tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77054719325296778792024-03-13T14:45:13.115-07:00Writing, writing, writingElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-87996563017888711822016-10-26T12:38:00.004-07:002016-10-26T12:38:52.944-07:00Old Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9oynvxPJdE0/V1m6Ct9Ne4I/AAAAAAAAAVE/RX9B5YjRS1ASi4-IrqLqPpJaqg12QbTCACPcB/s1600/Cracked%2BGlass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9oynvxPJdE0/V1m6Ct9Ne4I/AAAAAAAAAVE/RX9B5YjRS1ASi4-IrqLqPpJaqg12QbTCACPcB/s200/Cracked%2BGlass.jpg" width="131" /></a>Four months to the day, I finished Cracked Glass. Four months is quite a long time for me to spend on the first draft of a novel, but Cracked Glass ended up being 125 000 words long. Or about 15 000 words too long for the Young Adult genre.<br />
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What did I learn in writing Cracked Glass? Characters enjoy being given free rein. Research can be done 'on the go'. It helps me having someone read chapter by chapter as I go, it motivated me when I had doubts.<br />
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Since October 10th I spent a week twiddling my thumbs, read a book and finally got around to those necessities of finishing a novel - a covering letter and synopsis. In fact, I've written two synopsises as I woke up one day thinking the first wasn't exciting enough.<br />
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And all done in time for Nanowrimo which starts in a week.</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-75102021230707917982016-06-09T11:49:00.001-07:002016-06-09T11:52:51.319-07:00New Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is probably a good point to blog; I am starting a new novel so you can go on the journey with me.<br />
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I finished the fourth draft of Exit Plan (the first draft was completed over Nanowrimo 2015 and you may have heard me on BBC Radio 4 talking about it). I have been 'in between books'. What have I learnt from this? I'm pretty grumpy if I don't have something to work on! It's taken a while, but I now have an idea I am enthusiastic about writing.<br />
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This is how the idea came into being:<br />
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There's a character in history who is largely forgotten and it struck me that he would make a good character in a time travel novel. I wasn't sure what else was going to happen, but I knew the main character would be his 'love interest'. Because of the character's age at this specific period in history the characters are sixteen/seventeen so this lends itself to a Young Adult novel.<br />
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I didn't know anything else. So, two characters and two time periods...<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9oynvxPJdE0/V1m6Ct9Ne4I/AAAAAAAAAU8/P92PbA8nTk45JRpwemr5F2eOII0NdMoaQCLcB/s1600/Cracked%2BGlass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9oynvxPJdE0/V1m6Ct9Ne4I/AAAAAAAAAU8/P92PbA8nTk45JRpwemr5F2eOII0NdMoaQCLcB/s320/Cracked%2BGlass.jpg" width="211" /></a>When I get stuck for ideas I sometimes look at premade book covers and seek inspiration that way. Pre-made covers are cheaper, because they aren't being made to your specifications, so you have to shop around. Luckily there are some really good designers out there. I found one I liked the look of and contacted the designer who I have used before.<br />
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Then I needed a title to put on the book cover. I am really fussy about titles, they have to be right. I chatted on Facebook to my friend Ellie and threw titles her way. Then I stumbled on one I liked: <i>Cracked Glass</i>. It resonated with a poem I once wrote as a teenager and<i> </i>have slightly misremembered<i>: shattered glass always holds the most light. Shattered Glass</i> is going to be the title of book two in the series and if it goes into a trilogy the third will be called <i>House of Glass.</i><br />
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Characters - check<br />
Era - check<br />
Genre - check<br />
Cover - check<br />
Title - check<br />
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Now time to get writing. Like the rest of you, I find real life gets in the way. I contemplated two ways of motivating myself to write <i>Cracked Glass</i>: publishing a chapter at a time on line or swapping work with a friend. I have tried the former in the past and did not find it successful. Luckily, a friend and I had just agreed to swap 500 words of something a week so <i>Cracked Glass</i> has become that work in progress.<br />
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A couple of days in and I have a short 600 word prologue and almost 2 000 words of chapter one. I aim to make each chapter about 4 000 words and loosely follow 'The Hero's Journey' as a template.<br />
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I have an outline for chapter two and I know vaguely one of the big events that will happen either in this book, or book two. I prefer not to know the rest as I like seeing where the characters take me.<br />
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The adventure begins!<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-66369441831916509722015-12-07T00:48:00.002-08:002016-06-09T11:53:28.126-07:00E Publishing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You may have noticed there are more books than ever available to buy electronically. This is because e publishing has exploded over the last few years, enabling anyone who has finished a book to publish it. If you are interested in e publishing these are a few ideas to help you on your journey.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Platforms:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you want to e publish you need to get your book on both Amazon KDP and Smashwords. Between them they pretty much cover the whole range of book sellers. (The Amazon KDP Select program I haven't heard of being worthwhile for anyone so I'd recommend skipping that as it means you can't sell elsewhere whilst your book is on it).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You need a really good cover, it is worth paying a professional. The cheapest way is to buy a premade but that means you can't be specific about what you want - just get the 'best fit'. Google ebook covers premade and a large selection will come up. If you do want a custom made, have a look at the others the creator has made - does their style fit with you? Are they flexible, working with you until you achieve what you want? Also, listen to their advice - they know what colours work for different genres and what sizes work for different e publishers. Make sure you tell them if you want a print version as well (this might cost you more but is worth it) as the specifics are different again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Editing:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You also need to be a really good self editor as readers hate typos. An editor can be expensive and risky (you need a recommendation) so editing is something I try to do myself (but there's always a typo that gets through). Editing is one thing that really separates the best e books from the glut of tripe that anyone can upload (I'm sure you know what I mean, we've all downloaded one of these books). If you can afford it and have a recommendation - get a professional. But tell them exactly what you want - do you want someone to go through grammar and spellings or do you want someone who will advise you on the story? Again, be warned not all editors will be able to do this as some of their experience will be very specific and may not relate to fiction so be <i>very </i>careful with this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Formatting:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You need to read the formatting guidelines and follow them (what you do for Smashwords is then fine for Amazon though, so you don't need to do it twice). Get it wrong and your book won't be accepted. It's worth spending the time getting it right the first time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Traditional Publishing:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">E publishing doesn't mean you can't then seek traditional publishing, you just need to mention it on your submissions and say you retain all rights (make sure you tick this box when uploading to the e book sites). It may help in the end as traditional publishers do keep an eye out for anything causing a ripple in the water (Shades of Grey, anyone?).