So You Think You Can Write - what if your story doesn't make it?

With the SYTYCW Top 50 being announced today, there will be  lots of entrants who didn't make the cut wondering what to do with your  submission, how to rework it so that  the editors


would like to see more of it if you want to submit it  later.


Rachael Thomas who was in the Top Ten in the contest in 2013   was one of my students on the Fishguard Advanced Romance Writing course with Writers' Holiday.   She now  has  more than five books published  after her first title  A Deal Before The Altar came out in September last year and  just had her latest submission accepted.   She knows what it's like to be successful  - and what it feels like to have a novel rejected - like most of us, she's been there and got the tee shirt.
Rachael has some great points on the best way to look at something that  was rejected the first time round  so NOW  needs reworking. She has a great blog post about - well, about 3 important things -




 1. Never give up 


 2. Never throw away any story that didn't work because - well, . . 


 3. The 'didn't work ' stories can always be reworked when you've had time to step away from them for a while then come back and rework them so they do work.
Well worth reading
.  
 I first saw this story as part of the  one to one in the Fishguard Course and  again in full in the RNA's New Writers' Scheme back in 2012 and I'm so glad to see it will now be published. Looking forward to seeing  Destiny and Zafir's story in print.

New Writers - Meet Christy McKellen

You'll remember that at Fishguard this year we had something special to celebrate - when Rachael Thomas  had her first book accepted.   Rachael had had the ambition to be my13th in 2013 - that means, that of the people I know I have helped to be published after they've been to one of my courses, read and worked with the 12 Point Guide, she hoped to be the 13th  in 2013.  Unfortunately it was a little later that Racahel got her first acceptance (but she was the 14th in 2014!)  Someone else got in on that 13th place - brand new Modern Temptation author Christy McKellen.  I asked Christy if she'd come on my blog and talk to you about her first book - and that journey to publication .

So here she is today - please welcome Christy -

My journey to publication — Christy McKellen

Where to begin?

At the end, perhaps.

I’m Christy McKellen and I write for the KISS/Modern Tempted line for Harlequin Mills & Boon.

It’s quite a thrill to be able to write that, I can tell you. It took me six years of learning craft, reading my genre, writing, submitting, receiving form rejections, picking myself up and dusting myself off, reading, writing, entering competitions, learning more, resubmitting and so on, until I captured the interest of an editor.

I was lucky enough to be offered a two-book contract last July, after submitting a full manuscript on the back of a Twitter pitch I’d entered earlier that year. (You can read my Naked Call story here—yes, I did say naked): I’m currently writing book three for the same line.

Yup, things have moved on fast!

Rewind to the beginning of my journey.

When I first decided to try writing for Mills & Boon I didn’t know another soul who was doing it and had no idea how to go about it (apart from just sitting down and writing of course, but that’s only part of the process, as I soon discovered).

So I plucked up the courage to send an email to the lovely Kate Walker, whose wonderful books I’ve read and loved for years, asking for advice. (Not that she’s at all scary, but I felt a bit shy about contacting her out of the blue J).

Kate very kindly sent me an extremely helpful and encouraging reply back and the advice she gave me was absolute gold dust.

On her suggestion I joined the RNA’s New Writers Scheme,  which, as part of the joining fee, allows you to send in a full length manuscript for critique by an editor or published author.

I also discovered and read, cover to cover, Kate’s wonderful 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance, which is a fantastic resource for aspiring romance authors.

And then I wrote. And wrote. And wrote.

After only having the traditional submitting route available at the beginning of my journey to publication, it’s been fantastic to have had an increasing number of opportunities to get my stories in front of editors over the years. I made sure I entered all the competitions that Mills & Boon ran and even though I didn’t win, or even place in any of them, I met a huge number of other aspiring authors who I’ve had the pleasure of travelling along the long and winding road with.

I’ve made some wonderful online friends that way, including my hugely talented critique partners. For me, having a group of people who were roughly at the same point in the process as I was and happy to swap manuscripts for honest, constructive advice was an absolute boon. Writing in the dark can be a lonely and frustrating business and whenever I received a form rejection with absolutely no feedback I was always a little heartbroken, so having friends to cheer me on was essential.

There were many points when I wondered whether I’d ever get there, but I guess that’s normal. I know now that I wasn’t mentally ready or sufficiently skilled to take on the challenges of working as an author six years ago (marketing, writing multiple manuscripts a year, deadlines!) and in retrospect I’m glad I went through the motions (and emotions) to get where I am today. All the experience—particularly the rejections—have made me a better and more rounded writer (with a much thicker skin).

