Friday, September 28, 2012

A cracking day out...

This blog is mostly pictures, because that's all you really need. On Saturday, our local chapter of the Romantic Novelists' Association went to Ashdown House.




It was a stunningly beautiful day. Clear blue sky, warm with a light breeze. We had one of our own, historical author, Nicola Cornick, as a guide and she gave us all the gossip, all the romance, all the history. (This house was built for love of a queen - sadly she died before it was completed.)






We climbed the fabulous staircase to the roof as had the ladies in the 17th century (they went to watch Rupert of the Rhine and Charles II hunting across the amazing landscape - we enjoyed the view, and a glimpse of a deer).

Then Nicola took us home to tea in on of those English villages you see on chocolate box lids. Thatched cottages, roses around the door. We sat in the garden, ate fabulous cake (made by her lovely husband) and were made a fuss of by Rochester, the puppy she is walking for the Guide Dog Association.

A cracking day out.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

So You Think You Can Write

How is it going with  So You Think You Can Write?

I hope you're all taking advantage of the great advice being handed out by editors and authors online - if you haven't caught up, then use twitter hashtag #SYTYCW2012 to keep up with the mass of help being offered to new writers.

My editor, Bryony Green, senior editor for Harlequin Romance/Riva/Modern Heat is one of those lined to help and inspire.

She says the best part of her job is working with such talented authors, and finds the best thrill is finding a new voice for one of the series.

Last year's runner-up in the New Voices Competition - and who I had the enormous pleasure of mentoring through the final stages - Charlotte Phillips, has just had her second book scheduled, btw :)

Entries are now being loaded onto the competition site for you to read and vote on.

Meanwhile, for those of you still in a shall I/shan't I dither, or putting the finishing polish on your entries, here are my writing tips of the week: -

  • Begin your story at the moment of crisis, the point in time when your character's life is about to change forever.
  • Give the reader characters she will care about, someone she would want as a best friend. Not perfect - imagine have the "perfect" best friend. :( Think Bridget Jones - chaotic, overweight and with an inclination to put her foot in her mouth right up to the ankle.
  • Make sure your conflict is big enough to carry the entire story. It doesn't have to be complicated, but it does have to be deep.
  • Develop the romance. The reader wants to see your characters falling in love. They may bicker through the entire story but 48,000 words of endless sniping and "I hate you!"s, followed by a sudden  about face in the final chapter, does not convince.
  • Dig deep for emotion. Mine your own experiences for the feelings your character is going through. We've all felt anguish, embarrassment, guilt, grief. If you find yourself writing "she'd never felt anything like it before", put your pen down and ask yourself what, exactly, she is feeling and tell the reader.

Finally, to help the party go with a swing, I'm offering Liz Fielding's Little Book of Writing Romance at a special price for a limited time. You can download it at Smashwords for $2.99, just use the following code at checkout QR86P here  You can download it wherever you are in the world, btw!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Lost bunny...

This is the story of a toy bunny. It was made for Cora Rose, my oldest granddaughter (she's two) by her very lovely cousin, Lucinda Ganderton
Lucinda, a designer and creator of wonderful things (you can buy her books and make them yourself), upcycles stuff and Babbit was made from a cashmere cardigan that had a bad wash day and other odds and ends.

You'll notice that Babbit has no ears. They were "loved" off, but are safe in a drawer for the day when Cora's mummy has Babbit, needle and thread and time all in the same place. Or at least that was the plan. Grab hold of your Kleenex... 

On an outing to Tesco in Purley, Babbit was lost.

Many phone calls to Tesco and the bus company ensued. Cora was distraught. She cried for hours. Mummy told her that Babbit had gone on holiday. Family members all over the world sent postcards from Babbit, telling her that he was having a lovely time. She still cried. Babbit might be having a good time but she wanted a cuddle!

The lovely Lucinda rushed to the rescue. She couldn't make an identical Babbit - when you upcycle, your materials are what you have to hand and let's face it, you don't want too many cashmere cardigan disasters. But she found this Babbit in her workroom. She's  grown a little (just like Cora) and has a lovely tan from her holiday.

And the really magic thing about Babbit mark II is that she's in a book because Lucinda made her as the prototype for "Boo" in tbe Belle & Boo books by Mandy Sutcliffe (Cora and her mummy went to Waterstones and bought one). And here's the thing - Boo's friend Belle, looks very like Cora.

And the moral of this story? Never take your best loved toys to the supermarket. They may decide to take a holiday, and they don't all come home.

BREAKING NEWS!

Since I wrote this I've received this picture of one very happy little girl:  Babbit I has made it home.  Now how to explain Babbit II ... a lovely cousin, perhaps?


Sunday, September 16, 2012

Mills and Boon Author lunch...

Every autumn, Mills and Boon authors gather en masse in London for lunch. We talk - a lot. We have a glass of something uplifting. We eat wonderful food and get updates on what's happening from the publishing team at Harlequin and Mills and Boon.

We get to hear about new series, see advance artwork for new book cover designs and meet old friends and new. This year I was able to meet Charlotte Phillips. Last year, you may remember, I mentored her through the final stages of the New Voices competition. This was her first lunch as a contracted Mills and Boon author. A very special moment for both of us which, since I forgot to take a camera with me, is sadly unrecorded. I'll just say that she's young and pretty and her debut book, Secrets of the Rich & Famous will be published in December.  You'll be hearing lots more about her.

