Living in South Africa is an amazing privilege. I get to enjoy wide blue skies and year round sunshine. I love the people and I love the lifestyle. But at heart I’m an Anglophile. My mother is an English teacher with a passion for Shakespeare and English history, and she passed on to me the the idea that the British Isles was a mystical, magical place.
At the tender age of 23 I travelled to England for the first time. 20th century London didn’t disappoint. When you come from a city where the oldest building is 100 years old, London with its thousand years of tangible history is truly spell-binding. The architecture, the theatre shows, the diversity of people, and above all the stories that abound behind every door. Long before I ever thought of becoming a writer, those stories bewitched me.
Over the years, I’ve re-visited the UK many times, and every time I feel that magic.
So on Saturday, when my flight touched down at Heathrow, I didn’t expect it to feel like just another day. I was almost saddened that sitting on the tube, then on a train out into Essex, I didn’t feel the usual magic.
It was only on Sunday night, while sitting in my friends’ living room watching the telly, that the magic rekindled. And all it took to light the spark was a simple TV advert. An ad for a book.
TV advertising is expensive. In South Africa I think I can safely say we’ve never had a TV ad for a book. Then this morning, the local breakfast TV show featured an interview with an author.
TV ads for books, authors interviewed on TV ... this is Utopia!
It is so easy to be sucked into the doom and gloom. Book sales are down! The eBook market is flooded! Book stores are closing! Libraries are closing! It’s the end of the world!
I’m here to tell you now that this is the best time to be a writer, and the future is GOLDEN. Books are alive, and people are reading.
Let’s feel the magic.
Showing posts with label Monday Minx. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monday Minx. Show all posts
Monday, July 9, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Ten Mysteries of Writing
1. Why is it so difficult to get down to when it's supposed to be fun?
2. Why, when I hate housework and adore writing, do the washing machine and the hoover exert a strong magnetic force capable of pulling me from the keyboard?
3. Why does it take so long? I have a fairly decent typing seed, but some days it can take me 5 hours just to write 500 words.
4. Why is the first draft always rubbish of the highest order? Even if I know what I want to say, it always translates as gobbledygook that needs to be beaten into submission.
5. Why is it that, in the face of relentless rejection I still keep hurling work out there? I sometimes worry I'm like one of these x-factor wannabes and just can't see how average I actually am.
6. Why can some people managed 10K words in one day, yet I can't manage that in a week? (The answer to this is probably somehow related to number 3.)
7. Why is it that, even though it's the most fascinating and interesting occupation in the world, other people's eyes glaze over when I try to talk about it?
8. Why is it that, when I reveal I sometimes get work published, everyone immediately suggests I write their story? I have my own ideas, thank you very much. If you want to see your story in print, write it yourself.
9. Why do some people think making money from writing is the easy option? I still freely admit I could happily swing for the ex friend who, when I told her I'd sold a short story, said she was thinking of getting a little job, but wasn't qualified for anything, so was going to write a story, too.
10. And, if it's so difficult, what is the compulsion that makes me want to keep writing?
2. Why, when I hate housework and adore writing, do the washing machine and the hoover exert a strong magnetic force capable of pulling me from the keyboard?
3. Why does it take so long? I have a fairly decent typing seed, but some days it can take me 5 hours just to write 500 words.
4. Why is the first draft always rubbish of the highest order? Even if I know what I want to say, it always translates as gobbledygook that needs to be beaten into submission.
5. Why is it that, in the face of relentless rejection I still keep hurling work out there? I sometimes worry I'm like one of these x-factor wannabes and just can't see how average I actually am.
6. Why can some people managed 10K words in one day, yet I can't manage that in a week? (The answer to this is probably somehow related to number 3.)
7. Why is it that, even though it's the most fascinating and interesting occupation in the world, other people's eyes glaze over when I try to talk about it?
8. Why is it that, when I reveal I sometimes get work published, everyone immediately suggests I write their story? I have my own ideas, thank you very much. If you want to see your story in print, write it yourself.
9. Why do some people think making money from writing is the easy option? I still freely admit I could happily swing for the ex friend who, when I told her I'd sold a short story, said she was thinking of getting a little job, but wasn't qualified for anything, so was going to write a story, too.
10. And, if it's so difficult, what is the compulsion that makes me want to keep writing?
Monday, January 30, 2012
Suzanne's Minxy Guide to dealing with the dreaded R
After more than 700 rejections (and 107 sales in various guises - thank you very much), I have perhaps had a bit more experience than most of dealing with my work being hurled back at me. Sometimes with a speed that leaves me reeling. (Actually, I'm exaggerating with the 700 Rs - but only because some people don't reply and about half of the submissions were never heard of again.)
Just now, as I celebrate the thirteenth month anniversary of my partial - which was REQUESTED by a big publisher - I'm bracing myself for another big R. They say it's still under consideration, but the cynic in me suspects this is their way of saying it hasn't been looked at yet.
In my vast and varied experience of these things, a reply after this length of time can only have one outcome: Even if they might have been interested had they looked at it when it was submitted over a year ago, by now times have moved on and they will be looking for something completely different.
So, how to cope with that number of knock-backs without going completely bonkers?
1. The chocolate cupboard. Everyone knows chocolate makes things better. Even good days can be enhanced by its consumption. Dedicating a cupboard to it will ensure your supplies never run out and there will always be some sweet stuff to hand when it seems the world doesn't love your writing.
2. Have lots of stories in lots of baskets. If all your hopes are chained to one submission, then if it's sent home with a 'no thank you' letter, it will break your heart. But, if you have other stories under consideration, then only a fraction of your dreams will be tied to each one, so it stands to reason the Rs will sting a little less.
3. Try different kinds of writing. For years, I only wrote category romances. But when I tried short stories, I was astonished to find that not only where they quicker to write (what an idiot) but I also managed to sell a few. I then tried writing other things - such as articles and fillers. My only rule was (and is) that the market I'm aiming for pays. The thrill of seeing your name in print is hard to beat - and sometimes it doesn't matter how you get there. And once you've sold a piece of work, and you realise an editor likes your words enough to pay, it will give you confidence in all your other writing.
4. Never use rejection as a reason to give up writing. If that's what you truly want to and love to do, then carry on regardless. Accept that there are any number of reasons why an editor might decide a project wasn't right for them - and some of them will have nothing to do with your writing.
