Isabella May's Blog, page 5
May 21, 2018
Meet The Author: Joan Livingston
I have a confession to make. I used to be a journalist. So did Isabel Long, the protagonist of my new mystery, Chasing the Case. But unlike me, Isabel decided to put her know-how to use by becoming an amateur private investigator. I rely on mine to make Isabel’s story realistic.
Chasing the Case is set in the small, rural hilltowns of Western Massachusetts, where I got my start in the newspaper biz. I reported first on Worthington, the town where my family and I lived, and eventually I covered several towns plus did regional stories. I loved breaking a news story and getting to know what people did. I went to town meetings (my favorite was one about pigs), and covered what interested the community from truck pulls to school events to country fairs. I covered fires and what little crime there was. I did profiles of people. A few of my stories went national.
But for me, the greatest benefit was listening to the way people talked and writing it down. I believe it has paid off with realistic dialogue in my fiction.
But back to Isabel, who also covered the hilltowns of Western Massachusetts until, like me, she moved up to being an editor. In Chasing the Case, she loses her job managing a newspaper when it goes corporate. (To set the record straight, that didn’t happen in the two papers where I worked in Massachusetts and New Mexico.) Isabel decides to revisit her first big story as a rookie reporter — when a woman went missing 28 years earlier from the fictional town of Conwell.
So what skills would Isabel find transferable? Certainly, breaking down the elements of a story and figuring out who to contact. Good interview skills are a must. Developing a network of sources for tips is another. And she’s got to be good kind of nosy.
And there are times when a journalist has be a bit brave. For Isabel, that means talking with somebody who has something to hide — like maybe murdering another person. By the way, she’s really good at that.
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Chasing the Case: Book Blurb
How does a woman disappear in a town of a thousand people? That’s a 28-year-old mystery Isabel Long wants to solve.
Isabel has the time given she just lost her husband and her job as the managing editor of a newspaper. (Yes, it’s been a bad year.) And she’s got a Watson — her 92-year-old mystery-loving mother who lives with her.
To help her case, Isabel takes a job at the local watering hole, so she can get up close and personal with those connected to the mystery.
As a journalist, Isabel never lost a story she chased. Now, as an amateur P.I., she’s not about to lose this case.
Chasing the Case officially launched May 18.
Here’s the link to order Chasing the Case in paperback or the Kindle version: http://mybook.to/chasingthecase
Joan Livingston is the author of novels for adult and young readers. Chasing the Case, published by Crooked Cat Books, is her first mystery and the first in a series featuring Isabel Long, a longtime journalist who becomes an amateur P.I.
An award-winning journalist, she started as a reporter covering the hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. She was an editor, columnist, and most recently the managing editor of The Taos News, which won numerous state and national awards during her tenure.
After eleven years in Northern New Mexico, she returned to rural Western Massachusetts, which is the setting of much of her adult fiction, including Chasing the Case and its sequels.
Website: http://www.joanlivingston.net.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoanLivingstonAuthor/
Twitter: @joanlivingston
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/JoanLivingston_Author
Goodreads: http://www.Goodreads.com/Joan_Livingston
May 8, 2018
Meet The Author: J.V. Baptie
Welcome, J.V! Thank you very much for joining me today in the run up to publication. You must be so excited – and with good reason: the early reviews of your debut are sounding great.
Can you tell us a little about your novel and why we should all go out and buy it?
What if everything was a lie?
Newly-promoted but not welcome in CID, Detective Sergeant Helen Carter is tasked with investigating a murder in an old abandoned picture house. The killer has left a clue: the business card of an ex-cop.
Helen must piece together the case before the bodies mount up around her, and before the killer strikes closer to home…
How long did it take you to write this book?
I wrote this book for my dissertation project as part of my MA in creative writing course. It took me about a year overall.
Which authors have had the biggest influence on your writing?
That’s a difficult question but Robert Bloch and Donald Westlake are both pretty high up on the list.
Favourite cake?
Victoria sponge
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Definitely a pantser.
Favourite characters in your book?
DS Helen Carter, she’s strong and funny. DI Jack Craven was also great fun to write as he is quite a dark funny character. I had a lot of fun writing this novel.
Who from the literary world would you put top of your list if you were throwing a cocktail party?
Agatha Christie would be at the top of the list.
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Nicest thing anyone has said about your writing?
Alex Gray one of my favourite authors said mine was a ‘genuine page turner.’
And the not so nicest?
Nothing yet as my books only on pre-order at the moment! Its due for release on June 13th.
What can we expect to see from you next?
Helen will be returning in The Departed…
About the Author
J.V. Baptie graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2017 with an MA in Creative Writing. When not writing, she is also an actress and has appeared in a variety of children’s shows and stage plays. You can find out more about her at jvbaptie.com on Twitter @jvbaptie and Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJVBaptie/
About The Book, The Forgotten
What if everything was a lie?
Newly-promoted but not welcome in CID, Detective Sergeant Helen Carter is tasked with investigating a murder in an old abandoned picture house. The case takes a chilling turn when the business card of an ex-cop is found at the scene.
Helen must piece together the case before the bodies mount up around her, and before the killer strikes closer to home…
Delve into the underworld of Scotland’s capital city in this fast-paced thriller!
Praise for The Forgotten:
“A genuine page turner.” Bestselling author, Alex Gray
“Fast-paced and gritty Tartan Noir. A Brilliant Debut.” Bestselling author, Frances Di Plino
“Fans of Rebus will love this.” Thriller author, E.A Clark.
“Memorable and smart.” Tom Ward, author
May 7, 2018
Meet The Author: C.J. Sutton
Thank you SO much for joining me today C.J. Your book sounds like an absolute page-turner, and that cover makes me want to dive right in!
Can you tell us a little about your debut novel and why we should all go out and buy it?
Dortmund Hibernate is a story about a young psychologist who is sent to an infamous rural Asylum. Due to his success in the field, he is asked to provide advice on the nine most severe “criminally insane” cases in the country; send them to prison, or stamp a death sentence. The world is changing, and as Asylums are a symbol of the past it is up to our protagonist Dr Magnus Paul to assess each case. He wants to cure their “sickness”, and he will do all in his power to save these souls.
