My Christmas List

This is what I’ve learned:

 

  • Life throws curve-balls
  • The buck stops here
  • Life is short, no matter how long it is
  • Writing from the male point of view is fascinating
  • Life is fascinating
  • I tussle with hyphenated words
  • Lifeblood is not a hyphenated word
  • My family relationships, and my friendships fulfil me
  • Family and friends are the stone pillars that support me
  • What doesn’t kill you, does indeed, make you stronger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn676-fLq7I Kelly Clarkson. Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) My song of the year.

I am touched you take the time to read and comment on my posts. Thank you so much. Truly, it is appreciated.

2012 was a challenging year for many of us, so I wish you all a peaceful Christmas, and a prosperous 2013, filled with love and laughter.

See you the other side.

Take care.

Laura x

 

 

 

 

 

Romancing the Week

This time last week, just after a working lunch, I and my fellow Romaniacs were preparing to present our twenty-five minute panel at the Festival of Romance. We had organised a talk on how well an online writing support group can work. We had tee-shirts, a pop-up banner and pompoms. It went well – especially the cheer-leading display.

This was just one of the many events on a packed itinerary. The night before, we ran a Romanical quiz and the night before that our Celia J Anderson won a contract with Piatkus Entice. I’ll repeat that so Celia catches it…Celia J Anderson won a contract with Piatkus Entice. The table erupted with joy. It was outstanding and we were upstanding.

It was an exhausting but fun and thoroughly enjoyable weekend. I returned home Sunday evening, happy with a positive pitch for ‘Follow Me’, pleased to have spent time with some good friends, and ready for bed.

By Wednesday, I was on a train heading to London for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Winter Party. Another excellent evening of socialising and spending time with wonderfully warm writerly folk.

Now it’s time to get my head down and complete my work in progress ready for early submission to the New Writers’ Scheme, and maybe write a few more short stories.

I’m happy to say my short story, ‘Telling Tales’, achieved runner-up in Choc Lit’s Summer competition . Congratulations to Tracy Fells for her winning entry, ‘Phoenix and Marilyn’.

 

Happy writing and take care.

Laura x

Feel The Love

The weekend of November 16th sees the start of the 2012 Festival of Romance, in Bedford.

I attended the inaugural Festival last year in Watford and had a thoroughly brilliant time. I met authors, publishers, editors and a group of ladies who, with me, were to become The Romaniacs.

The Festival format is a little different this year with Regency Romance hitting Bedford town centre and workshops and events divided between venues.

Friday night is the Festival of Romance Awards and Ball and I am thrilled to announce my current work in progress, ‘Follow Me’, has been shortlisted for the New Talent Award. Not only that, but five of my fellow Romaniacs are also on that list.

In total, twenty five new writers are in the running, so there’s plenty of great competition out there.

Many friends are up for a variety of awards and it is fantastic their hard work is being highlighted in such a positive way.

I offer my congratulations to everyone whose name has appeared on a shortlist and thank Kate Allan, Chief Organiser, and the committee for all their hard work in producing a weekend of romance.

For those who cannot make the event, I hope you enjoy your own weekend of romance.

Take care.

Laura x

Exposed!

If nudity offends, you best avert your eyes…

 

SPLINTED FINGER IS NAKED!

This week I attended my six week orthopaedic appointment following finger fusion. The rather lovely doctor showed me the x-ray- there are three pins of varying length along the finger and a metal ring around the joint – and advised the bone had fused well. Despite my concern the finger is still swollen and red, the doctor told me it’s looking good, but recommended I retain the splint for a further six weeks.

In hindsight, I think my reaction matched Tony Hancock’s in his famous sketch in which he expresses surprise at how much blood he’s expected to donate.

The rather lovely doctor and I entered into negotiations, which included my admission I had spent the day before without the splint, apart from when I went out, and the promise not to take up ten-pin bowling. We reached a satisfactory compromise of allowing Splinted Finger to roam naked around the home, but cover up when out and about.

Splinted Finger is also allowed to write.

Nude.

And with joyous abandon.

Take care.

Laura x

Riotous Kittens & Rampaging Ideas.

On Saturday 13th October 2012, I attended an Advance Novel Writing Course, run by Julie Cohen. It tickles me that it was held in Reading. I know it’s pronounced Redding, but still.

I enjoyed the whole experience – the early morning drive, meeting like-minded souls and learning how to improve my writing.

