Author Spotlight: Cathy Coburn and Duaine Neill

Today, I’m delighted to give a warm Scottish welcome to the mother and son writing partnership of Cathy Coburn and Duaine Neill – two for the price of one, all the way from the USA! And we’re in for a treat with their entertaining answers to my questions. Their series of books is just the kind of mystery I enjoy, especially when it has anything to do with the Bermuda Triangle, and After the Mist has been collecting great reviews.

Here’s a little bit about the first book in the series.

After the Mist

Mike Reynolds always prided himself on being in complete control, and then his world toppled into the unfamiliar. Disturbing dreams plagued him, leaving helplessness in its wake and his control slipping away.

Though adventurous and fearless the young and petite Maggie O'Reilly doesn't recognize the devastating consequences of staring unswervingly into the black piercing eyes of absolute malevolence.

Together, the two team with five others to forge ahead on a perilous mission that becomes a dire adventure beyond anything they could have foreseen or imagined. They find themselves in direct confrontation between life and death, love and something else, an unlikely place for evil to be hiding or should we say, to be waiting.

After the Mist is available in ebook from Champagne Books, Amazon (US) and Amazon (UK)

Thank you for taking time out from busy lives to chat to us, Cathy and Duaine.

A writing partnership is intriguing – how did that come about?

First off I’d like to thank you for inviting us here to vent . . . I mean to speak.

D: What do you mean vent?

C: (Cathy changing subject) Duaine and I are a mother/son writing team. Both, I guess, are compulsive liars who needed an outlet for those lies. I like to call it teasers, or people with vivid imaginations, but with Duaine it goes over the top. Even when he called me to tell me about the planes hitting the twin towers I didn’t believe him.

D: For me I decided to partner up because I already had a very busy life style and needed help to do all the research and fill in all the blanks and I knew with both our crazy creative minds we could make our book a great novel. So I asked her to meet me for lunch to explain my new business opportunity. We have had many in the past that did not work out so well. We have always inspired to start something great but never found the right project until now.

We sat down at our favorite Chinese buffet (good excuse to go there) and I explained the idea of co-writing a new book which had started in one of my movie style dreams. I told her all about my dream. She was very excited and ready to start co-writing our book (which is now After the Mist.)

C: Even way back when, I think Duaine and I were destined to be writers. I use to write stories all the time, even wrote full novels. Then in college I switched my creative gear to wildlife artist, receiving recognition in national and international shows. Then I just stopped, as I don’t think I was fulfilling my true passion.

Duaine, even as a kid, had these weird vivid dreams. I remember him waking from a nightmare about a dream he had, he thought he’d just watched a horror movie. I finally calmed him assuring him no such movie was on. A week later we found that very same movie premiering on TV. Remember that Duaine?

D: Yes. I remember it very well. I tell people about it all the time to try and give them a picture on how real my dreams are. Still not sure if my dreams are a blessing or a curse. I wake up so tired from some of my dreams, they’re so vivid and real sometimes that I feel like I was up all night.

C: Anyway I’ll stop rambling and actually answer your question. As Duaine said we formed a writing team after Duaine had one of those weird vivid dreams. We had lunch together and discussed it and decided to form a partnership. We would talk on the phone daily about the direction our book would go in, both bubbling with enthusiasm with new ideas, and then try and meet once a week. (Sounds great fun!)

Does it bring any particular problems?

C: Getting Duaine to cooperate with me is sometimes challenging, but that’s been going on his entire life. If you read his bio on our website you’ll see what I mean.

D: I think the biggest problem for us is the fact I am really busy with my business and life and I don’t always have the time she’d like to devote to our books. Our goal is a shared one, however, for our books to do well so I can quit the business and start writing full time.

Did you have to do a lot of research for this novel (and the sequels)?

C: Yes we wanted as much realism engulfed into our story as we could find, so months of research went into our book. Every detail was researched from the yacht they traveled on to the jet they flew. Every story they told of the Bermuda Triangle was fact based, even the earth passing through the tail of Hailey’s comet, May 18, 1910 was true.

D: For me not so much, for her most definitely.

What is the most difficult part about starting a new book?

C: I refer back to my answer on question 2 for this one.

D: We found the most difficult part of writing a new book was actually trying to get it published. It can be a very long, frustrating battle to get anyone to pick you up as a first time writer. We constantly had agents tell us it sounds like a great book but we do not have time for a new book or a new client. We thought we had to first find an agent and we couldn’t even get them to read the book. Then we found we could send it directly to a publisher, so we sent it to Champagne Books, they loved it and off we went.

C: Okay that was a much better answer than mine. I’ll give you that one.

Do you think eBooks are the future? Or do you prefer print?

C: Before last Christmas I would have said print, but my husband bought me an iPad for Christmas and I love it. I’ve not picked up a print book since. I think there are still your diehards who like me don’t think they would like reading from an e-reader, but like me I think if they tried it they too would fall in love with it. So as answer to your question, yes I see eBooks taking over.

D: I believe that eBooks are the future, but have found that most of the people I talk to still prefer print.

How do you promote your books and does it work?

C: I am just learning the ropes to the promotion end. I was one of those who thought write a book, everything else will just fall into place . . . not. I’ve had to learn how to blog, tweet, facebook and I’m still learning. Duaine and I also intend on doing the conventions and any book signings we can get once our book (hopefully) releases to print. We both love to travel and that would give us a good excuse.

D: Right now for me it has been mostly sending out email, facebook and telling everyone I meet and know about the book. It is still at present available only on eBooks. When it comes out in print we plan to do book signing and conventions (I agree, any excuse to travel.)

Do you have a favorite writing place?

