Paula R.C. Readman's Blog, page 70

Stone Angels: the last free giveaway.

Hi everyone,
Here’s your chance to pick up Stone Angels for free before Halloween. All I’m asking of you is if you enjoyed reading my first novel, it would be lovely if you could leave a review once you’ve finished reading it. Thank you.

Stone Angels a modern gothic crime novel is a tale told from the artist, James Ravencroft’s point of view. He’s on a mission to paint ten paintings, but at what cost?

When Art becomes Murder, Fame becames the perfect cover.

[image error]Stone Angels: less of a whodunnit more of a whydunnit.

Please click here for an international link: http://mybook.to/stoneangels

At the moment I’m busy editing my next novel, while planning my next crime novel. I have plenty to keep me busy during the next lockdown.

Keep safe everyone and if you need some escapism pick up a book because it can take you on an amazing journey.

Happy reading.

Clubhouse Guest Chat: Neil Walker

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. Those of you who are not a member won’t be aware that the location of the Clubhouse is shrouded in mystery. The only way to visit the clubhouse is via membership or an invite to the tearoom. Every few days, I’ll be sharing a conversation with all sort of writers and authors at different levels of their writing careers. Over tea and cakes, or maybe a glass of something stronger, I shall be chatting with my guest about their work in progress, or latest book release.

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Welcome to the clubhouse, Neil. What would you like to drink?

Thanks Paula for inviting me to the tearoom.  I’ll have either a pot of tea, two sugars and milk or a cold pint of Coors lager, thanks.

Now our drinks have arrived let me start by asking you When you first begun your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre? 

Well, Paula, my chosen genre’s should be Sci-fi and Fantasy but I end up going off and writing stories in other genre’s.  Horror is the main genre I’ve written, including a few zombie stories.  I’ve also dabbled in crime with stories about serial killers and even historical stories set on the D:Day landings.   Back to my chosen genre, I’m writing a Sci-fi novel now. What first drew me to Fantasy and Sci-fi is that they are the books I read the most of and love.  There’s nothing better than escaping to different fantastic worlds where anything can happen. 2020 is a great time to escape into them too. I first had a taste for the fantastic when I was in primary school and Mrs Yates read to us “The Dark is Rising” books. Also with Sci-fi and Fantasy you can make things up, creatures, lands, magic and names and there is little or no research involved.

[image error] The Amazing Neil Walker

What writing elements do you think is your strongest points, and what would you like to do better?

I think I’m quite good at writing action scenes and some character work.  Although it’s hard to say because I keep having big breaks between my writing and so should be more consistent.  I joined Cleckheaton Writing Group in 2012 and not fully wrote a novel.  Although I was published in their Anthology – Reflections. I would like to work more on dialogue.  Especially different characters dialogue and different points of views.  Plus my grammar and punctuation need tiny bit of work on also.  I’m ok at scene setting but feel this could be improved.  I’ll  just have to keep practicing. 

Tell us a little about latest writing project. Is it a new idea, or one you have been mulling over for some time?

I’ve actually two projects on the go.  Firstly a novella called The Cubbyhole.  A ghost story inspired by a Cubbyhole I had in my childhood home which terrified me, so hardly went in.  I started the story a couple of years ago so want to finish it this October. The second project is a Sci-fi novel I started three years ago which I want to finish soon – well first draft anyway.  It’s called Colony X where a military space unit are sent to a colony world where we have lost contact.  Think a cross between Babylon 5 and Alien with other bits thrown in.

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

Have started about two unfinished novels.  A vampire novel and a serial killer novel which I may go back to one day?  Think most of my short stories finished.

Do you write a synopsis first or write the first chapter? If you write short stories do you plan your story or let the characters lead you?

