Ann Cleeves and I spent yesterday on the road again in the north east, first in a busy event at Newcastle City Library, then last night on the coast at North Shields. I have to say to those authors out there who haven't done an event in this part of the country: you really are missing something. The enthusiasm of the libraries and audiences is enthralling -- and the turnouts big, for Ann, not me I'm sure, even in this rotten weather.

Here's one more little snippet that emerged last night when Ann and I were answering questions about how we work. <!--more-->I will, not often but occasionally, write out of sequence. In other words I will sometimes find myself in this situation.
<ul>
	<li>I've just finished one scene</li>
	<li>I'm not that much enthused about writing the next just yet, perhaps because it's not sufficiently clear in my head</li>
	<li>But I do have a very clear and pressing picture of a <em>later</em> scene in mind</li>
</ul>
What do I do? Sometimes I write the later scene. In fact for next year's book I actually wrote the <em>final</em> scene, or at least part of it, two thirds into the book because I knew what was needed and wanted to set it down. Mostly I write in sequence. But I don't feel tied to that format and will break it from time to time.

And Ann? When I described this roundabout way of working she thought for a second and said, 'No. Never do that. I write a book the way readers read it. As it comes.'

Ann never even jots down notes about future scenes.  She just writes.

Proves once again: we all work differently, and part of the challenge, a large part probably, is finding what works for you.

Two more north east gigs today -- details in the calendar above. Then I leave the north east and Ann's wonderful and enlightening company for a solitary event in Wigan tomorrow. After which it's back home.