C: At my desk, with dead silence, other than my own voice. I find I talk to myself all the time, both at my desk and in my car. I guess I have to hear myself think. So I go back to my first answer and now wonder if I was trying to find an outlet for my lies or my insanity.

D: No not really, as my dreams (day or night) pop into my head I just find a place to sit and write them down. Unlike my mother, who likes the silence, I prefer to have background noise, mostly the radio. For me the silence lets my mind wander too much, (don’t want to start talking to myself.)

Do you find time for hobbies?
C: Not as much as I would like. I love scuba diving and would like to do much more than I get to. My husband and I try and plan all our vacations around diving, even if we’re on a cruise ship, we get off at every port to dive. We call it our perfect live-aboard dive trip.

D: Yes I always try and make time for my hobbies. I learned a long time ago that if you do not make time you will never have time. My vacation and hobbies are very important to me.

What are your current writing plans? Will you write separate books?

C: We are working on book two which we at present call Within the Mist and have plotted book three. I have personally submitted another book I wrote alone, but mostly we enjoy writing together. We find we feed off each other’s ideas and it makes things flow perfectly.

D: The plan right now is to finish writing two more books in the series and quite possible a 4th on how Luke came to be on Lived Island. I may write separately in the future, but I really enjoy writing as a team. I believe it is the combination of our creative minds that make our books so much better.

Any tips for new writers?

C: Write what you’re passionate about and don’t let anyone discourage you.

D: Write what you love, let your mind flow and be patient. It is a very long process, and does not happen overnight. But can be very rewarding in the end.

C: Thank you so much for this interview Rosemary, it’s been most enjoyable.

You’re very welcome – it’s been a joy to talk to you both. Good luck with all your books!

You can find out more about Cathy and Duaine on their website.

Cathy Coburn: A San Diego, CA native who now resides in Phoenix, AZ. Cathy's passion beyond making up whopping big stories is traveling. She has a real sense of adventure which includes scuba diving, off roading on quads, Zip lining in Belize and Costa Rica and any high adrenaline adventure. Her down time passion is sitting on the balcony of a cruise ship with a good book.

Duaine Neill: Duaine is also a native of San Diego, CA who now resides in Pheonix, AZ. It’s hard to grow up in San Diego and not hear the ocean calling you. So every vacation, Duaine takes is always near the ocean. Duaine loves to travel and seeks adventure. His friends refer to him as ‘Insane Duaine’ as he’s often found doing stunts most would never consider. His sense of adventure goes beyond reality and into his dreams, then out of those dreams come amazing stories.

Success!

I'm absolutely delighted to have won the recent multi-story short story competition! I heard the news the other day but wanted to be sure I really was the winner before mentioning it here - some of us never quite lose that disbelief about our success. Well, it is now announced on the website, together with the judge's report, and if you wish you can even read it here.

This is a very different kind of story from those I've had published before and I really enjoyed exploring the darker protagonist and subject. It's also set in 1937, which allowed me to use some of my study background. Although the prize money is generous and very welcome for a working writer, I'm even more grateful that this particular adjudicator completely understood the elements of the story that I really hoped to portray - so many thanks indeed to him for his much appreciate comments!

The other point a few people might find interesting is that The Artist's Wife was inspired by a painting I saw many years ago in the Art Gallery in Glasgow, although I've completely fictionalised the image in the portrait but used the date in which it was painted as inspiration. Art, music, poetry and nature often inspire me and I'll certainly pay even more attention to those in future. It's also a lesson to me in taking time to redraft a story more than once!

I do hope all those who write short stories will be inspired to enter the next multi-story competition which closes at the end of June!

Rosemary

Picnics, Photos and Pinterest

We had a lovely day out at the weekend with our daughter - a picnic to one of my favourite hidden places, Inchmahome Priory. With historical connections back to the 1200s, and a visit from Mary Queen of Scots in the 16th century, the island on which the ruined priory stands is a peaceful little haven from everyday life. Although busier with families on these hot summer days, once setting foot on the daisy-carpeted island the calmness descends and the children's voices become lost in the sound of birdsong.

I always feel the strange peace beginning on the very short journey across to the island, on the little boat that takes only 12 passengers, and a sense of leaving real life behind. It's a place that needs to be experienced to appreciate its atmosphere. For a writer of fact and fiction, it's a haven for creativity. Apart from the ruins, the unusual tree formations, wild flowers, hidden paths and surrounding water offer much scope for imagination. One little girl was looking for fairies, and I've already started a fairy story!

The only intact part of the priory is the small Chapter House, and I was lucky enough to sit within its coolness quite alone - apart from the stone effigies lying beneath the window in eternal rest. It wasn't difficult to imagine the Augustinian canons sitting around the room discussing the business of the day. I'm posting only a few of the many photos I took, just to give a flavour of the place.

I don't know if anyone has looked at the next new social media 'time waster' - Pinterest. Quite a lot of the authors from one of my publishers have been joining up, so I jumped in and created a few boards. This is a completely visual idea, where we can create as many boards as we like for different subjects onto which we 'pin' pictures. I'm not even going to try and explain it yet as I'm still learning and I want to read the copyright clause! One of these days, we'll have online overload.

Rosemary

Author Spotlight and Guest Post: Erin O'Quinn

A warm Scottish welcome to wonderful storyteller, Erin O’Quinn, whose writing I’ve come to admire after meeting her in cyberspace at various places around the blogging world. Erin’s Dawn of Ireland series takes the reader back to the days of St Patrick and the dawning of Christianity in Irish pagan history. It is also the awakening love story of Caylith, who begins her journey as an innocent yet passionate girl in Storm Maker. Read Erin's excellent post below on the tanding stones of Celtic Ireland.

The Wakening Fire follows Storm Maker as the second in The Dawn of Ireland series.

