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, Deeplyis 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.
Lisa Eveleigh, Gillian Green, Lyn Vernham and Matt Bates: The role of booksellers, publishers & agents in a new book buying age.
It was fabulous – a concoction of workshops, discussion panels, friends, food and wine. I never fail to learn at these events. My friend and fellow Romaniac, Sue Fortin has posted a wonderful round-up of the weekend here. The RNA has a great post here.
At one point of the proceedings, there was an interesting, unscheduled chat about how comfortable we feel saying we write romantic fiction.
In my early days … okay, two years ago … I was slightly ill at ease telling people I was a writer. It had nothing to do with the genre – I am incredibly happy to be reading and writing romantic fiction – it was more that I had nothing solid to show for my efforts. In April 2012, when my 1500 word story, Bitter Sweet, achieved the runner-up position in Choc Lit’s short story competition, I had my first writing credit, and it was a little easier to speak the words, albeit it quietly, ‘I am a writer.’
Penrith 2012
Later that year, at the RNA conference in Penrith, the lovely Miranda Dickinson presented a workshop and everything I’d experienced, she too had been through, but she was a writer, and the more she said it, the easier it became to repeat and believe.
I left that presentation motivated and inspired, and still have the postcards Miranda gave out that day, asserting ‘I write, therefore I am a writer.’
Things have progressed for me since then, with Bitter Sweet finding a home in the RNA’s Truly, Madly, Deeplyanthology, stories in Romaniac Shorts, publication in Choc Lit’s Love Match, with a second anthology from them out soon, my debut novel, Truth or Dare? digitally published last October and my first paperback, Follow Me, Follow Youdue out this September. All my stories are romantic fiction.
I’m hoping you’re reading this and picturing me talking about it to you, my eyes wide with excitement, my speech a little too fast for clarity, because I love what I do. I love writing.
And I love writing romantic fiction.
I believe in self-fulfilling prophecies and affirmations. I believe that by saying something often enough, that dream, that hope, will happen. Whether caught up in the enthusiasm or reacting to the broken record, others start to believe too, and things happen.
Yes, we make our own luck, seek out the opportunities, put ourselves forward, but we need to believe in ourselves and in what we do to have the energy to pursue the dream. And that energy and belief will draw people in.
Negative energy will repel.
My name is Laura James, and I write romantic fiction.
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!
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, Deeplywhich 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/
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!
I am thrilled to announce the release of the Romantic Novelists’ Association new anthology, Truly, Madly, Deeply, available in paperback, containing 24 new stories, and in an extended digital version with an additional 11 stories.
Truly, Madly, Deeply, published 21st February 2014, by Mills & Boon, in association with the Romantic Novelists’ Association, is packed with brand new stories from the UK’s best-loved writers.
Bitter Sweet, my short story, is part of the extended digital version, and it is a great honour and privilege to be part of such a great book, alongside such fabulous authors.
RRP £7.99
The blurb:
24 specially-selected stories from bestselling authors including Adele Parks, Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews, Miranda Dickinson and many more. From wedding days to special anniversaries, steamy one night encounters to everlasting loves, Truly, Madly, Deeply takes you on an exciting romantic adventure where love really is all you need. Plus, eBook edition includes 11 additional stories!
It’s a must-have!
Truly, Madly, Deeply, available in paperback and eBook, is the ultimate collection of romantic shorts, making it a perfect indulgent treat this Mother’s Day.
Mills & Boon will also be publishing the stories in Truly, Madly, Deeply as eBook bundles. These will comprise three to four stories each and will include an additional eleven exclusive stories. Available from spring 2014 at Millsandboon.co.uk and all good eBook retailers, they make the perfect bite-sized romantic treat. Truly, Madly, Deeply, is available in all good paperback and eBook retailers RRP £7.99, and at http://www.millsandboon.co.uk/
About the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
Since its launch in 1960, the RNA has given prizes to (and nurtured in its New Writers Scheme) many emerging genresin contemporary women’s romantic fiction. Today, the RNA counts the leading lights of commercial romantic fiction among its members including Adele Parks, Carole Matthews, Elizabeth Chadwick, Rowan Coleman and Miranda Dickinson.
Truly, madly, deeply excited to announce my short story, Bitter Sweet, which achieved runner-up position in Choc Lit’s first short story competition, 2012, has been selected for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Anthology, due for publication, by Harlequin, February 2014. The anthology is entitled Truly, Madly, Deeply. You can find out more here.
The week I first heard it had been accepted was the same week as I signed Truth or Dare? to Choc Lit. I lived on adrenalin. And I smiled lots.
I’m still having a few ‘shaking head’ moments. On both counts. How lucky am I?
The RNA’s anthology, Loves Me, Loves Me Not, was a great success and I am thrilled to be contributing to Truly, Madly, Deeply, and I am completely overwhelmed with the line-up of authors.
Thank you to the RNA, its members, and its New Writers’ Scheme for the time and effort put into guiding and advising new writers, and for helping me fulfil a dream.
And thank you to Choc Lit, without whom, Bitter Sweet would not exist.
