Loving the smell of a new book

Crab Juice is here at last. The story started as a personal dare. After completing four novels: Winter Oasis, Chasing Shadows, and AOB (Any Other Business), where my characterisation was mainly of cosmopolitan Europe, I felt challenged to tackle a more urban, inner-city theme. I had not considered it before because I hate that thought of becoming a black writer who could only predictably write black stories. That is not to say there was anything necessarily ‘wrong’ with that label, especially if those black stories were kick-ass awesome, I just didn’t like to be stereotyped. Does anyone? Besides, many others have done it, so why not I?

The challenge of an authentic urban tale is met . . . yay

Working title? Shangrilla Passion. An story about two women who meet by chance in a club. The Shangrilla is owned by tough guy who lived and breathed to become a kingpin on the London crime scene. In all honesty, Jonelle busted onto the first scene quite convincingly, fought off the uninvited and unwanted advances of her ex-boyfriend and father to her three children, while the rest of the plot looked pretty mirky. It was all I had, and I tested it on a few readers who insisted they wanted more. Write more, I did until what was only likely to become a short story at most, grew into a full-blown novel. This unlikely novel started getting so many ‘likes', I was obliged to give it my full attention.

Shangrilla Passion became Rahtid! which became Quest which finally became Crab Juice. Much more than simply an urban tale, Crab Juice looks to explore the strength in women and well as entertain readers who simply enjoy a good story. Crab Juice is a cocktail with a crime thriller base, a dash of intrigue, a dollop of humour and a splash of drama; the cherry on top is provided by the reader’s own imagination as the plot plays out in their minds. South London provides the criminal backdrop, and the period is the morning of the Internet age which was not really that long ago.

Available primarily as an eBook or soft print from Amazon, to get their fix of lovely smell of a new book smell and #a good read.