5. Target your work. There are some markets I'm pretty sure I'll never break into. But that's okay, because there are others who buy a very high percentage of everything I send them. (Can it be a coincidence that these are the stories I like to write best?) So now I make sure most of what I write is targeted to these markets. But I'm also aware market forces and tastes are apt to change, so if these markets start to reject, I'll widen my net again until I find somewhere else my work's suited to.
6. Make plans. My highly anticipated R won't be the end of the world when it arrives, as I'm already planning to tweak and rewrite it for another market.
7. Find a support network - join critique groups and make contact with people who understand. Step forward lovely Minxes and other writing friends - who have held my hand and offered encouragement and advice (and sometimes cake).
It's taken me a very long time to reach this level of acceptance and to view rejections as just another part of the writing/submitting/getting published process. Those of you who've known me a while will probably remember I submitted my first romance for consideration when I was 16. It was written on an antiquated typewriter, over many, many months and returned in the blink of an eye. Even the lovely and encouraging two page rejection letter didn't help. I cried for weeks and went off in a huff for two years.
My giant sulk after the second rejection lasted another two years - during which I wrote nothing. In a parallel universe, where the middle-aged me was around to offer my teen self advice, I'd have gone straight back to the typewriter and be world famous by now. Well, a middle-aged girl can dream.
The waiting though, that's still very hard to deal with, because, despite deep down expecting that R, until it actually arrives that glimmer of hope still lives in my heart, making it impossible to move on properly. And getting on with other things doesn't make you forget your baby's still out in the world awaiting it's fate.
Look out for that invitation to my partial's thirteen month anniversary party.
Just now, as I celebrate the thirteenth month anniversary of my partial - which was REQUESTED by a big publisher - I'm bracing myself for another big R. They say it's still under consideration, but the cynic in me suspects this is their way of saying it hasn't been looked at yet.
In my vast and varied experience of these things, a reply after this length of time can only have one outcome: Even if they might have been interested had they looked at it when it was submitted over a year ago, by now times have moved on and they will be looking for something completely different.
So, how to cope with that number of knock-backs without going completely bonkers?
1. The chocolate cupboard. Everyone knows chocolate makes things better. Even good days can be enhanced by its consumption. Dedicating a cupboard to it will ensure your supplies never run out and there will always be some sweet stuff to hand when it seems the world doesn't love your writing.
2. Have lots of stories in lots of baskets. If all your hopes are chained to one submission, then if it's sent home with a 'no thank you' letter, it will break your heart. But, if you have other stories under consideration, then only a fraction of your dreams will be tied to each one, so it stands to reason the Rs will sting a little less.
3. Try different kinds of writing. For years, I only wrote category romances. But when I tried short stories, I was astonished to find that not only where they quicker to write (what an idiot) but I also managed to sell a few. I then tried writing other things - such as articles and fillers. My only rule was (and is) that the market I'm aiming for pays. The thrill of seeing your name in print is hard to beat - and sometimes it doesn't matter how you get there. And once you've sold a piece of work, and you realise an editor likes your words enough to pay, it will give you confidence in all your other writing.
4. Never use rejection as a reason to give up writing. If that's what you truly want to and love to do, then carry on regardless. Accept that there are any number of reasons why an editor might decide a project wasn't right for them - and some of them will have nothing to do with your writing.
5. Target your work. There are some markets I'm pretty sure I'll never break into. But that's okay, because there are others who buy a very high percentage of everything I send them. (Can it be a coincidence that these are the stories I like to write best?) So now I make sure most of what I write is targeted to these markets. But I'm also aware market forces and tastes are apt to change, so if these markets start to reject, I'll widen my net again until I find somewhere else my work's suited to.
6. Make plans. My highly anticipated R won't be the end of the world when it arrives, as I'm already planning to tweak and rewrite it for another market.
7. Find a support network - join critique groups and make contact with people who understand. Step forward lovely Minxes and other writing friends - who have held my hand and offered encouragement and advice (and sometimes cake).
It's taken me a very long time to reach this level of acceptance and to view rejections as just another part of the writing/submitting/getting published process. Those of you who've known me a while will probably remember I submitted my first romance for consideration when I was 16. It was written on an antiquated typewriter, over many, many months and returned in the blink of an eye. Even the lovely and encouraging two page rejection letter didn't help. I cried for weeks and went off in a huff for two years.
My giant sulk after the second rejection lasted another two years - during which I wrote nothing. In a parallel universe, where the middle-aged me was around to offer my teen self advice, I'd have gone straight back to the typewriter and be world famous by now. Well, a middle-aged girl can dream.
The waiting though, that's still very hard to deal with, because, despite deep down expecting that R, until it actually arrives that glimmer of hope still lives in my heart, making it impossible to move on properly. And getting on with other things doesn't make you forget your baby's still out in the world awaiting it's fate.
Look out for that invitation to my partial's thirteen month anniversary party.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Not in New York ... with Zonkeys
For those like me, who could only dream of being at last week’s glamorous RWA conference in New York, I’ve decided to take you across the globe to a far less glamorous but equally exotic locale ... the African bushveld in midwinter.
I’m currently on Day 3 of a 5-day commercial film shoot, and this is one of our locations:
This is what a film unit looks like ... insignificant against the backdrop of the savannah.
And finally, just for a laugh, here’s one of the animals spotted on our current location ... Debra the Zonkey (this is for real!)
For me, this is all in a day’s work, but if you’ve ever had any questions about film shoots, or how movies are made, this is your chance to ask.
I’m currently on Day 3 of a 5-day commercial film shoot, and this is one of our locations:
This is what a film unit looks like ... insignificant against the backdrop of the savannah.
And finally, just for a laugh, here’s one of the animals spotted on our current location ... Debra the Zonkey (this is for real!)
For me, this is all in a day’s work, but if you’ve ever had any questions about film shoots, or how movies are made, this is your chance to ask.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Minxy Monday: Best Movie Lines
In case I haven't banged on about this enough - I love movies! Have done since my dad bought our first VCR in 1981 along with eleven videos. Don't ask me to name them all but the titles included Elvis Presley's Blue Hawaii, 
All That Jazz, Jaws (this one gave me nightmares for weeks!) and The Godfather.
Since then my love of movies has grown (so much so I worked in two separate videos stores before I was twenty). What better way to watch movies for free?
What makes movies memorable for me are the one-liners that either tug on the hearstrings or make you roar with laughter. Everyone, whether they've seen the whole movie or not, will remember lines like, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn", "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine" and "Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?".
For those hard core movie watchers, you'll also recognise this one "Don't Call Me BABE" uttered by a certain buxom female off that beach show *snigger*.
