Today, we ChocLiteers are celebrating Choc Lit’s sixth birthday!
Choc Lit publish books ‘with romance at the heart’, so six is a very special number, as not only does it represent the Lover card in Tarot, but six is the symbol of Venus, the goddess of love.
When my children turned six it meant lots of little people running through our house, paper cups daringly filled to the rim with lemonade, tiny triangular sandwiches the adults ended up eating, and a zillion orange fingerprints on the woodwork, for which the eating of Wotsits was blamed.
I see no reason why partying in this way should cease …
So, put your Wotsit on the table, raise your glass of lemonade, and join me in wishing Choc Lit a very happy sixth birthday. And here’s to another wonderful six years of love and romance.
Who’s for a game of Twister?
Be sure to follow the Choc Lit blog, Facebook page and Twitter feed (#ChocLitparty) for birthday treats.
In celebration of the e-launch day for Alison May’s brand new romantic comedy, Midsummer Dreams, I’m posting today on the theme of all things dream-related. Be sure to check out Alison’s blog today, and see how many other dream-related posts you can find floating in the midsummer air.
I had a dream…
These are almost the lyrics to a song by the first band with whom I fell in love. (And yes, I have just watched the video, I did sing along, and I did come over all emotional.) I was ten years old when my friend introduced me to ABBA.She played Mamma Mia on her cassette player. You know the sort of machine? You had to set up the skinny microphone, balance it precariously on its Y stand, place it next to the radio, and press down the play and record buttons together to tape the Top 40 … One of those.
A long, long time ago …
With ABBA, it was love at first hearing, and for the next few Christmasses, I was guaranteed the newest album and accompanying poster. I knew every word of every song – even the B sides to the singles. I painstakingly handwrote the lyrics, lifting the arm on my record player to pause the song while I copied down the next couple of phrases.
I’d sit at my desk, staring through my window, listening to Abba, singing along, imagining I was on stage performing Fernando and Super Trouper, and I’d dream of meeting Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Frida.
Alas, I never met the four people who dominated the walls of my bedroom, but I have been on stage singing their songs, and enjoyed every moment of living that particular dream.
I had a nightmare…
… finding jeans that fit the small of my back.
My dream for the future…
That my children live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives, and that they know their dreams can come true. As Walt Disney said; All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.
Four people. Four messy lives. One party that changes everything … Emily is obsessed with ending her father’s new relationship – but is blind to the fact that her own is far from perfect. Dominic has spent so long making other people happy that he’s hardly noticed he’s not happy himself. Helen has loved the same man, unrequitedly, for ten years. Now she may have to face up to the fact that he will never be hers. Alex has always played the field. But when he finally meets a girl he wants to commit to, she is just out of his reach. At a midsummer wedding party, the bonds that tie the four friends together begin to unravel and show them that, sometimes, the sensible choice is not always the right one.
Wednesday saw the removal of my wrist cast, which in itself was enough cause for celebration, but when I returned home from hospital, I found a message from the wonderful people at the Official Jodi Picoult UK Fanpage informing me I’d won tickets to Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer’s evening at the Times building, London.
I’m a HUGE Jodi Picoult fan. This is not a secret. Her books inspired me to write issue-driven novels. Mine have strong elements of romance, with the happy ever after or hopeful ending, but they are issue-driven.
I was not going to turn down this superb opportunity to attend a Jodi Picoult evening, but the event was the next day.
Cue major excitement and blind panic.
Cue Gajitman, the hero of the hour, insisting I should go and he would take care of everything on the home front.
Trains, although a little tricky trying to book one all the way home that didn’t take seven hours, were sorted, the schedule for the next day was set, and I went to bed keen to get some sleep ready for my big adventure.
The day was hectic, with train cancellations, bus transfers, and the journey taking almost twice as long as anticipated, but everything – all of it – was worth it. I met some wonderful people – a lovely lady who was travelling the same journey as me – we chatted all the way to Waterloo, fellow Jodi Picoult fans (Hi Helen), who were as thrilled and excited as me to be at The Times event, and Jodi Picoult, her charming daughter, Samantha van Leer, and a handsome Prince Oliver, who were funny, delightful and engaging.
Jodi Picoult and her daughter, Samantha van Leer.
I met Jodi Picoult three years ago on her Lone Wolf tour when I ended up on the stage howling like a wolf, as detailed in the blog I wrote at the time, here.
Yesterday, it was the mother and daughter team promoting their second co-written book, Off The Page, a follow-up to Between The Lines, with assistance from Prince Oliver, a character fresh out of the pages of the books.
