tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83175870999863856392024-03-13T21:49:40.052-07:00Cross PurposesThe blog of Mason Cross, author of the Carter Blake series.Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.comBlogger261125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-55545719955154702932021-12-31T09:34:00.008-08:002021-12-31T09:54:03.833-08:00I wrote at least 100 words a day for a year<p>This time last year, <a href="https://masoncrossbooks.blogspot.com/2021/01/a-2021-project.html" target="_blank">I set myself a small challenge</a>. The goal was to write a minimum of 100 words a day on a side project, other than my main book, every single day of the year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggGdISCPqgG_rvnztG0Fa621pq7ZvsYcca5BG5Q12xtXOMr67LuvKt2x5JVv5KuE4nK6I4Owd_ym6aqDZPfLxQBaZVum2SzPY2l3sSYV1zhPubEr5ILbDUeQtnNKkLTCrZoS-GhbYy6bhDftMDchC9RKdXrAC8WOM66Lioe-u3_QWtUp4Nnsw_oJYF=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggGdISCPqgG_rvnztG0Fa621pq7ZvsYcca5BG5Q12xtXOMr67LuvKt2x5JVv5KuE4nK6I4Owd_ym6aqDZPfLxQBaZVum2SzPY2l3sSYV1zhPubEr5ILbDUeQtnNKkLTCrZoS-GhbYy6bhDftMDchC9RKdXrAC8WOM66Lioe-u3_QWtUp4Nnsw_oJYF=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1P0U0SKKFqedCEBKxzr4id3Zqbpb_8QWZ7DKOSOhzBjrecw6cizTNASjK6-jGUQqVOT10R1vG0LZW_emeQfjDxnh8J9OhxIn5pAy9E0QluJDmOLGEiOrqFE--SwBQ37gal2p1AnHhxARNh1cW02JHebHfgYe35Ax5ZeAlLrj4-TtY9CYe0ELXkvK-=s3780" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1P0U0SKKFqedCEBKxzr4id3Zqbpb_8QWZ7DKOSOhzBjrecw6cizTNASjK6-jGUQqVOT10R1vG0LZW_emeQfjDxnh8J9OhxIn5pAy9E0QluJDmOLGEiOrqFE--SwBQ37gal2p1AnHhxARNh1cW02JHebHfgYe35Ax5ZeAlLrj4-TtY9CYe0ELXkvK-=s320" width="256" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I did it. As you can probably guess, otherwise I wouldn't be blogging about it.<div><br /></div><div>And most of the time, it wasn't too difficult to fit in. 100 words can literally be done in a couple of minutes. You can do it while waiting for a train, or in the queue at the chip shop. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wrote my minimum daily 100 in lots of different places, and under lots of different conditions. I tapped it out on my phone, trying not to wake the kids at 11:45pm in our cabin on a Disney Cruise. I typed on my laptop and wrote longhand in notebooks. I wrote in pubs and coffee shops and on trains. I got 100 words a day down in hotel rooms at the Harrogate and Bloody Scotland festivals. I stuck to at least 100 a day through a (thankfully mild) bout with Covid. I even got 100 down on the nightmarish day we moved house. I wrote every day: weekdays and weekends, birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, today. </div><div><br /></div><div>Most days, I wrote more than the bare minimum. In fact, the average word count was 198 words. I only aimed for 100, and found that I had exceeded the total almost every day.<p></p><p><b>The stats</b></p><p>I worked on two projects over the course of the year. I finished the draft of one book (starring a certain recurring character), and started another one (a standalone). I wrote 50,066 words on the former, from January to late September, and 22,207 words on the latter, from late September to today, giving a total of 72,273 words.</p><p>That's not a bad total for a year. In fact, it's close to a full book's worth of words. </p><p>But this was just a side project, so it's 72,273 <i>extra </i>words that wouldn't have existed otherwise. I still wrote a full draft of a book as well as that.</p><p>Are they <i>good</i> words? Some of them are pretty good, some are total shit: such is the way of first drafts. But I now have a big chunk of words to work with, and hopefully, in 2022, I can develop one or both projects into books people might want to read. </p><p>It's just before 6pm where I am, and 2021 is almost over. Wherever you are, I hope you have an amazing new year and read (and/or write) some good books.</p><p>And tomorrow? I'm going to write 100 words.</p><p><br /></p></div>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-82426118042101418942021-11-13T03:53:00.005-08:002021-11-13T03:54:17.943-08:00Alex Knight Q&AJanet Emson at the fab From <b>First Page to Last </b>blog kindly asked me to do a Q&A on <i>Darkness Falls</i>. <div><br /></div><div>You can read it below, or better still go over to <a href="https://fromfirstpagetolast.com/2021/10/28/alex-knight-qa/" target="_blank">From First Page to Last</a> and read it along with some other great interviews.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0iXjHJSDci0/YY-nF6juSmI/AAAAAAAAKyg/BTVDCUW0b4sJbZMoUn9e__cs9XK6lu6YwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/chandler.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0iXjHJSDci0/YY-nF6juSmI/AAAAAAAAKyg/BTVDCUW0b4sJbZMoUn9e__cs9XK6lu6YwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/chandler.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>1. Tell us a little about Darkness Falls</b></div><div><br /></div><div>It opens with the protagonist, Thessaly, driving on the highway late at night in Pennsylvania. She stops for a break at a 24-hour diner and hears a voice she recognises in the booth behind her. It’s the voice of the man who killed her brother 20 years ago, and then disappeared. Is it really him? Where has he been hiding all this time? Thessaly has to make a split-second decision of what to do, and her choice draws her into a dangerous mystery…</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. What inspired the book?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I’m always fascinated by those chance meetings and coincidences that happen in real life. Like you can be on holiday thousands of miles away and run into someone who’s related to your best friend from high school. I thought it would be an interesting hook if one of those coincidences brought a survivor of a traumatic event into contact with the perpetrator, and what lengths she might go to to get resolution.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. Are you a plan, plan, plan writer or do you sit down and see where the words take you?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Kind of a bit of both. I like to write out a 4-page synopsis that has the main beats of the story, the characters, important scenes, and hopefully an ending, but it’s not set in stone at that point. The book always changes and develops as I write it, and I often come up with a completely different ending. That was the case with this one, which went from a climax set in New York’s Grand Central Station to a more intimate ending with four people in a house. I think lockdown may have influenced that change!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. Having been through the publishing process a number of times, is there anything about the process of creating a novel that still surprises?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Really just that it doesn’t get any easier. Each novel is a struggle and it feels like it’s not going to work, but you just have to push through and trust you’ll be able to do it again.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. What do you do when you aren’t writing? What do you do to relax and get away from it all?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I like to read and watch movies, of course, but I also love getting outside and going for walks and runs. When the world gets back to normal, I’d like to go back to travelling again. I love visiting cities and exploring them on foot and by train.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>6. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life which book would it be?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Too difficult! It would have to be a big book so I could take my time with it. I love Raymond Chandler, and the Everyman edition of his collected stories is pretty chunky, so I’ll go with that.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>7. I like to end my Q&As with the same question so here we go. During all the Q&As and interviews you’ve done what question have you not been asked that you wish had been asked – and what’s the answer?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Good question!</div><div><br /></div><div>How about… <b>Could you get away with a murder in real life?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>To which the answer is, probably not as I’m pretty disorganised, don’t plan in enough detail and I wouldn’t have the ability to go back and edit the things I did wrong or the inconsistencies in my alibi. If my editor helped me from the beginning on the other hand…</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1xdvM7SSl0/YQ_hT9PC0FI/AAAAAAAAKwI/BfniDCp9aJwndl-FobtwU81xlwyNpFT4gCPcBGAYYCw/s400/DarknessFalls_New.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1xdvM7SSl0/YQ_hT9PC0FI/AAAAAAAAKwI/BfniDCp9aJwndl-FobtwU81xlwyNpFT4gCPcBGAYYCw/s320/DarknessFalls_New.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Twenty years ago, her brother was murdered. Tonight, she’s found his killer.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Thessaly Hanlon is four hours into a long drive home through the night when she pulls into a 24-hour roadside diner to take a break. She’s exhausted, but when she hears a chillingly familiar voice from the next booth, she wonders if he’ll ever sleep again.</div><div><br /></div><div>The voice is unmistakable. It belongs to Casper Sturgis, the man who murdered Thessaly’s brother two decades before, and then disappeared without a trace.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thessaly makes the decision to follow the killer. As Thessaly begins to unravel the second life of Casper Sturgis, she finds that digging into the past can have deadly consequences…</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://smarturl.it/gpenge" target="_blank">Buy <i>Darkness Falls</i></a></b></div></div>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-68828406745613843612021-09-16T04:16:00.001-07:002021-09-16T04:16:00.190-07:00Darkness Falls - UK publication day<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1xdvM7SSl0/YQ_hT9PC0FI/AAAAAAAAKwI/BfniDCp9aJwndl-FobtwU81xlwyNpFT4gCPcBGAYYCw/s400/DarknessFalls_New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="456" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1xdvM7SSl0/YQ_hT9PC0FI/AAAAAAAAKwI/BfniDCp9aJwndl-FobtwU81xlwyNpFT4gCPcBGAYYCw/w299-h456/DarknessFalls_New.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Darkness Falls is published today, the second standalone thriller under my Alex Knight pseudonym. Unfortunately, just like last year, Alex won't be getting a book launch, thanks to the pandemic, so this book will have to make its way out in the world unlaunched. </p><p>I hope it finds its way to people who will enjoy it, and I am getting to do at least one event, at <a href="https://bloodyscotland.com/" target="_blank">Bloody Scotland</a> this Friday. </p><p>If you want a taste of the book, you can <a href="http://alexknightauthor.com/darkness-falls/read-chapter-one-of-darkness-falls" target="_blank">read chapter one</a> on the Alex Knight website, and here's the blurb...</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Twenty years ago, her brother was murdered.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Tonight, she’s found his killer.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Thessaly Hanlon is four hours into a long drive home through the night when she pulls into a 24-hour roadside diner to take a break. She’s exhausted, but when she hears a chillingly familiar voice from the next booth, she wonders if she’ll ever sleep again.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The voice is unmistakable. It belongs to Casper Sturgis, the man who murdered Thessaly’s brother two decades before, and then disappeared without a trace.