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Category Archives: Jan Edwards
Jan Edwards:Winter Downs Auntiewrites Blogs Winter Downs @GraffMarni @penkhullpress #crimefiction #ww2crime
Auntiewrites Blogs Winter Downs @GraffMarni @penkhullpress #crimefiction #ww2crime
Please welcome Jan Edwards, whom Auntie M first read about on the wonderful UK Blog Gaslight Crime, to describe her new release, Winter Downs, the first in a new series:
Many readers have asked about the inspiration for Winter Downs, and, more specifically, why the county of Sussex, England in WW2, was the chosen setting.
Put simply, Winter Downs sprang from a Sussex childhood littered with abandoned airfields, pillboxes and dugouts, along with anecdotes swapped by parents with friends and relations.
Forgetting that, just like walls in the 1940s propaganda posters, small children also have ears, and the old timers would talk about how Mr ‘V’ was jailed for sheep rustling for the black market; How Mr and Mrs ‘W’ were interned for most of the war; How sad it was that Mrs ‘Y’s only son was shot down over France, before the Battle of Britain. And…
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Eliminate The Impossible: Kickstarter! #sherlockholmes
Eliminate The Impossible – Sherlock Holmes is the latest project from MX Publishing that brings you Volumes VII and VIII bringing forty-eight more stories to the world’s largest collection of new Sherlock Holmes Stories.
(Part VII includes my story ‘The Curious case of the Sweating Horse’)
Learn all about the Kickstarter for this project (and take part) HERE
What is it all about? I can do not better than to repost the words of Steve Emercz:
“The MX New Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories” collection has over 100 of the world’s leading Sherlock Holmes authors participating.
The anthology includes only traditional stories set in the original Sherlock Holmes period. Between them, these authors have sold millions of books, and they come together for a common cause – Undershaw.
This is Volumes VII and VIII – forty eight new stories specially written for Halloween.
“No historical material here. This is all new, and it’s beyond impressive, in quantity (more than 60 stories in three handsome volumes) and in consistent quality. Here are some — most — of the best, most dedicated Holmesian authors working today”
Sherlock Holmes Society of London review of Volumes I-III
The authors are donating the royalties to projects at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former home, Undershaw. The building was in terrible disrepair and was saved from destruction by the Undershaw Preservation Trust (patron Mark Gatiss). Today the building is the new home of Stepping Stones (a school for children with learning difficulties) and has being lovingly restored to its former glory.
Royalties will go to Stepping Stones for specific projects such as the new literary program.
“We’re really proud of the MX Collection of Sherlock Holmes stories and excited about the Kickstarter campaign. The collection has brought so much attention to our school and the young people. We now have lots of great writers and artists working with kids really inspiring them to take on the challenges the world has for them” Melissa Farnham, Headteacher, Stepping Stones
The stories in the first three books were broken into volumes of approximately twenty stories each, 400 pages each, relating to a period in time: Book 1 – 1881-1889, Book 2 – 1890-1895, and Book 3 – 1896-1929. Book 4 was the 2016 Annual, Book 5 the Christmas special and Book 6 the 2017 Annual.
Volumes 1-6 of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories
The books are being produced in traditional hardback with dust jackets, as well as paperback editions. Backers of the project will be getting first edition pre-publication copies ahead of the public release. The list of participating authors by volume includes:
VOLUME I: John Hall, Hugh Ashton, Adrian Middleton, David Marcum, Jayantika Ganguly, Denis O. Smith, Amy Thomas, Kevin David Barratt, Luke Benjamen Kuhns, Summer Perkins, Deana Baran, Shane Simmons, C.H. Dye, Mark Mower, Derrick Belanger , Daniel D. Victor, Steve Mountain, Stephen Wade, John Heywood, Will Thomas, Daniel McGachey, Martin Rosenstock, Craig Janacek, (and a poem from Michael Kurland).
VOLUME II: Ann Margaret Lewis, Vincent W. Wright, William Patrick Maynard, Matthew Booth, J.R. Campbell, Robert V. Stapleton, Sam Wiebe, Jeremy Branton Holstein, Bill Crider, Peter Calamai, Lyndsay Faye, Marcia Wilson, Jack Grochot, Bert Coules. Christopher Redmond, Mike Hogan, Carl Heifetz, Wendy C. Fries, Dick Gillman (and a poem from Carole Nelson Douglas).