Even though married life for young Liam and Caylith O'Neill is just as sensuous as their stormy courtship, both of them still need to learn a whole new language - how to show each other their deepest, most secret passions. Liam finds ingenious ways to teach his still-naïve wife about his urgent needs, and she surprises him with her own instruction.

In the midst of their quest of each other, they find themselves on another, deadly search - for the dark secrets of their old enemy Owen Sweeney, confined to an invalid's cart and seemingly just as dangerous as ever. Their search for the truth of the brooding half man leads them back to the history of Ireland's most famous high king, to the astonishing vengeance of a jealous woman, and finally to the hills of sacred Tara, where a high king and St. Patrick himself compete for men's hearts and souls.

Storm Maker is available from Siren BookStrand here, and from Amazon (UK) and Amazon (US)

The Awakening Fire is available from Siren BookStrand here. It will be available from Amazon soon.

Thank you so much, Erin, for writing this very interesting post about the standing stones.

The Standing Stones of Celtic Ireland
As seen in O’Quinn’s Dawn of Ireland Series

Cairns and all manner of sacred stones abound in Ireland and Scotland. In fact, the word 'cairn' is the plural form of 'stone' in Scottish Gaelic. Ancient Gaels somehow transported stones, many weighing tons, and erected them in certain alignments clearly imitating some sacred rite or calling forth a religious belief.

The three most important stone formations that figure in the Dawn of Ireland novels are first, the famous Lia Fáil, or Stone of Destiny, erected on the sacred Hill of Tara in Co. Meath, Ireland. Second is the Tirnoney dolmen, near Maghera in present day Co. Derry. Third is the evocative group of stones sitting in a farmer’s field near Claudy, near the city of Derry.

The Lia Fáil is perhaps the most unforgettable sight to a visitor viewing the famous hill of Tara, home of Old World Ireland’s high kings. It stands fully six feet high and is a pale grey, a phallic symbol of such undeniable potency that it is said high kings could not hold office until the contender for the crown stood at the stone and everyone in attendance could hear the stone roar.

This stone is the site where, in Caylith’s vivid memories, her husband’s father High King Leary erected his public throne and pronounced judgment on Owen Sweeney; and where he awarded Caylith her new provincial land, former holdings of the criminal Sweeney. In a later novel titled Warrior, Ride Hard, one of the main characters uses the Stone of Destiny as an unerring reference and later as a focal point in his quest to bring down a group of scheming druids.

A dolmen, in general terms, refers to two stones with a third (lintel stone) erected on top. Thus most of the stones on the Plain of Salisbury are said to be dolmens. In Storm Maker, as Caylith and Liam are traveling to her new holdings in Derry in company with his cousin Ryan, the three stop and marvel at such a formation. In the book, I have the stone placed roughly where it stands today, near a copse of ashes near the town of Maghera.

In the novel, as in reality, the stones have obviously been brought to that place, and the lintel stone is not flat. It is almost as imposing as the balancing stones, and tipped to face the rising sun. Actually, the group of stones had been subject to vandals in some past age and have been brought close to a modern highway so that folks in passing vehicles can stop and marvel at the sight of stones almost six feet high with an even larger stone balanced on top.

Seeing these stones opens a deep place inside Caylith - and in Liam too, for both of them feel stirrings of a being far greater than themselves, a might that reaches back into the dawn of time.

I felt Liam next to me, and Ryan, too. He spoke through his cousin. “What do ye feel?”
“I feel the old bones. And I hear them singing.”
“Are ye a believer in the gods of old?”
“No. I believe in Christ. And I believe in the life everlasting, as he taught.”
“Then the ancestors still live?”
“In a way, Liam, yes. They speak through these stones.”
“Then Pádraig’s beliefs differ not so much from our own,” he said, and I looked at him then. He, too, had reached out to touch the ancient stones, and his finger traced the fissures and cracks that seemed old as the earth itself.
“Me father has warned me about Pádraig. The druids have told him that the priest means to destroy our beliefs. Do ye think that be true, Caitlín?”
I had to be careful here, for I did not want to go against Father Patrick’s teaching. I knew he welcomed many of the old beliefs of the people of Éire, as long as the teachings of Christ were carefully layered over old superstition and shown to be superior.
“I do not believe the druids. I think they will do or say anything to discredit Father Patrick. I think he wants what the people want - to be protected and loved by almighty God.”
“If that be true,” Liam said slowly, “then I could follow Pádraig’s words and not be damned by the almighty powers.”

The third set of stones to play an important role for Caylith and her friends is the group sitting in a farmer’s field near Claudy, about six miles south of modern Derry. You will see in the photo how the farmer has carefully mowed the field all around the stone. It may seem strange to those of us in the USA that the stone is not the site of a souvenir stand and a photo-op sign. Thankfully, the Éireannach people are more sensitive than we about their culture.

These stones, to Caylith, represent a mighty king surrounded by his subjects, and she has taken Owen Sweeney to gaze on the formation in a closing chapter of The Wakening Fire.

I stood with Liam regarding a stone as tall and wide as he was. It was light gray and weathered. Like the one we had seen near the Lough Neagh, it was crisscrossed with feathery strands of lichen. But one entire side of this stone was streaked and almost bloodred.
At first I thought the red was the stain from some ghastly druid sacrifice. And then I realized that the stone itself on this side was a bit different from the rest. Instead of looking like thousands of bits of shiny dwarf dust, this side was rougher and darker. I thought the red might be the way the sun and the rain played upon its surface over the countless years it had stood here.
From the moment I had seen it yesterday, I imagined it as a solitary, proud king. The several stones that stood or lay nearby were his sentries, his minions, watching over him as he stood on high ground and beheld his realm—the low, pretty valley where two rivers flowed together.

