Hi folks from very cold England! Freezing but sunny. I am well, have so far kept clear of Covid, flu and winter colds — probably because I rarely venture away from the computer - but busy, writing as usual! My Cousins of Pemberley series continues on its merry way — book number 4 "Jane" has just gone into ebook on Amazon and the paperback version should be available next week — just in time for Christmas! There is even a box-set of the first three books. I feel very lucky.
So I am busy with book no 5 which is about half way, I think. I am spending the rest of today going back over the manuscript and "building" the characters where I think they are a little sketchy.
Interesting how different nationalities see the stories. I have been lucky enough to have the first two "Cassandra" and "Catherine" published in Germany. I have been amazed at the number and depth of the reviews on the German Amazon site. It really puts the British and American readers to shame! Not a lot of just "I liked it" or "silly story", many of them really analyse the plot and discuss the characters.
It's all a learning curve! So how are all your plans for Christmas? Mine will be spent with family but luckily for me (and them) someone else will be doing the cooking. I do hope you all have happy but most of all peaceful holidays and that the New Year brings everyone what they need most in life.
Such a strange few days — the Queen's death not unexpected but still a shock as she had seemed bright and cheerful when having to chat with Boris and Liz for their PM meetings. I feel very sorry for Charles — I'm exhausted just watching it on TV, goodness knows how they all feel having to rush round he country and attend all these walkabouts, etc. When my parents died, I could hold it all together until people said how sorry they were when I lost it! He and the rest of the family are having to hear it hundreds of times every day.
I shall not be joining the 3 mile queue to pay respects. I don't think I could stand for 12 minutes, let alone 12 hours. The flowers are lovely, the florists all having extra holidays next year, but such a lot could have been done if the Royal Family had done what most ordinary people do and ask for donations to charity.
So we all await Monday's funeral. I wouldn't want to be the guy organising the security! And then knowing you have got to do it all over again for the Coronation!
On happier notes, my third book in The Cousins of Pemberley series, "Miriam", is not out on Amazon or through bookshops. Miriam is Mary Bennet's daughter. Mary married a missionary and went to live in Africa, but now Miriam is returning to England, to stay with the aunts she has grown up to dislike. I do hope some of you might find time to read and review.
( Read more...Collapse )A beautiful day — that I can see through my window as I am firmly at my desk in front of computer, trying to get my fourth Cousins of Pemberley book written.
I do hope some of my friends here on LJ have read the first two, "Cassandra" and "Catherine", both available on Amazon under Linda O'Byrne. I would love to know what you think of them and if any of the subsidiary characters appeal.
Book Three, "Miriam" is due out in August and that one is different in lots of ways. One of the things I am trying to do is to not have them all the same. It helps that the "cousins" are all so different. And it helps if they are not perfect. "Jane", book 4, is proving problematical because she is a sheltered creature, Elizabeth Darcy's daughter whom they did not expect to live as she was so small when born! But I have discovered that her very niceness is the glue that holds the story together and provides the problems. Always a silver lining!
It's interesting how few people review. I always leave a review of a book, it takes seconds to do. No one is expecting an essay, just a few words makes all the difference, especially to Amazon!
So far have stayed clear of Covid, although sister and close friend have both been very ill last few weeks with what seems to be new variant. Five days of heavy cold and then you test positive! By which time you have probably given in to lots more people.
( Read more...Collapse )January is proving to be cold and grey although so far we have not had the very bad weather that was forecast earlier. But there is still time!
Life has been busy as ever. The next in my Cousins of Pemberley series, Book Two, Catherine, is due out on March 7th and you can preorder the e book now on Amazon. Thank you to everyone who bought a copy of Book One, Cassandra, but I do wish more of you would leave a review on Amazon as it does make a difference to the way they treat you as an author! But big thank yous to those of you who did leave a review. You seemed to like the book, which is the main thing.
A series is very weird thing to write. It's a bit like having a permanent wip that never actually gets finished! Book Three, Miriam, has been scheduled for August and I have started writing Book Four, Jane. This last one is proving the most problematical so far. I don't even remember writing Cassandra, Catherine was a joy from start to finish and Miriam fought back until I got under her skin. Jane is too nice a character and so the book has to be about things happening to her, rather than her doing things herself to further the plot. Then, if you're not careful, she just becomes a spectator or a victim. I'm hopeful I'll get it right in the end!
( Read more...Collapse )Nearly New Year
So that was Christmas! Half the family had the virus, so my sister and I spent two days together and only saw people via Facetime and by standing in the gardens of my sister's apartment and shouting across the grass at each other! Although that sounds sad, we laughed a lot, almost set fire to the kitchen and I broke the smoke alarm by bashing it with a magazine to make it stop squeaking! Memories for the future. Maybe not the ones we were expecting, but good ones all the same.