If you’re a fan of Silence of the Lambs, Shutter Island or just a dark tale with unstable characters, this book is for you. It is a psychological thriller with twists, turns and an analysis of our deepest fears. But at the heart of the story is the issue of diminishing hope, family and the problems with holding on to the past.
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How long did it take you to write this book?
As I was working full-time and spent most weekends sitting at my desk typing away, this book took about 6-8 months. Building the nine most disturbed people possible took research, thought and a range of drafts. Their dialogue was particularly time consuming, but extremely enjoyable. I finished the book mid-2017 and left it alone for a while. I like to let my writing air so I can discover any issues on the next read, and after a few more edits I sent it across to Crooked Cat.
Which authors have had the biggest influence on your writing?
I’m a Stephen King fan and I must say reading his horror tales as a teenager sparked an interest in writing. Low Men in Yellow Coats (otherwise known as Hearts in Atlantis) resonated with me in a way that was both unexpected and powerful.
Another, which many may find odd as he is not an author, is Leonardo DiCaprio. The roles he has played on screen have demonstrated the torment a person feels both inside and out. My lead character deals with his own demons as he assesses the gruesome details of others, and knowing how to construct such a character has come through many viewings of The Departed, Blood Diamond, Inception, The Revenant, Shutter Island, The Basketball Diaries and even The Great Gatsby. We all need someone to look up to, and Leo remains my biggest influence despite his artform being on screen.
Favourite cake?
I once indulged in a “salted caramel latte” cake and it felt like I grew another limb. I’m a coffee nut, so anything infused with coffee flavours will usually attract me. I’m not a sweet-tooth, preferring a latte or a beer, but if I’m at a special occasion such as a wedding I will usually dig in to anything!
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Are you a plotter or a pantser?
For the story I was a plotter, but for the characters I was a pantser. Knowing the start, middle and end of the story is important in the planning process, but I wanted to create these insane individuals by sitting at the laptop and just letting my mind delve into darkness. I was up on countless nights at 4am when the rest of the city was sleeping, typing out gruesome scenes of massacre and torture. For each introduction to a character, I set myself the task of writing out their full chapter without lifting my hands off the keyboard or taking a break.
Need a drink? Not yet, keep writing.
Need a break? Not yet, keep writing.
By putting myself in this frame of mind, I utilised my frustrations in the tale of the character. This was a new method to me, and one I won’t need to use for future novels. But I wanted to try something different here and I believe it gave the writing the edge it needed.
Favourite characters in your book?
When I created the nine inmates of the asylum, I used my own fears to mould their personalities and their crimes. But I think my favourite character is the lead guard at the Asylum, Walter Perch. Here is a man that holds the safety of the town on his shoulders, and he leads his team with pride despite not having a title to outline his importance. When Magnus Paul arrives to the Asylum ready to make a difference, it is Walter that introduces him to the nine inmates and it is Walter who tries to keep him on a steady path. I found writing Walter to be an immense joy, a beacon of light in the darkest tunnel.
Of the nine inmates, I can’t help but choose Jasper James. He’s the rock star, the most infamous case, the leader of a cult biker outfit who has spent nearly a decade in the Asylum. He draws Magnus to the task, and his personality is the greatest challenge of our protagonist’s career. He’s a mysterious man so I’ll leave the rest to the reader.
Who from the literary world would you put top of your list if you were throwing a cocktail party?
I would probably put George R R Martin at the top of the list so I could hold him captive until he finishes the Game of Thrones series. He has created this phenomenon that has changed fantasy forever. Martin is the Tolkien of our generation and I think it is so important to have authors in the limelight. Actors, singers, athletes and politicians steal all the press, but writers contribute creativity to society in an artform that cannot be pushed to the side. We need more George R R Martins, and J K Rowlings, and Stephen Kings. To have these writers at a cocktail party would be an opportunity to find out how they did things different…and to see who is the biggest alcoholic!
Nicest thing anyone has said about your writing?
When I was at university studying something unrelated to writing, a tutor said: “When I mark essays I always read your essay first because you write beautifully. It puts me in the mood to read.”
To put someone in the mood to read really made me smile, and even though this was a decade ago I have never forgotten those words. On those dark days all writers have where we don’t feel good enough, I remember these words. This can be hard when I start a chapter with “He killed his boss with a MacBook”. I can’t imagine many people smiling at that!
And the not so nicest?
“Your writing is not for us.”
This is vague, but I believe good writing is for everyone. When someone working in the industry tells you that your writing is not for them, you immediately think there is something wrong with your style. I’ve since understood that this can mean they simply didn’t care enough to read your writing, or that they don’t particularly like your author profile (or face?) but negative words will never be easy to accept.
What can we expect to see from you next?
I’m currently writing a new thriller which should be finished mid-year. I’m pretty excited about this as it takes a completely different direction to anything I’ve ever written. I will be taking some time off writing as I’m getting married and jetting off on a relaxing honeymoon, but a writer never stops writing. Keep an eye on my social media pages for more!
Here’s the Universal Amazon link for Dortmund Hibernate: Mybook.to/dortmundhibernate
Blurb:
Psychologist Dr Magnus Paul is tasked with the patients of Dortmund Asylum; nine criminally insane souls hidden from the world due to the extremity of their cases.
Magnus has six weeks to prove them sane for transfer to a maximum-security prison, or label them as incurable and recommend a death sentence under a new government act.
The rural Western town of Dortmund and its inhabitants are the backdrop to the mayhem on the hill.
As Magnus delves into the darkness of the incarcerated minds, his own sanity is challenged.
Secrets squeeze through the cracks of the Asylum, blurring the line between reality and nightmare.
And the most notorious man of all is strapped to the floor of his cell, urging Magnus towards a new life of crime…
It’s Silence of the Lambs meets Shutter Island in this tale of loss, fear and diminishing hope.
Bio:
C.J. Sutton is a writer, freelance journalist and author based in Melbourne, Australia. He holds a Master of Communication degree with majors in journalism and creative writing. His fictional writing delves into the unpredictability of the human mind and the fears that determine our choices in life.
As a professional writer C.J. Sutton has worked within the hustle and bustle of newsrooms, the competitive offices of advertising and the deep trenches of marketing. But his interest in creating new characters and worlds has seen a move into fiction, which has always pleaded for attention. Dortmund Hibernate is his debut novel.
