Tag: Sue_Fortin

Rabbit, Bunny, Jabber, Yap, Rabbit. Romaniacs On Tour. Chi Library Talk.

Romaniacs On Tour.

This Thursday, 25th February 2016, I and two fellow Romaniacs, Sue Fortin and Catherine Miller, are giving a talk at Chichester Library. It’s the first we’ve done as a group since being published, and we are looking forward to it immensely.

Chi Library Talk

We will be chatting about our different approaches to achieving publication and what lies beyond the signing of a contract. With light refreshments, a Q&A session, and three Romaniacs in the house, it promises to be a fun, lively and entertaining evening. We would be delighted to see you there. Tickets are £3, available from the library, and are selling well.

If you would like The Romaniacs to visit a library near you, please do let us know and we shall see what we can do … 😀

Take care.

Laura.

Laura E James Lovely Blog Hop

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.

I haven't changed one bit.
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.
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
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 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. 

My early days.
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.

Take care.

Laura x

Closing In: Sue Fortin

Sue Fortin B and WClosing In: Sue Fortin

I have been away from my site as I have been in my edits cave working hard on making book 2, Follow Me Follow You, the best it can be, but I’ve stepped blinky-eyed into the daylight.

As a reward for completing round one of my edits, I took a day out to read my friend and fellow Romaniac, Sue Fortin’s latest HarperImpulse book, Closing In.

 

closing_in

Blurb:

For fans of Emily Barr & Rosamund Lupton

Helen has had to leave everything she’s ever known behind; her home, her family, even her own name.

Now, returning to the UK as Ellen Newman, she moves to a small coastal village, working as a nanny for Donovan, a criminal psychologist. Attractive, caring and protective, this single father and his sweet daughter are a world away from Ellen’s brutal past. She thinks she’s escaped. She thinks she’s safe.

But Ellen can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong.

Strange incidents begin to plague her new family, and their house of calm is about to become one of suspicion and fear. Who can be trusted? Who is the target? Who is closing in?

Closing In had me from page one. It’s a gripping, fast-paced read, set on the south coast. I’ve seen some of the area about which Sue writes, and her descriptions are spot-on. Her love for West Sussex is apparent, and a delight to read, as are her interactions between a child and an adult.

The mutual warmth and love between Donovan and his eight-year-old daughter, Isobel, leap off the page. Ellen, a nanny, is a natural with children, and it’s obvious how much she cares for Isobel.

I am always moved by the way Sue captures the beautiful intimacy between a parent and child.

The two main characters are perfectly matched. Ellen, determined not to be a victim, has to battle her past with every weapon in her arsenal – strength, reserve and courage. She is not weak, but her vulnerability draws the reader to her.

Donovan is a great hero – he’s strong, caring, confident, and knows what he wants from life. He’s a criminal psychologist, but that brings its own problems, and recriminations. Would I feel safe in his arms? Yes. He’s hot. That’s all I’m saying.

The touches of humour made me laugh out loud, the twists and turns kept me swaying and guessing, and the action left me on the edge on my seat. I had to find my Kindle charger as there was no way I was going to let the battery power run out before I’d read the entire book.

It was a fab way to spend my day. A perfect reward. A brilliant read.

I highly recommend Closing In.

Thank you, Sue, for taking me on a thrilling journey.

Loved it.

Laura x

Sue Fortin’s Debut Release: United State of Love.

Sue Fortin.  United State of Love.

Since splitting from her husband, single mum Anna Barnes is enjoying her new found freedom and independence. Now she can concentrate on looking after her teenage son and building up her career. However, she didn’t bank on working for Tex Garcia.

The gorgeous American chef is getting the locals hot under the collar and not just because of his culinary prowess! Beneath that handsome exterior, however, lies a man haunted by his past. Tex can’t commit and women pass through his life like dishes going out to service. So what is it about Anna that’s different?

Can Tex break her self-imposed rule of never mixing business with pleasure and add some spice into the mix? Or is Anna’s ex set to spoil the recipe altogether?

 ***************************************

 

I am so excited for today’s guest, the lovely Sue Fortin, and I’m thrilled to be part of this Blog Tour. Welcome, Sue.

Hi Laura, it’s lovely to be here – thank you so much for inviting me.

Now, the reason I’m excited is because you have released your debut novel, United State of Love, and I recall in an earlier Find Out Friday interview I asked you how you planned to celebrate your first ever book launch. The word PARTY featured heavily. How’s it going? Are you in a fit state to tell me about your book?

Well, the launch day went fantastically well, I’m so grateful to everyone who Tweeted, Facebooked and bought my novel.  Can’t believe I was trending at #9 on Twitter above Ed Miliband; that will be my ‘Did you know…?’ dinner conversation piece now.

In the evening I did go out for a meal with some friends to celebrate but I have to say the partying started a couple of days later at the RNA Conference in Penrith.  Well, to be honest, that wasn’t really to do with my book. A weekend with the lovely Romaniacs was reason enough on its own to celebrate.

