Guest author - Jas Phoenix

Today I am chatting with the wonderful Jas Phoenix, who is a great supporter of the writing community, both reading and reviewing books (and she writes fabulous reviews too - see what she did for my novel here) and she also spends hours tagging and reposting books - we all need more people like her!

In addition to this, she's a fellow newbie author, and we went through a lot of the same processes at the same time, which was so lovely. It turns out mutual hand-holding does help to keep you sane 🤣

Jas' debut book, Berkano (The Ultimate Power of Three Book 1) is being released on the 12th August, only a couple of weeks away now, and I have to admit, I was biting my fingernails at that point in my journey, so how are you doing?  

First of all, thank you so much for having me! It’s great to be here. 

Honestly, I am a paradox of being incredibly, vibrantly excited and utterly terrified all at once! The countdown is very real. I know we spent the run-up to our launches joking about hiding in boxes together, but now that yours is officially out, you’ve successfully escaped! And I am so happy at the well-deserved success you’ve already had.

I, on the other hand, am currently looking for a good shipping crate to crawl into until my launch day passes. You'll have to come rescue me. If you see a stray cardboard box delivery at your house, just know I might be inside it.

Right, I’m off to see if I can find a crate for you 😂 

Excellent! If you could line the bottom with chocolate and pack a bottle of wine for cushioning, I’ll be set until launch day. 😂 

Now I’m definitely jumping in there too!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. I'm supposed to do an intro, for all the lovely people that don't know your journey, so let's start over! Can you tell me when you first started writing?

My writing journey started the moment I could hold a pen. I kicked things off with some angsty childhood poetry to vent some feelings, moved on to stories, and dreamed of doing it full-time.

Then adulthood happened. I ended up working as a medical secretary, which taught me two things: how to type incredibly fast, and that I absolutely hate working in offices. I traded the filing cabinets to become a full-time carer for my partner, which is so much more rewarding and finally gave my creativity room to breathe.

Being a full-time carer is a tough job, so I’m glad you find the time to be creative. What do you do for relaxation?  

Thank you, being a carer is definitely a 24/7 gig and it can take its toll, so finding time to switch off and just create is everything to me.

These days, my passions are pretty simple: reading, writing, and masterfully burning dinner while sipping a very necessary glass of wine!

I’ve spent my whole life refusing to fit into any conventional boxes - which is pretty ironic given our current obsession with cardboard ones! It took me a while to embrace being different, but now I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love that. Be true to yourself - that’s inspirational.

Inspirational, eek! 😬 That's going on a sticky note inside my shipping crate. 😂 Inspirational might be pushing it, but finally choosing to just be unapologetically myself has been the most freeing thing ever. Worrying about everyone else’s opinion of me was just too much hard work!

Agreed, but talking of worrying, can I just say a huge thank you for your amazing support when my book went live. The fact you read it straight away, and then wrote that amazing review really helped calm my nerves. 

And you are so welcome! Honestly, because of our journeys together, I had been waiting with pure, impatient excitement for My F in Life to come out. I absolutely loved it! You are just so incredibly clever - to write something that has so much humour but is deeply heartfelt at the exact same time, all while keeping the characters' journeys feeling so authentic? It’s masterclass stuff, and I am obsessed with your main character, Jaye!

Aww, now see, I don’t take compliments well, so shut up 🤣🤣

Okay, okay, I’ll behave! 🤐😂

But I am so, so glad my review helped calm your nerves. I totally get that fear of “Have I just written a massive pile of rubbish?” I think every author secretly terrifies themselves with that thought!

That's not just me then - good to know 🤣 But you’re right. Even though I’d gone through a development edit, a copy edit and then a proof read, I was still nervous that it wasn’t good enough. 

It really is madness, isn't it? We can put our books through absolute rigorous testing and our brains will still try to convince us it's all bad. That’s why I am so endlessly grateful to my own editing team for giving me the confidence that my book is actually good.

Berkano went through four intense rounds of editing with my amazing team, Nik and Jon at Tepris Press. Working with professionals like them was a totally new experience for me. It was definitely a learning curve, but it has taught me so much about the craft. I genuinely think I’m a much better writer now because of it!

I agree about the steep learning curve. I’ll admit, I did what you’re not supposed to do, and allowed some friends and family to read My F in Life before I sent it to the editor. How about you - did you need validation too?

I am the exact opposite - I am incredibly, fiercely private with my writing! Before I sent Berkano off, absolutely no one had read a single word of it. In fact, my friends and family didn't even know I was writing a book at all. I guarded the manuscript so much that I'm pretty sure my partner thought I was secretly plotting a bank heist or creating a strange new cult, given how much time I spent muttering at my screen in absolute secrecy. 

OMG, that’s hilarious! I can see it now, the wine and burnt food forgotten as you plan world domination!

