I’m on a real and a virtual tour at the moment. Please join me on my next (real life) stop – Littlemoor Library, Weymouth, this Saturday, 22nd April 
2017, at 13:30. Pop over to The Romaniacs blog (my virtual stop) for all the details and news of what I’ve been up to.
I’m over at Romaniacs HQ today, with the first of the season in the Life Cycle of a Writer series.
When is enough enough? At what point is it time to move on?
To read more, pop over to The Romaniacs blog.
Laura x
I’m over at The Romaniacs today, gearing up for this coming weekend and the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Conference.
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.
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 E James’ Lovely Blog Hop
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.
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 …
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.
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 Spades still 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.
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.
Take care.
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.
Thank you so much to friend and fellow Romaniac, Celia J Anderson, for inviting me to take part in the Meeting My Main Character blog hop.
Celia introduced us to Mab, from her debut novel, Sweet Proposal, and you can meet both ladies here.
What is the name of the main character? Is she real or fictitious?
Victoria Noble is a fictitious thirty-five-year-old. Known as Vicky Paveley in her youth, the divorced mother is the director of the highly successful EweSpeak.
When and where is the story set?
The story begins in London, but swiftly moves to Weymouth and Portland, in Dorset, my beautiful home county. Chesil Beach plays a major role in my character’s life, as it does in mine.
What should we know about her?
Having been let down and betrayed twice by the male of the species, Victoria has pulled the plug on romance. She wrestles with the work-life balance, throwing most of her energy into maintaining her business, and her relationship with her four-year-old son, Seth, is at breaking point.
What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?
Left to raise a child with whom she has little connection, everyday life is a struggle for Victoria. There is huge conflict between her and Seth, and simple tasks such as giving him a bath and putting him to bed create anxiety and tension. He is resistant, belligerent, and on occasion, violent. Victoria believes she provides well for him, but realises it’s not enough when the draw of her EweSpeak office is greater than his cry for love.
If the men in her life had kept their promises, she wouldn’t be caught in the vicious circle of daily battles with her son. She holds one man in particular responsible ‒ Chris Frampton, Victoria’s first love.
What is Victoria’s goal?
To let go of the past, stop blaming others for her mistakes, and heal the damaged bond between her and Seth.
What is the book’s title?
Paperback due out September 2014, published by Choc Lit.
Thanks so much for tagging me, Celia – I’m now passing the baton to my friend and fellow ChocLiteer, Alison May – find out about her main character here – http://alison-may.co.uk/blog/ and also the lovely Christine Stovell, whose new release, Follow A Star, is available for pre-order http://homethoughtsweekly.blogspot.co.uk/
I’m looking forward to reading about their main characters.
Enjoy.
The day has finally arrived!! Nikki Moore’s debut novel with HarperImpulse – Crazy, Undercover, Love – is released as an ebook today, 24th April 2014.
If you like pacy, sexy romance and fancy a long weekend in Barcelona with a smoking hot guy this one’s for you! Want to know more…?
When uber-feisty career girl Charley Caswell-Wright takes on the assignment as PA to the gorgeous Alex Demetrio, CEO of Demetrio International, she’s there under entirely false pretences; to get her life back on track. Having lost the job she worked so hard to earn, she’s determined not to give it up so easily, especially when she didn’t deserve to lose it in the first place.
Mr Dreamy CEO is her only chance of clawing back her career – and her reputation. So she has to keep things strictly professional… boy, is she in trouble!
To buy Crazy, Undercover, Love as an ebook:-
Amazon – http://amzn.to./1gdpOxb
Google Play – http://bit.ly/1rTMrQw
iTunes – http://bit.ly/1mkzpHP
Kobo – bit.ly/QlpKpC
Sainsbury’s – Here.
Or to buy it as a paperback on pre-order, released on 26th June:-
Amazon – Here.
