Paula R.C. Readman's Blog, page 72

Clubhouse Chat: Francesca Capaldi

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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 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 Pixabay on Pexels.com

Today I chatting with Francesca Capaldi in the tearoom. It’s lovely to have you here.

Thank you for inviting me to your clubhouse, Paula. It’s rather nice here, isn’t it?

It is lovely, very peaceful with the view of the lawn edge with the trees and lake. Let’s start by ordering our drinks. What would you like?

A vanilla latte please, decaff, with oat milk?

No, trouble at all. Here in the Clubhouse everything is available. Now we have our drinks, let’s start by asking you when you first began your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre? 

I started off with short stories for magazines, before moving to young adult, then contemporary adult. I’d written five of these novels altogether before it occurred to me that I should take advantage of both my history degree and my Welsh heritage and write a saga. This lightbulb moment came when a record hint for my family popped up on the Ancestry website. It was a World War 1 military record for my maternal great grandfather, Hugh Morgan. He enlisted in March 1915 but was given a medical discharge in November the same year, because of tachycardia. Somehow the opening scene wrote itself and it became Heartbreak in the Valleys.

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

Well, currently I have two projects that I’m working on, but the main one is for the third book of my Valleys series. This moves onto the stories of two of the secondary characters readers will already have met, Gwen and Elizabeth, their tales intertwining as they cope in their own way with the fallout of the Great War. The other book, one I’ve been mulling over for a year or so, is also set in World War 1, but this time by the seaside in the town I grew up in, but that’s all I’m saying for now!

[image error]The Lovely Francesca Capaldi

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

Aghhhhh! A sore point. Loads and loads. Most are short stories, which I still occasionally submit and have published, but there just aren’t enough hours in a day to write as many as I used to and concentrate on the novels. And the pocket novels. Which is quite sad, really, because I do enjoy writing them.

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

In the past I’d have ploughed on with chapter 1, but these days I write a kind of rough synopsis first, then a scene breakdown, so I can see exactly where the story is going and how it’ll end up. Even doing that, the characters often surprise me and have their own idea of what they want to do!

Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

The male protagonist in Heartbreak in the Valleys, Idris, was sort of based on my great grandfather Hugh, since it was his story that gave me the inspiration for the novel. However, he died several years before my mother was born, and I never thought to ask my great uncle Glyn, his older son, about him, although Glyn would only have been fifteen when he passed away. In looks, Idris is supposed to be a cross between my grandfather Islwyn, Hugh’s younger son, and the actor IoanGruffudd.

A minor character in the book, Mary Jones, an allotment worker, is my great grandmother of the same name (not the wife of Hugh, the other maternal one). I love having her pop up and trying to imagine what she might have been like as a young woman, as she lived in the village my imaginary Dorcalon is based on. She died when I was twenty-nine, so I knew her well.

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Is there anything about you your readers might be surprised to find out?

I’m not sure I’m that interesting!I do, however, have a famous second cousin in Anita Roddick, the creator of The Body Shop. We’re both children of Italian immigrants. I never met her, only her mother, but her father and mine were first cousins and knew each other. Apart from a serial I wrote for People’s Friend a few years back, the Italian side of my family is not one I’ve really explored for my writing. Perhaps in the future.

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

It depends what aspects I’m working on, but I do try to treat it like a nine to five job. Each day I write a list of what I want to achieve, but it’s not set in stone. If I’m working on edits, I’ll still put by a couple of hours to work on actual writing. Then I have to factor in time for social media and often research too. I like to have a deadline because I’m much more likely to get on with it then.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

That’s an interesting question. I kind of do, as I write novels under my maiden name. My short stories are now also written under Capaldi, although my earlier stories were written under my married name, Burgess. I guess I thought it sounded more interesting, especially after Peter Capaldi became Dr Who! I was told by an agent, who was interested in Heartbreak,that I should dump my maiden name if I was going to be a saga writer and shorten my first name to Fran. Eek! I’ve always fought shortening my name. I did consider using my mother’s maiden name, Morgan, if they wanted me to sound more Welsh, but my eventual publisher was perfectly happy with the name I chose, so I left it at that.

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

Sometimes I hit on the right name for a character immediately, but often characters will go through several name changes. For Heartbreak in the Valleys, I looked through a website of Welsh names alongside a list of baby names popular at the turn of the century and the 1911 census for Abertysswg, the village I based Dorcalon on.

I try and decide a few basic things about a character before I start, what they look like, their mannerisms and their temperaments, but often something will occur in the story which gives me new insights into their lives. I do always keep a list of characters and add to their profiles as the story progresses.

What was your hardest scene to write?

The last scene of any novel, or any short story come to that, is what I find the hardest. Even when I know what happens at the end, actually making sure it finishes in the most satisfactory manner can take a while.

Thank you so much for joining me today, Francesca. It’s been lovely. I shall get our driver to run you home.

Here are Francesca’s Links:

Heartbreak in the Valleys: https://amzn.to/3449WQ6

Write Minds Blog: https://writemindswriteplace.wordpress.com/

Author Page: https://bit.ly/3cF5N94

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

Clubhouse Chat: Chris Miller

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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 T DW on Pexels.com

Today in the Clubhouse tearoom I’m chatting with Chris. Hello Chris, thank you for joining me.

