I will be running a variety of writing workshops on the East Coast.
Archive for July, 2014
Bringing Writing to the East Coast
Posted in Uncategorized on July 28, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Guest author: Terry Tarbox
Posted in Author, Books, tagged Author, books, children's books on July 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »
I met children’s author, TERRY TARBOX, and his ‘marketing-agent’ and wife, Lily. Lily paid for the drinks and cakes, and they were lovely. Thank you, Lily.
Welcome, Terry, can you start by telling us a bit about yourself and how, and why, you become a children’s 
author?
I have always shared my stories and rhymes with my nieces and nephews and the children of friends and family so when I retired it just seemed to follow that I would put them down on paper so more children could enjoy them.
I blame Spike Milligan, the Goon Show and Monty Python for the level of humour in these tall tales and rhymes. I go into schools to read to the children and they love it. They write me letters, telling me how much they enjoy my visits and my stories.
What was the first story you wrote?
The first story I wrote was Willigrews and Skraks. This story introduces all the Willigrews characters and is in The Willigrews book.
What other books have you written?
My Mate Joe and Other Rhymes, a book of nursery rhymes and poems for 5-11 years. 
I am a member of the Lowestoft Writing Group and I co-authored Colours of the Coast. We have penned another book and it should be available very soon.
Were you inspired by someone or something?
My teacher, Mr. Starling, at school noticed I was keen on English. I wrote a short story called, ‘The Rescue’, a ghost story and he was really impressed with it. He asked me to read it out to the class, which I did, and I‘ve been hooked ever since.
What do you like about writing a story?
It’s fun, I enjoy writing about weird things.
What genre best fits for the book?
Comedy adventures for children 5-11 years.
Are you working on something new at the moment?
Another story book. It has 6 stories in it and am also writing another rhyme book.
Children who have a sense of humour will find them really funny, they are full of silliness and kids love them.
All my books have illustrations in them. My niece is an illustrator and she does my illustrations for me. She’s brilliant. I tell her all about the characters and somehow she comes up with the illustrations. Wendy Wheatley. www.wwdesign.co.uk
How did you come up with the story?
Many of my ideas come from the children.
Think of a situation, for example, a dragon, characteristics in his head, a threat and it carries on from there.
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?
I encourage children to write. My mission is to get children to write. If I create one writer, I will be happy.
What is your writing routine?
I don’t have a routine. I write when I want too.
Do you have an editing process?
I edit and then my wife, Lily, reads it through for me. Lily is very good.
What do you enjoy the most/least about writing?
The thing I enjoy most about writing is having a story to read to children.
I enjoy everything about writing, especially now as I self-publish and I can write a book and get it onto Amazon within a short space of time.
How important is it for you to share your writing?
It’s crucial, that’s why I write.
Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers?
Be prepared for lots of silliness and enjoy them. Anything can happen.
Where you can find Terry:
On the Blyth Valley Community Radio every third Wednesday of the month at 12 noon. www.blythvalleycommunityradio.co.uk
Website: www.willigrews.co.uk
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/terry.tarbox.7?fref=ts
Twitter: @willigrews
Where you can buy Terry’s books:
Amazon: http://goo.gl/fpUURH
Website: www.willigrews.co.uk
Some WH Smiths shops
Some holiday parks
Thank you, Terry, I have really enjoyed this interview and thank you again, Lily, for the tea and cake.
Guest blog: Author, Roy L. Murry
Posted in Author, tagged Author, books, romance on July 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Welcome, Roy L. Murry …
Can you tell me a little about yourself? 
I’d need a week to answer this. LOL I was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA into at that time was called a middle class family – both mother and father worked.
I had a normal life until I went to Vietnam as a Green Beret (Special Forces) Operation & Intelligence non-commission officer. Made it back alive to go to and graduate Bentley College. There I studied accounting but minored in English. As President of the Journalism Society, PDE, I was editor of The Yearbook.
After graduation, events happened that changed my life incredibly. That story is written down in my autobiography The Audubon Caper. Twenty eight years in the Caribbean Hospitality Industry followed; and then I move here to Hollywood, Florida where I live writing, playing golf, and working part time at a golf course. 
What was the first story you wrote?
I can’t remember any; however, I have been a critic of others’ writings since taking two American Literature courses in college.
