Freefall (Pendulum Trilogy #2) by Adam Hamdy | Guest Post

Published by Headline

Available in ebook, hardback and paperback (17 May 2018)
560 pages

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Headline for the blog tour invitation to celebrate the paperback release of Freefall. I’m delighted to share a guest post from Adam.

| About the Book |

ONE RULE. TRUST NO-ONE
This explosive, pulse-racing thriller is perfect for fans of JACK REACHER and ORPHAN X, with a story as unexpected as a sniper’s bullet. Adam Hamdy’s first PENDULUM novel was called ‘one of the best thrillers of the year’ by JAMES PATTERSON.
JOHN WALLACE IS A TARGET
Hiding off-grid after exposing the shadowy Pendulum conspiracy, Wallace is horrified to discover he is still marked for death.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO PEOPLE HE CAN TRUST
DI Patrick Bailey is still reeling from the murder investigation that nearly cost him his life.
FBI Agent Christine Ash is hunting a serial killer with a link to an unfinished case
HE MUST FIND THE TRUTH
The death of a London journalist triggers an investigation that brings them back together, hurling them into the path of an unknown enemy.
BEFORE THE KILLER FINDS HIM
Hunted across the world, they are plunged into a nightmare deadlier than they could have ever imagined.

MY WRITING DAY

by Adam Hamdy

The alarm is set for 7.50, but I’m usually awake before then. My wife makes the children breakfast while I go to my home office and start the day by replying to emails and responding to Twitter. Once the children have gone to school, I’ll have my breakfast, which is usually a glass of water and a couple of spoons of pistachio or cashew nut butter. I injured my Achilles tendon a couple of years ago and, unable to exercise, put on a lot of weight. Six months after the injury, I went to Zip World with a group of friends and was aghast at just how much I’d gained.

There’s nothing like a public weigh-in to spur one to action, and since then I’ve been much more conscious about nutrition and exercise.

I usually start writing at 9.30 and stay off social media while I’m working. I used to be a plotter and planned Freefall in great detail, but my latest book is very different and I’m working from a short synopsis, flying by the seat of my pants. I’m enjoying the process and am very happy with what I’m producing, but will have to read the finished book before deciding whether this will be a permanent switch from plotter to pantser.

My office is a small room in the house. I have a giant desk that’s covered with scraps of paper, index cards and notes, making it look as though a mini tornado has passed through, but I know where everything is. A couple of framed Hapshash and the Coloured Coat prints hang on one wall and there is a framed collection of Pink Floyd album covers and promotional artwork on another. If I’m ever struggling for inspiration, I can generally find something in the Hapshash psychedelic artwork or Pink Floyd’s high concept imagery.

Lunch will usually be a cracker with Roquefort. I love strong flavours and Roquefort has the added benefit of being an anti-inflammatory. There I go being a nutrition bore again…

After lunch, I’ll catch up on emails and make calls. Early afternoon is when I’ll go for a run. Now my Achilles has healed, I aim to cover anywhere from 4 to 13 miles. I’m not fast, but will slog it out and my target is a minimum of 25 miles per week. It’s not just about the health benefits of exercise, something that every sedentary writer needs to be conscious of, getting out for a run or walk also improves cognitive function. In addition to the neurological and physical health benefits of exercise, the brain also likes periods of downtime and will often be crunching through problems when the conscious mind seems to be daydreaming. My runs are my downtime and I’ll often come up with my best ideas when I’m hauling myself along country lanes, admiring the woods and fields of Shropshire.

When I get home, I write for another couple of hours, setting down any ideas I’ve had during the run. When the children get home from school, I spend some time with them, chatting about their day. Twice a week, we’ll go climbing at the local bouldering centre. I’ve been climbing for over twenty years on and off, but it’s only since the children started that it’s become a serious hobby. Anyone who follows me on Twitter will know that we’re often to be found clinging to cliff or mountainside whenever the weather turns fine. It’s an activity that requires one to be in the moment and is very useful for helping work off any stress. It’s also something the whole family can enjoy, regardless of age or ability. Our youngest has been climbing since the age of 3, and topped his first HVS rated 80-foot cliff aged 6.

The evenings are spent making calls to America or researching things I know I’ll need for the following day. The research I do while I’m writing a book tends to be less involved, smaller scale stuff that will help fill in details and provide authenticity. I do most of my in-depth research before I start work on a book or screenplay, often spending months learning about a particular topic. A couple of years ago, I was writing something and needed to know how guns are made. I also thought it would be useful for a thriller author to know what they feel like to shoot, so I spent some time with a leading gunsmith and a local shooting instructor. I now shoot clays competitively at regional competitions whenever I can, so one never knows how research will spill into real life.

I will always read to the children at bedtime. At the moment, I’m reading David Eddings’ Belgariad series with my daughter and The Lord of the Rings with my eldest son, so we’re on a bit of a fantasy vibe in our house.

Dinner is normally at nine and is usually something light like a piece of fish coated with a homemade crumb. My wife and I might talk or watch a film or TV before bed, usually between midnight and 1.00am.

Once a week, I’ll go to London, have lunch with a friend or do something else that takes me out of the house and keeps me connected to the world beyond my head. I’d like to say that weekends are sacrosanct, but I’ll often work Saturday and Sunday, fitting writing around family activities. I take deadlines very seriously and writing during the weekend is one of the only ways to ensure I produce work of a quality that I’m happy with and meet the commitments I’ve made to publishers and producers. It helps that I love what I do, but it’s that passion that can sometimes make it difficult to find a work-life balance.

| Author Bio |

Identified as an Amazon Rising Star, British author and screenwriter Adam Hamdy works with studios and production companies on both sides of the Atlantic.

He is the author of the Pendulum trilogy, an epic series of conspiracy thriller novels. James Patterson described Pendulum as ‘one of the best thrillers of the year’, and the novel was a finalist for the Glass Bell Award for contemporary fiction. Pendulum was chosen as book of the month by Goldsboro Books and was selected for BBC Radio 2 Book Club.

Prior to embarking on his writing career, Adam was a strategy consultant and advised global businesses in the medical systems, robotics, technology and financial services sectors.

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