In Defense of the Struggle That’s Real For Authors @moncriefelle #ASMSG #amwriting

Hey, you, the pale one, bags under your eyes that could rival a blue light special, crumbs on your chest and a crick in your neck from hunching over a keyboard. Do your eyes feel like sandpaper yet? For a sedentary job, it sure hurts. Seen the sun lately? Friends stopped calling long ago. 

#Thestruggleisreal.

That’s what this is, and most people don’t want to do it because it comes dressed in ripped and stained yoga pants and looks a hell of a lot like work.

Maybe you are lucky. Your loved ones are supportive. Even then, it’s a lonely road—a long hard slog into a winter night without a coat. Or maybe you are like me, with a masochistic streak as deep as the scars on my inner wrists, and this is like coming home.

So, for those of you who’ve chosen the narrow path, the authorpreneurial road less traveled, a few words of advice and encouragement:

1.       Attitude

The first thing you need to fix is your attitude. Life isn’t fair. Do you understand? Life isn’t fair. Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and there is a whole lot of neutral in between. The fickle finger of fate points to all. You can’t control ANYTHING in life except your ATTITUDE.

What you must do, is work hard, take risks, and keep at it. This will build your confidence, and you must, you absolutely must reward yourself for doing this REGARDLESS of the outcome. In many instances, the outcome is beyond your control. I would be remiss to not state that there are certain things you can do, of course, to affect a positive outcome. But as they say, sh*t happens. Your attitude is the only thing you can control.

So, when the friends quit calling, the family doesn’t want to read your work, you get a one-star review, your attitude and your confidence will shield you and give you the strength to keep working.

2.     Be prolific

You need to set a goal—a wordcount, page, or chapter count per day and stick to it. This will become a habit. Habits are hard to break. Start small. It’s like putting a pebble in a bucket of water. Eventually you will get enough pebbles to create spillover. Don’t worry if it is ‘not good enough’ or worse, utter dross. The point is to play a numbers game and play it well. You do that by being prolific. You do this way before you start editing, and before you start researching and honing your craft. You have to have a lump of clay to work with in order to make a vase.

3.       Learn

Research, take workshops, read and read and read everyone more talented and more knowledgeable than you. Join writing groups, online or in person, and learn from those who have had some success at this game. Keep your mouth shut and check your ego at the door. Pay attention, be a sponge and then go implement the things you’ve learned into your own work.

4.       Many roads lead to Rome

They’re dark, ridden with potholes, unsavory bandits, covered in brambles, but they are legion. There are many ways to do this job. Enroll in KU or go wide . . . there is no hard answer here. You have to do what is best for you and what is going to work for your specific book(s).

Don’t get roped in by “rules” that aren’t really rules. Most rules are more like “guidelines.” Again, if you protect your attitude, hone your craft, and are prolific, you’ll find success. It can happen overnight, it can more likely take years, but it does happen if you don’t give up.

5.       Ditch your ‘friends’

Yeah, I said it. You’re trying to build something here, and the most important element of that is your attitude. It’s nigh on impossible to keep your attitude in check if you hear a lot of naysaying. Anyone who doesn’t support you that you aren’t forced to live with, you need to cut down on your time with that person. Or better yet, wipe the slate clean and get some new friends. There are seven billion people on the planet, and a lot of them are supportive. Go hang out with them.

Good luck, stay warm out there, and happy writing.

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Today's guest blog post was brought to you by Steampunk horror indie author Lucille Moncrief. You can connect with Lucille on Facebook, join her Facebook group, find her on Twitter, or visit her writer's website for hints and tips about your writing and reading journey. 

Thank you, Lucille! 

Spiritual Writing

I am currently experiencing a lot of reiki healing as I study for my 2^nd Degree Okuden accreditation. Part of my work involves recording the results of my healing sessions both on myself, and on other people. I find it very therapeutic to write down my feelings, and have kept diaries and journals throughout my life. These will be a useful resource when I decide that the time is right to collect my scribblings and publish a series of non-fiction books covering my spiritual journey, my experiences with reiki energy healing, and my life as the pagan housewife. It is interesting to see how far I have come, when I was only ever going to write just 1 novel all those years ago…. Where will it end? Nobody knows!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Let’s Get This Sorted! #15kinMay #amwriting

I decided to look back at some old blog posts and see if I could glean a little inspiration and motivation to move forward from my current writing slump. I had forgotten all about my participation in the #15kinMay challenge back in 2013. It looks as though this was a short-lived social media trend, but I think it would be a good opportunity to get myself back in gear again this month.

