Meet Lara Temple - Part 2

1  I hope you enjoyed the first part of the interview with  Harlequin Historical author Lara King.

Today she's back to  answer the  second set of my questions - and talk about her experience with the So You Think You Can Write Contest  

        Don't forget to answer Lara's question in the comments to be in with a chance of winning a copy of one of her great books.

         Once again - thanks for joining me on my blog, Lara!

          You submitted  Lord Crayle’s Secret World for the So You Think You Can Write contest 2014.  What was that experience like?

That was truly an amazing experience! It was my mother’s idea in the first place to finally dust off one of the stories I had written and do something about the unspoken dream. It was one of those what-the-hell-let’s-just-do-it moments and quite frankly I never thought anything would come of it. When I received the email saying I made it to the top 25, I was so shocked I can still remember my cheeks tingling. For a moment I just didn’t believe it. I had read many of the other submissions and I thought there were so many wonderful ideas I didn’t allow myself to hope too much. Then they called to say I had made it to the top 10 and the real shocker came when they actually said they were interested in the book. That was pure joy!

2.         Did you have to do a lot of revising on the original submission?

I did actually. The original story was way too long (almost twice the length of Harlequin Historicals) and had a lot of historic and political detail in it that just didn’t fit the genre. I also had to intensify the emotional conflict, which was much more fun than the brutal chopping I had to do on the length. So it was quite an education but luckily I have an amazing editor who often sees the trees through my forest and she really helped shine light on what worked and what didn’t. It was a difficult but an invaluable process. I wrote the second book with much of what I had learned in mind so it needed less revisions, and the third was even smoother. Like everything else, writing is both an art and a craft and I spend a lot of time honing the craft part. In that sense I’m glad I had to really slog through revisions the first time round.

3.       What was it like to receive ‘the call’?

It was already exciting to have Harlequin interested in a manuscript in the first place, but I knew at any point during the revisions they could say ‘thank you, but no thank you’ so when my editor actually called me directly I was still so ready for rejection my brain was in such serious delay that the words ‘two book contract’ sort of floated around for a few blank seconds before making a very thumping and joyous landing. I don’t quite recall what I said (other than ‘Yes!’) but I don’t think

 it showed any sign of intelligence…I remember clutching my tea mug very hard!

4.       Your second book, The Reluctant Viscount, is published this month– can you tell us something about this new novel?

The Reluctant Viscount is about the impact of betrayal, the scarring it causes, and the possibility of redemption that comes from learning to trust (and love) again. Adam is betrayed first by a spoiled beauty who uses him to capture a wealthy husband and then by his family and community. Ten years later he returns, wealthy, titled, cynical, and determined to have nothing to do with the people who rejected him. Alyssa was barely eighteen but secretly in love with Adam when the drama unfolded. In the decade that passed she has managed to shake her wild and eccentric upbringing to become a very proper young woman. But when Adam is framed for murder she has to risk everything by entering a sham engagement. Luckily they find that trusting each other has unforeseen and, in the end, quite happy consequences.

5.       Is Alyssa another unconventional heroine?

Alyssa is an unconventional heroine trying very hard to be conventional. I liked the way Adam and Alyssa start out on opposite ends of the respectability spectrum and then swing radically to the other end of it before both each finding a happier middle through their relationship. The idea that love and acceptance can help each other find emotional fulfilment and equilibrium is an important theme for me.

.

6.       Finally, what are you working on now? Can we hope to see another new Lara Temple on sale soon?

I just finished my third book and am doing revisions (though I don’t have a publication d

ate yet), and am almost done with number four (she says hopefully). They are both strong and sexy but one is set in London and is about emotional scars caused by loss and guilt (and about a Duke and a pug named Marmaduke) and the fourth is set in the peninsular wars and is about conflicting loyalties and choosing to love (soldier vs. spy). And in each case I am so happy with my hero and heroine – I always have a hard moment handing them over to be loved or (possibly) hated by others.  And in between I am still reveling in the fact that this is now my job – I still can’t quite believe it.

Lara's  Question for giveaways   - Please post your answer in the comments to be in with a chance for a giveaway of one of Lara's books.

