Adele Blair – Kraftireader

Thank you to Ellie Holmes for this lovely interview with book blogger, Adele Blair, this month.

I am delighted to welcome Adele Blair to the RNA Blog’s monthly series where we speak to book bloggers and get an insight into their world. Welcome Adele.

I love the name of your blog – Kraftireader – and your motto “A book and tea puts a smile on me”. Can you tell us how long you have been running your blog and share your review policy with us?

I started my blog back in the summer of 2014.  My preferred book genres are contemporary fiction, romcoms, chicklit, historical romance, and family sagas. I love this quote about a “book and tea”. There is nothing more comforting than sitting down and finding yourself a nice quiet corner to read a book and pair it with your favourite cuppa.

What’s the best and worst thing about running a blog?

The best thing about running a blog is discovering new authors, especially indie authors.  I feel that bloggers are indie authors’ best friends as we can help bring their work to the limelight.  As a consumer when we are searching for our next read we do tend to look for the authors we know and have heard about.  However, there are some wonderful gems out there in the indie author world and I love championing this.  The worst thing about having a blog is time, I don't have enough time to read all that I'd love to read.

Do you ever read just for fun or do you review every book you read?

I would say especially this year that my reading has been 95% for reviews.  I'm thinking of blocking a week off each month to read a book for fun.

What was your standout book of 2017?

My standout book of 2017 is always such a difficult question to ask any book lover.  However, I do have a book series that I've completely fallen in love with and that is the Wild Warriners by Virginia Heath.  It is a Regency Romance series published by Mills & Boon Historical about four brothers trying to break away from their father's bad reputation, trying to build their family farm back to what it was in its prime and trying to find how they fit in the world.  Virginia Heath has created a wonderful series with each book concentrating on one of the brothers (we've met two already).  There is heartache, family saga, romance, comedy; the Warriners are like a 19th century rural middle England 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'.

I see from your blog that you are very active on NetGalley. Can you tell us a little about that?

NetGalley is a portal for authors, publishers and professional readers: a place where authors and publishers can offer their books out for early review to professional readers.  Professional readers do have to prove themselves with links to their previous reviews on various websites.

I know you are a keen crafter. What are you working on at the moment and do you get torn between your crafting and reading? 

When I first started my blog it was to share what I love: reading, crafting, food etc. However, once my blog became established and I found I was really enjoying learning about new authors, the reading has ultimately taken over but my other interests are still there waiting for me.  One of the last projects I crafted was découpaging a pre-bought paper mâché owl.  I'd never done découpaging before and it was quite easy to pick up. The end result was such a treat, my owl has pride of place in my home...I must do some more découpage and it would be an ideal project to do to make as a gift.

I love the fact you describe yourself as a “recipe hoarder” (me, too!).   If you were able to host a fantasy dinner party for your favourite authors (alive or dead), who would you choose as your guests and what would you prepare for them?

Oh my goodness that's a difficult question...I would love the following authors at my table:  Jojo Moyes (I'm in awe of her stories); Lesley Downer (I read and was completely captivated by her historical romance The Shogun's Queen, I had the pleasure of meeting her recently and she has so much knowledge and experience of Japan, fascinating insight); Beatrix Potter (her illustrations and imagination around the animals she clearly adored); Milly Johnson (she's a Yorkshire lass whose warmth radiates in her books and I've had the pleasure of meeting her a few times) and Jacqueline Susann (I read Valley of the Dolls last year and was transfixed).  I would cook a big pot of chilli that would be warming and comforting and it's one dish I can do a pretty decent job of!

We often ask agents and publishers what they consider to be the next “big thing” - what do you hope to see in 2018?

I would love indie authors to become the spotlight.  I'd love it if a big glossy mag would do a series of bringing the spotlight to these unsung heroes in the book world.

Thank you, Adele for being such a wonderful guest.

Find out more about Adele via these links:

Website 

Twitter  

*****

About Ellie

Ellie Holmes writes commercial women’s fiction with her heart in the town and her soul in the country. Ellie’s debut release was The Flower Seller. A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Alliance of Independent Authors, Ellie’s latest book, White Lies is out now.

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Rosie Hendry: On Not Giving Up

The acknowledgements at the back of East End Angels begin with “A huge and heartfelt thank you to the Romantic Novelists’ Association, without whom this book would never have been written.” And it’s true.

