Kathryn Freeman's Blog, page 18

What I learnt this week: 30th July 2015

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree

It’s a popular saying, meaning a child grows up to be similar to its parents. But it’s also very literal, in that apples don’t take flight and magically drop in a neighbour’s garden when they fall from the tree.

Sadly, they fall in yours.

Well I say sadly, but maybe you love your apples. Ours are cooking apples and they make a lovely pie and crumble – or at least they would, if I ever got round to making a pie or crumble.

The trouble is, though I love my tree – the blossom in the spring, the knobbly trunk in the winter, the sight of the rosy apples in summer (the second picture is from my study window) – I don’t especially love its apples.

I would go one further than that. The apples are a pain. They make me feel guilty when they hang on the tree, all fat and juicy and crying out to be picked and cooked. But I’m no Delia, or Nigella (that latter is much to my husband’s disappointment). I cook to eat, not because I enjoy it. So where I have to cook a main course because that’s a necessary part of a reasonably healthy diet, I don’t have to cook a pudding. They’re bad for us, even with apples in them.

What a shame then that my husband and eldest son actually like a crumble or a pie (the youngest will only consider it if smothered in chocolate). It seems that apple really isn’t falling far from the tree …

Mind you, husband and sons are also the ones who want the tree chopped down. It seems no matter how much they like an apple pie, they absolutely hate picking up the rotten apples.

And of course there are quite a lot of them over the summer months, because, did I mention, I don’t like cooking?!

What I learnt this week: editing is hugely rewarding, but I still enjoy writing

These last few months – and by few I probably mean four rather than two, I’ve spent a lot of time editing. First there were edits to a novella I wrote several years ago that I’ve tried to pummel into shape prior to submitting to my publisher. Then there were edits to the first draft of a full length book I’ve provisionally entitled Crumbs (there is a logic to this odd title – its set in a biscuit company). Running through all these were the ‘proper’ edits to Search for the Truth which began back in March.

I say proper because these were edits suggested by my editor, who really knows what’s she’s talking about. She produces a report detailing areas that can be improved: characters, plot, pace, timings etc. Far more constructive than my changing things round a bit because it doesn’t quite sound right.  

Editing a book with a real editor is like solving a puzzle, though the end result is much more satisfying. To give you a flavour of the process, think of a room in your house you think looks okay. You ask an interior designer for their opinion and they surprise you with the long list of improvements they would make (yes, editorial reports run into pages … and pages!). Trusting the professional, you make the changes – perhaps deepen the colour of the paint, remove the carpet to expose the floorboards, rearrange the seating. Add a lamp.

 

It’s not easy, and at times you wonder why you’re putting all this effort into altering what was a perfectly good room.

But then you’re finished and you stand back. The room looks so much better than it had before, yet even though it’s your room, in your house, you wouldn’t have had the insight to know how to make it better. That’s exactly how I feel when I go through the editorial process.

Now all that has finished for a while, and having sent Crumbs out to a friend and my husband for feedback, I’ve started a new book. It’s been in my head for a while, and a few weeks ago I dumped the basic outline onto paper. On Monday I typed chapter one. Today I’m on chapter four – and I can’t wait to head back into it.

What I learnt this week: Search for Truth

I’m thrilled to say my fourth book – and my third with Choc Lit – goes live for pre-order on Amazon today. Just in case you want to make sure  it goes onto your Kindle on 13th August, here is the link. 

And here, thanks to Choc Lit and the amazing Berni Stevens, is the cover:

I’m excited about this one – but also a bit nervous. It’s a romance set in the industry I spent over twenty years of my life working in: the pharmaceutical industry. I loved it. I was proud to work in an industry that improves the health of so many people. An industry that saves lives, though it’s sometimes given a hard time. Certainly my heroine, Tess, isn’t a great fan. In fact, when she joins it – not for the career challenge, but for a very personal reason – she feels she’s joining The Dark Side. When she meets Jim Knight, the head of research and development, she experiences the dark side in a different way. Yes, he is tall, dark and handsome. He’s also dynamic, determined – and has a deadly smile.

So why am I nervous ? Well actually I’m always nervous at the launch of a new book – will people like it? – but for this one there is an extra butterfly or two. I based it in the pharma industry because I thought it made sense to write about something I knew for a change. Now it’s about to go live though, I realise many of those amazing colleagues I worked with might actually get round to reading it. And when they do, they’ll not only be checking the detail. They’ll be wondering where my characters came from.

Worry not, they are all from my imagination. I tell you, if I’d come across a man like Jim Knight, I’d have known about it. And if I’d met Tess, I like to think we’d still be meeting for drinks, discussing our shoe collection (she’s obsessed!).

Now I just need to persuade those butterflies to calm down a bit.

 

 

What I learnt this week: Thursday 9th July

I am too old for camping

Last weekend we went to Silverstone for the first time. In order to gain the full Grand Prix experience, we chose to camp on the Saturday night. It meant we made a weekend of it, watched the qualifying, walked round the circuit on a gorgeous balmy Saturday evening when most of the crowds had disappeared. Sat and drank some fizzy by our tent with our great friends. Idyllic.