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marketing:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is no marketing or publicity with e publishing, so Facebook, Twitter etc will be your best friends. Create a Facebook page and link it to Twitter so you only have to post once (FB posts will then appear as Tweets). Update your page daily if you can, a couple of times a week at least. My page is here if you want to look at the kind of thing I post: https://www.facebook.com/EHWalter/ </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Print copies:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you want people to be able to buy print copies of your book there are ways that won't cost a fortune. Print on demand has become very accessible and keeps costs down. I use Lulu as it literally costs me a proof copy and postage (other print on demand publishers are available). You can set your own price and you can also select to have them available on Amazon with your kindle formatted book. This is where your print copy cover comes into it's own as your e book cover won't be good enough for print. You need to format the inside of the book differently (and page break will become your friend, remember that now to save yourself a lot of hassle) and read the guidelines specific to print books (I've always found CreateSpace's guidelines the easiest to follow).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tax:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anything you legitimately spend on writing and publishing (covers, fees etc) is tax deductible but you do need to register as self employed (those couple of dollars a month from Amazon need accounting for). At entry level e publishing you won't make enough to pay tax, but you still need to do the right thing by HMRC, the IRS or your own country's tax office. You are going to become a bit of a tax expert I'm afraid and Google will be your friend. UK/US residents - our countries have an agreement whereby you only need to pay tax in one country. This does mean lots of form filling though and I did have to go to the IRS department at the US Embassy to get a form stamped (they were very helpful but being a Brit I was utterly confused by the lack of a queue - how do you people work without queues?). Once all done, however, it's done and you can just carry on writing until it's tax return time of year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And good luck! You won't make much money from e publishing (but do remember those tax returns need filing!) but you will gain readers who will let you know what they think about your work. Nothing beats having a book out there that people enjoy reading. </span></div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-31120665808501530742015-06-03T13:02:00.000-07:002016-06-09T11:54:43.259-07:00Sean Sweeney Interview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-whhJadJg0uE/VW9bsZ2X4OI/AAAAAAAAAUU/xtw6SfJ84pM/s1600/577084_361807287240034_1381878522_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-whhJadJg0uE/VW9bsZ2X4OI/AAAAAAAAAUU/xtw6SfJ84pM/s320/577084_361807287240034_1381878522_n.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Writing
is quite a lonely business and, as such, you really value the writer friends
you make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am lucky to have writer
friends from the <a href="http://www.ffordeffiesta.co.uk/">Fforde Ffiesta</a> and writer friends I made during
<a href="http://nanowrimo.org/">Nanowrimo</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in the ethers of time,
during my first or second Nanowrimo, I met Sean Sweeney, a writer based in New
England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is because of him I became
an e published author, without his advice and guidance it just wouldn’t have
happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sean is a prolific author who
always has at least one project on the go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His latest is The Long Crimson line and he has kindly let me probe him
about writing in general and his latest book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TStorOu1qfs/VW9a_aIAffI/AAAAAAAAAUM/QN6lCgFDjGY/s1600/11255171_10153330791985449_254519849071766091_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TStorOu1qfs/VW9a_aIAffI/AAAAAAAAAUM/QN6lCgFDjGY/s200/11255171_10153330791985449_254519849071766091_o.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: I
remember the first time I tried to write a book. I must have been eight
or nine and it was about a family of mice. What was the first novel you
ever attempted?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: We
have to go back through the mists of time to the mid-1990s. I was in high
school, and I had been writing about sports with my local newspaper
(ironically, the same one I for which I write to this day). I had never been
much of a reader growing up; the books that teachers ripped your arms out of
your sockets and beat you over the head with to get these books read, as I see
it now, had very dry writing that didn’t reach out and grab me by the throat.
When I was maybe 16 or 17, I discovered Star Wars Expanded Universe books at my
local WaldenBooks, and I just jumped into them. This was well before I knew
what trademarked material was, and so I wrote a couple of pages of what I
thought happened to Luke, Han, and Leia a few years after Return of the Jedi.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
that, it was a few years before I really put my fingertips on the keyboard to
create the Obloeron fantasy world, which should return to eTailers this
November.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the best thing about being a
novelist?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UfYur0WWUXQ/VW9cCJv57XI/AAAAAAAAAUc/indPib2XeoY/s1600/1063835_480453382042090_1575503545_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UfYur0WWUXQ/VW9cCJv57XI/AAAAAAAAAUc/indPib2XeoY/s200/1063835_480453382042090_1575503545_o.jpg" width="146" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS:
Drinking as much coffee as I can. No, seriously: it is probably knowing that
people read the stories that I create, and actually enjoy them, too.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: You
are the person who got me into e publishing (without your advice I would never
have taken the leap), so as someone who knows this side of the business really
well – what one piece of advice would you give an aspiring e novelist?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VQq6DHu38ac/VW9cSoPPfkI/AAAAAAAAAUk/6ydE7H5U9Oo/s1600/74715_282296038524493_754167393_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VQq6DHu38ac/VW9cSoPPfkI/AAAAAAAAAUk/6ydE7H5U9Oo/s200/74715_282296038524493_754167393_n.jpg" width="129" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: So
much advice. And I can only pick one thing? Lordy. You drive a hard bargain,
Ms. Walter. Gee, I would have to say make time for yourself outside of the
worlds you create. I sacrificed quite a bit while starting out; at one point,
all I was doing was covering games, writing my fiction, and sleeping. That
meant no going out to the bar/pub, no dating, no TV. It was a rather solo
existence, and I kind of forgot who I was outside of being an author, or an
aspiring author, at the time. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Shit, I
sound like such a loser. :)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: Like
me, you write an ongoing series (the Jaclyn Johnson ‘Model’ series) and stand
alone books. How do you organise your time and concentration to work on
such diverse projects?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS:
Basically, you have to treat it like a job. For me, and my experience will be
different from other authors, but I basically punch the clock: I’m in my office
by 8 am, and I punch out by 2 pm. In the winter, that may change due to night
games; instead I’m in the office by 10 and out at 3, 3:30. Recently, I’ve been
distracted by a lot in the news; the Tsarnaev trial in Boston, the FIFA
escapades, the Aaron Hernandez trial. But I still manage to get a thousand
words or so, sometimes more, written per day. On some days, I’ll write a couple
thousand words. And then you throw that in with sportswriting, managing a farm,
and laundry (which I still have to do this week, since I really can’t do it on
the weekends because my wife and sister-in-law are both teachers), sometimes
you have to push everything else out and put your fingertips on the keyboard.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: Can
you let us in on what adventures might be waiting for Jaclyn in your latest
‘Model’ book?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS:
Right now, I’m writing Jaclyn’s seventh full-length adventure, and it’s taking
place in Seattle. Slogging through this scene, which I hope to have done soon.