After the introduction, readings were given, the first by Samantha, the second by Prince Oliver, then the audience was invited to participate in a Q&A session.
A question was asked about research, and that’s something about which I used to speculate when I was a brand spanking new writer. I remember thinking specifically about Jodi Picoult books, packed as they are with hard-hitting and sensitive issues, and wondering how a writer gained access to experts.
Jodi explained she writes about issues that keep her awake at night, then finds the experts in that field and emails them requesting their assistance, explaining she is writing a book. She arranges to meet for an interview, which she records, and/or requests to shadow them to get a feel for their role. Their help is acknowledged in the published books.
Seven years on from starting my first novel, I’ve found that people are very generous with their time and knowledge and are happy to help a writer in need, for which I will always be grateful, and I offer thanks and if they allow, an acknowledgement in the book, too. My family and friends were my first port of call. There’s a vast amount of skill and experience within both groups, but if they’re not able to help, the chances are they’ll know someone who can. I’ve yet to approach an expert without a friendly letter or Facebook message of introduction from a mutual acquaintance, but should that time come, I know it’s okay to do so.
People were interested to learn about the writing process when co-authoring a book. Jodi and Samantha explained they literally sat side-by-side when writing the books and were often ‘on the same page’, but that didn’t stop heated debate or discussion on the occasions they were approaching the story from different angles. It was then Jodi realised her daughter was indeed a writer, that her ideas were great, and valid, and had every right to be considered. (I’ve paraphrased here, but this was my understanding.)
Samantha was thirteen when she had the idea for Between The Lines, and the book was written over the course of two to three summers, with the writers working eight hours per day. I think I’m right in saying the second book was written in a similar way.
I posed the final question of the evening, asking if when writing her adult books Jodi ever ran plot problems past Samantha, and Jodi cited an occasion where a dark scene had caused her problems. Samantha took it on and it was resolved. This made me smile as it’s something I do with my daughter, who has an instinct for asking the questions that will lead me to a revelation or realisation.
What I enjoyed most about last night was the mother/daughter dynamic on the stage – completely natural, with a dose of gentle ribbing, perfect synchronicity and flow of conversation, and an obvious love for one another.
Wonderful.
Thank you so much to The Times, the Official Jodi Picoult UK Fanpage, and to Prince Oliver, Samantha van Leer, and Jodi Picoult for a warm, friendly and thoroughly entertaining and inspiring evening.
It’s true. I have been plastered all weekend, and will continue on this course until June.
No wine was consumed …
As a person with rheumatoid arthritis, I’ve had many operations to alleviate pain, fix, replace or remove damage caused by the aggressive disease. My hands and arms are the most affected areas, but RA attacks many joints, including feet, ankles, knees and jaws.
Following wrist surgery two weeks ago, I’m now in a lightweight cast, up to my elbow, and will remain in it for five weeks. It’s comfortable, it’s usable, and it’s
Ulnar head replacement surgery Dec 2013
protecting my joint while it heals. I say joint, but I actually don’t have a wrist joint anymore. It was replaced in December 2013, and that replacement was removed in the last operation, the surgeon filling the space with soft tissue.
I am constantly amazed by the work of my orthopaedic consultant and his team, and I’m extremely fortunate to have their skills available to me.
My blue cast is comfortable, unlikely to give me concussion at night should I lose control of my arm, and, most importantly, on my left hand, which means as a right-hander, I can brush my teeth.
I’ve used my recovery time well, reading, which has been so enjoyable, and planning book 4. The plans are still in my head, but pretty soon the big sheet of paper and the marker pens will be OUT!
I’ve been nominated by Sue Fortin for the Lovely Blog Hop where I share some of the things that have shaped my life. Thank you for the nomination, Sue.
I haven’t changed one bit.
First Memory: I must have been about three, and I can remember playing in the front garden of our house in London. We had a long rear garden, but it backed onto a factory and I was a little spooked by it. In my mind’s eye, I can see a trike that I used to bomb up and down our concrete drive. And I always had hand-knitted cardigans …
This is still in our possession.
Books: I loved The Folk of the Faraway Tree and Mr Galliano’s Circus, both written by Enid Blyton. I also had four Paddington Bear books, a series of Peanuts/Snoopy paperbacks, and Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty, to mention a few. I still have some of my childhood books and have passed them to my children, including Bunty annuals, a Lady Penelope annual and a whole host of fairytale hardbacks. My mum was a big reader, and I inherited her love of books.
