Tag: romantic fiction

NaNoWriMo and a ginger cat hanging on to a piece of rope

December 9, 2019

I shall attempt to type a suitable first sentence, having been absent from blogging since late September.

That wasn’t it, but for now, I’ll simply let thoughts travel down my bare arms and out through my fingertips – much like I did last month as I attempted the National Novel Writing Month. In 2018 I used the NaNo month to add words to the manuscript which I shall refer to in this post as Book 1 (Secrets Under A Tuscan Sun), but was unable to officially partake in the fun of unlocking badges along the way. In 2017 I laid the foundations of Book 1 during NaNo and achieved 17,000. It took a further eighteen months to create that first draft, while I pondered over what the weather may have been doing during Chapter seven, or what colour car a character was driving in Chapter sixteen.

I am delighted to inform you that during these past few months, it was been instilled in me that the first draft can be a very basic me-telling-me-the-story manuscript and hence last month I achieved the 50,000 word goal and now have the bare bones of a first draft for book 2.

I couldn’t be happier!

The reason for my success was, I believe, the correct alignment of each of a handful of criteria:

  1. I was physically well and suffered no colds or migraines (an awful affliction).
  2. I had planned this novel during October, based on the 15 beats suggested by Jessica Brody in her adaptation of Blake Synder’s screenplay bible, Save The Cat Writes A Novel. (While this worked very well for me, and highly recommend buying a copy, I’m aware there are a whole host of How-To books on the market.)
  3. My husband, children and immediate family and friends were all aware I was attempting this challenge, and kindly left me alone to do so (eliminating guilt previously felt when sat at a keyboard during the day).
  4. My sole trader business was put ‘on hold’ for the month, and I’m fortunate that November is a light month for work in any event, so it couldn’t have fallen better for me (going semi ‘public’ with a goal meant I had even more drive to achieve it).

This was me pouring over the chapters in this clever little number back in June, in Cornwall. I was then plotting a novel about an inter-generational friendship and what can happen when two characters who have been otherwise outcast, befriend each other, even when eighty years in age separate them. That novel is not the one I wrote for NaNo because I was advised I should probably consider writing a second romance-based story in case an agent comes back, interested in Book 1 and asks ‘What else do you have?’. (This possibility is one which still drives me, yet since my submissions during the last week of September, all I’ve received is two rejections.)

Save The Cat ensured I had no ‘soggy middle’ and each day I typed another scene as I saw it playing out. I knew where I was heading and kept in mind Stephen King’s tip that his first drafts are like unearthing the bones for what will one day be a whole skeleton. So I created scenes, including dialogue, so I could engage with my characters. I had no worries at all about adding bracketed instructions to myself for following up in subsequent edits, such as: (check egg boxes were available in 1911 New York) !!

I’ve given myself a fortnight ‘off’ from MADE OF STEEL since I finished the 50K, on purpose to let the story percolate before attempting first edit. And at least this time, I have a plan for those edits, having done the Curtis Brown Creative ‘Edit & Submit Your Novel’ six-week course. I shall go back through all the notes I printed and stuck into a ring binder and work my way through each section, ensuring it adds to the plot and drives the story forward. I shall also be creating more padding to each scene, hoping to bring the two main characters to life with further dialogue and expressive behaviours. Looking forward to getting stuck in to some deeper prose with carefully thought out metaphors or similes, all of which should help take this 50K towards the required length of a novel; somewhere between 75 and 90 for a commercial womens fiction paperback.

Having called it womens’ fiction, I would hope that some men would enjoy the story too, as it’s based on real events. Shall I have a brief go at pitching it to you now? (Sounds dangerous to me, without any planning)

Following a fire in 1911 Manhattan, factory worker Emma is recovering from physical scars but cannot escape the guilt that she was the only survivor. Her parents send her to Southern Ireland, away from the growing Suffragette movement in the city, worried she is too fragile, vulnerable and angry to become part of it. In Queenstown, Emma discovers how her grandparents lived, and how they escaped the famine sixty years earlier. She befriends Thomas, the owner of a hotel in the harbour; a quiet man who prefers life when his famous and overbearing wife is touring Europe on the stage. Their friendship threatens to turn into something greater, but morals and faith prevail. In the spring of 1912, Emma knows she needs to return to New York and a life without Thomas in it.

