Author: Laura

I love writing. And stationery. And the smell of new books. I sometimes sing, but mostly, I write. I am a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and one eighth of The Romaniacs. It's all about the passion.

I love writing. And stationery. And the smell of new books. I sometimes sing, but mostly, I write. I am a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and one eighth of The Romaniacs. It's all about the passion.

Happy News Year!

2025

Happy news to share

Happy New Year to you all. We’ve had gales, rain, snow and sun and we’re nine days in only. I’m looking forward to getting back into my writing theatre, on which I’ll post another time, but for now, I’ll keep writing from the warmth of our home.

I say writing. At the moment it’s all about revising, editing, and learning how to be an indie author.

The Writing Theatre

Change of direction

I’m extremely lucky to have a fantastic support system from my family and friends to my writing family and friends. The Romantic Novelists’ Association continues to provide excellent guidance, advice and opportunities for writers of romantic fiction (which is a broad genre), and its members are kind, wise and generous with their help and offers of expertise. Without this support, the decision to self-publish wouldn’t have been an option for me, but I’m excited and raring to go.

Three years ago, the publisher of my first trio of books, Choc Lit, kindly reverted those books rights to me, bar a few outstanding licenses. It wasn’t just the physical book – it was the audio, digital, foreign and large print rights too. This month sees the final right reverted.

With this deadline on the horizon, and with novel number four, currently titled, Make Your Own Kind of Music (MYOKOM), written, edited and revised to the point I can no longer see the proverbial wood for the trees, and with the added consideration of chronic health conditions and disabilities management, it was the perfect time to rethink my career.

How it’s going

Self-publishing is not the easy route, but the more I research, the more I feel it is a good fit. As a person who manages her spoons (the Spoon Theory), indie authorship will allow me autonomy and the grace of flexibility. Publishers have deadlines, printing schedules and contracts, and I happily signed up to all that ten years ago, but I’m less energetic these days, and struggle more with fatigue. Going at my own pace will reduce the chances of letting people down. Perhaps this is a naïve perspective, as I know how hard my indie author/hybrid friends work, but I have good people behind me (family and friends cheerleading), trusted experts on board and a small, but perfectly-formed team of beta readers waiting for their first look at MYOKOM.

In the meantime, I am updating the previously published novels, starting with Follow Me Follow You, which was my second women’s fiction, but my first paperback. I love this story for so many reasons – the fun my daughter and I had inventing the social media site, EweSpeak, Victoria Noble and her journey in trying to understand her son, Seth, little Seth himself, beautiful Chris Frampton and his unconditional love for his family, and the setting of Chesil Beach and Portland, Dorset. Also, in theory, this book shouldn’t take too long to revise …

My third novel, What Doesn’t Kill You, will be my second release. My debut, Truth or Dare? will take longer. If I had written it today, ten/twelve years on from when I set out to ‘write a novel’, it would have a different feel. A different voice. A rewrite might be involved.

Got it covered

Image I used to promote Follow Me Follow You when it was first published. This was a photograph taken of our son when he was four. I adapted it using an app called Watercolour. To this day, I adore this photograph and it will be forever linked to little Seth, Victoria Noble’s (the main character) son.

Follow Me Follow You will be retitled Follow Me, which was its original name. The exciting news with this is I have received the cover design visuals and they are gorgeous. I have spent the day looking through the different versions, as they all bring something unique to the book, but I have chosen the one with which I would like to proceed.

Once it’s agreed and finalised, I will do the reveal here.

Follow me (see what I did there?) on this blog if you’d like to be one of the first to see the fresh, new cover.

Comms

If you’d like to receive updates in the form of a newsletter, drop me a comment below. Currently, I do not run a newsletter, but I’m interested to hear your thoughts as readers as to how you prefer authors to send out communications.

What’s next?

Right now I’m off to email my talented and clever cover designer, and then maybe have eggs on toast for lunch. Then it will be back to the revisions.

Catch you all soon.

Laura xx

I’m back!

Hello!

It’s been a while. How are you all doing? There have been a few changes in the life of this author – longer, greyer (and I have discovered, wavier) hair, more characterful (yes, that’s what I’m going with) facial creases and a few years’ worth of experiences, growth and surprises. The love of red clothes remains.

I have been quiet on the publishing front, but I was keeping busy in the writing world volunteering with the fabulous Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA), the number one, professional organisation for writers of romantic fiction. For five years, I was the RNA’s Industry Awards Organiser, stepping down in November 2023, the same time as I stepped down as a Director, a position I’d held for sixteen months.

It was a busy period, and as a person with chronic health conditions and disabilities, and someone who needs to keep count of their daily spoons, it was important for my health that I managed my time and energy. I chose to step back from writing so I could share my energy between my family and the RNA, a decision I do not and will never regret.

