Because I sometimes get a bit behind on things, I didn't get around to doing the 5-5-5 thingy that many of my blogger friends did. So, I'm going to use that today as a way of introducing myself on our lovely shiny new blog :-)
1. Where were you 5 years ago?
- I was living in the same house I have now, having just 7 weeks earlier given birth (at home!) to my 3rd child
- I was on maternity leave from my rather demanding job as a legal assistant in the Family Department of a city centre Solicitors firm
- I had a rather strange on/off relationship with my husband (now the ex). My feelings were more on, his were more off!!
- I read rather a lot of crime fiction, if someone died in a book I wanted to read it! Rather fitted my mindset at the time I think
- Writing-wise I thought about it a lot, but hadn't done any writing for around 10 years and that had been non-fiction
2. What is/was on your to-do list today?
- I really need to clean out the cupboard under the stairs, you know, that space where stuff gets dumped until it's incredibly difficult to actually shut the door
- The usual cooking, cleaning, ironing and running around after the 5 kids
- Having a picnic outside in the garden (so long as the notoriously bad English weather holds out)
- Doing some writing tonight, for the first time in a fair few weeks. I want to feel WIP love again!
- Get some crits done for poor ladies who have been waiting tooooo long for me to get myself into gear (sorry!)
3. What 5 snacks do you enjoy?
- Revels! I love the different sweets you get all in the same packet, all covered in chocolate. What's not to love?!
- Fresh bread. Ok, not technically a snack, but there's no greater taste (or smell).
- Apples. Don't shoot me, people, these usually come after the chocolate--it's a delicate balancing act!!
- Dry roasted peanuts. Love those things, right up until my sister told me how bad they are for you. Actually, I still love them, but don't eat them quite as much as I used to now
- Slices of Gouda cheese, oh the joy and love of good cheese eaten by itself straight from the fridge
4. What places have you lived in?
- Munster, this is the place of my birth. Some will say it is very apt as I look a little like a Herman Munster type monster first thing in a morning. Actually, my kids will tell you I look like that a lot of the time ...
- Borden, an Army camp in, I think, Hampshire but I was too young to remember this
- Osnabruck, Bielefeld, Dortmund and possible other places in Germany I've forgotten (my dad didn't get any of the glam postings of Hong Kong or Gibraltar or other places with sun!)
- Bovington Camp in Dorset, absolutely loved living there. Went to the most marvellous school and did every sport they offered. Some of my happiest times were spent there.
- For the past 23 years I've lived in Hull, East Yorkshire in several different houses but always to the west of the City. Living in the east side is not what you do when you support the best Rugby League team in the City!!
5. What 5 things would you do if you were a millionaire?
- Build a children's home. Hmm, actually I'd like to build one in every city that needs one in the world. Think I might need to be a trillionaire for that. It's alright building them, but as I know, it's pretty expensive feeding and clothing kids!
- Go live somewhere really warm, I was never meant to suffer through English summers with my love for the sun!
- Pay someone to work out how to stop places from flooding and route the water to places that are too dry and don't get enough rain. In this day and age, that surely can't be too hard ...
- Pay off the mortgages of my close family members
- Hire a maid! Yes, on seeing my house, I may need a millionaire to encourage someone to come clean for me!!
And to finish off, I'm going to give you 5 things you may not know about me. You may not ever need to know them, either, but here we go:-
- I love to knit and sew ... but these leisure time hobbies have bit the dust now I have the writing bug
- I am a foster parent, have 3 natural children and currently 2 foster children
- I have a deep love for Elvis Presley. Perhaps because my mum took over my 4th birthday playing his records over and over again because that is the day he died ... but his music stuck with me
- I love Rugby League and it's not just the thighs, although they are rather marvellous, I love the game :-)
- I like to talk, I'm sure none of you have realised that yet ... but it's true. Just ask the Minxes, we've been having weekly brainstorming sessions on Skype ... we don't know when to stop, it's fab and I'm so grateful for all of my lovely crit partners.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Writing a synopsis - by editor Cindy Davis - Part Two
And now the conclusion of our 'Writing a synopsis' post by editor Cindy Davis.
Learn more about Cindy and her editing service from her website, http://www.fiction-doctor.com/.
Shalts and Shalt Nots
Now for the "thou shall and shalt nots."
First—acceptable length. Usually, allow one synopsis page for every twenty-five pages of manuscript, but even that could be longer than most editors and agents want to see. Most editors and agents prefer short synopses from two to ten pages.