If you’re on your own road to publication I salute you and wish you the very best of luck. My advice for getting where you want to go is this: Believe in and nurture your voice—it’s what makes you unique—and never, NEVER give up.

B.K. (Before Kids) Christy worked as a Video and Radio Producer in London and Nottingham. After a decade of dealing with nappies, tantrums and endless questions from toddlers, she has come out the other side and moved into the wonderful world of literature. She now spends her time writing flirty, sexy romance with a kick (her dream job!).

Christy loves to hear from readers (and writers!). You can find her at www.christymckellen.com or email her at christy@christymckellen.com

Christy’s debut for the KISS/Modern Tempted line HOLIDAY WITH A STRANGER is available now from all good book retailers.    Barnes & Noble    Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk  iTunes uk

 After three months travelling all Connor Preston wants to do is sink into his own bed. The last thing he expects is to find a stark-naked woman already there…  

Josie Marchpane wasn’t anticipating company either. Connor might be six foot four inches of pure muscle, and boast a disturbingly sexy smile, but a fortnight in the South of France is the one thing standing between Josie and her sanity – and she’s not about to give it up without a fight!Josie plays to win. The problem…? Connor does too. And, with only one bed between them, things are about to get interesting…

Christy’s second book for the same line LESSONS IN RULE-BREAKING will be available from May this year. 

Journalist Jess has always followed the rules when it comes to her career:

1) Never say no! Trying to extract a tell-all interview from bad boy of the art world Xander Heaton might be her own worst nightmare, but she’s just going to have to grin and bear it!

2) Absolutely no flirting on the job—professionalism is key to a journalist’s success. Even if Xander does have her imagining the most unprofessional scenarios….

3) If resistance proves impossible, remember the golden rule—never kiss and tell!

One night with Xander and she’s broken at least one rule…and discovered it’s much more fun breaking rules than making them!

Thanks for visiting, Christy.  I'm so looking forward to reading your book.

Oh - and PS - Christy mentioned the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance -  look out for big news on that coming   in April.

Romantic Novelists' Association

The very first non Christmas post to arrive at this house between Christmas  and New Year was my brand new membership card for the Romantic Novelists' Association. It was  great to see all the meetings planned for the coming year  - from the January Industry Panel on Erotic Romance  to the Annual Conference in Sheffield in  July. I hope to be there.

I've always said that one of the best things an unpublished writer can do for learning their craft and working on their career is to get a place on the RNA's New Writers' Scheme  - if you can, because these 250 places are like gold dust!  Applications for  the NWS open at 12.02 am (UK time) on January 2nd. Applicants should e-mail the Membership Secretary AFTER that time to reserve a place on the New Writers Scheme. 

Today I have a post over on the RNA's blog for the 12 days of Christmas where I'm talking about one of my favourite personal ornanments on my own Christmas tree.  Regular Christmas visitors to this blog will recognise my now rather elderly little angel. Scary to think she's seen some 30 Christmases!

My First Kate Walker - some readers' stories and winners

You know, I used to have something called 'time' - time to read, time to write, time to post on this blog . . .

But that was before Christmas, before visitors, shopping, wrapping, more visitors . . .

I feel like I've been chasing my tail ever since December began - and now it's almost over! But I wanted to get back to the celebrations for the 25th anniversary so that I can post a few more 'Firsts' stories - and announce some winners so I can send out prizes.

But first I must remind you that the Closing Date for the Contest has been moved - I've added an extra month to the deadline so that you will have extra time to get your entries in and help me find out which of my books is currently at #1 in the top favourites rating. And maybe win a prize for yourself.

So don't forget - the deadline is now January 31st 2010

Right - now I have two readers who have written and told me their 'First Book' stories.


The first of these is Elaine S from Ontario who already answered this question over on Tote Bags 'N' Blogs when I blogged there. Here's what she said:

Congrats on your 25th! I look forward to the next 25!

You have asked a difficult question to answer. Back "in the day", I didn't keep track of who wrote which books. I just read them. I went to your web site to check out your back cover blurbs and cover pictures to refresh my memory, and three books seemed familiar: BROKEN SILENCE, MAN OF SHADOWS, and THE SPANIARD'S INCONVENIENT WIFE.

I DO know that I recognized your name as someone whose books I read often, like Anne Mather and Penny Jordan. That would have been in the eighties, so I was having kids then! Ahhhh, those were the days. And I thought I was busy THEN! I would have picked them up in a local book store (one of my favourite places!!!), and then I would have passed them on to one of many girlfriends (as I still do).Since I've started blogging, I now write down my comments on Post-It notes and attach to the books.