The first steps towards writing it started when I applied for one of the coveted 1:1 appointments with an agent at the 2015 RNA conference at Queen Mary’s in London. I was lucky enough to get an appointment with agent, Felicity Trew, (thank you Elaine Everest), to whom I sent the first few chapters and synopsis of a WW2 saga which I’d had published as a two part People’s Friend pocket novel in 2013. I’d had plans to write something else to show an agent but life had taken a downward turn at the beginning of the year when a close family member became ill and died, pushing novel writing very much on the back burner. I almost didn’t apply for a 1:1 but decided to try anyway and perhaps get some feedback on my writing I’d done so far.

To my astonishment Felicity liked my writing, and this led on to a meeting a couple of weeks later at the Caroline Sheldon agency where she works, for a brainstorming session with the aim of me writing something new to approach publishers with. By the autumn Felicity had signed me up, in early 2016 she sent off three chapters and a synopsis, plus ideas for another two books in the potential series and two publishers put in offers for a three book deal, bidding against each other. It was unbelievable, thrilling and nerve wracking. After meetings with each publisher I had to choose who to go with, which was a really tough decision but in the end chose the wonderful Little, Brown, Sphere.

I’ve been a member of the RNA since 2007 when I joined the New Writers’ Scheme and tried to write a Mills & Boon, which I soon discovered are a very difficult craft to master and not suited to my writing. Eventually I graduated from the NWS in 2011 with a People’s Friend contemporary pocket novel. Since then it’s taken quite a few years to find my voice and discover what genre suited me best, in the meantime writing lots of short stories for women’s magazines, both contemporary and historical, and a WW2 serial for People’s Friend. It was after the 2015 conference that I finally found my writing home.

There have been times over the years when I have thought of giving up writing but the RNA’s brilliant support has kept me going, especially the generosity and kindness of members who have shared advice and their experience - this is one of the amazing strengths of the RNA. Way back when I was unsuccessfully trying to write a Mills & Boon, Kate Walker (a fabulous Mills & Boon author herself) advised me to find out what I should be writing and she was right. I remember Jean Fullerton giving excellent advice at the Chichester conference saying that the writers who get published are the ones that keep trying and trying, and those who give up, don’t. Since I joined the RNA, I’ve seen many members who kept on trying and not giving up, eventually succeeding which is fantastic, well deserved and utterly joyful. Anyone in the NWS who is doubting themselves or feeling like giving up, don’t, keep going, keep trying and you will get there, it might take time but none of that is wasted because you are learning and improving and the RNA and its members are there to support you every step of the way.

Rosie's début novel, East End Angels, is available now on Amazon.

Strong-willed Winnie loves being part of the crew at Station Seventy-Five but her parents are less than happy. She has managed to avoid their pleas to join the WRENS so far but when a tragedy hits too close to home she finds herself wondering if she's cut out for this life after all.

Former housemaid Bella was forced to leave the place she loved when she lost it all and it's taken her a while to find somewhere else to call home. She's finally starting to build a new life but when the air raids begin, it seems she may have to start over once again.

East-Ender Frankie's sense of loyalty keeps her tied to home so it's not easy for her to stay focused at work. With her head and heart pulling in different directions, will she find the strength to come through for her friends when they need her the most?

Brought together at LAAS Station Seventy-Five in London's East End during 1940, these three very different women soon realise that they'll need each other if they're to get through the days ahead. But can the ties of friendship, love and family all remain unbroken?

About Rosie:

Rosie Hendry lives by the sea in Norfolk with her husband, two children, chickens and a snake.

Listening to her father’s tales of life during the Second World War sparked her interest in this period and she’s especially intrigued by how women’s lives changed during the war years. She loves researching further, searching out gems of real life events which inspire her writing.

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Laurie Johnson - Associate Editor, Mills & Boon

Today, in the latest of the series ‘Chatting with Publishers’, we are delighted to welcome Laurie Johnson to the blog.

Harper Collins is a huge organisation split into many component parts. Could you give our readers an insight into which imprints you are involved with and what is your particular role?

I’m an Associate Editor for the Mills & Boon Global Acquisition team within HarperCollins. We work with colleagues in London, Toronto and New York to acquire series editorial for global publication. In London, we work closely with the UK business, including HQ and Mills & Boon marketing teams to support wider UK publishing programmes. Within this role, I acquire and work with authors writing across all UK series: Mills & Boon Modern, Historical, Medical, Cherish and our brand new series, Dare launching in early 2018.

