Writing a Novella – is it any different to writing a novel?

Author Louise Rose-Innes is with us today, talking about writing novellas and her latest release, The New Year Resolution.

Take it away Louise …

My latest release, THE NEW YEAR RESOLUTION is about 35,000 words and is classified as a novella. Novellas are usually about 20,000 to 40,000 words. Anything shorter than that is termed a short story.

They’re punchier than category romances, often only in one POV, and usually with a single plotline (as the length doesn’t support multiple subplots).

Despite the shorter format, they still feature the normal goals, motivations and conflicts of a full length romantic novel.

This makes them fairly difficult to write, especially for authors who are used to a longer format. The trick to writing a fast-paced novella is planning. You have limited space so you can’t ramble or waste words. You need to be absolutely clear on your characters central conflicts, what drives them and how they react in different circumstances. This way you can outline your plot points and build your character arcs convincingly.

Novella writing is a good exercise for any author, as it forces you to focus on what’s important. It also forces you to up the tension of each chapter. A novella is usually faster paced than a full length romance, so you can play with sentence structure and length to keep it interesting all the way through. You can stick to one POV, or try writing in the first person.

Lee Child likes to experiment in his short stories. Stephen King thinks that all young writers should hone their skills on novellas.  He calls the novel a “quagmire that young authors stumble into before they’re ready.”

Personally, I struggle with traditional short stories (under 20,000 words). For me, the novella is a better format to work with. I like delving deeper into core conflicts and motivations and building a relationship between the reader and the heroine from the first paragraph. The novel itself, is a more complex beast, but it does give you more room to move and can be a little more forgiving.

As writers, we should experiment with all formats as we develop our skill, as this will make us more versatile overall.

THE NEW YEAR RESOLUTION is out now at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D7HXMDU

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D7HXMDU

Blurb:

Last year, divorcee Nicole had only one New Year’s Resolution – to have a date for this New Years Eve – but with no strings attached.  One thing she knows for sure is that she isn’t ready for anything more complicated than a casual date.

So when eco-tycoon and international jetsetter, Ryan Jackson begs her to accompany him to a tropical island for a week, in order to impress his benefactor, Nicole categorically refuses. He’s way too hot and she’s way too vulnerable. Not a good idea.

Yet Ryan won’t take no for an answer.  It’s for a good cause. She would only have to pretend to be his lover. It’s a luxury island resort with all expenses paid. How can she refuse?

Under the tropical sun, things heat up and their pretence goes out the window. Nicole gets cold feet. She’s not ready for this kind of affair. It’s doubtful she ever will be.

But have they come too far? Distancing herself from Ryan will cause him to lose the funding he so desperately needs for his eco-project, but staying with him means she’ll lose something far more valuable… her heart.  And that’s a risk Nicole is simply not willing to take.

Butterfly Moments

Butterfly photographs courtesy of Deb Anderson – with thanks.

So, what’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done?

We’ve probably all got a cupboard full of skeletons that we only let out at 3am when sleep won’t come, but I’m not even going to think about those deeply embarrassing bits today. The theme of this blog is the other times – the ones when we got it absolutely right; the Butterfly Moments, if you like. You know the ones I mean. When you were trying to be really romantic and it worked? When you wanted to make someone very happy and it happened without any banana skins, unexpected gurgles in the stomach region (or worse) or red faces?
Cast your minds back to a time when the world suddenly became a simpler place and you gave yourself – if only briefly – full marks for an impulsive romantic gesture, a perfectly organised outing, a significant and suitable present well received or a cunning plan that came off.
These moments are precious if only to remind us that life can, sometimes, be a bowl of cherries. I know we use our depressing and cringe-worthy experiences to bring our writing to life but just for a few minutes, let yourself wallow in smug self-satisfaction as you remember something that deserves its own Westlife (subsitute own cheesy music choice here) soundtrack and fuzzy lighting. Go on, tell all…

Celia: Mine was when my newly discovered and already much-loved bloke announced that he was going away shortly for nearly two weeks on a railway journey that was going to touch on a whole bunch of major European cities. After I had finished hitting him with a stick and the bitter jealousy had subsided, I realised I was going to miss him. A lot. Unfortunately, this man was a texting novice at the time and thought that the mobile telephone was a scheme of the devil to waste our valuable reading time. I wanted to make sure he didn’t forget about me, but constantly ringing him to mutter sweet nothings was only going to make him remember how annoying I could be (which, incidentally, is pretty annoying).
For this man, who I was beginning to suspect had a secret romantic streak, the only way forwards was on paper. I shopped furiously for small and quirky cards and dug out my dusty collection of poetry books. Then I got a copy of his holiday itinerary and wrote a letter, complete with a poetic quote, for every day, labelled neatly with the place and date. I can sense your incredulity here – was this woman totally off her rocker? Surely this must have taken hours – time that could have been better spent eating cake, drinking copious amounts of wine and watching back to back episodes of Friends? The answer is, yes it bloody did. But it was worth it because he loved them and still has them stashed away where he thinks I can’t see them. Ha!

Catherine: I’m not sure I can be classed as romantic, but I do my best to be thoughtful when I can and not just for the man in my life. Later this year it’s my Mum’s 60th Birthday. Old Ma Mo (I never came up with that nickname) has stated she doesn’t want a fuss, and no parties. Well, I’m very good at ignoring my Mum and at knowing when she means what she says… hence, I have plans. Secret plans which I cannot reveal even among friends. I will tell you about her 50th though. Since she was at school, my Mum has had a pen pal over in Texas. Twice her pen pal had been over here, but Mum couldn’t afford to go on the return journey. So I got in contact with her pen pal and started making secret plans with her and my grandparents. Sue (Mum’s pen pal) was able to be very generous and paid for Mum to go over with air miles and the savings went towards me going with Mum as she didn’t want to travel alone. We didn’t keep it a secret until she was going, we told her about a month beforehand. Here we are in a rather fuzzy photo in San Antonio. Now to live up to it for her 60th! And Mum, if you are reading this, as we’ll have 3 month old twins, they’ll be no flights involved this time!

Jan: This Butterfly Moment couldn’t strictly be labelled ’romantic’, but Mr B was certainly happy. He’s a keen golfer and his trusty ‘old’ golf bag had long been the butt of much banter on the fairways. It was so ancient that, during a round one weekend, his clubs were dragging along the grass where the masking tape holding the bottom of said bag together (I kid you not!) had worked loose. A-ha! I thought at the time… I know what to get him for his next birthday. Trouble was, that birthday was six months away and, in the meantime, he was invited to attend a golf day at this really posh club with about twenty other guys. Now, Mr B hasn’t a snobby bone in his body, but I suspected that, deep down, he must be a tiny bit concerned about how dinosaur bag would be received come tee-off time, not to mention its survival chances over 18 holes. So, I went out and bought him a shiny, new one which I presented to him the day before the big event. A pre-birthday gift for one pleased-as-punch golfer!

