Crimefest – A guest report from Evonne Wareham

As I write romantic suspense – a genre that can have as a high a body count as a kiss-count – I sometimes get to play on the shady side of the street. Which is how I came to spend a recent weekend in the company of assorted serial killers, drug dealers, spymasters, global conspirators and all round bad lots, and the lovely people who create them. Yes, this was Crimefest, the Bristol crime writing convention that brings together criminal elements from all walks of life  - and the sleuths who pursue them – from the cosy amateur, solving puzzles over tea and scones, to the adventurer on the trail of an ancient artifact with mystic powers, by way of the jaded cop with the bottle of whisky stashed in his desk drawer. It takes all sorts to make a crime wave.

When you attend an event like Crimefest you realize just how many varieties of fictional crime there are – and locations. Scandinavian and American authors are always in demand, but delegates set their mayhem in Africa, Alaska, Italy, the Greek Islands, Iceland, … the Isle of Wight. The on-site bookshop was bursting with titles from all round the globe, with the chance of having them signed by the author in attendance. And it’s not just exotic places, but also a variety of time periods – Roman Britain, the eighteenth century, the roaring twenties …

Panels looked at everything from the North/South divide, to mixing crime and comedy. There were discussions on writing about the cold war and authors who have become overlooked or forgotten, often unjustly. Fans of Dame Agatha squared up to those of Sir Arthur  …

And all that was quite apart from the enthusiastic after-hours discussion that went on in the hotel bar.

The convention mixes writers and readers and everyone seemed to be in agreement that the panels this year were better than ever. I certainly enjoyed the ones I attended – even the one I was on. This year’s big coup was the appearance of Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue of TV Sherlock fame – currently filming the third series, working round the availability of two stars who have suddenly become big cinema box office and determinedly ducking all requests to explain exactly how Sherlock is coming back from the dead.  It was a fun session, packed with enthusiastic fans – but I have to say that the personal convention high spot for me was the appearance of author Robert Goddard. He’s a great story teller. I’ve been a fan of his complex plotting for years. Fingers crossed that some of that complexity stuff may have rubbed off. I hope so, as there’s nothing I like better than a plot like a corkscrew.

It was a criminally enjoyable weekend.

Janey Fraser and the art of Happy Families

I am very happy to welcome Janey Fraser to Romaniac HQ. With the James household one month into teenagerdom, this is a timely post. Thank you so much, Janey.

“OK,” said the kindly looking man at the front of the class with baby gunk on his left-hand shoulder. “Let’s start by finding out exactly what you want.”

A woman next to me, with lipstick on (where did she find the time?) put up her hand. “I’d like to be able to get my twelve year old son to bed on time”

There was a murmur of agreement.  “When would you like him to go to sleep?” said our leader sympathetically.

There was a pursing of glossy lips. “Nine o’clock at the latest.”

Again, there was a wave of enthusiastic nodding from every direction except mine. That’s because my jaw had dropped.

“I’d like my daughter to do more jobs round the house,” chirped up someone else.

Another chorus of ‘me too’s’ followed.

Then, without meaning to,  I put up my hand. “I’d like my fifteen year old to turn off his laptop before midnight; to do his homework without swearing at me; to promise faithfully not to have his hair dyed by his friends again – or sheared; and never, ever, to get another tattoo.”

There was an appalled silence. “Please tell me,” said the woman next to me, “that you are joking.”

Actually I wasn’t. In fact it was why I was here at a parenting class, hoping for some tips. Unfortunately, within the first five minutes, I had sent myself to the bottom of the class.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m proud of my children. They have character. But there are times when – in the absence of grandparent support – I need an extra hand. That’s why parenting classes seemed such a good idea. In fact, as the course progressed, I did pick up some good tips. Reflective listening was one. The idea is that when your children say something to you (or yell), you repeat back their words to show you have listened and add a dollop of empathy at the same time.  Here’s an example.

“I’ll bl….. well do  my homework later.” (teenager).

“I see. So you’ll bl…. well do your homework later? I understand you don’t want to do it now because you’d rather be playing video games. But if you do it now, I won’t need to nag you any more and you won’t get into trouble at school.”

It worked – up to a point – although my teenager did, after a while, question me. “Why do you keep repeating back what I’m saying?” he asked.

“Because someone told me to,” I retorted.

“Mum, I’ve told you enough times. It’s not cool to listen to others. You need to do what’s right for you.”

He has a point.

Then there was the three card trick. The idea was that if your child did something wrong, you gave them a playing card as a warning. Two things wrong meant two cards with a firmer warning. Three cards was a disciplinary (no pocket money).

No. It didn’t work for us either.

On the plus side, I did in fact make some friends – including one mum who said she admired my frankness and she wished she’d summoned up enough courage to confess that her daughter was so addicted to her laptop that my new friend had to hide the rooter in her boot.

I’d like to say that the parenting class brought peace and calm to our house but I can’t bring myself to fib. Not even for the sake of an article. What it did do, however, was to give me an idea for a novel about a mother, her brother in law and a young gran. They all meet up at a parenting class and get embroiled in a complex plot of love, lust and lies (not necessarily in that order). It’s been described as humorous family comedy with a dark streak.

Just like my lot really.

HAPPY FAMILIES by JANEY FRASER. ARROW 6.99

http://www.janeyfraser.co.uk/
(visit my website to win a free stay at Champneys for two).