Usually once I get an idea it usually is a start to a story or the ending.  Then in my head I flesh it out with characters, main and sub plots, action scenes.  Then if I remember I will write down a synopsis and character bios.  Then comes a timeline and basic notes on each scene.  This is because when I start writing the story more ideas pop up so I change things as I write.  Sometimes the notes I’ve written are nothing like the end product.

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Choosing only five of your favourite authors? Can you list them in order 1 begin the top of your list and say how have they influenced your writing?

This will mainly be fantasy authors here.

David Gemmell – Heroric fantasy author – my all time favourite author and underrated at the moment on Booktubes on YouTube. But he was quite big in the nineties and 2000s. He even got an award ceremony named after him which sadly finished in 2018.  It was David’s flawed and grey characters which influenced me, plus his eye for action putting you into a battle.  He also had some good female characters too.

JRR Tolkien – As a fantasy geek, this one is obvious.  He’s the great grandfather of fantasy whom without we may never have got this genre. What influenced me is his world building. Creating a huge world like Middle Earth complete with species, languages and history. Plus his character work is good also. Maybe one day I will create a world as immersive as his. Fingers crossed. 

Joe Abercrombie – Similar to David Gemmell in that he writes heroric and gritty fantasy.  I’ve only read two of Joe’s books and his work has impressed me. His fantasy is more grim and dark – grimdark – and his characters are even more flawed than David Gemmell’s with no good or evil. What influenced me as well as his character work is his prose. Easy to read yet detailed.  His books fly by.

Terry Pratchett – I’ve read a few of Terry’s books. Some of his Discworld books took a bit of getting into but some like The Truth were fast reads and hilarious. Comedy fantasy at it’s best with great satire. Terry influenced me not only because of his wit and satire in the books but his eagerness to carry on.  Even when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s he produced many books before he passed and possibly wrote them faster.

Helen Cadbury – I met Helen at the Cleckheaton Literature Festivals a few years back. Sadly she has gone too soon but was friendly and offered me writing advice both face to face and on messenger. I’ve read her Sean Denton books and very impressed as before I wasn’t a big crime fan. Her books are easy reads and set quite local. She has influenced me with her advice and her writing and sadly only wrote three novels.  She would have written many more and grown as she went on. Plus before her death there was talk of a TV series based on her books.

Other mentions include David Eddings, Graham Greene, Susan Cooper and Sue Townsend.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

When I’m actually writing I don’t have a strict work schedule. I should have then I’d probably finish my novels.  When I write I try to get to an end of a big scene or end of a chapter before I have a rest.  Whether this takes me half an hour to a full day I will get it done. So I don’t set a word count but should write for more hours.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

Well no. Although looking on Amazon there is a Neil Walker who has self published some thriller books so I suppose I will have to change my author name now. Maybe to Neil C Walker or N C Walker. I’m not sure yet? Any suggestions? 

(I think putting initials does help a lot, that’s why I used mine.)

How do you select the names of your characters? Do you know everything about them before you start writing their story?

Most I make up out the top of my head especially if it’s a fantasy or sci-fi story as you can’t have a Bert going around riding dragons. It wouldn’t feel or look right.  The only problem with that is that I’ve found myself repeating names or borrowing from books.  I usually have a vague idea about them to fit the story like name, looks and some back story.  The rest comes as I write although I wish I created characters like Joe Abercrombie or David Gemmell.

If it is a horror or crime story or set in our world and I’m stuck for names I nip over the road to the local cemetary and borrow names from there. Usually mixing the names up.

What was your hardest scene to write?

It was for a D-Day landing story called “Photographic Memory”. Where the main character landed on the beaches to storm the Germans but with explosions got she’ll shock.  So behind a rock he’s looking at his family photo remembering them and so there are flashbacks into his life. I had to do quite a bit of research for that. Which beaches were stormed by who, hair styles of the day, weapons used.  It was quite fascinating yet scary what they went through. Although the hardest scene was when he got snapped out of the shell shock and had to advance the beach terrified yet had to fulfill his duty with mines going off, friends blown up, being shot at. It was a huge action scene and gory too as it would be then.