“FORE!!!!”

So, what we really want to know is what was your perfect, romantic moment? Or maybe, you’re planning one right now…You can tell us.

Celia x

Tracy Bloom – Sex on a Tuesday? No way…

A massive Romaniac welcome to today’s featured author Tracy Bloom, who started writing when her cruel, heartless husband ripped her away from her dream job shopping for rollercoasters for the UK’s leading theme parks, to live in America with a brand new baby and no mates. In a cunning plan to avoid domestic duties and people who didn’t understand her Derbyshire accent, she wrote NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY. She soon found however that her new American friends took a shine to her British sense of humour and encouraged her to share her words with a wider audience. NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY went on to be successfully published internationally providing Tracy with a new dream job, making people laugh and sometimes cry through her writing.
Back in good old England now (desperately missing drive-through Starbucks, 30- Rock, NPR and people who talk to you in the street without thinking you’re a weido) and cracking on with writing about other people who screw up their lives in a hilarious fashion including a sequel, NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX AFTER A BABY.
And now, here’s Tracy to take us through her path to publication:

AROUND THE WORLD WITH NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY – TRACY BLOOM
Picture the scene – my first taste of success as a writer. I’m sitting in a fancy restaurant – by which I mean there isn’t a chicken nugget in sight. My publisher sits at the head of the table. A grand dame of the industry weighed down by precious metals and with hair that has definitely not been blow dried by herself. I glow with pride as I sign a copy of my book despite the fact I can’t read a word of it. Here I am celebrating seeing my novel in print for the very first time in … Milan, Italy. I’ve spent all day trailing bookshops, taking pictures of my book, trying to convince shop owners that I am the author and not some eccentric English lady who can’t speak Italian yet convinced she’s written an entire book in their language. This is not how I expected things to be.
I guess it’s fitting that I didn’t begin writing in my native England. Marriage, a baby and a husband sent to work in the USA for three years slung me out of my previous career developing theme park rides and attractions, and potentially into desperate housewife territory. As I gazed around the leafy suburbs of Connecticut I remembered I’d once had a dream to write a book. And so I did. Armed with ideas and a very British sense of humour I joined a creative writing class and NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY began to take shape. The tale of childhood sweethearts having a one-night stand when they meet years later at a school reunion seemed to strike a chord. When two classmates had a row about whether my lead character should stick with her younger boyfriend or rekindle her teenage romance having discovered that either men could be the father of her baby, I knew I had something.
Eventually it was finished and I skipped class to sweat over letters to potential agents in London. Not that I thought I’d get one, I just fancied getting some transatlantic mail. As it turned out one wanted me and my book. Champagne corks popped. It was a dream come true. I didn’t realise that dreams rarely materialise in the way you imagine them.
My agent (I will never get used to saying that) took my book to Frankfurt Book Fair and I waited impatiently to hear when I would be able to buy it in Waterstones. Then the news came that it had sold to the highest bidder in a German auction and a pre-empted bid had secured it a home in Italy. Not long afterwards Brazil grabbed hold of it followed by Poland. Initially I was crushed that I wouldn’t be seeing my book on home territory until the reality of being published abroad sank in. Someone in Brazil, a country I had never even visited, thought I was funny, thought I could write and wanted other Brazilians to read my story. That, I decided, was pretty cool.
One edition after another, my book appeared in print in languages I couldn’t read with covers so diverse it was hard to reconcile it as the same book. It was as though I had given my book up for adoption and it was having this whole fantastic life without me that I was unable to participate in.
Until this year. The massive changes driving uncertainty in the publishing industry had been blamed for my book not finding a home in the UK. However as a new era in publishing emerges, those changes have provided the opportunity for me to finally get published here. With the support of my agent who also represents Sophie Kinsella and has helped Kate Harrison achieve massive self- publishing success with her 5:2 Diet Book, my novel is now available in English on Amazon. Finally I can tell people to go and read my tale of a one-night stand that leads to utter chaos. Best of all I can understand the reviews and comments for NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY without having to resort to Google Translate!

Book Description
Never has a one-night stand led to such chaos!
Childhood sweethearts Matthew and Katy agree they must never see each other again after they end up in bed together following a school re-union.
So all is forgotten… until eight months later when a shock meeting at an antenatal class forces them to confront the fact that Matthew could be the father of Katy’s baby. Oblivious to the mayhem unfolding, Matthew’s highly-strung wife frets over giving birth to twins and Katy’s much younger boyfriend refuses to take fatherhood seriously.
Love and life are messy but Katy and Matthew take things to a whole new level as deep emotions begin to resurface and hormones run riot. How will they navigate their way through this almighty cock-up?
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tracy-Bloom/e/B00BSRA0TA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1367435905&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Tracy-Bloom/e/B00BSRA0TA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1367435161&sr=8-1

NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY has been published in Germany, Italy, Poland, Serbia, and will be released in Brazil this Summer.

Contact Details:
Website: http://www.tracybloom.com
Twitter: @TracyBBloom
Email: tracybloom@hotmail.co.uk
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tracybloomwrites

Tuesday Chit Chat – Katherine Garbera

                              

So, Katherine, we find you here in the Romaniac lair at last, and looking terribly glamorous as usual. Welcome! Did you by any chance bring cake? Only I’ve been a bit busy and the cake tin seems to be empty…you’re shaking your head sadly, guess that one’s  a no then.  Never mind, settle yourself down and relax. The garden’s looking lovely, we might even be able to open a window today and enjoy the sunshine. The girls have asked me to give you a gentle grilling – here are our questions:

What was the first complete book that you wrote, and at what point in your life did this happen?

Hi, Romaniacs – I wrote my first manuscript after the birth of my daughter when I was 24. I loved the experience of it so much that I couldn’t wait to write another one. I’m afraid I didn’t know much about plotting so it was mainly a story that contained the things I liked to read—a strong alpha hero, a heroine with a fabulous sense of fashion, lots of steamy sex and a bad guy who was always menacing them.

Was the road to publishing difficult for you?
I don’t think so. I just always knew I’d be published some day and when I got a rejection letter I’d l think well they just don’t get me.  My second manuscript almost got purchased so I knew I was on the right track. Then when I started writing my third manuscript I decided that if I was going to be any good at writing I needed to master romance or suspense before I tried to merge the two. I made the third manuscript a straight romance. It featured a single mom, a sexy construction worker who moved in next door and her adorable son. I still love that story! It won the Georgia Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence and became my first sale. I was aged 26. 

