Editing is Just Like Moving Home

My recent house move has seen me sorting, packing, moving, unpacking and sorting once more, it has seen me happy, miserable, delighted, exhausted, on my knees, pulling my hair out, burying my head in my hands and, at one point, I thought I might go insane – think ‘Blackadder Goes Forth’, a pair of pants and two pencils…

However, I survived – Yay!

What has this to do with writing? Well, as I rummaged through my possessions and clothing, deciding what should come with me and what should face either the dustbin or the charity shop, I decided this was a bit like editing.

It went something like this…

Moving	Destination	WIP	Editing Result
Funky blouse, worn once to a party but a bit too bright for anything else.	Charity shop	Eccentric character put into novel just to liven things up, not really doing anything but just liked the look of them.	Deleted completely
Beautiful dress, very elegant, bought for a wedding, again worn once but keeping it because there’s bound to be another wedding soon.	Keep but with a deadline for wearing it or it goes. Taking up too much room.	Descriptive writing, setting the scene but went off at a flowery tangent describing the countryside. A bit too drawn out and not moving story along.	Cut the scene down. More concise writing, so it is more in keeping with the genre.
Plenty of t-shirts, of varying ages and wear, mostly black or white.	Dustbin. Have definitely seen better days.	Secondary characters – too many of them, some of them boring and not earning their keep on the page.	Merged two of them into one. Heroine only needs one best-friend.
Favourite trousers but too tight, if only I could get back into them…	Keep as inspiration. Pin a photo of them on the fridge in new house as a reminder and incentive.	Have a great character that I really like but can’t quite get them to fit into WIP.	Deleted but saved in a separate file for future WIP.
Skirt bought in a sale. A bit plain and not very exciting.	Up-cycle! Jazz it up with some brightly coloured appliqué.	Not enough dialogue or white space. Narrative just goes on and on.	Characters given much more to say … Show and don’t tell. Their personalities are shining through better now.

Hard as it was to be ruthless with my packing, it was even harder being ruthless with my WIP but I do feel that both exercises were very worthwhile.  Now I’m in my new home, I just have to do it all again with the unpacking and, no doubt, do it all again with my WIP.

Would love to hear anyone else’s editing tips

Thanks!

Sue

x

What’s Your Current Position?

At Romaniac HQ, we often find ourselves in awkward positions. It’s tricky keeping one’s modesty with nine people occupying the same living space. Sue was in the kitchen with a good-looking Texan last year. The explanation, ‘We were cooking’, did nothing to settle our nerves.

We’d like to know where you are and what you’re doing with your hero or heroine, right this moment, and then, we want you to divulge your most favourite position with them.

We’ll get the ball rolling, for want of a better phrase.

Laura : In Follow Me, I’m in a wooded english garden, overlooking Chesil Beach, with a Hollywood Action Hero sprawled at my feet, on the veiny ground. And my favourite position? In bed, with a thoughtful, gentle and humorous Irishman, at The Smugglers Inn, in Truth or Dare?

Sue : Well, I’ve managed to extract myself from the kitchen and now find myself on Felpham Beach in West Sussex, skimming stones with Donovan, a criminal psychologist.

My most favourite position? An autumn evening, sat on the beach, snuggled under a blanket with said criminal psychologist; wind blowing, waves crashing and moonlight dancing on the whites of the waves.

Debbie: Well, I’m hard at work on my WIP for the NWS with ‘James Hardaker.’ We’re in the emerald green hills of the Yorkshire Dales, one of my favourite parts of the world (and where I was brought up.) Spring-time in Berrywood means my vetinary hero is currently zipping around the country lanes tending ewes who are having a hard time lambing!

By co-incidence I’m visiting the Dales next week for a little more inspiration. It is sooo beautiful in that part of the world.

As for my favourite position, well, that has to be in front of the log burner! Either on the rug or sofa…

Catherine: I’m never doing it again. Oh, sorry. May have got the wrong gist. My latest heroine is struggling with the idea she might have fertility issues and will end up with her legs up in stirrups as a result. Not quite what you were hoping for with this post. So I’ll go back to a creek in Kuringai Chase National Park. An isolated spot outside of Sydney, Australia where my hero and heroine meet in Miles Between Us.

Celia: In Little Boxes, I’m on a very special bench at a country park by a beautiful lake in Peterborough with a man who can’t commit to a passionate relationship…yet. The weather is chilly but the temperature between the lead players is set to sizzle. And my favourite position – horizontal in a Travelodge.

Jan: I’m standing, mesmerized, rooted to the spot halfway down a red-carpeted sweeping staircase in a glorious York manor house, staring into the eyes of a tanned, athletic Yorkshireman. And my favourite position? Lying face down on a massage table, mentally reliving every delightful second of it…

I can recommend all of these positions

Now it’s over to you…where, how and who?

