Chapter Two has landed... At last

So after a bit of brainstorming with my editor yesterday I've finally managed to keel-haul myself into Chapter Two... Of course my inner critic is still bitching about chapter one but I've decided to lock her and her foghorn in a cupboard for the time being. She was definitely getting a bit too big for her thigh-high leather boots.

The relief is enormous, and makes me realise that that's the real unsung privilege (and luxury) of being published. There I was whining about my woes and I have this person at my fingertips who knows what I should be doing. Or at the very least can steer me in the right direction.so I'm going to stop whining now and get on with it.

 That's not to say that in any author-editor relationship there won't sometimes be disagreements. There will be. But having that kind of honest, unbiased, informed feedback is worth its weight in gold - especially when your inner critic has lost the plot. Sorry, I'm so deliriously relieved, I'm overdosing on writing analogies.  

So Heidi's got her mojo back, but what has that got to do with Richard Armitage smouldering in North and South you're probably saying?? Simple, it's my reward for getting to Chapter Two and a little thank you to those nice folks who took time out from wrestling with their own current WIPs to leave a comment. And to add to the party here's a  YouTube fan clip I found celebrating the serial which is currently being repeated on BBC4 on Sundays. After I've slogged through the proofs for Public Affair, Secretly Expecting this weekend I am so going to treat myself to a touch of Mr Armitage in his cravat. Yum.

First chapter woes...The RNA Party... And other excuses to procrastinate

I'm taking a break from my current ms, which is going nowhere fast, and stopping to contemplate the writing of my fifth book, which is due out next month. Why was that one so easy to write and the last two so incredibly hard? I have no idea...

So far I've rewritten the first chapter of my latest four times!! This is not a good sign. I think it comes from nerves, after spending two months writing ten chapters of complete dross on my last ms and then having to start from the beginning again, I am determined not to ignore my inner critic this time and admit when I have a problem. Only problem is... Is one month spent writing the first chapter really an improvement? I don't think so. 

Frankly I need a kick up the butt writing wise. During my many re-draughts I have learned heaps of interesting things about my characters, their conflict and their past... This is my first proper reunion romance with the hero and heroine having grown up together in the same stately home, him as the son of the Duke and her as the daughter of the housekeeper. So what I've learned is all valuable stuff... But I seem to have dropped myself into a black hole with my opening scene which involves a corset, thigh-high leather boots, an exclusive gentlemen's club and a rowdy bunch of Hooray Henries who mistake my heroine for a stripper!

So let's get out of the writing trenches and talk about the RNA party last Wednesday which was an absolute blast. Met a wonderful aspiring author who had read all five of my books (and that's a fairly exclusive bunch of people, in fact I think my mum and me may be the only other members) and had dinner with Biddy Coady, Julie Cohen and Fiona Harper. Julie gave us some hilarious insights into her new book The Girl from Mars (which I will be first in line to buy come June), and the trials and tribulations of writing Klingon dialogue!! Sorry, no piccies as usual. I forgot my camera and while Fiona flashed hers about a bit I never saw her take any photos. We were all having too much fun nattering. 

So I'm illustrating this post with Julie's book cover which is delicious. Also, Julie's blog had some interesting things to say about the 'crows of doubt' recently and how she's had trouble starting her latest book, which made me realise that at least I'm not alone. Which is always good to know.

In other interesting news, I was reading Lorraine Wilson's blog (she's an author who I'm sure will be published soon if her blog's anything to go by) and she put me on to this article about M&B and how they're surviving the downturn. Which frankly is manna from Heaven to those of us currently trying to make a living at this gig.

Okay, I've now exhausted all possible blog topics so I guess I'm going to have to trudge back to the battle of the opening chapter... Arghhhh! 

Out in Germany....

Woohoo! 

Just heard from my fellow Modern Heat author Nicola Marsh that I have my first book out in Germany. How exciting. The title 'Nur eine rasante Affare?' translates as (I think) 'Only a Quick Affair?' but is actually my first book Bedded by a Bad Boy (which I only know from the character names - as my German's about as good as my Dutch!).

Also, got my June copy of Romantic Times Book Reviews today and spotted a Top Pick for Trish Wylie and a four-star review for Natalie Anderson. Well, done ladies, you wrote two cracking books.

Winners announced!

Have already stuck this up at the PHS, but just in case. 

Lacey and Kar come on down! If you email me through the contact form on my website with your snail mail addys I can send you a brand spanking new copy of Hot-Shot Tycoon.

And you'll have to pop back here some time and tell me if you liked it!