Category Archives: reflections

Daily Writing Prompt: Let’s Keep Love Simple #amwriting

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via Daily Prompt: Simple

Simple

In response to a WordPress writing word prompt posted a few days ago… the word simple.

Is anything ever simple? Life, money, work, sex… love? Nope it never is. But somethings should be more simple than others in life… love should be one of them.

I’ve used this song above  as part of my response to this writing prompt, as the song by Alicia Keys is called ” Simple” and it is one of my favourite songs from the album  ” The Diary of Alicia Keys.” The lyrical content is clever.  If you have read my blog for some time you know I’m a massive music fan. It inspires me when I write, I use it in my writing and I listen to it when I’m writing. In fact, I can’t actually think of a time apart from when I’m asleep, that I don’t have some form of music on.This album might be maybe about nine or ten years old, but I still love it and still listen to it.

 The song (the lyrical content) is about a complex relationship that is never simple, but needs to be simplified in order to work. Which is my point.  People in general may think that relationships and love are complex things, and never simple or  shy away from them. Or if they are in a hard relationship walk away as it’s too much hard work. One thing I have learned over the years, is that relationships and love are actually not complex things, they  could be one of the most simplest things in life that bring you as a person the most joy in your day to day life. What makes them complex are PEOPLE and their  wants, needs , desires and sometimes there can be mismatch  in expectation which creates a feeling of a complex /hard work relationship, that is never simple. Have you ever had a non -simple relationship?

  I have and it took me in all honestly about almost seven years to come to this conclusion on relationships/love and that really they should be quite simple. It it’s hard work, it’s toxic.  I learned by looking back at the relationship, and realising love should never be this hard/complex. Loving someone and being in love, should be a simple, easy feeling. 

As a romance writer, I like to write about complex relationships and show how two characters over come their complex difficulties, with a happy ever after. That’s what romance  and love is about, a happy ever after feeling, not complexity and hard work.  Romance and love should be simple. And most importantly, I have learned it can be. If you just keep it simple.

How?

  1. Listen   2. make an effort 90% give 10% take 3.compromise  = simple.

Daily One Word Writing Prompt: When I am Fluent – Then I am Successful #learning

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Successful

As the title suggests in response to today’s WordPress writing prompt, the one thing burning within me that I would like to achieve, and then I’ll feel  like a success, is to move from conversational/intermediate level in my reading,writing and general comprehension of the French language to  somewhat fluent.

For about two to three years I’ve studied the language, and some might say by now I should be fluent. Maybe so, but I’ve never really been in a rush to be perfect, it’s always been just a general interest of mine. That changed in 2016, something shifted in me and I have a new level of motivation. It could be  as  I have three French  exams in May speaking,listening,reading and writing! I need to pass if I want my language certification, and to feel some kind of success, no one sits an exam and wants to fail or gain a poor grade.

If you’ve ever tried to master a new language you may be able to relate to how I feel, when learning a language for me personally one skill always outweighs my ability to do another. For example my problem is I can read and write so much more better in French. (Well, my French speaking girlfriend and penpal in Paris may disagree with me, she may  laugh her head off at my bad  French in my letters). But I feel that my confidence in the language is via reading and writing, more so than listening to spoken French. It might be all the years of practice I’ve had via writing letters  in French why my skill is better in this area. If someone speaks to me in French quite slowly, I’ll pick up most of it and understand, but maybe not straight away depending on what they say. But if you write it down I will understand straight away. To back this point up even more, I have downloaded some French easy to read young adult books from Amazon and I understand, but when I listen to the audio I have to pause and go back and listen again and so forth. So I have really started to work on my speaking and listening skills. I’ve started to watch some TV shows in French I’ve found on Netflix and You Tube. 

So as they say, slow and steady wins the race right? OK well here I go, I’m preserving with my learning and spending a lot more time on Skype talking  with language partners and listening to French by having general conversations with others, rather than hiding behind my pen and paper to practice. This new way of language mastering is  in hope that by May I can say yes I am successful, I have moved up a notch in my fluency, and no longer need to say  as often” ah can you repeat that for me again, please” so many times, before I understand ! Once this has reduced, I can then say yep I feel much more a success in my language skills.

Have you ever tried to learn a language or new skill? What did you do to master the language? And feel successful in your learning attempts?

 

Writing Prompt: Sweet Sixteen #amwriting #writingprompt

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Taken from the 365 Days of Writing Prompts book, under today’s date this is the prompt.

When you were 16,what  did you think your life would look like? Does it look like that? Is that a good thing?

