TODAY, WE ARE THRILLED TO WELCOME BACK OUR GUEST AUTHOR, RAVEN MCALLEN, WHO IS TREATING US TO 'RAVEN'S RAMBLINGS' - PART 2 #RWRTeamBlog #ReadWriteRepeat
Hello. Yes, it’s me again. Feel free to be aggravated—'oh, good grief, (insert word of your choice) it’s Raven again’. Aggrieved, annoyed or—hopefully—appreciative that I’m here to entertain you.
But, hey also feel free to give this blog post a miss. I won’t hold it against you. After all, it would be awful if we all liked the same thing. Don’t get me wrong, I hope some people like my writing, in fact yes of course, I hope a lot of people do, but I’m realistic. My style of writing won’t suit everyone, and life would be boring if no one had a different opinion about it.
And oh boy over the years have I had some of those.
Next month is the 16 th anniversary of my first book coming out. And as over the years my writing has varied so much, then yes so have the reviews. One that stands out is that the reviewer stated that English was obviously not my first language as I used a couple of Gaelic words in the story! Another accused me of not knowing where a certain city was, as they stated it wasn’t in the UK but in the USA! Hey ho. The one thing I do make sure of is that my settings as where they really are. Unless it’s a made up village. Which is why so many of my stories are set in places I know. (That specific city was established in the Uk long before it was in the USA.)
Anyroadsup, as my Yorkshire friend says, that’s by the by. I’m actually here to say
that…
Wait for it…
*Drum Roll*
I’ve had a book accepted.
And I am over the moon.
It’s been a long time coming. Oh I’ve had a few rejections, I’ve sent a partial off to my editor at a certain publishing house and I’m waiting to see if it’s a go or not. But this acceptance is very exciting.
This year the lovely Cassie O’Brien and I have had to say sorry, we won’t be bringing a Christmas Antho out. We’ve both had bereavements of close family, and friends, and lots of things that need to be done. Trying to get our four short stories written and out in time just wasn’t feasible. Next year!
I’ve not been in a writing mood. Lots of starts and no follow ons. Until I saw a post by an acquisitions editor for a publisher I’ve had a fair few books out in the past. There was just one problem.
They want open door sex and I couldn’t remember the last time I’ve actually written a sex scene I liked. I mean I liked the way I’d written it, not that…oh, Raven, shut up now…
Anyway, I thought a short story I’d almost finished a good while back and left hanging as it had nowhere to go, with a bit of rewriting might fit the bill.
I got out my Regency short story, Once Upon A Promise and read it over. I liked it and I could see exactly where some love scenes filled in. And I have no idea why I’d never realised that before.
I bit the bullet, sorted out and deleted multiple uses of -ing, that, and so, wrote a synopsis, put it all together and along with the 16K sent it off.
Bit my nails, forced myself not to keep refreshing my emails, and then only a few days later, in the middle of the night (that seems to be when I get my ‘yes’ emails), I got a ‘yes’. A contract.
This time I didn’t do what I did the first time I received an acceptance. That time I woke the lovely husband up to tell him. This time I let him sleep on and told him over our early morning cuppa.
I’ve sent my signed contract back, filled in the cover form details and now…
Evernight Publishing will bring out 'Once Upon a Promise Made' later in the year.
But to tease you, here’s the blurb…
A young Emily Donough thought Aran Vair the best man in the world.
“Aran, when I’m grown up, shall we get married?”
She never thought he’d take her up on it.
Even though those feelings grew deeper over the years.
Aran Vair had always thought of Emily as a friend.
Until she grew up and he realised he thought of her differently.
The problem was how to make her realise it.
By fair means or…?
I hope that’s got your interest. Sadly I can’t show you a cover because I haven’t got one yet, But the book is set mainly in the Trossachs of Scotland. So lots of lochs, glens and bens, (the mountain type not the men)
Fingers crossed you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Yes even the sex scenes. They needed to be there.
And on a last note, as ever when someone asks how do I know what to write, all I can say is I write as I can, not as I think I should.
Happy reading,
love, Raven xx
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COMING SOON: On Monday, 28th September, our team member, author Eva Bielby, will be sharing part two of her short story, 'World's End'.
Thanks for having me x