Behind the Screams #7: Ste Sharp
A 'From Pitch to Published' Q&A
UK SF and Crime writer, Ste Sharp, is next in the hot seat. Author of the Origin Trilogy and Redfern series of books, Ste has also dipped his toe in the Children books market. Not content with being a skilled writer of incredible worlds, he is also handy with a guitar pick!
Pitch me Bring It Back in one sentence.
A Brighton-born songwriter returns home for the 2002 Fat Boy Slim beach party, but is drawn into a deadly treasure hunt when he receives a set of clues from a dead policeman.
What came first, the idea or the title?
The idea came first – it’s the fourth book of the Redfern Series, and I wanted a gap between this and the first three books (the series might grow into a trilogy of trilogies…?). The title came later thanks to the playlist (every chapter is named after a song from the time period) when the lyrics from a song matched the theme of the book.
Where did the idea originate from?
The original idea of The Penguin Killer came from a brainstorm because my wife wanted something (Earth-based) to read. I sketched out everything I loved – 90’s Indie, being in a band, Brighton, old books, photography – and created a whodunit based around a guy who just inherited a second-hand bookshop. Then the characters took over…
How long did it take to write?
The first draft took four months, then a breather, two edits and a beta read… six months in total!
Are you a plotter or pantser?
I need a plan to start (or at least the ending and a couple of main events) but then I go with the flow – which is probably why so many readers can’t guess what’s coming next, because neither did I when I first wrote it!
Paper or screen?
I write on screen because it’s faster and easier to edit, but I do miss scrawling on the page, and the edit that takes place when you type it up.
Edit as you go or at the end?
I edit at the end. Get the story out, then go back and tweak and trim. The only times I go back is if I add in a new twist and need to foreshadow it early on.
Do you beta?
Yes, but not as much as I should. Every reader gives valid feedback, but it can take time (mine and theirs) so I’ve reduced my team down to a couple of trusted pairs of eyes.
How did you approach your publisher?
(I self-published this book…)
Who designed the cover art?
I designed the cover using a template I created for the rest of the series. But being a few years later (and possibly the first of a new sub-trilogy) I gave it a bit more colour, which also feeds into the story (no spoilers!).
How many times was the book rejected?
The Penguin Killer was rejected over thirty times, but I still expect it to be transformed into a TV series in the future!
Recommend another indie writer who doesn’t get enough love.
I’m going to go for Gary J. Mack (https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Gary-J-Mack/author/B081LJ9YLW) who published a great set of short stories in Impossible Fruit, and an addictive set of novels in his Magpie Universe series.
Bring It Back is available now. You can find more updates on Twitter @stesharpauthor