Oh my word it's been an exciting week and it's only Wednesday!
On Monday the Joan Hessayon Award contenders were announced and I was thrilled that It Started At Sunset Cottage is on the list. The Romantic Novelists' Association is amazingly supportive and this award is just another way that it showcases new authors that have come through its New Writer's Scheme. Yet again the list of contenders is chock full of first class reads.The full shortlist for 2016 is:

• Her Forget-Me-Not Ex by Sophie Claire, Accent Press
• Letting in Light by Emma Davies, Amazon Media
• Take a Chance on Me by Debbie Flint, Choc Lit
• A Street Café Named Desire by R J Gould, Accent Press
• The Gunner Girl by Clare Harvey, Simon & Schuster UK
• Waiting for You by Catherine Miller, Carina
• It Started at Sunset Cottage by Bella Osborne, HarperImpulse
• Remarkable Things by Deirdre Palmer, Crooked Cat Publishing
• The Giants Look Down by Sonja Price, Robert Hale
• Sense and French Ability by Ros Rendle, Endeavour Press
• The Hidden Legacy by Julie Roberts, Accent Press
• The Friendship Tree by Helen J Rolfe, Crooked Cat Publishing
• French Kissing by Lynne Shelby, Accent Press
• The Cherry Tree Café by Heidi Swain, Simon & Schuster UK

The winner will be announced at the RNA Summer Party in four weeks time which is always a lovely evening, so I can't wait!

As if that weren't enough excitement for one week, yesterday Harper Impulse did a cover reveal for my second book 'A Family Holiday' which is due out on 16th June. It is such a summery cover and it displays a terrific quote from the lovely Katie Fforde who has been so supportive. 

And today it is full on sunshine in the UK. I think I need to go for a lie down in the sun with a cool drink and a custard cream!

I think every published author must have said it so now it's my turn - 'Seeing your book on a shelf is the best feeling ever!'
It is so exciting to see it sat on a shelf like a proper book! It makes me smile every time. I was always thrilled to see the books of writers I had met and especially friends but nothing beats seeing your own one.
I almost spontaneously combusted when I saw it on the shelf in WHSmith as I didn't know they had ordered any! I did wonder for a moment if it was my husband playing a practical joke and he'd brought one with him from home! Thankfully it wasn't!
It is amazing to think that the seed of an idea I had could actually get this far. I am a very logical person and the odds of getting published were very much stacked against me but being a stubborn sort I thought I'd carry on anyway.
It has now topped the KOBO Romance chart and featured in the Booksellers Heat seekers chart reaching No4. All quite amazing for something I made up! Of course it's not just me that made this happen and that's something you realise as you get pulled into the publishing world. The writer is just one part of a very long process, it takes a lot of time and effort from a wide group of professionals to ensure it makes it into the hands of readers so I am eternally grateful to everyone involved.
It just goes to show you that it can be done and if I can do it then you definitely can!

We love our cat. We chose her from a local rescue centre and she came home August 2014. She has slotted into our little family perfectly; she likes cuddling up with my husband on the bed when he reads, she loves to play fetch with the child (she may be part dog.. the cat, not the child) and she enjoys a cuddle with me. Sadly she also likes to catch mice.

I don't mind mice, they are small and furry with big eyes so they're quite cute really, apart from when they are under your sofa at ten thirty at night and you want to go to bed. Cat was very excited and thoroughly enjoyed the game of 'try to catch the mouse'. The mouse may have been of Australian origin as it had a hefty and impressive jump on it! This made it virtually impossible to catch.

I had a bright idea (they do occur occasionally) and opened the pantry cupboard to get a tea towel at which point the mouse was inside lightning quick and disappeared amongst the shoe rack. It was finally encouraged out and it ran towards my kneeling husband. The only refuge near him was the kitchen bin and the cat scratching post, so the cat and I got in position and prepared to grab the mouse when husband moved the bin but surprisingly there was no sign of the mouse. My honed powers of deduction told me that there was only one place it could be (behind the cat scratching post - please try and keep up). So in an elaborate Ta Dah moment my husband lifted the post with a flourish to reveal absolutely nothing. What?!

We walked round the kitchen and puzzled over where the mouse could have disappeared to. Was it the Dynamo of the mouse world?

Then I said, "I definitely say run towards your legs when you were kneeling down and then it disappeared."

