NK Chats To….
Our Author Interviews and Guest Posts.
Lulu Taylor.
Finish something – if you do that, you’ll be miles ahead of everyone else.
If you never edit yourself, start. Don’t be afraid to cut and change.
If you edit yourself too much, stop. You will never create a perfect first draft, just get one finished.
Don’t get close friends or family to critique your work. Their praise isn’t entirely unbiased and their criticism will annoy you.
Be prepared to put the novel in a drawer and leave it for six months while you start something else. Then go back to it and see what it’s like fresh. You’ll be surprised.
by 
Jenni Fagan
Jenni Fagan (credit: Urszula Soltys)
Jenni Fagan is a Poet and Novelist. Her debut novel, The Panopticon, was released by Windmill Books in April. We had a chat with Jenni and asked her about her writing day, what makes her day and the fictional character she’d like to meet.
What’s your typical writing day like?
I have three main writing days per week, they begin with getting my toddler up, dressed, breakfasted and out the door. Then I usually make myself porridge, check e-mails, have a coffee. I like to start by 9am so I then have four hours to work in peace. I usually have to read through some of the chapters, or if I am confused I might have to print the entire novel off and go through it all with a biro, make notes, restructure. If I am doing a first draft then I just aim for momentum and try not to worry too much about whether it is any good or not. Around 1pm I will have lunch. If I have interview requests or other mails to respond to then I try and do that later once the writing is done.
by Lucy Clarke’s Best Writing Moment.
Lucy Clarke (credit: James Bowden.)
Lucy Clarke, the author of our Book Corner title this month, The Sea Sisters, talks about her best writing moment so far…
Hearing the news that The Sea Sisters had been picked for the Richard and Judy list was very exciting. I was in the Philippines researching for a future novel when I got the call. My editor said, ‘I’ve got some wonderful news for you. The Sea Sisters has been chosen to be in the Richard & Judy Book Club. Congratulations, Lucy!’ I think I babbled something like, ‘Oh my god, oh my god! That’s amazing ! I can’t believe it!’
by Milly Johnson.
Read lots – you’ll absorb style and vocabulary
Write as often as you can – practice makes perfect
Get yourself a dedicated workspace and lots of stationery. If you want to be a writer – you need the official tools
Remember that writing isn’t easy – you will always hit sticky parts and think ‘this is rubbish’ – it’s quite normal
Don’t be held back by fear of rejection – if you have talent and resilience you will eventually find a door that opens for you and then you will be soooo glad that you fought for and won the best job in the world.
by Marlen Suyapa Bodden
Marlen Suyapa Bodden’s debut novel, The Wedding Gift was published by Century in May 2013.
What can you tell us about your new book The Wedding Gift?
It’s my debut novel and it’s set in the 1850s pre-Civil War American South. When Cornelius Allen gives his daughter Clarissa’s hand in marriage, he presents her with a wedding gift: the young slave she grew up with, Sarah. Sarah is also Allen’s daughter and Clarissa’s sister, a product of his longtime relationship with his house slave, Emmeline. When Clarissa’s husband suspects that their newborn son is illegitimate, Clarissa and Sarah are sent back to her parents, Cornelius and Theodora, in shame, setting in motion a series of events that will destroy this once powerful family.
by Antoine Laurain
Antoine Laurain was born in Paris in the early 1970s. As well as being a novelist, Antoine has also directed short films and written screenplays. His latest book, the wonderful The President’s Hat was released in March by Gallic Books. We had a chat with Antoine and asked about his ideal dinner guests, whether he’s a planner and which book has had the most impact on him…
Can you describe your typical writing day?
You mean the ideal writing day… I feed my cat before going to do the market. I spend the morning reading over what I wrote the day before; meanwhile I’ve got a pot au feu on the stove. Lunchtime arrives and I eat the pot au feu, then I work until aperitif o’clock and … that’s the writing over for the day.
Can you tell us a little about your latest book, The President’s Hat.
by Sophie Kinsella.
Sophie Kinsella, the author of the Shopaholic series gives her five tips for new writers:
Don’t talk about your work except to someone you absolutely trust. Certainly don’t announce to the world ‘I’m writing a novel’ as your family and friends will never stop asking you about it.
Write the book you would love to read yourself.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. You may not find your voice or style straight away.
Halfway through your project it will all seem impossible and you will be tempted to jack it in and begin another, far more exciting idea. Trust me, that idea will get difficult halfway through, too.
Finish!
by Freya North
Freya North
Freya North is the author of Pillow Talk, Love Rules and Rumours. Freya talks to us about her best writing moment so far, what makes her happy and which celebrity she wants doing her washing up….
Can you describe your writing day?
I have to cram it between school runs – and I never work weekends. If I’m distracted at home, I take myself off to the local library to work.
Are any of your novels/characters based on you or people you know?
Continue reading
by Mike Gayle’s advice for New Writers…
Every time you hear the theme tune to EastEnders start writing. When you hear the end credits stop. Do the same for the Sunday omnibus and you’ll have a book within a year. Jenny Colgan told me that and I believe her.
Mike’s new book, Turning Forty will be released in July.
by Best Writing Moment… Phamie MacDonald.
Children’s book author and creator of The Planets series, Phamie MacDonald talks about her favourite writing moments and shares her writing space….
My favourite writing moment so far – is any moment at all when I get lost in the story. Every writer knows that frustrating blank page syndrome when all the words seem to have fallen out of your brain so it’s always a joyful, glorious time when the words flow, the story fits together and you can feel a new world being created. Bliss.
 Phamie MacDonald |
 Phamie’s writing space. |
My favourite, favourite, favourite writing moment ever was when I first conceived my children’s book series idea, The Planets. Continue reading
by Gill Paul
Gill Paul is the author of Women and Children First. Her latest book, The Affair was recently published by Avon.
What’s your writing day like?
I’m at my desk at 9am and spend half an hour pottering on Twitter and answering emails that came in overnight before I settle down to edit what I wrote the day before and continue with the next chapter. There are dozens of stops for tea but while waiting for the kettle to boil I’m thinking about the sentence to come. I swim every day in an outdoor pond on Hampstead Heath and in winter it closes early so I’ll go up there at lunchtime to break the ice and get my endorphin rush. (Yes, I’m aware it sounds completely mental…) In summer the pond is open later so I go at 6ish when the light is beautiful. I generally work until 6 or 7 then try to go out somewhere in the evening so I’m not a completely boring hermit.
Can you tell us a little about your novel, The Affair?
by Lezanne Clannachan.
Lezanne Clannachan’s debut novel, Jellybird was released by Orion earlier this year. We chatted to Lezanne about her book, what makes her happy and her advice for new writers.
Can you tell us about your debut novel, Jellybird?
