Pippa Croft's Blog, page 6

My RNA Conference in pictures

Highlight of my day – the best selling Katie Fforde, one of my favourite authors, buying a copy of my book, Just Say Yes.

The web is buzzing with accounts and photos from the RNA Conference 2014 which was held over the past four days in and around Telford. You can see from the previous blog post that I took part in some library events and gave a talk with Nell Dixon at the Conference itself – but many people stayed for the whole weekend and have lots more to say, so I’m going to be lazy and post pictures (mainly because I am in the middle of copy edits for Third Time Lucky.)

The picture at the top is of the awesome and wonderful Katie Fforde – I’d literally just arrived in the reception when she came up to the bookstall and bought a copy of Just Say Yes so I had the total thrill of signing it for her. The pic is shaky because it was from my antique camera phone – and also I’m not sure what the lovely Jan from Waterstones had been drinking while manning the bookshop… (only joking)

YA writing workshop with authors, Alison Sherlock and Kate Johnson.

There were lots of workshops, lots of writers learning new skills, industry panels, debates and discussions – lots of buying of books and serious research. However, i was only there for one day which was spent nervously pacing the building, drinking Costa until our talk. We then attended the dinner – lovely food, but it took a while to serve 220 people so by the cheese course, I was knackered and had to drive home.

Montage of pics of Conference sessions from Sue Fortin – Nell and I are in the top right.

Visit these blogs for more sense: Jane Lovering

Sue Fortin

Janet Gover

There were also five male romantic novelists there including this one:



Simon Whaley

RNA Author Showcase – Free author talks & workshops

If you’re in the Telford (Shropshire/West Midlands) area on Thursday afternoon, we’d love to see you at any or all of these FREE Author events which are being run at Wellington Library by the Romantic Novelists Association.

The events are part of the RNA Author Showcase which is being held in association with Telford & Wrekin Council and Waterstones.

From 3-4pm, I’m joining the Tea & Tales of Yesterday & Today reader event with Hazel Gaynor, Gwen Kirkwood, Kate Long, Mary Nichols and Alison Sherlock

Enjoy reading about Families, relationships, history and love? In the great tradition of Afternoon Tea, join these popular authors for a discussion about the novels you love and the stories you want to read.

Refreshments will be provided.

Please book a free place by contacting Wellington Library (01952) 382990.

Then, from 4-5pm, I’m helping to host Taking It Further – A Writers’ Workshop for YAs with Kate Johnson and Alison Sherlock

Enjoy writing stories, keeping a diary, contributing to magazines? Let’s help you do more… this workshop for teens and young adults has an emphasis on answering questions, tackling problems and looking forward.

Please bring along samples of your work.

Suitable for age 14 and above.

If you love talking about books or want to find out more about getting into writing, you’ll be very welcome.

The events are linked to the RNA Conference which is being held at Harper Adams University this weekend. The Conference is the major gathering for RNA members where we all get together to hone our writing techniques and learn about the latest trends in romantic fiction. It’s all work, work, work – of course – which reminds me, I need to decide what to wear for the Gala Dinner on Saturday night. I’m driving home after so I won’t be drinking the bar dry, which I understand happened at one event – or maybe that’s an urban myth…

There’s no wine, sadly, only afternoon tea at the reader events but don’t let that put you off!

All the details are here:

http://www.romanticnovelistsassociati...

Third Time Lucky is done – plus lots of other news!

The book has left the building…

Third Time Lucky – final book in the Oxford Blue series – has officially left the building and is off to my ed for her final approval. So now, book goes into production – next stage copy edits where all the typos, consistency etc are checked – then several proof reads. Third Time will be published in October, along with the paperback of The First Time We Met. The picture above is one of the e cards Penguin produced for the series, and I think it sums up many authors’ feelings about finishing a novel!

I’ve been mooching about the house, not quite sure what to to do with myself this morning but we do now have a clean bathroom.

Party Time!

This evening, however, I’m off to a book launch at the Cavalry & Guards Club (get me!) for Elizabeth Forbes’ new chilling psychological thriller. Her last novel was featured on Woman’s Hour and I can’t wait to get my copy. It’s the second time I’ve been to London this week. On Tuesday, I joined over a hundred other authors, agents and editors at the DHH Literary Agency. The event was held at Goldsboro Books in Covent Garden which specialises in first edition and signed hardbacks. The sight of all those gorgeous hardbacks, oh my precious…

It was great to catch up with my Penguin ‘boss’ and Anna, the Penguin sales manager as well as my former Little Black Dress editor, new Headline team and eds from Mills and Boon – plus the lovely DHH people, of course!

