Category: Reflecting

Staying Positive: in writing and in real life #positivenews #happyendings #writing #ovacome #ovariancancer #romanticfiction @yesshecan @debbiemjohnson @Ovacome @PositiveNewsUK

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Image shows positivity concept on cork bulletin board – colourful sticky notes with a smiley

Word of the month: Positivity 

As I say in the description of my blog, it’s all about Writing, Reading and Reflecting, and this month it was easy for me to see a theme of positivity running through all three.

WRITING

In my writing I’m on the home straight with my latest novel and the happy (and therefore positive) ending for me and my two main characters is in sight. And no, that’s not a spoiler. I write romantic fiction and the deal that I, and just about all other romance writers, have with our readers is that our books will end with a happy ever after. What matters is the story of how the characters get to their happy ending, overcoming all sorts of obstacles and challenges along the way.  

READING

In my reading too there’s been lots of positivity. I’ve read some heart-warming romances including these two:

Virtual Strangers by Sam Canning

From the back cover:

The Flatshare meets a modern You’ve Got Mail

Do you believe in love at first type?

When Ada set up her own PR firm from a coffee shop, she didn’t expect to meet journalist Fraser. Also working there daily, he soon becomes a friend. Reporting on interesting things to do around Edinburgh, Fraser ropes Ada into accompanying him on his assignments.

As they work side-by-side Ada can’t help but notice how attractive Fraser is, and how well they get along. But, Ada has been chatting to a guy she met on an Agatha Christie fan fiction site, and she can’t stop wondering about him. His interests are the same as hers, and the anonymity helps them both be more honest and open. As Ada’s messages with the mystery man become deeper, she thinks she’s falling for him.

Ada is torn between Fraser and Myster-E – but can you have real feelings for someone when you’re virtual strangers?

Falling for You by Debbie Johnson

From the back cover:

Sometimes it takes life falling apart …to piece yourself back together!

Single mum Jenny’s life is turned upside-down (quite literally) when her beloved cottage on the Norfolk coast falls off a cliff. And so, with the storm raging on, Jenny and her eighteen-year-old son Charlie are forced to take refuge in her neighbour, Luke’s, cosy campervan.

It’s a tight squeeze for the three of them – and Luke’s adorable dachshund, Betty – but somehow they make it work. And when far-too-handsome Luke suggests a spontaneous road trip around England, it ignites a desire for adventure in Jenny she thought long extinguished!

And soon she begins to wonder whether losing everything might just have been the best thing that ever happened to her… I can highly recommend both of the above books.

But I’ve also read and enjoyed some thought-provoking and very positive non-fiction too.   First of all there’s The Well-Lived Life by 102 year-old Dr Gladys McGarey

From the back cover: There’s really no one quite like Dr Gladys McGarey.

Age 8 years old, she met Gandhi in India who instilled in her life lessons about love.

She began her medical practice at a time when women couldn’t own their ownbank accounts, and accumulated thousands of patients.

At 85 she travelled to Afghanistan to teach rural woman safer birthing practices, resulting in a 47% decrease in infant mortality rates in the area.

Dr. Gladys McGarey revolutionised holistic medicine. Now, aged 102 and still practising as a doctor, she shares her powerful secrets so you can live your own life with joy, vitality and purpose at any age – just as she has.

In a voice that is both practical and inspiring, Dr Gladys shares life-changing stories of miraculous healing from her thousands of patients of all ages, as well as her own experiences as a mother of six, and her survival of both heartbreak and illness, as heard on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.

Dr. Gladys will change the way you think not only about health and healing but what leads to a life filled with joy and satisfaction.

And then there’s the monthly magazine Positive News to which I have a quarterly subscription.

About Positive NewsPositive News is the online and print magazine for rigorous journalism about what’s going right.We report socially relevant and uplifting stories of progress – ranging from the global boom in renewable energy to cities that are solving homelessness – joining the dots between how people, communities and organisations are changing the world for the better.We publish daily online and Positive News magazine is published quarterly in print.