It’s a novel about love, about progress. A little politics here and there (which, spookily, mirror events this year) and some Royal mentions too.

(Queen – Courtesy of the wall art in John Lewis, Oxford Street, yesterday)

The Crown:

Where the hell was I when this Netflix series first aired?? It’s been my binge-viewing all autumn and I’m all caught up. Incredible storylines, and heart-breaking relationship issues throughout the monarchy over the decades. Riveting script and stunning performances. Whether you’re a royalist or a complete anti-monarchist, this series is worthy of your time from a drama point of view!

I mentioned bare arms because I’m sat here wrapped in a duvet, sitting at the desk at the bottom of the stairs, my only light a green glass desk lamp with brass base and small pull chain, which has always fascinated me. I couldn’t sleep and kept turning over to find a few seconds of calm before the insomniac vibes won over. Numerous times I’d move towards Man of the Woods and spoon against his back, my thighs following his and felt snuggly, but sleep refused to arrive. Then I’d turn the other way and hug the pillow, waiting again to drift. But alas, a cup of tea and a bowl of coco-pops won. That was 90 minutes ago.

I checked my WordPress statistics and learnt something rather interesting. In 2019, my total word count across blog posts has been a mere 18,518 compared to 2018 which totalled 132,641. The significance of this is not lost on me. While I’ve missed the interaction with you guys (and even now, I’m wondering if the algorithms will mean all my old regulars won’t even see this post until I start reading yours again) I have evidently been concentrating my creative words into novels.

I’ve lots more to chat about, but for now, I’ll leave you in peace and drag my duvet train back upstairs to see if the sleep Gods may grant me a couple of hours. I’ll schedule this to publish at 8am and look forward to touching base with some of you later.

Happy thoughts, peeps xxx

Submitting to literary agents … is only the beginning 🖌

September 30, 2019

I finally did it.

I’m not joking here. I’ve submitted my Italian/Edinburgh novel to five real London-based literary agents. Did you ever think I’d get this far? Well I didn’t.

You watched me type the thing, procrastinate and fiddle for months last year. You followed me when I attended the online Curtis Brown Creative courses during 2018 (from which a few scenes in the finished manuscript actually started life as pieces of homework during those courses!).

For months and months, I created and edited this novel. I thought about it when I was doing other things, debated about plot twists and small details like whether I’d added enough details to a scene. As many of my followers know, my membership of the wonderful RNA cemented my love of writing fiction and the encouragement I’ve received over the months from fellow members and newbie writers is the sole reason I’m now able to announce I’ve submitted.

I spent last week back in Devon, at Retreats For You and how fitting that while I was there, under the watchful eye of my mentor Alison May, I completed a final proof-read on paper, transferred the horrendous number of error corrections onto the laptop before finalising the content of five agent letters. (The first five on my very long list, because once the rejections come, I can then send it to the next one on the list until I have exhausted the entire listings in the author’s bible … 😃).

Being on the retreat, where I was fed three times a day and had nothing else to think about except my book, meant the opportunity to complete it was within my grasp. And I grabbed it with both hands.

I do type at home. I do plot, and read, and think about outlines and characters. But. I juggle the guilt too when I’m there and Man of the Woods is around wanting to talk about failing crops and flea beetle and rainfall. All marriages have their dynamics but I truly believe that spending most of every day with your spouse brings about some interesting discussions, especially when, in our case, MoW despises social media and all that it represents.

This was my bedroom at the retreat. I could have happily stayed longer and written the second book but that would be selfish 🤣

Back to the point.

One of the useful sessions during our week was when Alison confirmed that finishing a draft of a whole novel is a huge achievement. We hear this often from positive and supportive writing folk on social media – and let’s just take a moment to accept the accolade once again. That goal reached is HUGE 🎉

Assuming at this point we are thinking about traditional publishing, we start the long and arduous journey of seeking agent representation. It is incredibly rare that a debut novel catches the eye of an agent who will be bombarded with quality manuscripts every week. Hence the need to have a long list and a large dose of patience.

