My Book Talk is a Disaster, What do I Do?

You’ve been asked to do a talk on your novels. As a successful author, people expect a thrilling presentation that will end with a standing ovation. But what happens instead? You find yourself a gibbering wreck, you can’t remember your words and people are fidgeting. They look bored. How can you devise a book talk that will keep your audience talking afterward – and not for the wrong reasons?

What can Go Wrong with a Book Speech?

There are three secrets to a successful book presentation.  Firstly, have a backup plan. Secondly, be prepared. And thirdly, pretend. Pretend you are not nervous and pretend you are confident. This might require an Oscar winning performance. We will explore these in more detail in a moment, for now here is a list of beginner’s mistakes when it comes to speaking on your books.

Not writing out or preparing your speech.
Not practicing your speech or reading it aloud.
Not timing yourself.
Not anticipating questions or preparing your answers.
Not recording yourself of rehearsing in front of friends or family. This will highlight distracting physical behavior.
Not knowing your subject.
Not knowing where the book talk is to be held.
Letting your nerves get the better of you.

Public Speaking Body Behavior

I have witnessed things that can go wrong with a book speech. One of these is distracting bodily behaviour. This includes, not giving eye contact to the audience or always addressing one area of the crowd. This can make the rest of the crowd feel excluded.

Another is clasping the hands over the crotch or hands on hips. Both look naff. Playing with hair, spectacles and finger-picking are also distracting. Tape yourself. Such unconscious body language will be exposed. You can then do something about them.

Not Speaking Clearly on you Presentation

For heaven's sake, speak up! Don’t mumble at the end of sentences. Watch out for a broad regional accent some might not understand. Try to temper your accent for the night, so that your audience can understand you.

Reading to yourself is vastly different to reading aloud. Exercise your voice. Get used to how it sounds and become aware of when to take pauses. A book speech needs pauses; it helps the audience take in what you have just said. Watch out for speeding up towards the end. Maintain the pace of your book talk to a deliberate level. Read out loud and time yourself. Allow extra time on the night for when your audience asks questions and for applauses (you never know).

Overcome Nerves Before a Speech

Nerves are a terrible saboteur of you book talk. Some speakers have said that death is less frightening than having dozens of eyes boring into you. Think of it this way, if the worst happens, you’ll still have your liver, there won’t be an earthquake and your kids won’t be kidnapped. You’ve just had a bum night, that’s all.

Here are some tips to help calm the nerves before presenting on your book.

Practice your speech until you know it in your sleep. Preparing properly will help make you feel more in control on the night. For me, the idea of blagging your way through a talk is terrifying. Knowing exactly what I want to say makes the prospect of public speaking on my books less daunting. I feel more in control.

Anticipate questions from the audience. Work on the most obvious ones first. Which authors do you admire? What first got you into writing? How do you fit family life into writing novels? Prepare the answers to each question, and then think of some awkward question. Why did you decide to give the hero two heads? Do you get satisfaction from writing bondage scenes? Think of the most awkward questions and prepare your answers before the night.

Know exactly what you want to say in the opener. The moments before a speech are the most stressful. Get the introduction out of the way and you will get into the flow.

If you tend to sweat when nervous, spray extra antiperspirant or wear a T-shirt beneath your clothes to soak it up. If your hands tend to shake, avoid using resources that will tremble with you. Rather than use paper, use card.

Practice breathing exercises before your talk. Exercise-off nervous energy. Taking deep breaths will help rid of the acid-forming carbon dioxide from your body and your mind will end up more energized and focused (well, theoretically, anyway.)

You are likely to still be nervous, but don’t let it show. Don’t apologize to the audience about being nervous. Adopt the body language of one who is not. Easier said than done I know, but it’s worth trying. Don’t let your nerves show or your audience will feel uneasy watching your speech.

Allow plenty of time for your journey. Have a plan B if there is a power cut. Make provisions for everything that could go wrong on the night. Have extra resources in case you lose something or it lets you down.

