Colchester Castle features in my story as the scene of a prison break. The castle served as Colchester’s gaol for hundreds of years. Now houses an excellent museum.

Hard to believe my last update was just before the New Year when I had barely begun but I have been writing and researching furiously since. Not as furiously as Book 1, of course, or I’d be done by now.

In the last six weeks I have written 55,000 words of this story. Just starting chapter 33 now, the final third of the book and will be wrapping up the first draft very soon. I’ve always seen editing as a bit of a chore, compared to the joy of bashing out that first draft but I have to say I can’t wait to get into editing this one. There’s so much I have discovered through the writing of it and I am dying to get it all into the story.

Story-wise, I did have my structure all planned out from the start. But getting the detail resolved has slowed me down because the story gets a bit complicated. So, having a few chapters summarised as little more than “then they break Keeper out of prison” is all very well but the logistics of getting who where and how took some working out. And that’s also, to a certain extent, where I am poised again. I know the ending. I know where my characters are right now. I need to find the best solution for getting them where they gotta be.

Issues I’m addressing right now include;

• There is going to be a climactic battle but it cannot be too bloody because, you know, this is a kid’s book!  I must make it exciting, explosive and perilous without blowing anyone’s head off… which is really tough because that’s what battles are like. I’m tempted to have the bad guys surrender following some clever-clever gambit but that would be lame. I’ll work something out.
• Having spent the two thirds of the story gradually reuniting my characters I am now about to split them up again. Multiple parallel narratives is a joy for me to read but it’s a pain to write (and yet I keep doing it). I’m going to have to draw loads of flipping timelines again, aren’t I…
• Have I gathered too many supporting characters into the narrative and should I get rid of someone before continuing? I know I can fix it in editing but I’d rather fix it first as that is far more efficient, for me.

One of the other reasons I’m writing a bit slower is the amount of research I’ve done and am continuing to do. I thought I already knew quite a lot about 17th century England but it turns out I didn’t. Well, I thought what I didn’t know were all known unknowns but actually the unknown unknowns were vasty and deep. So I’ve been reading books, Wikipedia and history websites and there are some good lectures and even a couple of decent documentaries on YouTube. Subjects researched have included:

• The English Civil Wars, Oliver Cromwell and the New Model Army
• Witch trials and Matthew Hopkins the “Witchfinder General”
• The Levellers, the Diggers and their leaders especially Gerrard Winstanley
• William Gilbert, astronomer and electricity pioneer
• William Lilly, astrologer and bullshit artist
• the history of Colchester (the location features largely)
• the very early Christian Church and the Church in the Roman Empire
• steam engines
• sailing and ships
• Alchemy and alchemists… again

I hope to share some of this learning here when I can make some time for it. I know plenty of people find this stuff as interesting as I do.

My series is an alternative, fantasy history and I have been asked why I am bothering to get the detail on the army uniforms historically accurate when I have the soldiers of the New Model Army churning up the countryside in a steam-powered landship. That’s a fair point and no I am not keeping to history as it happened but I want the differences to be conscious ones and I feel like I owe it to the history to get it right. Ultimately, I guess, it just pleases me to do so.

Finally I just want to mention that last weekend I went on a self-directed tour of Colchester, particularly Colchester Castle and the Castle Park, and the remains of the Roman Wall surrounding the old town and the many remaining old buildings in the Dutch Quarter. It was incredibly useful for my story but it’s also somewhere with a long and interesting history.  I do recommend a visit to the Colchester Castle Museum. It is not huge but it is very modern (following an extensive renovation a couple of years ago) and well curated. And you can try on replica helmets and stuff and they even have a replica of a section of about an eighth of an Iron Age roundhouse complete with a re-enactor or two who will be busy with period crafting and answering questions from curious children.

I feel the end in sight now and am looking at an April release. Although I have to move house between now and then I do think it is perfectly possible, so long as I stop faffing about and just get on with it. It’s 11.30pm now so I have about two hours of writing time before bed…

Me and a 17th century helmet. If I look slightly embarrassed it’s because I was alone and people were staring at me. Presumably being alone is unacceptable.

William Gilbert (or Gilberd) and his book with the killer title: On the Magnet and Magnetic Bodies, and on the Great Magnet the Earth

St Mary’s at the Wall, Colchester. The bottom of the tower is late 15th century. The top is early 18th century. The transept is late 19th century. (Three boom times)

Gunpowder and Alchemy Book 1 available now on Kindle

WHITE WIND RISING (GUNPOWDER AND ALCHEMY BOOK 1) is available now on Kindle.

USA and UK 

One of the 5-star review says:

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love the characters and the way the story has unfolded so far. The scenes are well described and I can’t wait for book 2.

Not long now!