Mr TR Says...

Working at home every day, it's easy to become oblivious to my surroundings. As such, it's always a quite a treat when Mr TR makes his grand re-entry late-afternoon. Here's a few select utterances from the man himself:

1. Have you noticed how many coffee cups are on your desk? (I have a habit of collecting them.)

2. Did you realise you have the window wide open and it's been raining onto our leather sofa? (Oops. So that's what that dark patch is -- a water stain!)

3. Why is there bread burning in the toaster? (Because our toaster sucks?)

4. You've got chocolate on your face. (Goes without saying.)

5. Maybe it's time to plug in your mobile... it keeps beeping. (I know; I've been ignoring it all day.)

6. You do realise there's a big spider on the wall behind you, right? (Yes. I'm too lazy to kill it.)

What do you ignore when you're writing? Besides the obvious, that is (housework, kids, etc).

Full Exposure

Just to manage your expectations -- I'm not going to flash you from underneath my mac. So sorry. Maybe next time!

No, today I want to talk about the feeling of being exposed. Whether you're sending your first draft to beta readers or you're a published author putting a finished product into the world, you're still offering up a piece of work for judgement. And you can't help feeling that, by default, people are judging you.

It's hard to keep your distance when you've poured yourself into a novel. But I think it's important to remember that readers aren't commenting on you. You might be a great writer -- the next Dickens, even -- and still have readers who don't warm to your creations. Not everything you write will appeal to everyone. And it probably shouldn't!

So wrap yourself up in a hard, deflective metal (um... is there a name for that?), or gird your loins with Teflon, and remember: it's not all about you. It's about your novel. It still might not be fun to take, but I promise you: it will be easier!

How good are you at dealing with less than complimentary feedback?

Telly Time

It's Friday. How that happened, I don't know. Could it have been the blur of cocktails and glorious puddings that hastened the week's end?

I was supposed to have a guest blogger but they seem to have vanished into the ether. So today, I thought it'd be interesting to present a snapshot of telly time! I might be the only one, but I always find adverts from around the world really interesting. It's like a sneak pick into a different culture.

So please bear with me while I snap on the telly and wait for the next commercial break. Oh, while I'm waiting, I'll announce the winners of Catherine Ryan Howard's Self-Printed.

Hard copy goes to... India Drummond! Whee!

Ebook goes to... Janice Horton!

Another ebook copy goes to... Lani Wendt Young!

Congrats, ladies!

Right, here we go with the adverts (yes, this is what my blog has come to today).

Jonathon Ross hosts Penn and Teller: Fool Us! I admit I did like Jonathan Ross until he got together with Russel Brand and started behaving like a five-year-old. Think I'll take a miss on this one.

Butlins Happy Days. I'm not quite sure how to explain the concept of a holiday camp. It's a uniquely British thing where loads of parents bring their kids and eat fried food in the rain. Butlins has a chain of holiday camps and I can't help but snigger at the name!

DFS Sofa Half-Price Sale. Ever since I moved to the UK seven years ago, DFS has been having half-price sales. It's a wonder they're still in business.

Homebase. This is a DIY store that I'm quite fond of after they gave me and Mr TR a water-heater timer for free when they couldn't find the price. Score!

Evian, the official water of Wimbledon. I reckon Wimbledon doesn't need any more water this week after all the rain!

There you have it. Welcome to my advert world! Have a great weekend, everyone.

Here in Spirits

I'm not actually here! I'm over at Nas Dean's blog, talking about how much I love Friends. Until tomorrow, here are a few photos for you from yesterday's jaunts.

Massive thanks to Cat from HarperCollins and authors Fanny Blake and David Nobbs for making the day so wonderful.

See you tomorrow!

Self-Publishing the Not-Saying-Gatekeepers Way

Wooo, it's Wednesday! I've got a big day ahead: lunch in Covent Garden, afternoon tea at the Oxo Tower on the South Bank, and then a book launch at the Tower of London. Please send my be-sandalled feet your most positive vibes to make it through relatively unscathed.

Since I'm about and about, I'm delighted to welcome Catherine Ryan Howard to the blog. If you're contemplating self-publishing and you haven't been over to her blog, you need to get there right now!

Just a small announcement before I go: from now until Monday, my publisher has reduced The Hating Game on Kindle to 98p ($1.59 US). Yay for summer sales! If you need something for the beach, well... you know what I'm sayin'.

Right, over to Catherine!

Five years ago this summer, I moved from Ireland to Orlando, Florida, to start an eighteen-month training program in a Walt Disney World hotel.

Four years ago I started writing a book about it, and three years ago I finished it.

Two years ago I realised that thanks to the spectacularly niche audience for a book about an Irish girl working in Disney World, Space Shuttle launches and the challenges of long, thick hair in near 100% humidity, it was never going to get published, so eighteen months ago, I decided to do it myself.

It sounds a whole lot simpler than it actually was. Because truth be told, I was a certifiable self-publishing snob who thought that publishing your own book was nothing but a pointless and shameful pastime indulged in only by deluded losers...