Jellybird is a chilling tale of first love, loss and murder. Jessica Byrne’s childhood sweetheart, Thomas, disappeared seventeen years ago under violent circumstances, presumed drowned. The discovery of an old postcard sends Jessica in search of the truth. Risking her marriage and career to discover what happened the night Thomas vanished, she unearths lies and secrets, including an unsolved murder.
What’s your writing day like?
by Sarah Painter
Novel Kicks is very pleased to be part of Sarah Painter’s blog tour. We had a chat with Sarah to talk about her typical writing day, her favourite word and her ideal dinner guests…
Can you tell us about your novel, The Language of Spells?
Certainly! It’s funny, romantic fiction with a touch of magic. Gwen Harper has the uncanny ability to find lost things and a family with a history of magic. What she most wants, though, is to be normal. At eighteen, she left home and vowed not to go back, but when she inherits End House from her mysterious great aunt Iris she has no choice but to return and face the town that branded her a witch.
What’s your typical writing day like?
by Andrew Clover’s best writing moment so far…
“Thank you for joining us, Andrew. So, what’s been your best writing moment so far?”
Thank you so much for asking that! Mostly you never get to describe these to anyone. So… the best one? Okay… my friends Piers and Becky had leant me their flat, and so I spent three weeks finishing off my book there. My concentration got more and more intense. I felt as if, by the end of it, my brain was finally fully switched off and I was free to hear the characters’ voices as they told their story…
 Author Andrew Clover (Photo by Maria Head.) |
 Andrew’s writing space. |
by Fayette Fox
Fayette Fox
Fayette Fox’s debut novel, The Deception Artist is about childhood, make believe, truth and lies. It was published by Myriad Editions in Spring 2013. Fayette stopped by for a chat about her new book, her approach to editing and who’d she’d like around for dinner…
Can you tell us about your debut novel, The Deception Artist?
“The Deception Artist” is literary fiction, set during the recession of the late-80s. The protagonist is eight-year-old Ivy who has a vivid imagination and lies so people will like her. When the story begins, Ivy’s brother is sick in the hospital and their dad loses his job. Ivy’s best friend hates her and she’s afraid her parents might divorce. Ivy copes the best she can, through make-believe and lies, before abandoning her fantasies to try and uncover the truth.
What’s your typical writing day like?
by Helen meets Gill Paul at the launch of her new book, The Affair.
Helen and author Gill Paul.
By Helen Jackson.
I was lucky enough to get invited to Gill Paul’s The Affair Launch Party.
The party was held in The Green Rooms near Oxford Circus.
It was an Italian 1960s setting (as the novel is set in Rome in 1961/2), with pizza and prosecco for all.
Gill wore an amazing blue 1960s dress. The room was decorated with photos donated by a living member of the cast of Cleopatra, John Gayford, who snuck a camera onto the set amid the high security. Continue reading
by Kate Harrison – ‘My Best Writing Moment…’
My best writing moment – well, it’s almost 10 years now since my first book was published, so I have loads of great moments, especially when a lovely email from a reader pops into my inbox and makes me feel like a ‘proper author.’ I had one from Syria the other day!
 Kate Harrison |
 Kate’s writing space. |
But I think the most exciting part of the process is getting to see the cover for the first time – I always hold my breath when I open the email but it’s the first sign that the book is REALLY happening, and it still gives me a thrill to see books – my favourite things in the world, since I first learned to read – with my name on them… My workspace: doesn’t it look tidy? But the table-cloth is wipe-clean due to coffee stains, and you can’t see the chaos behind me. Neither can I, when I work, which is a good thing. The candle, coffee and Chinese kitchen timer are all there to help me focus – I use the timer to keep me off the internet for an hour at a time…
Follow Kate onTwitter @katewritesbooks
by Andrew Clover
Andrew Clover (Photo, Maria Head.)
Andrew Clover is the author of the Dad Rules column published in The Sunday Times Style. Learn Love in a Week is his first adult novel. We talk about his brilliant solution to writers block, who’d he like around for dinner and his new novel…
Can you tell us about your novel?
It’s called Learn Love In A Week. It’s about a wife called Polly who chucks her husband, because he’s too grumpy. He has a week to win her back. The reason is she gets an offer that no woman could refuse… She meets a man called James Hammond. He’s her ex. He’s her Road Not Travelled. He’s also attractive and rich and in a week’s time he’s inviting her to his hotel in the countryside, because he wants to give her the job she’s always wanted. He also wants her. Should she accept? Her best friend says: ‘Go’, but she’s stuck with a skanky man who resists commitment the way a dog resists the bath. Polly’s husband says: ‘Stay… I can change.’ But can he? After ten years, can you learn to love again? And if you could, would you still choose your partner?
by Fayette Fox, “How I tricked myself into writing a novel”
Fayette Fox
Fayette Fox’s debut novel, “The Deception Artist” is literary fiction about childhood and make-believe, truth and lies. It was published by Myriad Editions in May 2013.
I needed to put my other interests aside. No cooking elaborate Thai curries, no crafternoons, or hikes in the English countryside. And no meeting up with friends for a drink. I had to focus. I had a novel to write. It was late October 2006 when a colleague told me about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), a personal challenge to write a 50,000-word novel (about 175 pages) during November.
The longest thing I’d written for my Creative Writing BA was short stories and I hadn’t written fiction for several years. So writing a novel in a month sounded like fun. How do you plan a novel in two days? I’d been living in London, but decided to set my story in northern California in the late Eighties, the time and place of my own childhood. Less research, I figured. I dreamed up Ivy, a child protagonist with a vivid imagination who lies a lot.
I scribbled a few plot points on index cards and on November 1st, started writing. Every day after work, I worked on my novel. Focused and determined, nothing could stop me. Then a friend invited me to see a play with her. Sure, why not? Then another friend wanted to catch up over a drink. Before I knew it, I was slipping behind in my word-count. By the end of the month I’d written about 60 pages, way short of my goal, but also a personal record. Continue reading
by Blog Tour: Q&A with Giovanna Fletcher.
Giovanna Fletcher
Giovanna very kindly had a chat with us as part of her blog tour. We had a chat about her typical writing day, how she combats writers block and how she’d like to eat cake and drink champagne with Marilyn Monroe…
Can you tell us about your route to publication and the moment when you got your book deal?
I was encouraged to write by others after years of reviewing books for magazines and my blog. Sitting down and writing it was one thing, but nothing prepares you for the anxious wait once it’s been sent out to publishers. I loved the book, and so did my agent, but would anyone else? Luckily, yes! I was on the way to a wedding dress fitting when I got the news that Penguin had offered a deal… Needless to say it was quite a special day.
Can you tell us a bit about your debut novel, Billy and Me?