No, my life looks nothing like I imagined it at sixteen. At sixteen I was just leaving school I gained good grades, I went down the traditional route to do academic study at A-Level I started to study sociology, English and media studies. I dropped out! The only real subject I really worked hard in was English. I really enjoyed sociology. But as a typical sixteen year old girl I had other ideas and got distracted. I dropped out and went to beauty school instead. I ended up finishing a make-up, hair, nail and beauty course. The creative person in me was born outside of writing, I have always loved fashion and beauty.

Back then, my idea of how my working life would be was to  become some kind of creative person working within make-up /fashion. I worked for a few years in salons and kept up the dream. Drooled over Vogue magazine and the like. Played around with make-up like there was no tomorrow. But life changed and I needed to earn a better living so I fell into an office role, kept working, loved what I was doing for so long and then started my degree worked, then did a teaching degree and started teaching, I kept writing… Then became an author.

I’m  thirty- four next month, the sixteen year old me would look at my “day job” now and say no way! A teacher??? You messed up! You should be doing make -up on every super model, TV- presenter, singer, song writer  out there by now.  A sixteen year old me would look at my job as a writer and be like wow, I never saw that coming. But maybe if you did not drop out of college to go to beauty school you may have done this earlier … 

At sixteen I imagined, I’d be living a much more glam life than I do now by the time I reached thirty- four LOL. I imagined I be flying all over the world working on projects, the main make-up artist for London fashion week each year, maybe even my own make-up range  and drinking an endless supply of Cosmopolitan cocktails. In reality  I’m a content and very happy  mum, writer,lover of make-up, fashion and beauty who indulges on You-Tube in her passion or sews the odd dress or skirt at home in the privacy of my living room. Is that a good thing? That my life is not one of  the most high flying, make-up artists or fashion designers out there earning mega bucks? Well, in a way yes as I probably would not be a very happy and content mum, writer and to be honest that’s fine with me as life feels about right. In my thirties I’ve felt the best I’ve ever felt, like fine wine life gets sweeter the older I get.

What were your dreams at sixteen??

Why I Pulled my First Novel From Sale. #amwriting #amreading #author #sheiscrazy #romance #lessonslearned

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Hello!

Yes, I know to many it would appear that I’ve fallen of the face of the earth. I’m back  it has been an age since I last wrote something on my author site, or shared something with you.  I really wanted to do this blog as a V-Log and film me talking to you all, but it is a bit late in the evening London time. I’ve been busy writing, preparing for Christmas and the big year I have coming my way next year. Personally, I have quite a bit of change happening all good things, and I will share with you next year!

Anyway, as the title of this blog suggests, I have learned two very important lessons on my road to a published author after writing two books.

  1. Always do what makes you happy as the author.
  2. If you need to take a risk, if it is worth it in your view do it.

I’ll be honest, I was never really 100% happy with the final copy of my first book A Stranger in France. I have always been happy with the storytelling but I felt I could have more editorial work it’s a 90,000 word book! I can’t spot everything. A lot of what I learned,  I put into Not Just for Christmas my second book. So on my road to learning that really I need to make decisions that make ME as the author happy, I decided to ask my publisher to pull my book down from sale, so I could get another edit done myself.  (Learning curve no.1  grow some balls do what makes you happy). Second, I knew that there was always a risk that they might  turn around and say fine, pull it but we won’t re-publish- I was prepared to take that risk. Why? Because while I am forever grateful for the opportunity to become a  traditionally published author, to me as an author of a story I enjoyed writing so much and feel so proud of, it  is worth the risk. Bottom line, I have to be happy with my own work at any cost. ( Learning curve no 2. take risks if need be, it’s your work, your name, your rep). Lucky thing is they never turned around and said that! It will be republished.

So there you have it, any budding writers out there hoping to become published on top of all the other bits of experience I’ve shared with you, this is probably key. Be happy with your own work, if you have to take a risk in order to be happy do it, as you will never really feel 100% proud of your work if you are not happy as the author!

A Stranger in France is currently off line for sale, and will be republished January 2017. And I am now one happy author!

Merry Christmas guys! Thursday I have a surprise for you all so stay tuned. While A Stranger in France is not for sale you can enjoy my second romance novella Not Just for Christmas available on Amazon for download. Here is a free chapter preview click here.

With love,

Kim

 

 

‘Tis The Season to be Jolly.. #amwriting #christmas #november

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It has been forever since I sat down and blogged something creative, if you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know writing prompts, poems, word challenges and short stories are my thing. The last month has been crazy busy for me, writing offline, reading and just the hustle and bustle of life in general. I have missed creative blogging, and reading other blogs too.