Then I can move on to the next, and the next, and the next. Hoping to have this
book done by the middle of July.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: Going
on to your stand alone work, tell me what The Long Crimson Line is about…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: In a
nutshell, The Long Crimson Line takes place in my beloved Boston, where a few
heinous murders have taken place. There are no leads, and the police haven’t
been able to come up with a suspect. A former cop, Ricky Madison, comes up with
the idea that the killer may not be all that he seems—and that it may not be a
he doing the killing, either.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: What
gave you the germ of the idea that became TLCL?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: I am
a massive Anglophile, more so than anyone else I know or with whom I grew up. I
love everything about England; football (I’m an Arsenal supporter), the Royal
Family (GSTQ), Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, everything. And I always knew
that Jack the Ripper was from England, but during some reading I discovered
that one member of the Royal Family (Albert Victor) was once accused of being
The Ripper…. So that got my mind a-thinking, and I thought, “what if I put The
Ripper in Boston, make the killer a devotee of him, and let the devotee run
wild?” I knew this book would be rather bloody, and that it would go into great
detail. So this is by far the most envelope-pushing I’ve done in my stories,
that’s for sure.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: You've
decided to offer TLCL for preorder (which I don't think you've done before) –
why the change?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: I
had wanted to try it out but I hadn’t found the right book with which to do it;
my AGENT novels get snapped up pretty quickly. I want to put a concerted effort
into marketing this story with the avenues that don’t cost a lot of money
(since I have none… practical) available to me. And I hear it’s a great way to
get onto best seller lists, so get me there, people. Get. Me. There. : )</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: Will
there be more adventures ahead for Ricky Madison?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: You
assume much. Do you think he’s still alive? Muhahaha.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll just start calling you George R R Martin
then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another question for you: what
inspires you to write?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: My
rent bill. No, seriously: The inspiration is simple—I just want to be read. And
writing is great therapy, let me tell you. A lot cheaper than paying a shrink.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: If
the universe was to give you your perfect writing career tomorrow, what would
that look like?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: Look
out the window of your flat, love. If there was a way that I could take my
wife, our horses, and cats… all of my books and movies and my laptop and
desktop and clothes, our cars… and get them to England. I could do that. Write
in the pastoral loveliness of England? Where do I sign up?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EHW: And
finally, if you had to take just one of your characters to live on a desert
island with you, which one would escort you and why?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SMS: I
would say private detective Connor Wood, of AN INVITATION TO DRINK… OR TO DIE.
He likes his booze.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank
you, Sean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember folks, The LongCrimson Line is available to preorder <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Crimson-Line-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00YQ89B5C/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1433331214&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=Sean+Sweeney">in the UK</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Long-Crimson-Line-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00YQ89B5C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1433277686&sr=8-2&keywords=The+Long+Crimson+Line">in the USA</a>.</span></div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-34690325219802313192015-03-11T07:43:00.003-07:002016-06-09T11:55:11.134-07:00Writing Exercises<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I joined a Facebook writing group recently and was given a choice of writing prompts for the month of February. I leapt into action immediately, choosing the one that really grabbed my attention, intending to get to them all during the month. Of course, life and another novel got in the way and I didn't get to the others. We were also supposed to share and critique each other's work. Erm... I kinda let life get in the way of that one as well.<br />
<br />
Since the March prompts have just come through, I thought I should finally share my writing exercise from February. I started with the image as suggested in the prompt and wrote what was pretty much a stream of consciousness. I stopped when I realised my viewpoint was wandering and I got fed up with myself. The suggested writing time of fifteen minutes was up by then anyway. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>This was the prompt:<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></em></b></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She walked slowly up the
long, winding driveway, her dress trailing in the mud. </span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And this was what I wrote (there may be mistakes, but the point was to just write):</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">She walked slowly up the long, winding driveway, her
dress trailing in the mud. Her arms hung by her sides like branches
of a tree, hanging on with their last piece of bark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her foot scraped the gravel as it took her
one small step closer to the house.</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">In the moonlight, her organza dress was as ephemeral as a ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The breeze caught the skirt where it had
ripped almost to her waist and it fluttered like a moth, wrapping around her
exposed leg.</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">The house was lit up in the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A warm, orange glow making it a welcoming sight.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">The front door would have been the natural choice, but the light made
her turn toward the vast windows where the orange light spilled out on to the
terrace.</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">She put her heavy hand to the glass door and gazed in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patterns of mist appeared around her
fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The green blaize of the
billiard table was central to the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A corpulent man with a large moustache and round, pinkened cheeks leant
over the table with a long cue.</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">Balling her hand into a fist she banged on the glass, louder and louder
until the men in the room looked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They all looked into the dark outside the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They couldn’t see her.</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">The glass shook as both fists fell upon the window followed by her
body.</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">A younger man stepped forward and undid the catch on the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She fell inside, tumbling into his arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
