I’m delighted to be joining the book blitz for The Study of Silence by Malia Zaidi, the third outing in The Lady Evelyn Mystery series. Doesn’t it have a cute cover? I have a fabulous guest post for you in which Malia reflects on what she refers to as, ‘The Struggle of Endless Possibilities’.
About the Book
Lady Evelyn Carlisle has returned home to England, where she is completing her degree at St. Hugh’s, a women’s college in Oxford. Her days are spent poring over ancient texts and rushing to tutorials. All is well until a fateful morning, when her peaceful student life is turned on its head. Stumbling upon the gruesome killing of someone she thought she knew, Evelyn is plunged into a murder investigation once more, much to the chagrin of her friends and family, as well as the intriguing Detective Lucas Stanton.
The dreaming spires of Oxford begin to appear decidedly less romantic as she gathers clues, and learns far more than she ever wished to know about the darkness lurking beyond the polished veneer. Can she solve the crime before the killer strikes once more, this time to Evelyn’s own detriment?
Format: ebook, paperback (448 pp.) Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 27th February 2018 Genre: Mystery
Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk ǀ Amazon.com ǀ Barnes and Noble
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme
Find The Study of Silence on Goodreads
Guest Post: ‘The Struggle of Endless Possibilities’ by Malia Zaidi
‘A part of what I love about reading and writing is that it can take you anywhere. New worlds can be created, characters can be granted inhuman powers, adventure, true love. There are no limits when it comes to fiction, but for a writer just this endless opportunity can sometimes prove a bit of a burden.
My books, The Lady Evelyn Mysteries, are part historical fiction, part mystery, and so they are grounded in facts in terms of setting and period details. However, when it comes to what the characters do and where the story goes options are far more unlimited. How to choose a path? For some writers, I know it helps to map out and plan every chapter, to know precisely where the story will go, for others, outlines feel constricting, and are ever changing to the point of being entirely useless.
My own process falls somewhere in between. I start with a rough outline, but all the details are left for me to fill as I write. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide on a path to take and tempting to veer away from it at times when a different possibility enters the equation. The endless options can make writing daunting at times, but I find, once I get started, I get a better feeling of what is right for the story and what isn’t.
For my genre, there is just enough certainty, just enough grounding in a world that already exists or existed, that I cannot hurl myself too far from the right track. For other genres like fantasy or science fiction, I imagine choosing a direction is far more challenging. A world that you create from nothing can be anything, and therefore the story runs the risk of being overfull. My advice is simply to go with your gut and keep writing. It can be a daunting task sometimes, especially when your imagination is given completely free reign, but I believe if a story is going to be told, the author will have a sense for what is right for it.’ ©Malia Zaidi
About the Author
Malia Zaidi is a writer and painter, who grew up in Germany and lives in the US. An avid reader and traveller, she decided to combine these passions, and turn her long-time ambition of writing into a reality. The Study of Silence is the third book in The Lady Evelyn Mysteries.
Connect with Malia
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