Tag: Harper Collins

Celebrating: The Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller shortlist!

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“Jackie Collins was a creative force, a trailblazer for women in fiction, and, in her own words, ‘A kick-ass writer!’ Since her 1968 debut The World is Full of Married Men, her books have sold in their millions in more than 40 countries and she is one of the world’s top-selling novelists. Ian Chapman, CEO of Simon & Schuster UK and International, said “Jackie was kind, brilliantly astute, with a wicked, mischievous sense of humour. She was a consummate storyteller and made her craft look easy, like all great practitioners. I – along with many others – miss her still and often expect to see her appear suddenly in our midst. We have long made a solemn commitment to ensure that her legacy endures and are incredibly proud to partner with the Romantic Novelists’ Association again to sponsor the Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller award to support her fellow writers.”

Every author has their own unique story to tell about how and why they came to be a novelist. Read on to find out the stories behind the talented authors shortlisted for the prestigious award, as they reveal them, and the inspiration behind their lovely novels.

The Forgotten Sister – Nicola Cornick

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I’ve always been fascinated by historical mysteries and I also love writing about lesser-known women from history. The two things came together in The Forgotten Sister which was inspired by the mystery of the death of Amy Robsart, wife of Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite, Robert Dudley. So often Amy’s story is eclipsed by Elizabeth and Robert’s love affair, but I wanted to bring Amy into the spotlight instead. Telling her story alongside a tale of modern day celebrity made me realise how many themes from history are still relevant now.

The House By The Sea – Louise Douglas

Boldwood Books

The inspiration for this novel was a derelict villa on a small headland in a remote corner of Sicily. We were on holiday and spotted it from the beach, climbed a sandy path to reach it. The villa was enclosed by high walls, with bougainvillea and other plants tumbling over as if they’d been imprisoned and were trying to escape. Behind rusting gates, chained together, we glimpsed a lovely, fading old house… and I fell in love.

 

Death Comes to Cornwall – Kate Johnson

Dash Digital, Orion

Honestly, I was trying to write a nice romantic comedy about a gorgeous actor and a girl trying to escape her hometown, and then a dead body turned up in chapter three. Which doesn’t usually happen in romcoms, so it became more of a cosy mystery. And setting it in Cornwall meant an excuse to eat pasties and drink Cornish beer. You know, for inspiration.

 

The Twins – J. S. Lark

HarperCollins

My writing history began with Bridgerton style bodice rippers as Jane Lark, before becoming the gripping domestic, psychological, thriller I created in The Twins. The progression to The Twins came about after watching the Dr Foster TV series. My romantic books have always had a harder, darker, edge to them. The TV series that focused heavily on the character relationships while weaving a twisty shocking story around that encouraged me to take the step into the full-on thriller space. I love creating gritty, shocking and yet passionate characters.

But the root of my writing is thanks to a teacher, who identified my exceptional story-telling capability when I was eight. She called me forward to the front of the class and told everyone that one day I would write a novel. That didn’t happen for 33 years, but now there are twenty-six novels. I am told I’m quite prolific.

 

Escape to the Little Chateau – Marie Laval

Choc Lit

As a teenager growing up in France I loved reading historical romance and used to make up stories before falling asleep every night. My dreams were full of sword fights, daring rescues and brave heroes and heroines battling evil villains as they fell madly in love. Picking up a pen and writing the stories down was the next, logical step, and I never looked back!

The winner will be announced on the 8th March 2021.

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Celebrating: The RNA’s Fantasy Romantic Novel shortlist!

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RNA fantasy

Fantasy Romantic Novel

Every author has their own unique story to tell about how and why they came to be a novelist. Read on to find out the stories behind the talented authors shortlisted for the prestigious award, as they reveal them, and the inspiration behind their lovely novels.

ECHOES OF THE RUNES – Christina Courtenay

Headline Review

The story was inspired by a Viking style ring I own, an exact replica of one displayed at the Historical Museum in Stockholm. When I went to the museum to compare the two, I was struck by the germ of an idea for this book. My agent just happens to be Swedish as well and she encouraged me to explore our mutual heritage, so it seemed like it was meant to be – serendipity!

The Start of Us – Hannah Emery

One More Chapter, HarperCollins

The Start of Us was inspired by the idea that small moments can change everything. The main character Erica is able to see another version of her life and decide which one she wants to live. This huge choice prompts her to explore something else that fascinates me: how love and grief often go hand in hand. Is it better to never experience pain, if you also have to forfeit love?

The Reluctant Witch – Amelia Hopegood

Independently Published

I come from a working – class background and not only read but scribbled stories throughout my childhood. I’ve still got the manuscript I wrote when I was sixteen – full of teenage angst and funny for all the wrong reasons! I concentrated on my career, but a hospital admittance made me reassess. I write Regency Romance and Paranormal Cozy Mystery and by indie-publishing I’ve been able to write full-time which overwhelmingly readers seem to enjoy!

The Cornish Connection – Amanda James

Independently Published

My inspiration came from reading, I think. But I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write, I suppose it’s in my blood. I was a voracious reader as a child – first Enid Blyton and Marguerite Henry, then in my teens, I became lost in the world of Tolkien. I loved words, stories and going off on virtual adventures. I asked for a typewriter for Christmas when I was eight, and never looked back!

Someday in Paris – Olivia Lara

Aria, Head of Zeus

The Someday in Paris manuscript was a wedding anniversary gift for my husband: a magical love story inspired by our own, set in Paris and Colmar—our favourite French towns— and centered around art, which we both love. While I hoped he’d like it, I didn’t expect his immediate, powerful, and emotional reaction while reading it, which ultimately emboldened me to follow my lifelong dream of becoming a published author.

The winner will be announced on the 8th March 2021.

