This new page will focus on some of the stuff I find interesting about Crime, Crime Writing and other crime related things. 

17/08/17

When I was writing Locked Up, I had to do a lot of research.  The difficulties for me were that it’s set in a prison, a male prison.  As a law abiding female, I’ve never been in one of those.  Not as a visitor, or a teacher or any of the various positions that get held down by civilians.  So I had to do my research.  A lot of internet searching was done of course, pictures too.  Then there was the contacting actual prisons for their rules – some of which were a real surprise.  What was also a surprise, but probably shouldn’t have been, was that certain prisons simply wouldn’t help.  Clearly they were keen not to let too much detail get out.

One book that I found useful was “A Life Inside a prisoner’s notebook” by Erwin James.   Now I’m not out to make a life of crime look like a good thing, it isn’t.  There is no honour amongst thieves, crime doesn’t really pay.  But sometimes adversity can bring out the best in a person.  And for Erwin Jones it’s brought out an impressive way of writing.  The book is definitely one worth reading.

I just hope people find what I write interesting and believable.

Locked Up is released 7th September, when I’ll be up in Stirling attending Bloody Scotland, hope I see some of you there.

29/07/17