I, like Caylith and some of my other main characters, am drawn like a lodestone to the ancient stones. They call me back to the beginning, even before the stalwart men who placed them in prominent places throughout the British Isles. I look, I marvel, and by the grace of God, I write about them.

I adopted Erin O’Quinn as my pen name when I found myself steeped in the history, culture and language of Old World Ireland. The characters - cattle barons, kings, druids and others - reflect the pre-Christian times and beliefs of Éire. And then came Patrick. With the arrival of the famous minister of Christ’s gospels, the country underwent an almost miraculous change, and the characters in the books find themselves reacting to that change.

I earned a BA (English) and MA (Comparative Lit.) degrees from the University of Southern California. My training almost demanded that I pay close attention to the interplay of culture, language, and folklore. I am retired from an active life and I look out at the sprawling brown hills of Central Texas - far from the Emerald Isle - as I write my novels.

You can find out more about Erin and her writing on her Blog and Facebook. You can also contact Erin by email here.

Becoming a Grandmother

Well, I've had an exciting weekend. On Friday 18th May, I became a first-time grandmother! And yesterday my husband and I were delighted to meet our beautiful little granddaughter, Iona May Gemmell. Her aunty Vikki was equally besotted. I'll try to keep the granny talk to this post!

My poor small-framed daughter-in-law had to have a section in the end as the baby was lying breech and it was evident he or she was going to be big. And she was! I initially misheard my son when he phoned, and started telling everyone Iona May was 8lbs 4oz - big enough for petite Elaine. But she was actually delivered at 8lbs 14oz and was just under a week early! Baby, mother and father are all doing well and they were hoping to get home last night.

I must admit I cried tears of joy on Friday when my son described holding his wee daughter for the first time - especially when he said she was sleeping when delivered, then opened her eyes while he held her. I suppose nothing prepares us for the emotion of a new little baby into the family, considering it's over 30 years since I had one of my own! Just as well we don't live near enough to pop in every day, and I must admit I can't wait until the next stage when Iona will start to focus on our faces and smile (hopefully!) She's already a strong little lady, pushing her head back and trying to grip with tiny, long fingers. Okay, I'd better stop there!

On a different (writing) note, I believe I'll be in the Spotlight later today on Cathy Coburn and Duaine Neill's blog, if anyone wants to visit. Just as well I'd already answered the questions or I'd be focusing on being a grandma, or whatever I decide to be called.

Hope everyone else had a good weekend!

Rosemary

Author Spotlight: Linda Swift

A warm Scottish welcome to American author, Linda Swift, who is a prolific writer in different genres and for different publishers. Linda is well travelled in Britain and her latest novel, Maid of the Midlands, reflects her interest in the UK, where she lived for a while, and her love of history.

Blurb: MAID OF THE MIDLANDS

When Mary, Queen of Scots, is sent to Hafton Castle, Matilda becomes her waiting-lady. The comely maid loves Jondalar, a stalwart castle guard who returns her affection but places his greed to succeed above all else. After Matilda nurses the queen through a fever, she rewards the maid with a valuable ruby. Jondalar plots with the young lord of the castle to rid the Crown of the captive queen in return for a promotion in the guard.

When Matilda discovers the plan, she risks her life to warn the queen. As Mary journeys toward her next destination, Matilda and Jondalar separately travel the English countryside in pursuit of her. Jondalar had a change of heart and also seeks to warn the queen but Matilda is unaware of this as they dodge each other enroute. When Jondalar almost loses the maid he loves, will he realize what really matters?

[Note: Although this book is set in England, I have "borrowed" the name of Hafton Castle in Scotland. My husband and I spent a memorable week in this castle near Dunoon a few years ago and the name seemed perfect for my story. When we had earlier toured the real location of the book, I visualized a young servant in the courtyard sitting on a bench that encircled a large old tree. This maid in my mind was the illegitimate child of the castle lord and that is how the story began. But even though the descendants now lived elsewhere I wasn't sure they would take too kindly to an American author creating an imaginary skeleton in their ancestor's closet. So I changed the names of the family, the castle, and the village to protect the innocent from my imagination!]

Maid of the Midlands:
Publishing by Rebecca J. Vickery
Available from Amazon (US) and Amazon (UK):

Thank you for answering the following questions, Linda.

I’m pleased to see you also write in a variety of genres, Linda. Do you have a favourite type of writing?

I do write in several genres and the particular genre that I write at any given time seems to reflect stages of my life. I wrote a group of short stories and one short novel of suspense when I was grieving the early death of my father. I didn't realize that I was writing out my grief until a close author friend pointed out to me that each story came to a place where it could go either way and it always took the negative conclusion. This was a reflection of the way my father's death occurred so it made sense. And at this moment, my favourite type of writing is historical, any period, and I foresee many more books in this genre in the future.

How do you decide whether to write a contemporary or historical novel?

My choice of contemporary or historical novels depends on the phase of my life at the moment. In other words, I let my emotions determine what I write. Not very professional, I suppose, but it works for me. I don't write from an objective "Now I will write a story about this or that because it is popular right now" decision. I write what I am interested in, what has touched my heart, what I feel passionate about.

What is your favourite period in history?

As an American living most of my life in the South, the Civil War has always fascinated me. And I finally wrote my own family saga about it. This Time Forever was released last year just in time for the first year of commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennial.

While living in England, my husband and I visited many castles and it seemed the presence of Mary Queen of Scots hovered over many of them. Then on one trip to Scotland, we were again reminded of her presence there. So her story haunted me until I wrote Maid of the Midlands, my version of a small segment of her captive years. I am not an historian and although I did research the subject, I know I only skimmed the surface of the actual historical facts. I did try to remain historically accurate with the events mentioned and only took poetic license in allowing Queen Mary to speak in this book. The story is really about a lady-in-waiting and a castle guard but the queen plays an important role.