April 23, 2018
Meet The Author: Seamus Heffernan
Seamus, thank you so much for hopping onto the blog today. Your marketing for Napalm Hearts has been relentless and impressive! It’s great to be able to give readers the opportunity to get to know the brains behind the book…
Can you tell us a little about your debut novel, Napalm Hearts? It’s quite a catchy title you have there.
NAPALM HEARTS is a detective story about a successful but somewhat jaded American PI living in London, England who specializes in lucrative infidelity cases. Interested in doing some “real” investigative work, he takes on a new client, a wealthy and powerful man whose much younger and hard-partying wife has disappeared—and may or may not want to be found. It’s a bullet-paced thriller, with a few of the typical twists and turns, but it also explores themes of loneliness, power and class.
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How long did it take you to write?
Too long. I wrote the first 1,000 words or so at my kitchen table one groggy Saturday morning after hosting a party at my old house in St. John’s Newfoundland, and finished the first draft some seven years later at another kitchen table all across Canada, in British Columbia. I only have myself to blame—I wasted too much time and let life get in the way more than once. In the last couple of years I got much more serious about finishing it and, after I completed my master’s degree last spring, I had just enough gas in the tank to blow through the last 8,000 words or so.
Which authors have had the biggest influence on your writing?
I wrote a private eye novel, so I happily acknowledge Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, but honestly it’s any writer who can deliver the kind of story I like: With sympathetic and/or interesting characters who face situations of real danger and consequence as they pursue a goal that the reader cares about.
I don’t like a lot of messing about in my prose—I prefer to keep it lean and moving along. If I write a scene that doesn’t add anything to the plot or reveal something new about the characters, I kill it. Folks like Chandler and Hammett get a lot of credit for their longstanding influence, but people forget they also wrote damn good tales while still defining a genre. So I think I’d rather be known as a good storyteller than anything else.
Honestly, the world probably doesn’t need another detective novel, so if you’re going to write one it better be either a solid addition to the genre or say something new about it. I’ll settle for either or.
Favourite cake?
When I was a kid there was a bakery in my hometown called Maggie’s. They did lovely cakes—I remember my mother would dispatch my father on special occasions to get one, in either chocolate or vanilla. Both were great. Their icing made the difference.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Bit of both, I suppose. My original outline for NAPALM HEARTS was much different than the final version I wrote. Lesson learned: Sometimes you have to trust both your characters to guide you, as well as your own instincts when you’re in the moment. So for the second in the series I’m definitely taking a less structured approach.
I read something wonderful George Saunders said recently, about not overthinking everything before you sit down to write. He said to do so was to cheat your subconscious from what it will give you when you get going. I love that.
Favourite characters in your book?
I have a terrific amount of sympathy for my protagonist, Thaddeus. He’s not a perfect man—he struggles with his sobriety, he’s not a great dad to his daughter, he’s made questionable relationship choices since getting divorced—but he also has enough self-awareness, I think, that he’s aware of his shortcomings and he’s willing to try to be better, both in his job and (what passes for) his personal life.
His colleague and foil, Charlie, has been well-received by people who were kind enough to read earlier drafts. She’s smart and independent, and despite being a bit younger than Thad she’s not intimidated by him or his bluster. The writer Dietrich Kalteis was kind enough to read my manuscript, and he describes her as the story’s voice of reason. She’s loosely based on a couple of similarly strong-willed women I’ve worked with in the past. She might also be the book’s moral centre.
Who from the literary world would you put top of your list if you were throwing a cocktail party?
I suppose the smart thing to do would be to invite a bevy of big-time agents looking for new crime authors in an attempt to woo them, but honestly, I really enjoy just hanging out with other writers. I’d invite people whose work I appreciate, be it in books, TV, film or comics: Dennis Lehane, Richard Price, Douglas Coupland, Bret Easton Ellis, David Milch, David Mamet, Nic Pizzolatto, Warren Ellis, Mike Schur, Tibor Fischer, Ed Brubaker, Michel Faber.
Cripes, that’s a lot, and that’s just off the top of my head. Maybe no open bar for this, then.
Nicest thing anyone has said about your writing?
“Oh man! I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!”
And the not so nicest?
“Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, it is not a good fit for us right now.”
What can we expect to see from you next?
Well, I’m working on the follow up to NAPALM HEARTS. It was never intended to be a series, but when I got to the end I found it surprisingly open-ended. There’s a lot of room for these characters to grow, and I’m intrigued to see where they’ll end up.
I’m also writing a TV pilot script about public servants and the politicians they work for. It’s more of a dramedy than straight-up satire, and it has a bit of heart—more Parks & Rec than, say, Veep.
Blurb:
Find the girl. Find the truth.
Thaddeus Grayle is a successful but bored American private investigator who has grown weary of snooping after the cheating spouses of his adopted city of London, England. Recently divorced and even more recently sober, he fills what little free time he has with movies, baseball and his own torrid affairs. He wants a change, and it finally arrives thanks to a wealthy businessman desperate to find his hard-partying wife—a young woman who might be in the biggest trouble of her life.
NAPALM HEARTS may be ordered here.
Get in touch with Seamus Heffernan through any of these:
About the Author
Prior to his writing career, Seamus Heffernan worked in education, journalism, marketing and politics. He currently works for a Member of Parliament. Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, he has called several places home, including a lengthy stint in London, England. He presently resides in British Columbia, where he splits his time between Abbotsford, Mission and Vancouver.
His short fiction has previously appeared in The Raspberry and Louden Singletree. NAPALM HEARTS is his first book.
April 13, 2018
Meet The Author: Alex MacBeth
Hi Alex, thanks for joining me today and huge congratulations on the launch of your book – what a fantastic cover! Thanks also for letting us take a sneaky peek inside:
First off, here’s the synopsis:
The body of a man with a red die in his pocket is washed ashore near a quiet village on the coast of the Indian Ocean in southern Africa. But what looked initially like a corpse that came in with the tide soon turns out to be a murder case that will lead Comandante Felisberto and his team to the edge of danger and despair as they uncover a trail leading up to the highest echelons of power in their country.
Can Felisberto and his ‘motley crew of rural investigators’ solve the case – and survive?