Well, it would have been had it not been for the fact that our tents seemed to be pitched next to the M25. Cars coming and going all night, campers coming back late and drunk, car alarms going off, first cars of the morning arriving around 5.45am. Oh and a few helicopters thrown in, too. The adults estimate we had 23 and a half minutes sleep. The kids (four between us) had to be woken up at 9am, having slept through everything.

I’m not too old to experience a fan girl crush

I’ve had a crush on Jenson Button for years – those who read my blog will know a cardboard cutout of the man sits next to my desk.

So of course I was super excited to watch him race. Ouch. He didn’t even last a lap, shunted off the track by his fellow driver. Swallowing my disappointment I put my energy into cheering on Lewis Hamilton – not that he seemed to need my support, what with the whole of Silverstone urging him on. I was delighted to see him win, especially as the rest of my family are huge Hamilton fans.

But I have to admit the highlight of my day was catching sight of Jenson afterwards as he came out to sign autographs. In the flesh, he certainly didn’t disappoint. Definitely romantic hero material (and the inspiration for a book I hope will be published next year!).

 

 

 

 

What I learnt this week: 2 July 2015

Sometimes you have to experience failure to fully appreciate success

My eldest son passed his driving test this week. He went to the test centre with his instructor, so the first I knew how he’d done was when he arrived home. The delight on his face when I opened the door to him will stay with me forever.

It’s a key moment in life, passing the test, gaining your independence. I can remember my own experience so vividly (and yes, okay, it was rather a long time ago now). But I wonder if those who pass first time appreciate their success as much as those who pass second (like my son) or third (like me).

When success comes easily, it surely doesn’t feel as momentous as when you have to fight for it? It made me think of my writing journey. Had I received a book contract on my first submission to a publisher, would I have felt so utterly thrilled as I did after my … I confess, I forget how many attempts. When I read that first story though, I can’t say I’m surprised I didn’t get anywhere with it.

But for both me and my son, this is only the start of our journey. We’ll both get better the more we travel down it. We’ll come across obstacles (cyclists, horse and cart, bad reviews, crisis of confidence) but navigating round them will simply make us better at our respective crafts.

Onwards and upwards. I’m just glad I don’t have to have a P plate on the front of my books …

What I learnt this week: 25th June 2015

Toads look like frogs but it’s best not to kiss them

We had a gorgeous visitor to our garden this week. He was walking along the grass by our pond.

‘A frog!’ I yelped enthusiastically (I don’t get out much).

‘A toad.’ I was informed.

I’d always thought toads were big ugly looking creatures, and this little guy was cute. So what is the difference between a frog and a toad?

Hastily I did some research.

Visually the most obvious difference seems to be that frogs have smooth, moist skin that makes them look slimy.

Our little visitor had rough, dry, gnarled looking skin. Warty, they say. Frogs also have a slimmer body compared to their more stubby looking counterparts. When it comes to hind legs, the frogs are longer, enabling them to take graceful high jumps. The poor toad is left walking and hopping.

Are you starting to see where this is going?

It strikes me that the toad has a rough deal in life. The frog is the sexy one, despite its more bulging eyes. The toad is the ugly friend, shuffling about awkwardly as his mate struts his stuff, flashing his long legs, smooth skin and slim torso.

But the toad gets its own back. It might have the skin of a weathered rhinoceros, but it lets out a bitter taste and smell that burns the eyes and nostrils of those who try to eat it. And behind each eye are glands which produce irritant, foul-tasting toxins to deter would-be predators. Or those who mistake it for a frog and try to kiss it. After all, with a face like this, its hard to resist.

What we had in our garden was a common toad, though we thought he was pretty special

 

 

What I learnt this week: Thursday 18th June

I know a lot more about the Magna Carta than I did previously

It’s 800 years since the Magna Carta was sealed by King John “in the meadow called Ronimed between Windsor and Staines on the fifteenth day of June in the seventeenth year of our reign.”

As I live opposite that meadow in Runnymede, I thought I’d better find out a bit more about it. Especially as locals believe the document was actually sealed on our side, perhaps near this priory, built in the twelfth century.

The Magna Carta declared the sovereign to be subject to the rule of law and also provided the foundation for individual rights that we see today in both English and American law.

“No free man shall be arrested or imprisoned or disseised or outlawed or exiled or in any way victimised, neither will we attack him or send anyone to attack him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.”

Apparently though, by August of that same year Pope Innocent III had annulled the Magna Carta, declaring it illegal and having been sealed under duress. But there were too many witnesses for it to be denied or forgotten. Up to thirteen copies were quickly made and sent throughout the kingdom – the modern day equivalent of the Magna Carta going viral.