. This will give you a taste of the book.

www.facebook.com/janeyfraserauthor

Twitter:

@janey_fraser

Allie Spencer: Save The Date Book Launch

Allie Spencer

The Happiest Day of Your Life

…or is it? Of course it is! Your wedding is the one day in your life you get to dress up in a fairy-tale gown marry your Prince Charming. It’s the day all your relatives have to be nice to you (and each other), the day you get to call each and every shot and the day when you, the bride, are indisputably the centre of attention. Sounds perfect? Well, if it was that simple, we novelists wouldn’t be able to write book after book set around weddings, their attendant families and everything that can – and does – go wrong. But where do we get that inspiration from?

I loved my wedding day: it was as perfect as you could hope for – although it very nearly went horribly wrong. It began the week before the ceremony when I walked into the church and found the organ covered in plastic sheeting and the vicar announcing that there was going to be a stage and full theatre lightning up in front of the altar. A stage??? Nobody had told me I’d be saying ‘I do’ in the full glare of a professional spotlight. I was after the clean lines and stained glass windows of a medieval church! Luckily, after much begging and pleading (and quite a few veiled threats from my mother) the stage was dismantled in time for the ceremony and everything went ahead as planned. Twelve years on, and my stress levels are just about back to normal.

And what about the moment that every bride secretly dreads – when the vicar or the registrar asks if there is anyone in the congregation who knows ‘due cause or impediment’ why she should not be joined in holy matrimony? Well, it happened to a friend of mine, although luckily he was the vicar not the bride. At the crucial moment, the Best Man blurted out ‘She’s not good enough for you mate!’ and everything ground to a temporary halt – temporary because, of course, ‘not being good enough’ isn’t a valid reason to stop a marriage taking place. The worst thing was, my friend tells me, not just that the Best Man blurted this out, but that he was probably right…

It’s this combination of love and high drama; beautiful costumes and a well-rehearsed script; meticulous planning but the tiniest chance that everything could still go spectacularly wrong which gives writers like me such inspiration. Throw in the odd dysfunctional family member, a lost love (or two) and, in the case of ‘Save the Date!’, a mischievous Jack Russell, and you have a pretty potent literary mix.

However, it’s always important to keep that fairytale ending in mind. What we want from a really good wedding is the promise of true love.  So, to all the brides and grooms – fictional and otherwise – who will be making their way up the aisle this summer: may you find the happy-ever-after that you are looking for and I hope, I truly do, that it is indeed the happiest day of your life. 

Family weddings can be hell.

…and, marooned in Italy for her cousin’s nuptials, Ailsa can be forgiven for thinking that this one is worse than most. With the bride and groom at loggerheads and the guests in uproar, it is a million miles away from the rest and relaxation she’d been hoping for.

And then suddenly, in the middle of the mayhem, she comes face-to-face with Nick, the man she walked out on just a few months earlier.

How can Ailsa help get the wedding back on track when she and Nick can’t stop arguing? But if they do, she might remember why she fell in love with him in the first place – and then there really would be trouble.

Allie is kindly offering one of our lovely Romaniac readers a chance to win a copy of her new release, Save The Date. All you have to do is leave a comment, by Friday evening (14th June), telling us about the most outrageous wedding ceremony moment you witnessed, first-hand, or were, indeed part of. The one that makes us go ‘Ohhh!’ the longest will be the winner. Good luck.

Thank you Allie for popping in to Romaniac HQ and leaving this brand, spanking new copy of Save The Date, released June 20, 2013, but available for pre-order from Amazon, here.

You can find Allie on Facebook here and follow her on Twitter, here.

Congratulations on your new book. We look forward to reading it.

Love,

The Romaniacs xx

RT BookLovers Convention 2013 – Guest Post from Evonne Wareham

You know you’ve arrived at a very special kind of convention when the key card for your hotel room features a book cover with a bare-chested man. And the RT Booklovers convention is very special to the (mostly) American readers who travel from all over the States to get their big romance fix – meeting authors and cover models, attending panels and parties, buying books and getting them signed at two monster signing sessions …

The convention is an annual event, hosted by RT Book Reviews magazine at a different American location each year. This year it was Kansas City and it was the 30^th anniversary convention. It was rumoured that more than two thousand readers and authors, mainly female, descended on the unsuspecting city for the hectic long weekend. And I was one of them, part of a group from Choc-Lit, intent on taking British-style romance to new audiences. It was exhausting and enormous fun. Those ladies know how to party and were focused on doing just that, from the morning mixers and breakfast events to the evening balls and parties. In between there were talks by authors – singly and in groups, quizzes, scavenger hunts, craft sessions and the chance for aspiring authors to meet agents and publishing houses, to pitch their manuscripts. The term ‘elevator pitch’ took on a whole new dimension while being practiced on the way down from the 29^th floor. You could pick out the glow from the hopefuls who had just been asked to submit their manuscript from about ten paces.

Choc-Lit authors hosted a craft session on creating heroes, a chocolate tasting session, a Jane Austen celebration from CL’s Austen expert, Juliet Archer (which featured a guest appearance by Mr Darcy) and, captained by author Lynne Connelly, devised a fiendish quiz to test the participants’ knowledge of the British Isles. And yes, I was the one with the question that involved a sheep. I was specializing in Wales, after all. And wore the national dress, to prove it. I also forgot to give someone my camera to get a shot of me in it.

The hotel was fabulous, the free books on offer were amazing, the swag – gifts from authors and publishers of everything from bookmarks to letter openers – completely fascinating. You have no idea how many gew-gaws and gadgets can be printed with an author’s name. Actually I do, now. I brought home as many as I could carry. Some of the themed parties featured costumes – saloon girls to vampires – and the anniversary ball called for formal dress. The Choc-lit group rose to the occasion with sparkle and tiaras. I didn’t risk a tiara – I was afraid I’d end up wearing it as a necklace – or skewering someone’s eye, but I did have a snazzy pair of cream coloured elbow length gloves, which were admired by a gentleman I met in the lift on the way to the ball. His wife was very tolerant about it.

