Hello again. You probably won't remember me, but I was the short one with the blonde hair who used to do a blog about writing...
Actually, the past few months have been a bit of an emotional (and work) roller-coaster. The good news (in fact the veryveryveryveryveryvery good news) is that in May I was given a contract by the lovely people at Arrow - only I couldn't tell anybody about it for a while (hell on earth for a blabbermouth like me). They wanted the finished book in by the end of January which meant an awful lot of graft - I think I took Christmas Day off, but that was about it. Then, in June, about four weeks after the contract was agreed, we had a shattering diagnosis for a close family member which resulted, five months later in the loss of that person. It was a pretty horrible time and, I'm afraid, one during which I split my time simply between the family and writing the book. Blogs and FaceBook fell rather by the wayside.
So I hope you forgive me.
However, on a happier note, the book is now in - watch this space for some exclusive previews - and work on the next one has already begun. The publication date for Summer Loving is scheduled for the 26th May this year and I am also planning my workshop at this year's Winchester Writers Conference on 'How to Write Like Jane Austen: surely every writer's New Year's Resolution!
In the meantime, stay well
Lots of love,
Allie x
7 comments:
So good to see you back again, Allie. Sending you lots of hugs for your recent sad times and a HUGE Congratulations on your new contract!!
Love & Best Wishes,
Sue xx
Thanks Susan - hugs coming right back at you, too x
Hi Allie,
So sorry to hear of your loss, I'm sure noone would begrudge you some time out.
But huge congratulations on the contract and forthcoming release. Fantastic news. I look forward to reading it :-)
Hi Lucie, lovely to meet you. Lots of luck with your novel writing. I started when my oldest was little too. xx
It is always lovely to hear successful writers say they started when their children were small, makes it seem all the more achievable for people like me. It is so hard to write with small children. My daughter is 4 and seems to constantly be catching every single bug/illness going at the moment. This past week she has been very ill with Croup and a 24 hr sickness bug to top it off - so writing has pretty much taken a back seat. It's even harder to hit deadlines and only takes a couple of days lost, due to illness or half term, and you are put back weeks!
But I am getting there, and I am hoping, one day, to be telling others about my trials as a writer when the children were small, but having got there in the end.
xxx
Oh goodness, Lucie, it sounds like you've been through it this past week! Hang on in there - it DOES get easier as they get older. My youngest started school in September and the difference to my stress levels has been enormous. You will get there. xx
Thanks Allie, your words really do mean something. My LO is 4.5yo and starts f/t school in Sept, so I am hoping to notice the change then. I am hoping to write things a lot faster, for a start!
Thanks for the encouragement, though, it's very kind of you xx
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