Last week, I posted a cold song and invited you all to make suggestions for a hot song to break the freezing cold weather spell. Well, it worked! All right, it’s hardly tropical but the sun’s been out all week and there’s life erupting all over the garden. Roll on spring (and for goodness’ sake, don’t stop now!).
Thank you all for your most excellent suggestions. I thought I might take you up on your ideas and start posting the ‘hot’ songs over the coming week, always assuming that there are official versions available. Robin already posted her response in video format in her response of last week, so I took the remaining songs and picked the first one out of a hat. And this week’s choice is…
AWE-SOME!! Well, that takes me right back! We’ll be on to another hot song next week so meanwhile, keep the suggestions coming. Remember, our goal is to keep the sun shining and the mood sunny! Rock on!
Today I’m hosting fellow Loveahappyending Lifestyle author, Mandy Baggot, and her new romantic suspense novel, SECURITY, brought to you by Sapphire Star Publishing!
First of all, huge congratulations to Mandy on the release of her sixth (!!!) novel. Mandy, you rock! Have a fabulous launch and wishing you millions of sales!!
Security.
Lies hurt, but the truth
can get you killed.
Autumn Raine is a pop vocalist at the very top of her game. She’s a style icon, the paparazzi’s darling and everyone wants to be her friend. But when her safety is threatened, her whole life starts to unravel.
Enter Nathan Regan, an ex-elite soldier who is assigned to protect her. He’s a good man doing bad things but what drives him? Passion? Madness? Or grief? Demons from his past are threatening to consume him. Can he win the fight alone or will he have to admit he needs help?
As the threat deepens, Autumn starts to find out who she really needs in her life. Is there still room for personal assistant Janey or rapper boyfriend Rockweiler? When everyone around her is feeding her lies, how does she work out the truth? Does her record producer know more than he’s letting on? What is her mother, the British Foreign Secretary’s involvement in the situation? And can Autumn put her faith in a forty-something Jamaican woman who handles an automatic weapon as expertly as she cooks?
Eluding kidnap and trying to stay alive, can Autumn find the strength to be the person she longs to be? And can two people, poles apart, forge something strong enough to survive anything?
Mandy writes strong contemporary romance and characters you’ll fall in love with. Previously self-published, she was signed by US publishing house Sapphire Star Publishing in January 2012. Shortly afterwards she became a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
Mandy is a self-confessed Twitter addict who also likes to show off her singing talents on You Tube: check out Lady Gaga! She has auditioned for X Factor, appeared on ITV1s Who Dares Sings and longs to duet with Bryan Adams. She also has a fondness for white wine, mashed potato, country music and World’s Strongest Man.
Mandy lives near Salisbury in Wiltshire, UK with her husband, two daughters and two cats called Kravitz and Springsteen.
Giveaway!!
Today, Mandy and I are asking, what makes you feel safe/comfortable/secure?
To get you started, here’s my answer. I feel safe, comfortable and secure when the rain is lashing against the window and I sit in my lounge, with the fire going, candles lit, snuggled up under the duvet on the sofa with my lovely husband and sipping a glass of wine. Perfect scenario; even better if it was a howling snow storm!
YOUR TURN! To be in with a chance to win an e-copy of Security, leave a comment and your email address and let me know what makes you feel secure. Could it be knowing you have that secret stash of chocolate hidden away or perhaps you have a favourite piece of music that wraps you up like a blanket! Get commenting to win! Closing date 30 April 2013.
STOP PRESS! I just had word of another stunning giveaway. Says Mandy: Anyone who posts a review on Amazon until 31 May will be entered into a Rafflecopter draw to win a £25/$40 Amazon gift certificate.
Roll out the red carpet… Open the champagne… It’s time to enter the Hall of Fame!
Today, the amazing Anna Silver celebrates her first book birthday with the release of OTHERBORN by Sapphire Star Publishing. HUGE congrats to Anna, I’m really excited for you!
It is my great pleasure to take part in Anna’s blogtour and she has been grilling her protagonist’s best friend and secret crush with questions about life and love. Let’s give Rye a warm welcome as we turn over the floor to the OTHERBORN charater interview. Take it away, Anna and Rye!
