Monthly Archives: September 2016

Being a writer

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Amen! I love this.

Two on a Rant

catdeadline A reminder that cats make terrible beta readers but are great at inducing writer’s block.

If you’re a novel writer, blogger, or poet, you’ve heard one or more of these worthless rhinestones of advice presented to us as priceless gems:

  • “Get a real job.”  (From the man who hates his job and is counting the days to retirement)
  • “You have a better chance of winning the lotto than being a successful writer.” (From the guy who won $50 in the lotto 10 years ago and continues to pay out $10 a month for lotto tickets)
  • “It’s a waste of time.”  (From the person who spends 4 hours each night watching game shows and reality TV)
  • “You’ll never make any money writing.”  (From the millionaire who never pays for anything if he can get it for free).

I’ve found that most of the people who tell you to give up writing and do something “meaningful” with your…

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Writing Prompt & Book Excerpt: “I Disagree…asshole!” #amwriting #amreading #romancereader

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Disagree

Today’s WordPress writing prompt is disagree. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have your own mind, and not agree with everything and everyone. In A Stranger in France my main heroine Kate,  clearly feels the same way. Here’s an excerpt from A Stranger in France showing Kate’s POV and her  explosive disagreement with her husband Danny. I’m not going to tell you what they disagree about, who, what or how  helps her to gain  her inner strength back, to stand up to Danny….. oh the suspense continues!…. You’ll need to download it from Amazon to find out…. So far A Stranger in France has received only 5 star reviews.

 

I slam  my fist down on the kitchen table to punctuate my last word. He raises his eyebrows at me in surprise. I don’t know what he’s so surprised about, how can you come out with a bullshit comment like that to the woman you’ve been married to for five years that’s offered financial and emotional support without any resentment….. up until now.

‘’Look Kate, let’s not argue.”

Suddenly, I see Danny through different eyes, the rose tinted glasses have been removed. I look him up and down and realise I’m too much for him, clearly not the type of woman he needs I’m just not needy enough. That’s what makes him feel like a man a needy woman. Does he not know behind every successful man stands a strong woman. In a rage I scream out at him.

“That’s the problem Danny, we don’t argue or even communicate for that matter, and you’ve shut me out and made me feel unwelcome in my own home. You said you’ve hated me at times! Hated me for me being who I am? For working hard and achieving? Having a plan and sticking with it? Not failing in life? Not being the one who was made redundant? What?’’

I walk up to Danny and stand under his six foot one frame, I’m no longer fearful or feel I need to censor my words. I get right in his face.

“Tell me what have I done? For you to fucking hate me asshole?”

Amazon

Writing Prompt: Unfinished Business…

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Unfinished

Write a post for today’s WordPress one word writing prompt unfinished.

By nature I’m a little bit of a perfectionist, I like to do things just so if it means a lot to me, I feel a sense of satisfaction when I have completed something  I’m not a fan of  unfinished business. The most recent thing I’ve left unfinished for much longer than I would have liked, is a story I’ve had rolling around in between my ears since October 2015. One full year! But what I’ve learned is that sometimes it is best to have unfinished business, as when you go back to finish up – things can be a lot more better.

Since I completed all writing and edits for A Stranger in France, and finally got to release day   in between that and  waiting for my second book to come back from the editor, I’ve gone back to the drawing board on this unfinished story. Six things happened when I read what I wrote a year ago through….

  1. Shock, it was terrible! All over the place in terms of presentation, layout, and I was not a fan of how the characters/ story came across. My (tiny) experience  from writing two other books kicked in.
  2. I re- drafted on paper the story ,about four times before I settled with what I have now!
  3. I re-wrote the first 4 chapters ( not from scratch) but I removed a good chunk 
  4. I managed to take the story in a new suspenseful/mystery  direction then I originally had done.
  5. I wrote and edited the first three chapters, once happy I sent it off ( last weekend ) to my publisher for feedback, with the full book synopsis.
  6. I feel now much more happier.

So I guess unfinished business in some cases can be a blessing if you’re a writer or  hope to have some of your work published some day, you can go off learn something from another project, then come back stronger,  and finish up in a more happier place. 

I hope I do get some positive feedback, even if I don’t I will still write the story for my own satisfaction  to not have unfinished business! 

What unfinished business have you got? WHY have you not finished it? What is your plan to have it complete?

 

Where Will History Have You Seated?: The Current Racial Situation in the U.S.

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It’s hard for me to read these statistics, and to know that in the USA with all that’s gone on and is currently going on with regard to the African – American community and the law, that sadly in the eyes of some, my son will always be public enemy #1. Just because who he is. I hope that one day, every white male will look at my son and see him as a man and an equal -not a threat, possible drug dealer or someone to be man handled roughly, oh and believe him when he says this belongs to him!  YES he is the owner of this brand new car it is not stolen! It’s his! … I hope by the time he’s a man things will change for him, and people will see him differently.

Thank you For Voting, The Result is…. #amwriting #standup2cancer #charity

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Morning,

Thank you if you left me a comment or vote on what genre story I should write, for the standup2cancer writing project I’m taking part in for 2017. It seems that the vote swung towards the romance genre, as it will be the month of February the book of short stories is published. Then I had one person comment, and  it swung back to a level playing field! But by then I had already confirmed with my publisher, a romance genre story. Thank time difference for that, I saw the comment late but thank you for it.