Thank you for allowing me to talk about my work today. It’s quite a set up you have here, Paula.

Thank you for saying so. In these troubling times it’s nice to have a hideaway. Now our drinks have arrived I shall start by asking you when you first begun your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

I have always liked suspense, my first love being big action movies. As I got older and my parents couldn’t tell me what to watch anymore, I fell in love with horror movies and books. I enjoy thrillers and crime stories just as much, and the common thread to all of those is SUSPENSE! When I began writing, that’s just naturally what came out. 

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

I think I do a really good job at pacing and suspense, keeping the tension high throughout, and I think I do a good job of creating a satisfying payoff at the climax. I’d like to get better at dialogue and in “depth” all around.

[image error]The Dark & Moody Chris Miller

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

Two current projects, one is a new short novel and one is a short story collection (my first). The collection has been building for over a year, but I am only including 3 previously published stories in it, and all the rest will be new to the collection, so I’ve spent the last several months writing for that. The new novel was intended to be a novella and to be part of the collection, but it got too big. It’s a crime/noir with some sprinklings of splatterpunk thrown in.

Do you write a synopsis first or write the first chapter? Do you plan your story or let the characters lead you.

I don’t outline anything. I get a situation in my head and, if it sticks, it starts to populate with some characters. After a while, I figure out where I want the story to start, then I drop into gear and floor it. I’m usually happy with where I end up.

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?—

1. Stephen King (my first introduction into adult horror and I just love the way he tells a story and draws his characters. My novels THE DAMNED PLACE and THE DAMNED ONES were directly inspired by IT, and are an homage to both that book and King himself).

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2. Quentin Tarantino (brilliant filmmaker and screenwriter, best dialogue around, and lots of irreverent fun…his work has certainly influenced my writing to a large degree, such as with THE HARD GOODBYE).

3. Joe R. Lansdale (lives a couple hours from me and we both write stories set in East Texas, so it’s always cool to read about places I know in real life, and Joe just brings it all to life with perfect authenticity…I love the “crazy” nature to how things will turn left in his stories, lots of fun).

4. The Coen Brothers (arguably the greatest filmmakers of all time, brilliant, deep storytelling, wonderfully dark AND humorous, with memorable and bizarre characters, all of which has infused into my own style).

5. HP Lovecraft (his mythos and approach to cosmic horror is legendary, and AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS is my favorite novella of all time. The man knows how to get under your skin and make you genuinely afraid…I do a fair amount of cosmic horror myself, and Lovecraft is my go to for inspiration in that realm).

Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

Oh, yes. Not all, but even the ones that aren’t, there are aspects of several real people in there…impossible not to draw from experience. I won’t say who, though.

Clubhouse Chat: Caroline S Kent

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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 Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com[image error]Photo by Fotograf Jylland on Pexels.com

Today I have a very special guest joining me. Please allow me to introduce Caroline S Kent. Thank you so much Caroline for joining me today. I know you’re such busy lady to tie down for interviews, so it’s a honour that you have taking time out to chat to me and all your adoring fans. Brutus is having a tough time keeping them back.

I shall thank him personally later. My fans are so loyal, such darlings. You know darling Paula, I will always untie myself to see you, it’s always a pleasure. Oh I see you’ve ordered my wine, lovely. Only two bottles, are you not having a drink with me my darlings? ( Caroline raises her glass to the audience)

I shall join you later Caroline. First, I have a few questions I hope you don’t mind me asking as I know you’re a very private person.

Well, you can ask me anything darling, anything at all. Well, except about the pool boy. The poor chap just… Well, lets just leave that one there.

But of course, though I do wish you were a little more gentle with them. I’m having a difficult enough time hiring fresh staff.

Now, now Paula, let’s focus on the questions, darling.

Sorry, right. What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I am lady of distinction darlings. Most of the readers have only read regular writers, never a lady of distinction such as myself. My quirk, if I have one, such a common word for ones eccentricities and things that make me such a lovely person and such fantastic writer, well that would be telling darling.

[image error] The Charismatic Caroline S Kent

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Listen to opera, drink wine, harass the pool boy. But don’t mention the last bit or we’ll never get a replacement for this one. Peruse Fortnum and Mason’s online shop when I get bored, or if I wish to slum it, Harrod’s rather droll department store.

Do you have any suggestions to help new writers to become better writers?

Practice daily. Don’t just write, practice writing better. Read the authors you love, and look at how they put their prose together. And definitely purchase a copy of your fantastic Stone Angels darlings. They could learn a lot from a master such as yourself. Your prose is so eloquent and beautiful. Now do I mention the butler did it?
Thank you for saying so, Caroline but we’re here to talk about your writing not mine. The next question is if you could tell your younger writing self anything, what were it be?

Don’t waste time with pink champagne, it’s rubbish. Only buy the decent stuff. Oh sorry darlings, you meant about writing, sorry, one has priorities in life don’t you know. I think I would tell my younger writing self not to get distracted with pool boys, concentrate more on the writing. I get so much more writing done when they are worn out…

What was the first book that made you cry, and why? Was it a brilliant plot line etc, or just bad writing?