Laura xx

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

Tuesday Chit-Chat with Christine Stovell

Today, we welcome women’s fiction author, Christine Stovell…

Hi Chris, so lovely to see you here at Romaniac HQ. First things first – Tea or Coffee? Ooh, and we’ve re-stocked the cupboards with lots of yummy cakes and biscuits (should the need grab us…)

Helloooo Jan!  Thank you so much for having me here.  What a lovely smell of baking!  I’ll have coffee please and, oh, is that coffee and walnut cake?  There’s nothing like kick-starting the day with plenty of caffeine… and sugar… and, er, fat, is there?

A little birdie tells us you’re busy working on novel number three for Choc Lit. Can you give us a teaser?

Well, since it’s you… I try not to talk too much about the early stages of the WIP, as that’s when all those ideas swirling around in the dark looking so mysterious and enticing can look a bit naff if I shine too much light on them!  Hopefully I’m past that stage, so … Clearing the Decks will feature a return to my fictitious seaside town, Little Spitmarsh, the location for my first novel, Turning the Tide.  It’s not a sequel, although we’ll catch up with one or two of the characters who live there as well as meeting new ones.  I’m really enjoying writing this one, because I’m very fond of Little Spitmarsh.  Also, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with my current heroine and hero; she’s funny and self-deprecating and he’s just a lovely guy.  Pity I give them such a tough time then!  

It’s no secret how much you love living and writing in Wales; indeed, Coralie Casey, heroine in your second novel , Move Over Darling, escapes there, so how would you pitch the Welsh charm to a (shamefully) yet-to-visit city girl like me?

Where do I start?  Beautiful, undiscovered beaches (and I happen to live a short walk from one of them).  Breathtaking scenery.  Warm-hearted, witty people.  Rugby.  The Millennium Stadium.  The Millennium Centre.  Swansea Market.  Richard Burton reading Under Milk Wood.  The poet, Owen Sheers… I could keep going, I love living here, just don’t mention the weather!

Sigh…

When you begin a novel, do you draft out each chapter beforehand or do your characters have free rein to take you wherever their stories lead them?

I start with a title which reflects my feeling of what the novel’s about, then I set up a spreadsheet with a chapter list, some preliminary ideas about each character’s story arc and some rough notes for essential scenes… then I start writing and it all goes out the window! As you suggest, it’s when characters really come to life that the magic happens.  Suddenly they’re telling their stories, which is the most brilliant, rewarding feeling.

You also write short stories. Do you find it easy/hard to switch between the two and how exciting was it to write ‘Touch Wood’ which was included in Choc Lit’s anthology – Love Match Selection?

Ah, do you know, I loved writing ‘Touch Wood’.  I keep notebooks and cuttings of anything that catches my eye. Amongst them was an article about a craftswoman working with green oak and a fabulously moody photo of a trip hop musician – when I put those two together the story just happened.

A writing journey of 90,000 words, for me, is like running a half marathon so a short, satisfying 3k run every now and then just rings the changes and keeps me on course.  I enjoy both.

What first gave you the writing bug?

Winning a prize of chocolate in a writing competition at primary school is the short answer.  But growing up in a house full of books and having an inspirational English teacher helped too.

Do you have a set routine or any literary rituals?

Literary rituals?  How about tickets for the complete Lions Tour 2013?  I’m sure that would give me plenty to write about, Mr Gatland, if you’re reading this. Failing that, ‘Bum on Seat’ is the only ritual I know that works!

Any other creative (or otherwise) passions or hobbies, Chris?

I love running, especially living here on this beautiful coastline, and it really helps me work out those pesky knots in my plot, I’m a passionate rugby fan and I adore very depressing music.  I love a good old blast of Nick Cave and one of my happiest moments was being just inches away from Radiohead at a recording of the Jonathan Ross show after they played their set twice.

Which three words would you say best describe you, and why?

Nasty, brutish and short.  Especially when I’m trying to write.

And finally… No visit to Romaniac HQ would be complete without a few quick-fire questions, (plus another cuppa and wedge of cake, of course…) so here goes:

Favourite Welsh Celeb?

*Through mouth crammed with cake*, the entire Welsh Rugby Team!

Guilty Pleasure?

Damn… it’s er, coffee and cake at *whispering* Dunelm Mill, Swansea.  It’s just it’s a convenient place to stop before shopping in Swansea and it always sets my happiness levels soaring nicely!

Sunlounger or Ski Slopes?

Sunlounger and a good book. Bliss.

Three novels you’d magic out of thin air to re-read if you were marooned on a desert island for a week?

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, Sally Beauman’s Landscape of Love, Jane Smiley’s Horse Heaven – three novels I never tire of re-reading.

