
Today is the launch in the UK and Europe of Edgar Allan Poe and the London Monster in paperback, published by the Point Blank imprint of Oneworld Publications. (It will be out in paperback in the U.S. in November...) I think the cover lives up to the 'Deliciously morbid' quote.
The book will seem quite new to me after working intensively on 'Jewel', which required almost as much research as it's set in 1844 Philadelphia rather than 1840 London. With a 'side trip' to Peru. Again, there is a mix of real people (re-imagined) and imaginary characters, historical events (re-interpreted) and pure fiction. I learned some Philadelphia history that, surprisingly we were never taught in school.
In writing a trilogy, it's been fun to set up an 'A', 'B', and 'C' storyline as one would when writing a television series or serial. The 'A' story is resolved in each book. Some characters from book I reappear in book II with larger roles. Book III is primarily set in Paris and will tie up all the storylines. A key theme in all three books is 'family': those we descend from; the family we may choose to make; and what we leave our family or descendants-- our legacy.
Here is a draft of a possible cover for book II. There seems a fairly equal split between those who like the blue and those who prefer green. I think either would be a lovely follow up to the red of 'the London Monster'.