Voting is closed now, so that’s it.  It’s a romance I’ll be writing, using the writing prompt ” code redhead”. I will try to spice it up a little and add in a lil’ of the old suspense.

Thank you for your help! I’ll keep you posted on when the book is available and don’t forget,  all money raised from the sales go to cancer research, we authors won’t see a penny.

 

Have You Voted For A Genre Story For Me To Write For #standup2cancer charity project?- Quick Note From Me

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Hi all

Thank you to the two voters who picked a genre for me to write a story for, for the standup2cancer writing project I’m  participating in, with some other authors. All sales from the books will go to the charity to help raise money for cancer. Authors will not see a penny.

I need more votes! As  two voters have voted in opposition, and so there is no clear indicator on what genre has won the vote. I’m inviting YOU to vote, don’t think too hard on it. Right now, all I’m asking is someone takes the hard choice out of my hands over what genre I should write in. The writing prompt is “Code Redhead”,  we need to write something using  this prompt….. and you all know how much I love a writing prompt! Now… do I write a romance or a thriller story? The month the book is published  with my story and other author’s  stories will be February 2017.

You can find out more details and vote by clicking here

It’s Real….The Journey has started

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This is a copy of my paperback!  This picture was sent to me today by a very excited reader. Who has just unwrapped their Amazon package, in a hurry to meet me inside? Do you remember when I did the writing prompt for the word “admire”?… It’s Ellie !  You can read that writing prompt by clicking here.  Find out who she is.

I can’t wait to receive my paperback copy, it’s one thing to see yourself on Amazon but to see yourself in print… man that makes it all seem so very very real. Hurry up delivery man! I’m getting twitchy.

 

 

 

Writing Prompt: Stylish….hmmm

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Stylish

My favourite hour of the day! The WordPress writing prompt word has been announced and today it’s stylish. I love this word as I love style and fashion, other than writing and reading, style and fashion are two of my very favourite things. I can sew, follow dress making patterns, alter them and adjust clothes etc   just another skill up my sleeve. I  also own a sewing machine- I just love fashion and style.

So today, you’ll learn a bit about me  when it comes to style and also about Nicholas D’Coix when it comes to style… who is he? Oh where have you been? He’s the hero in A Stranger in France and he has BAGS of style.  Before we meet him and his style here are a few of my favourite things when it comes to style:

Personal style must haves

  • I can’t leave the house without a shade of lipstick on or a spray of perfume – habit.
  • I love to wear scarfs oversized ones with bold prints.
  •  When I invest in a new lipstick it  always has to be a matte finish one, not satin, or gloss  – like my book cover that’s matte too lol ( girls you know what I mean by matte.)
  • My every day perfume choice is actually ” Lovely” by Sarah Jessica Parker or  “Look” by Vera Wang – most days, but I have lots of smells I love.
  • My nails are never bare without polish, whether its bold and bright or dark and vampy they are always painted.
  • I don’t ever where trainers, like Nikes etc I have one pair of Converse and that’s it. I’m a shoe or boots girl always have been.
  • Jeans are always dark denim, much more flattering to the bum and thighs!

Here’s an  excerpt from inside my book A Stranger in France, which shows readers just how much style Nicholas D’Coix has. When I was writing this character, in my mind as a man he is  not only drop dead gorgeous he’s so stylish with it too. He has a natural flair with fashion. Here’s Kate’s POV on his style…. when she first meets him…..

After dinner and drinks, Tanya and I hit the dance floor fully buzzed from our champagne and ready to dance the night away. I’m so tipsy, my feet are not even killing me in my strappy wedge heels. Song after song, I dance, laugh, speak bad French to the locals and forgot my troubles in London, when from out of nowhere he appears again. Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome grabs me from behind and spins me around to face him. He is even more handsome up close. In a smooth French accent, he introduces himself as Nicholas and asks me for a dance. How can I say no say no when I’m standing in front of a deep chocolate skinned, six-foot two foot man with a well cut body and enough style to make even Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex in the City jealous?

I glance around for Tanya she’s deep in conversation with a handsome stranger of her own, what the hell? I turn back to Nicholas smile and we dance, pressed against him with my arms around his neck and his hands on my hips. He has great rhythm which makes me wonder if he has this much rhythm between the sheets….

 

Amazon.com

 

One Word Writing Prompt: Silence- Poem

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Silence

Write a response to today’s WordPress one word writing prompt: silence

Sometimes it was best to just say nothing. Silence, to let you think everything was OK,

In  reality, back then everything was far from OK. But I stayed silent– what I wanted to say I’d  always kept for another day.

Let me think back to all the times I held my tongue, 

Each day there was silence, it was really because my heart was really on the run, 

Not with you anymore, and not connected to my mind either. My heart and mind were at war over what

Choices I should make, the rules and expectations I would break, if I said 

Everything that was on my mind. You’d think I was being unkind, so I lived in silence and just existed…. well hear me roar! I’m about to break that silence.