Well thanks for having me, Paula. The tearoom was a pleasure. 

It was lovely having you join me today. I hope you will stay and finish your tea.

To find out more about Neil’s writing and books check out his blog

It you want to find out more about Clubhouse Member’s Books don’t forget to check out the Clubhouse Bookshops too.

Clubhouse Chat Guest: Jan Jones

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. Those of you who are not a member won’t be aware that the location of the Clubhouse is shrouded in mystery. The only way to visit the clubhouse is via membership or an invite to the tearoom. Every few days, I’ll be sharing a conversation with all sort of writers and authors at different levels of their writing careers. Over tea and cakes, or maybe a glass of something stronger, I shall be chatting with my guest about their work in progress, or latest book release.

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Today I’m welcoming Jan Jones to the clubhouse tearoom. Welcome Jan.

Thanks for invite me to this lovely tearoom. This tea is delicious, thank you.

I’m glad it is to you liking. May I start by asking you When you first begun your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

I have several genres: Regency, contemporary, cosy mystery. I write whichever of them appeals to me at the time. I would usually write several in one genre before reviving my batteries by switching to another. I write the sort of things I like to read.

[image error] The wonderful Jan Jones

Tell us a little about latest writing project. Is it a new idea, or one you have been mulling over for some time?

My latest project is a new cosy village mystery series. I have had the idea in the back of my mind for quite some time, but I needed to finish my latest Regency quartet first

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

Oh, so many. So very, very many.

Do you write a synopsis first or write the first chapter, or let the characters lead you.?

I never write a synopsis until I have finished the book, and only then if it is really necessary. I start with the characters and the setting, then I write the first scene and take it from there.

Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

No. All my characters come out of my head. I think about them to such an extent that they become real to me and take charge of their own actions. If they had been even remotely based on actual people, that facility would be lost.

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What did you learn when writing your book? In writing it, how much research did you do?

I do masses of research. The perfectly ordinary things I don’t know never fails to surprise me.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing

I have to get routine chores out of the way before I start to write or they weigh on my mind and distract me. Once I have started, I keep going as long as I can. Some days this is several hours, some days it is several minutes. I don’t have a set word count, I simply carry on until the scenes dry up for the day.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

I used to write some of my short stories under a pseudonym when I was being regularly published by Loving magazine. Partly this was because the editor didn’t want it to look as if several stories each month had been written by the same person, and partly it was because I was running a playgroup at the time, so it was better for the warmer stories to appear under my alter ego.

How do you select the names of your characters and do you know everything about them before you start writing their story?

The names come by themselves. If they aren’t right, I can’t write the story. I know a lot about my characters to begin with, but I learn more as I write the book.

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How long on average does it take you to write a book ?

How long is a piece of string? With luck, head-space and a following wind, about four to six months

Thank you very much for joining me today, Jan. Our driver Brutus is ready to take you home as soon as you are ready to leave, but you are welcome to stay as long as you like.

If you would like to find out more about Jan’s latest Regency series the four-book Furze House Irregulars the first one is A Rational Proposal
Her latest standalone novel (set in the 1990s) is Different Rules and her blog is at http://jan-jones.blogspot.com/

It you want to find out more about Clubhouse Member’s Books don’t forget to check out the Clubhouse Bookshops too.

Clubhouse Chat Guest: Carrie Elks

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. Those of you who are not a member won’t be aware that the location of the Clubhouse is shrouded in mystery. The only way to visit the clubhouse is via membership or an invite to the tearoom. Every few days, I’ll be sharing a conversation with all sort of writers and authors at different levels of their writing careers. Over tea and cakes, or maybe a glass of something stronger, I shall be chatting with my guest about their work in progress, or latest book release.

[image error]Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

Welcome to the clubhouse tearoom, Carrie. I do hope the tea is to your liking?

Yes, it is. Thank you for inviting me.

