Zoe Lea's Blog, page 9

3 apps to create awesome Instagram stories

[image error]Instagram stories

They’re the best way to grow your account, they beat the dreaded algorithm, they’re fun to watch and yet, I don’t really do them as much as I should.  Which is bonkers, because I know that  by doing a Instagram story I’ve increased my chances of being seen by accounts who may miss me.
Instagram stories also increase my chances of being seen by accounts who don’t follow me, as stories are discoverable – a selection are chosen to be featured on people’s explore page and they’r...

6 Brilliant books to read now (May book club)

I’m combining this brilliant books post with the online book club for May.  Mainly because I’ve been reading so much good stuff lately that when I went to write the book club post, I just had to include the books below.

Each of these books I have loved, been reluctant to put down and as I read before going to sleep, with these books, my bedtime was getting earlier and earlier, and that’s always a good sign right?

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Brilliant books to read now

[image error]First off is Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng....

What it’s like having a book published

It’s been five days since If He Wakes was published.  It went on sale on Monday and I’m still excited about it.  To be honest, I’m not sure I’ll ever stop being excited about it.

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I woke up ridiculously early on Monday morning.

I wasn’t sure what I expected to happen, but it felt like Christmas.  I was giddy and nervous and scared all at the same time. Firstly I went to check my phone to see the ‘buy now’ button next to my book on Amazon, and to my amazement there was already a review!
Some...

When it’s good to give up

My little girl had her fifth birthday yesterday.  She got a pink scooter, had a massive slice of chocolate cake and by anyone’s standards, it was a pretty good day.  And as always, when one of the kids has a birthday, I thought back to the day she was born.  The day, five years ago when my son got a sister and I got a daughter.

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I waited a long time for that girl.
I suffered from secondary infertility and as a result, there’s ten years between her and her brother.
It’s strange, almost, to loo...

What do you do? (how to answer truthfully on social media)

‘What do you do?’

I hate that question.  Really hate it.  It’s up there with, ‘tell me about yourself?‘ and ‘how do you spend your days?’

I despise those types of questions. Mainly because what the person is really asking is, ‘who are you?‘  and unless you’re prepared, you can’t answer it easily or quickly.

The ‘what do you do?‘ question is something that you have to respond to on social media, in the form of a bio.  A limited number of words on Instagram or Twitter or whatever else that decl...

Book Club – April

This post is a two in one, a review about  Back When We Were Grown-ups and the book choice for April.

And before you say anything, I know I’m slacking here.  I should’ve written more posts, kept up to date but, to be honest, what with the day job and writing and reading, it got a bit much.  But things have calmed down now, and so first off, what did we think of the Anne Tyler book?

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I loved it.  But then I love Anne Tyler.

I love the way nothing much happened, the plot wasn’t all whistles and bangs, it just meanders along whilst the characters discovered some enlightening things about themselves.  And I liked the characters, it did take me awhile to connect with them, I’ll admit that all the nicknames threw me a bit, but once I got to know them, I enjoyed reading about them all.

I particularly liked the point that Tyler was making about how we see ourselves and how we think other people see us.  Especially at the end.

I loved following along with Beck and seeing how she thought she’d been robbed of her ‘real’ life only to discover something different. I liked reading about her inner turmoil, her self-discovery, her journey towards the final stages of her grief at the loss of her husband and how she envisaged the future for herself.

I’ll hold my hands up and admit that it was a bit of a slow book.  If you’re looking for a lot of twists and turns and staying up all night just to see what happens then this is not the book for you.  But, if you like a read that is subtle, where the writing and description is brilliant, where you can read about a character and envisage her immediately, then give this a go.

Like I say, I loved it, but most of the other people I’ve spoken to who read this book for March did not!

It was too slow for them and too descriptive.  A lot of them, I hate to say, didn’t finish reading it.

So how about you?  Did you enjoy it, or where you looking for something faster?

 

Now onto the April book choice.

It’s a book that’s been recommended and not one that I would normally pick (which is what book clubs are all about, isn’t it? Reading stuff that you wouldn’t usually) so I’m looking forward to this one.

[image error]It’s Why Mummy Drinks by Gill Sims.

Gill is the author of the highly popular Facebook page ‘Peter and Jane’ which is hilarious.

I’d never come across the page before until my friend introduced me to it, and then I couldn’t stop reading it so I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on this book.

The thing I’m most interested in, is the plot and if there is one.

It’s the ‘diary of an exhausted mum,’ but I’m guessing there must be stuff in there to make us follow along on her narrative. Or I wonder if it’s just diary entries that don’t hang together?

There are loads of  positive reviews, so I’m guessing that there is a plot and structure and I’m keen to see how it plays out.   It’s also just 99p on Kindle at the moment, so grab it quick!

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Book cover

The book cover for IF HE WAKES.  Isn’t it beautiful?

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I wasn’t sure whether this actually warranted a blog post, but then I remembered that I’ve been waiting for this to happen for YEARS so I thought, sod it, it’s getting its own post.

And actually, I think I should apologise now for the numerous blog posts that I’m going to write about my book in the weeks coming up to publication.