Always keep in mind that the synopsis must remain interesting, and supply the necessary information, then cut, cut, cut. Keep making passes deciding what you can refine or do without completely. This is the hardest part. Don't know what to cut? Lose the adjectives and adverbs; keep the motivation and "flavor" of the story.
You have to tell the entire story. Don't send the first three chapters and then start the synopsis at chapter four. Don't leave out the ending, hoping to entice the editor or agent to request the full manuscript in order to find out what happens. What they will do is decide you're an amateur.
No matter what tense your novel was written in, the synopsis is always written in present tense (Jerry goes to the bullfight as opposed to Jerry went to the bullfight.) Format: readable font, usually Times or Times New Roman, single-space your synopsis.
The first time you use a character's name in the synopsis, type it in CAPITAL letters. Do this only the first time. Avoid confusion by referring to a character the same way throughout (not "Dr. Evans" the first time, "Jerry" the next, and "the doctor" another time). It's also advisable to identify which character(s) is the point of view character by typing "(POV)" after the first instance of the character's name.
Try beginning with a paragraph describing your character. Not the physical attributes but the most compelling characteristics. Second paragraph, do the same with the antagonist or the character who plays off your main character. Third and subsequent paragraphs, describe what happens in the story—give a play by play of the plot’s highlights, the events that propel the story and characters forward. Then close with a wrap up—yes, tell the end—of the story.
Synopsis Checklist:
• Does the opening paragraph have a hook to keep the reader reading?
• Are your main characters' conflicts clearly defined?
• Are your characters sympathetic?
• Can the reader relate to them and worry about them?
• Have you avoided all grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes?
• Have you hit on the major scenes, the major plot points of your book?
• Did you resolve all important conflicts?
• Did you use present tense?
And once again, those useful sites:
http://www.fictionwriters.com/tips-synopsis.html
http://www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml
http://www.fmwriters.com/Visionback/Issue%2015/workshop.htm
Thank you for all this great advice, Cindy. Writing the synopsis can be a nightmare, it's great to have advice to help us through it!
Learn more about Cindy and her editing service from her website, http://www.fiction-doctor.com/.
Shalts and Shalt Nots
Now for the "thou shall and shalt nots."
First—acceptable length. Usually, allow one synopsis page for every twenty-five pages of manuscript, but even that could be longer than most editors and agents want to see. Most editors and agents prefer short synopses from two to ten pages.
Always keep in mind that the synopsis must remain interesting, and supply the necessary information, then cut, cut, cut. Keep making passes deciding what you can refine or do without completely. This is the hardest part. Don't know what to cut? Lose the adjectives and adverbs; keep the motivation and "flavor" of the story.
You have to tell the entire story. Don't send the first three chapters and then start the synopsis at chapter four. Don't leave out the ending, hoping to entice the editor or agent to request the full manuscript in order to find out what happens. What they will do is decide you're an amateur.
No matter what tense your novel was written in, the synopsis is always written in present tense (Jerry goes to the bullfight as opposed to Jerry went to the bullfight.) Format: readable font, usually Times or Times New Roman, single-space your synopsis.
The first time you use a character's name in the synopsis, type it in CAPITAL letters. Do this only the first time. Avoid confusion by referring to a character the same way throughout (not "Dr. Evans" the first time, "Jerry" the next, and "the doctor" another time). It's also advisable to identify which character(s) is the point of view character by typing "(POV)" after the first instance of the character's name.
Try beginning with a paragraph describing your character. Not the physical attributes but the most compelling characteristics. Second paragraph, do the same with the antagonist or the character who plays off your main character. Third and subsequent paragraphs, describe what happens in the story—give a play by play of the plot’s highlights, the events that propel the story and characters forward. Then close with a wrap up—yes, tell the end—of the story.
Synopsis Checklist:
• Does the opening paragraph have a hook to keep the reader reading?
• Are your main characters' conflicts clearly defined?
• Are your characters sympathetic?
• Can the reader relate to them and worry about them?
• Have you avoided all grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes?
• Have you hit on the major scenes, the major plot points of your book?
• Did you resolve all important conflicts?
• Did you use present tense?
And once again, those useful sites:
http://www.fictionwriters.com/tips-synopsis.html
http://www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml
http://www.fmwriters.com/Visionback/Issue%2015/workshop.htm
Thank you for all this great advice, Cindy. Writing the synopsis can be a nightmare, it's great to have advice to help us through it!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Writing a Synopsis - By editor Cindy Davis - Part One
We have a real treat for you all today. Editor Cindy Davis is here today and tomorrow to explain how to create a synopsis. Cindy is an editor at The Wild Rose Press, and senior ed at Champagne Books. She also edits for L&L Dreamspell, and also works freelance. She does non-fiction also, but really enjoys fiction. She has just edited two totally different memoirs, one for a retired mafia don and one for a dominatrix.