I recently read CORDERO'S FORCED BRIDE, and I wrote "fast read (GREAT!!!) ... made sense throughout ... liked how they talked to each other ... realistic re details - could imagine it actually happening ... wished I were the Heroine ... dress on cover was blue satin and pg 9 said it was pink satin."Thanks for offering all the great books through the years. Now you've whetted my appetite to read even more (which is the reason for blogging, I imagine)!!!

Back to today.... Since I can't remember which was the exact first book I read, I looked over your backlist again. The first one published of those mentioned above was BROKEN SILENCE from Feb/88, so I'll go with THAT being my first book. It IS possible that it was MAN OF SHADOWS from July/88, as I didn't read books in order of publishing dates then, nor do I now. (In fact, I have boxes of over 500 books I bought during the last several years that have just sat there for the past few months, because when I started blogging this summer, I started to record my comments and save all the newest books with those remarks. It really messes up my process of passing my books on to friends, so I MUST figure out a new system for this. So far, I'm only coming up with quitting blogging/recording and just passing all books, including those autographed, on to my friends. I am very confused.... Any help you could provide would be most appreciated, but it's my problem, so I'll have to deal with it....)

Thank you Elaine! You've talked of a couple of very early books of mine. Although they both came out in the same year (1988), the first publication (UK) of Broken Silence was actually in 1987. And although that made it my 5th published title, it was actually originally written much earlier than that. It was the second submission I made to HMB - Garrett of Stoneroyd - the one that didn't have enough 'emotional velocity'. But it did earn me a letter from a Senior Editor.

So I put it away and some time (years) later I took it out again, reworked it, revising it with the new knowledge I now had and this time managed to get it accepted. So there's a piece of advice for all you would-be writers out there- never throw away a rejected manuscript, no matter how dreadful you think (OK - you know) it is - It may one day be possible to revive it and rework it and turn it into something worth published. That worked for me with Broken Silence

For her contribution, Elaine wins a signed copy of Bedded By the Greek Billionaire.

The second winner is Kelly W from Manitoba (I've only just realised that both my winners today come from Canada). Here's what Kelly has to say:

I was just on your website and saw the contests you're running. Congrats on 25 years!! Here is my story for the first book of yours that I read.

I first read Calypso's Enchantment when I was only 13 years old! My mom has a small bookshelf in the basement and had asked me to dust the books and put them away in a box to give to a charity book sale. As I was doing this I found a section of romance novels and the cover of Calypso just really drew my eye. It was so colourful and pretty! I started to read it right away in the basement and after a few chapters I stopped reading, finished what I was supposed to be doing, and took the book upstairs to hide it under my bed so I could read in secret later. That was the book that got me addicted to Harlequin novels in general and yours in particular! Until I was 16 I would read my mom's or grandma's stash in secret, and then I finally got up the nerve to go to the store and buy my own!

While I don't remember the specifics of that first book, I do remember being completely caught up in the romance of the characters and the exotic location of Malta. It was a beautiful story! I still remain a devoted reader of Kate Walker books, and I thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of romance novels!

And just for fun I thought I would list my top 5 favourite books for you to help you with your poll:

1. The Sicilian's Wife

2. His Miracle Baby

3. Desert Affair

4. Constantine's Revenge

5. The Hostage Bride

I really look forward to many more years of fabulous books from you!

Thank you Kelly for that - and for including your personal Top 5 Books - I'll add them into the total poll and post some results soon.

Calypso's Enchantment was first published in 1994 and it was inspired by a wonderful holiday that I spent with my family one Easter on the beautiful island of Malta.

An interesting point - Man of Shadows and Calypso's Enchantment have two of my favourite covers over the past 25 years. They both - Man of Shadows particularly - have the hero and heroine almost exacatly as I imagined them - which is pretty rare!

For her contribution, Kelly wins a signed copy of Cordero's Forced Bride.

And another reader, Pat C from Texas wins a copy of At The Sheikh's Command for her selection of Top Five favourites:

1. The Twelve-Month Mistress
2. The Spaniard's Inconvenient Wife
3. Bound By Blackmail
4. Kept for Her Baby
5. Cordero's Forced Bride

What about you? Do you have a 'first book' memory? Or a selection of your top 5 favourites? I'd love to know. If you want to enter then all the details are on my Contest page - but don't forget that the closing date has moved to January 31st.

Finally, a special reminder to all the would-be writers out there in the UK. 2009 is coming to an end which means that from January 1st the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme will once again be open for entries.

So if you want a chance to have your work read, assessed and critiqued by a professional author from the Association, then now is the time to get your application to join in the post so that it reaches the secretary as early as possible in the year. There are only 250 places available on this scheme and they are allocated on a first-come, first served basis - so send those applications off now.

