tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68932199482158746092024-03-13T12:56:45.026-07:00Funny You Should Read ThatThe Life of a Romantic Comedy WriterAlliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-91678333736238470372012-10-10T06:02:00.001-07:002012-10-10T06:02:50.917-07:00The Next Big ThingThis one comes from my friend Kerry Fisher (kerryfisherauthor.blogspot.co.uk)<a href="http://kerryfisherauthor.blogspot.co.uk"></a>
It's a sort of chain publicity thing for writers where we get to talk about our current work in progress. As some of you will know, this isn't something I do very often so - if you fancy a sneak peak at what should (cross everything) be coming your way next summer then check this out!
<b>What is the working title of your book?</b>
My next book is called ‘Summer Dreams’ and will be the third of the summer holiday series.
<b>Where did the idea come from for the book?</b>
I wanted to write about the wedding from hell for a while now. I also had an idea for one of the sub-plots whilst I was working as a matrimonial/divorce lawyer and I’d been itching to use that – the rest of it grew out of the characters.
<b>What genre does your book fall under?
</b>
Romantic comedy.
<b>Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?</b>
I’d go for...Carey Mulligan for my heroine, and probably a slightly younger (and Scottish!) Paul Rudd for my hero.
<b>What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?</b>
When family wedding from hell turns out to be the ideal opportunity to be reunited with the love of your life!
<b>Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?</b>
It will be published by Arrow Books in early summer next year – can’t wait!
<b>How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?</b>
First drafts always take me ages. The plan was for the first draft to be done within three months, when in actual fact it took more like 4.
<b>Who or What inspired you to write this book?</b>
The belief that weddings are all sweetness and light when in fact they can be the most stressful time of your life!
<b>What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?</b>
Like all good family stories, there are a zillion secrets all waiting to tumble out, the gorgeous back-drop of a medieval Tuscan monastery (now a hotel) where the action is set, a half-Italian, half-Scottish hero – oh, and there’s a dog. I do rather like the dog...
So that's me. Now, for next week, I'm handing over to three writers who I admire very much indeed:
Phillipa Ashley at <a href="http://phillipa-ashley.com/blog/">http://phillipa-ashley.com/blog/</a>
Sarah Jane Stratford at <a href="http://sarahjanestratford.blogspot.co.uk/">http://sarahjanestratford.blogspot.co.uk/</a>
And Holly Stacey at ww<a href="www.inkydoom.blogspot.com">w.inkydoom.blogspot.com</a>
Hope you enjoy the news of their upcoming work too!
Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-85871499057805741682011-05-24T06:01:00.000-07:002011-05-24T07:02:06.692-07:00Two Days To Go!!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFXYSoVC9IHEUVqJfYXSEfSNGHNrsCXrXHV9gFSxh1Fcb_S8NDlDqo8vdxJWH9BoHDMzhMBJ2inUrvDslI42WLzVflFa1xl_QDi_KosuNTwBjtDrG23KlWGnLT685ziNHgMXIUkHroEu9/s1600/bookweekm4mlogo%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFXYSoVC9IHEUVqJfYXSEfSNGHNrsCXrXHV9gFSxh1Fcb_S8NDlDqo8vdxJWH9BoHDMzhMBJ2inUrvDslI42WLzVflFa1xl_QDi_KosuNTwBjtDrG23KlWGnLT685ziNHgMXIUkHroEu9/s200/bookweekm4mlogo%255B1%255D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610282597698037730" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYX8vjbi-BDw7yOoGwZO100dUjH4C5YPO046heSw5-KGpC_0_myJ8wZS4Y5T77Z4L6oljSvR0NIMbHSXKwHzvlItK2tFjqpZN9HZpuTs6cNeffCjkBouVfCK1tGsrmI66eFAEd3ri9iEQ/s1600/SummerLoving_PBB05%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 209px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYX8vjbi-BDw7yOoGwZO100dUjH4C5YPO046heSw5-KGpC_0_myJ8wZS4Y5T77Z4L6oljSvR0NIMbHSXKwHzvlItK2tFjqpZN9HZpuTs6cNeffCjkBouVfCK1tGsrmI66eFAEd3ri9iEQ/s320/SummerLoving_PBB05%255B1%255D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610282269592042994" /></a><br />Oh my life! This is just such an exciting week. First up, the official release date for 'Summer Loving' is now only TWO days away (squeeeeee!) although it is already available in WH Smith Travel outlets (see the pic!)and I know (because I've ordered it, sad thing that I am!) that Amazon have begun shipping today. I know I'm the author, but it really is a book that I am very, very proud to have written and the feedback so far from the few people I know who have received advance copies has been more than generous - 'laugh out loud' and 'tear-jerking' amongst them. So whether you like to sniff into your Kleenex or have a giggle, this book has all bases covered. If you haven't already ordered a copy, click <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Loving-Allie-Spencer/dp/0099557053/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306243459&sr=8-1">here</a> to do so from Amazon.<br /><br />Also, there is now under a week to go till the start of the Make for Macmillan Book Week. A pile of wonderful authors, including Katie Fforde, Freya North, Rowan Coleman, Adele Parks, Jenny Colgan, Lucie Hart and many more have all donated books which will be signed with the winning bidder's inscription of choice. This is an AMAZING opportunity to grab a book by your fave author or maybe buy an extra special present for a friend or relative and, as the saying goes, you can't get this in any shop! So, totally exclusive and with all proceeds (the authors are even paying the postage themselves) going to Macmillan, get your cheque books out and prepare to start bidding. It's going to be HUGE.<br /><br />To see a list of the books available click <a href="http://makeformacmillan.blogspot.com/p/adult-book-week.html">here</a> <br /><br />For the site on which the auction will take place - starting NEXT MONDAY - click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.175705379147025.55498.163410227043207">here</a>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-61038309958093638602011-05-13T11:35:00.000-07:002011-05-15T02:35:11.581-07:00Women Aloud: Audiobook Collection of Short Stories<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoX4b7Sa2Fy7fWnZZYV5JK9sALARc2nm08IvV6I0TqJ1H6NZyeJgAVXsvD7J65v1i4FwkZWNfVcj97s8Mdg9K1b52MHLF3Eq1y3m3Wcw4vMYxY7YUoxq-BE7YTxrrtoLYV3Eo-VZJ97gg/s1600/womanaloud_small%255B2%255D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoX4b7Sa2Fy7fWnZZYV5JK9sALARc2nm08IvV6I0TqJ1H6NZyeJgAVXsvD7J65v1i4FwkZWNfVcj97s8Mdg9K1b52MHLF3Eq1y3m3Wcw4vMYxY7YUoxq-BE7YTxrrtoLYV3Eo-VZJ97gg/s320/womanaloud_small%255B2%255D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606874052805434130" /></a><br />With just under two weeks to go until the official release of ‘Summer Loving’, here is some more awesome book news. I was thrilled to be asked to contribute a short story to an audiobook anthology which will be sold to raise funds for the Helena Kennedy Foundation. The Foundation provides support, mentoring and bursaries to enable disadvantaged students to continue their studies and therefore gain employment. It helps people who are economically and socially disadvantaged as well as those with learning disabilities like dyslexia.<br /><br />I am personally a huge fan of Helena Kennedy’s – she was one of the women who inspired me to read for the Bar and she has, in my opinion, used her position to campaign hard for social justice in a number of fields.<br /><br />The contributors to the book – as well as yours truly – are Trisha Ashley, Judy Astley, Elizabeth Chadwick, Rowan Coleman, Katie Fforde, Milly Johnson, Catherine King, Sophie King, Carole Matthews and Sue Moorcroft, and it will be available as a download or a CD from late September.<br /><br />To pre-order your CD please e-mail: womenaloud@shortstoryweek.org.uk<br /><br />It’s gonna be fabulous!<br /><br />For more information on Women Aloud click <a href="http://www.nationalshortstoryweek.org.uk/women-aloud.htm">here</a>.<br /><br />For more information on the Helena Kennedy Foundation click <a href="http://www.hkf.org.uk/">here</a>.Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-39636515621910763472011-05-04T02:43:00.000-07:002011-05-04T03:09:24.199-07:00International Chick Lit MonthIt is now just over three weeks to go until the official publication of 'Summer Loving' - squee! I'm feeling very excited and also just a teensy bit nervous as well (as I always do at this point!). 'Summer Loving' is the story of four girls who go on holiday to a Greek island, intending to have the most party-tastic two weeks of their lives...and let's just say it doesn't quite work out like that!<br />If you would like to pre-order a copy of 'Summer Loving' from Amazon (and I really hope you do!), click <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Loving-Allie-Spencer/dp/0099557053/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1304503200&sr=8-2">here</a>.<br /><br />Fittingly perhaps, May is also International Chick Lit Month. Hurrah! I am (as you might imagine) a huge fan of chick lit so a whole month celebrating the feisty heroines and witty writing that makes it (in my modest opinion) one of the freshest-feeling, most vibrant genres around, sounds like a fabulous idea. I was asked by Steph of Chick Lit Club to blog on the subject and my post - why chick lit has all the best heroines - can be read by clicking <a href="http://internationalchicklitmonth.com/2011/05/01/author-post-allie-spencer/">here</a>.<br /><br />Keep up to date with International Chick Lit Month throughout May 2011 via <a href="http://www.chicklitclub.com/">Chick Lit Club</a>, <a href="http://www.novelicious.com/">Novelicious </a>and <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>.<br /><br />Happy reading!Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-71664471429617950622011-04-28T05:39:00.001-07:002011-04-28T06:17:48.458-07:00What's in a Name?<a href="http://www.moxiebird.