That horrendous Fifty Shades of shite! How did that awful verbal diarrhea get published? Not to mention that I did not get a single credit for telling Erika how to write sex scenes. Vile rubbish, how dare she forget to credit her EX best friend for her inspiration. How… Sorry, darlings, this bottle is empty, now could you pass me the other one, ooh, a Californian rose, well, I suppose it will do.

[image error]Caroline S Kent: Lady in Red

Does writing energise or exhaust you?

Depends on my mood darlings. Energise me if I am writing about the burning passion between two people, and I get bored to tears writing the bits about men and their derring do. Why do men have to be so stupid as to walk into a pit of fire to save a lady, can’t they tell they are only acting squeamish to get their attention. Now if they had paid attention on the first place when the lady flicked her hair and flashed her eye lashes flirting at him, she wouldn’t have got herself in such a predicament to require rescue. Oh, and the flame singes my hair and ruins my nail varnish. they should pay attention sooner. Sorry where was I darling, oh yes writing, I get energised writing beautiful prose, and exhausted with the pool boy… sorry I got distracted again.

[image error]Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com

Does having a big ego help or hurt writers?

Ego darling? How dare you suggest… More wine now, this bottle wasn’t filled to the brim, only two glasses in this taster sized bottle.

Caroline, it was a regular size.

What do you mean it was a regular size. Ahh, here’s my regular delivery to the clubhouse just arriving from Waitrose. Now they know  thing or two about wine. Back in a tick.

Wait a minute, Caroline we’re talki… Sorry about this readers

I’m back my lovely… Shoddy service, only three boxes of Champers today. They say they are running low. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow now before I get the rest of my daily intake. Sorry, don’t give me that look, Paula. What did you ask me… Oh yes now I remember if a writer has any kind of ego. They’ll soon lose it, darling when they get their first hundred rejection slips. It will take a greater battering when the editors let loose. So they had better have a thick skin, broad shoulders, long flowing locks, a good few days stubble, muscles… Sorry darling, the new pool boy’s just walked by the window.

You need a thick skin to deal with rejections of any kind. Any ego that they might have will be definitely bashed and very bruised before they get a book published. Did I tell you I have actually started on my novel now, darlings?

[image error]Caroline S Kent: No More Stars

Sean, did mention you were busy with your book, when I asked him if you would be interested in chatting to me.

Did he now. Well yes, it’s a love story, of course. More a love triangle actually. My, this wine isn’t too bad, I actually feel relaxed now. Did you have any more questions darling?

Yes, I do. What is your writing Kryptonite, Caroline?

Pink champagne, was you not listening? That stuff is vile. A magnum of the stuff and I have a horrible headache the following morning. I can’t do anything until I’ve had my breakfast and the pool boy gives me a proper rub down.

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

I once paid an artist for a proper cover. People buy books with their eyes. A good cover is OK, but a superb cover with a great piece of artwork draws the potential reader in before they even pick the book up. Then you need a good blurb on the back. Worth paying a decent editor for as well. It doesn’t matter how fantastic the writing is, the cover attracts the reader, the blurb perks the interest and the prose gets you the reader. Much like men really, a good body catches the eye, the first conversation (the blurb on the back cover) piques your interest and what they do in bed… Hmm.

Caroline, we’re talking about books and writing.

Yes, darling I know, but you get the picture. What’s your next question, darling?

Oh right. Sorry– if you didn’t write, what would you do for a living?

I’d be a style guru for the rich and famous. Well, I am already, but I would make them pay me rather than do it for the love. Well, that and the parties. Just last week I was at a soiree thrown by… I’d better not name drop just in case some people get jealous.

Do you want Sean to run you home or our driver?

Sean will suffice as a chauffeur, how does that man resist my charms? He says he has a wonderful lady that makes him really happy, does he not know I could make him so much happier. Oh well, yes, well he does have a nice car, so long as he puts the uniform on again, he can drive.

Paula, it’s been lovely seeing you again, darling, but next time, anything less than six bottles of a decent wine is just an insult, but as I like you so much I’ll let you off this once. (Air kiss, air kiss.)

Caroline, it’s always wonderful to see you too. You bring the clubhouse alive. I’ve never see the pool boys and male staff move so quickly when you’re not around.

Clubhouse Chat: Carmen Baca

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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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Welcome to the Clubhouse Tearoom, Carmen. I’ve ordered a high tea for us.

Thank you, Paula, and for inviting me over for chat today.

It’s good to have you here. May I start by asking you when you first began your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

Well, I was in my mid-30s when a wooden box and many religious artifacts came into my care. The contents that box which had been locked for most of my life inspired my first book. So it’s not so much the genre that drew me to write as it was the need to tell the story. Because it’s a true life story, I wrote it in first person through regionalism, and that’s how both my voice and my brand emerged. I use regionalism to write historical realism, horror, mystery, murder mystery, speculative fiction, among a few other genres.

Regionalism, in case your readers don’t know, is portrayal of the history, people, places, events, geographical area, dialect, religion, culture and all that comes under it. Using regionalism in my tales is my strongest suit. Readers who shared my childhood experience identify with many elements in my books and short stories; readers who know nothing about my people become acquainted with us through my stories. What I would like to be able to change about my writing is my voice. I tend to write like an elder of a bygone era. I’ve successfully changed that voice in a couple of short stories, which is why I’d like to master the skill and have the voice match the genre.

