BOOK EVENT - FATAL GAMES by MARI HANNAH + GUEST POST

The fairies are proud to present quite an unique book by author MARI HANNAH!!

Everyone, we give you, FATAL GAMES!!!

Series: Kate Daniels Mystery

Genre:  Mystery/Detective/Women Sleuths

Publication Date:  April 7, 2015

Publisher:  HarperCollins

Imprint: Witness Impulse 

ISBN: 9780062387134

Pages: 416

List Price: 11.99 USD

SYNOPSIS

In Mari Hannah's brilliant, dark mystery—set on the beautiful and wild Northumberland coast—skeletal remains have been discovered beneath the menacing shadows of Bamburgh Castle's fortified walls, and DCI Kate Daniels must solve her most intriguing case yet

Far from their Newcastle base, DCI Kate Daniels and her team find themselves on the rugged Northumberland coast, working their latest baffling investigation. As a blistering weather front closes in, Kate calls on a forensic anthropologist to help identify the remains of a corpse that has been found by the ancient castle on the barren beach. But the more she delves into the case, the more questions surface.

Meanwhile, newly widowed prison psychologist Emily McCann is lured into the twisted world of convicted sex offender Walter Fearon.As his sinister mind games become increasingly disturbing, is it possible that Kate's case has something to do with his murderous past? With Fearon's release fast approaching, Emily fears what he might have in store for her.

As the body count rises, Kate must scramble to outwit a clever, diabolical killer whose fatal games have only just begun.

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Read a Sample of the Book

Top tips for creating a great protagonist 

by Mari Hannah

It stands to reason if characters were all the same, there would be no conflict between them and therefore no drama. This was drummed into me as I learned the craft of screenwriting before I became an author. There are some excellent books on writing available. They all contain sections on character development . . .

I think it’s essential to nail your main characters by writing a biography for each of them before you start a new book. The more prominent a part they play in your story, the more involved the biography needs to be. They do take time to write but it’s time well spent in my opinion.

Biographies are reference tools. You may never look at them again or you may use them at times when your character is in trouble or has big decisions to make, so if you’re stuck going forward, it might be helpful to look back. Also, if you are writing a series, as I am, biographies are the jumping off point to be added to as/when your character experiences major life changes, gets promoted, or simply decides to change their car.

Writing a biography helped develop my character, Kate Daniels. Go beyond the obvious: physical descriptions, family, job, social status, religion and sexual orientation.

Photographs may help you visualise your character. Concentrate on background, including childhood. This will get you in touch with who they really are. Be honest about their faults – we all have them.

What makes them tick, laugh or cry? How do they relate to others? What drives them? What makes them react the way they do? Pretend you’ve been their shrink for years. Focus on their emotional core. Your characters must appear real – as if you know them – that way they will stay with the reader long after they have forgotten the plot.

Happy writing everyone!

Mari Hannah was born in London and moved north as a child. Her career as a probation officer was cut short when she was injured while on duty, and thereafter she spent several years as a film/television screenwriter. She now lives in Northumberland with her partner, an ex-murder detective. She was the winner of the 2010 Northern Writers’ Award and is a nominee for the 2013 Polari First Book Prize.

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