RNA Conference 2011 - Post Two

First my pictures from day one are up on the RNA Blog. However not all of them are there. I saved a few more intimate ones for here...

This was a very special conference for me. It was my first one as a 'published' writer. As a newbie you sit listening to the celebratio announcements on the Friday afternoon and dream of the day when your turn will come. Well mine had come and it was better than I ever dreamed. I stood and told of my wonderful year...an agent (and not just any agent but Carole Blake), a deal but not one - three! And not only did I get to say all this...my agent was there too!

In our flat just after the celebrations announcements Julie Cohen greeted me with a bottle of champagne saying - your first sale happens only once so must celebrate as much as possible. I like her thinking :-)

Biddy and Julie before we opened the bubbly

the wonderful Fiona Harper who was a newbie with me at my first conference in 2005

The New Me - The Super Me

What can I say? When the going gets tough - the tough get shopping! No, seriously, things are mad here getting ready for summer exodus. Not writing. Not acheiving much but keeping head above water. DD is having leaving birthday/leaving party on Thursday and I'm taking six ten year girls to Wild Wadi. My new Super Hero me will come in very handy but may get a few strange looks!

If you're in need of super powers and I know you arehere's the link.

Thanks for the link Fiona and Liz

Romantic Novelists's Conference Day Two

Saturday was an example of how my life can be divided. I needed to be in two places at once. DS2 was celebrating his last day at prep school and there were all these wonderful sessions at the conference.........I may it back to the conference in time for Jill Mansell's talk which was the last session of the day.

Jill had us all laughing which did make it tricky to take coherent notes but here is what I can make out of mine (Jill if I have my facts wrong please please correct me - otherwise it might be embarassing!):

-she writes feel good fiction with nice people in it
-her characters are much wittier than she is (so she says)

-she writes by hand sitting comfortably on her sofa with tv going in the background

-she doesn't break the work up into chapters until she has written the whole book and can see where the breaks need to be

-she uses a time line

-she gets here ideas from being nosy, eavesdropping, watching tv while writing, problem pages in magazines, asking people pertinent questions

-sparks of ideas do just come

-she adores the Internet and has found that looking oneself up is like being in the a loo cubicle and having people just outside talking about you

-the biggest compliment is that she made a reader laugh or cry and helped them come through some hard times
-she collects embarrassing experiences
-she writes one book a year/ roughly 1000 words a day


Now Fortunately I can send you and me in the right direction for some brilliant reports on the the sessions I missed. Debs Carr has written up her day at the conference here. The notes are brilliant in their detail. Ray-Anne is working her way through her notes and thus far written up the Midas PR session here. We were lucky enough to have the independent book seller Mark Thornton of Mostly Book in Abingdon providing the conference with the book stall and a talk on Shelf Secrets. His account of the conference is here.


So the one successful thing I did do was have my camera handy to capture everyone dressed for the gala dinner........... So here is a selection of Romantic Novelist's in the bar of course

Here is Anne Ashurst and Giselle Green

.

Nell Dixon and Fiona Harper.

Here's Bex Leith and Lesley Cookman.

Jane Wenham-Jones and Katie Fforde

Kate Harrison and Sarah Duncan

Julie Cohen and Pam Brooks aka Kate Hardy

Janet Gover and Ray-Anne (see above)












Fenella Jane Miller, Anna Jacobs and Jean Fullerton

Jill Mansell and Moi

Beryl Kingston

Kate Johnson

and her shoes!

As Promised - My Writing Room

It's done and it's pristine! I now need to christen the room with some writing! What a thought - each night I have been falling asleep with ideas tumbling over in my head yet nothing has been put to the page. This has been to to circumstance - yes but now I have no excuse. I have a near perfect space to BE in and ideas queing to come out. I just needd to follow my own advice and just write!!!! (Rebecca, it is very tidy and unused at the moment. Once work commences disaster will pour forth in the form of bits of paper, research books, tea cups..............)