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thessaly makes the decision to follow the killer. As she begins to unravel the second life of Casper Sturgis, she finds that digging into the past can have deadly consequences…</p><p></p><div style="text-align: right;"><u style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><u>Trade Paperback</u></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/darkness-falls/alex-knight/9781409193678" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Waterstones</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkness-Falls-Alex-Knight/dp/1409193675" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Alex-Knight/Darkness-Falls/25680067" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Hive</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a href="https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/darkness-falls/alex-knight/paperback/9781409193678.html" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">WHSmith</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><u style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u>ebook</u></div></u><div style="background-color: white; color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkness-Falls-Alex-Knight-ebook/dp/B08WHY3S88" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Kindle</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/darkness-falls-47" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Kobo</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alex_Knight_Darkness_Falls?id=Mw7tDwAAQBAJ" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Google Play</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><u style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Audio</u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Darkness-Falls-Audiobook/1409193713" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Audible</a></div></u><p></p>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-32189639869743289922021-09-07T03:24:00.002-07:002021-09-07T03:24:13.403-07:00Hunted - US publication day<p><i>Hunted</i>, my first standalone book under the Alex Knight pseudonym is out today from all good bookstores in the USA.</p><p>I had a lot of fun writing it, particularly as the research took me to one of the cities I love most, San Francisco, and beyond to explore northern California. So far, people seem to like it. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l2GCp834W1g/YTc8TsT1m2I/AAAAAAAAKxI/7FtU7MuH7GALl_wcYUjKcTWwDb20mFwMQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l2GCp834W1g/YTc8TsT1m2I/AAAAAAAAKxI/7FtU7MuH7GALl_wcYUjKcTWwDb20mFwMQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="156" /></a></div><div><br /></div>You can <a href="http://alexknightauthor.com/hunted/read-chapter-one" target="_blank">read chapter one</a> on the Alex Knight website, and if you like it, you can get the book from these places:<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781409193647" target="_blank">Indiebound</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hunted-desiree-knight/1102844909?ean=9781409193647" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1409193640/" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Hunted-Audiobook/1409193667" target="_blank">Audible</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div>You can also order <i>Hunted</i> wherever you are with free worldwide postage from <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Hunted-Alex-Knight/9781409193647" target="_blank">Book Depository</a>.</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><i>You’re woken early by banging on the door. It’s a young girl, the daughter of the love of your life. She’s scared, covered in blood, she says her mother is hurt.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>You let her in, try to calm her down, tell her you’re going to get help. You reach for your phone, but it lights up with a notification before you touch it.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>It’s an Amber alert, sent to all four million phones in the Bay Area – a child has been abducted by a dangerous suspect.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The child is the girl standing in front of you.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The suspect?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>You.</i></div></div><br /><p></p></div>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-52786745276410708442021-08-20T08:52:00.003-07:002021-08-20T08:52:46.163-07:00Nur Eine Chance - Hunted German edition<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWBkPCmB2m0/YQ_kbdqst3I/AAAAAAAAKwM/-e2SW3G8rvMtJ_L9uvqUEbw9jcEpGA45wCLcBGAsYHQ/s499/Nu%2BEin%2BChance.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWBkPCmB2m0/YQ_kbdqst3I/AAAAAAAAKwM/-e2SW3G8rvMtJ_L9uvqUEbw9jcEpGA45wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Nu%2BEin%2BChance.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><i>Hunted </i>is going to be published in Germany by Lübbe, and I LOVE this cover. One of the best I've had.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the blurb in German, with Google translation below...</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Für den Polizisten Jake Ellis ist es ein Tag wie jeder andere. Bis Molly, die Tochter seiner Freundin, blutüberströmt vor seiner Tür steht. Im selben Moment gibt es einen Alarm: Ein Mann hat einen Überfall begangen, bei dem eine Frau schwer verletzt, ein Passant getötet und ein Kind entführt wurde. Der Name des Täters: Jake Ellis. Jake ahnt, was auf ihn zukommt – und dass jemand versucht, ihm etwas anzuhängen. Daher packt er Molly und flieht. Er weiß: Seine Unschuld zu beweisen ist seine einzige Chance ...</div></div><div><br /></div><div>It's a day like any other for policeman Jake Ellis. Until Molly, his girlfriend's daughter, stands in front of his door covered in blood. At the same moment there is an alarm: a man has committed a robbery in which a woman was seriously injured, a passerby was killed and a child was kidnapped. The name of the perpetrator: Jake Ellis. Jake suspects what is in store for him - and that someone is trying to pin something on him. So he grabs Molly and flees. He knows: to prove his innocence is his only chance ...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Published on January 28- <a href="https://www.luebbe.de/luebbe-belletristik/buecher/thriller/nur-eine-chance/id_8447533?" target="_blank">find out more here</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-88955089036000116862021-08-08T06:52:00.001-07:002021-08-08T06:52:31.654-07:00Darkness Falls<p> The new Alex Knight book is published on September 16 in the UK. It's called <i>Darkness Falls</i>. This is another standalone, following on from <i>Hunted</i>, and I think you'll like it.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1xdvM7SSl0/YQ_hT9PC0FI/AAAAAAAAKwE/6bBJkwVqOvwJ4OLgnrojuRqtn_KzX1NEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/DarknessFalls_New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1xdvM7SSl0/YQ_hT9PC0FI/AAAAAAAAKwE/6bBJkwVqOvwJ4OLgnrojuRqtn_KzX1NEQCLcBGAsYHQ/w420-h640/DarknessFalls_New.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>It starts out on a quiet highway at 2am. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thessaly Hanlon is driving back from a funeral through the driving rain when she pulls into an all-night diner for a break. When she hears the voice of the man in the next booth, a chill runs down her spine that's nothing to do with the weather. She last heard that voice two decades ago, but she'll never forget it. </div><div><br /></div><div>The voice belongs to a man named Casper Sturgis, the cold-blooded killer who murdered her brother and then vanished.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to know more, you can <a href="http://alexknightauthor.com/darkness-falls/read-chapter-one-of-darkness-falls" target="_blank">read chapter one</a> at the Alex Knight website.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're in the UK, you can pre-order from all the usual places.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/darkness-falls/alex-knight/9781409193678" target="_blank">Waterstones</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkness-Falls-Alex-Knight/dp/1409193675" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Alex-Knight/Darkness-Falls/25680067">Hive</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Darkness-Falls-Audiobook/1409193713" target="_blank">Audible</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>If you're from elsewhere on the planet, you can order the UK edition with free worldwide delivery at <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Darkness-Falls-Alex-Knight/9781409193678" target="_blank">The Book Despository</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-udiqBir1ggs/YQ_fQdolyII/AAAAAAAAKv4/RHDsFNxZeb4RGnUCLw53QVWdOkZVsy5XACLcBGAsYHQ/s1012/Darkness%2BFalls%2Bjacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="1012" height="440" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-udiqBir1ggs/YQ_fQdolyII/AAAAAAAAKv4/RHDsFNxZeb4RGnUCLw53QVWdOkZVsy5XACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h440/Darkness%2BFalls%2Bjacket.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-75149428931022759342021-03-04T06:35:00.002-08:002021-03-04T06:35:57.096-08:00Hunted - paperback<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uaEF8vZfhMc/Xv8qvo7e-7I/AAAAAAAAKY8/9dBnUhiM_8g1ydmypayzmOxwIEFa_PL9gCPcBGAYYCw/s641/Hunted-book-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="416" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uaEF8vZfhMc/Xv8qvo7e-7I/AAAAAAAAKY8/9dBnUhiM_8g1ydmypayzmOxwIEFa_PL9gCPcBGAYYCw/s320/Hunted-book-cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><i>Hunted</i>, my first standalone thriller under the name <a href="http://alexknightauthor.com/" target="_blank">Alex Knight</a> is out in UK paperback today.</p><p>I'd love to tell you it's available from all good bookshops, but as we know, all good bookshops are closed right now.</p><p>You can get it online of course, from the usual places. I know a lot of independent bookshops have really upped their game on online sales this year, so if you're buying the book, I'd love it if you support one of your local shops by ordering direct from them.</p><p>It's available in all the other online places too, of course, and if you don't happen to have a local bookshop, it just so happens that Hive is offering the lowest price as of time of writing, so that's a great way way to support the little guys.</p><p>I think it's one of the best books I've written so far. I hope you love it...</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Paperback</u><br /><a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Alex-Knight/Hunted/25521558" target="_blank">Hive</a><br /><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/hunted/alex-knight/9781409193647" target="_blank">Waterstones</a><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunted-Alex-Knight/dp/1409193640/" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Ebook</u><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunted-Alex-Knight-ebook/dp/B07YZ1DK8R/" target="_blank">Kindle</a><br /><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/hunted-222" target="_blank">Kobo</a><br /><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alex_Knight_Hunted?id=iqaQDwAAQBAJ" target="_blank">Google</a><br /><a href="https://books.apple.com/gb/book/hunted/id1483169384" target="_blank">Apple</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Audio</u><br /><a href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Hunted-Audiobook/1409193667" target="_blank">Audible</a><br /><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/audiobook/hunted-225" target="_blank">Kobo Audio</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">You're woken early by the doorbell. It's a young girl, the daughter of the love of your life. She's scared, covered in blood, she says her mother is hurt.</p><p style="text-align: center;">You let her in, try to calm her down, tell her you're going to get help. You reach for your phone, but it lights up with a notification before you touch it.