Close to Home ....Kate Field

As a book reviewer I have made contact with authors from all across the globe and feel immensely privileged to be able to share some amazing work. However, there is always something rather special when a book comes to my attention which has been written by an author in my part of the North of England. So with this in mind I have great pleasure in featuring some of those authors who are literally close to my home. Over the next few Saturdays, and hopefully beyond, I will be sharing the work of a very talented bunch of Northern authors and discovering just what being a Northerner means to them both in terms of inspiration and also in their writing.

Today I feature Lancashire author, Kate Field

Hi and welcome to Jaffareadstoo, Kate..

Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started as an author?

I’m Lancashire born and bred, and still live only ten minutes away from the street in which I grew up. I did venture down south for three years when I attended university, but was always glad to head back north. When I saw the hills rising and the clouds lowering, I knew I was almost home! I met my husband at university and luckily he is a Lancastrian too, so there was never any question about where we would settle.

I started writing many years ago. I’ve always loved reading – it’s amazing the way that books can manipulate your emotions, change your opinions, educate, entertain or simply take you away from life for a while. Trying to write a book was the irresistible next step.

As a writer based in the North West, does this present any problems in terms of marketing and promoting your books and if so, how do you overcome them?

I attended a talk over the summer about how to write a commercial bestseller. We were told that it’s easier to market a book set in, say, Paris or Cornwall, as the reader already has a mental picture of the location and how romantic it can be – as opposed to a book set in Lancaster. It was an excellent point, but not what I wanted to hear a few weeks before publication of my Lancashire romance!

Accent Press

I’ve received some lovely early reviews of The Magic of Ramblings, and I don’t think the northern setting has put anyone off so far! I write about small communities, and how the people in them rub along together, so I hope that readers can identify with that wherever they come from.

If you were pitching the North West as an ideal place to live, work and write – how would you sell it and what makes it so special?

The North West already has a great track record for nurturing talented people – there are some brilliant comedians, actors, musicians and writers who have come from this region. It inspired Tolkien to write The Lord of the Rings so it must have something special!

I love everything about this region. We have flat vowels and high hills; brilliant museums and theatres; great places to shop and eat. But it’s the landscape that makes me most happy to live here: from the Lake District hills, to the beautiful Forest of Bowland, and even the bleak West Pennine moors. 

How did you break into the publishing world?

I always knew that self-publishing wasn’t an option for me, because I don’t have the confidence to look at my own work and think it’s good enough to share. My family still haven’t read any of it as far as I know!

Entering competitions was probably the turning point for me. I was a runner up in the lovely author Miranda Dickinson’s Future Stars competition, and a runner up in the Accent Press / Woman magazine competition. Boosted by that, I met an editor from Accent at the RNA conference in 2015, having sent her the first chapter of The Magic of Ramblings. Luckily she loved it!

What are the up and downs to being an author?

It’s a strange life: what seems a major disaster one day – a main character’s name that has to change halfway through the book, or a scene that doesn’t work on paper as it did in your head – can look totally different the next day.

Rejections are probably one of the lowest moments, and they have a horrible tendency to come together – I once received two in the space of twenty minutes! It makes no difference if it’s a ‘near miss’ or a standard rejection signed by the PA of the person you submitted to, it still stings when one arrives.

On the up side, it’s wonderful when the writing flows and you become immersed in your characters’ lives, to the point that they pop in and out of your head all day. And as a newly published writer, I’ve only recently discovered one of the best moments: to see from a review that someone has enjoyed your book more than makes up for every down day.

Can you describe your books in three words?

Emotional, character-driven romance.

Writing is a solitary business - how do you interact with other authors?

I’d never met another writer until I attended the Festival of Romance in 2013, and it was only then that I realised how much I’d been missing! It’s great to be able to share the ups and downs with people who know exactly what you’re going through. 

I’ve met some incredibly supportive and generous writers through the RNA. I was a late developer on Twitter and Facebook, but try to keep in touch with other writers on there. I’m also part of a lovely group of Critique Buddies on Facebook, who can always be relied on for support and encouragement. I don’t think writing needs to be a solitary business any more, and it’s definitely more fun when it’s not!

Thanks for inviting me on your blog, Jo..

