Meet the pro - proofreader Mark Schultz

This month I'm delighted to chat to proofreader Mark Schultz, who I first saw on X many years ago. I spotted him because I enjoyed his book reviews and his humour is brilliant (you'll see his amazing tee-shirts throughout this post - each one is so funny!). So lets meet him. 

Welcome, Mark, and can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I have been proofreading for about 50 years. It was a serious struggle to find clients before the internet became common. I loved to read my entire life. A retired school teacher taught me how to read before I entered the first grade.

I started proofreading for a friend in the 70s. He sent me a carbon copy of his books, this was before personal computers became popular. I discovered I had a knack for spotting spelling errors without hunting for them. They would jump off the page at me, daring me to fix them. I obliged, of course.

How lovely that you can spot them so easily - that's a real talent! Why, do you think, do you enjoy proofreading so much?

I love to read, and polishing books is second nature to me. There are a lot of books that need polishing. Ninety-five percent of published books have spelling errors. Those few without spelling errors have punctuation or grammar errors.

I remember reading that even professional editors and proofreaders miss things, but the statistic quoted was an average of 5% - 10% errors on each pass, which surprised me! But we're all human (she says, then googling AI's rate and it's about the same!). 

Talking of which, do you have any opinion on how AI will be changing your profession?

Some people are using AI to edit but not write their story. I had the opportunity to provide a sample of Hyper-Spelling based on a 3,000-word section from the middle of the book for an author who did exactly that. I found lots of errors and was surprised at how silly some of the errors were. The author told me he was going to rewrite his book and not use AI to edit.

I think that's very wise, as surely the technology isn't advanced enough yet to handle nuance, dialects, or make contextual judgements for a long time (if ever!)? But AI is such a bone of contention, so let's move on!

What's the most common mistake you see in your work?

The top two spelling errors are homophones, words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings. Vice and Vise. The first is a crime category, the second is a device to hold something while it is being worked on. 

The second homophone set I see frequently is lightning and lightening. The first is a bolt of electricity from the sky, the second is darkness being gradually replaced with light.

It's so easily done! I must admit, I was fascinated by your 'Hyper-Spelling' service. You state it 'lets me find the invisible spelling errors computers miss in over 95% of published books’ – can you tell me more about this?

I coined the term Hyper-Spelling to succinctly describe what I do. I read anywhere from 40 to 60 books a year, in addition to the proofreading I do. The spelling errors jump off the page at me while I am reading. I am not reading slowly, looking for the errors. But they do stop me in my tracks and distract me from my reading pleasure. I do as much of my reading on my Kindle as possible. It’s easy to mark a misspelled word and resume my reading.

Gosh, that's so many books! I wonder, how do you stay focused when reviewing long documents, like novels?

Good question. As a boy, I read everything I could get my hands on. I truly enjoyed reading. I trained myself to read in any circumstance, including travelling in a car. I overcame being carsick and learned to block out all noise in the immediate environment. I would read until I got tired.

That sounds like amazing focus to me and oh, to be able to read in the car! I only have to pick up a map on a journey to feel green 😖 Thank goodness for satnav!

What's the trickiest error you've ever spotted?

That’s easy to answer. Affect and effect. They are commonly confused by people. They have a common definition each and a technical definition. They can be a noun or a verb also depending on context and pronunciation.

Oh, that's one of my favourite gaffs! I can't tell you how many times I've had to look it up, it's so frustrating, even though I know there's a mnemonic I can never remember it!

RAVEN. Remember: Affect is a Verb, Effect is a Noun. This will cover the common circumstances most people will encounter.

That's the one! Okay, so a technical question now. How do you balance correcting errors while preserving the writer's voice?

Good question. Important also. 

That idea is at the basis of my proofreading methodology and the heart of my proofreading philosophy. I hold the writer’s words in the highest respect, I don’t change them. I use the commenting feature in MS Word to make all of my suggestions about proofreading. I seek to keep the voice of each character consistent as well.

That's good to know, because it's something that worries some authors, particularly newbies like me. But have you ever had to tell a client that their work needed more than just proofreading? 

A few times. One client turned in little more than a somewhat fleshy outline. I explained that it would not hold the interest of most readers. He didn’t want to learn how to write, so I found a ghostwriter for him.

That was kind! What types of projects do you enjoy working on most?

My personal favourite genres are science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction and cozy mystery.

And if readers could take away just one lesson to improve their writing today, what would it be?

Read my latest blog on my website here. It explains why we miss simple spelling errors in writing. I also have 13 tips about how to trick your brain into showing the simple spelling errors instead of hiding them.

