I was so excited when the cover for Fallingwas released by the fabulous HarperImpulse team, but I was also given a sneak preview ofForever and Forbidden. Here is the series collection of covers and I think cover designer Alexandra Allden has done one amazing job!
A cover has to capture the reader’s imagination and convey the ‘heart’ of the story that lies within. The model chosen to reflect Ceri, really does convey the qualities of this young woman who seems to be able to change the course of some people’s lives. Ceri finds herself doing small things that, without much effort, can radically change the course of someone’s path. Altering just one, single moment in time has an impact that ripples outwards… It might be stopping a runaway dog, but unchecked who knows what accident might have occurred as he runs into traffic and vehicles take avoiding action? Did she save the cyclist she saw in her ‘deja vu’ moment, merely seconds before she managed to stop the dog in his tracks? Her action is meaningful, but how can she ever be sure that she really is making a difference?
And then there is Alex. Is he a complication, or will he simply pass through her life and, in time, they both move on in different directions? Are they merely a few threads of colour in each other’s tapestry of life? But what if they fall in love, and what if fate has a different destiny mapped out for them? Can true love change the course of destiny?
This series of three novellas, each around 30,000 words, gives you ‘read-in-one-sitting’ episodes of the story.
If you love romance, then it will have your heart pounding as these two people try to make something impossible happen.
If you are interested in angels, is this how it might work?
A story for lovers of true love – a feel-good story of struggle, passion and what might lie beyond this life …Fallingis available on pre-order now (coming on October 3rd, 2013). Forbidden and Foreverare coming soon …
Join in the launch fun for Falling – there’s month-long competition in October and the details are on the special promotion page.
Life is a rollercoaster…it’s been an emotional few weeks with some sad moments for relationships that have ‘come undone’ and that makes my heart heavy. Being a writer of romance I want a happy ending for everyone I know – every single time, even though life is never that simple. It’s hard to stand by and witness break-ups, lives that will never the same again. There have also been highs and points in between – the latter being some extremely hard work and long hours!
My coffee table book
One highlight was a fabulous tour around the gardens at Highgrove, Tetbury in Gloucestershire – the home of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales. We were delighted to be given tickets for ‘the tour’ and looked forward with eager anticipation. A copy of ‘The Garden at Highgrove’ in hardback (published in 2000) graces our coffee table, and to be able to take the two and a half hour tour was a dream come true!
However, about two hours before we were due to leave the heavens opened and thunder, lightning and a downpour quite like nothing I’ve ever seen before, began. We rang to check the tour was still going ahead and even though it is only about a half an hour drive away, the person on the other end of the phone was clearly puzzled. The storm hadn’t reached Tetbury at that point; but as we drove through flooded lanes, puddles that were more than two feet deep and a slurry of stones and soil washed into our path, we were following the trail of the storm. But we are hardy folk and with umbrellas in hand, after fortifying ourselves with a cup of Earl Grey tea in the Orchard Room, our guide began the tour. After half an hour the sun decided to shine upon us and we were rewarded with a double rainbow that was so intense, you could pick out every single colour. It arched gracefully through the sky, landing squarely in the middle of the roof of Highgrove House. Cameras aren’t allowed inside the grounds, and that was a pity, because that would have been a unique photo opportunity!
All I can say, is H.R.H. has done an amazing job of turning what was (only 30 years ago) rather uninteresting, flat and virtually featureless grazing land surrounding the house, into a series of different ‘garden’ experiences. It has taken a long time for the team to turn the grounds into an organic oasis and it reflects drive and determination, a passionate desire to create a haven for wildlife. Anyone who loves Hostas will know that slugs and snails love eating them – but there was bed after bed of them and they were stunning, the birds obviously doing a great job of protecting them!
It is possible to book tickets for a tour, visit the website http://www.highgrovegardens.com/ and having visited in August, I now want to go back and experience it in every season of the year. It’s a sheer delight, very unexpected in many ways and eclectic – if you do the tour you’ll understand why!