Now I have too many one-liners to name on this post, but just thought I'd share a few favourites with you. Here goes:
"Hand. Off. Ass" (The Proposal).
"Honey, just cos I talk slow, don't mean I'm stupid" (double snigger) (Sweet Home Alabama)
"Life is not the amount of breaths you take. It’s the moments that take your breath away” (Hitch)
"Beam me up, Scottie" As a die-hard Trekkie, I cannot leave that out.
And finally, from that classy, classy show which is The Simpsons - Homer: "You can run, but you can't glide!"
Here are some other Minxy favourite lines:
Sally: From Love Actually (where neither character understands the other's language)
Jamie - (in English) "It's my favorite time of day, driving you."
Aurelia - (in Portuguese) "It's the saddest part of my day, leaving you."
Joanne C: From Pearl Harbour - "Oh Rafe, all I ever wanted was for us to have a home and grow old together, but life never asked me what I wanted. Now I'm going to give Danny my whole heart... but I don't think I'll ever look at another sunset without thinking of you... I'll love you my whole life."
Joanne P: (Bridget) "Wait a minute... nice boys don't kiss like that." (Mark Darcy)"Oh, yes, they f**king do." (Bridget Jones's Diary)
Lacey: "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her" (Notting Hill) awwwww!
Romy: "You're like my own personal brand of heroin" (Twilight)
What are your favourite movie lines?
Please vote in our January poll: Favourite Irish Hotties (see right sidebar). In case you need a refresher, their pictures are in the post below this one.
The winner of the Kimberly Lang contest will be announced here on the blog on Wednesday.
All That Jazz, Jaws (this one gave me nightmares for weeks!) and The Godfather. Since then my love of movies has grown (so much so I worked in two separate videos stores before I was twenty). What better way to watch movies for free?
What makes movies memorable for me are the one-liners that either tug on the hearstrings or make you roar with laughter. Everyone, whether they've seen the whole movie or not, will remember lines like, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn", "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine" and "Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?".
For those hard core movie watchers, you'll also recognise this one "Don't Call Me BABE" uttered by a certain buxom female off that beach show *snigger*.
Now I have too many one-liners to name on this post, but just thought I'd share a few favourites with you. Here goes:
"Hand. Off. Ass" (The Proposal).
"Honey, just cos I talk slow, don't mean I'm stupid" (double snigger) (Sweet Home Alabama)
"Life is not the amount of breaths you take. It’s the moments that take your breath away” (Hitch)
"Beam me up, Scottie" As a die-hard Trekkie, I cannot leave that out.
And finally, from that classy, classy show which is The Simpsons - Homer: "You can run, but you can't glide!"
Here are some other Minxy favourite lines:
Sally: From Love Actually (where neither character understands the other's language)
Jamie - (in English) "It's my favorite time of day, driving you."
Aurelia - (in Portuguese) "It's the saddest part of my day, leaving you."
Joanne C: From Pearl Harbour - "Oh Rafe, all I ever wanted was for us to have a home and grow old together, but life never asked me what I wanted. Now I'm going to give Danny my whole heart... but I don't think I'll ever look at another sunset without thinking of you... I'll love you my whole life."
Joanne P: (Bridget) "Wait a minute... nice boys don't kiss like that." (Mark Darcy)"Oh, yes, they f**king do." (Bridget Jones's Diary)
Lacey: "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her" (Notting Hill) awwwww!
Romy: "You're like my own personal brand of heroin" (Twilight)
What are your favourite movie lines?
* * *
Please vote in our January poll: Favourite Irish Hotties (see right sidebar). In case you need a refresher, their pictures are in the post below this one.
The winner of the Kimberly Lang contest will be announced here on the blog on Wednesday.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Leading Ladies Part Two
Today is the turn of Lacey, Romy and Joanne P to share with us their favourite leading ladies of the silver screen.
My favorite leading lady would have to be Julia Roberts. Julia has demonstrated her talent and versatility in every movie she’s starred in, from drama, Erin Brockovich and romantic comedy, Notting Hill to psychological thriller, Sleeping with the Enemy, and crime comedy, Ocean’s Eleven.
Pretty Woman is an all time favorite of mine and it was actually the first of Julia’s movies that I got my hands on. She was every inch the spunky, uneducated, streetwise Vivian, you couldn’t help but love.
Sleeping with the Enemy came next, and once again, Julia personified her character Laura, an abused wife, who fakes her own death to escape her husband. You can’t help but become invested in the characters that Julia portrays and every single time she has had me on the edge of my seat hoping that she’ll get her happily ever after.
Julia ability to balance her incredible career with a family life, including three children, has made her an inspirational leading lady both on and off screen.
I tend to idolise strong women. I've even been accused of writing "ball breaker" heroines. So when I thought about which leading lady I admired, it's hardly surprising that the first character to spring to mind was Linda Hamilton's Sarah O'Connor in Terminator 2. I'll admit I know very little about Linda Hamilton, but I love the concept of a woman who will do anything to protect her child, and who makes herself over in order to do what must be done. Sarah O'Connor shows us that any woman, no matter how ordinary she seems, has the potential to be extraordinary.
However, as movie actresses go, my favourites are those glamorous icons of the early 20th century: women like the sassy Myrna Loy or the classy Grace Kelly.
My current favourite is an actress who made very few movies and who is remembered not for the films she made in Hollywood (which she turned her back on) but for a couple of German art films, and that was silent movie actress Louise Brooks. Her life was as interesting and complicated as any movie. And that's just given me an idea for a story ....
A favourite leading Lady for me has to be Barbra Streisand. I find her just fascinating to watch, she has such charisma and screen presence.
Lacey:
My favorite leading lady would have to be Julia Roberts. Julia has demonstrated her talent and versatility in every movie she’s starred in, from drama, Erin Brockovich and romantic comedy, Notting Hill to psychological thriller, Sleeping with the Enemy, and crime comedy, Ocean’s Eleven.
Pretty Woman is an all time favorite of mine and it was actually the first of Julia’s movies that I got my hands on. She was every inch the spunky, uneducated, streetwise Vivian, you couldn’t help but love.Sleeping with the Enemy came next, and once again, Julia personified her character Laura, an abused wife, who fakes her own death to escape her husband. You can’t help but become invested in the characters that Julia portrays and every single time she has had me on the edge of my seat hoping that she’ll get her happily ever after.
