I have decided to do something not many authors are willing to do and am to publish my new novel, online, as when it is written - typos, grammatical errors, the lot.
Liverpool is a bit of a departure for me. All my novels so far have been set post WW2 and have been written in the 3rd person. Liverpool is written in the first person so is told from just one view point. It starts in 1912 and tells the story of Sarah Levy, a young woman who moves with her family to Liverpool. Her father is a professor at the university and her mother is a social climber. Sarah is expected to find a wealthy husband but instead falls in love with a young lecturer who is heavily involved in the Labour movement. She also becomes enchanted with a young poor girl called Nellie who is a talented singer and goes on to become famous. The three people's lives will intertwine and of course the first world war will feature, which means lots and lots of research. But I know if people are reading it, I will feel more inclined to keep on with it.
Following in the footsteps of writers such as Dickens, Bronte and Hardy, I am publishing it in weekly instalments (online of course, this is the 21st century!) with each chapter being removed each Friday. I'm hoping to garner lots of comments and suggestions from people as this is the book I am going to try and find an agent with.
Chapter 1 of Liverpool can be found at http://sites.google.com/site/lunchtimereaders It will be removed at 9pm Friday 3rd April and replaced by Chapter 2.
Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy of Two Become One. I will be forwarding the profits to the Teenage Cancer Trust shortly. To anyone else who is interested in buying Two Become One, it will be available via all major online booksellers from next month. In the meantime, if you wish to buy a copy, email me at zeiasonline@googlemail.com
ciao for now
Showing posts with label two become one. Show all posts
Showing posts with label two become one. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Heaven Knows I’m (not) Miserable Now
Today I was paid a very high compliment. A friend picked up a copy of Two Become One and was flicking through it and told me it was heavy going. In three pages he’d spotted stuff about cancer and AIDS sufferers. He then asked me if there was any happiness in it. I’ve been asked this before about my books and while some people would be losing sleep, worried that they’re being perceived as a ‘miserabalist’; to me it is an honour because I am in good company.
I worship at the alter of Morrissey. He is probably the only living ‘hero’ I’ve got, to use a cheesy word. I first fell in love with The Smiths when I bought a compilation album called Tune Into the Tube just because it had Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood on and I heard This Charming Man and I just thought it was the best thing ever. Even as a twelve year old I could tell the lyrics were rather subversive and of course, that appealed to me (look at the song that was my original motivation for buying the album!). From then on I was hooked.
Mozza is a controversial figure painted as miserable and lacking in humour, his songs dark and sad. Anyone who listens closely to either The Smiths or his solo work will find the opposite is true. The songs are filled with tongue in cheek humour, painting vignettes of Northern life, quite similar to a show like Phoenix Nights or even Coronation Street. Maybe I’m a Southerner with a Northerner’s head but I love the wry humour of Victoria Wood and Alan Bennet. To me there’s nothing funnier than laughing at every day occurrences and creating characters from people I observe around me.
Even though I’m fourth generation Irish catholic, I was still bought up to feel guilty about everything I did and as a child, my nan was always regaling me with stories of death and people’s funerals alongside news of babies being born. When you’re raised like that you come to see life as filled with death, misery and joy. It was only the other day that I realised that in all three of my main books the main characters are Catholics – in Summerset the religious divisions are one of the biggest storylines. In Mad About the Boy, Lizzie is a lapsed catholic who suffers a spell of insanity after feeling guilty for her actions, and now in Two Become One, Toni converts to the Faith. None of this is ever conscious, it’s just how I write; but maybe I can just relate to that feeling that all bad things that happen to me do so because I’ve done something bad and at some point in my books my characters will feel the same way.
Back to Morrissey – yes he is controversial and he has said and done some rather silly things but surely performing draped in a Union Jack was no worse than David Bowie driving into Victoria Station in the 1970s giving the Sieg Heil sign, or Eric Clapton agreeing with Enoch Powell? Neither of them have been vilified for the rest of their careers.
