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books, Cornwall, Mystery, New book, O'Roarke's Destiny, Smugglers, Wreckers, writing, Writing tips
“Some say the Cleanser is an exciseman gone to the bad…..”
The Cleanser – That would be telling.
The Cleanser – That would be telling.
The Cleanser – That would be telling.
The Cleanser – That would be telling. Now, before I get back out there and prove even more terrifying and elusive, as I menace my way through Cornwall on dark and stormy nights, you have one more question. Do try and make it count and not waste it on fripperies such as am I really that fearsome, am I one of the five, or does Lyon eat hamsters? Who said what, and didn’t, how fair, or otherwise not, it is? And please do not interrupt. Have you any idea what happens to hamsters who interrupt, especially with more questions?
The Cleanser–Who, amongst you, will be brave enough to ask this question?
The Cleanser. They are not amongst you. YOU are amongst you. Now ask or face the consequences.
The Cleanser – Dear, little hamsters, why else but to spread a bit of butter on you and have as toast.
But I will add that in a world of secrets and smugglers and did I mention unsavoury–not looking at anyone here, although you hamsters do smell a bit-
– wreckers, Shey rather liked the idea of upping the anti. Who can, for example, resist having a tale of smuggling without the various ingredients? Don’t answer. You are not the ones being interviewed here.
So secret passages, treasure that is the stuff of legend, stormy nights, old houses, ghosts and of course mythological figures are all part of that tapestry. Shey thought about how in Jamaica Inn the heroine does not know who the head of the wreckers is but obviously if her uncle is scared of him, then he must be fearsome because her uncle is that and more–although she used someone who is also the stuff of legend differently.
Things had begun to change for smugglers in the period O’Roarke’s Destiny is set, shall we say?
Tom Berryman had behaved as if the devil had crossed his path and this one looked to have horns.
And let’s remember in this book nothing is what it seems. A little mystery does no harm sometimes. As a figure the Cleanser does not drive the plot. There’s no need to when everything the leads do arises from the three magic writing words, where they and only they, are concerned, goal, motivation conflict.
Does the Cleanser really exist? If they do are they one of the O’Roarke five and if so which one? That’s for me to know and you to find now. Now, if you don’t mind I believe I have some vodka to drink and a Cossack dance to do before I get back to terrorising the locals? Oh and one last thing… my eyes are not flamingos, what they have is a flaming glow….
Releases Friday 13th…it is a book about a curse after all…..
It looks like the hamsters have been getting into the Cleanser’s cleaning supplies and imbibing beyond the recommended dosage.
Defo Dracul, I think they were drinking everything from Dettol to kitchen surface CLEANSER and that gulp should have been a hic.
‘Does Lyon eat hamsters?’ This is true. I know a bloke who went to a cafe in Peru where they fed him with hamsters. He got food-poisoning, his holiday was ruined, and he nearly died. How horrible is that – not his fate, but the poor hamsters? Good luck with the book ~ George
Oh the dudes are convinced that the hard-booted Lyon eats hamsters and that is a bad thing cos they will set about him and I don’t actually know who would come off the worst in that encounter just thinking about it there. I mean he might flick a few off but they don’t have tails so he can’t swing them round his head. Then I fear…well I fear for all that might happen next. It could be the battle of the century. My God. What you say is pretty horrendous actually re that bloke you know. Thanks for your good wishes. xxxxxxx
I guess it’s best not to go to Peru on holiday. I’ve never worked out how he could have eaten them when he knew what they were. Odd, for sure ~ George
Dr George…..we thnk so too, in so fr as we think..
the dudez x
Oh good! We couldn’t let anyone scare our hamsters😱
How lovely to see you and hoping all is good in your world. I am sure that at the next character interview they will be shouting ‘I am the cleanser,’ a la Spartacus now they’ve quoted a bit of Destiny. x.
Yes dear. I am good. Just caught up with lots of things at the Homefront. Loved coming over and see your lovely blog. Feels like I am back to my comfort zone💖
It is so nice to see you. I’ve missed you and your blog. So welcome back. Glad you are good too xxxxxxxx
Ooooh! The Dudes are trembling with fear, and your readers are shivering with anticipation!
Awww Dolly as I said to George there above. I am unsure actually who would come off best between the dudes and Lyon. That is even before we get to the Cleanser. . . . .As they would say themselves Dah de Dah dah dahhhh DAhh.
Just keep supplying vodka, and the dudes will be fearless!
yeah, they will xxxxx
Great post Shey. I have never before seen someone scare the bejeasus outta the Dudes like the Cleanser did.
I love the whole concept of the Cleanser as a super dooper semi Mythological Smuggler character. When I was a kid I was besotted with the 1963 Hammer film Starring Patrick McGoohan Dr Syn Alias the Scarecrow. And this interview with the Cleanser made me think about that all over again (not thought about it for years and so looked it up on Wiki) Now, Thanks to you, I know he was a smuggler hero in a series of novels from 1913 and the first films were made in the 1930s.
I love interviews with book characters. I think most of us authors are actually quite boring (obviously you are the exception) but one thing is for sure our characters certainly are not! And if we the authors cannot live vicariously through our characters, Then WHAT is the point of writing I say!