Both Sari and Alyssa are not your run of the mill regency misses. History is full of unconventional heroines and I am always on the lookout for real life examples – do you have a favorite unconventional historical heroine?

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.

So you think you can write.

I mentioned the new So You Think You Can Write contest yesterday. This is up and running now -  but this time it’s running  through Wattpad

All the details you need are on the Wattpad site here:

There's a Facebook page  here    and lots more information on the SYTYCW site here

The grand prize is a two book contract with Harlequin.  So what are you waiting for  - get writing - and posting!

Several people have asked if I have any courses that might help you learn about writing romance - well, yes I do, but the problem is that the  Complete Romance Writing course is on next week in Fishguard and  Writers' Holiday at Fishguard is already full.    Sorry!

I  do have another course coming up -with Relax and Write -  but that's actually a Writing Retreat - it's at  a 3 in 1 event in Swanwick in Derbyshire. Here are the details:

 9 - 11 October at The Hayes Conference Centre Swanwick Derbyshire - all inclusive fee £245 -

On this weekend we are organising three different courses.  'Writing for Children' with Anita Loughrey - such a specialist genre - come and join us and find out about how to write for different age groups. How to illustrate your story for the very young. How to inspire the older children to read.

'Focus on Writing Romantic Fiction' - a Retreat with Kate Walker.  This course has a limited number of places, so if you have not booked, please hurry.  Retreats are popular with those writing a novel.  They can receive feedback during the year, as Retreats are twice yearly, they will help you progress chapter by chapter!

'Write About your Uncle Joe' with Stephen Wade links you to not only writing short stories about the past, but putting into words the Family anecdotes that are more personal to each of us, whether for your memoirs or for fiction.

This Retreat is almost booked up and you will have to submit some chapters and a synopsis to work on - but if you're interested contact  Relax and Write for details.

After that, the next course is Advanced Romance Writing back in Fishguard in February 2016 - that's  just about booked up too, with, I think just two places left.

So that's taking me into 2016. After that, there will be more Relax and Write   events - like the course at Royal Agricultural College Cirencester. ..  April 15th - 17th

And another retreat (details to follow)

Which brings us right round to . . . Writers' Holiday Fishguard 2016! They will be accepting day visitors  so that might help. 

Details of all Writers' Holiday events can be found on  their web site here. 

Which reminds me - I need to update my own web site with the new events that are planned.  (Note to self - when I get back from Writers' Holiday at Fishguard)

I know so many of you can't get to any opf the courses but there is always the Kindle edition of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance  and the new paperback editions which is available on Amazon UK and USA etc  - Barnes and Noble or here

And another one . . .

I really do love it when my teaching pays dividends and  results in  one of my students progressing from beginner to more knowledgeable writer - and then hopefully to published author - or at least well on the way to that status.  I have met so many (a dozen or more I think now)  people who tell me that my classes/courses/workshops - or the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance -  have helped them learn more about writing and the success they  have had as a result.  

I just told you about Rachael, one of my Fishguard students whose  novel - Behind the Scandalous Façade  is in the Top Ten line up for So You Think You can Write   contest - and this weekend I heard from another of the ten semi -finalists. 

Tanya Wright is the author of  If Only - a novel aimed at the  Harlequin Romance line.  I've never actually met Tanya in person, but back in  March I 'met' her on line when I led a forum discussion on writing with emotion on Harlequin's community boards. Tanya joined in that and asked some interesting questions as she was just starting to write a new manuscript.  And now that manuscript  too has placed in the top ten of SYTYCW.

Tanya sent me a lovely message thanking me for my help and  advice and  I was thrilled to know that what I said had helped her so much because her editor mentor had commented on the realistic emotion in her story.

Congratulations Tanya!

Tanya's  not reminded me that the Writing With Emotion discussion can still be found on  the Harlequin web site if you want to have a read - in the Craft Courses Archives -  Delivering Emotional Punch with Kate Walker  if you want to take a look. Hopefully it will help you too.

If you live in the UK I will be posting details of all my new courses/workshops coming up on the Events Page of my website in case you want to come along.

Much Needed Catch Up

I knew that I needed to blog  - having neglected to post for some time – but I hadn’t realised just how long it is since I actually posted anything here.  And when my sister in Australia notices that I’ve been  missing in action (sorry Big Sis!) then I know it’s well overdue to write something.