What I want to do is finish the first draft of my current WIP, which is book 5 in the Redcliffe novels series. That will probably take around 15000 words, so this is a great opportunity to get myself up to date. How do you fix a problem when your writing slows down? I know the cause of my problems, and am working towards releasing those blocks and freeing my time a bit more. It is all a work in progress.

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Halfway Towards 50K #NaNoWriMo

I am half way there and feeling quietly confident about #NaNoWriMo 2016. My novel is progressing slowly and steadily. I find that I can write it in short chapters, and while I generally have no idea of what I am about to write when I sit before the computer, somehow the words spill out and the prose dislodges from its hiding place in the depths of my mind. How is your #NaNoWriMo coming along?

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Inspired by the Seaside #amwriting

Ah, the seaside! Such a lovely place. We are fortunate to live within driving distance of many beautiful, sandy beaches along the British coast. Our favourite family destination is Talacre Beach in North Wales. It is dog friendly all year round, there is a quirky old lighthouse that always fires my imagination, and the beach is surrounded by sand dunes to explore. Every time we visit I come home feeling refreshed and invigorated. Wading into the shallow waves along the shore, feeling the cold sea water wash over my feet, I drink in the natural healing powers of the ocean. And then I walk across the soft sand, allowing it to warm my feet and tickle my toes. Bliss!

It is no surprise that most of my novels are set in seaside locations. TheRedcliffe novels, for example, are set in a fictitious holiday town in Cornwall. The location was inspired many years ago when we used to holiday down there at a friends’ hotel. I spent many hours wandering along the beach, exploring the working harbour, and climbing higher up to look out over the bay, all the while picturing my werewolves and vampires hunting around the area.

More recently I turned my attentions to a classic Victorian seaside holiday destination. Blackpool is a town with a chequered past, to say the least. It was established by the Victorians as a place to visit the sea, take in the fresh air, and revive the senses after long, hard days spent working in the industrial factories of the North of England. Nowadays, Blackpool draws in crowds of families, and it is a popular destination for hen parties and stag parties (I had my hen weekend there, years ago!). Read The Vampire of Blackpool for my take on contemporary English Gothic, and see what you think.

Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Vampire Book Launch in Crewe! See you at the Football Stadium

The date is looming! My next novel is launching in just 2 weeks’ time. You can preorder your copy of The Vampire of Blackpool now if you like, and you can come and see me at the official launch weekend in Crewe on 28th and 29th May. I will be at the Rosemary Douglas mind, body and spirit event all weekend at Crewe Alexandra football stadium. See you there!

Oh, and there will be other people to see while you visit. We have an array of fabulous musicians, healers, therapists, cosmetic specialists, crystal people and health and wellbeing practitioners all coming to see you. Pop along for some free gifts, enter the grand prize draw, and open your mind to new experiences. You can also receive some well deserved TLC for yourself and your body. Bliss!

 

Welcome to the #AtoZChallenge 2016

Phew! We made it to the end of another term at school, and I for one am very glad to have a couple of weeks to recover from the daily challenge of the school run. My daughter received her second certificate for 100% attendance at school this week, and I am taking that as a personal win because I was the one who got her there, every day without fail, with the toddler and the dog in tow. It was tough, but we did it!

This weekend I am looking forward to some spiritual adventures at the Rosemary Douglas Mind, Body and Spirit event in Stafford. Come and see me if you are in the Staffordshire and West Midlands vicinity. I am talking about my Redcliffe novels series and my upcoming release The Vampire of Blackpool, as well as sharing stories of my ghost hunting adventures and my life as the pagan housewife.

And then we have the annual A to Z blogging challenge. It has taken me a bit by surprise this year, although I did remember to sign up a little earlier than I usually do. My theme for the #AtoZChallenge 2016 is, quite simply, all about me. You see I had a little identity crisis a while back, and I realised that my blog needed some direction. So I called myself the pagan housewife. If reflects a little bit of everything that makes up SpookyMrsGreen: author, mother, ghost hunter, pagan, wife and everything else in between.