What people are saying about Nikki’s other stories…
The Love Letter and A Day in the Life… HarperImpulse short story collection Be My Valentine, with Teresa F Morgan and Brigid Coady, attracting 4 and 5 star reviews.
‘I loved all 5 stories and will look out for more books by each author.’ CometBabesBooks, Amazon
‘Whilst I enjoyed all of the stories, I particularly liked Nikki Moore’s … her voice as an author really resonated with me and I can’t wait to read more of her work.’ Kate Beeden, Goodreads
Nikki’s short story A Night to Remember in the Mills & Boon/Romantic Novelists Association anthology Truly, Madly, Deeply which has also attracted 4 and 5 star reviews.
‘My favourite story was A Night To Remember. I think what drew me to this … was its resonance with real life. I’m not going to spoil the story but I could feel the emotions spilling out of the page – it was beautiful.’ Beckie, http://www.beckiesbookmix.blogspot.co.uk/
‘A Night to Remember – Beautiful, devastatingly so.’ Cheryl M-M, Goodreads & http://mmcheryl.wordpress.com/
Nikki Moore lives in beautiful Dorset and writes short stories and sexy, pacy romances. A finalist in several writing competitions including Novelicious Undiscovered 2012, she graduated from the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers’ Scheme after four years and and has contributed to their magazine Romance Matters. She has far too much fun attending the annual RNA conference and has previously chaired a panel and taken part in a workshop at the Festival of Romance.
She blogs about some of her favourite things – Writing, Work and Wine – at http://www.nikkimooreauthor.wordpress.com/ and believes in supporting other writers as part of a friendly, talented and diverse community.
You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NikkiMooreAuthor or on Twitter @NikkiMoore_Auth and she invites you to pop in for chats about love, life, reading or writing!
Happy Birthday and Publication Day, Romaniacs. 2 today!
As part of the team, I am thrilled to announce the release of our first anthology, Romaniac Shorts.
All the news is at Romaniac HQ: http://theromaniacgroup.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/birthday-celebrations-in-romaniac-shorts/
We hope you enjoy our short stories and flash fiction.
Have a great day.
Writing Processes. Do I have one?
Today is Blog Tour Day. This blog tour is where writers and authors answer questions about their writing process. My friend and fellow Choc Lit author, Janet Gover, posted hers last week. It’s a great read. Very interesting. I love finding out how writers tackle novels. You can check out Janet’s writing process here.
I have four questions to answer.
You see, now I’m thinking of the Two Ronnies. This isn’t the first time. It’s the ‘four’ that does it. I’m instantly transported to a hardware store, watching Ronnie Barker harass Ronnie Corbett with ‘four candles.’ I’ll show you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz2-ukrd2VQ
As usual, I digress, but what a marvellous, comic display of writing and acting.
Without further ado, or forays into the past, I shall answer my four questions.
1) What am I working on?
I have Book 3 planned and underway. Its working title is What Doesn’t Kill You, and it’s an issue-driven romance, with a strong focus on family relationships. It’s set in Weymouth and Portland, an area I love with a passion. It has so much drama and beauty. The recent storms have provided the opening backdrop and set the tone of the story. My hero, Griff, is a coastguard – strong, protective, and in command. He is master of his own destiny. He respects and loves his father, a courageous, dominant being in his youth, but age, illness and disability has withered the old man, stolen his strength, and destroyed his independence, all things Griff fears. Throw into the maelstrom a demanding job, a two-year-old son and an errant teenage step-daughter, and Griff’s eighteen month marriage to Evie is at breaking point. His relationship is all at sea.
What Doesn’t Kill You is an insider’s view of the pressures and difficulties faced by today’s sandwich generation, and like Truth or Dare?, there will be dark before the dawn.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
There is an edge to my work that is not always expected in a romance. One review of Truth or Dare? put it succinctly: ‘A love story without the soft edges.’ And my publisher, Choc Lit, have got my number: ‘Laura E James tackles some thorny issues in this new Choc Lit Lite, showing that contemporary romantic fiction is not all flowers and swooning heroines.’