Intriguing… now let’s whet our appetites with Alex’s inimitable writing style. Take it away, Alex:
This excerpt is taken from Chapter 2 in THE RED DIE. A body has washed in to the normally quiet, rural bay of Mossuril in northern Mozambique, Southern Africa, and the main investigating officer, Comandante Felisberto is following up on a clue, with his deputy Samora, at an address in a nearby town.
They parked and Samora took photos of all number plates in the carpark on his smartphone. Felisberto lit a cigarette and watched his deputy photograph cars: how thorough yet how pointless, the Comandante thought. The sea breeze carried a scent of algae and seawater and Felisberto eased his impatience with the calming smells. Out of the corner of his eye on the opposite side of the road he saw someone hastily close the curtains on the second floor of a building. The Comandante signalled to his assistant to stay alert. Both men lifted the safety valves on their weapons, before stepping closer to the building, with an eye towards the road and the surrounding zinc-plated shops and factories.
Felisberto reached the door and rang the bell marked ‘Xin_ _ _’, guessing that Hua had perhaps left the venture. He took a look over his shoulder and rang again. No answer.
Samora looked at Felisberto whose face seemed to be resigned to the inevitable. Seconds later the door was open and
Samora was guiltily packing away a wire and tweezers. They checked the ground and first floor without detecting any signs of life and climbed another flight of stairs. A door on the second floor was flapping wide open and two bowls of instant noodles were still steaming on the table. A small hatch led to the roof. It was open. The phone was off the hook and the safe was unlocked. Outside the sound of screeching wheels dragged both police officers to the nearest window. Two East Asian men in a green Toyota Landcruiser sped off down the seafront. Samora made as if to chase the suspects but Felisberto grabbed his arm. “Don’t.”
“What are we looking for, chefe?” asked Samora, frustrated. The two officers began to wade through piles of papers stacked beside a cupboard in a corner. “Evidence,” said Felisberto. “Clues, ties, sense. A motive. We’re looking to understand why a man with a nice suit washes up dead in our district.”
They spent at least two hours, undisturbed, wading through piles and piles of paper; what looked to the Comandante like contracts, notes and receipts. Many of the documents were in Chinese. Since there was no one he knew who could translate them, he saw no point in taking any of them away. If he sent them to HQ, he’d probably see them again in a few years. Besides, HQ had no idea he was there and it would be better if it stayed like that, he reasoned.
One particular pile of Mozambican receipts caught Felisberto’s eye and as he browsed through them, he recognised the port duty stamps from Nacala, the jurisdiction next door to his own. He took a note to visit the Comandante there and stuffed a handful of receipts in his jacket pocket. From the number of receipts the Comandante could only assume that Xin (and possibly Hua) had been bringing in and taking away a lot of things. But then wasn’t that what all the Chinese were doing at the moment? Why else would the country’s markets be flooded with cheap Chinese batteries and LED lights? The Comandante decided he would get in touch with somebody at the deepsea port in Nacala, in the jurisdiction next to his own, and see if they knew anything
about Xin (and possibly Hua).
The low, fake asbestos ceiling made it unbearably hot.
They had been reluctant to plug in the fan for fear of attracting attention. Felisberto stood up and walked to the door, gesturing to his colleague to follow him. Then the Comandante’s attention was drawn to a photo on the wall. “Look, chefe! It’s him,” said Samora. “It’s the dead man.”
The photo showed the dead man shaking hands with a Chinese and a Caucasian businessman. All were wearing crisp suits and shiny shoes. The photo looked like it had been taken shortly after sealing a business deal or a partnership. All three men seemed keen to communicate their commitment to each other with warm smiles. The dead man stood to the side while the Chinese and Caucasian businessmen shook hands. Felisberto was about to grab the photo when Samora snapped a picture of it on his smartphone and walked out.
“Who are you calling now?” Felisberto demanded, annoyed at Samora’s use of technologies he, the boss, didn’t understand.
“Collecting evidence, Comandante,” replied Samora, already halfway down the stairs. Before Felisberto could leave, another photo caught his attention. It was Alberto Frangopelo, the country’s new minister for oil and gas. And right next to him was the dead man again. This time Felisberto took the photo and walked out.
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Author bio
Alex MacBeth is a writer of crime fiction, a journalist, a publisher of African literature and a festival founder in Mozambique. He works for several international titles as a journalist and has also worked as a media trainer in Central and East Africa.
THE RED DIE is his first novel.
Website: www.alexmacbeth.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexmacbethtoc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thereddienovel/
Launch wall: http://www.alexmacbeth.com/2018/04/the-red-dielaunch-wall.html
April 12, 2018
Why We Need MORE Stories Full of Cafes…
Are we writing about cafes too much when it comes to fiction?
Should publishers be seeking something fresh and zingy in place of the much-loved, oft used backdrop of a romantic comedy?
Whilst nobody can deny that cafes are splashed across a gazillion front covers of books on the virtual shelves of Amazon and the real shelves of Waterstones/WHSmith and twee independents at the moment…
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… personally, I can’t get enough of cafes and cake in my stories – whether I am reading or writing them. In a world choc-full of the grim and the gloomy, they bring a welcome balance to life – both in words and reality.
But the other day I read a review on a newly published CAFE title (one of a long line of cherry-studded stories swirling around the percolating brew of the coffee machine), and it begged to differ… For the Amazon reviewer in question had had quite enough of the ‘predictable’ lemon drizzle cake slices, the plump blueberry muffins, and the hygge-esque lattes – not even the icing sugar dustings of wit and love playing out in the hinterland, could sway her.
I suppose, in a way, she has a point; there does seem to be a standard, faintly yawn-worthy, buttercream-piped pattern when it comes to plot.
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So is there a balance when we’re writing about the tender crumb of the scone (cream first!) amidst the village lothario’s shenanigans… and the underdog antics of the unsung hero… who finally melts the girl’s heart?
I think so, yes.
While there will always be room for a good cafe title on my Kindle or bookshelf, I too am growing just a little bit choosy.
The key to a good cafe title is the perfect blend of clever, quirky writing, innovative props (backdrops), and credible (in a slightly more unconventional way) characters. That’s what stops the next cafe read becoming two-a-penny… well, that’s me putting my tuppence worth forward, anyway.