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/prince-william-and-kate-middleton.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="http://www.moxiebird.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/prince-william-and-kate-middleton.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />It's always interesting being called Spencer during any big royal event.<br />Of course, we're not actually related to <em>the</em> Spencers - or at least I don't think so. My father, bless him, is secretly still convinced that if we scour the old family tree hard enough, we will run into the Spencer-Churchills and he can enjoy being fourth cousin five times removed to Winston himself - the fact that our ancestors seem to come from rural Derbyshire and number furniture making and customs officers amongst their occupations does not appear to dim his expectation.<br /><br />I first felt the weirdness of having a famous-name-by-proxy during the aftermath of Princess Diana's death. I was working in London at the time and the headlines in the national press and The Evening Standard seemed to permanently carry my name. Even though I knew I had nothing to do with the stories themselves, there was always a split-second delay whilst my brain worked this one out. And it wasn't just me - I was actually asked on a couple of occasions if I was 'a Spencer': I always said no (although I am, of course, literally, A Spencer), and, in one memorable instance, I came out of court to see two ushers look at me and one say 'well, she does have a family resemblance...'<br /><br />In fact the nearest I ever got to Diana was almost running slap-bang into her, my arms full of files, at the solicitor's office where I worked and where she had instructed one of the partners to act for her. As I approached a set of double doors that led out onto the stairwell, they were flung open from the other side and a small entourage marched passed me, including the princess herself in a yellow suit. Thirty seconds later and she was gone; ships in the night and all that malarkey.<br /><br />The name thing has now passed on to one of my brothers whose work colleagues have made the leap that he is, in fact, one of <em>those</em> Spencers. They made the assumption all by themselves but he is - happily - playing along with it and cryptically mentioning that he's busy this weekend because he has to go to a wedding. <br /><br />However, unless my invitation turns up at the last minute, I shall - like the rest of the world - be watching the <em>other </em>Spencers and their chums rock up to the wedding of the year without me. Hope it goes well for Wills and Kate and, even more, I hope she enjoys being part of the family! We're not so bad once you get to know us.Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-63597966501016826722011-04-16T06:44:00.000-07:002011-04-16T08:26:30.697-07:00Short and Sweet: Some Ideas About Short Stories<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoofi3QYWD9owS9DjdD5GvoMjFGbf3d-zigOToh7JTfOcw-0S07L9g_yZJPtXzMOoztaiwRq3vMDYzWAj00PQy68ZMeFkuGxpPrEREk21-Ni7yD0MmYtIXmO4lCZw6sh45-mp7ftykq5p/s1600/Office-waste-paper-bin-full.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoofi3QYWD9owS9DjdD5GvoMjFGbf3d-zigOToh7JTfOcw-0S07L9g_yZJPtXzMOoztaiwRq3vMDYzWAj00PQy68ZMeFkuGxpPrEREk21-Ni7yD0MmYtIXmO4lCZw6sh45-mp7ftykq5p/s200/Office-waste-paper-bin-full.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596197062388240162" /></a><br />I don't normally 'do' short stories. Although, to be even fair, I did write an awful lot of them when I was at school - ah-em - more years ago than I care to remember; and, to be even fairer, I wasn't that bad at them either. However, with my writing time being so limited over the past few years, I have only been able to concentrate on the job in hand (ie my WIP). Short stories, like Twitter and, sadly, my blogging, are something I haven't had much time for. However, with both kids at school, I hope I can change that and, in the past few weeks, I've not only been writing but thinking about the short story in quite some detail. So I thought I might throw a few ideas out there in case anyone else is thinking of picking up their pen. And, even after (cough, cough, splutter - insert the number of years since you had to write one at school) I promise it is well worth your while - and not just because there are far more competitions out there for unpublished short story writers than novelists.<br /><br /><strong>Point 1 The Short Story Is Not a Mini-novel</strong><br /><br />The raison d'etre of the short story is that it is short. Natch. In fact, shorties for publication these days seem to be around 1500 - 2500 words max. There is even the fashion these days for so-called 'flash fiction' which is 1000 words or less and, at its most reductivist, no more than 55. This is obviously very, <em>very</em> short. <br /><br />However, because they are both written in continuous, narrative text, it is tempting to think of the short story as being the novel's little brother - but this is not the case. They are completely separate art forms and what works in one should not necessarily be sauce for the gander. <br /><br />Or something.<br /><br />In terms of screen space, 2500 words on my laptop works out as four and a half pages single-spaced. That is not a lot of time to introduce characters, arcs, plot, setting, ambiance and a twist in the tale. It's not even as long as an average chapter in one of my novels. In my humble opinion, therefore, if you do find yourself staring down the barrel of this sort of wordcount, you are probably better off abandoning the idea of a full 'story' and looking instead at conjuring up a narrative linked to one (at most two) events. There simply won't be room to do justice to anything else. One of my favourite short story writers is Saki, who can write a gripping, memorable and gobsmacking story in very few words simply by relying on the power of atmosphere, suggestion and a completely killer twist. (Try 'The Reticence of Lady Anne at http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/766/)<br /><br />When planning my most recent shortie, I made myself imagine a single narrative event and then attempted to write that event in such a way that the outcome was (hopefully) unpredictable till the end of the story. This does mean that as a writer you have to be careful when you select your core event that it has the potential of heading in more than one direction. An alternative is to work very hard to build the reader's expectation in one direction - and then throw in an unforeseen twist at the end a la Saki. <br /><br /><strong>Point 2 You Will Need to Bring All your Writing Expertise to Bear Upon The Story, Even If It's Short</strong><br /><br />A short story is not necessarily an easy option. Personally, I think 100k novel is a darn sight more simple to write than at 2,500 short story, but maybe that's just me. Even though it is short, you will still need living, breathing characters; a sense of place; conflict; atmosphere; and a beginning, middle and end - and you won't have much room for any of them. However, remember that beginnings, middles and ends don't necessarily mean you have to write about a series of related events: they can relate to character development, revelations about the setting or situation, or even changes in the understanding or point of view of the main character - all you need are a logical progression of ideas, some conflict and an eventual conclusion. It also helps if you think through the arcs of all your characters - no matter how small the part they play. Arcs give drive and structure to your story <strong>and</strong> can quickly deliver a strong sense of character - when space is limited, two-for-one deals like this are the writer's friend. Grab with both hands! <br /><br />You will also be using a proportionally greater amount of your word count on building atmosphere and situation than you would in a novel. Again, make those words work hard for you: build up your atmosphere but then also use that atmosphere to feed into your conflicts, characters and storyline. <br /><br /><strong>Point 3 Try And Focus On a Single Idea, Theme or Image</strong> <br /><br />This can be exceptionally powerful when space is short, particularly if you are using more than one event to form the structure of your plot. Themes and images will help to keep the story as a dynamic, coherent whole <strong>and</strong> you can use them as foils to throw other characters and events into sharp relief. One short story which has stayed with me since school is DH Lawrence's The Odour of Chrysanthemums (http://shortstoryclassics.50megs.com/lawrencechrysanthemums.html) where the flowers weave in an out of the story as they have done through the main character's life, linking together the past and the present. Although the story involves a number of themes and exchanges, the chrysanthemums link the narrative together flawlessly. <br /><br />Focusing on 'one' idea may sound limiting but it is in fact highly flexible. One of the great advantages I believe the short story has over the novel is that movement in time and space is much easier in the short story - provided you always return to a central 'anchoring' point. You can examine a couple's past, look at hopes a character might have for the future, flit hither and yon in the mind of a first person narrator - all in a way that would feel clumsy and out of place in a novel; the only requirement is that you always return to that central idea. (And then, if you are Saki, twist it at the end and turn the whole story through 180 degrees and have everybody say how completely brilliant you are). <br /><br />Finally, if like me you prefer the opening up of possibilities rather than the tying up of threads as an ending, remember that it is considered perfectly acceptable (and actually, quite intellectual) to leave the end enigmatically open. This is great for two reasons: firstly, it allows the reader to chose their own ending (readers like this!) and, secondly and cynically, it saves you valuable words that you could use elsewhere in your story. <br /><br />So go on, get writing. It's only four pages.Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-41319102433538406362011-03-30T10:48:00.000-07:002011-03-31T05:46:27.815-07:00Make for Macmillan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OyL7_IFlb9WP7QgiGlM8p0cMwqcT9BdlFo-10hWpwBXbRoLIjND7kmjBnaMN-8y_bu27pLJsE3D6O73-VYM61kGmV3o4HGMvICGCkTs2dcuYY_Nv9NN_hhXQ-VXAw7m_KeeWiyi1UdqM/s1600/bookweekm4mlogo%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OyL7_IFlb9WP7QgiGlM8p0cMwqcT9BdlFo-10hWpwBXbRoLIjND7kmjBnaMN-8y_bu27pLJsE3D6O73-VYM61kGmV3o4HGMvICGCkTs2dcuYY_Nv9NN_hhXQ-VXAw7m_KeeWiyi1UdqM/s200/bookweekm4mlogo%255B1%255D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590224233569394610" /></a><br />This is soooooo exciting! It's the end of March and that means...less than two months to go before the launch of Summer Loving, my new book and - even though I say it myself - a sizzler of a summer novel! <br /><br />However, BEFORE that happens, the most brilliant book event is due to take place at the end of April and I am chuffed to be a part of it.<br /><br />Clare and Shelley, the totally brilliant brains behind the 'Make for Macmillan' campaign, will be holding a week of live book auctions - the chance to buy books by your fave authors AND raise some cash for an extremely worthy cause. Watch out for more info here as we get closer, but as you can see from their Facebook page, the line up so far is beyond impressive. Do visit the Make for Macmillan pages to check it out - and bid on the gorgeous, gorgeous handmade items they are auctioning RIGHT NOW.<br /><br />Go and check it now - click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/makeformacmillan?v=photos&ref=ts#!/album.php?id=163410227043207&aid=55498">here </a>and start thinking about which ones you are going to bid for!!!Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-17775688034324277572011-03-20T05:37:00.000-07:002011-03-20T09:03:13.807-07:00Funny, I can't read that...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsn4udVHv1vx86oOMJNgQp_pTpi75R921ozig7HrnrN6Yx1UI994eYtjDB6YhEgEBQmXkkn2SiTdzhnm-HG58remHaO7PyY5Ta6OQZI2GDRCrRnr_X_wNcKx_E-1re53-7rja0mLcXxef/s1600/iStock_000008812708XSmall.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsn4udVHv1vx86oOMJNgQp_pTpi75R921ozig7HrnrN6Yx1UI994eYtjDB6YhEgEBQmXkkn2SiTdzhnm-HG58remHaO7PyY5Ta6OQZI2GDRCrRnr_X_wNcKx_E-1re53-7rja0mLcXxef/s200/iStock_000008812708XSmall.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586173903349808898" /></a><br />I am dyslexic.<br />I didn't find out until my second year of an English degree, when one of my tutors told me that he had no idea how I'd managed to get a place at university, that I was going to fail my degree and, even if I didn't manage that, I would certainly fail his section of it. Luckily, they weren't all like him and, with the support of another member of staff, I was subsequently tested, diagnosed with dyslexia and given strategies for coping with my written work. (And, in case you were wondering, got a 2:1 over all and came out of my first tutor's exam with a borderline First.)<br />Ha!<br />The problem is, it isn't an easy condition to live with. I do not suffer from the severest forms it can take, but am still constantly embarrassed by my spelling and grammatical mistakes, hate the amount of time it takes me to get to grips with complex pieces of written work, cringe at the difficulties I have in remembering people's names (yes, really: that too is a common dyslexic symptom), find it hard to read music because the notes seem to wobble and am forever mixing up my right and my left.<br />Having said that, though, I don't want the condition to limit what I can and can't do. People are often surprised, given my various career choices, that I have a specific learning disability (as it is known in the trade): English Degree, MA in Medieval Studies, law and now writing novels are not part of the expected CV of a dyslexic. None of them give any slack: I have to be as good as the competition despite the dyslexia - or I go under. No one is going to make excuses for me. <br />And I wouldn't want them to.<br />So this was me and how I saw my life - until last week, when I learned from the school that my eldest child could well be dyspraxic. Now, I had suspected dyslexia for a while: familiar symptoms were starting to rear their heads in his school work - messy hand-writing, words spelled as anagrams of themselves, words with letters missing, sentences with words missing, lack of organisation and co-ordination on the page - I could go on. However, as soon as I began to look at lists of dyspraxic symptoms - some of which overlap with dyslexia - I saw where the teacher was coming from.<br />My immediate reaction was relief - fantastic! The fact he struggles doing up a zip and has messy handwriting is explained away! Then there was sadness: my child is going to have to struggle like me. To achieve the same marks as his peers, he will have to work harder than them for no extra reward.<br />And then, after the reaction of a couple of friends, I got into thinking about labels and whether we are too quick to label our children as 'not quite right', and the effect this might have on them.<br />And my response was quite emphatic.<br />I think, in our society, we already label people. Every day. In every conceivable way. Other people are better off/worse off/cleverer/stupider/have better jobs/nicer cars/better educations/more holidays/larger houses/smaller houses than us. We are always defining others against our own achievements or failures; always trying to ascertain if their grass really is any greener. This is nowhere more pronounced as our education system which now constantly assesses and grades children; comparing child against child in a way that would have been unthinkable thirty years ago. Parents and kids (myself included) get sucked into the grading/testing cycle and worry about whether our child is really a 4b when they should perhaps be a 4a or even a 5c. There is so much middle class parental energy expended on this, they could run the National Grid off it. <br />So my child is already labeled by the education system. And, if he is dyslexic/dyspraxic, that school attainment label may be selling him short. My view is that at least if we know, we can do something about it, even if it is simply to roll up our sleeves and work harder to make up the shortfall.<br />Because I know from experience that without labels such as dyslexia, the child will be given other labels such as 'lazy' or 'a daydreamer' or 'needs to pay more attention' or even - as I was by my university tutor, 'stupid' and 'unintelligent' and 'a failure'. That way lies nothing apart from a vortex of increasing frustration, sadness and loss of self-esteem. <br />So fine,whilst we live in a label obsessed society, let's go forward with the positive labels too - and as far as I'm concerned, dyslexia and dyspraxia are positive. If my boy is dyspraxic, so be it - he is in some illustrious company and I won't let it hold him back for one moment. The news that Daniel Radcliffe aka Harry Potter was dyspraxic cheered my son up enormously. Frankly, if you can be that good at quidditch, nothing on earth is going to stop you succeeding in life.<br /><br />For more information on dyslexia, click <a <br />href="http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/">here </a><br /><br />For more information on dyspraxia, click <a href="http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/">here</a> <br /><br />For a list of famous dyslexics, click <a href="http://www.dyslexia.com/famous.htm">here</a>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-5020102094847253632011-02-28T04:41:00.000-08:002011-02-28T04:54:27.525-08:00Summer Loving<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkGv0WfbGX6IPTwNcsdceoanPtLvjEZAnYAfNyYc3XX8bVu_e5YhbTtsGVmduhzzYITj5d-0GaWbno1DJtkUCslV-19GV-f1tzduLO6PSGQ6XMrW06RzwZq1jXX89wpB8ek4trYVbrJsg/s1600/SummerLoving_PBB05%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkGv0WfbGX6IPTwNcsdceoanPtLvjEZAnYAfNyYc3XX8bVu_e5YhbTtsGVmduhzzYITj5d-0GaWbno1DJtkUCslV-19GV-f1tzduLO6PSGQ6XMrW06RzwZq1jXX89wpB8ek4trYVbrJsg/s200/SummerLoving_PBB05%255B1%255D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578722695082241074" /></a><br />I noticed today that the fabulous Chicklit Club have given my new book, <em>Summer Loving</em>, a head's up - thank you guys! So I thought it was about time that I shared the cover and a few little tasters on my blog. Even though I have had some lovely covers in the past, I think this time the cover fairy has been especially good to me: I love it! The story is about four friends from uni who get together eight years after graduation for a holiday on a Greek island. Needless to say, the sun, sea and relaxation they had in mind doesn't quite materialise and my heroine, Beth, finds herself trying to hold things together - with comic as well as (almost)tragic consequences.<br /><br />Watch this space as I'll be dropping a few little previews and exclusives as we get nearer to publication time!<br /><br /><em>Summer Loving</em> is published by Arrow and will be out on 26th May. It is currently available to pre-order from all the usual outlets.Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-90882898834800220772011-02-28T04:04:00.000-08:002011-02-28T04:41:27.683-08:00Hollywood DazeThe new book is now officially 'in' and I am waiting for the copy edits to come through. However, there is no rest for the wicked and I am already pondering the various plotlines and characters for my next novel. As a writing exercise - and to give my brain a bit of a break in between books - I spent ten days or so watching roms coms/chick flicks to see if I could pick up any writing tips. Yes I know, I know, I write <em>novels</em>, not screenplays, but I reckon it is always useful for any writer to try and see how the guys in other genres do things - and I think I learned a few valuable lessons.