Billy and Me follows Sophie May as she falls for teen heartthrob Billy Buskin – a huge movie star. Like most of us, Sophie comes with baggage, and as a result she doesn’t cope very well in BIlly’s world.
When starting a book, are you a planner or do you have an idea and just see where it leads?
by Julie Cohen’s best Writing moment so far…
When I was a little girl in Rumford, Maine, USA, I used to go to my local library every week, and sometimes more. It was a short walk for me down a steep hill, and even though the walk back was up that steep hill, laden with books, I never minded because I could read all the way.
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 Julie’s Writing Garret. |
As a teenager, I got a job in the library shelving books and I read all of the books I possibly could. Quite often I read the books instead of shelving them. I always dreamed that one day, one of my books would be on the shelf there, along with my favourite authors. Now, every summer, I take a hardback copy of my latest book to the library in Rumford, Maine. And the librarian puts it on the shelf, along with my favourite authors. Every time it is a dream come true.
by Marie Maxwell.
Bernardine Kennedy, under the pen name Marie Maxwell is the author of the novel, Ruby. Her latest book, Gracie was released by Avon in April 2013.
Can you tell us a little about your new book, Gracie?
Gracie is set in the 1950s and is about a young woman who grabs at the chance to draw a line under the mistakes she made in her past and move on with her life. The book starts with Gracie accepting a marriage proposal from Sean who she’s known for a long time. She’s so thrilled to be a step nearer her dream of a family life she jumps in with both feet and doesn’t listen to all the advice she’s given about thinking first and not keeping secrets from her fiancé! Gracie has a traumatic time over the course of the book as her life unravels ………….
by Stella Newman
Stella Newman is the author of Pear-shaped. Her latest novel, Leftovers was released last month.
What’s your typical writing day like?
I don’t really have a typical writing day as such because I have a full time job. On a weekday I’ll go to work, and if I have any energy by the time I’m home, I’ll write for a few hours after dinner. At the weekends and on holidays I’ll try to do as full a day as possible, so up to 12 hours. Either way, I drink a lot of tea and coffee while I’m writing!
Do you plan or simply wing it?
I do plan quite a bit. Years ago I went on an Arvon creative writing course which I found incredibly inspiring, and one of my tutors, Kate Long, talked about how you should know your characters inside out, even if you don’t end up showcasing every detail about them on the page itself. So for example, you should know what was the first record each of your characters bought, even though that sort of info probably won’t be in the finished novel. I thought it was great advice, as it means your characters are fully formed in your head before you start pulling their strings.
by “My favourite writing moment so far” – Ilana Fox.
“I’ve got two favourite moments of being a writer. The first was when I encountered a stranger reading my second novel, SPOTLIGHT, on the tube. I felt very awkward watching her, but when she laughed out loud while reading it I couldn’t stop smiling. It’s a treasured memory!
 Ilana Fox |
 How I tend to work, in the living room with a cat on my lap. |
My second favourite moment was at my launch party for ALL THAT GLITTERS – I invited all my favourite book bloggers to come along as well as my friends and family because I wanted to give something back. People often forget that book bloggers are real people too (and not just people to send press releases to!), and it was so nice to finally meet people who I know virtually.”
by Lulu Taylor
Novel Kicks chats to author Lulu Taylor. Lulu is the author of Beautiful Creatures, Midnight Girls and Heiresses. Her latest novel, Outrageous Fortune was released in 2012.
Can you tell us about your latest novel, Outrageous Fortune?
It’s a reversal of fortune story, with two girls born on the same day, one to great privilege and the other to a life of hardship. But events bring great changes, and Daisy, our rich girl, finds herself facing a huge challenge, while Chanelle, who’s grown up in poverty, does whatever it takes to get away from her background. And, of course, their lives become intertwined in unexpected ways…
Describe your typical writing day?
The writing day depends really on how close my deadline is. I always spend ages over the beginning of the book and then realise that time is disappearing, so then write much faster. Ironically, my endings are always better than my beginnings. I have written at home in the past, but I find that so distracting now that I’ve just got an office space outside home. And it’s great. It helps me treat writing more like a 9 to 5 job, and paying rent for my work space helps focus the mind wonderfully.
by Trisha Ashley’s advice for new writers…
I often hear people say they’re going to write a novel…eventually, when they retire, or the children have left home (do they ever, these days?) and they have the right computer, or pen, or the wind is coming from the south west…
I’ve never really understood this, because if you’re a writer, you write. You burn to write. It’s part of who you are. And its fun, too – in fact, Stephen King says writing is the most fun you can have on your own and he’s quite right.
Perhaps it’s a fear of failure or success, but you won’t experience either unless you actually get the words down on the page, so why not start today? If your writing U-bend needs unblocking first, you should read Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones, and all will soon be flowing freely. And I’m going to quote Stephen King again (you should read his book, On Writing) when he says that you should write your first draft with the study door closed, i.e., just for yourself, then the second draft with the door opened, rewriting it with an eye to your readers. That’s great advice – write with a red-hot pen, let the words rush out onto the page, then hone and polish till it sparkles.
For those going the traditional route and submitting to agents or publishers, a little market research in the Writers and Artists’ Yearbook beforehand can work wonders, so that you’re submitting to an agent or editor who actually handles/publishes the genre of fiction you write.
Of course, to do this you actually need to know what kind of novel you’ve written and make this clear in your synopsis, because if you don’t know, then the agent/publisher certainly won’t.
And once it’s gone, don’t wait for the novel to come back, but crack on with the next one straight away.
by Jacqui Rose
Jacqui Rose is the author of of the novel, Trapped which has just been released by Avon (Harper Collins.) Jacqui chats to us about writing and her new book.
Can you describe your writing style in fifteen words or less.
Lyrical, passionate, intuitive and at times poetic.
What’s your typical writing day like?
I’m contracted to write two books a year which I love but instead of spacing it out sensibly, I leave actually sitting down to write the book until almost the last minute because I thrive under pressure and I think it makes my writing better. So then I’m left with long writing days. I could start early in the morning and not finish writing till midnight. This will go on for about six weeks, writing between 2-3000 words a day and on crazy days up to 7,000 words, but those days are few and far between. And as much as it becomes very intense I wouldn’t have it any other way.
by Matt Dunn talks about creating characters.
If there’s one question a novelist (well, me, at least) always gets asked (apart from “where do you get your ideas from?”, to which I always reply “there’s a great website – IdeasForNovels dot com”), it’s “is the central character based on you?”. 
I’m never offended – after all, I don’t write books about serial killers – but though I don’t always like to admit it, the answer is quite often a resounding “yes”.
