Forensic Nurse Paloma Parker seems to have her life in order. She is a successful career woman who is intelligent and confident in her abilities, but she just can’t seem to have a meaningful romantic relationship. Her newest patient, an incarcerated juvenile named Ella, has a connection to her that is fully realized when Paloma’s family secret is revealed. As Ella yearns for inner peace and Paloma searches for love, these two women may just hold the key to each other’s very different kinds of freedom.

                                                               Shy from peruisay

At times, I find that I struggle to see where the plot is going, or how a character is developing. It’s at these moments that I have to take my head out of the notebook, or move my fingers away from the keypad, and listen to what the characters are saying.

To listen to them means that I let them make decisions, surprise me and develop twists in the plot. If they are intriguing me then they’ll hopefully do the same to the reader.

When I listen to them, I can hear their individual voices and hear how they speak. What phrases or words do they commonly use which makes them stand out? Do they hesitate when they speak? Do they have a booming voice, or do they utter words in whispers?

If a character lacks the ability to grab me – and so also the reader – I need to allow them to show me the way to develop them. I need to take them out of their comfort zone, to make them respond to a situation in a way that can perhaps shock me.

I sometimes free-write (a previous post in this blog talks about free-writing) and let a situation with the characters develop of it’s own accord. Currently, the male protagonists has shown a softer side to his character which I didn’t think he had in him. Hence, a scene has developed which I hadn’t foreseen, and I hope it has the same affect on the reader.

When I just sit and think, the characters can talk to me – so having a notepad handy is always wise. I need to give them the space to talk and to guide me, as a lot of the time I’m dictating what happens and where they go. I hope that if  I can hear the voice of a character, then so can the reader, and after all, that’s want we as writers want, isn’t it?

Happy New Year to One & All & Happy Word Flow.

My neighbour asked me, the other day, where the stories I write come from, and I told her they came from my head. She seemed bemused, and then she asked how can one idea blossom into a whole novel? I decided that a blog post could go some way in answering her queries.

I have moved around a lot during my lifetime, ranging from Marlow Bottom, York, London, Norwich and the South of France. I have also worked in places such as Tower Hamlets in London. All of this has enabled me to experience different aspects of life and community, as well as different cultures. People watching is a favourite hobby of mine, which can make me a tad anti-social at times.

Working with young offenders inspired my novel ‘The Divine Pumpkin’. My time working in the community and in young offender institutes (prisons) gave me ideas for characters and setting. The character for the young offender is made up from several young girls I worked with, and the other characters are created from people I know and have known – although the actual characters are fictitious – no one could ever recognise themselves!

My daughters inspire me with their enthusiasm towards life; from sports day (pictured above), playing football matches every weekend to volunteering in the local science museum. Just like the blackbird prodding the lawn for worms, there is an attitude in the household to throw yourself into the tasks ahead – and to see the positive side as much as possible. Having said that, we have our share of teenage strops and messy rooms, but that’s family life.

I read the paper, novels,watch the news and go for coffee with my friend – all of which give me ideas. A story about nothing much could be planted in my brain, only for it to blossom another day into a scene development or characterisation. Even time day-dreaming can be inspiring, as I let my mind wander and create images for me – I always have a notebook to hand.

Inspiration can reveal itself anytime and anywhere. As an author, I make mental notes of sights, sounds, smells, taste and touch, to add depth to my writing. I hope to convey the setting in a novel and make my characters likable or annoying – whatever their role may be in the story – so that the reader can sink into my book and take themselves off into the fictional world I have created.

I hope you’ve found some inspiration from this.

Happy Word Flow One & All.

Photo: Untitled from Mike_Fleming.

The presents are all sitting under the tree, looking tempting in their red and white wrapping. But I know that once they’re opened and appreciated, the tree looks rather dejected, and my thoughts turn to the forthcoming year – well after I’ve made a sumptuous Christmas dinner,that is.

For the past four years, one of my resolutions has been to get an agent or publisher – and if you’ve been following this blog, you’ll know that I’m to be published in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. So one down, I hear you all mutter, and yes indeed, one down but plenty more to go.

The editing process needs to be completed and the cover design – fortunately not by me. So one could say that a resolution would now be for the book to be successful, for which I must play a part in. I write to be read not to make a fortune – just knowing that someone else will have chosen to buy my book will be a reward in itself.

I also need to continue writing my current WIP of which I’ve already written 58,000 words. More writing resolutions,I hear you cry – have you no other life to speak of?