Like many thirty and fortysomethings, I find listening to Morrissey and The Smiths comforting. It reminds me of a time when I felt isolated and like no one understood me. I come from an era where pop stars were people like Duran Duran, flashing their money and good looks. Suddenly Morrissey appeared – shy, awkward and singing about all those mixed up, lonely feelings all teenagers experience at some point and it struck a chord. Not everything in life was rosy and peachy and glamorous, some of us didn’t have many friends and always fancied people who don’t fancy us (that doesn’t change). It was good to hear our angst vocalised for once. Although I have to say that now looking back at old Smiths videos, I do think Morrissey realised he was rather good looking and played up to it and wasn’t as introverted as he liked us to think.
So, maybe my books are miserable. Maybe when you’re a celibate, animal loving, vegetarian artist with a Catholic guilt complex you do write miserable songs and stories. But to me my books – like Morrissey’s songs – just tell it like it is. Life is crap sometimes, other times it’s great and a lot of the time it’s just plain dull. I refuse to write chick lit, where everything is hunky dory and fluffy and all a girl has to worry about is what branch of Prada to shop in and if that rich guy in accounts is looking at her.
Give me Saturday Night and Sunday Morning over Sex and the City any day!
Ciao for now
kx
PS: On a serious note I’d just also like to express my sadness at the death of Natasha Richardson. I can’t help but think ‘There but for the Grace of God go I’. Back in 1994 I had a horrible fall whilst ice skating, falling headfirst onto the ice and banging the back of my head – apparently the crack was so loud it could be heard all around the rink. All I got was cracked ribs and concussion and I can’t help but think how lucky I am compared to this poor woman who had a fairly innocuous fall whilst skiing. It’s so sad and just serves to remind us that none of us know what’s around the corner.
I worship at the alter of Morrissey. He is probably the only living ‘hero’ I’ve got, to use a cheesy word. I first fell in love with The Smiths when I bought a compilation album called Tune Into the Tube just because it had Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood on and I heard This Charming Man and I just thought it was the best thing ever. Even as a twelve year old I could tell the lyrics were rather subversive and of course, that appealed to me (look at the song that was my original motivation for buying the album!). From then on I was hooked.
Mozza is a controversial figure painted as miserable and lacking in humour, his songs dark and sad. Anyone who listens closely to either The Smiths or his solo work will find the opposite is true. The songs are filled with tongue in cheek humour, painting vignettes of Northern life, quite similar to a show like Phoenix Nights or even Coronation Street. Maybe I’m a Southerner with a Northerner’s head but I love the wry humour of Victoria Wood and Alan Bennet. To me there’s nothing funnier than laughing at every day occurrences and creating characters from people I observe around me.
Even though I’m fourth generation Irish catholic, I was still bought up to feel guilty about everything I did and as a child, my nan was always regaling me with stories of death and people’s funerals alongside news of babies being born. When you’re raised like that you come to see life as filled with death, misery and joy. It was only the other day that I realised that in all three of my main books the main characters are Catholics – in Summerset the religious divisions are one of the biggest storylines. In Mad About the Boy, Lizzie is a lapsed catholic who suffers a spell of insanity after feeling guilty for her actions, and now in Two Become One, Toni converts to the Faith. None of this is ever conscious, it’s just how I write; but maybe I can just relate to that feeling that all bad things that happen to me do so because I’ve done something bad and at some point in my books my characters will feel the same way.
Back to Morrissey – yes he is controversial and he has said and done some rather silly things but surely performing draped in a Union Jack was no worse than David Bowie driving into Victoria Station in the 1970s giving the Sieg Heil sign, or Eric Clapton agreeing with Enoch Powell? Neither of them have been vilified for the rest of their careers.