Julia ability to balance her incredible career with a family life, including three children, has made her an inspirational leading lady both on and off screen.
Romy:
However, as movie actresses go, my favourites are those glamorous icons of the early 20th century: women like the sassy Myrna Loy or the classy Grace Kelly.
Joanne P:
Although she isn't 'conventionally beautiful', there's something captivating about her face - her haunting eyes and her range of expressions that makes her stunning to watch on screen.
Her performances as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl and as Katie in The Way We Were really move me - she is such a 'real' actress. I find myself drawn in by her completely and crying buckets for her characters, even if its a movie i've seen ten times over.
In more recent years, she really made me laugh as Roz in 'Meet The Fockers' - how genius to pair her up with Dustin Hoffman!
Not to mention her brilliance as a singer and song writer, and the way that she has used her fame to speak up on political issues that matter to her.
She has proper old school star quality, and for me that makes her pretty perfect as a leading lady.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The perfect crit group
As many of our blog readers might know, the Minxes of Romance started as a crit group put together after the 2009 Presents contest. In the months since then, the group has gelled into an incredible team - this blog is evidence of that! So I thought I'd share my thoughts on what makes the perfect crit group. I haven't really got anything new or ground breaking to say, but I'm going to say it anyway.
Before I joined the Minxes, I had a few individual CPs and belonged to an on-line crit group or two. Some I worked well with, and we're still friendly, others not so much. But from the moment that I 'met' the other Minxes, I knew I was onto a winning streak.
So what are the important elements of a good CP relationship?
1. The first thing is that you all need to be at about the same place in your writing journey. This is important because a complete newbie might be forever wondering what you're going on about if you use 'insider speak', and a more experienced writer might not want to spend time having to explain the difference between internal and external conflict, for example. Mentoring has its place, but you usually want a CP relationship to be between equals, not one-sided.
2. You need to speak the same language. And I'm not just talking about the difference between say a writer who writes in English and one who writes in Japanese. I mean that you should read the same type of novels, be targeting similar lines etc. So that when your CP says 'this hero is more Modern than MH', you can appreciate what she means.
3. You and your CP(s) need to be able to give roughly the same amount of time to the writing process. The relationship is going to struggle if one of you is prolific and writing a book a month while the other takes a year to write one. The writer who takes longer is going to become even slower as she spends her life critting rather than writing! This is why I like a crit group. We all have lives that sometimes get in the way of writing. In a group, it's easier to take a break from critting without feeling like you're letting anyyone down. In a one-on-one situation, if you're having a busy week at work and your CP is on a deadline ... let's just say, I'm already very good at making myself feel guilty! But you also need to beware against a group getting too big and impersonal.
4. Personalities. Sometimes you can have a really good CP, someone who gives you great feedback and you enjoy each other's work, but that's as far as it goes. And then you meet a CP that you just click with. It's a bit like falling in love; you can't explain it, it just happens. And before you know it, you're not just crit partners, you're best friends. You know more about each others' lives than anyone else does. Your CPs provide shoulders to cry on, friends to laugh with, and they're good listeners when you just need to get something off your chest.
5. Trust. This is a biggie for me. I know I can trust the Minxes with the one thing that I hold most sacred: the words that I write and the ideas in my head. (Okay, so that's two things!) I know that they'll always be honest with me, but they'll also be kind and supportive. We've shared our joys, fears and secrets. They know who I am and still pretend to like me. When you find a CP like that, hang on to them!
6. A similar taste in men. Don't under-estimate this important bit! If one CP likes her heroes hot, sexy and Alpha, and the other likes her heroes tender, sympathetic and Beta, it's not the strongest basis for a relationship. Do you want to guess which type the Minxes prefer?
Thanks so much to all the Minxes for sharing this journey with me!
Before I joined the Minxes, I had a few individual CPs and belonged to an on-line crit group or two. Some I worked well with, and we're still friendly, others not so much. But from the moment that I 'met' the other Minxes, I knew I was onto a winning streak.
So what are the important elements of a good CP relationship?
1. The first thing is that you all need to be at about the same place in your writing journey. This is important because a complete newbie might be forever wondering what you're going on about if you use 'insider speak', and a more experienced writer might not want to spend time having to explain the difference between internal and external conflict, for example. Mentoring has its place, but you usually want a CP relationship to be between equals, not one-sided.
2. You need to speak the same language. And I'm not just talking about the difference between say a writer who writes in English and one who writes in Japanese. I mean that you should read the same type of novels, be targeting similar lines etc. So that when your CP says 'this hero is more Modern than MH', you can appreciate what she means.
3. You and your CP(s) need to be able to give roughly the same amount of time to the writing process. The relationship is going to struggle if one of you is prolific and writing a book a month while the other takes a year to write one. The writer who takes longer is going to become even slower as she spends her life critting rather than writing! This is why I like a crit group. We all have lives that sometimes get in the way of writing. In a group, it's easier to take a break from critting without feeling like you're letting anyyone down. In a one-on-one situation, if you're having a busy week at work and your CP is on a deadline ... let's just say, I'm already very good at making myself feel guilty! But you also need to beware against a group getting too big and impersonal.
4. Personalities. Sometimes you can have a really good CP, someone who gives you great feedback and you enjoy each other's work, but that's as far as it goes. And then you meet a CP that you just click with. It's a bit like falling in love; you can't explain it, it just happens. And before you know it, you're not just crit partners, you're best friends. You know more about each others' lives than anyone else does. Your CPs provide shoulders to cry on, friends to laugh with, and they're good listeners when you just need to get something off your chest.
5. Trust. This is a biggie for me. I know I can trust the Minxes with the one thing that I hold most sacred: the words that I write and the ideas in my head. (Okay, so that's two things!) I know that they'll always be honest with me, but they'll also be kind and supportive. We've shared our joys, fears and secrets. They know who I am and still pretend to like me. When you find a CP like that, hang on to them!
6. A similar taste in men. Don't under-estimate this important bit! If one CP likes her heroes hot, sexy and Alpha, and the other likes her heroes tender, sympathetic and Beta, it's not the strongest basis for a relationship. Do you want to guess which type the Minxes prefer?
Thanks so much to all the Minxes for sharing this journey with me!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Monday Minx: On Inspiration
The question apparently asked most often of authors is “Where do you get your inspiration?” I can only assume it’s non-writers asking because for me that’s kind of like asking “how do you breathe?” Maybe it’s not just coincidence that another term for the act of breathing is ‘inspiration’.