Thanks for the Trip down memory lane with your super scary psycho hero noir. PXXX
Lol… indeed the Cleanser is a person of great mystery and I had also forgotten about Dr Syn, so thank YOU for reminding me of that film. I got a little way in with this book and I thought let’s just fling the lot in here from secret passages to some kind of scary figure but as to who, what and whether that figure even exists, that is anyone’s guess, AND as you can see even the dudes had their work cut out with this mysterious entity. I do like doing character interviews. It gives free rein. I agree a lot of authors are boring–we are there to blog our books or writing, or whatever slant we choose to take on behalf of our books, not our lives. (Obvi though you need a wee bit personal stuff now and then if it can be related to the overall intention of a blog.) nice of you to say but I know I am no exception which is why I have the dudes out there xxxxxx
Dear Shey, when I said we authors can be boring I meant that it is write (Sic) and proper we should be. After all, we spend most of our lives creating the exciting characters that inhabit our books. With the possible exception of Ernest Hemmingway (who mever met an animal he didn’t like to shoot or a a brand of booze he didn’t like to drink) who the hell has time to write fabulous books and live a fabulous life? Not me!!!!
But seriously I appreciate what you say about using the dudes as a form of alter ego. They inject a mad off-kilter humour that always makes your posts interesting and amusing. They make your public platform unique,
As writers we need to remember readers are reading us to be informed and entertained (as you have said many times in the past). If they want to follow someone because of their exciting life rather than the quality of their work, they have the Kardashians. If our work is not our public face are we authors or merely media personalities?
You are right also when you always say, our job as writers is to write well, humourous, engaging, exciting and leave our readers gagging for more of the same. Which you do every time. Pxx
Exactly Paul re are we authors or personalities. There’s all kinds of lines to be trodden that way in this biz. I can think of some excellent writing blogs I follow where a lot of the writing is, on the surface, personality based, ie it is about their lives, but it’s told so well, it’s engaging, it’s funny, it’s things we all do and I know reading that, that their actual output will be well worth reading and it is. Equally I can think of some buy my book blogs that are not engaging and also ones where there’s personal stuff that’s not that different from most other people’s personal stuff. I feel it’s knowing what to share, how and when. I know I sometimes put personal pics up like the Arisaig post but I was talking about the hidden bits of things that happened, the untold bits of stories,while, yeah, sharing a bit of my personal life, things I love doing. Writing is damn hard work. I’d rather be beavering away, even tearing my hair with my characters than telling the world what I had for my breakfast every day. So yeah, that is why the dudes are out there. And again, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for your lovely comment xxxxx
Oooooh, it’s getting exciting now. Can’t wait to see what the Cleanser is going to do now that he’s totally flummoxed the Dudes! :0)
He has indeed done that. Good and proper too. But then again, someone needed to !!
😘👍
xxxx
What a lovely tempter. Can we wish someone ‘good luck’ on Friday 13th? I am, anyhow.
Cath.. I reckons you can AND thank you. I think I need this Cleanser here more often to deal with the dudes. x
oooh, I love this name, “The Cleanser”, fantastic, but don’t you hurt the dudes Mr. Cleanser or I’ll wipe you up with a cloth. Vodka and Cossack dance begins. xxx
He wis so terriblt bad to us whn we did nuthn to disirve it and we r such nce peaceloving himstrs too. Ones who wd not hirt a fly.
the dudes.
Don’t ask me where the name came from. It just appeared as did the idea of this figure as I got that bit… To tell the truth I am bit scared of this thing myself …. xx
The Cleanser has us all scared witless already, Shey. Fab mythical creation. I cannot wait to meet him on Friday but like the dudes, I’ll be needing the vodka! Congrats and success to you and the ….. I whisper it …. Cleanser. xxxx
Yeah, I’d whisper the name of this terrifying creature who decided to appear on the page in name anyway out of the blue quite early onish, leaving quite a few of the O’Roarke five needing that vodka too. The Cleanser was lucky not to be put off the page again but as it turned out they had his uses…. Lovely to see you. xxxxxxxxxx
I love that era.. well.. selfishly, I’m thinking abut the gowns.
I AM THE CLEANER!
Just bring the gowns here. I can’t take all of this excitement.
I love that era too. Truly xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cleanser… Cleaner… Just Bring Your Gowns Here!
Bring in 4, we’ll clean the 5th for free. Beadwork repairs are not included.
Fans cleaned for 1 pence extra, with gown.
Hamsters cleaned with gown for extra @ 4 pence each.
Shey… I really think I am being quite reasonable!
More than my d arling. More than!! You can see why I chose this name. I knew you would get it linked to gowns. And the dudes could do with cleaning too x
We di nt smill no mittir wht the cleansir ses…
the dudes
It’s nit jist the odure. Ve haf stane meroval, unt fluff’n’fold!
You hiv made Shey fawl off hr chair laughin.. …
Okay, what are the dudes drunk on now? LOL – The Cleanser-er 🙂 xxx
Is? Drink? We do nt drink either….
The dudes
hic
LOL, keep out of the sauce guys! xxxx
We try…hic…
the dudes
Hopefully the Cleanser doesn’t make its way to Yorkshire. However The Cleanser v Dracula at Whitby would be a crowd puller. Enjoy the vodka.
They could offer voddie and to do Cossack dances….
Cleanser time on Friday the 13th!!
Lol.. Yeah….. xxxxx Dah de da dahhh dahhhhhh dah..
ha, now you have me!! I have so many questions! Will be waiting!!
Lol.. I had such fun creating this mythological suggestion of this person. I was saying to an author pal last night that it began to remind me of this game we play at Christmas, where you get the dinner party list and you have to guess who is who, so you ask, so and so are you so and so. And if you are you are out. And despite the small cast of characters it got just like that. And the best bit was, I created this figure out of the blue a couple of chapters in.
Mwa ha ha ha! Oh hamstah Dudes, never mess with someone called The Cleanser. You’re reminding me of Poe’s Red Death….eerie and unstoppable. Perfect, O Lovely Lady Shey!
I did have fun with the Cleanser, truly. And as you can see the dear little dudes this creation had plenty of uses. Uses beyond the book… xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx