Be Inspired

I've been tagged by the lovely Susan Jane Jones to answer some 'inspiration' questions about my book.  It would be rude not to really, but I thought I'd focus on my second novel, PUT A SPELL ON YOU - due to be published in 2014 - as anyone who knows me is probably sick of hearing about book one!

1.  What gave you the idea for your book?

    I was mulling over how great it would be to wave a magic wand and make people’s problems disappear, and it popped into my head that it would make a really good story – providing everything goes wrong, of course.

2.  How long did it take to write overall?

     Just over a year, including rewrites.

3.  What kept you going when you were half way through?

     I wanted to know how it turned out!

4.  Are any of your characters based on real people, even though you have to say they aren’t?

          They definitely aren’t.  If I try and base characters on real people I lose the plot (literally). I’m sure they have traits of people I know, but I never consciously focus on them.

5.  Did you ever wonder if you’d have the work published?

    All the time.  I believed in my writing but you need other people to believe in it to make it happen. (Actually that’s not true any more, what with all this new-fangled digital, self-publishing malarkey!)

6.  When you’ve had one book published, do you feel under pressure with the next one?

     Luckily I’d written another one while waiting for the book-deal, so the pressure’s off for a bit!  I’m sure I will feel it though.

7.  Would you write in a different genre next time, or do you always stick with what you know?

     I’ll probably stick with what I know for now (and be thankful I’ve found an agent and publisher who like it) but I’d love to write a psychological thriller one day.

8.  Do you prefer writing a novel, or short stories?

     I genuinely love writing both and can’t imagine giving up either.

9.  Do you use everyday happenings in your writing?

     This very day I wrote a short story based on an anecdote from a friend about her husband helping an old lady who toppled into her compost bin while putting out rubbish, and when he got her to her feet her skirt fell down. Well they do say truth is stranger than fiction...

10.  If your book was to be on TV who would play the lead male and female roles?

     I’ve become totally addicted to ‘Breaking Bad’ over the last few months – watching all 6 seasons back to back – so I’d have to say Bryan Cranston and Anna Gunn.  Sadly, they’d be all wrong for my books (too old). 

Thanks for the tag, Susan, but I really must stop talking about myself.  Unless anyone else has any questions they'd like to ask?  Anyone...?  No?  Really?  *sulks*  I'll get my coat then...

Good News and A Nice Cup of Tea

Normally, good news is heralded by the sound of a cork popping, and an image of champagne gushing forth, but I don't really like the stuff (I know, I know) so I'm happy to make do with a nice cup of tea instead.

The thrilling news is that I've been offered a 3- (e)book deal by award-winning publishers Constable Robinson, who I hold in very high esteem as - apart from being generally lovely - they published one of my favourite books this year, the wonderful  Lost and Found by Tom Winter.

They clearly have very good taste in authors.  Ahem.

I'm due to have lunch with my editor and agent in the near future (never thought I'd be saying those words out loud - not that I am... well, only every time I speak to someone) and no doubt I'll find out more about how things are due to unfold, but I believe there is lots of excitement being lined up.  Oh yes.  And I'm more than ready for it.

I can't wait to see a cover for my second novel - though I can't imagine being any more thrilled than as I was when I saw the one for MY FUTURE HUSBAND (plug, plug, if you haven't read it, why not? etc.)  The book's done very well and, to my astonishment, has had almost sixty good reviews on Amazon - and I promise that only fifty-eight of them are friends and family.

All in all I'm starting to wonder if it might be okay to tell people - quietly, of course - that I'm a writer, without blushing and feeling like a fraud?  No?  Oh, okay then.

In other news... winter appears to have arrived in the form of an icy-fingered wind and darkening evenings, the dog has developed an unsightly rash on her tummy, I'm once again hooked on Strictly Come Dancing, and have finally discovered the joys of Breaking Bad - surely one of the best TV dramas ever made (along with Mad Men and Lost - apart from the final episode.)

I came to BB late, but am already on season four, and tell myself the reason I'm watching back-to-back episodes with wild, blood-shot eyes is for research - for the writing, the story-lines, the structure etc. - but in reality (whatever that is) I've developed the most undignified crush on the main character, Walter White.

It's odd, because when he was the dad in Malcolm in the Middle he wasn't attractive at all, in the same way Hugh Laurie wasn't remotely fanciable when he was English, but in House (another favourite; I clearly need to get out more) I couldn't get enough of him.

*Stops typing to have a hot flush.*

Oh dear, I appear to have digressed.  And my celebratory cup of tea's gone cold.

Time to put the kettle on and watch another episode or five.