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It's an Amber alert - a child has been abducted by a dangerous suspect.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The child is the girl standing in front of you.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The suspect? You.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">“I loved it. This has an astonishing opening and just gets better and better. A stunning thriller. ” – Steve Cavanagh</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Brilliant. Opens at a breakneck speed and does not let up.” – Lara Dearman</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">“Jolts and shocks like a claustrophobic rollercoaster. Knight could be the Hitchcock of the 21st Century. Hide-behind-the-sofa compelling” – Denzil Meyrick</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">“A smart, tense, edge-of-your-seat thriller with characters you’re desperately rooting for.” – SJI Holliday</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">“They don’t come better than this. One of those thrillers that really and truly thrills! A masterclass from Alex Knight.” – Tony Kent</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">“Amazing opening, and just got better and better.” – Jenny Blackhurst</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">“A well-crafted, tightly-plotted thriller that races from the streets of San Francisco to the coast without pausing for breath.” – CJ Carver</p><p style="text-align: center;">Hunted is also available in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Click to check if it’s available where you are in <a href="https://smarturl.it/v6i5v7" target="_blank">paperback</a> or <a href="https://smarturl.it/wjnxcs" target="_blank">Kindle</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-46649337798372215042021-01-01T11:17:00.002-08:002021-01-01T11:21:25.828-08:00A 2021 project<p>Happy New Year! </p><p>I hope you all had a safe and relatively enjoyable one. Fingers crossed the vaccines are rolled out quickly enough for us all to leave the house a little more this year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hoxWP3SvjAg/X-9y64ertHI/AAAAAAAAKoU/taVFu_gwvQkM30NN_RCVUqEv-q-eMZCWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/chain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hoxWP3SvjAg/X-9y64ertHI/AAAAAAAAKoU/taVFu_gwvQkM30NN_RCVUqEv-q-eMZCWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/chain.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I had a reasonably productive 2020, despite everything, and there will be news about my 2021 book soon. It's not out until the autumn, but the <i>Hunted </i>paperback will be <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunted-Alex-Knight/dp/1409193640/" target="_blank">out in early March</a>. </p><p>As always, I'll be writing another novel, but this year I'm going to try something new. Inspired by a technique Jenny Blackhurst told me about, I've made a chart of all 365 days in 2021, and I'm going to try to keep an unbroken chain by crossing off a day every time I write at least 100 words on a side project.</p><p>What's the side project? I'll tell you on New Year's Eve.</p><p>I tried this for a few months last year and it worked pretty well until I got hopelessly stuck, so I think the secret is to plan ahead a little more. It showed me that even small amounts of writing can build up to a lot of words pretty quickly. A bit like a micro-version of my <a href="http://masoncrossbooks.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-500-words-method.html" target="_blank">500 words technique</a>.</p><p>Maybe this will be all on one project, maybe it'll be on more than one. The only rule is, I have to do 100 extra words on something that isn't the main book every day, all year.</p><p>If you'd like to do this yourself, feel free to <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QzcsHUoR2qFuPJD2tDCIqt-sO_ZNs_s_/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">download my chart</a>.</p><p>All you need to remember is what Fleetwood Mac (and indeed Adrian McKinty) said: </p><p>Never break the chain.</p><br /><br /><p></p>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-3637149001439153732020-10-17T04:32:00.002-07:002020-10-17T04:32:24.933-07:00Carter Blake on Audible Plus<p> If you're in the USA and a member of Audible Plus (kind of like the Audible version of Netflix), you can currently stream the first four Carter Blake audiobooks for free.</p><p><a href="https://www.audible.com/search?ref=a_search_l1_audible_programs_0&pf_rd_p=daf0f1c8-2865-4989-87fb-15115ba5a6d2&pf_rd_r=3NPBSPGKT06GVRGRGGY8&keywords=mason+cross&audible_programs=20956260011" target="_blank">Go here to see them in the Audible Plus catalog</a>.</p><p>Eric Meyers did a really great job narrating these books, and I'm reminded that the American audio covers are all pretty good. Audiobook jackets can be a total mess for rights reasons, but I think these all hold up well and bear some relation to the plot of each book.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tPphD3nmHd8/X4rV2q57oNI/AAAAAAAAKj4/CFqNIHg0eEU01HpzIbetGHr9nCNhAOhxgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tPphD3nmHd8/X4rV2q57oNI/AAAAAAAAKj4/CFqNIHg0eEU01HpzIbetGHr9nCNhAOhxgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r2BtdhasX4o/X4rV9a4uyLI/AAAAAAAAKj8/eZploqHC-F8aqzzb-c_BxYfS-KpGhGmnwCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r2BtdhasX4o/X4rV9a4uyLI/AAAAAAAAKj8/eZploqHC-F8aqzzb-c_BxYfS-KpGhGmnwCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nR59KKREdOY/X4rV_0pfiaI/AAAAAAAAKkA/nnvIvMUkan4v2JJEVqars6KHSbsCKzIkACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nR59KKREdOY/X4rV_0pfiaI/AAAAAAAAKkA/nnvIvMUkan4v2JJEVqars6KHSbsCKzIkACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pQ1zOj9F0ok/X4rWDrIG1mI/AAAAAAAAKkE/GlOag5x9KJkaRgUtLShzk0clrydis1YNwCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pQ1zOj9F0ok/X4rWDrIG1mI/AAAAAAAAKkE/GlOag5x9KJkaRgUtLShzk0clrydis1YNwCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>Happy listening.<br /><br /><p></p>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-15872446995565248402020-09-02T07:37:00.005-07:002020-09-02T07:38:16.294-07:00Interview with Tony Forder - Don't Look For Me<p>Reposting this interview with fellow crime writer <a href="https://www.tonyjforder.com/" target="_blank">Tony Forder</a> from 2017, around publication of <i>Don't Look For Me</i>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P752UgtHBvI/WOPJMriLO9I/AAAAAAAACMM/EuU1vutvVqsOo5rWXUHHRNbQOdgioXhmQCPcBGAYYCw/s960/17498678_1276023189161462_4950189032088815741_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="410" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P752UgtHBvI/WOPJMriLO9I/AAAAAAAACMM/EuU1vutvVqsOo5rWXUHHRNbQOdgioXhmQCPcBGAYYCw/w410-h410/17498678_1276023189161462_4950189032088815741_n.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>First of all, thank you so much Mason for taking part in this. You must be thrilled at the moment to have your new Carter Blake novel on release, his fourth outing.</b></p><p>Thanks for asking me! Yes, it’s hard to believe I’ll have four books published, as I still feel like a rookie.</p><p><b>I think those days are long behind you – you're rubbing shoulders with the good and the great of the crime literary field these days, and deservedly so.</b></p><p><b>So, I have to begin here: do you feel good, bad or indifferent at having Blake lumped together with the likes of Reacher, Gentry, Victor, Puller and, one of my favourites I have to say, Joe Pike?</b></p><p>I think it’s inevitable when you’re writing in this genre, and I am a fan of many of the above gentlemen (good choice on Joe Pike). I think there’s room for a lot of different approaches to the lone wolf genre, so I’m always a huge compliment when someone mentions my books in the same breath as Lee Child or Robert Crais.</p><p><b>They are all great creations, of course, but Carter Blake deserves to be right up there with them. More so in some cases.</b></p><p><b>Why did you choose to write under a pseudonym?</b></p><p>That was my agent’s idea. He suggested coming up with something snappy and American-sounding, and Mason Cross was the one we agreed on. I told him he could call me whatever he liked if he got me a book deal. The other advantage of having a last name beginning with C is it alphabetically places you alongside the premier league of crime writers: Chandler, Child, Connelly, Christie, Crais, Coben… it’s a good place to be on the shelves.</p><p><b>I guess a name in exchange for a book deal is fair enough. You know, when I first saw your name I did think it sounded more like a character than an author. And that is rather a slippery trick on the surname. Note to self: think of pseudonym surname starting with C – Leroy Cudgel… Nick Carnage…Hmm, I may just have something here.</b></p><p><b>Did you consider it a risk in setting your novels in a foreign country?</b></p><p>I guess there’s always the risk that you’ll get some things wrong, but I try to research as much as possible, and run drafts past my American friends. Having said that, a lot of the time I’m writing about characters and places that I’ve invented, so I know them as well as anyone. And while America is a foreign country, it’s a very familiar one, and they (mostly) speak the same language, which helps.</p><p><b>I think you're right – other than the precise geography, so much of which you can find on Google Maps anyway, we are surrounded by Americanisms all the time if you like crime.</b></p><p><b>Being a Scotsman, from Glasgow, were you at all tempted to add to the Scottish mafia of authors and set your work in your home country, or did you feel that you were looking for a different territory and genre to explore?</b></p><p>Both. I’ve written stories set in Glasgow and will definitely write a novel set there sooner or later, but I also felt it was quite a crowded market and, since I’ve always loved American thrillers, I thought I would give writing one a go. I think a lot of writers write what they like to read, and many of my influences are American.</p><p><b>I can understand that. I recently wrote the first draft of an action thriller, and my initial instinct was to set it in the US. I ended up writing the first half set here, and then rewrote it all again for the US, only to revert back to a UK setting. My first published short story was in an American setting, so I feel comfortable with the feel and the language, but I felt as if I was forcing it. Mind you, I've also re-written it in first person POV as well, so it would not surprise me if my UK-based third person POV first draft ended up being a US-based first person POV novel.</b></p><p><b>The action scenes feel extremely cinematic. Do you ever write something with an eye for how it might look if the novel became a movie at some point down the road?</b></p><p>Thank you! Obviously I would love for the books to be adapted at some point, but in fact I always tend to visualise my scenes in a cinematic way when I write them. I always think about how a particular scene would look in a movie; what actor might play a supporting character, what kind of music would complement a scene, stuff like that.</p><p><b>That's interesting. It certainly shows.</b></p><p><b>Who is your favourite modern day literary tough guy (and no, you can't go for Reacher!!)?</b></p><p>Hmmm… modern day, I’d have to go for Harry Bosch, who is tough as nails but not afraid to be a decent guy at the same time. I think Titus Welliver totally nails the character in the Bosch TV show.</p><p><b>I think I'd have to agree on all points. Harry is a real hard case – for me the best cop in literary fiction right now – and Titus Welliver now is Harry Bosch…minus the moustache.</b></p><p><b>The rise of independent publishers and self-publishers has seen a massive influx of crime and thriller novels available to buy. Do you think the market had become flooded, and therefore diluted?