I’m over on my writer’s blog talking about getting the timing right for publication and getting wet – there is a connection, honest!
Have a great week!
My Turn on Written Fireside
It’s my turn to add to the Harper Impulse round robin story
Hop over to my new writer’s blog by clicking on the link below
Written Fireside Part 9
Thank you!
Sue
x
Moments in Time
Life is a series of moments, good, bad and everything in between. Just thought I’d share some of my recent ones …
Sentimental Moment
Accompanying my mum on a trip down Memory Lane
(aka De Beauvoir Square, N1)
Precious Moment
Lovely Laura, my Romaniac pal, and her family coming to visit for the day
Precious Moment
Meeting another of my equally lovely Romaniac pals, Jan Brigden, for lunch
Panic Moment
Realising Jan and I had talked non-stop for 3 hours and I had 50 minutes to get from Victoria to Hammersmith
Pinch Me Moment
Walking into Harper Collins’ offices
Over-awed Moment
A very impressive building
Special Moment
Holding my paperback
Funny Moment
Mandy wearing her lucky dip prize
Surprise Moment
Seeing Lou Graham at the Harper Impulse party
Grateful Moment
ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz
Being woken up by another passenger on the train who was concerned I’d miss my stop
Relieved Moment
Hitting my deadline and sending Book 2 off
Wildest Moments
Just because I like this song and it’s about moments
Wishing you all great moments
Sue
x
Precious Moments – Number 2
Despite what Laura says, I’m sticking to it being a halo around my head.
At the beginning of July, I wrote a post called ‘Precious Moments’, when Celia and I managed a rather lovely cake-filled meet-up. It can be readhere.
A few weeks ago, Sue Fortin climbed into the Romaniac Mini and spent the day with me in Weymouth.
I took Sue to the Oasis Café, on the pebbled end of Weymouth beach. This café, although not named in the book, features in Truth or Dare?. We had a wonderful fish and chip lunch, and then chatted away as we visited the Victorian beach huts, and Greenhill Gardens.
We were lucky with the weather – I enjoy showing off my home town, especially when the blue of the sky is reflected in the colour of the sea.
Now to plan the return trip…
Laura x
Follow Your Dreams
Woke up this morning and pinched myself, then checked Amazon, no, it definitely wasn’t a dream – my contemporary romance novel ‘United States of Love‘ was released by Harper Impulse last week.
It is set in the lovely historic towns of Chichester and Arundel, both local to me. I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some photos of the settings and scenes for my main characters, Anna, Tex and Mark.
ARUNDEL
Arundel Castle where the creepy curator works
Swanbourne Lake where Anna and Tex find themselves in a nightmare situation
Arundel High Street, looking up towards the castle
Public gardens alongside the River Arun, looking up towards the Cathedral
Bottom of the High Street
CHICHESTER
The Cross, Chichester centre, where Mark makes Anna an offer she can’t refuse
An unwelcome surprise awaits Anna in Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral from Bishop’s Palace Gardens
I took the following photo a couple of years ago, which I think speaks for itself. It certainly worked for me and my publishing dream.
City Walls
Thank you everyone for your support.
Have a great week.
Sue
x
Guest Post by Nic Tatano, Men and Sex – what they really think
I recently blogged about whether women could write sex scenes from a male point of view. (Click here for post) It caused a lot of interest and responses, mostly from women, although we did have one man join in the conversation.
Since then, I have been in touch with author Nic Tatano and he is here today, adding some light on the subject. Over to you, Nic …
So, the question was posed as to what men think about during sex. I can only imagine the eye rolls from those of you who may have had a relationship with a man who became molecularly bonded at the sub-atomic level to a reclining chair. (If you’re currently dating one of these human-furniture hybrid slugs, run.) But, as a guy who writes romance, I might be able to offer a little perspective.
Before said perspective, you should know the boundaries. I’ve been…
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A Moment to Reflect
In 2012 my sister and I visited New York, for the most part it was a fun and laughter filled trip. We did, of course, take time to visit Ground Zero and pay our respects to those who lost their lives in the terror attacks of 9/11.
Reflecting Pool in the footprint of North Tower.
It’s hard to appreciate the size of the pool from this picture, but the tiny dots on the other side are people.
One World Trade Centre (formerly known as The Freedom Tower) under construction
Today, taking time to think of those in the world and across time who have been victims of any kind of terror attacks.
HELP ROWAN COLEMAN RAISE £10K FOR REFUGE
Help Rowan Coleman raise £10,000 for Refuge
On September 10th Rowan is publishing her novella Woman Walks into a Bar as an ebook for the first time. And 100% of her proceeds will be donated to Refuge.
