For the last week I have been mentally preparing the conclusion for my latest Redcliffe novel Love Kills. This follows the story of bookshop owner Jessica Stone as she comes to terms with the revelation that her lover is a vampire, his identical twin brother is a werewolf, and that she is a witch who must now learn to accept her heritage and embrace her newly discovered powers. The story is set on the rugged coast in Cornwall, England, and I have a host of vampire and werewolf supporting characters, with a few humans and witches thrown in for good measure.

The novel writing went very well until I reached the end. Then I began to struggle. I wanted to end the story at a point which leads easily into the third book in my Redcliffe series, but not so that it was too abrupt. While I was away on a short family holiday, I kept repeating the conclusion in my head, and every day it changed slightly. Tonight I finally managed to sit down and actually do the writing.

I was in for a surprise. Once I had settled my daughter in bed, I quickly became engrossed in my work. My fingers flew over the keys, the words appeared as if by magic on the computer before me. And my conclusion to Love Kills began to take shape with a surprisinly dramatic outcome. I still have a little more to write, and I have reached another brick wall of sorts. But I’m not worried. After a good night’s sleep and a day of household chores, I have no doubt that my muse will be back on fine form tomorrow evening and I will write the perfect conclusion. Bring it on!