</b></p><p>I think there’s always been a lot of crime and thriller novels, because it’s such a classic structure. I think there’s enough room for everyone, and hopefully the very best rise to the top. It’s always been a crowded market though, going back to the pulp days – that’s a good sign because it suggests there’s still a big appetite for the genre among readers.</p><p><b>Agreed – given there are only so many plot devices, it's amazing how many different stories can be told.</b></p><p><b>I think fans will be interested to know – and I count myself amongst them – did you go the standard route of agent > publisher to get the first Blake novel out there?</b></p><p>Yes, although possibly with more luck than is normal. I was completely clueless about the publishing industry before writing my first novel, and was incredibly fortunate that a top flight agent approached me based on some stories I’d published online. I wrote one novel that didn’t find a publisher, but the feedback was generally pretty good, so that gave me confidence to write another, which was the first Blake novel, The Killing Season.</p><p><b>That sounds more like good writing attracting attention rather than luck, Mason.</b></p><p><b>In recent months I have read novels from mainstream publishers that break just about every 'rule' an author can break, according to agents, publishers and other authors. Do you think it is (a) true that established authors can get away with sloppiness and laziness, and (b) that the only genuine advice you can offer about rules when it comes to writing is that there are none that cannot be broken?</b></p><p>(a) I think that’s true to an extent, and often you’ll read Amazon reviews of the big names where people complain they aren’t as good as they used to be. Sometimes you can tell a writer is coasting and phoning it in, but if they’re selling books, they’re going to keep being published. I really admire writers like Michael Connelly and Stephen King who are still doing fantastic work after dozens of books. Ian Rankin’s most recent Rebus book is one of his best, and he’s been doing them for thirty years.</p><p>(b) That’s also true. I think the old saying is correct though – you have to know the rules before you can break them.</p><p><b>Agreed. Connelly also takes a breath when he introduces new lead characters, such as Haller and McEvoy. There's a new one coming this summer, which I think we're all looking forward to.</b></p><p><b>I often quote a Stephen King piece from the novella, The Breathing Method: It is the tale. Not he who tells it. I believe that to be true. What are your thoughts, please?</b></p><p>Depends on the tale! I think a brilliant writer can make an absolutely straightforward story compulsively readable, but it’s always a thrill to read a book with a fantastic hook that’s never been done before.</p><p><b>Those hooks are rare, but yes they are exciting when they appear.</b></p><p><b>When reading a new novel written by a friend, do you find it difficult to be critical?</b></p><p>No. you can be critical without being a dick. Luckily, whenever I’ve read anything written by a friend so far it’s been pretty good. As a writer I know my own work will always be improved by people giving me feedback and telling me what they liked and didn’t like, so it’s a vital part of the process.</p><p><b>Yes, I think criticism is to be welcomed provided it is constructive. Sometimes I read reviews on Amazon and they are crushing for no apparent reason (not my own so far, but they'll come, of that I have no doubt).</b></p><p><b>If you were sitting down to edit <i>The Killing Season</i> now, do you think you would end up with a different book at the end of it?</b></p><p>Good question. I’m not sure what specifically I would do differently, but it would be nice to add more foreshadowing of future events now I’ve written four and a half books about Blake. I don’t think it would be radically different other than cosmetically. That first one is probably closest to the book I envisioned when I started out than any of the others.</p><p><b>Interesting. I wonder if you think that's possibly shared by most authors, who perhaps have pretty much the whole first book mapped out in their heads, compared to those that follow.</b></p><p><b>Do you enjoy the non-writing elements that come with being a well-known author?</b></p><p>Not sure how well-known I am, but yes, in general! I enjoy travelling and meeting people, so that definitely comes in handy when it comes to the promotion side of things. Even at my level, it can be quite exhausting keeping up with all of the festivals, library talks, bookshop events etc., so I have no idea how the genuinely big names manage to balance everything.</p><p><b>Looking on from the sidelines it does seem a little overwhelming. On the other hand, the more you do the more popular you must be, I guess.</b></p><p><b>Final one – and please elect not to answer if you find the question intrusive. I was wondering whether your lifelong friends still refer to you as Gavin, or if the persona of Mason Cross has now devoured you whole?</b></p><p>Old friends still call me Gavin (or Gav, actually), but a lot of my fellow authors know me as Mason, simply because it’s less hassle to stick to one name at festivals and so on. I don’t make a big secret of it or anything, but it’s actually quite nice to have the separation, so I can compartmentalise my life a little more easily. It sometimes causes a problem when I check in at a hotel and don’t know which name I’ve been booked in under.</p><p><b>So, a case of putting on your Mason Cross hat when writing or doing writerly things, but just Gav or Gavin at other times. Sounds like a nice balance.</b></p><p><b>And that's it. Thank you again for taking part. I must warn you, I read the latest Puller novel recently and could not finish it. If I had to read one more character 'bark' I would have felt obliged to call Battersea Dogs Home. If Blake does that to me, we may just have a falling out. I think we're safe, though – I get the sense that Carter Blake is going to be doing good deeds for some time to come.</b></p><p>I hope so! Thanks for the questions.</p><p><b>Well, my review of the book is in, so you held up your end of the deal, Mason. My sincere thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer these questions for me.</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSVSCCwDTUM/WPE6ED-BZpI/AAAAAAAACNk/t2MxyhgSa7YwWrTEY57kGQv-EeK4_zV9wCPcBGAYYCw/s500/DLFM2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="327" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSVSCCwDTUM/WPE6ED-BZpI/AAAAAAAACNk/t2MxyhgSa7YwWrTEY57kGQv-EeK4_zV9wCPcBGAYYCw/w210-h320/DLFM2.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Don't Look For Me - review</b></i></p><p>Four books into what will clearly be a long-running series featuring the enigmatic Carter Blake, and Mason Cross has so far been able to give his readers something different each time. Different, yet familiar. Opening up a new Mason Cross book is like sliding into a pair of old slippers.</p><p>Sure, you know Blake is going to be involved in a fight within the first few chapters, that he will be both hunter and hunted, and that he will not only emerge victorious but also unruffled. We know that about Bond and Bourne and Reacher, et al, but it doesn't stop us coming back for more. Wild horses could not prevent me from gaining access to more Carter Blake in the future, that's for sure. I like the fact that Blake is not perfect – he gets surprised at times, he gets hit, he gets beat up, and occasionally he loses his man. It is that lack of perfection that makes Blake all the more real, and all the more appealing.</p><p>The past continues to draw Blake back in. Last time out it was his ex-colleagues who dragged him back, and now it's an ex-girlfriend. It seems the past will not remain where he left it, but when someone is in trouble, Carter Blake steps up. No matter what awaits him in the shadows.</p><p>In Don't Look For Me, Blake has to contend throughout with someone who has a similar set of skills, a similar approach to achieving goals, and a similar method of dealing with opponents. A wily, cussed character, with an appreciation for an adroit foe. I liked Gage. I saw him as a man worthy of Blake's best efforts. Carter Blake with a black hat.</p><p>I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of this book, and in addition to Blake and Gage the two female characters were also engaging, though in very different ways. One I liked, one I did not, and I wasn't quite sure whether I was supposed to. The action is spread over hundreds of miles, mostly in Nevada and Arizona, and as usual the physical scenes are cinematic. Early intrigue leads to understanding, which in turn leads to anticipation. A couple of unusual settings here, too, and they play a role in developing a brooding atmosphere.</p><p>One of the things I admire about fast-paced action thrillers of this ilk is the author's ability to maintain that momentum and to create plenty of conflict along the way. Having written one myself recently I can attest to the fact that a lot of work goes into making it all seem effortless (something I am still striving to achieve). Mason Cross has succeeded yet again in delivering that pace and drive and character and story all in one neat package that sweeps you up and carries you along for the duration, never allowing you back down until you are sated by the ending and wishing you could go back and start all over again.</p><p> A five star read.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://hyperurl.co/yjxjiw" target="_blank">Buy <i>Don't Look For Me</i> here</a></b></p>Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-79293405236734554992020-07-02T03:40:00.004-07:002020-07-02T03:43:32.139-07:00Locked Up Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This afternoon sees the opening of the first-ever Locked Up Festival, organised by Steve Cavanagh and Luca Veste of the brilliant <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/two-crime-writers-and-a-microphone/id1171513001" target="_blank">Two Crime Writers and a Microphone</a> podcast.</div>
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As you would expect from the title and, well, *gestures at the world* this is a <b>virtual </b>festival, which means you can attend from wherever you happen to be on the planet.</div>
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Just check out this amazing lineup...</div>
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I'm really proud to be helping open the festival at 2:30pm this afternoon. Our panel is on <b>One Star Reviews</b> (n.b. I've got enough, if you were thinking of kindly providing me with inspiration), and I'll be talking to Elly Griffiths, Chris Brookmyre and Mark Billingham about our best worst reviews.<br />
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Tickets for the full weekend are a mere £20, and every penny goes to support the work of the Trussell Trust. I believe ticket holders will be able to view panels on catchup after the live broadcast, which I guess is one big advantage over a physical festival.<br />
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<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/two-crime-writers-and-a-microphone-the-locked-up-festival-tickets-106356250408" target="_blank">Get your tickets here</a>, but be fast, as it's almost sold out.<br />
<br />Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-58230622429567997022020-06-28T03:45:00.000-07:002020-06-28T03:45:01.588-07:00OnLymeCrimeThis weekend I should have been in Lyme Regis for the inaugural <a href="https://www.lymecrime.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lyme Crime</a> festival. Sadly, COVID-19 put paid to that, but unlike most similar events, the estimable Paddy Magrane and his team decided that the show must go on (virtually).<br />
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I think it worked really well. Of course there's no substitute for being physically present at a festival, but the panels ran really smoothly over Zoom, and it was great that people were able to tune in from all over.<br />