You can find out more about Cindy at her website: http://www.fiction-doctor.com/
Take it away, Cindy.
Now What is a synopsis?
1) It's a narrative summary of your book--with feeling.
2) It's written in present tense.
3) It's written in third person.
4) It's written in the same writing style as your book. If your book is "chatty," then your synopsis is, too. If your book is serious, literary, filled with dialect, or any other style, so must your synopsis be.
5) The synopsis introduces your main characters and their main conflicts, all woven together in the narrative.
The synopsis is the most important part of your submission package. It has to be developed and sweated over and polished with the same attention you devoted to the novel itself. Along with the cover letter, the synopsis is what sells the editor on the manuscript. If they don't see anything they like in the synopsis, they won't even glance at your chapter samples.
The synopsis is your sales pitch. Think of it as the jacket blurb for your novel (the synopsis is often used in writing this, and by the publisher's art and advertising departments, if the novel is purchased), and write it as though you're trying to entice a casual bookstore browser to buy the novel and read it. Which isn't too far from actuality.
HOW DO I WRITE A SYNOPSIS?
Rather than being daunted by the enormity of such a task, break it down into steps.
The first step: Sit down to that final reading with a pen and paper beside you. As you finish reading each chapter, write down a one- or two-paragraph summary of what happened where, and to which character, in that chapter.
Do you notice any themes running through your chapters as you're reading? Basically it’s a topic, certain language, thread of action, or color scheme that keeps popping up from beginning to end. Take note of them. You may just discover your one-line story summary that agents and editors like so much, if you didn't know what it was before. Or even if you thought you knew what it was, before (surprise, says the Muse, you were wrong).
What you will have when you are done examining your chapters is a chapter-by-chapter novel outline. This is pretty dry reading, and since chapter-by-chapter outlines seem to have fallen out of favor with editors and agents, this will likely remain one of your most valuable writing tools, and that's about it. Don't throw this away when you've done your synopsis, either. You may know the story intimately now, but you do forget details over time. You may revise the novel in the future, and this outline will help. Reading an outline is easier than leafing through or rereading an entire novel.
What you are doing with your chapter-by-chapter outline is distilling the story down into smaller and more manageable packages, step by step.
Next step, from the chapter-by-chapter outline, pinpoint the most important plot points. These will be the highlights of your synopsis in that outline. Notice I said the most important points. We're talking about only those events and motivations that moved the story forward in a major way. We're talking about only the most important characters, the ones your reader will ultimately care about, not the bit players. Right now, we are striving for bare bones.
Let's See Some Enthusiasm!
Now, envision one or two things while you rework that synopsis: imagine you're writing a jacket blurb for the novel, one that will pique the casual browser's curiosity and make him or her want to buy the book to see what happens. Read a few jacket blurbs, to get a feel for them.
You've just seen a terrific movie. You're describing it to your friend. You're not saying, "The good guy chased the bad guy and shot him and that was the end." That doesn't sound very enthusiastic. No, say things like, "The good guy is wounded, but he knows if he doesn't stop the evil Dr. Death, the whole world is in danger, so he staggers after Dr. Death, falls, somehow gets to his feet again, and at last zaps him with the Good Guy Death-ray to save the world."
That's how your synopsis will sound, when you're done: enthusiastic, enticing. A description that makes the reader want to pick up the manuscript and find out how this happens!
How can you make your synopsis unique, exciting? Start with the main character and his or her crisis. Include snippets of dialogue or quote briefly from the novel itself. Don't neglect to reveal the character's emotions and motivations, those points that explain why a character does something, but keep it brief. If the setting is exotic, inject a taste of it into the synopsis with a brief paragraph. This includes any background information that is absolutely necessary for the reader to understand the story. Build excitement as you near the conclusion of the story summary by using shorter sentences and paragraphs. The synopsis is a sample of your writing; it is a taste of what reading the actual novel will be like, so give it your all.
Don't forget that one- or two-sentence story line, or the theme of the story that you discovered. It should go in your synopsis, or in your cover letter. Editors and agents like having this distillation; not only will it pique their interest, but it's something they can use when presenting the novel to the buying board. It's also something you can use, the next time someone politely asks you, "What's your novel about?"