Making Mistakes in a Talk on Books

Accept that you will make mistakes. Even the best speeches have mistakes in them. If you forget to mention something, let it go. Just carry on. The audience is unlikely to notice unless it is a key point.

The best thing to do for your book speech is to practice, practice and practice. Make sure it fills the time allotted. Prepare some annex material that can be added or excluded within the speech, depending upon whether you finish before the hour is up or find yourself overrunning. Preparing for anything that could go wrong will reduce the chances of a bum book talk. The first book talk is always the worst. Learn from experience and your book talk can only improve.

More Tips on Book Talking

The following links are on my other site on novel writing.
The crucial aspects of your book talk
How to do a book talk, an author's guide
Organizing your book speech
Guide to doing a book talk

How to Market Your Novel the Old Fashioned Way

There is lots of information on how to market your book online, with author blogs, author pages, Facebook and twitter. The traditional marketing strategies for writers are easily overlooked. This means getting into the real world. Covering both avenues could increase the sales of your books.

Generating Sales of Novels without Using the Internet


How to Market your Book

There is no doubt that any writer who does not use online marketing avenues, such as a book blog networking their book on Facebook, twitter or listing their books on Goodreads, Smashwords or Shelfari would be missing out. However, such means can cause the traditional route of book marketing to be overlooked. This means getting away from the lap-warming effects of the laptop and getting out into the real world. This was something I decided to do.

Marketing Your Book in the Real World

Selling books online can lull the author into the closet world of internet marketing without actually meeting or talking to anyone. Getting out there and marketing your book by other means not only covers other sales channels, but hones untried marketing skills, not least the spoken word. I began my journey with my local area. This often means putting your pride aside and developing a thick skin.

Ideas for Book Marketing in Your Local Area

I began by telephoning my local newspaper. They kindly ran an article about my books over a few weeks and it did not cost a penny. Beware that such doors are not always open, as I have found it impossible to find an authorative newspaper/magazine book reviewer to review my books. Remaining polite even when things do not go your way is important, as you never know you may cross that bridge again one day.

Promoting Your Book Locally

Some shops and public places will let you put up a few flyers for free. This I did in my local library and supermarkets. Shops, garages and post offices will put your ad up for a small fee. This means devising an eye-catching flyer and a few posters. A great design will also catch the eye in the classifieds within the local newspaper. Watch out for advertising fees which can sting. Putting your ad in the ‘what’s on’ or entertainment’ section is more costly than on ‘miscellaneous.’ A punchy design will also stand out if your funds will only cover a small-sized ad. Having a marketing budget is vital, or you may not garner enough book sales to cover the marketing costs.

How to Design a Book Poster to Generate Book Sales

I created a simple black and white design that echoes the look of my book cover. I used a visual graphic, accompanied by as little text as possible. The nature of the product was made obvious by opening the ad with ‘Kindle thriller’, so that customers know what is being advertised. You can also use other terminology such as ‘crime novel’ or ‘bestselling book’ (if you are lucky enough). This (of course) should be followed by the name of the book and the author name. By all means entice the reader with extra information, but be careful not to overdo it, as the design should remain bold and readable whatever the size format.

Novel Ways to Create Kindle Book Sales

I created posters of various sizes to fit the venue and the approach. A5 images (2 on an A4 sheet of paper) might suit a notice-board; A6 or smaller might suit handouts. A long banner exhibiting the name of your book can be stuck to the inside of your rear window of your car, making your vehicle a mobile marketing tool.

Getting Reviews for Your Book

I approached my local reading group with copies of my book. Always be polite and don’t take it personally if not everyone is willing to indulge in your book. I decided not to attend the feedback session, but putting my books out there with real readers could create recommendations and Amazon reviews.