Oh, I've strayed from the question, haven't I? I suppose I'd have to say I like most periods of history and can't really pinpoint a single time. I hope to write a Regency someday. I plan to write at least one story about each of the World Wars the US was involved in. I have another post-Civil War sequel in mind and also I have almost completed a sequel to Maid of the Midlands, set in the next generation in England.

Has the ebook revolution made a difference to your writing career, and do you prefer it to print?

I wrote three books for a NY publisher and then the market shrank and I was left an orphan for a few years. It was only after I turned to digital publishers that I found my niche. Digital publishing has given me the satisfying career I have now and I'm very grateful but I was burned badly when I made my first foray into this business. I submitted to a small ebook publisher recommended by an author friend and she took two of my books and was preparing to take a third when one day I went to the site and it said "Sorry. Closed." And that is the last I've heard from that. It took me two years to give it another try.

This time I studied the market, submitted to several publishers simultaneously, and got two contracts in less than a month. I now have contracts with seven digital publishers due to this "shotgun" approach. This may not be a bad thing as I've always been told not to put all the eggs in one basket. All of my available e-books except one are in print as well. I will never abandon print books entirely. I don't enjoy holding my Kindle nearly as much as a print book but I do love the convenience of taking with me when I travel a lot of books within this one small e-reader. I also like the price of buying e-books versus prints.

How do you market your books?

I do as many book signings as possible and for this I do have print books. I do not maintain a blog because I simply don't have the time but I often do guest blogs and interviews. I try to promote on a number of loops. I participate in contests and give away copies of my books. I took one ad with RT Magazine in March but I can't see a big difference in sales as a result so I probably won't do that with another book. I think it mostly boils down to acquiring a readership one satisfied reader at a time (I like that idea!).

Do you have time for hobbies?

I really don't have time for hobbies but I make time. I have a husband who helps me with all things technical and so I take the time to do some fun things with him. We do ballroom dancing, walk a couple of miles a day, and when at our home in Florida during the winter months, spend an hour a day in the pool in nice weather. And most days are nice and warm in Florida's winters (lucky you).

Any advice you could pass on to newer writers?

First and foremost, I would advise newer writers to NEVER give up. If you love to write, then write. Submit. Accept rejections and learn from them. And submit again. And again. If you have any talent (and you surely do or you wouldn't have a desire to write), and if you keep on doing this long enough, you WILL get published. So never lose sight of your goal. I have heard it said that the three things needed to succeed as a writer are talent, persistence, and luck. And you only need two of these to be successful. But how many of us can count on luck? We can develop our talent and we can keep on hitting our heads against those brick walls until we find an opening. So I opt for honing your skills and keeping on working toward your goal. Then if luck happens, it is a bonus. If not, you won't fail.

Excellent answers and tips, Linda - thank you.

Linda Swift divides her time between her native state of Kentucky and Florida. She is an award winning author of published fiction, poetry, articles, short stories, and a TV play. Linda holds an Education Specialist Degree from Murray State University with post-graduate work from U. of Alabama and was a teacher, counselor, and psychometrist in public schools in three states. She credits her husband and adult children for providing encouragement and technical support necessary for survival in the cyberspace world.

Linda's first two books were published by Kensington. She currently has ten e-books (nine also in print) available from the publishers and numerous distributors. Two books of fiction, a haiku collection, and four short stories are scheduled for 2012.

You can find out more about Linda on her website.

Talking about Themes

I meant to mention yesterday that I'm talking about some of the themes in my tween book, Summer of the Eagles, over on Anne Johnson's blog. Just in case anyone is interested!

Thought some might like to know about this market: Ether Books - it's for short pieces of fiction or prose for downloading onto a mobile!

Rosemary

Motivation and Opportunities

I’ve been trying to get a bit more organised over the weekend, sorting out the pieces of writing to finish, checking which short stories can be sent out and which need reworking. Then there are a few novellas I want to tackle. But, inevitably, I get sidetracked almost immediately by new opportunities and competitions. So instead of getting on with the last part of my current novel, I ended up writing a new children’s story! Must say it was fun to write and only needed to be a maximum of 800 words.

So today, I’m again planning to get those last couple of chapters of the WIP finished. Then I’ll be able to go back through it all and read the complete novel to find out where the cracks are. I love the redrafting part, but I don’t know why it’s taking me so long to get to the end of writing this book. Does anyone else have a problem getting finished?

I must recommend the website of someone I recently came across online: Jeff Goins. He is so motivational, and I received his great little free booklet ‘The Writer’s Manifesto’. Simple and effective words - about just writing. You’ll get a free copy if you join his mailing list. He has also recently published an ebook ‘You are a Writer (so start acting like one)’, and I intend getting that very soon from Amazon.

And in case you're in need of some more motivation, Mslexia is currently running two competitions:

Women’s Poetry Competition – any length or style. Closing date is 18th June 2012.

Children’s Novel Competition – for unpublished women novelists. The novel must be at least 30,000 words, aimed at children old enough to read by themselves, or young adults. Closing date is 10th September 2012.

Full details are on the Mslexia website, which is worth a visit for all the other information it contains.

Happy writing!
Rosemary

Author Spotlight: Gilli Allan

A warm welcome today to friendly author, Gilli Allan. Gilli recently took the self-publishing on kindle route with her novel Torn, which has received great reviews, and she has followed this with her current release Life Class. Gilli talks more about this interesting decision in the interview.


Thank you for inviting me to your blog today, Rosemary.

