RNA Conference Part 8 and Award

First the lovely JJ had awarded me and Helen with the Inspiration Blogger Award for as she says 'because they both get on with the job (writing) without all the fannying around'. I am very touched. Now for my five nominations .......
1. I nominate Nicola for The Courageous Blogger Award; a while ago she bravely told her story and her strength has remained with me.
2. I nominate Therese Fowler for The Inspirational Blogger Award because she writes and shares what she had learned on the road to publication.
3. I nominated Amanda Grange http://www.historicalromanceuk.blogspot.com/ for The Thoughtful Blogger Award for all the help she has given to other writers to set up and make their blogs work.
4. I nominated Maht at The Moon Topples for The Creative Blogger Award because his blog is full with images and is so innovative.
5. And the last nomination goes to Caroline at In Search of Adam for The Thoughtful Blogger Award for her lovely comments she always leaves.

Now those nominated should pop over to here to receive their awards and find out what to do.



The next session of the RNA Conference 'Three Ways Into Print - Newly Published Panel'. Julia Williams(novel racer - Jane Henry) who book is due out this autumn by Avon, Jean Fullertonwhose book came out with Triskelion, and Natalie Rivers with Harlequin/Mills & Boon. The wonderful Katie Fforde chaired the session and each of the authors spoke of their journey into print.



Julia began by saying don't give up as it has taken her nine years to reach this point and she began as an editor! She reminded us that nothing is ever wasted on the journey and what doesn't work for one book may well work for another. Finally she said you need that all important dash of fairy dust to get you on your way.

Natalie's route started early and when she was so close she packed it all in. It was only many years later that she picked up again and reached her goal.

Jean's route has been hit by her publisher going bankrupt but she won the Harry Bowling Award last year and had just signed with an agent so things were looking up. he left us with a powerful image regarding editing your work. Remember that when you cut back the hedges you then see the weeds underneath!

Novel Racer - Maht of The Moon Topples

Here is Novel Racer Maht of The Moon Topples in his own words (including mine ;-) :

My blurby thing for the novel racers
Liz Fenwick asked me for a blurb about myself and my current novel as a part of the novel racers experience. I am criminally overdue in completing it. Not being good at blurbs, I decided to do it as an interview instead...Moon Topples: Let's play "Questions."Liz Fenwick: How do we play?MT: Like tennis, but we can only converse with questions.LF: (slowly) Okay...I'm not sure you've explained it all that well.MT: But you think you understand enough to give it a whirl?LF: I suppose.MT: I win!LF: Well, we hadn't started yet.MT: Hadn't we?LF: (sighs) Would you like to tell me about your book?MT: The one for novel racers?LF: Are you working on more than one?MT: Is that bad?LF: Is that why you're progressing so slowly?MT: Is that a dig about my word count?LF: Are you a little self-conscious about that?MT: Should I be?LF: Did you know that some of us have already completed our first drafts?MT: So I've lost already?LF: What are you writing about?MT: Are you asking for a plot summary?LF: Is that how you've interpreted my question?MT: During a game of questions?LF: Would it hurt to try?MT: It might.LF: Ha!MT: Dammit.LF: I've won. Now go update your links section and admit that you are a culpa.MT: Me? A culpa?LF: I accept your apology.

Novel Racers Update

Well, its now half a week since the rough draft of A Cornish House has been in the bag. Have I forgotten it? Only when the champagne bubbles made me forget why we were drinking it! Seriously things have been bubbling around in the old brain but I have not touched it, I promise. I know I need distance to read it objectively. Mind you I have plenty of distance from the beginning of the book as I have not read it. Yes, it's true. I have written 92,500 words and have not read them. Brave? Foolish? Both? Don't know yet.......

So in this sabbatical from full-on writing I thought I would like to high-light the Novel Racers one by one if they are game. We are a diverse bunch and it has been so much more fun writing with them cheering and commiserating along side lines. So today I am going to ask each racers to write a paragraph or two about themselves or their work or their dog or cat or whatever takes their fancy........

Before that though we have added a few new racers. The latest is Cally at http://callytaylor.blogspot.com/. I recommend a prompt visit to see her as she has a wonderful clip from Family Guy about it taking three years to write a novel. It was so true it almost made me cry.......with laughter of course.

Also new to the racers is Jacqui Lofthouse at http://stubbornworld.typepad.com/the_writing_coach/. She is not only a novelist but a writing coach. I signed up for her newsletter and with that came some wonderful articles on the just getting writing that would have come in handy at the middle of the book when I was dragging my feet. Definitely a worth while read..........

Maht over at http://moontopples.blogspot.com/ is gearing up for another writing contest on his blog on 1st May - so pop by and see what's happening. He also entered the competition at http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/ the "endless Hour" short fiction contest. You can still enter today. For some reason I don't do short fiction so I have avoided it but I thoroughly enjoyed Maht's entry.

Other news.........The house is shaping up nicely from all my attention. Still no word on the location of our imminent move. So today I thought I would tell you the likely options and maybe we could run a bet on which one will win out???? So here are the main contenders:

Paris
Houston
Dubai
Kuala Lumpur
Wild Card

Let me know your guess and I'll keep a running tally.

Finally the big stress item in my life at the moment........what to wear on Friday at the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year award lunch at the Savoy. When all around you is crazy I find it best to stress about those items you can do something about........if there is nothing in the wardrobe them I have the perfect excuse to shop :-)

Wise Words

"There is nothing more challenging, to my mind, than grabbing a stranger and making him or her feel things with nothing more than the alphabet. To take someone on a ride with such meager tools is an accomplishment indeed, and I salute all of the writers who have taken me on such journeys. "

This wonderful insight is from Maht at http://moontopples.blogspot.com/. He is a fellow novel racer and as I read these words yesterday I thought wow that is exactly what I am trying to do but never thought of it in quite that way. It also made me think of all the books that have swept me away so that I forgot all their components and became lost in a new world.......

So I am writing today. I haven't started yet. I was doing my warming up of scanning blogs when I hopped over to Therese's blog http://theresefowler.blogspot.com/. She is talking openly and honestly about the climb to be a writer but not just a writer but a best selling one. Her insights were brilliant and the discussion of the craft portion of the entry hit home. It was about upping the stakes. So near the end of A Cornish House I am now thinking about how I can up the stakes. Take the story from good to hot.........but of course I must finish it first. Off to open word :-)