Time out

Spending time with my family resets me. I so enjoy their company, watching musical theatre, discussing storylines and playing games, or forming a team to enter the local pub quiz. I know I am very lucky to have my safe haven, where I am loved and cared for.

Volunteering with the RNA was a satisfying and fulfilling experience, that engaged all parts of my brain, taught me new skills and showed me to value my instinct. As a person with very little ‘business’ experience, it was good to learn it’s okay to voice one’s gut feeling in a professional setting. Best of all, I enjoyed working with people who became firm friends.

It turns out I needed that time. I hadn’t stopped writing, but it had taken a back seat. The work-in-progress, which I started calling the ‘Never-ending Novel’, was taking its sweet time to develop. The characters took me on a journey and I fell down the rabbit hole of research, learning plenty about myself along the way … but that’s a story for another day.

My previous publisher kindly reverted the rights of my three novels, and I have finished writing the never-ending novel, so now it’s time to look to the future.

The Future

I am not sure what that looks like just yet, but I am back at the desk with fresh ideas, a small back catalogue of novels, and an excitement I remember from when I first started writing. I’m investigating the possibility of becoming an indie author, checking out communication pathways such as Substack and newsletters, updating my platforms with current profile pictures, and putting some of those business skills I learnt during my time as an RNA Director to excellent use.

Oh! And courtesy of my husband, Gajitman, I also have a brand new writing space – my Writing Theatre – but that’s worthy of an entry of its own.

Let me know how you’re doing, and if you have any questions, drop them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them.

Communication Pathways

Do you have a preference for author communication? Substack, newsletter, blog, vlog? Something I haven’t mentioned? I’d be interested in your thoughts.

Time for a cuppa, me thinks…

Have a great day.

Laura xx

Review

I was excited to receive an ARC (early review copy) for Requiem For A Knave, written by the uber talented Laura Carlin. Here’s my review:

Told from the perspective of the ageing, Alwin of Whittaker, Requiem For A Knave is an intelligent, historical tale which cleverly examines modern day themes and issues.


As an eighteen-year-old, Alwin is lean and strong, but inexperienced and naïve, having travelled no further than his local area. He lives with his mother and grandfather, with the Father Oswald, a holy man, as his male role model. Tending the farm suits Alwin, but his life is turned upside down when on her deathbed, his mother reveals there are family secrets she has been forced to keep. She urges Alwin to leave the cottage in search of the truth.

What follows is a beautifully told tale which explores identity, family relationships, the right and wrongs of tradition, and love. It is an adventure, a mystery and a romance, woven together by nimble fingers.
The language the author uses carries the reader along, words effortlessly gliding from one page to the next. If the page is a river, the words are leaves floating downstream, but don’t be misled – the ease with which Requiem For A Knave can be read is testament to the author’s skill.
There are moments of pure tenderness, times of breath-taking tension, and a feel to the story that is palpable. The rhythm and language put me in mind of Hardy and Elliot, and at times, Stoker. As a reader, I have lived Alwin’s life, witnessed everything he witnessed. Felt his every emotion. I was lost in his world and I was happy to be there.

Requiem For A Knave is an authentic, beautiful and page-turning novel that is a joy to read.
It will stay with me for some time.

Thank you to Laura Macdougall for the advance copy.

Work In Progress

Work In Progress

I must apologise for my lack of blog these past few months. I have experienced technical difficulties in posting, but hope to have the issues sorted very soon. As it stands, the website and my novel are works in progress.

The current novel stands at 31,000 words, the first draft hitting 50,000 words. It has changed considerably since the first draft, so I’m not sure if I’m rewriting or writing – a mixture of the two, I guess. Having not completed a full length novel in two years, due to poor health, I am determined to get the The End.

 

So that’s it for now, but I will be back once my website is running efficiently.

 

Hope 2018 started well and continues to sparkle.

 

Laura x

 

I Have a Date on Valentine’s Day …

Littoralis Pinned Post

This Sunday, 14th February, 2016, I’m appearing at the Purbeck Literary Festival with two of my Littoralis buddies, Kate Kelly and Kathy Sharp. Our books are published by well-respected, independent publishers, and we are bringing our experiences to the festival and holding a discussion on choosing the independent publisher route.

It is free entry to our talk, but please check out the Festival website for further information. There will be books for sale, writerly chat and events for all ages over the two weeks.

We would love to see you there.

Littoralis Purbeck Lit Fest

 

Taking The Small Publisher Route

The small publisher option for your fiction.

In an informative and lively ninety-minute discussion, Littoralis, a group of Dorset authors, share their diverse experiences in achieving publication with small, independent publishers.

 

Topics include:

The advantages of being an author with a small publisher.

Knowing your audience and choosing a publisher.

Preparing to submit your manuscript.

Building your online profile.

Marketing and promotion.