At this point my husband's face suddenly displayed a facial expression I have never seen before but to give you an idea it was something like the face you would pull if watching a scary movie whilst sitting on a wasp.

"It's up my trouser leg!" He shouted and removed his trousers at lightning speed (I have never seen him remove them that fast before, not even on our wedding night!)

And low and behold, he was right. The little furry creature appeared to be heading for what it may have thought was a sanctuary for furry creatures in his underwear and was only a couple of centimetres away from its goal when the trousers disappeared. It clung to his upper thigh for a moment before alighting to the floor where I grabbed it in a tea towel and released it back into the wild (or more accurately next door's garden).

What does this have to do about writing you ask? Not a lot (actually nothing at all) except to say that I'm still laughing about this incident (because who knew that mice will actually go up your trouser leg?) and it is moments like these - where you laugh so hard you think you may have ruptured something - that remind you what life is all about.

Here we are Thursday 12th February with Christmas a distant memory and Valentine's Day almost upon us. Just another ordinary day but for me it is a significant milestone (no not a big birthday - how rude!) it is publication day for my debut novel - It Started at Sunset Cottage.
It is the day that so many writers dream of and strive for. So it may seem odd when I say that when I set out to finish my first full-length novel I had no intention of getting it published. I simply never dreamed that would ever be a possibility for someone like me. My aim was purely to see if I could finish the task of writing a full-length novel. I was fearful when friends and family wanted to read it and even more so when a published author encouraged me to submit it to publishers and agents. My main worry? Well, people like me don't write books, it was never mentioned by my careers advisor as being a possibility (she was also the Netball coach so I'm not convinced my school were taking the whole thing that seriously). It just wasn't an option, hence my assumption that us ordinary folk don't become writers - but you see, sometimes we do!
So my story is out there for everyone to buy which means people I don't know are reading it and that is very scary. I just hope that whoever reads it enjoys it. A big thank you from me to everyone that has helped me get here and especially to all you lovely people who are reading it.

I have a million things going on right now (Ok, slight exaggeration maybe it's only 999,999) but I love a challenge. So when I saw that Lori Connelly was looking for someone to step in and complete the next part of a 'round robin' story I thought it sounded like fun. I was right but it was also very scary as I basically had no idea what I was getting myself into - but that's half the fun, right?
The first six parts of the story have been written by a mix of other authors including some from Harper Impulse and they have all done a brilliant job and now it's my turn (gulps).
You can find the first six parts of the story here:
Part One - Lori Connolly
Part Two - Elsa Winckler
Part Three - Aileen Harkwood
Part Four - Elise Forier Edie
Part Five - Patricia Sands
Part Six - Eve Devon
Part Seven - by me is below
Part Eight - Kari Lemor will be available on 6th January 2015

Part 7 – I Looked Away

 

“Then who is he?” asked Garrett his voice harsh and his hand paused on his radio ready to call in the details.

Madeline licked her dry lips and blinked hard, she couldn’t make sense of the face on the paper. “It’s Donnan MacCallion he’s…” but Garrett wasn’t listening anymore.

            "Suspect is Donnan MacCallion,” he paused. ‘How the hell do you spell that?”

            "D-O-N-N-A-N it’s Scottish, he’s… someone I used to know…”

            “Age?”

            “Um, twenty five, twenty six maybe?”

            Garrett threw the tent open and stepped outside again. Madeline finally pulled her eyes away from the drawing and took in the puzzled looks of the teenagers.

            “So it’s all OK then?” asked the boy in the gray sweater his voice more than a little tentative. “This guy’s a friend?”

            “Yes… No, not exactly.”

            Garrett burst into the tent making everyone jump. “There’s been a sighting down by the river. Madeline come with me.”

            There was no time for thank you before Madeline found herself running through the forest with Garrett. She felt her feet slide about as they struggled to grip the wet ground in her unsuitable footwear. Somehow she managed to stay upright. As if night turned to day they emerged out of the dark of the tree canopy and onto a wide track where a ranger jeep was roughly parked. It wasn’t until he let go that she realized he had been gripping her hand, leading her through the dismal mass of trees. They got inside the jeep and its wheels spun frantically as they accelerated away. Madeline’s heart was beating fast from the fear and the exertion. Her thoughts were wild and muddled. What was Donnan doing here? Did he know who Megan was? Why had he taken her? Where had she left Megan’s coat? Why the hell hadn’t they gone to Disneyland instead?