LIFE CLASS
A story about art, life, love and learning lessons

The class meets once a week to draw the human figure. For four of its members, life hasn’t lived up to expectations. All have failed to achieve what they thought they wanted in life. They gradually come to realise that it’s not just the naked model they need to study and understand. Their stories are very different, but they all have secrets they hide from the world and from themselves. By uncovering and coming to terms with the past, maybe they can move on to a different and unimagined future.

Dory says she works in the sex trade, the clean-up end. She deals with the damage sex can cause. Her job has given her a jaundiced view of men, an attitude confirmed by the disintegration of her own relationship. The time seems right to pursue what she really wants in life, if she can work out what that is. Love doesn’t figure in her view of the future – she’s always been a clear eyed realist – yet she finds herself chasing a dream.

Stefan is a single-minded loner, whose sole and overriding ambition is to make a living from his sculpture. So how the hell did he find himself facing a class of adults who want their old teacher back? Although love is an emotion he long ago closed off - it only leads to regret and shame - it creeps up on him from more than one direction. Is it time to admit that letting others into his life is not defeat?

Fran - Dory’s older sister - is a wife and a stay-at-home mother without enough to keep her occupied. On a collision course with her mid-life crisis, Fran craves the romance and excitement of her youth. An on-line flirtation with an old boyfriend becomes scarily obsessive, putting everything she really loves at risk.

Dominic has lived his life knowing all about sex but nothing about love. If he can only find his mother perhaps he can make sense of his past. But maybe it is a doomed quest and it’s time to look to the future? By accepting the help and love that’s on offer here and now, he has a chance to transform his life.

Life Class is available from Amazon (UK) and Amazon (US)

Tell us a little about how you became a writer.

When I was a young child I would always say that when I grew up I was going to be a commercial artist, like my dad. I was good at art but my passion, from around ten onwards, was writing. These unfinished ‘novels’ were always intricately embellished with drawings and doodles. My parents disregarded the writing and encouraged the art. I took on their attitudes and never took my writing seriously. I gave it up when I went to art school.

I worked as an illustrator in advertising, but it was a very stressful occupation. It was only after I’d married and was looking after my toddler son that I began to think of ways other than being a freelance artist, to earn money and stay on at home. I was ironing when the bombshell thought hit me. I was listening to a radio programme about the publisher Mills & Boon (the Harlequin was yet to be added), and how they’d changed, and would now consider more challenging plot-lines than those they were traditionally associated with. I thought: I used to write romantic tosh when I was a kid. I bet I could write a Mills & Boon novel.

Here I humbly apologise to all HM&B writers, both for my sniffy attitude (I’d hardly read any M & B books) AND for thinking it would be easy.

But it’s one thing to have the - ‘I could do that’ - thought. It’s quite another coming up with a story. Remembering the advice of English teachers to ‘write about what you know’ I began to reflect on my life and my romantic adventures. By the time I’d finished the ironing I had the starting point for my plot, which put together two entirely separate and unrelated experiences from my own history.

Why did you decide to self-publish your most recent books?

Despite the broadminded attitude I’d heard about on the radio, M&B rejected my book, Just Before Dawn, about the aftermath of a girl’s first love affair, which had ended in pregnancy and miscarriage. I didn’t care. I had faith in my story. My eighth submission was to ‘Love Stories’, a completely new publisher. Their ambition was to publish books which were more off-beat and unconventional than those currently available in romantic fiction. They took Just Before Dawn and they also took my next book, Desires & Dreams. But they were unable to get the distribution, and marketing necessary for success and they folded.

I continued to write the same kind of fiction, but I failed to find another mainstream publisher, or even an agent. This is why I decided to self-publish TORN last year and, after a brief flirtation with the e-publisher, Lysandra Press - who also folded - I self-published LIFE CLASS on May 1st, 2012.

Is Life Class from your own experience?

I always use some real experience in every book I write. But none of the incidents remain exactly as they actually happened. In re-imagining them I begin to build a skeleton in my mind’s eye, around which I can begin to weave a story. But - as with my first book, Just before Dawn, the finished story will be a million miles from autobiography. And even if it isn’t, I’m not admitting to it.

LIFE CLASS was a title waiting for a book. I’d attended a life class for many years - so that was the research dealt with - and the name was just too good not to use at as a book title. But I had no story.

What is the most difficult part about starting a new book?

The answer to this question really follows on from the last. I am not one of those writers constantly bubbling with new plot ideas. I’ve described starting a new book as like carving a block of granite with a teaspoon. I have to force myself to sit down at the computer and start. But first I need to know my cast of characters and their back stories. And I have to have a visual image of their appearance, the jobs they do and the situation which brings them together.

When I seriously began the process of conjuring up LIFE CLASS, I had my ‘situation’ but I had yet to populate the class. So I began to think about people I knew. I lighted upon a good friend of mine who did a very interesting job, a job which brought her into contact with people at a very vulnerable point in their lives. Although the personality, biography and appearance of my heroine is nothing like my friend’s, I gave her the same job. The assumptions she might make about the people she came into contact with in the course of her work - maybe people she knew - could lead her into misjudgments and ethical dilemmas. This was the switch which turned on the ‘what if’ part of my brain.

Do you think eBooks are the future?

I am not a soothsayer. I’m sure ebooks will be part of the future. Whether they will be the whole future of books is another matter.

How do you promote your books and does it work?

Promotion is a big dilemma. Particularly if, like me, you are not a name or your books do not comfortably fit a pre-existing sub-genre. TORN was my first ebook and I hardly promoted it at all, apart from mentioning it from time to time on Facebook and the various other forums I was on. And my sales show this. This time I have made a much bigger push to get noticed and I have managed to get a lot more exposure by embarking on a kind of meandering blog tour. The trouble is I have a large dose of English reticence and I am torn between wanting to shout about my book, and feeling I am bound to get on people’s nerves. We shall see. (I can identify with that!)