Of course I have. I wish to continue to be a loving, sometimes cool & embarrassing mum to my two teenage daughters. A loving but sometimes ratty cook, cleaner, counsellor, organiser and wife. Would I like to be less stressed about the clutter everyone leaves lying around – of course I would – but clutter causes pot holes in my mind – I can’t function to the best of my ability in disarray.Take note family members.

Should another resolution be to lose weight? I’ve never been on a diet, I’m a great believer in a little of everything and excess in nothing. Would I like to be the size UK8 I used to be?  – of course – but having babies and getting older have taken their toll. However,I’d rather have the wisdom that comes with age than the waistline of a younger me who didn’t understand how harsh and complicated  the world could be.

For the first time for many years – I’m going to have tears of hope in my eyes on New Year’s Eve. I will raise a glass of bubbly and chink glasses to a successful, fun and healthy year for all my family and friends. I include you – dear follower or reader. I wish you every success, happiness, crystal clear word flow and inner peace.

Happy 2012 Word Flow One & All.

                          Photo: Christmas 2007 from paparutzi

And what is the best Christmas present ever, I hear you cry. Could it be a Kindle, a diamond ring, an Aga – what, what is it you cry even louder.
It’s a publishing contract with Winter Goose Publishing (@wintergoosepublishing). They have accepted my contemporary romance – ‘The Divine Pumpkin’ – and shortly I will begin the process of editing with an editor – they warn me it will try my patience – but I’m so ready for it. It will be in paperback in 2012.

Four years of reading about writing and writing four novels in various genre, until I found my preference, has all been worth it. Of course I have accumulated numerous rejections – although some encouraging words from some agents – over the years, but I never let my faith subside. I would feel low initially after a rejection, but then I’d plough on – I had no choice, I was addicted to writing.

I have known about this for two weeks, but I needed to wait until the contract was signed. Perhaps I should have waited a few more days as I will soon be on the Winter Goose website and Face book page – but I couldn’t wait any longer to let you all know. Links will follow.

I have a new avatar – taken by my fourteen year old daughter, with hair done by my seventeen year old daughter – as the photo will be on the back of my book.

I so want to hug all my Twitter & blog folk who are still waiting for this moment – to tell them never to give up, to believe in oneself and to learn & write as much as possible. I also suggest looking at Winter Goose publishing – they also have a competition out currently.

I’m embarking on a new part of the writing journey and I look forward to sharing the trip with you all. I can’t quite believe that I have a contract, and I’m sightly nervous about the work ahead. But for once, I’m not alone – although one never feels lonely on Twitter or here.

I hope to write again before Christmas, but if I can’t, may I wish you all a Happy Festive Season and much joy and success in 2012.

Happy Word Flow One & All.

Photo: For the love of coffee by Ian Shane.

For the reader to care about the protagonist, we need to know her deeply. There must be something she desires or hopes for, but something or someone gets in the way. The focus of her desire must be strong enough to sustain the plot, and ‘real’ enough for the reader to carry on reading to see if the denouement brings her success. Her desire or problem doesn’t have to be revealed in one fell swoop, but there needs to be enough hints about it to draw the reader in.

I like to submerge myself into my protagonist and other characters, so that when I write their dialogue, I use their terminology and react in the way they would. I let the dialogue be written straight from the heart i te first draft, and then I refine it several times during the editing process.

Some characters are verbose and use certain words such as ‘sweetie’ and ‘dear’, which sets them apart from other characters. Some have a clipped many and others display nervous twitches, to help the reader visualise the characters.

One way I find useful to get to know them all, is to daydream over a cup of coffee. With a notepad to hand, I think about the plot line and wonder how t influences the characters. My mind wanders freely, and if I listen carefully, I can hear the characters speaking. The thoughts may not be in sequence, but it doesn’t matter as I save them in my notebook for a future day.
I also like to let them take the lead at times, as that throws up surprising twists and obstacles. I find myself entertained by such acts, which I hope the readers do too.

I like to make my protagonists likeable as that suits the contemporary romance genre. I use snippets from my friends or people I meet, and a tiny part of me can slip in too. However, likeable doesn’t mean that they always do things right – to be believable, things need to go wrong. That’s real life.

Now I’ve written this, I’m going to make a mug of coffee and sit in the garden to ‘chat’ with my protagonist. Currently she is working through her emotions of desire and despair, and I need to listen to how she wishes to proceed.

Happy Word Flow One & All.