Jean Fullerton: Wedding Bells for Nurse Connie

We are so please to welcome Jean Fullerton to the RNA blog today to answer our questions about her latest Nurse Connie book and tell us more about her plans for the future.

Congratulation on your latest release, Jean. Can you tell us how long it took to write?

Normally about 7-8 months to complete a book ready to send off to my publishers but I try to get it to my agent at the six month mark for her thoughts, which are invaluable. After that it's another month or so of polishing and revising before sending it off to my lovely editor.

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

As many people will already know I do a fair amount of planning before I start on a grid with colour coding for the individual characters as it helps me to get the story clear in my head. It changes as I go along but I can't just start without some sort of outline. With the Millie & Connie series where I had to weave the patients' little sub-stories into their overarching story it helped me balance the narrative flow and pace of the book. 

Your books are very much set in an area you know well. Have you ever been tempted to set a story elsewhere?
I started writing sixteen years ago. I set my stories in all sorts of places and historical eras from 10th century Wales to 18th century Caribbean but the book that won the Harry Bowling prize, No Cure for Love, was set in East London. Publishers like to build you as a brand so, as I was born there and know the area and its history, it seemed sensible to stay on familiar territory. I'm not complaining. East London has such a rich history stretching back to pre-Roman times so I could write stories set there for the rest of my writing career and never repeat myself. 

What time of day do you prefer to write?
I admire people who can rise at 5am and write a 1000 words before breakfast. I can't even write my name before eleven let alone a coherent sentence so I mostly write from midday to midnight and sometime until 2 am in the morning. 

Although we love your nursing novels we also very much enjoyed your novels set in Victorian times. Do you see yourself returning to this era?
I have a Victorian novel set around the building of the first Thames Tunnel at Rotherhithe in 1825, which is three quarters finished. I also have two other synopsis standing ready. One featuring a pastor’s daughter who helps run a Magdalen House in Covent Garden and one for Robina Munroe, daughter of Dr Robert Munroe from No Cure for Love, as a nurse in the Crimean War with Florence Nightingale. At the moment the popular era is WW2 and the 1950s so I don't think I'll be traveling back to the 1800s anytime soon.  

We understand that you’ve recently retired from your full time job. Can we expect double the output of books are do you have other plans?
I can't tell you how happy I am to finally be a full-time writer and although I don’t think I’ll be able to bring a book out every six months I'm hoping to up my output to two books every eighteen months. 

Tell us something about your latest novel.
At the end of Fetch Nurse Connie I moved Connie Byrne from Munroe House in Stepney to Fry House in Spitalfields. We meet Connie again on 5th July 1948, the day the NHS came into being. She is still with her boyfriend Malcolm and still trying to prise him away from his clinging mother. Of course, there are the usually problems with irascible doctors, awkward patients and difficult babies to deliver but that’s all in a day’s work for Deputy Superintendent Connie Byrne. All in all life is running pretty smoothly, that is until Dr Hari MacLauchlan arrives at Christ Church surgery.

What is next for author, Jean Fullerton?
Well, you’ll not be surprised to know I’m sticking with East London for the next series but shifting back to September 1939 and the start of WW2. The series will feature the three Brogan sisters, Bo, Lucy and Pattie and their family, as they face the threat of the German invasion, survive the blitz and finally win through both personally and with the Nation. I can’t say much more than that at I’m only just three chapters into the first book and I haven’t got a title but book one will be out May or June 2017.   

Blurb for Wedding Bells for Nurse Connie:

It's 1948 and the nurses of the East End of London are making the most of life post-war. For Connie in particular, things are looking rosy as she looks forward to planning a future with her sweetheart, Malcolm. But, as many a young bride-to-be has proved, the course of true love never did run smooth and Connie finds herself having to grapple with interfering mothers and Malcolm's reluctance to set the date.

But while there are many obstacles to overcome before walking down the aisle, at least Connie can relax in the knowledge that she'll soon be married to the man of her dreams, can't she?

Life at work isn't all smooth sailing either. The newly-formed NHS is keeping the nurses of Fry House extremely busy and as ever in the life of a nurse heartbreak lurks at every turn. But there are some new faces to keep things interesting. And one in particular might be the answer to all of Connie's problems...

Wedding Bells for Nurse Connie is out now and available in hardback, paperback from WHS, Waterstones supermarkets and all good bookshops and on kindle from Amazon.

Links:

Amazon

Website:

Jean’s Facebook

Twitter: @JeanFullerton

Thank you so much for answering our questions, Jean. We are looking forward to finding out what happens to Nurse Connie.

The RNA blog is brought to you by,

Elaine Everest & Natalie Kleinman

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

All Roads Lead to London: CBC Discovery Day 2016

For all unpublished writers there is nothing more exciting than to meet a literary agent. To be able to pitch a novel and receive individual feedback can be a dream come true. Your blogging team recall with fondness the excitement of attending a Curtis Brown Creative Discovery Day when they were once members of the New Writers’ Scheme and only dreamt of securing an agent and being published.

