I’ve just begun outlining my fourth novel. No-one is more surprised at reading those words than I am! Obviously, I’m still in the honeymoon period, meeting the characters, sussing out locations. There’s nothing like starting back at the beginning to remind you how delicate this process is and how, at one point, writing more than… Continue reading When One Novel Isn’t Enough
My previous post about reviews (The Good, The Bad and the Ugly) was all about garnering reviews without annoying people or driving yourself crazy. However, I think this subject deserves a sequel, because asking for something and getting it are two entirely different things. I recently received a 1 star review on Amazon which read… Continue reading Reviews – The Sequel
Remember when you first started writing your book and your overriding thought was, ‘I just hope somebody reads it!’? All authors, whether self-published or traditionally published, are increasingly responsible for the promotion and marketing of their books (when I say increasingly, can the self-published authors at the back stop sniggering!). Time was when marketing departments… Continue reading Reviews: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
A woman in my online book-club opened her review post with a kind of caveat: she said that even though she knew she would probably get ‘slated’ for recommending a certain book, she had to admit that she did enjoy it. The fact that she felt she had to apologise for her taste in reading… Continue reading Book Snobs
Following a recent discussion with an online book-club (which I am now ripping off for this blog!) the subject of covers reared its’ pretty head. Pretty being the operative word, and a pejorative one in this case. A male reader asked the question, why do publishers insist of giving female authors the kind of covers… Continue reading Women’s Fiction: The Big Cover Up
In this episode of 20 questions, I’m delighted to introduce the ‘powerhouse’ that is Lorna Sixsmith (a name that, according to my friend Google, is derived from her occupation as a shoe-smith! Is there anything this woman can’t do?!). Lorna has combined her two passions – farming and writing, to create a series of books… Continue reading 20 Questions ~ Chapter 4
Next up for the quick-fire round of 20 questions is newcomer Niels Saunders. The most important thing you need to know about Niels? Do Not Challenge This Man To A Chili Eating Competition! You will lose. And if you want to find out why he’s holding a pineapple, you’ll have to read his book. Take… Continue reading 20 Questions ~ Chapter 3
A recent trend of wrapping books in unassuming brown paper and jotting down the merest of hints as to what lies underneath is sweeping the nation’s bookshops and book-clubs. I love this idea, because covers can often be misleading, distracting or ill-fitting. The old adage of judging books by their covers exists precisely because this… Continue reading Cover Story
We’ve all heard the saying, it takes a village to raise a child, implying that parents alone cannot possibly provide everything a child needs to mature into adulthood. But what does this have to do with books? I’ve been reading quite a few ‘bestsellers’ recently and they all have one thing in common: the acknowledgements… Continue reading It Takes A Village To Write A Book
The Cinderella Complex is defined as an unconscious desire to be taken care of by others. And let’s face it, we all have times in our lives when we feel like that, which is perfectly okay. But pinning all of your hopes on being rescued by someone or something outside of yourself won’t really… Continue reading The Cinderella Complex