And I sometimes apply a similar approach to the supporting characters too. There’s a saying that goes something like: “when you write a novel, half your friends will be annoyed because they think they’re in it, and the other half will be even more annoyed because they’re not.” Most authors will probably smile wryly at this, but there’s a reason why, at the front of very novel, you’ll read a disclaimer that says something like ‘any similarity between characters and persons alive or dead is purely coincidental’, and that reason is, well, because any, ahem, similarity isn’t always, you know, purely coincidental. Well, at least in my books!
Of course, while most of us writers – me included – wouldn’t stoop so low as to completely and accurately reproduce our friends and family in the books we write, it’s probably fair to say that many of us do occasionally ‘borrow’ or exaggerate facets of people we know’s personalities, or pinch things they’ve said, or even the way they speak, in order to give life to characters on the page.
Certainly, the supporting characters in my first two books – Best Man and The Ex-Boyfriend’s Handbook – were based loosely on friends of mine. At the time – and it was early on in my writing career – it just seemed easier to imagine someone I knew, then just write that down. And it seemed to work.
I now know most novelists take a much more formal approach – spending ages writing full character CVs, or even question-and-answer profiles so they know exactly what a character’s like. This works well – I’ve done it myself recently. But strangely enough, I’ve found my best received characters have all had a dose of reality about them.
by A Night with Avon.
Novel Kicks was very exicted to be invitied along to meet some of the authors and lovely people at Avon Books.
Helen and Laura had the opportunity to meet with Julia Williams, Claudia Carroll, Gill Paul and Fiona Gibson. We were able to chat about two of our favourite things – books and writing. A good night was had by all.
On arrival, we recieved name badges. Yes, we did get stupidly excited about name badges.
Laura with author Fiona Gibson who’s new book, Pedigree Mum is due out at the end of February.
by Mac Logan
Mac Logan is the author of ‘The Angels’ Share’ series.
DarkArt, the second in the series is due next month.
Can you describe your writing style in less than fifteen words.
Focus on story, character, pace, edge, tension, conflict; with elements of romance, empathy and compassion.
What’s your typical writing day like?
Deal with needful business first thing and get it done (or procrastinate … big time). Go to the writing space in my head and pick up where I left off. Break for a walk every day, rain or shine; out over the fields and up an old tree-arched lane – about 3 miles. On the walk I can ponder aspects of the story I’m working on or just ‘be’. Write in two hour chunks then stretch, make tea, smile. Keep track of time – my computer speaks the time every fifteen minutes to help me keep track. My aim is to write 4-5K words per full writing day. When I’m on a roll I can do more. If I side track into editing or other stuff it can be much less. Better focus and productivity comes from practise.
by Chris Baty
Chris Baty is an author, a public speaker and a blogger and one of the founders of National Novel Writing Month.
What’s your typical writing day like?
My writing sweet spot has always been the three or so hours after the coffee first hits my brain cells. So I try to reserve my mornings for creative work. After lunch, my artistic focus shifts to refreshing Twitter and procrastinating on returning important emails by looking at photo galleries of basset hounds running.
You started National Novel Writing Month. Did you have any idea it was going to be as successful as it is and are you taking part this year?
Never in my wildest dreams. When I organized the first event back in 1999, I honestly didn’t think the 21 of us who signed on would last the month. None of us knew what we were doing, and few of us had bothered to plan our books. The saving grace of the whole endeavor was that we met up after work and wrote together. That camaraderie made the inevitable difficult stretches endurable. Which in turn gave us the focus we needed to bring the stories to life. It sounds corny, but finding out we had these novels inside us that we hadn’t known was there was a little like discovering we could fly. And I thought: Dang. If we can do this, anyone can.
I am taking part in NaNoWriMo this year for the 14th (!) time—I’m about to wrap up a tale of two monsters who find a VHS tape and set out to return it. It’s pretty ridiculous, but I’m loving it.
by Milly Johnson.
Milly Johnson is the Sunday Times bestselling author of An Autumn Crush, White Wedding and The Yorkshire Pudding Club. Her latest novel, A Winter Flame was published by Simon & Schuster in October 2012.
Can you tell us about your latest novel, A Winter Flame?
Milly Johnson
It’s about a woman – Eve – who hates Christmas, especially after her soldier fiancé was killed on Christmas Day, and is left a Christmas theme park by an eccentric old aunt – to be jointly run by herself and Jacques a man she has no knowledge of. Eve can’t move on from the loss of her fiancé and has become a semi-recluse but her mad business partner and the people of the park force Eve out of the past and into the here and now. I had great fun in writing it – Jacques is one of my favourite heroes and I wanted Eve to have her happy ending after so much sadness in her life. It’s fantastical of course – but if you can’t have a bit of magic in a Christmas story, when can you? Oh and it picks up the story of Violet in White Wedding so best to have read that one first if you want to avoid any spoilers.
by Meredith Goldstein
Meredith Goldstein is an advice columnist and entertainment reporter for The Boston Globe. The Wedding Guests (released by Penguin,) is her debut novel. We met up with Meredith at Penguin HQ in London. We asked her about her favorite novel, which character from fiction she’d like to meet and her advice for new writers.
How did you begin the process of writing The Wedding Guests?
I started with Rob first and wrote his story from start to finish – almost like a short story. As I think with a lot of first time writers, I then realized nothing was in the present tense…
If you could do anything differently, what would it be?
I would put more fiction in my fiction. It’s counter intuitive as a journalist to lie.
by Victoria Connelly
Victoria’s first novel in the UK was Molly’s Millions. She’s also the author of the Jane Austen Addicts’ trilogy and The Runaway Actress. Her latest book is a novella sequel to The Austen Addicts’ trilogy and is called Christmas with Mr Darcy.
Can you tell us about Christmas with Mr Darcy?
Christmas with Mr Darcy is a light-hearted novella sequel to my Austen Addicts’ Trilogy. All of the main characters from the first three books meet for a special Christmas conference at Purley Hall but, when a first edition of Pride and Prejudice goes missing, the fun and festivities stop as everybody turns detective.The novella was enormous fun to write and it was lovely to meet up with all of the characters again and see how they’re all getting on but readers don’t need to have read the trilogy first although they might get more out of the novella if they have.
by Pauline Barclay talks about Famous Five Plus.
Novel Kicks would like to welcome back Pauline Barclay to our blog….
Laura, thank you for having me here on your fantastic web site and thanks to your hospitality, I’m not a stranger here having appeared twice before. Though this time, as much as I would love to talk about my books and of course my new book due out at the end of this year, I will save all of that for another time if you’ll have me back.