Because readers and writers are a nosey bunch, we’d love to have a pocket history of your career to date.

At university, I studied Creative Writing, which has put me in a good position to be an editor since we had to learn how to give—and take—constructive feedback on stories. I understand how brutal it can be, but appreciate that ultimately it’s a useful process. From there I became a magazine editor, I did this for four years before transitioning into commercial fiction publishing and finding my home at Mills & Boon. I’ve worked for Mills & Boon in the office and as a freelance editor for the last six years.

While this is a question that frequently comes up it would be helpful to know what advice you would give writers wanting to submit their manuscript to you.

Think about your characters. Mills & Boon romances are all about the characters. You could set your story anywhere within any situation, but the emotional journey your hero and heroine go on is what is key. Remember to dig deep into your characters, learn who they are, what their emotional conflicts are, what his/her motivation is, what’s the end goal? Don’t shy away from the emotional, keeping everything external and on the surface; get in there and learn what makes your hero and heroine tick. Use their internal, emotional conflicts to drive the story. Think about how they’re going to come together, what emotionally is going to keep them apart and how they’re going to use what they’ve learned over the course of the story to overcome their conflict and be together.

Ensure you read the guidelines for your desired series and read as many of our titles as possible. These provide the best guide to our readers’ tastes. And don’t give up. It can be disheartening to get a rejection, but do keep trying!

What does a work need to have to make you read beyond that first sentence; that first paragraph?

I look out for a strong, exciting voice that captivates my attention from the very beginning. If there’s an exhilarating story with three-dimensional characters we can’t help but love in there too, then that’s a real bonus. But mainly we’re looking for that great author voice we just want to read again and again.

Following on from the previous question, you may often know immediately when something isn’t right for you. If it is something in the story rather than the writer’s voice, would you encourage that author to submit something different or perhaps even send you a rewrite?

Yes, definitely. If it’s something that can be fixed, I’ll often send feedback so the author can work on it more. If it’s something more fundamental in the story, but the author has a strong voice, I’ll provide advice and ask them to submit another project.

What is the position regarding unsolicited submissions?

Harlequin Mills & Boon does accept unsolicited submissions. For more information, check out the guidelines and send your story to us via: https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit

Do you ever have time to read for your own pleasure; genres other than the ones that constitute your work? What would be your genre of choice?

I’ve always been an avid reader, although admittedly these days with reading for a living it’s a lot less. However, I always ensure I’m reading something for pleasure. This year I’m using the Goodreads Reading Challenge, it’s really helpful to keep track of what I’ve read and what I thought of it.

While I read a lot of competitive titles, which helps to identify trends in the romance market etc., I do breakout of the Romance genre as much as I can. My go to is usually Crime, I love authors like Kathy Reichs, James Patterson and Preston & Child. I also love a good Fantasy; I’m currently re-reading Harry Potter and I’m the proud owner of the entire Terry Pratchett Discworld collection! And an Action-Adventure, such as Thunderhead (Preston & Child again), anything about Atlantis or other lost worlds, always provides great escapism. The only genre I avoid is Horror, I’m a real scaredy-cat!

Have you ever become so drawn to a real place, albeit in a fictional context, that you just had to visit it?

Yes! I once read Books, Baguettes & Bedbugs by Jeremy Mercer, it’s set in a little bookstore in Paris called Shakespeare and Company that sits opposite Notre-Dame Cathedral. I was so excited to see it! It was exactly as described with books covering every conceivable surface, it was bliss to get lost in there for hours. It’s a fabulous bookstore and I highly recommend a visit for anyone who loves books!

If you didn’t do what you do, what would your dream occupation be?

To be honest, this is my dream occupation so I’d hate to be doing anything else!

A lovely thing to be able to say whatever one’s job. Thank you for joining us today, Laurie.

Laurie was interviewed by Natalie Kleinman. Thank you Natalie for a wonderful interview.

Natalie Kleinman writes contemporary and historical romantic novels. Her latest Escape to the Cotswolds, is set in the beautiful English countryside and was published by HarperCollins HQ Digital in June 2017.

jay Dixon: Write the best novel you can!

We welcome jay Dixon to the RNA blog today. jay is one of those wonderful people who help authors make their novels shine.

