Helen,
My apologies for the HUGE delay in replying to you! God, I can't believe that you sent me a message in January and it took me nearly a year to find out that I had a message! I joined crimespace some considerable time ago, and then I joined bookspace, and then facebook, and then I started a website, and then I started getting about thirty e-mails a day through the website and on and on and on it went! And then this morning, for whatever reason, someone else sent me an e-mail through the website asking if I was still on crimespace, so I went there and there was your message! Anyway, huge apologies Helen, and seeing as it is this time of year may I take this opportunity to wish you all happiness for Christmas, and all the very best for a wonderful 2009. Please e-mail me back at roger@rjellory.com and we can talk about books and other such nonsense! Take care, and sorry again for such extraordinary bad manners.
Roger.

Hi Helen,

A while back you asked if I had a website and I said it was a work in progress. Well I'm now pleased to report that its up and running!

If you get a chance, please take a look and let me know what you think.

Cheers,
Steve

Your book looks very interesting. I am going to look for a copy.

should have known! you're a lawyer--you had extra reasons for liking The Firm, one hopes it isn't really like that, but it probably is to a great extent in the U.S. that is. I can't picture U.K. law firms like that though.

Hi Helen
I have just bought a copy of Damaged Goods, I saw it when I was signing books in Waterstones the other day. Not sure when I'll get round to reading though, there are already half a dozen waiting on the pile. It was the title that caught my eye - I was was to use the same title for the third or fourth book in the series. Never mind.

Hi Helen
Twins, lawyering, and writing. Okay, so I'm not the busiest person I know.
Congratulations on your successful debut.

Hi Helen
I haven't heard about panels just yet but it's nice to be able to say hi in advance of the festival. Thanks for the heads up on Neil - I'll track him down and say hello on here too. I see we both share the same sordid dayjob btw - must be something about the law that drives us to come up with complex murder plans...
Cheers
Chris

Will do - and my mistake, I was actually on chpt 6 not chpt 3!!!
x

Hi Helen,
Just wanted to let you know that I am reading and thoroughly enjoying your book at the moment! One part that really struck me was when 'husband who lives in hope' went out and bought you a laptop when you said you'd like to write a book - mine did that too!
Of course, it was second hand and died before I got cracking....tsk.....but hey!
So, anyway, I'm now back online - with a new laptop and a better internet connection. If someone could throw in a Cadburys twirl and a bar of wholenut at this moment then my life would be almost perfect.
But back to the book - I only picked it up yesterday and I'm on Chpt 3 - it's zinging along really nicely and Lilly Valentine is a great character. Having met some fantastic Northern women, it's great to see one brought to life like that!
Anyways - I'll give you my humble opinion - for what it's worth - when I finish!
Better get my butt back over to WebMums now - I've abandoned it since my laptop died and I've loads of new articles to put on there!
TC
Nikki
x

Helen,
I think it all depends on how much you want to write the screenplay and how much you want to cut. When you see movies and think, 'that's not as good as the book' it's often because sections you really enjoyed in the book are not in the film. There's a process you go through when adapting where you need to decide what the STORY is about and the little things that this reader or that reader might really like disappear. In the end I think it is difficult because you are the most attached to your book. As well, writers, especially mystery and thriller writers, want to get onto the next book and not live inside a single novel for that long. And Scriptwriting is a long long process.
If you are interested in trying to work a book into a screenplay there's a great free scriptwriting package online now called celtx http://www.celtx.com/ Having used Final Draft for years, I am now switching over. This program has everything you need from character development to who will be doing an actor's hair. Try getting some ideas down with this program and actually start writing the script and you'll be able to see whether it's going to be hard or easy for you.
Cheers

Thanks for your comment / friend request. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner but I work funny hours. Updating my page now, so nice to hear from you.

Hi Helen,

I think you're probably right about the gender thing! I'm also the same when it comes to writing, I often have different projects on the go as I also write non fiction.

Nice to 'meet' you!

Lynette :)

an ex cop who went onto study law, and is now corporate legal counsel.

Hi Helen
Thanks. Just hoping that being on this will generate ideas for stories etc.

Pinch my name for a character? Hey, I'd be honored! Your blog entries are hilarious. As a mother, I totally sympathize. But hey, I think you should be darn proud of yourself! Wow!

Hi Helen
Sorry I wrote everything in a bit of a rush - Heffers is a bookshop in Cambridge UK. I would say the best bookshop in Cambridge but others might not agree.
Pippa

Hi Helen,
Thanks for your message. I've been interested in the history of capital punishment for many years and having researched into it I've amassed enough material for the various projects and books I've had published. I've three more in my 'hanged at...' for Sutton out this year and in the meantime I'm trying to finish one of my fiction books. Hopefully, this year, I will.
best wishes
Steve

Hi Helen,

I don't have a website as yet - it's kind of a work in progress - albeit a slow one! Why do you ask?

Cheers,
Steve

Blair Witch Project, wow.

I have actually been in that "haunted house."