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!
Edits, edits, edits. Three rounds. The first has dropped in to my inbox. This time last year, I had no idea what to expect from the edits. This time last year I was an unpublished writer. This time last year, I was in Orlando, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, performing in their version of American Idol, our daughter decided she would like to take up photography, our son was a trained padawan and Gajitman was looking forward to our trip to the Kennedy Space Centre.
I’m considering setting book 4 in Orlando. Research may be required.
As usual, I digress.
I have received my editor’s report for Follow Me, Follow You, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in to improving the book. Since submitting the manuscript, I’ve made notes as to what to add, what needs to change or be explored further, and what I feel is irrelevant. Now that I have the report, I can start to physically alter the manuscript – track changes on, of course – and polish those sections that are a little lack-lustre.
I enjoy this process and intend to fully immerse myself in Victoria and Chris’s world.
Not only is Vanessa Savage one of the loveliest and kindest people I know, she is an incredibly talented writer, and an amazingly gifted artist ‒ designer of the Romaniacs Shorts eye-catching, and characterful cover.
Vanessa – tell me about art in your life.
I dithered in school when it came to college choices between art and English. I chose art college, spent four years in Doc Marten boots, with a pierced nose and hennaed hair, studying textile design, graphic design and illustration. After a side step into arts marketing, I started my own graphic design company with two other designers. One of our clients is the Telegraph Hay Literature Festival and working with them means I get to combine my loves of design and literature!
How closely linked are art and writing?
I often get inspired by art – I see an image and a story forms in my mind. Imagery and scenery are very important to me when I’m writing a book and I use a lot of visual reference material when I’m planning.
When you’re writing, do you have a clear image of the scene? Do you think having an artistic eye helps with scene setting in stories?
Every scene I write runs like a film in my head – sometimes I get frustrated when I can’t capture in words the mood of a scene in my head! I always start with character and place when I start a new writing project.
You have three entries in Romaniac Shorts ‒ 100 Ways to Love, The Hand That Holds The Knife, and Dog Days. As a successful short story and flash fiction writer, how did you choose which three to include?
A lot of the stories I write tend to be quite dark, but I wanted a mix for Romaniac Shorts, so 100 Ways to Love is a love story – first love and the love between mother and daughter, The Hand That Holds The Knife is much darker, and Dog Days is a comedy.
The success doesn’t stop at the shorts. Please do tell me about the Harry Bowling Prize!
I’m unbelievably thrilled to be on the shortlist for the 2014 Harry Bowling Prize for New Writing for my book The History of You which went through the RNA’s new writer’s scheme last year. It’s such a prestigious award and getting the phone call to tell me I made the shortlist was the highlight of my January!
Are you able to give a sneaky peek in to your latest work?
The working title of my latest work-in-progress is Hunting the Light. I’m always fascinated by what goes on behind closed doors – the real truth behind the framed picture of the perfect family on the wall … so Hunting the Light is about family, the ways we hide from each other, the lies we can live with and the secrets we can’t.
What’s next for Vanessa Savage?
I’ve set myself the challenge of entering at least one short story / flash fiction competition a month in 2014, as well as finishing Hunting the Light. Plus I woke up in the middle of the night last week with the idea for my next book…
Quick Fire Round:
Red or white?Red
Singing or dancing?Dancing – I would love to sing but no one else would love to hear it!
Leeks or red onions?Red Onion
Opera or classical?Classical
Cropped trousers or denim cut-offs?I wish I had the legs for denim cut-offs, but sadly I’m cropped trousers all the way 🙂
Dr Who or Torchwood?Dr Who
Comedy or weepy?Can I have both?
Vanessa ‒ you have created a wonderful cover for our first ever anthology. You’ve captured the spirit the Romaniacs in eight pairs of freshly washed shorts. And have I mentioned what an incredibly talented writer you are?
Wishing you every success, and cheering you on in our traditional, Romaniac pom-pom waving way.
Laura x
Vanessa’s Biography:
Vanessa lives by the sea in South Wales with her husband, two daughters and an accident-prone cat. She is a graphic designer and illustrator, and has previously worked in arts marketing for theatres and a dance company. She is a member of the RNA’s New Writer’s Scheme and has had short stories published in Writing Magazine, a short story anthology produced by Words With Jam, Writer’s Forum and broadcast on radio as a highly commended winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Competition.
She is represented by Juliet Mushens at The Agency Group and her work has been longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Competition, shortlisted twice for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance and her current novel is on this year’s shortlist for the Harry Bowling Prize.
Out there in the open – it’s Romaniac Shorts, hanging on the washing line for everyone to see.
What an exciting week it’s been. As part of the Romaniacs, a wonderful group of fellow writers, and my very good friends, I enjoyed a cover reveal on Thursday.