So, how was this year’s event? Who better to ask than some of our current NWS members.

Thank you to Sue Lovett (SL), Julie Stock (JS), Michael Clarke (MC), Tammy Lovell (TL), Rosemary Goodacre (RG), Elaine Roberts (ER), Elaina James (EJ) for answering our questions.

How did you prepare for the day?

(SL) Instructions for the day were very clear – after introducing yourself, your pitch should take no longer than 30 seconds.  So, I worked hard to boil the essence of my novel down to 100 words, trying to maintain the tone of it then read it out loud over and over.

Tammy Lovell

(JS) I spent a lot of time preparing my pitch, using the tips on the Curtis Brown Creative website, as well as reading various articles on the Internet because I had never pitched to an agent before. I also edited the first page of my novel to give to the agent on the day.

(MC) With the stopwatch app on my phone! I knew that 30 seconds was a very short time in which to do make the pitch – 100 words maximum. I practised repeatedly and still came in at around 40 seconds so I hoped I wouldn’t be gagged just before I’d shoehorned in the final hook.

(TL) Before the day I wrote a short blurb giving an overview of the plot. As the pitch was only meant to last for thirty seconds I aimed to make this 100 words, which would take around that long to read. However when I got there I abandoned what I’d written and decided to freestyle it instead!

(RG) I struggled with the pitch and was still practising it when I arrived early at the station and there was a clock showing seconds. I was especially motivated as I gained a place at the last moment when someone wasn’t able to attend.

(ER) I wrote my pitch in bullet points, making it easy to read. I also practiced and timed myself with a stopwatch many times. My paperwork, which included my pitch, first page, synopsis and a family tree I had created, was protected in a folder. I took everything, just in case.

(EJ) I’m terrible at public speaking. Stage fright kicks in and I end up a blabbering wreck. My only hope of calming my nerves is to be exceptionally well prepared. I spent weeks refining my pitch, talking to people who had attended before and getting every bit of advice I could.

What was it like waiting in the queue for your appointment?

(SL) Thankfully my appointment slot was early (11.45am) before the afternoon backlog build-up.  I queued for 20 minutes or so.  The whole process (queue, interview, then Q&A session) took around 45 minutes.  By the time I returned to the cafe, the queue was snaking two floors down the central

Julie Stock

staircase.

(JS)When I arrived on the 5th floor, I got chatting to another author with the same slot as me and we practised pitching our very different novels to each other. We eventually joined the queue together, making our way slowly up the stairs and I found that companionship really eased my nerves.

(MC) It was a surprisingly calm and orderly forty minutes, given that everyone’s insides were probably doing somersaults. I started queuing on the fourth floor and the pitching room was on the sixth. Seeing that long line of writers snaking upwards is a sobering reminder of the huge number of other aspiring novelists out there

(TL) I had the final 3.15-3.45pm slot and managed to be the last person in the queue for the whole day! It took me about 40 minutes to get to the front, but it went quickly as I was chatting to the man in front of me about his crime novel.

(RG) We were tense, of course, and the queue was winding up a flight of stairs. I imagined a customer arriving to buy a book and accidentally getting caught up in it and then being asked to provide a pitch...

(ER) On previous occasions, the queues wrapped around Foyles, which made us a nuisance for those who wanted to buy books. This time, we were not allowed to join the queue until five minutes before our half an hour slot. For me, it was better organised and the time flew by.

(EJ) The queue looked daunting as it snaked down the stairs, however it wasn’t actually so bad once I’d joined it. Chatting with the other writers I barely noticed the time passing until we were in the final stretch and the door was in sight. Then the nerves kicked in.

Which agent did you speak to and was your pitch well received?

(SL) I was seen by Matthew Marland. He listened carefully to my pitch, asked questions about the plot, then about me, then (speed) read my first page.  He was very positive and although mine was not the kind of book he handled, he thought the voice strong and liked the concept.

Elaine Roberts

(JS) The agent I spoke to was Abbie Greaves from Curtis Brown, who works alongside Sheila Crowley (JoJo Moyes' agent!) Abbie was very kind, putting me at ease straight away. She listened carefully to my pitch and was very positive about it. She read my first page straight afterwards and made some notes.

(MC) Catherine Cho, who works with Jonny Geller. She was very polite, patient and seemed genuinely interested in the novel and in me as a writer. The pitch went better than I’d dared hope (I didn’t clam up anyway), Catherine liked the first page and recommended I submit a named agent at CB when the MS is ready: so very well received.