And while we’re on the two-a-penny subject, we need to start seeing a whole lot more DIVERSITY with covers, too. Let each cafe title sing: marketeers and designers! For crying out loud: so many covers forsake that distinct author vibe in favour of a publisher’s branding. It’s the biggest turnoff, and as readers, we’re starting to see past it:
We need to make the books (including those with the word CAFE in the title) be about the author!
I write about food (and drink) A LOT. I’ve yet to dabble in a romcom playing out solely around the hustle and bustle of a cafe. But I’m thinking it’s par for the course eventually… Why? Because I LOVE cafes, I love cake, I love coffee and I love the togetherness those 3 things bring.
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I also think a good book with a foodie focus, such as those whose stories weave in and around a cafe, are literal soul food. They help us unwind, relax and get our hygge on. What could be better for our mental health?
Ultimately, seeing more cafes in fiction can ONLY have the magical Mexican wave effect of like attracting like; of more and more independent coffee houses and cakeries popping up on our High Street. Pollyanna perhaps, but where attention goes, energy flows.
So let’s hold onto the best bits of our cafe-centred fiction… and strive to make these stories ever more unique, securing their places on every bookshelf.
Got a favourite fictional read with ‘that word‘ in it? Let me know in the comments below and share the cafe love!
March 19, 2018
How to Find Your Writing Tribe…
Whether we call ourselves writers or authors, it matters not a jot. The two terms are interchangeable in my world. One day/hour/minute I am one, the next the other. We are all wonderful wordsmiths who deserve way more than a pat on the back for putting ourselves out there into a competitive and critical literary world.
But one thing’s for sure: I would not have had even the small amount of success I have stacked up with two published novels (and a third due for release soon) without my various writing tribes having my back; offering me support and advice at every turn.
This novel/non-fiction/article writing gig can be a lonely one, no two ways about it. Especially for those of us who perhaps used to work in an environment packed to the rafters with background noise and chatter, friends to meet up with at lunchtime/at the photocopier/in the communal kitchen queuing for the hot comfort of the limescale-clad kettle. Much as we truly adore the blissful side of shutting the door on the outside world and letting our imaginations run riot, we also (unless we are up in the echelons of the Rowlings and Kings) need to market our books. And it can be a lonely process!
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Incidentally, for an inspired article on the stress-free doing of that, click here.
Without wanting to go down the route of teaching anyone (certainly and especially not those who have been in this game far longer than me and my relatively humble twelve months!) to suck eggs, here is my list of the BEST kind of writing tribes out there. These are the pockets of family who help propel my words every step of the way – willing them onto paper, shouting about the finished product from the rooftops:
-Fellow authors who share the same publisher.
I’m beyond blessed to have been signed up by a small and independent publisher, whose author support group is second to none. I mean seriously second to none!
Writer friends at the Big Fish publishing houses regularly reconfirm to me how incredibly lucky I am. But it’s actually very easy to make this happen if your current publishing house doesn’t have such a thing. Whether you are a big name signing for the well-established houses, or a new and unique voice with the indies, all it entails is setting up a secret Facebook page and adding your fellow authors. Voila, you have a sacred space to share information and encourage each other.
Your fellow authors are also a hugely important part of your book sales. Which might sound uncouth, but it’s true. Obviously, when you are part of a multi-genre publisher, your stories aren’t going to float everybody’s literary boat, and yet, you are all in the same boat when you are signed up by the same company. It’s for the greater good that you do pop one another’s Amazon Kindle books into your cart when time and money allow. Everybody thrives that way.
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-Online Writing Groups.
I belong to a brilliantly nurturing Facebook writing group whose members span genres, success and experience. We bounce ideas off each other and are genuinely excited for one another when there is something for a member of our little family to celebrate. There are many of these groups dotted about, and often you need to be invited to them first… but do not hesitate to join them when that happens! You could always set up your own in the meantime.
Hint – go easy on the rules and regulations side of things. Facebook book groups (in particular) have been getting a bad press recently for book bullying… it’s uncalled for and unnecessary. I wrote a little article about that recently too.
Start a group with the key objective to boost one another up, not tear one another down and it can only be a success.
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-Physical Writing Groups
I was very lucky to have two writing groups sandwiched either side of my home in Spain. At the time that I needed help most, these groups were a fantastic source of inspiration and critique (mostly constructive!). Without them I know I’d never have had the tenacity to make it to publication. Unfortunately, one no longer exists and the other clashes now with playing taxi for dance classes… #firstworldproblems and all that.
I’m toying with the idea of setting up a local monthly morning one. I’m sure there are a lot of writers out there who’d welcome the opportunity and it would be great to rekindle this aspect of my much missed writing tribe!
Why not take a page out of my book?
It never ceases to amaze me just how many creatives we have in our neighbourhoods. If something is missing (in my case a group that gets together at a time that’s convenient for me) sometimes we just have to invent it…
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-Book Bloggers
You might choose to organise a book blog tour for your new release yourself, or you might choose to employ the expertise of a blog tour organiser. Either way, you are likely to become friends with these wonderful book lovers.
Book bloggers truly do make the literary world go round and the support of their extended book blogger family is enormous.
When both of my novels were published, I was overwhelmed by the number of retweets that came off the back of each of my book’s ‘stops’. The collective power of these amazing human beings to spread the word about your work should not be underestimated…
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-Willing and Enthusiastic Family and Friends
They’re another powerful bunch. Ask them for help, by all means, but remember: the most genuine support comes from the heart.
I have a fantastic cousin who lives in Glastonbury (the setting of two of my novels) and she was in her element printing out posters and dotting them around. I also got some rather attractive bookmarks made up and she offered to do the same with them. It was so much fun hearing about where she had left them/her chance meetings in the High Street when she’d handed them out to friends and acquaintances. *I did buy her a big fat box of chocolates to say thanks!*
My parents and my niece were also champing at the bit to help out (well, until Dad damaged his knee in the process). This tremendous trio became Book Fairies, hiding my novels in prime locations all over Glastonbury and Somerset, creating beautiful Instagram-worthy snapshots that I could share on social media. Torn knee ligament after a somewhat over-ambitious stretch on a bench to stand my book atop a historical plaque apart, I think they all enjoyed the process.