I had never been traditionally published, but I was a self-proclaimed expert on the publishing world. For nearly ten years or ever since I turned 18, I’d been daydreaming non-stop about a six-figure deal and a well paid job you could do in your pyjamas, faithfully buying a new edition of The Writers and Artists Yearbook every year. This took pride of place in my (frighteningly) extensive collection of How To Write Books books: despite having never actually written a book, I knew exactly how to write a good query letter, create an elevator pitch and decipher a publishing contract. And as for formatting a manuscript – well, that would be my specialist subject should I ever end up on Mastermind. I signed myself up for workshops, sidled up to - gasp! - Real Life Writers at signings and other events and practised perfecting my pseudonym signature, just in case. I drew up a wish list of five literary agents and jotted down some notes about what questions I’d ask them when they called to offer me representation. (Because that’s what the books said: Don’t forget to ask them questions too. Makes you look professional.)

Clearly it was only a matter of time before I got published. All I had to do was write a book.

My expert and utterly unnecessary knowledge of the publishing world meant that whenever I heard of people self-publishing, I rolled my eyes so much that my pupils threatened to disappear forever into my head. I’d sneer at pictures in the local newspaper of what I assumed to be dangerously bored housewives proudly clutching their debut short story collections. How pathetic! There was extra sneering for those who hadn’t even tried to get properly published, and were presumably blissfully unaware that there was, in fact, an established path to publication and they had foolishly wandered off in the opposite direction. Because at the end of the day, if your book was good enough for other people to read, it would eventually get published. Right?

Well, no – as I discovered when I started submitting Mousetrapped to publishers. I got pretty much the same answer wherever I went: we enjoyed reading it and we think it’s a good book, but there isn’t a market for it. What they meant by this was if they – and “they” are Irish and/or UK publishing houses – edited, designed, printed and distributed a couple of thousand copies of the book, paying for all costs including the salaries of the staff who’d have to do it and royalties to me, chances are they wouldn’t sell enough copies of it to recoup their investment. And publishing is a business after all.

But if I self-published it using a Print On Demand service – who allow you to upload your book for a very small fee and only print a copy of it when an order is placed – and e-book websites where no cost at all is involved, and I used these to pitch Mousetrapped to a global market and did everything I could to promote and sell it... well, maybe I would recoup my investment or even, dare I dream, make some money.

So that’s what I did. I self-published a paperback using CreateSpace, and e-books using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Platform and Smashwords.com.

But my years of sneering at self-publishers had – thankfully – left a mark. I knew that what I was doing was not making a book that looked like the ones I bought and read, that my book wouldn’t be available in stores and that this story was not going to end with me wallpapering my office in real gold leaf. (Or even in Laura Ashley.) I didn’t have a literary agent-shaped voodoo doll, didn’t whine about editors not even “giving my book a chance!” and I refused to use the word gatekeepers. Nor did I moan about low e-book prices “devaluing my artistry”, insist that everyone call me an “indie author” [very loud groan] or claim that by the end of next year, no one will even remember what – and it pains me to use this term, even like this – “dead tree books” looked like.

I was realistic. I was modest. And I did everything I could to make my book look right.

And I did okay. I released Mousetrapped in March 2010 and sometime this month I’ll sell my 6,000th copy. I’m self-publishing another travel memoir, Backpacked, in September, and even self-publishing a novel the month after that.

But I’m not on the self-publishing cheer-leading squad, or giving up my dreams of traditional publication. All I’m saying is this: you too can self-publish without sounding like a bureau chief at the Self-Publishing Ministry of Truth, and sell enough copies to afford a few ink cartridges or even – if you’re lucky – to write full-time.

All you need is are realistic expectations and some common sense. Oh – and to ban words like “gatekeepers” from your vocabulary. Forever.

Self-Printed: The Sane Person’s Guide to Self-Publishing is available now in paperback and e-book. Find out more on www.catherineryanhoward.com.

The lovely Catherine is offering one paperback copy of Self-Printed, sent anywhere in the world and three Self-Printed e-book from Smashwords.com (multiple formats available)! To be in with a chance, just leave a comment below.

Too Hot to Handle

Happy Monday!

Last year, Mr TR and I purchased some Scotch Bonnet chili peppers at our local supermarket. We like spice in our food and these were on special, so we grabbed them, figuring if they had anything to do with Scotland, they couldn't be tooooo spicy (apologies to anyone Scottish reading this, but the Scots aren't exactly known for their spicy food).

Mr TR mixed them into some beef mince and 30 minutes later, dinner was ready. One bite into the meal, our eyes were streaming and our mouths were on fire. Little did we know that Scotch peppers are some of the hottest in the world. Lesson learned: never take anything at face value!

As a reader, I've learned not to do the same. I've put aside some of my misconceptions about science fiction and enjoyed some wonderful novels; similarly with YA. I've soldiered on through boring-looking literary fiction and found it rewarding, and I've purchased dodgy-covered self-published novels that are amazing!

Do you have misconceptions about any genres, authors, or types of books? And have you managed to overcome them?

PS - The next few weeks will be 'blogging light'. I'll be posting on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays until I've finished the bulk of my revisions. Drop by on Wednesday, when Catherine Ryan Howard will share her self-printing wisdom and give away copies of her new book! And on Friday, Australian Michael Hearle will also be giving away copies of his new YA novel.

Wonderfully Profane

I'm posting a bit late today due to a lengthy bleaching session at the salon. One of the perils of platinum hair.

Anyway, thank you all so much for the wonderfully supportive comments yesterday. Now, this is why I blog! I've met such a great community of people through this blog and I really appreciate you reading my drivel and responding.