Shh, don't give away my entire business model! 😂 Sending it to Nik and Jon at Tepris Press was the absolute first time anyone else had ever set eyes on it. To say I was terrified is a massive understatement - handing it over felt like willingly giving away my firstborn child to strangers. Not that I have any children, mind you - I think my childhood teddy bear that sits on my bed would be deeply offended if I replaced her with a human baby - but the separation anxiety was very real!

Looking back, though, I'm so glad they were the first ones to see it; having that immediate, professional feedback was exactly what I, and the book, needed.

I hear you. I found my editors’ feedback brilliant, although their reports did lead to rewriting and I seriously wondered if it would ever get published because I became this manic self-editor who couldn't let anything go by 😁 How about you?

Thankfully, Nik and Jon gave me a heads-up that a first-round edit usually looks like a crime scene of red text on the screen, so I didn't completely panic! I had to do some rewriting and shift sections around to improve the flow, but it was actually less painful than I’d braced myself for, and I genuinely loved every minute of shaping it into the best possible version of itself.

That's excellent! Prior to writing my novel, I'd attended courses and read lots of books, which I enjoyed, but I learnt the importance of hooking a reader with the first line/ paragraph, so I spent quite a lot of time working on mine.

Then my writer pal, Liz, had this brilliant idea of bringing one of my chapters forwards, so I ran time backwards to lead up to the event, and my opening lines ended up changing - typical! Did you feel that same pressure to get your opening right too?

I haven’t actually done any writing courses or read a single book on how to write... which now makes me feel like I’ve turned up to the exam without doing any of the revision! Maybe that’s something I should have put on my to-do list!

My school of learning was just pure, unadulterated reading. Books were always my safe haven, and usually far more entertaining than reality anyway. Because of that, I already instinctively knew how vital it was to hook a reader straight away.

It's funny how these things work - you moved yours forwards, whereas Nik and Jon actually advised me to move my original opening much later into the book so the new beginning tied perfectly into a different part of the story.

That's so interesting, as you do get blind to your own work, so having that external feedback is so helpful.

I know Berkano is book 1 in a series of 3, (like me - we really are on the same wavelength!), so what’s your process for outlining your book - plotter or pantser?

We really are in sync! As for my process, I think I’m a bit of a mythological creature in the writing world - a ‘plantsor’ maybe? My method is a bit chaotic. Believe it or not, the story itself is actually already written for books two and three, but only in a very rough, 'brain-dump, ignore all the rules’ kind of way.

I write out the entire narrative from my head without worrying about anything other than just getting it down. Once the dust settles, I go back, and that’s when the real work begins and I restructure, rewrite, and change massive chunks as new ideas spark. I plot the general direction, but I absolutely fly by the seat of my pants to get there! So I’m essentially a plotter and a pantser having a massive argument in the same body!"

I love that! Okay, so let's talk about your story now. Mine is about middle age because, well, I only had to look in the mirror for inspiration! But yours? Your blurb states, 'She was born to free the dead. The darkness was born to feed on them.' Somehow I suspect you didn’t get that from your mirror!

You’d be surprised what I see in the mirror after a chaotic day of trying to fit my writing around my caring role 😆

But thankfully, no, the darkness hasn't come for me yet. If it did look back at me from inside my mirror, it would probably just see a very haggard, crazy woman in mismatched pyjamas and think, ‘Actually, you know what? I'll pass.’ 😂 

As for the hook, that actually came from sitting for hours on end, desperately trying to think of something that would catch people's attention. I wanted readers to know right away that the story was about the dead, but I also wanted to show that it's different from other books in the genre. By the end of the day, I was completely cross-eyed, but I’d managed to come up with a few ideas. I pitched them to Nik, and between us, we chose that one.

And what genre best fits Berkano?

I am actually terrible at labelling genres! I always just thought of this book as fantasy, but I’ve since been reliably informed that it’s urban fantasy.

Okay, that's a new one on me, but where did the idea for the story come from?

To be honest, I’m not even entirely sure where it came from. I tend to live in my head a lot and always have so many concepts going round and round. Something on the TV or in a book might spark a thought, and off I go on my own little tangent, creating weird and wonderful worlds in my mind. When an idea refuses to go away, I start making notes, and that’s where it all begins.

At its heart, Berkano is about a young woman named George, who is living a pretty standard, unremarkable life. She works a regular day job, lives at home with her mum, and has absolutely no idea she's anything out of the ordinary.

Everything changes for her, though, when a mysterious woman approaches her one day. George discovers her life has been a lie, and that she has a power in her DNA that allows her to communicate with the dead. Suddenly, she finds herself being hunted by terrifying creatures and is forced to leave everything she knows behind, all to fulfil a destiny she’s really not sure she wants anything to do with.

While it's a fast-paced adventure filled with family secrets, ancient powers, and danger, it’s ultimately a story about friendship, loyalty, and discovering the courage to face the things that terrify you most.

Wow, Jas, that sounds amazing! I can't wait to read it.

I'm going to end our chat by asking about your publishing route. You’ve gone a completely different direction from me. Can you tell me more?

