

Death Of 1000 Cuts
Tim Clare
Death Of 1000 Cuts is a podcast for fiction writers, full of motivational rants, writing exercises, interviews with authors, and detailed critiques of first pages submitted by you, the listeners. Everything you need to write more and better, and love it. Presented by Tim Clare, author of The Honours, The Ice House and We Can't All Be Astronauts, and stand-up poet.
Support the podcast at: https://ko-fi.com/B0B17913
Support the podcast at: https://ko-fi.com/B0B17913
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 28, 2018 • 29min
THE HONOURS WEEK - 3. Research
Buy THE HONOURS: mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-honours/
Pre-order THE ICE HOUSE: mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-ice-house/
This week the podcast is dedicated to exploring my first novel, THE HONOURS. Today's episode dives into the research I did so I could write about 1930s England and the gun-obsessed protagonist, Delphine. I talk as honestly as I can about how I used research as a displacement activity, to avoid the scary work of actually starting the novel. And how my own life ended up providing the key piece of inspiration, when I finally remembered to look up.
My hope for this week, aside from entertaining and informing you, is that you find yourself enthusiastic to support my work through buying THE HONOURS for yourself and friends, and also preordering the forthcoming sequel, THE ICE HOUSE. If you think helping me in this way would bring you some happiness, then kindly click one of the links below, and please do let me know once you've done so, so I can thank you.
THE HONOURS PURCHASE LINKS
Why not buy THE HONOURS via Mr B's Emporium? A brilliant independent bookshop who do worldwide shipping and are really great. They do a gift-wrap option so you can support me, an indie bookstore AND a friend who gets an ace present: mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-honours/
THE HONOURS via Wordery, with free worldwide shipping: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
THE HONOURS via Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Honours-Tim-Clare/dp/1782114769
THE HONOURS Ebook: www.amazon.co.uk/Honours-Tim-Clar…ok/dp/B00O45B8JE
THE HONOURS Audiobook: www.amazon.co.uk/The-Honours/dp/B00TSQKG1K
THE ICE HOUSE PRE-ORDER LINKS
The wonderful Mr B's Emporium have a pre-order link for THE ICE HOUSE. They deliver worldwide, and I'll make sure I pop in round publication time and sign any stock they've got, so any pre-orders via this link will - unless I have some terrible accident - by signed by me. If they get 100 pre-orders before launch, I'll make a little bit of exclusive extra content and throw that in with the books too: mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-ice-house/
THE ICE HOUSE via Wordery, with free worldwide shipping: https://wordery.com/the-ice-house-tim-clare-9781786894816
THE ICE HOUSE via Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Ice-House-Tim-Clare/dp/1786894815
THE ICE HOUSE Ebook: www.amazon.co.uk/Ice-House-Tim-Cl…ok/dp/B07K33598R
Here's the blurb for THE HONOURS.
1935. NORFOLK.
Its newest resident, Miss Delphine Venner, is determined to uncover the secrets of the Hall’s elite society, which has taken in her gullible mother and unstable father.
As she explores the house and discovers the secret network of hidden passages that thread through the estate, Delphine uncovers a world more dark and threatening than she ever imagined. With the help of head gamekeeper Mr Garforth, Delphine must learn the bloody lessons of war and find the soldier within herself in time to battle the deadly forces amassing in the woods . . .
The Honours is a dark, glittering and dangerously unputdownable novel which invites you to enter a thrilling and fantastical world unlike any other.