For me, ideas are everywhere. I have so many of them bombarding me all the time that all I can do is scribble them down and file them away. They come to me in my dreams, from articles I read, from chatting to people. I sometimes wish I could hire a ghostwriter to do the slog work and write them all so I can just play around with new story ideas. Sadly, that’s not going to happen (and maybe just as well, cos who knows what another writer would do with my beloved story!) so I just add them to the ever-growing queue of stories waiting to be written.
The best moments for inspiration to strike are those moments when I'm doing something completely mindless, like bathing or commuting to work. While I drive, my mind wanders and ideas come at me out of the blue. Often a snatch of music, or something my mind has been processing, will develop into a story as I sit bumper-to-bumper. This morning was one of those moments. I had Thirty Seconds to Mars playing in the car, and the lines of one song (“Mary was a different girl / Had a thing for astronauts / Mary was the type of girl / She always liked to play a lot”) set a chain reaction going in my head. By the time I’d arrived at my office I’d threshed out a short historical novella set in a Victorian bordello with an intricate suspense sub-plot. How on earth did my mind make the leap from a song about Mary who loves astronauts to Victorian subterfuge? I don’t have a clue!
So wondering if any research has been done into how inspiration works, I googled it. Clearly I’m not alone as the topic pops up as an automatic prompt on Google! I was looking for a scientific explanation, but what I got were the following thought-provoking answers.
It is just stream of consciousness from the light within.
[Source: Yahoo Answers]
The word “inspiration” has its first origins in the Greek word θεοπνευστος, which reads theopneustos and translates into “God-breathed.” In artistic composition inspiration refers to an unconscious and irrational burst of creativity. In both cases - spiritual and artistic - inspiration has something to do with the supernatural, it has a connection with the divine, it is a state of being in-spirit with something higher than ourselves.
Inspiration appears when your actions (work) are aligned with your life’s purpose. How do you know when that happens? When you love your work so much that you would do it for free, just because you enjoy the process of working.
[Source: Project Armannd]
I am fascinated to know your thoughts and opinions. How does the inspiration process work for you? When and where do you get your story ideas? And how do you think inspiration works?
I’ll leave you with these beautiful words from poet and author Margaret Sangster:
For me, ideas are everywhere. I have so many of them bombarding me all the time that all I can do is scribble them down and file them away. They come to me in my dreams, from articles I read, from chatting to people. I sometimes wish I could hire a ghostwriter to do the slog work and write them all so I can just play around with new story ideas. Sadly, that’s not going to happen (and maybe just as well, cos who knows what another writer would do with my beloved story!) so I just add them to the ever-growing queue of stories waiting to be written.
The best moments for inspiration to strike are those moments when I'm doing something completely mindless, like bathing or commuting to work. While I drive, my mind wanders and ideas come at me out of the blue. Often a snatch of music, or something my mind has been processing, will develop into a story as I sit bumper-to-bumper. This morning was one of those moments. I had Thirty Seconds to Mars playing in the car, and the lines of one song (“Mary was a different girl / Had a thing for astronauts / Mary was the type of girl / She always liked to play a lot”) set a chain reaction going in my head. By the time I’d arrived at my office I’d threshed out a short historical novella set in a Victorian bordello with an intricate suspense sub-plot. How on earth did my mind make the leap from a song about Mary who loves astronauts to Victorian subterfuge? I don’t have a clue!
So wondering if any research has been done into how inspiration works, I googled it. Clearly I’m not alone as the topic pops up as an automatic prompt on Google! I was looking for a scientific explanation, but what I got were the following thought-provoking answers.
It is just stream of consciousness from the light within.
[Source: Yahoo Answers]
The word “inspiration” has its first origins in the Greek word θεοπνευστος, which reads theopneustos and translates into “God-breathed.” In artistic composition inspiration refers to an unconscious and irrational burst of creativity. In both cases - spiritual and artistic - inspiration has something to do with the supernatural, it has a connection with the divine, it is a state of being in-spirit with something higher than ourselves.
Inspiration appears when your actions (work) are aligned with your life’s purpose. How do you know when that happens? When you love your work so much that you would do it for free, just because you enjoy the process of working.
[Source: Project Armannd]
I am fascinated to know your thoughts and opinions. How does the inspiration process work for you? When and where do you get your story ideas? And how do you think inspiration works?
I’ll leave you with these beautiful words from poet and author Margaret Sangster:
Inspiration is a fragile thing... just a breeze, touching the green foliage of a city park, just a whisper from the soul of a friend. Just a line of verse clipped from some book. Inspiration... who can say where it is born, and why it leaves us? Who can tell the reasons for its being or not being? Only this... I can think. Inspiration comes from the Heart of Heaven to give the lift of wings, and the breath of divine music to those of us who are earthbound.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Wimbledon – A Writer’s Perspective by Minx Maya
This was supposed to be a post to introduce myself *properly*as a Minx. But frankly, I didn’t think the blog world would find me that interesting. I mean, you don’t want to hear me prattle on about my, er, chest-to-chest meeting with Vernon Kay when I literally bumped into him (we were rounding the same corner) three years ago, do you? If the answer is yes, then let me add quickly that his eyes are that sexy and yes, his chest was all manly and hard – my chest felt it!
If the answer’s no, then let’s move on.
As an armchair sports enthusiast, of course I’d secured my place for the Wimbledon Final this year (I needed something to focus on after England’s triumph at the World Cup). Even before the tennis match started, I knew I’d be supporting the underdog, Tomas Berdych. This previously little known player who seems to have come out of nowhere and *gasp* beaten Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic was definitely one to watch.
Before long though, his uphill battle against a frankly superior Rafael Nadal was reminding me a little too vividly of how tough it is for new writers (see what I’ve done here?) and in my heart I knew he’d lose despite his fearless fight.
What sustained me through the match and made me root for him even harder was the knowledge that he, like every writer with a dream of being published, had learned pick himself up after every set back. He kept hitting the ball after every game and set lost in the hope that maybe, just maybe, all his hard work would pay off.
As writers we have to do the same thing – we pick ourselves up after every form rejection, rejected partial, rejected revisions, and (the toughest of all) rejected fulls, in the hope that eventually the right book will land on the right desk, the right editor will send it up the chain, resulting in the ultimate prize that is The Call.
My first call came via email a little over a year ago and while I treasure it immensely, I yearn for the other Call, The Big One, the life changing one that every writer dreams of.
The Wimbledon Final also reminded me that hard work pays. I have no doubt Berdych will come back stronger – he’s too determined not to. He won’t give up and neither should any writer out there who dreams of the winning the magic prize.