Come and join me throughout April as I share stories, snippets and anecdotes. I might throw in a Tarot reading, or an Angel card reading. I might share some photographs from my adventures in the natural world in the North West of England. I might talk about my children and my family. Who knows? There is a lot to discuss. See you later, and have a fabulous Easter Weekend!

Meet the Authors at Sandbach Library, #Cheshire

On Wednesday 16th March at 7.00pm we are delighted to be hosting authors Amanda Brooke, Catherine Green, Charles Heathcote, Gill Hoffs and Sarah Ward for a stimulating evening of discussions about books and writing. Tickets £3.00, including refreshments.

For more details, see the Cheshire East Libraries website.

SCRIBE Short Story Competition 2015 #ScribeFest

In June 2015, Middlewich residents and visitors from across the UK joined in a weekend long celebration of the town’s renowned FAB (Folk and Boat) festival.

Up to 15 venues played host to music and dance throughout the weekend on the Middlewich canalside and in the town centre. Artists from around the world entertained thousands of visitors each day.

Together with hundreds of canal boats and the town centre setting, the Middlewich FAB festival has continued to provide a fabulous showcase of live entertainment every June since 1990, and has attracted renowned performers including Bob Geldof, Lindisfarne, Ade Edmonson, Neville Staples and many more.

In recognition of this amazing and unique event, the SCRIBE festival has based the 2015 under 16s and over 16s short story competitions on FAB.

For details on how to enter, please see our Short Story Competition page on the website http://www.scribefest.org/ You can win cash prizes, and you will be invited to our Short Story Awards Evening presentation, taking place during the SCRIBE festival, 12th - 17th October. The deadline for story submissions is 25th September, so get those pencils scribbling!

For more information, and to keep updated with news on events and workshops, follow @ScribeFestival on Twitter, and search #ScribeFest, or you can like our page on Facebook.

Guest Author Olga Núñez Miret introduces #AngelicBusiness

Hi all:

First of all thank you very much for taking part in my Blog Tour for Angelic Business 1. Pink Matters. Reader, don't worry, I'm not here forever, just twisting the arm of your favourite blogger and borrowing a bit of space.

My name is Olga Núñez Miret and I’m a writer, translator, reader, psychiatrist, I love movies, plays, fitness, owls and recently have taken up meditation (mindfulness). (I thought I might as well summarise and not take too much of your time). I'll leave you some links at the end just in case you want to find out even more about me (I'm not sure I'd recommend it, but hey…do your worst!).

I've been writing since I was quite young and I write in whatever style the story I have in my head wants to be written in. So far literary fiction, romance, YA, thriller…and a few unfinished works.

Around five years ago I discovered and read quite a few interesting Young Adult books and had an idea for what I thought could be a series. At the time I wrote the first of the novels and after trying to find an agent or a traditional publisher without much success, I started self-publishing, but decided to publish some of my other books first. Since then I've published 12 books (6 original books and their translations, as I write in English and Spanish).

I kept thinking about Angelic Business and a few months later wrote the second novel in the series: Shapes of Greg. (No, nothing to do with…)

And last year, as part of NaNoWriMo I wrote the third novel in the series, Pink, Angel or Demon?

As I had written the three, I thought I'd publish them pretty close to each other so people wouldn’t have to wait to know what happened next (at least not too much).

The three books in the Angelic Business collection are now available for pre-order at the special price of $0.99 each. It’s a bargain price and they'll go up shortly after publication.

Don’t worry. My writing is better than my video-creating skills, but as I’d been taking all those pictures of angels, I thought I might as well.

You are Pink, not the prettiest girl, but smart and with plenty of resources. What do you do when your best male friend offers to have sex with you, because he thinks you’re a lost cause? You plot your revenge with your two best female friends, of course!

It seems you're in luck when a new and mysterious student appears. And, to top it all, he seems interested in you too. He could take part in the plan. But then, he seems to have a plan of his own… He insists he’s not just an ordinary boy. And what seemed so easy to begin with, gets more and more complicated when Heaven and Hell come knocking at Pink’s door.