I had a really great time. It’s impossible to give more than the tiniest glimpse of the scale of the event here. The high-spot was probably being part of the huge book signing on Saturday morning, but the thing that made the most impact was the welcome and interest shown by American romance fans. The British (and Welsh) accents had something to do with it, but everywhere there were people keen to talk about books, writing and every kind of romance genre. Next year’s convention is in New Orleans and events are already being planned. And I’m already saving my pennies.

Evonne x

Charlie Cochrane: The Perils of Public Speaking

Charlie Cochrane

I sometimes get conned – sorry, asked nicely – into chairing author/reader events such as the Festival of Romance or the UK Meet. Now, this is meat and drink to me, seeing as I do some freelance training and facilitating, so standing up to handle panellists and audiences holds few terrors, and acting as a panellist for author events is also right up my street. When Laura asked me to blog about how some of the opportunities came about – and if the skills needed can be learned – I was delighted to oblige.

The Deadly Dames is a classic example of me being in the right place at the right time (story of my publishing life). I got to know Nicola Slade and Eileen Robertson through the local Romantic Novelists Association lunches and, one day, Eileen said, “Would you be interested in doing library talks? You have to join Mystery People first.”I almost knocked her down in my rush to say, “Yes, where do I sign?”

The Deadly Dames

From there the Deadly Dames grew – five “girls” local to the M27 corridor, all of whom write cosy mysteries as well as other things. We devised a name, a logo, a style (black and red clothes) and began our career at Chichester library, discussing how and why we write, where we get inspired, how we do our research and lots of other things. It was a great success, which we’ve followed up with other bookings, some of which we’ve sourced ourselves – cue nabbing librarians and trying to charm them – and some have been sourced by the lovely Lizzie at Mystery People (next up, Bognor!)There are pros and cons to all of this, not least because of unforeseen problems which upset your plans. The DDs had been lined up to do a panel in Windsor but it had been booked to clash with Comic Relief and had to be cancelled. Back into the cupboard the snazzy red and black gear goes… But you have to take the rough with the smooth, and the ‘free’ opportunities – to get our names out on advertising, to engage with potential new readers (whether they buy our books at the event or later or get them from the library) and to present ourselves as interesting, nice people – are not to be sniffed at. Any author at our level in the profession will tell you that books don’t sell themselves and the harder you work and network, the more success you tend to have.

Preparation is key for Deadly Dames events. Not to the nth degree, as you start to sound very flat (you need some bounce in your bungee!) but to have some idea of what you might say. For the Deadly Dames, our panel leader circulates some key questions in advance so we can get our notes ready to tackle those. Those questions change, so people could come to several DD events and not be bored.  I also like to have some answers at least half prepared in my mind for anything tricky someone in the audience might ask. You know the sort of thing. “Why does a straight woman write about gay men?” I want to get the answer to that absolutely right. (Although some of the audience questions, especially about e-books, make such little sense that having an answer ready would be well nigh impossible.)

Extending the discussion to the chairing or facilitating of panels/events, experience and practice undoubtedly help, but the sort of skills involved can be learned and there are plenty of tips to help things go smoothly, such as:

• Have people in the audience you know you can call on for comments if questions have dried up or are slow getting started. Something like, “Laura, I know you’re interested in vampire fiction. What’s your opinion on ‘Victoria and Albert, love at first bite’?” Once somebody talks, generally others will join in.
• Make sure you have some questions to ask your panellists if nobody else is doing so. You can always use generic ones, such as, “Is there a classic book you couldn’t finish” or “Is there a book you wish you’d written?”
• Try to ensure everyone gets to ask their question, even if that means being blunt with floor-hoggers. “Can we come back to you if there’s time? I have a lady in the back row who won’t forgive me if I don’t get her question in.” Smiles and good humour help pour oil on many a troubled water.
• Don’t be afraid to pull panellists/delegates back on topic. Remember that your core business isn’t to be everyone’s friend, it’s to keep the event running to topic and on time. Oh, and have a clock to hand, and even a whistle. Don’t be afraid to use either of them!

What are your tips for making public appearances go well? And do you want to pick my brains (such as they are) on the subject?

As Charlie Cochrane couldn’t be trusted to do any of her jobs of choice—like managing a rugby team—she writes. She lives in England, but has yet to use her local town Romsey as a setting for her stories.

She’s a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Mystery People, International Thriller Writers Inc and is on the organising team for UK Meet. She regularly appears with The Deadly Dames.

Charlie’s latest release is Promises Made Under Fire

France, 1915

Lieutenant Tom Donald envies everything about fellow officer Frank Foden–his confidence, his easy manner with the men in the trenches, the affectionate letters from his wife. Frank shares these letters happily, drawing Tom into a vicarious friendship with a woman he’s never met. Although the bonds of friendship forged under fire are strong, Tom can’t be so open with Frank–he’s attracted to men and could never confess that to anyone.

When Frank is killed in no-man’s-land, he leaves behind a mysterious request for Tom: to deliver a sealed letter to a man named Palmer. Tom undertakes the commission while on leave–and discovers that almost everything he thought he knew about Frank is a lie…

Thank you so much for your wonderful advice, Charlie. As Chairperson at the Festival of Romance, you certainly put us at ease for our first panel, and we knew we were in safe hands.