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There are many other things you can do besides…
Street Teams have become fashionable of late, for example, springing up with many of my author friends.
They’re not my cuppa when it comes to marketing (sorry-but-not-sorry, I just don’t have enough hours in the day to market my own writing, let alone everybody else’s to quite this extent… and I don’t honestly believe many members of these teams will be in a position to consistently tout a book/books… it all just seems way too high a level of commitment to expect of others. *At this point I duck under the table from fellow writers begging to differ.*).
But I mention them because for some authors they DO work, and they’re another example of people coming together to help.
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Beta Readers are also a great source of support.
As a writer I have never felt compelled to take the Beta Reader route (no offence brilliant BRs, I know from my fellow writers that you do a stellar job!).
It’s just that I am ‘one of those’ writers who is way too rebellious to make changes to her story – except when it comes to the red pen of my editor… of course.
If there’s one thing my physical writing groups have taught me, it’s that stories are subjective. We really can’t please all of the people all of the time.
But for many writers, Beta Readers offer a unique source of reassurance and constructive critique. They’re a very special writing tribe who are likely to champion your novel all the way, and definitely worth a thought.
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Ultimately, there is no right or wrong when it comes to the Writing Tribe. Choose one, choose all of them. Just remember to give to them as good as you get!
February 21, 2018
Wearing Different Hats for Reading and Writing…
Thank you for the opportunity to visit your blog, Isabella—I love visiting new places.
It’s great to have you back, Nancy! As a multie genre reader and writer myself, I am really pleased you chose to write about this subject today…
Wearing different hats for reading and writing.
My multicoloured reading hat…
Some authors naturally gravitate to a particular genre for their writing, often because it’s the type of novel they like to read themselves. Others, like me, who read copiously and enjoy stories across many different genres, choose to write across different genres. My favourite reading is historical and mystery so that’s why I gravitated to those genres as a new author but time will tell if that’s where my writing will stay! To date, I’ve written historical fiction and contemporary mystery for a general adult category; and time travel historical for teens.
My choice of reading genre tends to be all about mood. When reading historical fiction, I don’t expect to be entertained in the same way as I would if reading chick-lit, romance or crime—you could say that I’m wearing a particular reading hat for that genre. Sometimes I want to learn about a particular historical period and expect to do that while reading historical fiction. At other times, I love reading a really challenging mystery because I love following clues to work out what the whole plot is before the end of the mystery. Often the more demanding, the better the read becomes. If I’m tired and my concentration is lacking, then I tend to reach for the lighter reading I’m sure to find in sub genres of fiction like chick-lit; cosy whodunit; or romance: pure entertainment being my goal. I wear plenty of reading hats depending on my mood and all of the genre types can be excellent, satisfying reads so long as they’re well written.
And my different writing hats…
Historical:
My most comfortable genre to write in is probably historical, my Celtic Fervour Series being set in late first century northern Britain (A.D. 71-84) It’s like a family saga in that the main protagonists are different family/clan members, though they sometimes play a lead role in one book and a secondary role in another across the four books (Book 4 to be published soon). For that genre, I’m wearing a very ancient and well crumpled hooded cloak as I strive to create believable settings in a time period that’s essentially pre-history when the Ancient Roman armies invade the Celtic/Iron Age tribes of northern Britannia. There are only a few written primary sources to use for research so grubbing around with current archaeology findings becomes hugely important for me being as accurate as possible. For my Celtic Fervour Series my metaphorical writing hood needs me to make my characters think differently from a 21st century character. It’s more difficult writing and slower to finish but I really enjoy it.
Contemporary Mystery:
As a break from heavy historical research, I wrote a contemporary mystery between the first books in my historical series. I cheated though in Monogamy Twist because what transpired was a plot that required me to create a fictitious family tree structure, the ancestral threads needing to be unravelled to solve the fairly simple mystery. I totally enjoyed creating that fictitious family and was desperate to design another more complicated one. Think of a pencil used to create a top knot rather than a hat!
In Topaz Eyes, my fictitious family originates in 1880s Amsterdam but by WWII the next generations are scattered across European and global destinations. That meant I was able to create a complicated mystery within the mystery but was also able to write about fabulous cities in Europe and the U.S. that had made a big impact on me in some way as a tourist. My planning sheets for Topaz Eyes and the creation of my family tree gave me the most immense buzz, so much my metaphorical floppy sun hat was squelched almost to pulp!
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My third contemporary mystery Take Me Now is romantic comedy suspense, a very light-hearted read with easy to follow clues to solve the mystery. Another kind of writing hat was worn when creating my version of a grumpy, highland hero who is a wee bit different from the swarthy kilt-wearing usual romantic highlander of Scottish romances. Again, I was able to set scenes in fabulous places like Barcelona, Paris, Oman, and The Caribbean yet I was also able to have a Scottish island base. It was great fun to write and I got to wear a jaunty fascinator for that one.
Time Travel Historical:
The Taexali Game is intended for a good reader of c. 10 years of age and above though I’ve found that many adults are really enjoying it! My writing hat for that one was brilliant to wear—think of a metal skipped cap worn backwards looking like an ancient Roman helmet. I loved the freedom of taking contemporary teens and sending them back to a historical era that I love writing about as in Roman Scotland of A.D. 210. My three protagonists ‘speak’ and ‘think’ in what is a normal way for 21st century teens but the secondary characters from the historical era ‘speak’ in a different voice. The Taexali Game was great fun to write and when I get a breathing space the second of this series will be a Victorian adventure.
Do you have fun wearing different reading and writing hats?
Please note: My Celtic Fervour Series published by Crooked Cat Books will no longer be available after the end of February 2018, but look out for new versions later in the spring! My other novels are currently available from Amazon and other ebook and print sources.
Nancy Jardine regularly looks after her grandchildren and has a garden that can sometimes look quite creative. She’s a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, the Scottish Association of Writers, the Federation of Writers Scotland and the Historical Novel Society. She’s published by Crooked Cat Books and has delved into self publishing.