<br /><br /><strong>Lesson One</strong>: Make sure your screenplay has a really strong central hook.<br />Basically, this means your story has an original, inventive and easily graspable idea at its centre. For example, <em>The Wedding Date</em> starring Deborah Messing works on the basic premise that a girl hires a male escort to accompany her to a wedding where her ex is the best man - and then falls in love with him. Simple, concise, compelling and with loads of comic potential. Or how about <em>PS I Love You</em>, where the heroine's husband dies, but she receives a series of letters from him helping her rebuild her life. Having a brilliant central concept makes sense from both an artistic and a marketing point of view: a strong starting point should automatically set up tonnes of conflict and suggest storylines which will help carry your plot through to the end PLUS (and don't under estimate this one!) it will make the story easy to pitch and sell. In Hollywood, you would be expected to come up with a 'log line' which sums up the story in one sentence. Also useful for novelists wanting to pitch to agents and publishers - give it a try!<br /><br /><strong>Lesson Two</strong>: Give yourself a smart, funny, vulnerable but ultimately feisty heroine with whom your audience will identify and root for all the way through.<br />This is vital for both screenplays and novels. You wouldn't want to read a book where you couldn't stand the central character or thought she was a bit of a wimp. We read/go to movies to be entertained, but we also go to see a bit of ourselves reflected in the central character and you need to have one you and your audience can look up to. Sure, give your heroine flaws; of course she needs to have a vulnerable, human side to her - but ultimately give her the personality and intelligence she needs to triumph against all the odds and you'll have a winner on your hands.<br /><br /><strong>Lesson Three</strong>: Make sure that your plot and character arcs are as strong as your initial idea.<br />There is nothing more disappointing than a book or movie which has a superb initial concept and then fails to deliver. The disappointment stays with you for ages (I still feel let down by <em>Men in Black </em>even now. Sigh) Sadly, <em>Letters to Juliet</em> affected me in a similar way. The idea of the wall in Verona where people still write letters to Shakespeare's most famous heroine - and receive an answer - was stunning. And I also liked the idea that the love story chosen for the plot involved an older woman (I'm all for mixing it up age-wise!) but the actual plot was so predictable and pedestrian that I felt cheated. Eleven out of ten for the initial idea and the first half an hour of the movie, three out of ten thereafter. Don't do this!!<br /><br />Movies are a very useful tool for the novelist looking to hone their craft: a film must achieve everything a good novel needs to on the plot/character/structural front - but it has to do it in an hour and a half (which is why that strong central idea is essential). So go on - get out the DVDs and have an afternoon on the sofa. After all, it's all in the name of work!<br /><br /><a href="http://http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://moviestudio.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/p_s_i_love_you_ver2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://moviestudio.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/ps-i-love-you-2007/&usg=__gmvvBZrDtiIVd8_KaykzjuoCHkk=&h=493&w=655&sz=50&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=aeNKvJEA3g5tUM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&ei=9ZZrTfqyC9GAhAfSotm2DQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dps%2Bi%2Blove%2Byou%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1W1ADFA_en%26biw%3D1276%26bih%3D522%26tbs%3Disch:1%26prmd%3Divnsb&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=514&oei=9ZZrTfqyC9GAhAfSotm2DQ&page=1&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:0&tx=50&ty=64"></a><a href="http://http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://moviestudio.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/p_s_i_love_you_ver2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://moviestudio.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/ps-i-love-you-2007/&usg=__gmvvBZrDtiIVd8_KaykzjuoCHkk=&h=493&w=655&sz=50&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=aeNKvJEA3g5tUM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&ei=9ZZrTfqyC9GAhAfSotm2DQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dps%2Bi%2Blove%2Byou%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1W1ADFA_en%26biw%3D1276%26bih%3D522%26tbs%3Disch:1%26prmd%3Divnsb&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=514&oei=9ZZrTfqyC9GAhAfSotm2DQ&page=1&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:0&tx=50&ty=64"></a>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-87661073402501405572011-02-15T02:42:00.000-08:002011-02-15T03:27:41.783-08:00There and Back Again<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkfGSlRodYOZEsWxTpZlJWTDBEzpq-H4bCAbgyYNR83Q9r38UTxroRALogeUceI1oUWA5PJqAAKTCbZuCJjoziHqUOoBekdD1OA4Pd0qf-pEFF-4r2WwOy39k1xOWVvemb7HBUtMhboyu/s1600/gerbera.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkfGSlRodYOZEsWxTpZlJWTDBEzpq-H4bCAbgyYNR83Q9r38UTxroRALogeUceI1oUWA5PJqAAKTCbZuCJjoziHqUOoBekdD1OA4Pd0qf-pEFF-4r2WwOy39k1xOWVvemb7HBUtMhboyu/s200/gerbera.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573876455562542162" /></a><br /><br /> 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...<br /><br />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.<br /><br />So I hope you forgive me.<br /><br />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 <em>Summer Loving</em> 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: <a href="http://www.writersconference.co.uk/"></a>surely every writer's New Year's Resolution!<br /><br />In the meantime, stay well<br /><br />Lots of love,<br /><br />Allie xAlliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-83298853377658449002010-06-18T04:35:00.000-07:002010-06-18T04:39:03.588-07:00Trashionista Review of 'The Not-so Secret Diary of a City Girl'<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWSXF8NZ-tw3SbCafv6v1KYyDvBoyfdPytqhsYmMFHeEdxcz0LYwpI8vtNfGSqVXRxn9dvZZrHBl-Z1-n54vZtatGPVr7-_S1KNZ849EqvOVKDerj2Garecs26cUDB0XkZfrfSKdU4f50/s1600/Not-so-secret%2520Diary%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWSXF8NZ-tw3SbCafv6v1KYyDvBoyfdPytqhsYmMFHeEdxcz0LYwpI8vtNfGSqVXRxn9dvZZrHBl-Z1-n54vZtatGPVr7-_S1KNZ849EqvOVKDerj2Garecs26cUDB0XkZfrfSKdU4f50/s200/Not-so-secret%2520Diary%5B2%5D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484076709521436130" /></a><br />And if my night at the Melissa Nathan Awards wasn't enough, yesterday I read the lovely review by Elle at Trashionista for City Girl. She even gave it a five out of five - hoorah! To read the review, please click <a href="http://www.trashionista.com/2010/06/book-review-the-not-so-secret-diary-of-a-city-girl-by-allie-spencer.html">here</a>.Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-42410890860116876762010-06-16T05:33:00.000-07:002010-06-16T06:51:02.609-07:00The Melissa Nathan Award 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYsZ2c2UTOlUTK39zrm2QmyUbkZzc90EpPa4lpsBegBvlmPF-Jy8keQ38fVel0Fi-xvOuJciI3npF71k-auoVTP22VyYSCqonLG94_PgEDT0m1mS-YuythgyKRT3ZGXdLvi-NxE8uiv0g/s1600/P6150311.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYsZ2c2UTOlUTK39zrm2QmyUbkZzc90EpPa4lpsBegBvlmPF-Jy8keQ38fVel0Fi-xvOuJciI3npF71k-auoVTP22VyYSCqonLG94_PgEDT0m1mS-YuythgyKRT3ZGXdLvi-NxE8uiv0g/s200/P6150311.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483363203152278834" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifh-49N7-5QV6XJTRC8m0w9UEdGL7GDHg5-s5ATVmaH1sHq9eynE3bWLcDhnvb0zAmoCyekQnwjJ8OsZDt1lwvgcnWhJ9urpjE0wOkmFuVQT1bceEEzMOQgYvcBLrvUf_1PZYBUtWfG-w/s1600/P6150307.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifh-49N7-5QV6XJTRC8m0w9UEdGL7GDHg5-s5ATVmaH1sHq9eynE3bWLcDhnvb0zAmoCyekQnwjJ8OsZDt1lwvgcnWhJ9urpjE0wOkmFuVQT1bceEEzMOQgYvcBLrvUf_1PZYBUtWfG-w/s200/P6150307.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483362467435102082" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfBIWIsT4dkp90oY5qX75r8ZWv4Dx0QRhle5wqoGq79bFkaxzmkjFY5ZjeM5-Xxmut5oRVpTF6A_CqhW-vVFnV3WQDSJO_lx6z4IE_8f8Mxy05udq1_eowBTPBeQPrV5RsBTNfGsOgQOF/s1600/P6150302.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfBIWIsT4dkp90oY5qX75r8ZWv4Dx0QRhle5wqoGq79bFkaxzmkjFY5ZjeM5-Xxmut5oRVpTF6A_CqhW-vVFnV3WQDSJO_lx6z4IE_8f8Mxy05udq1_eowBTPBeQPrV5RsBTNfGsOgQOF/s200/P6150302.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483362106483232434" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2U1W4b1rqQgU_l3H-kFNoHdYxpeZQQ4h3md4YQ_QpzvkVZQ9eeeTJVbH8x5rWL3HjCdqwEjd4F3aX8Meeak6CjUTesYzBxpP8CsR21ocD3nScH4DEV5Gi-gFnk78GWcEvUYSeMHjjDciq/s1600/P6150286.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2U1W4b1rqQgU_l3H-kFNoHdYxpeZQQ4h3md4YQ_QpzvkVZQ9eeeTJVbH8x5rWL3HjCdqwEjd4F3aX8Meeak6CjUTesYzBxpP8CsR21ocD3nScH4DEV5Gi-gFnk78GWcEvUYSeMHjjDciq/s200/P6150286.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483361728764979890" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIadQyLTA0rTOpTddcm7mK1Nh7lN9-u8iL_vKJCZJD-YAiNHnOm-FaZHhVP_FFn5_1eZVjxcvCzMMw3FunXSpxTR-KXauHZH-Qh1aUMVMMDfSYUOkoHyfcBMjzbAAKOTey_ZSVjr3pmDO/s1600/P6150281.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIadQyLTA0rTOpTddcm7mK1Nh7lN9-u8iL_vKJCZJD-YAiNHnOm-FaZHhVP_FFn5_1eZVjxcvCzMMw3FunXSpxTR-KXauHZH-Qh1aUMVMMDfSYUOkoHyfcBMjzbAAKOTey_ZSVjr3pmDO/s200/P6150281.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483361454836878434" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY0R33S6NHqz49L3jgEiJNA5yHO_xrwCu1UvwK8pJjegFyGOrSZccDvx05pdOdIzCE7RHEgjCd_sHqXyzcnEAG9uMG67dqowU9Ow0oR0q2UY8iY05ihvOcW7TDu8m-KJnyJ-IdSYnwJ1S/s1600/P6150271.