We wish you and your Deadly Dames well.

Laura x

Spring; The Waiting Game.

Spring trying to arrive in Somerset

Celia: I’m not very good at waiting. No, that’s something of an understatement, I am absolutely pants when it comes to patience. Just the thought of things happening gradually (and especially that horrible phrase ‘in the fullness of time’) have always given me the jitters. But just lately, while we’ve all been waiting and longing for spring sunshine, daffodils, butterflies etc to appear and for the country to warm up a bit, I’ve been having a rethink.

Without going into boring details, there have been several big changes and breakthroughs in my life during the last year. I’m now officially an orphan and therefore possibly a grown-up at last. And grown-ups are meant to be patient…aren’t they? My change of heart about the value of biding my time could be due to the excitement of getting a real live contract after long months searching for an agent and a publisher. It’s probably also a lot to do with a traumatic family relationship, long fractured and seemingly hopeless, that time has finally healed. Whatever the reason, I’m beginning to think that some things might, just might, be worth waiting for – if there’s no other option.

I asked the other inhabitants of Romaniac HQ for their views on the subject of playing the waiting game:

Sue : I am and I’m not. How’s that for sitting on the fence? I’m very patient when it comes to other people but when it comes to getting things done, I want it done yesterday. I hate waiting. I think that can at times make me quite impulsive. I am trying to be more patient as I get older, but it’s hard to break a lifetime of rushing to get things done. I am looking forward to spring. I usually enjoy all the seasons but, I have to say, I’m a bit bored of winter now. It’s encouraging to see the blossom on the tree in my garden. Surely, spring will be here soon.

Jan: I like to think I’m pretty patient with most people, especially friends & family. “You’re a good listener!” they tell me. I’m also quite restrained where long queues are concerned, as in airport check-in lines or traffic jams. I suppose where I do feel the steam rising slightly is if I’m trying to figure out instructions and can’t grasp things straight away, generally with new gadgets or household products, rather than with teachers or text books. The only other time impatience strikes, of course, is if I can’t unwrap a box of chocolates quick enough! As for remaining uncomplaining about the weather… well, spring can’t come quick enough. It’s my favourite season. New beginnings, beautiful blossom on the trees, daffodils and other buds & blooms, brighter days & lighter evenings, the promise of summer still to come, dusting off my flip flops… I could go on and on.

Vanessa: I read Celia’s post above and a lot of it could have been written by me … except for the contract bit – I’m still waiting for that one! Since losing my dad at the end of last year, I’ve become almost panicky when it comes to waiting, a little voice in my head is constantly whispering life is too short. I had the same thing when I lost other people, friends and family members, that reminder of your own mortality you get when someone dies and all the things on the to-do list that remain un-ticked. I’m trying to force myself to slow down, to not rush everything to completion, and at the same time to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. And mostly, to remind myself that some things are worth waiting for, with the end results all the more delicious for the tense build-up the waiting game offers.

Laura: ‘All good things come to those who wait’ – I can hear those words in my mothers’s voice. For most of the time, when major situations are involved, I’m happy to sit tight and let them play out, and I believe this stems from my fatalistic nature – what will be, will be. And yes, I am now singing one of my all time favourite Doris Day songs, the sentiment of which incidentally, brings a sincere tear to my eye.

Life is short, and we should make our own luck, but sometimes, waiting is good for the soul. Sometimes, waiting provides distance from the core issue, and distance provides perspective. That change of view might make us see things differently, and stop us from blindly rushing in.
I wonder how connected patience are acceptance are?

So, what are you waiting for right now? And is the waiting game one you’re happy to play?

Having A Ball – Rhoda Baxter

Some time ago, the very lovely Rhoda Baxter asked us Romaniacs if one of us wanted to read and review her new book due out in March, Having A Ball. We were sent the blurb and I fell in love with the story straight away. I practically jumped at the chance to do a review for it so I was honored when Rhoda emailed it over and my computer beeped its arrival.

Thankfully I was in between books so I was able to start straight away. And I wasn’t disappointed. Here was my review:

“It’s for books like this that I really appreciate having Kindle on my Iphone. ‘Having A Ball’ is simply one of those books that drag you into the story and refuse to let you sleep. Being able to read snippets whilst cooking dinner, waiting for children to finish swimming lessons and being stuck in traffic was an absolute must – I had to feed my thirst for the story!

From the word go, my mind was completely immersed in the life of Stevie; a 22-year-old girl who had lost her parents young and was finding the everyday drag of a boring job and nowhere to go very draining. The characters in this story are well rounded and identifiable. The hero, Tom, isn’t your conventional soppy love interest, but a strong willed, determined workaholic. Not really a lovable hero at the start but he most definitely comes into his own throughout the story. Not only does the heroine’s story turn full circle in this book, but the hero’s does too – which is refreshing and gratifying.

I also found the secondary characters in this story extremely interesting. The author has a good mix of personalities on the page and it keeps the writing lively and entertaining.

Another thing that stands out with this book is the author’s obvious knack for dialogue. It’s quick, witty, descriptive and certainly packs a punch. It kept the story flowing at a nice pace and never failed to make me laugh or bring a lump to my throat.

A touching story with vibrant characters, dense storyline and fulfilling resolve. A definite recommendation.”

As you can see, I absolutely loved this book. I cannot wait for Rhoda’s next novel and I’ll be sure to be reviewing it right here, too.

I asked Rhoda for a few words about her novel, and here is what she said.