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I was part of two events (one for <i>What She Saw Last Night</i> with Susi Holliday, one for <i>Hunted </i>with Tony Kent), and you can watch them both here.<br />
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I guess that's one advantage over live in person festivals - anyone in the world can 'attend' a panel, months after it's happened.<br />
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First up on Thursday, an encore version of the <b>Train Noir</b> tour Susi and I embarked on last Autumn. We talked about our train-themed mysteries and why night trains are so popular in crime fiction.<br />
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Then on Saturday morning, Tony Kent and I discussed our new action thrillers, and talked about the mechanics of a thriller in <b>Setting the Pace</b>. This one was live, so we were getting questions from the viewing audience, which worked pretty well.<br />
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There are over a dozen panels available to watch again at the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-FLB2fvhUZDfZjWoMw8HGg/videos" target="_blank">Lyme Crime YouTube page</a>, so head over there, subscribe, and experience a book festival from the comfort of your living room.Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-72066713211718105972020-06-25T05:05:00.002-07:002020-06-25T05:05:52.942-07:00Hunted - publication day<i>Hunted</i>, my first book under the pseudonym Alex Knight, is published in the UK today.<div>
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It's a little weird having a new book out right now. Normally, I would have a launch event at a bookshop and get to meet readers, sign some books and have a few glasses of wine. There would be post-launch drinks in a beer garden somewhere with other writers and readers. </div>
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But obviously none of that's happening right now, so <i>Hunted</i> is going out with a little less fanfare than normal.</div>
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I'm really proud of it and I think it's one of my best books, so I hope people buy it. </div>
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You can help by getting the word out, telling your friends, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunted-Alex-Knight/dp/1409193624/" target="_blank">leaving a review</a> (if you like it, feel free not to if you hate it!), talking about it on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AlexKnightTheAuthor/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> - anything you can do will be much appreciated.</div>
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In the meantime, you can tune in virtually to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lymecrimefestival/" target="_blank">OnLyme Crime</a> on Saturday morning at 11am to see me and Tony Kent talk about <i>Hunted</i> and his fantastic thriller <i>Power Play</i>.</div>
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Check out the blurb below, and you can read chapter one on the <a href="http://alexknightauthor.com/" target="_blank">Alex Knight website</a> - if you enjoyed the Carter Blake books, I think you'll love it.</div>
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<b>“A STUNNING THRILLER”</b></div>
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– Sunday Times bestselling author Steve Cavanagh</div>
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<u>Trade Paperback</u></div>
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<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781409193623" target="_blank">Waterstones</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunted-Alex-Knight/dp/1409193624/" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Alex-Knight/Hunted/24559595" target="_blank">Hive</a></div>
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<u>ebook</u></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunted-Alex-Knight-ebook/dp/B07YZ1DK8R" target="_blank">Kindle</a></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alex_Knight_Hunted?id=iqaQDwAAQBAJ" target="_blank">Google Play</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Hunted-Audiobook/1409193667" target="_blank">Audible</a></div>
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<i>You're woken early by the doorbell. It's a young girl, the daughter of the love of your life. She's scared, covered in blood, she says her mother is hurt.</i></div>
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<i>You let her in, try to calm her down, tell her you're going to get help. You reach for your phone, but it lights up with a notification before you touch it.</i></div>
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<i>It's an Amber alert, sent to every one of the four million phones in the Bay Area - a child has been abducted by a dangerous suspect.</i></div>
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<i>The child is the girl standing in front of you.</i></div>
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<i>The suspect? You.</i></div>
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Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-53984958361377025762020-06-20T04:12:00.002-07:002020-06-20T04:12:10.740-07:00Lyme Crime - see me twice!<div style="text-align: center;">
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Rather greedily, I'm going to be appearing at <b>OnLyme Crime</b> twice - once as Mason Cross, once as Alex Knight.<br />
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First up, I'm doing the TRAIN NOIR panel with SJI Holliday. We did a Train Noir tour in the Autumn for <i>What She Saw Last Night</i> and Susi's brilliant thriller <i>Violet</i> and it was so much fun, so I'm looking forward to the (virtual) reunion.<br />
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Then, on Saturday morning, I'm teaming up with Tony Kent for SETTING THE PACE, which should be a lot of fun too. He'll be talking about <i>Power Play</i>, which I read this year and absolutely loved. It's also the first-ever event for Alex Knight and for <i>Hunted</i>.<br />
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As you would expect, this is a virtual festival, and details of how to book your free ticket will be available soon, check out the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lymecrimefestival/posts/181209273368415?__tn__=K-R" target="_blank">Lyme Crime Facebook page</a> for more details and the rest of the lineup.<br />
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<b>Thursday 25th June, 6pm</b></div>
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<b>Train Noir<br /></b></div>
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SJ Holliday and Mason Cross discuss their most recent novels, both of which are set on trains, talking about the journeys that inspired them and how this particular form of travel lends atmosphere, momentum and claustrophobia to a thriller.</div>
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<b>Saturday 27th June, 11am</b></div>
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<b>Setting the Pace<br /></b></div>
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When a book becomes a rollercoaster. Thriller authors Alex Knight and Tony Kent reveal the secrets to writing a page-turner.</div>
<br />Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-85968686800366104842020-05-02T02:48:00.001-07:002020-05-02T03:11:12.830-07:00Who the hell is Alex Knight?So it's May, and my new book has usually appeared by now, and some people having been asking where it is.<br />
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Well, the bad news is there is no Mason Cross novel this year.<br />
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The good news (hopefully) is that I do have a new book coming out.<br />
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It's under a different name. Why? A few different reasons, some to do with marketing, but also because it feels like a different kind of thriller than the ones I've written up until now.<br />
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It starts with the protagonist, Jake Ellis, being woken by banging on the door.<br />
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Molly, the teenage daughter of his girlfriend is there, covered in someone else's blood. Her mother has been shot, she thinks she's dead.<br />
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Shocked, Jake reaches for his phone to call for help, but at that moment it lights up with a notification.<br />
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It's an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_alert" target="_blank">Amber alert</a>. A child has been abducted, the suspect is armed and dangerous. The child is Molly.<br />
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The suspect's name is Jake Ellis.<br />
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It's called HUNTED, and here's the cover.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBj77-AASso/Xq0-wExfZkI/AAAAAAAAKBI/gUeFfe-pWBoaO3F3tgPb6ru_LeG2pntlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Hunted-book-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="416" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBj77-AASso/Xq0-wExfZkI/AAAAAAAAKBI/gUeFfe-pWBoaO3F3tgPb6ru_LeG2pntlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Hunted-book-cover.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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It's published in the UK on <b>June 25 2020.</b><br />
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Check out the <a href="http://alexknightauthor.com/" target="_blank">Alex Knight website</a> for more, and you can pre-order the book in the UK right now from <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781409193623" target="_blank">Waterstones</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunted-Alex-Knight/dp/1409193624/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Alex-Knight/Hunted/24559595" target="_blank">Hive</a> (Hive is a particularly good option right now as it will help support indie bookshops when they need it most).<br />
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I hope you like this one. And if anyone has any ideas of a good way to launch a book in the middle of a pandemic, do let me know...Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-40705934682173487812020-04-24T08:14:00.004-07:002020-04-24T08:58:40.451-07:00Quizknobs & Zoomsticks <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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How's your lockdown going?</div>
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It's been lovely weather here in the UK this week, and for the first time in my adult life, I'm grateful to have a garden. We're really fortunate that everyone is safe and well so far, and with three kids in the house, there's always something to do.</div>
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One of the many effects of the pandemic is that pretty much every literary festival has been cancelled for the foreseeable future. As in so many other fields, the void is being filled with online events, one of which I'm really excited to be part of next Friday. </div>
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The upside of everything going online is you can join in from literally anywhere. Just subscribe to the new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoTKxfFXJfJ8LoFj631lXYg?fbclid=IwAR1J_Y3Pvo12FNffNvZFojJQ17xHIZYw8xbJpD1yGmVCP85uw6aEchppfTI" target="_blank">Crime Waves YouTube channel</a> and you can join us. </div>
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<br />Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-24029239001688284972020-04-02T10:48:00.000-07:002020-04-02T10:48:10.784-07:00Short story - People You May Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few years ago, I sent a short story called People You May Know to members of my readers club - I've gotten in the habit of sending out a story to the club on Christmas Eve, and you get another one right away for signing up, so if you haven't done that, you can <a href="http://masoncross.net/readers-club" target="_blank">sign up here</a>.<br />