REFLECTING

My personal reflections this month are also positive. August 2023 will see the 25th anniversary of my diagnosis with ovarian cancer. And yes, I get the irony that a positive diagnosis with cancer is anything but positive in terms of health. My symptoms were a bloated belly, mid menstrual cycle pain, and I looked pregnant. I knew I wasn’t pregnant. But I did know I’d gone up two dress sizes in as many weeks. However, my regular GP and family planning clinic told me there was nothing wrong. A nurse at the family planning clinic told me I was obese and my GP gave me a weight loss leaflet. Fortunately I didn’t give up when dieting made no difference and I went back to the doctor. This time I was lucky. I saw a locum GP who examined me and immediately got me a hospital appointment. And so my cancer journey began. I had an amazing consultant and first class treatment. I had amazing support from family and friends and I also got support from two wonderful UK cancer charities Ovacome (which is specifically for ovarian cancer help) https://www.ovacome.org.uk/ and Macmillan Cancer Support https://www.macmillan.org.uk/ Either or both are well worth checking out if you or a loved one is faced with a cancer diagnosis.  And the fact I’m still here speaks for itself. My treatment was successful and the outcome was positive in the non-cancer meaning of the word. So yes, let’s hear it for positivity.

What about you? Do you have any positive news to share? Feel free to do so in the comments below.

MY NEWSLETTER

And don’t forget, if you want a more intimate round up of my current writing such as updates on the work-in-progress, sneak peeks at same, early notification of publication dates, giveaways and lots more, do sign up for my author newsletter. And when you do you’ll receive A FREE BOOK of some of my romantic short stories as a thank you. Just click HERE and fill in your email address. 

MY LATEST BOOK

My latest novel is contemporary romance Baby Steps.

It’s available as an ebook and as a paperback and you can buy it HERE If you’ve read it already please do consider leaving a review at the buy link above. Reviews no matter how brief are so helpful and I appreciate every one. To find out more about all of my books just go to the BOOKS page HERE on the website.

Planning versus Going With The Flow: In Writing and in Real Life #writing #reading #planning #plotting

writeanne4 Comments
Image shows compass needle pointing to the word control

Word of the Month: Control

In the words of Scottish poet Robert Burns, ‘The best laid plans o’ mice and men gang aft a-gley’. In other words you can plan all you like, but it doesn’t mean the plan will come to pass and everything will work out perfectly. And I’ve recently found this to be as true in my writing life as it is in real life.

Now, in spite of the poet’s wise words, I’m prepared to admit to being a bit of a control freak in real life. I plan our weekly dinner menus in advance, I do the household accounts every month, and have an ongoing daily schedule in my diary for work and play. I’m also the queen of lists and the use Post-It notes.

Control of my Writing and the Need for a Plan

However, when I’m writing, I don’t mind the plot getting a little out of control. I like it when my characters surprise me and I don’t plan every plot detail in advance. Fiction writers are often described as being either plotters or pantsters (as in flying by the seat of their pants). I tend to be mainly a pantster – working with a rough outline and knowing how I want the story to end but, as I said above, enjoying the inspirational surprises along the way.

But as I write my latest novel, I’m beginning to see some of the downsides of being a pantster. The reason being I want the work-in-progress to be the first in a series of contemporary romantic fiction. It’s a series where each book will have its own two main romantic leads but the community in the Scottish Borders where the story is set in will remain the same. This means keeping track of all the supporting cast members, their appearance, age, job, relationship status etc just in case they pop up in future books – either in starring roles or still in support. And if they are going to be in a future leading role, I need to know now so that I can ensure their current relationship status will fit with that future role.

This means I’m having to spend more time that I’m used to on planning my writing and I now have a folder full of character facts, possible pairings and skeleton plots for the future as well as for the work-in-progress. I’m also getting to grips with an app for writers called Plottr which seems to lend itself especially well to series planning.

Ans so yes, this pantster of a writer is having to be a bit more in control and, for now at least, has moved to the planner camp.

