2nd Book Syndrome

I'd heard of this syndrome before, and I've even had friends who suffered from it, but I never appreciated just how debilitating writing a second book could be.

I've already written a second book, in fact I've published four under my Rae Summers name, but even though there was a big life-induced gap between Rae books 1 and 2, the next book wasn't hard to write.

So why then has my work-in-progress, currently titled The Back-up Plan, been worse than drawing teeth (not that I've ever had teeth pulled, but I can imagine the pain would be about the same)?

The reason is obvious - all four Rae novellas were written in my own time and to my own internal deadlines. When they were finished, I submitted them. Easy.

The Back-up Plan is being written to a deadline set in contractual stone - very fair, very do-able contractual stone admittedly. I'm desperate to honour this first ever deadline, and I'm equally desperate to make sure that this book is just as good if not better than Waking up in Vegas.

And there lies the rub, as Shakespeare would say. I loved writing Vegas. It was fun, the words flowed, and I felt like I was creating magic. The Backup Plan feels more like pig swill. The kind that feeds the circling crows of doubt.

If you've ever suffered from 2nd Book Syndrome, please tell me this story isn't completely pants and I won't need to change my name and emigrate somewhere only penguins live. Please tell me there is light at the end of the tunnel and it's not an oncoming freight train. Tell me your story...

In happier news, Waking up in Vegas, is part of a special summer promotion on Amazon UK at the moment. For the bargain basement price of only 1.99, this piece of fun can be yours.

So if you're in the UK and haven't yet bought a copy, please think of me and buy one. Every sale helps me resist my growing dependence on chocolate as I wrestle with The Back-up Plan.

Waking up in Vegas is available from Amazon as well as Amazon UK, and in all the other major eBook retailers.

Waking up in Vegas - meet Phoenix

Last week you got to meet Max, the hero of Waking up in Vegas, over on Aimee Duffy's blog. Today it's Phoenix's turn.

My heroine was modelled on bar owner Lil in the movie Coyote Ugly, played by Maria Bello. A strong, take-no-prisoners kind of woman, Phoenix is tough as nails, completely unsentimental, but hides a wounded heart beneath all the attitude.

Raised by a musician dad, she's never lived in one place very long, and she's seen and done some interesting things along the way. Suburbia, with the white picket fence, SUV and 2.4 children, is her idea of hell on earth - so finding herself married to a man who believes in Happy Ever Afters has to be up there at #1 on her Not To Do List.

If Max hadn't come into her life, I imagine Phoenix would have ended up exactly like Lil - running her own bar and kicking ass.

Writing Phoenix was huge fun. She's nothing at all like me, but there's definitely a part of me that admires her and wants to be like her.

I'm going to leave you with one piece of trivia about Phoenix that didn't make the final draft of Waking up in Vegas: she has a tattoo of a phoenix on her lower back.

Waking up in Vegas is available now from Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and All Romance eBooks.

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What happens in Vegas…
Waking up to the bright lights of Vegas in an unfamiliar penthouse suite, cocktail waitress Phoenix Montgomery finds she’s covered from head to foot in gold glitter and not alone – aside from the empty bottle of champagne, there’s a mystery man in the shower and a huge sparkly ring on her finger!

Stays in Vegas?
There’s no denying Max Waldburg’s demi-god sex appeal but commitment-phobic Phoenix doesn’t do relationships. Only it seems her new husband (agh!) has other ideas…he’s trying to keep that ring on her finger and his wife firmly back in his bed. The only question on her lips is – why? Or maybe, why not?