Talli Roland's Blog, page 33
April 16, 2011
Night Creature, Me?
Hallelujah, it's Saturday. Thank you all for the lovely comments on my blog redesign! I'm trying my best these days to return all comments by visiting your blog, but I must admit that I'm struggling to get around to everyone in a timely fashion. Bear with me -- I'll do my best.
Now. Are you a creature of the night, or a early bird? Me, I'm the latter. As soon as the sun comes up, my eyes pop open and I'm awake. I love sitting at my desk when the streets are silent and Mr TR is still snoring, watching the city come to life. Mornings are when I do most of my writing, too. I think my brain shuts down after 2 p.m.!
By the time it's ten at night, I'm ready to go to bed (sad as that is to admit, I know). While the urban foxes roam London's street and the clubbers come out in full force, I'm climbing between the sheets and snuggling up with a good book. Bliss!
What about you? Early riser or late to bed?
Now. Are you a creature of the night, or a early bird? Me, I'm the latter. As soon as the sun comes up, my eyes pop open and I'm awake. I love sitting at my desk when the streets are silent and Mr TR is still snoring, watching the city come to life. Mornings are when I do most of my writing, too. I think my brain shuts down after 2 p.m.!
By the time it's ten at night, I'm ready to go to bed (sad as that is to admit, I know). While the urban foxes roam London's street and the clubbers come out in full force, I'm climbing between the sheets and snuggling up with a good book. Bliss!
What about you? Early riser or late to bed?
April 15, 2011
Makeover!
I've been blogging for over a year now, and the time has come for a bit of a shake up! Last night -- when undoubtedly I should have been doing something way more productive -- I decided this was it: my blog would get a new design.
After grappling with PhotoShop, downing several glasses of wine (which probably didn't help the process) and cursing at my silly little laptop, I finally managed to create a new template which mirrors the covers of my books. Yay!
I hope you like it!
How often do you redesign your blog?
Happy Friday, everyone!
After grappling with PhotoShop, downing several glasses of wine (which probably didn't help the process) and cursing at my silly little laptop, I finally managed to create a new template which mirrors the covers of my books. Yay!
I hope you like it!
How often do you redesign your blog?
Happy Friday, everyone!
April 14, 2011
London!
Well, it had to be London, didn't it? I've been here for almost seven years now and my love for the city is just as strong as the day I first arrived.
And now for some shameless self-promotion:
This is by the 'other' me, the travel writer. According to London Mayor Boris Johnson (and who wouldn't believe the mayor!): 'It's a nifty guide for Londoners and tourists alike'.
Happy L Day, everyone!
April 13, 2011
Kinetics... Or, Keep It Moving
We've all heard the saying 'just keep the ball rolling' yada yada yada, right? As clichéd as it is, it's definitely true. An object in motion tends to stay in motion, while an object at rest stays at rest. (See, I was paying attention in physics! Sort of.)Well, the same holds true for writing. If you make it part of your daily routine, more often than not, you'll just sit down and do it. But once you break the habit and stop . . . it can be a killer to get back into it.
There are so many reasons to want to cease our scribbling: rejection, bad reviews, the downer that is self-doubt (I could go on, but this isn't meant to be a depressing post). But just keep going! Getting to the end is half the battle.
In other exciting news!
*I wandered the hallowed halls of the London Book Fair last night and met lots of great folk at the LBF Tweet Up. I had wine! And McDonald's!
*I'm way behind on blog comments due to a sore arm after falling off my bike in front of Buckingham Palace last Saturday. I tried to jump a curb. I have not jumped a curb since I was eight. Thousands of tourists were entertained!
*I'm meeting Laura of the Daily Dodo this afternoon, and she's going to do a VIDEO interview of me. I know: scary, right? Especially since I look like a lorry has run over my face (due to wine and McDonald's)!
Have a great Wednesday, everyone.
April 12, 2011
Jinx!
I'm quite a superstitious writer. Certain things need to be done in certain ways, or I just know I'll struggle with my daily output. The butt cushion must be set just so; the chocolate-stained blanket wrapped a specific way. And the empty coffee cup? Don't even think of washing it until my writing day's done, because that will surely be disaster.
It's my own little way of controlling the very uncontrollable world of being a writer. Because... so many things in the world of publishing are out of our control. We can write the best book we can -- and all agents might reject it. We can get published -- and no-one might buy it. We can sell fifty novels and then get dropped by our publisher.
Depressing? Well, yes, in a way. But the unpredictable world of writing means plenty of opportunities also exist. And whatever we can't control, we can control our writing. Just make sure to turn your chair a fraction of an inch to the right, rub the magic mug three times, and tap your pencil for one minute on the desk...
Giveaway alert! Go here to enter to win a copy of India Drummond's Ordinary Angels.
It's my own little way of controlling the very uncontrollable world of being a writer. Because... so many things in the world of publishing are out of our control. We can write the best book we can -- and all agents might reject it. We can get published -- and no-one might buy it. We can sell fifty novels and then get dropped by our publisher.