It's Friday, it's raining, and something tells me it's wine o'clock (newly christened as TalliBell... you'll have to ask Jess about that one!). So, for your viewing pleasure, I present the following. You may have seen it around and -- if you're not a big fan of profanity -- you may not find it amusing. But you have to admit, it's killer marketing!

Have a great weekend.

The Curse of the Second Novel

You'd think that after getting published, securing positive reviews and even becoming a bestselling author on Amazon, writing a second novel would be a breeze, right?

Well, you'd be wrong.

Because writing the second novel, in my humble opinion, is even harder. Now, you have something to live up to. Now, you're lucky enough to have people who've loved your first work. And now, you know how critical some readers can be.

It's not only me -- I've heard over and over again how writing Novel Number Two for publication can mess with your mind. All the excitement of 'firsts' with your debut (I can't wait to get a book out there! I can't wait to hold it my hands!) is now replaced with doubt. (What if it sucks? What if it doesn't sell as well? What if... *insert your own personal demon here*?)

Caught up in the seemingly endless cycle of revisions, I admit I've struggled with this over the past few weeks. But, as I've been reminded by those close to me, all I can do is my best and make my work the strongest I can. After that, I won't have any control over it, but right now, I do. Enjoy it!

Well, I'm trying.

Any words of wisdom from my blogging buds? I could use some right about now!

TGIS!

Why hello there, Wednesday. How did it get to be the middle of the week already? No matter, because today I have author Stephanie Haefner on my blog to celebrate the release of her new novel, Soap Dreams. Over to you, Stephanie!

TGIS - Thank God it's Summer!

Well, almost! It's not technically summer yet but the weather is nice and the days already feel lighter, lazier.

The meaning of summer has changed for me over the years. When I was a kid, it was 2-1/2 months of nothing. No more homework, early bedtimes, or alarm clocks. Swimming in the lake, basking in the sun. The nights were warm with no need for a coat. It was true bliss! Then I grew up a bit, and though I still was in school, summer meant a job to earn a little bit of money. But there was still tons and tons of time for being lazy!

Then I graduated from college, and the real world fell on me. It was summer, but I still had to get up early. I still had to go to work. All. Day. Long. And I had to be in bed at a decent time so I could do it all again the next day. Didn't matter if it was 85 and sunny. There was nothing worse than being at work and looking out the window at a gorgeous day. The only time for relaxation were my two days off each week. But Mother Nature didn't always plan her rain schedule by my work schedule.

Fast forward a few years to mommyhood. I am lucky enough to be able to stay home with my kids and work from home. It use to be a home-based business; now I stay home to write. And it's a combination of both of my old worlds. I can stay up late and sleep in if I want. I can make rainy days my work days, though I do still have to work on sunny days. I love the flexibility my life now has. My husband has wacky days off and they are different each week. While school is in session, we rarely get the chance to do anything as a family. But in the summer, our daughter doesn't have school and dad's days off are everyone's days off!

What was your favorite part of summer when you were young? And now?

A huge thank you to Talli for having me! And thanks to everyone for stopping by! I wish you all a fabulous summer. Any fun plans? All commenters will be entered in a drawing to win a digital copy of my newest release, Soap Dreams! All commenters will also be entered into a Grand Prize Drawing to be held at the end of my blog tour!! A signed copy of A Bitch Named Karma (US only, sorry) and digital copies of both Paradise Cove and Soap Dreams.

Cats and Frogs

I'm a big fan of animals in novels -- so big, in fact, that I've often put a few in mine for no apparent reason and ended up having to remove the poor things at later stages. Cats, guinea pigs and roosters have all abounded! And a few will even live to tell the tale!

Do you put animals in your novels? If so, which ones?

On the animal theme, today I'm over at Catt Hughes' blog answering her wonderful questions. And courtesy of India Drummond, here is the cutest cat video I have ever seen.

Happy Tuesday!

Monday Mash-Up

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a good weekend -- mine was spent in a flurry of dress shopping for the upcoming RNA Gala (nothing but mink, mink and more mink as far as the eye could see, thanks to the Duchess of Whatevershire for making that hideous colour so fashionable again)!

It's been awhile since I've done a round-up of recent books I've read, so here are a few for your reading pleasure.

In the Mirror, by Ann Carbine Best.

It's been awhile since I've read a memoir as gripping as 'In the Mirror'. Written in a clear, forthright style, Ann Best's life story unfolds in a seamless manner, avoiding the mundane and tangents some non-fiction falls prey to. Dealing with not only her husband's homosexual affairs but also a tragic car accident and her second husband's alcoholism, one would expect a certain amount of self-pity to be present. But, in fact, it's nowhere to be seen. Instead, Ann gives us insight into a strong, brave woman who has coped and persevered -- and overcome.

Carpe Bead'em, by Tonya Kappes.

Fun and fresh, it's a great read about finding what's important and hanging onto it.

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.

Read this. Now.

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe, by Jenny Colgan.

Love. Cupcakes! Need I say more?

And a big thank you to Christine at the Imagination Station for her review of The Hating Game today! Much appreciated - mwah!

(Book links coming soon, after I throw-up. First run back after three months away... and I'm feeling the exercise-nausea.)

Can Medical Romances Be Funny?

Happy Friday! Today, I'm delighted to have Wendy S Marcus stopping by on her blog tour. But before we get to that, I want to thank Stephen Tremp for posting a lovely review of my novel The Hating Game (published by Prospera Publishing) over on his blog. Many thanks, Stephen!