Romaniac Shortsis a diverse collection of short stories and flash fiction, ranging from romance, to crime, to fantasy, written by the eight Romaniacs, whose writing styles are as different as the shorts on our cover. It will go live on Amazon, as an eBook, this coming Thursday 13 February, in celebration of our two years together. All proceeds are to be shared between Dyslexia Action and the RNA.
To find out a little more, please visit the Romaniacs blog, here.
In the meantime, here is the fantastic cover, designed and created by our very own, Vanessa Savage.
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’.
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
Handy New Year – that’s what I’ll be having, with another sixteen days in plaster. The Hand is sporting a fantastic, luminous orange, lightweight cast. I’m very attached to it. I once had welly boots the same orange – I remember splashing about in them. I digress.
I hope you had a great Christmas and are now ready for 2014. Our tree will come down on New Year’s Day, as we prepare for my son’s birthday. I like to have a marked distinction between the events. It’s the end and the beginning wrapped up in a few days.
I’ve spent time reflecting. 2013 has been an enormous year for us.
Shortly after the first anniversary of my mum’s death, my family and I set off to Florida, and spent an incredible three weeks visiting Disneyworld and Universal Studios. This is a holiday I will never forget. It was special. It was healing. It was magical.
I saw Paloma Faith live twice, introducing my daughter to the live gig experience. Jessie J was the next concert my daughter attended, escorted by Gajitman, as I was away at the Festival of Romance.
Christmas dinner was cooked by my husband and daughter, and my son ensured our energy levels were high. I was thoroughly spoiled.
Well, that was my year, and supporting me all the way through with unconditional love was my small, but perfectly formed family, and my wonderful friends. Thank you so much.
And thank you to everyone who bought, read, and reviewed Truth or Dare?
I hope 2013 was kind to you, and I wish you all health, wealth and happiness for 2014.
Naked. That’s how my left hand feels tonight, as it prepares for tomorrow’s surgery. It feels odd to not wear my rings, but I had to take them off when the opportunity arose – when my hands were at their coldest.
Tomorrow, assuming all goes to plan, my left arm will be wrapped snugly in a back-slab and bandages, following surgery to prevent further damage to my tendons.
I am a little obsessed with hands. Declan, my main man in ‘Truth or Dare?’ has safe hands, and it’s one of the first things the heroine, Kate, notices. She’s of the opinion one can tell a lot about a person from studying their hands.
I’m not letting her near mine.
While I still have both hands free to type, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your wonderful support this year. 2013 saw my debut novel published, which was a dream come true. Receiving 5* reviews and being nominated for an award has taken me beyond those dreams.
I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
My naked hand and I are off to bed – we have an early start.
Gajitman is holding the fort back here, so it’s a weekend with the girls … I look forward to seeing you in Bedford this weekend.
Come and play Truth or Dare? for a chance to win a Kindle version of my book. There will be one winner only, so I want to see your best dares, and hear your most honest truths. 😀 Applies to my scratch card game only.
Adrenalin rush? I’m not sure that covers the excitement of the past week.
On Sunday 20th October, Truth or Dare?, my debut novel, published by Choc Lit Lite, was nominated for the Best Romantic Ebook award, organised by the Festival of Romance, and then the book went live on Amazon on October 23rd 2013.
I woke the next morning to more excitement as I checked the Amazon rankings. The book hit #1609 in ‘Paid Kindle’, and #37 in Fiction > Romance > Thrillers and Suspense, and #36 in Fiction > Romance > Romantic Suspense.
Being new to this, I have no idea how the rankings work, but it was as thrilling as Disneyworld’s Harry Potter Dragon Challenge ride to see it hit the top 40, albeit for a brief time. Another adrenalin rush.
Then yesterday morning, a friend alerted me to the fact my local radio station, Wessex FM, was running the news of the award on their bulletins and website.
As it stands, Truth or Dare? has received 2 reviews, both 5*, and I’d like to thank everyone who takes the time to leave their thoughts on Amazon, and thank you to everyone who has already bought a copy, tweeted and Facebooked news of its arrival, and eased it into the big, wide world. I am overwhelmed and touched by your amazing support. Thank you.
I hope you enjoy the read.
Here’s a clip from one of our favourite TV shows in the James household: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ9Uct0LHR0 – the Big Bang Theory girls, playing Truth or Dare?, just as many of our lovely friends did at Romaniac HQ on Thursday 🙂
My intention today is to start the planning process for book 3, and using techniques taught to me this summer, I’m aiming to write this book in nine months – that is half the time it took to write Follow Me, which in turn, took approximately four years less than ToD. Don’t ask.
So, without further procrastination, I shall unroll my large tube of lining paper and dive into my imaginery world.
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.