VOLUME III: Geri Schear, Paul Gilbert, Stuart Douglas, Lyn McConchie, Phil Growick, Seamus Duffy, Leslie Coombs, Mark Alberstat, GC Rosenquist, Iain McLaughlin and Claire Bartlett, Andrew Lane, Peter K. Andersson, Matthew J. Elliott, Jim French, Tim Symonds, Bob Byrne, James Lovegrove, Larry Millett, Kim Krisco, C. Edward Davis, Joel and Carolyn Senter (and two poems from Bonnie MacBird). The editor is an experieced Sherlockian author, David Marcum (Papers of Sherlock Holmes Vol 1&2, Quantity of Debt, Tangled Skeins).
VOLUME IV: Derrick Belanger, Deanna Baran, Daniel D. Victor, Mark Mower, Craig Janacek, Jayantika Ganguly, Denis O. Smith, Matthew Booth, J.R. Campbell, Bonnie MacBird, Arthur Hall, Bob Byrne, Andrew Lane, Roger Johnson, Hugh Ashton, David Stuart Davies, Vincent W. Wright, Daniel McGachey, Nicholas Utechin, Jeremy Holstein, David Marcum, and Marcia Wilson.
Volume V : Bob Byrne, Derrick Belanger, Amy Thomas, David Marcum, Denis O. Smith, C.H. Dye, Marcia Wilson, Julie McKuras, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Bert Coules, John Hall, Jim French, S.F. Bennett, Narrelle M. Harris, William Patrick Maynard, Vincent W. Wright, James Lovegrove, Arthur Hall, Nicholas Utechin, Mike Chinn, Tracy J. Revels, Roger Riccard, Wendy C. Fries, Paul D. Gilbert, Jan Edwards, Molly Carr, S. Subramanian, Peter K. Andersson, Matthew J. Elliott, Hugh Ashton, and Mark Mower, with a poem by Ashley D. Polasek and forewords by Jonathan Kellerman, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, Melissa Farnham, and David Marcum.
Volume VI: Bob Byrne, Julie McKuras, Derrick Belanger, Robert Perret, Deanna Baran, G.C. Rosenquist, Hugh Ashton, David Timson, Shane Simmons, Stephen Wade, Mark Mower, David Friend, Nick Cardillo, Roger Riccard, S. Subramanian, Carl L. Heifetz, Geri Schear, S.F. Bennett, Jennifer Copping, Jim French, Carla Coupe, Narrelle Harris, Arthur Hall, Craig Janacek, Marcia Wilson, Tracy Revels, Molly Carr, Keith Hann, David Ruffle, David Marcum, Thomas A. Turley, Jan Edwards, C. Edward Davis, Tim Symonds, and Daniel D. Victor, with a poem by Bonnie MacBird, and forewords by Colin Jeavons, Nicholas Utechin, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, Melissa Farnham, and David Marcum.
Volume VII – Eliminate the Impossible: 1880-1891 features contributions by: Mark Mower, Jan Edwards, Daniel D. Victor, James Lovegrove, Gayle Lange Puhl, Thomas Fortenberry, Mike Hogan, Thomas A. Turley, Adrian Middleton, James Moffett, Hugh Ashton, Geri Schear, S. Subramanian, John Hall, Jayantika Ganguly, S.F. Bennett, Steven Philip Jones, Jim French, John Linwood Grant, Mike Chinn, Robert V. Stapleton, Charles Veley and Anna Elliott, and Shane Simmons, with a poem by Jacquelynn Morris, and forewords by David Marcum, Lee Child, Rand Lee, Michael Cox, and Melissa Farnham.
Part VIII – Eliminate the Impossible: 1892-1905 features contributions by: Deana Baran, Tim Symonds, Sandor Jay Sonnen, Ben Cardall, Andrew Lane, Michael Mallory, Wendy C. Fries, Aaron Smith, Arthur Hall, Robert Perret, Nick Cardillo, Paul D. Gilbert, Cindy Dye, Tracy Revels, Derrick Belanger, William Meikle, Marcia Wilson, David Friend, Roger Riccard, Craig Janacek, Jeremy Branton Holstein, Will Murray, David Ruffle, Daniel McGachey, and David Marcum, with a poem by Christopher James, and forewords by David Marcum, Lee Child, Rand Lee, Michael Cox, and Melissa Farnham.