Now, over to Wendy:

Hi Talli! Thank you so much for hosting me on the 10^th stop of my blog tour to promote my debut Harlequin Medical Romance, WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH, which is currently available for purchase at the Mills and Boon website and Amazon UK. It will be in stores in the UK in June as well. It will also be in stores and online in Aus/NZ on July 11, 2011, and online in the U.S. as of July 11, 2011.

For my post today I’ve decided to address the question: Can medical romance be funny? It’s a valid question. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of hospitals? Gorgeous doctors? Probably not. Most people think of the Emergency Room. Trauma and drama. Sickness, injury, and pain. Not much material for funny stuff there.

But being a nurse, I can tell you with first-hand knowledge, medical professionals are some of the funniest people I know. And in Medical Romance, like in actual medical settings, humor is most often found in the interactions between people and not in the medical situations themselves.

Something you may not know, in Harlequin Medical Romance, the books do not take place solely in hospitals. There are many different medical settings that span the continents. Our characters have full lives outside of work. And while there are medical scenes, the focus of our stories is on the hero and heroine. While we strive to make our medical scenes as realistic as possible, gore and tension and high-stakes medical drama is not our main focus.

Here’s a scene from WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH. It may not be laugh out loud funny, but I hope it shows that medical romance can be light and entertaining, even in the midst of the medical setting:

“You okay?” Ali asked, coming to stand beside him.

Damn it. He thought she’d gone back inside.

“Just peachy. How about you?”

“You were great with Jimmy. I’m sorry you lost your dad so young.”

He couldn’t look at her. “It’s why I became a physician, so no kid would have to deal with what I went through. I’m doing a great job of it, huh?”

“You’re not God, Dr. P.” She set her hand on his forearm, sending a flare of soothing warmth throughout his body. He craved her touch with a ferocity that excited him as much as it unnerved him.

“You coded Jimmy’s dad twelve minutes longer than any other physician here would have,” she said. “You did your best.”

He tilted his head down and to his left, and their eyes met, held. Hers conveyed genuine concern, empathy. He’d seen it dozens if not hundreds of times over the months they had worked together, directed at her patients, never at him. Yet, instead of using the moment as an opportunity for a sincere conversation between them, he chose to ignore the unwanted, long-suppressed feelings starting to stir deep in his damaged soul for a chance to play, to forget.

“Careful, Kitten,” he said in an exaggerated whisper, taking care to make sure there was no one around to hear his term of endearment that delighted him as much as it aggravated her. “I might get the impression you’re starting to like me.” His mood lifted. “That as hard as you’re trying not to, you can’t help yourself.”

“Nah.” She looked down at her watch. “The hospital pays me to be kind and compassionate. Lucky for you I’m still on the clock.”

“Good.” He leaned in close to her ear. “Maybe we can go someplace private and you can give me a little more of your commm…passion.”

She pinched him.

Good for her. The girl had spunk. “Ouch.” He rubbed his upper arm. “Where’d the kindness go?”

She looked up at him, her light blue eyes narrowed.

“I’m on the verge of breaking down.” He wiped at his dry lashes. “Hell, I think I feel some tears coming.”

She turned and walked back toward the E.R. without giving him a second glance. And she looked just as fine from the back as she did from the front, her lavender scrub pants hugging her perfectly shaped rear, her long brown hair up in a loose knot, and sensible little gold hoop earrings curving under her kissable earlobes.

“Don’t women like it when a man shows his emotions?” he called after her.

She stopped. “Lust is not an emotion, Dr. P.,” she answered over her shoulder.

“It sure is.

Come over to my place after work and we’ll do a Google search. Whoever’s right gets to choose what we do next. You wanna know what I’ll pick?”

Ali hit the button beside the electronic doors.

As they started to open he called out, “Time’s running out, Ali.”

She hesitated before walking back into the ER.

Jared waited a minute, trying to contain his smile. He knew she wouldn’t bite, but provoking her was so much fun. No one entertained him like Ali. For the first time in the two years he’d worked as an agency physician, traveling from hospital to hospital throughout New York State, Jared might actually miss someone when an assignment ended. A sure-fire sign it was past time for him to move on.

So what’d you think?

As part of my blog tour I’m running some contests. To enter for a chance to win an Amazon Gift Card, visit my website: http://WendySMarcus.com. While you’re there check out the excerpts from my books.

And now some questions for you. Have you ever read a Harlequin Medical Romance? If so, did you like it? If no, why not? And would you be willing to make mine your first?

One lucky commenter will win a copy of my 2in1 UK release which includes a complete novel by Janice Lynn. Visit me on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Thanks, Wendy. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend...

It's Thursday and folks, I fear my brain has temporarily left the building. But... my latest round of revisions is done, so I reckon I deserve a little downtime in the form of funny e-cards. Here you go! Have a great day, everyone.

Squirrels: The Next Big Thing in Publishing

I've got the inside track on a new trend in publishing: squirrels. First there was vampires, then dystopia, then Greek myths. Now, it's the secret lives of squirrels.

You know, all those things they get up to away from the human eye: shopping for new tails, eating mini-cupcakes, torrid love triangles... maybe even a little DIY. There's more than enough material for eighty-thousand words, and children and adults alike will flock to read about these vastly under-appreciated creatures.

