A.A. Abbott

GREAT CRIME STORY WRITER

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Book Review – The Locksmith, by Jo Ullah

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A good read in the gothic tradition

Book Review of The Locksmith Suspense Thriller by Jo Ullah a good read and a page turnerThe Locksmith is a good read for the summer holidays – not just because it’s about a mother taking her children to stay on a farm during the long vacation, but because the light evenings are less conducive to book-induced nightmares. While the book is written in a deceptively simple style, it’s a suspense thriller in the gothic tradition. An air of menace pervades the pages, mounting as twists unfold. Like the boobytraps placed around the farm, it’s evident that tragedy will strike, but it’s only at the last minute that we find out how and when.

Scars of the past

Artist Jude has escaped a violent marriage and found contentment with a new lover, Spider. Together, they have a young baby as well as Jude’s two children from her first marriage. Family life in Bristol’s Bohemian Montpelier district seems idyllic, but cracks are beginning to show. Middle child Immy displays unsettling signs of a sixth sense. Adolescent Ben chafes at the restrictions imposed on him and resents his stepfather’s authority. Spider bears the scars of an unhappy childhood, but refuses to talk about it. Jude decides the answer for her is more physical and mental space. When Spider’s mother invites her to bring the children to stay on the family farm for the summer, the offer is too tempting to ignore.

Page turner awash with surprises

Despite deepening unease, the story abounds with gentle humour, especially in the clash of urban and rural mores. The children discover that nature is red in tooth and claw. There is also a priceless trip to a snobby town near the farm. Jo Ullah strikes the perfect balance between entertainment and edge-of-the-seat fear, creating a page turner awash with surprises to keep you guessing.

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Read it and sleep – if you dare…

Do you like sinister stories with a Bristol edge? If so, try “A Dark Imagined Bristol”, a collection of short tales that are just that. Although I’m a crime thriller writer, I turned my hand to a disturbing supernatural story, “First Blood”, especially for a “A Dark Imagined Bristol”. Read it, and sleep – if you dare…

Christmas Beers & Other Festive Treats

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Real ale was a rite of passage for me, one of the pleasures of coming of age. Living in the Midlands, I discovered the delights of mild, a sweet, dark drink that’s rarely available elsewhere. I remember sinking pints of it at a job interview that went so well, it finished in the pub! Today, one of the best examples of the style is Two Towers Birmingham Mild, which Marty, Brummie hero of The Vodka Trail rather likes as well.

Luckily for dark beer fans, Christmas brings a crush of winter warmers with it. Here are my favourites – some available only in their locality, others nationwide. Bottoms up!

Let’s start with Two Towers. Their Sleighed Porter is dark as night, sweet with liquorice, and served at their Brum brewery tap from a pump decorated with a cartoon of local(ish) boy, Noddy Holder. Deceptively strong, it slips down a treat.

Moving south west, Bath Ales Festivity is widely on sale in supermarkets, so buy a few bottles to crack open on Christmas Day. It’s a quaffable porter with a hint of coffee.

Even better, if you can find it, is the Bristol Beer Factory’s Bristletoe. An oatmeal porter, it’s chocolatey and moreish. If the lady loves Milk Tray, give her this tall, dark handsome stranger to try.

Twisted Ales, in the shadow of the White Horse of Westbury, has concocted a festive beer that would drink well in summertime too. Crafty Santa is a well-balanced amber ale with a clean malt and a hoppy background. Extremely refreshing, it’s a great beer to knock back after Christmas shopping.

Deepest Oxfordshire has produced some fine brews too. Hook Norton Twelve Days is fruity like a barley wine, although not quite as strong – ideal for melting your icicles in the darkest depths of winter. Bah Humbug from Wychwood is another Oxfordshire winter warmer. Widely available in bottles, it’s golden and spicy.

Finally, slip across to Rudgwick in Sussex, where the Firebird Brewing Company unashamedly calls its Old Ale XXXX a “warming winter beer”.  It’s black, smooth and slightly smoky, and totally delivers on Firebird’s promise.

This winter, my hero will be spoiled for choice!

What’s your favourite? Drop me a line at aaabbottstories[at]gmail.com

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As well as drinking craft beers, I write crime thrillers and short stories. There’s a rather sweet Christmassy tale in short story collection Festive Treats, an Amazon No 1 with contributions from 15 writers. You can get it FREE here.

Bringing Literature to Life – Five Reasons Authors Should Read Their Work Aloud

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One of the best decisions I ever made was joining a writing group. It’s given me the support to raise my game, and it’s helped me find my voice. I don’t mean just choosing to write crime thrillers, but being prepared to read them to an audience – injecting drama and suspense.

Here are 5 reasons why writers should read their work aloud:

#1. It can help the writing process. Grammatical errors, typos and other mistakes are much easier to spot when you’re reading aloud. You’ll still need help from beta readers (who read the first draft for you) and an editor, of course. Although I read the first draft of my last crime thriller The Bride’s Trail, out loud to myself, it was still immeasurably improved by the feedback I received from beta readers and editor Katharine D’Souza.

 

#2. Being prepared to read your work in front of an audience opens up a whole world of live fiction events, with the chance to meet other authors like you, and share your writing with a wider audience. I’ve read at some great live events, including evenings at Brewsmiths in Birmingham, Foyles in Bristol and the Big Comfy Bookshop in Coventry.

 

#3. Social media is a powerful tool for almost any profession, and authors are no exception! Reading live means plenty of picture and video opportunities to share on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, which is great for building a profile and an audience. Check out this story about school tutors, cocaine and gambling….

 

#4. Just as a poem comes to life when performed, a spoken story often takes on new dimensions and meanings when read aloud rather than from a page. This review of a Halloween fiction evening at Brewsmiths says it all. Richard Clay’s use of Black Country accents enhanced his gritty thriller, while Pat Spence dimmed the lights and brought a magic crystal for her chilling supernatural tale.

 

#5. It’s good for your health! Reading aloud has been shown to help with memory and depression, and even dementia. Check out this article from The Scottish Book Trust about authors reading their work at a care home for the elderly and why spoken literature is beneficial to author and audience alike.

 

Have you attended or performed at a live fiction event? I’d love to hear about your experiences – drop me a line on Twitter, Facebook or to aaabbottstories[at]gmail.com.

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I’m a British crime thriller writer. My latest thriller, The Bride’s Trail, is available on Amazon and through bookshops. I love reading short stories and chapters from my thrillers at live fiction events. Please get in touch if you’re planning one!