Nov 27, 2018 • 36min
THE HONOURS WEEK - 2. Monsters
Buy THE HONOURS: mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-honours/
Pre-order THE ICE HOUSE: mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-ice-house/
This week the podcast is dedicated to exploring my first novel, THE HONOURS. This second episode looks at four figures who achieved notoriety between the wars in Britain, and re-examines their reputations - in the eyes of many - as 'monsters'. Who were they? Why were they so quickly forgotten? And do monsters really exist?
My hope for this week, aside from entertaining and informing you, is that you find yourself enthusiastic to support my work through buying THE HONOURS for yourself and friends, and also preordering the forthcoming sequel, THE ICE HOUSE. If you think helping me in this way would bring you some happiness, then kindly click one of the links below, and please do let me know once you've done so, so I can thank you.
THE HONOURS PURCHASE LINKS
Why not buy THE HONOURS via Mr B's Emporium? A brilliant independent bookshop who do worldwide shipping and are really great. They do a gift-wrap option so you can support me, an indie bookstore AND a friend who gets an ace present: mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-honours/
THE HONOURS via Wordery, with free worldwide shipping: wordery.com/the-honours-tim-cla…82114765#oid=1908_1
THE HONOURS via Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Honours-Tim-Clare/dp/1782114769
THE HONOURS Ebook: www.amazon.co.uk/Honours-Tim-Clar…ok/dp/B00O45B8JE
THE HONOURS Audiobook: www.amazon.co.uk/The-Honours/dp/B00TSQKG1K
THE ICE HOUSE PRE-ORDER LINKS
The wonderful Mr B's Emporium have a pre-order link for THE ICE HOUSE. They deliver worldwide, and I'll make sure I pop in round publication time and sign any stock they've got, so any pre-orders via this link will - unless I have some terrible accident - by signed by me. If they get 100 pre-orders before launch, I'll make a little bit of exclusive extra content and throw that in with the books too: mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-ice-house/
THE ICE HOUSE via Wordery, with free worldwide shipping: https://wordery.com/the-ice-house-tim-clare-9781786894816
THE ICE HOUSE via Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Ice-House-Tim-Clare/dp/1786894815
THE ICE HOUSE Ebook: www.amazon.co.uk/Ice-House-Tim-Cl…ok/dp/B07K33598R
Here's the blurb for THE HONOURS.
1935. NORFOLK.
Its newest resident, Miss Delphine Venner, is determined to uncover the secrets of the Hall’s elite society, which has taken in her gullible mother and unstable father.
As she explores the house and discovers the secret network of hidden passages that thread through the estate, Delphine uncovers a world more dark and threatening than she ever imagined. With the help of head gamekeeper Mr Garforth, Delphine must learn the bloody lessons of war and find the soldier within herself in time to battle the deadly forces amassing in the woods . . .
The Honours is a dark, glittering and dangerously unputdownable novel which invites you to enter a thrilling and fantastical world unlike any other.

Nov 26, 2018 • 50min
THE HONOURS WEEK - 1. The Sleep Of Reason
Buy THE HONOURS: https://mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-honours/
Pre-order THE ICE HOUSE: https://mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-ice-house/
This week the podcast is dedicated to exploring my first novel, THE HONOURS. This first episode is about adventure stories, their roots in social justice, and how the British establishment used them to send a generation to their deaths.
My hope for this week, aside from entertaining and informing you, is that you find yourself enthusiastic to support my work through buying THE HONOURS for yourself and friends, and also preordering the forthcoming sequel, THE ICE HOUSE. If you think helping me in this way would bring you some happiness, then kindly click one of the links below, and please do let me know once you've done so, so I can thank you.
THE HONOURS PURCHASE LINKS
Why not buy THE HONOURS via Mr B's Emporium? A brilliant independent bookshop who do worldwide shipping and are really great. They do a gift-wrap option so you can support me, an indie bookstore AND a friend who gets an ace present: https://mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-honours/
THE HONOURS via Wordery, with free worldwide shipping: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
THE HONOURS via Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Honours-Tim-Clare/dp/1782114769
THE HONOURS Ebook: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Honours-Tim-Clare-ebook/dp/B00O45B8JE
THE HONOURS Audiobook: https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Honours/dp/B00TSQKG1K
THE ICE HOUSE PRE-ORDER LINKS
The wonderful Mr B's Emporium have a pre-order link for THE ICE HOUSE. They deliver worldwide, and I'll make sure I pop in round publication time and sign any stock they've got, so any pre-orders via this link will - unless I have some terrible accident - by signed by me. If they get 100 pre-orders before launch, I'll make a little bit of exclusive extra content and throw that in with the books too: https://mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-ice-house/
THE ICE HOUSE via Wordery, with free worldwide shipping: https://wordery.com/the-ice-house-tim-clare-9781786894816#oid=1908_1
THE ICE HOUSE via Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ice-House-Tim-Clare/dp/1786894815
THE ICE HOUSE Ebook: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ice-House-Tim-Clare-ebook/dp/B07K33598R
Here's the blurb for THE HONOURS.
1935. NORFOLK.
Its newest resident, Miss Delphine Venner, is determined to uncover the secrets of the Hall’s elite society, which has taken in her gullible mother and unstable father.
As she explores the house and discovers the secret network of hidden passages that thread through the estate, Delphine uncovers a world more dark and threatening than she ever imagined. With the help of head gamekeeper Mr Garforth, Delphine must learn the bloody lessons of war and find the soldier within herself in time to battle the deadly forces amassing in the woods . . .
The Honours is a dark, glittering and dangerously unputdownable novel which invites you to enter a thrilling and fantastical world unlike any other.

