Belonging to a Writing Group

Some of the writing group enjoying garden party

Since I was talking about the RNA in my last post, I thought I should move further back, to first being part of a writing group. That's where it all took off for me as a writer. I was taking those first tentative steps in writing back in the early 90s, and even had a short article published in the Scottish Home & Country Magazine. Then we moved house to a small village, and son and daughter had new schools to get used to, we had the new house to straighten and life took over again.

One evening, the local free newspaper popped through the letterbox. And it was one of those serendipitous moments. I had a quick look through and noticed an advert for a new writing group starting in a nearby small town. It was the only time the advert appeared and, fortunately, I'd kept the details. But I needed to pluck up the courage to go along to that first meeting where I knew not a single soul. Maybe it helped slightly that I'd had one little piece of publication, so I didn't feel a complete fraud!

But I needn't have worried. A couple of people knew each other but there were a few new writers like me. More importantly, they had managed to get funding for a tutor to get us started over the first several weeks, and Sheila happened to be the first person I met as I went through the community centre doors that day. Not only did our experienced tutor and writer start us off the right way, but she stayed in the group for many years and is still one of my dear writing friends. She was also a wonderful mentor in those early days when I was struggling to find my writing voice.

But that was only the beginning. Our writing group eventually became affiliated to the Scottish Association of Writers which encompasses writing groups from all over Scotland. The SAW has an annual conference each March, where members from all the writing groups get together for a wonderful weekend of talks, seminars, competition adjudications and fun. There are many competitions covering all kinds of writing - members enter them months before the conference and on the Friday evening/Saturday morning the results are announced by each adjudicator, who also gives a short resume of the competition entries and reasons for choosing the winners. The lovely awards are given out on the Saturday evening.

Anyway, back to the 1990s. Since we were now SAW members, I decided to go to my first conference at Crieff Hydro (it's moved to other hotels since then). I've always been a last minute writer needing deadlines, and this was no exception. But I managed to enter a couple of competitions, including my very first woman's short story. The lovely, late Ian Sommerville of My Weekly was the adjudicator. We all sat through each competition result with various levels of excitement. I was just so glad to be in amongst this huge group of real writers for the very first time.

Then came a defining moment in my writing career. I won the Woman's Short Story competition! To say I was shocked doesn't come close to the disbelief with which I sat there. When Ian went on to rave about the story and told everyone he was buying it for the magazine, I couldn't come back down to earth. I did, however, have to read it out to the whole audience from the stage. Fortunately, my voice held out and I didn't cry at the end, although I almost did.

I'd love to say that I suddenly became a great success and my writing career took off in a big way. But I was still playing at being a writer in those days and it had to take second or third place behind family, work and OU studies. But it did start me on my way. And the most important part of all this is that I stayed a member of my writing group from that day until now. I've gone on to write lots of published short stories, articles, children's stories, poetry and now novels. I've given lots of talks to other writers on market research, I've adjudicated competitions and I've served as president and secretary of the writing group.

Would I be at this stage today without my encouraging, supportive writing group? Probably not. For that was where I learned the craft of writing, heard professional writers share their knowledge, took part in competitions and workshops and met so many other wonderful writers. When I stand on the SAW stage next March as an adjudicator of a short story competition, I shall be remembering that it all happened because of walking in the door of that writing group all those years ago.

We end our sessions with a wonderful garden party at one of our members' homes, where we all take different food for the buffet lunch. It's a measure of the social aspect to our friendly group. I do encourage other writers to find a good, supportive local writing group. It might be the best decision you ever make!

Rosemary

Romantic Novelists' Association and Blog

The wonderful Romantic Novelists’ Association in the UK comprises many different kinds of romance writers in a lively association, with ‘chapters’ around the country. Their parties and conferences are marvellous fun and their quarterly magazine, Romance Matters, provides great information and news.

But it is their New Writers’ Scheme which is second to none. Any unpublished novelist of romantic fiction can join the NWS each January, although get your application in quick as it's so popular! The fee includes an in-depth critique on a full novel from a professional author and is worth every penny. Two of my novels have been through the scheme and the first, Dangerous Deceit, is the one finally published this month. Prospective publishers and agents like the fact that a submitted novel has been through such a critique.

Any author who subsequently signs a contract can then go on to become a full member of the RNA, which I have now done! Today, I am honoured to be featured on the RNA blog , as I owe my continued efforts at writing full length fiction solely to the RNA.

If you want to come and say hello, you can find my interview on the RNA Blog.

Rosemary

Inspiration Behind Dangerous Deceit

If anyone has time to spare and wants to have a look, I'm talking about the inspiration behind Dangerous Deceit on the lovely L.K. Below's blog today.

Rosemary

Festival of Romance

For anyone who doesn’t know about it, the UK’s first romantic fiction convention is going to be taking place at Hunton Park, near Watford in Hertfordshire, from 21-22 October 2011. It will be a weekend celebration of romantic fiction of all kinds, for readers and authors, with author talks and fun activities like chocolate tasting, and a Festival of Romance Ball and Awards on the Saturday evening.