I do love that blog post! Thank you so much for chatting to me, Mark, and where can people find you?

My account on X is here, my website is here and I have a lot of resources for writers on my website. The humour page goes on for a long time! 

Right, I'm off to check that one out!

I also promote books and that information is found here. My book promotion package seems to be unique, I haven’t seen a book promotion done anywhere else like I do. 

I am on other social media platforms but I ignore most of them because it takes away from reading and proofreading.

You're right, they can take up a huge amount of time, but I'm so grateful you've taken the time to chat to me today.

Thank you for this opportunity, Jaye. I love reading and I love helping authors! I know where the books come from. I am honoured to have a small part to play in the process.

Aww, that's so lovely, Mark, it's been a joy, and I've loved learning more about you.

If you'd like to learn more about Mark and his services, then it's well worth checking out his blog, as there's so much there to see.

Guest author - Norb Aikin

Today I'm delighted to chat to poet Norb Aikin, who I first became aware of on social media, as he did the most amazing collection of Beatles-inspired poetry that blew my mind! I can't write poetry for love nor money, so I always admire those who can and he has the most accessible writing style for a non-poet like me!

He's a 3-time published poet and an occasional blogger, and his titles are 100 (now out of print), Mutants, and World By Design. Originally from Buffalo, NY, he now resides in Cortland, so let's meet him.

Hi Norb, thank you so much for being here and let's kick off by asking where your love of poetry comes from? 

 My love of poetry really took off when I was a freshman in high school. I was a fan of many forms of music, including hip-hop and alternative rock, and I always tried to look at the lyrics from a more poetic perspective. What were the songwriters' lyrics trying to tell me? How could I connect with their stories and experiences? I'd jot down my own, original ideas from there, trying to find connection to potential readers by conveying things that were often hard to just come out and say, even if that audience was only me. I was lucky to have a wonderful teacher at that time who really encouraged me, and made time to read and give me feedback, and I've never forgotten that.

I love how good teachers open your mind - we need more like that! Do you write in other mediums too?

I do. Writing for me was often cyclical. I tend to write poems in bunches, and when the well runs dry, that's when I got into blogging. Around this time in 2001 I joined Writing.com, which has always been and still is a great community of all types of creatives. When I had trouble coming up with ideas, or getting feedback, I began blogging. That's where I really found my voice and a devoted audience in the online community. Through that, I was encouraged to get back into writing poetry again. Sort of a full-circle moment, really! And even though it's been a few years since I've blogged, I haven't completely shut the door on it.  

I enjoy blogging, but it does take me away from writing novels, so it's a real juggling act! As I mentioned earlier, I loved your Beatles poems last year – I’m a fan of their music and thought it was a great way to bring new readers to poetry. It did make me wonder though, why did you do it, and I seem to remember something about winning an award – is that right?

That goes back to my time at WDC! A friend there started an activity based on Beatles songs. Every week we'd get a list of ten Beatles songs, and use them as inspiration for either short stories or poems. I don't exactly remember the format, but I chose to write a poem each day for the four weeks it ran. 

I've been a fan of The Beatles too, and am very familiar with the catalogue, so it seemed like a fun way to rediscover their music in a way I wasn't accustomed to. That 28-poem collection was indeed nominated on WDC for the "Best Poetry Collection" Quill Award, as were a couple individual poems in various categories. Unfortunately I didn't win, but to me it was never really about that. It was about the music, and reconnecting with poetry itself. I had a blast writing them and sharing them with friends on both WDC and X, and I'm grateful for all the support I got throughout that month!!

I thought they were superb - and you were robbed 😂 It does make me wonder though, have you ever collaborated with a musician to turn your words into an original song?

To be honest, yes!! 

Oohh, how exciting! Tell me more.

I'm not a musician, can't play a lick of any instrument, and found trying to translate some of my more lyrical works into song form. And I'm not against ever trying it again, but the actual musical language necessary isn't something I'm familiar with. I do think I'd get a kick out of it though, if I could find the right instrumentalists to help me bridge the communication gap. 

Let's hope that happens! Going back to your poems, when you create a collection for publication, do you decide on a theme and write to that, or is it more fluid and you let your inspiration take you wherever it wants to go?

That's a great question! I used to just see where everything was kinda heading, usually before even coming up with a title for the work in progress. And usually maybe a quarter or a third of the way in to a project, I'd assess and say "Well, we've got X, Y, and Z goin' on here..." and if a theme emerged I'd come up with a title or better idea of one. 

