SUE BARNARD: SEEDS OF INSPIRATION

Where do you find your writing ideas? We welcome Sue Barnard to the blog to tell us how she finds hers.

I’ve often said that I get some of my best writing ideas when I’m gardening.  I’m convinced that my

characters like to hide themselves away in the flowerbeds, then leap out and surprise me when my attention is focussed on greenery, grass, or garden pests.

So it was with the idea for my latest novel, Never on Saturday, which is released on 9th February 2017.

A few years ago, whilst on holiday in Western France, I came across an old local legend.  It was the story of a cursed medieval princess who was forced to lock herself away every Saturday, but was unable to tell anyone the reason.

This princess also locked herself firmly in the back my mind, and shortly after I arrived home she reintroduced herself – in the time-honoured tradition of interrupting me when I was mowing the lawn. 

Our encounter was short but sensational.  The princess said just six words to me, but those six words were to go on to inspire an entire book.

Never on Saturday is a time-slip romance novella with a hint of mystery and a touch of the paranormal.  It is set partly in medieval France and partly in present-day North Wales, and incorporates some of the history and folklore from both places.  The original French legend forms the basis of the medieval passages, whilst the modern sections provide a framework which links the legend to the present-day characters.

Researching a story is always a fascinating exercise, but this one was absolutely compelling.  Delving into the history of the paranormal aspect of the tale in general, and the legend itself in particular, were things, which I found especially gripping.  So much so, in fact, that I was moved to include a short article at the end of the book, giving more details of the original legend and its place in history and folklore as a whole.  I hope people will enjoy reading Never on Saturday as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

About Never on Saturday:

Two stories, two heartbreaks: one past, one present…

Leaving her native France and arriving in North Wales as a postgraduate student of History and Folklore, Mel is cautiously optimistic that she can escape from her troubled past and begin a new and happier life. 

She settles into her student accommodation and begins work on her thesis, concentrating particularly on one fascinating manuscript: a compelling and tragic tale of a cursed medieval princess. 

Then she meets Ray – charming, down-to-earth and devastatingly handsome. Within days, Mel’s entire world has transformed from lonely and frustrated to loving and fulfilled. Despite her failure with previous relationships, she allows herself to hope that this time, at last, she can make it work. 

But Mel’s dreams of happiness are under constant threat. She is hiding a dark and terrible secret, which Ray – or indeed anybody else – must never ever discover…

As for those six words which sowed the seeds of inspiration for Never on Saturday…  Well, unfortunately I can’t reveal them here, because that would give too much away.  But if you read the book, all will become clear…

About Sue:

Sue Barnard is a British novelist, editor and award-winning poet whose family background is far stranger than any work of fiction. She would write a book about it if she thought anybody would believe her.

Sue was born in North Wales but has spent most of her life in and around Manchester. She speaks French like a Belgian, German like a schoolgirl, and Italian and Portuguese like an Englishwoman abroad.

Her mind is so warped that she has appeared on BBC TV’s Only Connect quiz show, and she has also compiled questions for BBC Radio 4's fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz. This once caused one of her sons to describe her as "professionally weird." The label has stuck.

Sue joined the editorial team of Crooked Cat Publishing in 2013. Her first novel, The Ghostly Father (a new take on the traditional story of Romeo & Juliet) was officially released on St Valentine's Day 2014.  Since then she has produced three more novels: Nice Girls Don’t (2014), The Unkindest Cut of All (2015) and Never on Saturday (2017).

Sue now lives in Cheshire with her extremely patient husband and a large collection of unfinished scribblings.  You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus,  Amazon, her Crooked Cat author page, or follow her blog here.

Book links:

Never on Saturday (paperback):

Never on Saturday (Kindle): 

Thank you Sue and good luck with your book.

If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Emily Kerr: My route to publication

It is always a delight to feature new authors and today is no exception as we introduce Emily Kerr to the RNA blog.

My name is Emily Kerr and my debut romantic comedy ‘Who Does He Think He Is?’ is published by

Crooked Cat Books. I live and work in Yorkshire, and my day job is as a journalist for regional TV. So I basically spend work hours writing factual news scripts and then squeeze in the fiction writing during any spare time I can find!

I’ve always wanted to be an author, and some of my earliest memories are of sitting in the back of the car on the way to primary school asking my mum to spell out words for the stories I was writing. Ever since then, I’ve tended to have several writing projects on the go at once. I also confess to having a terrible habit of writing thousands of words of one book, then moving onto a shiny new story and not finishing it.

I wanted something to help me find my focus, and so a couple of years ago, I joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme. The NWS encouraged me to concentrate my efforts on one particular story, which became my debut romantic comedy ‘Who Does He Think He Is?’