(TL) I spoke to Sophie Lambert from Conville & Walsh. As she read my first page she laughed a couple of times which was encouraging (luckily it was intended to be funny!). She was very constructive and praised my character’s voice and the setting of the novel.

(RG) I spoke to Catherine Cho, who was very encouraging and asked me some more questions about my story.

(ER) I spoke to Sophie Lambert of Conville and Walsh, who immediately put me at ease. Sophie wanted more than the pitch; the detail, where was it set?, what was the plot? how did it end? The response was excellent. She gave me an agent’s name to send my manuscript to.

(EJ) I pitched to Johanna Devereaux who was very friendly and helpful. It was fantastic watching her nod and smile as she read the first page. Johanna asked lots of probing questions and said they don’t get many submissions like mine which is a good sign.

What advice was given to you?

(SL) He said to submit to Sheila Crowley or Rebecca Ritchie (Rebecca being the better option he thought as Sheila’s list is big with some pretty big names too, eg Jojo Moyes).  He said to make my cover letter as good as it could be (the CB website gives good guidelines).

Sue Lovett

(JS) She thought my story idea was sound and my writing good but she said that to grab an agent's attention, it would need a real twist to make it stand out in the contemporary romance genre. Commercial success is uppermost in the agent's mind when considering submissions.

(MC) Catherine advised me to consider what type of reader my novel would appeal to – the dreaded ‘compare yourself to famous authors’ question. She was encouraged that I’d had lots of feedback on the novel from my likely target readers via writing courses and groups, etc. She also advised about the importance of a strong narrative arc.  

(TL) Sophie advised me that domestic thrillers are very popular in women’s commercial fiction at the moment, so when writing outside this genre it was important to have a gripping plot. She told me to make sure the character faced lots of challenges which allowed her to develop outside of her romantic relationships.

(RG) She advised me to submit to one of two agents, appropriate for my genre.

(ER) I was told not to forget to include the architecture of the area and not be too heavy with dialogue. Also, because it was historical, make sure it was written in keeping with the time, although she did feel my first page did fit the time and setting.

(EJ) Johanna’s advice focused on my elevator pitch. Basically I just wasn’t selling my novel well enough.  One of the key things she told me was to consider what a character thinks they want and what they actually need. Once I did that the pitch I should have made became clear.

How did you feel about your appointment?

(SL) Don’t expect too much – nobody gets signed up here – but it’s worth the effort. You’ll learn what agents want, what standards they expect from writers and how you might gain an edge.  You’ll learn that agents are human too and want your novel to succeed just as much as you.

(JS) I was very pleased with my pitch and with Abbie's comments on the day. We had a good talk about my writing and where I might go from here. She was friendly and not at all as daunting as I had expected and I know that I was lucky in that respect.

(MC) I felt far more positive than I’d anticipated I would. I’d been concerned that six minutes to pitch a novel was an impossibly short time but after the appointment I felt I’d been able to myself and 

Michael Clarke

the novel justice. So I’d both obtained some concise but very positive feedback and honed an elevator pitch.

(TL) Beforehand I was really nervous and expected it to be a Dragon’s Den style drilling in which the agent would interrogate me about my plot and characters. However Sophie couldn’t have been nicer and I left feeling positive, encouraged and motivated to keep writing.

(RG) I understand that the agents did not all receive pitches all through the day. However, it must be demanding on them sitting there for long sessions and I can’t help wondering if they manage to stay focused throughout. There was no sign of Catherine going off message, though, and obviously they are professionals.

(ER) My appointment was quite late in the afternoon, but if the agent I saw was tired, she hid it very well. I was very happy with the questions I was asked. The conversation was detailed and not just a pitch. I was relieved I had prepared and practiced for it.

(EJ) Nerves struck on the day and I didn’t put my pitch across particularly well, so initially I was disappointed with myself. It wasn’t until later that I realised it wasn’t actually that bad. The pitch may have flopped, but the first page, the concept and plot lines had gone down well.

Would you recommend attending Discovery Day, and events like it, to other authors - and why?

 (JS) I would definitely recommend the experience. I found the discipline of writing a pitch about my novel and honing my first page very useful, and it was so helpful to be able to discuss it with an agent. I also enjoyed the opportunity to ask questions of Jonny Geller, no less, afterwards at the surgery.

(MC) I’d been a little sceptical about attending but was pleasantly surprised at the courtesy (and stamina) of the agents and organisers. I got a motivational kick from the feedback and a genuine

Rosemary Goodacre

sense of interest in my novel so when it’s ready to submit I’m likely to send it in Curtis Brown’s direction. However, the sheer number of other pitching writers, shows how tough the competition is likely to be – perhaps a reflection that, unlike at writing conferences, these one-to-one were absolutely free . Fortunately a couple of other writing friends were also pitching and I had the bonus of catching up with them for a coffee in the excellent Foyles café.