[image error]Carmen Baca

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

My current project was inspired by one of my most loyal readers. She told me once that she’s saving my books for her grandchildren to learn about our culture, specifically the traditions which have begun to die out. Cuentos de Bella, my current book, is an Alice in Wonderland type of adventure, but my main character, Bella, encounters her ancestors and the paranormal spirits and supernatural creatures of our culture’s folktales and legends on her journey. I’m excited that I found a story-telling method which allows me to incorporate so much of my culture. From giants, dwarves, shape shifters, and a serpent to our famous ghosts, la Llorona and Santa Muerte, Bella meets them all. In the process, she (and my readers) learns so much about the culture her own parents have neglected to show her as integral to her humanity.

Certain customs, superstitions, proverbs, wives’ tales, even explanations of our unique dialect are told by the characters themselves, so they become the teachers of their own story. It’s my first attempt at YA, which will make this one more genre I’ve published. Everything about this project excites me.

Choosing only five of your favourite authors, (Poet, Playwright, or Screen writer). Can you list them in order 1 begin the top of your list and say how have they influenced your writing?

I think you know I taught English for years, so there were at least a few hundred authors in my syllabi for grades 6-14 throughout that time. The few favorite authors who have influenced my writing the most are Shakespeare, Milton, Yann Martel, Rudolfo Anaya, and Faulkner.

Shakespeare’s treatment of death, particularly in Hamlet, influences how I address the subject in my works. Milton adds to that because of several concepts I borrow from Paradise Lost regarding the unholy trinity and the importance of man’s conscience. Yann Martel blew me away with the conceits he uses in description and by his use of logos and pathos in Life of Pi. I often emulate his style in my own writing. Rudolfo Anaya, specifically in Bless Me, Ultima and Zia Summer, taught me how the elements of regionalism can influence any story, no matter the genre. William Faulkner’s use of the strange, the bizarre, and the macabre through a communal narrator, like in “A Rose for Emily,” is something I strive to do sometimes, so he influences my voice. It’s fun to figure out how to tell the story from the townspeople and make them accept there are things in life we can’t explain.

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 Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

That’s a yes for many of them, but not all. Some of the adolescents are based on my cousins, friends, and myself at that age, even my students sometimes. Many of the middle-aged and the elders are based on my own ancestors and those of my community or my own family. My first book is about my father’s initiation into his own father’s religious brotherhood, a fraternity which exists to this day in certain parts of the world, but which is slowly dying out of my own Hispanic community in northern New Mexico. The box I mentioned earlier held the records of this brotherhood, with rules which were submitted to the bishop of NM during the 1850s. The majority of the cast of characters in that book are people I knew and loved. When I write non-fiction, those have all been about me so far.

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

There is always a little to a lot of research I do, sometimes before, more often during, the writing. That first book El Hermano, required that I read the old Spanish documents left by the Elder, el Hermano Mayor, who was my dad when the fraternity disbanded. My mother’s scrupulous records, prayers, and hymns provided more much needed information, and my memories and google provided the rest. Like inventions I didn’t want to include unless they were true to the time period of 1928. Because all my books and most of my short stories take place anywhere from the late 1800s to the 1970s, I constantly research products, songs, trends, slang, etc. My fourth book required much research before I started since I wanted to include the great Alaskan earthquake of 1964. I found a great blog by survivors which showed me exactly how to write about a seismic event I’ve never experienced. Because subplots brought in former New Mexico outlaws, I also had fun learning about our most notorious, including women. My most recent book about a Quinceañera was also a learning experience about the symbolism of the young girl’s gifts and the entire event from preparation to execution.

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

When I was working, I rarely found the time to write for myself. Most of the writing I did for most of my life was for academics, either as a student or as a teacher. Once in a while between lesson planning, grading, etc., I found spare moments to write, so I began a memoir based on my adventures in teaching. I retired in 2014, published in 2017, and discovered a love for creative writing. Since then, I’ve been writing for at least 4-5 days a week, 4-5 hours each session. All I need is my favorite beverage—water—and my iPad with a wraparound keyboard which is what I use 98% of the time for writing and marketing. I have a really fun time writing, playing with photography to make my promotional materials, and doing everything that comes with writing, publishing, and marketing.

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

The names have been easy so far. I use the old names of my culture most often since those are among the characteristics which are dying out from my cultural history. As for the characters themselves, because I don’t plan my writing projects—no outline, no character sketches, etc.—I see my characters in the settings of their worlds as they develop like a video playing in my mind. The elements of characterization emerge as I write, and the characters come to life by facing the obstacles of their stories. Some characters, like Santa Muerte or la Llorona, I know very well from having heard tales about them in my youth. I give them unique qualities which make them mine though, qualities not in our original tales.

What was your hardest scene to write?

The hardest scene to write for me was in the first book, a respected elder passes on during Lent, and his death serves as symbolic due to the element of the resurrection. I cried through the entire chapter using memories of my own father’s passing and the new brothers’ tribute to him (all the others had died before he did). The words to our funeral prayers and the doleful hymns of the services are somber enough to bring anyone to tears. Incorporating them into that scene and the scene depicting Christ’s death was agony.