Control and Planning in Other Aspects of Writing

It’s not just the creative side of my writing that needs planning. There’s also the managing and marketing side of things too because as an independent publisher of my own books there’s a business to run.

This involves keeping track of income and expenditure, scheduling publishing and launch plans, working with my editor and my cover designer, dealing with publishing platforms and distributors – to name just some of it.

It also necessitates doing things to attract new readers and reward existing ones.

Most importantly there’s writing my newsletter which, as the name suggests, lets my subscribers know how my writing is progressing, gives them sneak peeks at the work-in-progress, or an occasional special book-related offer or competition. Coming up in my next newsletter I’ll be answering subscribers questions about my books and my writing in general.

Doing my newsletter along with writing this blog, and regularly posting on my Facebook and Instagram author pages all require planning and keeping control of delivering those plans.

image shows compass with needle pointing the word choice.

Not all about Control

Having said all of the above, I wouldn’t do any of it if I didn’t enjoy it. I LOVE writing. OK, the business side of things can be hard going but I never let it overshadow the sheer joy of storytelling. And sometimes that storytelling does need to be given free rein to delight and surprise me and, hopefully, in turn my readers. The day that delight and enjoyment stop is the day I’ll quit making up stories.

And Speaking of Enjoyment …

There’s READING books

I’ve read several very good books since last month’s post and it’s been hard to pick out the best one, but I’ve done it. And Book of the Month this month is Miranda Dickinson’s latest novel All My Love.

Image shows bookcover with couple sitting on bench

All My Love is a first class, slow-burn, contemporary romance and I definitely recommend it. It’s available as an ebook, an audio book, and as a paperback.

From the back cover:

Sometimes love can be staring you in the face . . . and you don’t even know it

By day, Archie works tirelessly as assistant to the editor of a local newspaper.

By night, Esther works after hours cleaning the rows of office desks with the help of her trusty sidekick, Fred the trolley.

Their paths have never crossed, until one discarded Post-it note unexpectedly brings them together.

Because they share one thing in common . . . they’re both secretly in love with someone else.

And they might just be the two people who can help each other find the courage to confess their feelings and write the perfect love letter.

But what if they’re falling for the wrong person?

Meanwhile Away from Writing and Reading

The last month hasn’t all been about control, planning and hard work, however. As always I’ve enjoyed time in the garden, listening to music – current music crush is Jack Savoretti – and going for walks. Most recently those walks were along the lovely beach beside the holiday cottage I stayed in in the town of Banff on Scotland’s Moray Firth coast. So I’ll leave you with a picture from that seaside and a link to Jack on YouTube.

Jack Savoretti

Image of beach

As always do feel free to comment and share how much you plan and try to exert control over your working and personal life and how much you just like to let go.

MY NEWSLETTER

And don’t forget, if you want a more intimate round up of my current writing such as updates on the work-in-progress, sneak peeks at same, early notification of publication dates, giveaways and lots more, do sign up for my author newsletter. And when you do you’ll receive A FREE BOOK of some of my romantic short stories as a thank you. Just click HERE and fill in your email address. 

MY LATEST BOOK

My latest novel is contemporary romance Baby Steps.

Book cover image of embracing couple silhouetted against a city skyline

It’s available as an ebook and as a paperback and you can buy it HERE

If you’ve read it already please do consider leaving a review at the buy link above. Reviews no matter how brief are so helpful and I appreciate every one.

To find out more about all of my books just go to the BOOKS page HERE on the website.

Time Away From The Desk Is Vital #writing #nature #mentalhealth #health #exercise

writeanne5 Comments
Picture shows bluebell woodland path with beautiful sunrise through the trees and shafts of light

Word of the Month: Exercise

Now I’m no athlete, that’s for sure, but maintaining a degree of physical fitness is important to me. I’m fortunate and grateful to be in good health and of course I’d like to keep it that way. So taking time out of my working day at the writing desk for some daily exercise seems to me to be a no-brainer.

