As the Dust Settles... The Next Stage

The evening is closing in and the dust is settling on the momentous events of the Day’s Dying Glory book launches. Last night, in Orkney, we hosted the final event and from now on it will be word of mouth, reviews, and the astoundingly eye-catching front cover which will sell my book. But what a range of events they have been!

The book to look for!

From Barton-upon-Humber, with its lavish opening - the Duckegg performances; the stunning cake – through the inspirational Library of Innerpeffray – where the sense of history through and beyond the setting of the novel was perfect – to the fun launch in Orkney – creating some of the book’s characters as the readers perceived them - each one will have a special place in my heart. But to all of you who attended any of the events: thank you! And to all of you who have encouraged and supported the book: thank you! I’ve had such positive comments from people I would never have known had it not been for this book and I am really enjoying encountering my readers.

If you’ve read the book, please review it on Amazon, Goodreads or both. I am so proud of the comments I’ve received so far, I’d love to share them with the world! Here are a couple of snippets from some of the reviews:

“It is a very good read, with a very unpredictable and gripping story line.”

“I could really identify with each of the main characters and the development of each was very well thought out. I would definitely recommend the book…”

“It is a really gripping plot as well. Part of me was expecting a run-of-the-mill romance novel but the unexpected twists and turns got my heart thumping in suspense and the book can get quite dark and gritty after a seemingly peaceful beginning.”

“To say this book is a romance is probably underselling it a little bit. In many ways, it is an adventure story: just the kind of adventures that the average person can accidentally find themselves in!”

“Loved the building of the characters and the descriptions of places and people put images in my mind of how it must have been like back then…”

They can’t all be wrong!

#ShareTheAdventure

And here are a couple of pictures from the different launches. Thanks for reading!

Duckegg Performance - Barton Book Launch

Colonel Sir James Shorefield -
Orkney Book Launch

Setting up for the Orkney Book Launch

My book and I were right at home!
- Innerpeffray Library Book Launch

The Book Launch Cake by Linda Lawcock
- Barton Book Launch

One of the Tartan At Heart
Day's Dying Glory Range

Mr Dermot - Orkney Book Launch

Arabella Tenterchilt -
Orkney Book Launch

Couldn't resist a photo-shoot!
- Library of Innerpeffray Book Launch

A Holiday Unlike Any Other

There’s a scene towards the end of The Return of the King when the hobbits have returned to The Shire and everyone is in the tavern, oblivious to the fact that anything life-changing has happened.  Leaving aside the fact that this was not at all like the book, it is the silence and expressions of these four characters which mirror my own.

Dunalastair Estate of Outlander fame
and our destination for Easter

Usually, after a two-week holiday, I grumble a little bit about where the time has gone and bemoan the fact that I’ve wasted it.  I never really did outgrow that.  This time, though, I don’t know how I’ve fitted it all in.  I’ve clocked up over 2000 miles on the road, visited one of my stomping grounds, and discovered riches and ruins of Highland Perthshire.  But it’s not that which left me in a confused limbo between worlds.  I became a published author.

My new book with hundreds of its ancestors

at Innerpeffray Library

After travelling back home to the far north of Scotland, I wandered around my local Tesco with a feeling and expression akin to those four hobbits.  No one in the shop knew – or cared – about the whirlwind adventure I’d been on.  But certainly, I feel I’ve accomplished a great thing.

It’s frightening putting yourself out there.  After all, your soul must leach onto the page a little bit to create a story which is worth sharing.  I’ve been performing since my age was in single figures, sometimes even for local or international dignitaries, but I’d never been as scared as I was standing in front of people and reading my own text to them.  I really felt I was baring my soul, and not just to the people who were at the book launch events, but to the whole world.

Thankfully, at my first event, the Duckegg Theatre Company were there to enact some of the scenes.  And what an amazing job they made of it!  [Full videos are on the Facebook page]

The second event had a much more intimate setting in the beautiful hidden gem of Innerpeffray Library, an historical venue, perfect for the book launch.

An author in her natural habitat: A library!

You can read the blog about the two launches here.

Why have I told you all this?  Well, to say thank you, really.  This thing which passed so many people by in silence and obscurity has meant a great deal to me.  So, to you who have discovered this blog; have read the book; have attended and even performed at the launch events: Thank you.  It may not seem like a big thing, but it’s the world to me.