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

My first six books have taken approximately two months to write from beginning to end because (contrary to advice by most writers) I edit as I write. The skills I learned as an English teacher make be hyper aware of every word or sentence structure I use while I’m writing, so my manuscripts come together expediently. I’m also an editor, so that makes me a better writer too. Short stories are much easier. Those can take anywhere from several hours to 4 days, depending on the word count.

Thank you for joining me today, Carman.

For more information on Carman’s writing and books click on this link: http://plu.us/cbacacreations

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

Clubhouse Chat: Anna Legat

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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 finally get to chat with Anna Legat. Lovely to meet you at last, Anna.

I’m sorry it has taken me three weeks to finally get here, Paula but as I work with schools and since the start of this academic year I’ve been swamped with all sorts of emergencies! Anyway, I would love Vodka and orange. It used to be my beverage of choice but since my vertigo I can’t drink so may I have a nice cup of Earl Grey.

Of course let’s order before we start.
Now our drinks have arrived, let me first ask you what writing elements do you think is your strongest points, and what would you like to do better?

I like putting myself in other people’s shoes, reading their minds and predicting their reaction. I can be a bit of Jekyll and Hyde and I can relate to both. Maybe it is a touch of some chemical imbalance in my brain though I like to think that I am versatile. I was a tomboy as a girl and would never accept that I had to act like a proper young lady. Scraped knees, boots soaked in mud, being stuck up in a tree, building fires in the woods – that was me. It caused me a great deal of grief!

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Clubhouse Chat: Victoria Dowd

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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 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 Creative Vix on Pexels.com

Today I’m welcoming Victoria Dowd to the tearoom. It’s lovely to meet you here. We’ll start by ordering our drinks. What would you like?

Oh, a drink. I would love a cappuccino please, but if there’s alcohol on offer I’d go for a glass of white wine please. Always best to have both options!

Of course there’s alcohol as we have a driver to take you home.

Now we have our refreshments I’ll start by asking you when you first began your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

I’ve always been a huge fan of Golden Age Detective fiction. I grew up reading any Agatha Christie books I could get my hands on! Also, I was a criminal defence barrister for many years appearing at the Old Bailey,  so crime really is the genre that has drawn me in for a long time.

 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 book 2 in the Smart Woman’s series. Book 1 was The Smart Woman’s Guide to Murder and the second book in the series is due for release in February next year. They are classic whodunnit style crime novels but with an updated dark humour to them. The second book is The Smart Woman’s Guide to Survival and takes place on an uninhabited island where the Smart Women find themselves marooned and the murders begin. It’s darker than the first book, in many ways with a lot of fear and a possible supernatural element. I’ve absolutely loved writing this follow up as the characters are all there, waiting and fully formed so I can launch straight into the story but also develop and explore aspects of the people that I didn’t get a chance to in the first book. That’s what I’ve loved so much about working with Joffe Books, that from the very beginning they’ve seen this as a series which is wonderful because I can hold things back and reveal new things much more slowly than might normally be the case. The books form one large story of these women’s lives.

[image error]Victoria Dowd

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

There are a couple of things I’ve been thinking about for a while and outlined but, generally, when I start a project, be it a book or short story, I see it through to the end and don’t start new projects in the middle of one that I’m already working on. I love the creative process of planning, then starting a new book, primarily because I like to envisage how it will look in the end. Having that image in my mind all the way through is something I find really inspiring. I like to focus whole-heartedly on that concept and I don’t think I could do that as well if there was any idea that I might abandon it at any point, even if it’s being slightly tricky.

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

Oh, definitely the first chapter. I hate writing a synopsis! I like to get stuck into the story straightaway. I will plan a lot in notebooks and on a pinboard but that’s a very sketched out idea of where I think the narrative will go. By the time I start chapter one, I know roughly where the story is going and the setting in detail but things definitely change over the course of writing it and I find that once I’m in the place and the characters are interacting, new twists and ideas emerge.

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

Agatha Christie – has influenced so much about my writing. I love the worlds she creates where the reader is caught up in them and utterly engulfed from the very first page. The ingenious plotting, setting and the wonderful array of characters has always captivated and inspired me. I now write a series of articles about various TV, film and radio adaptations of Agatha Christie novels, entitled Adapting Agatha.Daphne du Maurier – I love the beautiful darkness that pervades her novels. There is not just a mystery but one that enthrals and, in many cases, frightens and captivates. I’ve always been utterly gripped by her work and the haunting characters she creates in such atmospheric settings.M.R. James – Alongside my novels, I write short stories which are much darker tales. I’ve been heavily influenced by M.R. James from a very young age, possibly much too young to be reading his stories. They bring the frightening and strange into normal, quintessentially English gentile settings such as churches and small villages and the reader will literally be rigid with fear by the end. I particularly like listening to these on audio books as they were originally written for him to read out to his students and I love that idea of a small gathering by candlelight listening to these petrifying tales.Charlotte Bronte – I’m a Yorkshire woman and spent many wonderful hours growing up imagining myself lost on the moors. Her story-telling is exquisite and has so many layers that Jane Eyre is one of those books you can come back to at all stages of your life and find new aspects to it. When I was a young teenage girl, I loved imagining Mr. Rochester in his marvellous house of secrets and shadows. Obviously, in later life, the concept of locking his first wife up for being ‘mad’ and illegally attempting to marry a younger version, takes on a whole different perspective!Susan Hill – Her magnificent ability to tell a story is fantastic. She carefully weaves a narrative that is so beautifully structured you barely realise the road you’ve been taken down until you’re well into the story.I’ve collected all her small books which she releases periodically and, of course, The Woman in Black is a classic and perfect mystery and ghost story.