Do you have a favourite writing place?

We have a small study, which is perfect for me. There’s a built in desk which houses the PC printer and other ephemera. Two walls are book lined and there’s a door either end. It’s situated between the utility room and the back hallway. So there is a tendency for it to be used as a corridor. But it’s not the only route to the stairs, so I have to remember to keep the doors closed if I want to signal to my husband that I’m working and don’t want to used as a short-cut!

Do you find time for hobbies?

I am still interested in art. I still do small freelance jobs occasionally and design our family’s Christmas cards. I also regularly attend art classes. In LIFE CLASS I will admit to having used my teachers over the years as a source of ‘Art-Speak’. I have given my present teacher a credit, but anyone who knows him will, I hope, agree that he doesn’t appear as a character in LIFE CLASS.

What are your current writing plans?

I do have another book I plan to publish as an ebook later this year, called Fly or Fall. Then I’d better get down to writing something entirely new. I’d better find that granite block and my carving teaspoon!

Any tips for new writers?

Remember the story I told about doing the ironing while listening to the radio programme about Mills & Boon? My advice relates to this experience. I didn’t go away and think about writing a book. I didn’t tell myself I would begin writing the book when I had the time - when my son started school, or when he left home. Had I put it off, I truly believe that I might never have started. Instead, when I finished the ironing I folded the board and put it away. I took the clothes upstairs and put them in the airing cupboard. Then I found a pen and a notebook and started writing … then and there.

Don’t put it off. If you’re serious about it, you will find a way to fit it around your other commitments. If you want to write, do it. Now.

Excellent answers, Gilli!

To celebrate the publication of LIFE CLASS, Gilli is running a special offer price cut of 77p on TORN, until May 15^th. You can find it on Amazon here.

TORN

You can escape your past but can you ever escape yourself?

TORN is a contemporary story, which faces up to the complexities, messiness and absurdities in modern relationships. Life is not a fairy tale; it can be confusing and difficult. Sex is not always awesome; it can be awkward and embarrassing, and it has consequences. You don't always fall for Mr Right, even if he falls for you. And realising you're in love is not always good news. It can make the future look daunting...

Jess has made a series of bad choices. Job, relationships and life-style have all let her down. But by escaping the turmoil of her London life, she is putting her young child first. This time she wants to get it right, to devote herself to being a mother. In the country she will find peace, simplicity and the good life, won’t she?

But a beautiful environment does not guarantee a tranquil life. There are stresses and strains here too - the landscape she looks out on is under threat, new friends have hidden agendas, two very different men pull her in opposing directions - and in the face of temptation old habits die hard. Despite her resolution to avoid entanglements, she is torn between the suitable man and the unsuitable boy.

You can find out more about Gilli on her Blog, Famous Five Blog, Facebook, Goodreads
and twitter: @gilliallan

Gilli went to art school and originally worked as an illustrator in advertising. She began writing when her son was small. She writes contemporary romantic fiction with an edge and lives in a beautiful valley in Gloucestershire. She goes to an art class once a week and used to go to a life class to draw and paint the naked figure. For the past year, Gilli has been doing a water-colour class instead. She says she wouldn't be able to live the life she does without the support (emotional and financial) of her husband.

Catching Up!

I'm back! I wasn't away for long, but husband and I both felt it seemed much longer as we do so much in the time. Just the break away from the computer was a mental rest for me, allowing me to think about writing projects. But we didn't stay indoors that much, preferring to walk and explore. We spent a great few hours in South Queensferry and I've writen a bit about that on my Romancing History blog (with a few photos).

We also found a little bookshop that enticed me in so I could search for history or factual books. We were astonished to find all the books were FREE! The lovely man who runs it allows customers to take up to six books away, and we may leave a donation in a little box only if we wish. What a great idea - and we both found an interesting book (and yes, I did leave a donation).

One of our other favourite places is historic Dunfermline. We normally stay at a lovely old retreat of a hotel about three miles out of the town. We then drive a few miles to the car park at entrance to the wonderful Pittencrief Park. A leisurely walk through its paths and glens takes us right to Dunfemline Abbey at the centre of the historic town. The Abbey itself is very interesting but my absolute favourite place is the very old but beautifully preserved Abbot's House. I've written a little about it here in the past if you want to read more.

Meanwhile, I'm going to see King Lear in Glasgow with a friend this evening and tomorrow I'm taking another friend out for her birthday lunch, then visiting another theatre with three friends on Friday evening. Just as well I had that break, even if husband did walk me off my feet!

Over on my Flights of Imagination blog, I've posted an interview with American Young Adult author, Jo Ramsay.

Rosemary

Winding Down and The Hunger Games

After a busy week just gone, and a busy one to come, sometimes we just need to wind down for a while and, in my case, stay away from the computer for a couple of days. So that's what we're doing in an hour or so - taking a couple of days off and visiting one of our favourite parts towards the east coast (we live on the beautiful west coast), to walk, swim (inside!) and read. Okay, I'll probably sneak in some writing, but only with pen and paper. We hadn't even realised it's an official holiday weekend, so neither of us will feel guilty about taking Monday off.

I went to see The Hunger Games with my daughter yesterday. I haven't read the books yet so I only knew a vague outline of the story. Have to say I really enjoyed it - but I like a touch of fantasy in fiction. The filming, actors and plot were all good, but I didn't like the violence between the young people and that's an integral part of the storyline. It was cleverly filmed, however, so that it didn't dwell on most of it. The heroine was a great role model and I was glad to see little vignettes of human kindness within the story. Donald Sutherland is still a force to be reckoned with!