You’re very welcome. My first question to you is when you first begun your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

I’ve been an avid reader, ever since I was a child, and enjoy a diverse range of genres. But what I’ve found is, no matter what type of book I’m reading, the thing that always draws me in is the relationships. It’s a rare book that doesn’t have some kind of relationship or romance going on, even if it’s a thriller, horror book or literary fiction. So when I began to write my own stories, it felt natural to write romances – the parts of books I love the most. And I’m so glad I did, because eight years since I began to write seriously, I still love romance!

[image error]The delightful Carrie Elks

Tell us a little about latest writing project. Is it a new idea, or one you have been mulling over for some time?

I’m currently writing the fourth book in a romance series, set in a small town in Virginia, USA. The series is about four brothers and their sisters, and each book is a standalone read about a different sibling. I love writing in series, because I can get to really know my characters, first as minor parts in a previous book, but then when they come into the spotlight in their own stories.

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

A lot! I have so many first chapters that never really developed into something firmer. I also have three full manuscripts that will almost certainly never see the light of day. I don’t mind that too much – I’ve learned a lot from every book I write, so even the ones that end up bad have given me something!

Do you write a synopsis first or write the first chapter?

I tend to write the first three chapters to try and get to ‘know’ my characters, before I then sit down and write out a synopsis. Because my stories are romance, they’re very character driven, and knowing a little about them first really helps with the plotting.

When reading your work through do you ever find that your daily mood swings are reflected in your writing?

I’m not sure they’re reflected in my writing, but they definitely affect how well or badly my writing day goes! There are days when the words flow and I finish at tea time with a big smile on my face. Then there are days when every word is like squeezing blood from a stone. But I find that you can’t tell which scenes were hard or easy when you read them – they all tend to come out the same in the end.

What did you learn when writing your book? In writing it, how much research did you do?

I love doing fun research when I’m writing. Because my books are light-hearted romance, my research often consists of finding interesting jobs for the hero and heroine. I’ve had spinal surgeons, whaleboat captains, firefighters and coffee shop owners – all of which have involved research and watching lots of YouTube videos to be able to really immerse myself in their world. I don’t know that I could do a lot of in-depth research though – I’m in awe of historical novelists and their dedication to accuracy!

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What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I’ve been a full time writer for four years now, and have developed a fairly good routine. I tend to get up around 8am, and take the dog out for a walk before coming home for breakfast by 9am. After that, I spend the next few hours writing (taking a break for lunch). Then at around 3pm I do business and admin work. Because I’m self-published as well as being traditionally published, that could involve talking with cover designers, editors or proofreaders, working on my facebook ads, or planning out next year’s writing and publishing schedule. I love the mixture of creativity and business – it suits me to a ‘t’.

Do you set yourself a daily word count?

I do, mostly because I tend to release 4 or 5 books a year, and want to make sure I hit my targets. With my self-published books I also have to book editors and cover designers etc in advance, so I need to have a good idea of when the book will be ready for them.

My daily word count is usually around 3000 words, though it can vary depending on what I have planned for the day. I use Pacemaker press to keep track of my writing, and I love seeing the progress I make on there.

How many hours in a day do you write?

I tend to write around 3 – 4 hours a day, unless I’m against a deadline and need to get more words in.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

I can write a first draft (of around 80,000 words) in around 2 months. I then like to give myself a couple of weeks to revise my own words and polish them up before I send them to my editor. She does two passes before I then edit again, and send to my proofreader. So from first words to finished product it can take around 3 – 4 months, but I’m usually overlapping projects (editing one and writing another.) This means I can usually write around 4 – 5 books a year.

Thank you so much for sharing an insight to your writing. If you would like to find out more about Carrie’s writing and her books here are the links to her website: Twitter:- Facebook: – Goodreads: and Amazon:

It you want to find out more about Clubhouse Member’s Books don’t forget to check out the Clubhouse Bookshops.

