Rob Holmes – founder of The Collaborators Cabin

I recently interviewed Rob Holmes, founder of something called The Collaborators Cabin, as part of my content creation service for my client Humans of Bournemouth. He’s actually a friend of my cousin, Sean, who introduced us and, leading up to the interview, I was invited to visit the Cabin for a writing “session”.

It’s actually run a bit like a writer’s course like one I attended at the Arts University way back when. But, in a way, I appreciate that. After studying journalism and broadcasting for three years, there’s a lot about narrative fictional prose that I have actually forgotten about. Eight years writing and completing a book notwithstanding…

In attending these weekly sessions, I have actually developed two other ideas that I intend to continue work on alongside my latest novel, the wartime thriller You Can Hear Chopin from the Attic.

One is a psychological horror-thriller story, written in the first person, which is an oddity in itself bearing in mind I can’t usually stand first person fiction. Reminds me too much of studying Michael Mopurgo at school, under a favouritist, snobbish and self-serving teacher with not much appreciation for literature. Don’t get me wrong — Mopurgo’s a master at what he does — but it’s not how I usually like to write.

The other is another stray out of my comfort zone into the realms of fantasy. My liking for fantasy and sci-fi extend to Star Wars and Game of Thrones. And that’s more for their cinematic and televisual cultural impact than obsessing over the finer details of their stories as some people are known to do. But in these sessions, I find I actually enjoy writing the story I have come up with.

In the next couple of posts, I am going to release previews from both of these stories and allow you, the potential readers, to decide which of the two I work on alongside my main project.

Be on the lookout…

We’re approaching the halfway mark of my book sales target. However slowly. I never expected to be hitting 100 copies in a short period of time so I’m not all that concerned. I read that, when you’re a self-published author, never expect grand results from Book #1, or even Book #2. It’s upon Book #3 and onwards that you can start building a proper name for yourself. But to speed things along, I have put a portion of money into a little PR campaign for Book #1, so we’ll see how that goes…

That being said, all the feedback from Book #1 has been overwhelmingly positive so far. At least one reader has actually finished it already!

So, in the meantime, you just have to get on with your next story. I am happy to announce that I have around 100 stories planned and counting (at least I will never be short on work, right?) It will not be the revised sequel to my first, recently-published novel The Berylford Scandals: Lust & Liberty or in any way related to that universe.

This time, we will be going over to Berlin, over a century later, to when the world was steeped in the turmoil of the Second World War. The preliminary title for this new novel, which I must admit I’m already kinda convinced by, is You Can Hear Chopin from the Attic.

I have intended it to be a historical thriller, set in a luxurious Berlin hotel in 1943. Run by a young, non-Aryan man who is compelled to join the Nazi Party because it is “in his best interests”. Or to protect his life and business following the end of the war. But he has a couple of secrets that may not go down too well with his SS patrons…

More on this in future articles, I can promise you. I’m actually going to Berlin in a week to undertake a little research while I’m there.

Chef Chris Scuderi — latest contributor for Expensive Tastes

In other news, Expensive Tastes took on a new contributor last week in the form of Sicilian chef Chris Scuderi. A means by which to promote this young man and familiarise an audience with him as he goes to publish his first cookbook. A project I may be involved in. Again, more on that as time goes on.

You will also have to keep an eye out for my business’ website and social media pages soon, as that development process is soon coming to a close to enable me to market my business and get more clients!