On another note I was persuing the current issue of TimeOut Dubai as one does - looking for the best restaurant deals to be honest and came to the book review section. The lead review is of Lucie Whitehouse's book - The House At Midnight. It was a brilliant review (not yet online) and just might make me move the book closer to the top of the towering TBR pile!!!

NEWS FLASH

The short list for the Romantic Novelist Association Romance Prize is out here. It is a fantastic list (all fabulous writers) but it all the more wonderful because my friends Fiona Harper , who has not only one but two books on the list, and Julie Cohen Julie Cohen are on it. I am so pleased that I will be making it to the lunch!!! It will be worth leaving Dubai at 3 in the morning to arrive at LHR at 7:30 for the lunch at 11:45! Is that dedication for you you or what!!!!!

Middle name Meme, Dubai 7's and Links

Rebecca tagged me for the middle name meme which requires that I list the rules first:

1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don't have a middle name, just make one up...or use the one you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

M - Mother. I see being a mother the most important role in life. It shapes much of how I act and think although I wasn't sure I relay wanted to be one until I was one.

A - Angels. I believe in angels especially guardian angels who I particularly relying when I am flying because I am terrified of flying and with my life flying is not an optional activity.

R - Rejection. I am no longer afraid of rejection. I think when I hit 40 this passed and I don't really care what most other people think of me, my life and my work. I finally know and love myself so what others like really doesn't matter.

I - Imagination. Imagination is a special gift and I hadn't realized how many people lack it until recently. It seems to get lost somewhere between childhood and adolescence.

E - Education. Education is so important and it comes in so many many forms. We have an obligation to ourselves and other to keep educating our minds and sharing it with others.

Right now I tag JJ, Cally, Fiona, Nell ,Ray-Anne

Now the Dubai 7's start today, Thursday - despite what the blog says - and believe it or not it is cloudy which I am sure has the players worried as last year they nearly got rained out I here! So here's hoping it won't rain as we will be there tomorrow and Saturday. I am hoping that the 7's won't let me down as I have such wonderful memories of them from when we lived here last!

Now onto a few links for you. I tagged Fiona above but it worth dropping by her blog because she is doing one of her wonderful writing craft sessions. Her insight into writing is brilliant. I now forget who lead me onto this blog but it worth scrolling through his posts during NaNoMo. Here's a quote from his last post which hit home:

"That's because writing is about setting, and reaching, goals.

Stories don't write themselves. They take a considerable time commitment. Often that commitment is hard to justify. But writers, real writers, make writing a priority. They make the time and the effort. "

RNA Winter Party

Well, it's a crisp clear morning here in Cornwall and last week seeems a long time ago - even this weekend for that matter, but I must tell you about the party.














In truth the party began before I arrived at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers as half the attendees were staying at the New Cavendish Club. I had a brief chance to chat with the lovely Eileen Ramsayand Katie Fforde kindly treated me to a drink at the bar before we went. I had hoped this would help to keep my eyes open (what kind of fool was I to think that you should fly in the morning of the big party???) and give me courage. By the time we arrive at six forty there was already a good crowd.




Evelyn Ryle who writes as Joanna Maitlandfor HMB pushed me into crowd with the words, "There seven agents here today and as many editors. Go get one." With knees shaking I plunged into the crowd and fell at the first hurdle when I bumped into a familiar face. However after a few minutes I reminded my self this was a jolly this was business this time. At all the past events I really didn't have anything to sell but this time it was not so. It was do or die.


I am pleased to report after several fortifying glasses of wine I did do........so in a few short minutes I will connecting the lap top to printer and submitting to two agents that I connected with at the party. They were both willing to look at August Rock - shock horror, no really its all a bit exciting and overwhelming.


The line up of editors were impressive. Represented in very healthy numbers were Orion, Transworld, Hodder, Harper, Piatkus, Harlequin Mills & Boon, and Severn House. It was a place to see and be seen. I was lucky enough to catch the moment when our chairwomen Catherine Jones, writing as Kate Lace, was handed her first copy of her second book for Little Black Dress by editor Cat Cobain.