But when I first started out very few of my early collections lacked the grouping to funnel them into something more specific. As I got further into the #WritingCommunity on X, and reading what friends were putting out, I noticed a lot of people were really into the idea of themed collections, and my most recent book World By Design from the early stages really took on a life of its own with the idea of how do we look at the world around us, and what do we do with the life we're in. I'm really proud of how that book came together.

I've seen a lot of positive reviews too, so congratulations!

Now, this is a tough question, but I saw you wrote a very personal piece about the passing of your brother. First of all, I'm so sorry for your loss and can’t begin to imagine how devastating that event must have been for you. Did writing the poem help and how did it affect loved ones?

My brother passed away while I was about two-thirds of the way into what became my first book, and for awhile it was hard to process at first. I was in a transitional phase of my life, dealing with mental health and physical challenges, and trying to get back on my feet, so it was quite a shock. 

If I had time during that period, there wasn't much in the tank as far as writing went. Settling his affairs with our mom, traveling back and forth to take care of this or that, and just everything that's involved with losing someone...it's A LOT.

It wasn't until after a few weeks of everything being mostly wrapped up where I could sit down and start my own process as it pertains to grief and writing about it. I don't know if anyone has really caught on to what I was saying in that first poem when I came back to writing; there was a long time between when I wrote it and when the book came out. I may have made it a little more obvious in the books that followed, where I'd get hit with a memory and flesh something out, and once in awhile they might end up on social media. 

I think for me now, it's a way of remembering and celebrating his life, his memory. The response is almost always heart-warming, and adds another layer of strength to how we heal.

Gosh, what an amazing answer, that's so inspirational and I hope it helps others too. Just out of interest, do you self-publish your books?

My first book, 100, was trad-pubbed through a small indie press that was starting up. A person I was following on Twitter had said she was looking for mental health-themed poems, and although 100 wasn't meant to be geared specifically for that, I was beginning to sort out my and explore my own journey of therapy and counseling. By doing that, you can kinda see pieces of that sprinkled into 100. 

 My second book, Mutants, was only meant to be a chapbook that bridged the gap between a full release. It contained some older poems, some newer poems, and a few from the completed collection. I submitted it to my publisher, got a copy back, and there were some issues as far as the formatting along with a couple other things, so she was going to have someone go over it. While that was happening, the indie press went under and closed up shop. I eventually self-published it, but added some interviews and mental health essays to up the page count before putting it out. 

World By Design, then, was straight self-published. I had sat on it awhile and queried a good number of indie presses, until I finally said "May as well do it myself and see what happens." And it's been my most successful release to date. 

I've also gone the self-published route - mainly because I wanted creative control of things like the cover and release timings, plus I just wanted to get it out there! Talking of covers, do you do them yourself? 

I haven't been savvy enough yet as far as making my own covers, so I've always outsourced them. Once I've got a title, I can come up with an idea, and I'd like to think I've articulated it well enough. I've used a different artist for each book, and I'm really pleased with all of them. I don't like to get too much in the way, but I will definitely step in when it comes to fonts and tweaks if necessary.

I do think it's good to use an artist, as they have the expertise and if you find the right person, they bring so much more to the design. I've written a post about my cover, as there was so much more to it than I realised - it was a huge learning curve! (press here)

When you're getting ready to publish, do you test your material out on others first?

I do, but not in the typical way many authors do with ARCs and beta readers. When I've got a small batch of new stuff, I put them up on WDC in a folder specifically for that particular WIP. And if I really like a piece, I might drop it on Facebook or Instagram. I used to love Twitter for that too, but with all the changes lately as X, it's become difficult for me at times to use. But 99.95% of the time, once it's on WDC it's ready for publication unless something goes dramatically sideways. 

I need to check out WDC as it's not somewhere I've looked and it obviously works very well for you. Re publishing, how do you find the technical side of producing your book?

Internal formatting is something I'm still trying to figure out, especially when it comes to e-books. I don't use them, so I don't know how much different formatting for a screen works versus a physical page. 

When I self-publish, I use the ISBN Amazon issues, and when it comes to platforms I start out on WDC, and copy/paste each item from there into a MS Word doc. My work is copyrighted, I maintain all rights, I'll need to remember going forward to include in the copyright page that no AI has been used to in any way whatsoever. 

Good point - it's a hot topic and, like you, AI isn't something I use either. But how do you cope with  any issues you might have with your work, like common writing mistakes?