Singer you’d most like to serenade you?

Kelly Jones; small but perfectly formed. Plus lots of Stereophonic tracks were playing in my head when I wrote ‘Move Over Darling’.

Ant or Dec?

Wrong on so many levels.

Paris or Rome?

I would love a Roman holiday!

Fave Chocolate bar?

A Crunchie – nice but not too naughty.

Chris, it’s been an absolute pleasure chatting to you. Best of luck with  your next novel: ‘Clearing the Decks’. 

Aw, Jan, it’s great to chat to you again, thanks to you and to all the fab Romaniacs for having me here – sorry about the crumbs. Let me give you a hand with the washing up.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christine-Stovell/e/B003NJ0DUM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

http://www.christinestovell.com/

Follow Christine on Twitter: @chrisstovell

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.

    

Having it all?

It’s no good, I want it all. I want to be a multi-tasking, never-ending ball of energy that writes a book every three weeks and still has time for a manicure and the gym. How is it possible for someone to tweet so well about the three tasks they are carrying out when I can barely manage to tweet, let alone tweet whilst doing something?

I’ve come to the conclusion these multi-tasking people must have some tricks up their sleeves. Here are a few of my theories:

• They have far whizzier brains than me. They know what to do to get all the info to all the places all at once. I’m sure I could figure it out, if only I had the time!
• They must have a PA making up for the time that seems to disappear into the ether in my world.
• They don’t sleep. How else are they fitting in the gym and manicures?
• It’s all lies. I’ve seen lots of pictures of costa coffee drinks whilst people are waiting to do something exciting. Who’s to say it’s not the same cup over and over again? They’re just making out they’re waiting on the cusp of glory whilst I’m sat on the sofa in my PJs wondering why I’m not enjoying the glory of a coffee outside of the house.

OK, I admit it, I’m jealous. It’s just I want to be the all powerful, taking on the world woman, but I may be forced to admit that she’s gone. Only temporarily, mind. For the past few months I’ve been taken over. My only priorities in life have been eating, drinking, peeing and sleeping. What’s caused such a change? Well, these two…

Romaniac Twins

So even though my brainpower has disappeared, my concentration is out the window as soon as I see a food advert, well, I don’t mind a bit. As my other Romaniacs have told me, the writing can wait and we’ve also decided the blog will be a bit quieter as I become accustomed to my new life as a mum of twins (due same time as the Royal baby) and the other Romaniacs get on with their WIPs.

I know, you’re excited as I am to discover how long it takes me to work out how to pop on my make-up, deal with shitty nappies and tweet about it at the same time. Okay, I lied. I won’t be using any make-up FOR MONTHS. But you’ll never know. I only plan to tweet pictures of costa coffee cups and if you twist my arm, some cute twinnie photos!

Catherine x

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 Jan Jones

Hello Jan, lovely to have you here at Romaniac HQ, please do take a seat – it’s clean, I promise!

Thanks, that’s splendid. Oh, and a big pot of tea, how wonderful.

So, Jan, where are you writing-wise at the moment?

*takes deep breath* Currently… my third Woman’s Weekly serial (about ‘a house on a cliff in the mist’) starts in the 12th February issue, my third ‘Penny Plain Mysteries’ serial will be in People’s Friend in June. I’ve just had a stand-alone long mystery story accepted by People’s Friend, I’m writing a fourth serial for Woman’s Weekly at the moment and in my spare time (slight choking sound) I’m working on my fourth Regency romance. And there are always short stories along the way.

Writing across such a broad spectrum, do you favour one genre or story length over another?

I have a terribly low boredom threshold, so I like the variety thrown up by the change of genre – although even my mysteries have more than a touch of romance to them – and length. It keeps me on my toes and stops me getting stale. I also like the sheer challenge of writing serials, of crafting the essence of the story into a very few words. That said, I do love writing novels, because they give me the head space to develop my characters properly. It’s lovely being able to relax into the longer length and stretch my narrative muscles properly. Unfortunately, they don’t pay as much in the short term as the serials, so the novels are having to queue up on the back burner for the moment.

How do you research your historical novels and is there an era you would like to live in?

I’d have liked to live during the Regency because it was a time of change. The arts and sciences were flowering, society was expanding. The clothes were fabulous for those of us with a bust to make the most of and hips to conceal. As for research, I read books of that time, newspapers, letters and periodicals. I also visit the locations and bump into people because I’m walking around looking upwards at the buildings all the time. Imagination is all very well, but it doesn’t take the place of being there, shutting your eyes and breathing in history.

What brought you to writing in the first place and is there an end goal?

