E. Rachael Hardcastle's Blog, page 5

Horton Grange Academy Y3-4 Writing Competition

I was thrilled to be invited to visit Horton Grange Academy on Monday 25th March 2019 to work with their Year 3 and Year 4 classes, discussing my creative career and running some 30 minute workshops.As promised, I'm now announcing the winners of the short story (story cube) writing competition! For privacy reasons, the names will be announced using initials and class names only - I'm sure the winners will know who they are from the beautiful handwriting!Congratulations to:A.S. from 3CK.G. from 3BN.H. from 4CI.B. from 4B'Z' from 4A'A' from 3AThank you all for working so hard during our workshops. It was hard to choose a winner from each class as they were all great! I hope you found the activities useful and fun, and will keep writing!Rachael x

February Focus: Kennedy Phillips, author of Magus Elgar 2018

Kennedy Phillips is a fantasy comedy author from the USA. His most recent release, Magus Elgar 2018, contains some strong language. Kennedy Phillips was Born in Philadelphia, PA, however he spent the entirety of his childhood living on a sailboat in Florida. He spent much of his life desperately trying to get people to laugh and smile, oftentimes doing so via pratfall or over the top performances. He went to college in the hopes of learning how to make movies, all while toying with his own small silly ideas on paper. Once he earned his BFA in Cinema Studies at the University of Central Florida and his MFA in Film at Chapman University, he picked up odd jobs as a freelancer for Sound Design and Editing, all the while biding his time to work on his own productions. Now Kennedy works as a Freelance Sound Engineer, Foley Artist, Video Editor, and Voice Actor to help fund the stories he wants to tell. Above tea and coffee, he drinks hot chocolate, though his vice has always been soda and when writing, he drinks whole milk and eats yogurt raisins.Kennedy's favourite author is Terry Pratchett, 'because he proved that no matter how educated, no matter how refined your prose, no one is above telling a silly story,' Kennedy says. He is currently reading Loki Ragnarok, by Mark Binder, Damn Fine Story by Chuck Wendig, and Wonderbook by Jeff Vandermeer. He last reviewed a book called The Electric State by Simon Stalenhag.Kennedy firmly believes that there is no one kind of person with a penchant to storytelling. He's found writers come from everywhere. 'I myself am not as much a loner, but I write all the time. Whether you’re the toast of the party or make a party with toast, saying only introverts are writers is like saying only bankers like books. At least to me, that is.'He's always been a kid at heart and has no shame in saying he's watched animation and never fell out of fashion with it. Sometimes a scene will hit him or fire off his imagination and get him toying with the idea, twisting and reworking it until he makes it his own. 'Much of what I grew up reading fired the imagination with the strange and the surreal,' Kennedy explains, 'but my absolute favorite stories have been ones that subvert your expectation entirely.'Oftentimes when he wants to tackle a strange subject, he really needs to read up on the articles and stories that inspired him to get there in the first place. How did they get to the place they did in their own respective writings? 'Oftentimes my research is more about what fascinates me within the tale to keep it believable, but fun', says Kennedy. He believes that in the end, no one has your perspective. So much of his life has been filled with adventure. He desperately wants to share those ideas and that perspective, if only because he thinks it’s very cool. 'Maybe someday someone will look at my stories and do something way cooler than I ever could, like change the world,' he says.Kennedy says he is the absolute worst at scheduling his writing. What he hates the most about his writing habits is that he is always most inspired between 1 AM and 6 AM right as he's trying to sleep! 'Though when I do write, I end up writing about 15 pages of script, or about 3-4 pages of story in one sitting,' he says. 'I have been improving steadily.' He advises the easiest thing about writing a book is finally getting to speak in the character’s voice. He's always had a knack for dialogue. However, his definite kryptonite is plot structure. 'I am great at set pieces but threading it all together is my greatest challenge. I love to gush about my ideas to people. But when they start to pick apart where things make sense, I have to recollect myself and start building a flow chart. I don’t like it, but I also know that without it, my stories would be as ramble-y and incoherent as I am often accused of being.'Writers block for Kennedy is more like ‘plot paralysis’. He is always having ideas on where to go and what to do, but when he gets hit with a block, it's always ‘wait that doesn’t make sense, what do I do now?” - this can last weeks if he's not careful. 'But what I always do to overcome it is talk. Talk it out and get some outside advice on what’s working and what isn’t. Usually I just need to say it out loud to realize what it is.' When he finishes writing his book, he immediately begins editing because he hates first drafts - they’re always terrible. 'I have a handful of trusted people to read my work and tell me what’s wrong,' Kennedy adds, 'I actually have a proofreader who has been excellent at cutting me to the core. The best judges of improving your work are often the ones that skip the ‘being nice’ part.'Work from the ground up when it comes to world-building, Kennedy advises, saying, 'When you build your world, you need to ask a few key questions. Who is living there? How did the world come into creation? And how is that different from our world? If you can answer a few of those, quite a few things fall into place.'In his story of Magus Elgar, Casters are a means of expressing the various ways we get through creativity. Whether through raw talent, or vigorous study, anyone can cast. It’s just a little easier for those who have the raw talent. But those that work hard at it can be truly great. Even a single sentence can be an incredible story. When asked what advice he would give to primary school students who wanted to be creative writers, he said, 'Don’t be scared. Your story is yours. And while some kids might not get it or understand it at first, that doesn’t mean you should never show it. Be proud that your idea is yours. And it’s a great way to work through your feelings.' Kennedy believes that writing is a great way to externalize your feelings and opinions on what you’re going through. But it’s more than that. It’s taking aspects of your identity, small snippets of your personality, cutting them up, massaging them, and making something entirely different out of them. 'None of my characters are effectively me, but they are aspects of me. Things I love. Things I hate. It’s ultimately helped me better understand myself.' 'As much as I’d hate to admit it,' Kennedy explains, 'I find myself gravitating toward something with an interesting cover. Though often the cover doesn’t ultimately factor into my overall opinion of the piece, it definitely paints a strong first impression. So I’d say it has a relative impact on the sales.' He also states that anyone who produces their book of poor quality are often not subjecting themselves to the rigors that a traditional publishing company would demand of them. That can be problematic. Especially since the only person paying attention to the tiny details of your work is ultimately you. He also says that everyone’s first attempt at a story is terrible, no matter how you spin it. The best books in the world began as garbage. But it’s up to you to understand that, and find the pieces that are less so, and rescue them from the 1st draft dumpster.Kennedy says that he's found things he doesn't agree with can be a little challenging to write about, and he is always terrified of misrepresenting the ideas he's trying to present. Everyone’s got their own viewpoints on how the world works, and those that he disagrees with the most, can even surprise him when he has to write as them.He views success as being able to make a living off your talents and capabilities. Right now, he doesn't feel very successful. 'Sure. I’ve been nominated for an award by the Audio Publishers Association, but until my story is completely told, I won’t be satisfied.' On the topic of how to become a bestseller, he says 'your guess is as good as mine. As far as I know. Everyone that made a bestseller made a faustian pact at some point in their life.' But he also advises that it helps to remember: Everyone thinks they’re garbage. And everyone has an opinion. Just because you don’t agree with them doesn’t mean there isn’t a kernel of wisdom you can extract. The harshest criticisms he's ever received has ultimately strengthened him. 'Don’t be afraid to get your butt kicked'.The question: ‘Why would anyone care about your story?’, Kennedy got a lot when he was creating his world. Many people assumed there would be no one interested in listening simply because they weren’t enthused or understood the story. He imagines other writers might be aggravated by this because that’s not a question that engages. That’s coming from a person who isn’t interested in a story. That’s someone that’s trying to sell a product. 'Yes. That’s a very important part of the process. But I don’t like to think about my works as products to sell, even if I need to put food on the table,' he says.Kennedy's book Magus Elgar is aimed at young adults age 8-35 who love fantasy, Harry Potter, Monty Python, and Terry Pratchett. Here's a little about the book:Magus Elgar is an 11 Episode Audio Drama inspired by the works of Terry Pratchett. Within the Multiverse sits a fantastic magical realm. A place we call Hearth. Join Magus Elgar and his colleagues as they face the strangest magic they've ever encountered: Science! After an accident that leads to tools of science hurtling across Hearth, reality begins to tear as the Scientific Tools Augmented with Magical Power (STAMPs for short) bridge magic and science in ways mankind was not meant to know! Will Magus Elgar and the Magical Anomaly Interdimensional Locators be able to recover them all? Only MAIL can save us from these dreaded STAMPs! Kennedy can be found on Facebook @maguselgar or through his website: Www.maguselgar.com, which has both a subscription option and a contact form for your convenience. Dear Rachael...This was a very thorough interview that made me think quite a lot about why I am the way I am as a writer. Hardcastle’s website may be a bit sparse, but she clearly knows what she’s on about!