others gathered around.</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Put her on the table,” one of them said.</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">She scratched at her prickling skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Can you hear me, young lady?” an older voice said.</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">The billiard table was hard.</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Get a blanket,” another said as a hand tried to pull the ripped skirt
over her leg.</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Ring the bell for Mrs Kent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask
her to fetch some warm brandy and blankets.”</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 165.0pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Who is she?”<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Do you know?”</span></em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Have you seen her before?”</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Who are you?”</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“She’s shivering, for goodness sake, someone get a blanket.”</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">Something was placed over her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It wasn’t a blanket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was warm.</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“So cold…” she thought she managed to say, but she could have just
thought so in her head.</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Don’t tell the ladies.”</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Sir?” a woman’s voice, finally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Mrs Kent, we have a situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This young lady just appeared at the window and stumbled inside.”</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“I see sir.”</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Perhaps some warm brandy and blankets?”</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“Shall I fetch the doctor, sir?”</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">“I suppose we must...</span></em><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span></div>
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></em></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-11364080932747642452014-06-29T08:18:00.001-07:002016-06-09T11:55:41.362-07:00Paper vs Electronic books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have a Kindle. I have an iPad and an iPhone - both with iBooks and the Kindle app. I have ebooks stored ready to read so why am I being drawn back to paper?<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ebooks were great when my daughter was a newborn, the whole Jack Reacher canon got me through her constant feeds day and night. The convenience of ebooks is definitely the main reason to choose them, after all - there is nothing worse than finishing your book on the tube and then having to lug it around with nothing else to read. With a Kindle (or similar) you can have most of your library with you.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I also love the fact you can get the classics for free and yet free books are how I've fallen back in love with paper. Since being on maternity leave money has been tight and I began taking my daughter to the library to choose her own books (no one is too young to start 'reading'). Whilst there I impulsively got out books for myself (using my library card for the first time in three years). And I'm hooked. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, despite the convenience of ebooks I'm back on paper for the following reasons:</div>
<div>
- the feel of the paper</div>
<div>
- being able to read in the bath (I had a dream about my iPad and the water meeting)</div>
<div>
- I like being able to flick back easily to find a reference</div>
<div>
- a good book should be passed on, and this is the main thing I have missed during my flirtation with ebooks: instead of passing a book on I've just had to give a recommendation</div>
<div>
- I want books on my shelves so my daughter can discover books I loved with ease.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
However, I am grateful people enjoy using their ereaders as this is how I make my living through book sales. And I think I'll always take an ereader on the tube.</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-53669716159001727392014-06-02T01:04:00.002-07:002014-06-02T01:04:34.056-07:00Post Baby Novel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I know - I've been rather quiet. Who knew a small child could be so demanding?<br />
<br />
I've been a first time mother for ten months now and I am still getting to grips with my new job. It's certainly more demanding than anything else I've ever done. My daughter gives me her own rewards though, and as she grows I learn so much more about being a human being and our capacity for growth.<br />
<br />
During these ten months I finished The Reed Bed (which I started the November before) and started a new Nanowrimo project. I sacrificed the little sleep I was getting for writing during November and tapped away on my iPad as soon as my daughter was (briefly) asleep for the night. Then the iPad started misbehaving and PND caught up with me and the sixty thousand words of Snowbound juddered to a halt. It might have stayed that way if it were not for cake. <br />
<br />
Let me explain: my friend Ellie asked me if I was doing Camp (Nano's spring/summer equivalent) and although I hadn't intended to do so, I've been rather bullying Ellie into completing her novel (followers on Facebook, EHWalter, will have witnessed some of these spats). I thought I should do Camp so Ellie would and then, somehow, we placed a bet. The first person to write twenty thousand words won cake. Fresh, homemade cake.<br />
<br />
The promise of cake spurred me on and with the help of sleep training I had a little more time to write in the evenings. Bit by bit I finished the first draft of Snowbound and cake was won.<br />
<br />
For me this was more than cake though, it was reassuring that despite most of my time being spent on nurturing and raising a small human I could still finish a novel. I could still write.<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-6548020606932613842013-10-05T01:20:00.002-07:002013-10-05T01:20:51.492-07:00New Tricks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've discovered, as a new mother, you need some tricks to get the words down on the page. Whereas before ER came along I could write as soon as my job was done for the day... Now there is no end to my job, it's twenty four seven!<br />
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The first thing I've done is try to identify a time during which ER is asleep, but I am too awake to sleep (no matter how much I want to). This is usually a brief window after six am.<br />
<br />
Secondly I've been giving myself two word count targets a week. A realistic one of maybe a thousand words and an ideal one which is where I really want to be. This cuts down the chance of feeling like a failure and also motivates me to at least try and meet the realistic one. <br />
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Thirdly, my laptop and I are now casual acquaintances at best and my iPad with the Pages app has become my new best friend. It's easy to get going, type one handed and put away safely. I do type a lot quicker on my laptop, but the iPad is better than nothing. It also cuts down on social media procrastination as it takes longer to switch between the windows and I often can't be bothered.<br />
<br />
These tricks have helped me keep going as a busy writer and so, to answer that age old question - do female writers need a room of their own? No, just an iPad and some reasonable targets.</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-66573561738415044922013-10-02T23:46:00.000-07:002013-10-02T23:46:20.228-07:00It's almost Nanowrimo time again!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