I was incredibly lucky in how my journey with Tepris Press began. They had actually read some of my previous work and were happy to take me on based on that, which left me absolutely over the moon and so incredibly grateful!

My experience with them since has been excellent. The level of support they’ve given me has been exceptional, not only with the editing itself, but also when it comes to answering my endless stream of questions.

They’ve held my hand through the terrifying world of marketing and social media - which is a relief, because left to my own devices, my marketing strategy would probably just be standing on a street corner yelling, “Buy my book or the teddy bear gets it!” While the PR itself has been my own doing, their constant advice on what I actually need to be putting out there has been a lifesaver.

They also handled getting the book up on Amazon, coordinating the launch date, and ordering the proofs. Having them handle that side of things took a massive amount of time and stress off my shoulders!

As for the cover, I am so completely in love with it. It was created by an amazing artist, Ashley McKenzie who works for a Nashville based company called TabGraphix. The design was entirely up to me, but Tepris Press was brilliant in helping me come up with ideas and assisting me in finding the artist to bring it to life.

That's sounds a wonderful working relationship - you really have found your home. Thank you so much, Jas, and I can't wait for your launch. You have so many people in the writing community rooting for you, me included, so readers will be flocking to read your work - I can see you on the bestseller list in no time!

You are far too kind, thank you! If I make it onto a bestseller list, though, it'll probably be 'Most Likely to Spontaneously Combust.’ If I can get through launch day without melting into a puddle in this heat, I'll count it as a win!

🤣 If you'd like to support lovely Jas by buying her debut novel, you can find the link here - I've got mine on pre-order and can't wait to read it!

And don't forget, if you've enjoyed reading this post, then press here  to get all the latest updates emailed directly to you via follow.it (You can unsubscribe at any time). I feature at least one interview with a guest author or publishing professional each month and they're all brilliant!

Guest author - Adele Royce

Today I'm delighted to chat with author Adele Royce whose published novels include Camera Ready, Princess Smile, For Position Only (which was a BookLife by Publishers Weekly Editor’s Pick), and Summer’s Blood (which received the coveted Kirkus starred review). I'm already in awe!

She's an advertising and PR executive, who has spent most of her career on the Las Vegas Strip, an experience that gave colour to her latest novel, Slipper Girl. I'll bet it did!

She is currently working on the sequel to Slipper Girl as well as Deadly Sins, a collection of short stories. In addition, she owns a marketing consulting firm in San Diego, California, where she resides with her husband and two cats. So let's meet her.

Can I just say, Adele, that's an impressive body of work! Can you tell me a bit more about your books?

I have five novels as part of one essential universe that I call my World of Adele Royce. The way my first book (technically Princess Smile, but I published it third) played out determined the next book and so on. I always end my books with a setup for the next. I come up with the idea of just imagining the story moving forward and ask myself “What if?” 

I love this idea! In fact I've just done it in my own book, but please carry on.

I also look at the characters and determine which characters might have an interesting story in the next book. That's how I came up with the story for Slipper Girl. I looked into the story of my first novel in my Neon Diaries series, Summer's Blood, and dug into the story to find the most interesting character that could be developed in the next book for Slipper Girl, and the indisputable star was Skylar van Ness. 

I never look at trends to determine what I'm going to write; I only write stories that are fascinating to me and stories I know will be fascinating to my readers.

I know what you mean. I've read books and sensed the author was enjoying writing the story as much as I was reading it, because their enthusiasm translated into the prose. That's a great tip, thank you! 

One part of the writing process that fascinates me with whether authors plot their stories in great detail, or just fly by the seat of their pants. Which camp do you sit in?

I'm definitely a pantser at heart but when I moved from romantic dramedies to mystery thriller I had to start outlining. Mysteries are much too detailed to leave it up to me, as a pantser, to come up with a story and plot that will tie everything together at the end. 

That said, I love to come up with ideas that veer outside of my outline. That's why sometimes in the middle of the book, or towards the end, I'll have a better idea. And, for me it's always about having a better idea and making sure the book is as great as it can possibly be, and as entertaining and exciting as I can make it.

I'm loving this! Okay, what about your process when you're deciding on your novel's POV?

In terms of point of view, it kind of depends on the characters. I wrote my first four books in first person narrative and I feel that those books were really character-driven even though the 4th book was mystery/thriller. 

I liked being in one character's mind, but when I wrote Slipper Girl I just started to move away from first person narrative, so I wrote in third person limited point of view. I have two characters point of views represented in the book, but I felt that it gave me a little more freedom with the story. 

When you write in first person narrative the narrator always has to be in the scene so it sometimes creates a dilemma when developing plot, and that need for convenience may or may not be realistic.

I agree. I was after an intimate feel with my book and we're in my main character's head the entire time, which makes for fun but it also gave me some headaches, like knowing what story was going on beyond her world, but it was fun trying to sort it out!