So here I am, trying to catch up  and bring things up to date. What have I been doing since  I last posted?

1.       With the help of the wonderful Heather Reed of We Write Romance, I’ve  finally updated my web site. (Thank you Heather!)  I can’t believe how long it is since that was done. So now there is a complete list of all the recent M&B Vintage/Harlequin  Treasury ebooks that have been issued  - including a special banner that Heather has created -  and they’re all clearly shown.  The new publicity pic is up there too.

2.       On a personal front  there was the dental emergency  - how can a tooth go from ‘fine’ to ‘ouch!’ in what seems like the blink of an eye. Well, that’s what mine did  or so it seemed. So I’ve spent more time than I care to remember sitting in a dentist’s chair, trying to breathe calmly while the old filling was drilled out and a new one put in. Fun – not!

3.       Reading.  One of my resolutions – not new year, obviously, but a determined one all the same – has been to read more as I’d not been getting my hands on as many books as I would have liked.   So I’ve had my nose buried in as many volumes as possible – some good, some not so satisfactory.

4.       Admitting at last that the C word is coming – it’s December tomorrow and that means that Christmas is just around  the corner. And with friends and family in America, Spain, Australia, Japan, presents and parcels need to be  organised, gifts bought, wrapped and sent on their way.  I’ve just put what is (hopefully) the last foreign posting in the Mail.  Which means of course that I’ve bought the gifts and wrapped them before I did that! And there are some other presents ticked off the list for friends and family nearer home- I’m starting to feel   surprisingly organised.

5.       Watching the results and reading the top 3 entries in the So You Think You Can Write Contest – I enjoyed them all –  Congratulations to  all three – Mel, Amber and Jennifer – and extra special congratulations to Jennifer for winning that prized publishing contract. 

6.       Celebrating some very special news when  a dear friend Anna Louise Lucia  and her husband announced that they are adopting a a gorgeous, bouncy, little two year old boy.  That’s the very best sort of news on a cold grey damp November day.

7.       Planning the Advanced Contemporary Romance  Writing Workshop for Fishguard in February2013.  The welcome letters and the reading list have gone out and now I’m planning the final details of the course and waiting for some first chapter submissions so that I can discuss them in the one to ones in February. So looking forward to that. Oh – and if you were hoping to book for Fishguard, but hesitated after I announced that the course was sold out – as a result of an unexpected cancellation, there is now ONE place left on the course for February 15^th 2013.  One place only  - so if  you’d like to grab it – check out the details here and get your booking in.

8.       I’ve also been planning my Christmas celebrations on the blog – with the  Advent Calendar coming up starting on December 1^st (that’s tomorrow isn’t it? Yikes! Must get organised!)  I have a book a day to give away – some old, some new -  and I know that there are some Kate Walker collectors out there who might be interested in a couple  of ‘golden oldies’ I have on offer. All you have to do is to join in,  come and chat, tell me what’s happening in your world  and post a comments to be in with a chance to win -   So look out for that Advent Calendar starting Saturday December 1^st.

And that’s it – I think!  I’m sorry for the absence,  and  glad to be back. With the Advent Calendar giveaway lined up for the next 24 days, I’ll hope to be  much more of a regular blogger for December at least!

 

Congratulations & Photo

First thing today is to congratulate the Top  28  - the writers who have been chosen to go into the next stage of the So You Think  You Can Write contest.   This is a real achievement for all of you  - so Congratulations! I hope that this success spurs you on to greater things - I'll look forward to seeing the results of the next stage when they are revealed.

If you haven't see the list, then you can find it here.

Good luck to the long list 'winners' - but really, the hard work starts now. It;s one thing to create a first chapter, polish it and submit it and win the attention of the editors/reader voters - quite another to craft it into a full length, fully developed and readable story.   Go for it!

Those who have not been selected - this is not the end. I'm sure that more than the 28 long listers will have been noticed - and I hope that having taken the plunge and written something  you will not give up now. Remember, getting published is a marathon, not a sprint - keep on  keeping on and hopefully there will be many newly published authors from this contest.