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY0R33S6NHqz49L3jgEiJNA5yHO_xrwCu1UvwK8pJjegFyGOrSZccDvx05pdOdIzCE7RHEgjCd_sHqXyzcnEAG9uMG67dqowU9Ow0oR0q2UY8iY05ihvOcW7TDu8m-KJnyJ-IdSYnwJ1S/s200/P6150271.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483360855396791410" /></a><br />This was a truly amazing night. For starters, the event was being held at the Cafe de Paris, which was <em> beyond</em> glamorous; then there were the judges Jo Brand, Liza Tarbuck, Morwenna Banks, Sophie Kinsella and Joanna Trollope who are all, without exception, idols of mine; and finally there was the fact that the event is held not only to champion the genre of comedy romance (a genre sadly neglected by 'serious' literary people) but also to celebrate the life of Melissa Nathan - comedic novelist extraordinaire - and to continue the charity work she undertook during her life via the excellent Melissa Nathan Foundation: click <a href="http://www.melissanathan.com/Foundation/Index.asp">here</a> to see the work The Foundation does. <br /><br />The evening began with champagne and canapes as the guests arrived: there were the other shortlisted writers to meet, old friends and acquaintances to catch up with and new friends to make - Melissa's family were there and I had two conversations with her mother who was wonderfully warm, encouraging and chatty. In fact the whole event had a lovely family atmosphere. There were two babies present: Shortlisted author Danny King ('Blue Collar')'s little girl who was ten weeks old and Sophie Kinsella's youngest, only eight weeks old. Also present was Melissa's son Sam (age 7) who, after the judges had summed up all six shortlisted books, gave an extremely moving explanation of the work of the Melissa Nathan Foundation that had most of the audience wiping away a tear or two.<br /><br />We were called into the main auditorium where Jo Brand bounded onto stage to host the event. She was sensational. I saw Jo live in 1993 and my abiding memory was of my face aching with laughter - it only took about two minutes and it was aching again. We then had a performance from songwriter (and, as it turned out) singer David Arnold and then the judges each celebrated one of the shortlisted books. Jo Brand did mine, beginning by holding up a copy of the book featuring the image of my blonde, barrister heroine on the front and saying: 'As you can see, they put a picture of me on the cover...'<br /><br />After a short interval we enjoyed a fantastic performance by Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy who performed a selection of his songs ("I suppose you'll want me to do the one about the bus...") and then there was the announcement of the winner, who was...'Moon-Light in Odessa' by Janet Skeslien Charles. Huge congratulations go to Janet whose book Joanna Trollope describes as 'a book that stays with you for all the right reasons'. All the shortlisted winners received a beautiful trophy (mine is now proudly residing on my mantelpiece) and the evening ended with more mingling, canapes and champagne.<br /><br />It was a real fairy-tale evening and I feel so lucky to have been part of such a wonderful experience. Melissa was a truly exceptional author and her Award and the work of her Foundation will ensure that she remains a powerful force for good for years to come. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.melissanathan.com/Foundation/Index.asp"></a>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-49676220862929152252010-05-14T02:52:00.000-07:002010-05-14T03:12:54.399-07:00Romantic Novelists' Association Summer Party<a href="http://shoppsaccessories.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/ist2_4785884-champagne.25695755_std.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 380px; height: 380px;" src="http://shoppsaccessories.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/ist2_4785884-champagne.25695755_std.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n65/n329615.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 315px; height: 500px;" src="http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n65/n329615.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Last night was the 2010 summer party hosted by the Romantic Novelists' Association. As ever, it was a fabulous fest of old friends, new friends, sensational gossip, sensational shoes and the presentation of the 2010 Joan Hessayon Award for the best debut novel, generously sponsored by Dr David Hessayon and presented by the lovely Katie Fforde. This year the shortlist were:<br />Monique DeVere with her book 'Divorce Etiquette' published by Wild Rose Press<br />Georgia Hill with 'Pursued by Love' published by E-Scape<br />and Lucy King with 'Bought:Damsel in Distress' from Harlequin Mills and Boon.<br /><br />The winner was Lucy King who, because she was both in Spain and imminently about to give birth, was not present to receive her award so she was telephoned with the news by Katie Fforde and we, the assembled, multitude shouted our congratulations down the telephone line to her! I wish Lucy - as well as Monique and Georgia - every success with her writing and hope she has a wonderful year as the Joan Hessayon Winner.<br /><br />After that it was time for yours truly as last years' winner to do a little speech and, as soon as I'd got over the 'having to stand up in front of lots of people and make coherent words come out of my mouth' bit, I was able to really enjoy the party!<br />Lots of fabulous RNA writers were present and I also had a good chat with quite a few new authors who are currently on the New Writers' Scheme, run by the Association to promote and assist up-and-coming authors in the romantic genre. What a talented lot we are!<br /><br />So, with the champagne, the shoes and the friends old and new it was another wonderful evening!Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-59203564931344195432010-04-22T02:47:00.001-07:002010-04-22T03:01:09.597-07:00Chick Lit Reviews: Interview<a href="http://www.thejitty.com/images/414988/large.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 248px;" src="http://www.thejitty.com/images/414988/large.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Well, the sun is out, the sky is (less) blue (than it was now that the planes are flying again and there are vapour trails everywhere) and my interest in the General Election has increased dramatically since I found out we have Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King standing in our constituency as a candidate - although, as a friend of mine pointed out, does he actually <em>need </em>to be elected; can't some watery bint just chuck a sword at him and have done with it?<br /><br />On another matter lovely Leah from Chick Lit Reviews has just popped an interview with yours truly up on her site, and I thought I'd put a link up. To read what I have to say about writing, the books and plans for the future, click <a href="http://chicklitreviews.com/2010/04/20/author-interview-allie-spencer/">here</a>.Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-57237224451430643782010-04-16T05:18:00.000-07:002010-04-16T05:37:59.560-07:00My Name's Ben Elton...<a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/Guardian/media/gallery/2008/sep/01/bbc.television/SpittingImageCarlton-3745.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 524px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 360px" alt="" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/Guardian/media/gallery/2008/sep/01/bbc.television/SpittingImageCarlton-3745.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Not the usual writerly stuff, but thought I'd get a bit topical and mention the 'Leader's (so-called) Debate' that was on ITV1 last night. Not that I watched all of it (or indeed most of it - well, what do you expect, it up was up against 'Outnumbered' on BBC1) but I thought the polictical commentary on it was so startling that it deserved a mention. All the pundits this morning were not discussing policy, or what will happen to the economy if Buggins' party gets elected or anything that actually MATTERS, they are all concerned with 'who did best'. And again, that is not 'who did best and will pull this country away from the brink of a double-dip recession without decimating the NHS in the process' but 'who did the voters like best'. Well, pardon me for getting a bit shouty, but is this what it's come down to? Trench warfare with no actual policies but the winner being the person who got their coloured worm to climb the highest up the ratings for the greatest amount of time??? It's no wonder we have an apathetic electorate. Probably including myself, here. I am aching for some debate, some issues, even - to hell with it -some vision that can inspire us and get us debating and talking about stuff for the first time in years, not all this bunkam about what are, in effect, political beuaty pageants. Where will it all end? Sam Cam and Sarah B staging a cookie 'bake-off' for the media as they do in the USA? Arggh.</div><div>Actually, I'd probably just settle for a return of that 80s staple, 'Spitting Image'. Apart from the pleasing prospect of a David Cameron puppet dripping with slime (an homage, perhaps to the Kenneth Baker snail of the later Thatcher years) at least SI had the knack of getting right down to the substance of the matter and presenting it in a way that cut through all the spin-doctoring and political mud-slinging.</div><div>Or perhaps that's the problem: there simply is no substance any more and the most important issue in the election will be who has the cleanest shave and the best tie. </div>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-61907949508607413212010-04-14T08:00:00.001-07:002010-04-14T08:09:23.089-07:00Stop Press<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPRTrpdIh0ryPaRPpx00BKeqqI88rZLaGqxCGQOf6xmJSYE4Jbo29X_y8KtInCyhG_zN3dSLBfUwcTYUPK-kR35amVoKI3SyShxTSFBpd6NiH-pYE94nM2vOvOJpwbflENW1KYXztcUw6/s1600/Tug%2520of%2520Love%25209_6%5B1%5D+(2).