But the novel I'm writing now has no squirrels, I hear you cry. Well, it's quite simple. Just take an existing query, and change out all the humans to squirrels. I'll give you an example, using the blurb of my new (now) squirrel-based novel, Watching Willow Watts.

For twenty-five-year-old squirrel Willow Watts, life has settled into a predictably dull routine: days behind the counter at her father's antique shop; nights watching fuzzy telly whilst the elderly squirrels of Britain's Ugliest Tree bed down for yet another early night. But everything changes when Willow's epically embarrassing Marilyn Monroe impersonation is uploaded to SquirrelTube. A canny squirrel spots Marilyn's ghostly image hidden in the film and Willow becomes an international sensation. Her dire little tree is suddenly overrun with fans proclaiming her to be the 'new Marilyn'. Egged on by fellow squirrels - whose shops and businesses are cashing in - Willow eagerly embraces her new identity, dying her fur platinum and scoffing nuts to achieve Marilyn's legendary curves. But when the only squirrel she has ever truly loved returns, seeking the old Willow, it's decision time. Should she risk stardom and the tree's new-found fortune on love? Or is being Marilyn Willow's real ticket to happiness?

See how easy that is? So be a part of publishing's next big thing. Bring on the squirrels!

Ten for Tuesday: Street Slogans

I live on a very busy street, and I thought today it would be great fun to offer you the first ten slogans/ adverts that pass by on the sides of buses, lorries, etc. (Who am I kidding -- the reality is, my brain has gone into slow-mo and this is all I can offer).

1. Sightseeing Tour of London - Big Bus Tours. Hello, tourists!*waves* (Bus.)

2. Bad Teacher. In cinemas June 17. (Ugh, it certainly looks bad. On a bus.)

3. Petit Forestier. Refrigerated vehicle. (Why in French? Who knows? On a white van.)

4. Celebrating 125 years of proper breakfasts. Anchor Butter. (Yum! On a bus.)

5. ServEquip. (Another French one! They're taking over! On a white van.)

Damn. A traffic jam. Come on, traffic, move!

6. Borderline. Specialists in carpets. (On a white van)

7. Sharm el Sheikh. Egypt: Where it all began. (On a bus)

8. Sightseeing Tour of London - Big Bus Tours. (Bus - again!)

9. Seville, Verona and Bologna. EasyJet. (On a bus.)

And another traffic jam...

10. Kung Fu Panda. In cinemas June 10th. (On a bus.)

Wasn't that informative? Let me end this super stellar post on a high note: fellow blogger Tracy Spaine needs our help for her book to succeed. For more details, hop to her blog or head over here to buy her book!

Happy Tuesday, everyone.

Dreaming of... Sleep

Happy Monday! And thank you all for the wonderful messages here and on Facebook about my last post. Very much appreciated.

I write this now with a heavy head and that oh-so-tired sick feeling in my stomach. Why, you ask? Well, it's because Mr TR had a conference call for work last night at 3 a.m. Yes. 3 BLOODY A.M.! Silly Australians, what are they playing at? Don't they know people's wives need their beauty sleep? I've always been a light sleeper, and having Mr TR shuffling around talking about God knows what kind of organisms in the middle of the night is not exactly conducive to resting.

But I've noticed a funny thing. Sometimes, the less sleep I have, the more writing I do. I reckon it's because my mind stays put -- I'm too tired to flit from Facebook to Twitter and back again. I can only focus on the document at hand. My butt stays put, too. No wandering around looking for floors to clean or Twizzlers to munch.

What about you? Do you write more when you're rested? Or does it matter?

When Will I Feel Like an Author?

Yesterday, in one of my daily fits of angst, I posted the following on Facebook:

I wonder when I will finally feel like a 'proper' author. When I have five books published? Ten? Or never?

Facebook friends being the wonderful people that they are, I got back a chorus of words of wisdom that made me feel like I wasn't alone in my angst. I thought I'd share some of the responses (anonymously), many from best-selling novelists I'd never in a zillion years suspect of doubting their 'proper' author status!

• I don't think anyone feels like a proper author until they're had a feud with Martin Amis or VS Naipaul.

  
  
• I'm still waiting....but on the otherhand being paranoid and insecure are the SURE signs of a proper author so.....we're in!!!!!!
• My mother constantly worried about her writing and whether she was any 'good', even after she'd published well over a hundred books and was a million bestseller. Knock that inner critic on the head and repeat after me, 'I am a proper author. I am a proper author.
• Not only are you a proper author, you're a *published* author! I suspect the *proper* feeling doesn't come until you've paid off the mortgage with the proceeds from writing. ;-)
• Remember when you were 5 sweetie and the world was your oyster..... When you could be whatever you wanted to be? Well..... What changed....... Get that feeling back.... Because whether you think you are an author or whether you think you are not..... either way you are right xx
• I don't feel like one - yet. For all kinds of reasons. And the reasons are probably becoming irrelevant anyway... I don't feel like an author at all when I'm writing - I keep thinking: Proper authors wouldn't just be writing train of thought

  stuff but have neatly arranged have post-it notes on the door and a detailed plan - and not have an illegible ms because they were so scared of losing the moment. They'd have coloured index cards for research and character arcs , not bits of paper all over the floor or a total flipping mess in their head.
• I know what you mean - it was like before I published anything (short story/essay) I felt funny calling myself a writer - even though that's just what I was doing - then when I was published, I thought "well now I have to have to be paid

  something" then that happened, then it was "well now I have to have a novel published" then that happened, then it was "now I need to have another one published" - then another one, then it was "I should be on a best seller list or win an award to really be ligit" GEEEZ-it'll never end, so best enjoy all the little moments and be proud of what you have accomplished - there are always so many people behind you who'd kill to be where you are right now :-D
• nineteen books in and I still feel like I'm an interloper.xxx
• Talli, trust me, the 'big names' have the same doubts as those just starting out - it feels the same, no matter how many books you've had published and how many awards you've won. So I guess that makes you a proper author ;o) In a weird way, the doubts are a positive thing because it means you're trying to do the best you can for your readers - when you stop feeling that way and stop caring, that's when you're not a proper author, imho.
  