Clubhouse Chat Guest: Fenella J Miller

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. Those of you who are not a member won’t be aware that the location of the Clubhouse is shrouded in mystery. The only way to visit the clubhouse is via membership or an invite to the tearoom. Every few days, I’ll be sharing a conversation with all sort of writers and authors at different levels of their writing careers. Over tea and cakes, or maybe a glass of something stronger, I shall be chatting with my guest about their work in progress, or latest book release.

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Today the author Fenella J Miller joins me in the clubhouse tearoom to chat about her latest work. Welcome Fenella.

Thank you for inviting me, Paula.

Now we have our drinks, Fenella I would like to start by asking you when you first begun your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

Katie Fforde told me that I should write what I read – I’d been trying to write contemporary romance when I only read historical and thrillers. This is why I write historical fiction with plenty of action and adventure.

Tell us a little about latest writing project. Is it a new idea, or one you have been mulling over for some time?
My next project for my publisher will be write the third book in the new series for Aria – Head of Zeus. This series is called The Girls in Blue and, as you’ve probably guessed follows the life of three WAAF in World War II. For myself I’ve just started writing another Regency romantic adventure. This will be my eighth book and I think there’s still time for a night before the end of the year.

[image error] Undercover Fenella J Miller

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

The only unfinished project I have the first two books in a three book young adult fantasy series. I always say I’m going to finish the third one but never seem to find the time.

Do you write a synopsis first or write the first chapter and then let the characters lead you?
I don’t plan on paper as I do it in my head before I start. If it’s a complicated Regency series then I always do a family tree to make sure I have the ages and generations correct. I research carefully for my World War II books which is why it takes me longer to write one as I have to keep stopping to check my facts.

Is there anything about you your readers might be surprised to find out?
I think most readers know a lot about me as I blog regularly do a monthly diary on my website and have the details of my life history on Amazon central. If they haven’t read that then they would probably be surprised to know that my grandfather was a Raja in India.

Choosing only five of your favourite authors. Can you list them in order 1 begin the top of your list and say how have they influenced your writing?
Lee Child/Bernard Cornwell/CJ Sanson/Michael Connolly/Christian Cameron

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What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
I write every day unless I’m out – which this year is rarely – and aim to edit the previous day’s work and write two thousand words.

How many hours in a day do you write?
I spend a couple of hours on social media which is part of my work and spend about three hours writing/editing/proofing.

How do you select the names of your characters? Do you know everything about them before you start writing their story?
I have the Guinness book of names which is invaluable for getting the right name for the right era. Strangely I need the title of the book first, then the names of the main characters, and then the story just flows around them.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?
I write a 55 to 60,000 word Regency in just over three weeks, but it takes me ten weeks to write a 95 000 word World War II book.

To find out more about Fenella’s writing and books check out her blog. Regency books on Amazon and her The Girls in Blue

It you want to find out more about Clubhouse Members’ Books don’t forget to check out the Clubhouse Bookshops too.

Show! Don’t Tell.

All writers know the mantra. As writers we must show our readers, get them to step into our main character’s shoes and walk a mile to feel what they feel, to see what they see. To become them.

So let’s look at this from the point of view of marketing our books.

Clubhouse Chat Guest: Reggie Jones

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. Those of you who are not a member won’t be aware that the location of the Clubhouse is shrouded in mystery. The only way to visit the clubhouse is via membership or an invite to the tearoom. Every few days, I’ll be sharing a conversation with all sort of writers and authors at different levels of their writing careers. Over tea and cakes, or maybe a glass of something stronger, I shall be chatting with my guest about their work in progress, or latest book release.

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This is so lovely to sit down and chat with you, Reg. We have been online friends for many years. Were we bloggers first, or was it the early days of Myspace?

Oh Christ, too many years to remember now, Paula.