February Focus: Kurt Clopton, author of SuperGuy

Kurt Clopton is the US science-fiction author of 'SuperGuy'. He works full time as a professional Olde Tyme photo model, specialising in wide brim hats and saloon backgrounds. Kurt grew up in the Midwest and attended Luther College where he earned his undergraduate degree in Art and English. In an attempt to accumulate a debilitating amount of debt, he also has a Master of Arts degree in English from Iowa State University. He spends most of his spare time perfecting his mediocrity at tennis and guitar, and the rest of it watching instructional YouTube videos on how to fix whatever he has most recently broken. Kurt lives in Wisconsin with his secret second family when he is not on the road “traveling for work”.Kurt's favourite author is Douglas Adams, though he's currently reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. He prefers hot chocolate to tea or coffee, though only drinks water when he's writing. Kurt realised he wanted to be a writer before his third year in college, which, coincidentally, he spent abroad in Nottingham. He enjoy doing it, and found it relatively easy to do. Kurt says, 'I suppose if I didn’t, I wouldn’t continue to do it.' Though he's not sure if inspiration plays a part in where his ideas come from, SuperGuy evolved out of a Halloween costume he created twenty years ago for a party!SuperGuy (or the sequel he's been writing) didn't really require too much in the way of research; when they did it was something odd, like trying to decide how fast a superhero might fly. That required looking at the speed of jets, how fast something must travel to create a sonic boom, and then how fast can you get from point A to point B. Kurt says. 'And all of that research just translates into one joke, so was it really worth it?'In his opinion, writers shouldn't really be labelled as introverts. He believes they are probably thought of as such because of the myth of the writer more than anything: alone in their room working on the next great novel. Kurt advises, 'I think, like most other things, that there’s a normal variety of types.'But Kurt goes on to say he's a little weird as far as writers go. 'I don’t write every day and don’t try to. I only write if I’m working on something I need to complete.' When he;s working on a book, Kurt will write most days of the week and probably average 2000-3000 words. He's also never experienced writer's block, though he's had occasional hiccups with a difficult scene that wasn't quite working. 'In those cases I tend to just write through them, using whatever weak idea I come up with and move on, knowing that I will come back later to fix it,' he says. 'Then later I will often come up with a better idea for how the scene should progress.'Kurt finds the moment to moment work of writing a scene or chapter pretty easy for the most part, and probably the hardest being trying to find a unique superhero name. 'There are a lot of superheroes out there. I love writing something that will make someone chuckle out loud and I hate the fact that it seems so few people read nowadays.'He tells us not to overdo world-building and while we should understand out world and know how it works or affects the characters, we should let it enter the story organically. 'I know that’s not always possible, but if you can avoid pages and pages of world-building where the plot stops moving forward, you should.' When it comes to editing and proofreading, Kurt thinks he writes in a rather odd manner. 'I do what I think of as a rolling writing and editing process. I often start my day by going back and reviewing the previous chapter and scene and editing that as I re-read it, which helps me get in the flow of continuing the story with a new section.' When he's done, he often feels his first draft is a little more polished because of this. He may then take a couple of days off before starting the real edit, but it depends on his schedule. 'If I want it done soon, I may go right back at it, or I may wait a couple of weeks if there’s no hurry. I do my own editing and haven’t ever hired anyone, although I do have a couple of readers that help catch mistakes or other issues,' says Kurt. He also had a quick word to say on the dreaded topic of marketing, as he luckily isn't one to struggle in this area. 'It’s helpful to get a network of authors on your side, so you can spread the word about each others’ books,' he says. Kurt thinks cover design also matters a great deal, and notices a lot of independent book covers are obviously based on templates, which he's not sure is a good look. 'There are a lot of artists out there who would gladly design a unique cover for little or no money and the author would be much happier with it,' Kurt advises. But his opinion varies with regards the negative image of independent books based on the quality of cover design and copy-editing. 'There are plenty of traditionally published books that I haven’t found to be great. They may not have editing issues, but they still have issues. What I have found in reading a lot more independently published books (not necessarily self-published) recently is that the editing and things like grammar are fine.' Kurt says that covers can be problematic because independent authors don’t have access to a design team and don’t have the experience or patience in that area. He sees the real problems tending to crop up more in terms of plot and character consistency and motivation. The authors have their idea or even an outline of what they want to happen, but don’t successfully translate that to the finished work. 'As a reader you’ll question why the character chose to do a particular thing when they clearly wouldn’t based on how they’ve been written up to that point,' says Kurt. 'If often comes down to it being because that’s what the author wants them to do and where the outline says the story is going, but the author failed to make that choice the right choice or the only choice for the character in that situation.' Kurt has previously read a scene where the main character was witnessing an exchange between two secondary characters along with the reader. The main character then told them how she viewed one of the characters based on the scene, but the reader got a completely different take on that character. 'The author essentially tells the reader how they should view that secondary character after failing to successfully show it in the scene,' Kurt explains.When asked what advice he would give to primary school students with regards creative writing he said, 'Simply to have fun and write what you enjoy.' When asked about secondary school children, Kurt added, 'As you get more involved in writing, take notice of what you like to read and why. Look closely at how it succeeds and what you like most about it and try to let that inform your own writing.' Kurt thinks when it comes to teaching writing that anything’s possible, but maybe without having a natural talent or instinct for it, it might take a lot more practice. 'The grammar part can definitely be learned, and the basics of plot and character, but there might be a different step at that point that brings true uniqueness or creativity, or simply characters that are really compelling and not cliche,' Kurt says.And on the topic of whether writing is beneficial to mental health, Kurt agrees, 'absolutely'. There have been several studies on the benefits of journaling for people with anxiety and depression issues, Kurt advises, and he feels that sometimes the act of writing things down can help a person get past the surface of problems and delve deeper. Kurt feels that it probably requires a lot more research and the ability to understand a different perspective when writing from a character's perspective, where the character does not share the author's morals and values. Though, Kurt tells us, 'I don’t think I mind risky themes if the writing is good enough to handle them.' 'I think I probably viewed success differently before I really looked closely at the publishing landscape as it is today,' Kurt tells us honestly. 'Knowing how hard it is to make money writing books kind of changes your expectations. It’s probably why I haven’t pursued things as hard as I could. So, no I don’t really feel successful, but I know that that is in a field where being successful just isn’t as common as we’d like it to be. It certainly doesn’t mean that I wrote a bad book, there are extremely popular bad books out there, it’s just not the way this profession works. Or probably any creative profession.' He adds that there is probably no secret to becoming a bestseller. He advises we should get the right attention and the right promotions behind us and we'll have a good shot. 'Anyone with knowledge of how Amazon bestselling status works would know how that can be meaningless, anyone without might be impressed.'You have to expect criticism, Kurt agrees, because everyone likes different things when it comes to creative works. 'If someone doesn’t like my style of humor, they won’t like my book, but that doesn’t mean it’s poorly written. Doesn’t mean it’s well written either. It’s going to happen and you just have to move past it. Hopefully a majority view will emerge and that’s what you can trust more.'Finally, Kurt tells us that he doesn's know if he's been asked enough questions yet to find the one he hates the most about writing. 'I don’t know if I look forward to that discovery. I do find it surprising how many people will say how they won’t read your book because it’s not the genre they read. And some of these are people you know, or know well. It’s just a weird world.'Kurt's latest book Superguy is suitable for any audience, though he does advise there are a few adult words. Here is the blurb from the back of the book:'Superheroes are common in Oliver’s world. He doesn’t pay them much attention since he’s just trying to survive his city government internship and the latest useless—but time-sensitive—project that’s been dropped on him. Then he mistakenly takes the super serum the Milwaukee mayor wrote into the budget to help his slumping re-election campaign. Now Oliver is dealing with an annoyed police chief, a surging crime wave, paparazzi, a super villain, a bit of romance, and the creepy ladies of the Milwaukee Flower and Garden Society. You expect the super villains to be trouble, but you never expect the bigger problem to be getting your city-issued car replaced after you’ve reduced it to a burning hunk of metal your first day on the job. If Oliver can survive the endless on-the-job training sessions, the awkwardness of the extremely generic but very tight suit, and getting thrown through the occasional wall or two, he might just have time to stop the bad guy from enslaving the world. No biggie.'You can purchase it at Barnes & noble or on Amazon, and if you'd like to get in touch with Kurt, you can do so at : Facebook @kurtclopton or through his website www.kurtclopton.com where there is a blog and a contact form for your convenience. *Image courtesy of Kurt Clopton