Photo - I expect you'll be seeing lots of these all over the web in the last few days - When the authors all met for the annual Association of Mills & Boon lunch, back in September, Harlequin provided a photographer to take photos of everyone there  so a s to provide a new publicity photograph for author pages etc.  We all received our copies of the new photos last week and as I said many authors have been posting them on their web sites, blogs etc.   So if you've always wondered what a favourite author looks like you'll find them around the web.

And if you want to know what  mine looks like - well, here  you are. 

The Babe Magnet likes it, so does The Offspring and even Flora and Charlie think it looks like Mum!

Kate's Corner day

It's October 15th so that means that I'm blogging over on We Write Romance today in my regular Kate's Corner spot.

I'm not doing well in keeping up with my personal blog here but at least I am blogging in my regular 'guest spots' which is something! I keep hoping that at some point life will settle down a bit.

Well I can hope . . .

Good luck to everyone who has entered the So You Think You Can Write Contest - I'm looking forward to seeing the list of the final 28.

Pink Heart Day

It's the first Friday of the month so that mneans it's my Pink Heart Society  day for blogging in my Date With Kate Column.

So that's where you'll find me - with the So You Think You Can Write  contest in mind, as a special  request from PHS editor, Michelle Styles, I'm talking about choosing just which type of romance writing will suit you best.

See  you there!

Kate's Corner day

It's the 15th of the month so today is my day for posting over on the We Write Romance Blog in my regular Kate's Corner  post.

Today I'm talking about some of the new things coming up with the advent of autumn (or Fall!)  One of these is the lauch of the big international So You Think You Can Write contest which is now launching -
All the details,  rules and regulations  can be found here

And the other piece of news is  that he brand new designs for the RIVA covers have been launched today - you can see them here - with more on that blog.

The're very different - what do you think? What do you think?

Pink Heart Day

It's the first Friday of the month. As you read this I will be beside the sea in  Bridlington,  talking about writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon to a library writing group. And this ties in with my topic in A Date With Kate over on The Pink Heart Society this month.

With the huge So You Think You Can Write contest launched by Harlequin, I'm looking at possible ways to learn more about your craft - and  maybe make  new friends in the process. It's all about Conferences, Courses, Critiques .. .

I'm also looking for questions on the writing craft that I can answer to help anyone who's entering SYTYCW - and there's a copy of the 12 Point Guide To Writing Romance to someone who asks a great craft question.

So see you there! (When I get back from the seaside.)

Pink Heart Friday

It's the first Friday of the month so that means that today I'm blogging over on the Pink Heart Society site with my regular Date With Kate.

Today with the announcement of  the So You Think You Can Write Contest in mind, I'm posting the first of a set of craft posts to help those of you who plan to entere and to start with I'm going right back to basics and looking at the 'rules'  there are in romance writing - or that everyone seems to thin there are!

See you there?

This and That

Busy  week - when are they anything else?   

So -  what's coming up?  Let me see . . .

On Monday I'm being interviewed by Radio Nottingham - it's all about that book. You know, the one everyone  is talking about /reading/buying - 50 Shades of Grey. So I'm interested in what you think. Have you bought it? Read it? Enjoyed it? Hated it?  Any opinions?  I'm interested in the  50 Shades phenomenon as part of my job of  being aware of what is popular in publishing these days -  and I'd love to know what you think.

The interview will be on Monday but as it's The Breakfast Show, apparently I'll be on at about 7.50 am.  I'll need to have a stiff coffee to make sure I'm awake and functioning.

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of the month so that means I'll be over on Tote Bags 'N' Blogs  . . . when I can think of something I can post about! 


I'm still open for any questions you have about  writing romance  for those of you who are planning to enter the So You  Think You Can Write Contest. So far  I've only had one question (thank you  Tora)  - so I won't get many craft posts out of that!

Oh and talking of teaching Writing Romance. I heard from the organisers of the wonderful Caerleon  Writers' Holidays yesterday.  There are still one or two places available on my  Complete Introduction To Writing Romance course this year.   They are still working on trying to ensure that Writers' Holiday continues in some form next year. Hopefully a way can be found to hold it at Caerleon again - but  there are other possibilities in the pipeline. 

Whatever happens, the Babe Magnet and I are SO looking forward to being at Caerleon again in July.  I can't wait.