Do you have an agent?
Yes. And I like her a lot. I’ve had three agents over the course of my career.

Where were you born and brought up?
I was born in Haileah, Florida (that’s in the South just north of Miami) but was raised in Central Florida a little bit west of Disney world. My parents are very down-to-earth people who liked living life their own way so we always lived in the country. I grew up with the Green Swamp in my backyard and orange groves all around me.

We didn’t have any neighbors so my sisters and I were each others companions and my mom used to lock us outside in the summer and make us play.

I think those days really fired up my imagination and probably laid the groundwork for me to become a writer.

Does the place that you live influence your plots and characters?
Sort of. I think the places I’ve lived (Florida, Chicago, IL; Dallas, Tx, and Southern California) have all influenced me but really it’s the people I’ve met that have the most impact on me.

Where is your ideal writing spot?
Ideally at my desk, but when I find that distractions like the internet get too much, I move to a recliner I have in the corner of my office or the coffee shop. I don’t play games or waste time if I perceive someone else can see me.

What home comforts do you need to help you to write?
I need something to drink either hot tea (I’m American so usually drink Raspberry Zinger) or coffee and lots of it.

What inspired you to start writing?
My daughter inspired me to start writing. I’d always dabbled in it but when she was born I was working as a secretary and not really loving it. And I wanted her to see me doing something I loved instead of hating going to work every day. So I started writing with the intent to publish.

How do you begin to create your characters?
Usually I have an idea of a character in my head that’s pretty strong so I know where they are coming from. Then I just answer a few basic questions that lay the groundwork for my story. They are What does he/she want? (This is the Goal) Why do they want it? (Motivation) Why can’t they have it? (Conflict) Once I have these three things for the heroine then I do the same thing for the hero and I make sure that they want opposing things because people who are at odds on the page make it more exciting. And it become natural conflict instead of forced.

Who is your favourite literary hero?
I’m not sure if you mean author or fictional character so I’ll give you both. My author heroes are Margaret Atwood, Jayne Ann Krentz and Baroness Orczy. My favorite fictional characters are Claudia Kincaid from E.L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Elizabeth Gilbert from Eat Pray Love which is her memoir.

Do your family read your books?
Yes they do. My mom skips “those” parts, my grandmother before she passed away used to tell me to write more sex, and my daughter says she just doesn’t think of me writing them. 

Which celebrity would you like to send one of your books to, and which book would you choose?
I think I’d send it Sandra Bullock because she takes on projects and is passionate about them. I’d send her Bare Facts which is the first in a series I wrote that was a sort of homage to Charlie’s Angels.

How many works do you have in progress at once?
I only work on one book at a time but I am contracted for more than one book that I’ve written proposals for. So right now I’ve got five books in the hopper but am only working on one of them.

If you had no constraints of time and a guarantee of publication, what sort of book would you write?
I’m writing books I love right now. So more of the same. 

Do you have writing buddies?
Yes, I do and I miss them terribly because we live so far apart now. I’m a member of a very cool group called the Evelettes (Eve Gaddy, Lenora Worth, Julia Justiss and Denise Daniels) and then I have my Puffs—self-named after the PowerPuff Girls Bubbles aka Nancy Robards Thompson, Blossom aka Mimi Wells and me Buttercup!

Do you have any say in the cover designs for your books?
I fill in a very lengthy art fact sheet but usually that’s it. For my single title books I had more input and often got pictures from the photo shoots.

Now for some quick fire questions:

Sunbathing or swimming?
Swimming, I was a competitive swimmer for a long time.

Hugs or kisses?
Both but kisses win out.

Roaring log fire or funky high tech gas version?
Roaring fire.
Chocolate cake or crisps?
Cake I suppose but I can’t resist a bag of Ruffles.

Veggie burger or steak?
Steak

Spring, summer, autumn or winter?
Summer and the beach, baby!

Films or TV serials?
Films

Holiday venues – chill-out or active?
I like both.

Best ever holiday?
Venice with my husband and kids last summer.

Favourite ever dress?
Red cocktail dress that dipped to a low V in the back. I think it was a Laura Ashley dress I bought it on sale in New Orleans and wore the heck out of it. 

Thanks for giving us an insight into your life, Katherine– come back soon. I’ll make sure there’s cake next time…

Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog.

Tuesday Chit-Chat – Donna Douglas

 

Good morning, Donna – it’s good to see you here at Romaniac HQ. Make yourself at home – just brush the Hob Nob crumbs off the sofa and put your feet up. Scone? They’re cherry ones today. I think I might have accidentally finished off the clotted cream though…

 

Now, let’s find out what makes you tick. Your website’s great, I know a lot about you already but we’d better fill everyone else in too. 

 

When did you start writing and what inspired you at the very beginning?

 

I’ve always loved telling stories, even as a child. Unlike a lot of writers, I didn’t grow up surrounded by books. But I loved Jackanory on TV, and on a Saturday morning I used to get loads of girls’ comics like Bunty and Jinty, and devour all the stories. You can learn a lot about conflict and cliffhangers from reading those weekly serials! Funnily enough, after I left school I got a job writing photo love stories for a teenage magazine. I started writing my first novel when I was 20, and was finally published two days before my 40^th birthday. I’ve sped up a bit since then…

Reading this, I think we’re both from the same era! I loved Bunty, and Jackanory too. But what era would you have chosen to be born into, if not this one?

 

I don’t know about having to live my whole life in a particular era, but there are loads I’d like to visit. I’m a massive Tudor buff, so I would love to go back to the court of Henry VIII and find out what it was really like. And of course, I would love to visit a hospital in 1930s and pick up some ideas for my Nightingales books. Although I’m not sure about being a patient, since they didn’t stand much chance in those days!

Do you see yourself as mainly character or plot driven?

 

Characters are most important for me. It’s the characters and their conflicts that drive the plot. People are interested in people. If you don’t care about a character and they’re not real for you, then it doesn’t matter how much life or death drama you put them through, it’s not going to work.

Do your characters ever do things you’d rather they didn’t, or that you hadn’t anticipated?

 

All the time! It can be quite spooky sometimes. Your character does or says something and you think, ‘Now why did they do that?’ And then later in the story you realise that they’ve actually laid the foundation for an intriguing new subplot or twist that hadn’t occurred to you. Of course, it can also be massively inconvenient when you really need them to act a certain way for the sake of your ingenious plot and they just won’t play ball! In which case it’s probably best to listen to them, I find.

Looking back at that answer, I now realise I have the voices of various people in my head, who I truly believe are real and have minds of their own. If I wasn’t a writer that would be quite worrying, wouldn’t it?

