Please welcome, Ralph Griffiths ...

... to the blog this week.  Ralph's journey to publication has been very different from my own, but nevertheless, he has made it as an author, and I will let him tell you his story ...

AW, Your latest release, Vodka Express, is a crime novel featuring your investigator Dmitri Petrov, and it is set in St. Petersburg, all of which sounds fascinating. Tell me more.

RG  When asked recently about the background behind my Dmitri Petrov Crime Novels, it made me reflect on my unusual journey from the Federal Prison System to Saint Petersburg. That's my unconventional path as a crime novelist. So, my path to becoming an author is perhaps not what you would expect.

AW What first got you into writing and why?

RG For over three decades, I served two 14-year sentences in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for bank robberies.  The federal system is a unique environment, a melting pot of individuals from every corner of the globe.  In 2004, as I was beginning my last sentence, I decided it was time for a profound change.  I felt a new path calling me, and I believed that as an author, my past would not and should not define my future.

AW  You write crime.  Is it all imagination, or do you do research?

RG  Neither, as you can see, I have over 30 years of living with criminals of all stripes.

AW  Have you tried or dabbled with other genres or writing for other forms of media?

RG   I write dark comedy with my Big Huna Series and my Too-Sweet Sagas.

AW  Famous authors such as Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas had a special space for writing. Do you have a writing shed of your own?

RG  No.

AW  And finally, you find yourself alone on a dessert island with just enough battery power to make one call. Who would you call and why?

RG I would call my wife and tell her I love her.

about the book … Vodka Express takes readers on a visceral journey into the raw and fractured heart of Saint Petersburg—a city where faded imperial grandeur clashes violently with the brutal realities of its present, where the mean streets hold life cheaper than a bottle of vodka. Amidst this stark duality, Inspectors Dmitri Petrov and Manislov Illich forge an unlikely yet formidable partnership. Petrov, a master of subtle observation in a world quick to resort to force, must navigate this treacherous urban landscape like a deadly chess match.

Alongside him stands his imposing partner, Manislov Illich, a man whose explosive temper and formidable presence have earned him the chilling moniker "Ivan the Terrible," adding a volatile, Russian-style edge to their relentless pursuit of justice.

From the decaying Soviet-era tenements of the Dygnizi Projects, where survival is a daily battle and violence commonplace, to the opulent villas of the nouveau riche, where power and secrets dangerously intertwine, Dmitri and Manislov tread carefully into a murky realm where the boundaries between law and lawlessness dissolve with alarming ease.

... and here's what other readers and reviewers have said about Ralph's book...

“Think Raymond Chandler meets Russian noir.  Vodka Express delivers a visceral journey through Saint Petersburg's dark underbelly.”

“Vodka Express is guaranteed to satisfy fans of dark, atmospheric crime fiction, with a strong sense of place and unforgettable characters.”

“A searing portrait of modern Russia in the tradition of early Gorky, wrapped in a gripping crime thriller.”

You can get the book Here

You can follow Ralph on his Amazon Author Page  on Bookbub   Facebook   Twitter and on Instagram

 

 

 

 

I'm very pleased to announce ...

… that I will be one of the signing authors at The Armouries Museum, Leeds, on Saturday, October 31^st, 2026.  Read on for more info and tickets …

This is a massive book event that will run at the museum on October 31^st 2026.  There will be many authors and vendors at the event, and I will be among them.
 
For those of you who read this blog regularly, you may recall that I had intended to be at last year’s event.  But changes in publisher and delays in the re-release of my books meant it was not to be.  This is 2026: a new year, a new strategy, the re-release of my books is imminent, and book seven is with my new editor.  Authors at the Armouries in October is the icing on the cake that I need after such a disappointing 2025!
 
All the authors will be located in the New Dock Hall.  As soon as I know where I will be, I will update this post and include the information on my website, too.  Please check back regularly between now and the event.
 
I will have my Jacques Forêt books with me, along with the full series of the Miss Moonshine and Seasonal Paths anthologies.  I will also have the first in the new elemental series of stories.  You can purchase signed or unsigned copies of the books and chat with the many other authors in attendance, including me. too.  Later this year, I will set up a pre-order form so you can avoid disappointment when you arrive at the event.

 
The event will open as specified on your tickets and run from 10.30 am until 5.30 pm.
 
You can get your tickets Here
 
So, please note your diaries, and I look forward to seeing you at:
 
The Royal Armouries Museum,
Armouries Drive,
Leeds.
LS10 1LT

I'm reviewing A Fighting Chance ...

 ... by friend and author, Val Penny.  This is the second book in her most recently created series of police procedurals.  Read on ...

Set mostly in Stirling, A Fighting Chance sees Detective Sergeant Jane Renwick take on a new case.  This story is the second in this new series, and what a read!  I'm familiar with the Hunter Wilson stories and have been for quite a while. I was curious to see how Val went about creating a new crime-busting team.  I was not disappointed at all.

Jane is no shrinking violet.  She gets straight to the point and gets on with the job, marshalling her team of detectives with fairness and no unnecessary fuss.  As a boss, I admired her aplomb and her demonstrated business principles.  As a central character, she had me hooked from the outset.  The fact that this is the second book in the series did not detract from the story.  But I will be catching up on that first book later this year.

Jane and her team are sent to Stirling to gather intelligence on a recently returned master criminal, Connor O'Grady.  O'Grady, a drug baron, has old scores to settle and a business rival in the shape of Peggy Cheney to check up on.  Cheney has just been released from prison and is also keen to resume her business dealings, with the intention of squeezing out O'Grady.  With the discovery of two bodies, within hours of each other, the scene is set for a fast-paced thriller.  I certainly couldn't put my book down once I started reading it.

This is an excellently written, well-plotted thriller.  The central characters are unique and well-drawn.  The members of the supporting team come alive on the page as you move through the many twists and turns in this story.  What I especially liked about this new series was the realism and the attention to detail.  Following Jane through the mire that is the illegal drugs business made me realise just how tough it must be for the real officers of the law.  I'm eagerly awaiting the next one in the series.

If you want to know more about Val, you can read my interview with her Here  If you want to know more about her Hunter Wilson series you can read my most recent review Here

Please welcome, friend and author, Kay Parquet...

... to the blog this week.  Happy New Year, Kay, and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be here today.  So, tell me all about your books...

KP My current releases are The Bookshop on Blossom Street and The Bistro on Blossom Street.  The next book, The B&B on Blossom Street, is coming out in January and continues expanding the world and characters readers have already met.

AW   What first got you into writing and why?

KP   What first pulled me into writing was my love of stories and books.  I started by writing Star Trek fanfic as a kid and reading it aloud to my parents because it felt like the most natural thing in the world.  Writing has always been how I explore ideas and emotions, and eventually it became something I knew I wanted to pursue seriously.

AW   You write cosy romance. Is it all imagination or do you do research?

KP   Most of my cosy romance comes straight from imagination and lived experience rather than heavy research.  I only dig into research when I need specific details to feel accurate, like job-related elements or small technical moments.  I like to keep the focus on emotions and relationships, since that is where the heart of the story really lives.

AW   Have you tried/dabbled with other genres or writing for other forms of media?

KP  I have definitely experimented with other genres and forms of writing.  I started out in arcanepunk and urban fantasy, and I have also written articles, blog posts, and some non-fiction through ghostwriting.  Exploring different styles helped me figure out that romance is where my voice feels the most natural.

AW  Famous authors such as Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas had a special space for writing. Do you have a writing shed of your own?

KP  I do not have a dedicated writing shed, but I do have a couple of spaces I rotate between. I have my own office, and my husband and I also share a second office.  When he is not using it for work, I will switch spaces for a change of scenery, which helps keep things feeling fresh.

AW  And finally, if you had a whole afternoon to yourself and could choose to spend it with any one individual, living or dead, or a character from a book, who would it be and what would you discuss?

KP  I would spend that afternoon with my grandma who has passed.  She supported me in everything I did, no matter how big or small, and I would give anything for one more long conversation with her.  We would talk about life, love, stories, and everything in between. Throw a bit of sass and terrible jokes in there, and we would have a fun time.

about the author… Kay Parquet is a Southern gal with a suitcase full of memories and a heart that never stops collecting stories.  Growing up in a military family meant home changed every few years, but the one constant was the magic I found between the pages of a good book.

I’ve always been drawn to love stories wrapped in wonder.  Give me a little fantasy, a whisper of mystery, and characters who fall hard and love even harder. My first obsessions were comic books, cartoons, and late-night Star Trek fanfic.

When I’m not writing, you can usually find me gaming or hanging out with my dog Liam. With a bit of Southern charm, a sprinkle of snark, and a heart full of wanderlust, I write romance for readers who want magic, warmth, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting.

about the first book in the series… Sometimes love shows up between the pages ... and far too many coffee refills.

Emma Carter is a curvy, quietly stubborn bookshop owner in the heart of Maplewood who is perfectly content with her shelves, her solitude, and her zero dating life. Thank you very much.

But when Nathan Reed, the town’s handsome new librarian, proposes a joint book event, Emma reluctantly agrees.  What begins as a professional collaboration quickly turns into something else … with sparks, shared glances, and small-town gossip thrown in for good measure.

Can Emma trust what is growing between them, or will the age gap, public whispers, and her own fears close the book before it even begins?

You can follow Kay on her Amazon Page  on her Website and on her various social media accounts Here

You can get Kay's books Here

A new year...

...and some new challenges and adventures.  Read on...

I’m back at my desk with my laptop, my notebooks, dictionary and all the usual paraphernalia that accompanies a scribbler of stories.  Some things this year are going to be very different!  That will be so on more than one level.  There will be events and meet-ups where cherished people are now missing, and that’s always a hard course to tread.

There will be some of the same, of course.  The storytelling goes on in its many forms, and I can’t wait to get started with that.  And this blog will continue, too.  I’ve got some interviews with new-to-me authors, there will be more travel articles in France and elsewhere as I meander my way around the world.  All of which will be accompanied by my pics.  There will be book reviews, as always.

But the most important announcement today is that, after very patiently waiting since January 7th last year, my existing Jacques Forêt mysteries will be re-released over the next few weeks.  I can also tell you that book 7, Meyrueis, is now with a new editor who will begin work on the text next month.  I am really looking forward to seeing where we can take that book.  I’m also hopeful that sometime in March or April, I will have a cover to show you and possibly a release date to share with you as well.  Keep watching this space.

There are some big book events coming up in 2026.  As always, I will be announcing each one individually with full details here on the blog as the year progresses.  So, look out for the Book Fair at the Ridings Centre in Wakefield in May, Authors at the Abbey in Selby in August, Death in the Dales (Sedbergh) and Authors at the Armouries (Leeds) in October, along with Authors at the Coast in Whitley Bay in November.  I have no doubt that I will also be turning up at various other local events as they arise – again, details will be here on the blog in due course.

So, there will be a lot going on this year, and I really hope you can join me at some point along the way...

Best wishes for a peaceful and happy New Year ...