February Update 2019

Argh, it's been such a crazy few months! 2019 is definitely my year (touch wood *taps her head*) because I'm so excited about so many things!WHSmith Book SigningsI was absolutely thrilled to attend my first chain bookstore signing with WHSmith, Trafford Centre, Manchester on February 2nd. We did really well and met so many awesome bookworms that we're looking forward to returning for our second event with them on March 30th!I'm also bursting to tell you that they'll be stocking paperback copies of my featured fiction books from this date too, so you'll now be able to purchase off the shelf within their branch! But before I return to the Trafford Centre, WHSmith Leeds are very kindly hosting a local book signing for me on May 25th 2019 too! I can't wait to meet everyone!Writing ClassesLast week on the 7th February 2019, I taught my first adult creative writing class at the Windhill Community Centre, Shipley, West Yorkshire between 4-6pm. The first class was free of charge, and we looked at a few writing prompts, idea generation techniques and the three act structure, giving those attending a taste of what's to come!On February 14th (Valentine's Day), I'll be teaching my second class, focusing more on the Hero's Journey and story structure. But, to celebrate Valentine's Day, I'll also be preparing a few fun writing exercises, too! If you're interested in attending my class on a Thursday evening, it's £5.00 per session and runs between 4-6pm. You'll meet other inspired writers at a variety of experience levels, and will be welcomed with a huge smile - just bring your notebook!Low Ash WorkshopIt was wonderful to see my friends at Low Ash Primary School again last month, and I can't wait to put together your short story books next month! After a morning of fun, chaotic games and excitement, we started writing in the afternoon, planning three alternative endings in three different genres - a challenge even for an experienced writer! And they all did so well; I'm proud of how well you embraced the writing, and was so lucky to receive such a warm welcome from both Year 6 classes. Oh, and congrats to the winning team, though it was a close one!Harrogate Library EventsLast month, I was also lucky enough to be invited by Promoting Yorkshire Authors to be on a discussion panel on January 19th 2019 in this gorgeous library to discuss 'new destinations'. We talked about the use of and importance of setting in story, and I was pleased to chat with some of the participating authors afterwards.On January 9th, I also spent an afternoon chatting with a friendly group of authors and readers about my most recent release, Noah Finn & the Art of Suicide, and even had the chance to sign a couple at the end! I loved both experiences, and hope to visit again soon.I will no doubt have tons more to tell you in March, so be sure to check back for another update soon. Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your busy day to read my journal, and if you have any questions, feel welcome to contact me!Much love, Rachael. x