 I just wrote the date down on  something I have to send off, and I was like wow is that November over already? In my part of the world  the 25th November  arrives in under an hour. The year has flown, and we are well and truly on our way to Christmas.

Christmas is my favourite time of year, so it is probably no surprise my last book had this kind of backdrop theme.I don’t celebrate thanksgiving but if I was American,it would surly be a holiday I’d really enjoy too. So today I’d like to share what I love about Christmas . Send me a comment let me know what you love about Christmas?

Firstly, it’s the quality time with family that makes Christmas so special for me. I don’t know about you, but for me as a mum, writer, employee sister, aunt, friend etc  life can be a bit crazy and go a million miles an hour. At Christmas that’s when I do two things 1. shut down,and focus on my family and organising our special time together 2. reflect and plan for the new year. I love the whole sit down meal, treats, three full courses for dinner and chit chat. I find it so heart-warming to spend that time over the holiday with family. When I say family, I also mean friends of mine, I class my close friends as family and I love time with them too. Either on the phone, skype, text or even letter – as you may know my love for writing means  I have old fashioned snail mail penpals,overseas and in the UK. My most distant  is in Australia! The other side of the world.

 I also love spoiling special “little people.'”This year, I’m super prepared gift wise,I’m done with gift shopping.I don’t believe in gifting to receive,in fact I don’t actually want them personally. My son has just turned three and today I ordered him a toy washing machine and CD player that plays nursery rhymes.  ( To add to the mountain of gifts  hidden in my wardrobe from him). What? Don’t give me that face YES I got him a washing machine as a gift- my son is soooooo domesticated he loads up the machine himself, as soon as  he takes off his clothes. He listens for the click when a wash is done, opens the machine then pulls out all the clothes. My sister has bought him a toy hoover also he loves to help me sweep, mop and hoover the floors LOL.  I feel proud, any woman he lives with will have a very house proud husband. 

I love the whole slowing down at this time of year, when school ends for the two week holiday and all students have some head space and rest, us teachers do also! Trust me we need it,as when we return the focus is preping students for their exams- tough work. Love that this time of year, the best “slow down” movies are on. I remember watching Singing in the Rain, Bambi and 101 Dalmations with my little man and the family.

Food! I love to cook, something I  am not ashamed to say I’m good at and blow my own trumpet. I love preparing a three course meal for my family and extended family/friends. Often I buy so much food for days we are eating Christmas supplies. I find myself creating different meals with left over cuts of meat.I’m not much of a turkey fan, today my older sister called me and said ” sis I’ve just bought us a turkey crown” I tried to sound as pleased as I could lol but I’ll cook it. My choice is Lamb over turkey can’t beat it when it is well seasoned and cooked. Every year, I make a Caribbean traditional rum cake.  I’ve tried to master it, it never tastes as good as my mum’s.  She emigrated to the UK over forty years ago,but can make it taste so great!  I follow her instructions well and  soak the fruits in rum for two days, and bake it Christmas eve and hope maybe it will be as good as mum’s.

This time a year, I look back, see what I’ve learned, should have learned, would like to learn, focus and plan. Short term, med term and long term. I’ve always been a list and plan person. I think this is the best time of year to do it not 1st January. I personally feel by the 1st January I should know where I’m going or what I am working on. I have a few lists do you?

 This time of year, at Christmas I think London is so pretty the way it’s lit up in celebration for the festive season. I’d say I notice that most Londoners are happier, full of joy  generally. I like the different vibe the festive season brings to London.  I enjoy walking around London, and taking note of what all the tourist do in central London. Things I’d take for granted as I’ve seen them a million times over.

So these are a few things I enjoy about the festive season. I am getting jolly! And smiling at the thought of unwrapping gifts with my little man  and family on the big day. I am also smiling at the thought of my current dining table/desk piled high with food and drinks rather than books, flowers, notepads and writing supplies. I am looking forward to posting off my overseas Christmas cards and final letters for 2016,to pals and wishing them and theirs a successful, healthy and happy 2017.

Tell me what do you love about Christmas and the festive season ?

 

What’s Going On?…. #amwriting #writerslife

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No, I don’t mean the lyrics to Marvin Gaye’s classic song I mean with me? I know, I know  it has been a while since I’ve logged into WordPress, but here I am. Firstly thank you and welcome to all new followers… I see you, thanks for keeping me company.

Well, it is freezing here in London, but I’ve done enough running up and down  this week to keep warm(ish). Last week my book tour for A Stranger in France kicked off, and I’ve done a couple of interviews as part of the tour. There’s also a  giveaway on Goodreads too. I will blog the interview links this week coming, when they are published. They were fun to do.