Tune in tomorrow for the second half of Cindy's blog post!
Helpful links:
http://www.fictionwriters.com/tips-synopsis.html
http://www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml
http://www.fmwriters.com/Visionback/Issue%2015/workshop.htm
You can find out more about Cindy at her website: http://www.fiction-doctor.com/
Take it away, Cindy.
Now What is a synopsis?
1) It's a narrative summary of your book--with feeling.
2) It's written in present tense.
3) It's written in third person.
4) It's written in the same writing style as your book. If your book is "chatty," then your synopsis is, too. If your book is serious, literary, filled with dialect, or any other style, so must your synopsis be.
5) The synopsis introduces your main characters and their main conflicts, all woven together in the narrative.
The synopsis is the most important part of your submission package. It has to be developed and sweated over and polished with the same attention you devoted to the novel itself. Along with the cover letter, the synopsis is what sells the editor on the manuscript. If they don't see anything they like in the synopsis, they won't even glance at your chapter samples.
The synopsis is your sales pitch. Think of it as the jacket blurb for your novel (the synopsis is often used in writing this, and by the publisher's art and advertising departments, if the novel is purchased), and write it as though you're trying to entice a casual bookstore browser to buy the novel and read it. Which isn't too far from actuality.
HOW DO I WRITE A SYNOPSIS?
Rather than being daunted by the enormity of such a task, break it down into steps.
The first step: Sit down to that final reading with a pen and paper beside you. As you finish reading each chapter, write down a one- or two-paragraph summary of what happened where, and to which character, in that chapter.
Do you notice any themes running through your chapters as you're reading? Basically it’s a topic, certain language, thread of action, or color scheme that keeps popping up from beginning to end. Take note of them. You may just discover your one-line story summary that agents and editors like so much, if you didn't know what it was before. Or even if you thought you knew what it was, before (surprise, says the Muse, you were wrong).
What you will have when you are done examining your chapters is a chapter-by-chapter novel outline. This is pretty dry reading, and since chapter-by-chapter outlines seem to have fallen out of favor with editors and agents, this will likely remain one of your most valuable writing tools, and that's about it. Don't throw this away when you've done your synopsis, either. You may know the story intimately now, but you do forget details over time. You may revise the novel in the future, and this outline will help. Reading an outline is easier than leafing through or rereading an entire novel.
What you are doing with your chapter-by-chapter outline is distilling the story down into smaller and more manageable packages, step by step.
Next step, from the chapter-by-chapter outline, pinpoint the most important plot points. These will be the highlights of your synopsis in that outline. Notice I said the most important points. We're talking about only those events and motivations that moved the story forward in a major way. We're talking about only the most important characters, the ones your reader will ultimately care about, not the bit players. Right now, we are striving for bare bones.
Let's See Some Enthusiasm!
Now, envision one or two things while you rework that synopsis: imagine you're writing a jacket blurb for the novel, one that will pique the casual browser's curiosity and make him or her want to buy the book to see what happens. Read a few jacket blurbs, to get a feel for them.
You've just seen a terrific movie. You're describing it to your friend. You're not saying, "The good guy chased the bad guy and shot him and that was the end." That doesn't sound very enthusiastic. No, say things like, "The good guy is wounded, but he knows if he doesn't stop the evil Dr. Death, the whole world is in danger, so he staggers after Dr. Death, falls, somehow gets to his feet again, and at last zaps him with the Good Guy Death-ray to save the world."
That's how your synopsis will sound, when you're done: enthusiastic, enticing. A description that makes the reader want to pick up the manuscript and find out how this happens!
How can you make your synopsis unique, exciting? Start with the main character and his or her crisis. Include snippets of dialogue or quote briefly from the novel itself. Don't neglect to reveal the character's emotions and motivations, those points that explain why a character does something, but keep it brief. If the setting is exotic, inject a taste of it into the synopsis with a brief paragraph. This includes any background information that is absolutely necessary for the reader to understand the story. Build excitement as you near the conclusion of the story summary by using shorter sentences and paragraphs. The synopsis is a sample of your writing; it is a taste of what reading the actual novel will be like, so give it your all.
Don't forget that one- or two-sentence story line, or the theme of the story that you discovered. It should go in your synopsis, or in your cover letter. Editors and agents like having this distillation; not only will it pique their interest, but it's something they can use when presenting the novel to the buying board. It's also something you can use, the next time someone politely asks you, "What's your novel about?"
Tune in tomorrow for the second half of Cindy's blog post!
