Apologies and New Beginnings

First off I think I'm going to have to apologise for not posting in a while or for failing to do any of the things promised in my last post. Unfortunately for you (but rather fortunately for me) I got myself a new job almost immediately after posting. Although I love the job it does (or more precisely, the long travel home afterwards) however leave me exhausted at the end of the day. However I have now settled in somewhat and its now the Easter holidays so I've decided I'm going to try and be much more productive. With two weeks off I've decided that its the perfect time to start a new project (I will get back to Shadow in the Doorway at some point I promise).

Yesterday saw the start of aforementioned new project, a novel based on a couple of short stories I have already penned. It's a supernatural/mystery cross breed though I am trying my hardest to keep away from the now much overused vampires and werewolves which dominate bookstores and their *shudder* 'Dark Romance' sections.

Crime is sort of a new genre for me but I've recently been overloading myself with crime fiction and crime shows and I think thats what inspired me to do this. Im hoping to be able to give the first chapter a polish before my next post so I can maybe include a little sneak peak into what I've done so far.

By the way if you're looking to start a new book and want a nice mystery to curl up with I can heartily recommend any of the following:

• Anything by Agatha Christie - Theres a reason you know her name already. I've just started reading a few of hers and can't believe I've waited this long. They are amazing.

• The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler - If you like a hardboiled PI look no further. I've only read the one so far but again I loved it. These books have been recommended to me time and again. The Phillip Marlowe character was the first of the hard drinking, cynical, trenchcoat wearing PI's and has been imitated ever since. And for good reason.

• Heat Wave by Richard Castle - OK I'll admit I'm only actually a page into this one so far so cant tell you anything about it except the good things I've heard from Castle fans. Have to say though if its even half as good as the show I'm sure I'll be buying the sequal. 

The next couple of books are a few examples of other supernatural/mystery crossovers that I originally started to read just to see what I was up against but I just couldnt put down once I started.

• The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher - An excellent example of crime crossed with the supernatural. Butchers Harry Dresden character is equal parts Gandalf and Marlowe and somehow as awesome as both.

• The Hidden Academy series by Jon Rosenberg - Another excellent example of how wizards can solve crimes and uncover conspirisies with the best of them. Though a little lesser known I think, David Ash is Harry Dresdens British counterpart and I for one loved seeing places (and creatures) I knew from Britain and its folklore being used in this series. He might be lesser known but he is in no way inferior.

• The Devil You Know by Mike Carey - Its part of a series but the only one I've read so far. (Something I plan to change. As you can probably imagine by now the pile of books I intend to read is quite huge. but i will get through them all I assure you.)