Mind, Body and Spirit Event – Whitchurch, Shropshire

Join me on Saturday 1st December 2012 from 10:00am – 5:00pm for a Mind, Body and Spirit Event at the Whitchurch Civic Centre (Market Hall), High Street, Shropshire, SY13 1AX.

At this event I will do Tarot and Oracle card readings offering spiritual guidance and a new perspective on the trials of everyday life. If you have a question that needs an answer, I will help you understand a little more. If you feel a little lost or unsure about your current situation, the cards may guide us towards a positive and fulfilling resolution. I draw upon my experience as a witch and a shaman in training when I do my readings, which means you may not always receive the answers you expect. I am always genuine, and I believe that we must all learn to take responsibility for our own lives, however that may be.

I will also sell signed copies of my adult paranormal romance series the Redcliffe Novels. Set in Cornwall, England, the Redcliffe novels follow the adventures of bookshop owner Jessica Stone as she unwittingly falls in love with a vampire, becomes entangled with his identical twin brother's werewolf pack, and then discovers she is a witch.

In the newly released sequel Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) Jessica Stone recovers from an horrific werewolf attack and comes to terms with revelations that her lover, Jack Mason, is a vampire, his brother, Danny, the werewolf pack leader, and her best friend, Simon, is a werewolf.  Add to that her discovery that she is a witch, and life is suddenly a whole lot harder than it used to be. Jessica has to fight for her own life and Jack’s when faced with his jealous vampire master who wants her old lover back. But things are never easy, and a vampire master is not so easy to defeat…

As we approach the long-anticipated energy shift on 21st December (21/12/12), this event promises to be very exciting and exhilarating. It is time to stop wandering among the flock, and to step out into our own individual spaces of light. Join me, embrace your truth, and be happy…

#NaNoWriMo - Beginning to Panic

My weekend did not turn out to be quite so productive as I anticipated. My dreams of sitting in an ancient library, tapping away at my laptop, never transpired. I was kept away from NaNoWriMo, busy with the family; sightseeing, exploring, and enjoying fresh air and good food. I had a thoroughly relaxing break. But I only managed to write another 1000 words.

Returning home yesterday, the panic began to bite. The finish line looms for NaNoWriMo 2012. I had only written 26,430 words. It would be a disaster. Last night I was too exhausted to even look at the computer, and so I opted to go to bed early. This morning I was distracted with mother-daughter activities, which continued into the afternoon.

Tonight I finally sat down at my computer and began to write. I had to do it for NaNoWriMo. I will not be beaten! I wrote another 2000+ words and got my word count up to 28,828. Then I consulted the NaNoWriMo tools on my author dashboard on their website. It was not looking good. I needed to do at least another 2000 words to be in with a fighting chance.

Now I am up to 30,162. Phew! I am back in the game, although it is still very touch and go. My current estimated finishing date is Dec 4^th. Not good enough. I will finish on Nov 30^th if it kills me! By my calculations, I have to write roughly 2000 words per day to bring it back under control. I have to write 30,000 words in the next 10 days. Watch this space…

NaNoWriMo - Half Way There

As I write this post I am feeling very happy. After a somewhat stilted and disjointed start to the month I managed to get my ass into gear and am now officially half way through my NaNoWriMo project. Hooray! Who knew I could magically find the time to write 25,011 words in just 14 days, complete with a demanding toddler in tow? Apparently I could, I did, and I am on track to succeed!

The novel is shaping up nicely, although my inner editor is already screaming that it is not good enough, we need to re-read what we have written, and we need to tear it to pieces and rebuild. Nope, not during November! This month is all about the writing. I am in my stride. I sit at the computer, stare at the screen, place my fingers on the keys and allow my Muse to take control. The demon editor can wait until after NaNoWriMo. I will not return to the manuscript until some time in December, once I have come down from the elation of succeeding at my second year of the challenge.

Oh yes, I will succeed! I am actually away this weekend for a short family holiday. Fortunately I can use it to my advantage. My very understanding husband and parents in-law have agreed that I may take my laptop and shut myself away in the library at the farm in which we are staying. I can indulge in some pure, uninterrupted writing time in a setting that promises to be both romantic, isolated and inspiring.