Clubhouse Chat Guest: Wendy Turbin

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. Those of you who are not a member won’t be aware that the location of the Clubhouse is shrouded in mystery. The only way to visit the clubhouse is via membership or an invite to the clubhouse tearoom. Every few days, I’ll be sharing a conversation I’ve had with a guest over tea and cakes, or maybe a glass of something stronger, about their work in progress, or latest book release. I’ll be talking to all sort of writers and authors at different levels of their writing careers.

[image error]Photo by Anastasia Zhenina on Pexels.com

Today I chatting with Wendy about her book and writing. Hello, Wendy welcome to the clubhouse tearoom.

So happy to be invited to tea in your lovely clubhouse. Thank you so much for asking me.

You’re welcome. Let’s order our drinks. What would you like?

I admit that tea is my favourite beverage and my preference is for builder strength Yorkshire out of huge china mug.

My first question, Wendy is when you first begun your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

I’ve been intrigued by murder mystery since I first read Agatha Christie in my teens. I think I might have been a criminal in a previous life! I love a bit of supernatural action too, starting with Dicken’s Christmas Carol. It felt natural that when I developed my private investigator series, my protagonist, Penny Wiseman, is ‘hired’ by ghosts as well as living clients.

Tell us a little about latest writing project. Is it a new idea, or one you have been mulling over for some time?

I’m working on the second Penny Wiseman mystery – the first is being published in January by Hobeck Books and editing that has been the priority until recently. The  idea for the second one has been with me since the beginning of the year, and I’m now putting my nose to the grindstone to get the rough draft done. It’s lovely letting my characters have free reign to ‘speak’ to me again and tell me their stories. 

[image error]Wendy Turbin

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

A lot! I’m terrible at finishing things, and unless I have a deadline I can procrastinate indefinitely –  if faffing about with new ideas were ever an Olympic sport I’d go for gold, but I have to be more professional now – or my publisher will be chasing me.

Do you write a synopsis first or write the first chapter or let the characters lead you?

I’d love to plan a novel – but it’s impossible so I take an idea and a potential ending, then plunge in with the writing. Once I’ve worked through a dreadful rough draft – which doesn’t get shown to anyone ever – I look at what I’ve got and start thinking about what works and what doesn’t. Then I write it all over again. Completely mad and inefficient – but the only way for me. 

When reading your work through do you ever find that your daily mood swings are reflected in your writing?

It seems almost to work the other way round for me. When I’m writing the lighter amusing sections I find myself cheering up if I’m feeling a bit low. Working on the deeper scenes can be tough. Writing is a bit like acting I think, where you’re drawing on your own emotional experience and it can bring difficult feelings to the surface.

Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

I plead the 5th!

What did you learn when writing your book? In writing it, how much research did you do?

Sleeping Dogs is the result of a Masters Degree with UEA (Crime Fiction Writing) , so research was an integral part of the development process. For example we had a visit to a morgue and the pathologist told us how to ccommit a ‘perfect murder ‘ He also said he’d be on the look out for any deaths associated with us and would come after us if we tried it! I didn’t use that one, but I did ask a lot of people a lot of questions to make sure the technical aspects worked. 

Do you set yourself a daily word count?  

My aim is about 1000 words each writing day as a minimum – but sometimes they all get deleted, and sometimes I manage twice that so my output is as variable as the weather. I have to be stern with myself as I can waste hours watching the birds or doing ‘research’ on Google, especially if the words aren’t flowing but I try to stay focused, That can be hard when my cat demands attention by sitting on the keyboard.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

I did consider it, but one of my childhood dreams was to see my name on a book cover – it wouldn’t feel quite the same if it wasn’t my real one. 

How long on average does it take you to write a book ?

