It’s the first of the ‘Free Fridays’ today. Pop over to Amazon and download my short story, ‘Broken Palace’. Free all day!
Have a great weekend 😀
“FREE FRIDAYS” – FREE eBook promotion
As the big summer holiday period is creeping closer, and since we all love a freebie, I will be launching ‘Free Fridays’.
Essentially, my short story, ‘Broken Palace’, will be free to download on certain Fridays in July and August.
For those of you who are looking for a short read while you’re away, this is ideal…and even if you’re not lucky enough to be jetting off somewhere nice, why not download it anyway and beat the summer blues?
‘Broken Palace’ will be free on the following Fridays:
– 18th and 25th July.
– 8th, 15th and 22nd August.
I’ll be spending the summer (hopefully) really getting stuck in to book three.
For me, this summer holiday will be a big deal, because my daughter will be finished in nursery and off to Reception class in September – officially meaning she’ll be at school full-time! Where did those four years go?! Why is that when you were a kid, your childhood seemed endless? As soon as you become a parent, those years seem to fly by.
Have blast this summer, whatever you’re doing. And for those staying in the UK, lets hope it’s not a washout!
Welcome to author of Thrillers ~ TME Walsh
Today I am a featured author over on Diana Jackson’s blog. Find out how I came to self-publish my novels, advice I had from literary agents, how I designed my covers…and whether I am anything like DCI Claire Winters!
I would like to welcome back TME Walsh who has kindly agreed to be interviewed today.
Hello Tania, what originally inspired you to write thrillers?
It’s the genre I read and love the most, so it felt natural for me to write crime thrillers. I like writing novels that are gritty. I want to wince when someone meets a ‘sticky end’, and I want to feel unnerved. I want to be able to feel the sense of impending danger and the fear, and that’s what I try to convey in my novels. I guess I write a novel that I’d like to read.
DCI Claire Winters is a complex character. Do you like her and do you think she shares any traits with yourself?
Excellent question and one I get asked a lot. I think every author puts a little of themselves into their main characters, whether it be a…
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‘How to Hook an Agent’
(copyright – Writers’ & Artists website)
Just so we’re clear, I haven’t ‘hooked’ one yet 😉
No, I’m referring to an event (title as above) that I have just booked that is due to take place in September at Bloomsbury in London.
These literary events pop up every so often and do usually require a fee to attend and meet agents who are giving talks. Some events allow you the opportunity to chat to an agent and pitch your work. Due to lack of funds to spare I’ve always had to pass on these events.
Within five minutes of getting the email from the Writers’ & Artists’ website this morning promoting the ‘How to Hook an Agent’ event I’d made up my mind that this time I wasn’t going to miss out.
Self-publishing via Kindle has definitely opened a few avenues for me. Although I’m not earning anything life-changing from my Amazon sales, it has allowed me to ‘reinvest’, as I like to call it, in my writing career. I plan on taking a Crime Scene Investigation course soon and I have also been able to book this latest event without maxing out my credit card.
To some £149 isn’t much and I had to think about whether I thought the event would benefit me. I also know I can’t rely on how much money I’ll make each month through Kindle, but I look at it this way – if an opportunity comes along to do something that would’ve previously been almost impossible to do in the past, you need to just take a chance and go with it.
Some may ask why I’m bothering with this ‘Hook an Agent’ event if I’ve self-published.
The answer is simple. Having an agent and traditional book deal has always been my goal for many reasons. That’s not to say I have reluctantly self-published – I’m glad I have, as I’ve been building a readership – but being the stubborn moo that I am, I won’t let rejection stop me aiming high. At least I’ll have developed skin like a rhino on my journey, and in this profession you really need it!
Some may say you don’t need to spend anything on these events to ‘hook’ an agent.
Well, yes, that’s true. Obviously many have ‘hooked’ an agent without doing any writing courses, winning any competitions or paying for these ‘insider-type’ events. Thing is, I know of some who have. I also know that you can pick up some tips that will help set you apart from the slush pile.
Sometimes it’s all about taking a chance.
Anyway, back to the event…
This is the introduction from the website:
“Join us for an intimate lunch in the beautiful Georgian surroundings of Bloomsbury, London.
Are you writing a book for publication but unsure of how to find an agent? This intimate half-day event with four literary agents will give you insider knowledge on how to submit your manuscript to an agent, what they’re looking for and how to grab their attention. With a networking lunch and a chance for a one-to-one with the agent of your choice, you’ll receive direct feedback on how best to hook your agent.