Full details of the NWS and all the RNA's activities can be found on their main site - here.

Writing Questions and Answers

I asked if you had any writing questions and the first one in the comments section on Sunday was from Caroline who asked:

could you answer the question (from your experience) as to whether you should write the whole book or just stick with the first 3 chapters and a synopsis when sending off to HM&B. Thanks - Caroline.

Well, to start my answer, I'd have to ask another question. And that is -

Can you " just stick with the first 3 chapters and a synopsis when sending off to HM&B". Becasue I never have been able to and I doubt that I ever would.

It really depends what you're writing for, I suppose. If the sole aim is to reach for publication and to plan your writing only around editorial dictates and stick strictly to the guidelines then I can see there could be a need to get editorial approval on the characters and plotline you've embarked on. And then follow their directions in the hope of turning it a book.

But if you are writing that particular book because you have to tell the characters' stories. If there are voices in your head and scenes appearing daily in front of your mind's eye, then you are a writer - a creator of fiction - and writers write. Writers also have to tell the story, whether anyone ever publishes it or not. And I for one - and I'm sure so many other writers I know - couldn't write three chapters of a story and then abandon it

I understand that you might feel that if you send of the 3 chapters and a synopsis and an editor at M&B says 'sorry this just doesn't work for us. The characters don't convince, the plot doesn't fit into any of of very specialised lines of publication' that you'd feel bettter about only having lost those three chapters. If you've gone ahead and written the whole book, all 50,000 words of it, you've lost so much more.

But, no you haven't - not really. No writing is ever wasted. While writing that book, even if it's totally rejected, you'll have learned so much more about yourself and your writing. You'll have learned the commitment it takes to write those 50,000 words. Many people I know start out on writing, thinking 'Well, a M&B novel is such a short book - dead easy really - I'll bang out one of those in no time.' And then they get to, say Chapter Three, and find that they have 9/10,000 words - and another 40,000 to go. And they've run out of steam.

So for me, the important thing to learn is - Can you actually finish a book? Beginning, middle and end. Writing the whole thing - not just thinking about it and planning it. And can you find the stamina, the courage, the com,mitment to do it again and again? Because if you were to be accepted then that's what would be wanted of you. You might as well start practising now. I've read - and critiqued - so many first 3 chapters or so over my time with writing courses and the RNA's New Writers' Scheme - and I haven't seen any of them come back to me as full books or even full manuscripts!

So finishing that book shows you can do it. Even if not yet to publishable standard. I know some people thinnk that they want to know if this book isn't going to work so they don't 'waste their time' finishing it. Because they could have been writing something new. But if you're always jumping on to that 'something new' you're too easily distracted by the next 'brilliant idea' and never completing the course.

Another point is that no synopsis is ever set in stone. Or it shouldn't be. If you write a book plan, a synopsis that outlines the plot and then you stick totally rigidly to it and never waver or change or adapt something then you are moving your characters around like cardboard cutout. You are telling them what to do instead of creating characters who come to life and start almost breathing down your ear as they tell you things about themselves. You might start out believing A B and C are going to happen only to find that really it's X Y and Z that matter. And it's only by writing the whole thing, by letting the story really develop, and letting your characters grow that you'll find out this.

Even a rejected synopsis - at the 3 chapters and a synopsis stage - isn't a dead synopsis. As you write the whole book and adapt the original synopsis as you go, you could end up with a whole new version of the story that works so much better and turns into a much more workable book. One an editor would be prepared to work on with you.

Finally remember the famous quote that is attributed to several people but mostly to Nora Roberts - the fact that you can always edit a bad page but you can't edit an empty page. The story, the characters, the plot, the writing, may all seem wonderful inside your head. It's only by putting them down on paper in reality that you can see how they will really manage in the cold hard world of publishing.

And as you asked for an answer for the question from my experience, I have to admit that I don't sell on synopsis - I always submit a full novel and see what my editor thinks. If there are any tricky moments in the story I want her to see it as a whole and see if it works out or not.

And if I was a beginner again and submitting those 3 chapters and a synopsis then I'd proably never send of my partial submission until I'd finished the whole book first. Or if I did ever send the 3 chapters off - knowing how long I might have to wait for a response - I'd have to fill in the waiting time by completing the book. Just to prove I could. And because I'd owe it to my characters to get them to their happy ever after ending.

(c) Kate Walker 2009

Blogging around

As well as my personal blog here, I have two other regular blogging spots around the internet.

