It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.
Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.
The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.
Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation.
I’m joined today by Penny Sansevieri and Amy Cornell from the Book Marketing Tips & Author Success Podcast. It’s lovely to meet you both. What kinds of authors are tuning in?
Honestly, authors in all stages of book publishing and promotion – and it’s actually really exciting (and sometimes surprising) to see who’s listening. We mostly get this info from our reviews and authors who write in with feedback. But we have authors who rely on our show while looking for agents and or publishers, authors who are finishing up their books and thinking ahead about releases, and then on the other end of the spectrum we have authors tuning in that feel stuck and don’t know what they’re doing wrong, or the opportunities they may be missing.
Our reviews to date speak for themselves, with a lot of authors raving about what they’re learning and encouraging others to get on board!
Is the show for marketing DIYers or for finding the right people to hire?
It’s applicable to both, and even authors that fall somewhere in between. Some authors seem to tune in assuming they’ll handle everything themselves, and then they realize they need more support, maybe in very specific areas. We get a lot of authors contacting us about a collaboration after listening to the show, but you’ll also see from our reviews that there are a lot of DIYers out there just looking to do all the right things.
What if I’m still writing my first book?
Please join me in welcoming Rachel Brimble to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest novel, Dangerous Days for the Home Front Nurses.
April 1942, Bath – the nurses are under fire in the city they once thought safe…
Freda knows the work she does on the home front is vital. Especially when bombs begin raining down on her beloved city of Bath and she and her friends find themselves feeling the effects of war like never before.
Years of being told to be a ‘good girl’ by her mother, Freda has always done what’s been expected of her. But, even though she’s proud of her work nursing soldiers and victims of war, she can’t help but wonder if there’s more for her in life. And her secret desire to become a journalist feels increasingly like a calling she can’t resist.
Even though it’s not considered work suitable for women, Freda knows she has to follow her dream. Even if it means leaving her nursing, friendships and maybe even true love behind. But then tragedy strikes close to home, and she has to ask herself – can she ever find a way to make her dreams come true?
A completely gripping, heartwarming story of friendship, love and following your dreams. Dangerous Days for T{::}he Home Front Nurses is perfect for fans of Lizzie Lane, Rosie Clarke, and Call the Midwife.
*****
‘Dangerous Days for the Homefront Nurses’ is a superb follow-up to ‘The Home Front Nurses’ and I hope the author is proud of what she has produced.
Welcome to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
This is our online writing group. Each Wednesday, there is a new writing task. Anyone is welcome. I’d love to see your work in the comments below but there is absolutely no obligation.
For today’s task, we are going to be thinking about what we like and what we dislike.
First, set a timer for three minutes. In this time, write down all the things you like. Don’t think, just write what comes to mind.
Next, reset the timer for another three minutes. This time, write a list of all the things you don’t like.
No-one else will be seeing this list so don’t be frightened to make a note of everything you like and dislike.
I’m excited to be welcoming Lauren Westwood back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The House of Light and Shadows.
An atmospheric and captivating old-house mystery, layered with romance and secrets.
Secrets lurk in the shadows at Rookswood House…
When Kate goes to look after her estranged sister’s children in their creepy old house, she takes a photo of what seems to be a ghost. Frightened yet intrigued, Kate undertakes to uncover the secrets of the house and the two mysterious sisters who lived there over a hundred years before.
But like the illusions of light and shadow in the sisters’ strange and disturbing Victorian post-mortem photography, Kate discovers that all is not what it seems. Someone – or something – has their own plans for Rookswood House – and for Kate.
With a potential developer circling around, her teenage niece in danger from an unseen force, and new love on the horizon, Kate must unravel the secrets and lies of her own and Rookswood’s past before she loses everything she holds dear.
If you like historical mysteries by Eve Chase, Rachel Burton and Harriet Evans, you’ll love Lauren Westwood.
*****
Kate is on track for a promotion. However, news that her estranged sister has had an accident leads Kate to Rookswood House. Whilst looking after her niece and nephew, she soon realises that the old house holds its secrets and she’s in a race against time to discover them.
Although I have previously had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Westwood (click here to read), The House of Light and Shadows is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to read one of her novels. The plot for this book sounded so intriguing, I was delighted to be invited onto the blog tour to celebrate its recent release.
This is listed as book four in the Secrets and Love series but it can be read as a standalone. I will be adding the first three books to my reading list though.