• When you can give it as your occupation without feeling a fraud. :-)
• J K Rowling is my ideal of a proper author (that is, a multi-zillionaire) and I think she has written about nine books - the HPs and some little ones about Quidditch and fairy tales and stuff. So let's say ten?
• Never:) The more books the bigger the insecurities which lead to a desire to stack shelves in Tesco. Authors thrive on 'I am not worthy'. But we still do it so we must be okay really.

Interesting, hunh? It's funny, because I always thought that once I got published, I'd immediately feel validated. And although being published rocks, it's not the cure-all to the niggly doubts and worries that existed before publication. In fact, I might even say it makes those doubts worse! But the good thing is -- I'm not alone. Thank goodness for writer friends and their support and encouragement.

How about you? What will it take for you to consider yourself a 'real' author?

Write to Be Published by Nicola Morgan

Right, so I know I talked up a book yesterday, but I just have to mention Nicola Morgan's fantastic new book for writers, Write to be Published. It launched yesterday, and I have the pleasure of attending an event tonight at the world's oldest independent bookshop, Foyles, to see the Crabbit Bat in action.

Nicola's been such an inspiration to me. Back in the day when I was flopping about in a sea of rejections and had only just begun to discover blogs, I happened across one that gave such practical, clear and forthright advice I was hooked: Help! I Need a Publisher. I read each post eagerly, trying to soak up every little bit of Crabbit Bat wisdom. When I finally signed a contract to publish my non-fiction, I sent Nicola a thank-you email for all the help she'd given me -- and others -- through her blog. And she responded, inviting me onto her blog as a Blog Baby! I was truly honoured. It was there I met now-blogging-buddy Karen Jones Gowen, who won a copy of my book.

I've met up with Nicola a few times since. I have to say she's anything but Crabbit and has proven herself very adept at ham-eating and salad-sharing. With several zillion books published and her latest novel Wasted receiving critical acclaim, if anyone's qualified to give writers advice on how to be published, it's her!

Right, I must go pick out my shoes... but before I go, a quick apology for falling down slightly on blog commenting the past couple days. My wrists are hurting -- my body's way of telling me to STOP TYPING! And when my body speaks, I'm afraid I must listen. I hope taking a break tonight will mean I'll be back in full action soon.

Blood Faerie Launch Day!

Woo! It's Wednesday, and it's launch day for Blood Faerie, a fab new book by India Drummond -- the best writer pal a gal could ever hope for. India and I met through our blogs a few years ago and since then we've both experienced the highs and lows of the writing life. I'm thrilled to support her latest release, not only because she's been so supportive of me, but also because it's a bloody fantastic read. And I'm not even into faeries!

Here's my review:

I started reading India Drummond's 'Blood Faerie' on a noisy plane, but within seconds I was drawn into the world of Eilidh and the mystery surrounding the strange murders in a small Scottish town. A faerie who has been cast out for using forbidden magic, Eilidh watches humans from a distance. But when the murders continue and she might have the powers to stop them, she can't help but get involved. Drummond skilfully intertwines human and faerie worlds, drawing the reader easily into both the delights and horrors each entails. Quite often in books such as these, I feel bogged down by all the rules and rituals of the world the author has created. I never felt that way here -- every detail unfolds in such a natural way I could almost believe faeries do exist! If you're looking for a compelling, well written mystery with a touch of romance, I highly recommend this book. Having read Drummond's debut novel 'Ordinary Angels' as well as this one, I can't wait to see what's next!

So, to get your copy of Blood Faerie, go to: Amazon USA, Amazon UK, and Amazon DE (Germany). And you can read and post reviews on Goodreads, Shelfari, and Library Thing.

And if you have a chance pop over to India's and say hi!

What Sells Books?

Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone has recovered from the long weekend. I've plunged back into revisions... sigh. Still, I'm starting to catch a faint glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel, although it still seems some way off.

Anyway, I wanted to blog today about something rattling around my mind: what exactly is it that makes books sell? As more and more books flood onto Amazon (and fewer and fewer onto actual bookshelves), it seems almost every author out there is pushing their masterpiece. And rightfully so -- we all want our work to be read, right? But why do some books flop while others become bestsellers, despite authors' publicity efforts?

I'd argue that any book needs four things:

1. A great concept

2. An easy to read blurb that hooks the reader

3. A cover that immediately signifies the genre (notice I don't say a good cover, because that may be a completely different thing!)

4. A reasonable price point -- particularly important for ebooks.

Without these four things, a book may sell a limited number of copies within the author's immediate circle through efforts like blog tours, Twitter, Facebook, etc, but it's never going to achieve bestseller status because it simply won't catch on with the general public.