One is with Tote Bags 'n' Blogs organised by the lovely Lee Hyat of Author Sound Relations. I will be blogging there on the first Sunday of every month. So that's where you'll find me on those days.

And of course I still have my role as the columnist for the Pink Heart Society. My dates each month for this will vary, depending on the topics I've been asked to write about. But I'll let you know when I'm over there instead of here. Today I'm writing in the Male on Monday slot where I'm writing about the man who inspired my second ever book published. And that was a good few years ago!

Just a reminder to those of you who are aiming to write for publication. The Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme opened again on January 1st and places are filling up fast. There are only 250 places available on this scheme and they are allocated on a strictly first come, first served basis - so if you want a chance to have your manuscript assessed by a professional, make sure you get your application in now! You can find more details here.

And just to add a great big thank you to everyone who has already bought a copy of my February book Cordero's Forced Bride from the eHarlequin site, keeping it at #2 on the ebooks bestseller list and on the overall site Bestsellers list all last week. Thank you!

Writers' Q&A

Well, I planned that this would start on Monday and run all week but things conspired against me.
Never mind. The Writers' Q&A is now officially open - and I'll fit in as many of the questions as I can in the next week.

In between Q&A posts there will be more of the Launch Party with more guests, more fun, and more prizes - so keep coming back! I'll be announcing yesterday's winners very soon.

So on to the first question - this one is from Jacqueline
Question:

I have been reading Mills & Boon books for nearly 30 years and have often thought of writing one. I have started several stories but often seem to get bogged down by constantly going over what I have written and making corrections. Do you think I would be more successful if I just kept on writing and edited the finished the book? Also do you think it is important to plot the outline of the book from the outset and have a rough outline of key events which will take place in each chapter?

Answer:

Let's start with a very basic and obvious fact.

A story has to have a beginning a middle and and end - and so, naturally, does a book. No editor is ever going to buy any novel, however wonderful it may be, if it's not finished. No publisher is ever going to publish an unfinished novel, unless it's posthumously, and then only if you're really famous. And I'm sure you'd really prefer not to be dead when your book is published.

But if I had £1 for every person who has told me that they are going to write a book - or even more that they(anyone) could 'knock out' a romance easily and quickly, I'd be a richer woman than I am today.

But if I'd waited for many of those writers to 'knock out' their books so easily . . . I'd still be waiting . . . and I wouldn't have much money, I can tell you.

I have often mentioned that I read and critique manuscripts for the Romantic Novelists' Association's New Writers' Scheme ( and there's a title that I often think should be set as as test for how to use the apostrophe correctly! I always have to doublecheck it myself)

For this scheme, unpublished writers can submit a novel they had written to have it assessed and critiqued by a professional - usually a writer published in the line/type of fiction the New Writer is aspring to. And one of the things that I always compliment the writer on - no matter what the standard of the novel - is the simple fact that they have completed it. (Admittedly some of them only submit a few chapters, but they are rare.)

Even a short romance novel demands staying power and commitment to write. 55,000 words can look very easy to manage when you're reading a fast-paced, emotional book. But starting at page 1 and writing words page after page until you reach that 55,000 total is a long hard slog. I should know I've set out on that journey more times than I care to remember. I have 54 completed title - and a large number of unpublished - and many unfinished ones to show for it.

And each one of those books has been set out on with enthusiasm and interest. The opening of a novel is always exciting to write - there is so much to discover, new characters, new scenes, new plots - so much potential in those blank pages. But that early enthusiasm can wane, the progress towards that magical total slow . . Doubts set in. You start to edit. . .

First and most importantly, remember that you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank one. So you need to fill those pages. And then you can go back and edit them. And personally, I feel that filling them is what matters. Editing comes later.

Friends of mine have different ways of describing this - Michelle Reid always reminds me (and I remind her) to 'just tell the story'. 'Don't read back' we say - keep writing, keep going, You can go back to edit/revise/rework - remove - reject - later.

Other authors talk about slamming down a 'dirty draft' and Julie Cohen has a Post-It note on her computer giving herself permission to 'write crap'.

Because even if what you have at the end of the book is indeed 'crap', at least you have a complete story, scenes and characters that you can go back and edit, and hopefully fix. But I think that it's only when you get to the very end that you can see whether what you've written is in fct crap. Sometimes, pages, scenes, chapters that I've written and even as I'm writing them I've thought 'What am I doing? Where is this going? What's the point to it? - Oh this is rubbish!', when I've gone back and reread them at the end, in context, in the flow of the book, they end up looking perfectly fine - in fact more than fine - they can be the bits that the editor and the readers love. Or, equally they can just be rubbish!