(Yes, I could be an Indie author but I just don’t have the confidence to put it out there! If agents don’t think it’s good, then I’m not sure I’d want that version available for public consumption. Trust me on this – it’s my self esteem we are dealing with, not yours 🤣🙈)

Let’s pretend then, at some point in the future, one of those agents is blown away by my prose and is so desperate to represent me, they call me to the capital for lunch and champagne. Ok, maybe not. A cup of tea at a table in their office, a custard cream and some home truths is more likely!

That agent will then have the very difficult task of ‘selling’ my novel to editors at a publishing house. They do this in all sorts of ways; casual chats at events, pitching meetings, personal knowledge of each other and possibly over expensive lunches!

Let’s also now pretend an editor agrees the novel is stunning. They, in turn, will attend an acquisition meeting, sat with the big Boss and the accounts dept (who decide how many books they can publish that month/quarter) and persuade the powers that be that they have the next ‘big thing’ and it’s worthy of their time over and above the other books being pitched around the table.

It’s not sounding too promising now is it 😂 but you know what I’ve decided?

Book 1 is/was my learning book. It always will have the honour of that label and I still love the characters, especially Antonio 🖤

There’s a long way to go; I’ve only just started. Yet what I’m proud of is completing the process to this point. I know now what it feels like, what shape the process takes.

And while I pause to enjoy a fabulous book by Rosie Walsh, I’m plotting Book 2 and doing lots of research this time before I type a word of it 🖌

Happy writing folks xxx

Merry Christmas dear Henry 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 (#jackvettriano #flashfiction)

December 17, 2018

When he asked me to dance, I had no notion whatsoever it would become our lives.

We were both nineteen and enduring our first year of University. Well he was enjoying his but I couldn’t bare the lecture schedule which was sparse and scattered without thought through the week, the windows of time between being too short to get away. I wanted to be travelling and was regretting not joining Ruth on her year-out adventure.

So when the quiet boy called Henry asked if I would audition with him, it sounded fun and a contrast to why we were really so far from home. We were instantly accepted onto the course; we had ‘poise’ she said (the funny elderly tutor who still wore the brightest red lipstick in the palette).

Every Tuesday and Friday evening in the old music hall next to the university chapel, she followed us closely, her arms outstretched and her body keeping close to our own as we moved around the parquet floor. Without fail she wore her tap shoes and black knee-length floaty dress,. It was as if she wanted to dance with Henry, or perhaps me.

‘Bravo!’ She would call and as the weeks turned into months, Ms Ketch taught us the dances of her youth while an unexpected connection between Henry and I blossomed. We were entered for a competition and delighted to win it.

It was the first of many spanning twenty four years dancing together. No-one has since held me on the dance floor like Henry could. Many are technically brilliant and we carry out the routine in a skilled fashion, but there is a spark missing.

His finger tips would talk to my spine mid-tango, he would catch my eye during the Foxtrot and no words would need to pass between us before any dance. We just knew how to bring the best out in each other, whatever mood we might find ourselves in.

When Henry died last year, my husband was wonderfully supportive and encouraged me to get back out there. I’m not sure he quite understands though, what it is that I have lost…

💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫

A piece of flash fiction to break up my housework… I keep walking past the December print on my Jack Vettriano calendar and realising I’ve not given you a piece to go with it. Deary me… I am slacking!

(But you should see my kitchen – it’s unusually spotless)

Reading, Writing, Sharing, Listening, Learning, Creating Romance Fiction

August 31, 2018

I’m half way through TTTW which I started a few days ago. It’s a book with over 500 pages so, for me, this is quite an achievement as I’ve always read very slowly. As with housework, I’ve can be easily distracted, but this one is emotional, heartstring-pulling, possible but not possible tale and all the hype surrounding the title, imho, has been worth listening to.

Maybe I’m developing the art of reading like I would a muscle in a gym, because I now have an end goal now.  Which is to be better-read.   Having lived through a period when I didn’t read any fiction for probably fifteen years or more, I now crave it.

During the last ten months I’ve read over twenty books. Whether it’s coincided with other more positive outlooks, or simply a coincidence I’m unsure. What I do know is, my brain now spends time thinking, wanting, actively needing fiction.

I still use social media, but mostly these days to keep in touch with reading and writing buddies. Yesterday I met a group from the RNA (Romantic Novelists Ass) – not to be muddled up with the NRA.