But before that there's the RNA Conference . . . .

Writing Around the World

Yesterday was a crazy day - there was a rush of comments to answer over on the I Heart Presents blog. So many had been caught up in moderation over the weekend and were released when Canada woke up on Monday morning. They all needed to be answered.

And then there was the great excitement of the announcement of the winner of the New Voices contest (Congratulations again Leah!)

And then (my editor will like this best) a book that I had been struggling with suddenly decided to be more cooperative . . .

And so I forgot to mentin that as part of the So You Think You Can Write Editorial Week blog over on EHarlequin, I had been asked to contribute a blog to special section for the week called Writing Around The World. As I understand it, I'm one of only two Presents authors who have been asked to contribute to the Editorial Weeek and so I was honoured to be part of it. I specially loved being able to write about Writing Around the World as I have so many wonderful readers in so many countries. Only this morning I had a notificatin that my blog has had 126,400 visitors from 155 different countries!

You are all so welcome - and I'm really glad you come to visit. Writing for Harlequin Presents is truly an international experience - and that's what my blog is about on Eharlequin.com. If you'd like to read more then you can find it here .

And I know that the 25th anniversary contest winners have to be chosen - but Sid The Cat was busy yesterday with another giveaway - from the I Heart Presents blog - and as I said there's this book . . .

But watch this space!

Oh and Jo who commented on my blog yesterday that it was a pity SYTYCW isn't open to UK residents - is that the case? I haven't had a chance to go and check - see the above! - but from my experience of EHarlequin and their boards they are truly international. You just need to be a member of the Community - so easy to sign up for. I often chat with lots of people - and authors - from the UK in different places on that site. Will double check if I get a minute but I think a lot of it will be available to all.

PS - Thanks to Nas who commented already this morning (thanks so much Nas!) - to clarify SYTYCW IS open to all - here's what Nas said:

It was clarified in the forums that SYTYCW is indeed international. There was some misunderstanding regarding the contest rules but its cleared now.

So I hope lots of you will join in and gain a lot from it.

So you think you can write . . .

Editorial Week Nov 1-5

Does your imagination run wild with vivid characters? Have you ever dreamed of becoming a USA TODAY bestselling author? Well, our editors want to make those dreams come true. We are hungry to find talented new writers for Harlequin Books. Through podcasts, blogs, and discussions with our expert editors and current authors, we’re going to help you understand the appeal of the romance genre. And there’s a special daily challenge with feedback that will give some great insights into crafting the perfect story. So for the next week, come by to hone your skills and get started on the path to publication. So you think you can write? Here’s your chance to show us!

Featuring:

Meet 50+ editors who want to buy your book

Join community discussions with savvy writers in the know

Listen to podcasts with editors and authors

Chat live with editors in the Harlequin Community

Participate in a webinar with editors

Follow us on Twitter

Take part in the daily challenge to test your writing skills

Submit your story to the Harlequin editors!

Find out more over on eHarlequin all week.

Meanwhile the 25th anniversary contest is now closed. I'll be getting Sid the Cat on the job of picking winners - there were a huge number of entries so even with 25 prizes to choose we may be some time!

New Voices and Editorial Week

The New Voices contest now has its Favourite Four entries listed. Many congratulations to the chosen authors - and good luck with the next stage of the contest.
The next stage is of course the 'pivotal moment' and, having been asked so many times just what a pivotal moment is, I'm going to be intrigued to see just what each writer chooses as the pivotal moment for their particular story.

New Voices 2011 is already being talked about so if you want to let the editors know more about how you'd like that to go then you can contriubute your comments here.

And if you'd like more about writing romance, want to know what the editors are looking for then mark the week of November 1 - 5 in your diary. That's when Editorial Week runs over on eHarlequin.com. Here's what Harlequin have to say:

Through podcasts, blogs, and discussions with our expert editors and current authors, we’re going to help you understand the appeal of the romance genre. And there’s a special daily challenge with feedback that will give some great insights into crafting the perfect story. So for the next week, come by to hone your skills and get started on the path to publication. So you think you can write? Here’s your chance to show us!

I was delighted to be asked to contribute a blog as part of this special week - and there's a lot going on in those five days. I'm sure there's something for everyone.