A.A. Abbott

GREAT CRIME STORY WRITER

live fiction

A Fair, A Festival and Fabulous Beer – April’s Literary Highlights

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I’ve been hanging out with readers and writers at three very different events this month – the London Book Fair, a live fiction night at a pub in Birmingham, and the Hawkesbury Upton Litfest at a village in the Cotswolds. All were not only fun, but a chance to learn from other thriller writers. Most of all, I get a buzz being around others who love books as much as I do.

I wrote a blog about the London Book Fair in 2015. If you’re not sure why everyone in the book trade (apart from the most important people, readers!) hits town every year, do take a look! Deals are done, free wine flows and there’s frantic networking. For me, the key messages this year were to make my thrillers available as audiobooks and go for a darkly sinister cover for my next crime thriller. Watch this space!

I’ve also blogged about live fiction events and literary festivals before. I can’t recommend them enough to readers. Stories come alive when they’re read aloud by their writers. The pub night, organised by Donna of Twitter’s @TheCultureHour, featured the well-respected New Street Authors. They all proved to be polished live performers as well as writers. Even better, it was hosted by The Gunmaker’s Arms, the showcase and brewery tap for beers from the Two Towers Brewery. The beer was awesome, a bargain at under £3 a pint, and worth a trip to the pub in its own right. I indulged in their Birmingham Mild, a style of ale quite hard to find outside the British Midlands, yet one of the most delicious drinks on the planet.

It’s only natural that the Two Towers, named after nearby landmarks that inspired the great JRR Tolkien, would want to support the local literary scene. So, back to the books, the main event of the evening. Although there were stunning performances by master of suspense Andrew Sparke and the cutting, creative and comical Gareth J Wood, it was New Street Author David Wake who stole the show. His steampunk Derring-Do Club series had the audience in stitches. Check them out, and if you’re organising a litfest, ask him along. With a theatrical background, David knows how to make an audience very happy indeed.

Coincidentally, half of the Hawkesbury Upton Litfest was also hosted by a pub, the ancient Fox Inn. A sweet honey-coloured Cotswold stone village, Hawkesbury Upton is a world away from Birmingham’s gritty Gunmakers’ Quarter. Seemingly, everyone in Hawkesbury Upton loves to read. At any given time, at least two events were taking place for adults at this full-day festival, and there were art exhibitions and children’s workshops too. A charming green chalk line directed punters between the Fox and poetry performances at the Methodist Church Hall. Did I mention cake? It appeared the villagers were brilliant bakers too, with home-made goodies on sale with all those lovely books.

Highlight of the litfest for me was meeting cosy crime thriller writer Jackie Kabler, whose TV newsroom murder mystery is storming the charts. I too prefer to keep graphic violence out of my books (thriller author Joanna Penn used the term ‘torture porn’ at the lifest) and it’s encouraging to know that’s what readers like too.

I left Hawkesbury Upton staggering under the weight of new books to enjoy! As an amazing April literary feast draws to an end, these are next on my ‘to-read’ list:

Copper Trance & Motorways, by Andrew Sparke – I’m already chuckling at the office politics in this wryly observed crime thriller.

Screaming Blue-City Murder, by G J Wood – I’ve dipped into this fabulous collection of satirical, sweary short stories already. Although I write about a shinier version of Birmingham than Gareth, I love his focus on seedy, sinister secrets. He’s a genius.

Marry in Haste, by Debbie Young. Romantic short stories with happy endings, great with a cuppa.

Me-Time Tales, by Rosalind Minett. More short stories, the ideal solution for time-poor fiction lovers!

The Derring-Do Club and the Invasion of the Grey, by David Wake. After hearing his stirring steampunk at The Gunmaker’s Arms, there was no way I was leaving that pub without a copy to read!

Who Needs Mr Darcy? by Jean Burnett. There’s nothing quite like a Jane Austen pastiche, and unlike others, this one is zombie-free…

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I’m a British crime thriller writer, following in the footsteps of Ruth Rendell, Kate Atkinson and our transatlantic cousin, John Grisham. Read tasters of my work, including 5 minute crime thriller ‘The Gap’ here.