Pink Matters is the story of Pink, a 17 year old girl, good student, articulate and smart. What she has never been the centre of attention or made the top ten of the most popular and attractive girls at school. When two guys, both claiming to be angels, insist that she is, indeed, ‘special’, fight for her attention and help and tell her she is the key to the future of the universe, she can't help but ask: Why me?

Excerpt

            “Who are you?” Lorna asked. Before she could say anything else, she froze as if paralysed. And the same happened to Sylvia.
             “Oh no, not again” I said.
             “Hi Pink. I’m Azrael. I’m…”
             “Let me guess...You’re an angel.”
              I could say he smiled but it was more like a white light radiating from between his lips. His voice also seemed slightly “otherworldly”. He was nothing like G. Flesh and blood didn’t seem to be his priority.
             “Yes. I am.”
             “O...K....And...to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? If you are going to make an announcement of some sort...I could have done with some notice.”
              The light now seemed to radiate from his whole “body” if that was what it was. Somehow his show was much more believable than G’s. And scarier.
              “It’s not an announcement as such. But you should know...G...”
              “Yes?”
              “I know he told you he’s an angel.”
              I looked at him. Maybe he was different to G but he could be as annoying as him. And interfering.
              “Yes. I also “know” things...In my case it is because “I” am an angel. He has not been truthful about his identity.”

Links

Pink Matters (Angelic Business book 1) - Available from Amazon 

In case you’re intrigued, I leave you the cover (reveal!) and links to the other two books:

What more could happen after the death and resurrection of your mother? What could Heaven and Hell toss at Pink to top that? Well, to start with, she gets a new hellish babysitter, who is seriously hot. And although everybody likes him, he only has eyes for her. When she learns what the price was for the ‘miracle’ of saving her mother, she realises that she must be careful, as Hell doesn't lose gracefully.

One of her friends wants to find the perfect man, the other one gets into a relationship she refuses to talk about, there’s a demon who doesn't know when to give up and an angel who seems to have his own agenda. What on Earth, Hell or Heaven is going on?

Shapes of Greg is available for pre-order and will be published on the 15th of July.

And last, but not least:

OK, OK, OK. Pink gets it. She’s the Elected, whether she likes it or no. Heaven and Hell are closing in, and their envois are closer home than ever. So close she can’t ignore them. And she’ll do everything but.

However long she has, she’s determined to make it count. She'll sort her friends out, she'll help her family and, she'll live a bit. And then, she'll take charge. Because no one will say that Pink went down without a fight. However big and bad the enemy.

Gender benders, romances, old loves that come to fruition, new challenges, divine interventions, tears, laughter and magic. All of that and more. Because, if you're gonna go, you might as well go with a bang.

Pink, Angel or Demon? is available for pre-order and will be published on the 30th July.

You can find me in the following places:

Author Website - http://www.OlgaNM.com

On Twitter - @OlgaNM7

My blog is: http://OlgaNM.wordpress.com

I also have a Facebook author page - http://www.facebook.com/OlgaNunezMiret

On Amazon: http://amzn.to/XLnZTo

I am also on Goodreads; Google+; Pinterest (Don't miss my board about angels); Wattpad

Thanks so much for allowing me to visit and post, thanks so much for reading, and as I always tell them in my blog, if you’ve found it interesting, like, share, comment and CLICK! Oh, and I love reblogs! Ah, and thanks to Lourdes Vidal for her covers.

Blood, Boobs and Carnage Blog Fest!

Hello and welcome to the Blood, Boobs and Carnage blog fest! I found this little party during the #AtoZChallenge, and it looked like fun so I signed up. And today I will use it to showcase my debut novel, Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel). Hey, someone has to talk about my amazing books, and you will enjoy them, I am sure.

How does a novel called Love Hurts relate to Blood, Boobs and Carnage, I hear you ask? I will tell you. It is the beginning of an adult paranormal romance series. I’m talking vampires, werewolves, witches and other supernatural creatures. So there is the blood. The boobs, well, my heroine, Jessica Stone, is just your average 20-something woman. She enjoys sex. And she especially enjoys having sex with her new boyfriend, who unbeknownst to her, is a vampire. Again with the blood.