In OTHERBORN, Rye is the protagonist London’s longtime best friend and secret crush. They live in the same building, go to the same school, and play in the same band. In fact, after London began dreaming, Rye was the first to experience “night pictures” as well. Bound by more than one lifetime, there’s very little that London and Rye don’t share. In this interview, we’ll attempt to get to know London’s love interest a little better.
Rye, define New.
Well, if I were speaking strictly as a Waller, New is not to be trusted. First, it’s impossible. Second, it’s tainted. It means the same thing as waste, as danger. If something is New, it’s not reprocessed or even scrapped. It’s born. From some unknowable, untrustworthy place. New is never a good thing.
But if I were speaking as myself, not as I was taught, but as the boy who sat by London’s side all those afternoons writing that song, giving rise to every chord like it was something precious, then I would say that New is wondrous. It’s incredible. It’s living. New is what we were born to do, it’s who we were born to be. Otherwise, we’re just empty shells.
What do you find beautiful, Rye?
Strength. I think survivors are beautiful. Like myself, like London, like Tora. By city standards, Avery would probably be considered the most beautiful one in our little group, but not to me. She hasn’t had to really reach for anything in this life. Everything has been handed to her. I think beauty is made, not born.
How do you feel about living in Capital City?
The city can be a tough place. Life behind the walls isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sure, most of us get the basics handed to us via rations, but there is still plenty of suffering here. There are homeless people inside the walls. There are gangs. There’s this sense of order on the surface, but underneath the city is brimming with lawlessness. And there’s a lot that’s missing from this life. Justice. Liberty. Choice. Things you don’t always realize you’re doing without until you really need them. You can survive here, but you’ll never thrive.
Rye, if youcould have any assignment, what would it be?
I’d love to drive a reprocessing route like my dad. I’ve been in his truck before and I love the massiveness of it, like an expansion of my own body. I feel untouchable in there. There’s a certain power to being able to operate something like that, especially when so few can. It pays okay, nothing too exciting, but you’ll never starve. And there is a status to being a driver these days, like you’re special, you did something to deserve that respect.
What’s your happiest memory?
The first time I heard London sing. I remember her sitting on the floor of my room while I turned on a disc Pauly had let her borrow. Her eyes were closed and she was barefoot, and she was rocking ever so slightly to the music. And then this soft sound began to move through her, a whisper that grew and grew. Her voice was tremulous and gravelly but powerful. I was hooked.
What’s your worst memory?
The day I was told my mother died. I don’t like to talk about it really. Suffice to say, my dad broke the news. We were wrecked for weeks after. I don’t think I could have gotten through that time without London.
Rye… I have to ask this. Have you ever been in love?
The question should be, have I ever not been in love? I think I’ve been in love with London since we met as kids. Maybe before. It’s like the day I saw her, the world became complete for me. I didn’t realize it though, for a long time. Or I denied it, take your pick. I was scared. What if your world rejects you? What then? So, it’s kinda been this secret of mine since birth.
If you could have anything pre-Crisis with you behind the walls, what would it be?
That’s tough. There’s so much I’ve heard about, seen. Some of it might just be rumor, you know? Who can say? I guess, if I had to pick one thing, it would be books. More books. A library full. But then, that’s not really just one thing, is it?
Thanks so much, Rye, for your candid answers. You’ve given megoosebumps, you really have. It was fabulous meeting you here today, thanks for stopping by. Now let’s introduce Anna’s book in more detail.
Otherborn
London and her teenage friends live in a reprocessed world.
Confined within CapitalCity’s concrete walls, London has done the impossible and the illegal. She’s created something New– a song. But her mentor, club owner Pauly, is not impressed. Since the historic Energy Crisis forced everyone behind walls generations ago, the Tycoons have ensured there is truly nothing new allowed under the sun. Pauly warns London to keep her song to herself, if she knows what’s good for her.
What he doesn’t know is that London is keeping an even bigger secret: she dreams. And she’s not alone. London’s band-mates and friends have begun dreaming as well, seeing themselves in “night pictures” as beings from another world. As Otherborn, they must piece together the story of their astral avatars, the Others, in order to save their world from a dreamless, hopeless future.
When Pauly is murdered and an Otherborn goes missing, London realizes someone is hunting them down. Escaping along the Outroads, they brave the deserted Houselands with only their dreams to guide them. Can they find their friend before the assassin finds them? Will being Otherborn save their lives, or destroy them?