Like many thirty and fortysomethings, I find listening to Morrissey and The Smiths comforting. It reminds me of a time when I felt isolated and like no one understood me. I come from an era where pop stars were people like Duran Duran, flashing their money and good looks. Suddenly Morrissey appeared – shy, awkward and singing about all those mixed up, lonely feelings all teenagers experience at some point and it struck a chord. Not everything in life was rosy and peachy and glamorous, some of us didn’t have many friends and always fancied people who don’t fancy us (that doesn’t change). It was good to hear our angst vocalised for once. Although I have to say that now looking back at old Smiths videos, I do think Morrissey realised he was rather good looking and played up to it and wasn’t as introverted as he liked us to think.
So, maybe my books are miserable. Maybe when you’re a celibate, animal loving, vegetarian artist with a Catholic guilt complex you do write miserable songs and stories. But to me my books – like Morrissey’s songs – just tell it like it is. Life is crap sometimes, other times it’s great and a lot of the time it’s just plain dull. I refuse to write chick lit, where everything is hunky dory and fluffy and all a girl has to worry about is what branch of Prada to shop in and if that rich guy in accounts is looking at her.
Give me Saturday Night and Sunday Morning over Sex and the City any day!
Ciao for now
kx
PS: On a serious note I’d just also like to express my sadness at the death of Natasha Richardson. I can’t help but think ‘There but for the Grace of God go I’. Back in 1994 I had a horrible fall whilst ice skating, falling headfirst onto the ice and banging the back of my head – apparently the crack was so loud it could be heard all around the rink. All I got was cracked ribs and concussion and I can’t help but think how lucky I am compared to this poor woman who had a fairly innocuous fall whilst skiing. It’s so sad and just serves to remind us that none of us know what’s around the corner.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Not Good
I'm beginning to get a little paranoid that my books are cursed.
I feel really bad that I'm releasing Two Become One at the same time poor Jade Goody is dying of cancer. One of the main characters Antonia also has long, protracted death from cancer, all lived out in the public eye. This was all written long before Jade was even diagnosed and the only thing I have in my favour is that I managed to capture the zeitgiest pretty accurately - how when such a public figure is dying that the press almost run a countdown to it and everyone waits with baited breath for 'the death' - as morbid as it seems. The difference being of course that Antonia Smedley is a fictional character and Jade is a real person and I wish her well in these dark days.
I've now discovered that Farrah Fawcett is also dying of cancer. A big deal is made in the book about Farrah being named after the ex-Charlie's Angel. So once again, death is stalking my work.
To try and absolve my guilt I've decided to donate 10% of all the profits I make from sales of Two Become One until 1st April, to the Teenage Cancer Trust.
https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/
Next on the list is Winner Takes All, the sequel to Summerset. I've been reading the draft copy I ordered via Lulu and have been really pleased with it. One of the storylines involves Sheridans being accused of being IRA sympathisers and there are long passages about how the Troubles are now over etc etc. Now what happens, rogue IRA cells are killing people in Northern Ireland and trouble is starting to rear its ugly head again.
Maybe someone somewhere is trying to tell me something. Perhaps I should start writing science fiction about fantastical things that will never happen.
Assuming I'm not some sort of witch and it's all coincidence, I have decided after completing the script for Summerset, I am going to tart up Teenage Kicks (reverting it back to its original name of Starmaker) and I'm going to give Createspace a go. See what they're like. Starmaker will be released under my pen name of K L Thompson because it's a crime novel and different from my usual stuff. A short passage from it (named as Teenage Kicks) can be found on lunchtime readers.
http://sites.google.com/site/lunchtimereaders/
I feel really bad that I'm releasing Two Become One at the same time poor Jade Goody is dying of cancer. One of the main characters Antonia also has long, protracted death from cancer, all lived out in the public eye. This was all written long before Jade was even diagnosed and the only thing I have in my favour is that I managed to capture the zeitgiest pretty accurately - how when such a public figure is dying that the press almost run a countdown to it and everyone waits with baited breath for 'the death' - as morbid as it seems. The difference being of course that Antonia Smedley is a fictional character and Jade is a real person and I wish her well in these dark days.
