By Jeanna Louise Skinner, reprinted with the kind permission of The Pink Heart Society Sensitivity reading is fast becoming ever-more important in the rapidly changing publishing industry. If you’ve not heard of sensitivity reading, here’s a quick précis: A sensitivity reader is someone who is hired to read and assess a manuscript with a specific... Continue Reading →
A Blether with Mairibeth MacMillan
It’s an exciting day for my friend and guest Mairibeth MacMillan. Her second Viking romance novel The Viking’s Warrior Bride is out today and I’m chuffed that she has popped by for a blether about it. Mairibeth writes competition-winning flash fiction, short stories, poems and historical romance novels with Tirgearr. Please tell me about your... Continue Reading →
Look at My Shiny New T̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ –err, Blog! by Jeanna Skinner
I feel a bit like Bilbo Baggins writing this. I’m going on a blogging adventure! Gif: A short man running excitedly shouting, “I’m going on an adventure!” This is all so new to me, so be gentle. I honestly have no idea what I’m doing and in the best Jeanna Louise Skinner tradition, am totally... Continue Reading →
A Blether with Kiley Dunbar
I am thrilled to be joined today by fellow Scot Kiley Dunbar, Hera Books author, Joan Hessayon Award nominee, academic and organiser of The Manchester Metropolitan University’s #LoveWritingMCR program. Welcome Kiley! We met IRL at last year’s RNA Conference (so much fun!) and I was looking forward to catching up with you at Manchester earlier... Continue Reading →
UKRomChat Vacancy
For almost a year now, I have been the co-host of a live Twitter chat for romance writers called UKRomChat. I love it and should have blogged about it well before now. We are for both newbie writers and published authors alike, and can be found at #UKRomChat on Monday nights from 8-9pm, UK Time.... Continue Reading →
Read My Article in The PHS Magazine
I am delighted to feature in the January issue of The Pink Heart Society (PHS) online magazine for category and series romance readers and writers. You can read the article, part of their #FreshStart mini-series, here. I write about going Back to Basics both in respect of my health and wellbeing; and my writing. I hope... Continue Reading →
Novel Writing Contests and Harlequin #Blitzes: My Tips
Novel writing competitions offer exciting opportunities for newbie writers, but putting together an entry may seem like a daunting task. Here I hope to offer some useful tips on how to prepare and assemble your entry.* I can't quite believe it's been a year since I stumbled upon the Harlequin Love Inspired #AmishBlitz, on the So You... Continue Reading →
Competitions and Call for Submissions Deadlines: 31 January 2017
These are the projects I am working on, which need to be completed by the end of the month, if I'm to submit them: Harlequin Love Inspired #AmishBlitz -- Coming Home with a Secret Fiction Desk Ghost Story Competition -- Pádraig and the Bean sidhe Scottish Book Trust 50-word Fiction Competition -- Untitled Paisley Poems Call for... Continue Reading →
Harlequin Love Inspired #AmishBlitz
I have just started writing a contemporary Christian Romance featuring an Amish heroine. An Amish story is probably not a direction I would've gone in without a prompt but I've had a little inspiration... Harlequin are running one of their 'Blitzes'. This time it's an #AmishBlitz. A Blitz is a time-limited call for submissions to... Continue Reading →
Getting started: So I think I can write?
This is the excerpt for your very first post.