How are you finding the self-publishing experience?

Educating is the word I would use – Speed Educating. A bit like speed dating; lots of propositions out there, some look very appealing on the outside but dig a bit deeper … Sometimes you get it wrong and have to start all over again.

What reservations, if any, did you have with regard to self-publishing? How did you overcome these worries?

I had lots of reservations, if I’m honest. I thought long and hard about self-publishing. It wasn’t so much the technicalities of doing it, I enjoyed things like coming up with a cover, organising a mini blog tour, picking the brains of people who had already done it.  What concerned me the most was if people would enjoy my novel. So far I’ve had some great reviews and comments from people who have read it.  And being totally candid, I could probably tweak it forever. It received a second read under the New Writers’ Scheme and I’m very grateful for all the advice I’ve been given. I think the positive feedback from all quarters has helped me overcome a lot of my worries about self-publishing.

How important was it for you to be involved with writing and readers’ groups? I’m thinking in particular of Love A Happy Ending and the Famous Five Plus team.

Extremely.

I joined Love A Happy Ending as an Associate Reader and six months ago they took me under their collective wing as an unpublished Featured Author, charting my progress to publishing.  I have had so much support, advice and encouragement, I really don’t think I would have done it without them.

Likewise, the Famous Five Plus team have been there as well.  Through them I found a great graphic designer who produced my book cover and again, they have been really encouraging and supportive.

It would be remiss of me not to mention my wonderful group of friends, collectively known as The Romaniacs, who have cheered me on and restrained me in equal measures.

How soon before you start on book two? What can you tell me about it?

Book Two and I have had a turbulent relationship. We fell in love last September, but around Christmas time we had a bit of a disagreement and were ‘on a break’, not speaking to each other for several months.  At the RNA Conference in Penrith, we had a counselling session with an Editor from MIRA.  Book Two and I have now ironed out our differences and have resumed our relationship.

What can I tell you about it? Okay, it’s about facing up to responsibilities and the actions of your past. Doing what you have to do, rather than what you want to do.  Like my previous book, it’s set in West Sussex, on the coast this time and I’ve had great fun creating my own little town somewhere between Littlehampton and Climping.

It’s taken me a while to realise I write literary/contemporary stories with romance as a central theme. How do you classify your stories?

Oh, this is what Book Two and I fell out about.  Book Two knew what it wanted to be and I was trying to take it somewhere else. It’s a stubborn old thing is Book Two, but it does know its own mind. For now we’ve called a truce and although still not in total agreement, we would say I look at the issues that impact on a relationship between two people and glance at the ripple effect of that.

Many of us have writing buddies. What does it take to be a good buddy?

Honesty and tact.  No point having a writing buddy if they are not going to be honest, but a degree of tact is needed.  Also you need to do away with the disclaimer at the beginning of every feedback which starts off … ‘I’m no expert, please feel free to totally ignore anything I say, it’s just my humble opinion …’

I would say you also need trust. You need to be able to trust them to be honest.

Are you managing to find time to keep reading? (With all this partying going on?)

Struggling slightly. I am quite a slow reader anyway. I like to take my time and really enjoy what I’m reading.  Sticking with the speed dating theme – my reading books and I don’t speed date, we go for lots of dates over a longer period of time.

Finally, before we crack open the paracetamol and pull down the blinds to shield our eyes from the blinding summer sunshine, promise me we’ll party like it’s the start of a new millennium every time you release a book.

Oh, you are so going to regret saying that!

Thank you so much for visiting, Sue. United State of Love is a cracking debut and I know it will do well. When can I read your next one?

No, thank you Laura for inviting me here and for your kind words.  The next one? Now if I say it here, I’m going to have to stick to it, aren’t I?  Oh well, I work better to deadlines, let’s say …. March 2013, just in time for our birthdays.

 

Sue lives on the South Coast in West Sussex and has done so since her mid-teens, prior to having a rather nomadic childhood due to her parents moving on a regular basis.

Before taking to writing, Sue worked in various secretarial roles, before settling as a PA in a high street bank. After thirteen years juggling work and three children under the age of five, she said goodbye to the world of banking. Sue now has four children and grabs writing time while they are at school and work.

Sue is one ninth of the writing group The Romaniacs (www.theromaniacgroup.wordpress.com) A Featured Author with http://www.loveahappyending.com/ and part of http://www.famousfiveplus.com/ an indie author group. Sue has her own book review blog www.lovereadinglovebooks.wordpress.com and is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association under their New Writers’ Scheme.

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/sue.fortin.3

Twitter @suefortin1

Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/United-State-of-Love-ebook/dp/B00892B2UI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342697477&sr=8-1

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/United-State-of-Love-ebook/dp/B00892B2UI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342697529&sr=8-1&keywords=united+state+of+love