First of all, can I say a huge and heartfelt thank you to those of you who have read ‘All Gone’, the first installment of The Curiosity Club of St Foy. And if you have reviewed and rated it, thank you again. The statistics show me that you have enjoyed it and the majority of commentators are looking forward to the next book in the series.

So, here we go.

One of the comments noted that it sounded like there are interesting back stories for each of the club members. Well spotted that reviewer!
Where to begin?

The Notebook
Before I begin any novel, I have the bigger elements of the plot worked out in my head, which is where it starts and where it will end, plus a few important milestones. I write these down – in my notebook. That’s the picture at the top of this blog. Now, strange and possibly silly as this may seem, the notebook is particularly important.
Of course, I write on a laptop, but when it comes to making notes, I’m old-fashioned. I like pen and paper. The choice of notebook comes at the top of my list of priorities. It has to be attractive, fairly light, so I can carry it around in my handbag or briefcase of the day, and lined. Once I have the right one, I’m ready.

Where to Start
As this is the second book, I have already introduced the characters, and given some hints about their backgrounds. Now I need to flesh these out. Deeper personal descriptions, more hints about their character, their strengths and weaknesses. I am getting to know them better too. They each have a past and I am getting to grips with how this will affect the stories I am about to tell.
This book will focus on an event in the past of one of the Club members, something she had thought was long forgotten, but is about to return and haunt her family.

The Cast
You will already know the main cast of characters: Belle, Bette, Posy, Mavis and Rose. And some of their close relatives. In this next story, new characters will come into play. Some good, some very bad. I am currently working on who they are and how they will affect the storyline.
I don’t usually give away spoilers, but I can tell you that the Club member who will feature at the forefront of this second novel is: Bette.

What Next?
I like to work with a map and a timeline. Not a geographical map but a story map, that brings together past and present in a non-linear way. It develops as it goes along and ends up looking like something a three-year-old might produce after a productive drawing session! I can ‘see’ the important plot points, and it’s my way of making sure I don’t miss anything integral to the outcome.
I have almost completed my notes, and later this month I will begin to write. I am expecting the first draft to be ready by Christmas, and, hopefully, with a fair wind and a full sail, ready to publish by Easter 2023.
I will be updating this blog each month as the novel progresses and grows. There will certainly be challenges in this one. But more about that next time!