You can find more about the Kate on the following sites:

Facebook

Twitter: @katehaswords

Amazon UK

Huge thanks to Kate for taking the time to answer my questions about her impression of living and writing in Lancashire

I hope that you have enjoyed this week's Close to Home feature

Coming next week :  Lyn G. Farrell




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Close to Home ....Marie Laval

As a book reviewer I have made contact with authors from all across the globe and feel immensely privileged to be able to share some amazing work. However, there is always something rather special when a book comes to my attention which has been written by an author in my part of the North of England. So with this in mind I have great pleasure in featuring some of those authors who are literally close to my home. Over the next few Saturdays, and hopefully beyond, I will be sharing the work of a very talented bunch of Northern authors and discovering just what being a Northerner means to them both in terms of inspiration and also in their writing.

Today I am thrilled to feature Lancashire based author

Marie Laval

Hello Marie and a warm welcome back to Jaffareadstoo...

Hello Jo, and thank you very much for welcoming me on 'Close to Home'. I only hope that people won't think I am an impostor because although I have been living in England and had a long-term love affair with the North of England (and a Northern man!), I am actually French and only moved to Manchester after graduating from University.

Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started as an author..

My first contact with the North of England was a three-month training in Wigan back in 1984. I had finished a secretarial course and had the opportunity to work in the Arts and Libraries Section there. I loved every minute of it. I met great people, and had a wonderful time...so wonderful that I couldn't wait to come back. It took me a little over five years to do so, and when I finally returned I lived in Bolton and worked at the University of Manchester. It was the early nineties, great bands were around such as the Charlatans and the Stone Roses, and we had great nights out in Manchester. 

You asked what got me started as an author. There was a strong connection between my writing and the North West. Although I had been writing short stories for some time, I lacked confidence, especially because I was writing in English and wasn't sure my writing was good enough. One day I saw a flyer for a short story competition in Manchester Central Library. The competition was organised by Manchester publisher Commonword, and I thought 'why not?' A few months later, I received the fantastic news that my short story would be included in Commonword's anthology NO LIMITS. One of my proudest moments was to be interviewed by the Manchester Evening News (I was eight months pregnant with my first son and absolutely enormous), and to attend the launch at the Cornerhouse in Manchester.

After attending a romance writing course organised by Calderdale Libraries, I started writing A SPELL IN PROVENCE, published by Áccent Press, and never looked back.

As a writer based in the North-West, does this present any problems in terms of marketing and promoting your books, and if so, how do you overcome them?

I probably don't do as much promotion as I should, and most of it is online so my location doesn't really matter. I would love to attend more RNA meetings and parties, but they are usually mid-week and in London and there is no way I could ask time off work to go.

Writing is a solitary business - how do you interact with other authors?

I have made wonderful friends on Facebook, and they provide a lot of support, reassurance and advice. I am lucky to be able to meet some of them several times a year in Hebden Bridge for a meal and a good chat, and I always come back home from our meetings invigorated and upbeat.

If you were pitching the North West as an ideal place to live, work and write, how would you sell it and what makes it special?

As you can see I love the North West. There are so many different landscapes - there is the beautiful Rossendale Valley where I live, the lush Ribble Valley and the moors near Bolton. A short drive away and you are on the coast - Southport and Lytham and great places to shop and visit. The only thing I could criticise is the weather, since the Rossendale Valley where I now live seems to be a lot wetter than anywhere else!

What makes the North West so special for me are the people. I'll never forget how welcome I always felt here. One of my first memories of Wigan when I was eighteen was how friendly everybody was. I remember thinking how wonderful it was that everybody I met called me 'love', 'pet' or 'flower'! 

How supportive are local communities to your writing, and are there ever any opportunities for local reading groups or libraries to be involved in promoting your work?

I think I should do more and approach local reading groups, but I am quite shy and self-conscious about it. So far, I've only done one author talk. It was in my lovely village library, and only three people turned up - one of them by mistake, the other one coerced by the librarian, and the third one because he wanted a coffee and a chocolate biscuit! I would have loved to do another talk there some time in the future but it closed down at the end of September because of budget cuts, and it is a great shame.

Otherwise, two of my author friends - Helena Fairfax and Melinda Hammond (aka Sarah Mallory) - held a romance writing workshop at Todmorden library last year and it was a very positive experience. That's all so far...