Depressing? Well, yes, in a way. But the unpredictable world of writing means plenty of opportunities also exist. And whatever we can't control, we can control our writing. Just make sure to turn your chair a fraction of an inch to the right, rub the magic mug three times, and tap your pencil for one minute on the desk...
Giveaway alert! Go here to enter to win a copy of India Drummond's Ordinary Angels.
April 11, 2011
Kate Lord Brown and The Beauty Chorus
I'm thrilled to have author Kate Lord Brown here today, to discuss five simple steps authors can take to get their book noticed. Yes, I know it's 'I' day on the A-Z Challenge and I'm going to file this one under 'information'! Here's a bit more about Kate's book, The Beauty Chorus.
Romance, glamour and adventure in the skies: an enthralling debut inspired by female pilots in World War Two. 166 women signed up to fly Spitfires and bombers from factories to airfields across the country. It was an adventure that would cost many their lives.
New Year's Eve 1940: Evie Chase, the beautiful debutante daughter of an RAF commander, listens wistfully to the swing music drifting out from the ballroom. With bombs falling nightly in London, she is determined to make a difference to the war effort. Evie joins the ATA – the civilian pilots who ferry fighter planes to bases across war-torn Britain. Two other women wait nervously to join up with her – Stella Grainger, a forlorn young mother from Singapore, and Megan Jones, an idealistic teenager who has never left her Welsh village before. Billeted together in a tiny cottage, Stella, Megan and Evie learn to live and work together as they find romance, confront loss and forge friendships that last a lifetime.
Kate writes:
As a parent, you get to enjoy those 'firsts' in life all over again watching your children experience them. First steps, first snow, first day at school, first love. As an author, it is hard not to feel the same mix of joy and trepidation seeing your first book going out into the world. Will any one care about it as much as you do?
To be published, to see your words bound beautifully and up on the shelves alongside books by authors you have admired your whole life is a dream come true for many writers. It goes without saying that most writers are readers first, and book lovers in the broadest sense. I can honestly say that when I opened the DHL boxes yesterday and held the hardback of 'The Beauty Chorus' for the first time it was one of the most amazing moments of my life.
So once the book is born, how can you ensure people hear about its arrival? Perhaps the most amusing advice for début authors is in Douglas Gibson's famously cynical memo. The former editor of Macmillan Canada titled it 'Don't Look for Your Book in Bookstores'. Carole Blake helpfully quotes the memo in her Bible for new authors 'From Pitch to Publication' (which I highly recommend): prepare yourself for publication day (no one will notice it), reviews (there will either be none or they will appear too early or late to be useful), and friends (who will give you a list of typos in your book).
The number of first novels this year is heartening. It remains to be seen for how many this will be the first step in a long career. Perhaps as they prepare for their newborn books to fly the nest, authors should enjoy the moment and remember Martin Luther King Jr's advice: 'You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.'
If you are close to taking that first step, why not think about these five simple steps to help your debut:
• If you have a blog, make sure it is up to date with information about your new book, links to online stores etc• Create a Facebook page for the book
• Contact local media ('local' can be where you live, places where the book is set, where you went to school etc)
• Talk to your local library – reach as many reading groups in your area as possible
• Consider making a video 'book trailer' for your book using some of the amazing free software online, and creative commons images from sites like Flickr
Kate Lord Brown's début 'The Beauty Chorus' is being published by Corvus Atlantic 1/4/11
Amazon link here.
About Ka te:
Kate worked as an art consultant, curating collections for palaces and embassies in Europe and the Middle East, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She was a finalist in ITV's the People's Author competition in 2009, and has written for magazines including Condé Nast Traveller and Blueprint. Her debut novel 'The Beauty Chorus' is being published by Corvus Atlantic in 2011. She currently lives in the Middle East with her husband who is an airline pilot, and their young family.www.katelordbrown.com 
Romance, glamour and adventure in the skies: an enthralling debut inspired by female pilots in World War Two. 166 women signed up to fly Spitfires and bombers from factories to airfields across the country. It was an adventure that would cost many their lives.
New Year's Eve 1940: Evie Chase, the beautiful debutante daughter of an RAF commander, listens wistfully to the swing music drifting out from the ballroom. With bombs falling nightly in London, she is determined to make a difference to the war effort. Evie joins the ATA – the civilian pilots who ferry fighter planes to bases across war-torn Britain. Two other women wait nervously to join up with her – Stella Grainger, a forlorn young mother from Singapore, and Megan Jones, an idealistic teenager who has never left her Welsh village before. Billeted together in a tiny cottage, Stella, Megan and Evie learn to live and work together as they find romance, confront loss and forge friendships that last a lifetime.Kate writes:
As a parent, you get to enjoy those 'firsts' in life all over again watching your children experience them. First steps, first snow, first day at school, first love. As an author, it is hard not to feel the same mix of joy and trepidation seeing your first book going out into the world. Will any one care about it as much as you do?