Winter Downs reprise : Nelli Rees – the Casting #winterdowns #crime #reading
Continuing my reprise of the Winter Downs blog tour here is the posting hosted by the writer and jazz singer Nelli Rees – originally posted here.
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Jan Edwards has had her new novel “Winter Downs” published (Penkhull Press). Find below more information about the book and the writer, as well as what Jan said when asked, who would be playing the main parts if her book were made into a film or a TV series (you all know my passion for movies!).
This is the reply I got from Jan to my question, who she would like to play the parts if the book were dramatised:
When Nelli asked me who I would cast for Winter Downs as a film or TV series I have to admit to a slight panic; not least because I can never remember names! After a monster Googling session I have come up with a few possibilities for just the main protags on either side. (The full cast would take months!).
As this is a game of fantasy casting I decided that money would be no object and angled that my imagination could come up with – taken from the great and the good in British acting!
Winter Downs the movie would star:
The good guys: Rose ‘Bunch’ Courtney: 30 years old. Dark hair and hazel eyes. More at home in jodhpurs than the designer clothes one of her standing is expected to wear. Very capable, athletic and terribly posh. Michelle Dockery would be the main woman. But Emily Blunt would also be a good fit, or Kate Beckinsale. Though Kristen Scott Thomas is the image I had in mind as I was writing.
Daphne ‘Dodo’ Tinsley – Bunch’s sister: 20 years old but the war has already made her a widow. She is shapely and blonde – young for her age but with a hint of sadness about her. Far more of a classic ‘English Rose’ than Bunch. Emma Watson was an obvious choice. Followed by Antonia Clarke, or Gabriella Wilde?
Chief Inspector Wright : Forty+ years old. Tall, bordering on gaunt with a deceptive calm, which lulls suspects into mistaking him for an ordinary man. Jude Law or Benedict Cumberbatch are my obvious first choices, with James McAvoy as back up.
On the side of villainy:
Olivia Tinsley: late 40s early 50s. An elegant woman with an edge, who knows what she wants and gets it. Joanna Lumley would always be my front runner, followed by Anna Chancellor.
Percy Guest : one of those men who looks anywhere between 35 and 50. An east end villain, slightly built with a whipcord agility, easy going charm that can switch into menace at a blink. David Tennant obviously! Subs on that team are Jason Flemyng or maybe Danny Dyer.
Now that I have got started I could go on… but five is probably enough
Winter Downs by Jan Edwards, Penkhull Press,ISBN 978-0-9930008-6-7
Authors Electric : Missing H #writing #authorselectric
My post on Authors Electric this month concerns those pesky silent letters.
A recent Facebook thread was discussing the pronunciation of A in conjunction with an invisible H at some length. I suspect we have all come across that old chestnut of how to enunciate ‘bath’ (or ‘grass’, ‘class’, ‘pass’) and whether it/they should be pronounced with or without the unseen H as in ‘b-ah-th as opposed to b-a-th.
Though the originator of the Facebook post now lives in California he is a Brit by birth, and, his original question was to his US counterparts on how they heard those invisible H sounds.
Read the rest on the AE site Here
http://authorselectric.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/invisible-h-by-jan-edwards.html
Winter Downs Q&A #crimefiction #jennybarber #sussex #janedwards
Continuing my blog tour reprise: Q&A originally posted on Jenny Barber’s web page on 3rd June 2017
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“Winter Downs Blog Tour, celebrating the launch of the ever excellent Jan Edwards’ new book – Winter Downs – a thrilling ride of 1940’s crime fic starring the kick ass Bunch Courtney. I interrogated Jan to find out more…
Winter Downs is the first in your Bunch Courtney Investigates series – who is Bunch and what can we expect from future books in the series?
Bunch Courtney is a well connected young woman who is set adrift by the changes that the coming of war has imposed on her, and knows that the life she was brought up to lead will never return. When she stumbles on a murder she discovers a talent and taste for sleuthing as she interacts with the local police force; and with Chief Inspector Wright in particular. Continue reading
Miss Dilly & Co : Nasty Habits
Miss Dilly is a law unto her self at best of times but her contempt for all things rodent apparently has no bounds.
Recently spotted : Miss Dilly chasing a mouse which went to ground in its hole at the base of the wall at the top of the garden.
Undaunted our intrepid hunter settled down to await its re-emergence and waited
And waited…
And waited… Continue reading