 

 

7 Tips for Live Fiction Success

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Last week, I explained why writers should read their work to a live audience. Here are my top tips for success when you do!

#1 Be Prepared – Once you’ve decided what you’ll read, practice it aloud until you know it back to front. Read aloud in front of your mirror, your housemate, your cat; until you’re comfortable performing it. This will mean you’ll avoid stumbling over words or burying your face in the book on the night!

#2 Don’t Bore Your Audience – This one may seem obvious but audiences can be fickle. My mantra is: “If in doubt, leave it out.” Keep your readings short – a maximum of 15 minutes. Make it interactive, at the very least ensuring to look up from the page and make eye contact. Even better, have the audience participate in the reading in some way.

#3 Promote the Event – Whether through social media or word of mouth you should be prepared to publicise any live fiction event you are at. Twitter and Facebook are great for boosting your audience numbers, as is gently coercing friends, family and co-workers to attend. I tell readers about events via my newsletter (if you haven’t signed up, please do so – I’ll send you a free ebook of short stories).

#4 Go Beyond the Bookshop – Live reading events don’t have to be in bookshops. A live fiction event held at a theatre, coffee shop or art gallery makes for a memorable alternative, and can create a vibe a bookshop can’t. My favourite venue ever (among stiff competition!) was the Grosvenor Casino in Birmingham, where I launched The Bride’s Trail – it’s a crime thriller about a missing croupier, after all!

#5 Get Personal! – Audiences coming to an author reading are looking for a more personal experience than they might get simply reading the book for themselves. Talking about what inspired the story you are about the read, or extra information about the characters etc is a great way to connect with your audience.

#6 Be Courteous – This means always honouring your commitment to attend if you are able to, and aiming to arrive early. This will be appreciated by the event host, and will give you time to familiarise yourself with the venue and prepare.

#7 Have Fun! – Live readings can be nerve-wracking (at least to start with), but they can also be a lot of fun. Remember to relax and enjoy the experience, because it will create a buzz for the audience. It’s a chance to showcase your writing, so use drama and suspense to make it memorable.

If you’re organising a live fiction event, or know a venue that would like to, please get in touch at aaabbottstories [at] gmail.com. I’d love to help!

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I’m a British crime thriller writer, author of three full-length crime thrillers and numerous short stories. Here’s a video clip of a live event where I’m reading one of them!

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!

Great Ghost Stories

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Rumour has it that ghosts walk abroad on Hallowe’en, the night before All Souls Day. While garish Hallowe’en goods have been on sale for months, a good old-fashioned ghost story is surely the best way to mark the unquiet night. Here are a few that will send a shiver down your spine…

The Greatcoat, by Helen Dunmore. Beautifully written like all of Dunmore’s books, unease building gently until the shocking finale.

Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come For You, My Lad, by Wilkie Collins. A classic British Gothic chiller, and available in an anthology of Classic Ghost Stories by other leading Victorian fiction writers like Charles Dickens and the marvellous J Sheridan Le Fanu. Le Fanu wrote Carmella, the first vampire story. and one of the best – it has a fabulous dreamlike quality.

The Little Stranger, by Sarah Waters. Although a supernatural thread runs through the novel, what sets it apart from others is its focus on class tension. A bestseller, and deservedly so.

Edgar Allan Poe is the grandfather of horror, and all his poems and short stories are available on the Kindle for just 99p! The Tell Tale Heart is an exquisite tale – but the stuff of nightmares…

…and from the grandfather of horror to the modern world’s undisputed maestro – Stephen King. The Shining, a story of a haunted hotel, sets hairs on end. The film was awesome too!

Ghost stories are even better when they’re told live in the best campfire tradition. I’ll be joining Twitter’s @TheCultureHour for an evening of ghost and horror stories at Brewsmiths in Birmingham on 26th October – tickets are free and spinechillers guaranteed!

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Although I usually write crime thrillers, I’m taking a break to bring a ghost story along to Brewsmiths! I hope you’ll be there – book your free tickets here.