An author friend often asks me why I do Nanowrimo (<a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month</a>) every year. He quite rightly points out that I write every day anyway - so why do I need the pressure of a fifty thousand word deadline by 30th November?<br />
<br />
I'll tell you why I am committed to Nano'ing every November. <br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Writing is a lonely pursuit. Although many people are writing and believe they have a novel in them, very few are confident enough to talk about it. That all changes every November. I love the write ins and the forums. They make writing just that little bit less lonely and more of a social pursuit - for thirty days every year. I also have friends who I have met purely through Nano and may only have a virtual friendship with.</li>
<li>It's a chance to take a gamble and write something new. If it turns out badly I've only lost a month from my other writing projects. I have found the best way to approach Nano is with the barest of an idea, maybe a picture or book cover, and just write, write, write. It doesn't matter what comes out, it doesn't matter if I think it is any good or not. The only thing that matters is getting to fifty thousand words.</li>
<li>I'm grateful to Nano. Without it I might have more half finished books littering my flat as I kept skipping from project to project, waiting for the one that would be instantaneously amazing. Writing isn't like that; it's hard and your first draft may suck. What Nano taught me is the important thing is to finish a draft, without that last sentence you have nothing. Once it is done you have options, without it you just have lots of good ideas you can't be bothered to finish.</li>
</ol>
I'm not sure what I will write yet. I've been looking at pre made e book covers as I want to publish on Smashwords as I go (I've done this for the past couple of years). I'm tempted by a few random ideas. One thing is for sure, I won't know what to write until I start tapping away on the first of November and writing doesn't get more exciting than that. </div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-78645705302975667462013-09-03T01:01:00.000-07:002013-09-03T01:01:13.536-07:00Writing a Synopsis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Despite having written six novels in three years I have yet to submit one of them to a publisher, prefering to e-publish myself. E-publishing certainly gives me greater control as a writer, from the cover to staying true to the stories I wish to tell. However, with a limited budget of pretty much nothing you rely on word of mouth to get your book noticed. I have done quite well - but I would like to do better and so decided perhaps it was time to look at more conventional routes into publishing.<br />
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There has been one major barrier to my submitting to a mainstream publisher - writing a synopsis. I have never been able to master the art of putting the whole story in such a condensed form and making it sound good! However, a synopsis is a must to get a publisher or agent. From what I've read it helps reassure them you know how to plot.<br />
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I turned to my old friend Google to help me and read a few websites offering synopsis writing advice. <a href="http://www.wherethemapends.com/writerstools/writers_tools_pages/publishing_biz_pages/synopses.htm">This</a> is the one I found the most useful and I have adapted the fourth option:<br />
<br />
Paragraph 1: describe the background to the novel<br />
Paragraphs 2 - 4: tell the beginning, middle and end of each thread of the novel in a separate paragraph (once sentence for each part)<br />
Paragraph 5: the resolution to the story<br />
<br />
Using this concept I found it much easier to create a synopsis and stick to the one page rule. I don't know whether it is good enough to attract a publisher, but it is better than anything else I have managed thus far!<br />
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Wish me luck!</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-86852431130196768412013-08-26T01:02:00.001-07:002013-08-26T01:08:49.578-07:00Jasper Fforde on writing and getting publishedYesterday I was fortunate enough to sit down with Jasper Fforde and pick his brain about writing and getting published. This is the man who gets on the best seller lists every time a new Thursday Next book comes out, so he knows what he is doing.<div><br></div><div>His first warning was not to write "me too" books, copying something that is already out there. This is worth remembering these days where if one book becomes outrageously successful a glut of "me too" books follow as writers and publishers try to cash in on the originals success. Jasper said there is always new ground to be broken as a writer.</div><div><br></div><div>He stressed not to let thoughts of selling the book be your main motivation for writing it - write to entertain yourself. If you enjoy it, other people will. If you write something that is not 'you' it will come through in the writing. He drew the analogy of meeting someone for the first time; you draw conclusions as to what type of person they are and if you spend six hours in their company you know if they are being genuine.</div><div><br></div><div>Jasper said the most enjoyable part of writing for him is the "downward canter towards the end with about twenty thousand words left to go" and he said there is always a point in the middle of the book where you are not sure where the book is going. This is when most aspiring writers give up. This is the part you must continue through. Your novel will have several threads weaving through it and one of these will get you to the end. If you are finding it hard think about what the character really wants.</div><div><br></div><div>If you wish to be a professional writer Jasper warned of e publishing; your first few books probably won't be very good and if you put them on the Internet they will be out there forever and may put people off reading your later, better books. He said it takes about eight to ten books in before you have really learnt your craft as a writer and have produced a really good book. To help you get there he said writing something, anything, every day - a journal entry, a short poem... Keep your hand in and practise your craft every day.</div><div><br></div><div>Jasper's advice in summary is - if you want a ten year career as a writer keep going and write every day. By your eighth book you might have something good enough to sell.</div><div><br></div><div>- </div><div><br></div><div>I spoke to Jasper Fforde at the Fforde Ffiesta which happens every eighteen months in Swindon (home of Thursday Next). The next one is in May 2015 and details can be found at www.ffordeffiesta.co.uk </div><div><br></div><div>A small group of seven people have now been challenged to complete a first draft of fifty thousand plus words by the next Ffiesta - although we are expecting one and a half books from Mr Fforde and one of the writers is creating a graphic novel so we've agreed half of it should be complete as it has the extra challenge of words and pictures - you can follow Roger's blog at <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">http://rogermasonstrips.blogspot.co.uk/ </span></div><div><br></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-43855592740427324722013-08-22T09:41:00.001-07:002013-08-22T10:08:51.279-07:00Post natal writingHello all, it's been a while. Six weeks ago Eden Rose was born and its pretty tricky writing with a newborn. At the moment I am tapping away one handed on an iPad whilst nursing. I'm doing a lot of nursing - I feel like a dairy cow. It's hard to get the time to write at the moment. It puts me in mind of a quote I read somewhere (was it Mslexia?) in which a female writer claimed women had to be childless to be a writer. Of course, this sparked a furore - but was she in any way correct? I am certainly struggling with time (and fatigue) at the moment. However, motherhood has not taken away my intellect, or passion - sometimes life just gets in the way for a while. I refuse to see this period of my life as wasted writing time, instead I am seeing it as reading and thinking time. It is easy to read on a kindle one handed and there is plenty of time for thinking - I've already plotted half of a new book.