And finally, if someone is new to your work, which book do you think they should start with?

How could you ask me to choose between my 'babies', Jo?

No seriously, it depends if readers prefer contemporary or historical romance. If they like contemporary romance, they could try A SPELL IN PROVENCE. If they like historical romance, then they could read ANGEL HEART, which is the first of my novels featuring a member of the Saintclair family.

Thank you very much for welcoming me to your blog.

  

You can find out more about Marie on her website

Find on Facebook

Follow on Twitter @MarieLaval1

     

Huge thanks to Marie for taking the time to share her thoughts about the North West and for answering my questions so thoughtfully

I hope that you have enjoyed reading today's Close to Home feature.

Coming next Saturday : Author, Margaret Moore writing as A.D Garrett and Forensic Advisor, Helen Pepper




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Close to Home ~ Deborah Swift

As a book reviewer I have made contact with authors from all across the globe and feel immensely privileged to be able to share some amazing work. However, there is always something rather special when a book comes to my attention which has been written by an author in my part of the North of England. So with this in mind I have great pleasure in featuring some of those authors who are literally close to my home. Over the next few Saturdays, and hopefully beyond, I will be sharing the work of a very talented bunch of Northern authors and discovering just what being a Northerner means to them both in terms of inspiration and also in their writing.

Today please welcome Lancashire author

Deborah Swift

Hi Deborah. A warm welcome to Jaffareadstoo..

Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started as an author?

I've always loved reading and used to haunt my local library and always came away with the maximum number of allowed books. I guess I always wanted to write. I used to write a lot of poetry, and still pen the occasional poem. My first novel was not published until after my daughter left home for University - because then I had more time to devote to writing, and a novel is an enormous task.

I wanted to write historical fiction because I love history and have always enjoyed costume dramas since working as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV. For a long time I was based in and around Manchester, and I used to enjoy choosing furnishing fabrics from Abakhan's to reproduce the heavy Elizabethan fabrics of the past for the stage, and the Asian shops of Manchester provided me with diaphonous sari fabrics which made for perfect Regency gowns. The North West is full of interesting history, and at one time, between theatre contracts, I had a part-time job in Oldham Museum. I enjoy looking at antiques, old houses and museums, and love doing archive work which is necessary if you write historical fiction.

Your novels are not always set in the North West but I wonder do the people and its landscape shape your stories in any way?

One of my novels; 'Past Encounters', written under pen name Davina Blake, is a novel set in Carnforth, Lancashire in 1945 and ten years later in 1955. This meant the period is on the border of slipping into memory and on the border of historical fiction as a genre. Because of this it meant I was able to interview people who had first hand memories of the times, although those people were often housebound or elderly.

My novel is set during the filming of Brief Encounter, the classic film, which features Carnforth railway station as one of its main locations. Quite a few people who worked in Carnforth in and around the station were drafted in as extras for the film, and it was these people I traced and interviewed in order to construct a fictional lead character who might have been an extra during the filming. I took some of my other research along, eg newspapers from 1945 and books about WWII with good photographs, and this gave a natural start to the conversation whilst we looked at the pictures together.

Sometimes it was a cue for their photo album to come out, and those were great insightful conversations. I drank vast quantities of tea and coffee and ate lots of biscuits and cake! The Heritage Centre at Carnforth Station was extremely helpful, and they still stock the finished book in their shop, and display a poster of it in the underpass between platforms. It was a pleasure to meet people who'd lived their wartime years close to my home.

My first novel, The Lady's Slipper, is set on the Cumbria/Lancashire borders and has scenes in Kendal Market, and a quite gruelling scene inside Lancaster Castle when it was the local hanging gaol. Lancaster has a great maritime history, so when I needed to know what a seventeenth century ship looked like, I was able to consult the Maritime Museum. I love setting my books locally, although not every book can be local. My most recent series is set in Hertfordshire, but I used my trusty northern readers to give it the once-over before it went for publication.

As a writer based in the North West, does this present any problems in terms of marketing and promoting your books and if so, how do you overcome them?

So much marketing and promotion is now done online, that it really makes no difference where you live. Email means communication is quick and effective wherever you are. There are some excellent local magazines in which I've done features, such as Lancashire Life, who have always been very good to me in terms of getting an article out to highlight a new book of local interest.