Knowing you're a pantser, how about the prep work you do for your characters? Do you have detailed bios before you start writing, or create them as you move through the story?

First of all, this is my favourite part of the writing process. I love to develop, to sketch, and to dig into the psyches of my characters. I always write a bio for each, and dig into them as individuals: where they grew up; how their parents were; what kind of a childhood they had; what kind of things happened to them that shaped the way they are; the things they say; and how they make decisions. I totally view them as real people. 

Me too! It's bizarre, isn't it?

It probably makes me sound a little crazy, but they are real to me and if I make them real, my readers will feel the same way. 

I agree, 100%, so I guess we're both a little nuts!

Character names are fun too. I try to find names that either truly fit the individual or perhaps they are names I just love. I try to make sure that the name fits the character; however, I don't use a whole lot of allegory. I have used allegory for names in my short stories but, in the novels, I just try to find those that fit. 

I do look at the nationality and where they grew up, in what era they were born, and I find names that I like. Sometimes, I give a character a name that I always wished I had.

This all feels very logical to me, and I like that because I can borrow your ideas! And what about writing style?

I would call mine direct clear and concise. I don't heavy-up my writing with descriptive language, although I do describe just enough so that my reader can see and truly visualize what's happening in every scene. 

I try not to go over the deep end with the descriptive detail because I want the reader visualise in their own mind, so I give them just enough detail where they know exactly what's going on through dialogue. 

I have a character who swears a lot. His name is DJ Keller, and his voice is unique. I make the dialogue distinct among my characters so that when you remove the dialogue tag, the reader still knows who is speaking.

I remember one of my writing teachers telling me that many years ago, and it's quite tough to do well, so I applaud you. Moving on to the publishing side of things, what route did you decide to take?

For my first three books, I used a hybrid publisher in Los Angeles, and he handles all my sales and takes a percentage of my royalties. 

For Summer's Blood I decided to self-publish, and I worked with a marketing and publishing partner who handled all of the details, including internal layout of the book, cover, etc. 

We have a collaborative relationship on the marketing and how to promote the book. I do feel that self-publishing gives me a little more autonomy. 

Again, I find myself agreeing with you! I didn't want a cover I hated, or changes made that I didn't like, so I knew I had to self-publish. It's far more work, but there is something lovely about knowing it's exactly as you envisioned.

And talking about professionals, I'm guessing your expertise in marketing makes you a good self-editor, but do you use a professional editor too?

I'm a pretty good editor but, of course, I'm human, and I miss things that a professional editor picks up. My editing process is ongoing and my final step in the process is to hire a professional editor—one that I trust will be a good fit—one who knows the book, knows the characters, and will not change my voice or my character's choices. The editor’s job, to me, is to make the manuscript tighter, cleaner, and more professional.

Okay, that sounds sensible but, just out of interest, do you give your work to anyone else to read before it's published?

I have critique partners first. Secondly, I have beta readers, and lastly I ask my writing community partners if they'd like to receive an advance review copy (ARC). 

I highly recommend beta readers. If I see a pattern, with several of my beta readers pointing out the same thing, then it's time for me to re-evaluate whether I really want that to happen in the story. If it's something I feel strongly about, I'll go ahead and keep it as is, but beta readers are precious to me and I highly recommend them.

It sounds like you've got a good team together. I think I need to do that! How about bad writing habits - do you have any?

Common writing mistakes for me are lapsing into a “tell don't show” scenario. Those are usually in the first draft and as I move to 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th drafts, I start to find those mistakes and fix them. Sometimes I have a beta reader or a critique partner point those out or my editor.

Going back to paid professionals, are there any others you use?

Certainly. I try to keep the covers within the family of the series so, for example, my first three books were romantic dramedy, and they have a similar look and feel—photographs as opposed to illustrations. 

For the Neon Diaries series, I went with more of a graphic illustration and I wanted both Summer's Blood and Slipper Girl to be informed by the same brand. 

Because I'm a marketing and advertising executive by trade, I usually have a strong vision of what I want to see on the cover, and then work with my partners and artists to execute that strategy.

Talking of your background, I've spoken to many authors who seem to hate marketing, so do you have any tips?

Because I am a marketer, marketing, social media, ad campaigns, and all of that stuff comes naturally to me. I will say that I needed to study up and learn through trial and error in marketing my books though. 

With the first one, I really didn't know what I was doing. I was looking at the book as though it was a product or service, which is what I do in my career; however, book marketing is its own thing, and I had to learn the publishing industry. 

I did all of that by studying, talking to people, doing webinars, reading, researching, and then realising what worked and what didn't. I have found that over time I've gotten much better at it. 

The other thing is that every writer needs to stay ahead of marketing trends because they change constantly. Staying on top of social media trends, understanding the different offerings, seeing what is being put out there and what people are engaging with. It's really a work in progress that never ends, because technology, as we all know, just keeps changing.

It sure does. It makes me wonder how we ever find the time to write! 

