We interrupt this blog with an announcement...

Apologies for anyone expecting to read the 'coping strategies’ I promised in my
previous blog but I have an announcement to make, a rather significant announcement for a wannabe writer…

Last weekend at the inaugural Festival of Romance International Convention I was awarded runner up in the New Talent Award. As someone who doesn’t normally like to sing my own praises, I’m sure you’ll allow me, just for this once to bask in the glory, especially given the year I’ve had.

Only a few weeks ago I didn’t even know whether I’d attend, having booked the weekend on a whim during one of my fight back moments. For aspiring author's to attend, one of the conditions was entering the New Talent Award. Back in August when I (somehow) managed to complete my first novel, 'Mother's Love' for the RNA New Writer’s Scheme, I received some excellent and encouraging feedback, but with everything else that has gone on over recent weeks, I haven’t got round to starting the suggested revisions. And so I duly emailed the required first chapter and synopsis of ‘Mother’s Love’ to Kate Allan, delightful author and organiser of the Festival without another thought.

And what a Festival it was! Superbly organised and executed by everyone involved, it was a joy to mingle with, and learn from established authors, agents and publishers, and to get to know better some of my AA (Aspiring Author) counterparts. What a lovely bunch of Romantic Novelists.

The backdrop of Hunton Park couldn’t have been a better setting, and I almost expected Mr Darcy to come romping across the lawns in my direction. He didn’t, alas, but I got my kicks elsewhere; in particular the session on Erotica versus Erotic Romance, which I’d never dared to even think about but now, especially as I’m a singleton, I may consider ;)

Dressed in my best Audrey Hepburn style posh frock, by the time of the evening dinner, Ball and award ceremony, the residual nerves and lack of confidence were banished by the half bottle of red wine I drank before going out. Thank you to all who kept me company throughout the weekend, and for those I didn’t manage to meet, we’ll hopefully get together at the RNA Winter Party

The awards ceremony commenced – a glitzy, glamorous affair with top talents in the Romantic Genre and Historical being recognised. Then it was onto the Festival’s New Talent Award, with agent, Jane Judd presenting the awards. (I’ve long had my list of top agents and Jane features in my top three.) Looking round the table of talent, I wondered which of my fellow rookie writer’s names might be called. And the first name out…

‘Debbie White receives the commended award for her novel, "Tough Love."’

I don’t know whether it was the fact that the title of the novel wasn’t mine, or that I was so stunned to have a 'commended' that made me freeze in the chair.

‘Go on, that’s you.’ Celia Anderson gave me a little shove, encouraging me to get up and shake hands with my heroine agent.
3rd place – the lovely Sarah Callejo
2nd Place – Rosemary Dun’s name was read out but the title of her novel was mine, ‘Mother’s Love.’Poor Rosemary had had to go home early with dreadful earache.
1st place and winner of the coveted New Talent Award - went to Henriette Gyland Congratulations Henri!

There was evidently some kind of a mix up with the author’s names and titles but it didn’t matter to me. I’d been commended, and for the next hour or two my emotions leapt somewhere between giddy excitement and pure emotion at how I’ve never given up my dream, and at last, irrespective of the eventual outcome with my first novel, I’d had some ‘proper’ official recognition that I can write. I DO have potential. The reason I attended the weekend was to kickstart my badly neglected writing career after events of the last few months and health problems, and this couldn’t have been better incentive.

Late in the evening I saw Jane Judd and her husband look as if they might be making a move, and fuelled by yet more red wine and the knowledge that if I didn’t properly introduce myself I’d always regret it, a wave of courage suddenly gripped me and catapulted me into her path, blocking her exit.

I shook hands nervously, bumbling that there had been a bit of a mix up with the titles, but thanking her for giving me the commendation for 'Mother’s Love.’

‘Is that the one about the Grandmother?’ Jane asked.

‘Yes that’s mine.’

‘No, that was definitely second,’ she said. ‘And it was a close second. I voted for yours to win…’

Second, fourth, I genuinely don't care. I'm sure my fellow AA's will agree, to be able to reach the top four in any kind of contest when you crave publication is massive achievement and big boost of confidence. For me, hearing Jane's comments and to get the opportunity to submit to her is prize enough. Needless to say the rest of the evening passed in a bit of a blur, not only because of the red wine.

Indeed I’ve been pinching myself ever since. I emailed Jane yesterday, saying it was good to meet her, and thanking her for the opportunity to submit the full MS which I will do once I’ve made the RNA NWS suggested tweaks. (I was also trying to prove that I could be professional and not a complete drunken buffoon.)Twenty minutes later she emailed back, not only confirming that I hadn’t dreamt Saturday night, but also giving me her feedback and the constructive feedback from Donna Condon, Senior Editor at Piatkus publishing.

