The Awkward Squad
A Readers' Group by Michael Campling
Hello
'Woke up this morning with a terrific urge to lie in bed all day and read.'
-Raymond Carver
I found the above quote and thought how lovely it would be to spend all day reading for relaxation. What luxury.
I grabbed some quality reading time recently when Mrs C and I had a nice break in Wales. Thanks to the unexpectedly warm weather, I was able to sit on the beach and read for a while - one of my favourite things to do.
The holiday over, I've been spending my days reading and re-reading the upcoming Devonshire Mystery. It's a very different way to read, and it takes a lot of concentration, but the book is shaping up nicely, thanks in no small part to the gallant team of beta readers who've been helping me out by spotting my blunders and finding areas for improvement. I'm hoping to hand the manuscript to an editor very soon, but I'm running through it one more time.
My capacity for making mistakes seems to know no bounds, but I'm putting them straight as fast as I can. And I have to say that, as a reader, I'm enjoying the story. That has to be a good sign.
If you'd like to get a flavour of the book, there's a small snippet below and a much longer one on my website.
There are the usual featured photos below, and some info about my new weekly update email, but first, here are some words of thanks:
Cheers!
A huge thank you to these kind people who have sent me a mug of tea. I'm raising a mug of English Breakfast in honour of these recent supporters:
Bonnie
Lynn
John
and a couple of anonymous supporters
plus regular supporter: Lara.
Thank you all for your encouragement and support.
Want to join them?
Want Weekly Updates?
You can now get weekly updates from my website. The emails are automatically generated, so they're nothing fancy, but you'll get to see what's happening on the site, and you can then click through to the site if you wish. Of course, it's all free, and you can unsubscribe from that list at any time.
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Kobo 'Boxset' Promotion
This month, Kobo are having a 25% off sale for 'boxsets' of ebooks, including my collection of the Devonshire Mysteries Books I-III (Valley of Lies, Murder Between the Tides, Mystery in May). This sale will take place October 19-31 (inclusive) and will be running in Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
Not on Kobo? The collection is available elsewhere at its regular price but it isn't sold on Amazon. However, I'm offering the same deal on my store, and the books are easy to load onto your kindle or other device via BookFunnel:
Featured Photos
First, to Cheltenham Spa for the half-marathon - my first. It went well, and I came in at a shade under 2 hours. The photo below is of the Pittville Pump Room, part of the town's Regency splendour. Dating from the town's time as a renowned health resort, you could 'take the waters' inside.
On to Wales and the Pembrokeshire coast for a break. Beautiful scenery, and a restful time.
The weather was lovely (mainly), and the occasional morning mists shrouded the coastline and made it all the more atmospheric.
The above are taken from much bigger collections on my website, and the images there are larger, so they're worth a look.
View more photos on my website
Book News
A Must-Have Murder – A Snippet
Well, it’s taken me a long time to get the next Devonshire Mystery ready.
It’s been a long road, and it’s a long book. Very long.
Today, I’m sharing the first part of chapter 1. This is just between us, so you’ll need to be a member of the site and logged in to read it in full.
I hope it gives you a flavour of Dan and Alan’s next adventure, and maybe it will whet your appetite.
Chapter 1
Alan ran through the forest, his thigh muscles cramping, sweat slicking his back, his chest, his scalp. The crisp air of early spring did nothing to cool him, and his breath rasped in his throat, every exhalation a low moan of pain. But he couldn’t stop to get his breath back, couldn’t slow down.
Ahead, a shadowy figure raced into the distance, sometimes vanishing in the shadows or hidden by a curve in the trail. He was getting away, and Alan couldn’t allow that. He had to catch him.
Alan threw back his head and gasped for air, pouring everything he had into a headlong dash. Arms pumping, feet pounding the dirt, he urged his tortured body onward. I can do it, he thought. I’m gaining on him.
The trail was rougher here, the path littered with loose stones and fragments from broken branches. Alan scanned the ground as he ran, but the dappled shadows made it hard to see, and the sweat from his brow stung the corners of his eyes. He blinked, lifted a hand to wipe his eyes, and that was all it took.
In mid-step his left foot caught on something, and he almost fell, but he spread his arms and twisted his body, keeping his balance. His momentum carried him forward, but his next stride was clumsy, and his right foot hit the ground at an awkward angle. A jab of pain jolted through his calf. He ran on, but each time his right foot met the trail, the pain in his calf intensified as if the muscles were being torn apart.
“Oh hell!” Alan had no choice but to stagger to a halt, wincing with every step. He pressed his hand against the nearest tree trunk, and took the weight from his right leg, staring down at it, half expecting to see the signs of some terrible injury.
There were footsteps on the trail, growing closer, slowing as they approached, and Alan looked up to see the man he’d tried so hard to catch. This was it: the moment he’d been dreading. He’d failed, and now he’d pay the price.
There's a longer snippet on my site, and you'll need to be logged in to view the rest.
What's Next?
When the mystery has been safely delivered to an editor, I'll be updating some of my older books with better formatting and new covers. I already have the new cover for Trespass, the first Darkeningstone novel, so that's nearly ready. The other books will follow.
I've already republished Dial G for Gravity, the sci-fi comedy that I like to think of as Galaxy Quest meets Bladerunner. It's been edited to a higher standard than previously, and it's boasting a new cover. Again, I'll be revamping the other books in the series.
After that, I'll be coming up with something new. What that will be, I'm not sure. I think there will be demand for more of Dan and Alan's adventures, but we'll have to see what ideas emerge.
In the meantime, perhaps I can catch up a little on my reading.
Until next time, happy reading and take care.
All the best,
Mikey C
PS: Want More or to Get in Touch?
To contact me or see more content, please visit my website and comment there, or join our Facebook group. Either way you'll get a much faster response than email.
My website: michaelcampling.com
The Awkward Squad group: facebook.com/groups/awkwardsquad
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