Good question! Needing to remember to go over the MS Word doc with a fine-tooth comb, and going over the Amazon preview as well. I know that writing it, editing it, formatting it, all of that part, is not enough. I have to push through harder, because you can go over your work 499 times before clicking the publish button, only to get the physical copy back and find out that 500th time you catch a typo within the first couple pages!! So yeah, having that restraint when the doc starts looking like wallpaper is a very hard thing for me. 

I agree, it's amazing how those little devils hide themselves - we get so word blind and there's nothing more frustrating than finding yet another typo! Now to my favourite author love/ hate question - PR. Do you do a lot of marketing?

I'm always marketing!! Or, well, trying to. If I see someone putting together a campaign, I'll look into joining it. I'm open to signings and have two set up already in the fall, and as I get closer to the dates I'll post those on social media. 

Speaking of which, I have author pages on Amazon, Facebook, and Goodreads, as well as my Instagram account, Twitter/X, and Bluesky. Pop in, drop a follow and a couple likes, and check out not only what I'm doing but what my friends are up to as well. 

And congrats on your own new release, Jaye!! I'm excited to add it to my TBR, ummm, I dunno if you can call it a pile, because it's more like an avalanche waiting to happen at this point! Thank you for this tremendous opportunity and fun interview!!

Aww, thanks, Norb, it's been fun for me too! And I know what you mean about the TBR pile - mine's a skyscraper currently but yours is in there! Finally, can you give us your blurb for your latest?

Of course. 

In World By Design, Norb Aikin's third book of poetry, the question of whether we truly create our own world or are living in a world created for us is posed. Existence is a balance of multiple paradoxes yearning to be uncovered; what we do with them is really the only part we get to dictate, and even then it isn't always a matter of choice. Maybe this book itself is an existential crisis clouded in a mystery of words, but you won't know if it's life-changing or not unless you read it. Your results may vary.

What a great teaser - no doubt you're chomping at the bit to read it too! Thanks so much, Norb, and do click on his links above to support this talented poet.

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Meet the Pro - editor Liz Treacher

Today I'm excited, because I'm launching a new segment on my blog! It's where you can meet a range of publishing professionals, and we're starting with a Development Editor, Liz Treacher.

I think most writers know the feeling of staring at a finished first draft, wondering, Is this actually good, or have I completely lost my mind? 

I definitely fell into the latter category - I’m hoping because it was the first time publishing my work!

But I heavily relied on feedback from my trusted beta readers, one of whom was published author Liz Treacher. But when she read my book, she came back with some brilliant suggestions to make my novel better (and this was after I'd paid for a development edit!). What I hadn’t realised was that she’s a superb development editor and offers this service professionally, so let’s meet her.

Hi Liz, thank you so much for chatting with me today. Can you tell us about yourself?

Hi Jaye! Great to see you again! I’m a writer and editor living in the quiet but beautiful Scottish Highlands. It’s the perfect place to live as a writer and editor, because there aren’t a lot of other things to do! So I sit and work in my study with a wonderful view of the mountains and the sea. It’s a great life - and here is the view!

Wow, it is a stunning view, and not far from where I set My F in Life - how can anyone not be inspired by that Highland scenery!

But some people might be wondering what a development editor does, so can you tell us more?

I help writers identify and resolve plot issues in the first draft of a novel. I look at story, plot, character, point of view (POV), setting, worldbuilding and so on. The goal is to hone and polish the story and strengthen characterisation and structure. It’s a real honour and privilege to be entrusted with someone’s first draft and I take my job very seriously, offering an in-depth report and inline comments as well.

 

You offer this through your website (link here) but as you’re a published author too, do you think that gives you a unique point of view?

 

Yes, I think so! As a writer, I know how difficult it can be to make even small changes to a story. I’ve had lots of experience of being given feedback that I realise will mean several hours’ work. I find it especially difficult if I’m attached to a particular scene or character, and suddenly I’m advised that they have to go!

My experience is that it’s usually a good idea to follow advice. No matter how much I fight them initially, I always end up trying my developmental editor’s ideas in the end, and often discover that the book is better for the changes. 

You are right, but it’s heart-breaking to lose pages of hard work!

As an editor, I always reassure writers that nothing written is ever wasted. Both characters and scenes can be moved elsewhere in a novel, and even to future books. I always advise authors to hold onto previous drafts so that it’s easy to revert to original ideas if the new version doesn’t feel right.

That’s great advice and I’ve certainly dug out some old pages to put into my new book 😀

I think that writers have a hunch for a story arc. I have four novels under my belt, so I like to think that I have a sixth-sense for when a plot is flagging. I can sense if a scene starts too early, or too late, or when a character isn’t working as well as it could. It’s always a joy to help authors to bring out the best in their novels.