Oh, goodness. I’ve always been a storyteller. From before I could write, even. I always used to say that my ambition was for some unknown person to browse along a library shelf, notice my name on the spine of a book and think, “Oh, Jan Jones. I like her.” And borrow the book without even looking to see what it was about, because they trusted me to have written them a good story. I guess that’s still it, really.

Well, I have news for you, Jan. Some of us do that already!

With regards to the RNA and organising their events and the annual Conference, how did you become involved in this?

I’d been in the NWS for a while before I ran away to my first conference. I was thrilled to find myself in company with so many people who understood. Writers who were just like me. That was York 2000 – and I loved it so much that as soon as I was able to, I wanted to put something back. I believe if you are good at something, then you should use that gift. I’m good at organising and I couldn’t think of a more life-affirming thing than the conference to help with. I’ve made some of my best friends through the RNA, and will be forever grateful.

With such a lot to organise, do you find this takes a lot out of your writing time or are you one of those super organised people?

Ah. I am organised (on good days), but yes, it takes a fair amount of time. On the other hand, organising a conf is the best procrastination ever, and by the time I’ve done a full couple of days on the business side, I’m bursting to get back to writing.

Us Romaniacs are very grateful for your organisational skills. Getting us under one roof at the last conference was down to you. Thank you!

What is the most random item that has been left behind at one of the RNA events?

Oh my goodness, I’m just trying to think. Someone left a pair of gala dinner shoes behind once. Fancy that, abandoning a posh pair of shoes at an RNA Conference…

Do you have a favourite RNA ‘moment’? I’m sure there’s plenty, but one that you could share with us (we won’t tell anyone, honest!)

Well… promise you won’t tell?

Promise.

Really?

Really and truly.

Okay then. Apart from watching in amazement as Liz Bailey got everyone to climb into bin bags during a drama session, and laughing until I cried at Jenny Haddon (with prompts from Annie Ashurst) reciting ‘Albert and the Lion’, my favourite conf memory is of giving an impromptu performance of ‘Hey, Big Spender’ with Katie Fforde in our Chichester conference kitchen after the bar refused to open for us on the Sunday night. We were jolly good too. I would send you the photo but one must protect the innocent. You understand. We will negotiate this off-line

Thanks so much for dropping by Jan, it’s been lovely chatting to you. See you at conference this year!

A Year and A Day

A year and a day. It certainly has romantic associations. And a fairytale feel.

My Sexy Pen

The Romaniac blog started a year and a day ago, 13th February 2012, which means yesterday was The Romaniacs’ First Anniversary. It’s the ‘paper anniversary’. Appropriate, wouldn’t you say? What better gift could one give a writer? Apart from sexy pens, obviously. Have I ever shown you my sexy pen? Here’s my anniversary gift to you, then…

The Romaniacs have been very romantic over the last twelve months with the help of wonderful guests, comical comments and brilliant banter. Thank you all so much for joining in with the fun, offering advice, and caring. It’s a proper relationship. We’ve even got hot under the collar, once or twice. Sue took us through our very own, unique heat scale: http://theromaniacgroup.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/lets-talk-about-sex/

Isn’t that what romance is about? Fun, laughter and friendship?

I’ve never doubted the friendship that exists within The Romaniacs. There is genuine depth of feeling between us, endless encouragement, and cheer-leading support. And cake. Mustn’t forget the cake.

At the 2012 Festival of Romance, I pitched to a panel of experts. This was my fourth ever pitch, and my first standing at the front of an audience. Within the crowd were four fellow Romaniacs, who had not heard my new summary of my wip. They were radiating energy, generating positive vibes, and directing their goodwill toward me. They were providing a virtual hand hold. I pitched ‘Follow Me’, I received my constructive criticisms, and I returned to my seat. At that moment, I experienced the full force of the Romaniacs’ support. Liz handed me notes she had taken, based on the panels comments, Celia and Debbie suggested ways to overcome a characterisation problem with which I’d struggled for months, and Sue gave me ‘that’ look that said ‘Great job.’ It was quite a moment, and one I often think about. It fuelled some of what I said the next day, when The Romaniacs presented a panel about the benefits of an online writing support group.

The dynamics have to work, and what you gain from belonging to such a group should be positive. If it’s destructive, then find another group, or start your own. First and foremost, The Romaniacs are friends, brought together by a common interest/obsession/compulsion (delete as applicable) with writing and reading, and bound together by laughter, daftness, empathy and, yes, love. I have a large, soft, squidgy, kind-of-like-a-bouncy-castle patch in my heart for these ladies, and cannot imagine life without them.

Did we get lucky, or were we drawn together by the strings of fate?

It’s Valentine’s Day, I write romance and I believe in fairytales. On that basis Fate gets my vote. And my thanks. And a big, squidgy, kind-of-like-a-bouncy-castle hug. And, since it is the most romantic day of the year, a kiss on the forehead.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Laura 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