Instead I'm posting a photograph of the surprise goody bags that were waiting for us this year as a treat from Mills and Boon.

It contained a small bottle of champagne, a gorgeous pink notebook and pen, and chocolates. And oh, what chocolates! They were Kir Royale truffles from my own supplier of choice, Hotel Chocolate and this is what they looked like.

I resisted the temptation to scoff them all on the train home, and shared them with the best-beloved, who is and always has been my supporter. They were fabulous!

Off with the high heels now, and the posh two-piece and back to joggers and a t-shirt while I sweat out the last chapter of the book I've been working on for what seems like forever. (Moving house and writing and book are mutually exclusive activites, I've discovered!)

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Writing Workshops

Here are the Mills & Boon Events planned to coincide with SYTYCW, which begins on 17th September.







Tuesday 18th September, 7pm

Event Leader: Liz Fielding

MELKSHAM
LIBRARY, Lowbourne, Melksham, Trowbridge, SN12 7DZ

Please call 01225 702039 to book your place.


Read Liz Fielding's titles before the workshop!

LIZ FIELDING'S LITTLE BOOK OF WRITING ROMANCE
 

FLIRTING WITH ITALIAN

BOMBSHELL FOR THE BOSS 





Wednesday 19th September, 6pm   

Event Leader: Heidi Rice


ISLINGTON LIBRARY, Central Library, 2 Fieldway Crescent, London, N5 1PF


For more information please call 020 7527 6953 or email Shari.Green@islington.gov.uk.


Read Heidi Rice's titles before the workshop!


CUPCAKES AND KILLER HEELS


PS I'M PREGNANT!



Friday 21st September, 5.30pm-7pm   

Event Leader: Sharon Kendrick


VICTORIA LIBRARY, 160 Buckingham Palace Road, City of Westminster, London, SW1W 9UD


Please call 020 7641 1300 to book your place or email afarrell@westminster.gov.uk


Read Sharon Kendrick's titles before the workshop!

PRICELESS

A TAINTED BEAUTY




Friday 21st September, 6.30pm for a 7pm start

Event Leader: Heidi Rice


KENTISH TOWN LIBRARY, 262-266 Kentish Town Road, London, NW5 2AA
          

Please call 020 7974 8515 to book your place or email Peter.Baxter@camden.gov.uk.


Read Heidi Rice's titles before the workshop!


CUPCAKES AND KILLER HEELS


PS I'M PREGNANT!




Saturday 22nd September 2pm

Event Leader: Fiona Harper

BROMLEY CENTRAL LIBRARY, Bromley, Kent, BR1 1EX    

Please email
Janet.Pullan@bexley.gov.uk to book your place.

Read
Fiona Harper's titles before the workshop!

THREE BLIND-DATE BRIDES


AT HIS SERVICE: CINDERELLA'S HOUSEKEEPER




Tuesday 25th September 6.30-8pm

Event Leader: Sharon Kendrick

MAYFAIR LIBRARY,
25 South Audley Street,  Mayfair, London W1K 2PB


Please email kblench@westminster.gov.uk to book your place.


Read Sharon Kendrick's titles before the workshop!

PRICELESS

A TAINTED BEAUTY



Thursday 27th September 6pm-7.45pm

Event Leader: Anne Fraser

HILLHEAD LIBRARY, 348 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8AP


To book your place on the writing workshop, please call 0141 276 1617 or email Carol.Maclaren@glasgowlife.org.uk.


Read Anne Fraser's titles before the workshop!

AT HIS SERVICE: HER BOSS THE HERO


HER MOTHERHOOD WISH


Saturday 29th September 10am-12.30pm

Event Leader: Joanna Fulford

CHESTERFIELD LIBRARY, New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, S40 1QN


To book your place on the writing workshop, please call 01629 533 400 or email Wendy.Kurcewicz@derbyshire.gov.uk.


Read Joanna Fulford's titles before the workshop!

THE VIKING'S TOUCH

HIS COUNTERFEIT CONDESSA

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Writing tips from the great...

Some of you, I know will be embarking on the So You Think You Can Write adventure this month.


Obviously, my advice to you would be to read Liz Fielding's Little Book of Writing Romance, but here are a few words on the subject of writing from great writers and teachers to fire you up.

"Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia."  - Kurt Vonnegut

 "Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing." - Henry Miller Henry Miller on Writing

 "If you are using dialogue—say it aloud as you write it. Only then will it have the sound of speech." -
 John Steinbeck The Paris Review

"Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s." - Stephen King On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

"The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof shit detector. This is the writer’s radar and all great writers have had it." - Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway on Writing,

"You begin to string words together like beads to tell a story. You are desperate to communicate, to edify or entertain, to preserve moments of grace or joy or transcendence, to make real or imagined events come alive. But you cannot will this to happen. It is a matter of persistence and faith and hard work. So you might as well just go ahead and get started." - Ann Lamott Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life


Saturday, September 01, 2012

Riva has a new App!


Riva launched today on Facebook with this brilliant new App giving details of books - including a competition to win a bundle of the new Riva titles - and introducing the authors.

There is also link to YouTube "Bites" with one the editorial team introducing each of the books.

They will be available from Mills and Boon Riva from today, and from all ebook stores from 1st October.

Riva paperbacks will also be available in WHSmith from 5th October. It's going to be a stunning display so do look out for them!

You can also pre-order at Amazon UK