<div><br></div><div>Perhaps all writers should take a reading and thinking sabbatical once in a while? Maybe it could even help us refine our craft?</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-91976140451453400532013-08-03T03:52:00.001-07:002013-08-03T03:52:28.665-07:00The Guardian Great Sci-Fi Hunt part two - reflectionsMy last post was about this sci-fi hunt and since then a few things have annoyed me about this. I followed Damien Walter (no relation) on Twitter and so kept up to date with his 'hunt'. I found it very disappointing.<div><br></div><div>He used it as an opportunity to (to my mind) criticise self-published indie authors. These are writers who write for love, not glory, and just want people to enjoy their stories. Many are given away free. These people cannot afford an editor and yes, mistakes will creep in. I mean, I've seen mistakes in books published by large publishing houses - they happen! He said the writing was not of a good enough standard - whether he got to fairly test this or not I can't say as there were a lot of books for him to read in a short period of time.</div><div><br></div><div>The 'winners' were (3 out of 5) published by independent publishers, not self published and so benefitted from editorial support, art, formatting and limited promotion. Of course, the standard of these is going to be higher, they have a team around them to make it so.</div><div><br></div><div>He claimed only these five books out of eight hundred had any merit. I wonder how he found time to read even the openings to eight hundred books in a matter of weeks.</div><div><br></div><div>I don't begrudge these winners, but I am disappointed this was not the opportunity for the unknown writers out there that it purported to be. I'm sure for The Guardian and Mr Walter it was great publicity though as the sci-fi community is huge.</div><div><br></div><div>To all the truly indie authors out there - keep going and the audience that appreciates you will find you.</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-82383793577407973432013-02-22T08:06:00.001-08:002013-02-22T08:06:35.099-08:00The Guardian Great Sci-Fi Hunt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Just a quickie and bit of a request. Thanks to Twitter I have spotted The Guardian in the UK is running a scheme to find the best independently published SciFi/Fantasy novels.<br />
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Nominations are made via the comments box at the bottom of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2013/feb/22/sci-fi-hunt-independently-published?commentpage=3">this page</a> and this is where I need your help. I would love it (if you love PI as much as I do) if you could add a nomination or recommendation. To comment you have to register with The Guardian which takes about thirty seconds (just remember to uncheck the boxes so you don't get marketing emails).<br />
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Self published writers find it hard to get word out about their work without great big publishing houses and their budgets behind them - this is a real chance for you to nominate all those self published writers you adore.<br />
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Go on! What are you waiting for? <br />
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<br /></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-12971946743300574752013-02-22T04:06:00.001-08:002013-02-22T04:08:12.793-08:00Not procrastinating, honest.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What? I should be writing? I am, can't you see? Oh, my next novel. Well, yes I am. I just thought I would take a little break to update you on my current projects.<br />
<br />
Paranormal Investigations 4 is obviously on my agenda - although the title has changed from Risk to Into The Realm of the Fae as the plot has adapted. Unusually this novel does not take place in London - although there is another English town featured. I won't spoil it by telling you where this is, although I know some people are really going to enjoy this setting.<br />
<br />
When I was looking for possible book designers (my fabulous designer for PI has been extremely busy with other things of late) I found a <a href="http://llpix.com/">pre-made cover</a> perfect for a historical novel I had written (although it needs a good edit).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d5mKh13p4SE/USdc0ujUEkI/AAAAAAAAASQ/ylD3P69wuj4/s1600/Marian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d5mKh13p4SE/USdc0ujUEkI/AAAAAAAAASQ/ylD3P69wuj4/s320/Marian.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
I could not believe my good luck, so I quickly emailed the designer to reserve it. I then had to decide on a suitable title which I did with the help of Facebook and Twitter friends. Sometimes I guess simple titles are the best.<br />
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I've been editing Marian since then and have finished the first half (65k words). Unfortunately I have now realised that was the easy half. I want to change a character in the second half and that takes a lot more concentration than I have at the moment. So, I have switched over to PI4 which is a bit easier as I can just make stuff up as I go. I also wrote Marian before I discovered 'my' way of working. What I do now is write a 3-5k chapter at a time and then have a quick edit to make sure it is readable and then move on to the next chapter. What I did with Marian was write the whole draft first - which is why it has taken me so long to begin getting it into shape. It takes forever to edit 130k words, especially when you need to make some important changes!<br />
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What? Oh, okay. I'll get back to some actual writing then. Don't forget - you can follow me on FB or Twitter and read PI4 as it's written <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/170248">here</a>!<br />
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Oh, and don't ask about The Reed Bed - it's another WIP I have to find time to work on. I can't resist the world of PI though, it sucks me in every time. I'm sure historical Norfolk will pull me back in it's own time...<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-9622496960921638562012-08-19T03:47:00.001-07:002012-08-19T13:36:00.245-07:00Sneak Peek - PI4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bTDZcr30ueM/UDDA8kiCHcI/AAAAAAAAAPs/ej9EUZGZRzI/s1600/PI4+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bTDZcr30ueM/UDDA8kiCHcI/AAAAAAAAAPs/ej9EUZGZRzI/s640/PI4+finished.jpg" width="435" /></a>This is the cover for PI4, so yes - now you know I am committed to writing it. I was going to call it Risk, because there is a huge game of Risk involved - watch out for Al the Guardian Angel, I'm not sure he can be trusted to honour pacts. It's new title is 'Into the Realm of the Fae' and I think you can guess from that what it might involve. However, I intend to write something completely different before I move on to PI4, perhaps something historical which is my passion. I love the past - perhaps that is why I made Leo a time traveller so I can live my time fantasies through her - should she ever master the skill that is. Right - I can't hang around here all day, I have several chapters to attempt to finish. Adieu.