Held in the historic literary surroundings of Bloomsbury at Bloomsbury Publishing, home to authors including Margaret Atwood and J.K. Rowling, this is your chance to get noticed.”
The event lasts from 9:30am until 2:30pm and those interested can find all the details here. Spaces are limited, but there is another event in November if you can’t make the one in September.
I have sent out so many submissions that I’ve now lost count. I have had some success with getting full MS requests so my initial submission ‘package’ can’t be too bad, but I’m sure there will tips that I haven’t thought about that I can take on board.
A bonus for me is that one of the agents, Juliet Mushens from The Agency Group, is attending. Juliet has already read the full MS for ‘The Principle of Evil’. She requested the novel in November, and gave me some great feedback despite the fact she didn’t offer representation.
Now, I’m not expecting her to remember all the content of that novel – if any of it at all. She would have read hundreds more manuscripts since my submission, but I’m hoping to get the chance to chat to her about my current WIP.
Some of you may remember I attended the free ‘Discovery Day II’ event in London that was run by literary agencies Curtis Brown and Conville & Walsh in November last year. Those who attended had the chance to pitch their WIP to an agent, but in a very short allocated time slot.
No doubt come September I’ll be just as nervous with this event, as I was at ‘DDII’ last year, but at least I’ve had experience of pitching my WIP face-to-face with an agent.
By attending these events you can gain a wealth of experience and insight. One important thing I did learn from ‘DDII’ was that if an agent turns you down, it doesn’t mean your work wasn’t good enough. There are many other aspects that are taken into consideration other than the writing itself. Anyone in the same boat as me should take heart from that.
The more insight you can get in understanding the publishing industry and gain knowledge of what agents are looking for the better chance you have of standing out. I think that’s why some of these events are worth attending if you are in a position to do so.
After all, you never know where these things might lead.
I’ll be blogging about my experience in September, so stay tuned. 🙂
Interview with ‘Murder, Now and Then’ author, Diana Jackson.
Today I am very pleased to welcome author Diana Jackson to my blog again.
Diana has written two historical novels in The Riduna Series and a memoir about her friend, Norman, who died aged 103.
This year, however, Diana has dipped her toe into the murky world of murder and mystery, with her latest novel, ‘Murder, Now and Then’, which has just been released in paperback.
Diana has now become a full-time author and has set up her own publishing imprint, Eventispress, with plans to launch new authors this year.
To celebrate the paperback launch of ‘Murder, Now and Then’, and to give some insight into Diana’s experience in the world of writing and publishing, I’ve put her in the hot seat.
So, let’s ask Diana some questions.
What inspired you to write a murder mystery?
I was researching for ‘Ancasta ~ Guide me Swiftly Home’ and in touch with the Channel Island Great War Study Group. I had an email from a lady in the group who asked, ‘did you know that a young lady from Jersey was murdered in Bedfordshire just after the end of WW1?’
Looking into it in more detail I realised that the murder took place less than three miles from where I live and so I cycled to look at her grave in Haynes churchyard. Curiosity and creativity sparked the novel. It was not a conscious decision, rather serendipity.
Can you tell us what the book is about and any themes explored?
The paperback version
A major theme is the complex way people handle the ‘cards life deals them,’ which is reflected in their relationships. I can’t say a great deal about this one without giving too much of the plot away. It’s a true to life drama in the sense that you get to know the characters in depth as the plot unravels – their weaknesses, strengths fears and vulnerabilities. It is important to me that you get to know ‘victims’ and ‘villains’ without prejudice.
Another major theme is family history – our inherent interest to delve into our family’s past, sometimes finding uncomfortable truths which for most are just that, but for my characters leads to involvement in a crime ring beyond their imaginings. This theme is not new, I know, but was vital to the plot and the outcome certainly takes the reader by surprise.
How much research was needed to bring the novel together in a realistic and vivid way for the reader?
The main research went into the 1919 plot which weaves as flashbacks in and out of the 2019 plot until you cannot ignore the fact that they are inextricably linked, and neither can the police. I have even quoted newspaper items from press releases about the original murder, although I have changed the names throughout. I researched in both the Bedford and Jersey archives.
I also read loads of crime novels and even visited Alnwick Poison Garden in Northumberland, which inspired rather than led my plot! My hubby has been looking suspiciously at food I prepare ever since.
