I have emerged from my writing cave, having completed book 3, currently titled, What Doesn’t Kill You, and I’m over at Romanics HQ today, chatting about how I approached this novel differently to the first two. The post can be read here.
Take care.
Valentine News
I have some exciting news for both Truth or Dare? and Follow Me Follow You.
Truth or Dare? has been selected for Amazon’s Kindle Valentine Deal, and is currently 99p only to download. If you enjoy reading romance without the soft edges, this could be the book for you. It’s received great reviews, and it’s a thrill knowing readers really enjoyed a different type of romance novel – my type of romance novel.
Follow Me Follow You is now available as an audio book, which is a first for me. I would love to hear from you if you listen to Chris and Victoria’s story.
Also with Follow Me Follow You, I am delighted to say I have my first Waterstones book signing on Valentine’s Day, Saturday 14th February, in the Dorchester branch. I’ll be there from 11-1, signing copies of my paperback, and would love for you to come and say hello, and of course, buy a book 😀 Follow Me already has twenty 5* reviews.
Waterstones are running an entire day of romance related events and it’s going to be brilliant.
That’s my news for today. I still have my head down, getting on with book 3, What Doesn’t Kill You, and it’s rattling along at a fair speed now as everything is coming together for the big finish. I’m also thinking about book 4 and have a title and an idea for that, so as soon as I’ve submitted WDKY …
Have a great week, and take care in this cold, icy weather.
Laura x
It’s Tuesday and …
It’s Tuesday and …
It’s Tuesday and I need to make up a shortfall of 1000 words – words I should have written yesterday, but allowed myself to be distracted by Sunday’s episode of Last Tango in Halifax.
Like a good book, this programme, expertly written by Sally Wainwright, and exquisitely performed by the cast, has yet to leave my thoughts.
But I need to focus on my hero, Griff. Although he’s written in third person, I’m going to write a chapter in first, as an experiment, to see if he still has a few surprises up his Watch Officer sleeves.
As a pure aside, I’m over with my friends, The Romaniacs today, as we introduce our new weekly series, The Life Cycle of a Writer.
Have a good day.
Laura x
Truly Madly Deeply Into 2015
Truly Madly Deeply Into 2015
Happy New Year! I hope 2015 started on a positive note for you, and continues in the same way.
My year has begun with the determination to hit my March deadline for book 3, which means a daily word count of 2000, plus a rewrite. I’m not a fast first draft writer, often agonising over every word, but this does mean the second draft is usually less painful and less time consuming.
In the meantime and at the time of writing this post … the RNA anthology, Truly, Madly, Deeply is currently 59p only, as a download from Amazon. My short story, Bitter Sweet, is in this extended addition, along with 34 stories written by romantic novelists. It’s a varied, interesting and wonderful collection of stories, showcasing the many types of romance and romance writing.
Right – back to the work-in-progress.
See you the other side.
Take care.
Laura x
Boxing Day Sales!
Boxing Day Sales!
For a limited time, and along with other Choc Lit titles, my second novel, Follow Me Follow You can be downloaded from Amazon for just 99p!
Happy holidays 😀
Laura x
The Creative Well Christmas Special
The Creative Well Christmas Special
I couldn’t leave this mini-series without mentioning one of the most important means of refilling my creative well, especially not at this time of year – being with friends and family – in the case, The Romaniacs.
Last weekend six out of the eight Romaniacs gathered in Church Stretton for a weekend of writing, workshops, planning, laughter and fun. We chatted about our work-in-progress, discussed plot problems, ran ideas passed each other, ate, drank, laughed, and took a cultural trip into Shrewsbury.
On the second and final night, we opened our secret Santa gifts, ate even more food, sipped Prosecco, and enjoyed spending some rare and quality time together. Our two fellow Romaniacs, Celia and Jan were very much missed, and we hope they will be able to make the next Sparkle Weekend, as it became known.
Being with other writers and sharing in a creative process is a great way to refill that well. I returned home fired up and focused, and keen to complete the first draft of book 3.
On that note, I should get my head down and get Griff, my hero, out of a sticky situation …
I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy 2015, filled with friendship and fun, and maybe just a few books.
See you in the New year.
Take care.
Laura x
The Creative Well: Part 3. The Fall
The Creative Well: Part 3. The Fall
In my third and final part of The Creative Well, I’m sharing my love and enthusiasm for The Fall. BBC 2 Thursdays.
I came to this drama late, having read positive comments about it on Facebook. It’s a police thriller, starring Gillian Anderson as DSI Stella Gibson, and the man who is to play Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades film, Jamie Dornan, as the serial killer, Paul Spector.
As viewers, we are shown the murderer from the first scene. We are treated to watching DSI Gibson and her team unravel the clues that hopefully will lead to an arrest. We are yet to see if she catches her man.
It is an absorbing drama, excellently acted and superbly written. Gillian Anderson has very little dialogue, yet I’m certain I know what’s going through her mind, such is her skill.