The importance of support networks.

Finishing with a question and answer session, we aim to encourage writers looking to achieve publication to consider the small publisher option as the first step of an exciting journey.

 

Laura

Monday Monday …

It’s Monday and it’s back to school and work for the James family.

It’s time for me to make headway with my work-in-progress, which has been left untouched for a couple of months. I have been writing – I wrote two Treats for my publisher, Choc Lit, and I wrote out my Christmas cards. I have been creative, designing social media adverts for my books using Canva, an excellent and easy-to-use tool, and baking a cake for my son’s birthday, and I’ve been inspired by films I’ve watched, games I’ve played, and books I’ve read during the holidays.

One of my new adverts, designed using Canva.
One of my new adverts, designed using Canva.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my break, but I have so many ideas and ways forward for the WIP, I’m raring to go.

I just need to sort out my to do list.

Speaking of which, The Romaniacs, a writing support group of which I am a member, has introduced its new schedule for 2016, kicking off with Motivation Monday. It’s a chance to list our weekly goals so we can work toward achieving them by Friday. We’re asking you all to join in, so we can encourage and support one another, and celebrate everyone’s successes, major and minor. Please hop over to find out more. Click here.

I hope you’ve all had a fab start to the year, and I look forward to hearing about your successes.

Take care.

Laura.

What Doesn’t Kill You – It’s Here!

What Doesn’t Kill You – It’s Here!

The day has arrived! My third novel for Choc Lit is live!

WDKY_FRONT_300dpi

 

What Doesn’t Kill You is the third in the Chesil Beach series, and follows the stormy lives of Griff, Evie, Tess and Logan.

Set in and around Weymouth and Portland, the story starts with Griff wondering where his life went wrong. It was but a short journey from happily married family man, secure and comfortable in his village cottage, to living alone in a rented one-bedroom flat in the town centre. And he doesn’t understand how it happened.

Published under Choc Lit’s new Dark imprint, What Doesn’t Kill You isn’t a typical romance. As Choc Lit state, their new imprint is for ‘… compelling, emotional, hard-hitting novels.’

Here is my teaser trailer.

I had difficulty choosing the music. Although lovely, some tunes were too happy, too sad, too busy … Then I found three I loved! This is the first version. For the more dramatic trailer, please pop over to The Romaniacs blog. I also have a seasonal version to put out in the next couple of weeks.

Hogan & Gajitman
Hogan & Gajitman

My husband valiantly stood in as Griff for the photos used in the trailer, borrowing a friend’s dog – gorgeous Hogan – to stand in as Ozzy, Griff’s faithful pal.

As you can see, Hogan is a German Shepherd. Ozzy is an Old English Sheepdog. I think Hogan did an excellent job on a blustery, chilly day at The Bill. My children were very taken with him. Such a lovely boy. Thank you to our friends for loaning us Hogan for the morning. What wonderful, varied and fun experiences we have as writers. It truly is a joy.

The adapted version used in the trailer.
The adapted version used in the trailer.

I really hope you enjoy the read and thank you for popping by today.

Have a great weekend.

Take care.

Laura x

Celebrate Good Times! Presenting the Award-winning Romaniacs!

Celebrate Good Times! Presenting the Award-winning Romaniacs!

The Media Star Award 2015 goes to ... The Romaniacs!
The Media Star Award 2015 goes to … The Romaniacs!

It’s been a busy week in the James household, preparing for next week’s launch of my third novel, What Doesn’t Kill You, working on the book trailer, and attending the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Winter Party.

The big news is that my writing sisters, The Romaniacs, won an industry award!

Both the RNA and The Bookseller reported on the awards. Congratulations to all the winners and runners-up, who gave brilliant and heartfelt speeches.

Six of the eight Romaniacs - Sue Fortin, Catherine Miller, Jan Brigden, Laura James, Debbie Fuller-White & Vanessa Savage. Celia J Anderson & Lucie White couldn't be at the award ceremony, but were most definitely with us in spirit.
Six of the eight Romaniacs – Sue Fortin, Catherine Miller, Jan Brigden, Laura James, Debbie Fuller-White & Vanessa Savage. Celia J Anderson & Lucie Wheeler couldn’t be at the award ceremony, but were most definitely with us in spirit.

Please click here to go to the Romaniacs page to find out what we would have said on Wednesday evening, having been presented with our certificate and star, had we not lost the power of speech … :D.

Finally, thank you to my wonderful, always supportive local radio station, Wessex FM who not only shared the story online, but aired it in the six o’clock news last night. Thank you so much, Wessex FM.

We (The Romaniacs) are working on the logistics of sharing the beautiful glass star between eight of us, but it will be on show at our upcoming Sparkle weekend, when we will be getting together to plan for the year ahead.

Have a great weekend and take care.

Laura x