My sister is also thrilled to find that I dedicated the first book in The Cousins of Pemberley series to her. She feels rightly famous and is quite right in thinking that far fewer people have books dedicated to them than the folk writing!
I dare to hope that some of you might have bought the paperback from Amazon or downloaded the e book. If so, please leave a review, good or bad. (What do you mean "bad"). The review numbers are so important, I am told. More important than the number of copies sold. Yes, I don't understand that, either!
Am still eating all the bits and pieces left over from Christmas. My lunch today consisted of the last of the Stollen and a large bag of salted peanuts! I have made my usual early promise to myself that I will have a sensible diet next year, but there is still chocolate log, gammon and lots of different cheeses to finish up. I will eat sprouts tomorrow, promise.
( Read more...Collapse )Well, it looks as if we are headed for another lockdown here in the UK, at least after Christmas if not before! I'm hoping that the booster innoculations will help but things do not look good right now. All my Christmas plans have been altered because one niece has been very poorly with Covid (two jabs and a booster) and now her son is down with it as well. So my sister and I are going to hide away in her flat for two days and not see anyone else, except to shout at from a distance.
On the brighter side, my first book in The Cousins of Pemberley series, "Cassandra" is now available as a paperback from Amazon under the name of Linda O'Byrne! I know a lot of people don't like e books and so are waiting to order a "proper" book! I do hope you like it. Let me know, either way!
I am learning an enormous amount about the new ways of publishing as I progress with other titles in the series. The paperbacks are POD, print on demand, which is what happens to most authors, unless you are a genuine best seller. It makes a lot of sense — you only print a book if someone orders it. At least that way there are no remainders!!
( Read more...Collapse )Actual publication date is 23rd December, but you are allowed to order
the e book now. Just type in the title in Amazon Books and it appears.
I am beyond excited!
I know, I know, I have been missing for ages. I am almost ashamed to show my face again! But, to be fair, I do have a good excuse, this time. I was feeling really down during Lockdown, that a whole year or more of my life was being spent sitting indoors, reading and doing jigsaw puzzles. So I decided to actually put down on paper the ideas that had been circling my brain for years. The outcome was that I wrote a light historical romance and, to my surprise, because I was quite prepared to self publish, it has been accepted by Spellbound Books and will be published on 23rd December this year!
What is even more exciting is that it is the first of a series, and the publishers want ten books! Ten! As far as I can work out, I cannot leave my computer for the next three years! Book Two is written and Book Three stands at around 20,000 words so far.
I will let you all know the necessary details when I get them and hope that one or two people will buy a copy and recommend it to their friends.
( Read more...Collapse )Goodness, it is nearly a year since I posted on LJ. But here I am again, older if no wiser! Being in lockdown, it is eerily weird to have all this spare time to fill. All the little jobs you never had time for, suddenly there are hours and hours and you still aren't doing them!
I miss my family and friends — good to be able to Facetime them and speak on phone but at least I have large garden to roam around in and, if necessary, I can always talk to the fish! It is weird, though, to realise that the birds and animals are still going about their lives, completely oblivious to what is going on around them.
So it is only a full week since I have isolated. I am feeling fine but well aware that this can change in a moment.
I do hope my friends who are still out there on LJ are well, too and their families, of course. The only tragedy I have to report is that my sister settled down to eat what she thought was a blackberry and apple pie she had taken from the freezer. Poured hot custard all over her portion, only to discover it was beef and onion!
I am busy writing a pantomime for next January for my local drama group. Hopefully all this will be over by then.
Stay well, everyone.
Hi, I have been missing for such a long time that I'm almost afraid to make an entry! No real excuse — haven't, thankfully, been ill and nothing nasty has been happening in family. But life seems to rush past at such a rate and somehow LJ got left behind!
To be fair to myself, this last few months — well, since September last year — I was heavily involved in writing and directing a pantomime for my local drama group. It was enormous fun but incredibly tiring and stressful as due to illness, bad weather and countless other problems, we didn't have a fully cast until the first dress rehearsal! My lead singer, who is 12, sounded as if his lovely voice was about to break, one of the cast was rushed into hospital at last moment and I had to step in and play her part -luckily only for one night! And so on and so on.....
But I loved writing it and directing and would do it all again — if I am asked!!!
I have now been given the title of Social Secretary, which is a joke, as I am the least social person I know. But <kazzy_cee> came to one of our meetings to demonstrate her belly dancing talents. A wonderful evening.
Just recovering from having my 14 year old great nephew stay with me for a week. So lots of rushing round London, including tour of Globe Theatre which was fun and seeing a great production of Les Mis (only the 4th time I've seen it. A mere beginner.)
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Have a lovely Christmas and hopefully we can lunch somewhere in the new year? If the train strikes stop we could even go and look at some…