Sales Channels for your Kindle Books

Marketing your book in the real world will mean having a few spare copies of your book handy. Make each book work hard for you by donating them to a local library. If you register each title with PLR (Public Lending Right) each ‘borrow’ could earn you a small fee. Putting your books in the library also means more people will see them and (you never know) review them. Make it plain you are a local author. Libraries and local groups are often open to authors talking about their books or book signings.

But then, why keep it local, if one is given to going on holidays or trips? Wherever I go, I will have a few flyers, leaflets or business cards in my bag, should the opportunity arise for some book marketing, wherever I am. Book fairs offer an ideal opportunity for some self-promoting and hobnobbing.

Great Ideas for Book Marketing the Traditional Way

Exclusive use of the internet when marketing your book could leave the author missing out. Getting out into the real world with real people could create further channels for marketing your book. This means using the local library, public notice-boards, the newspaper, reading groups or even your car. Every avenue is invaluable. This means putting aside marketing funds, creating eyecatching flyers, putting on a thick skin and casting off your pride.

More Articles on Promoting your Book

Researching tips for crime fiction
Market your books with Twitter
Online platforms for self published authors
How to do a book talk an author's guide
Organizing your book speech
Book marketing with SEO firms

How to Format a Large Print Book for Self Published Authors

Sales channels for novels need not end with Kindle books, audio books or a regular paperback, but a novel in large print. Not only does this cater for specialist readerships’ needs, but also provides an extra sales channel for authors. Creating a large print book is not difficult and is free. Here’s how to create a novel in large print.

Sell More Novels in Large Print

Writing the novel is the hard work. Formatting a novel for paperback is easy only if you know how. But if you have already formatted a paperback you are halfway there. You may have noticed a ‘large print’ tick box on the Createspace site (Amazon’s platform for writers marketing books on paperbacks). Ticking this box after publishing your novel will place the book within large print listings. However, the books must be correctly formatted for the large print market before publishing it on this channel.

How to Format a Book for Large Print

Firstly, create a copy of the Word file where your novel is located. If something goes wrong, you can then start from scratch.

Once you have a copy file of your novel, add page numbers (if applicable). The books size options are diverse, but I have found after research that many novels in large print favour 5.5inx8.5in for page sizes. This means ample words per line will inhabit each page. Therefore, this is the size that I will use for my novels (but the choice is yours, as larger sizes are available; be sure to use a size that is available on the self-publishing platform.).

On Word (with your file open) click on ‘page layout’ which is found at the top of the screen, and then click on ‘page sizes.’ Set the pages to the size required. The system will automatically convert imperial to metric. Once done, it is time to set the margins.

Margin Settings for Large Print Books

After experimentation, I have found the following settings work well for large print novels of average length (which will be around 400-500 pages thick in large print). Click on the ‘margins’ setting at the top of the Word file, and then set the margins to the following:

Top: 1.5cm

Bottom 1.27cm
Outside: 1.27cm
Gutter 0.33cm
Inside margin: 2.22cm.

The only variable is the ‘inner margins’. A longer than average novel of 80,000 words or more, will require larger inner margins, as the book will be thicker than usual. Fine tuning will be necessary.



Font Size for Large Print Books

Large print needs to be 16 or 18 point. (I prefer 16 point). Select the entire novel by clicking ctrl and A keys at the same time, then change the font size to either of these. Click on the size selected and the entire document will be changed to this font size.

Of course, the higher number of pages the paperback is, the higher the production costs will be. This means large print books will be more costly than regular paperbacks, but there are still ways of lowering the page count without affecting the reading experience. I have noticed that Word’s style set (found on the top right of the screen on the ‘home’ page beneath ‘change styles’) will affect this page count.

Click on the small arrow beneath ‘change styles’ and a drop down menu will present itself. Select the entire document as described earlier (pressing ctrl and A) and make sure the style set is set to ‘Word 2003’. The spaces between each line is slightly less than on Word 2007, and I managed to save around 40 pages by preferring this Word style.