Helpful links:
http://www.fictionwriters.com/tips-synopsis.html
http://www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml
http://www.fmwriters.com/Visionback/Issue%2015/workshop.htm
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Author Spotlight : Abby Green
This week, we're very honoured to have Mills and Boon Modern/Harlequin Presents Author Abby Green, as our guest on the Minxes blog. I first met Abby a couple of years ago when I attended a writing romance workshop in Ireland with Abby, Trish Wylie and Jenny Hutton. It was a real eye-opener, and Abby was full of great advice. If you haven't discovered Abby's writing yet - it's highly recommended. Every one I've read so far has made it to the keepers shelf. Great heroines, and yummy heros. And the book she's talking about is great!
Now, on to the questions...
1. Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?
I had just received my first letter of feedback from Mills and Boon, it was a rejection of a partial but with notes, and I was determined to keep going and submitting. I sold a year after I got that letter.
2. Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?
It came out of another book - Ruthless Greek Boss, Secretary Mistress which was released in the UK last year. While I was writing that book, I'd created an old man who comes back to Greece after being exiled for many years, and I found myself wondering if he might have a son...and what his son would be like. And that's how the story was born.
3. Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
Still writing for Mills and Boon and hopefully having completed something else, like a film script, which would be in production with an A-list cast!
4. Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?
Twilight!
5. Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?
I've been reading ever since I was little, so my inspiration and motivation came from all sorts of sources...there was no one epiphanic moment. It was more of a metamorphosis.
6. Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy?
Not at all, because I think that would come through in the writing. But I do find them harder as time goes on, it's a challenge to keep them fresh and exciting!
7. What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?
I'm still waiting to be surprised..!
8. What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were pubbed?
Nothing really to be honest, it's all been better than I could have ever hoped for. It's certainly been more challenging than I could have imagined, but in a good way. And the money doesn't materialize overnight, at all. So it's a slow process but I think once you've come to terms with that and settle in for the long haul it's definitely worth it.
9. What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?
To just sit down and do it, and to know the market you're targeting. If you want to write for M&B, or Harlequin Presents, then really read all the current books. It'll be the best education. And try to come up with a fresh idea, or a new twist on an old theme.
10. Tell us about your latest release.
Well as I said, it came out of another book. I personally love it when you can 'see' other characters again and I got to re-visit Ari and Lucy in this book. But this story is very much Angel and Leo's story. Leo has been in exile from his homeland all his life so he's not prepared for the visceral reaction he has to Greece when he arrives for the first time.
His family have one great enemy - the Kassianides family. When Leo meets a humble waitress who he can't resist kissing, he thinks nothing of it, until he finds out that she is from the Kassianides family. Suddenly he's turned from an urbane businessman into a man who seeks vengeance for his family and himself.
But Angel is entirely innocent, in every way. And Leo only discovers this when it's almost too late...
11. What's next for you?
What's next is that my very first Sheikh book is out this summer in the UK, it's called 'Breaking the Sheikh's Rules' and it's out in a Summer Sheikhs anthology, you can read an excerpt on my website. And at the moment I'm writing the story of that hero's brother, so I'm enjoying that...
The Virgin's Secret is available from the Mills and Boon website as print and e-book.
Click here for ordering.
The US presents release of The Virgin's Secret is in July. Click here for ordering. (Not available yet!)
For more about Abby, check out her website: http://www.abby-green.com/
Thanks for the interview, Abby!
Now, on to the questions...
1. Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?
I had just received my first letter of feedback from Mills and Boon, it was a rejection of a partial but with notes, and I was determined to keep going and submitting. I sold a year after I got that letter.
2. Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?
It came out of another book - Ruthless Greek Boss, Secretary Mistress which was released in the UK last year. While I was writing that book, I'd created an old man who comes back to Greece after being exiled for many years, and I found myself wondering if he might have a son...and what his son would be like. And that's how the story was born.
3. Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
Still writing for Mills and Boon and hopefully having completed something else, like a film script, which would be in production with an A-list cast!
4. Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?
Twilight!
5. Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?
I've been reading ever since I was little, so my inspiration and motivation came from all sorts of sources...there was no one epiphanic moment. It was more of a metamorphosis.
6. Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy?
Not at all, because I think that would come through in the writing. But I do find them harder as time goes on, it's a challenge to keep them fresh and exciting!
7. What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?
I'm still waiting to be surprised..!