My new desk…
On to the ergonomics…since I began writing (only 4 years ago) I’ve found myself getting involved with so many related projects (mostly website building and running). Whether that’s learning to format a book,how to design a cover, or workink with a publisher. It is true to say that the IT side has been a baptism by fire! The latest hill to climb came to a conclusion at the weekend, when Issue no. 1 of the Loveahappyending Lifestyle emagazine hit the ‘online’ shelves.
Of course the groundwork began in February this year, when Loveahappyendingchanged from being a website talking only about writing, new authors and their learning curve, into a life and style online magazine. A part of that change involved taking it further – guest writers joined us and I promised to develop online, downloadable emagazines. Having written three novellas (the Ceri’s journey series) over the last few months, it has been hard to keep everything going AND push forward with this project. Plus I have never edited a magazine before and there was new software to master – but I’m a Gemini and I like a challenge.
Well worn, one spindle missing and now shabby chic!
In order to push the button on Issue 1, it meant five final, long days sitting on my typing ‘stool’ with total focus. Now you’ll probably throw your hands up in horror – ergonomics??? Really??? Well, I had a study and I had an ergonomically designed computer chair, in cream leather. After I began writing (and spending, oh, sometimes 16 hours a day writing…not to be recommended, I add) my sciatic nerve was playing up. It was so bad that at night it was causing me to lose sleep with the pain. Then a guest came to stay (the study doubles up as a guest room ensuite) and I perched myself on a 40+ year old stool (used in a science lab at a school, many years ago, which I rescued and painted) and sat at the butcher’s block island. When our guest left, I dismantled my study and turned it back into a bedroom, because suddenly my sciatic nerve was fine!
What I found was that you can’t slouch when sitting ‘perched’ on a stool. My back feels stronger, my leg is now fine and my posture is a lot better. So my mammoth three days (those who know me understand that’s how I work best – head down and intensive) left me a little tired, but physically fine and with a 72 page emagazine, flip-page style launched on the LLm website and the emagazine website, issuu.
Here’s a sneak preview too, of the draft cover for Issue no. 2 (it can be our little secret) and, yes, it will involve another mammoth, head-down, stool-sitting session, or two. But I’ve learnt some new skills and hope I’ve done justice to the wonderful material the Loveahappyending Lifestyle team deliver.
Right, off to begin planning a campaign for a little personal project I have coming up – it’s all ‘hush, hush’ at the moment…but one thing is for sure, I’m not planning on a rest any time soon!
Thanks for dropping by, this is one Gemini who is off to spent tomorrow playing with a three year old and there won’t be a pc, iPAD or typing stool in sight! Well, maybe five minutes on the iPAD as he’s teaching me how to play Fruit Pops! I can’t wait until he’s five – by then he’ll no doubt be computer programming ha! ha!
After a fabulous launch party on FB, Ceri’s journey: Angels has received some wonderful reviews and it’s thanks to the amazing people who joined in to celebrate!
Winners (drawn from a hat by Bill – aged 3 – thanks Bill!):
Michele Turner – Rainbow Maker Petra Rovere – Crystal pendant Heidi – Key ring Janice Horton – Key ring Joanna Gawn – Key ring Katie Phillips – Key ring Kim Nash – Key ring Carol Wright – Key ring Sue Fortin – Key ring
Congratulations to the winners, please send me your full address to lbhalton@googlemail.com, I can get those gifts sent off!
Sometimes having fun can just feel like pure, indulgent decadence! I arrived home from the 2013 Romantic Novelists’ Association Conference, held in Sheffield, having had a whirlwind long weekend and a glass or two of wine.
With temperatures soaring, and still being in party mode, I arrived back to a wonderful review for Ceri’s journey: Angels. The amazing book review blogger Dizzy C made my day, not only because it was an amazing review, but (and I quote) “the tension between these two characters is hot”.
Of course, that has now spurred me on to keep up that tension as I write the second half of part three in this series! If you think Angels ends on a cliffhanger, Truth (part two – out in November) will leave you open-mouthed! So I think I’m set for a very HOT week in all!