“Having a Ball is part of the Email and Ice Cream series. Sounds cool, right? A series. Gosh. I had never considered it until my editor sent me an email asking me what the name of the series was. I had a brief panic. Several cups of tea and a packet of Twix later, I made a list of all the elements that the books had in common and came up with Email and Ice Cream.  Et voila! I have a series.

I wrote Patently in Love and Having a Ball as stand alone books. There are some recurring characters (not surprising since Marsh and Stevie are siblings) and the format of having the heroes character in email, but other than that, they are totally independent stories. But okay, they can be called a series.

This brings me to the next problem. You can’t have a series with only two books in it. You need at least three to stop people pointing and laughing. My third book has very few emails and no ice cream in it (don’t worry, there is a very large chocolate cake and a chocolate mousse – one must never ignore dessert). Not, then, part of the series. However, at least three people who reviewed the ARC have asked if I was going to write Olivia’s story next. I like Olivia and her crazy hedonistic ways. I have a germ of a plot too. So, I guess I’d better get on with it.”

Doesn’t that sound exciting? I can’t wait to read Olivia’s story.

I know I speak for all the Romaniac ladies when I say that we all wish Rhoda the best of luck with this novel and for all of her future works, too. She’s a very talented writer and definitely one to watch.

Lucie x

Rhoda Baxter started off in the South of England and pinged around the world a bit until she ended up in the North of England, where the cakes are better. Along the way she collected one husband, two kids, a few (ahem) extra stone in weight and a DPhil in molecular biology (but not necessarily in that order). She had a childhood ambition to be an astronaut or at least 5 feet tall. Having failed at both of these, she now writes humourous novels instead. Rhoda can be found over on her website, here.

You can purchase Having A Ball, here, and Rhoda’s previous novel, Patently in Love, here.

    

Going Gaga for Nell Dixon’s new book!

I am very pleased to welcome on the blog today, the very lovely Nell Dixon. After spotting a post on Facebook from Nell, asking for reviewers to read her latest novel, Radio Gaga, I messaged her straight away. I loved the sound of the book from the blurb and was eager to read it. And I wasn’t disappointed. It is a fantastic read – funny, emotional, great storyline and vivid characters. You can read my full review on Amazon, here.

And here is the blurb that grabbed my attention:

Over the airwaves everyone can hear you scream!

Radio researcher and part-time presenter Chloe Lark is certain her big showbiz break is just around the corner. Live it Up radio may not be the big time, but surely – one day soon – fame will come her way. And, if she could convince the hunky guy next door to give her a chance, her love life might improve too.

Ex-soldier Ben isn’t sure if his new ‘Z’ list celebrity neighbour is crazy or on medication. Either way he’s looking for a quiet life out of the spotlight. The last thing he needs is an accident prone media hungry blonde complete with mystery stalker. Problem is – Chloe doesn’t seem to have received that particular memo…

Seeing as I enjoyed it so much, it would’ve been a crime to not have Nell on the blog telling us about the book, amongst other things. We were delighted when Nell accepted. Here’s what she had to say…

Welcome to Romaniac HQ, Nell, how are you today?

I’m good, thank you so much for inviting me!

You are more than welcome. Celia has been baking again so please help yourself to some cake and tell us a little about your latest novel, Radio Gaga.

Yum, cake! I’m supposed to be eating healthily but I’m sure one bite won’t hurt. Radio Gaga is Chloe’s story – she’s a radio researcher and part time presenter who longs to be good at something. The only thing she feels she is good at is being famous so that’s what she wants to be. Except, of course, life never quite works out as she planned it.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book? Did you have to abseil and handle snakes as research?

I skipped the abseiling as I am petrified of heights. I once got stuck on an army assault course rope bridge thing and had to be rescued by two soldiers. I have handled snakes though and I did consult zoo keepers about snakes and their habits.

Stuck on an assault course, oh no! At least there were hunky soldiers available to rescue you, though

Have you always wanted to be a writer? What made you begin your writing journey?

I’ve always been a writer. I joined my first writers’ group when I was twelve and finished my first book when I was seventeen. That one will never see the light of day! Which is a good thing. I had a break when my girls were little but came back to it again after a pretty serious health scare about ten years ago.

Sorry to hear that, Nell, but great that you started writing again. How many different genres do you write?

I write chick lit, contemporary romance and romantic suspense/mystery. I also have some children’s stories which may come out later this year under another name.

Sounds exciting! Is writing your full time occupation? What is your writing routine?

I work part time for a disability charity managing a therapeutic community agriculture project which takes up a lot of my time. Writing has to fit around my family and my day job. I usually write evenings and weekends and fit in promo and the business side of writing as and when I get the chance.

When did your love of architecture begin?

I adore buildings, they fascinate me and always have done. They tell a story of the people and lives that are lived there. Cathedral and church architecture is especially interesting but I also love well designed modern buildings which fit their surroundings, like Cardiff’s Millennium Centre.

What is your favourite time in history?

I love regency. I like the realism of the Georgians. They were planners and thinkers but were also realists. This is reflected in their buildings and the plans of their gardens.

We know this is a hard question, like asking a mother which is her favourite child, but do you have a favourite book? Or a top three?

Oh, that’s mean! (We know! Cue evil laugh mwahaha!) I may need more cake! I always think my most recent book is my best, so Radio Gaga I think is my best to date but I have special fondness for Marrying Max and Animal Instincts. I think my voice and humour shows most in those as, like Radio Gaga, I wrote them to please myself. 

Quick Fire Round:

·         E-Book or paperback? E-book – I love my kindle.

·         Tea or coffee? Coffee, tea makes me ill.

·         Facebook or Twitter? Facebook – Twitter is like going to a party where you don’t know anyone.