I love my job – most days. To help an author write the best book possible is a privilege – though sometimes I have to admit it is rather exasperating! What is plain to me – for instance, if a character is being addressed, there is always a comma before their name/title, e.g. ‘I love you, Mother’ ­– is obviously not to many authors! And it is so tedious, keep having to insert commas!

Even if you know nothing about editing rules, there is still a lot you can do to make an editor’s job easier. The first rule is ‘be consistent’. For instance, if you start with using single quote marks, keep to single, except when quoting something within the single quotes, when you use double (and vice versa) – e.g.:

‘It’s as Dorothy L. Sayers said, “I love you – I am at rest with you – I have come home.” That’s how I have felt since you came into my life.’

These days you don’t have two spaces after a full stop (or question mark or exclamation mark). Oh, yes, and if a character asks a question, please use a question mark!

Some writers have a problem with timelines. Personally, I’ve never understood this, but all authors I’ve spoken to assure me it is difficult. I once edited a book where the heroine had an 11-month pregnancy! And the reason I knew this was because I had written down in each set of chapter notes how many days/weeks/months had passed since the events in the previous chapter. So my timelines look something like this:

Chapter 1

Eve and Adam in garden

p.10 Ch 2 + 2 days

Eve meets Kaa

p.20 Ch 3 + 1 week

Eve has garden party (with apples!)

p.30 + 1 day

Leave garden – after 10 days [ms has 2 weeks]

Of course, if you are using flashbacks, or a story with multiple viewpoints, or set in multiple periods, it is not quite that simple, and you may need another timeline for each POV/period. But the principle remains the same.

And please ensure that characters keep the same name! One M&B I read had the heroine’s name in the title – unfortunately the then editor hadn’t spotted that her name changed halfway through! And don’t duplicate names. Indeed, if it can be avoided (which is not always possible, especially in historical fiction) don’t use names beginning with the same letter for major characters – readers will get them muddled up.

Make sure you follow through on things – if you mention that something is going to happen, even if the character only thinks it, ensure that it does, or give a reason why it doesn’t. This can also be noted on the timeline by writing a number in red by a future event and the time when it is going to take place, and then the same number in blue when it happens – this way you can immediately see if you have missed anything out in the writing.

I am not suggesting that you keep stopping when you are in full flow to check the presentation is correct. But when you go through the ms once you have finished it, do bear the editing rules in mind.

These are examples of what has to be done. There are other things an editor does which are only suggestions. To my mind no editor should rewrite the author’s prose – unless it is grammatically incorrect. Make a suggestion and the reason for the change – clarity, for instance – yes, but not rewrite. And any rewriting should be done using track changes so the author can see what has been done.

I have said I love my job, and I do, but some mss make my heart sink. There have been mss which have been so boring I could only manage to concentrate on them for an hour at a time – and the particular ms I am thinking of was not written by an RNA member, so don’t think it was by you! I find RNA members generally have a good idea of how to structure an ms, to give it tension, and write believable characters. This one didn’t. The author had told me that it didn’t need a line edit because all the research had been done. The author was wrong. If you possibly can pay for both a line edit and a copy edit do so – friends may have read it, even other authors, but an editor is reading with a different cap on, and it is amazing what she will discover no one else has picked up. Oh, and a hard and fast rule is that you can’t edit your own work. You know what you have written and that is what you see on the page. When I was working for a legal firm, I once asked a solicitor what he had written, because it didn’t make sense. He read out to me what he had intended to write!

There are lots of other editing rules but, in the end, it is the editor who has to know them, not the author. Just write the best novel you can, and let the editor worry about the rest!

Biography:

I have been an editor for 40 years. I started in academic publishing, moved to general and eventually become head of editorial at Mills & Boon. Since leaving M&B to write a feminist analysis of M&B romances, which was published in 1999, I have freelanced for private clients and publishers, most recently, M&B, Choc Lit and Accent Press.

I'd love to talk to you about your manuscript and any problems you may have, so do come and say hello!
Contact me at: jaysd@f2s.com

“Thorough, excellent, in tune with her clients needs, jay is a highly recommended and experienced editor.”
Carol McGrath, bestselling author of The Handfasted Wife

‘I feel very fortunate that I discovered jay, who has edited several of my manuscripts. The fact that I returned to jay on more than one occasion testifies to her perceptiveness and to the thoroughness of her editing, both substantive and copy-editing, and I’m very grateful to her for helping my novels along the road to publication.”
Liz Harris, bestselling author of The Road Back 

Thank you for your interesting words, jay. 

