Rhoda Baxter's Blog, page 46
November 27, 2015
The Last Dreamseer blog blast – all about the Superpowers
My friend Katy Haye has a new book out! Yay! To celebrate, I’m taking part in a blog blast on the theme of superpowers. One of the questions Kate asked was: If you had a superpower what would it be?
We-ell, I’ve thought about this a lot over the years. Flight is a good one, but really, with the skies as crowded as they are, you can’t fly very high, so you’d have to stick to somewhere in between the powerlines and the skyscrapers. Plus, you’d be seriously limited in your clothing choices (peop...
November 26, 2015
Colouring in – a free advent calendar
Hello everyone
Every year, I draw a colouring in advent calendar for the kids – it saves adding to the chocolate mountain. In recent years, I’ve started printing copies out for a couple of work colleagues. We have a little break each day to colour in the character for the day. It’s really very relaxing.
Anyhew, I thought you might like to have a copy, so here it is! Thank you for being so amazing and supporting me in my writing. Feel free to share.
Oh, and if you’re stac...
November 19, 2015
Getting to know your characters
Each month, I write a column on creative writing for my local paper. It appears on the web the week after that. Here’s this month’s instalment. 10 ways of getting to know your character.
http://www.beverleyguardian.co.uk/news/local/opinion-column-know-your-character-1-7565513
Is there anything you’d like me to write about? Leave a note in the comments section and I’ll add it to my list of topics.
Filed under: About Writing, Uncategorized Tagged: character development, creative writing
November 12, 2015
I Hate Women’s Fiction And I’ll Tell You Why
Originally posted on Tara Sparling writes:
Hey, you! Yes, you there, with the marketing degree! Or you, Creative Director with that massive advertising agency; hell, even you, person who spends more time than is healthy shouting at the TV whenterrible ads come on, because you could do better. (Four monkeys with bad head colds could do better, you admit, butthat’s not the point.)
I have a job for you. Are you ready? Good.
You have no time whatsoever, and 55% of a regular marketing budget, to...
October 26, 2015
News! Please Release Me is shortlisted for an award
I’m a little over excited (and hyped up on cake) because Please Release Me has been shortlisted for a Love Stories 2015 award.
‘What the heck is that?’ I hear you cry. The Love Stories award is the new name for the Romance Reader Awards which happen at the Festival of Romantic fiction. They are chosen by real romance readers and, of late, have been fiercely competitive (in a ‘lots of great books entered’ way I mean, not a ‘watch out for people trying to break your legs’ way).
I’m thrilled to...
October 20, 2015
Inheritance Books: Susan Hughes
On Inheritance Books this week, we have the lovely Susan Hughes. Welcome to Inheritance Books, Susan. I’ve got scones with cream and jam (Rodda’s, naturally). Was that cream first? Or jam?
While I’m cracking the top of the clotted cream, please tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in the north of England and was both a bookish child and a bit of a tomboy. I had scalextric, a go-cart and liked climbing trees but once the teenage hormones kicked in I became partial to garish nail polish, Dav...
October 13, 2015
Struggling to write that book? Ten ways to find time to write
My article on finding time to write is now on the Beverley Guardian’s website. Hurrah.
http://www.beverleyguardian.co.uk/news/local/opinion-tips-for-getting-it-write-1-7503688
Next month’s column will be about getting to know your characters. Is there anything you’d like me to write about in the column? Let me know in the comments – either here or on the Bev Guardian site.
Filed under: About Writing
October 10, 2015
World Mental Health Day – Depression
It’s World Mental Health Day. So I’d like to talk about it.
I’m a writer and I have been depressed. I can’t say this would surprise anyone, because we creative types, we’re prone to this sort of thing. The problems I have aren’t unique, other people have them and other people manage fine. Or, at least, they APPEAR to manage fine.
It wasn’t until I finally admitted I needed help and saw a counselor that I realised that ‘other people manage’ didn’t mean that I could. That ‘getting through the d...
October 8, 2015
#Bookreview: Please Release Me—when sleeping beauty won’t wake up
What a lovely review! Please Release Me in the context of Fairy Tales.
Originally posted on Barb Taub:
Some say they embody universal tropes that pass along the traditions of social messaging. Watch out for those who are different. Fear the unknown. Obey your mother, or the big bad wolf will eat you. Play your cards right, and a fairy (or a prince or an enchanted frog) will rescue you. Follow the rules, and you will live happily ever after.
But thatcan...
October 6, 2015
#GBBO – it’s all about the bake.
It’s the final of The Great British Bake Off tomorrow. Daughter number 1 and I have planned what we’re going to eat and drink while we watch – milk for her, tea for me, a packet of chocolate digestives for the both of us (unless I make it to the shops on the way home from work and buy some macarons).
We’ve learned a lot about baking...