3) Why do I write what I do?
I’m a big fan of Jodi Picoult, and love the way she tackles taboo subjects. This is reflected in my books, but because I also enjoy romance, my characters will always search for the hopeful or happy ever after ending.
4) How does my writing process work?
Hmm. That’s under debate.
I’m on book 3, and have made an effort to plan this one. For Truth or Dare?, and Follow Me, I had a beginning and an exact end – I knew what was being said, by whom and where. I had a rough idea of how to get from A to Z, but for the most part the paths were built on ‘what if’, as I went along.
I now have a cartoon image of manoeuvring rocks over tree trunks, pulling the last log out, and hauling it to the front, to continue the forward motion.
I enjoy the organic growth of the characters. On occasion, they surprise me, and one or two of them have been known to solve plot problems on my behalf.
For What Doesn’t Kill You, although I’ve planned, it’s not to the enth degree. There’s plenty of room for improvisation and what ifs.
I write in silence, and it can take me a while to enter ‘the zone’. I don’t set a daily word count – I write as much or as little as is in me, and I cannot switch off my inner editor. If something isn’t right, I have to fix it ‒ otherwise I cannot move on. I don’t write a dirty first draft, but I am acutely aware it is still the first draft, and I love editing – it appeals to my ‘correct’ nature.
NEXT WEEK:
I am thrilled my three friends, Sue Fortin, a fellow Romaniac, whose debut novel, Unites States of Love is available here, Nikki Goodman, recently signed by HarperImpulse, and Crooked Cat author, Kathy Sharp, Isle of Larus, have taken the Blog Tour challenge. They will be sharing their writing processes next Monday on their blogs, as follows:
Sue Fortin: Sue writes women’s fiction; contemporary, suspense and time-slip. All with romance and a touch of danger.
Lover of cake, Dragonflies and France. Hater of calories, maths and snakes. Sue was born in Hertfordshire but had a nomadic childhood, moving often with her family, and for a time, did actually think her name was ‘The New Girl’. However, having lived in West Sussex all her adult life, it does feel like home and, these days, she knows what my name is!
Sue is married with four children, all of whom patiently give her time to write but, when not behind the keyboard, she likes to spend my time with them, enjoying both the coast and the South Downs, between which they are nestled.
She is a proud to be a spoke in the wheel of The Romaniacs – her lovely supportive friends who she wouldn’t be without and without whom, she says, she wouldn’t be here.
Sue is delighted to be part of the Harper Collins group, through Harper Impulse, who have published her debut novel ‘United States of Love’.
http://suefortin.wordpress.com/
Nikki Goodman: Nikki Moore lives in beautiful Dorset and writes short stories and sexy contemporary romances for Harper Impulse. The first chapter of her book Crazy, Undercover, Love can be read for free in the HI sampler at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Loving-Year-Love-Romance-HarperImpulse-ebook/dp/B00GWG5EEI
She is also a contributor to the RNA/Harlequin short story Anthology Truly, Madly, Deeply (2014).
A finalist in several writing competitions including Novelicious Undiscovered 2012, she graduated from the RNA New Writers’ Scheme after four years and has contributed to their magazine Romance Matters. She has far too much fun attending the annual RNA conference and has previously chaired a panel and taken part in a workshop at the Festival of Romance.
She blogs about some of her favourite things – Writing, Work and Wine – at http://nikkimooreauthor.wordpress.com/ and believes in supporting other writers as part of a friendly, talented and diverse community.
You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NikkiMooreAuthor or on Twitter @NikkiMoore_Auth and she invites you to pop in for chats about love, life, reading or writing!
Kathy Sharp: Kathy Sharp is the author of Isle of Larus, a fantasy tale inspired by the Jurassic Coast, and published by Crooked Cat Publishing in 2013. She is now working on the sequel, Sea of Clouds. Blog: http://tinyurl.com/pq8jenp
It’s over to you …