That’s quite a skillset, but I imagine it must be difficult if you read a manuscript and realise things aren’t working. Knowing how vulnerable authors can feel, particularly newbies like me, how do you give feedback without crushing their enthusiasm for their work?

I know from experience how vulnerable writers can feel when they hand over their manuscript for feedback. I always make any criticism constructive. All manuscripts have huge strengths and I think it’s very important to point out what is already working and celebrate the positives.

I always stress that my opinion is just an opinion and doesn’t need to be followed. I think that hearing someone else’s thoughts on your work can shift things for a writer. Even if you don’t agree with an editor’s advice, their ideas can spark other solutions, and perhaps better ones. 

I must admit, you were really kind to me when you gave me feedback, and it changed the opening chapter of my book, which was pretty major! I was grateful for the help but I imagine not everyone taking it so well. From your perspective, what makes for a good working relationship between a writer and their editor?

 

Jaye, it was an absolute pleasure to read your fantastic novel and I’m glad my feedback helped. 

Aw, shucks! Blushing here, but please carry on 😳

For a good relationship with an author, I think the most important thing is to understand their goals. Any feedback must be based on helping them to achieve these goals.

I always invite interested writers to a Zoom call so I can find out exactly what they want to achieve, and how they would like me to help. My aim is to encourage the author to make their book the best that they can make it. The secret is to remain empathetic to the author’s vision, but still offer creative input. 

 

I think that’s the sign of a great editor - not easy to achieve, but you have such a kind way of giving advice and that's invaluable. 

Changing tactics slightly, you’re excellent with women’s fiction, but unlike pure romance, women's fiction focuses on a web of relationships. How do you help authors balance a romantic subplot without letting it overpower the protagonist's personal journey?

This is a great question. My gut feeling is that subplots can work well but work best when they affect the protagonist in some way.

Thinking about your novel, My F in Life, (and without giving away any spoilers!) the health problems that Jaye’s parents were struggling to negotiate had more meaning for me as a reader because I could see the impact that they were having on Jaye’s life.

I saw the issues they faced, but it was through Jaye’s eyes. Her reaction to going home and seeing them much older, told me as much about Jaye as about her parents.

When this happens in a book, it creates a lovely kind of double layer of meaning for the reader. I really enjoy being able to discover things about the main character by observing them in a subplot!

 

I agree, although now I’m thinking all my blushing might be a hot flush! Okay, is there one cliché or overused trope in fiction that you are currently seeing?

This is a very interesting question! They say there are only about 7 types of stories, and within those story types there are probably only a few possible plots. For example romcoms are usually one of the following: enemies to lovers, the meet-cute, opposites attract, the love triangle or second chance romance. And to be honest I think that’s ok, as long as the romcom that you write is different from other romcoms.

I think most writers are very aware that their plots have been written dozens of times already. The challenge lies in telling the story in such an original way that the trope is hard to spot! Take Pride and Prejudice - I think that Jane Austen uses all the romcom clichés, in fact she probably invented them! And yet people never tire of that particular story (or at least I don’t). It remains fresh and entertaining 200 years after it was written.

  

That’s very true. Just out of interest, do you ever get so sucked into the story that you forget you are supposed to be editing it?

Yes! This can be a problem!  When I feel it happening, I take a break and go out for a walk to allow the plot to simmer in my head. It allows me to disengage from the emotion of a story and think about it more objectively.

Going off on a bit of a tangent, I would like to pass on a tip that a writer friend gave me. She suggested that when you reread your own manuscript, mark in the margin where your mind starts wandering, or what page you were on when you got up to put the kettle on. Because if you lose concentration during a particular chapter or scene, then the chances are that your reader will too. When you’ve finished reading your manuscript, go back and tighten up those thinner bits. Finding potential weak spots is another job that a developmental editor does.

Oh, I love that tip and I’m definitely using that going forward! Talking about your own books now, which of your characters was the biggest nightmare to write, because they refused to cooperate?

My trickiest character was the first one I ever wrote - Bernard Cavalier. Bernard was an outrageous artist from 1920 who never did as he was told. Luckily I had an editor who could handle him better than me! As a writer, we are the parents of our characters, and children always play up for their parents. That’s when an editor comes in! 

I love Bernard, but he is a handful! And can we chat more about your books now. You’ve published a series and some standalones, can you tell us briefly about them?

