Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Get hope with a little help from my friends ♪♪♪♪

This post is long overdue.

One of the most brilliant things about blogging among writing friends is that you get to share their journey. It’s a privilege to hear when someone has finished their gazillionth edit and have finally submitted it; or to hear that an agent has requested their full manuscript or signed them and then sold it to a publisher.

Perhaps some might think that it’s cause for envy but how can I be envious when I’m not ready to submit yet? When my manuscript is the best it can be and I’m sending it out but it keeps coming back rejected…maybe, just maybe there’ll be a tinge of jealousy. But right now seeing my friends’ successes fills me with hope. In spite of the problems in the publishing industry, new writers are being taken on - possibly in infinitesimally small numbers - but damn it, they are being taken on.

These all these stories and the friends they belong to keep me writing.

So here are the latest: 





Christine Stovell’s website is here and she blogs here. Turning the Tide is Chris’ first book. Kate Harrison described it as “refreshing, funny and romantic.” Harry Watling isn’t your average heroine. She’s been fighting to keep her father’s boatyard afloat for the past five years. This reaches crisis point when Matthew Corrigan, a property developer appears on the scene wanting to turn the land into an up market housing complex to go hand in hand with his exotic new restaurant.  







Beautiful Malice is Rebecca James’ debut novel. Her website is here and she blogs here. After Katherine’s life is devastated by a tragedy she moves to a new city and a new school. In order to protect herself she tries to live anonymously while attempting to come to terms with her past. When she meets Alice, a popular and gregarious girl at her school, she is flattered and so her defenses begin to break down but friendship with Alice is not what she thought it would be and the relationship begins to get complicated, dangerous even...



7 comments:

Rebecca said...

Thanks for the mention! And can't wait to read all about your journey to publication as soon as you're ready to submit...

Jenny Beattie said...

You're welcome. I was going to leave you a message telling you I'd blogged it today but I'm being good and I'm back at my writing already.... well, until now.

Jen said...

It really is exciting, isn't it - like you, I never feel envious of others' success, especially blog friends doing so well. In fact, it really inspires me to stir my stumps.

Can't wait to read Rebecca's since I've 'known' her so long and oooh, isn't the cover of Chris' just gorgeous?

Two more for the list then - I need to win the lottery so that I can give up work and spend all my time reading!

Queenie said...

I too love it when my friends succeed. Really glad to hear you're back at your writing. Keep it up, missus!

Chris Stovell said...

Hi Jenny - thank you very much indeed for your support along my journey. Your dedication to your work is demonstrated by the way you've kept writing throughout all the changes you faced - and that's half the battle! I just hung on in there and I know you will too. As the lovely Katie Fforde once said to me 'keep the faith' (and I did think, yeah right!) but she was right! Good luck!

Carol said...

It's lovely being able to celebrate friends successes isn't it! I'm sure we'll all be joining you celebrating yours in next to no time :-)

Was fab seeing you in Bangkok

C x

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I've read (and loved) Turning The Tide, but haven't read Beautiful Malice, so will have to get on and order a copy.