I’m drawn in by the intensity. I’m totally focused on the visuals, and listen to every single word spoken. There is no stuffing – no padding – everything in the script is there to move the story forward, create suspense or explain motives. I’m watching every action and reaction, as each expression and every tiny movement has meaning. I find myself wondering how the writer, Allan Cubbitt, describes this within the script.
It’s a master class in how to write, act and portray great characters and plotlines, and I find it hugely inspiring.
Which TV shows or films have topped up your creative well?
Laura x
The Creative Well: Part 2. Paloma.
The Creative Well: Part 2. Paloma.
I am a huge Paloma Faith fan and there have been many times I’ve turned to her music for inspiration. On occasion, lyrics have triggered thoughts that led to me solving plot problems in my novels, and I’ll quite often play particular songs from her albums to set the mood and tone of the scene I’m writing.
Paloma is one of the artists I would travel miles to see and hear perform live.
Our trip to Bath at the end of November was built around a Paloma gig at the wonderful art deco Bath Forum. As soon as my friend and I arrived and parked the car, we went in search of the Forum, only to discover the car park was right next door. The crew was unloading the lorry with the instruments and set and there was a part of me that wondered if we’d see Paloma enter the building.
Seats 1800
The gig was outstanding – beautifully crafted, with endless energy and excellent musicianship from Paloma and the band, delivered with humour, passion and emotion, all of which drew me in. I admire Paloma’s creativity and her ability to connect. For me, she achieves in the music world all that I strive to achieve in the writing world.
Once again, a plot problem I’ve been struggling with was resolved by listening to Paloma, only this time it wasn’t through the lyrics of a song, but in her funny and chatty link to Ready For The Good Life. I’m trying to work out why this happens. Is it because we both write about romance and relationships?
How have your plot problems been resolved?
We didn’t see Paloma enter the building, but I live in hope that I will one day meet her to thank her for helping keep my creative well topped up.
Did I mention I’m a huge Paloma faith fan?
In my final part of the mini series, I’ll be taking a look at a recent TV drama that has my mind buzzing.
Take care.
Laura x
The Creative Well: Part 1. Bath.
The Creative Well: Part 1
Welcome to the first in my mini series about The Creative Well.
This is a term I first came across having joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and it was quite possibly one of my fellow Choc Lit authors who drew the phrase to my attention.
Having spent an intense few months nurturing Follow Me Follow You, writing short stories for anthologies, and attempting to complete the first draft of book 3, I reached a point where my creative well needed refilling. Normally I would turn to books for that injection of inspiration, but I’m so deep into my draft and so fully invested in that fictional world, I’m avoiding entering others.
Last week, a friend and I took a trip to Bath, a beautiful Somerset city, full of history, grace and elegance. I had never visited before and was keen to look around.
On our search for the Roman Baths, and much to our delight, we discovered lots of stationery stores. I wondered if this was down to Bath’s literary connections, but didn’t question it beyond that, enjoying ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the glorious array of pens, notebooks and pencil cases.
We struggled to locate the Baths, expecting signposts to point our way and for the entrance to be obvious. A kind cyclist took pity on us and gave clear and precise directions. Once we reached the building, we were told all the signposts had been taken down … We didn’t feel quite as daft after that.
The Baths are fascinating and inspirational, and if you ask me what a strigil is, I can tell you. I learned the difference between Turkish and Roman Baths, that the water in the main bath is warm, and that you shouldn’t touch the water in the main bath …
I did wash my hands thoroughly, especially as I was told a grim story from 1979 about a person dying from the bugs in the water.
It was a wonderful day, full of history, exploration and discovery, and like the baths, a natural spring – in this case of ideas rather than water – started to refill my creative well.
Next week I’ll be reporting on what we did in the evening in Bath, but in the meantime, I’d like to know what fills your creative well.
Take care.
Laura x
The Purr-fect Writing Companions
The Purr-fect Writing Companions
I enjoy working from home with its many advantages.
Preferring a quiet and still working environment, I rarely turn down offers of coffee from Gajitman, plot analysis from my daughter and the chance to laugh with my son at his wordplay jokes, but during the day in the school term, I have six hours in which to write, blog, complete tax returns and process admin.
My cats, Daisy and Rascal, are my quiet companions at these times. Their coffee skills could use a little polishing, and the only plot they’re concerned about is their territory in the garden, but they do make me smile and laugh and provide excellent cover when I’m talking to myself – ‘That? Oh, I was just talking to Rascal.’
As I write this, Rascal is tearing through the house. I don’t know why. Possibly to do with the rain and wind outside. It would be easy to believe a herd of elephants have charged upstairs …
Daisy is more refined, prim and proper, and she saves most of her affection for my daughter. However, if I’m the only one home, I’ll do …
We are huge cat lovers in the James household – they bring so much love and laughter to our lives, and they are as much a part of our family as our flesh and blood relatives.
Now to teach them how to make a decent cup of coffee …
For more photos of refined Daisy and SplatCat Rascal in all sorts of weird and wonderful poses, please check out my Facebook and Twitter pages.
Take care.
Laura x