I would love to! First off are the two books starring Bernard, a wayward artist, and Evie his muse. Evie is the opposite to Bernard - she is a hard-working and responsible postlady, although she also has an impulsive side. Evie and Bernard live in The Wrong Envelope and its sequel, The Wrong Direction.

Their romance has a touch of the humorous, but the two novels also explore the many problems that British women faced when the First World War ended. After losing brothers and sweethearts during the conflict, young women then lost the jobs they had been doing while the men were away. As a postlady, Evie’s job is one of many under threat.

I have also written a dark, psychological thriller called The Unravelling, which explores what happens after Ella Aldridge is stopped on her daily commute by a shadowy ticket inspector.

After her arrest on platform 3, Ella finds herself spiralling into a mysterious world where nothing is as it seems. As she begins to lose her grip on reality, she embarks on an extraordinary journey that touches everyone around her.

I’m going to interrupt you here, as we discussed that book in our interview on my blog, Tweetables (link here) and I have to be honest, it spooked me. A lot! But I loved Ella, a great protagonist. But please, carry on!

Finally, I have written a romcom set on Loch Fleet where I live. It’s called Vegan Recipes for New Age Men and tells the story of Lauren, an uptight proofreader who is hiding a childhood secret, and Nash, a passionate Bohemian chef.

Desperate for a break from her busy life in London, Lauren, arrives at her Highland holiday cottage to find Nash squatting there! It’s a light and hopefully uplifting tale about becoming who you were born to be! 

It's such a feelgood romcom, I loved it!

It’s taken me about ten years to bring these books to life, but it’s been the most enjoyable period of my life. My message to writers reading this is please carry on writing. Never give up! The world needs storytellers more than ever. Your stories are precious and wonderful and we are waiting for them!

That goes for you too, Jaye. Hurry up and finish the sequel to My F in Life. I’m dying to read it!

What a wonderful message, Liz and LOL, me too (on finishing my novel)! 

Thank you so much. It’s been a complete joy chatting to you again, and if you’d like to find out more about Liz, you can visit her website here or her author page on Goodreads here or Amazon here

Guest author - Jay Jean Jackson

Today I'm chatting with author Jay Jean Jackson, who has shied away from social media, but has such a charming story to tell, as to why she now writes her books, that I wanted to share it with you.

It's lovely to meet you Jay, so can you start by telling me about your writing journey.

It's lovely to be here! The first children’s story I wrote, The Tale of Totowa, came about because of my love for wildlife. I have always enjoyed writing, but never really thought of writing a children’s book before this. 

I had travelled to many countries to see wildlife in its own natural habitat, wild and free. I love photography, and wildlife encounters were always so thrilling that it had almost become an addiction. 

I can understand that, I'm a fan of seeing wildlife in the wild too!

There's nothing quite like it. My love continued and when I moved to Turkey, 19 years ago, and heard a loud chirping noise outside my window every night, I was excited and curious to see what creature it was. 

Each night for weeks I would stand on my bedroom balcony or downstairs terrace, a torch in one hand and a camera in the other, searching in the dark. However, the chirping sound would very often stop as I crept about. 

I had lost hope of ever discovering what this animal was. I had many disturbed nights’ sleep and must confess to feeling extremely frustrated, but my curiosity and love of wildlife kept me going. 

That's perseverance! What happened next?

One night, I was again standing on my terrace searching in the dark with my torch, and the noise started again. It sounded so close, echoing around me. I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t see it, but wait, was the noise coming from behind me? From inside the house! Could it have been in my house all along? I walked into my kitchen and burst out laughing. There, sitting on the edge of my dog’s water bowl, was a little green toad. 

“Hello,” I exclaimed, and the little toad looked at me, chirped and dived into the water, which he obviously thought of as his own little pond. 

I was so dumbfounded I had forgotten to even take a photo, but my imagination was stirred and I started writing ‘The Tale Of Totowa’ the very next day. 

Aww, that's really cute!

Unfortunately, once written, it remained unedited, and his story sat in the dusty archives of my computer, rather like Totowa himself, who must have been hiding all that time in the dust under my kitchen units. 

I am not sure if I ever intended to do anything with it in the way of publication. I just wanted to write, and I hoped my grandchildren would read it someday. 

So you had a manuscript collecting dust, but you have more published books now, so what happened to change that?

My next two books came about many years later, and for a very different reason. With thanks to social media, my childhood friend Alison reconnected with me. We had known each other for many years through the trials and tribulations of growing up. In fact, our mothers had been friends. Both had been nurses who had worked together many years before and had also stayed friends. 