February Focus: Petra van der Ploeg, author of Fade Into Darkness

Petra van der Ploeg (1978) is a young adult/ new adult fantasy author from The Netherlands. Her most recent release is Fade Into Darkness and is book two in her Somnia series.Petra describes herself as a writer, a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. She lives with her family of three cats: Minoes, Kayla and Jip. As a writer, she incorporates her love of fantastical elements into her stories. Her main character is always someone she relates to tremendously, making the story both personal and appealing. To help other aspiring writers, Petra runs her own website too, where she offers free advice. Petra's favourite author is J.K. Rowling. "She created a completely new world, not so different from our own, that just oozes with magic. She’s an inspiration to me." And at the moment, Petra is reading A Thousand Pieces Of You by Claudia Gray, however the last book she reviewed was The Selection, book 1, by Kierra Cass on Goodreads.Petra started writing her stories down at the age of 13. At first it was a way to get things off her chest, because she didn't have an easy childhood. Writing gave her a way out, particularly through fantasy where there were ways to solve issues unavailable in real life. She loved diving into the worlds she created, dreaming about them and making them come alive. And this is what Petra continues to do to this day - writing fills her heart with joy and she can't see a future without her laptop nearby.Inspiration isn’t something Petra is very focused on; she gets an itch if she doesn't write for a certain amount of time. She feels a need to dive into her stories, and the ideas just flow out of her. But music helps, too. Sometimes she'll hear a lyric and can see the story unfold before her eyes. Research isn't so important; she tends to get sidetracked while writing her first draft, so during the first round of editing, she'll go through and apply any research to make the story better. She also doesn't have a schedule for writing, though sometimes she wishes she did. After trying it, a schedule seemed to have the opposite effect. Procrastination lurked around the corner if/when she put a time limit on her writing. Thankfully, Petra doesn't have to force herself to write, she just does. And if she doesn't have time, and doesn't write for a few days, that same itch will force her back to the laptop. Petra always finds time to write - one or two days per week. Sometimes she may only write 200 words, but she's also had days where she managed 20,000 in one seating!The easiest thing for Petra is getting the first draft down. She never thought this would be the case until she decided to self-publish and found out about the other parts of writing and publishing a book (for example, the editing, beta reading process, getting a designer to create the cover you envisioned and the marketing for your book). The hardest part, for sure, is getting her book noticed by readers. In this particular area, she can be quite the introvert, even though she believes her books are amazing. "But finding readers to actually take a chance on your book, that’s the hardest part in the writing (and publishing) process." Petra agrees writers are mostly introverts and loners, but states, "I can be outgoing if I’m with the right crowd. Friends that I feel comfortable with see the outgoing side of me. People I don’t (yet) know will see the introvert in me. I love being on my own and I need that time too." Petra has previously gone years without writing. "It was the worst time of my life," she says. "I’d considered my writing just a hobby, something that wouldn’t bring me anywhere and my adult mind told me that I needed to give it up because I needed to focus on things that would bring me somewhere. But without writing, I felt lost. I needed the escape, the ability to go into worlds I’d never gone before and explore every possibility alongside my characters." That's when she decided to start writing again and faced the hardest Writer’s Block ever, because to Petra, Writer’s Block is nothing more than an author's mind trying to keep them imprisoned in constricting ideas about the value of writing, and that it needs to be excellent or why else would they write? She agrees that a first draft is never excellent, so it was tough getting through that experience. And when it comes to world-building, Petra advises authors to use Pinterest. "That’s my go-to when I need to visualize the worlds my characters visit. Nothing helps me more than to see the art of talented people. Work that inspires me and gets me all twisted and creative into my own stories."Once a book is finished, she dives back in immediately. She longs to relive the story, but this time from her readers' point of view. "I edit my own work as many times as necessary, but before publishing it, I always hire a professional editor to make sure the story is up to the highest standards," says Petra. And she agrees a professional cover impacts sales, too. Even though she's an author herself and supports others, she still judges a book by a cover. "I don’t think there is any good reason for a bad cover. It’s your book and you want it to exude the same quality as the story itself. If I see a bad cover, I’m almost certainly going to assume that the story is bad too." And that’s not just for Indie Authors, Petra advises, because she feels the same if the book is published through a traditional route (though she feels you see this less).Petra hasn't yet found a marketing technique that’s most effective for her, though she tries to get her books out there by using social media and asking for reviews. It’s a tough process. "Nevertheless, I’m hanging in there, doing the best I can, exploring any possibility as I go because I believe in my books and I believe there’s a hardcore fandom waiting to happen for them. So, I guess, the one piece of advice I have is: don’t give up."She does understand where the negative judgement of independent author comes from in relation to quality though. "There are a lot of self-published authors who do their own editing and design their own book covers to save money. And then you get bad books, poor grammar and even worse cover designs. I see those authors as hobby authors. They’re not really invested in their books. They might love their books, but they don’t really care if others do, too. They just want their book out there. And to them, I say congrats. You did it." However, Petra also advises that readers shouldn't brush all independent authors aside. She wants them to be critical, but encourages them to purchase a book with a good cover and strong synopsis, even if the author is self-published. There are enough Indie