And now to the carnage. Well, my vampires do not sparkle. They fight. They snarl. They feed on innocent humans. They battle each other, they battle other supernatural creatures, they fight for supremacy, power, control and just for the hell of it sometimes. But in the Redcliffe novels we find it is the werewolves that seem to cause most of the trouble. You see, Jessica’s boyfriend, Jack Mason, has an identical twin brother who just happens to be alpha of the Redcliffe werewolf pack. Danny Mason is impulsive, passionate, and dangerous. Carnage ensues when a rogue werewolf comes to town with the intention of killing Danny and taking control of his pack. His brother steps in to help, Jessica is caught up in the chaos, and all hell breaks loose.

I do hope this has captured your attention sufficiently to make you touch the ‘Buy Now’ button on your device… You won’t regret it! If you are keen to see more Blood, Boobs and Carnage, check out my fellow party goers. Have a nice day now!

*Brothers image courtesy of Phat Puppy Art Studios

It is Time to Get my Act Together #amwriting

The past five years have been a whirlwind of chaos and confusion, excitement and drama for me and my family. During this time I quit my safe, full time office job in order to pursue my dream career, I got married, I got pregnant, and now I am a housewife with two young children. There was lots of other stuff as well, but I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice to say, I have been very busy.

Now, because of being busy in my domestic life, I have neglected to devote the proper time and attention to developing my writing career. There have been lots of ups and downs while I alternately celebrated my successes, and commiserated my failures. It is an endless cycle in the world of small business, and especially so when it comes to the modern world of book publishing and writing.

I envisioned a career where I could spend my days writing my stories, and where I could earn a comfortable income from book sales. This was a very naïve vision, as I now understand. I waded blindly into my new dream without assessing the situation, and I am not a natural  business person. But I am willing to learn. And I am always learning.

All the advice I receive tells me to set up a business as a writer of some sort, whether it be ghost writing, proofreading and editing, technical writing or similar. So I have tried it. I have drifted from one part time job to another during the past few years, and all have the same basic catch: they do not pay. Most internet based companies will try and persuade a new writer that they can build their portfolio by writing articles for free, or these companies pay an absolute pittance that does not constitute a living wage here in the Western world. I have done my work experience. My portfolio is healthy. Now my wallet needs to catch up.

I need to get my act together. I need to assess exactly what kind of writing I want to do for my career. My personal life is also a very big distraction. We cannot afford external childcare in order for me to go out to work (I know, crazy!). But we hope to send our toddler to preschool in September when her older sister starts primary school. Then, perhaps, I will find time to settle down and actually write all of the stories that I have scribbled in snippets in my notebooks. That is where my heart lies. That is my career dream. I cannot be an author if I do not continue to write (and publish) new stories. So I will knuckle down, stop being distracted, and write. I will!

#AtoZChallenge 2015 - Was it Worth It?

We have reached the end. It has been almost a week since I completed the April A-Z Blogging Challenge for my third year running. I initially found the blog hop during my desperate and naive attempts to sell my newly published novels across social media platforms. As a young, inexperienced, ill-advised and yet very talented author, I am struggling to gain a foothold in the industry. I want to be an internationally famous bestselling author. I know that I have the skill with words, I have the talent to write, and I have the determination. What I don’t have is a marketing budget, the expertise on turning my work into a sustainable business, and the right contacts in the right places that can get me started.

Nevertheless, I blithely threw myself into the #AtoZChallenge, telling myself that it was a good way to build followers, raise awareness of my books, and who knows, maybe even sell a few to my blog readers. It has not yet reaped the rewards I might have expected. Most of my blog visitors are fellow authors in the same situation. We all have stories to tell, books to sell, and no means by which to break in to an industry dominated by stalwarts and professionals who have been working at it for longer than I have been on this planet. We have no chance. The big publishers will not give us the time of day. The agents are far too busy plowing through their slush piles, and will generally only take on TV celebrities or people that they are certain will sell because they are famous for other pursuits (I’m talking sports personalities and the like).

Anyway, in terms of selling books and growing my author platform, the #AtoZChallenge was, once again, a massive fail. And yet, I don’t feel like a failure. I feel very proud of myself. I took on the challenge to write a blog post every day for a whole month (with Sundays off), and I did it. My fiction writing has stalled a lot lately, because I decided to have children before my biological clock exploded. Writing for blogs has given me an outlet to rant, to let off steam, and even to play around with new ideas about my work. And actually I did make quite a big decision about my career direction while I was doing this year’s challenge. All for the better. So you see, it was worth it. It was a success. And I will do it again. See you soon!