Sadly, Alison and I had lost touch, so I was delighted to hear from her again. She was now living in France and loving her life there. I was devastated when she told me she was unwell, and I knew she was very depressed because of it. I racked my brain to think of a way to cheer her up. Travelling to see her at that time wasn’t possible, and I came up with an idea that I hoped would help. 

Whenever we spoke, we dreamt about meeting up somewhere and catching up on the parts of each other’s lives we had missed out on hearing about, so I wrote her a poem and asked her to write the next verse. I named the poem, I Wonder Where Our Bench Will Be? This is the first verse:

 

Where should our bench be?

Should it be where we have never been?

Should it look over a river or stream?

Should there be trees and grass, and flowers?

A picnic, perhaps, as we talk for hours.

Or should it be looking out to sea?

I wonder where our bench should be.

Perhaps a lake reflecting the sky?

A Paris cafe, watching passers-by?

Maybe a forest during spring or fall?

Or a snowy mountain 1000ft tall

I think I would like the sky to be blue

But as for the rest, it’s over to you.

The very next day, I was thrilled to receive a verse back from my friend. This became an almost daily occurrence, and our poem continued for months until we had finally caught up with so many of the adventures we had experienced. 

After we had shared so many of our antics over the years, the poem ended, and Alison had started to feel low again. She wanted a new challenge, so I suggested we write a children’s book. She loved the idea but suggested that I write it and she would illustrate it. I got writing straight away as I had recently visited Mexico and met a cunning little raccoon I had named Bandito. 

And these are the illustrations she sent over?

Yes. It was wonderful sending Alison each chapter I had written, and it was wonderful seeing my little characters come to life through her imagination, as she drew the pictures of them getting up to all sorts of pranks and mischief. One book led to another, and this is how ‘Douc’s Adventures In Mexico’ and ‘Douc’s Caribbean Cruise’ were created. 

I am not sure I ever really thought about having a book published. I would often write, just for the fun of it. Sometimes about my travel adventures or something funny that had happened whilst working. Quite simply, I just enjoyed writing. I also enjoyed drawing some of the amazing creatures I met. 

This is so lovely!

It is! However, eight years after my friend had sadly passed, I did wonder about publishing the Bandito and Douc books so I contacted my friend's husband. He still lived in France and we had kept in touch over the years. 

When I asked how he would feel about me publishing the books with my friend's drawings he assured me that they had spoken about it and she had expected me to ask this question one day. I was amazed she had and was able to go ahead not just with his blessing but with hers too.  

Aww, Jay, that's such a touching story.

A few months after publication I travelled to France and took a finished copy of Doucs adventures in Mexico to give to him.  Many tears were shed but it was special to see a copy of the book in the very house where she had worked on the illustrations and laughed at Banditos antics all those years before.  

That is such a wonderful history you had together, thank you so much for sharing it with me, and if you'd like to see more of Jay's work, which is aimed at 6-12 year olds, you can find her on Amazon here or you can follow her on Facebook here

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How my book cover was designed!

I've had quite a few compliments about my book cover, and questions about who designed it for me, so I thought I'd chat a bit about my experience of recruiting my perfect artist and the stages we went through before the final cover was created.

I went into this part of the experience quite nervous, as I'd been on quite a few webinars where book covers were discussed and, to be honest, it seemed a bit of a minefield. You have to look at trends, research the books in your genre and ensure yours fits in (if you want sales, that is!), don't pick certain colours because they're not in vogue, don't make the space too cluttered, but not too plain either - aaahhhh! Where do you even begin 😕?

The only thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to work with a designer and get something I loved, but how to do that? I had no idea. I chatted to writer friends, and everyone seemed to have different advice, so I decided to listen to my heart. 

My genre is humorous women's fiction, so bright colours seemed to be everywhere - no black or grey or dark colours of any kind. We're talking pinks, mints, peaches, yellows, the tones very pastel or so in-your-face they could be seen from the moon! And clear-to-read fonts seemed to be popular too - there was an occasional really fancy, twirly lettering style used, but more of them were big and bold.

Okay, so that part of my research was done but during it, I'd come to realise there were some designs I really loved, whereas others didn't do it for me at all. So what, exactly, DID I want? Hhhmmm, tricky 🤔

The funny thing is, when I was writing my novel, I got an idea that just wouldn't go away. The concept of the novel revolves around words beginning with the letter F - they dominate the novel because my protagonist is haunted by them. She had always wanted to be 'fabulous' but life got in the way and as the novel opens, she realises she's inadvertently stuck in a 'fug'! 