I've now discovered that Farrah Fawcett is also dying of cancer. A big deal is made in the book about Farrah being named after the ex-Charlie's Angel. So once again, death is stalking my work.
To try and absolve my guilt I've decided to donate 10% of all the profits I make from sales of Two Become One until 1st April, to the Teenage Cancer Trust.
https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/
Next on the list is Winner Takes All, the sequel to Summerset. I've been reading the draft copy I ordered via Lulu and have been really pleased with it. One of the storylines involves Sheridans being accused of being IRA sympathisers and there are long passages about how the Troubles are now over etc etc. Now what happens, rogue IRA cells are killing people in Northern Ireland and trouble is starting to rear its ugly head again.
Maybe someone somewhere is trying to tell me something. Perhaps I should start writing science fiction about fantastical things that will never happen.
Assuming I'm not some sort of witch and it's all coincidence, I have decided after completing the script for Summerset, I am going to tart up Teenage Kicks (reverting it back to its original name of Starmaker) and I'm going to give Createspace a go. See what they're like. Starmaker will be released under my pen name of K L Thompson because it's a crime novel and different from my usual stuff. A short passage from it (named as Teenage Kicks) can be found on lunchtime readers.
http://sites.google.com/site/lunchtimereaders/
Sunday, 1 March 2009
The Ego is Dented
Once again apologies for being so slack at blogging. I really should be more efficient given I’ve a book to plug, but so many things have been going on, my mind’s been in a funny place.
I’ve finally passed my driving test and have joined the New Driver’s Club by denting and scratching my poor car. I had to manoeuvre a particularly tricky supermarket car park and ended up ripping off the trims from one of my rear doors and putting a particularly nasty dent in. So in a trip to Halfords (fast becoming my regular haunt!) I’ve had to stock up on the relevant materials to bodge up my door until I can afford to repair it properly. After nursing a wounded ego I can now see the funny side to it and thankfully no one was hurt and the damage was purely cosmetic. Thankfully VW Golfs are built like tanks and can withstand quite a lot.
I’m still putting the final touches to Two Become One but I think it should be good to go within the next couple of weeks. I feel really bad about it being so late, but 2009 has started as a complete emotional rollercoaster for me littered with ill health and driving tests but I’m hoping things will calm down now a bit.
Reading through Two Become One, I’ve noticed that sometimes to describe a character I’ll say they reminded someone of a famous person and I’m wondering if this is just lazy writing. I couldn’t see Barbara Taylor Bradford describing a character by saying they looked like Rosanne Barr. Is this lazy or am I just reflecting the thoughts of my protagonist? After all, we all meet people and think they remind us of famous people.
Anyway, I’d better go back to editing and stop being slack. Will be back asap.
Ciao for now x
PS: By the way, even my friend Rob mentioned the other day that he thought he was watching me when he saw Libby on Eastenders!
I’ve finally passed my driving test and have joined the New Driver’s Club by denting and scratching my poor car. I had to manoeuvre a particularly tricky supermarket car park and ended up ripping off the trims from one of my rear doors and putting a particularly nasty dent in. So in a trip to Halfords (fast becoming my regular haunt!) I’ve had to stock up on the relevant materials to bodge up my door until I can afford to repair it properly. After nursing a wounded ego I can now see the funny side to it and thankfully no one was hurt and the damage was purely cosmetic. Thankfully VW Golfs are built like tanks and can withstand quite a lot.
I’m still putting the final touches to Two Become One but I think it should be good to go within the next couple of weeks. I feel really bad about it being so late, but 2009 has started as a complete emotional rollercoaster for me littered with ill health and driving tests but I’m hoping things will calm down now a bit.