“Anna Silver weaves a dark new world full of taut suspense and characters that leap off the page.” –Sophie Jordan, NYT bestselling author of the Firelight trilogy
“Travel to a world where dreaming is a radical act that can save the world… Anna Silver’s post-apocalyptic vision is rich with imagery and metaphysical ideas, grounded by vivid, three-dimensional characters. A truly fresh take on dystopian.” –Nina Berry, author of the OTHERKIN series
“Silver built the right amount of conflict and tension to draw readers into her dystopian world, and created characters who are leery, yet determined to embrace New.”–Natasha Hanova, author of Edge of Truth
About Anna Silver
Anna Silver grew up with a passion for words, books, and storytelling. She began writing as a child and eventually landed at St. Edward’s University in Austin where she studied English Writing & Rhetoric. She has always nurtured a vivid imagination and a love for art, expression, and fantasy. Currently she resides in the greater Houston area with her family and pets where she continues to read, write, and dream. Otherborn is her first published novel.
I hope you’ve all enjoyed your Easter celebrations, if you’re celebrating indeed. Well, with that more or less out of the way, it really should be time for spring, right? But it is April 1 and… it’s still freezing cold. So here’s my ode to April. Maybe that’ll break the spell…
How’s about you help me out and let me have some HOT songs?
In this post, I’ll take you behind the scenes and in front of the stage with UK rockers, FM: sound check; the crew; the show; the interview; takedown; memories; farewell
FM On Tour:
Behind the Scenes and In Front of The Stage, Nuneaton, 22 March 2013
It’s no secret that I love rock, and that I have a ‘thing’ for rock musicians. So you won’t be surprised to hear that I had the most amazing time at the most recent FM rock gig I attended. I had booked tickets for myself and OH months ago, and, on the spur of the moment, added the VIP package into the mix for both of us as well. So I happily took possession of my VIP pass….
Today, I’m a VIP!
…and used the first available opportunity to get photos taken with all of the band. This is a fairly big deal to me, actually, because these are the first ‘Nicky with FM’ photos I have ever had in all the time I have known and loved this band. Don’t ask me why… it just seemed uncool (and impractical), as a teenager, to take a camera to gigs, so I never did.
20 years…and here’s my first ever ‘FM and Me’ gallery! From top left to right: Pete Jupp (drums); Jim Kirkpatrick (guitars); Jem Davis (keyboards); Steve Overland (The Voice); Merv Goldsworthy (bass).
Apparently, this gig was the smallest on the entire tour, or so I’m told. Nonetheless, it was an absolute blast, as I knew it would be. Grab a cuppa (or something stronger, if it’s late enough in the day) and let me entertain you by proxy.
Sound Check
The first perk of being a VIP was that we were allowed to attend the sound check, which meant that the ‘gig’ really started for me at 4 p.m. It was lovely to walk in and get a little wave from Pete and a smile from Steve as I lined up for my first “hey, look, I really was here” photo.
I am so here!
Listening to, and watching, the sound check, was a revelation. I had heard parts of a sound check before (both from inside and outside various venues, LOL), but I had never had the privilege of taking in the whole thing. The band went through instrument by instrument, starting with big, heavy bangs on the drums, working their way through guitars and bass, adding in the keyboard and finally focusing on the vocals, lead vocals first, then backing vocals too. The ubiquitous ‘one-two-one-two-two’ was heard over and over again, and other interesting bits of conversation flew our way as well.
“It’s floor 26, but there’s no mike on it.” (Pete and stage manager, Steve, figuring out why the drums weren’t coming through as planned.)
“Get me a bit of Jim in here, please.” (Merv, asking the sound man, Richard, to put more of Jim’s guitars and vocals through his ‘wedge’, the speaker right in front of the musician that allows him to hear what the rest of the band is playing.)
“It’s all top heavy with no body.” (Steve, asking the sound man to alter the way Steve’s voice got played back to him through his wedge.)
Instruments and vocals duly balanced, the band launched into short renditions of songs. The opening riffs for That Girl made me want to bop along instantly and I had to remind myself to be quiet. Closer To Heaven made me predictably weak at the knees, and Burning My Heart Down sounded as hot as ever except… half-way through the second line, Steve’s voice disappeared. Surprised, he tapped the microphone, joking, “You need this mike on, Richard.” Richard nodded and gave a thumbs up, looking busy. Alas, the mike stayed off in spite of his best efforts. In fact, the sound desk went down. And stayed down!
