TODAY WE HAVE A POST WITH A DIFFERENCE AS WE WELCOME BACK OUR GUEST AUTHOR, RAVEN McALLEN. RAVEN IS GOING TO REVEAL MORE ABOUT HER WRITING JOURNEY IN 'RAVEN'S RAMBLES' #RWRTeamBlog #ReadWriteRepeat
- 8 hours ago
- 9 min read
My name is Raven and I’m a writer.
An Author…
And even better A published author.
With a few category best sellers under my belt.
Oh my, that makes me feel so proud.
I’ll never be a million seller, never make a million in royalties, but I did it. I set out to
write a story people might want to read. Get it published and read it myself. In a book.
It took a long while for me to bite the bullet and have a go, but eventually after more
years of chickening out than I like to confess to…I tried.
And yes at first it was an abysmal failure.
I put my rejection letter and that awful ‘write as I thought I should not as I could’ m/s
away and concentrated on writing for my children. I found some of it a few years ago when I
moved house and reread it. It was still awful!
So for a two and four year old we got…George the Whatever Bird (who answered
whatever to everything and learnt his lesson).
Rumple Rabbit who was so untidy he lost something precious…
Cats, Kids and a Computer (when we got our first in and out with a million discs
thingy.) because my children asked me to write about them and our cats.
And then…
Should I do a drum roll here?
Fate stepped in.
(I’ve just read that over and oh my it sounds a bit pretentious, but I saw it like that.)
It was a series of seemingly unconnected things that got me to where I am now.
Having fun reminiscing and ‘talking’ to you.
I was at a meeting of what was then called The Scottish Women’s Rural Institute. The
SWRI or more commonly called ‘The Rural”. They’ve dropped the rural bit now, which
angered a lot of people. Sorry, I digress.
Anyway it was decided to set up a Facebook group, and I joined.
Then I saw that a certain very popular romance publisher was asking people to submit
a first chapter.
I had a go. And from that met a lot of people who were also having a go and a group
was set up so we could support and help each other. None of us got very far in that
competition. In my case rightly so. My work was wooden, all tell no show, and yes, I was
still writing as I thought I should not as I could.
I hadn’t found my voice!
Then one day we were all chatting online and idly asking each other what we were
going to write, and I said a Regency story.
“About what?” I was asked.
“Two women and a man.”
I have no idea where that came from. I wasn’t that into reading Regency at that time,
even though I’d read and enjoyed a lot over the years and up to then everything I’d tried was
about a male and female.
So why not have a go.
I wrote Wallflower’s Don’t Wilt, about two young ladies in love with each other who
decided they’d like a man to join them. Everyone in our group rallied round, made sure it
made sense with no—or not many—typos. We discussed where it should be sent and I
decided on the late lamented Breathless Press. Worked out what to say in the submission
letter, added a brief description on the story and pressed send.
That was a Wednesday.
On the Friday I got up in the middle of the night for a glass of water. Decided to
check my lap top and there it was…
We would be delighted to…
I ran into the bedroom shouting, “I’ve got it, they want it. I’ve been offered a
contract.”
The lovely husband opened his eyes. “Oh good, congratulations.” And went back to
sleep again.
Something I didn’t manage.
Of course it wasn’t and isn’t always like that.
The time I wrote to an editor/publisher, I know you’re busty. Those dratted typos. A
while after I saw a photo of the person and oh my…Busty was true!
The time I had a book rejected because I was told it wasn’t true to life as M/M and I
needed to actually speak to someone gay before I tried to write about them. Which
annoyed—and amused—me as before I’d subbed it a couple of friends who were gay had
read it over and declared it spot on. I later subbed it elsewhere and it became a category best
seller. What was even more amusing was the editor/publisher who refused the story and who
I had written for asked why I didn’t sub it to them. It might (okay it is) petty, but I got great
satisfaction in replying I did, you rejected it. and then when questioned further as to who
actually rejected it, said ‘you did’ and enclosed a copy of the rejection letter.
I had a rather heated argument with another editor. (I’m not usually argumentative)
She insisted I put an E in Whisky. I was writing about Scottish Whisky which had no E in it.
She said if I didn’t put an E in it a lot of people would think it was a typo. I said if I did put
an E in it I’d be divorced—which would she prefer! (We lived in Scotland and the lovely
husband worked for a whisky (NO E ) company.)
My Scottish single malt whisky had no E in it. It’s now a standing joke! ( not the E
but how I feel about it)
Over the years the way I write has changed. (still no E though )
It’s obvious I think, because of course I’ve changed as well.
I’m older (not necessarily wiser), and my tastes in reading, and therefore writing have
also changed.
I don’t write as hot as I used to. I still love Regency and write that, and what I’d call
romcom. I often find I’m adding mystery in my stories and enjoying it.
I’ve written and published the last book in a YA series about shape shifters in the
Trossachs, where I used to live. The Shalean Moon stories. The rest of the series (8 books)
are out of print, and I’m not sure if it’s worth re-pubbing them by myself. If I’m honest the
cost of good covers and an editor to find all the mistakes I haven’t is not on the agenda at the
moment. And of course as I wrote the stories around a decade or more ago, they’re not up to
date. However, I wanted Struan’s Story in print for me. He’s the baddie in the earlier books
and I wanted to see how he turns out now he’s allegedly grown up and in his twenties. The
book starts in Devon and ends up in The Trossachs. Two of my favourite places.
https://tinyurl.com/2h2wzxty (Struan’s Story written as J Lilley)
Selfish? Very. Satisfying? Definitely, even if I can now see all the typos I’d missed.