What did you learn when writing your book (story, play or poem)? In writing it, how much research did you do?

For my second book, I learnt a huge amount about the Outer Hebrides and did quite a lot of research. It is a beautiful and often fierce place. The extremes these islands face is unimaginable sometimes. The sense of isolation is often enormous. But their history and their myths and legends are magnificent stories. There is a great heritage of story-telling in the old tradition of passing stories through the generations. Very little used to be written down so finding these old tales has been a journey in itself. They are a marvellous time capsule of the beliefs and fears that gripped these wonderful far-flung places and give a fantastic insight into life through the centuries in such extreme conditions.

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

I’m quite strict with myself when I’m working. I work from 9am to around about 3-30pm. Mostly, I’ll start the day with admin – answering emails or doing interviews. Things are slightly different recently as I’ll have a few zoom meetings scheduled throughout the week or the odd live reading which I’ve got used to now. Then I’ll work solidly throughout the day writing.

Do you set yourself a daily word count?

Generally, I tend not to. I write about 3,000 words a day but most of them will end up in the bin! I probably keep about thirty per cent of what I originally write. It’s more a question of getting the structure right to start with and then honing it down again and again to make the dialogue tight and the story flow.

How many hours in a day do you write?

I’d say, when various admin is taken into consideration and research, I’m probably actually writing for about 6 hours of the day. I try not to write too much at the weekend and devote myself to lots of reading. I think you need a period of time to clear your head so the thoughts and plot doesn’t get too bogged down and impenetrable. I’ll often come back to my desk on a Monday morning and see new things I hadn’t noticed before or have a new idea for where the story needs to go.

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

It takes about a year from beginning to end for me to write a book but with it being a series, I start the next book while I’m waiting for the edits to come back on the previous book. So at the moment, book 2 is with the editors and I’m writing book 3 in a very rough fashion. That will be half completed when book 2 is ready. So there’s a fair degree of over-lap. I just have to remember the plot of the book I’m working on! I have two ‘murder boards’ set up in my study, one on each side of me for each book. There are maps, photos, post its and red string all over them. It’s a very good visual reminder to keep the books very separate. But in some ways, it does look very much like I’m planning a murder!

Thank you so much Victoria for joining me.

Here are some links: One to Victoria’s book  and one to her website

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

Clubhouse Tearoom Chat: Sarah Davis

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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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 Welcome to the clubhouse tearoom, Sarah. It’s lovely to have you here. Let’s order our drinks.

Thank you for having me over for a chat and drinks, Paula.  I would like an Australian Shiraz, please.  

 We’ll start our chat as soon as our refreshments arrive. Ahh, here they come. Thank you. Right Sarah May I ask When you first began your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

Honestly, when the idea came to me, it wasn’t necessarily in my favorite fantasy genre. A good friend pointed out to me after he finished reading an early draft. And so, I added elements…a tish of paranormal with the telepathy with animals. 

[image error]Sarah Davis

 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 been thinking about it for a while. Total sci-fi/fantasy. Humans colonizing a new planet with two races ord different beings and the subsequent destruction that follows. Inside Voices eludes to one race, massive winged horse-like beasts. The world-building has required quite different research, as you can imagine. 

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

I have five unfinished projects on my laptop and an additional one on my phone. I jot down notes or scenes when inspiration strikes. I’ve found that when I hit the “writer’s block” for one project, I can turn to a different one and write for as long as time allows. 

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Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

I want to say not really, but that wouldn’t be entirely true. Eelyn (not Ellen, EElyn haha) is a veterinarian, like me, so I could easily get into writing her character. Her daughters are identical twins, and although my own girls were mistaken for twins a time or two, they are not. Penny, Lucy, and Eelyn, while sharing similarities, are vastly different from their real-life inspiration. 

 What did you learn when writing your book?

In writing it, how much research did you do? I learned a lot about caring for polar bears, wolf hybrid genetics, shamanism, Native Alaskan culture…how much time do we have? Ha!

 Is there anything about you your readers might be surprised to find out?

Let’s see…I am terrified of and people touching my feet. And I can do magic tricks.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

Yes, especially if there is content in the story I don’t want my pastor reading! Ha!

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

Naming characters is so fun! I consider so many things…heritage, characteristics, unique names…I quite possibly waste more time than I should on names. I think I know everything about them beforehand, but then when faced with challenges, I learn more.

What was your hardest scene to write?

The mass shooting was the hardest to write. It was very emotional for me as a mother. School shootings-how could they not be profoundly gut-wrenching for anyone? To write a character who watches it unfold from the sidelines and later helps her injured classmates…the shock and mental anguish she feels…can you imagine? Only to then to have it all amplified by the loss of her father. Penny is a character that is flawed and still hurting, and I want to help her. Give her a hug. But I won’t. And I can’t. 