I know it was a really stressful occasion for the band and the crew, but for a fan, it was absolutely mesmerizing to see these professionals work together calmly to solve the problem. Various options were explored, cables were being tweaked and replaced but in the end, a new sound desk was found (at extremely short notice ~ somebody worked miracles). The sound man had that new desk plugged in, wired and set up within a matter of minutes, and ready to continue the sound check within half an hour. You never appreciate, as a humble mortal, all the things that can go wrong behind the scenes and how much work and effort goes into the show. It was an eye-opener and, if you hadn’t been at the sound check, you would never have known that something had gone wrong just a mere couple of hours before the show. AWESOME result.
One-two-two-one-two…
Whilst waiting for the new desk, there was little idleness ~ small wonder, with so much to do. Here’s Pete, making sure the drum kit is in tip top condition!
Well ~ they’ve got to be shiny for a polished performance! #loveit
The Crew
Let’s take a moment to meet the crew. Really, without the crew, the tour wouldn’t happen and I am absolutely in awe of what these guys achieve. Here’s the chief sound man, Richard, who’s been with the band since 1994.
Richard, the sound man
The view of the stage from the sound desk
Meet Ralf, the merchandiser. I was chatting to him before the show (bless those VIP tickets!) and soon discovered that he hails from Germany, just like yours truly. Not only that, but he’s also from Düsseldorf, a mere 20 minute drive from my hometown of Essen. Small world, right? It gets more interesting still. You see, Ralf is a massive FM fan but he’s not actually a roadie by profession. In his day job, he’s a company lawyer back in Germany. He came on tour because there was a vacancy for a merchandiser and he thought it sounded like great fun to take part. Thus he took a week’s holiday, packed his bags, waved goodbye to his wife and kids for a few days, and tried out the touring life style. “I’m absolutely loving every minute of it,” he said wryly when I asked him whether it was worth it. Go figure. (Now there’s an idea for my next holiday…)
Ralf, the merchandise man…all the way from Germany, because he loves it.
Here’s the man who, quite literally, makes sure the show goes on. Stage manager, Steve, is responsible for all equipment, for setting up and taking down (more on that later), for organizing the crew and ensuring that everything and everyone is where they need to be.
Steve, the stage manager. “Because the show must go on.”
Sound check duly completed in the nick of time, two rousing support acts made sure we were all nicely warmed up and ready to rock. Well done to Vega and It Bites, you rocked!
The Show
The venue went dark as the lights dimmed and the stage filled with smoke. The fans erupted into excited cheers but the band kept them waiting just that little bit longer to savour the anticipation. Drummer Pete was the first to emerge and swiftly installed himself behind his drum kit, a big smile on his face and drum sticks in hand. Next it was Steve’s turn to appear, followed swiftly by the rest of the band. Everybody took positions and the guitars launched into the opening chords for Tough Love, the opening song of new album Rockville. The crowd went wild…
Oh folks, it was amazing. There was instant atmosphere, the fans lapped it up, sang along, clapped, cheered and shouted. Steve‘s voice was as wonderful as ever, carrying strong and clear through the entire show and providing plenty of ‘go-weak’ moments. Jim‘s handiwork on the guitar was outstanding; in some of his solos his fingers were but a mere blur of movement. Merv was grooving at the bass, enjoying the occasional amble to the other side of the stage to hook up with Jim and also jamming with Jem during the keyboard moments. Through it all, Pete was tapping away at the drums, keeping the rhythm, providing the drumrolls and generally dancing in his seat. Honestly, FM is among the best live bands I have ever seen and they never disappoint. It was rocking awesome!
I was fairly close to the front, maybe two rows in, and I had a fabulous view of all the goings on on stage. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. Apologies for the slightly misty effect on some of them ~ my little camera didn’t cope so well in the dark, especially when there was stage smoke. But you’ll get a feel for the great vibes that night…
That Girl…. will you ever let her go?
Keeping the rhythm ~ perfectly!
One of Steve’s mesmerizing voice moments. #IGoWeak
I wish I could show you just how fast Jim’s fingers move!
Everybody’s rocking.
On the other side of midnight… (well, nearly). Merv and Jem share a ‘key’ moment.