Which three books would you take to a desert island and what treats would be in your picnic hamper?

 

Is it wrong that I can think of the food more easily than I can think of the books? Treat wise, there would have to be salt and vinegar Kettle Chips, Galaxy chocolate and Fruitellas. Also, we have a bakers in York called Thomas’, which does the best Chelsea buns in the whole world. Seriously, if you’re ever in York I urge you to get one. You will not be disappointed.

Right, now on to books. I guess I would have to take a survival manual, because being a city girl I am completely lost in the wild. And by wild, I mean anywhere that doesn’t have an M&S within walking distance.  I might also take one of my 1930s nursing manuals, because they show how to perform life-saving treatments with very little resources. For enjoyment, I would have to take Riders by Jilly Cooper. It’s my all time comfort read.

Just booking train ticket to York. With you on the Jilly Cooper choice too. Still on the subject of reading matter, which book, famous or otherwise, have you always wished you’d written yourself?

 

Something that has stood the test of time, with a story that still resonates, such as Jane Eyre. To be able to impact on people emotionally is a great gift for a writer – I love it when people tell me I made them cry! From a royalties point of view, I wouldn’t have minded coming up with Harry Potter, though…

Which has been your most romantic character so far, which the most heroic and which the most unsettling/sinister?

 

Nick Riley in The Nightingale Girls is my perfect romantic hero. He’s a real bad boy with a vulnerable heart. From the response I’ve had from readers, they all seem to like him too! Everyone wants him to get together with my heroine Dora, but they may have to wait awhile before they get their happy ending (if they get it…). Dora is pretty heroic – she’s a tough East End girl who’s overcome all kinds of obstacles to follow her dream of being a nurse. Nursing wasn’t an option for working class girls at the time, and she has to fight to prove herself every day. She’s the one I most identify with, because when I was young everyone said working class girls like me couldn’t be writers, either. I’m not sure about unsettling or sinister characters. I’ve written plenty of nasty people, like Helen’s overbearing mother Constance Tremayne or vindictive Sister Wren. She manages to do a fair amount of damage in The Nightingale Sisters, especially to the new Night Sister. But I always try to give them a human side too, or at least a reason why they behave the way they do, otherwise you end up with a cartoon villain.

A predictable question, but we’re very nosy here. Where do you write and what’s your ideal writing routine?

 

I have an office, which is basically the back of the garage. I used to write in the spare bedroom, but I spent far too much time nosing out of the window at all the goings-on in our street. Now my office has a tiny, high strip of frosted window overlooking a brick wall so I can’t focus on anything but work! I like to start writing early in the morning – I get most of my best work done before lunch. In the afternoon, I get sidetracked into domestic stuff, answering emails or hanging about on Twitter, so I hardly get anything done.

I know the feeling! Here’s another of our favourite questions. Do you have an agent, and if so, was he/she hard to come by?

 

My agent is the lovely Caroline Sheldon. We got together about four years ago. I’d already had a few novels published under the name Donna Hay, but then my agent retired and I became a bit jaded and realised I wasn’t enjoying writing contemporary stuff any more. I gave up writing completely for a couple of years but then I missed it so I called up Caroline because lots of people had told me how nice she was. And they were right! It turned out to be serendipitous for both of us, because a few days after our meeting she met an editor who was looking for someone to write a series of novels set in a hospital in 1930s – and Caroline thought I might be up for the challenge.

I love a happy ending. Now, what would be your dream job, apart from writing all day with an endless supply of money thrown in?

 

I’ve always fancied being a beauty therapist, because it must be nice to spend your day making people look and feel better. Everyone enjoys a bit of pampering, and working in a spa seems like a fairly stress-free environment.

Quick fire questions –

 

Gin or champagne?

Gin, definitely. In fact, the answer is almost always gin.

TV or theatre?

Much as I would like to sound highbrow, it has to be TV.

Austen or Bronte?

Bronte. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jane Austen. But the Brontes have always fascinated me.

Bubble bath or power shower?

Bubble bath, when I get the chance. But sadly it’s mostly showers.

Book or Kindle?

Kindle on holiday, but you can’t beat a book the rest of the time.

Chocolate cake or exotic fresh fruit salad?

If you’d said any other kind of cake I would have gone for that. But I’m not a big fan of chocolate cake. Chocolate, yes. Cake, yes. But not together. Oh no. I quite like the sound of those cherry scones you mentioned earlier, actually…

Late nights or early mornings?

Early mornings. But I remember a time when they were one and the same thing. I’d stay up all night then rock up to work in a party dress. These were the days. Couldn’t do it now, though.

And finally, what comes next for you?

My new book, The Nightingale Sisters, is out any day now. It follows on from The Nightingale Girls, but it’s a stand alone story, so you don’t have to have read the first to enjoy the second. I’m just finishing off the third book in the Nightingales series, which is due out in October. After that, I have another two Nightingale books to write. Although there might well be more…

Thank you so much for letting us see a snapshot of your writing life – I’ve packed you some fruit cake for on the way home. See you again, I hope, and good luck with your next project.

Thanks for having me, I’ve had a lovely time. Although if I’d have known there was cake involved I would have bought you a Chelsea bun from Thomas’…

The Nightingale Sisters is published by Arrow Books. It’s available from Amazon  – http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Nightingale-Sisters-Donna-Douglas/dp/0099569426/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1

 

Find out more about Donna by visiting her website –  http://www.donnadouglas.co.uk/

You can also follow her on Twitter – @donnahay1 – or read her blog – http://donnadouglasauthor.wordpress.com/  

Tuesday Chit-Chat with Ian Wilfred

Lots of excitement at Romaniac HQ today, we’ve done our best cleaning and tidying and even baked a cake. (Thanks Celia) What’s the occasion we have a man on our sofa, Ian Wilfred, writer of women’s fiction.

Hi Ian come on in, we’re on our best behaviour – honest!

I hope not there’s nothing more that I like then a good gossip and thank you  for inviting me,  it’s very exciting being here I was expecting biscuits but I feel honoured as you have made a cake, is it one of Celia’s?

Oh definitely one of Celia’s – she has a bit of a reputation – for cake that is.

Now, we got to know each other on Twitter recently and your tweets are always upbeat and chatty but often early in the morning – how do you manage to be so cheerful at 6am?

Oh, I really want this to be a fun and upbeat interview, but the reason I’m on Twitter early and also the reason I wrote my book is a little sad. Four years ago I moved my dad from Devon to live with me and my partner Ron in the Midlands, over the four years his health has not been good.