Taken from your words written in the guestbook.

The book is here in paperback and here in ebook format.  And here’s a section to whet your appetite:

CHAPTER FOUR

Sunday 7th September 1806

Summer in Petrovia Lodge lacked the exciting comings and goings of London, but it was far from dull. The company of the three sisters had improved immensely and they now spent every moment laughing over things that occurred and celebrating the long summer days. The gypsies had moved on now leaving, as usual, gifts for the family in exchange for the permission to reside on their land. The usual gifts of wooden pegs and finely carved figures of animals were left by the river, but in addition Madame Kerina paid a visit up to the house. It was the eve of their departure and she walked up the lawn, calling out in a strange language and in a loud voice so that the five inhabitants of the lodge rushed out to see what it was. She walked up to Arabella and tied a soft red ribbon about her neck.

‘I have seen a child on the lawns of Petrovia Lodge. Do not wear the black of mourning for long, my dear. I hear wedding bells ringing, with laughter but a taste of sorrow.’

‘Wedding bells?’ Arabella whispered, hardly daring to believe the witch who stood before her, yet desperate to do so.

Madame Kerina did not speak again but hobbled away back to the settlement of caravans. Each of the women looked down at the ribbon around Arabella’s neck and, as one, her sisters began congratulating her as though it never occurred to them that the divination may have been incorrect.

September made its appearance in its usual golden way while summer clawed at the earth, doing everything it could to maintain its hold. The fruits of the trees by the river shone as they grew and, where edible, the girls walked down each day to collect them.

‘Nothing tastes so good as a freshly picked apple,’ Catherine announced as she bit into one.

‘We are meant to be taking them back up to the lodge, Cat,’ Imogen replied. ‘We’re already behind with this, and we stand no chance of getting to the top of the trees as Hamish used to.’

‘I can get to the top,’ Catherine replied fearlessly, gripping the apple she was eating firmly in her teeth and commencing the climbing of the tree.

‘You know you should not compare Cat to any man, she has to beat them.’ Arabella looked up as Catherine called down.

‘A messenger! I think we have a letter!’

"Why Do You Write?"

When I was asked to answer the question "why do you write?" I didn't know it would come at a time when giving an answer would be so poignant.

For as long as I can remember I've had a stalwart audience of two.  Long before thoughts of Day's Dying Glory even came into existence I had days of sitting alongside two of my sisters, all of us writing, and in the evening we would take it in turns to read out each other's work.  These were (rather unimaginatively!) entitled "Story Days".  And these two were my audience.  We were like an exclusive book club.

A Story Day cocktail with a questionable name

It was not first my idea to publish my writing; nor second.  And that's why I'm doing it.  For the first time, I've had other people encouraging me to offer my literature to a wider audience.  And, from my own point of view, nothing means more.

This is all rather upbeat, so why did I say this question had come at a poignant time?  Because I'm questioning why I'm bothering, and I haven't had cause to question it since I began the journey into Historical Fiction writing.  Sure, I had my fair share of rejection letters - although only one that was verging on rude in its dismissal - but you read almost any published author's memoirs and they had to deal with the same thing.  I've even had criticism from a reader that the book stretches the bounds of believability.  But that's fine - the reader still loved the book and is looking forward to attending its launch.  But to raise money for the book launch I started a Crowdfunder campaign.  I theorised that, should each of my friends, and a handful of interested parties, throw a fiver into the pot, I'd easily make the target.  They didn't.

The complicated maze of sibling legs

So, failure on the horizon?

Well, no actually.  I didn't start this journey with the hope of becoming a bestselling author.  I didn't even want to make money on it.  I have a fantastic story to tell.  A story which encompasses all aspects of humanity.  All I've wanted to do, from the word go, is share that story.

So this one's for you, Readers - you really are the ones that matter the most.  Thanks - I hope you like it.
[Actually, it's technically for my Dad.  It's the only piece of my writing he's ever read, and I think he enjoyed it!]

Me with Judith and Clemency at the Flows Lookout

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"Edinburgh" or "Why Inspiration Does Not Need To Be Pretty"

I've just returned from a weekend in Edinburgh, a city I have not properly visited since I was 11 -*cough* years ago.