8. What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were pubbed?
Nothing really to be honest, it's all been better than I could have ever hoped for. It's certainly been more challenging than I could have imagined, but in a good way. And the money doesn't materialize overnight, at all. So it's a slow process but I think once you've come to terms with that and settle in for the long haul it's definitely worth it.
9. What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?
To just sit down and do it, and to know the market you're targeting. If you want to write for M&B, or Harlequin Presents, then really read all the current books. It'll be the best education. And try to come up with a fresh idea, or a new twist on an old theme.
10. Tell us about your latest release.
Well as I said, it came out of another book. I personally love it when you can 'see' other characters again and I got to re-visit Ari and Lucy in this book. But this story is very much Angel and Leo's story. Leo has been in exile from his homeland all his life so he's not prepared for the visceral reaction he has to Greece when he arrives for the first time.
His family have one great enemy - the Kassianides family. When Leo meets a humble waitress who he can't resist kissing, he thinks nothing of it, until he finds out that she is from the Kassianides family. Suddenly he's turned from an urbane businessman into a man who seeks vengeance for his family and himself.
But Angel is entirely innocent, in every way. And Leo only discovers this when it's almost too late...
11. What's next for you?
What's next is that my very first Sheikh book is out this summer in the UK, it's called 'Breaking the Sheikh's Rules' and it's out in a Summer Sheikhs anthology, you can read an excerpt on my website. And at the moment I'm writing the story of that hero's brother, so I'm enjoying that...
Click here for ordering.
The US presents release of The Virgin's Secret is in July. Click here for ordering. (Not available yet!)
For more about Abby, check out her website: http://www.abby-green.com/
Thanks for the interview, Abby!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday Minx - Lorraine Wilson
Pre-posting wail
"Why did I volunteer to go next? Why?" (goes to bang head on table but remembers in time it's made of glass). I mean I have quite enough of myself as it is, that's why I write fiction, kind of...
Introducing Lorraine Wilson aka a Romance Minx
Unless you read my blog chances are you don't know me. I'm not published other than a couple of historical articles oh, and a household tip that to this day remains a mystery. So, how about a brief highlighted tour of...
The interesting bits
- By the time I was three years old my teddy had a frequent flyer's badge (picture for representational purposes only - real teddy thrown away in cruel loft purge by heartless parents). Together we lived in 6 different countries and attended 9 different schools.
- I used to speak 4 different languages but can now only remember 2.
- We had a habit of settling in countries where almost as soon as we arrived they decided to hold coups/revolutions/annoy someone who wanted to bomb them. The travel had it's perks though - I was lucky enough to ride ex-race horses belonging to a sultan along the Arabian surf. Classic Presents/Modern territory but no, I don't feel a sheik story coming on just yet ;-)
- I love old buildings and have been lucky enough to spend a lot of time in some of the greatest - I studied at Oxford and worked at one of London's Inns of Court (complete with lovely rare books for me to play about with, sorry I mean create exhibitions with!).
- Through the above job I also got to have tea at Buckingham Palace and with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- Even more exciting I got to ogle Colin Firth when he was at the Inn for filming (The Bridget Jones sequel).
Mmm, running out of highlights...
Vaguely interesting hobbies
- Renovation (including plastering and mixing cement) of my dream croft house in the Highlands
- Dabbling in futures trading (gambling but with graphs ;-)
- Making stuff - When I'm unable to write, (I'm recovering from a brain injury) I sew, and have started designing and making bags, these are my latest creations.
But really I'm holding out on you. It's time to give you a blogland exclusive, the never before divulged...
The real reason why I write romance
I fell in love at first sight (something I'd never believed in). I had the whole thunderbolt, 'black and white world turned to colour', floating in a joyous bubble, cliched experience.
Once I'd been converted I simply had to write about falling in love - the intensity, the hope, the pain... Plus I was coming round to the idea that there was nothing wrong with happy endings. Literary fiction depressed me and I wanted to write stuff that would cheer people up (including myself!).
I've also experienced unrequited love and I love that in the romance writing world it always ends well - the girl never gets stood up and left wondering what happened to the guy she thought was 'the one', beaten up the hero or abandoned to single motherhood forever.
Writing romance somehow rights these wrongs and brings an equilibrium to the whole messy reality of relationships. It's the breath out, the niggle un-niggled and that feeling you get when you stretch out in the sun.
That's why I write.
Post-posting postscript (try saying that quickly after a couple of drinks!)
Pip (my latest rescue dog) is pleased I've finished faffing about on the computer and wants me to play with him. How could I say 'no' to that face? So if you want to know anymore about me you'll just have to stick around the Minxes blog :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)