To celebrate the weekend, several literary awards are now in place:

The Festival of Romance Reader Award for Best Romantic Novel

The Festival of Romance Reader Award for Best Historical Novel

The Festival of Romance New Talent Award.

The Best Romantic Novel and Best Historical Novel awards are for novels of romantic fiction published between September 2010 and October 2011 and will be judged exclusively by readers.

The New Talent Award aims to spotlight emerging talent and is open to unpublished writers. The industry expert judges are Donna Condon, senior commissioning editor at Piatkus, and Jane Judd, literary agent at the Jane Judd Literary Agency.

Details of the festival are on the Festival of Romance site.

You can join the online Festival of Romance community, where you will find details of the awards. Or click on the badge at the side of the blog.

Rosemary

Being Interviewed by Janice Horton

Good morning one and all. I'm being grilled, sorry interviewed, on the lovely Janice Horton's blog today - please drop by and say hello, if you have the time!

Rosemary

Butterflies and Writing

Some of my friends and family know that I like butterflies and they have often bought me one as a gift for birthday or Christmas - not a real one I hasten to say! Some of the lovely items that contained a butterfly include:  a brooch, a candle, painted on a shawl, embellishment on a jewellery stand, a picture on a notebook. These are only the things I can think of immediately. Many of my gorgeous cards contain a butterfly, or two.

Well my dear friend, Catriona, surpassed herself the other day when she handed me a gift to celebrate publication of my first novel, Dangerous Deceit. She has always been hugely supportive and that was more than enough. Besides which, her husband bought my e-book for her right away so she could read it on her computer! So I opened the beautiful white box in mounting curiosity to find, nestled amongst white tissue paper, a heavy filligree hanging butterfly!

What a lovely, unexpected surprise, especially since we were supposed to be celebrating her birthday, which was my treat. One of the reasons I was so touched is because my friend knows that I consider myself a butterfly writer, and she actually wrote that on the card. How lovely that she knows me so well!

So, a butterfly writer. Why? Well the symbolism of that little insect who changes from a crawling catterpiller through different stages to such a colourful creature with wings, is a powerful image of a fledgling writer learning to make their words soar. Then there is the fact that I write anything and everything from short stories, articles, children's stories, and even poetry, to novels. I flit happily from one kind of writing to another, staying for a while before moving on to the next.

I also love the symbolism of butterflies in some cultures. In Greek mythology, Psyche, meaning 'soul', is represented by a butterfly. Even in Christianity, a butterfly often symbolises a person's soul crossing to the hereafter, and it is depicted in many works of art. In Chinese and Japanese culture the butterfly is often a symbol of joy and happiness. No wonder so many people use the butterfly symbol in some way!

Here are two little quotations to leave you, from my little gift book, Songs of the Earth:

"The butterfly flitting from flower to flower ever remains mine, I lose the one that is netted by me." Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet (1861-1941)

"I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man."
Chuang Tzu (369-286 B.C.), Chinese sage

Lovely Lilacs and Meditative May

After all the excitement of the virtual launch of Dangerous Deceit on my Regency blog yesterday, I'm in relaxed meditative mode today - and probably need it! Isn't this the most gorgeous little flower card you've seen? It was delivered to me today and was sent by a lovely friend, Lorna, to wish me success with the book. It has really made my day.

Our weather up here in the west of Scotland hasn't been as warm as some parts of England recently, although we're not having the usual rain either. But I noticed our lilac tree was in full bloom and had to try and capture some of the flowers before they fade. I love the lilac colour among the green leaves and, although our tree could do with a good pruning one of these years, it still brightens up the uppermost corner of our garden which overlooks the hills beyond.

As to the meditation part - no I've not taken it up (yet!) - I find poetry and verse very relaxing, and I particularly like medieval and other early century writing when in that kind of mood.

The following is translated from the Latin, 12th century French verse of Marbod of Rennes (not by me!).

Meditation among Trees

Green turf amid silent trees and soft light airs
And a spring of running water in the grass,
They freshen a jaded mind, they give me back to myself,
They make me abide in myself.

Reminder about Cyber Launch

Just a wee reminder that my cyber launch party is still going on at my Regency blog - we're having a blast. The Champagne is chilled, if anyone else wants to join the fun!

Rosemary

Debut Novel, Dangerous Deceit, is now Available!

So excited to announce that my first novel, Dangerous Deceit, is now available as an e-book from my publisher, Champagne Books and from Amazon (kindle). The publisher is also going to put it on Smashwords eventually, so it will be available in all e-book stores.

A print version will be released by Champagne Books in a few months.

Invitation - Thursday, 5th May

Please come to my fun cyber launch day on my Regency blog on Thursday, to help me celebrate publication. All comments on my Regency blog that day will be entered into a random draw to win an Amazon voucher.

Hope to see you there!
Rosemary