Take, for example, my debut novel The Hating Game, which launched back in December with a totally different cover. Not to toot my own horn, but my publisher and I really did believe we had great concept, a good blurb, a fantastic cover and a reasonable price. Through my websplash, I was able to push the novel into the bestseller's list the day of the launch. But slowly, over the next couple weeks, the book dropped lower and lower as people in my immediate circle stopped purchasing -- and the general public didn't start buying. My publisher and I racked our brains, trying to figure out why the novel wasn't catching on. Finally, we changed the cover and within a week, the novel was back in the top 100, where it stayed for the next two months. Even now, five months after its release, it's still in the top 200 on Amazon UK (although now that I've written this, it probably won't be!). And all because we changed the cover.

So, what's my point? Yes, blog tours, Twitter and manically hitting every social media site known to humankind can help make your book visible to your circle of pals. But if your novel lacks a critical element, its success will likely be limited. Write a good book with a killer concept, a great cover and solid blurb -- then cross your fingers, because there's one thing we can't control: luck!

Weekend Wanderings

I was going to post something sort of serious today (well, as serious as this blog gets, anyway) but then I realised my brain is in full-on long weekend mode. It's a Bank Holiday here in the UK and Memorial Day for my friends in the US, so I figured I'd give a round-up of my weekend! I have:

1. Paid homage to Londoners who died valiantly trying to save others at the memorial plaques in Postman's Park (if you've ever seen Closer, it's where Jude Law meets Natalie Portman).

2. Scoffed down delicious pizza at my favourite Italian in Soho, watching the people parade go by.

3. Experienced a rather bizarre video installation in the Serpentine Gallery.

4. Wandered around Portobello Market, narrowly refraining from purchasing yet another pair of shoes I don't need.

5. Had a drink by the Serpentine Lake, watching the pedalos crash into each other.

6. Watched The Hangover: Part 2, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

7. Not done one bit of writing!

8. Had a deliciously lovely afternoon nap on my bed in the sun.

9. Stuffed myself silly on Thai at the pub across the street.

10. Rented The Heartbreakers, a French comedy with Romain Duris, who I LOVE!

All in all, I'd have to say it was a fantastic weekend! How was yours?

Lanzarote Living: Pauline Barclay

How did it get to be Friday? Can someone please tell me? Well, however that happened, it's a long weekend here in the UK (yes, another one. Yes, we like holidays). And today, I've got the lovely Pauline Barclay here to talk about her fabulous writing locale in the Canary Islands. It would be fair to say I'm just a little jealous. Pauline has also just released a new novel, Sometimes it Happens. So... take it away, Pauline. And send me some of that sun!

Pauline says:

Having read The Hating Game, which I enjoyed very much, I’ll never watch TV dating games again without thinking of Mattie Johns. What a character Talli, I know you are busy on your next book, so a special thank you for taking time out to invite me to your Blog. Though I’ve already guessed the reason for this and that is you want me to package up our sunshine and send it to you. No worries, here it comes…!

I’m Pauline Barclay and I live in the Canary Isles on the beautiful volcanic island of Lanzarote. The sun shines most of the time, though like much of the world, our weather pattern has been strange this year. Having said this, I live in shorts, t-shirt and sandals, so you can guess it isn’t cold!

Talli asked if I would show you a little of where we live; we being my husband, Clive and our two adorable rescue doggies. This is the view from our villa and this is the view from my office. Though I confess to sitting andstaring out at the ocean far too often, my laptop open on the table, when I am supposed to be writing! And this is a view of the beach, which is just five minutes stroll down the road.

In between sneaking a stroll to the beach or a peek at the view, I manage to get some work done. This month my third book, Sometimes It Happens… was published on Kindle. I am an Indie publisher and for this book I did things differently. Firstly, I had an amazing mentor who is also a brilliant author, who saw me through the entire manuscript, checking for continuity, believability, repetition and so much more. Then to add the final sparkle, I had the cover designed by a Graphics design company. I just love the cover, it says so much about the story.

Sometimes It Happens…is about secrets, deception, lies, love and laughter. Winning the lottery was just the beginning. Nothing prepared Doreen Wilkinson for her holiday at Villas Bonitas and nothing prepared Villas Bonitas for Doreen Wilkinson. This is a holiday that will never be forgotten for many people. Sometimes It Happens… Will make the reader laugh out loud, I certainly did writing it!

My other two novels, Magnolia House and Satchfield Hall are available in both paperback and Kindle editions. In between marketing and all my other commitment, I am busy with my fourth novel!

Despite the different stories of my three books, one thing I can say about all my novels, and that is, you will need a tissue!

Pauline blogs here, her website and sample chapters are here, and she's also on Twitter and Facebook!

So, are you as jealous of her as I am?

My Kind of Woman

Thursday! Revisions! Brain dead.

I give you this.

Why I Don't Write About Writing

Well, writing techniques, anyway.

I do write quite a bit about the actual quirks of writing -- writer's arse, habits and such -- but I've never been comfortable advising others on writing techniques. I have no problem talking about my own if someone asks, but I really believe that every writer is different and you need to find what works for you. Plus, there are a zillion writers out there way more qualified to discuss techniques than me (than I? See?!)!