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460010142133640562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 124px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPRTrpdIh0ryPaRPpx00BKeqqI88rZLaGqxCGQOf6xmJSYE4Jbo29X_y8KtInCyhG_zN3dSLBfUwcTYUPK-kR35amVoKI3SyShxTSFBpd6NiH-pYE94nM2vOvOJpwbflENW1KYXztcUw6/s200/Tug%2520of%2520Love%25209_6%5B1%5D+(2).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>As well as having lunch with my old mates Clive and Clare AND it being my brother's birthday, today was the day that the shortlist for the Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance. Because I'm really clued up, I found out that 'Tug of Love' had made it on to the shortlist when I logged on to my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">FB</span> page and found people congratulating me on my nomination. Nomination - what nomination? I said - and then spotted the name Melissa Nathan. That was about six hours ago and my hands are still shaking as I type this.<br /><br />This is the press release:<br /><br />THE MELISSA NATHAN AWARD FOR COMEDY ROMANCE 2010<br />We are delighted to announce the shortlist for 2010:<br />I Heart New York by Lindsey <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kelk</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">HarperCollins</span>)<br />Wedding Tiers by Trisha Ashley (Avon)<br />Tug of Love by Allie Spencer (A Little Black Dress Book)<br />Love Letters by Katie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Fforde</span> (Century)<br />Moon-Light in Odessa by Janet <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Skeslien</span> Charles (Bloomsbury)<br />Blue Collar by Danny King (Serpent's Tail)<br />The Winner will be announced at a gala evening in London on 15<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> June and we look forward to seeing you there for champagne, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">canapés</span>, fun and entertainment. All the short-listed authors will receive a trophy, and the winning author will receive a cheque.<br />The Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">MNA</span>) is the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">UK's</span> only literary award dedicated to comedy romance. The judging panel features the writer and comedienne Jo Brand, mega-selling novelists Joanna Trollope <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">OBE</span> and Sophie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Kinsella</span>, actor and comedienne <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Morwenna</span> Banks, and actor and television presenter Liza <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Tarbuck</span>.<br />The inaugural <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">MNA</span> was held in June 2007, and the winner was Marian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Keyes</span> for her novel ANYONE OUT THERE? In 2008 the winner was Lisa Jewell for 31 DREAM STREET. THE MARRIAGE BUREAU FOR RICH PEOPLE by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Farahad</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Zama</span> was last year's winner.<br /><br />My gob is well and truly smacked. And wow. Thank you. Wow. (Stumbles off into incoherency...)</div>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-84337308565466266062010-04-14T00:42:00.000-07:002010-04-14T12:31:34.049-07:00Radio Devon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9aRlQEyo6l46R4iNNIUj8ZWa5_Z5fyjfyH90M35GKiNyN3rYsP-c-X_2Z69ptvcdkTdpG2PD3f4D6wItjAcmmGbBjSOXvkFFRp7J9NEfoUxftqZQzrYG2xQJVHMIiceu9a6oNq8-1K9P/s1600/P4090026%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460078005461609442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9aRlQEyo6l46R4iNNIUj8ZWa5_Z5fyjfyH90M35GKiNyN3rYsP-c-X_2Z69ptvcdkTdpG2PD3f4D6wItjAcmmGbBjSOXvkFFRp7J9NEfoUxftqZQzrYG2xQJVHMIiceu9a6oNq8-1K9P/s200/P4090026%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://www.sports-mascots.co.uk/BKAM_Sports_Mascot_PlymouthArgyle.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px" alt="" src="http://www.sports-mascots.co.uk/BKAM_Sports_Mascot_PlymouthArgyle.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Had a lovely few days down in Devon last week including another go on the BBC Radio Devon 'Good Morning Plymouth' show hosted by the mighty Gordon Sparks (who my brother - an ardent Plymouth Argyle fan - says is a god). As well as chatting about 'The Not-So Secret Diary of a City Girl', I managed to get the question about the theme tune to 80s computer games wrong, which just shows you shouldn't commit yourself on public record without checking your facts first: Manic Miner was 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' by Greig, and the Can-Can was (apparently) a game called Mr Ee. And if you don't have any idea at all what I've just been talking about, it's probably for the best.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>To listen to my interview click <a href="http://www.duncmcrae.com/AllieSpencer_RadioDevon2.asx">here</a></div></div>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-82289298612445399832010-04-07T05:55:00.000-07:002010-04-07T06:21:45.762-07:00Finding Monsieur Right - book review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5U1Np68VVH4ZdfrYyNX968btBm_YWsj-QTBUbosmuK1pRDVFccaWL81JJfoqCWy5KezjQRK7RWEdKcF5TFs-s96TTkR1fOX-HB-QZScjIWLvZUqbwui9CMbXC2BMwX-0T0sm72gQj5x_s/s1600/Finding%2520Monsieur%2520Right%5B1%5D.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457384621542443090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5U1Np68VVH4ZdfrYyNX968btBm_YWsj-QTBUbosmuK1pRDVFccaWL81JJfoqCWy5KezjQRK7RWEdKcF5TFs-s96TTkR1fOX-HB-QZScjIWLvZUqbwui9CMbXC2BMwX-0T0sm72gQj5x_s/s200/Finding%2520Monsieur%2520Right%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I hope you all have had a good few days. Amazingly, we still have unopened Easter eggs sitting on the side in the kitchen and (even more amazingly) my chocolate consumption has been limited to a few choccie buttons and a tiny piece of egg. But oh - isn't Easter egg chocolate just the most delicious chocolate in the world? And the unopened egg means there is something to look forward to when I finish my diet (he he evil laughter).</div><br /><div>Anyway, to keep myself distracted from the confectionery fest of the past few days, I've been reading 'Finding Monsieur Right' by Muriel Zagha. It is a witty, elegant, beautifully crafted rom com, focusing on the lives of two girls: Daisy who is English and Isabelle who is French. The pair room-, city- and life-swap for a year: Daisy moving to Paris to further her career as a fashion writer and Isabelle coming over to London to pursue her PhD research - and each finds their lives, love-lives and expectations turned completely upside down. Zagha obviously knows both London and Paris intimately, and moves between each city with huge flair and panache. More importantly, she also knows people and creates brilliant, diverse characters who leap off the page at you. As well as the wonderfully drawn main characters and their various love interests, she creates an amazing supporting cast of treacherous friends, uber-cool fashionistas and, my favourites by a long way, a collection of good-hearted goths who save the day on at least one occasion. The writing is polished, elegant and very funny and the plot twists and turns masterfully, bringing surprise after page-turning surprise to the reader and keeping them glued to the very end. I loved it - and am sure you will too! </div>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-34198622944690306362010-04-05T10:45:00.000-07:002010-04-05T10:59:00.623-07:00More News on City Girl<a href="http://www.kitten-pictures.com/images/Kitten-Pictures-48.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 275px" alt="" src="http://www.kitten-pictures.com/images/Kitten-Pictures-48.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>An absolutely stonking review from Leah at Chick Lit Reviews for City Girl - thank you, Leah xx - and an interview with yours truly at Trashionista (who describe CG as 'blatantly unputdownable'). Yay!<br /><br />For the review click <a href="http://chicklitreviews.com/2010/04/05/book-review-the-not-so-secret-diary-of-a-city-girl-by-allie-spencer/">here </a><br /><br />and for the Trashionista interview click <a href="http://www.trashionista.com/2010/04/author-interview-allie-spencer.html">here</a></div>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-67343218775401340012010-04-02T01:39:00.000-07:002010-04-03T02:49:39.408-07:00Novelicious - Interview and Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQjM_KkGJ1rQldFTnzB2IcSxKqOg4mFOUniVyTmszQLU6exBTRYuzCuEHebqZlswcjR5_rkDhX_O-foI2BA1nXR9rxTjmsQ6oNf35q4CBp4coFH5K5XQ6ffadgGv-yKpdYc4AYPyOnFsf/s1600/Not-so-secret%2520Diary%5B2%5D.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455458131955064498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQjM_KkGJ1rQldFTnzB2IcSxKqOg4mFOUniVyTmszQLU6exBTRYuzCuEHebqZlswcjR5_rkDhX_O-foI2BA1nXR9rxTjmsQ6oNf35q4CBp4coFH5K5XQ6ffadgGv-yKpdYc4AYPyOnFsf/s200/Not-so-secret%2520Diary%5B2%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The fabulous Novelicious site published the first review of 'City Girl' - on the day it was launched - together with an interview with yours truly. To read them, click on the links below.