·         Up or down? Up – down is depressing.

·         Shoes or boots? Shoes – my calves don’t fit boots very well. (puts down cake) (I know that feeling, I’m an ankle boot girl for that exact reason *picks up the cake that Nell put down*)

·         Pen and paper or straight to computer? Computer – my handwriting is getting worse.

·         Left or right-handed? Right

·         Relaxing on the beach or forest excursion? Beach. Spiders can drop on you in a forest.

·         And lastly, what is your guilty pleasure? I adore Made in Chelsea, Big Brother and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

 

Thank you so much for coming in and talking to us today, Nell, it’s been an absolute pleasure!

Thank you for having me

 

Radio Gaga is out on Friday 1st March and you can get your copy, here. And check out Nell’s website, here.

Lucie x

Tuesday Chit Chat with Hazel Osmond

Welcome, Hazel, to the Romaniacs sofa. What can I get you? We have some heart-shaped chocolates from Valentine’s Day. Rose creme?

Oh, don’t mind if I do. Can I interest you in some liquorice in return? No, thought not. It’s an acquired taste and somewhere along the line I acquired it. Along with a love of aniseed balls which sounds faintly sniggery, but there we are.

I find aniseed balls a little hard, personally. They make my teeth rattle.

Recently, you went to a Paloma Faith gig. What is it you like about Paloma?

Sensational voice, great clothes, fab sense of humour, very down to earth, believes in connecting with her audience. But above all, she understands about putting on a show. I love people who really go for it – can’t stand it when performers give off that ‘I’m just here adding to my pension pot’ vibe. Paloma is ‘on’ from the moment she’s on.

Paloma has a fantastic stage presence, which leads us to acting. Do you like to be on stage, or backstage? Why?

I do take my turn helping backstage because there are always more people in our drama group who want to act than there are parts – so you have to let everyone have a go. But I always want to be on the stage. There are very few things that compare with that instant feedback you get when you’re acting. Oh, all right then, I’ll admit it, I’m a terrible show off and thrive on the love you get from a good audience.

How did your day at Denton Burn Library go? Please tell me about it.

Oh it was brilliant. Newcastle City Council is proposing massive cuts to arts funding which will mean a range of libraries being closed. Ann Cleeves, author of the Vera books, had the initial idea for writers and performers to hold events in the threatened libraries to raise awareness of what might happen. My friend Mari Hannah who also writes murder novels, got a group of us together in Denton Burn. We had singers and poets and writers and a good crowd of people in the audience. Kind of ironic that murder writers are taking the lead against the killing off of libraries.

How did you get into copywriting and please explain what that involves?

As a copywriter, you’re responsible for coming up with the written content of advertising – whether that’s words for an advert or a brochure or a script. In reality, you probably also play a part in coming up with the basic concept – it’s usual for a copywriter to be teamed with a designer so you kick ideas around together. And drink beer. After which all your ideas seem splendid.

How did I get into it? Well, I wanted to do it after university but lacked the confidence to sell myself to an agency. It was only after six years as a civil servant when I thought ‘stuff this, I’ve only got one life’ that I started applying to agencies and got lucky.

In what ways can this help and/or hinder short-story writing and novel writing?

It’s a good training ground. It really teaches you to be succinct because you have to get your main message across in a limited space. It also gives you an appreciation of the market you’re writing for. Where it doesn’t always help is that you’re hardwired to come up with something memorable, maybe even gimmicky. That’s not good when you’re trying to be true to the emotion of a story, particularly in a romance.

What drew you into the world of fanfic?

(Hazel puts her hands over her face and blushes). Lust. I saw Richard Armitage in North & South on the BBC and then as Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood. I had a google of him (as you do) and stumbled on the C19 website. That’s where I discovered fan fiction. After reading some of it I was inspired to write my own story. It came out as a romance and it felt as if I’d found my writing voice.

Are you a prolific writer?

If I’m in the right mood, yes. I will have a book and several short stories on the go at once. On the other hand, if I’m not in the right mood, I spend an awful lot of time staring into space or scowling at the computer screen. It’s like that rhyme – ‘when she was good, she was very, very good. But when she was bad, she was rotten.‘

Ah – the girl with a curl…

At what time of the day do you prefer to write?

When my children were little, the only uninterrupted time in which I could write was when they were asleep. So I wrote late in the evening and on into the night. Now I can write more or less when I like, but I still think I do my best work in a house filled with sleeping people!

Let’s move on to your books. Who is afraid of Mr Wolfe, and why?

Oh, good question. Well, Ellie should be afraid of her new boss, Jack Wolfe, who is slowly laying waste to a swathe of the female population of London. But Ellie believes her level headedness and her humour make her immune to his charms.   Wrong. She falls for him and then finds out that there’s a very big secret about Jack that makes him even more likely to cause her heartache.

The book was my take on all the elements that made up the romances I loved to read when I was a teenager – Alpha male, scruffy girl who has to up her game, gay best friend, etc. but I wanted to shake them up and give them a twist. It was short listed for Romantic Comedy of the Year by the RNA in 2012 and I was heartily chuffed about that.

What was the inspiration behind The First Time I Saw Your Face?

Years ago I read about a journalist who had managed to work undercover at BuckinghamPalace for months without being discovered. He got away with it because he looked the part. It set me thinking about how much we judge by appearances. In the book, I play around with that idea – Mack is pretending to be someone he isn’t and gets accepted by people at face value, whereas Jennifer has to cope with being judged negatively purely because of the way she now looks. And Northumberland inspired me – so the book is also a great big, gorgeous love story to the county. I’m hoping to start a tourist boom.