He is now 87 and in bed 24/7 and can’t do anything for himself, so just over twelve months ago I had to give up my job to be his full time carer. I can be up in the night anything between two and twelve times with him, once I’m awake that’s it so by six in the morning when we talk on twitter I’m buzzing.  Don’t get me wrong family life is very good and I have wonderful support from friends, family and the NHS, and in the four years I have written two books.

I’m glad you’ve got plenty of support and it must be nice for your dad to be with you.

I was intrigued to find out you wrote women’s fiction, what brought you to this genre?

Well I wrote my book ‘Putting Right the Past’ and at the end that’s the genre it fell into. I really don’t know what other genre I could write in, perhaps one day I will give it a go. But somehow if there’s not a bit of glamour, love and gossip, I don’t think it will interest me.  

Can you tell us about your novel?

My main character is Carole Harding she is in her 50s, her husband cheated on her and she got divorced, then she inherited 2 million pounds from her uncle.

Carole moved to a very nice apartment in Tenerife, no one knows about her inheritance, but it seems all her neighbours have problems and secretes. Carole finds herself helping to change their lives…

Nadean is the actress who hit the headlines and had to go into hiding, Victoria is a top model but why did her family turn against her? Hamilton spent his life traveling the world, earning so much money, but was so lonely; Riley gave up everything for love… Then there is Peter and Paul, who only seem to be happy when having a crisis and Jeremy … who has secretes not just from his wife Felicity, but also from the law.

As Carole gets involved with the lives of her neighbours, she blossoms into the woman she’d always longed to be…. When she meets Robson, can this be the biggest transformation of her life?

Do you feel any pressure writing as a man in a heavily populated woman genre?

No, not at all, I just love writing and feel very lucky to be in the position of having a book published. OK I would love my book more they anything to be liked by the readers, but at 52 (39 in my head) I have had enough knocks in my life to realise it’s not the end of the world if it’s not a success. 

Do you have a favourite author?

Now this is the bit you are going to think I’m a little bit strange, the thing is I have what I call my SUNDAY BEST books,  let me explain. You ladies are far too young to remember, (that’s very kind of you to say, but sadly not true! Sorry, carry on …)  but in the old days when I was young we had clothes that were only for Sundays and special occasions, never worn during the week, always saved for best.

Well I have some authors that I save their books for special occasions like a holiday, the list of authors gets younger every year, at the moment there are about twenty of them.

It started many years ago with four authors, Marion Keys, Joanne Harris, Andriana Trigiani and Carole Drinkwater. Lots have been added since; one author which was added last year is Emylia Hall and her wonderful book ‘The Book of Summers’, such a beautifully written book, tissues are required when reading it. I don’t know what it is with this book but it’s had a big effect on me, I recommend it to everyone and give it as a present to friends.

Sorry to go on ladies but I could go on and on about my SUNDAY BEST authors.

Don’t be sorry, we love a good old chat

Do you have a writing routine?

Oh, I really wish I did, shall I tell you my dream writing day?

It would start at 5.30am with coffee and twitter, lots of coffee. Then ay 7.30am I would go off and write like mad until 12.30 when I would have my lunch sat in front of Loose Woman (my guilty pleasure) in the afternoon I would read what I had written, make changes also spend the time on emails etc. Then at 5.30 I would stop and pour a large glass of red wine.

That is my dream day; i will say it has only ever happened a few times.

Can you tell us three favourite things you like about writing?

This is a hard one, but I do love the feeling when you know exactly what you want to write in a chapter and it’s like being in a race, trying to get it on the lap top so quick.

Also a couple of months ago I finished the first draft of my second book, the working title is London/New York and I got to the last chapter, I knew for months  how it would end , but then I changed the ending completely within an hour , that was a lovely feeling, and a big surprise to me.

Which means we do have to ask what three things you dislike

This is very easy, I hate it when all of a sudden you realise the 10 thousand or so words you have written don’t work.  Since writing Putting Right the Past I have started four books that have gone nowhere, perhaps one day I will revisit them and try to do something with the story. But the thing is if a writer can’t get excited about what there writing, how is a reader going to.

One of the other things I dislike is writing about a character that has to be in the story but they are just boring, it always seems to take for ever.

If you could read three chapters of your novel at any venue, what would your choices be and why?

No I could never read my novel out loud to anyone, believe it or not I can’t be in the same room as someone if they are reading anything I wrote. But I would love to be in some of the venues I read about in other peoples novels. Can you imagine going back in time and being in a Lesley Pearce or a Victoria Hislop, oh you have really got me thinking now. But sorry that’s not really answered your question has it.

And just so you are in keeping with recent guests, I have to ask …. What are your thoughts on a Onesie?

I don’t really have any thoughts on it, there not for me is it wrong to say I think they are for young people. I know in my head I’m only 39 and have been for the last fifteen years and always will be, but the thought of getting in and out of one does seem a lot of trouble.

Quick Fire

Fountain pen or biro——– biro

Lager, beer or wine——- red wine every time

Silence or music whilst writing——- silence

Early bird or night owl———-early bird

Valentine’s Day or birthday—–birthday

Car or motorbike —–car

Football or cricket—– neither not sporty but I do love Strictly Come Dancing

Okay then … Pasha Kovalev or Artem Chigvintev  (SCD dancers) —Pasha every time

Thanks so much for popping by Ian; it’s been great fun having you here. Best of Romaniac luck, with your book.

And thank you very much for having me; I have really enjoyed myself, I’m sorry if I have gone on a bit,  oh and by the way would it be ok if I take the rest of Celia’s cake with me. Also could I place an order for one every week x

Well, go on then – but don’t tell everyone I let you have the cake, they will say it’s favouritism. I’ll pass the request onto Celia, you never know your luck

Come and meet the gorgeous Nico Noordholt

Sooooo excited today! To celebrate the publication of Christina Courtenay’s new novel, The Gilded Fan, we have a fabulous interview with the hero,  Nico Noordholt, captain of the Zwarte Zwaan, a ship belonging to the Dutch East India Company.

Author Christina Courtenay and publishers ChocLit are giving away a copy of The Scarlet Kimono, which is the prequel but can be read as a stand-alone.  Just leave a comment below and we will select a winner at random next Wednesday, 6 March.

So, Nico, that’s not your real name, is it? - Yes, it is now <frosty glare>.  Look, I had some issues with my father – basically the old curmudgeon disinherited me and considered me a wastrel – so when I decided to leave England and become a Dutch citizen instead, I didn’t see why I should keep his surname.  Would you have?  Nico is just short for Nicholas, which is what I used to be called.

Right, well, it’s good to know you weren’t lying. – Don’t you start! I never lie, I’m an honourable man. I just have my own ‘moral compass’ as it were.