Nov 19, 2018 • 1h 2min
Death Of 1000 Cuts - Season 2 Episode 46 - Chatting With R F Kuang
In this episode I chat to author R F Kuang about her debut novel THE POPPY WAR.
We chat Fantasy, grimdark, character arcs, representation of marginalised people, Shonen Manga, maintaining a positive attitude towards your work and writing great fight scenes.
You get grab a copy of THE POPPY WAR here: https://wordery.com/the-poppy-war-rf-kuang-9780008239800#oid=1908_1
Here's NK Jemisin's BROKEN EARTH TRILOGY that Rebecca recommends: https://wordery.com/the-broken-earth-trilogy-n-k-jemisin-9780316527194#oid=1908_1
Here's my novel, THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
I'd be very grateful if you pre-order my upcoming novel, THE ICE HOUSE: https://wordery.com/the-ice-house-tim-clare-9781786894816#oid=1908_1
And if you want to chuck the podcast something direct for upkeep, here's my Ko-fi page: www.ko-fi.com/timclare

Nov 12, 2018 • 1h 43min
Death Of 1000 Cuts - Season 2 Episode 45 - How To Help Authors You Love
This episode is all about how readers can best help authors they love.
Where and when should you buy their books? What's the best way of sharing praise? What can you do to boost authors you want to see more of?
And is it possible to do all of this while getting big benefits for yourself, like - I don't know - maybe increased resistance to illness and a longer life?
Come with me, friends. If you're a reader who loves books or an author who wants to know how best your readers can help you, I break down in thorough detail everything you need to know.
If you want to read the text version of today's episode, complete with links to studies supporting various claims, and links to all the sites I mention, here it is: http://www.timclarepoet.co.uk/17-best-ways-boost-authors/
If you think what I do is good and you'd like to show your love and help me do more of it, click here to pre-order my new novel THE ICE HOUSE: https://wordery.com/the-ice-house-tim-clare-9781786894816#oid=1908_1
While you're pre-ordering you can pick up a copy of my first novel, THE HONOURS, and get it to read straight away: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
And you can always bung me a couple of beans via this site: ko-fi.com/timclare
Here's the Hive website supporting local UK bookshops: https://www.hive.co.uk/
And if you're in the US, Indiebound supports independent bookshops: https://www.indiebound.org/
Have a lovely week, and thank you for listening.