I also have a very insightful chat with Gillian Green currently editor at Piatkus but moving on to the Ebury at Random House. She listened to me warble on as it was towards the end of the evening and gave me some sound advice - now it I could only recall it!





So who else did I see......Biddy Coady (who was being chased by Karin Stoeker, the editoral director of HMB to get her chapters in - so do it Biddy!) Fiona Harper, Judy Astley, Phillipa Ashley, Mary De Laszlo, Annie Ashurst (Sara Craven), Jan Jones, Jean Fullerton, Susie Vereker and my memory is beginning to fail me. I should have written this Friday morning but I didn't have time as I meeting Phillipa Ashley for coffee :-)


Then it was out to dinner which my body was telling was crazy but how could I turn down dinner with so many friends. I tried to keep my eyes open. At dinner it was a great chance to rehash the party and catch up.

At dinner (apologies as it's quite a list!) Kaite Fforde, Catherine Jones, Jo Thomas, Henrietta Gyland, Pia Tapper Fenton, Julia Williams(whose book Pastures new is out next month!) Giselle Green and Gilli Allen.......I struggled into the hotel and collapsed.

I can't say how wonderful it was to be with other writers and the bonus that they are friends too.......it will have to keep me going for a while.

As this is such a long post I'll wait until tomorrow to tell you about Dublin.

Thursday's Friday

The world is so much better since anonymous J taught me how to force the page to refresh. I am no longer stuck looking at yesterday or even last week's blog! Thank you again J.

This photo was of the sunset off the balcony of our hotel/apartment last night. I'm definitely becoming used to the rhythms of the day here now and no longer falling asleep at 8! However no doubt the dh will be as he will be 9 hours adrift after this last trip to Texas.

The editing has been rolling on this week well. I'm enjoying the story which bodes well - at least I hope it does. As I mentioned that this is just an edit for language not plot, not character...... I'm saving those delights once the script is readable! However I did go back to the He Wrote/She Wrote lesson about the conflict box here . I was pleased to see what I have set up works so at least the foundation is there for the next stage.

The lovely Flowerpot had tagged me with this great meme.

Total number of books? This is a good question as I haven't a clue as currently they are split between the container and Cornwall. Plus due to our transient life style I had to let go of beloved books along the way to make room for my children's and husband's book - the things I do for them!

Last Book read? The Bride's Seduction by Louise Allen and I finished this last night and I must say it was a great pleasure (more about this later) I also have on the go The end of the Affair by Graham Greene and Atonement by Ian McEwan

Last Book Bought? The End of the Affair

Five meaningful Books? This is a tough one... what does meaningful mean? Books that have stayed with me? Books that have altered my thoughts? Hmmmmmmm. Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (can't remember how times I read this as a child), Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer (began my love affair with historical fiction), Leo the African by Amin Maalouf (showed me a different view on history), Any Human Heart by William Boyd (showed me how differently a man's mind works) and finally Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (for sheer joy)

Now I am supposed to tag five people so I tag:

Rebecca Burgess
Jan
Alyssa Goodnight
Lisa
Ray-Anne

Rather long post today but I thought I would mention that in the UK today there will a radio program on about Mills and Boon entitled Guilty Pleasures. I will try and listen through the net as I think there is much derision about Mill and Boon that I personally think is cr.p. There are several posts out there ( here and here)that say it better than I will but I think the snobbery is generated by people who haven't looked inside the cover of a Mills and Boon in at least twenty years. From my own reading experience, I have spent many wonderful hours of pleasure but not guilty pleasure - that I reserve for chocolate, with all different varieties of Mills and Boon books. The authors writing these stories are brilliant, skilled and hard working. Before you turn your nose up try picking up any of Julie Cohen's if you can handle heat or Fiona Harper's for a gentler approach.