I started writing Sleeping Dogs in January 2018 for the MA. I didn’t finish it until September 2019, then I put it away for a while before submitting in Feb 2020.  Thanks to lockdown I had time to rewrite it after a fair collection of rejections, as I’d had enough interest to keep me motivated but realised it wasn’t quite ready yet. I submitted the revised m/s to Hobeck Books in the summer, and was delighted they liked it. So, overall it’s been a lengthy process. Now I have my characters and my ‘world’, and without the requirements of an MA to consider, I hope to do the next one a lot faster. 
Information:

Thank you so much, Wendy for chatting to us about your books and writing.

It’s been lovely, Paula. Thank you.

You can read more about Wendy via her website  or she can be contacted via her publisher  and on Twitter: wendy@wendyatthesea 
Sleeping Dogs by Wendy Turbin will be published on 12th January 2021 and is available to pre-order now. 

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A jigsaw puzzle of a crime novel with a paranormal twist – the brilliant feel-good debut from Wendy Turbin

Meet Penny Wiseman, a private investigator by circumstance, stumbling through adulthood and desperately trying to keep her late father’s business afloat. 

She’s on the trail of her client’s husband. He’s guilty of hiding something, but is he having an affair? The case leads her to an intriguing series of mysteries and encounters, and not all are quite of this world.

Because, for Penny, seeing the dead is a fact of life, and when a teenage ghost wants justice, who else can the girl turn to for help?

There’s one big problem – the dead don’t talk. 

Penny’s first job is to work out exactly why she’s being haunted. 

Her second is to solve the case that should pay her bills, but will she find answers to either question?

Sleeping Dogs is full of brilliantly drawn characters, quirky humour and gripping plot twists.

It you want to find out more about Clubhouse Member’s Books don’t forget to check out the Clubhouse Bookshops too.

Clubhouse Chat Guest: Kate Lowe

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. Those of you who are not a member won’t be aware that the location of the Clubhouse is shrouded in mystery. The only way to visit the clubhouse is via membership or an invite to the clubhouse tearoom. Every few days, I’ll be sharing a conversation I’ve had with a guest over tea and cakes, or maybe a glass of something stronger, about their work in progress, or latest book release. I’ll be talking to all sort of writers and authors at different levels of their writing careers.

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Today I’m welcoming Kate Lowe to the Clubhouse Tearoom. Welcome, Kate. I’m so sorry but your request for a pint of lager and blackcurrant has beaten me, so I have a cup of Yorkshire Tea for you instead.

Clubhouse Chat Guest: Sheila Norton

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. Those of you who are not a member won’t be aware that the location of the Clubhouse is shrouded in mystery. The only way to visit the clubhouse is via membership or a invite to the tearoom. Every few days, I’ll be sharing a conversation I’ve had with a guest over tea and cakes, or maybe a glass of something stronger, about their work in progress, or latest book release. I’ll be talking to all sort of writers and authors at different levels of their writing careers.

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Today, I’m chatting with Shelia Norton about her writing and books. Welcome to clubhouse tearoom, Shelia.

Thank you so much for inviting me. This is a lovely tearoom. Lovely strong tea too.

I’m so glad it is to your liking. We love making sure our guests are happy so they will look forward to visiting us again. Can I start by asking you when you first begun your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?  

I’ve actually written in several different genres, but my very first novel ‘The Trouble With Ally’ was the first of my romantic comedies. I chose this genre because I’d been reading a lot of rom coms with young heroines, and (being middle-aged at the time) I wanted to write one with an older heroine, to show that older women can have fun in their lives too! Since then I’ve also written 1960s stories, ‘cat’ stories, and more recently, feel-good fiction with varying degrees of ‘pet’ background.

[image error]The Amazing Sheila Norton

What writing elements do you think is your strongest points, and what would you like to do better?

I’ve always loved dialogue, and was told early on in my career that it’s my strongest point. I much prefer writing conversation between characters to writing descriptive passages. And I’d like to be better at pacing my stories. Sometimes I feel I’m rushing too much, and at other times the pace is too slow; it takes a lot of work, and re-writing, for me to get it right.