Ok, ok.  Let’s talk about your recent voyage to the Far East.  We hear you had a rather troublesome passenger on the way back.  Want to tell us a bit more? ­– Oh, yes, the worst! <laughs and shakes head>  Midori Kumashiro was the last person I wanted on board my ship, let me tell you.  I mean, can you imagine what a stunningly beautiful young woman is going to do to the hundred-odd men that comprise the crew of a trading ship, and who have to be at sea for months on end without so much as seeing a woman?  Honestly, bringing her along was madness.

And yet you did! - Well, what choice did I have?  The Japanese authorities were going to execute her and I couldn’t let that happen.  Despite her background, she was as much a foreigner there as I was, to all intents and purposes.  I did refuse at first but … all right, I admit it, one smile from her and I completely lost my wits.  Sad, very sad.

A little bird told me her smile wasn’t the only thing that felled you. – I do not want to talk about that.  I don’t fight with women.  I let her win.  Not that she can’t hold her own when it comes to combat, but still …

Sure, we believe you. <holds up hands in surrender>  Don’t shoot daggers at me with those blue eyes of yours.  I was only joking. – Yes, and I’m a Dutchman … oh, well, actually I am <chuckles>

Now then, you’re heading back to Japan again, is that right? – Yes, very soon now.  Meanwhile I’m trying to learn some Japanese.  Even though I’m bringing my own personal interpreter this time, I like to be able to talk to people myself.  I think they’d prefer it too, consider it a courtesy, you know?

Are you finding it difficult? – Not really.  I’m never going to get the hang of all the nuances of how to address people of different status and things like that, but I should be able to grasp basic kitchen Japanese.  I learned Dutch after all, and the pronunciation was hell, begging your pardon.  Japanese can’t be any worse than that.

Yes, I see what you mean.  Will you ever come back to England, do you think? – Eventually, yes.  Now I’ve made my peace with my family, I can see myself having a little house in Plymouth for long visits, as well as my permanent abode in Amsterdam.  And you never know, there may be a child or two by then.  Knowing my stepmother she’ll want to see them.

Is there something you’re not telling us? – Er, it’s not really my secret to tell yet, but in a few months perhaps … <smiles>

Well, we wish you the best of luck for the future.  Sounds like you’re going to need it! –Thank you, and how! <grin>

The Blurb for The Gilded Fan

How do you start a new life, leaving behind all you love?

It’s 1641, and when Midori Kumashiro, the orphaned daughter of a warlord, is told she has to leave Japan or die, she has no choice but to flee to England. Midori is trained in the arts of war, but is that enough to help her survive a journey, with a lecherous crew and an attractive captain she doesn’t trust?

Having come to Nagasaki to trade, the last thing Captain Nico Noordholt wants is a female passenger, especially a beautiful one. How can he protect her from his crew when he can’t keep his own eyes off her?

During their journey, Nico and Midori form a tentative bond, but they both have secrets that can change everything. When they arrive in England, a civil war is brewing, and only by standing together can they hope to survive…

THE GILDED FAN IS AVAILABLE TO BUY ON AMAZON.UK and AMAZON.COM in both ebook and paperback

LINKS FOR CHRISTINA COURTENAY

Website : www.ChristinaCourtenay.com

Facebook : Christina.Courtenay.9

Twitter : @PiaCCourtenay

Publishers : ChocLit

Don’t forget to leave a comment to be in with a chance to win a free copy of The Scarlet Kimono

Tuesday Chit Chat with Serena Fairfax

Well, it’s a rather chilly February morning, but it’s very cosy here in the heart of Romaniac HQ. Today we’re welcoming Serena Fairfax to the best sofa in the house. Good morning, Serena, I’ll sling another log on the fire and then we can get started. I must say you’re looking very fetching in your complementary Romaniac t-shirt. Make yourself comfortable; the kettle’s on, the coffee beans are freshly ground, and I’ve made a fruit cake in your honour. Or would you prefer a refreshing pot of Earl Grey?
I’m delighted to be here and to meet such a talented bunch of writers. Who can resist coffee and cake? It’s just my cup of tea.
So, I’m passing over the guest footstool – sit back and tell us a bit about yourself.
I spent my childhood in India, qualified as a Lawyer in England then joined a large City firm. I’m still in the day job. I’m the author of six novels. STRANGE INHERITANCE and PAINT ME A DREAM were published by mainstream publishers Robert Hale Ltd. GOLDEN GROVE, IN THE PINK, WHERE THE BULBUL SINGS (I traded bricks and mortar for a houseboat and wangled a short sabbatical to write this one) and WILFUL FATE are indie published. I divide my time between London and rural Kent (the county favoured by Dickens) where I live with my golden retriever Inspector Morse who can’t wait to unleash his own Facebook page. 
Q: What difference has the advent of ebooks made to you as an author?
I think it’s fair to say eBooks have revolutionised the publishing world. The book’s easily downloadable and just as easily delete-able! Uploading a typescript is easy – one doesn’t have to wait months for one’s masterpiece to see the light of day. One can compete with the big names and there’s a gamut of opportunities.
Q: Do you have an equal fondness for all your books, or is one of them a particular favourite?
I like them all for very different reasons but I think IN THE PINK is a front-runner because it’s an experiment – being a departure from the romance theme and wry and quirky.
Q: You’re in the right place if quirky is your style. So,what was your very first success as a writer, and how did it happen?
After some rejections- a rite of passage – Hale accepted STRANGE INHERITANCE for its Rainbow Romance line (now defunct) and it was thrilling to see my first born in print.
Q: That’s the part we all love to read about – when the dream finally becomes reality. But which three main qualities do you think a writer needs to succeed?