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

RNA CONFERENCE: Meet the Publishers

With the RNA Conference fast approaching the RNA blog today welcomes Industry Professionals who are offering 121s to delegates. We have asked all IPs a series of questions so that members can get to know them prior to interviews.

A warm welcome to Rosie de Courcy (RdeC) Head of Zeus; Julia Williams (JW) Mills & Boon; Pia Fenton (PF) ChocLit; Natasha Harding (NH) Bookouture; Emily Yau (EY) Ebury and Laurie Johnson (LJ) Mills & Boon.

What would you not like to see in a submission?

RdeC   Anything paranoral

JW      We are looking for fresh original voices in the line, who can bring a new twist and dimension to a classic love story.  We don’t want stories where there is no emotional depth or where the characters don’t grow. And we do want to see stories that target our series effectively and give our readers the HEA they’re looking for.

 

Pia Fenton

PF      I don’t want to see stories with unhappy endings (it should at least be a positive one), or stories with weak heroes, TSTL heroines and too much ‘telling’ instead of ‘showing’.  And no YA, children’s books, non-fiction or poetry please.

NH      I’m looking for complete novels to discuss not partially written books.

EY      One of my most frequent complaints is that a story is passive – when a novel is made up of a series of unfortunate events (pardon the pun), which our protagonist must overcome. I like to know the main concept of a novel from the first few chapters, with the primary dramatic tension being introduced in one (or a few) events early on. A character driving their own narrative is much more interesting to me and helps to make them more engaging and likable.

LJ       Clichéd and untargeted storylines with two-dimensional characters and unfounded set-ups. The common misconception is that it’s easy to write a Mills & Boon book, that it’s romance-by-numbers—let me assure you, it’s not! Our authors work hard to create their stories, build their characters and develop their plotlines.

What is it you hope to achieve on your own behalf?

RdeC   To find a new star for Head of Zeus

JW      As an editor I am always looking for fresh original voices that can tell an old story in a new way. I am always keen to nurture new talent and look forward to meeting writers at the start of their career.

PF       I’m not there to achieve anything for myself personally – in my role as commissioning editor for Choc Lit I’m looking for great stories that will suit their style/brand and authors who will be an asset to the Choc Lit team.

 

Natasha Harding

NH    I’m actively acquiring in my role at Bookouture so I'd love to find new commercial fiction authors to work with. I’m particularly looking for a world war two saga, a laugh out loud romantic comedy and a novel that perfect for mums.

EY    I’m always on the lookout for new talent so am really looking forward to meeting lots of authors from the RNA community. I always welcome the opportunity to talk to writers – after all, I love talking about books! – and even if it doesn’t come to anything I find that it really helps to spark ideas on both sides.

LJ       I would like to acquire fresh, new authors! It’s exhilarating to read raw voices brimming with potential and be the one to help take their book from concept to published manuscript.

What is your company looking for at the present time?

RdeC   Classy storytellers

JW      Mills & Boon is looking for strong themes and key selling hooks told from fresh new angles. We want strong, targeted, marketable editorial that fits the romance promise for the series we acquire in the UK—Mills & Boon Modern, Medical, Historical and Cherish. 

PF     Quality adult fiction with romance at the heart (unless the author is aiming for the Death by Choc Lit imprint ie crime), preferably featuring the hero’s point of view and with a male hero. 60-100,000 word completed manuscripts previously unpublished and not currently accepted by an agent or other publisher.  Sub-genres:  contemporary, historical, thrillers, mystery, romantic suspense, fantasy, time slip.

NH     Commercial fiction, primarily women’s fiction and crime, from authors who are able to write two or more books a year.

 

Emily Yau

EY      Ebury fiction is interested in new and exciting voices in women’s fiction, whether that’s big-idea issue-led novels that will have readers reaching for the box of tissues, or lovely, charming reads that you want to curl up with and that have a slightly different angle to those that have already been published.

LJ       Mills & Boon is looking for strong themes and key selling hooks told from fresh new angles. We want strong, targeted, marketable editorial that fits the romance promise for the series we acquire in the UK—Mills & Boon Modern, Medical, Historical and Cherish.

Will you be joining any of our panels or workshops over the 

conference weekend?