Last Encore… Don’t Stop! (No ~ not the FM song, that’s just me saying it!)
The Interview
I promised you an interview, didn’t I? Well, of course I couldn’t resist the chance to take notes as I was chatting with the band, especially during the lull moments in the sound check. Here goes!
Nicky: What’s a typical day on tour for you?
Pete: Well, let’s see. We get up early…probably about 9 a.m., having gone to bed at around 4 a.m. We have breakfast and lots of coffee–lots!–before we pack and leave at about noon. Often, there’ll be phone interviews in the morning with various radio stations, or sometimes in-person interviews at the venue. You know, like this one. *smiles*. When we get to the venue, it’s very much a game of ‘hurry up and wait.’ There’s lots to do, but also lots of waiting around, as you can see. Normally a sound check wraps up after about an hour, and then we have time for dinner and a quick shower. Then it’s the show, meeting fans, taking down, going to bed–late–and… start the whole thing all over again.
Nicky: Do you ever take your families on tour?
Pete: Not really, not now. My little girl is nine so there’s school and all that. But she and my wife do usually come to our London shows, and my daughter really loves it. When we’re on the road, we speak on the phone as much as we can. It’s not so bad; this tour, for example, is only short, nine days in all. And we finish tomorrow.
Jem: *laughs* My daughter’s music tastes lie elsewhere, I’m afraid. But she does seem to think it’s quite cool what I do…
Nicky: What’s the biggest change in touring since your ‘first time round’ back in the 1980s and 1990s?
Pete: Digital mixing, without a doubt. It speeds up everything. With a digital desk, the sound man just has to press buttons to save settings and retrieve them again later.
Stage manager, Steve: Oh yeah, digital mixing is awesome. With an analogue desk, the sound man would usually have a dictaphone in his hand and when all the dials and buttons where in the right position, he’d dictate the levels to himself, left right, top down. So you’d hear, “4, 5, 7, 2, 3, 1” and it would go on and on. Now, with digital, he just hits ‘save’ and when he needs to get it back, all the dials and faders jump into the right places. It’s amazing.
Nicky: What’s the strangest or most unusual thing that’s ever happened to you on tour?
Pete: Oh, probably that tour bus turning over in 1992. We were fast asleep in our bunks, most of us, which turned out to be quite lucky. Andy (Barnett, then guitarist) was up, he wasn’t very well and he was moving about. Which was also very lucky because when the bus went off the road and turned over, Andy’s bunk took the full brunt of the crash. We later found weights from downstairs and all sorts of other stuff in the upstairs bunks, so it must have been one heck of a roll. But nobody was hurt!
Stage manager,Steve: Well, thankfully, nothing really bad has ever happened. Most things are fixable, but it’s when the show is ‘on’ that it can get a bit scary. FM were supporting Foreigner and Journey a while back. They were playing in front of 14,000 people, and there was a cable on the stage that wasn’t in the right position, and I was worried that somebody would slip and fall, so we had to scramble on to tape it down.But it’s all good!
Nicky: Tell me about writing songs and making albums. How does that all happen? Do you all turn up with ideas and say, let’s write a song today?
Pete: Well… yes and no. We all write bits here and there, music, lyrics, you know Steve writes a lot of the lyrics, but Merv and I also do a lot of writing. Sometimes we bring them all together, like you say, and sometimes they just kinda happen when we are together. We do a lot of recording in my home studio now to try things out and for demos. It’s amazing what you can do with a modern home studio, a lot depends on the power of the computer and the processor. But anyway, we then take the files to a studio and take it from there. It’s quite different from before, much faster and a lot easier.
Steve: We always, always over-record. For Rockville, we had, like, twenty songs. You can’t put twenty songs on an album, so we picked the eleven that seemed to us to make a good mix, you know, harder stuff and ballads and all that. You want a nice balance on an album. After Rockville, we had so much material left that when the pledges worked out, we decided to bring out the other tracks on Rockville 2.
Nicky: What’s the best thing about being a rock star?
Pete: *laughs* Oooh… well, let’s see. Probably playing music you love to people who also love it.
Merv: Being on the road and making music. I really look forward to the festivals later this year! We’re doing the Hi Rock at the Loreley in Germany in June, and we’re going to be playing with Whitesnake and Europe ~ it’s gonna be fantastic!
