Monthly Archives: April 2016

Reflection #1

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It’s after midnight and I don’t even know why I’m still up, I have a 5am wake up! As I do Monday- Friday to get myself ready for the ”day job”, that would be teaching and my bundle of joy baby boy ready for nursery. 

As I stood by my kitchen window just now, having a very cheeky cigarette ( yes I am trying to quit I don’t even know why I started again after giving birth), I started reflecting really deeply which I normally do but this time it just felt different. All kinds of things were going through my mind and I felt, pumped with ”good vibes” as my mum would call it, I felt and still do feel so grateful for everything I have right now that is non materialistic or worth money. So instead of taking a shower removing my make-up and getting into bed I pulled out the lap top, boiled the kettle and started to write- or ramble  you decide about gratefulness, I promised I would blog about my journey to my book release and just general life so don’t say I don’t keep my promises.

I don’t know about you reader but I seriously believe in the Law of Attraction, The Secret, a higher being or Universe that protects and guides us, I’m not a religious person or follow faith. (But I highly respect it and like to learn about it, why I am not religious or follow a faith is a whole new blog ramble). Where was I? Yes, so I believe in all that positive good stuff if you put out to ” The Universe” what it is you seek, you shall find or it will come knocking at your door. Don’t get me wrong, hard work and hustle for it is involved also; it does not just land on your lap…. but if you show the Universe what you want, tell it and hustle for it you’ll get it. But you also have to be grateful too.

That said, I’m putting out there to the Universe literally as in the whole of Twitter LOL and the actual Universe that I believe protects and guides us all, if we believe in it, that I’m grateful;so that I can continue to be grateful, learn, have life experiences and do things I have sat back and thought, yeah that might be cool to do and then later made baby steps to achieve it- even when it seems impossible at the time, for whatever reason, money, time, motherhood whatever. That said, I have learned that motherhood does not stop you from achieving anything, it may stop you from going out drinking as often as you used to, but it does not stop you from working towards anything.

 Please, don’t sit there and think gosh she is just on cloud 9 because she’s  about to be a published author- no I’m on cloud 9 because I have good health, a beautiful baby boy who is developing into such a wonderful human being, I’m  LOVING motherhood with all my heart and each day that love just grows; it really has made me I think as a person and women. Hard work but such fun… have you ever done the chicken dance with a 2 year old? It really is  a laugh.  I’m grateful for all opportunities put in front of me so far which allow me to provide for him, I mean  ”day job” opportunities. I’m grateful for each day and the thought of what it may hold, I am grateful for a handful of girlfriends who have just been a god send at times when I have needed them they know who they are, and my girlfriends abroad in  the UK Conwell, America, Canada, France, Germany, Austria and Australia  (my pen pals) y’all my girlfriends too no matter what ocean and time zone separates us I love catching up with you via letter, I’m grateful for all the challenges life has presented me over say the last 6 years, as those challenges have given me heart, hustle and a strong work ethic. So Universe at times thanks for being a b*tch to me I learned a lot LOL…. and the big one I am super grateful for the publisher who took a chance on my 3 chapters submitted in the USA, and sent me a contract for my work to be published later this year. Oh! I am just super grateful as this one I put out to the Universe literally on my visualisation/goals board just before Christmas and did not expect to achieve this any time soon, especially not on my first ever submission. Mind blowing!

So that’s my reflection for today reflection, #1 gratefulness, practice it yourself if you don’t already just reflect for a few moments what have you got non materialistic that you are happy for? Tweet me it, comment below let me and the Universe know.

Catch you all soon

Kim

A Tiny Taste of What’s to Come

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Well, I thought I’d give you all a bit of a taste of what  I’m writing currently, that’s due for release in September 2016.  I’m keeping my cards very  close to my chest! But here is a taster of what inspired the story.

 It’s a modern day romance/suspense story with, glitz and glam, old sckool falling in love, and of course emotional at times. Within the story for the Heroine she has  ”conflicts” that the average women could relate to,  her conflicts are in no way old fashioned or a plot that has been done and dusted a million times (as far as I know) and it is not a typical ” love triangle”. There are some themes that may have in the past and currently do impact on everyday women regardless of age or race  in our day to day society.

The story  is set in  my home town the city of London UK,the south of France and the English coast, UK. Why 3 different settings you say? Well this is a roller coaster and whirlwind romance story (with added suspense), the twists in the plot need different locations to keep the plot alive, and relate to the Hero and Heroine and their current life situations and conflicts I have plot out for them. In addition to this, I just love diversity so why keep the story in one central place? It works so I’m rollin’ with it y’all.

 Romance generally speaking as a genre for me is all about love, emotion, escaping and the sexy times  too but it’s important to me personally, that romance is believable and realistic as well. Yes there can be some glitz and  glam and extravagance  but the underlining issues should be realistic, believable and even shocking if need be. Me I’ve  tried to go for all 3 realistic, believable and in some places a little surprising.