Huge thanks to Dizzy C and to everyone I met up with (new friends and old) at the Conference. It was my first one and I can honestly say that the talks were worth their weight in gold. I came away with a book full of notes, having had a wonderful time and I can’t wait for next year!
Pop over to my FB page to see lots more photos https://www.facebook.com/linnbhalton/photos and what happened at the conference…stays at the conference ha! ha! My lips are sealed…but I know a few secrets now!
A quick thank you to long-suffering other half, Lawrence! He took two days off work to be at my beck and call and then drop me at the train station. Without his help I would have arrived with a suitcase stuffed with goodness knows what, in a last-minute panic. The day before leaving I was up to my ankles in water with a three year old who has a good aim with a hosepipe! As it was, I arrived looking relatively cool and co-ordinated…husbands are the best, aren’t they?
My goodness, I intended to blog whilst I was away in France but do you know what? With the internet driving me crazy, I could only spend an hour a day sorting the social media for the websites and that was it! I also (because it was a special birthday…) had a wonderful present! I now have an iPAD – fabulous, but of course there is a manual to read and apps to download… so here is a little flavour of France, courtesy of one of the Pic Collage app!
If you are heading to Northern France I always think a recommendation is a golden thing. I would like to mention two wonderful places to stay – Domaine Le Parc, Danizy, Picardy– this wonderful 18th century Manor house was built on the remnants of a 12th century castle. Jos and Anne Bergman have lovingly restored it and the rooms are beautifully decorated. The gardens are incredibly vibrant and the terrace overlooks the valley. It really is heaven on earth and if you want a quiet, relaxing stay it’s perfect – you can wander around the fabulous gardens and grounds, or sit and enjoy the ambience. Jos is an amazing chef and the food is absolutely divine! Out of ten this one is off the scale!
We also spent a few days at O Mylle Douceurs in Le Crotoy. Situated on the North coast of France.O Mylle Douceurs is a relaxing place to stay and is a two minute walk from the beach. Furnished in a delightful ‘shabby chic’ style, it’s very boutique. The local market each week is buzzing with a large range of stalls, but aside from that it’s a fairly sedate place. I came home with six pairs of shoes…and I have an aversion to clothes/shoes shopping!
So what have I been doing since I returned? Well, I spent a very enjoyable couple of hours chatting, once more, to the effervescent Janice Ross for Saturday Cocktails. I was sitting in with my old friend, Richard Holmes, and we had a blast! If you missed it, there was a LOT of laughter and HUGE thanks to Janice, who is a very special lady and herself one very talented author:
Part two of Ceri’s journey: Truth is finished and ready for editing. I have also made a good start on part three – Decisions. I’ve been overwhelmed by the feedback from the advance review copies of part one, that went out to some wonderful books reviewers and beta readers. I’ll be sharing more about that in two weeks’ time, as there are many people to thank!
Ceri’s journey: Angels formally launches on the LLm website on Saturday, July 6th. There are some lovely prizes up for grabs and it’s going to be a little bit of fun that will rumble on for a few days…if you have a personal psychic story to tell, there will be a chance to share it with like-minded people!
There was also a surprise in my inbox – I’d been asked to write a few articles for a new website, The Good Villain, a while back. The website is now live and it’s where authors share what they have learnt and also disseminate good practice, hints and tips for newbies. I still very much regard myself as being a newbie, so I was very flattered. But since day one, when I discovered that social media was as important to a writer as the words in their books, I’ve hated the idea of everyone reinventing the same old wheel…so I’m more than happy to share the mistakes I’ve made and the knowledge I’ve gained along the way…
Of course, this only scratches the surface of what’s happened, as I had to hit the ground running on my return! However, abiding by my own 5 Tips To Be Productive During Holidays article, my preparation (including 42 Twitter and LinkedIn spreadsheets set up ready to load daily) saved the day! I had a relaxing holiday, managed to keep all the balls in the air (I did cheat and had scheduled a light programme on LLm so I wouldn’t let anyone down) and spent quality time with my other half! The wonderful thing is, that the LLm were there, carrying on as usual and sharing the love of what we do!