And what about your publishing mechanics, such as software, etc?

For the technical part of the writing process, I use Microsoft Word. I don't use any fancy novel writing software. I find that they are distracting. I keep dated revisions, so I have version control. 

I purchase many ISBN numbers so I have enough for the series to go on and on, and I copyright my manuscript with the US copyright office. I always take that step because I feel as though my writing and my ideas are protected.

I do have a website that's interactive too, at www.adeleroyce.com. I have some fun features on the website that include a 'Meet the Characters' section. Each of my characters has a bio and photo, and they're very fun to go and interact with. 

Actually, I really enjoyed playing with them - it's a great idea!

I really believe in engaging with my audience so if you go to my website and sign up for my newsletter, you will receive my updates. I review other authors’ books there, so it's really a way for me to engage with my readers. I always do a fun prize giveaway. 

I'm on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. I'd say I'm probably most active on Instagram and X. I feel like engaging with the writing community is great but we also need to engage with our readers so some of the content is more focused on writing, and a lot of is there for my readers to discover more about my books and other author’s books.

Thank you so much, Adele, this has been fabulous! And I'd love it if we could end by learning a bit more about your latest novel, Slipper Girl please?

She Buried Her Past. It’s Back to Destroy Her.

Skylar Van Ness has always been a fighter. From her tumultuous childhood in Amsterdam to her rise as the Vice President of Marketing at Donovan Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, she’s faced every challenge head-on.

But when Skylar’s estranged mother, Brit, reappears with a sinister agenda, Skylar’s world is turned upside down. As secrets from her past threaten to unravel her carefully constructed life, Skylar must navigate a treacherous path of deception, blackmail, betrayal and heart-wrenching revelations. With the stakes higher than ever, she must rely on instinct alone — because trust is a luxury she can’t afford.

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to Adele Royce’s nail-biting Summer’s Blood, Slipper Girl is a gripping tale of one woman’s resilience and redemption, and the unbreakable bonds of family. 

That sounds amazing! If you'd like to learn about Adele, I'd recommend visiting her website, where you can also find all of her social media links too.

And don't forget, if you've enjoyed reading this post, then press here  to get all the latest updates emailed directly to you via follow.it (You can unsubscribe at any time). I feature at least one interview with a guest author or publishing professional each month and they're all brilliant!

What the F... (Really means)

 

I'm thrilled to let you know that I've just featured on Stewart Bint's blog and it was lovely chatting more about my writing journey and my book, My F in Life. 

Please take a look here (link) and you might remember that he featured here less than a month ago (link here). 

It's so lovely how authors support other authors, and talking of which, Stewart has lots of fabulous author interviews on his blog too. Do take a look as they make for brilliant reading.

And my next author interview goes live on Sunday, and it's another fab one! Woohoo!

My F in Life - update from an excited author!

It's only been a few weeks since I published my book but what a wild ride it's been! I have to admit, the whole process of uploading the manuscript and cover was an eye-opener. Thank goodness for my pal, Liz, an author who's been through this process herself and she was the voice of reason when, shock, horror, we got an error message! 

Luckily Sofie, my cover artist, was straight on the job and amended the file so that it was exactly what was needed. Huge sigh of relief, job done, all accepted! Celebratory drink and whoop, whoop, I was a published author!

Now it's available in Paperback or electronically on Kindle (and is currently free on Kindle Unlimited) and the wonderful thing is that people are buying it! Yes, I know that sounds daft - why else would I publish? I guess I was hoping like-minded people, going through middle age and getting knocked by some of life's challenges, could do with a giggle, but I hadn't actually thought about people reading it! 

So, you can imagine my surprise when a couple of mornings ago, my book was number 3 in the 'Amazon Hot New Releases' section. I had to take the screenshot above because, number 3? Wowsers! And I don't think I've ever been classed as 'hot' in my life 🤣 I'm taking that!

The next thing that happened was reviews started to appear. Within a few days the first review appeared - 5 stars! OMG! Then a second appeared. Also 5 stars! And now a third is there - my mind is blown! You can read them all here but I've popped some snippets below.

And talking of reviews, I'm going to start beating my drum now, as so many of us read a book, love it, and then move on to the next exciting novel, not thinking about the poor old (or perhaps young!) writer. But imagine what it's like for them. Your favourite author could be sitting in the dark, palms sweaty, not knowing whether their audience likes their book or not. But guess what? You have power to help. 

Think of reviewing a book as your way of talking to the author and (probably more importantly) their audience. If you love a book, write a review. Long or short, let people know what you think! Sing their praises. Or if something didn't work for you, don't be mean, but give some constructive feedback. 

I've written a whole article about this. The post is a short read, so please take a look here and have a go. Every author I know will thank you for taking the time. So go, and be wonderful!

And I'd like to take the time to thank the three wonderful people who did exactly that for my book. I didn't expect it, but every review helps to raise my profile. They took the time to review my book and I'm eternally grateful.