The book is set in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, and is all about Lady Aurelia Osbourne-Lloyd whose stately pile is actually more of a pile in a state.  She’s trying (and failing) to turn the family fortunes around by welcoming tourists to the house. When a Hollywood production company chooses the estate as a location for a Regency movie, a whole new level of chaos enters Aurelia’s life, especially as it seems the leading man may have an ulterior motive for wanting to get close to her.

I’m a big fan of the movies and find what goes on behind the scenes really interesting. I’m lucky enough that the newsroom where I work shares its home with the studios of a popular TV soap. This means that I keep on getting tantalising glimpses of the crazy world of television drama production. It also means that sometimes I’ll pop to the canteen and there’ll be six “police officers” and three “hospital patients” queuing for coffee because they’re filming some kind of disaster scene! The world of make-believe looks fun, but it also seems pretty full-on and definitely rather hectic at times. I started wondering what it must be like to have a film unit appear at your home and take over, and ‘Who Does He Think He Is?’ evolved from there.

The August deadline of the New Writers’ Scheme definitely appealed to my journalist side and gave me something to aim for. The advice and support from my reader was invaluable. I tightened up the manuscript, plucked up my courage and started entering writing competitions. I was absolutely thrilled when ‘Who Does He Think He Is?’ was named runner up in the Festival of Romance New Talent Award, and was shortlisted in Choc Lit’s Search for a Star competition. Those successes spurred me on and I started submitting my book to publishers.  Putting your work out there is quite a daunting and scary process, so it was really great to feel I had the support of RNA friends met through ROMNA, the RNA conference and the York tea party. When I finally got The Call offering a publishing contract, I was so thrilled I did a little dance, much to my colleagues’ amusement!

My road to publication has so far been a really exciting journey. I’m already at work on book number two, and I can’t wait for the next stage of my life as an author.

About ‘Who Does He Think He Is?’
Lady Aurelia Osbourne-Lloyd has long wished her bank balance was as big as her name. But her home, Leydale Park, is more of a pile in a state than stately pile, and with her father off ‘finding himself’ in Thailand, it’s up to her to turn the family fortunes around by entertaining demanding tourists.
When – thanks to her father’s interference – a Hollywood production company chooses the estate as a location for a Regency movie, a whole new level of chaos enters Aurelia’s life. Her quiet days shattered and privacy non-existent, she has no choice but to go with the flow and let them take over.
Never mind the added distraction of dishy leading man, Xander Lord, who may have an ulterior motive for wanting to get close to her…
Can Aurelia keep her cool in light of all the upheaval?

About Emily:

Emily Kerr has been scribbling stories on bits of paper all over the place since she learnt how to write. She earns her living as a journalist and loves the interesting variety of people she gets to talk to on a daily basis.

She can generally be found with her nose in a book, or hunched up over her laptop typing away, though she has been known to venture outside every so often to take part in various running-based activities. She is also learning Greek for the day when she finally does a Shirley Valentine and swaps her home in Yorkshire for sunnier climes.

Her debut romantic comedy ‘Who Does He Think He Is?’ was named runner up in the Festival of Romance New Talent Award.

Links:

Amazon:

Facebook

Twitter: @EmilyKerrWrites

Website

Thank you, Emily, and good luck with your book.

If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Sally Quilford: The Secret of Lakeham Abbey

Welcome to Karen King who is chatting with Sally Quilford about her writing life.

Welcome, Sally, I understand you have a new book just out with Crooked Cat Publishing. Can

you tell us something about it?

The Secret of Lakeham Abbey is my first ‘straight’ crime novel. Though as with all my books there is an element of romance at its core, not least in the heart of Percy Sullivan, the 13 year old sleuth who wants to be heroic and save Anne Pargeter from execution. The novel is told in epistolary form; that is letters and journals as told by different characters.

You publish traditionally and self-publish. Can you tell us something about being a hybrid author?

I like the freedom that self-publishing gives me, so that I don’t always have to stick to the guidelines set by a publisher. It means I can find a home for books that would be otherwise hard to place. I can also self-publish previously published novels, so that readers online have access to works that might have only been available in print for a short time.

But, I also love being published traditionally, as it’s a terrific validation of my writing skills to have a professional editor decide that what I’ve written is good enough for their range of books. Plus, it pays the bills a bit better than self-publishing!

How much planning do you do before you start to write?

Very little, apart from spending several days thinking about my new idea. I may write a very brief summary of no more than 500 words, but other than that I just sit down and write. I figure I can iron out any problems with plot and research once I have the story on the page.