Large Print Fonts

I would keep to a simple font, of perhaps Times New Roman, Arial or Bookman Old Style. Avoid anything swirly of fancy, as this book is supposed to be aimed at the visually-impaired. Experiment to see which fonts save word counts. I use Times New Roman. At this point (if applicable) I will also set the paragraph indentations for the entire novel. Don’t ‘tab’ or add spaces to each paragraph. Select the entire document, and then click on ‘paragraph’. On the dialog box, select ‘first line’ under ‘special’, and then place 0.3cm under ‘by.’ This will indent all first lines of paragraphs by 3 points. Don’t forget to ‘justify’ the whole document too.

Large Print Format for Novels

Now check through the document to ensure that all is how it should be. You may need to delete blank pages and rid of indentations to first paragraphs to chapters. The copyright text might also need to be made smaller (few readers take note of this anyway). I would personally begin each chapter from the top of the page rather than by a few returns, and rid of unnecessary graphics or spaces. When it comes to large print, keeping page numbers and production costs down is more important. I will view the document under ‘print preview’ to get an overall view of the document’s formatting. Remember, the first chapter should always begin on an odd page (say 3 or 5).

Upload Your Large Print Novel onto Createspace

Once the Word document is how it should be, save it as a PDF. Ensure it is set to ‘standard publishing’ not ‘minimum size.’ It might be worth checking it through one more time. I will then upload it onto the online platform concerned (Createspace or Lulu). Createspace now enables you to ‘preview’ the book and will highlight any problems. If any live elements (such as text) falls outside the margins, this will be highlighted. A particularly thick book might require some tweaking with the inner margins.

Publish a Large Print Novel

Of course, you should have a great book cover and book blurb (or synopsis) prepared. Don’t forget to tick the ‘large print’ box when uploading your book. Every edition of the same title will require its own ISBN. To differentiate titles, I will add (Large Print Edition) or similar after the title but is not necessary. Once pricings and other domestic matters have been set, just wait a few days for the book to appear on the Amazon listings for Large Print Books.

Helpful Articles for Self Published Authors

My Kindle book keeps showing formatting errors
Sell books through Adwords
Developing narrative style
How to describe emotions in novels

How to Compress Files for Epub with a Free Zip Download

Creating a Word book file to upload onto an Epub platform is easy if you know how. But if the file is a picture book, certain formatting errors often occur on the Kindle previewer that is otherwise invisible on the original document. Here’s how I fixed formatting problems with ebooks by creating a zip file for ebook conversion.
Book Converter for Epub

If the ebook is a text only file, such as a novel, the writer need only think about formatting text. But as in my case, if there are pictures involved all sorts of problems can occur that may only show up on the Kindle previewer. Firstly, read my article on the beginner’s guide to formatting text only books for Kindle. If the book is a picture book such as a how-to or hobby book, read my article on how to format words and text in a word file for epub (or epublishing).

How to Cure Formatting Errors on Picture Books

Until recently, I uploaded a simple Word.doc book file onto Kindle and Smashwords without any problems at all. However, after some changes to how Kindle books are converted, formatting errors started to appear on my images that had never been there before. After some digging, I found the best way around this was to save my book file as webpage filtered and then to compress the files in a zip file. All the formatting errors vanished. I shall give you a step by step guide on how to cure formatting errors on picture books next.

Free Zip Download for Epub

Winzip download is a good compression software for making your files smaller, but now costs for subscription, and my free trial period had expired. I then discovered a free compression software, which is Jzip. Jzip is a free Winzip alternative that does all the compressing for you. It is easy to install and easy to use.

Correct Formatting for Ebooks

Follow the onscreen instructions on how to install JZip which takes you through a wizard. Once you have installed JZip (or any alternative compression utility that you choose) follow these steps to create a compressed book file for upload onto Kindle.