And just to make this even remotely a get-to-know-Maya post, I’ll repeat what my late grandmother used to tell me whenever I had a setback – everything in life happens for a reason. Take it as a lesson and learn from it.
I took that advice to heart and practiced what to say to Gary Barlow from Take That the next time I took his call about the leak in his bathroom. Alas, I left that property management job over 10 years ago so the chances of reliving that moment are nil! But I did pluck up the courage to say hello to Gordon Ramsay when he turned up at my office last week. I hope that made my grandmother smile…
Happy writing!
If the answer’s no, then let’s move on.
As an armchair sports enthusiast, of course I’d secured my place for the Wimbledon Final this year (I needed something to focus on after England’s triumph at the World Cup). Even before the tennis match started, I knew I’d be supporting the underdog, Tomas Berdych. This previously little known player who seems to have come out of nowhere and *gasp* beaten Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic was definitely one to watch.
Before long though, his uphill battle against a frankly superior Rafael Nadal was reminding me a little too vividly of how tough it is for new writers (see what I’ve done here?) and in my heart I knew he’d lose despite his fearless fight.
What sustained me through the match and made me root for him even harder was the knowledge that he, like every writer with a dream of being published, had learned pick himself up after every set back. He kept hitting the ball after every game and set lost in the hope that maybe, just maybe, all his hard work would pay off.
As writers we have to do the same thing – we pick ourselves up after every form rejection, rejected partial, rejected revisions, and (the toughest of all) rejected fulls, in the hope that eventually the right book will land on the right desk, the right editor will send it up the chain, resulting in the ultimate prize that is The Call.
My first call came via email a little over a year ago and while I treasure it immensely, I yearn for the other Call, The Big One, the life changing one that every writer dreams of.
The Wimbledon Final also reminded me that hard work pays. I have no doubt Berdych will come back stronger – he’s too determined not to. He won’t give up and neither should any writer out there who dreams of the winning the magic prize.
And just to make this even remotely a get-to-know-Maya post, I’ll repeat what my late grandmother used to tell me whenever I had a setback – everything in life happens for a reason. Take it as a lesson and learn from it.
I took that advice to heart and practiced what to say to Gary Barlow from Take That the next time I took his call about the leak in his bathroom. Alas, I left that property management job over 10 years ago so the chances of reliving that moment are nil! But I did pluck up the courage to say hello to Gordon Ramsay when he turned up at my office last week. I hope that made my grandmother smile…
Happy writing!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday Minx - Sri
I’ve postponed writing about myself for 2 weeks and not because I’m lazy. Being 33 weeks pregnant, working full time and managing a 2 year old are making me forgetful. But my fellow minxes have been patient with me, so before they go, 'where is Sri again?' :) here I go. Being the least 'popular' of the minxes, not in terms of being hated, we are all lovely people, but as in, even with a blog of my own, I’m what they call an online recluse, I thought I would just mention a few points about me instead of a boring bio about how ordinary I am.
1. My father and my grandfather were both writers, and I grew up surrounded by books, so my eternal love story is with books. I think it was Romy who said she was a book whore and I'm right there with her. And I adore Romance, and find myself looking for it even in the most suspenseful crime thriller.
2. English is not my mother tongue. But, I have studied it through high school, so can’t use that as an excuse for bad grammar.
3. I’m a vegetarian. I’m asked once at least every day by one of my colleagues how I do it, and I say “I never ate meat, fish, or chicken in my life. So really, it’s easy for me.”
4. Once I had discovered Romance novels at the age of 13, I was obsessed with reading as many as I could lay my hands on. And this didn’t make my mother happy for she was worried about my grades. So I used to cover the novels with school text covers, hid them in my 7 year old cousin's school bag, because she didn’t check his bag like she did my own, and even bribed my brother to bring them home for me without her seeing them.
5. Being a part of the minxes is the best thing that could have happened to my writing because I’m surrounded by a fabulous group of lovely ladies who all get what I do every day and whose help can only make me a better writer. So, love ya minxes!!!
1. My father and my grandfather were both writers, and I grew up surrounded by books, so my eternal love story is with books. I think it was Romy who said she was a book whore and I'm right there with her. And I adore Romance, and find myself looking for it even in the most suspenseful crime thriller.
2. English is not my mother tongue. But, I have studied it through high school, so can’t use that as an excuse for bad grammar.
3. I’m a vegetarian. I’m asked once at least every day by one of my colleagues how I do it, and I say “I never ate meat, fish, or chicken in my life. So really, it’s easy for me.”
4. Once I had discovered Romance novels at the age of 13, I was obsessed with reading as many as I could lay my hands on. And this didn’t make my mother happy for she was worried about my grades. So I used to cover the novels with school text covers, hid them in my 7 year old cousin's school bag, because she didn’t check his bag like she did my own, and even bribed my brother to bring them home for me without her seeing them.
5. Being a part of the minxes is the best thing that could have happened to my writing because I’m surrounded by a fabulous group of lovely ladies who all get what I do every day and whose help can only make me a better writer. So, love ya minxes!!!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Monday Minx: Suzanne
This isn’t going to be personal, I already give out way too much information on my own blog so, if you’re after salacious gossip, you should stop reading now.
Still here? Good, then pull up a chair and I’ll begin...
Today, I’m going to talk about the compulsion that drives me to commit words to paper, the burning ambition that urges me to write romance manuscript after romance manuscript even while the world cares not one jot.
To start at the beginning of this sorry tale, we must travel back in time, to when I was fourteen. This is when I first fell in love with Mills and Boon romances and, somehow, I never quite managed to fall out of love again.
In the tradition of the best stories, this love is unrequited – despite my utter devotion, Mills and Boon have never loved me back. From the age of 16, I’ve submitted a number of manuscripts to Paradise Road, only to have them hurtling back with such speed, I sometimes found them waiting for me when I arrived home from the post office. Of course, these days with that newfangled e-mail thingy, things are not quite so bad – at least I’m able to enjoy a cup of tea before they ping back.
So, why do I do it? Why do I keep going and persistently subject myself to heartache that would fell a less stubborn writer?
Everyone who reads romance novels will be aware these books are entertainment with bells on. Between the pages of a romance novel, you’re guaranteed the read of your life – gorgeous heroes to fall in love with, feisty heroines to live vicariously through, locations so far removed from school runs and supermarket shopping they might as well be on another planet. In other words, these books transport the reader from everyday drudgery to the kind of elegant living only enjoyed by the mega rich in the real world. What’s more, the type of love that most people will only experience once in a lifetime – and that’s if they’re lucky – can be experienced time after time, just by delving between the covers of these books.