Do you work in long-hand first or write straight onto the computer?

Straight to the computer for me. In fact, I’ve almost forgotten how to write in longhand, I do so little of it now. Like all writers I always have a notebook to hand for ideas, but they’re literally just quick notes to get the story committed somewhere before I forget it.

How important do you think it is to have an agent?

I think it depends what you want to do with your writing career. If you want to be published by a major publishing house (and let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to be?) then an agent is essential for getting your work to the right people. However, for the sort of writing I do – My Weekly Pocket Novels and my self-published work – I don’t need an agent. I’ve heard the same said by Mills & Boon authors, who don’t need an agent to be published by M&B, and some say they prefer not to have one.

I would love an agent, as a way of moving my career onto the next level, but at the moment I don’t have anything to send to one and I can’t promise them fresh air!

Facebook or Twitter? Which is your preferred promotion tool?

Facebook all the way. There’s more scope for sharing blurb and pictures. And more scope for interacting with readers on a meaningful level. That said, the RNA’s own #TuesNews hashtag on Twitter is proving to be a fantastic promotional tool for so many members, including myself.

How do you relax when not writing?

I watch TV boxed sets on Netflix or DVD. I read. I spend time with my family. I go to RNA events whenever I can. But mostly I just think about what I’m going to write when I get back to it (not that I always do, you understand. My head is full of unused ideas!)

What’s next for author, Sally Quilford?

I would love to write another Percy Sullivan novel, as he’s proved to be very popular with readers and with me! I also have an idea for a saga, and an idea for a Christmas novel for My Weekly. But at the time of writing I’m supporting my husband through a serious illness so writing is taking a bit of a back seat. The wonderful thing is that I know it will be there waiting for me when I return to it.

Book Blurb:

1948 

When Percy Sullivan’s family take over Lakeham Abbey for the summer, it was a chance to get away from battered post-war London and be cossetted by the capable and pretty housekeeper, Anne Pargeter. 

They soon learn that the Abbey conceals a dark secret; one that someone was willing to kill to hide. When Anne is convicted of murder and sentenced to execution, Percy is determined to do all he can to save his friend from the gallows. He encourages everyone to tell their side of the story. This leads to some startling revelations, including a shocking secret that Percy’s mother tried to hide from him. 

Will it be enough to save Anne’s life?

Bio:

Sally Quilford is the author of nearly 20 DC Thomson pocket novels, and several other novels published by Ulverscroft. Her stories and articles have been published in magazines in Britain and abroad. Until recently, Sally served on the committee of the Romantic Novelists Association and organized their bi-annual parties.

Links:

Facebook

Twitter @quillers

Blog

Amazon

Thank you for taking part, Sally, and good luck with your book.

This interview was by Karen King on behalf of the RNA Blogging Team

If you would like to be interviewed by the team please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Joan Hessayon Award contender 2016: Helen J Rolfe

Today we welcome Helen J Rolfe, another of the talented contenders for this year's Joan Hessayon Award and graduate of the RNA New Writers' Scheme. Thank you for answering our questions, Helen.

How long have you been writing? Is this your first published piece?

I have been writing fiction since 2011. My first novel was very much a practice and is still lurking somewhere in the bottom drawer! The Friendship Tree was the second novel I wrote.

How many years were you a member of the NWS and did you submit a manuscript each year?

I joined the NWS in 2012 and submitted a manuscript each year.

What came first, agent or publisher?

Publisher

How did you find your publisher?

Crooked Cat opened for submissions in April 2014 and I submitted my manuscript.

Do you have a contract for one book or more?

I had a single book contract and chose to indie publish the two books I wrote after The Friendship Tree.

When was your book published?

February 2015.

Tell us something about your book

Tamara Harding left the UK to join family in Australia, but more importantly, to put ten thousand miles between her and her ex, Bradley Cox. She is drawn into the small community of Brewer Creek where she becomes the coordinator for an old fashioned Friendship Tree – a chart telling people who they can call on in times of trouble. As she vows to start over, she meets Jake Manning – and life gets more complicated than she could ever have imagined. When danger descends on Brewer Creek, the Friendship Tree unites the entire town.

What are you currently working on?

I’m starting edits for my fourth novel and have just finished the first draft for novel number five.

What piece of advice would you give current members of the NWS?

To keep going and always believe in yourself.

Links:

Amazon

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/helenjrolfewriter

Website

Twitter https://twitter.com/HJRolfe

Thank you, Helen, we hope you have a fabulous evening at the RNA Summer Party and good luck with your writing career.

The RNA blog is brought to you by

Elaine Everest & Natalie Kleinman