Reading through Two Become One, I’ve noticed that sometimes to describe a character I’ll say they reminded someone of a famous person and I’m wondering if this is just lazy writing. I couldn’t see Barbara Taylor Bradford describing a character by saying they looked like Rosanne Barr. Is this lazy or am I just reflecting the thoughts of my protagonist? After all, we all meet people and think they remind us of famous people.
Anyway, I’d better go back to editing and stop being slack. Will be back asap.
Ciao for now x
PS: By the way, even my friend Rob mentioned the other day that he thought he was watching me when he saw Libby on Eastenders!
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
I am Sally Michaels
Hi Libby Fox (anyone who watches EastEnders will know who I mean) here, bringing you this blog.
After smarting and feeling like the Drew Barrymore character in Music and Lyrics whose entire life has been stolen to create a hideous character in a work of fiction, (I swear there is someone working on Eastenders who knew me when I was about 16 and modelled Libby on me. She looks like me, she acts like me, she's a swot and now to top it all, she wants to write fiction - I'm not happy) I got down to starting my screenplay of Summerset. I had no responses from my Gumtree ad and decided to do it myself, and will send it to the Writers Room at the BBC.
It's a difficult task because you have to start using dialogue and body language to describe a character's feelings or actions whereas in a book you can write long paragraphs explaining everything. So far I've only written 7 scenes and it's coming along okay. I think the Writers Room don't want perfection they just want to see potential. I dream of the day when Summerset is on the TV. I could just see it as a two part mini series on BBC on a Sunday night. I wish they'd return to showing those big, glossy Hollywood mini series again. They were so much fun.
I found The Thorn Birds on you tube yesterday and I was so chuffed because I last watched it in 1983. I last read the book in 1995 - the year I wrote Summerset and it's quite alarming to see the parallels to the book - the big Irish family living away from Ireland, the poor relation being given a chance to work for the rich relative, of course the forbidden love, the favoured illegitamate child, even the scene where Meggie goes to the party as a 17 year old and she wears a beautiful rose pink dress. In Summerset when Lou goes to the Christmas Party, wearing grown up clothes for the first time ever, she is wearing a rose pink dress. Just goes to show how you can be influenced by something without really realising it.* My only criticism was that it was made back in the day when America dominated everything and the entire cast (apart from Bryan Brown -swoon) are American and do nothing to hide their accent, except for a few who attempt some sort of hideous fiddileedee Irish accent. If it was made now, they would use Australian actors.
I've also started the research into my new book 'Liverpool'. I have a draft storyline and I'm gathering information about Livepool in the early 20th Century. I'm itching to start writing it but with the Summerset screenplay my main priority, I'm dedicating one evening a week to 'Liverpool' time. I'm also awaiting the first draft of Two Become One to arrive from Lulu so I can start checking that and I just know I'm going to find hundreds of errors wrong with it.
It's all go go go.
Ciao for now
*There's influenced and there's blatant copying and I'm sorry that girl in Eastenders is just a photocopy of me - I wouldn't mind if I got some sort of credit!
After smarting and feeling like the Drew Barrymore character in Music and Lyrics whose entire life has been stolen to create a hideous character in a work of fiction, (I swear there is someone working on Eastenders who knew me when I was about 16 and modelled Libby on me. She looks like me, she acts like me, she's a swot and now to top it all, she wants to write fiction - I'm not happy) I got down to starting my screenplay of Summerset. I had no responses from my Gumtree ad and decided to do it myself, and will send it to the Writers Room at the BBC.
It's a difficult task because you have to start using dialogue and body language to describe a character's feelings or actions whereas in a book you can write long paragraphs explaining everything. So far I've only written 7 scenes and it's coming along okay. I think the Writers Room don't want perfection they just want to see potential. I dream of the day when Summerset is on the TV. I could just see it as a two part mini series on BBC on a Sunday night. I wish they'd return to showing those big, glossy Hollywood mini series again. They were so much fun.