Friday night, I did a  once over/last minute edits  on my next book published next week I believe it will be, or the latest the week after (Not Just for Christmas). You can, read the first  2.5 chapters for free by clicking here. It’s a feel good romantic novella set in my home town London. Two characters that oppose each other wind up  in love, set on the back drop of Christmas- very heartwarming. I hope you enjoy. I will of course let you know the exact date it will drop on Amazon.

The short story I’ve wrote for a serial novel, along side nineteen other authors, to feature in a book called  Code Redhead, is complete. I enjoyed writing that story, it’s a bit of a erotic romance story I guess, a little steamy. I called it One Night in London. You can find out more about that writing project by clicking here. The book will be published in February 2017.

My progress with Novel Writing Month started if you read that blog. The challenge is two chapters per week from next week as a goal to complete. I have agreed a date to submit my work to a publisher who requested to see the full manuscript. I’m super proud of myself and excited, to have a positive response after they read the first three chapters. I need to get my ass into gear though. I will also post a chapter preview of this third book, a romantic thriller soon. This is my current focus writing wise.

Personally, last week I made some life changing decisions. I’m a full- time working mum, my son turns three next week, and to be honest I think life will be more manageable if I worked part- time. Don’t take this as I’m rolling in money far from it, but I weighed up a few things. Any woman out there who is a mum knows what I am talking about, when I say I’d love more time with my boy and a better work life balance. On top of this I have a number of personal reasons that part-time working would be better for us. So I put in a request to my boss  to reduce my working hours late last night. I mulled over my decisions and e-mail to the boss after doing the maths. After  a bottle of red wine ( yes a bottle!)  I am convinced this is the way forward. On the flip side, it  means more time to write! And purse my real dream, as well as things working out for the better of my family. I hope he sees my points and allows the reduction.

So that’s why I have been absent, I’ve been writing, doing some interviews, working my ass off in the day job, and trying to keep warm.  I will be back next week with some writing prompts and short stories. I have withdrawal symptoms LOL,  it’s been a week since I’ve participated.

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, and you’re  refreshed ready for the new working week.

Enjoy the last few hours of Sunday.

 

National Novel Writing Month- I’ve Signed Up… Umm Humm #amwriting #nanowrimo

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Last week I found out about NNWM or nanowrimo via another blogger. I just got around to checking out their website. I’ve done it, I signed up just now. Since I have a personal goal to write sixteen chapters in about eight weeks,  by the end of December.  (I’ve completed three of sixteen already, to be fair), I thought what the hell, let’s give it a go. I may as well sign up with millions of other writers around the world, and see if I can pen 50,000 words in the month of November. I’m crazy!  But rather up for the challenge and motivated by what I’m writing. I feel fully engaged, here goes.

I just updated my word count on NNWM, based on their assumption I started writing on the 1st November and  I have just over 7,000 words down,  they calculated  just over 1,000 words  a day I’ve wrote on average, over the seven days of November. According to NNWM’s stats  with this figure, this means I will finish by the 18th December. I can live with that, to be honest as long as I’m done by the end of 2016,  I can use January 2017 for submission prep I don’t mind. It would be amazing if I actually completed it (all), in the next twenty four days…. I have a rough word count of about 50-65K in mind. Again according to the stats that came back from NNWM, if I write just 1,700 words a day for the next twenty four days I’d complete 50,000 by the end of November. Ummm humm sounds good. 

Who has  signed up? Or is thinking of  it? Let me know. Need a writing buddy??

 

November’s Writing Goals.

Writing Prompt: Write About A Book That Affected You – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn #amwriting #author #inspiration

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Another writing prompt from the random situation generator I found on line, to spark writing creativity. There were a few  random situation prompts,  this afternoon that caught my eye- being a writer this one stuck out. I’d love to share why I love this particular book , (Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn), and how it helped me make some hard decisions as a writer and now author.

Where do I start with this book? Have you read it? If not you really should. If you’ve seen the movie the book is miles better, even though the movie is also good. A few of the things I admire about this book is firstly the genre, (psychological) thriller, the characters, the actual story line’s nuts a bolts (human relationships) and the way Gillian wrote the book. She did something that a lot of writers/authors (not me) shy from- she wrote in the first person. Some say, that this is a sign of amateur writing, I completely disagree and fight this point tooth and nail … I think if you can do it and do it well – get on with it. From experience it is a challenge to do this, if you write in the suspenseful type genres. Do y’all know what it takes to write in first person well enough for it to have the right impact on readers ? A hell of a lot! Gillian did a fantastic job, I can’t praise her highly enough. You have to react to situations like the character, not how you personally would and be consistent- challenging not easy.