That’s why I want to write romance, I want to be able to create the kind of magic that makes a reader identify with my heroine and fall in love with my hero, just as my favourite authors do every time they write a book. Can you even begin to imagine how wonderful that would be?
Besides, now I’m a Minx, I’m having far too much fun to stop.
Still here? Good, then pull up a chair and I’ll begin...
Today, I’m going to talk about the compulsion that drives me to commit words to paper, the burning ambition that urges me to write romance manuscript after romance manuscript even while the world cares not one jot.
To start at the beginning of this sorry tale, we must travel back in time, to when I was fourteen. This is when I first fell in love with Mills and Boon romances and, somehow, I never quite managed to fall out of love again.
In the tradition of the best stories, this love is unrequited – despite my utter devotion, Mills and Boon have never loved me back. From the age of 16, I’ve submitted a number of manuscripts to Paradise Road, only to have them hurtling back with such speed, I sometimes found them waiting for me when I arrived home from the post office. Of course, these days with that newfangled e-mail thingy, things are not quite so bad – at least I’m able to enjoy a cup of tea before they ping back.
So, why do I do it? Why do I keep going and persistently subject myself to heartache that would fell a less stubborn writer?
Everyone who reads romance novels will be aware these books are entertainment with bells on. Between the pages of a romance novel, you’re guaranteed the read of your life – gorgeous heroes to fall in love with, feisty heroines to live vicariously through, locations so far removed from school runs and supermarket shopping they might as well be on another planet. In other words, these books transport the reader from everyday drudgery to the kind of elegant living only enjoyed by the mega rich in the real world. What’s more, the type of love that most people will only experience once in a lifetime – and that’s if they’re lucky – can be experienced time after time, just by delving between the covers of these books.
That’s why I want to write romance, I want to be able to create the kind of magic that makes a reader identify with my heroine and fall in love with my hero, just as my favourite authors do every time they write a book. Can you even begin to imagine how wonderful that would be?
Besides, now I’m a Minx, I’m having far too much fun to stop.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Minx Monday - Covers
A picture post this Monday, featuring covers from three minxes.
First: Maya's book.
Hostage to Love, By Maya Blake
available now from Wild Rose.
And finally, Sally's book, Catch Me A Catch by Sally Clements, available from Wild Rose later in the summer.
First: Maya's book.
Hostage to Love, By Maya Blake
available now from Wild Rose.
Next up, Romy's book, Let's Misbehave, (writing as Rae Summers) which is available 7th July from Wild Rose (there'll be a later post closer to release about this one)
Read more about Romy/Rae's book here.
And finally, Sally's book, Catch Me A Catch by Sally Clements, available from Wild Rose later in the summer.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Monday Minx – Sally
My turn (gulp). I’m very happy to be a Minx. Before I was a Minx, I was writing on my own, not telling anyone I was a writer as I churned out my first couple of novels. Four or five years ago, I decided to get serious about my writing, and at that point everything changed for me. First I acknowledged that I was a writer. Told people that I wrote, claimed it. I went on a number of writing courses, and met other like minded people and learned a lot. I write Romance and also crime, and decided to target Mills and Boon.
I’d written my first ‘M&B novel’ before I attended a full day ‘writing a Mills and Boon’ writing course given by Inkwell Writers in Dublin. It was a great day, given by Abby Green and Trish Wylie, with Jenny Hutton, Mills and Boon editor in attendance. I learnt a lot that day, and it really helped focus my writing.
A while later, Trish was writing a ‘not at nationals’ post on her blog, and contacted me, asking me to either contribute to her blog for a ‘newbie’s view’ or to start my own blog, which she’d link to. I chose the latter option, and made the jump into the blogosphere.
I met various of the minxes this way. Admired their humour and mastery with words. Found great friendship and validation of my writing journey through it. And after the last Mills and Boon competition, while nursing my rejection letter, decided to take something positive from it, and the Minxes were born.
As a writer, I’m never finished learning. There’s always something new. I’d had critique partners before, and found it so valuable to analyse someone else’s work, and so helpful when someone looked over my own that I was eager for the experience and opportunity that the Minxes provide. What I hadn’t expected is the sheer joy of being a Minx. We pick each other up when we’re down. Give each other kicks up the pants when we need it, get together on Skype to brainstorm plots and thrash out character flaws. Its great. Now, with our blog, we’re meeting other writers and editors and growing as writers. And having fun, because at the end of the day, being happy is what it’s all about!
I’d written my first ‘M&B novel’ before I attended a full day ‘writing a Mills and Boon’ writing course given by Inkwell Writers in Dublin. It was a great day, given by Abby Green and Trish Wylie, with Jenny Hutton, Mills and Boon editor in attendance. I learnt a lot that day, and it really helped focus my writing.
A while later, Trish was writing a ‘not at nationals’ post on her blog, and contacted me, asking me to either contribute to her blog for a ‘newbie’s view’ or to start my own blog, which she’d link to. I chose the latter option, and made the jump into the blogosphere.
I met various of the minxes this way. Admired their humour and mastery with words. Found great friendship and validation of my writing journey through it. And after the last Mills and Boon competition, while nursing my rejection letter, decided to take something positive from it, and the Minxes were born.
As a writer, I’m never finished learning. There’s always something new. I’d had critique partners before, and found it so valuable to analyse someone else’s work, and so helpful when someone looked over my own that I was eager for the experience and opportunity that the Minxes provide. What I hadn’t expected is the sheer joy of being a Minx. We pick each other up when we’re down. Give each other kicks up the pants when we need it, get together on Skype to brainstorm plots and thrash out character flaws. Its great. Now, with our blog, we’re meeting other writers and editors and growing as writers. And having fun, because at the end of the day, being happy is what it’s all about!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Monday Minx - Joanne
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.
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 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 :-)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday Minx: Romy
This post is supposed to be an introduction to me. But I've typed three different posts about me, and had to delete all of them for being too boring. I could tell you about my path to publication, but as I'm not yet published, that seems pointless. I could tell you my life story, but this blog isn't long enough, or ramble on about me, but my life really isn't that exciting (I spend most of my time glued to the laptop) so I've finally just decided to tell you ten things about myself and leave it at that.
Left: me in Mozambique earlier this year.