What inspired this story was life, my love for the country France, its language and culture. I also really like how society is made up in this day and age,  and wanted to reflect this. In London you will find so many different cultures  and so my  characters  represent the normal people I see in society  day to day, this is not an all white or all black character line up it’s just like London diverse. I also feel that sometimes when I’m reading books are just not diverse enough in character and the writer writes what they know, the culture they know, the race they know etc too one sided.

Now you may think, this is boring what’s the suspense? Where’s the romance? Where’s the glitz and glam ? Where’s the conflict for the characters? And where the hell are the sexy times?… Well, dear reader this is all the juicy stuff; and if I told you I would ruin the surprise and my publisher would probably kill me! But what I will say is I’m loving every moment of writing and I am writing from the heart , and I hope you enjoy, in fact I am glued to the lap top every chance I can get. And still can’t believe I am about to be a published author. What a head f*ck LOL.

Stay tuned ! Via blog or Twitter. Get to know me, I don’t bite (most of the time), and you’ll get regular updates too on the release of my 1st book.

 

 

Alluring Book Covers

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I’ve given my publisher a brief on what I’d like my book cover to look like, again it’s what I like.  But when it comes to alluring book covers what catches your eye? What makes you stop, take a step closer, pick up a book off the shelf and read the blurb? Title, pictures or something else?

Same when browsing on -line for a potential book to read, or even if you just happen to see a book cover that takes your fancy on- line; what is it that will make you click ” read more” about this book?

By now you should know my up and coming book is a romance suspense ;so I’m particularly referring to romance genre books. And do you think that a cover can be too sexy?

Give me honest opinions… tweet me or comment below!

 

Character Development… Humm

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As I’m now knee deep in writing the plot for my story, character development has been playing on my mind a lot. This is something I really want to get right in my first book. To me, what has made some of the best books I’ve ever read would be the characters; or even if it was not the best storyline or book in the world well rounded characters kept me turning pages.

So, in my personal view, I know what I like when it comes to main characters in plots, but now I am no longer writing for myself! I’d like to know what the masses think about character development. What makes a character memorable? likeable? Stand out and not just appear flat.

I thought of some of the books I have read with characters I really enjoyed, even if I did not like the actual character. Gillian Flynn’s ” Gone Girl” came to mind, the main female character I hated her but the point is I could tell she was a crack pot with a super twisted personality right the word go as I read that book. (Which I love), also ”Sharp Objects” by Gillian Flynn, some super dark and twisted characters in that one too they really stood out.  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ” Americanah” the main female character just popped in her writing,  strong, bold, a no shit kinda women, but she also has a soft side -I loved her and the book too.

See where I’m going with this? For you what makes a character ”well developed” and memorable even if you did not like them? Is it important to like them? Or identify with them in some way?  Especially in a romance novel if you’re a big romance reader.

I could not identify with Gillian Flynn’s main female character in ” Gone Girl” but I sure do remember that chick! She’s crazy as hell.

Comment below or tweet me I’d love to hear your thoughts.

 

 

 

OMG! …. I done it

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If someone told me that at the age of 33, while juggling motherhood and a full time job that I’d also become a published author- I would have looked at them and laughed! Seriously, I would have. My love for reading and writing goes way  back to my school days, in fact I wanted to be an English teacher in school. I’m not far off, I am a qualified teacher  and that’s my day job but English is not my subject sadly. As an adult, my love for English, books and words continued as I have run a book club here in London for women only for  4 years come May, and I love it. 

But, it’s happened, I did it I answered a publisher’s call for new writers by following their submission process of a few chapters, and I got a contract. Literally, when I saw the email back from the publisher my first thought before I even opened it was ” hummm did not take them long to reject my work”. After all it was my first ever submission, when I saw the positive praise of my work, and then opened the contract  and document to write a brief for my book cover my head was gone! I lost it, grabbed my son threw him in the air and we celebrated with the ” chicken dance”, his favourite dance around the living room. Have you ever done the ” chicken dance” with a 2 year old? It really is quite fun!

So I guess you’d like to know exactly what it is I’m writing… a romance suspense story, 1 of 3 story ideas that I have plot out. What is it about? Ah can’t tell ya that much yet, just stay tuned to the blog and Twitter and all will be revealed. What I can say is, between my publisher and I we’re hoping for release date later this year  tentatively September 2016, so I better get writing and ensure I meet my submission deadline for that to happen!

I’m mid way  through writing my novel but as I’m writing,  I will be updating the blog, and also interacting on Twitter about life, writing and day to day things… maybe even make- up & and fashion, I can’t stop talking about either subjects… forgive me, no don’t that’s just me :), sorry I love these subjects.

Thanks for reading and give me a follow on the blog and Twitter !

Kim