The main thrust of the day for me was finding ways to build up my hero in ‘Truth or Dare?’ I’ve been working on ‘beefing’ him up and increasing his point of view, but felt I’d reached a point where anything I added would be waffle. As writers, we know that everything we put in a story must move it forward. Through Julie’s exercises, I have found depths to my hero that need exploring and sides to him I hadn’t considered. This excites me. I have so many ideas, I’m having to rein them in a little, just until I have them under control.

I type this as my two recently acquired kittens, Rascal and Sheldon, run riot around my house. If I can get them sorted, I’m hoping my ideas will lie down and also submit.

Right, kittens. You first…

Take care.

Laura x

The Next Big Thing

Friend and fellow writer, Wendy Loveday kindly tagged me for The Next Big Thing. Well, with all the chocolate I have consumed this week, I’m not surprised. But enough. Let’s get down to business. I have ten questions to answer about my work in progress and once I’ve done that, I’ll choose five other writers and ask them to tell us about their work, for posting next Wednesday.

I think it’s a lovely way to get to know one another.

Q: What is the working title of your next book?

I am currently working on my second manuscript and it is called ‘Follow Me’.

Q: From where did the idea come?

I was thinking about my new found fondness for Twitter and how wonderful it was to communicate with my favourite authors and the idea grew from there. What will it take to entice a person to follow back? What measures can be taken to ensure the other person isn’t a fruitloop? How could this fit into a romance without it appearing sinister? This was the starting point, but the story has evolved since the original idea.

Q: Under which genre does your book fall?

A contemporary romance/family relationship story. I didn’t know I wrote these until I started the second one, but I do like to have a family in there.

Q: Which actors would you choose to play the part of your characters for a movie?

My male protagonist is an action hero, slim and dark. I’m a big Johnny Depp fan and my character, Chris, is in his late thirties. Mmm. Johnny Depp. He’d play the tortured soul so well. Victoria, the female protagonist is a little younger, with unruly copper curls. Could I get away with Sandra Bullock? I realise she’s in her late forties, but hey, it’s make believe and she looks great.

Q: What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?

If I write a one line synopsis, it will give the story away, but here’s a little something… The real world is a daunting place, but having pulled the plug on technology, does Victoria Noble have the power to reconnect her emotions, or will she freeze and crash?

Q: Will you self-publish or be represented by an agent?

My next job on my ‘To Do’ list is to start submitting to agents.

Q: How long did it take you to write the first draft?

I completed 60,000 words from January to March of this year, stopped for a few months and am now back on it. As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme, I was able to submit my partial for critiquing, which has presented me with some excellent challenges and wonderful advice.

My first full manuscript, ‘Truth Or Dare?’, on which I cut my teeth, took three years from start to final draft. I say final draft – I’m still tweaking as I learn more about the craft of writing.

Q: With which books within your genre would your story compare?

This is a tricky question to answer. I would love my stories to be compared to Jodi Picoult’s, as I like to examine gritty issues. I loved Me Before You, Jojo Moyes and the way she tackled the question of euthanasia. Joanne Harris is another to whom I aspire. There are many great writers for whom I have immense respect and with every book I read, from a wide selection of genres, I learn something new. 

Q: Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Twitter and the wonderful Carole Matthews, who I think I have finally convinced I am not a mad stalker.

Q: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

It’s a modern tale for today’s woman, with business intrigue, a troublesome four year old, and the beautiful Dorset coastline for its setting.

The writers I am tagging are:

Vanessa Savage

Celia J Anderson

Nikki Goodman

Anita Chapman

Susan Bergen

As Wendy said, I do hope you’ll join me in this. It’s been great fun.

Thank you for tagging me, Wendy.

Take care all.

Laura x

Review: The Summer Of Living Dangerously. Julie Cohen.

In an attempt to leave her past behind, avid romance reader and technical journalist, Alice Woodstock spends the summer as a Historical Interpreter at Eversley Hall, a Regency stately home.

As past lives play into present day, Alice must decide on her future.

I loved this book. It is clever, witty, escapist and touching. I went to bed early so I could have quality time with the characters. I used the excuse of a bandaged finger to avoid housework so I could sit and read for an entire afternoon or two, and I consumed far too much chocolate whilst absorbed in the moment. The era.

Not only did I enjoy the romance, I learned historical facts without realising. The description of the Regency house is brilliant and I swear I’ve actually been living there for the last few days.