So, all that remains is to await the publication as an e book of Third Time Lucky in October – the same day, my paperback version of First Time I saw You will be released.

Free talks and workshop

Finally, if you are in the Telford area on Thursday July 10th, I’ll be taking part in two talks at Wellington Library as part of the RNA Author Showcase Event, with authors including Rowan Coleman and Katie Fforde. It’s free – so why not come and say hello?

You’ll find all the details HERE.

Have a good weekend,

Phillipa/Pippa

PS THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed the first two books on their blogs, on Amazon or Goodreads. I am *thrilled* with the response, best I’ve ever had to a book.

Out today – The Second Time I Saw You

OK, it’s not out until May 22 (about 6 hours from now) but it’s already ready for download in some parts of the world, and I won’t have time to visit the blog tomorrow so I hope you love the second part in the Oxford Blue trilogy!

You can download the ebook for your e reader or tablet from just about any online bookstore, worldwide.

Do post a review if you like it, or drop me an email or look me up on twitter/facebook to tell me what you think or chat about the characters – or anything. Don’t be a stranger!

I’m going to be online all morning then off to the RNA Summer party in the afternoon, but I’ll be online later too, for night owls and US Readers.

Enjoy Lauren and Alexander’s journey…and here’s a taste to whet your appetite.

I’m already gone as he says the name I dread hearing. Of course it’s Alexander. My pulse races and every instinct tells me to head straight back down the stairs again. How could I have thought he wouldn’t try to confront me after what happened with Scott? This is the man who told me he always wins and never stops until he gets what he wants.

I stiffen my resolve because this is the woman who spent the vac ready for this moment: it’s over, no matter what he throws at me.

My heart thumps against my ribcage as I reach my landing and see the dark figure resting against the wall outside my door.

Then he lifts his face to me.

For the next few heartbeats, I half wonder whether the figure isn’t Alexander after all. Because the guy slumped against the wall opposite outside my door isn’t the arrogant guy I last saw blocking the pavement in the street, the unshakeable, implacable man that other people had to go around. This man looks shapeless and beaten, a sack of bones in a black Crombie overcoat.

My hand freezes on the banister. ‘Alexander?’

When he lifts his face to me , Hhis eyes are red-rimmed as if he’s been crying.

My stomach clenches. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘It’s my father. He’s dead.’

Second Time I Saw You – now on NetGalley

If you’re a book blogger or reviewer, The Second Time I Saw You is now available for review on NetGalley. I cannot believe it’s only three weeks to go until publication of the ebook on May 22nd. SO many people have asked me when the ARCs will be available so there you go!

Right now, I’m writing the last chapters of Third Time Lucky – #Book3 in the Oxford Blue series and gearing up for a manic but very exciting May.

My daughter has her graduation ceremony on May 17th, and I’m also off to visit the Penguins to discuss launch plans for the paperbacks of the series. So… deep breath, I will have an actual book on actual store shelves, something I’d almost given up ever seeing again this time last year. The moral is: never give up!

It’s also Black Country Big Book Fortnight next month and on on May 20th, I’m giving a free talk with Nell Dixon and Liz Hanbury at Wednesbury Library – details HERE.

May 22nd is Publication Day – and I’m going to the RNA Party to celebrate. More on that story later, because it’s the presentation of the Joan Hessayon NWS Award which holds special memories for me and for all the wonderful shortlisted RNA authors – I’ll do a post about it closer to the date.

After that, there’s going to be a blog tour and a Facebook Launch party ongoing for two weeks, with chances to win Kindle vouchers for Second Time I Saw You and signed postcards.

More news on all of these events soon – but please also follow me on Twitter @PippaCroftBooks and visit my Facebook pages for the latest news because I just can’t get to the blog as often as I want to these days.

Have a happy May Bank Holiday, if you get one!

P xx

Fab review from Chloe’s Chick Lit Reviews!

Yes, two posts in one day from me and they’re both about reviews!

I have to post because I almost forgot to say that I’ve had a four star review from Chloe’s Chick Lit Reviews, and knowing that Chloe is honest with her views, I’m doing a happy dance that she loved The First Time We Met. I haven’t posted it yet because it appearaed on march 30th and since then I’ve been away for a long break in Cornwall to celebrate my wedding anniversary. Bliss.

Here’s a short extract – but for the full review, please click HERE.

The story was very readable, I wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen next and if Lauren and Alexander would get their happy-ever-after! Croft’s writing is easy to read, it really immerses you in the story, and I’m certainly looking forward to the second book in the series. With a great setting, fantastic characters and a passionate love story, The First Time We Met is a great read in the New Adult genre, and one I definitely recommend.