Please feel free to leave a comment or like the post.

Catching up with award winning author Janet Gover!

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JG - 2019

Welcome back, Janet.

How time flies by. You were my guest back in 2014!

Wow – is it really that long? It’s great to be back chatting to you again.  

Since then a lot has happened – how have you found working during lockdown? Has it been a challenge to stay focused; mentally and physically?

2020 was a tough year for everyone. This year hasn’t started too well either, but I am holding on to hope that things are getting better – even if it’s a bit slow. The big change for me has been my husband working from home. Luckily we’ve managed to make him a small office at the other end of the house, as far away from my office as possible, so we don’t disturb each other too often when we’re working. But we do miss our Sunday walks that seemed to always end with a nice lunch at some pretty rural pub.

It has been hard to stay focussed, although writing is a great escape for me. And deadlines are a great motivator. I have kept to my schedule, but it’s been slighter harder work than in the past.  

How much has changed in your writing world since we first chatted?

So much… it’s hard to know where to start. I’ve just had my 14th book released. Close To Home is a story of two strong matriarchs in one small country town. I think it’s my favourite book. But I say that about every new book.

I have given up my ‘day job’ and am now a full time writer and writing tutor, which is the achievement of a long held dream.

And I’m now contracted to Harper Collins (Harlequin) Australia, who are just the best publishers I’ve ever worked with.

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What have been the highlights?

So many highlights…. some of them are as simple as suddenly having that lightbulb moment when I’m struggling with a scene or a book.  The big ones? Let’s see…

In 2017 I won the RNA’s Epic Romantic Novel of The Year award for Little Girl Lost.  To receive such an award from an organisation that means so much to me was a real honour – even if Prue Leith did pronounce my name wrong when she announced it.

Finally writing the Wuthering Heights re-imagining I’ve always wanted to do. Heathcliff’s story set against the Thatcher years and the miners’ strike. I co-wrote this with my friend Alison May and I remain so very proud of it.

Meeting and signing with my agent, Julia Silk – who has turned my writing world around. And in the same breath, signing with my Australian publisher, and meeting my editor Rachael Donovan. Only virtually so far, but one day we will get to meet in person. There will be cake. 

You are now the organiser of the RNA’s amazing New Writers Scheme – please share what a challenging and yet rewarding experience this is?

For those who don’t know about it, it’s a scheme which gives 300 unpublished authors a chance to have a manuscript read by a experienced published author, who will offer some guidance on how to become a better writer and achieve that goal of publication. I graduated from the scheme more than a decade ago, and have been a reader for many years. Now I organise it. It’s very time consuming, but I love doing it… its nice to give something back for the help I received.

The hardest part is matching a new writer with the reader who can help them the most. And the very best part is when I get an email from a new writer who had been offered a publishing deal. That means so much to me and to the readers.

What are you working on now?

I’m deep in edits for book number 15. The working title is The Librarian’s Daughter and it’s scheduled for release in 2022. It’s based around a mobile library in rural Australia… just like the one that used to call on my little community.  And in some ways, it’s also a tribute to all the books I read and loved as I was growing up.

It’s a complex book, structurally. I’m trying to ensure that, for the reader, it doesn’t seem complex at all – but flows smoothly from one moment to the next.

What is next for Janet?

Hopefully, soon, a trip back to Australia. More books of course. I have been playing with a couple of ideas for very different books to my rural stories. I’ll always write those rural stories of course, because I love them so much. But maybe there’s room for something else too.

And one of these days – a long Sunday walk followed by a nice pub lunch.

Congratulations on your many successes and best wishes for all your future projects!

Thanks for stopping by again, Janet.

Close To Home

An Interview with Cindy Kirk

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My guest this month is prolific American author Cindy Kirk. Cindy is a writer who loves romance and has written many special editions for Harlequin.

When did you first discover the joys of story-telling or writing your own stories down?

I’ve loved books and stories for as long as I could remember.  If I didn’t like a book’s ending, I’d make up my own.  The same held for movies or televisions shows.  For a long, long time I thought that everyone made up different endings.  I wrote my first “book” when I was thirteen.  It was a romance, of course, with a happy ending!  I let one of my teachers read it and I could tell she didn’t think it was very good.  It was a devastating blow to my young writer’s soul.

Which novels inspired you, or you would rate as your all time favourites?

LaVryle Spencer’s Bitter Sweet and Separate Beds; Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s Dream a Little Dream and Nobody’s Baby But Mine; Lisa Kleypas’s Travis Series, Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton Series.

Could you share your journey to becoming a published author with us?

I wrote five books, it was the fifth that sold, 3 years after I started writing in pursuit of publication.  The book that sold won a contest.  The first prize was a critique of the entire manuscript by Harlequin editor, Patience Bloom.  She not only read it, she bought it.  And 15 years later, she’s still my editor!

What advice would you give to a new writer who has not made it into print yet?

To continue to hone your craft.  When I started writing, I began attending regional conferences for writers. Every year I attend the Romance Writers of America‘s National Conference and soak in all the wonderful information on how to write a better book.

Why romance?

I love a happy ending!  Not only in books but in movies.  I want to cheer for the hero or heroine, see them become stronger, learn life lessons, then be rewarded.

How did the ‘Jaunty Quills‘ develop?

I was writing also for Avon (Harper Collins) when a group of Avon authors decided to get together and start a blog.  At the time I was the only contemporary author.  The group has morphed over time to include authors from all different romance genres and publishers.  It’s been fun every step of the way.

What is the essence of a Cindy Kirk novel?

It’s a fun, enjoyable read with a dash of humor.

What is next for Cindy?

More books in my Jackson Hole series for Harlequin.  A return to Harper Collins with a novella that will release in December 2014.  And, who knows? That’s the beauty of writing.

More from Cindy