Today, I’d like to tell you about Famous Five Plus which is an Indie Author Group. As an Indie author I know how hard it is to get your name out there to the widest audience. And of course whilst you are marketing yourself, you are not writing. Added to trying to balance writing and marketing you can often feel isolated having no one to talk to, to bounce ideas off or to share any success that might come your way. Writing is for many a solitary occupation and being an Indie author you can often feel even more isolated, but by sharing thoughts and ideas can make you feel less on your own. These are just some of the reasons I decided to set up Famous Five Plus to bring like mind people together who could share their experiences and support each other. So on 31st October 2011, I launched Famous Five Plus. To get the group off the ground I invited five authors I had become friendly with to join me. Since then many authors have asked to join the group.
Famous Five Plus is about working together as a group and supporting each other. Everyday I update the FFP web site with a new post, an extract from a member’s book, highlight an author, highlight one of the member’s trailers and more. All members are asked to promote these changes through social media: Twitter, Facebook or their own Blog / web sites. What is wonderful is that during the month everyone is promoted and everyone gets involved.
by Tracey Garvis Graves
Tracey is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, On The Island.
Tracey, your debut novel is called On The Island. Can you tell us a little about it?
On the Island is a story about a thirty-year-old teacher named Anna who has been hired to tutor sixteen-year-old cancer survivor T.J. Callahan. They were supposed to be spending the summer at the Callahan’s vacation rental in the Maldives. Unfortunately, the plane Anna and T.J. are traveling on crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. They make it to the shore of an uninhabited island and wait for a rescue that never comes.
Can you sum up your writing style in five words?
Fast-paced, sparse, emotional, easy, storyteller.
by Richard Foreman
Richard Foreman runs Chalke, a freelance publicity and consultancy agency for authors. Richard is also the co-founder of Endeavour Press (endeavourpress.com), the UK’s leading digital publisher. Richard is also the author of the historical novel A Hero of Our Time. He lives in London.
What was your route to publication?
I have an agent for my novels, which she is trying to sell for an orthodox print deal, but the Raffles series of novellas are published with Endeavour Press, the UK’s leading digital publisher. As I am co-owner of the company, the acquisition meeting went smoothly.
I work with a number of authors, both as a publicist and publisher, and it’s apparent that there are as many different routes into the trade as there are writers. And I can add one more by saying that should you be interested in writing short fiction, or non-fiction, please visit the endeavourpress.com website. Please read the submissions page. You are likely to narrow down your odds further by reading Raffles and citing this piece.
by Lucy Robinson
Lucy Robinson’s latest novel, The Greatest Love Story of All Time was published in 2012. Her new novel is due to be published in 2013.
What was your route to publication?
A silly part of me believes that to be a worthy author I should have had to drag my manuscript around the publishing houses of London, begging someone to publish me. In actual fact I got spotted by an editor who encouraged me to write a novel. So I did just that and within six months I had a publishing deal. Had she not found me (via my Marie Claire blog) I probably wouldn’t have written a novel. I’d always wanted to be an author but it had genuinely never occurred to me to try – I just presumed I’d never make the grade.
Your latest novel is titled The Greatest Love Story of All Time. Can you tell us about it?
The Greatest Love Story of All Time is about Fran, a slightly bonkers journalist who, at the beginning of the novel, is living like a badger in her bed having just been dumped by the man she thought she was about to get engaged to. Her friends, who are now seriously fed up of her moping, break into her flat and demand that she pull herself together and get back out there on to the dating scene. Fran is appalled by this idea but eventually caves in, signing up to a bizarre eight-date deal that her friends have set her. But as she sets out trying to find love online she gets sidetracked by a beautiful woman called Nellie, by her increasingly alcoholic mother and by her evil cat whose life’s mission it is to eat Fran alive.
by Joanna Lambert
Joanna Lambert is the author of the Behind Blue Eyes trilogy. Her fourth book, Between Today and Yesterday has just been released.
You’ve just completed work on the fourth book in the Behind Blue Eyes series. Can you sum up the plot in a few sentences?
As with all my other novels there’s a strong central plot with sub-plots woven around it, so it’s not always easy to describe. However, I did an interview last year while I was in the middle of writing Between Today and Yesterday and one of the questions I was asked then was to sum the plot up in around thirty words. This was my response – The birth of a band; the death of a matriarch; a family in crisis; the search for a lost love child and someone from the past is back looking for revenge. I think that covers everything quite well and believe it or not, although they appear to be totally unrelated, they all blend quite seamlessly to become one story.
by Jane Rusbridge
Jane is the author of The Devil’s Music.
Her latest novel, ROOK, was released this month. We asked Jane where she finds inspiration, about what she’s currently reading and which one of her characters is her favourite…
Your latest novel is titled ROOK. Can you tell us about it?
Set in the ancient Sussex village of Bosham, where King Cnut is said to have proved even he could not command the waves, ROOK is a story of family, legacy and turning back the tides.
Nora has abandoned her career as a cellist, returning to her childhood home and her mother Ada, a fragile, bitter woman, who distils for herself a glamorous past as she smokes French cigarettes in her unkempt garden. A charming young documentary-maker arrives to shoot a film about King Cnut’s illegitimate daughter, whose body lies beneath the flagstones of the local church. As Jonny disturbs the fabric of the village, digging up tales of ancient battles and burials, the threads lead back to Ada and Nora, who find themselves face to face with the shameful secrets they had so carefully buried.
Rook explores the mystery surrounding Harold II’s burial place, the hidden histories of the Bayeux Tapestry and connections forged through three women’s stories.
by Julia Llewellyn
Julia is the author of The Model Wife, Love Nest and Amy’s Honeymoon. Her latest novel, Ten Minutes to Fall in Love is now available. Novel Kicks chat’s to Julia about her new book.
Your latest book is called Ten Minutes to Fall in Love. Can you tell us a little about it?
Ten Minutes is about a mixed-up young woman called Zu. Her mother was an alcoholic, who made her teenage years a misery. After she died, Zu left home, hoping never to return. But now she’s been forced back and she decides to clear her conscience she needs to find a new girlfriend for her father, Tony. Nothing goes to plan, however. There are dominatrixes, drug addicts and a trip to Ukraine with men who are desperate for a wife. Action-packed in other words.
Can you tell us about your writing day? Do you have a favourite time and place to write?
I try to write in my home office from 9am to 6pm four days a week, but the reality is probably three hours writing a sentence here and there, interspersed with three hours internet shopping, an hour on Twitter, an hour separating fighting kids and unloading the washing machine and an hour having lunch with my best friend (writers need to get out and about and talk to real people, you see!).
by Gillian Bagwell: Jane Lane and the Royal Miracle.
The defeat of Charles II by Cromwell’s forces at the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651 set off one of the most astonishing episodes in British history—Charles’s desperate six-week odyssey to reach safety in
Portrait of Lady Jane which is hung at Mosely Old Hall.
France. It came to be known as the Royal Miracle because he narrowly eluded discovery and capture so many times.
