Harrogate History Festival 2014

I had such a good time last year that I booked as soon as I could for this year's event that starts this very Thursday! I have spent the last few weeks in nervous anticipation, dreading that something might prevent me attending. But I am now packed and prepared and once more looking forward to returning to my old home town of Harrogate to be part of things. There are even more people I am longing to hear and will buy too many books, I am sure from my much loved (and erstwhile employer) Waterstones, Harrogate, where, incidentally, I enjoyed a fabulous signing-session  for my novel Hope Against Hope.  Take a look at the details of the Festival.

If you're also attending and possibly staying at the Old Swan Hotel, do seek me out. I'll be around - probably in the bar which is not, I hasten to add not so crowded than it is during the annual Crime Festival. I can confirm that historical-fiction writers enjoy a drink but not in such quantities as crime readers and writers whom through you have to fight to get to the bar or even sit down. We hist-fictioners are far more restrained!

I will write about it when I get home on Sunday and have recovered. These writing events are always tiring, whatever the genre.

The famous Old Swan, here and below.

It's a shame the History Festival is held in October when the Crime event enjoys summer weather!

Just because I'm currently immersed in revising...

...doesn't mean I'm not still reading avidly. I have heard that some novelists daren't read anything other than their work in progress. Their reasoning? Either they're far, far too busy (some people have deadlines - lucky them) or they fear they'll end up copying the style of whichever author's novel they pick up.

I couldn't be more different. I'm never not reading a book - usually a novel but not necessarily. It could be history, biography or something for research and background reading, be it a recipe book, topography and nature. A few months ago I read all about keeping bees, now or in the past, cooking with honey etc. However, it's more likely to be fiction. As I've said before, I am book-mad, a bookaholic as it were.

As for inadvertently copying someone else's style, it has never happened to me. I can't do party tricks or impressions or speak in another accent from the one I'm stuck with now. I  admire certain writers more than others, love certain paragraphs and read them twice while trying to pin-point why they work so well. But I can't copy them. however much I wish to. I write like me. It's either good or bad, boring or even interesting, depending on the reader. I can't do anything else. I am what I am although I'me always learning and improving - I hope.

Anyway, here are a few books from the many I've read lately and loved for different reasons. But don't ask me to judge which I enjoyed the most.

I won't give any reviews or recommend you read any of them. But I have read them all with differing amounts of admiration. All all had their good and bad points and will appeal to different readers. Some you may hate. And - surprise, surprise. They're all historical novels.  .

Here is the exception. to my list. I have yet to read the following novel. But I will. It's on its way. Its companion (and first novel) is The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. As I loved that novel to bits and because the reviews of 'Queenie'  have all been favourable, I'm bound to love it, too. I'll tell you later...

Welcome to my new blog

I hope all my friends and anyone who might like to follow my journey to continued publication have arrived here safely.

For those of you who haven't a clue who I am, this brief introduction may be useful. (Please feel free to skip it.)  My previous blog (The Elephant in The Writing Room) can be found here. I will keep it on-line for a while in case anyone might want to look back at my struggles, joys and woes, both personal and writing-related. But it may well disappear before too long.

My writing journey has been a steep learning curve and any success has been hard won. I began writing around the time when I turned 40 and chose to join an adult education course run by the local authority. It was called Writing For Pleasure and Profit. I was lost for words when I read that was how the inestimable Della Galton began. You can read her interview for The People's Friend here. Many thanks to Kath McGurl aka womag writer who brought it my attention.

Unlike Della, I was very naive. I hadn't got a clue that 'ordinary' people like me could write fiction for magazines. When I was heard others in the class listing their successes, I was astounded and decided to have a go. But, being an ignorant twerp, I immediately sent five stories to "Bella." magazine and actually believed I would get a big cheque in return. Honestly! That was how stupid I was. Needless to say, they were returned pdq with a standard rejection slip.

And so began the arduous climb of writing loads and learning, understanding the business and, more importantly, the skill not to mention the art. The way slow (basically because I am not a confident writer, am easily discouraged by put-downs and need encouragement - but not flattery.) Over the years, I have come across sharks and false friends but have also managed to notch up a few wins and places in decent short story competitions. I was so lucky at that time to get to know the lovely Jo Derrick, who has helped me more than she will ever know, has never let me down. Thank you, Jo, from the bottom of my heart. I love you.

Then I won a short story competition in which the first prize was the publication of my novella 'Chasing Angels.' Thank you Brian Lister and your wonderful Biscuit Publications - alas no more.

(One day I would like to revamp it as a full-length novel - if I ever get the chance.) I was fortunate when Myrmidon Books published my novel, Hope Against Hope. a few years after that  I am still very proud of it although I feel I could write it so much better now although I look back on the whole experience with mixed feelings.

Alas, shortly after that, the wheels fell off.  A fractured hip heralded several years of ill-health (three strokes and repeated infections) plus a ghastly year of a total inability to write - and a "why the heck do I bother?" feeling. Then my husband of over 40 years became very ill (through an illness he contracted when he was a teenager) and underwent major heart surgery earlier this year. It was a bad time. However, he is now fully recovered and I am back to writing again. Hooray! Oh, but it's been tough.

For instance, a novel (The Lark Ascending) that was submitted to several publishers before the centenary of the Great War was rejected (but with several nice letters of rejection) but now the moment had gone and it languishes unpublished. I was then encouraged by my agent to change tack and have now almost finished a novel set in the 14th century. I am quite confident about it (yet well aware of how a writer's hopes can be crushed by repeated rejections, bad luck and the vagaries of the market - not to mention poor writing.)

So, now seems the right time for a blog re-vamp although nothing much will change. So...please continue along (or join) this rocky road with me. I need all the friends I can get.