City Skyline from The Rooftop Terrace
at The National Museum of Scotland

Our itinerary was simple: The National Museum of Scotland, The Camera Obscura, The National Museum of Scotland, The Real Mary King's Close, The National Museum of Scotland, Greyfriar's Kirkyard, and The National Library of Scotland.  Oh, and did I mention The National Museum of Scotland.

City Skyline from the top of
The Camera Obscura

You might wonder what this has to do with writing.  I'll try and explain.  Edinburgh has inspired some amazing books, and not just recently either.  My tour guide (my sister, Judith!) explained how Deacon Brodie had inspired the writing of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, while my other guide (another sister who is an Edinburgh resident) pointed out the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series.  I hoped to tap in to a little bit of this age-old inspiration.

The Coffin Dolls
(picture by Judith)

The Window on the World at
The National Museum of Scotland

A Sabre-Toothed Tiger at
The National Museum of Scotland

To appease my slight obsession with Lord Byron we visited the John Murray Archive exhibition in the National Library of Scotland, conveniently a two minute walk from The National Museum of Scotland where (as you may have guessed!) we spent a lot of time.  But there was stacks of inspiration to be had here.  Judith loves the mystery and intrigue surrounding the Coffin Dolls (pictured above), a set of miniature figures resting in tiny boxes decorated as coffins.  The Real Mary King's Close has a story to every room, even those that seem empty, and they're all stories worth telling.

My head on a platter
(picture by Judith)

Jaw Dropping at
The Camera Obscura

Judith's dream come true!

Walking through The Camera Obscura is like stepping into the pages of a fairytale, where everything is real but nothing is true, while Greyfriar's Kirkyard, with its new herb gardens, is a world away from the chaos of city life outside its gates.  The old city wall splits the kirkyard in two as it weaves through the elaborate and heartfelt memorials that have been erected upon or against it.

The Ensign who took an eagle
and changed a crest

My Gingerbread Bear at
The Hub

I'll be honest with you though. Edinburgh is not my sort of city.  Litter was drifting through the streets, bins were overflowing, and there seems to be a tradition of disposing of cigarette ends between the cobbles.  Despite my initial misgivings these fantastic establishments, in a city which scarcely matched their devotion and fervour, brought life to the streets of our capital.  I think it was Anthony Burgess who first used the phrase "All Human Life is Here" and it's the echo of that, calling down through the ages, which sparks a flicker and fans the furnace of Edinburgh as an inspirational city.

Incidentally, these were amongst my favourite finds:

 

These all relate to Sir David Baird, a man whose need for justice (or revenge) knew no limits.  The Storming of Seringapatam is the twentieth instalment of Beneath Black Clouds And White - the prequel to Day's Dying Glory - currently serialised on Channillo.

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Categorising Literature - Why I Hate It

I recently attended Russel D McLean's talk on crime writing.  It was good - very funny and engaging - and, while it doesn't exactly fit the genre of my book, it was useful to hear different ideas about writing and how to put your writing "Out There" (that mystical place where anything is possible).

One thing I appreciated in the talk - though equally disliked - was the importance of categorising literature and, by doing so, finding your audience.  But it did get me thinking: What on earth is my book?

Well, it's definitely Historical Fiction.  The research which went into it is something I'm quite proud of - one of my favourite parts being a throwaway line about a position advertised in a newspaper, just because I know how intricately I searched to find this fact.  And, while the story remains fiction, it weaves in real people and true situations.

Great!  I've categorised it!

No, wait.  Apparently there is such a thing as a sub-genre, and a sub-sub-genre.  And so the never-ending prefix goes on.

It's Mystery, then.  Not exactly Supernatural (although it is implied that some characters believed in such things), nor Espionage, but a mystery of learning what people truly are and the lengths they are willing to go to for king, country, honour and love.  In essence it is a mystery of humanity.

And, of course there is the argument that it's Romance.  After all, it follows affairs of the heart very closely all the way through.  I have a friend who lectures around this subject in Erlangen and am waiting eagerly to see what her take is on my book.

So, here's my advice, writers: categorising is important, but you can categorise wherever you wish as long as that is how your think your audience can interpret it.  And don't stop there.  If a conventional genre doesn't match, make your own.  It's better to break the mould than to be pigeonholed.