Her goal is to raise £10,000 and you can help. All you have to do is buy a book, or two, and get your friends to buy one too. You’ll get a funny, romantic and touching summer read and you’ll be helping women you’ve never even met at the same time and all for the price of £1.59!
The story behind the story
Every book Rowan have ever written has meant a lot to her, but with her latest book ‘Dearest Rose,’ something really special happened when the real world and the fiction she loves to write collided. It changed her as a person and a writer, forever.
She was getting ready to research her tenth novel, which with the help of her Facebook readers she decided should pivot around the theme of domestic abuse. It was a subject she’d touched on briefly once before, when she wrote a short novella as one of the first Quick Reads called Woman Walks into a Bar, which to this day remains one of the pieces of work of which she is most proud.
So she posted on her Facebook page asking if anyone had any personal experiences of domestic abuse, and any stories they might share with her in confidence.
She was shocked and amazed by the response; there were more than 200 emails waiting in her inbox the next day. Each story she read was horrific and frightening in its own way, giving her an insight into the secret lives of many women; lives that all too often remain hidden. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone – well educated wealthy women are just as likely to suffer as women from a working class background – but the one thing all those women had in common was that they were survivors. After years of being mentally and physically beaten down, they had managed to find the emotional strength, somehow, to break free and start again.
Now Rowan wants to do something that will help other women find that inner courage, and change their lives.
‘Woman Walks into a Bar’ is the story of 28-year-old single mother Sam spends her days working in the local supermarket and her Friday nights out with her friends letting her hair down at the White Horse. Life hasn’t been easy for Sam and her daughter, Beth (who always looks on the bright side) but she’s always hoped that one day she’ll break free from her past and meet The One.
But after a series of terrible dates with men she’s met through an internet dating site, that have all been as awful as her daughter’s terrible jokes, she’s starting to lose heart – until her friends tell her they’ve set her up on a blind date. Sam’s horrified but finally she agrees to go. After all you never know when you might meet the man of your dreams; maybe Sam’s happy ending is just about to begin….
So, come on and join Rowan, and help to #supportafriend on September 10th. Every time you buy or pre-order ‘Woman Walks into a Bar’ you’ll be entered into a prize draw for fabulous prizes every week, while the #supportafriend #womanwalks campaign is running. On 10th September, tweet Rowan photos of you and your friends, tell her your ideas to support a friend, and why your friends mean so much to you.
You can be a best friend to someone you have never even met. You can help someone out there find the support they need to change their lives.
If you are a blogger or tweeter, spread the word using #supportafriend #womawalks. If you are a company who could offer a prize to drive book sales and thereby money for Refuge, please get in touch. If you are a woman in an abusive relationship, or if you have a friend about whom you are worried, please get in touch with Refuge and ask for help today.
About Rowan
Rowan Coleman grew up in Hertfordshire secretly longing to be a writer despite battling with dyslexia. After graduating from university she worked in bookselling and publishing for seven years before winning Company Magazine Young Writer of the Year in 2001. Her first novel ‘Growing Up Twice’ was published in 2002.
Rowan has gone on to write eight novels for women including the bestseller ‘The Accidental Mother, The Baby Group’ and ‘The Accidental Wife‘ and eight novels for children and teens including the paranormal adventure novels Nearly Departed and Immortal Remains under the name Rook Hasting. Her books are published around the world. She now lives in Hertfordshire with her family.
Book Reviews
A round-up of the books I have read recently, just click on the book or title to go to the Amazon review.
Sweet Proposal
Celia J Anderson
Do You Remember?
Mandy Baggot
The Sleeper
Emily Barr
Hot scenes – what’s your sizzling soundtrack?
Music – it has so many uses, wouldn’t be without it…
Celia: Last week on Facebook, our lovely Sue Fortin sparked off a train of thought that really fired up the imaginations of some of you writers out there who occasionally need to switch on the steam to order. I’m talking on the page – that goes without saying – what you do behind closed doors is your own affair (although obviously if you need to share, we are very discreet here at Romaniac HQ. Not.)
Anyway, Sue was trying to find a bit of suitably hot and heavy background music to put her in the mood to write something scorching, and she asked for a few helpful pointers.
If you can organise a sultry sunset to look at, I find that helps but if not and you’re relying on the music, there are plenty of great ones to chose from. My favourites are Al Green’s Here I Am and The Pointer Sisters’ Slowhand, but…
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Love Reading, Love Books 