Were you inspired by someone or something?
My American Literature professor was the first one to tell me I could write. She gave two A+ on my critical journals. Also, I have read many inspirational authors including Og Mandino, Tony Robbins, and Joseph Murphy.
What do you like about writing a story?
I like going into my own little world and writing what I want.
Can you tell us about your newest book?
I have been married to two Latin women each becoming a USA citizen while married to me. I added another marriage, changed their identities and characters using their reason for marrying my main character Don Quixote Smith for one reason – each wife wanted an American VISA firstly and Smith secondly.
What genre best fits for the book?
Adult Romance
Are you working on something new at the moment?
I have two works in progress. One is the fictional novel Homeless in Homestead, which is the journey of an American Vietnam Veteran from homelessness through the Florida system for his betterment.
The other WIP is a three part screen play, requested by a prominent producer I know, who has read both my novel. The screen play will be for TV of my second novel The Three Wives of Don Quixote Smith. 
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?
Set your goals and just write.
What is your writing routine?
For me, it’s early to bed; early to rise; makes a writer wise. I’m in bed early and start writing between 4 – 5 a.m. until I’m tired or have to move on to something else
Do you have an editing process?
I use an editor.
How important is it for you to share your writing?
I love the feedback; and I get immediately feedback from my core group of followers of about three hundred people who have purchase my books.
Where can people go to read your work?
Three Wives of Don Quixote Smith is now at Amazon http://amzn.to/198DcWx, Tate http://bit.ly/16dQf1W and Barnes &Noblehttp://bit.ly/19NpYz2
The Audubon Caper: E-book only. US http://amzn.to/1eHZQpYUK http://amzn.to/16JWUkC
Where can people find you on the internet?
Facebook: Roy Murry Author and Twitter: @roylmurry425
Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers?
I thank all the people who have read my novels and hope that some of your readers at least read the first chapters of my books. It’s free. I know if they do; they will buy my books.
I thank you Suzan for featuring me on your blog.
You’re welcome, Roy, and good luck with your writing.
Guest Blog: Literary Agent Carly Watters
Posted in Books, Literary agent, tagged books, literary agents, publishing on July 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Welcome, Carly, is the seat ok? If it is, I will start the interview. Oooops, forgot to pour you a glass of champagne. Here you are…
Thank you for joining us today; I know how busy you are.
Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself and how, and why, you become a literary 
agent.
I’m a literary agent with the P.S. Literary Agency. I’ve been with them since 2010 and I have worked in publishing for five years. I started in publishing by doing my Masters in Publishing Studies at City University London and simultaneously worked for the Darley Anderson Agency as an agency assistant. The moment I found out what an agent was, I was hooked. To me, it seemed like all the best parts of business combined! Rights, editing, marketing & more. I love my job.
How many proposals do you get a week?
How do you choose which one to read first?
Do you read them all or do you have readers who do that for you?
I get approximately 200 queries per week from people that have finished their book and are looking for representation and a publisher.
I read them chronologically, as they come in.
I read every single query myself.
How many manuscripts do you get a week?
How do you choose which one to read first?
Do you read them all or do you have readers who do that for you?
I request about 10 manuscripts a month.
When I choose to request material I read them in alphabetical order on my iPad.
Sometimes I have readers help me read the manuscripts, but I look at everything even if I don’t read it fully.
Do you have a certain amount of manuscripts and proposals you will accept per day or week?
It’s unlimited. But if a certain month brings in lots of quality material it will take me longer than the usual 4-6 weeks to get back to people.
Writers are advised to only send the required literature, i.e. letter, CV, first few chapters and synopsis. Do you read all of this or are there one or two specific things you read?
I like a one-page synopsis to jog my memory and the first three chapters. Sometimes people make the mistake of sending any three chapters, but you should always send the first three (consecutive) chapters.
Do writers put gifts in with the proposals? Does it sway you to reading their work? What is the best gift you have received and what is the worst?
They do and it never sways me. It makes me leery. Why do you need a gimmick? You should believe in the words on the page.
Now, I only accept e-queries at query@psliterary.com, but I used to accept paper queries and we’d see some strange things. It’s great to make a beautiful package, but we have to rip it all apart anyway—and it’s not worth the extra postage.