Now, of course, I need a holiday to get over the post-holiday catch-up…life eh?
Thanks for dropping by – if you decide to try out either of these two wonderful Manor houses, get in touch and I can send more photos…
Have you ever reached a point where you thought ‘life can’t possibly get any busier’ only to be proven totally wrong? I’ll be honest, it’s been a week where I’ve shed a few tears for several different reasons, not least that when two people you know well break up it’s hard to be the listening ear. This last week has had everything from groans and moans to ‘yes!!!’ moments, and been draining to say the least. However, I firmly believe that we can only fully appreciate the ‘ups’ if we have the ‘downs’ too. It’s just that they are sooooo painful! It also very hard sometimes to be on the outside looking in, when the decisions are not yours to make. But that’s life!
It was half-term here in the UK and the steam trains were running at the Avon Valley Railway. It was a grey day but no one was looking at the sky. We watched as the ‘steamy’ (I assume everyone knows the Thomas The Tank Engine books) was loaded with coal. The boiler was stoked and it let off it’s first “wheesh” of steam to the delight of all assembled. My little charge stood there in awe and said “That’s amazing,” which, for someone who isn’t yet three was rather spot on! It WAS amazing and I was equally as excited by the smell and gush of the cloud that engulfed us.
We had two rides, as the station sits in the middle of the length of track that has been restored. So first you go one way, stop for a few minutes and you head back to the station. Then you travel in the opposite direction. At each end everyone scrambles out to watch the locomotive being uncoupled, reversed back, the points changed and it chugs around to the other end of the very grand, restored carriages. It is then coupled up again. All fascinating to watch, especially as the man has to lie on the track underneath the rear of the loco. A little gentle reassurance had to be given at this point – children are so health and safety conscious today! But it was an amazing day out I wouldn’t have had it if wasn’t for my babysitting time and it’s about the only thing that gets me off of my typing stool!
I’ve been so caught up with things, many unexpected, that I had to write my post whilst having my hair done this morning. I always work when I’m there, so no one thinks it’s strange. It seems all my spare moments are spent answering emails to do with the websites and social media, so when I have a new book coming out it’s a lot of pressure. There were posts to write for up coming guest features for Ceri’s journey: Angels.
I have been anxiously awaiting the beta reader’s comments and three have come back so far. Well, I’m not at liberty to share those comments yet as I have to wait for the reviewers to post them, but let’s just say I was floating on cloud nine! It’s so close to the official launch that there isn’t time to make any major changes, but in all honesty a writer simply doesn’t know how a story will be received until it’s in the hands of the readers. My lovely beta reviewers are all very experienced, so it’s a tough test to pass. If and when the occasion arises I do make adjustments to reflect any comments they make. It sparked a blog post ready for my tour – to those to whom this means something, “The man from Del Monte says ‘yes'”. All will be explained very soon.
Another part of my tearful week was to do with writing the second part of Ceri’s journey, Truth. It’s a psychic romance, but I’ve hit a dilemma. The story has taken me somewhere I didn’t intend and it has raised an issue that is personally very difficult for me to think about. I have two choices – take the story in another direction (which feels a bit like grabbing the steering wheel when someone else is in the driving seat), or grit my teeth and continue: keeping the tissues at hand. I decided to ask a couple of people whom I felt could assess it from the reader’s viewpoint, bearing in mind my stories are mostly romantic and uplifting. I do address serious issues and The Quintessential Gemini touched on breast cancer and a lonely old war hero, even though it’s been described as ‘chick lit without the fluff’ – or maybe that’s why it was describe in that way. I suppose the dilemma is my own emotional reaction. Would the story be the same without it? I haven’t yet decided. I’ll wait for the responses to my ‘call for help’ and in the meantime scrutinise what my fingers decide to type today.
This time next week I will be here:
We’re spending a part of our French holiday staying in a place we first visited last year. In my next post I will share the location and if you are thinking of visiting France there is no lovelier place to stay for the French experience!
I’m off to do the things writers do that, sadly, doesn’t involve working on their current work-in-progress – so it’s a bit of a case of ‘wish I was there…now!’