The crime genre is a very crowded market and some readers are looking for something a little different. How do you think your novel stands out from the rest?
I believe murder in real life is more complex than the majority of the gripping novels we see in high street stores. This isn’t a criticism. We all need escapism and entertainment. ‘Murder, now and then’ entertains too, but I want the readers to feel they are living alongside ‘the neighbour next door’ for example. Are the people around us who we perceive them to be? It is not a novel of car chases and gun shoots – more a tragedy of human frailty.
I believe people who enjoyed my historical fiction would also enjoy ‘Murder, now and then’, since history and rich characterisation are both at the heart of all my writing to date, so I’m told. There’s a bit of romantic intrigue too.
Cover design. It’s always a tough one to get right when self-publishing. How did you go about finding the right design for you?
The Kindle version
By chance a friend suggested I write a proposal for design students at North Herts College, which included specification, guidelines and deadlines. The students are creative but what they needed was experience to prepare for the workplace. This was a bit of blind faith on my part and I had to let go of any preconceived ideas regarding design. Two students won the college Facebook competition and so, with feedback from all my faithful Facebook followers who gave valuable input, I worked with each student in turn – to produce one cover for the Kindle version and the other for the paperback – although I may interchange them. This approach appealed to the ‘college tutor’ in me. I’m sure many in the industry would prefer a more conventional approach but it certainly stirred a buzz of publicity too.
A title of a book is just as important as the cover design. It needs to grab the potential reader’s attention. How did you approach this?
It was just one of those things that came to me. I’d bounced around with ideas for several weeks… Murder at Haynes Park Camp (sounds like a Girl Guides meeting) …Murder Revisited (I quite like this idea from a Facebook follower)…Murder at Pear Tree Farm ….too bland….until I came up with ‘Murder, now and then’ with its double meaning. It is set in 2019 with flashbacks to 1919 but it also sounded catchy, like an everyday phrase, the essence of the novel before it turns more sinister. At first the police are baffled because they cannot find any motive, weapon or clues to understand why the murder took place. They are almost, but not quite, caught ‘on the back foot’ as the lives of other characters are in deadly danger.
‘Murder, Now and Then’ combines a mix of events that take place in the past (the year 1919) and near future (2019). How did you go about balancing the crime and murder element with historical history?
The novel moves from historical facts, I hope, flowing seamlessly into my take of the events in 1919 which comes purely from my imagination. I have stressed that the novel is fiction. All original names have been changed although my characters are loosely based on the real people. I am not rewriting history, just inspired by it. There are hints of changes which might take place by 2019 but it certainly isn’t sci-fi. I feel that my structure worked well, in that I posted parallel chapters – a funeral in 2019 followed by the one in 1919 in italic typeface, for example.
Since becoming a full-time author, how have you found the transition from ‘normal day job’, to working at home each day?
I see myself on a Sabbatical. For how long that will be I do not know as yet. Having taught for the majority of my life it was a sobering experience going through redundancy but I was fortunate that our life was turned upside down in a positive way and I ended up living in Scotland for nine months. I was able to organise my writing day in my own way
6am – 8am social media, marketing and emails.
8.30 am to around 1pm – being creative or proof reading.
Early afternoon – out and about, socialising, shopping at the local shops.
By 3pm I was usually back behind my computer doing the IT tasks. I was learning to format for Kindle for example and I usually downed tools around 7.30pm
I will always look upon this time fondly since I was so fortunate to organise my day without interruption. Now we are back in Bedfordshire and my husband has (possibly) retired…..
I miss the buzz of colleagues and their friendship and support (although we get together when we can) but I don’t miss the stress, although publishing has other challenges.
You’ve set up your own publishing imprint Eventispress. How have you found the process?
I set up Eventispress on advice of many authors and, in fact, found it easier to interact with bookshops and distributers with my company hat on. I have had a couple of people do some work for me on the marketing side too. It has been a steep learning curve but I find publishing fascinating and I am excited that this side of my life has taken off on returning to Bedfordshire. I have published the novel of a fellow author on Kindle only this week – Colin Calvert’s thriller Born Again Bandits. Exciting times.
I see Eventispress as a working, but flexible cooperative. Each author can contribute skills and above all enthusiasm for theirs and each other’s projects. Collective, might better describe it. I am not open to submissions because I would rather work with people face to face and so I see it as a local project. It is early days but I now have two more authors, potentially, on board the project.