I found The Thorn Birds on you tube yesterday and I was so chuffed because I last watched it in 1983. I last read the book in 1995 - the year I wrote Summerset and it's quite alarming to see the parallels to the book - the big Irish family living away from Ireland, the poor relation being given a chance to work for the rich relative, of course the forbidden love, the favoured illegitamate child, even the scene where Meggie goes to the party as a 17 year old and she wears a beautiful rose pink dress. In Summerset when Lou goes to the Christmas Party, wearing grown up clothes for the first time ever, she is wearing a rose pink dress. Just goes to show how you can be influenced by something without really realising it.* My only criticism was that it was made back in the day when America dominated everything and the entire cast (apart from Bryan Brown -swoon) are American and do nothing to hide their accent, except for a few who attempt some sort of hideous fiddileedee Irish accent. If it was made now, they would use Australian actors.
I've also started the research into my new book 'Liverpool'. I have a draft storyline and I'm gathering information about Livepool in the early 20th Century. I'm itching to start writing it but with the Summerset screenplay my main priority, I'm dedicating one evening a week to 'Liverpool' time. I'm also awaiting the first draft of Two Become One to arrive from Lulu so I can start checking that and I just know I'm going to find hundreds of errors wrong with it.
It's all go go go.
Ciao for now
*There's influenced and there's blatant copying and I'm sorry that girl in Eastenders is just a photocopy of me - I wouldn't mind if I got some sort of credit!
Monday, 26 January 2009
Belated Happy New Year!
Sorry sorry sorry for the delay in getting my new blog put up but since Christmas Eve I have been battling the most horrible flu that went away and came back and I honestly thought at one point it was going to kill me. Added to this I've also been amending Two Become One and preparing for my (failed) driving test.
Excuses over and time to get down to business. The first draft of the finished Two Become One is almost complete and I'll soon be seeing it in print for the first time. For those of you not familiar with the story it tells the tale of twin sisters Toni and Farrah who are separated shortly after birth; one grows up to become a supermodel who marries a billionaire publisher who becomes Mayor of London. Toni's beauty, flair for fashion and her loving and giving nature ensure that she becomes a Princess Di type character who is adored by millions. Farrah is equally beautiful but she is also spoilt, selfish and rebellious. As a teenager she embarks on an affair with a much older man - a senior policeman, who dumps her and thus giving her a ferocious hatred of the law. She ends up marrying a gangster and becomes rich by running several lap dancing clubs. The two women don't know of the others existence until Toni is diagnosed with terminal cancer and her mother reveals the truth about her identity. Her final wish is to find Farrah. Do they meet and if so, will Farrah be able to cope with being the newly found sister of 'Saint Antonia' as well as getting her revenge on the man who killed her husband?
It's been a fun novel to write and I'm hoping people enjoy reading it. My next one later this year will be the sequel to Summerset so it's all go.
I've also decided to adapt Summerset for film or TV. I'm currently looking for a screenwriter who's willing to work for nothing but will get a co credit.If anyone's interested, drop me a line.
2008 was a great year for establishing myself as a writer but 2009 will be the year I have to prove myself and I'm excited about what opportunities it might bring.
Ciao for now
Karen
Excuses over and time to get down to business. The first draft of the finished Two Become One is almost complete and I'll soon be seeing it in print for the first time. For those of you not familiar with the story it tells the tale of twin sisters Toni and Farrah who are separated shortly after birth; one grows up to become a supermodel who marries a billionaire publisher who becomes Mayor of London. Toni's beauty, flair for fashion and her loving and giving nature ensure that she becomes a Princess Di type character who is adored by millions. Farrah is equally beautiful but she is also spoilt, selfish and rebellious. As a teenager she embarks on an affair with a much older man - a senior policeman, who dumps her and thus giving her a ferocious hatred of the law. She ends up marrying a gangster and becomes rich by running several lap dancing clubs. The two women don't know of the others existence until Toni is diagnosed with terminal cancer and her mother reveals the truth about her identity. Her final wish is to find Farrah. Do they meet and if so, will Farrah be able to cope with being the newly found sister of 'Saint Antonia' as well as getting her revenge on the man who killed her husband?