1 Make sure your book file is word-perfect and properly formatted for ebook publication. This means ensuring it is saved as Word 2003, (not the latest Word 2007). Strip the document of all hidden formatting scripts by copying and pasting onto Wordpad and then saving it into a Word 2003 document. You will need to reformat the appearance of your book regarding paragraphs and headers. Don’t use fancy fonts or graphics.

2 If images are included in the book file, make sure none ‘float,’ but is ‘in line with text’. Centre each image on a separate line and make sure the book file is not too big. Full instructions on how to format picture books for Kindle and how to resize images for ebooks can be found in separate articles.

How to Compress Book Files for Kindle

3 Now open your word document where your book file is located. Click on the office graphic located on the upper left of your screen and hover over ‘save as.’ This will bring up further word options. Click on ‘other formats’ which will bring up these further options. Click on ‘Word document’ which will create a drop down menu. Select ‘Webpage filtered.’ Ignore the message and ‘save.’ Close the document.

4 Wait a few seconds and two files will be created: one for the text, which will show up as a HTML document. If you click on this, you can view the text only aspect of your book file as webpage filtered. The other file is the image file, which lists all the images (if any) that are in your book. Click on this and all the images within your book will show up.

Free Zip Upload for Converting Books

5 Now right click on the HTML file of your book (once closed) and select add to: nameofyourbookfile.zip. JZip will create a compressed version of your book file.
6 Don’t forget to include the picture file in the zip file. Click and drag the image file and insert it into the zip file. Your zip file should now comprise the HTML element of your book and (if applicable) the image file.

How to Upload a Compressed Ebook File onto Kindle

7 Now log into KDP Amazon (but not before you have a book cover and a blurb prepared). Follow the online instructions on filling in the various fields, including book title, author, categories etc (unless you are updating an existing book).

8 In the book file field, browse and locate the zip file where you book file is located and upload. Wait a few moments and then you should be able to preview your book either on the simple previewer, or the enhanced previewer. You will need to install Amazon’s Kindle for PC before you will be able to view your book how it will appear on a Kindle device.

9 If you spot a spelling error or a similar aberration on the preview, you will have to delete the zip file and the webpage filtered files. Make the amendment on the original word file and then repeat the process for creating the zip file.

10 Reupload the book file. Save and continue. Once you have completed the KDP process, your book will become live in a few days or so. How your book looks on Kindle will be reflected on the ‘look inside’ feature which will take a little longer to be updated.

How to Format your Book for Epub on a Zip File

Zipping your book file for upload onto a self-publishing platform will eradicate formatting errors on your images if the book is a picture book. Simply save your Word document as webpage filtered, which will create two folders: HTML text and images. Drag the picture file into the zipped HTML file which can be created by the use of a good file compression program. Winzip software is reliable, but JZip is free.

More About Formatting Ebooks for Epublishing

Sell your book through Adwords
How to format picture books for Kindle
How to format novels for Kindle
How to create believable fictional characters

Are These Thoughts of a Psychopath Fitting into Society?

This eerie suspense thriller follows insomniac, Luke who pays debt-stricken Gemma to perform erotic routines entitled Domestic Bliss in the dead hours. In this scene, we get a peek into the mind of a possible psychopath as Luke encounters a work colleague on the stairwell of a corporate building. It would appear this voyeur is to be feared. This excerpt is taken from Falling Awake by Charles J Harwood.

Excerpt from Falling Awake by Charles J Harwood

This Client is Best Left Alone
Charles J Harwood

Luke entered the building, took a left past the lifts and towards the stairs. The seven-storey climb never failed to provide a kick for the circulation and ensured aural hygiene from small-talk. The encroaching footfalls warned him today was not going to be one of those days. The footfalls hastened towards him and Andrew Chapelstowe, coordinator of correspondence, snagged him with his sights.

‘Mornin’ Luke. I thought I might find you here.’

Andrew waited for Luke on the corner riser dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, jeans and an appalling case of acne on his neck.

...

Luke drew level with him and offered a formal nod. ‘Good morning Andrew.’