So that's all for me for today. I'm back to interviewing authors next, so look out for my next chat in a couple of weeks time - it's another good one! 

And don't forget, if you've enjoyed reading this post, then press here  to get all the latest updates emailed directly to you via follow.it (You can unsubscribe at any time). I feature at least one interview with a guest author or publishing professional each month and they're all brilliant!

I've just published a novel!

I know this blog is all about promoting authors, but I just had to let you know that my novel, 'My F in Life' has just been published! This is my debut (whoop, whoop!) and it's a comedy about friendship, family and fresh starts, which is set in the Scottish Highlands. 

It's uplifting and fast-paced (because that's what I like!) and tackles the challenges of middle-age (because I've found there are quite a few 🤣)

I hope it will have you laughing, crying, and wondering how many Fs rule your life too. 

So what's it about? Please see more below!

Jaye never expected everything to fall apart when she turned fifty, but Fs are back in charge and ruining her life again.

Fitness… 

Her spare tyre’s self-inflating but she’s allergic to exercise, unless it’s wine bottle unscrewing where she’s fast becoming an Olympic athlete.

Frustration… 

Why has her soulmate of 30 years shacked-up with his young, blonde, skinny (except for his baby-bump) mistress? 

Family… 

One child has flown, the other two are flapping their wings, and Jaye’s left hugging the half-empty biscuit tin and her precious stash of chocolate.

Friends… 

Bestie Didi is fun with a capital F, but she’s pushing Jaye into online dating, reinvention, and ridiculous risk taking. 

As Jaye fights to hold everything together, she’s forced into deciding whether to return to her safe but imperfect life, or explore a new frightening (or is that exciting?) alternative. 

This hilarious, sharply observed novel is perfect for fans of fans of Jill Mansell, Fiona Gibson and Milly Johnson. So why not buy a copy!  

It's available in Paperback or electronically on Kindle (and is currently free on Kindle Unlimited)

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ‘MY F IN LIFE’

‘A laugh-out-loud comedy with a huge heart.' 

Liz Treacher, best-selling author of The Wrong Envelope

‘The story is engaging, relatable and full of lovely humour. It was a joy to read and I can’t wait to see what comes next!’

‘From the outset there are perceptive and wrenching observations… an immensely likable character… many women of her age will associate with her.’

‘Some of the best realistic dialogue I’ve ever read. More please!’

‘I so enjoyed reading this. It is hugely relatable and funny.’

‘Everyday problems are dealt with so humorously that you want to read on to find out what hilarious situations our heroine will find herself in next.’ 

‘I really enjoyed reading this, from the down-to-earth, loveable protagonist to her narcissistic husband, and the most fun-loving friend we should all have in our lives.’

‘I can’t wait for the next book!

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GUEST AUTHOR - STEWART BINT

This week's interview is with the lovely Stewart Bint who, like my last interviewee (Joanne Paulson), trained as a journalist. He worked as a radio newsreader, and a Public Relations writer, before quitting the day job to become a full-time novelist in 2021. He's largely retired now, although there is one special project in the pipeline, but we'll chat more about that later!

Stewart's had six books published – five novels and a short story collection - and finds it easier to write paranormal and sci-fi stories, so he sticks to those, although he admits, he did surprise himself with a crime and medical backdrop to his latest novel, When God’s Wind Blows! But some genres are more of a struggle to write, such as romance, although he's experimented with a little romance, along with humour, fantasy, and even a couple of children’s tales in his short story collection, Thunderlands. So let's meet him.

Thanks so much for joining me and let's start by chatting about your publishing journey. Are you traditionally published or did you self-publish?

Originally, I self-published through Smashwords and Kindle Direct Publishing, but as ebooks only. My first efforts were a couple of novellas in 2012. Back then, I thought e-readers such as Kindle and Kobo were the future of publishing, and that print books were on the way out. Then, one of my short stories was published in a print anthology, and to see my work in an actual printed paperback was somewhat magical. 

I can imagine! So what did you do?

Shortly afterwards, I was taking part in a media photoshoot with two fellow authors, who both had paperbacks. But all I could pose with, was my Kindle displaying the cover. That was it. I was smitten with the idea of becoming a paperback writer, so I embarked on a quest to find a print publisher, and was lucky enough to strike gold pretty quickly, and my first paperback, In Shadows Waiting, appeared in 2015.

Hhmm, that sounds more like skill than luck, but okay 😂 What publishing house?

Dragon Moon Press have brought out my novels, In Shadows Waiting, When God’s Wind Blows, Timeshaft, and The Jigsaw And The Fan; with Next Chapter publishing To Rise Again, and Thunderlands.

Two? Wow, congratulations! Although that would seem to prove you're good at your job! And talking of which, can we discuss your writing process? I've found editing has taken me far longer than I'd anticipated. How about you?