Nov 5, 2018 • 1h 18min
Death Of 1000 Cuts - Season 2 Episode 44 - Pitch Rush Special
This is the Death Of 1000 Cuts Pitch Rush Special episode. 55 authors, 55 novels looking for agents and editors. I read out a rapid-fire showcase of 100-word synopses and extracts.
This is a great episode to listen to if you're trying to figure out how to pitch your novel, how to write a synopsis, how to write a query letter, and what makes the best extract of your work to share. It's also a great episode to listen to if you're interested in finding new talent!
If you fancy supporting me and this podcast, please buy my novel, THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
You can also drop me a few quid via my Ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/timclare
Here are the authors and novel titles, in order. Full extracts on my website, www.timclarepoet.co.uk
Number 1
Thomas Russell
The Curse Of The Go Force Warriors 5
Number 2
Neil Hughes
'The Shop Before Life'
Number 3
JOYCE CHNG
DRAGON PHYSICIAN (YA)
Number 4
Christopher Galvin
ARTHUR SMALLWOOD'S QUEST FOR MAGIC
Number 5
Joseph Sale
Against Such Reckless Hate
Number 6
Lola Phoenix
The Fifth Kingdom
Number 7
All That The Light Touches
Thomas Carson
Number 8
Laura Sweeney
Chasing Waterfalls
Number 9
Nolan Dean
Moonflower
Number 10
Marisa Noelle
When the Raven Mocker Calls
Number 11
SAFER TO BE FEARED
C O Vollmer
Number 12
M S Clements
THE THIRD MAGPIE
Number 13
GABRIEL'S WINDMILLS
Romi La Paz
Number 14
Lon E. Varnadore
Void Emissary
Number 15
James Otsa
I TOO WAS IN ARCADIA
Number 16
David Court
RECREANT
Number 17
Stephanie Nicholls
Of Kings & Queens
Number 18
Elissa Soave
How Will You Love Me?
Number 19
Jennifer Kennedy
Galloping Catastrophe - A year in the life of a menopausal woman
Number 20
Bill Bradbury
Woke
Number 21
Umar Abubakar Sidi
The Autobiography of a Power Monger
Number 22
Ann Godridge
The Witch House
Number 23
Emae Church
Earth 101
Number 24
Sara-Mae Tuson
Selina and the Six Lost Songs
Number 25
From: Ruby Parker
Riverborne
Number 26
Callum Beesley
The Carer
Number 27
Judith Parker
The Bumblebee Princess
Number 28
Hayley Gullen
Another Age
Number 29
Liam Garnett
The Stowaway
Number 30
Nicky Abell-Francis
The ETERNAL BOND
Number 31
ELISABETH STRAW
CONTROL ALT DELETE
Number 32
Lorna Eifflaender
Locusts
Number 33
Jane Flett
Not a Witch
Number 34
Rebecca Milton
Oracle
Number 35
Mark David Goodson
The Eighth Morning
Number 36
Simon K Brown
Faders
Number 37
Angelita Bradney
Saint Michael
Number 38
Ian Murphy
WORDS OF ADVICE FOR THE DEAD
Number 39
Matthew Leach
After the End
Number 40
Kirsteen Stewart
The Mandrake
Number 41
Daniel James
Grandma, the Devil and Me
Number 42
Tracey S. Rosenberg
Title: JANE ELLIOTT
Number 43
Trasie Sands
Freaky Yarn
Number 44
CLARE ZINKIN
A MIGHTY STRANGER
Number 45
Fíona Scarlett
Title: BOYS DON'T CRY
Number 46
Alex Delve
So Say the Dead
Number 47
Jenny Adamthwaite
Drawing Breath
Number 48
Rebecca McCormick
Teenage Wasteland
Number 49
Maurice Suckling
Novel's title: Do These Shapes Tessellate?
Number 50
Helen Loney
'The Book Club Murders'
Number 51
Heather Hughson
Jump Point
Number 52
Stuart Johnstone
The Red Doors
Number 53
Peter O’Connor
The Cloud
Number 54
Luke Spry
Blood of the Phoenix
Number 55
Charlotte Levin
An Explanation of Love

Oct 29, 2018 • 1h 3min
Death Of 1000 Cuts - Season 2 Episode 43 - Chatting With R O Kwon
In this episode I chat to author R O Kwon about her novel THE INCENDIARIES.
We talk about the pain of losing her faith and how her yearning for God lit the fuse that would become THE INCENDIARIES, a story about characters pulled into a religious terrorist sect. We talk about the 10 years the novel took to write, how she dealt with the challenge of writing convincingly about fanaticism, and what it's like being a cool author. She also opens up about some personal creative quirks, and I actually ask the question 'what's your favourite letter of the alphabet?' because that is how a serious adult interviews a writer about literature. But I genuinely wanted to know!
If you'd like a copy of THE INCENDIARIES with free shipping it'd be churlish of me to stop you, and I will in fact aid you - click this link to order it with free worldwide shipping: https://wordery.com/the-incendiaries-r-o-kwon-9780735213890#oid=1908_1
And you can read my novel, THE HONOURS, by ordering it here: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
And oh, go on then - running this podcast costs me a lot of time and actual money. If you'd like to support the podcast you can drop me a few quid here: www.ko-fi.com/timclare
Thank you!