Andrew’s eyes shifted in that irritatingly casual way meant to convey rebellious energy checked only by this ‘gap’ job.

We shall see.

‘We have a bit of a crisis situation. I’ve just got off the phone to Theresa and had to make some last minute changes.’

Luke waited.

‘Robert Dhumbia has called in sick. Gall stones. Won’t be in for a month. We need a stand-in to discuss the Milliband contract with Dr. Sui’s secretary on Thursday.’

‘What about Derek Johns?’

Andrew shifted again. ‘No can do. He’s tied up with the Montgomery agreement.’

No can do? Luke eyed the volcanic crusts on Andrew’s nape. ‘You’d best consult Cerys. She has my diary.’

...

Falling Awake
Charles J Harwood

Andrew plucked out his notebook from his back pocket. ‘No problemo. I have just taken the liberty of consulting Cerys a moment ago.’ He proceeded to flick through.

Luke watched him, his right eyelid dragging over his pupil. Sly, leering, predatory. Perhaps. Luke had a clear view down the back of Andrew’s T-shirt where boils were white-heading. Why did creatures like him have to exist in this world in place of others? Why did precious resources and time have to be allocated to those who contributed nothing but a test of tolerance for their sheer ignorance? Luke’s face fell slack like it had done so during his shower this morning. He inserted his tongue between his teeth without opening his mouth and let it rest there. He envisaged raising his right hand, fingers flexing forward. He would then administer a jab to the back of Andrew’s neck sufficient to launch him into a pin-wheel down the stairs. Luke could almost hear Andrew’s bones clattering against the concrete and something snapping with that high whiplashing sound. Luke had heard that whiplashing crack before. He had heard it many times, had felt the fissure beneath flesh. Nothing quite replicated the sound of bones cracking, particularly the fragile kind.

...

Andrew had done with his flick-through and was talking. A sheen of sweat dewed Luke’s brow. He didn’t wipe it on his sleeve or a tissue, but allowed the moisture to evaporate into the cool draft.

Andrew turned, his mouth still moving, this mundane quandary causing his eyes to glaze over. ‘You could free up May seventh by shifting that finance meeting to the following Wednesday.’

Luke’s eyelid remained heavy. ‘Perhaps.’

Andrew hesitated. ‘Maybe you should confirm it with Cerys.’

Luke said nothing.

...

Click to buy
from Amazon

Andrew made a shuffle before bounding up the stairs. Luke would let Andrew discuss the matter with Cerys. He could discuss it as much as he liked. In the meantime Luke would engage his mind on his earlier hypothesis of bones cracking on the stairwell before continuing on his way.

Gemma would perhaps do better not to serve this voyeur.

Read Falling Awake by Charles J Harwood available on Kindle and paperback.

Or read the blurb on Falling Awake on this blog.

Related links on my author site

Great themes in literary fiction
Stories with taboo themes

Disturbing Psychological Thriller on Abduction and Mind Games

The Shuttered Room by Charles J Harwood pushes the boundaries of abduction to the limit: obsession, forbidden love and sexual chemistry.

Stockholm Syndrome
Romance

This crime novel tells the story of hostage, Jess, who spies upon her captors from a spyhole in the bedroom floor. In this scene, she waits for her breakfast. Instead, her most feared captor, Justin emerges with a nasty surprise.

A Thriller on Psychological Warfare

The bolt disengaged on the ensuite door. Justin emerged through the bedroom door. He stood by the window and fished out a table runner from his pocket. Put this on,’ he said flatly.

Jess’s mouth fell open, a question teetering on her lips. She stood without thinking and stared at the cloth.

‘Put this on,’ he repeated. Justin’s eyes had that glassy obsidian look she’d seen yesterday.

Nonplussed, Jess took the runner and draped it over her shoulder as a scarf.

Twisted Stockholm Syndrome
Charles J Harwood

‘Not like that, stupid. Like this.’ And he took the runner and placed it over his mouth. ‘And no messin’. Do it up good and tight. I’m gonna get the loft ladder down.’