Why do you like humour in your books?

A person who cannot laugh at their own failings and the joys and absurdities of life is my idea of hell. I think taking yourself too seriously is a major character flaw!!

Humour in your writing can sharpen all the other emotions – it’s that bitter-sweet thing. I also feel that if you use it properly, it can widen out the story so that it’s not just about this man and this woman, but about how life plays around with all of us. I always feel more sympathetic towards characters who are having a crappy time and can raise even the tiniest laugh as opposed to those who sob in a corner.

What’s next for you?

Book 3, ‘Playing Grace’, is out this summer – it’s set in London again, and shows what happens when a seemingly uptight and very controlled woman gets thrown together with an off-the-wall young American guy. I’m also writing Book 4 at the moment, which will be a return to a Northumberland setting. Working title is ‘The Mysterious Miss Mayhew’ but I’m rubbish at titles so it’ll be something different when it comes out.

Chocolates or Flowers? 

Can I have chocolate flowers? No, okay then … flowers. Love white ones particularly.

Theatre or cinema?

Theatre. Do like cinema, but sometimes it doesn’t seem as honest as theatre – too glossy, more about the stars than the story.

Nightclubs or concerts?

Laughing like a drain at the thought of me in a nightclub. Wouldn’t know what to do with myself. Concerts are my thing. I try to go to a lot more now the kids are older. I’ve even been to a couple with them which works as long as we split up on the way in and I don’t do any dancing.

Valentine’s Day or Anniversary?

Anniversary. I had a Saturday job in a flower shop and am emotionally scarred by the memory of having to sell price-hiked red roses to lovesick men on Valentine’s Day. I like celebrating Anniversaries – it’s a bit like getting a long service medal.

Haha! Which leads nicely to the next question…

Slapstick or subtle comedy.

Oh dear. Hate slapstick. Would rather eat my own hair than sit through that. Mind you that would be quite funny in itself.

You can find out more about me and my writing – and read some of my short stories too – on hazelosmond.co.uk

Both books are available in paperback and ebook format, here and here

You can find Hazel on Amazon, here.

Thank you so much for stopping by, Hazel. Let us know if Northumberland gets busy xx

TCC: Scarlett Bailey chats with Rowan Coleman

When The Romaniacs asked me to guest on their blog, I was really pleased to do so. And when they suggested that perhaps my writing alter ego Scarlett Bailey might want to interview me, Rowan Coleman, I thought that would be interesting. And this is what happened….

RC: Well, I must say I am very proud and pleased to be guest blogging on the Romaniacs’ blog this, the very week of their very first anniversary.

SB: ‘We’ are, you mean. ‘We’ are very pleased.

RC: We yes, except that ‘we’ is me. I am you, you are me. We are the same person.

SB: I’ll have you know I’m an entirely my own person, thank you very much. And I’m a much better dancer than you.

RC: Well, that’s debatable, but if it’s true it’s because you don’t spend 20 hours out of every 24 changing nappies. Anyway, discussing our, by which I mean, my, dancing skills is not why the Romaniacs kindly invited me, er…us, onto their lovely blog. They invited us, I mean me, to talk about me, I mean us. Now I’m confused.

SB: They want you to interview me about how witty and fabulous I am.

RC: Actually, I think they want you to interview me about being witty and mostly knackered. And also about what it’s like writing with a split personality.

SB: But I want to talk about me.

RC: I am you, you are talking about me. Go on then, ask me a question. I haven’t got all day.

SB: Okay, when was it that you first realised you had become boring and middle aged and needed an exciting, younger, funnier, sexier alter ego?

RC: Sigh.

SB: Fine, why did you start to write books as Scarlett Bailey as well as Rowan Coleman. That boring enough for you?

RC: You came along at a very good time for me. I’ve had quite an eventful five years. I’ve been divorced, remarried and had three children in that time, two of them at the same time! I came to the end of my relationship with my publisher of a decade, and during that time, I wrote and delivered two books a year. It’s felt a bit like I never have a moment to stop and think. Or work out exactly what impact all that has happened has had on me, as a person and a writer. Or to sit down.

SB: Frankly, with that bottom you must sit down a lot, it’s massive.

RC: RUDE. And anyway, you forget, it’s your bottom too.

SB: Damn it. So you were pretty busy then, not exactly looking for something else to do?

RC: Well, yes and no. Yes I was pretty busy, and rather stressed and anxious, but there was something else. I’ve been writing novels for ten years now, and I’ve got older.

SB Speak for yourself.

RC I’m forty-one now….

SB Don’t say it out loud!

RC And gradually the books I write, while I hope are still quite funny, and certainly romantic, dealt with darker more grown up subjects. Agoraphobia, surviving abuse, domestic violence, alcoholism….

SB: Laugh a minute.

RC: Well a laugh every now and then, and quite a lot of tears and a fair dose of kissing. But they are books I’ve really liked writing, and that I’m really proud of. And then I had this idea….

Married By Christmas

SB: I think you’ll find I had this idea, for a really lovely perfectly Christmassy book, about a group of friends stranded in the snowbound Lake District on ‘The Night Before Christmas’, when a tall dark and handsome stranger calls…And I thought, hey that sounds fun to write.

RC: Yes, that’s what I thought. I thought that sounds fun, I really want to write that book, and I want to make it really funny, and really romantic, and really Christmassy and that is so different from the books I’ve been writing for the last few years that…I think I’d better do it under another name.

SB: And so Miss Scarlett Bailey was born!

RC: Yes.

SB: And how did you name me?

