Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives – #WritingCommunity – We all need help and advice…paying it forward by Jane Risdon

Welcome to the current series of Posts from Your Archives in 2020 and if you would like to participate with two of your posts from 2019, you will find all the details in this post: New series of Posts from Your Archives 2020

This is the first post from Jane Risdon who share the generous spirit of the writing community and how it is a great feeling to be able to help a fellow author when they need advice or to tap into a special skill set, as it is usually reciprocated in turn.

We all need help and advice…paying it forward

It’s always good to be able to call upon other authors for help and advice when writing a story which might well require specialist knowledge.

I am always grateful to other authors and members of the Police and other related agencies for their advice and help if I am particularly stuck or in need of expert input when writing. It never ceases to amaze me how generous and helpful people can be when I want to pick their brains.

From time to time I have been asked to contribute my experience in the music business to help writers who have a musical background to their novels, and it is always fun to revisit my past life and help where I can.

I’ve often been asked to provide some of my limited forensic knowledge to help other authors who want to kill off a character or investigate a crime scene and are not sure how things work in the British system.

If it hadn’t been for my interest in Forensics Science, Criminal Justice and Archaeology I would’ve been completely stuck every time I’ve started to write a crime story, having to pester others more often.

I decided some years ago to try to help myself and improve my knowledge. I enrolled in 7 different university courses covering these topics – specially designed for crime writers and run by world acclaimed experts – so, although I am not an expert in such matters by a long chalk, I possibly have a better than average knowledge of these subjects – enough not to make basic mistakes and, as I said, if I get stuck I can call upon valued expert advice from other authors who have first-hand knowledge of such matters.

There are so many generous people who have taken time to help me I am reluctant to name any for fear of missing someone out. They know who they are and have my sincere thanks and appreciation for the time they’ve taken answering my questions.

Investigations

I always like to thank those who have helped me, possibly by featuring them on my blog, sharing their posts, book details and launch events, and therefore it is especially lovely to receive such an acknowledgement from those I have helped – sometimes by way of a mention in their latest book credits.

One of several authors I helped a while back – with two different books in two different genres – has written a lovely thank you to me which is on her website. Just click below to read it. I am so chuffed to read this and also to know that her latest novel (paperback version) has acknowledged my help. I wish her much success with all her books.

A belated thank you from Jo Lambert

We all need help and advice and it is such a pleasure to pay it forward, to return the favour if and when I can, as others have done for me.

©Jane Risdon

Books by Jane Risdon

About the book

Under one cover for the first time a collection of Crime Shorts from Jane Risdon featuring previously unpublished stories which will have you on the edge of your seat. There is an extract from Jane’s forthcoming novel (series) Ms Birdsong Investigates Murder at Ampney Parva: Operation Matryoshka – with the title of Undercover – for those who’ve been awaiting this series about a former MI5 Intelligence Office, Lavinia Birdsong. There’s something for everyone who enjoys a good yarn and more twists and turns than Spaghetti Junction.

One of the recent reviews for the collection

Val 5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent offering from this very gifted story teller.

 4 December 2019

I really loved this book. I discovered this author several years ago and have avidly followed her ever since. She has the ability to draw you into her stories and keep you hooked. Undercover Crime Shorts is a delicious mixture of intrigue and fast paced page turning stories, with plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. I highly recommend this collection. Do check out her other books.

Also by Jane Risdon

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon UK

And: Amazon US

Read more reviews and follow Jane:Goodreads

About Jane Risdon

Jane Risdon has spent most of her life working in the International Music Business rubbing shoulders with the powerful and famous, especially in Hollywood.

Married to a musician and later working alongside him managing singers, musicians, songwriters, and record producers, she’s also facilitated the placement of music on successful television series and movie soundtracks.

With long-term friend, award-winning, best-selling author, Christina Jones – one-time fan-club secretary for Jane’s husband’s band – Jane has co-authored Only One Woman (Headline Accent) which is set in the UK music scene of 1968/69.
Recently Jane completed her first collection of short crime stories for publication – Undercover: Crime Shorts – published in both eBook and Paperback 2019 (Plaisted Publishing House Ltd).

Jane writes for online and print magazines and has contributed to 16 anthologies. She also has a blog and often hosts guest authors.

She is working on the sequel to Only One Woman as yet untitled, as well as a series of crime novels – Ms Birdsong Investigates – featuring former MI5 Intelligence Officer Lavinia Birdsong which she plans to complete in 2020. Her experience of working at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in her pre-music days has given her plenty of material for her crime/thrillers.

Her books are available in Waterstones and all good book stores as well as via various digital platforms.

Connect to Jane Risdon

Blog:  Jane Risdon WordPress
Facebook: Jane Risdon
Accent Press: Jane Risdon
Twitter: @Jane_Risdon
Instagram: Jane Risdon Writer

Thanks to Jane for sharing this post which is a reminder that as writers, no man or woman is an island. It says a great deal about our blogging community that there is such a generous spirit… Jane would love your feedback.. thanks Sally.