Add into that every chapter is about one of her Fs, from family and friends, to fellas and finances, so the F in the title needed to feature strongly on the cover. 

As you can see from the initial sketches (not completed by me, I should add 😂), I'd visualised a mini-Jaye struggling to hold up her burden, an F, and she was stuck in the gloom of its shadow. That seemed doable, didn't it? Discussions with some designers proved it wasn't that easy, so then I had my doubts. 

And there was a second problem. It's set in Scotland, in the beautiful Highlands, and I'd love them to feature on the cover, but my genre rarely has busy covers. How could we bring in a Scottish flavour, whilst also being in-keeping with the genre? Oh dear, I was asking quite a lot, and I hadn't realised.

One thing that became very apparent during my search for the perfect designer was that my vision couldn't be realised by someone buying stock images and putting them together. Yikes!  Luckily I kept looking and stumbled across the amazing Sofie Birkin, a Brit living in New York. 

Sophie's a multi-award winning illustrator, graphic designer and product designer with 10 years experience, specialising in character work and typography for editorial and publishing. Impressive, although what some of that meant I didn't really know! But chatting with her was lovely, as she's this lovely ball of positive energy, and I found out that she sketches all her covers, using the latest technology to convert them into covers, so that sounded exactly what I needed. And Sofie quickly proved to be the perfect fit for me. All these sketches are hers - she gave me so many brilliant cover ideas to choose from, but I'm jumping ahead of myself.

Her first request was to read some of my novel and then start drawing, using my half-formed ideas, and adding a few of her own. 

I wanted to utilise her creativity, because she was the expert, and she came up with some amazing ideas. For example, the dress cover (right) is a scene from the novel, where my main character, Jaye, is getting dressed-up to go out. Buying the 'right' dress had been a nightmare for her. 

Luckily her best friend spotted the perfect dress - red, sequins, and something Jaye would never have the courage to wear on her own. Once bought though, she had many misgivings, and there's a fun scene where she's preparing to go out and nothing goes right with her preparations - even the dress doesn't fit anymore, so she definitely has a love/ hate relationship with it! 

Sofie took this scene and created this amazing cover. I have to be honest, I was blown away by it. The only downside was that it was one scene from the book, and this is book 1 of a series of 3, so it wouldn't translate well into the rest of the books, but I really hated shelving it!

Another of Sofie's ideas was a charm bracelet full of Fs - such a lovely idea (left)! 

But she loved my the huge F idea too and I've included a couple of her many different styles of F she created for me. She gave me far too much choice! But I think her idea of filling the F with a Scottish view was utter genius! 

She played with putting the scene behind (left), but it was too busy, compared to others in the genre. But it does make the F pop brilliantly and her artistic skill would have made a beautiful cover - again, this was so hard to reject!

But we had our winner (first B&W sketch above) and she then got busy colouring it in. Great, I thought, job done. But no! I had no idea this would be another nightmare!

There were definite colours that seemed to be more popular, so Sofie researched for me and came up with some examples (below). There was a choice of background colours, font colours, shading, shadowing, outlining - wow, my head wanted to explode 😂 

The thing about these covers is that I liked them all, but when you have to make a choice, where do you start? 

I went to my beta readers, friends and family, and definite favourites started to emerge, which was very helpful.

Then there was more to-ing and fro-ing, ideas bouncing back and forth. Luckily for me, Sofie has patience by the bucket-full and she needed it, because it was so hard to choose.

Eventually decisions were reached - on the outline-colour of the F and the text, the tone of the shadows, the colouring of the Scotland within the F (she created both sunsets and sunny skies!) and because I love Inverness and the surrounding area, she even drew the silhouette of a Loch Ness Monster in the water - sheer brilliance!

So this was the cover I ended up with, and I'm delighted with the work Sofie produced. She's a very talented artist and if you ever need someone with heaps of talent, then you can see her work here

It was definitely a collaboration and we choose popular colours, went for a fashionable plain background which was enhanced by shading from pink into blue, and she hand-drew a cartoon-style character representing my main character (her hair colouring, frame, etc) in the style that's everywhere just now in my genre.

The great news is that books 2 and 3 also revolve around letters, so this design is going to carry on through the series and I can't wait to see them! Of course, I can't wait to finish writing them either 🤣

So now my book is out in the world, and I'm thrilled. I've already had some lovely reviews, which you can read more about in my blog post here, or you can see them on Goodreads here 

And don't forget that you can also buy a copy - it's available in Paperback or electronically on Kindle (and is currently free on Kindle Unlimited).