I Need a Writing Retreat… Hello #CampNaNoWriMo!

My writing has not been forthcoming of late. It is all my own fault. I have allowed myself to stray from the path. I have become too easily distracted by domestic activities, holidays, social events and the like. At the moment the only writing I manage to do on a regular basis is for my blogs, and even that is becoming sketchy during recent weeks. Life is getting in the way, as the old saying goes. I need a break. I need… #CampNaNoWriMo.

My main problem with writing is that I flutter about and do not immerse myself fully in my work at the moment. It was easier when I was writing the first three installments of the Redcliffe novels. Back then I would put my daughter to bed at night and settle down for three-five hours of solid writing. And it was brilliant. I thrived on it. The story burst forth from my mind, the characters leaped onto the page, and my Muse was alive and vibrant. And then something happened. It was around the time I became pregnant with my second child. My Muse went on strike. And she has not yet properly returned.

I have had flashes of inspiration, but nothing that gives me the incentive to sit down at my computer and just write. I have had a couple of evenings where I managed an hour here and there. I have a couple of completed manuscripts that need further editing so that I can send them to publishers. I also have a complete edited novel that has so far not been snapped up by a publisher or agent. I cannot imagine why. Who wouldn’t want to publish a novel called The Vampire of Blackpool?

Anyway, I am fed up with my procrastinating. I need to write. I need to write properly. And for that I need deadlines, encouragement, a sense of purpose. And here comes #CampNaNoWriMo. Perfect! For the whole month of July I can immerse myself in a virtual log cabin in the wilderness of the wild and distant Internet, and I can write my story, whatever that may be. I think this one is about a lone vampire lurking beneath the streets in Manchester. I am not sure. I will ask my Muse for help. Perhaps she will be coaxed out by the promise of a hot chocolate with marshmallows… Who is with me? See you later, campers!

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!) 

The Redcliffe Novels: Magical Reality in Cornwall #summerholidays

Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) is the first in a trilogy of novels set in Cornwall. In the first book we meet Jessica Stone, just your average single woman, running her business and enjoying the seaside town she calls home. Her life begins to unravel when she falls in love with a sexy police detective, Jack Mason, and meets his identical twin brother, Danny. Here is an excerpt, following a visit from an enemy of the brothers:

“She is connected to the job in Scotland; they both are.” he said, “I’m sorry Jessica; it looks like we have inadvertently drawn you into our mess.  I need to find Jack and go sort this out.  Please promise me you will stay home, don’t answer the door unless you know who it is, and phone Jack or me if you get worried about anything, no matter how small or trivial.  Will you do that?”
He grabbed my shoulders, staring directly into my eyes, and I gasped, shocked at his forcefulness.  I nodded, feeling sick with nerves.  
“Yes of course.” I said, “Am I in danger?  What about Liz?”  
He relaxed slightly and eased his grip on me.   
“Liz will be fine,” he said, “she is of no concern to them.  But they seem to have found out about you and your relationship with Jack and me.  You don’t need to be overly concerned just yet; hopefully we can settle this tonight.  Please just stay home and keep all your doors locked and your mobile phone handy, ok?”  
I nodded and Danny left, saying he would call Jack on the way.

Intriguing, yes? Ha ha! Well, following this you can read Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel), where we follow Jessica as she comes to terms with the revelations about her lover and his brother. She also begins to discover her own long-buried secrets and abilities. And then, in the third book, Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel), the tables are turned. Our young heroine reveals her darker side, with disastrous consequences:

“Are they alright, Danny?” I asked tentatively.
Danny turned his head slowly to stare at me.  My heart skipped a beat and thudded painfully in my chest.  I swallowed again, forcing myself to hold his gaze and not back down.
“They need to hunt,” Danny said gruffly, “The power hit them hard.  They lost control and their beasts awoke early.  It leaves them in pain and disoriented.  They need their master for support and grounding.”
“Oh.” Was all I managed to say in reply.
Danny shook his head.
“I cannot deal with you at present, Jessica,” he said, “We will speak later.  I must go.”

          

You have a nice summer holiday! And if you happen to visit Cornwall, be alert for any unusual characters.

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!) 

Enjoy a Victorian Love Affair for your #summerholidays

Have you packed your suitcase yet? Perhaps you are suddenly realising that summer has finally arrived here in the UK, and you are just now beginning to plan your excursions and holidays for the warm, sunny days ahead. One essential item for every busy worker taking a break from it all, is a good book (or several) to read on the beach, or in the forest, or wherever you choose to spend your quiet time. Which leads me to ask…

Have you met Marcus Scott? He is a millionaire playboy who first appears in Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), leaving a trail of chaos and confusion in his wake. He was never meant to be such an powerful character. But he is very persuasive, especially when he turns on the charm and fixes that icy blue gaze on me… *swoon*

        

You can find out more about Marcus Scott in the Redcliffe novels, a contemporary adult paranormal romance series set in Cornwall. And you can read the story of his human life in The Darkness of Love, set on a Victorian country estate in Hampshire. He also features in my spin-off short story, Christmas With the Vampires (yes, I know, totally out of season). Happy holidays!

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!) 

Writing is Essential to my Daily Routine

I write every day. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it, and for several months now, I have been mentally beating myself up because I have no new short stories to publish, and all my novels in progress are awaiting further improvement and editing. I have been getting very irate with myself for not beginning any new projects. I mean, I have several notebooks full of story ideas, snippets of conversation, character descriptions, and more, and yet I fail to implement or utilize those ideas. Even my blogs are falling behind. I typically write two or three new blog posts each week on this blog, and on my personal blog site, SpookyMrsGreen. Again, I have plenty of ideas. My diary is filling up with titles and descriptions. I have rough blog posts saved on my computer.

And yet, somehow, I feel like I am not writing. Perhaps it is because I spend too much time comparing myself to other authors, who all seem to have their writing planned and in action. Everyone else is firing out their new novels and story anthologies. Why can’t I do the same? The answer is simple: I am writing. I am always writing, whether it is a plan formulating in my mind as I wash the dishes, hastily scribbled notes in my diary or notebook, or more serious sessions on my computer. It is just a little more scattered at present. But it will all come together eventually. I hope.

*Image found via WordzNerd Debz

The Final Resting Place of Anne Bronte

I recently took time away from work (sort of), and spent a week in Scarborough with my family for a much-needed and overdue holiday. Everything about the place offers food for the imagination, and there is so much inspiration for writing that I should be kept busy for many months ahead, while I await the next holiday… As an added bonus, we happened upon the graveyard in which Anne Bronte is buried. The church looks to be a beautiful old building, although I didn’t have time to visit inside. I did, however, visit the graveyard, and what a fascinating place it is.

All of the gravestones are very heavily damaged by weather, and we could see the force of the salty rain that has battered these grand and gracious stones over the past two centuries or so. We could barely read the inscription on Anne Bronte’s headstone, which is why another memorial stone was laid in 2011, as you can see from my photographs. I admit that I have not yet read Anne Bronte’s most famous novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, but I do have a paperback copy on my bookshelf, and I have picked it up before now with the intention of reading it, only to be distracted by something else.



The ancient graveyard, with its dark and broken headstones, is very eerie, and very inspiring for the romantic mind. My impression of the Bronte sisters is that they were fairly carefree and cheerful ladies, and I enjoy their lively writing style. It was a great tragedy that Anne Bronte should die at such a young age, but it is clear to see that she succumbed to one of the many medical dangers of their time. I wonder how many wonderful novels died with her? And what she may have been working on at the time of her death? So many questions, so many possibilities…

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!) 

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!