</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-67842305744419955102012-08-19T03:31:00.004-07:002012-08-19T03:31:46.358-07:00Jane Austen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There is something very comforting about curling up and losing yourself in the world of Jane Austen. I'm not one hundred per cent sure what it is: a bygone world of civility? Stories where the good people always end up with the right outcomes? A joyful romp through Regency England? Whatever it is there are times where only Austen will do. At the moment I am surrounded by boxes and bags as we pack up to move out of Leo's Cat Hill flat that has been our for three years. It is not chaos, but it is not a comfortable environment at present. Little wonder then I long to escape to the world of Miss Austen, the only question is which novel should I step into? Old favourite Persuasion or perhaps one I am not so fond of, such as Mansfield Park? Let me find my Kindle and choose...</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-33001959543238412082012-08-03T08:55:00.001-07:002012-08-03T08:55:26.384-07:00The World of Paranormal Investigations (Cockfosters) - the Cat Hill Flat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As I am sure you know Leo lives in a tiny flat on Cat Hill in East Barnet. I know this flat intimately because it's mine - at least it remains so for another sixteen days until I move out. I have been on Cat Hill for three years and last November when I was looking for a fictional home for Leo it seemed the easiest thing to make mine her's - it saved on imagining a fictional place. This is something I have done with almost all the settings in PI - they are all real and if you wanted to, you could do a little PI tour of Barnet and Cockfosters.</div>
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I chose my flat as the setting because I wrote PI1 for Nanowrimo last November; I was writing quickly and wanted to make my life as easy as possible in those thirty days. There are aspects of my life in Leo's (although not all) and much of her background mirrors my own.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trevor's culvert in the car park</td></tr>
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It is a tiny flat and would be very crowded with all the strange visitors and family Leo has descend on her, so as I move it may also be time for Leo to move on. I guess I'll just have to see how attached to the flat Leo is and whether I can make her part with it. She has some money coming her way so it would be possible for her to move on - I just can't imagine her being anywhere without Bob across the hallway and that might be enough to make her stay as I move on.</div>
</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-71969902178224879902012-07-31T09:45:00.004-07:002012-07-31T09:45:46.367-07:00The World of Paranormal Investigations (Cockfosters) - disused tube stations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This tube station is part of the Piccadilly Line (the royal blue one on the maps). You can tell it's PL because the outside is 'oxblood' in colour.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GSkmwp2Gt8M/UBgETp9XU8I/AAAAAAAAAMk/21KqKJ8DeV8/s1600/from+iphone+april+2012+453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GSkmwp2Gt8M/UBgETp9XU8I/AAAAAAAAAMk/21KqKJ8DeV8/s200/from+iphone+april+2012+453.jpg" width="149" /></a>Strand Station is actually called Aldwych, although when it opened in 1907 it had the former name for all of seven years. It was never part of the main line, it was merely a spur from Holborn and when replacing the lifts proved too expensive the station was closed in 1994.</div>
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In 1908 the eastern tunnel was taken out of use due to lack of demand and in World War One it was used to store paintings from the National Gallery.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6xhyOJh1JNc/UBgENwYKupI/AAAAAAAAAMc/2nHuAU8VYo0/s1600/from+iphone+april+2012+452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6xhyOJh1JNc/UBgENwYKupI/AAAAAAAAAMc/2nHuAU8VYo0/s200/from+iphone+april+2012+452.jpg" width="200" /></a>Between the wars it was often considered for closure because not enough people used the service, but it managed to hang in there until temporary closure between 1940 and 1946 when, during The Blitz, the tunnels and station were used to store works from art galleries and museums including the Elgin Marbles. It was from this nugget of history I wrote into PI2 that there were still a few artifacts milling around down there, long forgotten. </div>
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I used this location as the home of the undead dead of London, in reality this would not be possible for, unlike most of the disused stations, Aldwych is not mustering away forgotten underground. If you have seen a film featuring a London underground station - it was probably Aldwych starring as itself or pretending to be another station. It featured in V for Vendetta, 28 Weeks Later, Atonement and even one of the Superman films! A few days after I took these photos the station was even used by the emergency services for practice drills in preparation for the Olympics.</div>
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So, closed - but not forgotten and certainly not idle!</div>
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</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-40315637974987599142012-07-28T04:40:00.002-07:002012-07-28T04:40:44.336-07:00Olympic Procrastination<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am great at finding excuses not to write and it seems these days there are so many reasons not to. If I am in the midst of an exciting chapter I can't be torn away from it, but if I've had an enforced break (such as the workload for my day job becomes all consuming) and I am in a 'bridge' chapter it is really hard to get back into it. </div>
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<br />I call a 'bridge' chapter one that doesn't tell much story in itself, but it is an important bridge to other parts of the story. It is sometimes hard to find the word count and I often doubt the worth of the book at these points.</div>
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Today there is another option for procrastination to join the usual (Facebook, Twitter, doing the laundry, washing up, writing a blog, etc, etc) - the Olympics! Last night my sleepy eyes were glued to the Opening Ceremony and today I just cannot tear myself away from the rowing and swimming heats and the cycling road race. How is it possible for a human being to cycle 156 miles and still manage a sprint finish? Amazing.</div>
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So now I shall get back to pretending to write whilst most of my attention is given to these amazing athletes of London 2012. I wonder how long it is before some unconscious aspect of the Olympics slips into PI3?</div>
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</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-90067612000662035062012-06-03T04:20:00.002-07:002012-06-03T04:27:03.206-07:00The Fforde FfiestaI can't remember if I've told you about the Fforde Ffiesta before. If I haven't it's quite hard to explain. I'm there now - with a rare moment of 'down time' in amongst the chaos of celebrating the works of best selling author Jasper Fforde. If you haven't read his books you reall aren't going to understand why fully bearded men dress in grey wigs and black dresses as clones of Mrs Danvers from Rebecca - heck even if you are au fait with Jasper's books it takes some understanding!<br />