Steve: *laughs* Best thing about being a rock star? You should ask one! *laughs again* No seriously, the best thing is making music and playing it to the fans. It’s always interesting and a bit nerve-wracking when you bring out a new album. Will the fans like it? Will they like the balance on the album? *shrugs and smiles* They seem to, so that’s cool.
Nicky: Any favourite songs?
Pete: On Rockville, probably Story of My Life.
Steve: Yeah, Story of My Life, because it’s a beautiful ballad, and also Crosstown Train.
Nicky: Who inspires you? What do you listen to?
Pete: Oh gosh, that’s a question. I listen to a lot of stuff on Spotify, I like checking out new things. Right now, I listen to a lot of Imogen Heap and Bon Iver. Oh, and the last concert I went to was probably James Morrison!
Nicky: Thank you all so much for chatting with me tonight, it’s been absolutely amazing! 🙂
Take Down
With the show over and the last of the encores completed; with hands duly shaken and final waves for the whole crowd accomplished, eventually the lights came back on and immediately the take-down began. This is another thing that I kind of knew but never really had seen in action (usually being far too busy trying to figure out a way backstage or waiting for autographs!). This time, I had a chance to watch as the crew undertook the take-down mere minutes after the end of the show. Evidently, there were clearly-assigned roles as somebody worked on the keyboards, somebody else on drums and guitars, and so on. The sheer speed was astounding. Take a look at these pictures from top left to right and then down. All of this happened in about thirty minutes and the stage was practically clear, with equipment neatly packed and ready to go, before we even had to leave. It’s like a well-oiled machine.
The crew springs into action…
Job well done, guys!
Memories, and more memories
Another great thing about the VIP tix was the chance to meet other FM fans and have a little chat. Thus my OH and I bumped into Andrew and Caroline. In a reverse of our own dynamic, it’s Andrew who’s the huge fan and Caroline who’s started coming along as a result ~ and loving it. Andrew was on the lookout for venue posters to be signed and found a couple for himself. Sadly, the only other remaining poster was stuck to the wall with wall-paper glue and wouldn’t come off in one piece even despite our joint best efforts.
Meet Andrew and Caroline!
Imagine my surprise and delight when, after the show, Andrew handed me one his precious trophies to get my own autographs. Initially, I thought he’d managed to find another one but no, it was one of his. “I have so many autographs already,” he simply smiled. “And I don’t really need two of these, so you have one, go on.”
All autographed, all for me. *Happy Dance*
Andrew, you are a rock star. Thank you so much ~ you totally know how much this means. I really hope to see you and Caroline again at the next gig!!
Last but not least, I managed to beg a copy of the set list ~ this one is from Pete’s drum kit, how cool is that?!
Yay! My very own copy of this show’s set list — this one having been Pete’s!!
Farewell, until next time!
And that, as they say, was that. A truly memorable FM gig that began for me at around 4 p.m. finally had to draw to a close at just before midnight. Needless to say, we took one last photo of everyone…
FM and the VIPs!
I had an amazing time, and I am still buzzing! If you get the feeling I’m just a little star-struck, even though I’m no longer a teenager… If you get the impression that there might just be the teensiest residual crush there on the band and the music… well, then you’re beginning to understand why I write the books I write, and how I write them.
Congrats to the Band!
Last but not least, I wanted to offer a huge congrats to this outstanding band. I just had word that Rockville entered the UK Rock Album Chart at #6 ~ yippeeeeh! Let’s hope it stays there and climbs, climbs, climbs.
And here’s a flavour of what this amazing band actually sounds like. It’s a favourite song so if you follow Music Monday, you might have seen it already… 🙂
And oh my god, I’m still reeling from an out-of-this-world FM show on Friday night. I have seen them so often now and still I get blown away every single time, without fail. So I’m dedicating this week on my blog to FM. Today, I’m posting one of the great songs that featured on the set list; and on Friday this week, I’ll be offering you a blow-by-blow account of what the gig was like, photos, interview and all. Rock on!
Meanwhile…. *sings* I belong to the night…
Oh man, it was rocking, hopping and fantastic. I can’t wait to share the full story with you. Hold on to your hats…
You know I’m a chronic insomniac. I’ve blogged about this in various places over the years. You also know that I do get a lot of good ideas in the middle of the night… I’ve blogged about that too, over at Ian McGregger’s blog!