Memo to all. You DO need an editor.
For the last few years Cassie O’Brien and I have brought out a book at Christmas.
Two historical stories and two contemporary, under one fabulous cover by the lovely Emmy
Ellis, all set in and round Christmas. With a lot of love, laughter and happy ever after.
They’re on Amazon.
Between that first book and the present, I’ve had a lot of books published. I’ve been
very fortunate, but it’s been both hard and satisfying work.
Breathless Press were so good to work with. They let me explore writing. Discover
what I liked and what I was good at. I didn’t have to stick to Regency or same sex or
romcom. I could explore. And I did. Sadly BP no longer exists.
I’ve been lucky enough to work with other publishers and editors. Too many to name,
but I am grateful to them all.
When I look at the books under my author names—Raven McAllan, Katy Lilley and
Kera Faire for adult books and J Lilley for my YA—I’m happy.
When I think back to my schooldays when I kept getting low marks for my English
essays for not being factual enough, for being too flowery I want to cock a snook. Times and
attitudes change.
When I’m asked what I think is important for a budding author, the first thing that
comes to mind is this.
Write as you can, not as you think you should. Use your own voice, don’t try to copy
someone else. It will show and not for the best. Your voice is yours. Be proud of it.
Don’t give up. You should write because you want to. Being published is bonus.
Grow a thick skin. Horrible reviews are par for the course. Read them or not, it’s up to
you. If you do read one and it’s sensible take it in. If it’s not ignore it and eat chocolate.
So many people say, ‘oh I’d write as book if I had time’. You have to find time. I’m
writing this at 5.30am, as I have a lot to do today. The birds are tweeting, my coffee is
cooling, and I’m happy.
I’m lucky. Eva has given me the opportunity to ramble on. I hope it’s not too rambly,
or too boring.
I haven’t got a recent book out at the moment though I have got two subs out I’m
waiting to hear about. I’ve one to finish writing for Totally Bound, my Christmas stories to
finish with Cassie and a story set in Victorian Hong Kong I’m toying with. The Picture of
the boat, a Junk, is one I took as I sat writing by the Star Ferry Pier.
Lots to do and while I’m still enjoying writing the alarm will be set for silly o’clock.
Fun ( maybe) facts
Raven…after the bird which is said to bring good news. I saw one in the garden the
day before my first book was accepted.
McAllan…a play on Macallan, in my opinion the best whisky in the world. (no E ;) )
Kera Faire. Gaelic for Dark Horizon. The Author Name I used for my Death Isle
series set on an island in Loch Lomond, where government sanctioned killers live.
Katy Lilley. Chosen for my Devon trilogy because at the time they were different
from my Raven Books.
J Lilley. Just Because.
I love setting books in places I know and love. Hong Kong, Singapore, Barbados. The
Highlands and the Trossachs in Scotland. Devon. The east coast of Yorkshire…
It’s fun making up places and creating villages to set a series in.
Love chocolate, South African, Springfield, Life From Stone wine, Rich tea biscuits (
have to be gluten free these days) fruit and a good book. Detest cheese, liver and midges!
You can also find my books at my publishers.
Evernight Publishing
and Totally Bound
If you manged to get this far without giving up, yawning or turning to drink, thank
you so much for reading.
And to finish off, here’s a little snippet from my current WIP. This year’s Regency
Christmas story— Unedited and very rough…
“What would you like to drink? Watered wine?”
Lydia shuddered. “No thank you. Towson insists on there being a jug of it in here as
he thinks it’s the thing ladies of the ton should drink. I hate the stuff. I water the pot plants
with it, and I accept they seem to like it.”
Hugh laughed and Lydia rolled her eyes.
“Yes well they are welcome to it. Luckily Jessie my maid knows how I feel so she
brings in more wine and whisky on the pretext you might enjoy some. Then, if you are not
around, tops up the whisky decanter for me if need be. Though I suspect Towson knows all of
this he is disposed to think I drink the watered wine and you the whisky.”
“And you enjoy the whisky?” Hugh was fascinated into this hitherto unknown aspect
of his wife.
Lydia nodded. “Very much. A good single malt when possible.” Her eyes twinkled.
“Preferably untaxed.” She waved to the decanter. “I’m not sure exactly where that comes
from or who makes it, but it the smoothest roundest most flavoursome whisky I’ve ever
tasted. Try it and see what you think.”
Hugh nodded and poured two glasses. “Have you tried many?” He asked as he sniffed
in appreciation as the heady peaty smell of that particular drink surrounded him.
“A few. Towson has a relative who is married to a Scot. I’m assuming he gets our
supplies from there.”
“More than likely. I hope he gets it delivered to Yorkshire as well.” To his disgust,
Hugh realised he’d taken the supply for granted. Enjoyed most of the subtle difference in
flavours he’d supped and never queried what Distillery it was from or who supplied it. He
held up the jug of water, and Lydia grinned.
“A little not quite as much water as whisky.” She chuckled. “I’ve been taught well.”
Hugh laughed. “Thank goodness.” He handed the glass over and sat next to her again.
Note… no E
Happy Reading,
Love,
Raven xx
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COMING SOON: On Sunday, 12th July, we are delighted to welcome back our guest author, Val Penny, who is sharing an extract from her novel, 'Murder In Edinburgh'.