Editing!! Writers either love it or hate it. I regard it as a two-part process: roughing, then finishing. A couple of weeks after finishing the first draft I print it off and read it through. And nearly die of embarrassment. Did I really write such rubbish? Ah, but hold hard. It’s always like this, isn’t it? 

I'm laughing because yep, me too! What happens next?

A few weeks of picking it to bits, developing a few scenes here, cutting a few scenes there, showing a particular character trait earlier in the book so the reader’s not surprised by something later on, and finally, yeah, that’s okay. Pleased with that. Send it off to my publisher’s editor.  

Job done then!

Nope! Back it comes, almost every page marked with red. Developmental edits, they call them.

Oh dear! That sounds very much like my development edit too, which led to massive rewrites but that was me. What do you do?

I print off two copies. One showing all the editor’s comments with the tracked changes, and one without, so I can read the story clearly. Yes, what they’ve asked for makes perfect sense, and works extremely well. New scenes added. Other scenes removed. More banter added between the main characters. Final read through of the second draft, and back it goes. 

So, in summary, my process involves big edits to the first draft to get the story roughly into shape. Then, developmental edits as suggested by the publisher’s editor, which turns my raw story into a saleable commodity.

This is why every novel needs a professional editor.

I completely agree. It's amazing how that additional eye manages to tease a far better book out of you. But rolling things back a bit, is there a germ of an idea that starts you writing a book?

Four of my five novels explore different ways of humans continuing to exist after death in some form or another – individual ghosts, spirits, reincarnation, even one character who was violently raped and murdered centuries ago becoming a guardian angel in When God’s Wind Blows. Psychologists will probably say it all stems from my Dad’s death when I was 11, and this underlying message about death not being the end is my way of hoping he still exists in another plane.

Oh Stewart, I'm so sorry to hear this, but writing is cathartic so I wouldn't be surprised. Okay, moving on, are you a big plotter of your novels, or do you fly by the seat of your pants?

This may sound odd, but it’s actually a mixture of both. I always know where the story’s going, and try to plot the route as much as I can. But I’ve lost count of the number of times my characters suddenly go off on a tangent, doing their own thing, and I simply become a reporter, faithfully chronicling what I see unfolding before my eyes.

However, the pantster dominating the plotter really came to the fore while working on my latest novel, When God’s Wind Blows. The finished book is a paranormal crime thriller with a medical background, and is a sequel to my 2015 novel In Shadows Waiting which is set in 1982. 

When I was in plotter mode, it was going to be a standalone sci-fi novel with no connection to the characters and events in In Shadows Waiting. My original idea was that the main character would be a scientist who suffered from mental blackouts since his teenage years. 

As the plotting continued, I couldn’t see a feasible ending, and there was no conflict in it, so I realised I needed to change direction. I switched the blackouts to become the paranormal events they are in the book today, and the scientist became a retired police inspector. The conflict was going to be between that character and a criminal he caught 25 years ago who had just been released from prison.    

This raised another barrier, though, in that I’d need to devote a couple of chapters to getting a hard-nosed ex-policeman to accept the paranormal, which would waste valuable word count. So, who did I know who’s already accepted the paranormal, and gone through a horrific paranormal experience?  Simon Reynolds, in In Shadows Waiting, set nearly 40 years ago. Re-reading that book I saw how easy it would be to link the two stories, and have the cause of events in When God’s Wind Blows in 2020 and 2021, directly connected to what happened in 1982 in In Shadows Waiting.  

Gosh, I love this! But please, continue.

Moving on, here’s a case of where being a committed plotter many years ago, is paying dividends. Long before I made a breakthrough in the world of published fiction, I started to write a novel in 1986. I had a detailed 13-chapter synopsis, and actually managed to write six full chapters on my old typewriter. Those pages have been tucked away in my office ever since. 

When I made the decision to retire from writing earlier this year, I was going to throw them out, as I wasn’t prepared to commit to the time or effort needed to finish the book. But I showed the synopsis and chapters to an American thriller writer, and she’s going to finish it. All I want from it is to be credited as co-author. So, that’s a nice little project for me in retirement! 

Oh, this is brilliant! And won't it be fascinating to see what she does with it too, like maybe picking different points of view from what you'd imagined? 

And talking of which, how do you normally choose your POVs?

The point of view depends on what I’m trying to achieve, first with the book, and then with an individual scene. There’s only one point of view In Shadows Waiting, and that’s the main character written in the first person. That’s because I needed the story of the horror facing the family to be developed from their son’s perspective, building on how he feels as it grows from a slow, small start, to a raging crescendo at the climax.  

That partly continued with the sequel. But because the scope of the story spreads far beyond Simon’s perspective, I brought in several other points of view, each of which had to be clearly defined with separate chapters. POVs never switched in a chapter. 

Yes, that's a good tip. I've mainly written in the third person limited, but my upcoming debut novel is first person and it's been a revelation. I love how intimate it becomes, although it poses other problems, but that's half the fun!

Okay, how about creating your characters. Do you create profiles before, or as you write?