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

I’ve only finished the one, Inside Voices, which took me 6 years from start to finish. I work full-time, have children that need chauffeuring, and pets and livestock that need feeding, so I wrote during stolen moments. Hours when I could. If we are talking total time to write the first draft, probably only 4 weeks. The editing…that part took time, two editor gems, and many wonderful beta readers.

I appreciate the opportunity to “chat” with you, Paula.

Thank you Sarah for join us today. If you would like to find out more about Sarah please check out her links below.

Blog: 

Facebook Author page: 

Facebook Personal page: 

Twitter: 

Instagram: & https://www.instagram.com/sarahdavisdvm/

Link to Sarah’s book:

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: Polly Mordant

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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 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]Google Picture[image error]

 Today I’m welcoming, Polly Mordant to clubhouse tearoom. Welcome Polly.

Hi Paula! What a busy week I’ve had.

I’m so pleased you could make it, Polly. 

Thank you so much for inviting me. I see you have lemon drizzle cake … I LOVE lemon drizzle cake!

And, what drink would you like to with it?

A Flat White Coffee, please.

Now we have our refreshments  may I start by asking when you first began your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre? 

 I’ve always been a fan of supernatural fiction. As a teenager, I discovered the nefarious Pan Book Of Horror Stories before progressing on to more serious stuff, like M. R. James, Ramsey Campbell, and other English Supernaturalists. I couldn’t help but adopt the genre when I started writing.

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

To me, a bookstands and falls on its characters. I like them to be relatable – for good or ill – so readers buy-in to their circumstances and feel something about their plights. I put a lot of work into this aspect. What I have to work harder at, though, is conveying emotion so that it’s realistic and not cheesy or overblown. I rewrote Angels completely to get the emotional range of Emma, my MC right. I still find it a struggle.

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

I have the general direction of travel in mind and the ending. After that, I’m a bit of a pantser. When it’s all out, I then spend a lot of time tying it all together. There are three plotlines in Angels and at least four in the sequel. Interweaving and aligning them is quite a problem!

[image error]Polly & Friend

Choosing only three 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?

 George Eliot: Middlemarch. The first properly feminist novel. No one writes passive/aggressive characters quite like Eliot. She influenced my desire to convey nuance in relationships. Again, sticking with character development (seems to be a bit of theme here, lol!) I’d go with Stephen King. He’s the apotheosis of an American middle-western novelist. Small town – big concepts.  Lastly there would be Phil Rickman. My stories, though I’m careful not to rip him off, have similar settings and ambiguous foundations for the weirdness. Some characters know what’s really happening, some are kept in the dark. I kinda like that and definitely try to emulate it.  

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

Angels is my first novel. What I didn’t realise was how the story takes on an organic life of its own. I absolutely knew how it was going to end when I began it, and the first fifteen chapters were all aimed at this specific ending. The later ones weren’t having any of it, though. Being unable to pound them into submission, I had to abandon it for a completely different denoument.

I didn’t need to do too much research about the ecclesiastical elements of the story. I’ve always enjoyed reading a studying church history and architecture. But research is a big part of the novel. Emma, my main character, has to take herself off to a cathedral library, no less, to find out about the curse, which stalks the village. (Muahaha!)

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

I don’t have one. I’m a full-time carer for my hubby so my life really has to revolve around him. I write when I can but when I’m in the middle of the story I won’t ever stop mid-chapter. If I can’t get it done in one sitting, I email it to myself and if real life gets in the way, I’ll finish it on the loo, before I go to sleep, wherever! So, in a way, I’m always at it. I may limp my way to the end and review the next day, but I always make sure at least the bones of a whole chapter gets written. 

Do you set yourself a daily word count?  

Gawd no. That would just shut me down. I like to get at least two chapters a week written, though, and they usually come in at 3000 words each. That’s harder to achieve later on in the book because by then the plots are getting complicated and I’m having to spend time backwriting and nuancing to get all the threads aligned.

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

My main character was originally called Kate. She befriends the local vicar and he was called William. One of my beta readers kept referring to them as Kate and Wills so that had to change. Plus I couldn’t quite get into her. I was stuck on how to make her abused personality strong enough to drive the plot of the novel. I changed her name to Jess – it seemed an arsier name, but I didn’t like her much. After I settled on Emma, something clicked and it seemed to go okay from there.

 What was your hardest scene to write?

The denouement of Angels was tricky because Emma had to confront her nemesis. It involved using all her emotional register. The first draft had it as only 3000 words—an average chapter. It was pants. Too big a ‘scene’, too much set up to dismiss it within my normal pattern. So I wrote it over two chapters, interspersing it with a rescue. It meant I had to ramp up the tension, bring it down, then ramp it up again. I was in bits lol!

Do you have a favourite moment in the book?

Yes. The book centres around Emma, who’s had her confidence shattered by her emotionally abusive partner. Somewhere near the end she says: “We’ve got to get the men out, make sure they’re safe.” I don’t know where that came from, but that sort of reversal from the stereotype (of it always being the woman who’s rescued), always makes me smile when I think about it. And also, I guess, because it also marked the absolute moment of truth; when her confidence returned and she became fully in control of herself and the situation.