To be published, to see your words bound beautifully and up on the shelves alongside books by authors you have admired your whole life is a dream come true for many writers. It goes without saying that most writers are readers first, and book lovers in the broadest sense. I can honestly say that when I opened the DHL boxes yesterday and held the hardback of 'The Beauty Chorus' for the first time it was one of the most amazing moments of my life.
So once the book is born, how can you ensure people hear about its arrival? Perhaps the most amusing advice for début authors is in Douglas Gibson's famously cynical memo. The former editor of Macmillan Canada titled it 'Don't Look for Your Book in Bookstores'. Carole Blake helpfully quotes the memo in her Bible for new authors 'From Pitch to Publication' (which I highly recommend): prepare yourself for publication day (no one will notice it), reviews (there will either be none or they will appear too early or late to be useful), and friends (who will give you a list of typos in your book).
The number of first novels this year is heartening. It remains to be seen for how many this will be the first step in a long career. Perhaps as they prepare for their newborn books to fly the nest, authors should enjoy the moment and remember Martin Luther King Jr's advice: 'You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.'
If you are close to taking that first step, why not think about these five simple steps to help your debut:
• If you have a blog, make sure it is up to date with information about your new book, links to online stores etc• Create a Facebook page for the book
• Contact local media ('local' can be where you live, places where the book is set, where you went to school etc)
• Talk to your local library – reach as many reading groups in your area as possible
• Consider making a video 'book trailer' for your book using some of the amazing free software online, and creative commons images from sites like Flickr
Kate Lord Brown's début 'The Beauty Chorus' is being published by Corvus Atlantic 1/4/11
Amazon link here.
About Ka te:
Kate worked as an art consultant, curating collections for palaces and embassies in Europe and the Middle East, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She was a finalist in ITV's the People's Author competition in 2009, and has written for magazines including Condé Nast Traveller and Blueprint. Her debut novel 'The Beauty Chorus' is being published by Corvus Atlantic in 2011. She currently lives in the Middle East with her husband who is an airline pilot, and their young family.www.katelordbrown.com
April 9, 2011
Hermit Dreams
As far as I'm concerned, the word 'hermit' gets a bad rap. What's wrong with wanting to hide away; shun society and all its little irritations?
Working from home each day-- with little contact with the outside world (street crazies aside) -- people often ask me how I can stand to be alone so much for the time. The answer? I love it. I love having my own mental space to think, to create, to dream. I love not being interrupted, and most of all, I love the silence. I'd happily withdraw to a cave in the side of a hill and eke out my life eating snails (with garlic and wine).
Okay, so I'm exaggerating a bit. I'd miss Mr TR, of course, and chatting to my friends. But all it takes is one shunt on the Tube in close contact with another sweaty commuter, and my cavewoman dream doesn't seem so far-fetched.
What about you? Do you dream sweet hermit dreams? Have a great weekend!
Working from home each day-- with little contact with the outside world (street crazies aside) -- people often ask me how I can stand to be alone so much for the time. The answer? I love it. I love having my own mental space to think, to create, to dream. I love not being interrupted, and most of all, I love the silence. I'd happily withdraw to a cave in the side of a hill and eke out my life eating snails (with garlic and wine).
Okay, so I'm exaggerating a bit. I'd miss Mr TR, of course, and chatting to my friends. But all it takes is one shunt on the Tube in close contact with another sweaty commuter, and my cavewoman dream doesn't seem so far-fetched.
What about you? Do you dream sweet hermit dreams? Have a great weekend!
April 8, 2011
Gorgeous Gardens!
This post comes to you live from Kensington Gardens, because it's simply way too nice to be inside.
Happy Friday, everyone!
April 7, 2011
My Favourite Fluids
As a writer with the tag-line 'I drink coffee. I write. Then I have wine', you might have guessed that fluids are very important me. Not just any fluids, though. For me, water is dull; juice is, well, juice. But coffee -- oh! Wine -- oooohhhhhhhh!
I can't imagine not starting the day with a shot of caffeine. As instant coffee is a definite no-no, I head for the machine, ladle in a scoop of espresso grind, and wait for the magic to happen. So strong it's almost soupy, I throw in a bit of milk for fun and then toss it back. Ummm.
I'm not much of a drinker during the day, but I might have the odd glass of water or two just for a bit of distraction. The real fun begins when my working day is done and it's wine o'clock.
Wine o'clock is movable, thank goodness, and it all depends on a state of mind. Some days it's early; some days it's late, but you can rest assured that at some point or other, it will be wine o'clock in the Roland household. A little bit of Pinot, a little bit of Cabernet (not together, blech)... and everything is right with the world.
What's your favourite fluid?
April 6, 2011
Everything You Need to Know
It's a gorgeous day outside and I'm going for a stroll, so today's post comes courtesy of the wonderful Kate Hart.
Head over to Kate's blog to see the enlarged version: everything you ever needed to know about how to get published in one handy-dandy flow chart. Happy Wednesday, everyone.
Head over to Kate's blog to see the enlarged version: everything you ever needed to know about how to get published in one handy-dandy flow chart. Happy Wednesday, everyone.