You can find her at these places:
Blog: http://nancyjardine.blogspot.co.uk Website: www.nancyjardineauthor.com/ Facebook: http://on.fb.me/XeQdkG & http://on.fb.me/1Kaeh5G
email: nan_jar@btinternet.com Twitter https://twitter.com/nansjar
Amazon Author page http://viewauthor.at/mybooksandnewspagehere
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5139590.Nancy_Jardine
Dear 1 and 2 Star Book Reviewers
We write a novel, we get it published. So far so good. And then… drum roll… part the curtains… bring out the fanfare… along come the inevitable book reviews.
We say we won’t take them personally (of course). Because heaven knows, we’ve learned through the mistakes of our author friends who positively exploded into rage or tears – sometimes both, when that first ‘mean’ review wended its way onto Amazon and Goodreads… for the entire world to now get sidestepped into the icy blast of negativity.
We’re ready, armed and prepared. We won’t even bother to read what such naysayers have to say about our years of creativity, blood, sweat – and more tears.
Until it happens to us… and we’ll ‘just read this first one… for curiosity’s sake’.
BOOM
The can of worms has been opened.
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Pandora’s box should have stayed shut.
It’s the most giant thwack in the solar plexus. Don’t they know we’ve been romancing this book for years? And how very dare they! Why don’t they try writing a freakin’ novel, hey? Yep… didn’t think so. All mouth, no trousers. All substance, no style.
Which is probably the most polite version of our actual flurries of words in the painful aftermath of said event.
For my part, the 1 and 2 star reviews DO get easier. I tend to shrug my shoulders now, focus on the positive 4 and 5 stars that represent what my book means to me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, after all. And apparently, having a cluster of 1 and 2 star reviews makes us look more ‘real’ as writers… less like our novels have solely been bought by family and friends.
I’ll go along with that.
But there is one thing I will NOT go along with. And I am pretty sure I am not alone…
The 1 and 2 star reviews from ‘readers’ who didn’t flaming finish the book!
Why, that’s like going out for a three course meal and only eating starters.
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That’s like getting dressed and only wearing a pair of socks.
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That’s like claiming you ‘did’ Glastonbury Festival in ’94 and only watching Björk.
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That’s like walking off centre court after Federer has lost his first set.
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That’s like opening a pack of jelly babies and only eating the green ones.
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That’s like going to Spain and only visiting Benidorm.
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That’s like watching Strictly Come Dancing and switching off after Ann Widdecombe opens the show perched ‘eloquently’ on a swing.
(I couldn’t source any free images of Ann Widdecombe on a swing, so you’ll have to use your imagination at this point.)
That’s like listening to a dozen beats of the opening verse of a contestant’s song on The Voice. And we all know how many judges press that button, turn that chair at the goose bump inducing height of the crescendo. The same applies to our words and our characters… give them chance. Like a good wine, let them breathe!
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That’s like judging a book by its cover…
February 20, 2018
How to Market Your Book without getting Depressed or Stressed
If you’re not remotely open-minded, then look away now. But for every other new (and not so new) author out there, tap into your own creativity and inspiration (something you have in reams, right?)
‘Scuse the literary pun…
And prepare to toss the standard set of book marketing rules over your shoulder like confetti at a wedding. Well, just the ones you don’t like. Just the ones that make you want to throw your laptop out the window like a rock star, never mind that ever sought after status of bestselling novelist.
Top of that list for me would be the yawn-inducing mailing list.
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Yes, I know, I know they are supposed to be amazing, awesome, absolutely ground-breakingly successfully brilliant and every other superlative besides.
But I find them soul-destroyingly boring (sorry if you have one, but I do). And if I as a reader will not read one… will likely delete the flurry I have felt compelled to sign up for over the years the moment they ping onto my computer screen… then I sure as hell won’t enjoy putting one together. Now, maybe someday that will change. But until it does… I’ll focus on all things more fun that float my boat, thank you very much.
A marketing professional would whoop my arse for daring to buck the trend of the ‘shoulds’, of course. But I’m a rebel in writing (something I wholeheartedly adore; both the story side and the rebellion bit), so damn right I’m going to be a rebel in marketing, too.
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There’s a reason we procrastinate, and it is always, every time and without exception, because our gut instinct doesn’t want to go there.
They call it gut instinct for a reason.
We could label it inner self (hey, I did tell you this article was going to get a little woo-woo), higher self, and a whole bunch of other things besides. But basically, the purpose of our lives is joy. And anything that feels akin to wading through hot sticky treacle, well, it feels like that for a reason: if it’s not fun, something’s trying to tell us: don’t bother doing it!
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Marketing should be exciting.
Marketing can be exciting.
My kind of marketing is always exciting.
Why?
Because what’s the point in doing anything that doesn’t light us up? Even self-promotion of our books.
And yet, we really DO have to let the world know about those thousands of words that we have crafted into a story – in some shape or form. Few are even the large publishing houses who are happy to let their top authors rest on their literary laurels and simply churn out chart-toppers all day long without some kind of trumpet-blowing contribution.
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So never mind the statistics… or what everybody else is doing: focus on the areas that bring you the most goose bumps (or as close to goose bumps as possible… a demi-smile, perhaps, a light twinkle in your eye) and go there instead.
If this is still sounding completely nutty and Pollyanna… then whilst we’re on the book subject, treat yourself to the latest read on Quantum Physics (one of my favourite subjects). We are vibrational beings, right down to our atomic make-up. When that vibration is HIGH (elation, joy, satisfaction, excitement, interest) from engaging in marketing activities we enjoy – and in my case that would be:
Instagram – there’s nothing better than capturing foodie/drinkie/travel/bookish/inspirational quote shots and sharing them with the world. This particular social media outlet really lends itself to my branding as an author, but above all else, it’s a riot of joy for my imagination. I truly love to hang out on Instagram. It’s my go-to for ‘book selfies’ (both mine and those I am reading by other authors). And it’s also my go-to for sharing fun snaps of my Book Fairy drops (more on that below)… In short, it’s the ideal place for me to market my book and has really garnered some interest in my titles.
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Twitter – sharing my random observations with the world, without really caring too much about likes and re-tweets… and spacing that out with quotes from my book (and daft time-wasting GIFS), as well as interacting with my ‘tribe’ – fellow writers, bakers, travel lovers and positive thinkers.
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Making Canva memes – (to be shared on Twitter and Instagram, above).
