Let’s hear it for our lovely mate Jan Brigden and her book which made the Movers and Shaker list !! Woo Hoo.
Well, what a three weeks I’ve had.
I’d have blogged about it sooner if the dreaded lurgy hadn’t paid me a visit. And outstayed its welcome, I might add.
More of that later though …
On a much more positive note, three weeks ago – Easter Sunday to be precise – my debut novel As Weekends Go was selected for Amazon’s Kindle Daily Deal which meant that it was 99p to download for that day only. Mr B and I were at a family gathering at my parents for most of the day, and between all the laughter, chatter, games and chocolate-scoffing, we were keeping our beady eyes on its progress. I can’t tell you how excited and grateful I was to see it rise up the charts to a heady number 199.
Before I knew it, the Prosecco was cracked open and flowing. It was great to all celebrate…
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Let’s here it for our lovely friend Tamie Dearen who’s a guest on New Romantics Press today.
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First up – The Exeter Novel Prize, organised by Creative Writing Matters. Check out their website if you are just starting out on your writing career. Their slogan is: WHAT’S YOUR STORY and you’ll find lots of advice to help you achieve those famous words at the bottom of your manuscript THE END!
Exeter Novel Prize the award ceremony was held in St Stephen’s Church, Exeter High Street. There were over 300 entries from all over the world and I was thrilled to be one of the six finalists. The prize is held in high esteem by writers and comes with the added bonus that the short list is commented upon by respected agent Broo Doherty.
Here’s what she said about SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS
The novel opens with Ishabel Stuart racing across a Scottish causeway to her aunt’s house seeking comfort and solace, having discovered her fiancée has been unfaithful. She has the added burden of her recently deceased father’s ashes in her car; he has requested that his ashes be scattered from a Munro and Ishabel is expected to know how to organise it.
Her aunt, Esme, a life long protester, runs a B&B on the island, and inevitably the hotel is full when Ishabel arrives. Not only full, but full of an unwanted American who is going to stay on in the hotel while Esmee heads down south with her ancient hippy dippy friends to protest about fracking in Manchester.
This is a lively and amusing opening to a romantic novel. The setting is authentic, the characters original and the stroppy parrot who has the perfect answer for every situation certainly raised a smile whenever he appeared.
Pershing – the parrot in the novel is based on our parrot, Jasper. Here he is with my award. Or should that be, his award ?!
Although I wasn’t overall winner, it was still a great day and a validation of me as a writer. Many thanks to Margaret James, Cathie Hartigan and Sophie Duffy for all their hard work. Now all I’ve got to do is write the next one. Simples.
If you’d like to see a full report and more pictures of the event, go to the website
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my latest blog. If you don’t already subscribe to my newsletter, please sign up here. I’m giving away a free paperback copy of Tall, Dark and Kilted to one lucky subscriber this month.
Some great tips in this blog by Mags Cullingford
HAZEL GAYNOR began with the lesson of E.L. James’s runaway success. ALL publicity is good publicity. What followed was effervescent.
As a reader Hazel needed to be told three things:
She showed how to go about doing this by quoting from the Bookseller Marketing and Publicity Conference using the link #mpconf15, reminding us the author knows their book the best, and is, therefore, the ideal publicist.
All that followed made perfect sense. Hazel emphasised be nice to everyone, engage rather than sell, keep engaging and…
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I am really getting stuck in with my new novel – working title, This Highland Magic and love meeting my new characters and writing about them. Here’s the blurb. Doubtless it will change through the course of the novel being finished! Those characters have a way of ‘taking over’. Here’s my up-to-date word count, too . . .
My spring newsletter will be coming out in March and I’ll be giving away a paperback copy of Tall, Dark and Kilted and other prizes. If you haven’t already subscribed, sign up here – and join in the fun . . .
Bye for now,
Lizzie x
Many thanks to Luccia Grey for writing such a wonderful blog post from my scribbled notes!
In the spotlight this week is Lizzie Lamb, author of Scotch on the Rocks which has just been shortlisted for the Exeter Novel Prize, this year.
Good luck Lizzie, because you’ve written a wonderful novel, which deserves all the praise and attention it’s getting from readers and reviewers!
Blurb Scotch on the Rocks 5-Stars!
ISHABEL STUART is at the crossroads of her life.
Her wealthy industrialist father has died unexpectedly, leaving her a half-share in a ruined whisky distillery and the task of scattering his ashes on a Munro. After discovering her fiancé playing away from home, she cancels their lavish Christmas wedding at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh and heads for the only place she feels safe – Eilean na Sgairbh, a windswept island on Scotland’s west coast – where the cormorants outnumber the inhabitants, ten to one.
When she arrives at her family home – now a…
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Many thanks to Rosie Amber for posting this review of Scotch on the Rocks on her book review page.
Feb 14
This gallery contains 4 photos.
Originally posted on New Romantics Press:
Thanks to the wonder of the internet, I am able to talk to readers ‘down under’ on the Australian Romance Readers Association today about why I love writing Scottish themed novels. Here’s the link if you’d like to leave a comment. https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/ ? I am also featured on Rosie…
Lizzie Lamb - author 