Let’s Go Round Again – the ups and downs of writing a second novel
Rob Pateman (Photo Paul Stuart)
R.S Pateman is the author of The Second Life of Amy Archer. His new novel, The Prophecy of Bees is due for release on 20th November. Rob talks to us about writing the second novel.
Sometimes it seems as if the writing life is one big obstacle course. Don’t get me wrong – I love what I do and feel blessed for being able to do it. But it isn’t all plain sailing.
There’s the anxiety of getting the first novel written; you’re isolated, not certain if what you’re writing is any good and the dream of publication seems distant and unlikely.
Then there’s the stress and disappointment associated with finding an agent, the lack of any concrete feedback, the finality of ‘sorry, no, not for us.’ Until of course, that magic day when someone finally says yes.
But you’re not done yet. Next up is submitting your novel to publishers, which is even more nerve-wracking than the search for an agent as the dream is that bit closer. Until, if you’re lucky, a publisher makes an offer on your novel.
The package my agent, Oli Munson at A M Heath, sent out to publishers included the manuscript of The Second Life of Amy Archer – and a synopsis for a second novel, The Prophecy of Bees.
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Book News: Katie Fforde
I always look forward to anything by Katie Fforde and I can’t wait for her new release coming in February 2015.
Being released by Century on 12th February, it’s called A Vintage Wedding and I am totally in love with this cover. If you want to have a sneak peek of her new book, Katie is releasing a collection of Christmas short stories and there will be a preview of A Vintage Wedding inside. A Christmas Feast is being released by Arrow in paperback and electronically and is available to buy from 4th December 2014. Both books are available for pre-order from Amazon.
A little about A Vintage Wedding:
Beth, Rachel and Lindy are looking for new beginnings.
by A Moment With…Cathy Kelly
Earlier, we heard from author, Deborah Lawrenson about how she deals with the mid-book slump and now we catch up with Cathy Kelly to see how she deals with that dreaded mid-book stall…
I keep writing and tell myself I am an idiot about a hundred times. It’s such a dreadful thing to go through and I go through many of them with each book, and I force myself to stay at the computer, when really, a good walk helps. What I’ve written still looks dreadful when I come back but I am somehow calmed!
Cathy Kelly is the best-selling author of The Honey Queen, Just Between Us and The House on Willow Street. Her latest novel, It Started With Paris was released by Orion in October 2014. Read our interview with her by clicking here.
by Mick’s Musings: Time Flies?
Time flies…
But does it? Well, yes it does, but whether that means it crawls or streaks along is open to debate. I promised the good lady who lets me post on her Blog much more regular updates when I sent in my last entry and – goes down on bended knee – I haven’t lived up to that promise. I am very, very sorry Laura and hope that you’ll forgive me. I do have a good excuse, or at least, not a made up one, that I’ll let you judge me on.
Ever since I received my report back from the RNA New Writer’s Scheme, I’d been trying to get together my Query letter to submit to various Agents and Publishers and was just getting nowhere. I’ve spoken to a lot of people and done a lot of online research on this art and can very much agree that compared to writing the book, this is a much harder task. There are books out there that give you tips on how to write these things, but for me, the hardest part was undoubtedly convincing myself that the 6th, 7th, 8th (probably more) draft of the thing was as good as it was going to get and I should get it out there.
For even getting that far, I can only give my thanks to my fellow RNA members, both published and, like myself, hopeful. You know who you are, but they include Laura and Bella from Novel Kicks, Bernadette for giving me the ass-kicking I really needed and too many others to list here.
by Events: Chawton House Library’s Georgian Christmas
Find out how the people of Jane Austen’s time celebrated Christmas at Chawton House Library this December.
Explore the ‘great house,’ she loved as well as seeing it fully dressed for Christmas.
This event is happening on 13th December 2014 at Chawton House Library near Alton in Hampshire.
It’s an open house between 10am and 3pm. As well as cooking up gourmet christmas treats from the Knight family cookbook, there will also be talks from the food historian, Dr Anne Gray (who featured on the Great British Bake Off,) who will be giving talks on the traditional Georgian christmas dinner – ‘Plumb, Porridge and Pickle for Brawn.’
Tickets are £8 for adults and £4 for children (under fives go free.) Continue reading
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