've got 50 reviews for A Death In Winter: 1963. But not a single review for Summer.
A Death in Spring: 1968 which some of you may have read is to be published in early August in ebook and paperback. This was originally the second book in the series and did attract 10 very good reviews. Unfortunately, they have been lost, so, again, can I ask a favour, and ask you to post a review on Amazon.
With the books now available in paperback I will be looking at how I can offer signed copies as prizes on Goodreads.
I will post an update on the fourth book once Spring has been published. Sad to say I'm no further along with it then in April. It's still at 60,000 words. Although I have done a major rewrite.
Stay well
Best wishes,
Jim