I have an idea of what drives the main characters before I start writing, but characteristics often develop in response to a situation. Once that characteristic has been used, I store it away to ensure further responses will be in character. This way, I can write scenes where the character’s behaviour is not only convincing, but inevitable. 

To make them true to life, I have to fully understand their motives. This aspect is what makes novel writing so exciting for me.

Effective dialogue is one of the best ways to create believable characters. Every line of dialogue needs to be tailored for the individual character, so that you can tell who is speaking, without them being constantly named, and even from isolated sentences.

And talking of character names, how do you pick yours?

I find coming up with appropriate names to be extremely difficult. They vary so much, from Albert Carter, a trade union official, through Simon Reynolds, a typical teenager in his early years who becomes a radio presenter later, to more unusual names such as Jigonhsasee, Simon’s spiritual Iroquois Guardian Angel, and Ashday’s Child, which is a nickname for the main character in Timeshaft. 

I can agonise for hours just to create a name that seems a perfect fit, but I’m rarely happy with them. 

Oh, what a shame you're rarely happy, but I do think we're all our own worst critics! How about your writing style – do you change it for different stories?

The short, generic, answer to this, is yes, that it all depends on the story and how you want to tell it. To expand a little: 

When we’re talking to someone we recall events in the past tense, so it feels natural to write in it, as well. It’s also easier to maintain across different points of view. 

Swearing can be particularly tricky. The only time I use it regularly is in When God’s Wind Blows. It can be a powerful tool, adding additional authenticity in some situations. But beware of alienating readers if it’s not managed properly. It works best when it’s true to the character and scene. 

Many authors dislike purple prose, but in my opinion it has its place if used sparingly, and to invoke certain feelings. For example, in When God’s Wind Blows, there are scenes of Simon Reynolds coming out of a medically-induced coma, and an out-of-body experience, and I use ornate descriptions of what he’s seeing and thinking. Only use this style of writing rarely, and ensure it flows well and advances either the plot or characterisation. 

That's great advice! I can tell you have a lot of experience, so can you give any advice to writers, such as avoiding common writing mistakes?

My first two pointers here are a little wider than just writing mistakes, but they’re probably the most important mistake not to make!  

Write for yourself, first of all. Your stories should make you happy. 

Secondly, you’re never too old to make it, so keep at it. Life, family and work took preference over my dreams of becoming a novelist when I was younger. My first ebook appeared when I was 56, and my first paperback three years later.

Oh, I love this! What other gems do you have?

Talent can’t be taught, but craftsmanship certainly can, and the thing about self-publishing, is that readers can find little gems that probably wouldn’t make it through the rather snobbish gatekeeping of many traditional publishers. By snobbish, I mean the oft-quoted ‘rule’ of ‘show, don’t tell.’ 

While this ‘rule’ still abounds, any writers hoping for a contract with a traditional publisher must largely show and not tell. The so-called experts say that if the main narrative voice of the book tells us what’s happening, instead of us being shown through a character’s eyes and letting us experience their feelings, it’s a big no-no. Avoid too many instances of staccato ‘this happened,’ ‘that happened.’ Describe it from the character’s viewpoint and thoughts, to take your reader directly into the heart of the action. 

Excellent advice, Stewart. And finally, marketing. How do you find it?

In the early days of my writing journey, when I self-published, promotion and marketing took an inordinate amount of time, but it had to be done. It included promotions on KDP, competitions on Facebook and X (when it was still known as Twitter), stalls at local book events and village fetes, and giving talks to local groups.

However, since being accepted by traditional publishers, they handle the lion’s share of marketing, but I’m still active on social media, and continue to give regular author talks. I’ve also been successful at getting my books accepted by local libraries.

Well, this has been a lovely chat. Thank you so much for your time, and I'd love it if we could end by seeing the blurb for your latest book, When God’s Wind Blows.

If you thought the horror was over at the end of In Shadows Waiting, think again. This sequel, set almost 40 years after the tragic events at White Pastures, is a paranormal crime thriller with a COVID backdrop, showing how grief and love affect one man’s sanity.

After a young couple are ruthlessly gunned down outside their home during the pandemic, we weave our way through Simon Reynolds’ personal COVID nightmare, as he seeks answers about the mysterious blackouts he’s experienced since his sister died at the hands of a supernatural entity back in 1982.

Slowly but surely, paranormal events intertwine Simon’s Long COVID journey with Adam and Hayley Hampshire’s murder, unveiling a plot to terrorise the entire world.

When God’s Wind Blows is a paranormal tale of love, insanity, and tragedy, of epic proportions.  

That sounds brilliant, thank you so much, and if you'd like to find out more about this wonderful author, please see his links below:

Stewart Bint website and blog

Stewart Bint, Amazon

Stewart Bint, Goodreads

And if you enjoyed this post, then press here to get all the latest updates emailed directly to you via follow.it (You can unsubscribe at any time). Thank you!