Today, I released another chapter. Mariah is starting to get suspicious of her mum. Head over to Wattpad if you have an account to have a look.
I am cross with myself that I haven’t celebrated finishing editing my novel. It is because, although it is finished I know I need to get it into a suitable format and then I will be looking for beta readers. Then, I will have to edit again and it feels like it is never ending. In addition, I would like to give the new content another once over…
The task of querying is on the horizon and that is putting me off doing anything. Instead of formatting I am researching agents. Anything to delay querying. This time would be better spent working on my query letter which I am certain is what holds me back.
On a more positive note, here was my Instagram post about celebrating triumphs no matter how small. Writing this post did help perk me up. I really should listen to my own advice.
Banned Books Week is celebrated every September, bringing together the book community – including writers – to celebrate the freedom of expressing different ideas as well as the freedom to read and thus writers’ freedom to write. In the United States, the Constitution guarantees Freedom of Speech and the Press. Alas, these basic rights and freedoms haven’t stopped different groups calling for books to be removed from libraries, bookstores, and schools. These challenges continue to this day, and thus censorship does too.
Perhaps the reasons for calling to ban a particular book can bring to mind those elements that would give a movie an R rating – violence, profanity, sexuality, drugs, etc. As a writer however, elements and perspectives must be considered as to whether they serve a purpose to the story, no matter how controversial or unpopular. Plus as a reader, one must take into account where and when the book was written, who for, and why. Because the simple truth is when a group or the majority finds anything taboo in a book they will call for it to be removed from shelves.
Banning books is nothing new either. From Ancient China to Elizabethan England to Nazi Germany, there have been challenges and even book burnings! Now certainly when living under an absolute monarch or a dictatorship being a writer is dangerous because written words could reach to the masses – in praise of the authoritarian regime or against it. But that hasn’t stopped brave souls to fight for their rights, and nor should it. And the sad truth is even in democracies there are attempts to control the flow of ideas, to restrict them or destroy them outright.
Sometimes books are challenged not because of their content but who the author is. Take the Red Scare –writers were blacklisted by publishers and in Hollywood for their political beliefs. Even today when writers and artists are convicted of crimes or caught in scandals, censors are put on promoting their work. Don’t get me wrong; anyone truly guilty of a crime should face justice. But having worked in a public library for over five years, I know libraries must serve ALL members of the community, and censorship goes against this mission, and against creativity.
Writers dream of their work being read and enjoyed by many. Reading is just as important to writers because it enables them to tell stories better. Just as a writer would want their colleagues to read and review their work, they must do the same for them. They can be checked out of a library or purchased. Sometimes one can get an inscription from the author, making their copy special. (To see my most recent post on my inscribed collection, click here). Writers are supporting one another, as are readers, teachers, librarians, booksellers and publishers.
We’re all in this together,supporting one another and promoting intellectual and creative freedom for all humanity, the right to read and write what we choose to. That’s what Banned Books Week is all about.
So, all the chapters are finished now although I’d like to go over the new content once more as I find when the writing is fresh it is hard for me to spot my own mistakes. Then, I will be putting the manuscript together and preparing to query.
Today, I attended a live workshop with Kathy Ver Eecke called Secrets of Getting a Book Deal. I sat there with my notepad taking notes on the 20 things that writers do wrong when querying. This webinar was a sales pitch for her paid services but she spent an hour demonstrating her wealth of knowledge and answering questions. She made some brilliant points and if I wasn’t on zero money right now, I would have been very tempted by her offers. Would you pay for help with getting a Literary Agent?
If you have decided to attend Felixstowe Book Festival then you are sure to have a great time. The program will tell you about all the events taking place and ticket costs but I am going to tell you about how to make the most of your visit to Felixstowe!
Where to stay
There is a variety of accommodation in Felixstowe.
There is a large Premier Inn a few yards from the beach, pier and hill that leads into town. It’s a great budget option for short stays.
For Bed & Breakfast you may like to stay at Castle Lodge. This hotel starred in the TV Show Four in a Bed and was once home to award winning crime writer Ruth Dugdall. It is still owned by her mother.
If you want to be in the heart of the action then The Orwell Hotel will be your first choice as many of the events are split between here and the library. The next closest hotel to town is the Brook Hotel (Best Western).
If you want sea views then The Fludyers Hotel is an excellent choice. This Edwardian building has been beautifully renovated with modern amnesties.
Where to eat
All the places to stay serve food, with the best for sea views being The Fludyers. In addition, both the Library & Orwell Hotel serve food so you could eat right where the action is taking place. However, here are some more worth checking out:
My first choice has got to be The Mad House (caters for vegan and gluten free diets). This is new to Felixstowe but literary fans will adore The Alice in Wonderland themed decor and being so close to the library.
Another cafe by the Library is The Oaks Tearoom. This little cafe has a sweet country decor and often full of fresh flowers.
A lovely restaurant near The Orwell Hotel is Cafe Bencotto for sit down food or if you are in a rush get a healthy take away at Spud Hut (serves vegan food).
Whenever you visit a British seaside town you must eat ice-cream and chips on the beach and in Felixstowe you will find plenty of choice. For homemade ice-cream my favourite is The Little Icecream Co and for chips is The Regal Fish Bar and Restaurant.
For sea views you can’t rival Boardwalk Cafe on the pier with outdoor seating. Other hot spots is The Alex Cafe Bar & Brasserie that sells great food but also has an upstairs restaurant.
Or for a cafe on the sea front try One29 Bar at the bottom of Bent Hill. If you venture into the spa gardens you may find Cliff Top Cafe which is a hidden gem.
Where to eat your lunch
If you brought a packed lunch or bought a take away then you’ll be pleased to know there are some lovely spots close by to town to eat your lunch other than a bench at the Triangle (the island in the middle of town).