Rosie de Courcy

RdeC   Yes, both

JW    We will be running a workshop called Make a Date with Mills & Boon. Where we will be discussing the secrets to writing successfully for series romance and looking at what makes a perfect hero and heroine. We can also give you some insights into what Mills& Boon can do for you as an author.

           

PF       Yes, but not on Choc Lit’s behalf – I’ll be my ‘author self’.  As Christina Courtenay I will be doing a workshop together with Anna Belfrage on time slip vs time travel in romantic fiction, and as Pia Fenton I’ll take part in a panel/workshop with the Paisley Piranha author collective about romance, relationships and realism in YA.

NH      No

EY      Yes – The State of the Industry, chaired by Nicola Cornick at 4.30-5.30pm, Friday 14th July 2017.

 

Laurie Johnson

LJ       Yes, we will be running a workshop called Make a Date with Mills & Boon. Drop by and discover the secrets to writing series romance, looking at the perfect hero and heroines; learn what Harlequin Mills & Boon can do for you as an author; and meet the editors you’ll be submitting to.

If you had one piece of advice to give to a writer, what would it
be?

RdeC   Study and analyse the structure of suspenseful storytelling.   
            It’s a craft to be learned

JW      Develop a thick skin and listen to advice and learn from it, and if it’s your dream, never ever give up.

PF       Find yourself a writing/critique buddy, they are invaluable!

           

NH     Find two authors who have a similar style and/or subject to you writing and use these as comparisons for your work. This will be really useful information when submitting to agents and publishers as well as for beta readers.

EY     Do your research – it really helps when an author knows their genre and their audience: which books and authors write in a similar market to you and – more importantly – why is yours different, or *gasp* even better? And of course, research is hugely important for other areas, such as plotting out a novel, constructing a striking cover letter and deciding which agents to send your submission to. These things take time to perfect, so don’t rush it.

LJ       Think about who your audience is, who you are writing this story for, what readers you want to reach. Target your story for them and then choose a publishing imprint that fits the story you’re selling.

Thank you all for answering our questions today and we hope you will enjoy the 2017

RNA Conference.

Compiled by Natalie Kleinman

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

Rachel Dove: The Path to Publication

Today we welcome Rachel Dove to the RNA Blog. Rachel won the Prima 'Flirty Fiction' competition and her first book The Chic Boutique on Baker St is available now and published by Mills & Boon.

I am sat writing this engulfed in piles of clean washing, whilst my boys use every trick in the book (where is this book?) to avoid going to bed. My day consisted of school runs, cleaning, looking after the pets and dashing to the hairdressers to get my mop chopped. This afternoon however, I spent the day at the library I read in when I was a girl, but this time people had come to see me, and hear me read from my book.

I was the original nerd at school. Still am, and very proud of it. I actually knocked myself out on the way from this library after the weekly school visit, because my head was so engrossed in the book I had borrowed that I forgot to watch where I walked. I love reading, and started writing my own tales as soon as I could hold a pen. I got serious in my early twenties, doing a few courses, submitting properly, and I kept trying. With no success. I have the rejection letters to prove it.

When I heard that I had made the shortlist in the Prima Flirty Fiction competition to be the next Mills & Boon author, I was in shock, to say the least. When I heard I had won, I was elated, and I haven't come down to earth yet. Writing is hard, solitary, and draining sometimes, but when you see your book, out there on the shelf, or read a review, it really does make it all worthwhile.

It's been a surreal few weeks, juggling radio interviews with food shopping and chickenpox bouts, magazine interviews interspersed between the school runs and walking the dog, but it's a fantastic experience, and now the dust is settling a little and my next book is taking shape, I just can't wait to see what's around the corner.

Everything from this point is icing on the cake, and I am extremely proud and grateful for my journey. I wear my rejection letters like a badge of honour.

About Rachel:

Rachel Dove is a former adult education teacher, born and raised in Yorkshire. When she is not writing, reading or dreaming of a farmhouse with chickens in the wilderness, she can be found raising her two boys with her husband whilst the cat and dog look on. Raising boys seems to consist of arguments over the washing basket, the scraping of various food substances from furnishings, refereeing, and counting to ten. One of the many reasons that Rachel chooses to climb into a book, or set about writing the next adventure.

Links:

Twitter

 Facebook

 blog

 Amazon

Thank you for telling us about your wonderful journey, Rachel. Good luck with your future writing.

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If you wish to write something for the blog or be interviewed please contact elaineeverest@aol.com