I suppose they must be perseverance, passion and courage, and the hide of a rhino. Someone once said Genius (talent) begins great works, labour alone finishes them.
Q: The Romaniacs all met as RNA New Writers, and we’re big fans of the scheme. How has being a member of the RNA helped you?
It embraces a range of writer from newbies, the successful and still struggling and is supportive and encouraging to all. But what would be even better is if it were to go the extra mile to welcome to membership, talented indie authors who haven’t before been published by traditional houses, thereby ending the unjustified bias against them. The local chapter meetings are a fun place to exchange ideas and the speakers give valuable tips on hot topics.
Q: The following character, from Paint Me A Dream – already has me hooked -
‘Rafe Rostov.’ He uncoiled his lean, powerful body at six feet topping her by several inches. ‘I’m meeting with Alec Craig.’ The voice was a deep, eastern seaboard drawl and long forgotten echoes from the past rushing back reminded her how soft-almost seductive – it could sound. If you could meet one of your own heroes, which one would it be, and why?
Oh, it’s definitely the Maharajah of Walipur who features in WHERE THE BULBUL SINGS. He’s a good natured, fun-loving, generous man and he’d spoil me rotten in his ravishing palace, indulge my every whim, shower me with gorgeous gifts and jewellery and treat me to the experience of a lifetime.
Q: Here’s a slightly random question – do you have any phobias and if so have you ever worked them into your novels.
I must confess, none at all! Phobias are all in the mind. There’s a German proverb that goes something like this: Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is. Do you know phobias range from A to Z although there isn’t one starting with Q or Y. One that catches my eye is wiccaphobia (not a fear of Wikipedia) but a fear of witches and witchcraft and surely no writer has euphobia, which is fear of hearing good news.
Q: Although you must admit Wikipedia can be quite scary sometimes. Now, on the subject of admiration for other writers, which novel by another author have you always wished you’d written yourself?
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch that was published in 2006. It’s a shining, unusual novel about coming of age and the richness and variety of the natural world.
Q: If you could present an award to any celebrity, who would you choose and why?
This is an easy one! It must be that romantic icon, Colin Firth, for his role as Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Q: I’m definitely with you on that one! What one thing would you like to do if you had more time?
I’d like to learn to fly a jumbo jet.
Q: Where is the most interesting place you’ve ever lived, and did it inspire your writing?
Botswana for its incredible array of wildlife and although the Okavanga Delta is fascinating it’s too awesome to transpose to the written page.

Q: Do you have a writing routine? And more importantly, do you stick to it?
This is largely dictated by the day job so I write in the evening and at weekends. I try and stick to it but occasionally I lapse and it’s all the better for that.
Q: How many WiPs/projects do you have on the go at any one time?
Heaps milling round in my head. One actually.
Q: What are your thoughts on novels with multiple points of view, or less than straightforward structures such as two characters voicing alternating chapters.
They make for a much more interesting read.

Q: At what point did you decide to write a novel and did you choose your genre, or did it choose you?

Not a conscious decision as such. Just penned a few words and it took off from there. I chose the genre- couldn’t have genres choosing me – that just wouldn’t do.
Q: Who was your first celebrity crush, and did any of their characteristics appear later in your heroes?
The Dalai Lama and no hero can match him.
Q: What is your favourite aspect of promoting your novels?
Meeting readers in person; talking about books; writing my blog.
Q: What guilty pleasures do you enjoy?
I can’t say I do guilt. Pleasures are too numerous to mention.
Q: Which one item would you lock in Room 101 and why?
D.I.Y manuals because they’re impossible to follow.
Q: What are your future plans?
I seldom plan. Like Mr Micawber I believe something will turn up.
Quick fire questions next:
Champagne or Tequila? Tequila Margarita at lunch, champagne at dinner.
Dickens or Shakespeare? Dickens.
Bus or tube? Tube- it’s faster.
Walking or running? Running.
Florida or Italy? Italy.
Stationery or shoe shops? Who can resist shoe shops?
Bananas or chocolate? Chocs.
Dr Who or Eastenders? Neither.
Sunrise or sunset? Sunset.
Fountain pen or newly sharpened pencil? Always loved fountain pens. They’ve morphed into a serious must have now.
Well, it was great to chat to you, Serena – come back soon!
Thanks so much and good luck to you all. May I have another slice of that divine cake?

You most certainly can; it’s my own recipe. And here’s a doggy bag to take home, just in case you have an energy crisis after all that interrogation. Safe journey – just make the fire up again on your way out, would you? It must be about nap time.

Review: No Such Thing As Immortality by Sarah Tranter

I’m still reeling from the impact of this amazing book. As seen last week, the Romaniacs are big fans of Sarah Tranter, and we would heartily recommend No Such Thing… as a great page turner.

Nate is a hero to die for, but Rowan isn’t ready to die yet. She has no idea what she’s getting into when she literally runs into Nate (or vice versa) but he is certainly going to change her world –  will it be for better, or worse?

As Rowan and Nate fall head first into a passionate, intense relationship, they both have many issues to face and dark areas of their lives that must be confronted before they stand a chance of a future together. But are these mountains too high to climb? And who, or what, is the sinister Simeon Frey?

Written from Nathaniel’s point of view, which is refreshing in itself, Sarah’s story takes us into a world where love and extreme loyalty are of prime importance, but where enchantment and supernatural powers can threaten Nate and Rowan at any moment. Family ties are different here, but no less powerful. With a bond between them that is like nothing they have ever dreamed of, the lovers should be invincible, but Nate hasn’t banked on Rowan’s past being as lethal and mysterious as his own.

I can’t wait for the follow up to this book – hurry up, Sarah! Nate is haunting my dreams…

Tuesday Chit Chat with Lizzie Lamb

Hi Lizzie, welcome to Romaniac HQ. The kettle’s on, the biscuit tin’s restocked, so let’s get started, shall we?

Hi Jan, can I just check that the coffee is strong enough and that the biscuits are coated in milk chocolate? If you can’t get biscuits, I quite like giant chocolate buttons.

Lizzie, you’ll be pleased to know it’s a yes to both and we’ve even got chocolate buttons too

Great! I’m sitting comfortably, so let’s begin.

Having successfully self-published your debut novel, Tall, Dark & Kilted (cracking title, by the way!) tell us a bit about what inspired the story.

I thought up the title (it was initially called BIG BAD WOLF) and the two main characters Ruairi and Fliss, and thereafter the novel wrote itself.  I originally wrote the novel for Little Black Dress (Headline) after attending my first RNA conference in Leicester. I’d attended a seminar given by then editor, Cat Cobain, who told me that LBD were looking for new writers. She gave an inspiring talk and said she wanted a book that was small enough to fit in someone’s handbag so they could read it on the tube/bus, etc, on their way to work. I had a 1:1 session with her and told her I’d written a book about a therapist who tries to set up a therapy centre in the highlands of Scotland. She said to finish it and send it to her. It took me a year to finish the novel which I sent to the RNA New Writers’ scheme where it almost received a second read. I then made some changes to it and sent it off to LBD.

In the meantime, I got on with writing another novel. I also entered a competition to write the jingle for the LBD website, winning a year’s supply of books. I then learned that the publication was no longer taking on new authors and was closing down. My novel came back to me and I sent it to The Hilary Johnson Authors’ Advisory Service where it was reviewed by a former senior editor of a publishing company. I didn’t agree with her critique, so I put the novel in the drawer and had a go at writing a Mills and Boon.  

I also won another competition to have the first three chapters read and critiqued by Carole Matthews, who sent me a mug which changed colour and advertised her latest novel when I poured tea or coffee into it. We’ve been friends ever since; she’s been very encouraging, as has Trisha Ashley and Kate Hardy, telling me to keep going as I’ll get there in the end.