And yes, it’s happened again. So imagine the scene. It’s Saturday night. Well, actually, it’s Sunday morning, about 1:30 a.m. For some reason, I wake up with a jolt and I know that’s the end of that, as they say.
Nonetheless, and despite knowing better, I toss and turn restlessly in bed for an hour or two. I get hot and bored and more and more frustrated as a multitude of thoughts crash in on me, none of them writing-related. There are worries, and things to remember, and things to do, and upcoming birthdays, and things I forgot to do, all mingling in one bizarre and unproductive merry-go-round.
As you can see, at four a.m., I give up. I don my dressing gown and pad downstairs to seek solace from fellow insomniacs on Facebook and Twitter, as I have done many times before. However, there are only a few friends about and none of the usual insomniac clan! After a lovely but short half-hour of chatting and catching up on blogs and social media, there’s nothing more to be done. Reluctantly, I switch the computer off again.
Alas. I am not ready for bed yet. I mean, it’s only 4:45 a.m.! Idly, I pick up a copy of the outline for my fourth book, which I have been playing with on and off for a few days. Another source of frustration, for while I know the story is there, I can’t quite get it to “zing.” I’m missing something. Or maybe I’m overambitious.
Anyway, I read through my note, circling things that I no longer like, highlighting things that inspire me. Then I go to bed.
KA-BOUM! Before I finally drop off, the story visits me in its entirety. It’s just suddenly there, the moment I have been waiting for, it zings, it sings, ooh and it’s totally rocking. It’s all I can do to scribble down my thoughts in my trusty notebook in the dark. Because, heck no, I ain’t getting up again, I just got warm and comfy, thank you very much, and I don’t want to wake OH. Plus I know I’m going to sleep, now!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had to wait until Monday to write down a first short outline of this new venture in its entirety, but I took notes all through the weekend. And when I finally had ‘author-time’, everything just flowed. Obviously I haven’t started writing yet, that’ll have to wait until Sophie’s Encore is safely off my desk and off to the publishers in May.
But. I know I got it. It’s in the bag, it’s just a question of letting it out!
So once again… My best ideas haunt me in the middle of the night. Conceiving a book is a bit like having a baby; they come out good and ready when the time is right, no matter what time of day or night! Insomnia is my friend, really.
I know many of you are insomniacs too. Does this ring any bells?
PS ~ I am now going MIA for a couple of days as far as social media are concerned! Tonight is the night of the big FM gig (with VIP package!). The grandparents are babysitting and OH and I are taking a bit of time out. PLEASE feel free to comment, you know I’ll get back to you as soon as. XX Rock On!
Roll out the red carpet! Open the champagne! It’s time to enter the Hall of Fame!
Yes, it’s release day again over at Sapphire Star Publishing, and today, my lovely publishing sister, Kelley Lynn, launches her debut novel, Fraction of Stone. Huge congrats to Kelley and let’s hear it for the book….
Fraction of Stone by Kelley Lynn
Release Date: March 21st, 2013 by Sapphire Star Publishing
Genre: YA Fantasy Book Description: Wind tunnels, torrential rains and earthquakes tear apart Casden. The cause of the world’s imbalance is unknown, but the mounting occurrences suggest there’s little time before life ceases to exist.Rydan Gale and Akara Nazreth are the only humans with the ability to wield magic. The tattoo on their necks and the discovery of an ancient book, dictate they are the key to the world’s survival.But the greatest obstacle for saving mankind isn’t the bizarre creatures, extreme betrayals and magic-fearing men hunting them.It’s that Akara doesn’t believe the world is worth saving.
Eventually the day came when the voices in Kelley Lynn’s head were more insistent than her engineering professor’s. So instead of turning to her Thermodynamics book, Kelley brought up a blank page on her computer screen and wrote. Somewhere along the way she became a Young Adult author.
Kelley was born and raised a Midwestern girl. She’s not afraid to sweat and fills her free time with softball, soccer and volleyball. (Though you probably don’t want her on your volleyball team.)
She occasionally makes guest appearances as a female vocalist for area bands.
You can find Kelley hanging out at her blog, titled in her name, as well as the group blog she shares with her fellow critique partners, Falling for Fiction. Kelley is a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators.