Authors out there, like Petra, who purposely chose to independently publish, and she advises it's because they feel they know better than anyone what their book needs, and they want to retain control over every aspect.When asked what advice she could provide to young aspiring writers, she said she would encourage primary school children to read and write a lot of books, in any genre, and see what fits them the most. And to secondary school children, Petra advises, "Don’t let anyone stop you from writing. Only by writing, will you get better. And if you love the stories in your head, know that there’ll always be people who want to read them." She agrees that people can learn to write rather than simply being born with the talent, but does feel that if you possess the passion and the talent for writing, it will always be better. "Writing isn’t just about putting one word after the other. That you can learn. But writing is so much more. It’s about finding a way to become the characters of your book. It’s about empathy and the ability to see things from different perspectives. It’s about exploring possibilities and then finding a way to bring everything alive on paper."As well as writing for fun, Petra recommends writing for the benefits to our mental health and as a form of self-therapy, too. She had her fair share of mental health issues. "I don’t believe it replaces the help of a professional," she explains, "but I do think writing can benefit you when you explore your own thoughts by letting your character run into situations similar to your own. It helps to look from the perspective of a writer toward a character." She agrees it can be challenging for a writer to write outside their own morals, values and beliefs, so tends to avoid such topics. She says, "I don’t think I’d make them very believable, if I don’t believe it myself." When other writers wander into such topics, Petra says she can feel a bit uncomfortable, but there are two kinds of uncomfortable for her. Firstly, being that she doesn't believe what she's reading because the author doesn’t seem to get the beliefs, morals or values across (in her opinion), making it a cringe-worthy story. Secondly, that the author did a phenomenal job and she's torn between wanting to understand the character, but is finding it hard to relate to them because their beliefs, morals and values are so different from hers.But as a writer, to Petra success is defined by going after what you want most in life. Success is not the end goal, it’s the journey. She believes she's successful, based on all she's done and does every day. "By writing and publishing my books, by holding them to the highest standards before they go out into the world, I believe they are already successful. But that doesn’t stop me striving for a bestselling status for my books!" Petra only recently learned about the different ways books can get a bestselling status on Amazon, but she actually doesn't hold much value over that status because the book may be number one in a very small niche category. This wouldn't be her ideal definition of a bestselling book. Petra believes the actual number of books sold is more important. "I don’t think a bestselling status is actually bestselling if it only surpasses e.g. four books in a niche," she adds.But the question of how many books Petra has sold has been a big source of frustration for her. After some internal soul searching, she came to the conclusion that it’s only frustrating because she believed the number of sold books defined her success as a writer. Once Petra redefined that definition, the question didn’t bother her as much. Now, she simply answers, “I’m not actually sure, but I’m happy either way. I get to do what I love and I value that over any number of sold books.”It can be hard to deal with rejection and criticism, Petra agrees, especially if you value another person's opinion. If it’s from a person Petra doesn't know, she can easily brush it off. But if it’s from a person she does, it's a harder process. Nevertheless, she welcomes any and all criticism and has learned it helps her to grow as a writer and identify her audience. Petra says, "anyone will be critiqued on everything. Some will love your story, others will hate it and both are fine. You can’t accept the love if you don’t accept the hate because both are just opinions. In the end all that matters is how you feel about your book. That should be leading in anything regarding your books and that is what will push you through the hardships of writing."Petra's latest book, Fade Into Darkness is ideal for readers of 20 – 35 years of age and is available from Amazon (paperback and e-book) and through her own website (e-book). Here is the book's description from the back cover: “You can’t keep me away.” His voice was just behind me, raising the hair on the back of my neck. Instantly, I recognized his tone. It was him. My biological father. Trying to build up courage, I turned around to face him but there was no one there. “You have to embrace your powers,” his voice said to my left. I jumped back but still saw nothing. Frantically, I turned from left to right, and when his voice started to speak to me, his words came from all sides. “The boundaries have been broken since you first traveled. I can now find you.” I froze as he whispered in my ear, “Anywhere.”Sophia McAllister's life turned upside down when she discovered her power to travel across realms. In Fade into Darkness she has to find her True Realm, the realm where she belongs. Unable to easily adjust to every realm, Sophia becomes vulnerable to its inhabitants. Not to mention to her biological father, a Shadow Walker whose intentions have yet to be revealed..."Petra is happy for her readers to contact her, and they can do so via Facebook @AuthorPetravanderPloeg or through her website www.petravanderploeg.com. Here you will find a contact form her blog.*image courtesy of Petra van der Ploeg6. FeedbackPlease leave a short testimonial for E. Rachael Hardcastle, and let her know what you thought of this interview, the questions and her website. Your testimonial may be uploaded to her website and/or social media. Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback.Testimonial:Thank you for these questions! They were very thorough and I enjoyed answering them. You’ve asked a few questions to which I really had to stop and think, and I like that.I took a quick peek at your website; it looks smart and clean. Professional! And it taught me a lot about you; the work you do and the services you offer. Well done for chasing your dreams. That’s pretty darn inspirational to me. #lifegoals

February Focus: Gillian Atack, author of The Storm Within the Rose: My Family and Alzheimer's