            The radio crackled into life and Judy’s voice came through strong. “We’ve lost sight of the boat, last seen heading up river. Over.”

            "You’ve done great, Judy. The helicopter should be on the scene any minute. Over.”

            “He’s in a boat? Where’s he taking her?”

           Garrett’s eyes darted away from the road for a second. “I’ve got a hunch,” he said. “Hold on tight it’s going to get bumpy.” He gripped the steering wheel a fraction tighter and swung the jeep off the road and onto a dirt trail.

            Madeline lost track of time as the vehicle bumped and wheeled across the uneven surface, a particularly harsh dip had the tires spinning in the mud and Madeline sent up a silent prayer. Eventually the wheels gripped and the jeep lurched forward.

            “Who is MacCallion?” asked Garrett as he wrestled with the steering wheel.

            “Someone I knew at college.”

            “Boyfriend?” asked Garrett his tone somehow making the word sound pathetic.

            “Yes, for a while. Look, I’ve not seen him for years. Back then he was captain of the soccer team and destined for a brilliant career in medicine.” She paused and tried to think of the person she’d once known. “He was a good man.”

            Garrett snorted a derisory laugh. “Yeah and people change.”

            The branches of a large fir tree smacked at the passenger side of the jeep and Madeline took a sharp intake of breath. What the hell was going on?

After the sad departure of our geriatric cat with ninja tendencies we had a few months to let things settle. There would never be another cat quite like him and in many ways this is no bad thing (I still have the scars!)

So after a trip to the local cat rescue, we have a new cat! Well she is actually a pre-owned one rather than brand new. We decided on a rescue cat and we’re so glad we did. There was a huge temptation to go for a kitten but they are far more likely to find a home than the adults.

If you are an animal lover it is hard seeing so many cats that are just looking for the basics of food, water, somewhere warm and dry and someone to love them. We saw so many cats any of whom would have been more than happy to move in.

It was a difficult decision and I still feel guilty about the ones we left behind:

- The elderly cat who was struggling to cope with life at the rescue centre after her owner went into a nursing home

- The ridiculously noisy Burmese who only stopped yowling when you stroked him

- The calico cat that paddled her paws on the glass to get your attention


But we chose the cat that had been found in a cardboard box in the garden of a rented house trying to defend her kittens from the new tenant’s dog.

We have named her Lily, she is a tabby and about a year old. She is settling in really well and already has a favourite spot on the sofa and the windowsill!

She loves to play and is hugely entertaining. What is interesting is the way she behaves. She appears to have picked up some dog-like traits – she carries and fetches her ball, she flops down at your feet and she wags her tail when she’s purring!

It’s lovely to have a cat about the house again.

I have been tagged by the lovely Anne Harvey in the ‘Meet My Main Character’ blog hop. Anne writes family sagas and her blog can be found here - www.thewritespotannelharvey.blogspot.co.uk

I have chosen to answer the blog hop questions about my character Timothy Caldar from my first ‘yet to be published’ novel titled ‘Acting on Impulse’.


1.    What is the name of the main character? Is he real or fictitious?

Timothy Calder is entirely the work of my imagination but he does bear a striking resemblance to Ian Somerhalder, with just a touch of Clive Owen, if that is possible. Tim is a successful British actor, famous for appearing in a series of films similar to James Bond where he plays the lead character Agent X.


2.    When and where is the story set?

It is set in London, Northamptonshire and Bath with a couple of brief excursions to the Seine in Paris!


3.    What should we know about him?

Tim is thirty two and has been in the public eye for eight years which has had an impact on his approach to women. He has a well-honed public persona which depicts him as the womanising legend that everyone wants to tame but who famously does not do long term relationships. Those close to him know the real Tim and the secret he hides which he will sacrifice anything to protect. He is drop dead gorgeous with piercing green eyes and a smile that could stun a supermodel at forty paces. He also has a weakness for walnut whips, Lady Grey tea and bad knock knock jokes.


4.    What is the main conflict?

Our leading lady, Kate, lost her fiancé eighteen months ago and is not looking for another relationship. She is a writer and her second book is being made into a film starring (you’ve guessed it) Timothy Calder. As Tim hides from the paparazzi the two of them get to know each other and sparks starts to fly. Neither wants a relationship but are they prepared to take the risk or do they have too much to lose by acting on impulse?