To celebrate the launch, Kelley is offering a fabulous giveaway: there are Amazong giftvouchers and ecopies of Fraction of Stone up for grabs, plus one signed paperback too! Enter here:
CentreStage showcases fabulous authors from around the world and today it is my great pleasure to welcome fellow German expat, Barbara Winkes. We met on Twitter, got chatting and the rest is history! Barbara is here to introduce her second novel, Winter Storm, the sequel to Autumn Leaves. She’s also hosting a Q&A with her heroine, Rebecca, so read on~you’ll be intrigued!
Winter Storm
For Callie and Rebecca, finding each other was the easy part. In the follow-up to Autumn Leaves, Rebecca and Callie have made a commitment to their relationship. New challenges arise as Rebecca continues to find her identity. Callie is confronted with an ex she would have preferred to avoid. Nicole wants to be back together with her, and she uses all her manipulative skills to achieve that goal. With a new minister in town and an unexpected threat, Rebecca and Callie will face even bigger trials. How much can their new-found love take?
Interview with Rebecca
Rebecca’s life in the small town of Autumn Leaves changed drastically when she fell in love with her neighbour~a woman! Since that revelation, she’s had to make some tough decisions, and we’ll be talking about them today. Thanks to Nicky for having us on CentreStage!
Nicky says: I’m delighted to have you and Rebecca here today. Take it away, Barbara, I look forward to this chat…
When did you move to Autumn Leaves or did you grow up here? What is the best thing about living in a small town and what is the worst?
David and I moved to Autumn Leaves shortly after we got married. That was seventeen years ago. I wasn’t so sure about the town at first, but we quickly made friends and thought it was a great place for children to grow up. We were mostly right about that…Living in a small town is a little like high school. If you can fit in and make friends, you’ll be okay. It’s when you stop playing by the rules that you’ll learn who your friends are. The difference is that in high school, you can’t just walk away. Callie and I probably could, but this is our home now, take it or leave it.
What kind of childhood did you have?
It was pretty quiet. I was never one to make waves, so I didn’t get into any serious trouble. I always dreamed of a house full of love and laughter, rather than rules. I wanted my kids to know that I love them without making them have to guess. My parents wanted me to have a good life, but there wasn’t much talk about feelings.
Growing up, what were the dreams you had for yourself?
Most of all, I wanted to be with someone who loves me, and have a family with that person. Does that sound silly?
Not at all! What dreams do you have for your daughters?
I want them to be happy with the choices they make in life. I want them to be happy, period.
What was your first impression of Callie Bryan?
My first impression was, oh my, I’m in trouble! Seriously, I wasn’t actually that insightful. I thought we could be friends. I thought she was beautiful.
Does it matter what your friends think of you?
Of course it matters. You’re friends in the first place because you share some of the same beliefs, opinions and interests. I was disappointed and scared when Betty reacted the way she did, because she’d been in my life for sixteen years. If the friendship is for real, you try to overcome difference.
When did you know your life was about to change?
Honestly, I knew long before I was able to admit to myself what was going on. My family, my home was the center of my life for so long. If there was anything else, I didn’t think about it, I didn’t want to see it. I found excuses to spend more and more time with Callie. Sometimes I didn’t have any excuse…I knew I had to do something, and I was scared of the consequences.
Do you have any regrets?
I wish I had been brave enough to face the truth earlier. I didn’t want to end up all alone…I guess that was selfish and it resulted in people I love getting hurt. I regret that a lot.
Where do you see yourself a year from now?
I hope that after all the changes, life will calm down for a bit, for my girls, Callie and me. We have definitely earned it.
Nicky says: You certainly have! I am so moved. I have to confess that I have yet to catch up with your full story but I will do so post-haste, I am thoroughly intrigued. There’s a lot of courage and romance in this interview and I’d love to find out more about you and Callie. Thank you so much for chatting with Barbara so candidly ‘live on air’ today ~ you rock! Maybe next time, you can bring Callie too! 🙂
PS: The author has not promised calmer waters yet, as there are more seasons to come, and a secret to uncover…
About Barbara Winkes
Barbara Winkes is a psychologist/trauma counselor by training and a writer by choice who moved from a small town in Germany to Québec City where she lives with her wife. She writes lesbian romance and mystery. Her novels Autumn Leaves and Winter Storm were published by Eternal Press. She is currently working on the next installment in the series.
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