One of the players in the astonishing tale was Jane Lane, an ordinary Staffordshire girl who risked her life to help the 21-year-old king escape. She had a pass allowing her and a manservant to travel the hundred miles to visit a friend near Bristol—a major port where the king might board a ship.
In a story that sounds like something out of fiction, Charles disguised himself as Jane’s servant, and she rode pillion (sitting side-saddle behind him while he rode astride) along roads traveled by cavalry patrols searching for him, through villages where the proclamation describing him and offering a reward for his capture was posted, and among hundreds of people who, if they had recognized him, had every reason to turn him in and none—but loyalty to the outlawed monarchy—to help him.
It was an improbable scheme. Charles was six feet two inches tall and very dark complexioned, not at all common looking for an Englishman of that time. But time after time he rode right under the noses of Roundhead soldiers without being recognized.
If he had been caught, he would certainly have been executed, and it is an open question whether the monarchy would have been restored as it eventually was after the death of Oliver Cromwell. What Jane did took great bravery, and she risked not only her life but the lives and lands of her family, as the fugitive king had been proclaimed a traitor, and anyone who helped him would be executed for treason. Continue reading
by Bob Harvey: My Writing Process.
The thriller genre has always been a personal favourite, whether by way of novels or films, since intrigue and deceit, sprinkled with a generous helping of twists and turns, hold my interest and are heaven made for 
strong subtext. Because I believe it’s vital to stimulate the reader and maintain strong story momentum I tend to write in short chapters, which gives me an opportunity to break up the narrative and insert cliff-hangers in order to build tension and elements of mystery.
I think it’s important not to be didactic or preachy in any way, whatever points are relevant to the story with regard to human interaction, politics, greed, and so on. Whilst storytellers often feel it is part of their responsibility or even purpose to offer the benefit of personal insight and enlightenment to their readers, I tend to focus on creating a strong plot with interesting, credible, characters written in humorous vein. Snapback is a comedy-thriller created for entertainment value rather than anything of deeper significance, with a sting in the tail that involves invasion of privacy and our obsession with celebrity, these personal concerns being worked into the story without the need to bash the reader over the head with a metaphorical sledgehammer. Whatever serious situations occur within a story, the overall effect for me has to be a combination of mystery and fun, the prime objective being to sustain interest and be thought-provoking, but never to tread water, and always to entertain.
For this reason the hook, or set-up, is critical and after the first draft is completed I often rework the opening chapter, or write a completely new one, to ensure that the reader is swept immediately into the unfolding narrative. Tying up the plot lines is also essential. Readers should never be left to imagine their own endings (unless that is a specific intention) or be confused about any elements within the story. To that end, covering my tracks is part and parcel of the writing process. Continue reading
by Anna Stothard
Anna is the author of the novel, Isabel and Rocco. Her latest book, The Pink Hotel, was nominated for the Orange Prize for Fiction.
Your latest release, The Pink Hotel was nominated for the Orange Prize. Can you give us a plot summary?
The Pink Hotel is about a androgynous, violent, nameless seventeen-year-old London girl who flies to LA to attend the wake of her estranged mother. She steals a suitcase of letters, clothes and photographs from her mother’s bedroom at the top of a huge pink hotel on Venice Beach, and spends her summer travelling around LA returning love letters and photographs to the men who knew her mother.
Where do you find your inspiration?
The Pink Hotel was inspired by living in Los Angeles for two years. When I first arrived in the city at the end of a road trip around California and Nevada, I stayed in this giant art-deco pink hotel on Venice Beach. Outside my window were children on rollerblades and cartoonish men and doll-shaped women and an old man playing the piano on the sidewalk. Like the protagonist of The Pink Hotel, I meant to stay for a week but ended up living in an apartment on the cusp of Thai Town and Little Armenia in East Hollywood, for much longer than expected.
by Phillipa Ashley
Phillipa’s first novel, Decent Exposure, won the RNA New Writers Award. Her other novels include, It Should Have Been Me, Just Say Yes and Wish You Were Here. Her latest novel, Fever Cure is about to be released.
What was your route to publication?
A short one! I was inspired to start writing fiction by a TV costume drama called North & South in 2004. I wrote a modern fanfic version and plunged straight into my first novel Decent Exposure which was published by Little Black Dress in 2006.
Your first novel won the RNA New Writers award – what made you choose the RNA and how valuable was the experience?
I was advised to join the RNA by just about every romantic fiction writer I met online. My critique from the New Writers Scheme was very insightful and the support I received ever since from many RNA members has been invaluable.
by Matt Lynn
Matt Lynn is the author of Shadow Force, Fire Force, Death Force and most recently, Ice Force. He’s also a Journalist and the CEO of Endeavour Press.
Describe your typical writing day.
Writing is a job like any other and you have to treat it like that. After helping get the kids ready for school, I start up my computer and start writing. It’s always easier first thing in the morning because your mind is fresh, and you have been thinking about it overnight. I read an interview with Wilbur Smith once where he said he left a sentence half-finished so it was easy to get started again the next day.
I set myself a target of 1,000 words a day. Once I’ve done that, I can start dealing with e-mail and all the other things that need to be done.
How do you approach planning before beginning a book?
I do an incredibly detailed plan. I did quite a bit of ghost-writing, and when you do that you have to have a plan to show the publisher and ‘author’. But it is a good discipline. It is much easier to throw stuff out of plan that isn’t good enough – and, as I think Beethoven pointed out, it’s the notes you don’t write that really count.
by Trisha Ashley – Process between the first draft and finished manuscript.
Trisha Ashley, the author of Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues, The Magic Of Christmas and Wedding Tiers takes over our blog and tells us about her process between the first draft and finished manuscript.
I write directly onto the computer, touch-typing, though I need to see my words in print on paper before the world I am writing about becomes real to me, so I print everything out. This can also be useful if your computer loses the chapter and you forgot to back up onto a memory stick or whatever.
My first drafts are usually somewhere between eighty and a hundred thousand words long and written in the stream-of-consciousness style made popular by James Joyce, since I just pour the words out onto the page and don’t always bother with the punctuation or typos. If I’m too tired to think creatively in the afternoon, though, I will often go back and tidy up the work I did in the morning. Continue reading
by Elle Amberley
Elle is the author of the novel Nowhere Left To Hide and her latest novel, Lost In Your Time has just been released in e-book format by Indio Press and is available via the amazon kindle store. Read our interview with Elle here.
Describe your typical writing day.
Oh, I’m a messy writer, and a very busy one with that. No day is the same. If however I’m in the middle of writing a first draft, the world could collapse around me and I’d still be typing away furiously. This is when my husband brings me little treats, as I forget to eat, along with cups of coffee.
When I’m revising and editing I need more peace and have to work in chunks, carefully crafted around my children.