As always, I came away re-focused and driven. I ate my Pizza Express starter while absorbing the inspiration of two ladies on the opposite side of the marble table, one of whom, Kate Hardy, has written over 60 titles for Mills & Boon and the other, Caroline Anderson, has just completed her 100th. Shall we pause for a moment and just consider that achievement?!

For regular readers of Harlequin/Mills and Boon romances, they will know that the bosses at the top choose the covers, the titles and update the ‘look’ of the various lines, as they are known, as often as they deem necessary. Kate and Caroline (whose real names I shall keep to myself) explained they merely get on with writing the stories.

While I now understand there is no archaic ‘formula’ which M&B authors have to rigidly adhere to – a misnomer which many believe – I do ‘see’ the need to keep stories within the parameters of the expectations of their gazillion stoic readers around the world.  Hence, medical romance readers will always require their heroin or hero to be a nurse, doctor, a surgeon but you can place them anywhere in the world you wish.

While I continue my internal debate – that my plots may be more dark and complicated than the Mills & Boon editors would wish to work with – I am thoroughly enjoying the journey of discovering where my writing talents (if any) lie.

I had some interesting feedback from Harlequin in February this year, in response to a competition entry which said ‘We enjoyed your setting and the hero has real potential. However, we would not wish to work with the coercive control aspect as our readers would not enjoy this. We also need to hear more in the synopsis about what your hero’s and heroin’s goals are and how their story unfolds. Good luck and when you have thought about how you might rework this piece to suit us, please send it in again.’

At the time, I was a mixture of ruffled feathers (how can I possibly remove a whole plot line from Riya’s backstory … remember John and the Radhanagari Damsel??) and elation that I’d received an email from staff from THE MILLS&BOON people!

However, I filed the story and the email away and thought no more about it and instead enrolled on that Curtis Brown 6-week online course – Write To The End Of Your Novel – in order that I might develop the chunk of weird words I’d written through NaNo last November. I loved doing that course and now The Key To Verona (TKTV) stands at 27,000 words and is being read as we speak by a reader on the New Writers Scheme, which is part of the aforementioned RNA. I am awaiting the arrival of the feedback.  I know there will be mountains to change but I am anticipating welcoming the guidance which this process should bring.

The authors sat around the Pizza Express table yesterday assured me that to have received a) an email back from Mills and Boon and b) for it to be specific to my story – as opposed to a generic reply – should not be dismissed lightly. Many never hear back at all.  They encouraged me to run with John and Riya, to do what the editor had suggested and to send it in again.

So that’s why I’ve signed up to another Curtis Brown course: Start Writing Your Novel. Why have I gone back to the beginning and chosen this course? Because TKTV has always been on a back foot. I’ve pantsered my way through it, round it, over it, never quite understanding where it’s going. It may be worth completing, once I’ve decided what genre it should be. Could be. Ought to be. ‘Don’t worry about that. Just write the story you want to write’ say lots of people. For six months I’ve welcomed that advice and felt more relaxed about it. For eleven minutes. Then off I’ve gone again, worrying about this aspect, or that.

No.

For this year’s NaNo challenge, I’m planning on rewriting Radhanagari Damsel. It’s going to be 100% romance. It’s going to have enormous peaks of emotion and troughs of harrowing conflict, but the main goals of the two of them are to be together and have a HEA ending.

Now, tomorrow, my new 6-week online course should ping through and this time, I’m focused and ready, like an athlete at the white line, adrenalin pumping awaiting the starting pistol. (Last time, I arrived half way around the track with only one trainer in my bag and no water bottle and had done zero training towards the distance).

Do you see what I’m getting at? I always knew this year was about finding my author voice, making writing and reading buddies, building my confidence that I’d embarked on a passion which was worth my effort (I now take a journal – or last year’s unused diary to be precise – everywhere I go and scribble story ideas down).

Blogging has been truly amazing for me. As my follower numbers creep towards a thousand, I can honestly admit that there are about twenty of you that I would genuinely invite to dinner! (I won’t perhaps bother with the Australian strippers or the ‘Make your millions if you Follow me Today’ types, or the gadget companies or the bots.)

So… best I get my arse out of bed and start my day. I’ve not read any more of TTTW but I’ve enjoyed being here chatting and this post has refocused my goals.

Have a great day, wherever you are 🌏🌍🌎