(TL) I’d definitely recommend Discovery Day to any author as a great opportunity to get invaluable feedback from a literary agent and ask any questions you have. Preparing the pitch is also good practice in itself. It’s not surprising the day is so popular when you get to receive a personal critique totally for free.

(RG) Yes, I’d definitely recommend it. It’s daunting but good practice for strutting your stuff. There are other worthwhile elements: the surgery, with an opportunity to ask further questions to an agent, and the panel session, featuring an author, agent and publisher, to complete the overall picture. The venue is pleasant, with a good range of refreshments to boost our energy.

(ER) Yes. Discovery Day is an opportunity to focus on selling your novel. Not to be discovered, but to be given an agent’s time and a detailed critique. That is something you can’t buy. The afternoon panel also gave an insight into how everyone in the publishing world has to pitch.

(EJ) I would definitely recommend it. It’s an amazing learning experience. I discovered that despite all my careful drafting my pitch simply wasn’t strong enough to do justice to my novel. If I hadn’t gone to this event I might not have realised that.

Thank you, Sue, Julie, Michael, Tammy, Rosemary, Elaine & Elaina for answering our questions. The opportunity for a one-to-one with any industry professional is always worthwhile. Writers never stop learning!

The RNA blog is brought to you by

Elaine Everest & Natalie Kleinman

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

Carla Caruso: Thoughts from Abroad

Carla Caruso tells us about her adopted writing home

I have a confession to make: I’ve barely set foot inside Britain. I’m Australian, with Italian blood, thanks to my parents. There was one time, a few years back, when I was travelling through Europe with my younger sister and we were meant to stop for a few days in London. But we got the timing muddled at the travel agent’s and, after booking everything, had to make a last-minute change. Which meant we wound up catching a plane from Rome to London, heading straight to the Tube, and journeying on a train to Paris. That was it. Our big glimpse of London. All I can remember thinking was the weather was warmer than I expected and the city was so, so BIG. Much bigger than Sydney back home.

Now I have one-year-old twin boys, so another trip to Europe is off the agenda for quite some time (yikes!). Still, I’d love to give the UK a longer try at some stage. Especially because – weirdly – I’ve been mistaken for a British author before, even though I’ve hardly breathed in a lung-full of London air. Some book bloggers have admitted to thinking I was a Brit…perhaps it’s my wordiness…until they’ve stumbled across an Australian town I’ve mentioned in a story. One even likened me to Sophie Kinsella (and I promise I didn’t pay her to do so!). A book editor has also described my writing style as having a ‘gentleness’. If Americans have been generalised as ‘loud and brash’, I’m the exact opposite, which I guess makes me a little more British-sounding!

I also like to drop in words like ‘rather’ and ‘quite’ and am partial to an adverb, although many elsewhere turn their nose up at them. I just can’t do that short, sharp and snarky style.

So where has this all come from (aside from my country sharing your Queen)? Well, I put it down to the ‘diet’ of books I’ve been brought up on. It started off with Enid Blyton. The Magic Faraway Tree, The Children of Cherry Tree Farm, Five on a Treasure Island, The Secret Seven, The Wishing-Chair…I’ve read them all. Sometimes until the characters’ voice started turning cartoonish inside my head because I’d been reading far too long! I didn’t have time for the Trixie Belden or Nancy Drew books my big sister read. (Although, I did go on to enjoy the Yankee Sweet Valley and Baby-Sitters Club series – oh, and Judy Blume!)

Now I’m 35, I always cite Sophie Kinsella and Maggie Alderson as my favourite authors. (Okay, Maggie lived in Australia for a time, but she’s a London fashionista through and through.) Plus, I also adore the dry wit of British films like Love Actually and Death at a Funeral (the original UK version, please, not the American!). And no one does my beloved chick-lit better than the UK…which leads me to why I’ve recently joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association. I’ve decided it’s time I embraced my ‘adopted’ writing home with gusto. The Americans may never understand my slang. Just, shhh, don’t tell my Aussie cohorts!

Carla Caruso was born in Adelaide, Australia, and only ‘escaped’ for three years to work as a magazine journalist and stylist in Sydney. Previously, she was a gossip columnist and fashion editor at Adelaide’s daily newspaper, The Advertiser. These days, she writes romantic comedy novels in between playing mum to her one-year-old twin boys. Her books include Catch of the Day, Cityglitter, Second Chance, the ‘Astonvale’ rom-com mystery series starting with A Pretty Mess, and more.

Links:

Website: www.carlacaruso.com.au

Facebook:

Twitter: @CarlaCaruso79

Amazon:

Thank you for joining us today, Carla.

The RNA Blog is brought to you by

Elaine Everest and Natalie Kleinman.

If you would like to write about the craft of writing or perhaps be interviewed about your writing life please contact us at elaineeverest@aol.com