...

Tightness crept into her chest. She obliged, tying a double knot at the back of her head. She waited by the door, her arms hanging. With the runner over her mouth, her breathing had taken on a tidal quality. Clicks, grunts and a metallic rattle ricocheted in the hall.

Justin popped his head through the door. ‘Come on.’

Jess followed him into the hallway where a ladder had been pulled down from a hatch in the ceiling. Justin waited, indicating Her Ladyship first. The tightness in her chest increased.

...

Jess grabbed the handrail and took cautious steps. She looked up into the cave-mouth of the opening. A cool draft cascaded onto her face. Her heel slipped on the first rung. Her head drew level of the loft floor where she planted an elbow onto a strut. Up here, the traffic thrummed against the rafters. Jess hauled herself onto the lip of the opening. She glanced down to see Justin at the foot of the ladder staring up at her.

The weight of what lay ahead annihilated a fleeting relief that she was wearing jeans rather than a skirt. Justin jerked his head sideways indicating Her Ladyship to continue into the loft. Jess twisted her torso and crawled across the rafters, mindful of the gaps between. Clouds of dust billowed at her movements. She could imagine it coating her eyelashes and her throat if she moved too quickly. This and the gag contrived to make her breaths feel constricted.

...

This is a Dangerous Game to Play
Charles J Harwood

Jess twisted her body to rest her feet upon the loft insulation. Justin followed her up, eclipsing the light for an instant. Once drawing level, he took out a roll of duct tape and tweezed the end with his fingernail. ‘Hands behind,’ he grunted, ‘thumbs together.’

Jess complied, her breaths snatching. Justin tore a length of the tape with a rasping in the air and tethered her thumbs. He forced the backs of her hands together via the knuckles to the little fingers. The tape felt cold, sticky and tight.

‘Legs together,’ he said.

Again, Jess obeyed.

He lifted her jeans above the ankles and lowered her socks. He wound the tape tightly round her ankles. She appraised his lacquered, bristly hair partly concealing his pink scalp as he worked. Sandalwood failed to mask his sweat, yeasty and sour.

Satisfied, he crouched in front of her. ‘Lay on your front,’ he instructed.

Lay on my front? She looked at him questioningly. On what?

‘Lay on your front,’ he repeated.

...

This Hostage likes to Eye Spy
Charles J Harwood

Jess twisted her torso and lowered her stomach onto the rafter, head to the side. She followed through with her legs, resting them against the plinth. Justin rolled up the hems of her jeans and plied tape over her calves, backs of her knees and over the sides of the strut. He repeated the procedure for her wrists and elbows, urging them forwards as he attached them to the rafter. His breaths gusted into her hair as he pressed the tape down. If the rafter had been pulled upright, Jess would have stuck onto its surface like a witch about to be burnt at the stake. Try as she might, Jess could not lift her arms or her legs.

Justin adjusted the knot at the back of her head. Jess wondered why he hadn’t gagged her at this stage. Perhaps he didn’t want to hear her wittering on at him whilst he conducted his task.

Justin lowered his mouth to her ear. ‘Did anyone tell you, Jessica, everything we do in life has repercussions?’

...

Click to buy
from Amazon

Jess could only respond with a sniff through her one nostril.

‘I tried to be nice to you, I really did, but I’ve moved on from that now. I’m concentrating myself on the pressing matter of your naughty little antic last week. They’re still in the area, and we’re all expecting them to come knocking. Not that it bothers me much. I’m just glad it gave me the excuse to put you up here.’

Jess closed her eyes.

‘So just remember this: you are here because of what you did. This is all your fault, not mine. Do you hear? Just think of that whilst you are up here with your little thoughts in your little head. And try to relax. The time will pass quickly if you do.’ Justin seemed to wait for something. ‘Do you understand me, Jessica?’