Libraries: I grew up in Watford, Herts, and the North Watford Library was on the home-school bus route and was quite a draw. I could jump off the bus a few stops early on the way home on a Friday and nip into the library either to carry out research for homework, in the absence of PCs, the internet and Google, or spend a happy hour choosing books to check out and take home. I especially liked the books that were in new plastic covers. I hunted out those ones. It was an absolutely joy to think I was the first to get my hands on a book either new to the library or with a clean, pristine jacket.
I attend a writing group now, called Off The Cuff, and we meet in our local library every week. It thrills me to see friends’ books on the shelves. That will never grow old.
Paloma Faith 2015
What’s Your Passion? Excepting family, and other than writing, that would be music, and I enjoy different genres from classical to pop to heavy rock. I have an older brother who taught me well when it came to rock bands. Motorhead’s Ace of Spadesstill elicits an instant response from me.
I am a huge Kate Bush and Paloma Faith fan, I adore ABBA and All About Eve, think Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac are brilliant, and would jump at the chance to see Eurythmics live one more time. Attending an Opera is something I’d like to do.
Learning: I studied to A Level standard, including Geography, English and Theatre Studies, and turned down the opportunity to study TV and Film Studies at King Alf’s in Winchester, as I had a job by that point and was enjoying the independence that came with earning. I had a few years where I took singing lessons, which always put me in a good mood, and now I love attending writing courses.
My early days.
Writing: I am one of those people who has always written from the moment words made sense and I could hold a pencil. I have comics, books, poems, a novel I started writing with my brother when I was ten, song lyrics … I write issue-driven, contemporary women’s fiction with strong elements of romance now, or as Sue Fortin so wonderfully coined, ‘Romance without the soft edges.’ I have two novels published by Choc Lit, Truth or Dare? and Follow Me Follow You, and have contributed to four anthologies. Details can be found on my Novels and Anthologies page.
At the time of posting this blog, I will be in plaster, following wrist surgery, so I’m going to refrain from passing the baton on this occasion, but if anyone else would like to run with it, I’d love to read your replies.
My thanks to Sharon Booth for inviting me to take part in the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award. Sharon is a wonderful, supportive writing friend whose debut novel, There Must Be An Angel, is available now.
Here are the questions Sharon set:
What is your earliest memory?
I remember being fascinated by those tall, plastic ashtrays that had a push-down feature to dispose of the ash. I was about three, maybe four, and our next door neighbour had two ‒ a red one and a black one.
What was your favourite Christmas present?
I’ve had quite a few over the years. I’ve had quite a few years. I think every present is lovely. I’m very lucky in that Gajitman is an expert wrapper and I always receive exquisitely presented gifts. New pens, notebooks and tokens of love are my favourite.
Who would you like to go on a date with? (Excluding current partners/spouses)
Michael J Fox, Johnny Depp, Steve Backshall …
Which film would you choose if you could only ever watch one again?
The Sound of Music. It contains every aspect of life I enjoy ‒ music, singing, romance, children, intrigue ‒ it’s packed with emotion and always makes me cry.
What are you most proud of?
How caring and thoughtful my children are.
Which woman in history do you most admire?
Kate Bush. She is a pioneer in music and has been a huge inspiration in my life. It’s unnerving to think the seventies and eighties are recent history and within my lifetime …
Which book do you wish you’d written?
My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult. It was the first I’d read of Jodi Picoult’s, and the ending caught me completely off-guard. It was one of the first books that left my crying, the first being Love and Devotion, by Erica James. My writing has been influenced by both authors.
What one thing do you think would surprise other people about you?
That I’m shy and retiring.
It’s not true, but it would surprise people.
You’ve had an unexpected windfall of one thousand pounds. What would you spend it on?
I’d spend some on my family and the rest on attending a writing course or retreat.
Who is your secret crush?
I don’t have a secret crush ‒ they are all well-documented. 🙂
As I’m expecting to be in plaster at the time of posting this blog, I will refrain from tagging others, but thank you for inviting me to take part, Sharon.
All the usual care is being put into my appearance – manicure, pedicure, decent nightwear …
Wait!
Decent nightwear?
Yep. Slippers and dressing gown required.
I have a date with a surgeon, and making sure I’m operation-ready follows a similar path to preparing for an exquisite gala dinner, partying with friends, or having an evening out with Gajitman.
Excluding my decent nightwear and dressing gown, here is a selection of pre and post-op items I find useful.
Planning ahead.
I’m having a replacement ulna head removed from my left wrist, and will be in plaster for a while. Having been in a similar position a number of times, I know more or less what to expect, what I need to do before I’m incapacitated, and what items to use after surgery to maintain as much independence as possible.