#AtoZChallenge - Energy and Emotion

There is a lot of talk about Energy in the weeks after Jessica Stone discovers her hidden witch heritage in Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) and Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). In Jessica’s world, energy is a way to describe the power that she feels when her witchcraft is woken. She also finds it very closely linked to her emotions, especially the extremes of love and hatred that she feels for her vampire and her alpha werewolf.

We all feel energy, although humans are more likely to dismiss it as a natural phenomena. Most of us probably don’t think about it all. The simple force that is Nature, the cycle of growth, death and life, has become all too familiar and regular in our world. In fact, in the developed world, humans have begun to try and manipulate nature and natural energy to make it more useful, more convenient, or even to hide it away like an embarrassing secret. We appreciate that we are a part of nature, and subsequently we are the energy of the world around us, but we don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on it.

Photo Credit Pinteret 

Emotions, on the other hand, are totally relevant and prevalent in the human world. Every day we feel different emotion, whether it is happiness, sadness, hunger, fear, excitement or a million variations on those themes. Jessica Stone learns that her vampires and werewolves feel emotion to the absolute extreme, and she must find a way to live with this knowledge and manage it appropriately, if she is to continue her love affair with the vampire Jack Mason, and her entanglement with his alpha werewolf brother Danny, and the Redcliffe wolf pack.

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Books and Magazines! It’s all in the Research #amwriting

There is a lot of information out there, for just about everything you could ever wish to know. It has become second nature, when a person asks about something, to reply, “Oh, just Google it!” I do it frequently. I spend a lot of time surfing the internet, seeking advice, information, and knowledge about how best to sell my books, how to develop my business, how to be the very best that I can be at what I do. And I have learnt a very valuable lesson. The internet can only go so far to help. It consumes an awful lot of time, and this is time that might be better spent in other pursuits.

I believe in the power of good, old-fashioned books and magazines. If you switch off your computer, put down your device, switch your phone to silent mode, you can remove a heck of a lot of distractions. And then you can open a book or a magazine, and find the answers that you seek. For example, as an indie author, my priority is how to get published, and how to get my books seen by people that want to buy them. I use the internet. I fell into the trap where I was basically advertising to other indie authors for a long time. Naturally, I did  not see the big return on income that I had hoped for. But I did build some valuable connections, and it is good to have that network and that support behind me.

When it comes to specific research, I say pick up a book. Or read a trade magazine. They are easily available, they don’t cost much to buy, and you could even borrow them from your local library if funds are really tight. My preferred reference book at the moment is the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. It contains articles and guides from industry professionals, sharing their knowledge and expertise. It tells you about legal rights and requirements. It gives you contact details for publishers and agents, if that is who you seek. Perfect!

And then there are the magazines. I currently subscribe to Writing Magazine in the UK. The subscription also includes access to their website, with email newsletters and information at regular intervals. This comprehensive magazine gives you details about open competitions in the writing world, news from the industry at large, and practical advice and information about the craft and marketing of your work. It offers something for writers of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. There is something for everyone in the writing community within this magazine, and I look forward to reading every issue when it pops through my letterbox.

So there we go. I hope this advice is helpful to you, if you are struggling to find a foothold in the crazy world of writing, publishing and marketing. Good day, my friends!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

*Writers and Artists Yearbook image courtesy of https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/events/type/masterclasses; Writing Magazine image courtesy of https://www.writers-online.co.uk/Writing-Magazine/

World Book Day 2015 #BBSOE

Happy World Book Day! I couldn't let the day pass by without joining in the festivities, although admittedly it is a very small celebration over here (cue tiny pop of a tiny bottle top). Join me, please, and share some bookish love!

The official website seems geared towards a younger audience, which is no good for me since I write strictly adult novels and short stories. I find it a little sad that adults are not encouraged to get in the spirit, dress up like their favourite characters for the day, and make some fun. Are we all perhaps a little too busy being grown-ups?

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Make 2015 the Year of Books!

I will take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy 2015, and may we all move on into the new year with a positive attitude, a lightness of step, and remembering the constant wonder and joy of simply being alive. We spend most of our time striving to achieve something, whether that be to develop our careers, to grow our families, to obtain new treasures and skills, etc. A lot of the time we are so busy pursuing, that we forget how far we have come, and what we have created.