Thank you Chloe, I really appreciate you taking the time to read and feature my book on your fantastic blog.

Is my book too rude?

In between proofreading The Second Time I Saw You and writing more rude bits for Third Time Lucky, I ventured onto a BIG review site this morning to see the latest reaction to The First Time We Met. I try not to go there, as a rule, but I’m only human. To be fair, the reviews so far have almost without exception, been amazingly positive but that doesn’t stop me quaking in my boots when I click the link to a certain site.

It always amazes me the things people see in your work: occasionally, you’ll get a review that is so spot on what you were thinking yourself that you actually weep. Once in a while, you wonder if the person has actually read your book or got it confused with a car maintenance manual. Mostly, though, I find readers highlight stuff that you didn’t know was there.

So, this morning, I came across a review that made me smile and then think – wait. It turned out the reader ‘kinda loved it’ and had read it while ‘drying her hair’ – which is fine, I drink coffee while drying my hair, I plot novels while drying my hair and do anything other than actually style my hair…

But one of the phrases stood out for me.

I kinda loved it. Made me giggle, but I definitely would not read this out in public. A bit rude!!

So, is my book TOO RUDE?

It definitely has a lot of sex in it; because Alexander and Lauren are young, fit and passionately in love with each other (even though neither of them wants to admit it!)

Thing is, while the series is red hot and sexy, I wouldn’t actually say it’s erotic… and it definitely isn’t kinky (although I have no objection to kinky books, it isn’t 50 Shades of Grey)

My conclusion is that the series probably isn’t quite rude enough, so maybe I’d better fix that in Book 3. I say this tongue in cheek, of course, because actually, I think my books are exactly rude enough for the characters. I try hard to make them as sexy as the tone and development demands. The sex scenes are, I hope, in keeping with what Alexander and Lauren want and need. If I made them any hotter – or any less spicy – then it wouldn’t be their story any more, it would be mine or an editor’s.

What do you think?



Back to the Rudeness!

Guess what arrived in the post?

The proofs of The Second Time I Saw You were delivered by courier this morning – so exciting to see them on paper. I also heard that The First Time We Met is scheduled for a definite October 9th release date in paperback and it’s obviously already available in e book form.

I won’t actually believe my book is in print until I hold it in my hand but it’s looking very promising. Squee!

I also think I’ve accepted the fact that my days of blogging once a week are over and I’ll always be ‘dashing by’ to post random stuff about the books. However, no excuses for posting photographic evidence that book #2 in the Oxford Blue series is (almost) done. After I’ve read it through, it goes off for a final proof read and thence to the e book production team at Penguin.

You might just be able to read the first page here…

Cover reveal – the complete Oxford Blue Series!

So, here they are: the complete set of covers for the Oxford Blue series!

How to be a Published Novelist

View over seafront at Aberystwyth, now well on way to recovery after winter storms.

I took part in the Publishing Industry Event at Aberystwyth University yesterday, along with a literary agent, publisher and two former students who have writing related careers. The room was packed with Creative Writing and English Lit students and as I ran out of my handout on How to Be A Published Novelist, I’m posting it here on the blog:

HOW TO BE A PUBLISHED NOVELIST

by Phillipa Ashley/Pippa Croft

DON’T GIVE UP THE DAY JOB

Even if you get a publishing deal, an author’s life is financially precarious for all but a tiny few, so assume you will need another source of income, either from a writing-related job or a totally different career. Having another job will give you vital life experiences and inspiration – so meet people, do things, go places and get out there!

READ WIDELY

Read, read everything – popular fiction, literary fiction, classics, non-fiction, newspapers, magazines – and keep an open mind about all the things you read. Everything informs your writing life, develops your voice, helps you to see what the market is like and what you actually might like to write. Above all, write what you enjoy writing, not what you think you ‘ought’ to write.

WRITE EVERY DAY

Write. That may seem obvious but Just Do It. Write every day if you can – even if it’s only a few words – try different projects, experiment. Write even if you think your work is rubbish; all writers think that at some point. A successful writer also knows s/he’s going to rewrite. The magic happens in the rewriting/editing process.

SELL YOURSELF

Finishing a book is only part of the story; you need to decide how it will reach an audience. You’ll need energy, professionalism and courage to approach agents and publishers and market your work.

NEVER GIVE UP

Develop a thick skin; learn to deal with knockbacks, book snobbery and self-doubt and Keep on Writing.