5.    What is the character's goal?

Tim’s goal is to get Kate to see the real Tim and not the persona he has cultivated but it is easier said than done as he has been playing this part for such a long time and has to protect his secret at all costs.

 

I am now passing the baton to Anna Mansell and Laura Parish, please watch out for their posts next week.

Anna is a full time writer and part time marketing consultant for the arts. Though her fiction work is yet to be published, she's just finished her second book and awaits a response from the slush piles; in the meantime, book three awaits.  She lives in Cornwall, blogs at
 www.feelthefearandwriteitanyway.wordpress.com and can usually be found on Twitter, @annamansell.

Laura is working hard to finish her novel, whilst holding down the day job and blogs at www.lauraparish.co.uk tweets as @lawsy27 as well as running the fabulous www.novelkicks.co.uk site and can also be found on twitter as @NovelKicks.

April and May have been very busy months with lots of social engagements and busy weekends, which is completely lovely but it then becomes tricky to fit in the writing, or my current stage, editing. 

Last week it was the RNA Summer Party which made me think about my trip down for the party last year. A year ago it was my first RNA event, I knew no-one and had no idea where I was heading (in more ways than one!) This year I was meeting up with friends I have been lucky enough to make as well as a quick trip to Fortnum and Masons (I mean why wouldn't you? It's just a few strides away and the macaroons are divine. I digress.) 

I also met up with a few of my Twitter friends I have made but never actually met and had a chat to some completely brilliant and successful authors including Julie Cohen, Liz Fenwick, Talli Rowland and Trisha Ashley. Last year I was star struck, this year I managed actual conversations with them, there was alcohol involved but I think I was still fairly coherent, well it was passable anyway.

The next event on the RNA calendar is the Conference, this year I know what to expect and I can't wait.

Anna Mansell invited me to contribute to this blog tour where writers share their process. Anna is a full time writer and part time marketing consultant for the arts, living in Cornwall. Though her fiction work is yet to be published, she is working on her second novel and hopeful that one day in the next twenty years her time will come. She blogs at http://feelthefearandwriteitanyway.wordpress.com/  and can usually be found on Twitter, @annamansell

When Anna asked me to get involved with the blog tour I was plate spinning at the time but I think the fact that she calls her blog ‘feel the fear and write it anyway’ made me think ‘what’s another plate?’. So here is my contribution to the blog tour…


1. What am I working on?

I like that we started this with an easy one. I can do easy! I am currently writing the first draft of my second novel which has the working title, Virtual Family. I am loving the characters and the world I have created so I like to escape there as often as possible. I fear that there may be a grieving process when I finish this one.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I write Romantic Comedy but I like to think that it has a slightly darker side, which brings out the characters and hopefully keeps the pages turning as well as giving the reader a few laughs along the way. Life can be testing, to say the least, so I feel that finding laughter in unlikely places is the key to getting through the tough bits.

3. Why do I write what I do?

Umm, ponders for a moment and eats a custard cream. I really wish I had a very intelligent answer for this but I’m afraid the simple truth is that it’s just what develops in my head and that’s how it comes out. I’m not a versatile writer, I doubt I could turn my hand to historical fiction for example; Romantic Comedy is what I do. I also love to read this genre and I’m a bit of a Richard Curtis geek.

4. How does your writing process work?

I’m a project manager by profession so I am perpetually organised and that comes through in my writing process too. I know this doesn’t work for a lot of writers but it works a treat for me. I like to set targets, currently I am trying to write one thousand words a day. I love to plan, so I have a giant cork board with key plot points pinned to it that are colour co-ordinated depending on which characters are involved – I did warn you. I also have a word document that charts each chapter in a bit more detail and a scrap book detailing my characters and … OK I’ll stop there, does anyone know of a good therapist?

Well that was fun! Thank you Anna for that extra plate. I am now handing the baton to the lovely Bernadette O’Dwyer who I met at the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Conference last July and whom I am eternally grateful to for recognising a lost soul and taking me in.

Bernadette O'Dwyer is a member of the RNA's New Writers' Scheme, an English teacher by day; an aspiring author by night. Currently writing her third novel, while her first and second novels wait patiently for an interested publisher. Her weekly blog at www.secretwriter1.blogspot.com depicts her journey, the highs and lows, of being an aspiring writer. To follow via Twitter search for @odwyer_author.