I’m frightened I’ll turn into one of those authors whose every social media post or comment will somehow mention the book they have out, but here’s the thing.  I’m excited, giddy and thrilled about this happening, so cut me a little slack, will you?

Anyway, back to the book cover.  I love it, (did I mention that) and I was also surprised at how emotional I got when I saw it.

When I was writing this book, which took forever, I often fantasized about what the book cover would look like.  A friend even suggested that I do a mock-up book cover and pin it to my wall as motivation, which I never got around to, and the main reason was because I always got a bit stuck with how it would look.

I knew it should  be something dark and moody, but I couldn’t imagine what.  Seems so bizarre, as I’m a photographer and all, but I just couldn’t pin down an image when I daydreamed about it being published.

As the book starts with a hit and run, I’d often thought it would be of some car keys, or a damaged bumper.  I also thought it might be a couple of women, maybe looking at each other suspiciously or something, but thank goodness it wasn’t up to me. I can seriously see why I’m not in the book cover design game.

The cover that the publishers have done is just perfect, it consolidates everything that the book is about. It asks questions, sets the right mood and overall is just, well, perfect.  When I had a first look at it, I got all emotional.  In fact, if I’m being honest, I had a little cry.

So anyhow, there it is.

And it’s now on Amazon here, (with my name listing me as an ‘author’ which also made me a bit weepy) available for preorder.  And it’s out on the 30th April, but if you’re on Net Galley you can request a copy for review. My stomach goes all tight and swirly with the thought of people I’ve never met reading the thing. It’s just fantastic.

And if you’re reading this and you’re in the midst of writing your own book, and feeling a little ‘meh’ about the whole thing, I’m here to tell you to carry on.

Keep going.  Because seeing your book cover come to life, seeing other people interpret your ideas, it really is just magic.

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Book Club – March

The choice for this months book club, opens with the sentence, “Once upon a time, there was a woman who discovered she had turned into the wrong person.”  How great is that for a brilliant opening?

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Back when we were grownups, was a book that lots of people recommended to me when I was in my reading slump, last month.  I’m only into the first chapter but I can see why this is a favorite of so many. The imagery is brilliant, as is the premise, but then, I do love Anne Tyler’s writing, so that may be a factor.

The book is about central character, Rebecca Davitch, a 53-year-old who finds herself living a life she didn’t think she would be living.  She’s a mother, grandmother, widow and runs a catering business run from her home called Open Arms.

It seems her life was following a predictable path until she fell in love with a man called Joe who came along with three daughters and swept her off her feet.  Six years later, Joe dies and leaves her with huge responsibilities including a business and a family.

At the start of the book, Rebecca is at an engagement party, a family picnic, that is strained and awkward and she suddenly realises that she’s not the person who she meant to be. She starts to question every area of her life and the book follows her self discovery of who she really is.

The book was made into a film in 2004 and earned an Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominations.  I only got it the other day, and I’m already loving it.  I don’t want to say too much more about it, as I’ll leave that for the review.

So, if you fancy joining in, grab yourself a copy and start reading, I’ve a feeling the discussion on this one will be good!

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Write, write, write – 5 ways to write when you don’t feel like it

Write, write, write. And then write some more.

That’s been the vibe around here lately.  I’m working on getting the first draft of my next book done and, I’ve got to be honest with you, it’s taking its toll.

Most days, I’m good.  Raring to go and by the time I get the chance to put the words on paper, the sentences are popping out of my head. It’s a joy to get them down, but then, some days, I’m just not feeling it. Like today, and it’s those days that are the worst.

I slept badly last night, I’ve got a slight headache and it’s cold here.  It’s snowing (in March!) And all I want to do is curl up with a book and maybe take a nap.

But here’s the thing: you can only be a writer if you write.  I know I have to write a bit every day or this book will never get finished.

I wrote about what you need to remember before you start writing, but what about when you don’t feel like writing?

Those times when you’d rather chew broken glass than sit in front of a keyboard? Here’s what I do to trick myself out of procrastination.

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Go someplace else

For me, a change of scenery is the most effective way to get me writing.

I usually work on my laptop, at home.  I don’t have a home office, so basically I go where the rest of my family aren’t – the bedroom, dining room, living room, anywhere that they’re might be a bit of peace.  And although it’s really convenient, it also means that it’s super easy to procrastinate.

Because I don’t have a writing office, it’s not like I have it all set up.  I can go to the bedroom, for instance, and be confronted with the laundry, and suddenly it’s super important that I get that done instead of writing.

However, if I take myself off to a cafe, or the library, or just anywhere out of the house, the top of a hill even, I get stuff done. The gathering of my notes, the deciding where to go, the booting up of my laptop and knowing I’ve only got a few hours to write works wonders.

Get a timer

My sister bought me a sand timer for Christmas and I use it when I’m really stuck.  It’s only for fifteen minutes, so I know it’s not long, and I set myself a small scene to write in that time.  Usually, by the time the fifteen minutes has passed, I’m well into the scene and can write for much longer.