The book I read last night was from their historical line. It was beautifully and compelling written. Yes, I knew it would work out in the end - hell that's why I read them. Sometimes I need an emotional lift and that's what Mills and Boon provide with beautifully crafted stories (yes the tried and tested formula of boy meet girl and they end up together!). However I will add there is one thing I hate about Mills and Boon and that is their bl--dy titles. It is for their titles alone I will not be seen in public reading them or for that matter in front of my eight year old, or thirteen or fifteen year old. (You try explaining why your reading Virgin bought and Paid For!) As a final thought Ray-Anne here has an interesting post on why the genre is still so successful today.

Old Friends

I am finding my way around Dubai again. The roads have changed - in fact seem to change daily, and the traffic is appalling. The new shopping malls are truly amazing and the good thing is that are a few more book shops. Books and book shops were very thin on the ground when I was here last. Now it has improved but still no where to the standard that I would like to see. However I wandered into one in the Mall of the Emirates and started scanning the small fiction section looking for familiar names. I only spotted one Catherine Alliot and one Philippa Greggory in the fiction section. I thought if that is all there is I am going to die and whither. Although I enjoy the 'heavier' end of the fiction market I could not live by this alone and the only thing lightening the shelves were thrillers which will keep the dh happy but leave me cold or maybe clammy is a better description.

Head hung low I was walking aimlessly and stumbled upon the romance section. Here I thankfully found my friends - Katie Fforde, Jill Mansell, Judy Astley, Matt Dunn........I stroked the spines and thought OK I can just survive. I looked through the shelves of category romance and was pleased to see one of my friend Fiona Harper's books. I stepped back. Romance took up two small bookcases and was far away from the front of the shop. It didn't seem right seeing all my friends tucked into the back ground.

So although the book situation has improved I will imposing a book shopping list on all visitors. So be warned anyone planning a visit. One half of your suitcase will be full of books to feed my soul and the other half will be for the 4 bottle duty free allowance...............

Writing Meme

Callytagged me on this writing meme in the week. It was funny but when I was reading hers I was feeling how useful it would be to look more closely at how I write. I felt it might help me identify some strength's and possible weaknesses therefore I was pleased to see my name at the bottom. Thanks Cally I have enjoyed yours and the the others I have read this week.

1. Do you outline?

No, I mind map my ideas on the story and on each character. At the beginning I find an outline too structured but now am looking at doing it once the first draft is complete so I have a handle on what I have written.

2. Do you write straight through a book, or do you sometimes tackle the scenes out of order?

I write straight through. Although I always know the end of my books I haven't a clue what will happen on the way there so I need to write in a linear fashion otherwise my brain would become more addled. If by some chance I think of an idea ahead I jot it down in my journal of add it to the mind map

3. Do you prefer writing with a pen or using a computer?

Computer. I gave up long hand in university although I keep a journal with all my scratching in it which I love. It's one of those moleskin ones.

4. Do you prefer writing in first person or third?

I have always written in third but I am toying with the idea of first for the next idea bubbling.

5. Do you listen to music while you write?

Occasionally classic but generally not as I find I become lost in the music too easily. How ever I can listen when I am revising???? Go figure that one. Maybe it helps my embarrassment when I read my work aloud to have other noises nearby????

6. How do you come up with the perfect names for your characters?

My main main characters seem to be born in my mind with names already. That is first names. last names came be more problematic. For secondary characters - it can be as scientific as whose name I see in the paper that morning.

7. When you're writing, do you ever imagine your book as a television show or movie?

Absolutely. When I write the whole thing plays in front of my eyes. i don't see the screen or the keyboard but the scene I am writing. It is all very visual for me.

8. Have you ever had a character insist on doing something you really didn't want him/her to do?

Yes and always with interesting results. At first I used to fight this and now I let it run and see where it leads me. I can always change it later!

9. Do you know how a book is going to end when you start it?

You bet. I write woman's fiction and I'm an optimist so there will be some sort of happy ending. it's just the bits that get to me to that ending that I often haven't a clue about!

10. Where do you write?

Currently the dinning room table. It really doesn't matter to me. I just bring chaos with me where ever I write.