Any other day will see me scribbling away on bits of paper, notebooks, anything. I’ve been known to stop the car so I could jot something down. Other times I might spend all night on my laptop.
How do you approach planning before beginning a book?
Ah, this is interesting because a while ago I would have told I don’t really plan. However I’ve realised that’s not so true. The planning takes place in my head, hence the very fast first draft, I only have to sit down and type. It’s like a film in my head.
That said, very often I get more ideas for other projects and file them until I can go back to them.
by Carmen Reid
Carmen is the author of the Annie Valentine series. Her other titles include The Jewels of Manhattan which was released in March. Carmen dropped by for a chat.
Tell us about your route to publication.
I’d been working as a news journalist for about six years and aged 28, on maternity leave, I decided it was time to start that novel I’d promised myself I would write. I found my agent, Darley Anderson, quite quickly and he gave me the encouragement needed to finish and edit and re-edit that first manuscript. Three in A Bed was published four years after I first set pen to paper – well… fingers to keyboard.
Your latest novel, The Jewels of Manhattan has recently been released. Can you tell us a little about it?
The Jewels was inspired by a line in a story written by my daughter: ‘Three girls decided to rob a jewellery shop.’ Why? I wondered, How? And: did they get away with it? My book about three Texan sisters living in Manhattan and getting drawn into a high stakes glamorous jewel theft grew from those urgent questions.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! From conversations with friends, from listening to other people’s experiences, from reading novels, newspapers, magazines… in art galleries, department stores (Annie Valentine was born on a shopping trip with an old friend). The more open you are to ideas, the more they seem to come at you. The other day I was walking the dog and I saw a bunch of mistletoe hanging from a bridge so that it dangled over our path. Now there is a story just waiting to be written!
by Morgan St James
Morgan St. James is the author of Writers’ Tricks of The Trade: 39 Things You Need To Know About The ABC’s Of Writing Fiction and the Editor of the monthly Writers’ Tricks of The Trade newsletter/magazine.
What was your route to publication?
My writing career was launched when Designer’s West Magazine, a slick interior design magazine of the era, approached me and my partner during the time we owned an interior design studio in Southern California. The editor wanted us to write an article for them, and instead of a typical how-to technical article, we submitted a tongue-in-cheek spoof on a noir mystery. It detailed everything in a fun way and the editor loved it. More important, I discovered that I loved writing. The article was so well received, the magazine continued to publish many more of my articles. From there, I expanded to diverse subjects like human interest, dementia, travel and barter, and finally to fiction with the first Silver Sisters Mystery, A Corpse in the Soup.
Your latest book, Writers tricks of the trade: 39 things you need to know about the ABCs of writing fiction. Can you tell us about it and how it came about?
After writing over 200 articles about writing and “Spotlighting” people in the publishing industry for two editions of the online newspaper examiner.com, and constantly being asked if I had a book about writing when I gave talks or workshops, I realized that I had material for one or more great handbooks for writers at any stage in their careers. The book is written in easy-to-read prose like my columns, spiced with humor and examples and covers tips and techniques for 39 important things fiction writers need to know. A bibliography at the back recommends in-depth books about single topics touched upon in the various chapters.
by Heath Samples
Heath Samples, along with Claire Hooper, is the author of the book, Princess Diana: The Day She Didn’t Die. Novel Kicks had a chat with Heath and asked him about his route to publication and his tips for new writers.
Tell us about your route to publication.
It was more of a maze than a route! The first part was researching other authors’ routes to understand their experiences. Second part was to contact some agents and publishers through the Writers & Artists Yearbook to see if there was anybody with the courage to take it on but the publishing world is not the place it used to be.
Finally, I spoke with New York Times Bestselling Author GP Taylor and he introduced me to Grosvenor House Publishing.
Your debut novel is called Princess Diana – The Day She Didn’t Die. Diana is still a topical and controversial subject. Can you tell us about the book and how it came about?
The book came about on the New Years Eve of 1999. I am a big fan of the Royal Family and I started to think about what Diana would have been doing that night, on the eve of a new millennium. The next day I sat down and laid out the chapters of how her life may have been, had she lived. A classic “What If” novel. It sat there for a decade before I had the time to write it.
Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration is one ingredient I am not short of. I am a pilot, commercial boat Skipper, scuba diver, skier, canoeist and those are the only ones I can remember! However, this does not just inspire me. Some of the most mundane experiences in life give me the best influences to work with.
by Sophie Duffy
Sophie is a novelist and short story writer. Prior to winning the 2011 Luke Bitmead Bursary, Sophie was also the winner of the Yeovil Literary Prize. Novel Kicks was so pleased to catch up with Sophie to find out about her writing day and who she would invite to dinner..
Tell us about your route to publication.
It’s been a very long route, starting about ten years ago when my children were small and I decided to do an evening class. I chose creative writing and struck gold with my teacher, Jan Henley who encouraged me from the first lesson. I went on to do an MA in Creative Writing by distance learning at Lancaster which really pushed me and helped me find that voice. My breakthrough moment was winning the Yeovil Literary Prize in 2006 with the opening of The Generation Game. I got an agent and finished the novel. However the novel wasn’t sold and so I wrote another which was runner up in the Harry Bowling Prize. I decided to go it alone and rewrote The Generation Game, entered it for the Luke Bitmead Bursary and it won in January this year. It was amazing to finally see my novel published this summer. I have just signed with a new agent and we are very excited about working together on This Holey Life.
Your latest novel, The Generation Game has recently been released. Can you tell us a little about it?
It’s set largely between in a sweet shop in Torquay and spans four decades from 1965 to 2005. Philippa is 40 and gives birth to a daughter. She has had a quirky and at times traumatic life and is worried she will be a bad mother. So she tells her baby the story of her life to help make sense of it. The novel should particularly appeal to those who grew up in that period as the story is set against a backdrop of national events like the Silver Jubilee and the miners’ strike, with references to popular culture, especially Saturday night telly.
by Naina Gupta
Naina Gupta is the author of The Bollywood Break-up Agency.
Your debut novel is called The Bollywood Breakup Agency. Can you tell us a little about it?
Well the Bollywood Breakup Agency is about Neela, who sets up a breakup service for those who are having second thoughts about the people they have chosen as part of an arranged marriage.
She starts up her business after her parents cut off her money tap because she refuses to marry any of the potential suitors that they keep inviting to the house.
Where do you find inspiration?
I am at that time of life where everyone I know is getting married, about to get married, or thinking about getting married. I have learned a lot about the arranged marriage process over the last three years and the kinds of people my friends and family were meeting, so I thought, there is a book in here somewhere.
Describe your typical writing day.
