Mike Nicol

So there I am sitting quietly in the domestic departure lounge at Cape Town International last Thursday minding my own business when a woman sits down next to me, takes out a book and starts reading. mikenicol.substack.com/p/a-funny-thin…

Cometh this weekend - if your weekend starts on a Friday - cometh the Knysna Book Festival. Full programme here. Tickets are available at Quicket. See you there. mikenicol.substack.com/p/the-knysna-b…

As part of their marketing drive for my novel, Falls the Shadow, Catalyst Press in the US sent through a list of questions. Their man behind the interrogation was Britain Powers. mikenicol.substack.com/p/getting-down…

Book launches and book festivals coming up in March: mikenicol.substack.com/p/the-bookish-…

Some thoughts on serial characters, and, the official launch of Falls the Shadow today at 5.30pm at The Book Lounge. mikenicol.substack.com/p/serial-chara…

Join us on Wednesday, 18 February, for the launch of Falls the Shadow by Mike Nicol. He will be in conversation with Qarnita Loxton. Rsvp to booklounge@gmail.com @PanMacmillanSA @MikeNicol

Years ago I came across Roy Campbell’s cutting remarks about SA novelists in his short poem that mentioned the snaffle and the curb. Took a reference in a Faulkner novel for me to find out what that was: mikenicol.substack.com/p/wheres-the-b…

Some writers listen to music while they’re writing. And then there are those who can’t have any distractions. I can’t do the music. But I also can’t do without the music. It's an essential part of my crime fiction. Here's a playlist for Falls the Shadow. mikenicol.substack.com/p/the-playlist

So as not to keep anyone away from the President's State of the Nation address, my book launch has been changed to Wednesday 18 February:

The thing about the Elizabethans and the Jacobeans after them is that they did good drama. Murder, blood, witches, ghosts, love gone mad. For these reasons, Macbeth has long fascinated me. So I used that story in Falls the Shadow. mikenicol.substack.com/p/something-wi…

Naming characters can be a challenge. It's also a lot of fun mikenicol.substack.com/p/the-naming-o…

Some things in this Substack: Now's the time to sign up for Masterclass26; and if you're an SA crime writer check the Who's Who to ensure you're on it. If not please let me know: mikenicol.substack.com/p/the-2026-buz…

This is my last Substack for the year. It’s got a lot of links and it’s heavy on crime but then I’m a crime writer. mikenicol.substack.com/p/getting-with…

"Catalyst authors in conversation: reflections for #ReadingAfrica Week." with Catalyst authors Bridget Krone, Donica Merhazion, Faraaz Mahomed, Hannes Barnard, @MikeNicol, Sahra Noor, Tsitsi Mapepa, and Samantha Keller. catalystpress.org/blog-posts/cat…

Three times recently I’ve been asked: ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’ I’m always left scrabbling for an answer. So here’s an answer of sorts. There’s a high-ranking cop in my upcoming Falls the Shadow who visits a sangoma? Whence cometh that idea? mikenicol.substack.com/p/where-do-you…

@UKMonate Seems you could get it here allbookstores.com/book/compare/0… or here bobshop.co.za/the-firm-a-bio…

@MikeNicol Morning, I collect books about SA Law firms. •Nicol, Mike (2006). The Firm: A Biography of Webber Wentzel Bowens. South Africa: Random House. ISBN 0-9584468-7-3. Please advise by DM where I could source this book.

@UKMonate Seems you could get it here: bobshop.co.za/the-firm-a-bio… or allbookstores.com/book/compare/0…

Good marketing advice from much acclaimed UK book publicist, Alison Barrow: “I’d say if you can, be open to saying yes to all you are able to early on in a campaign - even before publication." And more on inspiration, poetic rhythm and Obz cafe: mikenicol.substack.com/p/yo-let-there…

One of the things about writing novels is coming up with the right title. If there is anything more important than the first line, it’s the title. I’ve bought books on the strength of the title. Titles set the scene. They hint at what’s to come. mikenicol.substack.com/p/falls-the-sh…