A twisting tale
I was so lost in my writing yesterday, I nearly forgot to post a blog ready for today. I was also distracted by sending an email to a friend, and when I read it back, I thought I’d share part of it with you as it sums up where I am with my next story. It also saves me having to think of anything else to write here. It sounds more complicated than it is, but all you need to know is that I am working on the tenth book in a series, and it is planned and plotted as the last in that series. Hence, lots of things have to tie up. This is the part I thought might amuse you. If you are following the Clearwater Series, you might not want to read this as it gives away parts of the story. But, I have redacted the twists from what I originally wrote.
Meanwhile, I am battling through Clearwater 10, which is a) going to be a long story, b) be published in two parts or c) need a lot of cutting. It’s all going very well, and although I am checking the word count, I am not curtailing my story because of length. Not yet.
I’m up to about 60k now, and usually, that would be about one third through, but I’m not even at the halfway twist yet. After that, it starts to pace-up towards the finale, but I don’t want to rush that either. I’m currently in Vienna in 1890, at the royal court and inventing Austrian nobility (for a subplot). I have ‘Baron Kubinsky of Judenburg’ turning out to be —. Meanwhile, Andrej — is escorting the young genius piano player, Jasper, to Castle Rasnov to trick their way into the home of the evil cousin to see a piece of music written by Clearwater’s grandfather, which holds the code which directs Clearwater to the location of an entail which will end his troubles and land him the inheritance. (And breathe.)
While that’s going on, the others are searching archives, trying to understand musical codes, breaking into a solicitor’s office to see if there’s a copy of another deed that would also solve the problem, and all this while — are starting to drop like flies because of the pandemic. Oh, and the country house is being wired for electricity (so we can have some near-death experiences later), and Clearwater is laying the foundations for his new academy, which will form the setting for the next series…
As you can see, I don’t do things by halves.
I just got a great review for book five over on a much-followed and vaguely respected site. It includes: “Once again, Marsh delivers an exciting and nerve racking, tale filled with action, and danger. “The Clearwater Mysteries” are some of the most exciting and down to the wire, twisted, tales of suspense in the Victorian 18th century, as the crew head off in different directions and show their expertise in solving the mystery. It always surprises how Marsh’s mysteries end, who will be believed and who will be saved, and how.”
The nice thing about writing these novels is that I don’t know how things will twist or end until I get there. With this new one, I am aware I have promised the breaking of a musical code, but I have no idea yet how I will do that. However, I need to start thinking because, in my next chapter, Jasper will meet Brahms who will unknowingly give him a clue that will unlock the first part of the code. Jasper will realise this on his way to Rasnov, thus making the viewing of the fugue vital. But… the new telegraph machine being installed at Clearwater’s country house isn’t yet working, and its installation has messed up communications. The evil count is on his way to — having, we suspect, already killed —.
I should write for EastEnders.
Off to drown in Australian reality TV now and put my feet up with MasterChef, The Amazing Race and Survivor.