Mirror and tweezers at the ready: Check. Hair colour mixed: Check. Nail file available: Check. Waxing strips cut to size: Check. Plastic arm covers so I can shower: Check. Loose socks, easy to pull on with one hand: Check. Earrings without back studs: Check. Dental floss that doesn’t require two hands and a degree in contortionism: Check. Big, comfy bed: Check. Jill Mansell book to read: Check. Lovely family and friends: Check, check, check.
Today is the third anniversary of the loss of my mum.
I find March a tough month to navigate. The first turn leads to my birthday, and three years ago, this was the day our lives careered off course when, following joint surgery, my mum became seriously ill. Just over a week later, with Mum still in hospital, we ploughed into Mother’s Day. I’d bought two CDs for Mum as her Mother’s Day gift. She didn’t get the chance to listen to them. They are in my possession now, but I can’t bring myself to play them, even though a love of music was something Mum and I shared. In 2012, this was the day I realised precisely where the road was leading. The last three days of the journey took us to the 21st March – the start of Spring – and the end of the road – and we said goodbye to my wonderful, strong, fearless mum.
I’ve thought about her every day, often with a smile, as I recall something daft we did together, and sometimes with a tear when I so desperately want to tell her my news and then remember she’s no longer next door.
With March being so tricky to navigate, we factor in or are provided with comfort breaks, for want of a better term, making the long journey bearable.
Two weeks after we lost Mum, it was agreed that as a family, we needed something positive to focus on and look forward to, so four days after the first anniversary, my husband, children and I took a holiday together that left us with memories we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives. Disneyworld 2013 was a holiday of a lifetime, and I wrote a couple of blogs about it at the time, here and here. It was a time for regrouping and the start of the healing process.
Last year, on March 21st, there were two exciting occurrences. I had a cover reveal for Follow Me Follow You, and it was announced Kate Bush was putting together a live show. I am a huge Kate Bush fan. I mean humongous. From that point on, Mum’s anniversary took on a slightly different feel, as good memories were able to sit beside those darker ones. In the August, I was one of the lucky few with a ticket to the Kate Bush Before The Dawn show, and I know Mum would have been thrilled for me.
Before The Dawn. Kate Bush.
This year, another amazing incident happened. This time it was on Sunday 15th March, Mother’s Day.
A few years ago, I was next door, making my mum’s breakfast, when she called me into the living room to view a singer on TV.
‘Come and watch this lady,’ Mum said. ‘I think her name’s Paloma. You’ll really like her.’
I stood on the threshold between the kitchen and the living room, transfixed by the red-head with this incredible voice, belting out ‘New York’ – not the Frank Sinatra one, but this one.
Stay with me, because this is what happened last Sunday. And forget my adult/mature/sensible age – this was as exciting for me as it would have been if I was still in my teens.
Paloma Faith. Bournemouth BIC March 15 2015.
I took my daughter to a Paloma Faith gig in Bournemouth, and during the performance of New York, a very special song for me, because, via my mother, it’s the one that introduced me to Paloma’s music, Paloma left the stage, walked down the aisle and greeted the fans.
And I had a moment.
Paloma and I shook hands and exchanged a nod.
It was fleeting, but it was magical, and it will remain with me forever. It was a brief connection to a person I admire and respect, and whose music always puts me in the same room with another woman I’ve admired and respected my entire life – my mum.
After the gig, as my daughter and I were walking back to the car, it occurred to me it was still Mother’s Day, and in my private, internal world of separate, seemingly unconnected incidents coming together to form a whole, another circle was complete.
My second Choc Lit novel, Follow Me Follow You, is available to download for your Kobo at 99p/99c until the 17th March 2015, in their Mother’s Day Deal.
Alongside the romance between the heroine, Victoria Noble, and the Hollywood action movie star, Chris, the story looks at child attachment disorder, and the strained relationship between Victoria and her four-year-old son, Seth, with whom she struggled to bond at birth.
This is the current title of my third completed novel, now under submission with my publisher. It’s issue-based women’s fiction with a strong romantic element. It’s romance without the soft edges.
As the third in the Chesil Beach series, it sees a cameo from Olivia DeVere and Frank Paveley, from Follow Me Follow You, the return of Chesil Beach, and a few trips out to Portland Bill.
It explores a variety of dark issues, but I hope the reader finds it ultimately uplifting.
Here are a few location shots to set the scene.
Portland Bill LighthousePulpit Rock A character within its own right.View from the lighthouse.The hero’s choice of transport.Portland, in the distance.