When I first started writing, all the books and blogs I read boggled my mind. Write every day. Don't write every day. Write what you love. Write for the market. And on and on, until I had no idea where to even start. Should I sit down in the chair? Or should I stand? Should I turn on the radio, or write in silence?

The one thing I did learn was this: read all the books, but don't live by any of them. Do what you enjoy; what really makes you embrace the process of writing. I truly believe if you do that, everything will fall into place.

You'll find your rhythm, baby.

Ten for Tuesday: Naw...

I was all set to do a tag, but then I changed my mind. Then, I was going to do a Ten for Tuesday as per usual, but I couldn't drum up the energy for ten things! In my current listless state, I'd like to talk about footballers.

Yes, footballers. Those men who run around, swatting each other on the arse, shouting at refs and baring their chest hair in a most unattractive way when they manage to kick a stoopid little ball into a very very large net. What an accomplishment! If someone would like to pay me a zillion pounds to run around on a field each night, please feel free. I'll even throw in a little chest hair, no extra cost!

Even worse are their antics off the field, when they do the tangerine tango with their wife/ mistress/ random girl/ pet/ club owner and it's splashed all over every newspaper -- and even becomes news in the bloody House of Commons! Is this how low we've all stooped? Are our own lives that boring we must live vicariously through footballers? (I won't answer that.)

Phew -- rant over. Just remind me of footballers next time I need to stir some ire! And oh yes, happy Tuesday!

Tell me, am I wrong? Should I respect footballers and their hairy-chested, shouty ways?

And PS - Yes, I am well aware of the irony of posting loads of stereotypes above a post where I rant about stereotypes! Maybe I should submit this piece to The Daily Mail. Hm...

Sexism? Ageism? Alive and Well in Britain

Is this the image of a twenty-first century romance writer in Britain? The Daily Mail certainly seems to think so. Blue rinse, support tights, twin-set, pearls . . . and oh, let's not forget the rain bonnet and perms! Goodness, let me think, what other stereotype can I throw in there?

How about women tootling around for fun, only to top up their pensions?

You can imagine my chagrin when, early Saturday morning, I checked out The Daily Mail, looking for the promised piece on the Romantic Novelists' Association Summer Party . . . only to see this screaming at me: The Blue Rinse and Bodice Rippers: In twin-sets and pearls, meet the ladies behind Britain's steamiest novels.

Um, what?

Sadly, it was all downhill from there. An incredulous laugh bubbled out of me as I scanned the first few paragraphs.

All around me are middle-aged and elderly women in their pearls and support tights. They look like the kind of ladies you’d find working in charity shops or arranging the church flowers — can they really be penning the sort of racy novels that would make a convent girl like me blush?

My mouth actually dropped open. No, really. I know because Mr TR asked me why the hell I was displaying my half-eaten toast.

After snapping closed my mandibles, I decided to double-check the reporter was writing about the RNA Party; the same swanky do -- chock full of glam young things with funky shoes -- I'd been attending. I hadn't made a habit of scrutinising my fellow writers' guts, but I was pretty sure no-one sported support tights. And Lord, please give this momma a rain bonnet, because I'd have given anything to have protected my fine hair from frizz that night. Pearls? True, my chunky gold necklace could have been mistaken for pearls -- if the reporter had been smoking crack an hour before the event.

Maybe she had. Maybe that could be the explanation for all ageist, sexist statements that followed. Because surely now, with the collective experience of the recent past behind us, we all know better than that.

Right?

You can see the real RNA Summer Party here.

Twisted Velvet Chains by Jessica Bell

It's Friday, and it's a sunny lovely day here in London. Hope it's as nice in your neck of the woods!

Today, I want to give a shout-out to Jessica Bell. She's written a wonderful book of poetry called Twisted Velvet Chains.

Here's the blurb:

Twisted Velvet Chains is a collection of poems which follows the experiences of one woman growing up with a bipolar, drug addicted, gothic musician mother. Each poem represents specific moments of their life that embrace vivid rich imagery, and illustrate the turmoil of emotions both experience while together. The collection is divided into four parts that flow one into the other from childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and post-death.

And here's my review on Goodreads:

It's been a long time since I've read a book of poetry, so when I sat down when Bell's 'Twisted Velvet Chains', I wasn't quite sure what to expect. But . . . wow. The poems grab you by the throat and won't let go. Visceral and powerful, Bell masterfully evokes image after image. Words become hammers, striking blows. It sounds a horrible cliché, but I couldn't put it down.

Check it out if you get the chance! Have a great weekend, everyone.

The Day After

Next week I promise to return to more serious posts (okay, semi-serious), but as I'm struggling to recover from potent Cosmos and one glass of champagne too many, I thought I'd share a few pics from the Romantic Novelists' Association party last night. It was another fun-filled evening, chock full of writers, editors and agents.

We started off early, meeting for a Tweet Up at Waterstone's Piccaddilly. It's a bookshop with a fabulous bar! And coffee shop! Have you ever heard of anything so cool? That's me becoming overly familiar with my ear, talking to the lovely VV Savage and Catherine Miller.

After a failed attempt to get a cab at The Ritz (it started raining and instantly, all cabs disappeared), we hopped the Tube, rescued Jane Holland from the evil Tube doors, and finally made it to the beautiful Library of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Lots of fun was had by all (including the coat hanger, which I tackled at the end) and while my feet and head are suffering slightly today, it was a great night.

Anyone got some hangover remedies?