11. What do you do when you get writer's block?

When my subconscious hasn't caught up with where I am in the story is when it hits so I need a little down time to walk or drive or read.

12. What size increments do you write in (either in terms of word count, or as a percentage of the book as a whole)?

At the beginning of the book about 1000 words a day but as I progress into the book that increases to 2000/3000 because I have a clearer idea where the story is taking me.

13. How many different drafts did you write for your last project?

Well, we all know I just finished draft one of A Cornish House and I am on draft 5 of August Rock so I think the answer is as many as it takes to get the damn thing right!

14. Have you ever changed a character's name midway through a draft?

Yes many times. While writing August Rock I had to change Judith's last name to Chambers because the previous incarnation was to close to someone famous. Hint, google the name before you become to deep in the story. I also have to change Tristan's last name because there was another house with the same name in the area that I am writing about. Secondary character's name get chopped and changed frequently with me!

15. Do you let anyone read your book while you're working on it, or do you wait until you've completed a draft before letting someone else see it?

Yes. Some times its good to have some feedback at the beginning.......

16. What do you do to celebrate when you finish a draft?

A bottle of bubbly, a long hot bath with a good book. I don't read much when I am writing the first draft.

17. One project at a time, or multiple projects at once?

One at a time. I rely on my journal to capture the ideas for the others while I focus on one.

18. Do your books grow or shrink in revision?

Good question. If I am doing a Sol Stein revision they shrink but having done that a few times now my writing has become stronger. However since plot is my weakness my books are now growing with revision as I add in more complications.

19. Do you have any writing or critique partners?

No. I tried but I just couldn't be critical enough of someone else's work. I'm too nice by nature.

20. Do you prefer drafting or revising?

Both. Hah, I never thought I would say this. I love the rush of the first draft but I'm learning to love seeing that become something better and stronger! I'm mad I know!

Now I need to tagged five other people for this meme...... so I tag (you are free to ignore me!) Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Bernardine Kennedy, Therese Fowler and b. e. sanderson . If you are in the UK , Julie's Little Black Dress book Spirit Willing Flesh Weak is being given away today free in the SUN newspaper! I read it last year and loved it so go get your free copy.......

Novel Racer - Caroline Smailes

Now most of was have been In Search of Adam impatiently waiting until publication date on the 15th June 2007, but poor Novel Racer Caroline, http://insearchofadam.blogspot.com/, has been tearing her hair out. However with all the pre-publication stress she has managed to come up trumps on her profile:



"I’ve always written (diaries, stories and poems), but I never had the confidence to do anything about my dream to be published. I was quite precious about my work when I was younger. Then as I became an adult I still wanted to write, but my life seemed to be circling around being a mum and an academic. I guess that I began to take my writing seriously when I started my MA in Creative Writing in September 2005.

I finished the final draft of In Search of Adam during a holiday in France in August 2006. I had no idea what to do next. My husband designed a website for me and I put on extracts from the novel. I felt that I needed something more interactive and a friend suggested that I started a blog. I launched the blog and the website on August 20th 2006.

I had been blogging for about three weeks and had left a comment on another blog about a book called 'e-luv' by Dave Roberts. He was a Friday Project author. Clare Christian came to my blog and then to my website from my comment on e-luv. She emailed to say she’d read the extract from my novel and wanted to read the full manuscript. It was a Saturday night. On the Sunday morning I emailed the full manuscript to her and by the Monday evening she had offered me a contract. Since then I have had an eight month roller coaster ride with a number of highs along the way. In Search of Adam will be launched in hardback in three weeks time.

As part of the Novel Race I am writing a novel, Black Boxes, which is a story in two parts - box one and box two. It is based on the idea of the black boxes that are extracted from a plane wreck. The reader is to unravel the story to find the cause of the 'crash.' The voices are of a mother and a daughter, focusing on sounds and lost words, but there is an added visual twist thrown in. It's another dark novel and I really hope that it’ll be finished as a second draft by the time ISoA comes out. But part of me is holding back and full of fear as to how ISoA will be received.