River boat relays aren’t my thing

As part of the Magna Carta celebrations, there was a river relay from Hurley to Runnymede. We trooped down to the river with friends to watch it sail by, complete with bottle of fizz (it seemed appropriate) a few nibbles and a picnic blanket. Suffice to say, the fizz and nibbles were definitely the most entertaining part of the relay. Don’t get me wrong, I like sitting by the river watching boats. It’s just when the occasion is built up to be a ‘river relay’ I’m geared up to expect something more than … well, boats sailing down the river.

I had the same sense of disappointment when I watched the Diamond Jubilee river pageant. At least this time, rather than standing for 5 hours in the rain, I only had to walk across a few fields and watch in the sun. Gloriana, Her Majesty’s Row Barge, did look very pretty:

And the fizz slipped down very easily

Happy Birthday Choc Lit

Today marks the 6th birthday of my publisher, Choc Lit.

Here are six reasons why I’m so proud (and really, really happy) to write for them.

1)   They took a risk on an unknown author and made her dream come true

2)   They’re incredibly professional, yet it feels more like being part of a family than a business.

3)   My fellow Choc Lit authors are slightly crazy, greatly talented and utterly amazing in the generosity of their support.

4)   The tasting panel. This publisher doesn’t just look at the first 3 chapters of submitted novels, but gives the entire book to real readers and asks for their thoughts.

5)   Choc Lit champion the hero point of view – and that’s what I enjoy writing most.

6)   Choc Lit publish a fabulous variety of romantic fiction, each with a cover that isn’t just striking but cleverly matches the style and tone of the book. If you want to see what I mean, just take a look at their website.

So a big happy birthday to my publisher – and a rather embarrassingly small cake.

Far better for the health of my family though that I bought this muffin instead of attempting to make anything …

I had a dream

Today is the publication day for Midsummer Dreams, by fellow Choc Lit author Alison May. She writes witty romantic comedies.

Here is a quick introduction to her new book:

Four people. Four messy lives. One night that changes everything …

Emily is obsessed with ending her father’s new relationship – but is blind to the fact that her own is far from perfect.

Dominic has spent so long making other people happy that he’s hardly noticed he’s not happy himself.

Helen has loved the same man, unrequitedly, for ten years. Now she may have to face up to the fact that he will never be hers.

Alex has always played the field. But when he finally meets a girl he wants to commit to, she is just out of his reach.

At a midsummer wedding party, the bonds that tie the four friends together begin to unravel and show them that, sometimes, the sensible choice is not always the right one.

To celebrate the publication (like raising a glass, but less alcoholic), we’re all blogging on the same themes:

I had a dream

I had a nightmare

My dream for the future

So, here it goes:

I had a dream … that one day I would write books. I bet this is the least original dream you’ll see today, but it doesn’t make it any less true. To be exact, my dream was to write them while sitting by the pool, in the sun, with a gin and tonic by my side. So, I didn’t quite achieve the dream, though now I’m older and wiser I realise it would be hard type on a laptop in the sun. All that glare on the screen, and the suntan lotion making the keyboard sticky. Am I living the dream then? Yes. Because it’s actually the writing that’s the fun part, rather than where I do it.

I had a nightmare … that my mother, mother-in-law and teenage sons were reading the sex scenes in my books. And oh help, when the books were published the nightmare turned into reality. I hadn’t quite considered this in all the excitement of getting published. But they’re all still talking to me.

My dream for the future. That bit about writing books by the pool – I’ve got to admit, I’ve not given up on it yet. I can put up with the glare, and I’ll wash my hands after applying the lotion…

 

 

What I learnt this week: Less is more

But with writing, it’s a real art 

I have a tendency to write in a rather verbose style – much like I talk. Why use one word, when it’s so much more satisfying to pepper the sentence with lots more? I guess it comes from the fact that I rarely consider what I say before I open my big mouth and say it.

When it comes to my writing, the words flow onto the keyboard in much the same way they flow out of mouth – with very little conscious thought. It means I’m able to write pretty quickly, which can be a good thing. Sadly it also means much of what I write is … umm … no, I won’t go with rubbish. Let’s say redundant. Superfluous.

Of course I can edit them out later, and I try to do this, but I’m still not as good as I should be.

Here are a couple of examples from the book I’ve just finished editing:

Before:

Quickly she smoothed concealer under her eyes and dabbed on some blusher.

After:

Quickly she smoothed on concealer and added some blusher.

Before:

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jim’s mouth turn up at the edges in the beginnings of a smile.

After:

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jim start to smile.

I think my verbosity (oh, what a fabulous word) is one of the reasons I find it so hard to write short stories. But I need to crack on and do some, because the discipline of removing redundant words and making my writing tighter (umm, probably I didn’t need the last four words there – it’s already implied from the words before, isn’t it?!) … I digress, the discipline will be good for me.

As was trying to answer this question for a recent interview.

Please summarise Too Charming in 20 words or less.

Gulp. Summarise 95,000 words into twenty?!

I got it down to this:

Sexy defence lawyer falls for feisty police detective, wary of handsome charmers. But a murder case forces her to re-evaluate him.

(though I might have cheated with twenty one…)

 

Quick plug: Too Charming is out in paperback from 7th June 2015!