Keeping the balls...

in the air.

Years ago, when I sought advice about why my writing career wasn't exactly taking off, I was told that I had too many things on the go and once.

That was true then and is even more true now. Not only is there a short story which needs polishing, but I am currently editing my YA novel, promoting "Dark Angel" on Wattpad, looking for small regional publishers for my children's book "City of Secrets" and blogging.

As well as all that, I should be working on the "Dragonfire" trilogy.  I need to step up promotion for the e books and kindle the final volume "Master of Trades". I also have to re-read "Slipping Through the Net" my contribution to Hag Lit, the first few chapters of which, in a moment of madness, I sent off to an agent.

Then there is Face Book and Twitter. The first I love and can manage, the second I'm still working out. I know I have to get to grips with it, but I need to sit down and spend some time following and tweeting to see what works for me.

Between letting the world know what I'm doing, and actually writing my head feels like it's spinning. Much more importantly I feel as if I'm dabbling here, there and everywhere and not focusing on finishing anything.

The trouble is that as a writer nothing is finished until it's bound solidly in a cover; even e books can be scratched and re-written at the click of a key. So there will always be countless balls in the air. The trick is, I guess, to keep calm and focus on the one thing you've chosen to do today. Keeping a list of what has been done and what still needs attention could be useful too.

I should imagine that being in this situation is quite usual for a writer, so if any of you out there have any hints as to manage your work in an even vaguely sensible way, I'd love it if you would share.

"Winter Count" the book launch

Saturday night was a first for me. It was the first book launch I've ever been to and it was a real family affair. Friends and relations all gathered in Foyle's bookshop in Bristol to welcome "Winter Count" into print. The anthology of his poems is the work of my nephew Peter Naumann, the cover was designed by my sister the artist Anuk Naumann who together with her husband Roger had helped to organise the event.

It was a great evening. Greeted by glasses of Prosecco there was time to chat to my mum and Peter Oran the owner of Starborn Books who published "Winter Count" before the main event.

Pete, must have been a little nervous, I know I would have been, but he came across as funny, self assured and totally in control of his material  as he told us about himself, his journey to publication and his work. Then he read a selection from the book, explaining each poem and giving an insight into  what had inspired it.

His poems are dense, alive with with imagery and rich in language. They are poems to be pondered over, their meanings teased out and debated. All of which could be daunting for a reading event, but not this one. Even the most inexperienced poetry reader couldn't help enjoying both the reading, the interview by Peter Oran and of course the poems themselves.

Brilliant!

"Winter Count" is available from sales@starbornbooks.co.uk.

Being on the Radio.

It's something every writer has to do. It's no good writing the book, or the short story, or the play you have to get out there and promote your work and, dare I say it, yourself.

For me this is the hardest part of my writing life. As far as I'm concerned I'd be more than happy sitting in my office working away at my computer. Of course I want people to read what I'm writing but I rather wish it would just happen in some nebulous, magical way and I didn't have to go around telling everyone how wonderful my latest is and how they really have to read, if not actually buy it.

Still that isn't going to happen, so in the meantime I need to do the whole promotion thing. Which is where being on Cre8 radio on Monday night came in.

The first thing I have to say about the experience is how much I enjoyed it. Even before I'd reached the studio Rosie was there to greet me, and Paul Oldfield and Chris and fellow guests Jason and Laura made me feel very welcome.

Talking to Paul on air was like chatting to an old friend. What made it really easy was the fact that like the true professional he is, Paul had done his homework and the questions he asked gave me plenty of scope to talk about my books and the way I write. We also touched on my views on education and the years I spent living in Jamaica, so there were no awkward pauses when I searched my brain for something to say, or, I hope, many "ums" and "ahs".

By the time it came to reading a chapter of "Dark Angel" I was having fun and I hope my listeners were too.

Spooky stories on radio always come across well. There are plenty more in my collection and there's the rest of the book too. Maybe someone, sometime will have a slot for "Tales before Midnight." A series of stories to chill the blood and keep you awake until the first slither of light slips in under the curtains.