A short walk from the Orwell Hotel is the Grove. This is a little woodland area with paths through the forest or a big field to sit and eat your lunch.
Another option is the Spa gardens. At the end of town (towards the sea) turn left and go through the gardens. There are lots of steps but it is possible to avoid them if you have a pushchair or wheelchair, etc.
Of course, there is the beach with benches along the promenade or just find a spot on the beach. If you have transport, you may wish to go to Landguard Fort or the Ferry for a different experience.
Book Shops
You can buy books from Charity Shops, WHSmith or The Works but why not check out these local independent book shops:
Editing is coming to an end, just in time for PitMad. I have been working hard on my pitch which I will share with you in a later post.
I am now getting the final chapters of Jewel of the Sea finished and saving them in draft to be published on Wattpad. I didn’t want to overwhelm readers by doing it all in one go.
Does your personal life affect your novel writing – any tips for dealing with that? Anyone doing PitMad this month?
This is the first book in the series that I have read and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The funny thing is I first heard about this book at YALC 2017 when they were promoting it with #RedQueenForADay but it had taken me almost two years to pick it up to read.
Please excuse the silly picture, I was not feeling very photogenic after the long train ride to London.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXLBzKahLYo/
What is the book about?
The book is set in a world with two species of humans. There are those with red blood who are treated as a low class species and those with silver blood who are treated as nobles and have super power type abilities.
The MC, Mare, is a red blood. She lives in a family that are struggling to get by and she hasn’t got a job to be able to contribute to supporting her family. Mare is a thief. Eventually, when she comes of age she will be sent to war, to fight for the silvers on the front lines with a high risk of being killed.
Mare’s best friend is due to be sent away very soon and Mare decides to help them escape but first she needs to get enough money to pay for their travel. The risks are high so those that could help them escape have set a high fee.
Mare’s sister has a good job where she makes fine clothes for the Silvers. Mare tags along with her to get into the city. Whilst there a terrorist attack takes place causing bedlam. Mare panics and tries to pick a pocket but gets caught. Her sister takes the blame to save her and has her hands broken, resulting in losing her trade. The girls return home with very bleak prospects.
An unexpected request comes for Mare to come and work at the palace. This will save her from war and give her family money to survive but she will have to leave them behind.
The middle
Early on, Mare discovers she is different from other Red Servants when she accidentally manipulates lightening. She earns the nickname Little Lightning Girl and the attention of the Queen.
The Queen fears that news that a red could have powers will encourage the rebels so she marries Mare to her son and concocts a story about how Mare is a silver that was raised as a red.
Mare is watched by the Queen’s guards and the cameras in the palace. She has to keep up the ruse but despite falling for the princes (both of them), her heart is still red and wants revenge for her kinds spilt blood. Under the watchful eyes she seeks to join the rebels and take down the silvers from the inside.
How it ends
I don’t want to spoil it for you but there is a big battle where the odds are not in Mares favour.
She is placed in an arena for her execution where, for entertainment, selected silvers will use their powers to torture her before her end. Mare will have to battle them all if she is to live.
Final thoughts…
I wish I had read Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard sooner. If you like powers, submersible world building and a touch of romance then give this YA Fantasy is worth a read.
Can you guess my next read? There’s a sneak peak in the photo.
Last week, I was a little distracted and didn’t get as much editing done. I was feeling anxious about my flexible working request to reduce my hours. Today, I had the meeting with HR and it couldn’t have gone better. I was almost dancing out of the office.
I feel like a load has been lifted off my shoulders and can now relax and focus on my novel. As a result, it is only Tuesday but already I feel this week is being so productive. This is the second chapter I’ve edited and I’ve already made a start of the next chapter. Plus, I have been working on my Pitch for PitMad (Pitch Wars).
I probably won’t take part in PitMad on 6 June as I don’t think my novel will be edited in time, however, it doesn’t hurt to get my pitch ready. You can join the PitMad Challenge Facebook group and get help from Kathy Ver Eecke on your pitch.
Does your personal life affect your novel writing – any tips for dealing with that? Anyone doing PitMad this month?
I tried to edit this chapter yesterday but something strange was up with Google Drive and it left me feeling a little paranoid about whether it would save my progress.
It kept saying there was an error when it opened my documents or tried to create a new one.
Everything seems back to normal today and I got it finished. Have you ever worried about technology losing your work?
Here, in this blog post I am going to collate and share all my snippets in one place that I posted during Monday, 20 May 2019 to Sunday, 26 May 2019. These are snippets from a work in progress so may change by the final edited version:
I really enjoyed this challenge. It made me think about different parts of my story. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have edited my manuscript but I was still checking over and fine tuning the snippets before posting.
Most of all, I love sharing my writing and this was a great opportunity to give my followers snippets and tease them into wanting to read more. I think using snippets like this would be a great way to promote a published book too as it gives people a taste of your writing and the story, like a little appetiser.
It was great fun seeing what others writers were working on too. Writing a novel can be lonely but taking part gave a sense of being part of something bigger – I was not alone in my writing journey. It gave something to connect with other writers over.
I was flattered when someone commented on how much they liked the way I presented my snippets. This was a huge compliment as I am no professional. They are all created for free in Canva. On Thursday, I created my image in Canva and then used the Video Typer app to animate my text – again this was free.
I rushed editing this chapter so I have made a note on my spreadsheet to come back and look at it again before I finish.
I’m right in the middle of the novel and I feel like I have come so far but still have a long way to go. It’s like the midweek hump. I just have to get through it to see the end.
The second half of the novel is very distinctive as it has a very different feel to it. Mariah thinks she has got what she wants but is suffering memory loss. She knows something isn’t quite right but doesn’t know why.