RC: Well, you are the combination of my favourite heroine, Miss Scarlett O Hara, and my favourite Christmas drink – Baileys.

SB: And was that your first choice of name for me?

RC: Well, there were a few others, but they turned out to be porn stars….

SB: That says a lot more about you than it does about me. But anyway, I like my name, I can’t imagine it being anything else.

RC: Me neither, you really are a Scarlett.

SB: So for the publication of the first book, you didn’t tell hardly anyone that I was you, did you? What in the bloomin’ heck was that about?

RC: Yes, I know. I wasn’t allowed to. I was published by Arrow at the time, and they said it was okay for me to write as Scarlett as long I at no-point-what-so-ever told anyone that Scarlett was Rowan. I don’t really know why it mattered so much, but you know, they’d published me for almost ten years and I owed them a lot, so I agreed. It was pretty weird, especially when I talked to bloggers or readers that I knew as Rowan, so I secretly told as many people as I thought I could get away with! Even so, I didn’t really like keeping you a secret, so I was glad when after moving away from Arrow and signing as Rowan with Ebury I could tell everyone that I was Scarlett Bailey in time for the publication of ‘Married by Christmas’.

SB: I can confirm that is pretty much the most exciting moment of your life. And you’ve had twins.

RC: I was very pleased to be out of the closet, that’s for sure.

SB: You were, but I get a lot less online propositions since people found out that you are a married mother of four.

RC: Sorry about that.

SB: So 2012 was quite a year for you, wasn’t it?

RC: It really was. I knew it was going to be a hard year. I mean I gave birth to twins, which was never going to be a walk in the park and I…

SB: Ahem…

RC: You were writing Married by Christmas during the last stages of the pregnancy. No mean feat when I was so pregnant that I couldn’t reach the keyboard. And ‘Dearest Rose,’ was published in September. It had been a very difficult book to write, for a lot of reasons. Partly because as I wrote I knew it was going to be my last book for Arrow, which was a bit like writing a love letter to someone after you’ve already split up, and partly because of my EXTREME PREGNANCY and mostly because of the subject matter. Rose is a victim of domestic abuse, and while I was researching the book, a great many women were kind enough to trust me with their stories. It sent me to some quite dark places, and it tested me as a writer, because I was so determined to do their stories justice. So I worried a lot about writing it, more than I have ever worried about writing any other book. And also I was MASSIVELY PREGNANT with SURPRISE TWINS.

SB: I think your husband quite fancies me, you know.

RC: Oh shut up.

SB: So, was 2012 as difficult as you thought it would be?

RC: Actually it turned out to be a really wonderful year.

SB: Do tell.

RC: Well, my darling little boys Stanley and Aubrey arrived on April 10^th four days before my 41^st birthday, which did mean I spent my birthday suffering with terrible constipation, but other than that, they were the best birthday gifts ever. I still look at them and I think, look, there’s two of them! Mad!

SB: Focus!

Dearest Rose

RC: Sorry, and so yes, the publication of ‘Dearest Rose’ was wonderfully supported by many lovely writers friends, and best of all many lovely readers, for whose loyalty I am extremely grateful. Thanks entirely to them, it has been slowly blossoming into a well read and well reviewed book. And that has been absolutely the most joyfully unexpected outcome for the book. I won’t lie, my confidence was very shaken at the beginning of 2012. They way that ‘Dearest Rose’ has been received has been a big boost, and kept me going when a lot of the time I felt like giving up writing and becoming a tour guide at The British Museum. I’m wiser now and….SB: Don’t say older.

RC: Less young. And I feel like, you know, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you more grey haired.

SB: So, go on then.

RC: Go on what?

SB: Get the showing off over and done with.

RC: Well, if you insist. ‘Dearest Rose’ won Best Romantic Read 2012 at the Festival of Romance, and has been nominated for the RoNA Epic Romance Novel of the Year, Rose was name best Female Character of the Year  2012 by Chick Lit Chloe, and I won the title Author Tweeter of the Year 2012 from the lovely ladies at Novelicious. All of which is really and genuinely so thrilling, I can’t tell you how much it’s meant to me.

SB: What Ever.

RC: What do you mean what ever? I am you, you are me, remember?

SB: Oh yes, well in that case well done us. So tell me, what has the last few tumultuous years taught you about being a writer in this era of modern publishing?

RC: Essentially, I think it’s the same as it’s ever been. If you want to be a writer you’ve got to be prepared for rejection. You’ve got to be prepared for your fortunes to turn on the flip of a coin, which means they can go down as well as up, and you never know which is coming next, or when. Sometimes being a writer really, really hurts. Sometimes, it can be really, really wonderful – but never count on either one of those things to last forever. You have to know that you might work your butt off for ten years and never be an overnight success. But above all remember that you do what you do because you love doing it and whatever happens, there is nothing else that gives you as much joy, even when it’s driving you crazy and making you consider retraining as an elephant keeper. And that if you can go to sleep at night knowing that you’ve done every single thing that day that you could have possibly done, and that you’ve done your best, then actually you are doing pretty well.

SB: So in conclusion, the really important issue that everyone really wants to know… Which one of us is a better dancer?

RC: Okay, fine, it’s you.

SB: SCORE.

Scarlett and Rowan – thank you so much for joining us on our first anniversary week. It has been an absolute pleasure having you here. And many congratulations on your awards and nominations – we’re sending some Romaniacal luck and wishes for the RoNAs. Since it’s party time, we’ll be putting your dancing to the test, but first a glass of champagne and a slice of Celia’s chocolate cake. Enjoy xx