My message at the end of this long and difficult year (for me anyway), is this: The world is ours. We are of the world. Yes, there is struggle, pain and suffering. But there is also happiness, joy and growth. Perhaps if we focus on the good stuff, and take our energies away from the bad, the balance of power will change and we will all grow and develop into happier, well balanced human beings as a result.

Also, why not take up a new genre to read in 2015? Maybe you have never strayed into the realm of fantasy and paranormal before. Maybe you never leave your favourite authors. Take a chance, try someone new, and see where the journey takes you... Happy New Year!


*Image courtesy of Pinterest

Vampires in Cornwall on the Hump Day Hook #HDH

Today on the Hump Day Hook I share with you an excerpt from my debut novel Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel). This is a scene between Jessica Stone and Marcus Scott (whose story you read in The Darkness of Love), on the evening when they first meet…

      Marcus reached up to stroke my hair and I was suddenly alert, sobered by this inappropriate behaviour.  I tried to push him away.  
    “Marcus please, I’m with Jack,” I said in a shaking voice, “I don’t know what you are expecting.”
    “Shush Jessica.” he replied, “Jack won’t mind.  Trust me.”  
     He leaned his face in against me, and his body was firm and heavy.  He was too strong for me to move.  I tried to struggle but he pinned my arms at my sides.  Now I was starting to panic.  I raised my voice but was suddenly hoarse, maybe from the alcohol. 
     “Marcus stop!” I cried, “Please stop, you’re hurting me!”
     I was suddenly in a blind panic as he lifted his head, his face pale, and his eyes wild.  He opened his mouth and I tried to scream.  He was going to bite me!  

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and see what my fellow authors have to offer. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping!

Hump Day Hook Returns with a Bite! #HDH

I am very happy to rejoin the Hump Day Hook crew this month, and what better time of year to showcase my beloved creatures of the night? Today I share with you an excerpt from my latest novel The Darkness of Love…

           Marcus stirred slowly.  He blinked and opened his eyes, wondering what had happened and where he was.  His mind was strangely empty.  He did not feel drunk, and he did not feel ill.  But he wasn’t sure what these strange sensations were.  He was lying on a sofa.  He sat bolt upright when he realised it was in Lord Stockton’s study.  He sensed another presence in the room, and his eyes alighted on the still figure of Amelia Richmond, watching him from her seat on the adjacent sofa.  She was smiling, and Marcus’ heart skipped a beat and started pounding.
          “My Lady,” he gasped, leaping off the sofa, “Why am I here?  What happened?”
           Amelia continued to stare at him.  There was something unnatural about the way she sat, something inhuman.  Slowly, Marcus remembered what had happened.
           “I drank his blood,” he whispered, touching his lips, “He is a monster.”

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and see what my fellow authors have to offer. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping!

The Redcliffe Novels are Back on Track! #amwriting

Hooray! After a year of dithering, of losing my muse, and of blaming pregnancy and motherhood for my lack of writing motivation, I am happy to say that the Redcliffe novels are back on track. I have returned to my manuscript for book 4 in the series, and things are fiery as ever. At present I do not have a title for the new book, and I'm not even halfway through writing the first draft, but I am getting the urge to keep at it, and it is firmly back in my conscious mind again. Here is a little snippet, just to whet your appetite...

        “Jack,” I gasped in surprise, “What do you mean, my kind? You sound so… distant.”
He smiled again, but I knew this was the vampire, not the man I loved.
“What do you expect, witch?” he asked, “Should I bow down at your feet and worship you like he does?”
I glanced at Danny, who had moved forward silently and now stood very close to my back, so close that I jumped and caught my breath. He was watching me steadily, unsmiling, apparently uncaring of his brother’s harsh tone.
“I do not worship you, Jessica,” Danny said quietly, “but I do need you. I need your power, and I need your body. I cannot deny that.”
I looked at Jack again, who was watching me with the eyes of a predator, distant and calculating. I swallowed, not sure what to do or say next.
“Jack,” I said, “Jack, please come back to me. Speak to me properly, Jack. I need you. Please.”
A shadow flickered across his eyes and his expression changed.
“Jessica,” he said slowly, “What have you done?”