Tell us a little about latest writing project. Is it a new idea, or one you have been mulling over for some time?

My most recently published book, ‘What I Didn’t Tell You’ is actually a re-write of one I wrote about five years ago, to self-publish, but I didn’t get around to publishing it because I was then commissioned by Ebury Press to write ‘cat’ stories for them – with a very tight deadline for the first one! During this year’s lockdown, I was between books with my publisher. ‘The Lonely Hearts Dog Walkers’ was released in February, and ‘Escape to Riverside Cottage’ won’t be published until March 2021 – and I’d finished writing and editing that. So I had plenty of time for another project, and decided to go back to ‘What I Didn’t Tell You’, re-write it and self-publish it (with Ebury’s blessing). It’s very different from my recent books. It’s set partly in the 1960s, involves a scandal about a then-famous pop star, and his old friend, Judith, who’s determined to find out the truth about the allegations. It’s available from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle.

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Do you write a synopsis first or write the first chapter or let the characters lead you?

At one time, I never wrote synopses, or wanted to – I always let the characters lead the story and never had any idea how it was going to end! But when Ebury took me on, it was to write a specific book: a Christmas story narrated by a cat: ‘Oliver, the Cat Who Saved Christmas’. And my then-editor wanted a synopsis first, as there had to be a quick turn-around. Since then, I’ve always submitted a draft synopsis to my agent first and then to my editor, with the proviso that the story might change as it progresses!

Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

No, but when I wrote my third rom-com, ‘Body and Soul’, which was a hospital romance, I was still working at a hospital myself and everyone was convinced they knew who all the characters were based on! In fact all the characters were completely invented, of course, but it was fun to listen to the gossip and speculation!

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I’m in the fortunate position now of being retired from the day job, so I don’t have any schedule whatsoever: I write whenever it suits me. If I have a deadline, I sometimes write for most of the day, every day. If not, it varies enormously depending what else I’m doing. But when I was still at work, I could only write in the evenings and at weekends, which I achieved by hardly ever watching TV. Writing’s always been my relaxation as well as my passion so it was never a hardship.

Do you set yourself a daily word count?

No, I never have. Personally I find that kind of target too constraining, although I know it works for other writers. I write as little or as much as my other commitments/ the stage I’m at of writing the book/ the way I feel each day, dictates. As I said earlier, I’m lucky to be retired!

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

In fact I did write three novels under the pseudonym of Olivia Ryan. These were the ‘Tales From’ series – originally published by Piatkus. My then-editor there wanted me to reinvent myself as a new ‘young’ author for this series, which was hilarious as I was then well into my fifties! I’ve since republished ‘Tales from a Hen Weekend’ and ‘Tales from a Wedding Day’ myself on Amazon, but under my own name. ‘Tales from a Honeymoon Hotel’ is still available from Piatkus. I wouldn’t choose to write under a pseudonym again unless a publisher really wanted me to. I’m a bit known now by my own name so it would mean building up a following all over again.

How do you select the names of your characters? Do you know everything about them before you start writing their story?

I use historical baby-name websites sometimes to find appropriate names for the ages of my characters. I do try not to have too many characters whose names start with the same letter, or sound similar. And I try to avoid names I’ve used in previous books, although now I’m on my twenty-first novel, that’s getting more difficult. I know most things about the main characters before I start: obviously their age, marital status, occupation, and the basics of their personality and their past history – but they often surprise me by revealing a lot more about themselves as the story progresses!

What was your hardest scene to write?

Probably a scene in ‘The Pets at Primrose Cottage’ where a character describes how his grandparents were killed together in a tragic road accident. This happened to my own grandparents when I was a teenager and I don’t think I ever dealt with the grief properly at the time. In a way it was therapeutic to have described it as part of a story – but it wasn’t easy to write.

Thank you so much for joining me here today, Sheila. To find more about Sheila’s writing and books on her blog and Amazon link

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