It's been a fun novel to write and I'm hoping people enjoy reading it. My next one later this year will be the sequel to Summerset so it's all go.
I've also decided to adapt Summerset for film or TV. I'm currently looking for a screenwriter who's willing to work for nothing but will get a co credit.If anyone's interested, drop me a line.
2008 was a great year for establishing myself as a writer but 2009 will be the year I have to prove myself and I'm excited about what opportunities it might bring.
Ciao for now
Karen
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, let's hope it's a good one without any fear
Well here we are, it's almost Christmas and the end of another year.
2008 has been probably the most stressful year of my life. I've become a one woman publishing house; had terrible work worries and took (and failed) my driving test, have bought a car and am now looking forward to failing my test again in January next year.
This time last year I honestly didn't think people would be getting my novels as Christmas presents, but at the sale last week a couple of people bought my books as gifts for other people. It's a nice feeling to imagine someone unwrapping their present to find Summerset or Mad About the Boy in it. I've had a couple of negative comments about the books but that's to be expected. Just look on Amazon at the most popular books and you'll always find negative things written about them. If you're going to put yourself out there as any sort of artist you've got to expect criticism. Look at the whole x-factor thing, many people think Alexandra Burke's version of Hallelujah is the greatest thing since sliced bread but many others (me included) think Jeff Buckley's is the definitive version and therefore he's got to number 2. You can't please all the people all of the time as the old saying goes.
I'm already looking forward to 2009 and the release of Two Become One after Christmas. I'm also taking on my most ambitious project yet, a novel called Liverpool. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a complete plastic Scouser and in my opinion not enough books are written about the city. So far it's going to be an epic love story starting just before the first world war, which means I'm going to have to do a lot of research including a trip up to Liverpool to look in the libraries and museums. The book won't be out until 2010 as I've TBO and Winner Takes All coming out in 2009.
I can't say I'm sorry to see the back of this year and I'm wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful 2009.
If I can drag myself away from mountains of food and Christmas TV. I will be writing my end of year blog next week.
Merry Christmas
2008 has been probably the most stressful year of my life. I've become a one woman publishing house; had terrible work worries and took (and failed) my driving test, have bought a car and am now looking forward to failing my test again in January next year.
This time last year I honestly didn't think people would be getting my novels as Christmas presents, but at the sale last week a couple of people bought my books as gifts for other people. It's a nice feeling to imagine someone unwrapping their present to find Summerset or Mad About the Boy in it. I've had a couple of negative comments about the books but that's to be expected. Just look on Amazon at the most popular books and you'll always find negative things written about them. If you're going to put yourself out there as any sort of artist you've got to expect criticism. Look at the whole x-factor thing, many people think Alexandra Burke's version of Hallelujah is the greatest thing since sliced bread but many others (me included) think Jeff Buckley's is the definitive version and therefore he's got to number 2. You can't please all the people all of the time as the old saying goes.
I'm already looking forward to 2009 and the release of Two Become One after Christmas. I'm also taking on my most ambitious project yet, a novel called Liverpool. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a complete plastic Scouser and in my opinion not enough books are written about the city. So far it's going to be an epic love story starting just before the first world war, which means I'm going to have to do a lot of research including a trip up to Liverpool to look in the libraries and museums. The book won't be out until 2010 as I've TBO and Winner Takes All coming out in 2009.
I can't say I'm sorry to see the back of this year and I'm wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful 2009.
If I can drag myself away from mountains of food and Christmas TV. I will be writing my end of year blog next week.
Merry Christmas
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Don't Stop Me Now
It’s almost the end of the year and I’m looking forward to 2009. This year has been a phenomenal one for me in that I’ve published three books, written several more and bought my first car (even though I actually failed my test). Finding true love would have been the icing on the cake but I guess I’ve got to accept I’m an old lady now and that the chances of finding my Mr Right are slipping away. Never mind.