While watching, I suddenly remembered Lord of the Flies and the shipwrecked children's cruelty to one another, which was horrific in its day. At least there was a purpose and reason to what happened in The Hunger Games, even if that was a terrible one, and it was largely outside the young people's control. I can almost guess what happens in the following two books, and presumably films, but I'll certainly want to see them. And I must now read the books. Apart from anything else, most of us are keen to see what makes a bestseller!

Have a good weekend,
Rosemary

Author Spotlight: Debut Novelist Patsy Collins

A very warm welcome to debut novelist, mega published short story writer and online blogging friend, Patsy Collins. Escape to the Country is Patsy's first published novel. It is set in Kent, a county she visits regularly for the wonderful scenery, gorgeous gardens and historic buildings. It's no wonder Patsy’s blog is so popular as she combines her own upbeat, individual personality with regular links to free competitions. Those of us who follow her blog were delighted when Patsy won a recent novel competition from over 600 entries, and the result is the now published Escape to the Country. I don’t think any of us will forget Patsy’s happy dance video when she heard the news!

Escape to the Country

Leah is accused of a crime she didn't commit. Dumped by Adam, the man she planned to marry, she escapes to Aunt Jayne's smallholding in the Kent village of Winkleigh Marsh. Heartbroken and homeless, she strives to clear her name and deal with her emotions.

Jayne treats Leah's unhappiness with herbal remedies, cowslip wine and common sense in equal measure. In return Leah works hard for the delicious home-cooked meals they share. She wrestles with sheep, breaks nails and gets stuck in the mud - learning as much about herself as she does about farming. Soon Leah is happy milking cows, mucking out pigs and falling halfway in love with Duncan, a dishy tractor driver.

Back in London, steps are being taken to investigate what's happened to the missing money. It looks as though the real embezzler must soon be unmasked and Leah will have to chose between resuming her old life or starting a new one.

That's when her problems really start.

Escape to the Country is available in print and ebook from Amazon (UK) and Amazon (US)

Thanks for answering the following questions, Patsy.

This is your first published novel, is it the first one you wrote? And do you have others in your bottom drawer? Or computer file!

It's the third one I've finished. The first will stay on computer quite a while longer, I suspect! The second is another light hearted romance. I'm currently giving that another polish before trying to get it published. I've also done most of the first draft of yet another romance.

You’re a well-published and popular short story writer. How did you find the transition to writing a full length work?

It was a gradual process. I began a short story that I couldn't seem to end. After a while I stopped trying to keep it short and turned it into a novel. I like it but I'm yet to find a publisher who feels the same way. The next time I had a story idea that seemed like it could fill a novel sized gap I did a bit of planning, including deciding on a genre (romance) and an ending.

I think that writing novels is in some ways easier than short stories. Although it's still important to stick to the storyline there's a lot more scope for adding in all those interesting little details or twists and turns I always have to cut out of short stories. There's no need to decide between short stories and novels though; I still write both.

Had you tried to get this book published before winning the competition?

Yes, twice. First to a publisher who was quite positive about my writing but felt this story wasn't right for them. I also tried an agency and was told they weren't taking new clients (despite their website giving submission details - grrr). I'd previously tried to get an agent for my other novels and never got anything other than a standard reject (sometimes not even that) and had begun to lose heart a little.

How are you finding the whole launch and marketing of your book? Is it more difficult than you imagined?

I don't know if difficult is the right word, but it's more time consuming than I'd anticipated. As a new novelist contracted to a small publishers I didn't expect to have a massive launch party and huge advertising campaign so it wasn't a shock to find marketing is mostly done online and through local press. If anyone would like to assist in this, I've been assured that a few good reviews on Amazon will make a big difference!

Do you miss living the country life?

Sometimes I think I do, then I go back to the farm and pick my way through the mud looking for my dad who's always busy doing something involving hard work. I like looking at the cute calves without having got up in the night to attend their birth or feeding the sheep once a year instead of every single day regardless of the weather.

Tell us one fun fact about yourself.

There are no facts - I'm a fiction writer! (A fun answer)

Are you going to concentrate on contemporary novels, or is there another genre you’d like to tackle?

I'll probably stick to the same kind of style, but if I got an idea I really liked that happened to be a different genre I'd give it a go.

Do you have any encouraging tips for new writers?

Read a lot and write a lot. Get feedback - always listen to this but only change your work if you're sure the change is one you want to make and that it will improve your writing. Feedback can come from a writing tutor or other professional or from writing group, either one you physically attend or online. Do these three things and you're bound to improve.

Remember, no one was born a published writer. Every writer had to learn to spell and where to put punctuation marks and all the rest of it. As far as I know all published writers have at some time had work rejected - if JK Rowling had given up after her 14th reject we'd never have heard of Harry Potter.

Excellent answers, Patsy. You can find out more about Patsy on her blog and Facebook.

Patsy Collins lives on the south coast of England, with her fiance. Over 150 of her stories have been published in a range of British, Irish, South African and Australian magazines including Woman’s Weekly, Take a Break's Fiction Feast, The Weekly News, Woman’s Day, That's Life! and My Weekly. Patsy maintains a blog where she gives details of free to enter writing competitions, rambles on about writing, gardening, cakes, and other random stuff that interests her. She'd love you to visit and perhaps share your thoughts on these important matters.

Patsy entered Creative Print Publishing's monthly competition after featuring it on her blog and encouraging other writers to have a go. She decided to follow her advice and when she was informed her story, Escape to the Country had beaten over 600 other novels, she was very pleased she did. Patsy likes to research her stories thoroughly, so before writing this story she lived on a small farm for 26 years and learned to milk cows, drive tractors and deliver calves just as her main character Leah does. She also tried getting rescued from mud by handsome strangers, but was less successful at that.