A week of reflection ‘spend more time thinking about what we have achieved, rather than dwelling on what he haven’t YET achieved…’, enjoying the sun and zipping down slides...
When the sun comes out you have to enjoy it and our three-weekly trip to North Wales, to spend time with family, was an amazing day out.
We travelled from Rhyl to Llanelli and the boats were bobbing, the sea was an amazing shade of blue and the sun kissed our skin…the next day it began raining!
It’s been another week of constrasts. Writing a post for the upcoming promotion of Ceri’s journey: Angels for the Romantic Novelists’ Association (going live 5 July) I talked about research. In truth I’ve been researching this series for a long time. It involved attending two Gayatri mantra chanting sessions, which I cover in detail in one of the chapters. It was an amazing experience and I hope readers will find it fascinating too. I’ve also posted Chapter 1 and the pre-release blurb on the website, so at long last I really feel this three-part story (each novella of around 30,000 words in length) is nearly there. My newest ‘book baby’. It is surreal as I work on part 2 – Truth, spending my spare hours thinking about angels and going through the notes that I’ve made over a period of three years. 30,000 words might not sound like much to write, but it’s the background that takes the time.
It was a busy weekend as both the monthly LLm Newsletter (where I interviewed fabulous author Sue Moorcroft) and my own personal ‘interior design tips’ newsletter had to be written and sent out.
This edition is all about mirror fun – inside and out!
Construction site chaos!
Kiddie time took up three days, plus another day for the trip to North Wales with three little ones, so at the moment my life is full of crawling around on the floor or visiting play centres. My weekly charge, little Bill, will be three in August and in September he starts pre-school. So I’m trying to make the most of every single moment we have. We tried out a new play centre – Play Space – and I have to say I scared myself silly on the slides. I have no problem climbing up cargo nets and getting to the top level on these complicated and well-designed play activities. But the slides, which all the kids were loving and zipping down, made my stomach roll over. At one point little Bill had just pushed me into the slide tunnel (that is a shute and curves) saying ‘You go first, then Bill’. I found myself sprawling on the play mat at the end of the shute thinking ‘I seriously cannot do that again…’ After three hours I was shattered but Bill still had energy to burn, so home it was for more fun and games playing with the garage and a construction site dilemma…
If you haven’t read The Quintessential Gemini yet, there’s a copy up for grabs in swag bag #4, in the Myaddictionisreading summer giveaway the promo runs through to the 31 May 2013.
It was a week of mixed news from friends – some sad, some unfortunate and one or two bright moments. But it did make me think that life is a constant struggle for everyone, no matter what they do or their personal situation. We all have problems, they are just all very different. I read Emma Calin’s post ‘Thank you for the music’ and, as usual, Emma thinx hit the nail on the head: “This is often a sharp elbowed world and sometimes for me the struggle seems too hollow to compete”. Poignant and I know a couple of people who have recently given up on their dream because they felt the battle was too hard. Check out Emmas post:
I’m also reading the first completed manuscript by a lady who attended the Loveahappyending Summer Audience event held last year. She decided to go away and begin writing again, after a few previous attempts that didn’t go through to conclusion! It’s a great story and we are getting our heads together to take it to the next stage. It’s thrilling to think that the event the LLm team held in Tetbury, in the UK, inspired others to follow their dream!
So this week I thought I’d end with something upon which to ponder. Maybe sometimes we have to be a little more realistic in our dreams, but we should NEVER give up. Only make adjustments as we travel along life’s path and spend more time thinking about what we have achieved, rather than dwelling on what he haven’t YET achieved
Thanks for dropping by, a writer’s life is often a lonely one…
My family think I’m crazy and I have to admit they could be right! It’s been a long time since I actually had a day off – I mean a day where I could laze and relax. It’s either family stuff – looking after toddlers, cleaning and ironing etc and/or work, seven days a week. I took two hours ‘off’ last Sunday to do some weeding and then sit to have a coffee with Lawrence. It’s very pleasant sitting in our courtyard garden and we haven’t had many really sunny, summery days yet. But what did I do? Well, I sat still for about two minutes. I then proceeded to pull out small weeds from between the old brick flooring beneath our feet. The courtyard is built around an old cider press, which is now a feature garden well, and the circle of raised brick is where the donkeys would have trodden day in, day out. It is both sad and beautiful at the same time. The point is, my husband wasn’t too impressed by the fact that I couldn’t even sit and chill for just half an hour. I guess you could say that I need the holiday we have coming up in June. I know there are many women out there like myself who are juggling so many balls (and a writer’s life is a rather compulsive one) it’s often hard to have ‘down’ time. So roll on holidays and my computer time will be two hours a day and no more … I’m counting down – 17 days to go!
