Here i will share my journey of hopefully one day recognising my dream of becoming published writing what i love to read; Romance!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Top Ten are in!!!!

Go and check out the Top Ten!
Sadly i didn't make it, but that won't stop me from polishing my first three chapters and writing the dreading synopsis and sending that in the normal route.
I'm also going to read those top ten chapters and see if i can spot the 'magic' that editors were looking for!
Congrats top ten!!!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Monthly Book Review - Overdue!

Wow, i forgot to do this last month!
I've just finished Good Girl or Gold-Digger? by Kate Hardy and it is fabulous!
Usually a Harlequin Presents - M&B Modern contains a really alpha male, but Felix doesn't come across so arrogant and it is a welcome change. Her hero's are so subtle.
And i just love her daisies scene! You have to read this one to find out what i mean, i'm going to remember this one for a very long time.



oh - and is anyone else checking their emails every fifteen minutes just hopeing they have got a message from New Voices, with the smallest chance they have made it to the Top Ten???




Friday, September 24, 2010

The Fabulous Lacey's Chapter!

Lacey Devlin has been so awesome as to create the awesome badge on my sidebar for the New Voice's competition. Many of the entrants for the comp have snagged themselves one and Lacey has created a 'Wall of Fame' on her blog, letting every one know the name of their entry a brief rundown of the chapter and of course the author's name.
But what about her own?
She silently slipped it in without telling anyone!
Misbehaving with the Retail Magnate features an internationally renowned blogger heroine and hot hero named Cooper (how could i not love him, he shares the same name as my own!). This chapter is so good! You have to check it out!!
Well done Lacey, and Good Luck :)

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Hidden Comments at New Voices

Well, i was getting a bit discouraged that my story was worthy any comments over at the New Voices Competition!
Nicole had left a fantastic comment, and a had some great roses, but no more comments. I want to know what people think of my writing - doesn't everyone?!
But then i searched through all the 600 odd pages of the comments in the discussion section and found about 8 comments.
Billie has come across with a lot of spunk and sass, i have a good voice. I'm very excited!

But i'm also feeling rather daunted - There are hundreds of awesome chapters up there!! How is mine going to make it to the top ten?
Oh well, if it doesn't i'll just finish the rest of the story and send it through the normal line!
Good luck to the rest of you :)

Monday, September 13, 2010

A New Voice

I've done it!
I've submitted my 1st chapter in the New Voices competition. The Price of Passion. Billie and Cooper's story renamed and reworked.
Click on the button in the sidebar and have a read - be sure to rate it or leave a comment so i know what you think! That is the reason why i've submitted it after all.
In the words of my husband "You may as well find out if you're any good or barking up the wrong tree"!!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Backstory, POV, Problems, Oh my!

Yep, i'm having reworking and editing problems for my chapter for New Voices submission!
But probably so are a lot of people wanting to enter.
But i'm slowly working through them with the help of my fab writing buddy. In between the busyness of motherhood. I just hope it will be ready for my deadline of tomorrow :s

Friday, September 10, 2010

Too soon?

Arrrhh!
This is what is running through my head as i am editing and reshaping my first chapter for submitting for the competition.
I knew as i was writing my WIP i would have to edit and rework it but i was hoping to not have to until i'd finished and now i am doing it before i'm finished.
Am i doing it too soon, or will it make it stronger now?
Anyway, i'm cutting out quite a lot from the beginning as it has way too much of that dreaded backstory! Inevitable when you are working with characters who have a past, and a newbie writer :)
Now i'm trying to filter it in so it is more 'present' and makes sense while keeping the tension, and hopefully readable.
What do you think the word count should be for the first chapter? The conditions for the comp said no more than 10,000 but i think this is too many words for a first chapter personally, so do i do half this or do the whole lot???
Arrrhh!!!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Gearing up to Submit

Yep that's right! I wasn't going to but i have decided to enter the New Voices competition with Mills and Boon.
It is open to the public, they will read the chapter and rate it, the judges take note and choose the finalists for the round 1, then round 2, then readers pick the winner!
When i asked my husband if i should enter he said "You may as well see if you are any good or barking up the wrong tree"!!
He loves me, supports me, doesn't want me to waste my time if it isn't going to get me anywhere (but i still will if i love it - don't tell him ;) ).
So i am revisiting chapter 1 of my WIP and editing and reshaping to whip it into shape for the public eye. Check out the link for the submissions so far! They are fab!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Impromptu Critique

I sent my WIP to my good friend at Damsel in a Dirty Dress for an impromptu critique last week and i must say it is a fantastic shake up to the moral and a firing of the writing cylinders!
I wasn't going to read through it, was going to wait until i'd finished the story, but at the rate i've been going i didn't know how long that was going to take! And i was curious...

I've been plodding along writing maybe one afternoon a week, between doing housework and things for the kids and helping out at kindy and i think putting it off - why? I'm enjoying this story but i guess i was getting to that point where i was thinking that it wasn't any good you know?

But this critique has been honest and pointed out things i hadn't seen, asked questions i hadn't thought of and well, shaken me up! No more putting it off.

It is worth writing, and i am going to write more often. My daughter is turning 3 in a few weeks and will be at kindy 5 afternoons a week which will give me more free time to do it, i'm just too tired in the evenings and know i don't do it even if i mean to in the evenings! So the afternoons is going to be the time for me! No more putting it off!

New goal: 1st Draft will be completed by end of October! I don't see why i can't do that seeing as i am 60% percent there, so this is actually a doable goal. And i have made it October just in case daughter doesn't get in to kindy until end of September.
So fingers, be prepared for more tapping!