Because I can see the end in sight for Pitkirtly XXIV, I’ve decided to procrastinate a bit by writing this post. It’s not so much that I don’t want it to end as that now that I think I’ve worked out a solution, I no longer need to go through all the steps to get to it. When I say I don’t need to do so, I know perfectly well I’ll actually go back to it, probably later today, and make a bit more progress towards the ending. It’s just that my brain now thinks the story’s finished. This is why I never do more than make a few hand-written notes before I start writing. But I digress.
I’ve been writing almost from the start under the assumption that this novel is called ‘Criminal Classes’. This actually fits the setting and plot quite well, although I have a lingering hatred of the phrase itself. It conjures up the idea that there are whole classes of people engaged in crime, whereas although there are no doubt plenty of examples of criminal gangs and families across the world, I think recent events in the UK have demonstrated that no particular class has a monopoly on criminality.
A little earlier in the writing process, I created a cover design, which I can now reveal. Of course if I did change the title I’d have to do the cover a bit differently, but that isn’t exactly a problem as I probably enjoy playing about with Canva a little too much.
Only yesterday, I found I had created a chapter title that I liked so much that I briefly wondered whether to use it as the book title instead.
Happily I’ve now discarded this idea.
Cecilia Peartree - woman of mystery 