It’s the not wanting to start that puts me off I think, the inner critic, the judgemental voice that I can’t shut up.  Using the timer seems to get rid of the voice for some reason and gets me working.  I trick myself into by thinking, ‘it’s only for fifteen minutes, I can write for fifteen minutes,’ and if it works for me, it’ll probably work for you.  Try it.

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Plan the scene

I didn’t used to do this until recently and I wish I’d known about this small tip before.

In fact, now I think about it, I might write a whole separate blog post about this and how valuable it can be. But basically, plan out what you want to write, before you write it.

Get it straight in your head way before you hit any button on the keyboard.  Sketch it out: the characters, their motivation, what happens, everything that you need to include in that scene.

It takes away the fear of what you’re writing and also gets the narrative clear, making the whole job less daunting.

I tend to do most of this when I’m doing menial tasks, like cooking or cleaning.  I plan out the next scene in my head then, when it comes to my writing time, I know exactly what I’m going to write about.  These past few days, I’ve not had time to do this, so I’ve had to sit down with a notebook, but it works.  And, it makes your writing time much more productive.

Imagine the end result

This one is a little woo-woo, but stay with me.  When I struggle to find the motivation to write, usually, I find it’s because I’m relying on my will power and that, for whatever reason, is lacking.

However, if I use my imagination, it has a different result.

So, as I’m currently writing a book, I imagine what the end result is.  A finished draft, a document to send to my editor and that propels me forward.

A subtle shift in attitude is sometimes all it takes, so don’t think about why you must write, or how crap it is if you don’t write, think instead about what it’ll feel like when you’ve done the writing.  What you’ll have to show for it and what you’re going to do with it.

Reward yourself

I find that I need rewards as I go along.  So, for instance, my reward today for writing a scene was to spend ten minutes on Instagram, scrolling through stories mindlessly. (That’s my new favorite thing to waste time.  Just stories it seems, anyone else do that?) Then, back to it.

Your reward can be anything but a word of caution, I used to have an edible reward but it got to the point where I was eating a whole packet of biscuits a day, so choose your reward carefully.  Allow yourself procrastination time, but keep it to a set time only allowed when your writing for that day is done.

 

How about you?  Any tricks you can share about how to write, write, write, when you want to do anything but?

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The book club book that I didn’t finish reading

I felt so bad writing that title just then, I didn’t finish reading the book.

I know.  Isn’t that the reason for book clubs?  To read books? Isn’t the golden rule to always finish reading the book?

I thought so too, yes, but then this month, I realised something and I made a decision to stop.  Just to stop reading, and here’s why.

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The book choice this month, if you remember was Us by David Nicholls.  By all accounts it’s a good book, it’s got a 4.1 out of 5 star review on Amazon and a 3.7 rating on Goodreads.  Not that star ratings and reviews are everything, but it’s a good way to see that overall, most people who read the book enjoyed it.

I also read this book when it was first published, I think.  I’m pretty sure I had a copy of it then, but now, I can’t actually remember if I finished reading it that time either!

It’s not a terrible book

I must say, that I really love the writer David Nicholls. I thoroughly enjoyed One Day and Starter for Ten so thought this would be a good choice, but here’s the thing.  I just didn’t like it.  Didn’t like it sounds too strong, okay, I didn’t warm to it.

I didn’t particularly like the main character, Douglas and I didn’t care much for his wife either. The narrative drive to the book was the for Douglas to win back the love of his wife and the respect of his son, by going on a trip of a lifetime with them, which sounds great, but I didn’t get that far.  Because I wasn’t invested enough in the characters, I didn’t really care if Douglas got back with Connie.  He was an alright character, but I wasn’t worried about him, didn’t empathise with his dilemma.  I found myself reading a page and then thinking about other stuff I had to do, jobs that needed my attention and I got a bit freaked out by it to be honest.  I read each night before going to sleep and I like to escape in another world, to hear another voice, to peek into someone else’s life, and this just wasn’t taking me there.  I kept trying with it for a bit, but I actually thought I’d hit a reading slump and so …I stopped reading.

Finished reading

It’s not something I did lightly either.

I knew I had selected it for book club, I knew I had to write a review of it for this blog, but as I carried on, struggling through the story that wasn’t resonating, I suddenly thought, what would my reaction be if I was the author?

If my book was the one that someone couldn’t finish reading, what would I want the reader to do?  Carry on or put it down?

Put it down! 

If someone wasn’t enjoying my book, if my characters weren’t having any effect on them, they weren’t invested or empathising with them, then as the author I’d really, really want them to stop reading.

I wouldn’t care if my book was the one that they couldn’t finish reading, I’d rather it be that than the book they read to the end and hated.

So, that’s why I didn’t finish reading this book, not because it was terrible but because, at this time, for me, this book wasn’t resonating. And I think that if you aren’t ‘feeling’ a book, if it isn’t catapulting you into another place, another time, if you find your mind wandering when reading then you should stop.  It doesn’t mean it’s a bad book, it’s just the wrong book.

Like someone said at the book club, ‘life’s too short to read books you’d rather not,’ and so I didn’t.

How about you?  Do you always finish reading a book once you’ve started?  And if you’ve written a book, would you prefer the reader to carry on if they weren’t liking it, or to stop?

 

Pin it!

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