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Recently, it struck me that that particular story is appropriate for this strange time we're all living through, because it deals with someone isolated at home, able to communicate only at distance.<br />
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Even before the virus, it was something so woven into the fabric of our lives these days: that we can have conversations with people from all over the world any time we choose, without leaving our living room.<br />
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Sometimes, you feel like you know these people you've never met on a deeper level than some of your friends in real life.<br />
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What happens if one of them confessed to doing something terrible? What would you do?<br />
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That's what this story is about. I hope you enjoy it.<br />
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For <b>Kindle</b>: <a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/942afc00387cd1c03a71c39b0/files/70f3c7f6-05ed-4faf-bde6-ef2175db58c0/People_You_May_Know.mobi" target="_blank">click here to download</a> </div>
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For the <b>iTunes </b>/ <b>Google Play </b>/ <b>Kobo </b>/ other (epub) file: <a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/942afc00387cd1c03a71c39b0/files/0b9f056a-d337-4a27-9b70-690be8718e6d/People_You_May_Know.epub" target="_blank">click here to download</a></div>
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For a <b>PDF </b>of the story instead: <a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/942afc00387cd1c03a71c39b0/files/2ea0e608-7622-4bfa-aad3-72ed35420ffd/People_You_May_Know.pdf" target="_blank">click here to download</a></div>
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<br />Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-75126683779681841472020-03-31T15:16:00.002-07:002020-03-31T15:23:57.080-07:00California Dreaming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So how are you coping with The Great Lockdown?<br />
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We're all healthy so far, thankfully, and settling into a strange routine where the whole family is around, all the time. I'm making sure to get out for a walk or a run every day to stay sane, but I've managed not to go anywhere crowded for a week now, which I'm aware is a privilege not everyone has right now. I'm really grateful we have a big enough house that we're not on top of each other, and for the first time in my life, I'm actually glad we have a garden (I detest gardening, but like being outside).<br />
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On the work front, I've been writing the new book and noodling around at a couple of other projects, though like most people I'm finding it difficult to focus right now.<br />
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Strange to think I was in Berlin a little over three weeks ago, and everything was pretty much business as usual. The new normal has descended suddenly. My two younger kids have asked if this kind of thing happened when I was a kid, and I had to explain that no, this has never happened before.<br />
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I'm used to working from home and I'm not somebody who has to be socialising at all times, but I do miss being in the city, and going for coffee, and looking forward to a summer of book festivals that now can't happen.<br />
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Whenever cabin fever has mounted over the last few days, I've been thinking about my trip to California last November. I was doing some research for my next book, which is out in June (and I promise to tell you more about it soon) but I'm so glad I did it before the virus appeared on the horizon.<br />
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Even back then it felt like a beautiful break from reality: waking up every morning to blue skies and sun, exploring San Francisco on foot, driving north on the 101 through the redwoods and past some of the most stunning coastline I've ever seen, drinking Sunkist and Sprite with no sweeteners, listening to classic rock on the car radio, and almost never hearing the word Brexit.<br />
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So here's some sunny (and sometimes foggy) pictures from Before. I'm thinking about the places I've been in the past year, and the people I've spent time with, and hoping we'll all be able to go places and see people in real life sometime in the not-too-distant future.<br />
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Stay inside, stay safe, and I'll see you on the other side.<br />
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<br />Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-90565155212625728982020-01-30T12:00:00.000-08:002020-01-30T12:00:05.782-08:00Interview on BBC Radio Shetland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I visited Shetland for the first time at the end of last year. It was just a short trip, but I got to see a bit of the mainland and take some nice pictures. It's a beautiful place, quite unlike anywhere else in the British Isles.<br />
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While I was there, the excellent Shetland Library put on an event for me, and I was interviewed for the books programme on BBC Radio Shetland.<br />
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You can listen to the interview here - my part starts at 31:39. I talk about how I write, and why I used to deliberately forget my PE kit...<br />
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Here's some more pics - if you get the chance to visit, I recommend it!<br />
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<br />Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-66008466634084535942020-01-02T08:03:00.002-08:002020-01-02T08:13:45.833-08:00What She Saw Last Night - 99p Kindle deal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year!<br />
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<i>What She Saw Last Night</i> is <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night-ebook/dp/B07K6RZTHX" target="_blank">on sale today</a> in UK ebook for 99p. If you haven't read it yet, pick it up now! If you have, please tell a friend.<br />
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As usual, the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night-ebook/dp/B07K6RZTHX" target="_blank">Kindle</a> price is being matched by <a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/what-she-saw-last-night-1" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Mason_Cross_What_She_Saw_Last_Night?id=7Xh2DwAAQBAJ" target="_blank">Google</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/what-she-saw-last-night/id1441311778?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a>.<br />
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"Delivered with the kind of writerly acumen we have come to expect from Cross." - <i><b>Financial Times</b></i></div>
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"If you like your thrillers fast-paced, with lots of surprises along the way, this is definitely for you." - <i><b>Heat</b></i></div>
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"Gripping Stuff" - <i><b>Daily Mail</b></i></div>
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"A chase thriller that begins as a locked-room puzzle" - <i><b>Morning Star</b></i></div>
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"A truly original thriller, reminiscent of Hitchcock and Christie." - <i><b>Woman's Way</b></i></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night-ebook/dp/B07K6RZTHX" target="_blank">Buy<i> What She Saw Last Night </i>here</a></h3>
Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-33164079889639443692019-12-31T11:43:00.002-08:002019-12-31T11:44:53.184-08:00Farewell to the Tens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, it's the end of the decade, and it's been a pretty good one for me professionally, given I went from zero published books to six, with another one to come next year.<br />
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In 2010 if you'd told me I would not only have written this many books, but had them published by an actual publisher and read by real people, well I would have been pretty happy with that.<br />
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It's been incredible to go through the process of getting published and meet so many wonderful people on the circuit, from other authors to publishing people and, of course, readers.<br />
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To round out the year, here's a couple more reviews of <i>What She Saw Last Night</i>, from Barry Forshaw in the <i><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/cc1c82aa-1697-11ea-b869-0971bffac109" target="_blank">Financial Times</a></i> (my very first broadsheet review):<br />
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...and I was also delighted to be selected by Geoffrey Wansell in the <i><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-7761231/Our-critics-select-best-novels-tree.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a></i> as one of their festive 'books to put under the tree':</div>
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And what's coming up next? That's a story for a new year, and a new decade.</div>
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In the meantime, I hope you have a great New Year's wherever you are and whoever your with. I'm looking forward to seeing what the Roaring Twenties will bring.</div>
<br />Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-49888732621275149602019-12-18T12:43:00.001-08:002019-12-18T13:36:30.225-08:00The Gigantic Blog Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As you may have noticed if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, all this month, I've been fortunate to have a deluge of book blogger reviews around the paperback release of <i><a href="http://hyperurl.co/mvjbef" target="_blank">What She Saw Last Night</a>. </i>My tour was put together by a couple of experts: Alex Layt from Orion and Tracey Fenton of <a href="https://www.compulsivereaders.com/" target="_blank">compulsivereaders.com</a> Big thanks to them and the (literal) dozens of bloggers below.<br />
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I've been blown away by both the number of reviews and how good the general consensus is. Here's what they said (click through for full reviews)...<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 188px;"><tbody>
<tr height="19" style="height: 14.25pt;"><td class="xl65" height="19" style="height: 14.25pt; width: 141pt;" width="188"><a href="https://momobookdiary.com/2019/11/24/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross/">MoMo Book Diary</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Loved every minute of this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good suspense thriller – but maybe not for anyone who travels on the sleeper…"<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 188px;"><tbody>
<tr height="19" style="height: 14.25pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="19" style="height: 14.25pt; width: 141pt;" width="188"><a href="https://aknightsreads.wordpress.com/2019/11/25/what-she-saw-last-night-by-m-j-cross-masoncrossbooks-orionbooks-tr4cyf3nt0n-blogtour-bookreview-compulsivereaders/">A
Knight's Reads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"The fast paced chase up and down the country kept me glued to the pages right to the very end."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 188px;"><tbody>
