Have you ever had a dream? Something you always wanted to achieve in life?
My dream – apart from winning Wimbledon which was never going to happen by the way –
was to write a book.
Ever since I was young I have had a (slight – some would say not so slight) obsession with
stationery – paper, pens, art materials, books. And writing has always been a part of what I
do and who I am. Journals and diaries, letters, to-do lists – you name is I write it and often
with a fountain pen. Very old school but very satisfying.
There have been many attempts and failures along the way and finally, finally I have fulfilled
the dream and seen a book “what I wrote” in print.
So how and why did ‘A New England Escape’ come to be?
Here are my top 5 answers:
1. Getting started
2. Keep going
3. Find an editor
4. Get a cover designer
5. Marketing
1. Getting started: Inspiration comes from many places, people and things. My initial
inspiration came through a friend, Lisa, who bravely admitted that she was going
back to school and branching out from her current job. Her excitement and the
reaction of other friends around the table at dinner that night sparked something in
me. The fire had been lit. Later, on that same trip to the US, I visited the small town of
Chatham on Cape Cod. The beach, the buildings, Main Street, the Squire and the
book shop – I had found my setting. Now all I had to do was write!
I came home from that trip fired up and started, with the help of Beki – to write a blog.
She designed the website @mytop5ofeverything and I was off and running. Once the
words started to flow I couldn’t stop them. I had pen and paper in every bag, in the
car, at my desk, everywhere. I wrote down everything that was flowing through my
head. I even wrote a powerful scene in the freezer aisle of the local supermarket –
and it’s still in the final version!
2. Keep going: The book – while technically a romance book - deals with grief,
principally Jane’s grief at the death of her husband. However, an incident (no
spoilers) requires all the main characters to deal with their past and their grief. It
brings them together and yet divides them.
I wrote most of the first draft during an incredibly sad time when my mum was
diagnosed and dying of cancer. Often after being with her at the hospital, or later at
the hospice where she died, I would come home and write, maybe what had just
happened between us or some event that had made me cry. I would write in tears,
words flowing, unseeing and yet desperately needing to pour out the words. It was cathartic. Necessary and it helped me to cope.
In the book, the prologue, Jon’s diagnosis, the flash-back to counselling – these things happened – fictional fact.
3. Find an editor: Having completed the manuscript and polished it in my own naïve way, happen chance brought me to Waterstones in Hanley where I met Karen Kelly. Karen was selling her independently published book and we got chatting. Long story short – she gave me the details of her editor. I did some research and emailed her and the wonderful Sian-Elin Flint-Freel came into my life. She accepted me and my writing and validated my ability.
We have worked together ever since, become firm friends and without Sian this book would not be in existence. I owe her so much. She has dried my tears, given me a telling off, bought me cake and held my hand and encouraged me to keep going. She is exceptionally good at what she does.
4. Get a cover designer: Self-publishing is a tough choice, one I always believed to be
second best. To be a proper writer you needed to find an agent who would get you a
book deal. Turns out that’s not true. Feeling I am not good enough, as a result of
rejection and rejection, imposter syndrome kicked in – only to be swiftly banished by
the wonderful Sian.
So having made the decision to go for it – I turned to Beki Hawley once more who designed the cover. And isn’t it just beautiful. Such talent!
I was then introduced to Michelle Catanach who turned my humble pages into the book it is today – again, talented, strong, supportive women – all the way along this journey they have helped me to fulfil this dream.
Not forgetting the friends who have read and re-read the manuscript in all it’s forms, giving advice and correcting my grammar. Thank you to all of them. You know who you are!
5. Marketing: The sight of all this hard work in the form of an actual BOOK – well it was
emotional. I had done it!
Now I had to sell it, promote it and beg people to buy it. Friends and family have
been awesome and bought the book even if it’s not what they would normally read.
My Instagram followers have liked, scrolled through my posts and some have even
bought the book – thank you.
To reach a wider audience means I have had to venture into the world of TikTok. I
have also had to pluck up the courage to talk to total strangers and leave my details
and ask them to buy it. Its scary.
And now Jills Book café is doing an article on me and my writing – how exciting is
that?
So, is it worth it?
It sure is!
I may not be a best seller; I may not sell more than 50 books, but you know what – it doesn’t matter.
I wrote a book. I fulfilled my dream and now all I have to do is write another one!
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