Are writers junkies?

Are writers junkies? Apart from being hooked on writing, which goes without saying, I'm beginning to wonder whether there's another addiction we suffer from.  Perhaps not all of us, that might be too much of a generalisation, but I definitely must stand up and declare that I am a writer and an adrenaline addict. 

I thought I wanted an easy life. I thought I wanted to do nothing more than sit at my computer and write. So I did. After a while, however, I became aware of a slight disatisfaction. A feeling that grew more acute as the time went on. I was checking my e mails and coming away disappointed, I was on edge, missing something. Then I realized what it was. There were no stories, no books, no plays out there. No agent, publisher or editor was scrutinising my offering and deciding whether to accept or reject. I hadn't anything to look forward to. Admittedly it might be a rejection, but on the other hand it might just be the golden moment when it seems that at long last my dreams of success out there in the mainstream were going to come true.  

The time has come therefore to face up to my addiction and get another fix.  "House of Shadows" will be winging its way to another agent tomorrow. More of "Dark Angel" will be up on Wattpad and I'll be looking at my cache of short stories to see what needs to be tweaked before going out. 

Then I'll start feeling slightly nervous every time I check my e mails. There will be a feeling of anticipation each morning that maybe, just maybe today will be the day. 

This is how I deal with my need. I'd be interested to hear what other writers do. 

Kicking Down the Door

My toe's through the door, but now I want to kick it down and let the world in. Well, not the world, only those people who love YA vampire novels, who have been bereft since Twilight finished, who are lusting for a new love interest.

My problem is how to find them.

In lots of ways putting "Dark Angel" on Wattpad is working for me. I'm getting some fantastic comments, thanks Elisia and her readers, and  re-thinking and re-editing, which is what the book needs.

I'm Tweeting and Facebooking and talking face to face. Old fashioned I know, but it does work.


But I'm not building up my following as fast as I might.

So anyone out there that fits the above description, take a look and spread the word.  Or if you've any other suggestions let me know.

Lauren needs her story out there.

http://www.wattpad.com/user/dragonmish

Being kind to me day.

Yesterday I had a being kind to me day. Following two rejections in as many weeks, I was feeling down, the giving up on writing forever sort of down. Usually I can grit my teeth and work through that, but I decided to try a different approach.

I was going to spend the whole day doing only what I wanted. If it was something I felt I had to do, then it wasn't going to happen. Also, whatever I did, I wasn't going to rush. If it took longer than usual, or if it didn't get finished it simply didn't matter.

And writing anything, since I was obviously so bad at it, was banned.

So what did I do?

I tidied my desk and instantly felt better.

I spent an hour or two in the garden, pulling up weeds and cutting back shrubs and I felt better.

I ate supper and had a glass of wine.

And somewhere, between the glass of wine and the beginning of a Sky Arts programme on Hopper, I did a little gentle editing.

I know this was forbidden, but by that time in the evening I was mellow and relaxed enough and because it wasn't a work in progress or something I'm promoting right now, I actually enjoyed it.

The lesson learned? Stop rushing around, slow down, enjoy. If it happens, it happens. There will be other days when I have more energy, when I'll be on the net, tweeting and facebooking and all the things I need to do, but sometimes it's necessary to switch it all off and have a be kind to me day.

Dark Angel

I know vampires have had it. I know that we're supposed to have moved on, past Twilight into a new Zombie dawn, but something tells me that this just isn't true. There's still an appetite out there for these beings that prey on our blood, yet appeal to something deep and dark inside us.

A few years ago I wrote my own vampire novel. It went out to a few publishers and agents, but nothing happened so I filed it away on my hard drive. The book however wasn't going to let me go. My characters had got their claws, or is it fangs, into me and were demanding a return from the dead. So I took another look at my "Dark Angel" and today I posted the first chapter on the Wattpad site.  It's a YA novel and if that's not your thing and you know a teen who appreciates the genre please ask them to read and comment. If on the other hand you'd like to give me your input and feedback, I'd love to hear it.