Like you, I was made redundant and decided to fulfil my goal of earning a living doing something I love. Obviously, everyone is different, and circumstances will differ as to whether that is a viable option for some, but what advice would you give to authors who might be thinking of working independently?
Oh Tania, it’s tough. I see the enthusiasm of ‘new’ authors come to me, full of dreams and hopes. In many ways I have to gently give them a reality check. Self-publishing is ‘damned’ hard work, if you’ll excuse the language. I could think of no other words. It can be soul destroying too, but it can also be so rewarding that you know you’ve finally found your ‘path in life.’ Whatever the criticisms, Amazon’s Kindle and Createspace, their paperback publishing arm, have opened up a low cost, now high quality option which is wonderful for authors like ourselves.
My advice is to find like-minded people – a local writers’ group, preferably, although an online forum would be OK as second best. Get to know people on Facebook and Twitter and don’t just advertise. They will be the folks that prop you up when times get difficult, and they probably will, but they will also celebrate your successes and wish you luck. They are fantastic people and kept me sane when I’ve felt lonely and disconnected during the last year. Share jokes with them. Share bits of your life. Be human and people will be there for you and share your joys and sorrows. Your partner may try to, but they don’t always want to understand. Celebrate your victories in style but keep learning. I could go on and on Tania, but thanks so much for giving me this opportunity to share.
Thanks to Diana for taking the time to talk about her book and her publishing journey. There is plenty for those considering self-publishing to think about.
Diana’s latest novel, ‘Murder, Now and Then’ is available to buy from Amazon, both on Kindle and in paperback format
You can find more about Diana and her writing on her two blogs:
www.selectionsofreflections.wordpress.com
@Riduna on Twitter
The official website: www.dianamaryjackson.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DianaJacksonauthor
And her Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diana-Jackson/e/B003557QH2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_2
Other work by Diana Jackson:
Novels in Crime Week Day 2 ~ TME Walsh
I’m a featured author on Diana Jackson’s blog, part of her Crime Week special. Thanks to Diana for featuring me. You should definitely check out Diana’s latest novel, ‘Murder, Now and Then.’
TME Walsh writes at the furthest end of the spectrum of crime ~ raw thriller ~ vividly descriptive ~ twists and turns to keep your turning the pages.
Tania first brought out ‘For all our Sins’ in 2009.
Tania has now released ‘For all Our Sins’ alongside her new book ‘The Principle of Evil’ on Kindle.
on kindle
on Kindle
Here are some reviews of her debut novel ‘For all our Sins’:
Amazon Kindle reviews for the 2013 version.
“So many crime thrillers follow the same predictable pattern but this book keeps you entertained and guessing to the end. Excellent story , genuinely can’t wait for the next book. A cracking read.”
“What a plot, exciting, didn’t see how it would pan out at all. A well-written book, with good characters. Most enjoyable.”
Reviews for the 1st edition of the novel from Amazon and Waterstones:
” This may be a first novel…
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Join me for a Virtual Book Launch ~ Tuesday 22nd April
Happy publication day to Diana Jackson! Diana’s new book, ‘Murder, Now and Then’, a cosy murder mystery, is released on Kindle today! It will be released in paperback later this year, and I will be featuring an interview with Diana in due course. Until then, be sure to check it out crime fans 🙂
‘Murder, Now and Then’ is available on Kindle from today.
‘Compelling ~ Complex ~ Mysteries ~ Unravelled!’
You can click on the book cover below and follow the link and it will take you to
‘Murder, Now and Then’ on Amazon.co.uk:
Available on Kindle
It is also available on Amazon.com and throughout the world!
I will be having a virtual launch party on Facebook
7 am to 9 am
12 noon to 2 pm
5 pm to 7 pm
Quizzes with real and virtual prizes
including mugs and gift vouchers!
I would love to see you there to join in the fun. If you are not already a friend then do come and say hello on Facebook. It would be lovely to have your support:
https://www.facebook.com/DianaJacksonauthor
For those of you who would prefer to wait for the paperback version then you are welcome to join me anyway. The paperback version…
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FREE over Easter Sunday & Monday
As it’s Easter Sunday tomorrow, I thought I’d make my short story, ‘Broken Palace’, FREE on Amazon tomorrow and Monday. So if you want a quick read whilst you eat all those chocolate eggs, give ‘Broken Palace’, a go.