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>For the interview <a href="http://www.novelicious.com/">click here</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>For the review <a href="http://www.novelicious.com/2010/04/lbd-review-the-notsosecret-diary-of-a-city-girl.html">click here</a></div>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-27121084458709661152010-04-02T01:26:00.000-07:002010-04-03T02:50:06.902-07:00We Have Lift-Off<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkT0XioYxQJBqEhU3Z0n1ezSJZskeS2pEvydBPQu2_GoV49ENgyciWhFN66jQsPlFkPOJvVyPi5n70n_gnXbMsALLyCGjsMOw-LQS_kezsDgB98wioc2gk9EbQucux2mEsM3mxbMQFJQKs/s1600/P4010005%2520-%2520small%2520Allie%2520and%2520Charlie%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455456476113651122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 182px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkT0XioYxQJBqEhU3Z0n1ezSJZskeS2pEvydBPQu2_GoV49ENgyciWhFN66jQsPlFkPOJvVyPi5n70n_gnXbMsALLyCGjsMOw-LQS_kezsDgB98wioc2gk9EbQucux2mEsM3mxbMQFJQKs/s200/P4010005%2520-%2520small%2520Allie%2520and%2520Charlie%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAmtQAtNoIM8dNUjDzXvrbO0cg_u4SRDyr0XlXWWWuMCFdmlBqJXtEGIm5TycLkvYXlRwVouVBLNR9TygXqpt2cOBrXfxvAwhNwsdwQ9Z6V2uF6bxfp611xcotv1nbyszCIMGzLBA2rYi/s1600/P4010007%2520-%2520Allie%2520and%2520Julie%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455456462879508018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 140px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAmtQAtNoIM8dNUjDzXvrbO0cg_u4SRDyr0XlXWWWuMCFdmlBqJXtEGIm5TycLkvYXlRwVouVBLNR9TygXqpt2cOBrXfxvAwhNwsdwQ9Z6V2uF6bxfp611xcotv1nbyszCIMGzLBA2rYi/s200/P4010007%2520-%2520Allie%2520and%2520Julie%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJpsvxiy1fvlLRCfZEbklWD2jQ49CNd6yp43jmOaSK8r8vqU93lSUIm4brFOTNhGly7NRsH1oPE1LLsg-fCVmX7V_fwMlNU8t4jpXKke5iCyXbFgpCAT5hDjgVA5uMDkekw86f1E8dopt/s1600/P4010001%2520-%2520Allie%252C%2520Jane%2520and%2520Sam%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455456454156459602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJpsvxiy1fvlLRCfZEbklWD2jQ49CNd6yp43jmOaSK8r8vqU93lSUIm4brFOTNhGly7NRsH1oPE1LLsg-fCVmX7V_fwMlNU8t4jpXKke5iCyXbFgpCAT5hDjgVA5uMDkekw86f1E8dopt/s200/P4010001%2520-%2520Allie%252C%2520Jane%2520and%2520Sam%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtfIKAYYmJFMUMNeUu5v6ACU198I95hB6mNA3tZUoPZeIgDDrJXjgYt-VdmOCmq3vOGE6x94LCwK7m9qSqfWKAmtxqhCiFSk37m0yBs9U7g1es2SjhCjld9szCYdtEXxtjSu5t3d8uEax/s1600/P4010012%2520-%2520book%2520signing%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455456449568719314" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtfIKAYYmJFMUMNeUu5v6ACU198I95hB6mNA3tZUoPZeIgDDrJXjgYt-VdmOCmq3vOGE6x94LCwK7m9qSqfWKAmtxqhCiFSk37m0yBs9U7g1es2SjhCjld9szCYdtEXxtjSu5t3d8uEax/s200/P4010012%2520-%2520book%2520signing%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>So yesterday was the release of 'City Girl'. To kick start the proceedings came a lovely review of the book on the Novelicious site, giving it a stonking 9/10 (thank you Debs!) . Then, after an morning of manic cleaning, and an afternoon of general (but still manic) busy-ness, the official launch party got underway. My evil hand - really sore the night before after an unspecified cleaning injury(!) was less evil than it had been and I could happily hold a pen and sign a few copies of the new book. It was, essentially, planned as an evening of chilling, chatting and champers and a chance for me to say a heart-felt 'thank you' to all my friends who have given so much support in one way or another to me and my writing - I simply couldn't have done it without their back-up, encouragement, emergency childcare and general good-heartedness. Thank you! We even raised a bit of cash for the local pre-school whilst we were at it. It was a lovely night and I had one of those evenings where I never had an empty glass but, bizarrely, never felt in the least bit tipsy. I want to know how this happened - and how I can make it happen again in future!! Thanks again guys, you are the best. xx</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-67724935853328214192010-03-31T03:08:00.000-07:002010-04-02T01:26:37.104-07:00One Day To Go!!!<a href="http://www.urban75.org/tech/images/fridge-freezer-lg2.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 350px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 232px" alt="" src="http://www.urban75.org/tech/images/fridge-freezer-lg2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>'The Not-So Secret Diary of a City Girl' is officially released tomorrow and I am very, very excited. Although, it feels a bit weird because Amazon and Play.com have been shipping the pre-orders for well over a week now - this does mean, though, that I've had some lovely feedback from people who pre-ordered which is calming my jittery nerves a bit!</div><br /><div>I've palnned a party to celebrate City Girl's release and have been cleaning manically (including the front of the cooker which I cleaned so thoroughly I managed to remove all the numbers on the temperature dial - arrggh!) and then, just after I'd put in an online supermarket order for frozen party food, wine and fizz - the fridge freezer packed up: everything in the freezer section defrosted; everything in the fridge section froze. Double arrgghhhh! However, through a combination of sheer determination and a lot of good luck, a new ff has just been delivered from John Lewis (a mere 14 hours after we realised the last one had died) so hopefully the show - and the party - can go on! I'll keep you posted but I just need a little lie down in a darkened room so my stress levels can subside! xx</div><br /><div></div>Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-79127401507024112982010-03-17T04:26:00.000-07:002010-03-17T05:54:54.907-07:00Pure Passion Awards 2010<a href="http://www.trashionista.com/lostdogs.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 485px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.trashionista.com/lostdogs.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4fe0JIXWDlYDeAiGC0XJmeapxnEEmR-9oFmrcMg8VcSMk2sBzxUt1yffkGCvB4mSM5wnh26gHFWPKffGaTqPGYl66NvTwsSO-n1VRB2yxoIasQ5Kvmp3uhiXtOGFcRp_ZMkIIG8Wm1Wg/s320/The+Nearly-Weds.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 157px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4fe0JIXWDlYDeAiGC0XJmeapxnEEmR-9oFmrcMg8VcSMk2sBzxUt1yffkGCvB4mSM5wnh26gHFWPKffGaTqPGYl66NvTwsSO-n1VRB2yxoIasQ5Kvmp3uhiXtOGFcRp_ZMkIIG8Wm1Wg/s320/The+Nearly-Weds.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID11613/images/AnEducation.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 274px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 404px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID11613/images/AnEducation.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.nelldixon.com/images/books/animal-instinct.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 231px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 360px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.nelldixon.com/images/books/animal-instinct.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://chicklitreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/louise-douglas-missing-you.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 170px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://chicklitreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/louise-douglas-missing-you.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This was always going to be a very special event. Not only is 2010 the RNA’s Golden Anniversary, it is also fifty years since the Romantic Novel of the Year was first awarded. A fabulous party was obviously in order – and fabulous parties are something the RNA does with aplomb! The champagne reception before lunch was a glamorous melee of writers, agents, editors, and the other great and the good of the publishing industry; the meal a sophisticated three-course affair of melon, guinea fowl, and a specially created chocolate dessert; whilst the tables were beautifully decorated with artfully stacked pink gift boxes and sprinkled with Galaxy ‘Minstrels’ and golden heart-shaped chocolates.<br />It was fitting to have someone of the stature of Barry Norman (possibly the ultimate contender for the title of ‘Thinking Woman’s Crumpet’) to present the awards. Barry is no stranger to the world of publishing, and has not only written a number of books himself but is married to Ariana Franklin, the historical novelist. He told us that writers were the group of people he admired most in the world – even more than his sporting idols – and described the assembled audience as ‘the José Mourinho’s of the written word’.<br />The presentation of the awards themselves also had a number of fresh twists: as well as four new prize categories, those short-listed for the main award each gave a little pre-recorded speech and these were then shown in between the other presentations. This increased the (already overwhelming) sense of anticipation and gave the audience a chance to get to know the nominees a little – a splendid innovation.<br />The afternoon was rounded off with goody-bags containing more scrummy chocolate and an edition of Loves Me, Loves Me Not. As Chairman Katie Fforde aptly put it, this was ‘an extra fabulous event for our Fiftieth Anniversary’. Well done, RNA.<br /><br />AND THE WINNERS WERE:<br />The People's Choice Award: Missing You by Louise Douglas (Pan)<br /><br />Love Story of the Year: Animal Instincts by Nell Dixon (Little Black Dress)<br /><br />Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year: The Nearly-Weds by Jane Costello (Simon and Shuster)<br /><br />The Harry Bowling Prize for New writing: Fear No Evil by Debbie Johnson<br /><br />Romantic Film of the Year: An Education by Lynn Barber (Penguin)<br /><br />Romantic Novel of the Year: Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon (Hodder and Stoughton)<br /><br />There were also lifetime achievement awards for the wonderful Maeve Binchy and Joanna Trollope.<br /><br />A brilliant event to celebrate brilliant books and, as nominee for Love Story of the Year Nina Harrington put it, the real prize wasn't winning, it was simply being shortlisted for such a prestigious award. Huge congratulations to all those nominated - winners or not - you are all fabulous!Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893219948215874609.post-78308943136571064422010-03-11T02:47:00.000-08:002010-03-11T02:54:57.525-08:00Funny You Should Write That: Part 2<a href="http://www.verumserum.com/data/carthrash.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 339px;" src="http://www.verumserum.com/data/carthrash.