Golden memories can bring inspiration

When a writer gets that first inspiration for a book, it either manifests as a plot point – a what if? – situation or a character who has something to say.

For me, early music soprano, Georgia Pattison was born out of my memories of singing with Worcester Festival Choral Society in the 70s and early 80s, a time I regard as golden.

It was a time when, as a member of the chorus and in Three Choirs Festivals, I mixed with household names like Paul Tortelier, Sir Charles Groves, Janet Baker and Lennox Berkeley. I sang in the 1981 Three Choirs Festival, when 5 months pregnant. To the whole of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the ‘bump’ became Earnshaw because my husband was a Yorkshireman.

‘How’s Earnshaw today?’

‘He wasn’t keen on the trumpets in the Berlioz, but apart from that…’

We will gloss over the fact that ‘he’ turned out to be ‘she’.

From those memories, the Georgia Pattison Mysteries came into being. It has become something of a fashion for writers to write an annual Christmas novella or short story for their series character and it is popular with readers.

So it isn’t surprising that my contemporary detective, early-music soprano, Georgia Pattison is once more making a festive appearance. This year, she is thrown into the midst of a school nativity play, with all its joys and disasters. As you might guess, she discovers that peace and goodwill to all men does not apply to murderers.

If you would like to read more about this year’s Christmas novella, While Shepherds Watched, click here: https://authorapriltaylor.blogspot.com/

You can buy While Shepherds Watched here : mybook.to/Shepherds

You can find out more about April Taylor and her books here: https://amzn.to/34zf90n

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Launching New Georgia Pattison #Christmas #Mystery

It’s that time of year again. Yes, the dreaded C word, and a time when everywhere you look, there are light-bejewelled fir trees, reindeer, more food than anyone needs and wall to wall Christmas music. A time when we try to beg for peace on Earth and charity to our fellow man. And, like Scrooge at the end of A Christmas Carol, we all want to carry that into our lives throughout the year and not just at Christmas. 

It is also the time for authors of serial books to offer a short Christmas story featuring their hero/heroine. And I am no different. Readers of the Georgia Pattison Mysteries will know how easy it is for our early-music soprano to become embroiled in deep trouble, frequently to protect her friends who have become unconsciously involved in a murder. And, of course, Chief Superintendent Michaela Hamilton always needs Georgia’s knowledge of the musical scene or the people who are under suspicion to help her tread through the minefield of suspects and evidence and come up with the real killer.

The 2018 Christmas Georgia story is The Bleak Midwinter and follows in the usual tradition of the Georgia Pattison Mysteries, has a musical title. If you are new to our somewhat acerbic  but insatiably nosy sleuth, she began her exploits in Whistles After Dark. There are two full-length stories, Dearly Ransomed Soul and Laid in Earth. But you can find her other Christmas adventures in The Midnight Clear, where she meets her beloved, Sir Edward Broome, and The Shepherds’ Farewell.

In The Bleak Midwinter Georgia is invited to sing at the carol concert in the small Worcestershire village of Ash Buckingham and stay at Highfield Manor for the festive season. However, on Boxing Day she finds a body draped over the fountain outside her bedroom window. Chief Inspector Hamilton, pulled out of a warm bed and made to drive miles through thick snow without the benefit of coffee, determines that Georgia knows the suspects much better than she does and inveigles her into helping track down the killer. When it becomes clear that the murder may have connections to Georgia and Ned’s holiday in Rhodes, things take on a much more sinister turn. 

You can find The Bleak Midwinter  here:  getbook.at/BleakMW

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Christmas short stories and other adventures

It is now the fashion for authors to write a seasonal short story featuring their series characters. Having written my first Christmas short story for the Georgia Pattison Mysteries, I have learned a few lessons I feel compelled to share. Hopefully other authors will take note and readers will understand the complexities of the unplanned writing life.

To my fellow writers, I say write the blessed thing in July and get it all prepared ready to upload. Make sure the cover is done and sorted. Don't be like me who didn't and, were it not for the immense kindness of Karri Klawiter who designs all the Georgia Pattison Mystery covers, I would even now be tearing out what few handfuls of hair remain on my head.

Electing to have a new kitchen put in on Christmas week was not my finest decision, either. However, I have not done as some do and decided to move house. The up-side of the kitchen chaos is that we are eating out for a few days, which is fine by me.

Back to the story. I have decided it is high time our Georgia found a bit of romance. Only a bit, because after all, she is a singer and part-time detective. In this story, she meets the dysfunctional Broome family who own Gunmere Hall. Needless to say, there is murder and mayhem and music.

If you enjoy a skilfully plotted mystery, The Midnight Clear, the latest instalment in the Georgina Pattison Mystery series, is for you. And, to enhance your enjoyment, links to the music featured in the story are included.

For more information, go to: www.apriltaylorauthor.com/blog

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