I will emerge from my writer's cave at some point during the weekend. I do intend to be sociable, to enjoy some long walks in the Yorkshire countryside with my family, and to enjoy a hearty meal or two. But always at the back of my mind will lurk the manuscript, the NaNoWriMo challenge, and my desperate need to succeed in the competition once again. It is a wonderful tool for motivation!

Coffee Time Romance presents the Vampire Book Realm!

Join me for a very exciting day on Friday 30th November, where you can chat to all your favourite vampire authors from the Vampire Book Realm. I will be there to talk about the Redcliffe novels, and I will share excerpts from Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) and Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel), including special exclusive short stories that didn’t make the final cut. If I am in a really good mood I might even share excerpts from my new novel, the third in the series, Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel)…

If you love vampires, if you are still reeling from the excitement of the latest Twilight film release, then this is the place for you! Join us live in the Latte Lounge at Coffee Time Romance, and we can quench your thirst for all things fanged and dangerous…

See you there!

NaNoWriMo and Crazy November

We are just into day 7 of NaNoWriMo and the month is already crazy busy! I was set back on the first day by a last-minute excursion to a local theme park. We had free tickets, they had a special Halloween theme, I couldn't say no! Anyway, I got back on track with my NaNoWriMo project by hitting the keys for two days of furious writing. My novel is still very vague, and this is the first time I have sat down with absolutely no idea of what I am writing. It is quite exhilarating really, when I transform a blank page into a work of prose.

Well, after that mad dash to get started, I was hit by a sickness bug which wiped me out for 2 days. I was so not impressed! Actually I really needed some rest, so I took the opportunity and tried not to let the little NaNoWriMo demon shout too loud. Today I got back on track, wrote another 4000 words, and am almost up to speed. According to the official website stats I will now finish my NaNoWriMo project on Dec 5th. That is not good enough. I must do better. I will do better tomorrow, after I have slept!

So, away from the crazy month of writing, there are several other things demanding my attention in November. I have already done a live author interview on a local internet radio station, 6 Towns Radio. I have scheduled a live interview with a community internet radio station, KTPF, later in November. This has yet to be confirmed but I am already looking forward to it. And all of a sudden I have several author interviews to prepare for various websites. I hadn't even consciously planned them, they just sort of happened. Don't you just love events like that? It's all excellent fodder for the pre-Christmas sales promotion.

Ho Ho Ho!

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Here We Go!

It is finally here! NaNoWriMo, that magical month of writing abandon that has haunted and taunted me, always lingering somewhere in the back of my conscious mind, always whispering that it would be here soon and I had better get my affairs in order. Well, November is here, and I missed the first day. Oh dear!

It wasn't my fault, honest. My best friend procured free tickets to a local theme park, and the season closes this weekend. They had a special Halloween entertainment package, and I hadn't experienced it since I worked there several years ago. We had to participate. So, I allowed myself one more day off, and today I intend to get stuck in. I will write double the daily quota of words for NaNoWriMo. I will. I definitely will...

So, I have sat down in front of the computer with my daughter safely in bed where she will (hopefully) sleep for another hour. The dog is curled up on the sofa and won't demand his walk until later in the day. I am distraction-free. The moment has come. I stare at a blank page. The unwritten words taunt me. They whisper to me, but I can't hear them. Where do I begin? How do I start? I am about to write yet another masterpiece, but I cannot form even the first sentence. This is not looking good.

I will not give up. I will not be defeated. I succeeded in NaNoWriMo 2011, and I will damn sure do the same with NaNoWriMo 2012. At least I have a story. Now all I need to do is call on my Muse, tempt her out of hiding, and let my fingers do the talking... See you on the other side folks!

Live Author Interview for Halloween

Exciting news! I have been invited to do a live radio interview on a special Halloween show at 6 Towns Radio. The station is  based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent and covers the Potteries area of the UK. This is my home city, a place where I grew up, fell in love, got my first jobs and lots of other life experiences.

Listen live at 11:00am GMT (6:00am EST) and you can hear about my paranormal romance Redcliffe novels, my experiences as a ghost hunter, and all sorts of weird and wonderful, spooky and supernatural tales and titbits...

http://www.6towns.co.uk/