<tr height="19" style="height: 14.25pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="19" style="height: 14.25pt; width: 141pt;" width="188"><a href="https://lovethesmellofabook.com/2019/11/25/review-today-i-am-helping-to-kick-off-the-blog-tour-for-what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross/?fbclid=IwAR0ZNXBgsD2_8eYeRUPfZlA9ZL0TDfe9wqq8JDLQeCb27-VAqzZwuOaN_H4">Love
the Smell of a Book</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"A story that had me hooked from the first few pages and kept me hooked throughout."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://joykluver.wordpress.com/2019/11/26/blog-tour-what-she-saw-last-night-by-m-j-cross-masoncrossbooks-tr4cyf3nt0n-orion_crime-whatshesawlastnight/">Joy
Kluver</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"This was my first M.J. Cross read – it won’t be my last."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://simplysuzereviews.blogspot.com/2019/11/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross.html?m=1">Suze
Reviews</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"A character driven thriller, with a hugely believable and relatable protagonist and strong supporting players"<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://bookishblogging.com/2019/11/27/blog-tour-what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross/">Bookish
Blogging</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"I read this in one day, desperate to finish it, and genuinely almost missed my train stop!"<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://jansbookbuzz.com/2019/11/27/blog-tour-what-she-saw-last-night-by-mason-cross/">Jan's
Book Buzz</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"There’s danger, twists, secrets and lies and our two intrepid investigators need to overcome the odds to get to the bottom of a mystery that has them baffled. All of it makes for a thrilling, page-turning read."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://bookreviewsbyshalini.com/2019/11/28/book-review-what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross-masoncrossbooks-zaffrebooks-tr4cyf3nton-bookreview-blogtour-thriller/">Shalini's
Books & Reviews</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"I loved it. A fantastic rip-roaring thriller of a read."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="http://lizlovesbooks.com/lizlovesbooks/what-she-saw-last-night-mj-cross-blog-tour-review/">Liz
Loves Books</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Creatively clever to keep you turning the pages this is definitely one of those “just one more chapter before bed” books that ultimately finds you finishing it bleary eyed in the early hours. With everything I look for in my crime fiction right here I can’t do anything except highly recommend it."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://orlando-books.blog/2019/11/29/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross-book-review/">The
Bookwormery</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"The tension builds making this a real nail biter of a thriller. Brilliant."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://roachiesreviews.com/2019/11/29/blog-tour-and-review-what-she-saw-last-night-mj-cross/">Roachie's
Reviews</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"What She Saw Last Night is a fantastically fast-paced thriller, which really doesn’t slow down until the bitter end."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://stephsbookblog.com/2019/11/30/what-she-saw-last-night-by-m-j-cross-blog-tour-review/">Steph's
Book Blog</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"A great standalone introduction to Mason Cross."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Gav/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.MSO/=a14">Rachel Read It</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"The plot is as claustrophobic and air tight as the tiny ‘room’ (read cupboard!) aboard the Caledonian sleeper that Jenny is travelling on and the plot is as taut as the tightrope Jenny balances on as she assesses her own sanity and the truth of what she saw with her own eyes."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://macsbookreview.wordpress.com/2019/12/01/what-she-saw-last-night-mj-cross/">Mac
Reviews Books</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Mason has created a fantastic story, stifling settings and memorable characters. I can’t wait to read more."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://wanderingwestswords.wordpress.com/2019/12/01/what-she-saw-last-night-mj-cross/">West's
Words</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"What She Saw Last Night is pure escapism which you’ll eagerly consume in a maximum of two sittings."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://gntxreads.wordpress.com/2019/12/02/blog-tour-what-she-saw-last-night-mj-cross-masoncrossbooks-whatshesawlastnight-orionbooks/">GNTxReads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"I found myself racing through the final pages. Afterwards I was left feeling exhausted from such a brilliant psychological thriller, and needed a warm cup of tea to calm down!"<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="http://www.alexjbooks.com/review/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mason-cross-blogtour/">Alex
J Book Reviews</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Cross paces this perfectly, culminating in a fast adrenaline filled cracker of a finale."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://stacyisreading.blogspot.com/2019/12/book-review-what-she-saw-last-night-by.html?m=0">Stacy
is Reading</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"What She Saw Last Night is a fly by the seat of your pants thriller with enough twists and turns en route to satisfy any Train Noir fan out there."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://nickibookblog.blogspot.com/2019/12/what-she-saw-last-night-mj-cross.html">Nicki's
Book Blog</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Loved this. One to enjoy and envelop you."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://booksfromdusktilldawn.blog/2019/12/04/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross-masoncrossbooks-orionbooks-tr4cyf3nt0n-blogtour-netgalley-whatshesawlastnight-thriller/">Books
from Dusk till Dawn</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"There are some really hairy moments within these pages from an author who definitely knows how to shock and throw his readers off-balance."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://onemoreword.uk/2019/12/05/book-review-what-she-saw-last-night-by-m-j-cross-blogtour-providedforreview-whatshesawlastnight-tr4cyf3nt0n/">One
More Word</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"The pacing of the book was great – it was filled with short snappy chapters, changes in POVs and the plot was littered with little cliff-hangers. "<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://ramblingmads.com/2019/12/06/blog-tour-what-she-saw-last-night-mj-cross/">RamblingMads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"The plot whizzes along, the writing is tight and carries you along with it, just like a train."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://whatdoireadnow.co.uk/what-she-saw-last-night-m-j-cross-blog-tour-read/">What
Do I Read Now?</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"This is a great read and even greater the twists that crop up throughout."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://karenreadsandrecommends.wordpress.com/2019/12/07/blogtour-what-she-saw-last-night-m-j-cross/">Karen
Reads and Recommends</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"a fabulous page turner that is gripping, unpredictable and has a real dark side"<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://mychestnutreadingtree.wordpress.com/2019/12/08/what-she-saw-last-night-by-m-j-cross-blogtour-tr4cyf3nt0n/">My
Chestnut Reading Tree</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"An entertaining suspense thriller with a gripping storyline"<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://lostinthelandofbooks.home.blog/2019/12/09/what-she-say-last-night-mj-cross/">Lost
in the Land of Books</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"It’s an emotional read that has you hooked from start to finish, it keeps you on your toes and every so often your a bit thrown because it becomes so unpredictable. "<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://bookishjottings.wordpress.com/2019/12/09/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross-blog-tour-review/">Bookish
Jottings</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"What She Saw Light redefines compulsively readable thrillers and this is one nerve-twisting and heart-pounding page-turner that is impossible to put down and difficult to forget."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://kellysbookspace.wordpress.com/2019/12/09/what-she-saw-last-night-mj-cross/">Kelly's
Book Space</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"I was hooked right from the start and with all the twists and turns the story took I was very reluctant to put the book down, I just wanted to know what would happen next."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://nighttimereads22.wordpress.com/2019/12/10/what-she-saw-last-night-m-j-cross/">Night
Time Reads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Not only did this make me late for work but because I was running late my son got a detention for being late to school."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Gav/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.MSO/=a31">Baker's Not So Secret Blog</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"I was gripped from start to finish and couldn’t read this fast enough."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Gav/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.MSO/=a32">Book After Book</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"I loved the plot, I loved the protagonist and her determination in finding out the truth, no matter the cost, I loved the setting and the dark atmosphere. What She Saw Last Night is a compulsive and thrilling story full of twists and shocking surprises and kept me glued to the pages until the very end."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://mybookishblogspot.wordpress.com/2019/12/12/blogtour-what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross-masoncrossbooks-orionbooks-tr4cyf3nt0n-compulsivereaders-whatshesawlastnight/">MyBookishBlogspot</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"The isolation of the Highlands played its part wonderfully as the novel wound itself up into a thrilling ending that had me sat on the edge of my seat."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://varietats2010.com/2019/12/12/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross-blog-tour/">Varietats</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"If you are searching for a mystery with some Agatha Christie plot and a little girl missing, this is the book you’ll have to read right now."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://hairpastafreckle72.blogspot.com/2019/12/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross.html">Hair
Past a Freckle</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Gripping, emotional and devastating; this is a superbly crafted thriller and it gives me enormous pleasure to wholeheartedly recommend it.”<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://hookedfrompageoneblog.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/what-she-saw-last-night-by-mj-cross-blog-tour-bookreview-masoncrossbooks-orionbooks-tr4cyf3nt0n/">Hooked