I know this tells you nothing of the story, but if you enjoy being moved in all directions, this is a must-read.

A beautiful tale told with warmth and affection.

In less than two weeks, I shall be attending a day’s writing course with author/tutor Julie Cohen. I am so excited. I have already set the journey on my satnav, gathered the correct stationery and printed out the first five pages of Follow Me for critiquing.

My recently fused index finger still has five weeks in its new splint, but this will not deter me from making notes or participating in the workshops.

I am ready to learn.

Laura x

You can find Julie on Facebook

The Summer Of Living Dangerously can be purchased at Amazon in paperback or downloaded for the Kindle.

Taxi!

It’s a week after my PIP fusion – the middle joint of my index finger – and I’m pleased to report none of my fears have been realised.

I did not cause a major national shortage of taxis or a traffic jam/ cab situation in Dorset in the first seventy hours as I wandered around with my arm raised and finger pointing heavenwards.

I have not completed an electrical circuit. Anywhere.

I have not been struck by lightning.

I have not poked out anyone’s eye.

My son thinks I’m part robot.

It’s going well.

More soon.

Laura x

Things I’ve No Wish To Recall.

Things I’ve No Wish To Recall.

 

I’m remembering things I’ve no wish to recall

Wondering if time does away with it all

Thinking I’ll sink with the weight of the haul

Willingly, I would go down.

 

The surfacing memories bring high tides of tears

I’m floundering around in an ocean of fear

Frightened, I’m killing the retrograde years

Submerging them until they drown.

 

I feed to the depths the thoughts making me cry

Hunting, they’re sharks; they’re silent and sly

Circling, then striking, they eat my insides

Inflicting unbearable pain

 

Recollections are triggered by words, songs or place

The sound of a laugh, a familiar phrase

A programme we watched and then we erased

All gone, and nothing remains.

 

It hurts to acknowledge the guilt and regret

But there were times in our lives I’ll never forget

The love and the laughter will heal my soul

I’m glad I’m remembering the things I recall.

 

Laura E. James

11.09.12

Hands Up.

This is my right hand.

My writing hand.

This photo was taken two years ago. Assuming you’re not squeamish, you can click on the picture and open a larger view of it.

I have had rheumatoid arthritis since I was eighteen. It has attacked a number of joints and tendons which have subsequently been replaced, repaired, reinforced or fused. There are a number of joints yet to receive the Bionic Man treatment. Ahh. Lee Majors. I haven’t reached those dizzy heights yet.

This is from last year, when I had my left thumb fused in the summer, and then revised a few months later. It passed the test.

I’m finding it tricky to locate photos that aren’t too gruesome. I am fascinated with surgery and take a keen interest in the rehabilitation that follows. I have plenty of shots of scars and swellings and bloodied bandages which, one day, may serve a purpose. There is a chance I may use the information in a book. During the thumb fusion, my surgeon allowed me to watch for a short time. It was amazing.

I’m looking at the photo to the right now. I remember having my ring finger knuckle replaced, but for the life of me, have NO recollection as to why my index finger was trussed up. A synovectomy, maybe? I can see a child’s drink bottle in the background, so it was a few years ago.

Ah. Left wrist plated and partially fused. I got quite cross with that. I was desperate to get the cast off.

Anyway, enough fond trips down memory lane. You get my drift.

That’s what my fingers do. They drift. It’s part of the disease, but whilst the rheumatoid cannot be halted, with the use of today’s wonderful technology, the brilliant surgeons and medical staff can rebuild parts of me. One piece at a time.

I so relate to that song.

During my last operation, I spoke to the theatre staff about my goal to become a published author and how grateful I was to them for taking such good care of my hands – my work tools. I recall agreeing to acknowledge their work in my first published book. One day, ladies and gentlemen. One day. For the time being, I truly thank you for preserving my sanity.

My next surgery is this Thursday. My right index finger is to be straightened and fused. That’s about a week in a small back slab and five in a lightweight splint. That equates to a month and a half not typing, tweeting, facebooking or blogging. Unless I use my left hand. Which of course, I will. Be prepared for some really weird words. I am not ambidextrous.

As an aside to this, I think the Paralympians are outstanding. What they achieve is beyond superhuman and I have been humbled by what they must go through every day.

This? This is nothing.

Take care and see you the other side.

Laura x