Tag Archives: Hangshaw

The First 500 words of ‘The Book’

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I said last week I might throw a sample part of the book I’m writing at you… and I am. It’s to highlight how much my writing has improved (I hope!) over the last 15 years, and I’ve also done it as I need to ‘restart my engines’ again after having become a little slack, so getting all of you to read it and hearing any of the comments/critiques/suggestions you may have should get me going nicely again. (Feel free to comment and/or ‘like’ at the bottom of the page)

Now, I actually had this ready earlier in the week but I needed to ask the opinions of my two sidekicks (Jay Tabrys – comedy sidekick, minus the comedy, and Marni Mann – hot and intelligent sidekick), and their words helped me considerably, as I was really split on whether to go through with this or not. Marni helped me shape the wording and grammar better, while Jay gave me a nice back rub.

Here it is. Rest assured I’ve already got another 13,000 words prepared after this, but that’s for your eyes upon release! So, until then you’ll have to make do with…

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Telling twelve year-old Sarah Purton that her father was dead was a shitty part of sheriff Spiller‘s job.

Telling her that he had fired the shots to take down the man who had all but ripped Deputy Chasey’s throat out was something he wanted to omit.

Spiller stood behind his desk, buttoning up a clean navy Hangshaw Police Department shirt over his slowly-growing paunch. The shirt he had been wearing that morning was stained and bloodied and he had thrown it into the trash. It had taken him enough time to clear the blood from his face and hands, and despite his scrubbing he could still see the black-red stains under his nails.

At least it will stop me biting them, he thought, and then shook his head to clear his mind.

Putting his belt back on, he then reloaded his half-empty gun before holstering it. Moving from his desk he stepped towards Charlotte Lewis – his much-younger-than-he secretary.

“Do you have to get changed in full view of everyone?” she asked as she gathered several envelopes and stacked them neatly next to her phone. The grisly events of the morning had been broadcast to her live through the station houses’ two-way radio, but her stern demeanour didn’t seem to change at all. She hated this two-bit town and its inhabitants and it would take more than a minor bloodbath to make her feel sorry for it, even if it was one of her colleagues that was involved.

But Spiller knew better. He had been working with her in Texas for three years now, and he knew that she did care. He knew that she had lived here all her life as had her parents but he could see that Hangshaw was beginning to stifle the life out of her. He also knew that her making barbed remarks at him were her own way of dealing with problems and not allowing events to overcome her.

“’In full view of everyone’?” Spiller repeated quizzically as he looked around the empty room of the small police station.

“The sight of you in your vest offends my view.” she said.

“What’s the problem? Not used to seeing a real man’s body?”

“My boyfriend is the star of the Hangshaw football team,” she said with a raised eyebrow. “I know what a real man’s body looks like.”

Spiller smiled at the comment.

“How is ‘town superstar’, Aaron Drury, these days?” he asked, but Charlotte didn’t seem to hear him.

Instead she sighed as she took off her glasses before tearing off a sheet of fax paper.

“Chasey’s bad.” she reported of Spiller’s deputy.  “Thirty stitches to his face, neck and hands, plus contusions and lacerations, as well as the missing fingers. What the hell did he get hit with?”

Spiller shook his head slowly and looked out of the window, as if the sun pouring through it might cleanse some of the memories.

“Hands and teeth,” he said softly.

Charlotte sat silently still

For her not to react was unusual, but then today was turning out to be an unusual day…

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The Book – February Update

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Ok, back in January I announced this years ambition after having achieved most of what i set out to do last year. This year I aim to write a book, or at least get the bulk of it done and start sending it out to publishers and agents.

So far I’ve written 6000 words, or approximately 12 pages. While it doesn’t sound a lot you have to take in account work, kids, vodka, and the massive amount of research I’ve had to do. While hand-writing the first draft I made note-after-note in the margins and on any blank spaces available in my notepad about things I would have to look into when it came to actually writing the story up.