And my go-to form of exercise is definitely walking. I get out for a walk most days and usually walk for an hour or so. I’m lucky enough to live in a lovely Scottish village with woodland, riverside, hill and country track walks on my doorstep. So it’s no hardship to get out walking and I really don’t have to force myself to do it. In fact I miss it if other stuff gets in the way and I can’t get those vital steps done.

However, the walking thing isn’t only about getting my heart pumping and keeping those muscles and bones strong. It’s about my mental health and my creativity levels too.

For me, nothing beats a brisk walk for working off all those pesky stress hormones. Walking in the outdoors, hearing the birds sing, seeing the sky, the trees, and feeling the sun, wind, or even the rain (I’m in Scotland remember), all help to clear the head and lift the spirits.

But as well as the physical and mental benefits, I’ve found there’s a third benefit to be had. I’ve discovered that the creative part of my brain likes a walk too. I’ve lost count of the number of times when, while out for a walk, I’ve solved that pesky problem I’ve been having with the plot of the novel I’m working on at the time. Or I might have a light bulb moment about a character or a tricky piece of dialogue. And, I have to say, I’m rarely actively thinking about my writing when these breakthroughs and ideas pop into my head. It just happens.

So, yes, here’s to exercise and its multiple benefits.

Writing

And speaking of writing, I’m busy doing the final quarter of the current work-in-progress – and I’m loving how the story is unfolding. The working title is Happiness Cottage. It’s a contemporary romance – of course – and it’s set in a fictional village the Scottish Borders. I’m intending for it to be the first in a series of books all set in the same place with a different main couple in each. So although the books to come will all be able to be read as standalones, there will be a chance for series followers to catch up with characters they’ve met in previous books.

I’m enjoying the sparks that go off whenever grumpy farmer Aidan is with Australian visitor Lori and can’t wait to right the romantic ending.

However, setting up a series and inventing a whole community including a village and its neighbouring town is quite a challenge. But more about both these aspects in future posts.

Reading

Another great form of exercise in terms of our brains is, of course, reading. Along with the walking, and the writing it’s another thing I couldn’t do without and I always like to share the best of the books I’ve been reading here on the blog. And this month it’s a shout out for An Italian Island Summer by Sue Moorcroft, a favourite author of mine. Safe to say I loved it. I loved the Sicilian island setting, the two troubled main characters and the oh so romantic story. I can highly recommend this book as the perfect summer read.

From the back cover:

Will one summer in Sicily change her life for ever?

After her marriage falls apart, Ursula Quinn is offered the chance to spend the summer working at a hotel on a beautiful island off the coast of Sicily, Italy. Excited by a new adventure, she sets off at once.

At Residenza dei Tringali, Ursula receives a warm welcome from everyone except Alfio, son of the Tringali family. He gave up his life in Barcelona to help his mother Agata with the ailing business, and is frustrated with Ursula’s interference – and she in turn is less than impressed with his attitude. As they spend more time together, though, they begin to see each other in a different light.

But what with Ursula’s ex-husband on her tail, family secrets surfacing and an unexpected offer that makes Alfio question his whole life, there’s plenty to distract them from one another. Can she face her past and he his future, and together make the most of their Sicilian summer?

It’s available in paperback and ebook in bookshops and online.

Reflecting

So, yes, for me as writer and as a human being exercise in all its forms – whether it be for the body, mind or the imagination are all vital.

As always feel free to comment below with your thoughts on exercise or anything else you’d like to respond to from this post. And thank you for reading!

MY NEWSLETTER

And don’t forget, if you want a more intimate and focussed round up of my current writing such as updates on the work-in-progress, sneak peeks at same, early notification of publication dates, giveaways and lots more, do sign up for my author newsletter. And when you do you’ll receive A FREE BOOK of some of my romantic short stories as a thank you. Just click HERE and fill in your email address. 

MY LATEST BOOK

My latest novel is contemporary romance Baby Steps.

It’s available as an ebook and as a paperback and you can buy it HERE

If you’ve read it already please do consider leaving a review at the buy link above. Reviews no matter how brief are so helpful and I appreciate every one.

To find out more about all of my books just go to the BOOKS page HERE on the website.