When I read Gone Girl, I was there, totally engrossed, mouth open. I felt like I was right there with the main (crazy ass) female character, Amy dressed in black with my hat low, ready to commit the crimes she did in the book, along side her. I saw, felt, heard, tasted, smelt and experienced everything she did in all the (unthinkable) acts of madness Gillian made this character do, in this brilliant suspenseful thriller. In my (humble) opinion the story would not have had the same impact on me as a reader, if it she  wrote in third person.

Apart from the choice of  how Gillian decided to tell the story, through her characters as opposed to third person as the author.  And the brilliant ( unpredictable) twists and turns, the character development was spot on! From chapter one, I sensed Amy was a nut job I never liked her as a person, she was out of this world crazy, but guess what I was not about to put that book down. In my view Gillian created a villain and unusually a female villain- a total bitch I hated, but she ( Amy)  made me want to read right to the last page. To do that as a writer I think is something to be  very proud of.  Nice job Gillian.

How this author’s book helped with my own tough decision making as a writer is also quite important.  Firstly, I honestly believe that when one has a story-line knocking between their ears, the story will tell YOU how you write it eg suspenseful,  scary, horror, thrill, third person, first person whatever. That’s been my experience, while writing two books and now on my third. A Stranger in France (my first book) the story-line and characters I had in mind told me three things 1. suspense is the theme and overall feeling of the story 2. Kim you have to write first person if you want readers to feel and experience, what each of these characters go through, in the twists and turns you have in mind, third person won’t work.  What reading Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl did  for me personally as a writer is  to allow me to  say f*ck it! I don’t care what anyone says about writing first person. I am in the driver’s seat I am the writer damn it I’m going against the “norm” or what is considered as the usual approach for my genre ( romance),  I’m writing in first person, and I’ll do it  as well as I can !  To be honest if an editor or publisher said to me “Kim write this  ( book) in third person” I would have said no and self published, that’s how strongly I felt about it and how much I enjoy first person writing- becoming the characters as I write. So Thank you Gillian! You gave me some balls  that I will carry with me for life as a writer, after seeing an example of perfect first person writing, with excellent character development. I’d do it all again …  in fact I did 🙂   and I plan on writing more stories maybe in first person, using excellent character development. Thanks Gillian!

 

 

Ranked #35 In UK & #156 Internationally on Amazon THANK YOU FROM KIM. #amreading #amwriting #romance #halloween

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It’s been a long day at the day job, it’s 9:00 p.m London time, but I’m about to put in a few hours writing before I do the dishes and finally go to sleep. Just a short thank you note to everyone who has downloaded a  FREE copy of A Stranger in France today. And if you’ve not there’s still time.

I have reached #35 in the UK and #156 internationally (on my last update) on Amazon for the top downloaded books rankings, in the romantic suspense category! What a happy feeling. Thank you for the support , I can’t tell you how this makes me feel- well I can but I’ll be here all night. Please trust me when I say, I am so grateful for the support and I hope you  all enjoy the story. I had so much enjoyment creating the characters, twists and turns and happy ever after- there is one trust me you may not see it coming but there is. 

A little later in November my second romance novella Not Just For Christmas will be published, and I hope you all enjoy that too! 

Have a great evening. I am off to write my heart out, I’m working on book #3 a romantic -thriller I have named it I’ll blurt  it out … it’s called In The Name of Love … it’s  coming your way in 2017!

With love!

Kim

PS- thank you and welcome to all new followers.

unnameda-stranger-in-france-1

 

Friday Night Tunes & Writing #amwriting

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A few weeks ago I did a writing prompt “One For The Ladies”  in response to the word value, you can read it here  . In my writing prompt, I  mentioned some famous women, who lost their self value  but have bounced back, and sadly some who never made it. One of them was Ms Spears! I am a H.U.G.E. Britney fan I always have been since “Opps I did it again”. I would love to see her in concert perform live  if she ever tours  in London- even if it means going on my own, I’d do it. I just noticed her carpool session with James Corden, from The Late Show and had to share.

Have a watch of this, she has bounced back so much from her dark days. Take note of what she said about her feelings towards men and marriage, and I dare you to try not to sing along, I found it hard. Now I’ve got some old skool Britney out of my system, I can get back to writing, happy Friday. Have a great weekend.

Go Britney you have bounced back, and you look fantastic!!

Value