Blog Tour: Love You Better by Natalie K Martin
I am very pleased to be welcoming Natalie to Novel Kicks today and her blog tour for her new novel. To celebrate the release of Love You Better, Natalie tells us about her typical writing day. Over to you, Natalie.
Being a bit of a nomad, typical days are few and far between now, let alone a typical writing one, but one thing I always try to incorporate is yoga. It’s a nice way to stay constant with so many physical and environmental changes and I find it really helps to get my mind settled, especially because I tend to have a million things going around in my head at once and it only increases when I’m writing.
After yoga and breakfast, I usually start with checking my social media, emails and then get a cup of tea going. I tend to go back and re-read a couple of the previous chapters to get me back into the groove again, and start from there. My ideal working spot is somewhere quiet, where I can disconnect from the distraction of the internet and plug in my music, but since I’m travelling a lot I tend to end up in buys hub cafe’s. It can sometimes stretch my day out by a few hours with people dropping by to say hello, but it can also be pretty precious, and let’s face it, working in a cafe in Goa, or Cornwall by the beach is hardly a chore! I’ve met lots of people in situations like that who’ve inspired aspects of my characters, or situations.
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Writing Room: Continuing the Story…
Tuesday 6th October: Continuing the Story…..
Today’s prompt:
Continue on the story by using the following opening line. Also, your two characters are called Charlie and Alison. The setting and when the story is set is up to you. Don’t think about it, just set a timer for fifteen minutes and write. Once you’re finished, edit it and cut the word count by half. If you’d like to share your story then I’d love to see them in the comments below.
Use the following line as your starting point, ‘There are two times when you need to stay absolutely still. The first time is…’
by My Very Late September Book Haul
Morning all. I’ve more books that I would like to share with you today. I love this time of year as we start to edge toward Christmas (yes, I am one of those very annoying people who go completely childish when it comes to Christmas.) There have been some fabulous books that have come my way this month. All the books mentioned are either available now (when stated) at most UK bookshops or are available to pre-order.
What books have you got recently and are looking forward to reading or have enjoyed?
See Me by Nicholas Sparks (Sphere, Oct 2015.)
This was sent to me by Sphere and I was very excited to get a copy of this book. I am a long-term fan of Nicholas Sparks. This man has serious Jedi powers. He can make me cry loads whilst reading one of his books and I am sure this one is going to be no exception. If you’re a fan of Nicholas’s books, we are taking part in the blog tour for this novel and will be giving away a special prize to one lucky winner so stay tuned.
Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot.
At twenty-eight, he’s focused on getting his teaching degree and avoiding all the places and people who proved so destructive in his past. The last thing he’s looking for is a serious relationship. But when he crosses paths with Maria Sanchez one rainswept night, his carefully structured life is turned upside down. And when Maria, a hardworking lawyer, meets Colin she begins to question every notion she has ever had about herself and her future – and what truly makes her happy.
Before the couple has a chance to envision a life together, menacing reminders from events in Maria’s past begin to surface. And as the threat of violence begins to shadow her every step, she and Colin will be pushed to breaking point.
by Events: Cheltenham Literature Festival
Photo Credit: mcphersonstevens.com
The Cheltenham Literature Festival 2015 kicked off on Friday 2nd October and is running through until 11th October.
The festival is themed around defining moments. There are 500+ events/panels/interviews happening over the 10 days and there are some fantastic speakers appearing too.
Speakers appearing include Bill Bryson, Nigella Lawson, JoJo Moyes and Carrie Hope Fletcher. Paula Hawkins will also be talking about her book, The Girl on the Train.
Terry Wogan, Mark Billingham, Merra Syal, Bill Oddie, Marian Keyes and SJ Watson will also be attending.
For more information and to book tickets for this fantastic event, visit their website: http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature
by My Writing Ramblings: Writing Around Work
It has been a bit of a mixed bag with the writing this week. As like many of the people trying to write a novel, I work full-time. I work shifts and that involves day and nights. My productivity level can vary depending on whether I am working and the twelve-hour shifts can stifle my word counts.
I am lucky that I do have a job where I am sat down in one place so that does give me ample time to think through plots and character development. However, at three am in the morning, the last thing I want to do is think (beyond what I have to do for my job, obviously.)
As a result, I am not always getting the word count I am after.
When on shift, it’s all about the organisation for me. Organisation is not always my friend but is needed if I am going to get anything done. If I know I want to get so many words done per day, I will either try and be up a little earlier or I will write in my break. I will have no distractions. I will just try to write through to it. I will treat it a little like NaNoWriMo. I will just concentrate on getting the words down.
by Book Club
