Blog posts
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So how does an author cope with beginning work on a new novel, when they are confronted by the dreaded blank page? As he starts work on his new book, crime writer John Dean relies on a tried and trusted process. If you are an aspiring writer, you may find his description of the process…
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Author Malcolm Beadle’s new novella Koki can now be acquired on Amazon Kindle Unlimited. The novella, which tells the story of a Vietnam War sniper who paints his face as a clown before he goes hunting his VietCong victims in the jungle, is available to purchase in ebook Kindle and paperback format on the book’s…
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Here’s a salutary lesson for all those writers who, like me, would ideally prefer to use plenty of description to describe places in their writing. Think of a tree in a park. Done it? I am pretty confident that you will have and that, even though you were only asked a millisecond ago, you can…
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Death List has become the sixth DCI John Blizzard crime novel by John Dean to be given the Joffe Books relaunch treatment, including a distinctive new cover for the ebook. Joffe Books recently took over publisher The Book Folks and has embarked on a major campaign to breathe new life into the backlists of many…
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I am very grateful to the growing number of people who have been writing such positive reviews for the DCI Jack Harris ebook boxset (nine novels for just 99p, the Book Folks, a Joffe Books company). I value positive reviews, of course I do, but negative comments have a role to play if they are…
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A report into Scotland’s public and school libraries has underlined their importance to the communities they serve. The Scottish Book Trust’s survey of 2,000 library users, carried out in partnership with the National Library of Scotland, the Scottish Library and Information Council and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland, found that…
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It’s the task that divides authors – some absolutely love editing the final draft of their works, others detest the highly technical forensic nature of the job. However, like it or not, it has to be done so author John Dean has come up with some useful thoughts on the process in the free Handy…
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A Breach of Trust is the fifth novel in John Dean’s popular DCI John Blizzard crime fiction series to be given the Joffe Books relaunch treatment, including a striking new cover for the ebook. The books are set in the fictional northern city of Hafton and the Joffe Books design team has set out to…
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The Secrets Man has become the fourth in the DCI John Blizzard crime novel series written by John Dean to be given the Joffe Books relaunch treatment complete with striking new cover for the ebook. The relaunches follow Joffe Books’ acquiring of the publisher The Book Folks and the novels can be purchased in various…
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As work progresses on producing a final draft of my latest DCI Jack Harris crime novel, that means going back to the opening pages, so it’s a good time to recap on some of the rules of beginnings. One of the key things that a crime writer, indeed any writer, must bear in mind is…