When I write, it is usually behind closed doors, when everyone has gone to work or gone to sleep. I wrote this book in secret because I was pretty sure my friends and family wouldn’t appreciate someone writing about arranged marriages in this way. I don’t have a typical day, I write whenever there is the opportunity to do so.
by Heather Peace
Heather Peace has worked in theatre, commissioning and directing new plays before joining the BBC Script Unit in 1989, later script editing productions in Drama and Comedy. Other career credits include being the Head of Comedy Development at Witzend Productions. She is now a freelance editor and writer. Her novel, All To Play For was released in October 2011.
Describe your typical writing day?
Breakfast, and meditation for up to half an hour. That puts me in the right frame of mind. Then straight to it without checking emails until the afternoon. Later on I’ll read over what I’ve written and fiddle with it, but I won’t usually write any more that day.
Your latest novel, All To Play For was released in October 2011. Tell us about it and how it came about.
It’s a novel about working in television between 1985-2000, which I did more or less, mainly at the BBC. It’s entirely fictitious but true in spirit and in some of the detail. I started writing a story about one of the characters after I left, and I’ve been re-working it ever since, on and off. I don’t know whether to call it a comic novel – it’s funny and but serious too.
Where do you find inspiration?
That’s the easy part, it’s all around. People and the weird way they behave.
by Talli Roland
Talli Roland is the author of The Hating Game, Watching Willow Watts (the paperback is out now) and her latest, Build a Man is out now in e-book format. I was very excited to catch up with Talli, to ask her about her route to publication and who she would have to dinner…
What was your route to publication?
I’ve always enjoyed writing – it was the reason I trained as a journalist and I’d thought about trying to get a novel published, but it wasn’t until my thirties that I seriously started writing fiction. Over the next couple years, I wrote four novels and learnt a lot! When the opportunity came to publish non-fiction travel guides, I jumped. Even though non-fiction wasn’t really what I wanted to do, I knew it could teach me a lot about the publishing process and maybe even help me get a foot in the door for my fiction. And it did! Prospera Publishing -– the same company that publishes my non-fiction -– published my debut novel ‘The Hating Game’ and has also published my next novel, ‘Watching Willow Watts’, out now.
Describe your typical writing day?
Coffee. Writing. Wine! I’m at my desk around 7:30 a.m. or 8, because if I don’t sit down early, I can procrastinate for hours. I write until lunch, take a break, then spend the afternoon answering emails and doing social media.
by Talli Roland – To Plot or Not to Plot?
To Plot… Or Not?
Plotting has always been a source of great debate amongst writers. Should you, or should you not? Many authors dive right in to their manuscripts, content to ‘write into the mist’. Personally, I am not a ‘writing into the mist’ kinda gal – I’m always afraid I may never emerge! I need something to drive toward, and I have to know where my character will end up, when everything is said and done.
But how much plotting is too much? After all, you don’t want to stifle any creativity that might occur. New characters could pop their heads in, just begging to be written. Events might not always happen according to plan – in life and in fiction.
I always start with a few key questions. What does my character want? Who or what will stop her from getting it? And by the end, how will she have grown and changed? In Watching Willow Watts, my most recent novel, Willow begins her journey as a person who’s keen to keep everyone happy. By the end of the book, she’s learned that her own happiness is important, too, and she needn’t lose herself to please others. Continue reading
by Lucinda Riley
Lucinda is the author of Hothouse Flower and her latest, The Girl On The Cliff was released in October 2011. Lucinda very kindly answered some writing related questions including what her route to publication was like and the best thing about being a writer.
What was your route to publication?
I wrote eight books before under a different name, had too many kids to continue writing. When the ‘baby’ had started school, I felt the ‘urge’ again. I showed no-one until I’d finished, gave it to my old agent under my ‘real’ name and prayed. Luckily, Penguin bought it very quickly.
Describe your typical writing day.
I strap on my trusty, ancient dictaphone and vomit into it until I’m so exhausted I’m falling over.
by Sally Gardner
Sally Gardner is an award-winning novelist who’s sold over 1.5 million books in the UK. Her fourth novel, The Double Shadow is realised on 3rd November 2011. Novel Kicks had a chat with Sally and asked her about her typical writing day and the novel she wished she’d written.
What was your route to publication?
I started writing illustrated books for 5 to 8 year olds and I have to thank my then editor at Orion, Judith Elliot, for seeing I had potential. I had worked in the theatre before where my dyslexia had proved to be a problem, and I was quite convinced when I wrote my first book for small children that again it would be seen as a huge hurdle. It was a complete surprise to me to find that it was no bar to being writer. In fact, Judith believed it’s what gave me my voice.
Describe your typical writing day.
I usually work in the mornings in my dressing-gown in the hope that I can hold back the day – I’m always shocked to discover that it’s 12.30pm. In the afternoon I find myself to be slightly sleepy so I tend to go for a walk and then I usually work until about 1am.
by Pauline Barclay
Pauline Barclay is the author of three novels, Magnolia House, Satchfield Hall and her latest Sometimes it Happens.
Novel Kicks were very happy to be able to catch up with Pauline and see what was happening since we last spoke to her.
You’ve recently got involved with loveahappyending.com. Can you tell us what the website does, what it means to you and how important you think Associate Readers are?
I am one of just 30 authors invited to show case their writing. Loveahappyending.com is a new and exciting web site that concentrates on two main areas: reader power and helping new authors to the market place. It is through the activities and involvement of each member and particularly the Associate Readers that a wider audience is getting to know about all of the authors. Being part of group creates more opportunities to spread the word rather just a single voice. Since being invited to join, I have seen more reviews on my books and *blushing* several more 5 star ratings.
Loveahappyending.com is international there are Associate Readers and authors from the UK, USA, Canada and even me from the Canary Isles! If anyone is interested in becoming an Associate Reader, please visit http://www.loveahappyending.com There is so much going on. In fact, I am the editor for the online chatty magazine The Fizz and also Head of Communications. Everyone in the group gets involved giving some of their time to helping other members.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Anywhere and everywhere! I find inspiration and ideas from sometimes just a word or a phrase, listening to music, reading, watching people, talking to people, out walking the dog. Just being aware of others. Life is so interesting and fascinating.
by Jane Fallon Bloggers Event – The Club at the Ivy, Monday 26th September 2011.
What do you do when you get invited to meet Jane Fallon at the Ivy? You get yourself down there as quickly as possible.
Jane, Helen and Laura
Joe from Penguin and Helen.
Novel Kicks got to go to the Club at the Ivy to meet the lovely Jane Fallon, author of Getting Rid of Matthew, Got You Back, Foursome and her latest, The Ugly Sister which is due out on 29th September 2011. Thank you to the guys and girls at Penguin for a wonderful night.
Helen and I arrived and we were immediately taken aback by the Ivy. I’d never been to anywhere like that before and I was so excited to go in and have a nosy around (and not actually be thrown out again.)
by Book Club