Gillian Atack is a multi-genre author from the UK, however her most recent release, The Storm Within the Rose: My Family and Alzheimer’s, is a real life non-fiction book about the disease. Even though the subject matter includes themes such as death and the horror of Alzheimer’s (as well as humor and love) it's in the context of real family situations, which many young people could encounter within their own lives.'Alzheimer’s – it’s just about forgetting things. It can’t kill you, right? Wrong. The Storm Within the Rose is a heart-wrenching, heart-warming and sometimes rib-tickling account of my family and my mum’s gradual decline into the greatly misunderstood world of Alzheimer’s," Gillian's description says. "Suddenly being left responsible for every aspect of my mother’s life was like being dropped into the middle of a horror story. A different side to her I didn’t know emerged more and more frequently, a side that shocked me. Nobody warns you about this or the unknown impacts and how to cope with them. So I wrote this book.'Gillian is 57 years old and lives in Morley, West Yorkshire (UK). A few years ago a chapter in her life came to a close and she decided to mark it by writing about the experience. Her writing caught the attention of the Writers Bureau with whom she completed an online writing cause, and they awarded her 'Student of the Year – runner up – 2017'. They also invited her to write a blog for them! Alzheimer’s Society then put her book in their Knowledge Centre for their healthcare professionals to refer to.To begin with, writing was therapeutic for Gillian; it helped her come to terms with losing her parents. It was then she realized how enjoyable and challenging writing was. It now makes her feel happy and gives her a sense of achievement when an idea works. When she began, Gillian had no experience, but she taught herself so many new skills, and she still wants to continue learning. She personally recommends writing as a form of self-therapy because in her experience writing about such issues changes your anger and grief into something productive and positive, thus allowing you to start letting go and healing. But, when she's not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and grand-daughter and also enjoys reading, walking and caravan holidays.Gillian's favorite author is Kate Mosse because of her story telling technique and attention to detail. Her main protagonists are put through some terrible experiences which they can’t be certain to survive, making her books real page-turners. Gillian is currently reading 'Labyrinth', and recently reviewed 'Finding Pandora' (thanks, Gillian!) by E. Rachael Hardcastle. Though she normally prefers tea over coffee or hot chocolate, when writing, her favorite snacks are chocolate with a cup of tea (or a glass of red wine).Research for Gillian's book was very important. Even though this was based on her family, because of the theme, she also wanted to back up her experiences with facts. The project she's working on at the moment, however, is historical fiction, spread over a few different time zones, so it’s now important for her to check facts and immerse herself within the atmosphere of each zone.But when asked what inspires her, she answers her personal experiences, and there are many in The Storm within the Rose. Even though her new project is fiction, she's still used a grain of personal experience to build her story. Generally, though, she gets new ideas by observing people and situations, and asking, “What if?”Gillian tries to write every day through the week for about 4 hours per day. At weekends, she writes when she feels like it and the amount of words varies. "If I am writing a draft, it could be up to 2000 because I just write what comes into my head. If I am revising what I’ve written, it can be a lot less because of all the different factors I have to consider," says Gillian, "such as, are my characters sounding real, could I describe something better, or did that sentence make sense?" She advises that writing a book is never easy and that writing a good beginning is difficult because it is so important to get the early pages right. The beginning sets the scene for all that follows, but the ending is just as difficult; it has to be satisfying and intriguing. Also, Gillian admits that letting someone else read her work when she's finished is difficult. "That’s when I'm full of self-doubt. I hate the feeling that nobody will like what I’ve written. Once I’ve started writing though, the first draft is probably the easiest because I just write in the knowledge that I can change it later."Gillian loves the freedom to write without worry. "I love taking a piece of my writing, then shaping and molding it like a sculpture, before turning it into something that entertains," she explains, "so maybe I should say what I love most about writing is the delete key!" Thankfully, Gillian hasn't experienced true Writer’s Block yet because she always writes something, even if she knows it’s not that good. She accepts sometimes she'll have to hit delete, but never considers it as wasted time. Whenever she writes, she acknowledges she's developing her skills. Sometimes when her writing isn’t flowing, Gillian will take a few days to break from it and often this helps to get her back on track.She disagrees that writers have to be introverts and loners, because she believes they are profound thinkers who need to absorb what happens around them. When they're thinking, they can be quiet and uncommunicative; that’s why they are seen as introverts, but in reality, they're observing and taking note. Gillian says, "Mixing with people keeps you connected to the here and now and that is very important for a writer."On the topic of word-building, she added, "world-building makes your characters and the world they live in real. Build your main characters by doing an interview with them. Find out everything about them - their likes and dislikes, their strengths and weaknesses."Gillian says she has only finished one book and left it about a month before editing it. "I asked a couple of people to do a read through. After taking note of their comments, I formatted it so I could send for a proof copy," she explains. "Reading my work from a book helped me distance myself from it so I could read it objectively." Gillian pretended the book wasn't hers during this time to easily identify the errors. As well as editing, she also thinks a good cover is important, but that the blurb on the back is more so when it comes to sales. When Gillian looks at a book, she always reads the blurb and would never decide to make a purchase using the cover alone. Having read a few self-published books, she disagrees with a negative view that some people have, stating most indie books are of poor quality. She says there is a lot of professional help around with regards to editing and cover design. "I’d never designed a cover, written or edited my own book before, but I decided to have a go for myself, which does give it a distinctly “homemade” feel. I would like to think this adds to the reader’s curiosity and could in fact be a unique selling point."Gillian also admits marketing is something she struggles with. Social media can be good if you have a lot of friends or followers, she believes, or attending book launches and festivals. Articles in local and national newspapers help boost sales for her, too.When asked what advise Gillian would give to young writers in a primary school, she says, "write about the fairies, princesses, witches and monsters that you imagine and make up games about, or ask an adult to write words to describe the characters you make up." And when asked that same question about secondary school students, she said, 'write down your thoughts and use your imagination without limits to make something creative." Her advice is different here, because primary school children have very vivid imaginations and have few inhibitions when it comes to sharing them. "If we could bottle our imagination aged 4 and use it when we are older, I believe we could all be creative geniuses!" says Gillian. She continues, "Anybody can write and I believe with practice most people could write well. There are many creative writing courses and I’ve completed one, but I’m still unsure if it helped. It gave me the confidence to let someone else read my work and it taught me that positive criticism is always good, but passion cannot be taught." If you do not have a passion for writing, Gillian feels you may lack the determination and self-belief needed to produce something interesting and readable. But she states she finds it challenging to write about a character who is evil or holds different beliefs than herself, because to give them extra dimension she must try and understand what makes them tick, which can sometimes be almost impossible. There are some books Gillian does feel slightly uncomfortable about reading because of this, but if risky topics are essential to the story, she agrees the author is brave not to avoid or skirt round them.Gillian believes that success means different things to different people. "I feel successful because I have written and self-published my book by teaching myself the necessary skills," she says. "So as a writer, I see success as something I achieve when I meet a goal." But she continues to advise that to become a bestselling author, she thinks having a good online presence and marketing is important. Without this, she says even the best books will not sell. "I think if an author gets their book on the Amazon bestselling list, this will add to their status. But the reality is that for most self-published authors, this may be a difficult goal." She continues, "And rejection is something we all experience and it’s just a case of picking yourself back up and getting on with it." In the world of publishing, rejection does not mean your work is of poor quality. Gillian advises that even JK Rowling got her first Harry Potter manuscript rejected twelve times, so whether criticism is good or bad, she welcomes it and has used it before to improve her work. Of the negative comments and questions she's had so far as a writer, she's noticed 'writers are loners and introverts' appears frequently. Sometimes, she's also told she thinks too much.The book is available to purchase on Amazon, or to get a special edition reduced price copy, email the author direct at Gillyruth1603@gmail.com, or contact her on Facebook @Stormwithintherose. Don't forget, you can also contact Gillian through www.gillianatack.wixsite.com/homemade, where she keeps a blog and is happy for readers to get in touch with her. *photograph courtest of Gillian Atack