I am waiting for the photographer of my chosen cover for Two Become One to contact me. I pretty pissed off because I love the photo I’ve chosen and it’s royalty free but I can’t use it without the owner’s permission. I contacted her two weeks ago and was supposed to receive a response within four days. Ho hum. I really don’t want to hunt around for another one.
I’ve decided to add a new page to my website dedicate to reviews. I’m being sent books by fellow authors and feel I might as well put their reviews on my site. I’ve just finished reading The Beatle Man by Scott Liddell and I’m about to finish the Armchair Bride by Mo Fanning now I’m reading Big Blubber by Bluebella and waiting for Kelly Moran’s books to arrive – phew! A whole new string to my bow.
I’ve also been thinking about dramatising Summerset next year. Several people who have read it have said to me that it would make a great movie and so when I’ve done Two Become One and before I start work on the others, I might transform Summerset into a TV drama. Put that Media Studies degree to good use.
I’ve also been toying with the idea of setting up my own imprint. The success of Mills & Boon makes me realise women like reading short, easily accessible romance stories. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to go about it or even if I will but it’s another thing in the pipeline. I’m determined to raise the profile of self-published authors in 2009 and not just me.
On a slightly different note, I’m loving Will Young’s new album Let It Go. I wonder if I should send him a copy of Mad About the Boy and let him know he was the inspiration for Bertie.
And lastly, I’ve just seen a bit of British Style Genius and Robert Elms was on it giving his opinion. That man is on every single ‘talking head’ programme on British TV. Does he actually do anything for a living? I still can’t believe Sade wrote ‘Your Love is King’ about him.
Ciao for now
I am waiting for the photographer of my chosen cover for Two Become One to contact me. I pretty pissed off because I love the photo I’ve chosen and it’s royalty free but I can’t use it without the owner’s permission. I contacted her two weeks ago and was supposed to receive a response within four days. Ho hum. I really don’t want to hunt around for another one.
I’ve decided to add a new page to my website dedicate to reviews. I’m being sent books by fellow authors and feel I might as well put their reviews on my site. I’ve just finished reading The Beatle Man by Scott Liddell and I’m about to finish the Armchair Bride by Mo Fanning now I’m reading Big Blubber by Bluebella and waiting for Kelly Moran’s books to arrive – phew! A whole new string to my bow.
I’ve also been thinking about dramatising Summerset next year. Several people who have read it have said to me that it would make a great movie and so when I’ve done Two Become One and before I start work on the others, I might transform Summerset into a TV drama. Put that Media Studies degree to good use.
I’ve also been toying with the idea of setting up my own imprint. The success of Mills & Boon makes me realise women like reading short, easily accessible romance stories. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to go about it or even if I will but it’s another thing in the pipeline. I’m determined to raise the profile of self-published authors in 2009 and not just me.
On a slightly different note, I’m loving Will Young’s new album Let It Go. I wonder if I should send him a copy of Mad About the Boy and let him know he was the inspiration for Bertie.
And lastly, I’ve just seen a bit of British Style Genius and Robert Elms was on it giving his opinion. That man is on every single ‘talking head’ programme on British TV. Does he actually do anything for a living? I still can’t believe Sade wrote ‘Your Love is King’ about him.
Ciao for now
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Ummmm????
I'm sending Two Become One to a literary agent called Lorella Belli tomorrow and I have to say it felt really weird doing all the prep work for it. Self-publishing then establishing lunchtime readers has made me feel like master of my own universe, now suddenly I am back to writing standard letters and stuffing SAE into my envelopes and stuff. A part of me asks why I'm bothering when I know I'll only get turned down, but if I'm honest, I need an agent, so I'm back on the treadmill. Think I'll also upload 2b1 onto lunchtime readers, so other people can read some of it too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