What criteria do you use to decide if you are going to take a writer on?
I have to LOVE the manuscript. It has to make me feel something: cry, laugh, anger, swoon—something. I have to get along with the writer too. I will have a phone call before I represent someone. It’s a personal business and I want to represent people that I get along with.
Do you take on authors who self-publish?
I do, but under the pretense that I will submit their new work first before they self publish. Or they write in a genre I don’t work on and will self publish there, but write traditionally for me. I don’t look down on anything that was self published, but I don’t take on self published books in the hopes that a traditional publisher will pick them up. I’m interested in sub rights (film, tv, audio) for them. And if someone queries with a new book and has self published before I don’t look down on that either. It’s irrelevant.
Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?
If you are a talented writer that works on women’s fiction, book club books, YA, literary thrillers, commercial fiction or upmarket fiction query me! I’m actively looking for new writers at query@psliterary.com.
Find me on Twitter @carlywatters, online at www.carlywatters.com, and on Amazon where I wrote an ebook to help querying writers called ‘Getting Published in the 21st Century’ http://amzn.to/1iPuBId. It’s only $2.99 and full of great information to set your query apart from the pack.
Thank you for coming today Carly, I have really enjoyed meeting you.
New book-Chatty Cat
Posted in Cat, garden, tagged adventure, books, cuddly, happy, rehomed, rescue, Writing on July 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »
NEW BOOK!!!!
Chatty Cat: The First Six Months [True account of rescue cat settling in to her new home, made into a story]
Where to purchase your copy; Amazon UK http://goo.gl/SZgln9 USA http://goo.gl/qNk4SR Italy http://goo.gl/nuzYya Australia http://goo.gl/ibc10L Canada http://goo.gl/GIdQLH
On The Radio…
Posted in Uncategorized on July 9, 2014| Leave a Comment »
On Blythe Valley Radio talking about my book, Beyond My Control: Why the Health and Social Care System Need Not Have Failed My Mother http://goo.gl/OoFsfA
Being hosted…
Posted in Uncategorized on July 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »
I am being hosted on Brookcottagebooks blog:
Chatty Cat by Suzan Collins – Promo Spot
Celebrating the launch of a new book by Suzan Collins – Chatty Cat – The First Six Months, [a true account of a rescue cat settling into her new home, made into a story]. The book is now available to buy.
Blurb
One woman. One cat. Two very different ways of thinking. Meet Chatty Cat and her human [hooman] as they get to know one another. Chatty Cat is a smart but scared cat who has been adopted and is getting used to her new home. Her hooman thinks she knows exactly what Chatty Cat is thinking and what she needs. Chatty Cat however has other ideas and with a mind of her own, her hooman begins to wonder who is actually in charge!
This book is a very light read and I know that the author enjoyed writing it, not only because it is about Chatty but also the last book she wrote [true story] was very hard to write [and harrowing], ‘Beyond My Control: Why the Health and Social Care System Need Not Have Failed My Mother’.
The Author
Author Suzan Collins is an internationally selling author and lives on the East Coast in the UK. Suzan writes romance and has also written an array of non-fiction books that pertain to her work as a consultant/trainer in health, social care and management.
Suzan enjoys writing fiction as it allows her to make up stories [and eat cake!] and write non-fiction to inform others [and eat cake!].
Her latest book, ‘Chatty Cat: First Six Months’ is a book about Chatty who was a rescue cat and settled in to live with her new owner, Suzan. Or is Chatty the new owner…?
Where to find Suzan:Website: http://www.spcconsultancy.com Facebook Authorpage: http://goo.gl/zfiqyv Facebook: http://goo.gl/i2Lp5U Twitter: @suzancollins http://suzancollinsauthor.wordpress.com
Where you can find Suzan’s books: Amazon UK http://goo.gl/SZgln9 USA http://goo.gl/qNk4SR Italy http://goo.gl/nuzYya Australia http://goo.gl/ibc10L Canada http://goo.gl/GIdQLH
Waterstones http://goo.gl/8oBjUB
Where to find Chatty Cat
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ChattyCat?ref_type=bookmark
Blog: http://chattycatno1.wordpress.com/
http://brookcottagebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/chatty-cat-by-suzan-collins-promo-spot.html
Suzan Collins 