I still can’t believe that all of this has happened. I followed a dream when I started my MA and last week I held my novel for the first time. That is a feeling that will stay with me. I dread waking from this dream."








Now as my saga goes on my huge debt to the Romantic Novelist Association will become clear. At their summer party last year in the beautiful library at the Society of Mechanical Engineers on Birdcage Walk. It was a brilliant evening but extra special since my friend Fiona Harper won the New Writers' Award for her first book, Blind Date Marriage. I was so excited it was almost like I had won. So in celebratory mood I drank a touch too much. Soon the crowd had thinned down and I was able to find the food. It was reaching for something to sop up the alcohol that I met the lovely Lucie Whitehouse, then of Darley Anderson. We started chatting and to be honest it was the alcohol talking. We spoke of love lives- hers that is and other ramblings of the alcoholically infused and then she asked me what I wrote. I mumbled about Cornwall and the Helford River. She loves the area and asked me to send it to her. I floated out of the building with Biddy Coady to a pub. Finally when that closed on us she pored me into a taxi home. The next morning with large head I composed a simple cover letter and posted her the 19 pages and synopsis.


Now, I didn't expect an immediate response and I needed to send the whole manuscript off to the New Writers' Scheme of the RNA. I went off to the conference in Penrin quite buoyant. The first to come back was the report from the New Writers' Scheme. My heart sank. When the letter begins, " I enjoyed reading August Rock, Elizabeth. There is much that is good here." I thought, "Oh, shit this had gone to an agent and an editor and it's utter crap." I then took a step back and looked at the good points and the many bad points and consoled myself it wasn't a write off. The reader ended with this:


"In short, Elizabeth, I did think that August Rock showed great promise. What I feel you need to do is have a rethink about a) your characters and b) the main thread of Tristan and Judith's story (especially Tristan's) Bring the romance up to date and avoid cliches..........It's a feat in itself to write a novel of this length and as I said, there is a lot here that is good. Toby's story is excellent - very touching and convincing. If you can achieve the same with Tristan and Judith, you'll have have a very strong story on your hands."

So having read and digested all the bits. I knew my writing style was heavy. I was telling not showing yet I didn't know what to do about it. It's a phrase that is bandied about all the time but I thought having had that criticism for the script the before, First Love Second Chance, I had learnt my lesson. Clearly I hadn't.

Now I didn't want to hear from Lucie. It was the end of August and not a word. I just knew it was such crap that she couldn't be bothered to respond and would avoid me like the plague at all future RNA functions. I knew I was still too close to August Rock to begin a rewrite plus I didn't know where to begin. However the seeds for A Cornish House were growing daily.

I was in Cornwall when the letter arrived in London. Bravely, I think I asked the dh to open it and read it to me. I was shaking waiting for dire words. Her delay had nothing to do with my crap writing but her own success at the same. Her first book, The House at Midnight was coming out in Germany. (It comes out here in January 2008)

So here' what she had to say.......

....plot is i think is very strong indeed...........a strong heroine, a damaged man, tragic deaths, a mystery, a supernatural element.......in short, I think the plot is just right. (my comment here - this is off 19 pages and the synopsis)

Now for the bad........

....your writing is over explanatory and damages the pace and your ability to keep the reader's interest................(Here she took one sentence as I had written it and showed me how to make it stronger - light bulb moment) There are several idea repeated here and they make the writing feel very flat.

Then she pointed me to the direction to fix my writing style.....Sol Steins' Solutions for Writers and as a bonus said if I did a substantial rewrite she would be happy to look at it again!

I was straight to Amazon and was heart broken when it would a month before I could get this book in my hands. In the interim I mind mapped A Cornish House. When it arrived I was glued to it and fired up. Finally I could see what the reader had spoken of and what Lucie meant. I went on to slash and burn my way through August Rock which was brilliant fun!

Tomorrow I will tell you how it went and some examples of of it improved my work.