Sara Jayne Townsend's Blog, page 59

My Verdict on the Sony E-Reader

I have cracked and got myself an e-reader.

I went in the end for the Sony Pocket PRS-300. Mostly because I think it looks more aesthetically pleasing than the Kindle, and it's rather small and compact and will fit into my bag.

I've had this device for a little while now. Long enough to reach an informed opinion about how I like it. And I thought I would share my verdict.

In spite of my resistance to e-readers for quite a long time, I am rather fond of it. There are hundreds of...

Not a "Proper" Book

The first thing I did upon receiving my publishing contract was to join the Society of Authors. Their website states that if you have a contract, you can join as an Associate Member, and the Society will get their solicitors to peruse your contract and offer advice on its legitimacy. Once your book is published, you can then join as a full member.

The contract vetting service was immensely helpful, and as an Associate Member I am able to attend the Society's AGM. However, my second year of ...

The Outcast

I've been blogging a lot – both here and elsewhere – about writing groups, and it's made me remember something that happened to me years ago, that I'd forgotten all about when I was writing my other blog posts. So I thought I would tell the story in today's post.

Many years ago I went to a meeting at my local writers' circle. I believe this was when I was between groups – after the original horror group folded and before the T Party was formed, so we are going back to the early 1990s. I...

Guest Post on Sonya Clark's Blog

I am guest blogging today over on Sonya Clark's page, talking some more about writing groups (seems to be a popular subject at the moment – for me, at least). Have a read here.

If you are into urban fantasy, by the way, you should read Sonya's debut novella Bring On the Night, available now from Lyrical Press. It's very good.

Writing Processes – Part 9: Fix It In the Rewrite

It bugs me sometimes the way writers are portrayed on TV and in films. The writer is seen bashing away on their typewriter (or Macintosh, in more recent films), and then they type 'the end' and send the package off to their agent or editor. So the first draft comes out publishable, does it? That's why this bugs me. You never see any of the endless rewriting process that happens with real-life writers.

I don't let anyone read my first draft. It comes out in a barely coherent form. With...

E-Book Appreciation Week

It's E-Book Appreciation Week over on the Domestically challenged Momma blog – run by a lady who's single-handedly decided to champion the cause for e-books because she feels they are under-appreciated.

There are lots of guest blogs there this week arguing the case for e-books. My own appears there today, right here, presenting the argument that the future of publishing has room for both e-books and print books. But there's a whole week's worth of excellent posts about e-books, so do check o...

Fashion Fix – One Year On

It's now been a year since my fashion fix. If you haven't been following this blog for that long, click here to gain an understanding of what I'm on about. I thought it might be a good time to revisit this subject (well, it works for Gok Wan).

I'm not the kind of girl who buys a new wardrobe every season. I think I've probably mentioned this before. I wear clothes until they fall to bits – literally, in many cases.

So, I am still wearing the clothes Joy picked out for me last year. I...

Talking About E-Publishing

There's another new interview with me on the Internet today, on NK Kingston's Solelyfictional blog, where I talk about the pros and cons of e-publishing. Take a look here.

Interview on "You Gotta Read"

The "You Gotta Read" blog spot has posted an interview with me today (complete with mug shot) in which I talk about SUFFER THE CHILDREN and my writing in general. Take a look-see here….

Writing Processes – Part 8: Planning

If you've been following the blog interviews I've been doing on SUFFER THE CHILDREN, you will know that it started life as a short story called "Kiddiwinks". It was one of the first stories I put to the newly-formed T Party, in 1994, and from there I decided to turn it into a novel.

The novel took ten years to write, and the main reason was there was a huge chunk of time in that decade – years at a time, in fact, when I wasn't doing any work on it. I didn't do any planning. I took the...