To see what’s happening at the ‘real’ theatre that these stories are based on, go to the Theatre Royal page on Facebook. There are photos of the dear old place as she used to be before the recent refurbishments.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theatre-Royal-Nelson/326764620668391
All characters in this publication are fictitious, with the exception of ‘Howard Daniels’ who was given the opportunity to be a character in the book by his wife. Many of the events (other than the murder) actually happened and are part of my fond memories of messing about backstage at the Theatre Royal.
To all those who toil tirelessly in theatres everywhere, especially the past and present members of Nelson Repertory Theatre Inc. and the Theatre Royal Trust. I’ve borrowed many of your finer attributes for the most likeable characters in this book. The nasty ones are of course entirely fictional. (And remember, I had to save some good characters for future books.) The story is made up but the setting is the real old Theatre Royal just as she was before the latest refurbishments, with all her quirky little nooks and crannies.
Special thanks are due to my old colleague Phil for advice on police procedures, and to Ken for some of the technical theatre stuff. Any inaccuracies are entirely your fault and have nothing to do with me, right?
To the members of the Michael King Writers Centre writing group, thanks for putting up with the monthly instalments of the manuscript; your support was invaluable.
What’s that darling? Yes, of course you’re getting a mention.
Long live the Theatre Royal!
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Look out for these books
Body on the Stage (the next theatre mystery).
Dennis Dempster is fat, lonely, and dissatisfied with his life, but things are about to change. He joins a theatre group that’s staging a production of Ladies Night, full of male strippers, muscles and buff bodies. Suddenly fitness becomes a new option. In the course of his transformation he finds new friends, new purpose and a new love. And then he finds a dead body.
Join your favourite characters back in the Regent Theatre with this second story in the Theatre Mystery series. Jessica and Gazza are on hand to guide newcomer Dennis Dempster around the theatre, but he’s in even more foreign territory when he gets to the gym. Lucky he has Cathy, the gym owner, on hand to look after him.
Sunstrike (post-apocalyptic crime)
Sunstrike follows the life of Averie, an ordinary woman in suburbia, when solar flares destroy the world's electricity supply. As society comes to terms with the loss of transport, communications, and food supplies, Averie picks up some useful survival tips and a teenage companion who is not what he seems. With no outside help, she is forced to investigate a number of suspicious deaths using old methods of detection.
Sunstrike: The Journey Home (post-apocalyptic adventure)
Bradley Brown knows how to make the most of life. At 22, he is living the dream working as a dive instructor at a luxury resort in Bali. But his carefree lifestyle ends when the island’s electricity goes dead. After several days it becomes apparent this is no ordinary power outage. A massive solar storm has wiped out electrical technology across the globe, leaving Bradley stranded a very long way from home.
His thoughts turn to his widowed mother back in New Zealand. Completely out of contact and worried she may need his help, he sets off on a long and difficult journey using any means of transport available. The world is different now; he faces unexpected dangers and treachery, growing up a little more with each new setback.
Will Bradley make it across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, and will he be ready for what he finds when he gets home?
Eye for an Eye (light thriller)
It’s a long way from her home on a quiet farm in the Marlborough Sounds to the bustle of downtown Toronto, but Robyn Taylor is a fearless and practical woman who can turn her hand to anything, including some very inventive punishments when necessary. When she discovers that Colwyn Symons has defrauded her family of thousands of dollars, leading to her father’s death, she has to take action. His enjoyment of the high-rolling lifestyle in the big city will come to an abrupt end if she can only get her hands on him.
Mike Kent, a Canadian insurance investigator, persuades Robyn to help gather evidence that will put an end to Colwyn’s continuing frauds, but both of them underestimate Colwyn’s cold-blooded greed. When she faces kidnapping and attempted murder, Robyn’s survival skills are severely tested.
A Reassuring Guide to Self Publishing (non-fiction)
A basic beginner’s guide to getting your own books on line and in print. An-easy-to-read step by step guide to the process I’ve been handling for clients for the last five years.
If you have ideas for the next theatre story, do subscribe to my newsletter at this link http://eepurl.com/baLhIb and let me know. Sarah Taylor has suggested Little Shop of Horrors for the next show to use and I’m currently having fun tinkering with plot and characters. That big plant is going to be SO mean!