Finally, as it's Valentine's Day, here's what my characters have to say about love:

You might have loved him from the first day that you knew him but not seen it yourself. The words you have just spoken are what love is. To be unable to see a life without someone, to value their views over anything else. If you cannot bear the thought that you might never hear him say your name, or see his smile, then you do love him.

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Book Launches - A Blog Guaranteed Not To Help

While I've been working alongside the Crowvus team to prepare for the three Book Launch events, I've read SO MANY websites about creating a good and effective launch.  I can tell you now, not one of them works entirely.

So in this Blog I intend to address some of the issues I've faced around planning my own Book Launch, with perhaps a few harsh truths thrown in.

1. Budget - Almost all lists suggest that you set your budget and stick to it.  Make sure that you stay within what you can afford.  This is a fair comment because you can bet that, as soon as you go from posting cute pictures of your dog on Facebook to posting your Crowdfunder page, most of your friends suddenly treat you like a pariah.
   "Virginia who?"
   
2. Entertainment - Clearly most people who turn up to a book launch are there to see the author.  But having an alternative - but thematic - entertainment can also be very welcome.  However, expect to be ignored by these people 50% of the time, turned down 30% of the time and gain success the other 20%.  At this point I have to pay huge thankful recognition to Duckegg Theatre Company who were the first people I asked and who have supported me from the word go:
   "You guys are amazing!
   
3. Venue - I landed on my feet here and got some real support!  Choosing somewhere that will draw in like-minded people is crucial.  It's worth looking around carefully before you choose.
   "I've always wanted to go there!"
4. Blog Tour - This is a great idea!  There are so many successful blogs around that if you write a post for them it'll be helping all involved.  Plus, for the main part, book bloggers are quite a nice bunch.
   "Blog it out!"
5. Reading - Choosing which passages from your book you want to deliver.  I have to admit that, whilst the rest of the organisation has been a nightmare, this is the part that fills me with dread.  I'm a trained teacher, and talking in front of people does not phase me.  But READING in front of them, and from something that contains heartfelt words from your own soul, is downright daunting.
   "Please don't laugh..."
   
6. Advertise - As aforementioned, social media is not always the best way to gain support, although throw it out once, twice, thrice...  Actually keep on putting it out there until people get bored of it and agree to attend the launch just to shut you up.
   "Hello? Hello, friends?"
7. Advertise - Get local press involved.  Don't email though, as that is easy to be ignored.  Give them a ring.  Or if, like me, you have an aversion to telephones get your agent/publisher/friend/random-person-you-grabbed-off-the-street to call for you.
   "Yes, you don't know me because I'm a debut author..."
8. Advertise - This is the soul destroying part where you realise that, despite your best efforts to coax, cajole or beg people to attend AND the £££s that you've spent persuading them don't seem to be getting you anywhere, you break your budget as you pay to appear on that one bus shelter you're sure will make all the difference.
   "Of course it was worth mortgaging the house three times, I'm on the billboard three miles outside town!"

And then you turn up, convinced that the only people there will be your immediate family, faithfuls of the venue and those three trusty friends who'd follow you anywhere.  And are you correct?  Well, let's wait and see!

11th April - The Ropewalk, Barton-upon-Humber

17th April - The Library of Innerpeffray, nr Crieff

6th May - St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall.

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[Thank you!]

"Christmas Pudding For The Soul"

We are currently very excited about our first publication, Day's Dying Glory, which will be published in April this year. Day's Dying Glory is an historical fiction novel set in Scotland and spanning the years 1806-1812. It is the story of three sisters who are forced to come to terms with the cruelties of loss, treason and betrayal, all whilst limited by the expectations of Society.

In conjunction with this project's Orcadian Book Launch, we are inviting secondary school pupils to take part in a competition to design a front cover for a booklet of 4 short stories that were written especially for Christmas 2016. The title, which must feature on the cover, is "Christmas Pudding for the Soul". The winner of this competition will be announced at the Day's Dying Glory Book Launch which is taking place in the St Magnus Centre on 6th May. The winner will receive a £50 One4All voucher, with small prizes for two highly commended entries.

All entries should be submitted electronically and will be judged by our authors. The deadline for entries will be midnight on Friday 7th April.

For the full list of rules head over to the Crowvus website.

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