Oct 26, 2018 • 50min
Death Of 1000 Cuts - Season 2 Episode 42 - Against NaNoWriMo (Writing Ramble)
Planning on doing NaNoWriMo? Don't.
It's a bad idea, and in this episode, I explain why.
I also chat about ways you can get yourself writing more, while loving it.
This is a writing ramble episode, which is one of my completely unscripted talks with just me, you and the mic. A few people said they'd like to hear my thoughts on NaNoWriMo, so here they are. I hope it stimulates some useful thoughts for you.
My novel is THE HONOURS - it's weird historical Fantasy with secret tunnels in 1935 England. Please treat yourself to a copy with free worldwide shipping: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
If you'd like to try the first day of my (completely and forever) free 8-week writing course, the Couch to 80k Writing Boot Camp, you can download all the episodes here: http://www.timclarepoet.co.uk/couchto80kwritingbootcamp/
And if you like the show and would like me to make more, you can help me cover my overheads by dropping me a buck or two here: www.ko-fi.com/timclare
Thank you!

Oct 25, 2018 • 1h 24min
Death Of 1000 Cuts - Season 2 Episode 41 - Chatting With Jonathan Stroud
This episode I speak to bestselling author Jonathan Stroud about finding stories, developing characters, and channelling demons.
Jonathan Stroud is the author of the 4-book BARTIMAEUS series - about an alternate London run by magicians, and the demons who serve them - which is published in 35 languages and has sold over 6 million copies. He also wrote the LOCKWOOD & CO series, about a plague of ghosts haunting Great Britain and the child agents sent to tackle them. We talk about his start in publishing, how he writes and how the challenges differ from book to book. We also talk about the value of walks for the creative process.
This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know:
- how can I find the voice of a character?
- how can I raise my chances of being struck by a flash of inspiration?
- what are good ways of thinking about conflict in a story?
- how can I make sure my plot is progressing?
Here are the first 3 books in Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus series. I urge you, mortal, DO NOT BE SILLY, buy these books immediately. They are so great and you will have a wonderful time!
THE AMULET OF SAMARKAND: https://wordery.com/the-amulet-of-samarkand-jonathan-stroud-9780786852550#oid=1908_1
THE GOLEM'S EYE: https://wordery.com/the-bartimaeus-trilogy-golems-eye-bk-2-jonathan-stroud-9780786836543#oid=1908_1
PTOLEMY'S GATE: https://wordery.com/the-golems-eye-jonathan-stroud-9780552562812#oid=1908_1
And here's the first in the Lockwood & Co sequence, LOCKWOOD & CO: THE SCREAMING STAIRCASE: https://wordery.com/lockwood-co-the-screaming-staircase-jonathan-stroud-9780552566780#oid=1908_1
Oh? You fancy reading something... by *me*? Well then, friend, try THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
And ah yes, if you'd like to chuck me something towards the podcast's running costs, I have a page here where you can do that in a couple of clicks: ko-fi.com/timclare

Oct 22, 2018 • 1h 12min
Death Of 1000 Cuts - Season 2 Episode 40 - Chatting With Tade Thompson
In this episode I chat to author Tade Thompson about creating worlds, unsympathetic protagonists and the 'killable other'.
Tade Thompson is the author of ROSEWATER, a near-future SF novel set in Nigeria. We have a great conversation about the roots of his writing in the visual medium of comics, why we're driven to create for ourselves, the uncomfortable truths that lie within us and the art of making the deeply weird feel real.
This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know:
- how can I make my science fiction feel plausible?
- should my narrator or protagonist be likeable?
- where is science fiction headed?
Here's Tade Thompson's novel, ROSEWATER: https://wordery.com/rosewater-tade-thompson-9780356511368#oid=1908_1
And here's SAGA Vol 1, which he recommends: https://wordery.com/saga-volume-1-brian-k-vaughan-9781607066019#oid=1908_1
Here's my novel, THE HONOURS, that I'd love you to buy: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1
If you like the show, please consider supporting me via my Ko-fi page: www.ko-fi.com/timclare