So my advice to Jacqueline is yes - keep on going, don't keep looking back, going back - keep on keeping on. 'Just tell the story'.

Too much editing can take every last drop of life from a story. Back in prehistoric times when I first started writing, I didn't have a computer, I wrote on a mclunky manul typewriter. Before that, I used an even more primitive technique - I wrote everything longhand in ink! But I always just scribbled and scribbled to get the story down. Then I typed it up - and as I typed, I edited it. These days when I can edit, erase, repeat, move, cut and paste . . . if I'm not careful that's what I end up doing. I write 'The', think no - and erase it - write It - think no - and erase it - go back to 'The' . . .

So Jacqueline - do anything that helps you keep moving forward. Yes, think ahead, work out a novel plan, rough out the events and scenes that you want to have in your book, map it out if that keeps you going. But always be prepared for that novel plan to change as you get to know your characters better - as they come alive. (this is the subject of the next Q&A actually).

When I was a beginner I created a novel plan. Probably not as detailed as one where I had notes for every chapter and every event - but I did a rough plan of how I saw the story developing, any major events - events on which the plot turned, where the characters learned . . . I didn't always stick to it. Often I wrote it all down, put it beside the typewriter - and started. And the original plan would get covered by other bits of paper and other notes and by the time I'd got to the end, and sent the book off, and I was tidying my office, I'd find it again and think 'Oh, so that's what I meant to do . . . '

These days I'm far more likely to set out and 'travel hopefully into the fog' - But planning out your book can be a big help.

Anything that keeps you going, telling that story right to the finish.

So plan it out carefully if that helps - but don't spend all your time making that plan just perfect! What matters is that you write - slam down a dirty draft - don't look back - give yourself permission to write crap - just tell the story!

And then you can go back and edit it.

(c) Kate Walker 2008

One other thing - HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of the special people in my life - Anna Louise Lucia. Have a wonderful day, love.

Great Big Blog Party 37 - Jan Jones

Today's Great Big Blog Party Guest Blogger is a lady who I hope has spent the last week or so relaxing, recovering and revelling in the thought of another job wonderfully well done.

Because today's Guest Blogger is the brilliant Jan Jones who plans and organisesthe RNA Conferences with such brilliance - and so much hard work and worrying. A couple of weekends ago, in Leicester, Jan handled the arrangements for 150 or so delegates, a wonderful selection of speakers, meals, coffee breaks, rooms, sound systems . . . you name it - and all with the appearance of a swan gliding calmly through the water (though you know only too well that its feet are paddling away like mad under the surface to keep things going.) She coped with late arrivals, good news and bad news, kept the sessions flowing, made sure they didn't overrun - and all with a smile on her face that maybe got a little fixed at times but never actually disappeared. She was, quite simply a star. And I'm quite sure that by the end of the conference she was exhausted and had to go home and recover.

But you did a brilliant job, Jan. Thank you so much. If everyone had as great a time as I did then you can give yourself many pats on the back.

Of course in order to run such great conferences, Jan has become a Mistress of Manipulation, managing to persuade innocent and gullible friends and fellow RNA members into running talks/workshops/panels etc byapproaching them when they are in a very good mood (like at a 50th title celebration), happy, relaxed, and so unsuspecting . . . and then she pounces. Which is how I've ended up doing Library talks, workshops on plotting, Emotional Punch etc etc - and now it seems, in a moment of madness, have signed up for something else next year as well. But the truth is that I can rarely (OK, never) refuse Jan anything - and she did give me this conference off completely. (Which is probably why I enjoyed it so much!)

Jan doesn't just organise Conferences though, she also writes brilliant romantic comedy and her book Stage by Stage won the RNA's Joan Hessayson Award (for books that have been through the New Writers' Scheme). It's now published by Transita and I enjoyed it so much that just wish she'd get another published so I can enjoy that too!

So here's Jan Jones - Going For Gold

Fifty equals gold. Romance equals roses. So it was entirely appropriate that Kate Walker was showered with golden roses at her Big Fiftieth Title Party in Lincoln.

But - did you know that yellow roses are a comparatively new phenomenon? European roses were all shades of pink or white until the 19th century when the arrival of tea roses from the Orient caused an outbreak of breeding to produce different colours and forms.

Frenchman Joseph Permet‑Ducher spent twenty years breeding roses in a search of a hardy yellow variety. Then, one day in 1900, he noticed a mutant yellow rose in a field, which had all the characteristics he'd been trying to create!

Which brings me, rather tortuously, back to a Kate Walker link. One thing - was it from the emotional punch workshop, Kate? - which struck me particularly, was her saying that whilst it is always possible to refine a piece of writing to wring the maximum out of it, if the subject didn't spring naturally from your heart in the first place, it isn't going to work as well as something that does.