Now that time has come, and the research has been slow, pain-staking, methodical, but necessary. A tale may be made of fiction, but it’s heart lies in reality. Even if it is about zombies and horror it has to have that strong support beam of realness in it or it won’t grab the reader at all.

So, you may remember in another blog that I cried out for help from any lawman in Texas, or indeed, anywhere in America. This proved fruitless as apparently the police in the US won’t contact people outside of the force about police matters. Fair enough, and it would answer why none of the sheriff’s offices I contact replied to me.

Marni Mann

Luckily, a lovely young lady in Florida (and a fellow writer) came to my

Jason Tabrys - viewed actual size

aid in the form of the delectable Marni Mann. She is now officially my ‘American Liaison’, along with my partner-in-crime Jason Tabrys and an honourable mention for Emma Turford and her brother in Texas – all have helped me in my search for details on what police in Texas wear, drive and shoot.

I can tell you that my main character is armed with a Colt .45 M1911 handgun and carries a Remington Model 870 shotgun in his F-150 police wagon. I can tell you the history of these firearms and I have watched videos of them being fired. I have also seen the pictures of the damage they do to people… not particularly pleasing, but necessary nonetheless.

I also know that a sheriff in Texas can wear a Stetson if he wants to, and cowboy boots… as long as they are not covered in diamonds and look pimped. I can even tell you how Stetson’s are made and just how damn good a beaver-hair one looks.

I have studied the drugs and antibiotics needed to treat bite wounds and how infection spreads through a human body.

I have made up a whole town just south-west of Dallas. A little place called Hangshaw that is full of evil and darkness. Three of our main characters start here… although two of them don’t meet during the entire story until the end…

My old college tutor – Phil Truckel – is also currently writing a book, and I might just use his academic skills to give my book a once over when completed.

I’ve managed to cut back on my PS3 time which has allowed me to write a lot more. I still dabble with Black Ops, but now I’m constantly sat at a desk with books and pads littered around me.

I’ve also thrown myself back into the SFF World forums as there are many writers there. In particular is one thread where we all post our progress. It’s very interesting and helps to motivate each other.

The next step towards my English degree has happened as well, as I’ve signed up for the Creative Writing course that started a couple of days ago. So far, it’s very basic, but I knew it would be. Still, anything that will help The Book has got to be good. Plus it’s only the starting course and the main Creative Writing course starts later in the year but this will tide me over til then.

I’ve discovered a guy who’s created the perfect music that I play in the background

Ghosthack

while I write. He’s a German dubstep producer by the name of Ghosthack. I urge you to check him out. I’ve also (playfully) asked him to write the soundtrack to the film of the book if it ever happens!

As you can see, I have been a busy boy of late, so you’ll have to excuse me… as I have even more writing to do… I shall update once a month until it hits the shelves.

I hope…

I Need A Man!

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Actually, I need a lawman.

To be even more specific I could do with a sheriff from Texas.

The reason? The book I’m writing is going well (and I’ll update everyone on it’s progress next week) – and I’ll explain just how much research is getting in the way of writing – but I need more information on my main character; a sheriff in a small town just south-west of Dallas.

I’ve contacted the Sheriff’s Association of Texas but have received no reply, and I’ve had the same problem having contacted some sheriff’s and police departments directly in small towns in various places throughout the state. I understand that these people are very busy and may have no time to reply, but even a quick note to let me know would have been appreciated as I could then move on to the next potential helper!

I need a sheriff/lawman/woman currently in work or retired just so I can ask them some basic questions about procedures, the uniform, arms, techniques, and various other questions I’ll come up with along the way. In return they will receive my eternal thanks as well as acknowledgements in the book and anything else they require!

So, I call upon my blogging, facebook and Twitter brethren, and ask if any of you can help me or know of someone who can help. You can contact me directly at the bottom of this blog, or through Twitter or facebook. I would put my email on this page but the amount of spam I receive almost weekly through this site puts me off doing that.

That’s all from me on this blog; it’s short and sweet as I’ve still got a book to write! I just need a little help filling some of the blanks…

And if someone could get me to Texas to ride in this beast I would gladly do so... in the name of research, of course.