9/11 Memorial Museum Fundraiser

For my birthday this year, I'm asking for donations to the 9/11 tribute museum. As many of you may know 9/11 features in my bestselling novella, Noah Finn & the Art of Suicide, where I look at the meaning of life and the importance of family. I have visited this museum in NY and was impressed with how beautiful and respectful the memorial is. I hope that you'll consider contributing as a way of celebrating with me. Please click here to do so: https://www.facebook.com/donate/243521869692205/1777174265670244/I will also be running a giveaway on www.facebook.com/erachaelhardcastle (please remember to hit like!) in support of the above and to celebrate my birthday later this month. For your chance to win a signed copy of Noah Finn and some merch, please comment or contact me if/ when you have donated to be entered. The competition is not limited to the UK!The winner will be chosen at random and notified after the fundraiser ends. The production and shipping cost/s for the prize will also be donated.Good luck and thank you to everyone for your support. Image from Pixabay.

July Update 2018

(Image - Rachael's display at Wrose Library, 07/07/2018)Happy almost August, loyal readers!It's been a community focused, website designing, personal development (and melt in your writer's cave) kind of month, with lots happening and even more to come despite the super hot weather! Apologies that this update is a bit early; it's mostly due to the final days of July being packed with preparation for the Yorkshire Youth Market, which takes place on August 1st 2018. And I'm so excited! New WebsiteIf you're a regular visitor you may have noticed the gorgeous new design for erachaelhardcastle.com. This month I've switched to a clean white theme that's fast and easy to navigate (with plenty of photos!). I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions for this new layout - be sure to get in touch via my contact form.Wrose LibraryOn July 7th 2018, my team and I set up at Wrose Library, Shipley to celebrate the Wrose Carnival and support the wonderful work that the library's volunteers do every day. I met some awesome readers and aspiring writers, and I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you for visiting us and supporting the library!Photos from this event can be seen on my gallery if you'd like to check them out [HERE].Successful Self-Publishing Diploma(Image - Rachael holding her Successful Self-Publishing Certificate)I'm always looking for ways to develop my knowledge and skills, and I love studying and learning new things. I'm a proud indie author, so when the Centre of Excellence advertised their Successful Self-Publishing Diploma course, I jumped at the opportunity to enroll. I was absolutely thrilled to pass their course with a distinction grade and three certificates to recognise my achievement. It was such a fun and interesting course to take and I can't wait to find and enroll in another. As some of you may already know, I offer coaching and consultation sessions for aspiring writers and indie authors looking to learn more about their options and the process of self-publishing. To celebrate receiving my diploma, I'm offering 10% off when you book 5 sessions or more with me (was £20 p/hour, now £18 p/h) until the end of August 2018. If you'd like to book a Skype or Google Hangouts call with me to discuss your publishing journey, please feel welcome to email me using the contact form on this website or visit me on [Facebook].The Resurrection of PandoraI'm on with the re-write of my Finding Pandora sequel, The Resurrection of Pandora, which includes the next four e-books (aka the next chunky paperback collection) of my YA high fantasy series. I've missed Arriette Monroe and the Recruit's adventures, and I'm loving being back into the re-writing and editing process. I'll be sure to keep you updated with the book's progress.If you haven't yet read Finding Pandora and would like to check this out, you can find it [HERE].Yorkshire Day!I'm absolutely thrilled to announce I'll be representing Bradford, West Yorkshire at the Yorkshire Youth Market 2018 in Leeds Kirkgate Market on August 1st 2018 (10-4pm). We'll be celebrating Yorkshire Day by proudly wearing flat caps in an attempt to break a world record. Young traders aged 16-30 from across Yorkshire will be displaying their products for a chance to be named Yorkshire's Young Trader of the Year, discussing their businesses and the benefits of markets with their community. Follow this event on Twitter using #yoyoma2018 #marketsmatter @marketsmatter @leedsmarkets. You can also follow me [@erhardcastle] as I'll be re-tweeting and sharing my experiences throughout the event.You can learn more about this event by tuning in to BCB Radio (Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK) at 1745 hours on Monday July 30th 2018, as I'll be chatting about the upcoming event and my bestselling fiction books. Click [this link] to listen live to BCB right now!I'd love to meet you all - I'll be offering signed books, merchandise and giveaways all day. Please visit my booth and say hello if you're attending this fantastic event. ***Thanks for reading my July update. I hope you have a fantastic weekend - enjoy the sun, stay safe, and be sure to let me know if you've read any good books lately!E. Rachael Hardcastle