1. I'm half German, half South African with a dollop of Scottish blood. I was born and raised in South Africa where I still live, though like half the population of this country I'd rather be somewhere else. The 'somewhere else' changes every time I go on holiday or depending on what book I'm reading. At the moment, it's the Greek island of Corfu.
2. I'm fascinated by genealogy. On my mother's side I have traced my ancestry back to the late 1500s. My eldest daughter shares the same name (Rachel Magdalena) as every woman in my family bar three generations, going back to at least 1700.
3. I am a book whore, and proud of it. I'll read anything. If I'm in a waiting room and there are no magazines I'll read the emergency regulations! As a teenager I used to sit in front of the TV with an encyclopedia in my lap, reading it for fun. Looking back, I really miss that time. I mean, I really miss having the time to sit and read the encyclopedia, not being a teenager.
4. I love musicals. In my head I can sing and dance and still have dreams about being a West End star. Or maybe a movie star. Sadly, I can't carry a tune and have two left feet. Which is why I probably write stories instead. The heroines I create can always sing and dance!
5. All my life I've been a serial starter. I've started to learn to play the guitar, the piano, started tap dancing classes, ballet classes, Scottish dancing, gymnastics, art classes, calligraphy ... you get the picture. Needless to say, I can't play an instrument, tap dance ...
The day I finished my first novel was one of the greatest triumphs of my life. It was the first time I finished something I started. That was when I knew this was what I was meant to do. (The novel was truly atrocious though).
6. I dropped out of university and dropped out of film school. I still managed a relatively successful career in the film industry (I worked on the BBC series "Rhodes" and also on "I Dreamed of Africa") before moving into television advertising. There are some moments I enjoy the day job, but I survive most days by fantasising about giving it up. Sadly, thanks to having no qualifications, I can do nothing else. My daughters are so going to get degrees in useful fields!
7. I do cross stitch for fun. I don't have much time for it these days though, what with the internet taking precedence over all else. (And two young children, of course).
I can do this. I know I can. Just three more things to think of ....
8. Both my daughters were born in water births and were breastfed as late as my work schedule allowed. I'm a strong believer in mothers trying to go natural, and have to bite my tongue when I meet women who opt for caesareans or bottles because it's easier or suits their lifestyle - or worse, out of plain ignorance.
Ladies, a baby of 3kg is not too big for you to push out. It's normal. Your male gynae just wants to schedule you in for a caesar so he can make his 11:00 tee off at the golf club. Ignorance is not an excuse in this day and age with the internet and libraries, and midwives more than ready to discuss options with you. Caesars are for women who seriously have problems birthing their babies, not for wimps. [Climbing down from my soapbox now].
9. When I lived in London many years ago I once went away for a week-end to Kent with a group of South Africans. There were ten of us: the other nine were all medical personnel (doctors, dentists, physios) and I was working at the time as a temp secretary in an NHS hospital. That was also the weekend we set off the youth hostel alarm after a long evening in the pub. Those two years I spent in England were such fun!
Okay, the end is in sight. Just one more.
10. I can't cook. I am useless at anything domesticated. I work long hours at the day job so I can afford a maid. And you do NOT want to see my house on week-ends.
Whew! That's it. I need a strong cup of tea now.
Right: me a long, long time ago.
1. I'm half German, half South African with a dollop of Scottish blood. I was born and raised in South Africa where I still live, though like half the population of this country I'd rather be somewhere else. The 'somewhere else' changes every time I go on holiday or depending on what book I'm reading. At the moment, it's the Greek island of Corfu.
2. I'm fascinated by genealogy. On my mother's side I have traced my ancestry back to the late 1500s. My eldest daughter shares the same name (Rachel Magdalena) as every woman in my family bar three generations, going back to at least 1700.
3. I am a book whore, and proud of it. I'll read anything. If I'm in a waiting room and there are no magazines I'll read the emergency regulations! As a teenager I used to sit in front of the TV with an encyclopedia in my lap, reading it for fun. Looking back, I really miss that time. I mean, I really miss having the time to sit and read the encyclopedia, not being a teenager.
4. I love musicals. In my head I can sing and dance and still have dreams about being a West End star. Or maybe a movie star. Sadly, I can't carry a tune and have two left feet. Which is why I probably write stories instead. The heroines I create can always sing and dance!
5. All my life I've been a serial starter. I've started to learn to play the guitar, the piano, started tap dancing classes, ballet classes, Scottish dancing, gymnastics, art classes, calligraphy ... you get the picture. Needless to say, I can't play an instrument, tap dance ...
The day I finished my first novel was one of the greatest triumphs of my life. It was the first time I finished something I started. That was when I knew this was what I was meant to do. (The novel was truly atrocious though).
6. I dropped out of university and dropped out of film school. I still managed a relatively successful career in the film industry (I worked on the BBC series "Rhodes" and also on "I Dreamed of Africa") before moving into television advertising. There are some moments I enjoy the day job, but I survive most days by fantasising about giving it up. Sadly, thanks to having no qualifications, I can do nothing else. My daughters are so going to get degrees in useful fields!
7. I do cross stitch for fun. I don't have much time for it these days though, what with the internet taking precedence over all else. (And two young children, of course).
I can do this. I know I can. Just three more things to think of ....
8. Both my daughters were born in water births and were breastfed as late as my work schedule allowed. I'm a strong believer in mothers trying to go natural, and have to bite my tongue when I meet women who opt for caesareans or bottles because it's easier or suits their lifestyle - or worse, out of plain ignorance.
Ladies, a baby of 3kg is not too big for you to push out. It's normal. Your male gynae just wants to schedule you in for a caesar so he can make his 11:00 tee off at the golf club. Ignorance is not an excuse in this day and age with the internet and libraries, and midwives more than ready to discuss options with you. Caesars are for women who seriously have problems birthing their babies, not for wimps. [Climbing down from my soapbox now].
9. When I lived in London many years ago I once went away for a week-end to Kent with a group of South Africans. There were ten of us: the other nine were all medical personnel (doctors, dentists, physios) and I was working at the time as a temp secretary in an NHS hospital. That was also the weekend we set off the youth hostel alarm after a long evening in the pub. Those two years I spent in England were such fun!
Okay, the end is in sight. Just one more.
10. I can't cook. I am useless at anything domesticated. I work long hours at the day job so I can afford a maid. And you do NOT want to see my house on week-ends.Whew! That's it. I need a strong cup of tea now.
Right: me a long, long time ago.
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