Polly’s links: Blog Where Angels Fear available to order from bookshops and to buy here:  (If this link doesn’t work, then Amazon Link  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pjmordant

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pjmordant

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

Marketing Stone Angels

Last weekend my publisher, Darkstroke Books did a free weekend where some of their eBooks were available to download for free. So I thought I would give it a go, and let Stone Angels join the promotion. The idea behind making the novels free to download is the eBooks earns money via the number of pages turned on Kindle.

I decided to invest some of my husband’s hard-earned money into paying for promotion for Stone Angels. Being new to this I wasn’t sure where to start or what sites were best to invest in. Most sites seem to be in America. As my book sales are low there, I decided to first start with an American site called Fussy Librarian. Many of the other writers at Darkstroke Books have spoken about using the site so I thought I would start with them first. Plus, and most importantly they were within my price range.

On the Free-To-Download weekend I wrote a blog post advertising the fact my novel was available to download for free and shared it over several Facebook sites, on LinkedIn and of course Twitter. It is hard to know whether any of the social media sites do help to generate sales. One thing I did do was use my village Facebook page to let everyone know that they could download my novel for free. Several villagers let me know they had and were looking forward to reading it. Of course, it would’ve been nice if they had bought the book, but here’s hoping that they will read it. Using Fussy Librarian did help as at the end of the weekend Stone Angels had 1,274 downloads.

Yesterday I decided to sign up to a second site that does marketing and promotions called Book Cave. The site says it can introduce your book to 235,723 readers. I found it surprisingly easy to sign up to, and have paid for three days. They also market your book with a film type rating so your readers know what they are getting.

[image error] Click Cover to see what rating Stone Angels got

You fill in a form and submit your book. Then wait to see whether they will accept it. To get a rating you have to answer a series of questions about the amount of swearing, nudity or violence which might be in your novel. If you have selected the wrong category for your novel they will let you know too.

I will let you know how well Book Cave worked their magic over Stone Angels after the next Free-to-download weekend. For now I must wait and see whether Fussy Librarian brings me any extra reviews and rewards, but my outlay in marketing means I’m already spending my earnings before receiving them.

Clubhouse Chat Guest: Sean P Chatterton

Welcome to Clubhouse Chat page. For 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 Jason Villanueva on Pexels.com

This morning in the clubhouse I’m chatting with Sean. Welcome Sean.

Good Morning Paula.

Now we have our drinks I can start by asking you when you first began  your writing journey what drew you to your chosen genre?

I write in the genres that I read, If I have a story that fits a particular genre, then it goes there. If another genre, then it goes there instead. I’ve written SF, Ghost stories, slip stream and YA. I tend to prefer writing SF, but amazingly my ghost and super natural stories have had a far better reception. One I even had another writer message me to say that was the best short story that he had read that year. High praise indeed.

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

[image error]Sean P Chatterton

Strongest point? Wish I knew. I would like to think my strong point is that the stories leave you thinking long after you had finished reading the story. The only thing I know I need to do better is sit down and write more!

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

I have at least a handful of writing projects on the go. Partly because of the way I write, and partly because I have an idea that I need to get down. I currently have five books mapped out, but only written a bit of each one. I do tend to flit between one thing and another. Lack of concentration? Or plain laziness I’m not sure.

How many unfinished projects do you have on your computer?

Too many! I need to find the time, be more disciplined, concentrate more. Magic fairy dust or something just to finish each book / story. But as a number, five books and over twenty short stories.

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Do you plan your short stories, or let the characters lead you?

I tend to be a bit of a seat of the pants writer. I like to discover the story as I write it. So I’m part reader as well as a writer. That said, when writing some stories I kinda need to know where it is going so that I can write the story. But like JRR Tolkien and Faramir, characters can just turn up!

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

This would be a very long answer so I’ll skip this one.

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

No. When writing properly I have a writing head on and that’s it. I did find once that I managed to find lyrics to a song in one of my stories which was on one of my Youtube playlists, so perhaps…

Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

Not really. But I do include snippets, like say a green cardigan, or an incident that I heard about.

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

No book written yet. Research varies from none at all, to hours spent confirming a bit of technical data.

Is there anything about you your readers might be surprised to find out?

Now where do I start. I also write under a female pen name. Been doing karate for 31 years. I’m probably older than their parents…

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Did you uncover things about yourself while writing your stories whether that be a long forgotten memory, a positive experience etc.

Nah

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

I don’t schedule.

Do you set yourself a daily word count? 

Tried that, then was constantly beating myself up for not reaching the daily target. So I binned the idea.

How many hours in a day do you write?

For work, eight or more. For pleasure, more like hours a week…

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

Insert evil smiley. More wine darlings?

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

I tend to grab these out of thin air, or a the first name I see when browsing Facebook.

What was your hardest scene to write?

Not a specific one. But when I map out a story and I have no inspiration but there is a scene required to bridge a gap or join other scenes up, this can be a bit of a churn to write that scene.

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

My current record is nearly four decades. Does that count? I started writing a book when I was a teenager. It is still uncompleted and largely what I have written is in draft mode. Short stories on the other hand. My longest short story took a little over two years to complete. The quickest, two hours

Thank you for joining me in the tearoom, Sean.

Thank you for invite me, Paula

To find out more about Sean’s work check out his website.

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