It’s been a week of website updates and maintenance, packed inboxes, last-round edits for my next book and writing posts. I’ve also been tied up finalising some new book covers as my brand comes together. Touched by The Light is a fun romance, as well as making the reader wonder about what happens when you follow the light into the beyond. Now it has a cover that reflects the humour in this story – and the model is perfect for Dan, the guy whose love-life Mya tries to fix from the other side.
My ‘big’ news is that I can now reveal the cover for Ceri’s journey: Angels in advance of a pre-release promotional tour that will begin on June 17, 2013! The release date is July 6th, 2013…
It’s a series of 3 novellas: each around 30,000 words in length and a leisurely afternoon/evening read. Truth and Decisions (parts 2 and 3) will be released later this year. The story has required a lot of research, including attending two Gayatri mantra workshops for part 1, Angels. I’ve also read extensively about angels and various theories, plus I actually do believe they exist. I wanted this story to take the imagination that one step further and consider how it might all work if this life isn’t the sole purpose of our being. However, I didn’t want to make it ‘other-worldly’ fantasy. Instead (for those who already believe there is life after death – and I realise that in itself is a huge leap of faith) thinking how it MIGHT actually work in practice. Angels introduces the main characters and Ceri’s dilemma; part 2 Truth explores life on two planes; part 3 Decisions is about Ceri having to make choices in order to move forward. The heart of the trilogy is still a love story; Ceri wants to find someone to love who can live with the fact that she sees angels… everywhere.
Mr Tiggs has had an unsettled week. We’ve had rain interspersed with some beautiful sunshine and he hates the rain! The birds also drive him mad, as he’s a stalker. He’s constantly on edge, jumping up every time there’s a flurry of bird movement. But I also think he can sense that we are ‘on the move’ and with people coming to view the cottage it is disruptive.
My stars have been spot on again and telling me that May begins quietly and builds to a frenzy. Well, the ‘quiet’ bit was probably while I was doing the edits for Angels, as it’s a time of pure concentration and you can’t allow yourself to be pulled away. It’s very intense and I tend to shut everything out whilst I’m in the zone. Now, after thrashing out the cover design and with book promo material to draft, posts to write etc, it is crazy. I follow two different astrologers and whilst they both have very different styles, the information they give me says more or less the same thing. Why do I take such great comfort in reading my horoscope?
I suppose it’s because I’ve always had this incredibly strong drive for whatever I do in life. But there is a down side. I truly believe that there are times when I make things happen that don’t fall into line with the path the universe has mapped out for me. I exercise that ‘free will’ we have all been granted. Of course I know when I’m taking a detour – and that’s all it is, I believe we all return to the path that has been determined for us – because it feels like I’m trying to make the impossible happen. It becomes merely a little meander off the beaten track. But how do you know whether that’s the case, or it’s simply a life lesson you are here to learn? Maybe it’s meant to be hard because that’s the whole point! I’ll leave you pondering that thought. As I often say, “sometimes it feels like trying to push jelly uphill…” On the other hand, nothing worthwhile ever comes easily, it requires effort.
The stars tell me the future is bright, so I guess I’m not straying too far from the path… thanks for dropping by!
I was so excited when the cover for Falling was released by the fabulous HarperImpulse team, but I was also given a sneak preview of Forever and Forbidden. Here is the series collection of covers and I think cover designer Alexandra Allden has done one amazing job!