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Every year we gather in Swindon because that is where Jasper's first book featuring Thursday Next (The Eyre Affair) was set. Books aren't often set in places like Swindon which makes it all the more amusing. Our location is the De Veree Village Hotel and since we are annual visitors they have gotten used to the more odd aspects of our stay. Lobsters are scattered about the hotel, dodos can be seen (often themselves dressed as Mrs Danvers) as can sane adults dressed in a variety of guises. Last night we had a Grammarsite, Moose Havisham, a mime field and a gingerbread lady. These costumes are often worn in and out of the hotel, I spotted a dragon in the local Asda yesterday.<br />
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Yesterday evening Jasper gave us a sneak peek of Thursday Next 7, a book not published for a few months. This is an exclusive Jasper saves for the Ffiesta every year as he is one of those writers who churn out more than one work over the space of a year. That was followed by 'royal angst' poetry inspired by Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. In the best tradition of the Ffiesta most of these were made up on the spot. My particular favourite was the one about wheth the queen should fart or hold it in. My contribution has to be read with a Prince Charles voice:<br />
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Being a royal <br />
Is not all It's cracked up to be<br />
Being a royal<br />
Is bloody hard work you see<br />
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Being a Tampax<br />
Threats of anthrax<br />
Talking to plants<br />
And drunken old aunts<br />
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Popular young wife<br />
Gave me no end of strife<br />
Two strapping young lads<br />
I think I'm one of their dads<br />
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My dear old mum<br />
'll live to 101<br />
By then it's said<br />
I'll probably be dead<br />
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Being a royal <br />
Is not all It's cracked up to be<br />
Being a royal<br />
Is bloody hard work you see.<br />
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My highlight of the weekend is the auction. There is always a good amount of Jasper Fforde collectibles to bid for, although I still haven't managed to get a first edition Eyre Affair. This year he is auctioning off the desk he wrote most of his books on. I hope someone arrived in a van as it's a substantial sized desk.<br />
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Right, there is lots more I could tell you about the Ffiesta, but I just don't have time - you'll have to join us here next year.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-3815527394281662302012-04-12T03:52:00.002-07:002012-04-12T03:52:33.041-07:00That Tricky Third Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So - books one and two complete, about time to start work on the third then? To be fair, I think starting a new book and plotting it's intricacies is always difficult - I just forget how labourous the task was previously because I have a shiny, finished book to show for it. <br />
Each time I start a new book I have enough ideas for maybe three chapters and some idea of the 'big events' including the ending. It's scary starting off like that - without much idea of where things are going, but I have found in the past if I plot in too much detail I have 'told' the story and am already bored of it by the time I get to writing and all my interest fades. So - to counter this - I note a few things down that I don't want to forget but then allow the story to take me off where it wills. In book two of PI a character who was only ever meant to be a voice on the phone muscled her way into the action and built up her part. Likewise a throwaway character from PI1 decided he wanted a larger part and became rather vital to several aspects of PI2 and his shadow threatens to cast itself over the whole series. On the other hand a character I thought would be more obvious was little more than a shadow across the PI world.<br />
Well, this procrastination here with you has been lovely, but it's not going to get book three written so I'd best be off.<br />
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<br /></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-5813219930061169752012-04-11T14:09:00.000-07:002012-04-11T14:09:58.222-07:00Pretentious writer - moi?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Since I stopped trying to be pretentious I have found it a lot easier to write. Now, I don't blame anyone but myself for becoming one of those writers with<i> literary pretentions</i> but I can see where it started. You see, in 2001 I began an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Chichester. This was a wonderful experience, taught me a lot and I met some really wonderful people - some of whom are enjoying a good publishing career like <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bethan-Roberts/e/B0034OPXUQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1">Bethan Roberts</a>. However, the one thing these courses teach you is to aspire to more than <i>popular</i> fiction, literary fiction being the only 'respectable' outcome of your efforts. Now some 'literary fiction' I enjoy, but some of it is just bunkum - seriously, have you tried to read Wolf Hall? I gave up when I could no longer tell which character's point of view I was meant to be with.<br />
So, since giving up pretentions and just writing something I find enjoyable, that I would wish to read, I have found writing a whole lot easier. And you know what? It's just more fun!</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-25063555498055753972012-03-20T15:06:00.000-07:002012-03-20T15:06:54.755-07:00Another one bites the dustWell, after several months Paranormal Investigations two (will work for biscuits) is finished and uploaded on Smashwords and Amazon Kindle. I have also prepared the paperback and received the first copy from Lulu - it looks good and I definitely did a better job formatting this one.<br />
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Now I have to choose my next project, although when I will get time to write I am not sure as work has been mad. PI3 wants writing but the Wolf Book needs a good edit. And I also have to catch up ony reading - my kindle is fit to burst.<br />
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Two weeks until the Easter holidays - hooray!Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705471932529677879.post-51910037100165036052012-02-18T12:25:00.000-08:002012-02-18T12:25:52.511-08:00Sabbatical<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you want to write and have a finished book to show for it this is my advice: don't stop!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I recently took a month off and this month ended up being six weeks long. After writing daily since November 1st I was in danger of burn out. In two months I had written one and a half novels and needed a break. January came and I had a delightful time not writing. I didn't feel tied to the laptop, I didn't feel guilty if I spent my spare time doing something other than writing. When February came I just couldn't get back into it. Nothing motivated me to finish my novel. Then I made myself start and it wasn't very good - I'm sure the resulting chapter is one I will have to go back and polish another time. I couldn't remember what had already happened and who was called what. I couldn't remember who put cookies in Tupperware and who used tins.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Last night I stopped writing and re-read the book so far, editing out errors as I found them. I corrected the Tupperware for tins and checked I hadn't already given Colin Maitland another name. I was relieved, as well, that it wasn't too shoddy.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So my advice to you is to write everyday until the work is done. This is the advice I shall be following myself in future and maybe my breaks will be between novels, not in the middle of them.</div></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189152906703307541noreply@blogger.com0