With that invaluable advice, the hard work really starts for me, but bring it on. Everything happens for a reason. I always knew writing would be my salvation, and as I look back I see that booking the Festival of Romance weekend on a whim was not just a fightback moment, it might well be a defining moment. Life will get better from this point onwards, I just know it…

Until another day

Bye for now
xx

PS - Click here - for full details of the nominees and winners of Festival of Romance Awards. In particular, splediferous well done's to:
Sue Moorcroft - winner of Best Romantic Read
Jean Fullerton - winner of Best Historical Romance Read
Henri Gyland - Winner of best New Talent
Carole Matthews - Outstanding contribution to Romantic Fiction

PPS - All photos are courtesy of the wonderful talented Liz Crump - thanks Liz, and great to meet you!

Writers=Sales People

In today’s ultra competitive writer’s market, selling yourself is an important factor, like it or not. And I don’t.

Since Tango Man (now re-named Living in the Past) returned from critiquing under the New Writers Scheme,I’ve done the tweaks suggested, re-written the synopsis and have my query letter prepared, ready with a list of agents to approach. Unfortunately, my pen lost momentum when it came to the Biography. After the initial panic, I sat down and deliberated...and cogitated. For hours.

It’s easy enough to scribble a couple of lines that describe who you are but when it comes to showing why you’re someone to read, it’s a different matter altogether. And the trouble is, when it comes to self promotion, I’ve never been very good at that type of thing. Yes, I know, I can hear you all saying this is the girl who was in sales and sales training for most of her working life, and it’s true; I used to be able to sell the proverbial sand to Arabs but when I retired from my job in the Bank, it knocked the stuffing out of me. And with my ever decreasing confidence over the last year as my health problems consume me, (there’s nothing like being unable to do something due to ill-health for making one feel incompetent) it leaves me feeling that there’s not much to sing about in terms of successes .

Am I being hard on myself again or is it simply part of being British? I can’t help thinking that many of us feel uncomfortable with this ‘sell yourself’ aspect of being a writer. My Nan used to say, “No-one likes a big head.” She taught me humility, how to hide my light well and truly under a bushel. However, the trouble is, if I want to progress my writing I’m going to have to sell myself to an agent and publishers, to bookshops and to my readers and having reached this rather crucial stage along my path to publication, I need to do something about it. I need to overcome the biography barrier.

For the last week or so I’ve been searching for inspiration. I read a lot (like most writers) and I thought a good place to start would be the books on my bookshelves. Having analysed the inside covers to crib off the experts, there seems to be a pattern. Here’s what I found: -

Good news – Biographies are only about three lines long, four at most.

Line one tends to be qualifications, highlighting any degrees and certifications the author has. Here’s where a degree in English or Creative Writing comes in handy because I doubt my ‘O’ Level English will have the same clout. Of course, not every author has an ‘Ology.’ Many fiction writers seemed to have been English teachers in a former life, or had careers in journalism. This biography business is about selling yourself; shouting to the world that you are qualified in some way to write what you write. I had to retire from my job as a Bank Manager aged thirty two. No matter how much I fanny about with that snippet, I can’t make it sound exciting. Hmm, I don’t suppose being editor for my local Parish News counts as journalism?

The second line seems to tell why the author is writing the novel/articles/non-fiction book or what prompted them to start writing in the first place. It let’s people know why their work is worthy of attention or if they have an area of expertise.

Okay, so this is where I start to see I might just have a unique selling point - we all have them; we just have to look deep within ourselves. Because if this is where the author makes themselves look attractive to publishers and the market (and even forms the basis for their overall marketing,) at least I can see I have an angle for that non-fiction book about living with Chronic Illness and Pain, or the novel I’ve outlined titled, ‘Smile through the Pain.’

Can you imagine the line, “Debbie is inspired to write for other women, to share her experiences and offer insight...?”

I digress.

This part of the biography is also where the writer tends to note any awards or competitions they’ve won.

Right, I’m back to being negative because I haven’t won any competitions, although last month ‘Baby Blue’ was short-listed and highly commended by Sue Moorcroft for Writers Forum Magazine. Some writers might also include here any publishing successes, however small. Hmm, do you think anyone will be interested in the poetry competition that I won for the Yorkshire Evening Post thirty years ago?

The last sentence of the bio tends to be more personal. For many authors this is where they share with the reader the number of children, pets, and anything else that might be of interest, like where they live. Easy peasy. I can do this one - ‘I currently live in rural South Shropshire with my husband and two sons.’

The final point I will make about the biographies I looked at is that few of them are ordinary. There are some amusing and original biographies around - like best selling Romantic Novelist, Katie Fforde, who on the inside cover of Highland Fling reads:
‘Katie Fford lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and some of her three children. Her hobbies are ironing and housework but unfortunately, she has almost no time for them as she feels it is her duty to keep a close eye on the afternoon chat shows...’

Of course the fact that Katie has more than fifteen best sellers means that few readers give a jot about her writing history. Her success proves her pedigree.

With my limited background, I might learn a lot from Katie’s quirky format. And on that note, rather than writing about my biography, I’d better get on with actually writing my biography. Perhaps, with the help of friends and family I’ll be able to make the most of myself, my abilities and my interests. With any luck, by the time I’ve worked down the list of agents, I might have won something or made inroads into the women’s magazine market and had something published.

What is it they say - ‘success breeds confidence?’


Until another day

xx