Jess nodded.

‘Good.’

...

Justin retreated, taking his infusion of yeast and sandalwood with him. A brief eclipsing of light and the loft ladder clattered. The hatch closed, leaving her in darkness.

A Chilling Tale of Abduction

Can you guess what happens next? Read the blurb on the Shuttered Room

Note: This book is now available within a trilogy, entitled: Gone Too Far (3 Psychological Thrillers about Taboo).

Related links on my author website

The Stockholm syndrome relationship
The inner gremlins of kidnappers
What if human behavior had a voice?

A Hard Lesson the Screenplay

A contemporary English drama, adapted from my novel, A Hard Lesson, the story explores betrayal, torn loyalties and peer pressure. A character study on how people behave when under the spell of a manipulative sociopath, every character is tested to the limit.

Modern English Screenplay

The story centres upon a teacher, Sarah who is assigned to tutor a dyslexic, Josh, who becomes a suspect to a stabbing. Her boyfriend, Frank belongs to a tightly-knit clique controlled by fearsome Kurt who lacks human empathy. Little does she realise a link exists between her job and Frank’s world. But being timid by nature, she would appear insignificant to the likes of Kurt.

But the dynamics of the group begin to change when a sexual chemistry develops between her and Josh after she sets him an assignment on erotic art. One insignificant event has an unforeseen impact upon a system that would appear infallible. As a result, the story climaxes in an unexpected way.

Screenplay on Kindle

A Hard Lesson screenplay has been formatted in a unique way for Kindle in that various elements of the screenplay have been keyed for ease. Dialogue appears as normal black text; action and description appears dark grey, and character cue appears in bold.

The other elements of the screenplay exhibits sluglines (or scene headings) like a typical screenplay, and possess the other symbols that indicate the scene location and time of day. The screenplay is also available in paperback and is formatted in the normal way. A character list and a guide to reading the screenplay can be found in both the kindle book and paperback.

Character List for A Hard Lesson the Screenplay

There are ten main characters within the screenplay, which are as follows:

• Sarah: Teacher of literacy. In her mid-twenties, she is naïve and timid, but tenacious by nature.
• Josh: Sarah’s difficult and dyslexic pupil. In his early-twenties, he is a grunge factory-hand and misfit from a prosperous suburb.
• Frank: Sarah’s boyfriend. Clever and roguish, he seems a step ahead of Kurt’s obsequious friends that form Kurt’s criminal troupe.
• Kurt: Charismatic sociopath and leader of a criminal clique of which Frank is a member.
• Mrs. Tobin: Josh’s attractive mother; a perfectionist who hides a manipulative streak.
• Sue: Mrs. Tobin’s daughter; high-maintenance and uptight, she deeply resents her brother Josh.
• John: Sue’s self-satisfied business-lecturer husband.
• George: Kurt’s chief heavyweight.
• Harry: Rum-swigging tramp, custodian of Kurt’s secrets.
• Joe: An upstart who desperately wants to prove himself to Kurt but ultimately gets used.

There are also five minor characters which are: a librarian, a tourist, a barman, a punter and Mr. Jacobs.

A Play with Dramatic Scenes

There is plenty of subtext within the scenes, that clearly indicate what is said does not correlate with the body language, which sets up tension within the story, particularly in the scenes between Sarah and Josh, which features sparring of dialogue but which hides an altogether different undercurrent.

Dialogue for A Hard Lesson

I really enjoyed writing the dialogue for the screenplay, as there was so much going in within each character’s heads, and which would leak out unintentionally. Every character has a different agenda, and each clashed with one another in some way.

Buy A Hard Lesson Screenplay

The screen-time for A Hard Lesson is around 90 minutes, an average feature film or full-length drama. There are around 16,000 words within and is available on other readers as well as Kindle, being Sony, Apple and Android.

Related links on my sites

My other screenplay, Nora
Character development in screenplays
Family and group dynamics in gangs