Insight From VK Tritschler

VK Tritschler is a native New Zealander, who is now residing in Port Lincoln, South Australia. She had been a member of Eyre Writers (an established author and writers group) since 2010, and has been an active writer since youth. This is her first published book and uses her background as a mother, woman and degree in Psychology. I was lucky enough to gain some insight from author VK Tritschler about her writing habits. She has kindly given permission for me to share our conversation here on my journal. If you would like to support VK Tritschler, please feel welcome to use the links at the end of this post.Why did you become a writer?I have always written things down. When I was five I posted a note to the door of my house telling people not to come inside that day because my mother was in a bad mood. So I guess you could say that the written word has always been a strong point. As a child I used to write poems and short stories, spending hours in my room pretending to be a teacher and showing my assortment of stuffed animals the benefits of the written word. But as I got older, I lost touch with that part of my life, and it wasn't until after I started my family that I found it again. It became a way for me to process the changes and experiences that were happening, and had happened, in my life up to that point. I find writing both a mixture of exploration of self, and creation of imaginative situations and stories.Do you have any top tips for staying productive, editing your book and marketing?Join and meet with other writers. If I can provide one small insight into the processes required for success, it is that you need to surround yourself with people who are in the sphere you wish to be in. Meet published authors. Ask them lots of questions. And get lots of feedback, from as many sources as you can. Friends and family are your best supporters, but the worst at giving you honest critical assessment. You need to expand your sphere to include people who work in assessment and have a critical eye. It will seem harsh at first, because your writing is your art form and you can feel protective of it, but you have to learn when to accept criticism and when to step away and stick with your gut on a piece. Finishing the book is only the first part of the process. You need to ensure that your presentation of your work is as tidy from the onset as you can make it, which means a slick looking website, contacting as many sources as you can who might be able to talk about your book, and ensuring that your cover grabs an audience attention. Marketing the book means marketing yourself as an author and as a person. This can be as hard, as you need to forgive yourself for not being a world class author immediately, and be prepared that sometimes getting to where you want to be takes time and commitment. Authors are a combination of talent and perseverance.Any advice for young and aspiring writers?I take a group of young authors who are all aged between 10-14 years old once a week during school term. They have already collaborated on a book (The Fragmental Seven by Eyre Writers Youth), and been through the process from start to finish on what that entails. The key advice I can give young writers is that there is no age limit on your skills, there is only your determination and concentration. Find something you want to achieve, be it to write a poem, a short-story a book or a comic. Write yourself a time-line on when you want to achieve your goal and stick to it. If that means writing just a little every day, or a lot one day at the weekend, it doesn't matter how you get to your end, just motivate yourself to do it. And try and find others who like writing like you do. It is amazing the motivation you can get from being around people who are doing similar things.https://www.facebook.com/vktritschler...

June Update 2018

Image: E. Rachael Hardcastle at Shipley Arts Festival 2018 (30/06/2018).Thanks for stopping by to read my June 2018 update! It's been a busy month (and for the past week, a super warm one here in the UK - I think I might be melting). I thought it about time I added an entry to my journal to talk about this month's chaos.#SSAF2018Image: Shipley Street Arts Festival 2018 - Rachael's stallI returned to Shipley Street Arts Festival this year for another awesome day in Shipley, West Yorkshire on 30/06/2018. After setting up our stall and watching one side collapse, then fighting to put up the banner (and working against the breeze which was insistent on blowing it over, oh, and the bookmarks off the table), we powered through and were thrilled to meet and chat with actors, writers, readers and tons of friendly local people about Finding Pandora, Noah Finn & the Art of Suicide, and the gorgeous Summer weather.I'd like to thank everyone who stopped by to say hello, to buy a book or to share their own hobbies with me. We loved every minute of it! If you missed Shipley Street Arts Festival and want to check out some of the photos from the event, or get your hands on some of my books/ merchandise, you can do so right here on this website. Celebrating - International Bestseller!Image: Celebrating becoming an international bestselling authorLast month I was lucky enough to become a #1 Amazon bestseller in the UK, which made me an international Amazon bestseller. This was an awesome feeling and I'm so thankful to everyone who downloaded Noah Finn & the Art of Suicide during the May bank holiday. I wanted to share this picture of me enjoying the sunshine (with a Coors Light and a bowl of crisps!) to encourage all my author friends out there to keep at it - if I can do it, so can you!This is a shout out to everyone who has supported me so far, my heroes. Writing can be lonely, so it's important to find some cheerleaders. To me, these were my friends, family, colleagues and other writers across the world who reached out to encourage and cheer me on. When you're struggling, your heroes are the people who will pick you up, dust you off and get you moving again. Treasure them and be grateful for them. I couldn't have done it without mine.Where have I been?After being poorly for two weeks at the beginning of the month, I decided to take some time off from the online world and my writing to relax and recover. I'm back and ready to write once again, excited to be delving deeper into the world of Pandora for 'The Resurrection of Pandora', paperback book no.2 in the series and e-books 5-8. At this time I don't yet have a completion/ release date for the next installment, but I'll keep you posted. Supporting Local AuthorsImage: Otley Show with J. A. Myers and Hayley DodsworthAt the back end of May 2018, a fellow author J. A. Myers and I visited the Otley Show and met this amazing fiction author, Hayley Dodsworth (Emma Bright & the Super Food Fight). Hayley visits schools in the UK to promote healthy eating - it was a pleasure to meet and chat with her about her amazing work.I was also lucky enough to attend the Creative practice and wellbeing: Unlocking potential through story workshop at Leeds University in June, where I met some talented writers, hard working teachers, lecturers and other creatives from across the UK. Thank you to the organizers and to everyone I met that evening for your kindness. I learned a lot and hope to have made a few friends too!If you're an author or looking to speak to someone about what your publishing options are, please feel welcome to get in touch via the contact page.Upcoming EventsDon't forget to join me at the following events this year!07/07/2018 - Wrose Carnival (library) All Day29/09/2018 - Morley Book Fair - details TBCThank you for taking the time to read this update, and I hope to meet some of you soon at my upcoming 2018 events. In the meantime if there is anything I can help you with or any questions you would like me to answer, please feel welcome to contact me through the dedicated page on my website.E. Rachael Hardcastle