In other words, write from your heart. Which Kate does to perfection.

GIVEAWAY QUESTION: Kate had golden roses for her celebration. I'd like to know which flower means the most to other people, and why?

GIVEAWAY PRIZE: is a signed copy of Stage by Stage, my NWS award-winning romantic comedy. Or, if you prefer, one of the Sexy Shorts anthologies in which I have short stories.

Biography: Jan Jones is on the RNA committee and organises the annual conference. (She also takes advantage of Kate’s good nature from time to time, but that’s another story) One day she hopes to find enough time to write another book.

PS from Kate

I've posted the official 'Jan Jones as Conference Organiser' picture that Jan sent me - but Sid would like me to add this one - that I've snaffled from her web site - as well because it shows Jan with a very handsome friend

Great Big Blog Party 19 - Natalie Rivers

It's a special thrill to me to be able to introduce my next Guest Blogger as someone who has her novel out on the shelves with me this month. Not just her novel - but her very first published novel ever. Natalie Rivers is a brand new signing to the Modern/Presents line and her book The Kristallis Baby is out now in both UK an America - and in the UK it's sharing a shelf with The Sicilian's Red-Hot Revenge.

Which is a delight to me because I have watched this book develop - and watched Natalie grow from an eager student, throught the New Writers' Scheme, to a published author - and I've had my own small input into the success of her career.

But I'll leave Natalie to tell you about that. Just to say that I'm specially pleased that the success of Natalie's book shows how talent, determination, hard work and commitment will win through - and that the publication of it is a great endorsement of the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme - which I'm proud to be a reader for.

So - Natalie Rivers

There are more than 50 reasons why I love Kate Walker, but here are just some of them…

As a brand new writer, I felt very proud and honoured when Kate asked me to take part in her 50th Book Celebrations. It still seems quite unreal to me that I’ve been published (my first book, The Kristallis Baby, is out in June UK and US), and I am delighted, and somewhat awed, to say that Kate Walker helped me on the road to publication.

I first met Kate three years ago at the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference, at Leicester University. It was her second year as the creator/organiser of the Conference Virgins and she did a wonderful job looking after the first-timers. But even better than that, she arranged for us all to have a ten minute discussion with an author of our choice.

Well, you can guess who I chose! I’d loved Kate’s books for years, so it was fantastic to get to meet her as a fan. And, as an aspiring Modern/Presents writer, who could be better to talk to for help and advice?

I already had a very good idea of Kate’s warmth, intelligence and caring personality from her on-line presence. But in person I was immediately struck by her amazing dynamic energy. She is also an incredible teacher and is unstintingly generous with her wealth of knowledge about the craft of writing. (Just take a look at Kate Walker’s 12-Point Guide to Writing Romance, and you’ll see what I mean.)

I discussed my story idea with her. Then, once it was written, I sent it off to the RNA’s New Writers Scheme, hoping that my manuscript would fall into her hands. I was lucky! Although the reader is supposed to be a secret, I was sure I recognised her voice in the hugely detailed and helpful feedback. I revised my story – always keeping in mind Kate’s favourite question Why? Then sent it off to Mills & Boon.

And now my book is on the shelves in the UK, next to the fabulous The Sicilian’s Red Hot Revenge by none other than the equally fabulous Kate Walker.

GIVEAWAY PRIZE:

signed copy of The Kristallis Baby and sequined coin purse

GIVEAWAY QUESTION:
In The Kristallis Baby the hero whisks the heroine away to the beautifulGreek island of Corfu. If you could go anywhere in the world, which islandwould you love to visit for a romantic getaway?

Natalie doesn't yet have a web site that I can link you to but as she has just had her second book accepted, I hope that she soon will have one - and as soon as I know, then I'll give you a link to that.

So I promised you pictures . . .

Well that was a wonderful day. Susan Stephens is a fabulous hostess and the party in her beautiful home high up in the Pennines was a delight from start to finish. Wonderful company, wonderful food, wonderful view . . .. I'm sorry, I was too busy talking to everyone so I forgot to take a photo of the view so you'll just have to imagine the rolling hills, the steep valley, the trees, the green . . .

So, as I said, the party was both to celebrate lovely Amanda Ashby's first book - more of that later - and sadly say goodbye to Amanda her husband and two children because they are laving to live in New Zealand in just four weeks time. (By the way those children are very special - Arthr and Molly are just four and six and they managed to eat their special chocolate fondue - strawberries, marshmallows . .. and not get chocolate all over the room!). I don't have pictures of the children but I do have a lovely one of Amanda and Susan.

