Why I slashed the first three chapters of my novel
Chapter one of my debut novel Return to Desiree Bay didn’t originally start with the protagonist Skye Summerhayes driving into her home town. I’d always resisted placing my heroine literally in the driver’s seat because, a long time ago, I took to advice from an author to avoid starting a story with a driving scene….
Cover reveal: Return to Desiree Bay
Soon I’ll have something to show for the years I rattled on about writing a novel, and the years that followed the completion of the first draft where I went on and on about, one day, becoming a published author. It was a distant horizon, and it still feels that way today, less than a…
Pandemonium in my brain: why I need a beta reader and better time management
SOME would say I live a safe life. I have a stressful day job, a stressed-out family life and a very old dog (she will die soon so expect grief-stricken post). What’s more, I live in the suburbs and head to the coast for the holidays. But when it comes to writing for contests, I…