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Some of the tricks mentioned in part one for structuring individual jokes can be expanded and applied to creating the perfect comic storyline. However, before I start discussing how best to do this (and how I personally go about structuring a novel) I want to look briefly at the two forms of non-novel writing which I find the most useful when thinking about the structures of my books. <br /><strong>Two Act Sit Com with Multiple Storylines</strong>The basic structure for a sit com, whether British or American, is essentially that of a two act play. The viewer is quickly introduced to the ideas and themes which will be explored in the episode; a crisis occurs roughly at the midway point (just before the ad break if the show is on commercial television); this is often temporarily resolved or (more likely) suppressed in some way, only to escalate further later on. Finally there is an enormous crisis, and this is either resolved (on the whole, US sit coms like tidy endings), or we fade out on a scene of complete and utter chaos (think back to almost any episode of <em>Fawlty Towers </em>where we leave Basil in the most hideous mess). Within this basic two act structure, the writers will be weaving a web of storylines – usually at least three. The main storyline, known as the ‘A’ story, dominates the episode; and there will usually be two lesser plots running alongside it (‘B’ and ‘C’). Sometimes, if there is a very strong ‘B’ story, a minor plotline known as a ‘runner’ (sometimes not much more than a running gag) will be used to break up the action. This use of different storylines is important in creating pace and tension – you flip from one to the other leaving the viewer desperate to know what happens next; and for creating peaks and troughs of interest at different times in the different storylines. It is easy to see how this use of multiple plot lines criss-crossing each other is excellent fodder for the novelist. Marian Keyes is a brilliant exponent of this technique. She will have at least two main storylines running in a book, sometimes set at different points in time, and flip between them every few chapters leaving the reader with a cliff-hanger each time she does so. Thus, in <em>Rachel’s Holiday </em>we switch between Rachel’s life in the re-hab centre and her previous life in New York, being given just enough time to become fully absorbed in one setting before we are snatched away and deposited in the other. The result: a complete and utter page-turner. <br /><strong>Farce</strong><br />Alan Ayckbourn once said that the aim of farce was to take the audience to a completely ridiculous place by way of a carefully constructed series of entirely logical steps. The audience have to be able to say ‘yes, I can see how that would happen’ at each of those steps, or they will never be able to suspend their disbelief enough to accept the dénouement that is awaiting them. Farce has to be planned; there is no way (unless you have a brain the size of Einstein’s) that you are going to be able to sit down and write one off the top of your head – you need to know in advance who your characters are, what their conflicts are going to be, where you are going to begin and – most importantly – where you want to end up. <br />Farce thrives on muddles, mistakes and lies. Take the Feydeau farce <em>A Flea in her Ear</em>: this begins with a wife mistakenly thinking her husband is having an affair. To test him, she gets her best friend to write him a suggestive letter inviting him to an hotel with a seedy reputation and goes there (with the best friend) to await his arrival. The husband, however, believes the letter is meant for his best friend, hands it over and the friend quickly heads off to the hotel where, of course, the husband’s wife and friend are waiting. The husband then shows the letter to the wife’s best friend’s husband who recognises his wife’s handwriting and runs off the hotel vowing to kill her. We are nowhere near the end of the play but you can see already that the whole thing is completely out of hand – and, importantly, how Feydeau draws us in by making sure each step builds on what has preceded it. Sophie Kinsella is an author who draws brilliantly on this tradition of farce: Becky Bloomwood, largely through her own inability to say ‘no’, repeatedly finds herself in ridiculous dénouements with the reader wondering how on earth she is going to extricate herself – and yet, when you come to think back through the chain of events that led her there, each link in that chain is a logical progression from what has gone before.<br />Now let’s look at a few of the ‘joke’ techniques that can be expanded to add structure to your novel.<br /><strong>The Rule of Three</strong><br />Just as when you are writing an individual funny, the Rule of Three can be useful in plotting a novel. Like the individual joke, you will need to create a ‘list’ of three linked ideas, although these will be events or scenes rather than a few words. For example, maybe one of your characters’ goals could be worked into a sequence of three scenes that are dotted through the novel – maybe a proposal of marriage (two failed attempts before the question is successfully popped), or perhaps a request for a promotion (the boss refuses to listen or disaster strikes each time the character opens his mouth the ask for the pay rise). Remember that the first two events/scenes of your list of three can be similar but a twist will need to be applied to the third for it to work successfully.<br /><strong>The Subversion of Expectation</strong>Again, as with an individual joke, this can be used to comic effect in your plotline. For example, you could build up one character as a super-villain, only to have him exposed at the end as a big softie. Or maybe the heroine suspects the hero of having an unpalatable aspect to his character, only to find out at the crucial moment she has been wrong all along. <br /><strong>Funny Characters</strong><br />Everyone from Jane Austen to John Cleese uses characters who are in some way amusing. Occasionally these play to preconceived stereotypes (although of course the clever author will subvert the reader’s expectation that it is a stereotype!) or use characters with an obvious comic defect – Mrs Malaprop, for example, and her numerous literary descendants. In my opinion, though, one of the cleverest ways to create a comic character is not to go for the obvious, but to play your characters’ goals and conflicts off against each other to create comic moments: think Basil Fawlty with Manuel, Blackadder with Baldrick and Martin and Frasier/Niles. I recently read <em>Twenties Girl </em>and noticed that this is something which Sophie Kinsella does with aplomb (particularly at the start of the book) by setting up Lara and Sadie’s goals as a sort of battle of wills and waiting to see who wins – with hilarious results. As with individual jokes, simply being mean to a character (particularly if they are weak or disadvantaged in some way) is never funny; and I do think it is terribly important that rom com heroines are strong, capable women rather than pathetic wrecks without any sense or chutzpah who only just manage to muddle through. Remember that the funniest characters will always be the most original, or those which approach their goals and conflicts in a fresh way.<br /><strong>How I Structure my Books</strong>I like to start with a hero and heroine who have some fundamental conflict between them – even if, like Mark and Lucy in <em>Tug of Love</em>, it takes a chapter or two before you find out what it is. Then I try and ‘double conflict’ my heroine by putting her in an awkward position outside of the main love story so she is now fighting on two separate fronts. With my main characters’ goals now in place, I know where I am heading and set course for a pre-planned mid-point. At this mid-point (mid-points, by the way, are the perfect device for avoiding the dreaded saggy middle) I try to create a scene which contains the potential for the hero and heroine’s problems to be resolved – only I’m not going to let that happen! Instead, in a hopefully comic manner, I dangle it tantalizingly for a few pages before whipping it away again. About three-quarters of the way through, comes the moment when the reader needs to think there is no way things can ever work out – the Point of No Return - when things for ther heroine are looking as bad as they can possibly get. However, because I write comedy, my books have to have a happy ending: so, somehow, the heroine has to save the day and triumph wonderfully over adversity. Then she and the hero resolve any outstanding issues between them before riding off romantically into the sunset. <br />Of course, none of this is set in stone, but I like to have a rough idea of where I’m going. This structure gives me flexibility whilst at the same time nagging me to make my moments of crisis and resolution are properly spaced out within the narrative and well balanced. It’s a structure I’ve scavenged from a number of sources, including Hollywood rom coms and the great Jane Austen herself (she loves her mid-points, does Jane!) <br /><strong>Conclusion</strong> <br />Whilst this is in no way supposed to be a definitive tutorial on How You Must Structure Your Rom Com, I hope it has helped. I find that sometimes one can be carried away by the creative flow and, by having this (or any!) structure in place in the back of one’s mind, it can the pace and balance of one’s writing. I do think comedy needs more forethought and structure than other genres (detective fiction perhaps excepted) because culturally we have a strong expectation and feel for the rhythms of comedy – and as a writer you might as well play to those expectations. Whatever you are writing though, enjoy it – because in the end, that’s what it’s all about. Happy writing!Alliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17548397232462139601noreply@blogger.com0