I knew the afternoon was off to a great start when we actually found the house without me killing the BM. There was a nasty moment when he was sure we were going in quite the wrong direction, but I persuaded him that Sue would know where her house was, better than most. And of course she did. Her brilliantly descriptive directions - including the 'narrow wiggly road' got us to the right place at the right time. So much at the right time that we arrived at exactly the same moment as brand new Presents author India Grey whose very first book The Italian's Defiant Mistress is out in M&B Modern in July this year.

India is truly lovely - and very beautiful. The BM lost his heart to her from the moment that they met. And if her book is as great as she is then it shoudl be a fabulous read. I know that India reads this blog (Hi India! ) and that she and her children love Sid and the Hedgehogs. (sorry that should read that her cat Ruby loves Sid!) Sorry there aren't any hedgehogs about right now - they're still hibernating - but I hope they'll be back with brand new hoglets later in the Spring.
<- L toR India Susan and Me

After a warm welcome by Susan, her lovely elderly dog Finn and her not so elderly lovely husband - we were able to meet up with the Amanda the guest of honour. As I said yesterday, I first met Amanda through the RNA Virgin's scheme I set up in 2003 for the first time attendees at the RNA Conference. (It's now called the First Timers Group or some such). That was a special year for Virgins and I've lost count of how many of them are published - I know that Natasha Oakley was in that group, Nell Dixon. Olivia Gates . . . (I'm afraid of missing someone - so if I have I hope I'll be forgiven) and now there's Amanda.
L to R India, Amanda and Susan ->
I can still remember the first moment I met Amanda when this striking, dark haired woman tried to get into the hall of residence in which we were staying - through the wrong, locked, door. I have vivid memories of her wide, brilliant smile and her fabulous New Zealand accent - and she's stayed a friend ever since. I also worked with her one a RNA New Writers' Scheme script - which I knew at the time wasn't going to fit into theHarlequin stable but it had a great chick lit humourous tone to it - so I was really thrilled when I learned that NAL had bought another of Amanda's books, the wonderfully titled You Had Me at Halo.

You Had Me At Halo is humorous women's fiction about a woman who dies with unresolved issues and comes back in the body of her geeky co-worker in order to sort them out. Coming August 2007. And for readers of this blog who remember my summer Bag of Books contest, I've managed to persuade Amanda to donate two copies of her book to the book bag booty so two of you will get a chance to read this book hot from the press. (I've also twisted India's arm and she's donating two copies of The Italian's Defiant Mistress too - I think I shall want to win the book bag this summer!)

Another writer at the party was Amanda Grange who writes Historical Romantic Fiction, including the acclaimed Mr Darcy's Diary . Amanda (perhaps I should call her Amanda2) shared with me the news that she is celebrating the fact that several of her books are about to be released in America - so if you love historical romance - and specially if you're a fan of Jane Austen - then look out for those.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of food, champagne and talk - and as I said, once released from captivity, writers can really talk. We also - being typical writers and being very nosey - explored Susan's beaugtiful house and snooped into her study to see where all her fabulous books are written. Those of you who have visited Sue's web site will know that hse has a great cartoon drawing of herself and her youngest daughter as the heading on there. (A cartoon which, by the way, does not do justice to either of these ladies.) Sue has the original of this on the wall in her office, so my last photograph is of her with the original artework - so you can compare the two!

All too soon the afternoon was over and we all had to leave to drive to opposite sides of the country. I was so sad to asy goodbye to Amanda but we're determined that one day we'll meet up again - and her presence in New Zealand is one added reason for me to try and get back there and see everyone I got to know at the RWNZ conference a couple of years ago.

Amanda - Bon Voyage and good luck to you and your lovely family in your new life in New Zealand. I hope everything goes wonderfully for you. And I'm hoping for every success for You Had Me At Halo - I'm really looking forward to reading that.

India -it was great to meet you and I hope it won't be too long before we meet up again - and The Italian's Defiant Mistress is another book that's on my To Be Bought list. Can't wait!

And Susan - what can I say except thank you for a wonderful day. Your welcome was so typical of your warm and lovely personality. The BM and I had a fantastic time. Thank you!


PS I did mention yesterday that Susan has a book - The One Night Baby - out this month, along with my Sicilian Husband Blackmailed Bride - but she also has her very first book in the Modern Extra Line coming out in May - so look out for Dirty Weekend coming in May - it has a fantastic cover! And I was lucky enough to be given my own copy by Sue - now all I need to to get rid of this Spaniard and I can indulge in a bit of fun reading . . . .