From Page One</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"This is a really suspenseful read right the way through that kept me turning the pages. And then MJ Cross hits you with twist after twist, one scene, in particular, left me reeling. What She Saw Last Night is compulsive and hugely engaging."<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://overtherainbowbookblog.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/blogtour-what-she-saw-last-night-by-mason-cross-masoncrossbooks-orionbooks-tr4cyf3nt0n-whatshesawlastnight/">Over
the Rainbow</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Fast paced and hugely addictive"<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 175px;"><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 131pt;" width="175"><a href="https://calturnerreviews.com/2019/12/15/blogtour-bookreview-of-whatshesawlastlastnight-by-mj-cross-masoncrossbooks-tr4cyf3nt0n-orionbooks/">Cal
Turner Reviews</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"With strong and likeable characters, a story that keeps you guessing and an atmospheric setting that draws you in from the very start, What She Saw Last Night is a psychological thriller that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Loved it!"<br />
<div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />
If that's convinced you to give the book a try, you can get it now from the usual places like <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/what-she-saw-last-night/mason-cross/9781409172475" target="_blank">Waterstones</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night/dp/1409172473/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Mason-Cross/What-She-Saw-Last-Night/24081449" target="_blank">Hive</a> - or <a href="http://masoncross.net/buy" target="_blank">go here</a> for a full list of retailers and formats.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBVlask5d0k/XfqPNRRu4JI/AAAAAAAAIiI/gB6_XbDel2I43clVwDWF-_gTIpjbbnZVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog%2Btour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBVlask5d0k/XfqPNRRu4JI/AAAAAAAAIiI/gB6_XbDel2I43clVwDWF-_gTIpjbbnZVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog%2Btour.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-14330322629611207372019-11-28T00:01:00.000-08:002019-11-28T00:01:00.458-08:00What She Saw Last Night - UK paperback out now<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #141412; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
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It's paperback day in the UK! <i><b>What She Saw Last Night</b></i> is out in paperback now from all good bookshops, as well as ebook and audio.</div>
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If you like it, I'd love it if you would write a short review on <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night-ebook/dp/B07K6RZTHX" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45144367-what-she-saw-last-night" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> (on the other hand, if you hate it, I'm okay with you not doing that).</div>
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It's had some great reviews from readers, bloggers and the press. Scroll down to find out more, and you can buy from the links below.</div>
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<a href="http://hyperurl.co/mvjbef"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="904" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CVke1x1cnbw/XLw68YyuA1I/AAAAAAAAHVQ/dQqdU6GiacUFBjFRo4XWsSgs8O4xAxwqgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/WSSLN.jpg" width="261" /></a><span id="goog_685027200"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_685027201"></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;">UK paperback</span><br />
<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/what-she-saw-last-night/mason-cross/9781409172475" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Waterstones</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night/dp/1409172473/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
<a href="https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/what-she-saw-last-night/mason-cross/paperback/9781409172475.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">WHSmith</a><br />
<a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Mason-Cross/What-She-Saw-Last-Night/24081449" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hive</a><br />
<a href="https://mjcross.bigcartel.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Big Cartel (signed copies)</a></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;">UK ebook</span><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night-ebook/dp/B07K6RZTHX" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Kindle</a><br />
<a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/what-she-saw-last-night-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Kobo</a><br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Mason_Cross_What_She_Saw_Last_Night?id=7Xh2DwAAQBAJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Google Play</a><br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/what-she-saw-last-night/id1441311778?mt=11" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">iBook</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/What-She-Saw-Last-Night-Audiobook/B07KX4M2ZV" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Audible</a></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>A secret that could kill her.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>A truth no one believes...</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jenny Bowen is going home. Boarding the Caledonian Sleeper, all she wants to do is forget about her upcoming divorce and relax on the ten-hour journey through the night.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In her search for her cabin, Jenny helps a panicked woman with a young girl she assumes to be her daughter. Then she finds her compartment and falls straight to sleep.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Waking in the night, Jenny discovers the woman dead in her cabin ... but there's no sign of the little girl. The train company have no record of a child being booked on the train, and CCTV shows the dead woman boarding alone.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The police don't believe Jenny, and soon she tries to put the incident out of her head and tells herself that everyone else is right: she must have imagined the little girl.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But deep down, she knows that isn't the truth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"If you like your thrillers fast-paced, with lots of surprises along the way, this is <br />definitely for you." - <i><b>Heat</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"A chase thriller that begins as a locked-room puzzle" - <i><b>Morning Star</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"A truly original thriller, reminiscent of Hitchcock and Christie. " - <i><b>Woman's Way </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"A taut, emotional thriller that rolls along at speed before derailing you several times - this is gut-punchingly good." - <b>SJI Holliday </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"A killer premise combined with page-turning, pulse-pounding suspense - this brilliant psychological thriller is a real must read!" - <b>Stephanie Marland </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141412; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"A pacy, high-octane thriller with shades of John Buchan and Alfred Hitchcock and a brilliant premise." - <b>Paddy Magrane </b></span></div>
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Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-81933058725137206982019-11-26T08:37:00.003-08:002019-11-28T08:13:58.355-08:00What She Saw Last Night - blog tour and reviews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Excitingly, I have a blog tour for the first time, ahead of UK paperback publication of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night/dp/1409172473/" target="_blank">What She Saw Last Night</a></i> on Thursday. It's a mammoth tour with over 40 blogs involved, coordinated by the indefatigable Tracy Fenton of <a href="https://www.compulsivereaders.com/">compulsivereaders.com</a> </div>
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The first batch are already up, and I'll be sharing as they're posted. It's fantastic to see so many passionate book bloggers enjoying the book and telling people about it.</div>
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There's been a flurry of press reviews too, including... </div>
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<i>Heat</i>, who I'm pleased caught the <i>Lady Vanishes</i> influence...<br />
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<i>Woman's Way</i>, who called it "A truly original thriller, reminiscent of Hitchcock and Christie." Which I'll definitely take.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.thecrackmagazine.com/view-editorial/6743" target="_blank">The Crack</a></i>, who said "the author keeps a cracking pace up and this tall tale more or less on the tracks."</div>
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...and finally the <i>Morning Star</i>, where Mat Coward accurately calls it "a chase thriller that begins as a locked-room puzzle", and puts me in flattering company with Jessica Eames, Jenny Blackhurst, and The Boss himself:<br />
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<i>What She Saw Last Night</i> is out in paperback in the UK this Thursday, but to be honest it'll most likely turn up tomorrow if you <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-She-Saw-Last-Night/dp/1409172473/" target="_blank">order it</a> right now.Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317587099986385639.post-10326352249703690662019-11-03T09:05:00.003-08:002019-11-03T09:06:49.592-08:00What She Saw Last Night - paperback tour<br />
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<i><a href="http://hyperurl.co/mvjbef" target="_blank">What She Saw Last Night</a></i> is published in paperback in the UK later this month (either on the 26th or 28th, depending on whether you believe Amazon or Waterstones).<br />
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To celebrate, I'm doing three Train Noir events with Susi Holliday, <a href="http://masoncrossbooks.blogspot.com/2019/10/train-noir-tour.html" target="_blank">of which more here</a>, and two solo library events for <a href="https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland/events" target="_blank">Book Week Scotland</a>.<br />
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<b>18 November - Aberdeen (with SJI Holliday)</b></div>
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Central Library, 6pm</div>
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<b>19 November - Glasgow</b></div>
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Dennistoun Library, 6:30pm</div>
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<b>21 November - Kilbirnie</b></div>
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Kilbirnie Library, 6:30pm</div>
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<b>22 November - Oban (with SJI Holliday)</b></div>
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Waterstones Oban, 7pm</div>
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<b>25 November - Edinburgh (with SJI Holliday)</b></div>
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Waterstones Princes Street, 6:30pm</div>
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As far as I'm aware, all of these are free but ticketed, so get in touch with the venue for more details. Hope to see you on the trail!</div>
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What She Saw Last Night is available in ebook and audio now, and UK paperback from November 2019: <a href="http://masoncross.net/buy" target="_blank">click here to buy</a></div>
Mason Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14214866140898536642noreply@blogger.com0