It’s time-consuming at the outset but really quite rewarding to see a quote from your book matched up with a striking image. Visit http://www.canva.com for a design tutorial. Pixabay offer some fantastic images in their free library bank, but you can also use your own photography if you’re a dab hand with the camera.
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Playing Book Fairy – Now, admittedly, it might not be the cheapest activity in the world, but I LOVE it. Nothing can be more fun than dotting copies of your book about in the locations mentioned in your novel… or in cafes, or bars, on park benches, train seats and tourist attractions. The sky is the limit with this active variety of book marketing.
N.J Simmonds (author of the epic YA novel, The Path Keeper) did this recently in London with drops taking place at Northern Line stops on the underground, where Zac and Ella’s story plays out. She created hashtags for the adventure, updated her social media accounts and had a ball in the process. It’s an excellent marketing strategy and it’s a definite high vibe generator. A bit like setting up a treasure hunt, except instead of gold, the finders keep books!
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Then you sit back and witness the joy on a recipient’s face… which is priceless. And when you’re giving out freely and from the heart, for the sheer fun of it, you can bet your bottom dollar the universe will magically augment your book sales. That’s not just rose-tinted glasses wishful thinking, it’s Newton’s infallible law.
You can be your own Book Fairy, as the author has above… or you can do what I do and order your ribbons and stickers from the official Book Fairies website. This voluntary organisation has taken the literary world by storm. I had my parents acting as Book Fairies in Somerset dotting copies of my debut novel about, and the lovely Book Fairies in London and Bristol also kindly dropped my book at locations all over both cities.
Making Bookmarks featuring your Book Cover – It’s low cost, it’s another fun thing to do and you can easily share them out among family and friends. Rather than them simply using word of mouth to tell their family and friends about your brilliant new book, they can add a visual aid to the mix by handing out your bookmarks. It really is an excellent reminder for potential buyers. And once again, you too can play fairy (bookmark fairy) by leaving them lying around in appropriate places.
NB. This does not mean car windscreens under the wipers. Is there anything more irritating in this life?
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Pinterest – On the face of it, Pinterest doesn’t seem to do a lot more than cause us to ‘procrastinate’.
Not so…
Besides being an excellent source for accurately depicting sights, sounds, smells and atmosphere when it comes to creative writing, it’s a brilliant place to share your current blogs, your book covers and your memes featuring quotes from your books. Just remember those all-important hashtags which help your potential readers to discover you. You could also invent your own and watch them (hopefully) grow in popularity!
I don’t know about you, but I always have a smile on my face when I’m on Pinterest. When that comes to book marketing (forget the followers or re-pins… and remember, this isn’t about the current statistics, but having fun… which in turn will generate marketing momentum), this can only be a very good thing.
Hosting other authors whose work I find interesting on my blog – it’s a great way of making new friends in the business and it’s a great way of simultaneously increasing your blog post reach.
Writing a blog – you don’t have to do this weekly, but as and when you feel inspired, there it is, ready for you to update with your musings.
Facebook Live Videos – call me weird but I genuinely enjoy these now! Just this morning I did one (using coloured pieces of A4 paper to explain to my friends and family how a Facebook online book launch party works… I topped it off with a little Lenny Kravitz playing in the background… and a bit of dancing – as you do). Not that I was particularly counting, but this fun jump out of my comfort zone netted me a few more RSVPs to said event.
The beauty of these kind of videos (or indeed, YouTube, which I don’t feel *quite* ready for yet!) is you can be spontaneous and chat to your followers about anything at any time.
So, when we focus on the side of marketing that most appeals to our inner child…
…then we are equally HIGHLY likely to yield results. It’s simply the magnetic Law of Attraction at work.
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And work beautifully it does, as long as we don’t get in our own way by narrowing the channels of the universe. For example – setting a goal to get 1000 Instagram followers by our publication date, or making our Kindle book free with the expectation of hitting that sweet number one spot in our Amazon category. That’s economy of the falsest kind. If it doesn’t happen we get despondent and narky and vow never to write another word, let alone a book.
So leave the intricate details of the manifestation up to the universe and you’ll open yourself up for something better (a surprise magazine article about your book, a random message from a book club who’d like to feature it for their monthly reading material, a very surprise double-take moment when you ‘just happen’ to board a plane and the person sat in the opposite row is reading your paperback!)
All of these are examples of what CAN happen when we don’t get too specific, but instead just trust in the flow, lose ourselves in the moment and go downstream.
Now a brief look at the opposite:
Abraham Hicks refer to this as ‘efforting’, and, even if that word doesn’t truly exist in any dictionary, the vibrational equivalent definitely does.
I’m talking about pushing, fighting, striving, trying too hard, engaging in boring chore-like ‘strategies’. The emotion feels desperate, sometimes fearful or angry, and determined (when you’re marketing your book, even ‘determined’ can be too upstream). It’s often a task steeped in comparison (this top-selling author does that… so I’d better do it too).
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And before you know it, you are knee-deep in the hideous ‘shoulds’ all over again.
The activities that do this to me are things such as:
–Feeling I need to ‘speculate to accumulate’ by advertising my novel on Bookbub (or any of its cousins and paying a small fortune to get my book seen by the masses).
I don’t dispute that this nets great results for those who are aligned with it. Personally, I know of authors who shout from the rooftops about it. But for me, personally, it feels too rooted in effort and pushing. Again, maybe that will change one day, and in that case I’ll be joining them and lavishing the idea with praise. But for now, it’s a big turn off
–The aforementioned mailing list!
–A physical launch party
I live in a transient part of the world where friends come and go, and where the people who do stay live hectic lives. I simply cannot guarantee that everyone will come together under one roof at a set time to celebrate the launch of my book. And I’d rather not risk that mortifyingly embarrassing situation that is a venue rattling around with half a dozen people!
So for now, I’ll stick with the online launch party instead. It’s cheaper, less stress and just as much fun. Better still, nobody has to invest in fancy outfits, nobody has to even leave their house.
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So there you have it, although I have only scratched the surface of possibilities when it comes to thinking outside of the box. Our imaginations are the limits when it comes to satisfying ways of getting our book out there.
Marketing doesn’t have to be the thorn in the side of your publishing journey. Keep it light, fun and simple, and most of all enjoy it… else what’s the flippin’ point?
Then sit back and watch the magic of the universe unfold.