How supportive are local communities to your writing, and are there ever any opportunities for book shops, local reading groups, or libraries to be involved in promoting your work?

Local bookshops have been incredibly supportive, particularly with my locally-set books. Carnforth bookshop (which also has 10,000 second-hand books - heaven!) continues to stock Past Encounters, and the Cumbrian bookshops stock my other books. Also, the Cumbria and Lancashire Library Services have been fantastic at organising talks for me in libraries where I can discuss how I researched my books with readers. They also have many reading groups, and I've been to quite a few - from as far north as Workington, to as far south as Preston.

You have to have quite a thick skin, as inevitably, as well as the people who loved my book, there is always someone who hated it! Lancashire and Cumbria are huge areas, so my trusty red Fiat Panda has done a lot of miles over the last few years. But it is always a treat to talk to readers and hear their opinions face to face.

If you were pitching the North West as an ideal place to live, work and write – how would you sell it and what makes it so special?

The North West is a warm and friendly place to live and the backbone of the M6 means you can easily connect to other places. And it is beautiful - the lakes and mountains of the Lake District, and the coast around Morecambe Bay are all within a few miles drive.

Writing is a solitary business - how do you interact with other authors?

I am part of two networks of North West writers who meet on Facebook, The Pendle Literary Salon (!) and the Westmorland Writers. I also meet familiar faces from the North West at conferences such as the Romantic Novelists Association and the Historical Novel Society conference. But lots more informal networking goes on with writers at Booth's coffee shop in Kendal, or the 1652 Chocolate Shop where you can indulge yourself in chocolate treats as well as look around their chocolate museum.

And finally, if someone is new to your work, which book do you think they should start with?

If you like WWII women's fiction, start with Past Encounters. For a more 'period' read, start with The Lady's Slipper.

 

Thank you so much to Jo for hosting me.

You can find me on Twitter @swiftstory

Or sign up for my newsletter and a free book at www.deborahswift.com

Huge thanks to Deborah for taking the time to share her thoughts about the North West and for answering my questions so thoughtfully

I hope that you have enjoyed reading today's Close to Home feature.

Coming next Saturday : Marie Laval

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Close to Home...Jo Hollywood

As a book reviewer I have made contact with authors from all across the globe and feel immensely privileged to be able to share some amazing work. However, there is always something rather special when a book comes to my attention which has been written by an author in my part of the North of England. So with this in mind I have great pleasure in featuring some of those authors who are literally close to my home. Over the next few Saturdays, and hopefully beyond, I will be sharing the work of a very talented bunch of Northern authors.

Please welcome Lancashire Author

Jo Hollywood

Hi Jo, A warm welcome to Jaffareadstoo. Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started as an author?

I am a married mother of two young boys and in a former life worked as a renal nurse. Prior to starting my nursing career I had studied an English Literature and Drama (BA Hons) degree, I just love to write and read stories. When my youngest son was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 3, I found that I began to write again., I began by writing a self help book for parents, then a weekly newspaper column and occasionally blogging for the Huffington Post. However, this new found thirst for writing prompted me into wanting to write fiction, and primarily romantic fiction, something that was just for me, and so I joined Wattpad and began to write An Unextraordinary Life. My very first novel.


As a writer based in the North West, does this present any problems in terms of marketing and promoting your books and if so, how do you overcome them?

To be honest I am very new to this world and as yet have had only had to promote one book, so I have not encountered any problems other than bang an indie author. I do know though that it can be more difficult for Northern authors with a strong Northern theme in their work to get their books out there and read. Why this is so still baffles me.

If you were pitching the North West as an ideal place to live, work and write – how would you sell it and what makes it so special?

I love living in the North West. We did live in the South West for five years in beautiful Dorset, and although I loved the area and the people I did miss the North West. I grew up in the Wirral and today live in Lancashire. So how would I sell the North West as a place to live, work and write? Well, for starters the people are very friendly and outgoing. You can always have a conversation with someone in a café or while stood waiting for the bus. There is always someone to talk to, so you are never short of ideas for your characters. The area also has some stunning scenery to help the creative juices. I live just down the road from Morecambe and there is nothing quite like strolling along the prom to think through plot lines. I just love the North West, it is comforting and feels like home.

In your writing, have you been inspired by anything in particular, ie a place or a person?