Describe that moment (words and actions) when you first saw your novel available to download on Amazon, and later, in paperback.

I would still be writing and rewriting the novel ready to send to agents if it hadn’t been for Amanda Grange (author of Mr Darcy’s Diary, etc). Mandy had lunch at my house where she encouraged me and three other NWS members: June Kearns, Adrienne Vaughan and Mags Cullingford to put our books on Amazon. It was then that we decided to form THE NEW ROMANTICS 4 and have a paperback version of our book as well as a kindle download, so that we could hold roadshows and sell the novel to friends/general public.  We had to get our American tax code (that’s another story!), design the front cover, etc, and finally send it up to Create Space. By the end of the process we were all shattered. We were having lunch with Mandy in a nearby café when my lovely husband, Dave (aka Bongo Man) turned up with my proof copy, which had just arrived. By then I was so exhausted, I just looked at it, feeling numb. It took me a couple of days to realise what I had achieved. Only then did I really begin to feel excited.

Did you draft each chapter out beforehand or did your characters have free rein to take you wherever their stories led them?

I must admit I’m a plotter rather than a pantser. I knew where the story was going but wasn’t totally sure how to get there – I also lengthened the novel to 120k words. June Kearns is my writing buddy/beta reader and she suggested another plot thread whereby all my ideas fell into place. I had a 1:1 with an editor at another RNA conference and she said that the title of my novel wouldn’t work and suggested a change. Tongue in cheek, I suggested Tall, Dark and Kilted and she said she LOVED it but wasn’t taking on any new authors. So, I followed Mandy’s advice and self-published because life’s too short to wait for agents to get back to me.

Do you have a set writing routine or any literary rituals? 

Luckily my time is entirely my own, and after 34 years of getting up at 6am to get ready for school, I’m definitely a morning person. I try to be at the PC for about 8am and answer emails, put a post on Facebook and write something on Twitter. THEN I begin writing until about 11am or thereabouts – normally my parrot Jasper calls me to let him out and he plays in his cupboard all day. I tend to write for some of the evening, too, as there are very few programs on the TV that I enjoy. I also try to plan to see friends a couple of times a week, otherwise I’d stay in my study writing and never venture out.

In addition to being part of The New Romantics 4, you run the Leicester chapter of the RNA, as well as belonging to several online writers’ groups. How beneficial has that writerly support and camaraderie been for you and how big a part would you say social media has played?

New Romantics 4

I would say that the best thing I ever did was to join Facebook a few years back, before my novel was finished and ready for publication. Most of the people I’ve made friends with are writers, aspiring writers or avid readers – in this country and in the USA. I’ve been encouraged by Facebook friends (many of whom are in the RNA NWS) to finish the book and lots of them have bought the download/ novel and posted a review on Amazon. They helped make my tweet-a-thon (where I held a virtual picnic in the highlands of Scotland) a great success. Twitter actually blocked me because I sent too many tweets. I tweet about my novel three times a day in order to catch the UK, East coast of USA and then the West coast of the USA before I go to bed. My lovely twitter friends retweet for me and I return the favour.

Can you give us a teaser about what you’re working on at the moment?

I’m writing a new romantic comedy about a rookie reporter (a rebel without a cause) who goes undercover in a boot camp for brides. Her partner is an infuriating photographer who has a hidden agenda and is on the trail of a drug smuggling gang. That’s all I’m saying . . . for now! I want to have it finished for the end of summer and will then decide whether to submit it to the NWS or not.  

We love reading about Bongo Man and, indeed, about the famous Bongo itself, which we know you’ve taken many a literary trip in, so if you could take three famous travelling companions along for the ride one day, who would they be and why?  

Dave (aka Bongo Man) has been fantastic and given his life over to my book launches with the other New Romantics 4 because he knows this is my dream come true. He even bought full highland dress, sack wheelers, stepladders and an old Imperial typewriter off eBay for our launches. Who would I take along with me for the ride? Well, Jan, you would definitely be one of my companions because we’d have such a laugh together, wouldn’t we? You know, I can’t think of anyone famous I’d like to come along with me – isn’t that strange? Perhaps that’s because I spend so much of my life dreaming up plots, etc.

Dave (aka Bongo Man)

Any other creative passions, Lizzie? 

I love taking photographs, as you might have noticed on Facebook. My ambition is to buy a new PC (hopefully a Mac) and an iPhone when my present contract runs out, and synch them together with my iPad. Then it’ll be whole lot easier taking photos, sharing them with friends and setting up a blog after Christmas.  I also want to make a video of me reading Tall, Dark and Kilted and put it on YouTube after Christmas, too. Not to mention joining an online newspaper for Indie writers.

And finally, whilst I make us another coffee and grab the mince pies, a few quick-fire questions for you:

Actor you’d most like to see in a kilt?

Owen McDonnell – he played the Garda in Single Handed on TV

Haggis or Clootie Dumpling?

Clootie Dumpling! I shudder at the thought of haggis, although I do like neeps (swede) and tatties that accompany it. It’s a funny thing, we lived in Scotland until I was eleven-years-old but we never ate haggis until we moved to Leicester. LOL.

Pierce Brosnan or Daniel Craig?

Daniel Craig. Pierce is gorgeous but a bit too smooth for me.

Dream holiday destination?

IF we ever find anyone willing to babysit the parrot (he’d never cope with being sent to the parrot equivalent of kennels/cattery) I’d love to go back to Greece or Italy and tour in the Bongo. We did it years ago. Failing that, I’d like to stay in a bungalow on a beach and have my every need catered for while I write.  

Singer you’d most like to serenade you?

I’d love the former lead singer in RUNRIG to sing An Ubhal as Aire (the highest apple) to me in Gaelic. I played it over and over when I was writing Tall, Dark and Kilted.

Cocktails or champagne?

Oh, champagne every time, dah-ling.

Novel you could read over and over again?

Can I be greedy and choose all the Jilly Cooper novels she wrote in the 70s: Imogen, Prudence, Emily, etc, and Georgette Heyer’s Friday’s Child?  

Fave Christmas Carol?

In the Bleak Midwinter – it always makes me cry.

Thanks so much for being our guest today, Lizzie. It’s been an absolute pleasure chatting with you. Merry Christmas! X

Merry Crimbo to you and all the other Romaniacs. And can I say: if you have a dream, go for it…

www.facebook.com/LizzieLambwriter

Follow Lizzie on Twitter: @lizzie_lamb /or @newromantics4

email: lizzielambwriter@gmail.com

Tall, Dark and Kilted – Amazon Paperback UK- http://tinyurl.com/cn8fylt

Tall, Dark and Kilted- download Kindle UK- http://tinyurl.com/cdjyec6