Deciphering the feedback
My first post of the month and the month is nearly over! I admit, I’ve let the blog slip a bit, but I’ve had my reasons. Life commitments get in the way sometimes. At other times I’ve been trying to get book three moving, and finding a window to write blog posts seems to get smaller.
Anyway, a quick update.
Since my last post I have now had feedback from a publisher who had requested my manuscript ‘The Principle of Evil’, but I am still waiting to hear back from an agent who has had the full MS since December.
I had another rejection from a different agent a couple of weeks ago, who did offer a little more than the ‘form rejection’ based on my three chapters. I submitted back in November, and she said her reasons for taking so long to get back to me was because she had been inundated with submissions recently but my submission had ‘piqued her interest’ and she wanted to make sure she gave the submission ‘careful consideration’.
Yes I was disappointed, but at least she took the time to state my submission had caught her eye from among the hundreds she’s been receiving. This softened the blow of having another rejection email.
To date, I’ve had five agencies request the full MS of ‘The Principle of Evil’. Four of these agencies turned down the chance of representation and offered some feedback on the reasons why.
When I look at the points they’ve made about the MS, what they felt worked and what they felt didn’t, genuinely the positive points have all been the same.
Then they throw you a curve ball.
For example –
Agent one felt the police side of things provided great detail and it all felt authentic, but suggested the ‘killer’ side of things could have been done a little differently.
OK, I thought, maybe I could look at that. BUT . . . agent three felt the exact opposite. She really loved the killer’s scenes, but didn’t feel the police side of things ‘tied it up’ enough.
Both have a background in representing and editing books in the crime genre. Both had conflicting opinions on two of the main aspects of the novel.
This leads me back to the rejection from the publisher.
They stated that overall it was clear I write well, and had all the skills to write crime (or anything else) but then they were a little contradictory I felt, because they pulled apart the novel, particularly the structure, which has never been a point of concern for the previous four agents. In fact, the structure and pace of the novel has been commended by the previous agents.
Also, the publisher wasn’t so keen on the third chapter character interactions. I looked at whether they might have a point but had to remind myself that those three opening chapters are what have got me some full MS requests in the first place. Indeed, didn’t the publisher request the full MS based on these chapters?
It is so hard to be objective about your own work.
Yes, I know the novel could be improved. Even the best-sellers of traditional publishing methods have had their first submission picked and pulled apart in every direction by their agent and editor before it even makes it into print.
If I had an agent they no doubt could help me shape the novel to be better, and that’d be great. I’m open to fresh ideas and I do appreciate all the feedback, positive and negative, that I’ve had so far.
Leading back to the title of this post – Deciphering the feedback.
What do you do when different people in the business give you conflicting advice or feedback? How do you decipher what advice to take on board and what is just someone’s personal opinion, which may or may not be wrong?
You’re looking at this blog expecting an answer? Sorry, I can’t give you one at the moment. I’m still trying to work it out myself.
I guess maybe I need to take a look at everything and use my gut instinct.
For the moment, at least, ‘The Principle of Evil’ is staying as it is. Book three is my priority now, and I will be building on the feedback I’ve had about the first two books, take on board all I’ve learnt so far, so I can (hopefully) make book three the strongest in the series yet.
Losing direction?
There’s a small piece on me in the March edition of Writing Magazine.
This was written in October last year. There’s been another two novel requests for The Principle of Evil from agents since then, and a full request from a publisher, but what else has been going on?
I’ve been quiet on here of late and taken a bit of a break from social media. I’ve written the odd tweet but I’ve hardly been on WordPress, and there are many reasons for that.
Since the New Year I’ve been struggling to get back into writing book three. It’s not that I don’t know what to write and, so far, there’s no problem with the plot.
I guess I’ve been feeling pretty despondent and questioning my skills as a writer, and where everything is going.
When I read the piece from Writing Magazine today, I gave myself a slap round the face (metaphorically speaking, anyway) and I reminded myself why I write, and that if I ever want to achieve my goals, I need to keep going and never give up, despite rejections.
Anyone who, like me, has felt despondent about their work at some point, don’t worry. It happens. It’s OK, you’re only human. Just make sure you give yourself a reality check from time to time, get back in the saddle and keep going.
You don’t get anywhere by giving up!
T. M. E. WALSH 
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