Lots of people and places have inspired me with my writing. When writing the library scenes in my latest novel I pictured Lancaster Central Library in my mind, I could hear the voices all around me as well as the smell of books. In An Unextraordinary Life, the bookshop café was very much based upon a local café in town. I think that as writers we draw inspiration form every day things that happen around us, what we are comfortable with. As for people, they are usually a mixture of different people that are known to me, all rolled up into one.

How did you break into the publishing world?

Well I am still a very new author and I decided to self publish my first novel. I am however writing my second novel which I hope to find a publisher for. If not, then I will self publish again. I think the main thing is to just get your work out there and read, in whatever format you can manage.

What are the up and downs to being an author?

The ups are most definitely writing every day. I love to write and for me it is a form of therapy. I escape the every day world. I also need to read every day. Other benefits are that you get to see your words on the printed page and in digital format. Others get to read those words and can hopefully gain enjoyment from them. The downside is that it takes a lot of work and effort to produce a novel, and sometimes it can seem like an uphill battle. Negative reviews also hurt, but then not everyone will like your book. It's just the way it is.

How can readers find out more about you and your work?

Readers can read about me on my website 

They can also find An Unextraordinary Life over on Amazon

I also write book reviews over on my website

Huge thanks to Jo for taking the time to share her thoughts about the North West and for answering my questions so thoughtfully

I hope that you have enjoyed reading today's Close to Home feature.

Coming next Saturday : Deborah Swift

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Close to Home ...Liz Bower

As a book reviewer I have made contact with authors from all across the globe and feel immensely privileged to be able to share some amazing work. However, there is always something rather special when a book comes to my attention which has been written by an author in my part of the North of England. So with this in mind I have great pleasure in featuring some of those authors who are literally close to my home. Over the next few Saturdays, and hopefully beyond, I will be sharing the work of a very talented bunch of Northern authors.

Today please welcome Lancashire Author

Liz Bower

Hello Liz and thank you for spending time with us today. Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started as an author?

I am originally from Lancashire and have just moved back after eight years away. Most of the time I drink too much coffee while writing about my characters finding their own HEA. The rest of my time I'm either searching for the next HEA to read or walking my dog.

The idea of writing my own book started when I was a teenager. It wasn't until I was living abroad that I found the time to actually start one.

As a writer based in the North West, does this present any problems in terms of marketing and promoting your books and if so, how do you overcome them?

Most of my marketing and promotion — like so many other things nowadays — I do online so my location isn't an issue.

If you were pitching the North West as an ideal place to live, work and write – how would you sell it and what makes it so special?

I love the north-west and I'm a Lancashire girl at heart.

It's a great place to live because there's something for everyone. Lancashire is a county steeped in history with many museums and historical buildings to visit. It is home to the cultural city of Manchester, some of music's best bands and singers, and of course where Charlotte Bronte began writing Jane Eyre.

The north-west is home to some of the most beautiful places I've visited.  This is great for my writing too as I'll never be short of inspiration for a book setting. And of course the people are so friendly 'Up North'!

What started you on the path to writing?

I had written stories as a teenager but then adult life got in the way. When I found myself living in the Middle East and unable to work it seemed like a great opportunity to give it a go. I took an online creative writing course and started writing my first book, which is still buried on a shelf somewhere never to see the light of day!

How did you break into the publishing world?

I only published my first book this year so I'm still trying to break into the publishing world but I always wanted to go the self-published route.

What are the up and downs to being an author?

Some weeks there are so many I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. I love it when my characters talk to me and the writing just flows. Or when a reader gets in touch to thank me for helping them escape reality in my books for a while, that makes all the hard work worthwhile. Then there's those bad moments when you let doubts creep in and every word you write is a struggle. It's also hard trying to get your name out there because there are so many great authors already published.

Can you describe your books in three words?

Thrilling romantic fantasy

And finally, if someone is new to your work, which book do you think they should start with?

The three books follow on from each other so start with Vision in Love. 

©Liz Bower

All photographs by kind permission

Legends of the North

  

You can find out more about Liz and her writing by clicking on the links below;


Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon UK

Huge thanks to Liz for being part of my Close to Home feature and for sharing her thoughts about her writing so eloquently.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading today's Close to Home feature.

Coming next Saturday : Jo Hollywood

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