Writing

February word count.

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Hello everyone. I haven’t posted here for a while. How are you all? I’ve been working on the second book in the Cherry Blossom Lane series and have just received the first edits back from my editor. The book is called, The One That He Wants and is the second book in the series to My Perfect Ex. It’s always exciting and nerve wracking to open that email to see what she says! Luckily she loves the story and is looking forward to book three. Phew! Here are some gorgeous reviews from book 1: ‘Loved it!’ ‘A wonderful read.’ ‘Beautifully written and thoroughly enjoyed.’

I’m trying to be more organised this year, so I bought myself two huge wall planners for my office and home and I’m using it as a visual prompt to get on with book promotion and stop procrastinating. I’ve held a couple of writing buddy sessions that I run with fellow romance author, Chris Penhall, recently and the daytime session was fully booked, which was exciting. It warms my heart to hear about the different ways people write, what they are working on and also that writing buddies might help them to get words onto paper in some way. We hire the top floor of a gorgeous coffee shop and encourage people to write with two 30 minute writing sprints, a coffee break to network and a chat at the end about how people are. There are no word count pressures and we don’t check anyone’s work, it is purely to write alongside other creatives for a couple of hours. We have people writing books, comedy, short stories, poetry, articles and more. The weather has been dreary, so it’s always a mad dash to keep our computers and manuscripts dry if we are going to the coffee shop. I tend to write by hand at first, so I always have pages and pages of paper with me.

I’ve been chatting to people on social media a lot recently and I’m enjoying hearing about what everyone is reading. I’ve just started reading a lovely book called Patches through time by Sian Turner, who is a member of my book group, Lizzie’s Book Group, on Facebook. I’ve also just finished a book by Sue Moorcroft, called An Italian Island Summer, which is a beautiful read.

Have a great week everyone! From Lizzie. x

 

A feel-good romance to fall in love with.

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Out today. My first ever sequel publishes today. It has been very last minute and I’m not holding a book launch out of respect for our incredible Queen, who inspired us with her strength every day and who will be sadly missed by so many.

I hope that this book finds its way to my lovely readers and that they enjoy the sandy beaches, delicious cupcakes and gorgeous new characters.  The little cupcake shop by the sea has been written because my readers asked for a sequel. That made my heart soar and I’m so happy that I could continue Genie’s story and introduce you to Fern’s background. Surf shop owner, Jessie, is not impressed by his new landladies when they take over the lease of his shop and film star, Brad, does not take other men vying for the attention of his secret girlfriend very well.

Grab your copy of book 2 in this series here! Book 1 is just 99p in an Amazon Kindle Deal during September, so if you haven’t read that yet, treat yourself to a bargain with one-click. Usual ebook price, £2.99/$3.99

Book blurb:

A seaside escape, filled with new beginnings and magical settings. Will moving to a sun kissed coast lead Fern to love? From the bestselling author of The little ice cream shop by the sea.

When a broken relationship takes Fern on a journey to find out more about her family, it’s a chance to put heartache behind her. She quickly falls in love with a beautiful cove and adjoining shops which awaken her dream of a cupcake and cocktail café by the sea, but an emotional revelation and a handsome but grumpy new tenant make her question her past decisions.

Genie is excited about the new café and the arrival of Fern, but is trying to balance the demands of a famous boyfriend and her unpredictable family.

Jessie wakes up one day to find he has a new landlady for his surf shop, which makes him furious. But the more time he spends with Fern, it’s clear that they have a connection that neither of them can deny.

Can Fern find the courage to tell both Jessie and Genie about her past? And if she does, will she get the lasting love she’s been dreaming of?

I’m running a prize giveaway for this book, which is a beautiful canvas book bag and a signed paperback copy of the little cupcake shop by the sea. There will be two winners, each winning a book bag and a signed book.

To enter, just post a photo of one of my books or ebooks that you own, to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or TikTok and tag me into say hi so that I can see it. If you send the image via Twitter, then i’ll happily retweet the post to my lovely followers. I talk a lot about books and writing on my Twitter page, so it’s a fun place to stop by for a chat. My social media links are here:

Twitter: @Lizzie_Chantree

Facebook: @LizzieChantree

Instagram: @Lizzie_Chantree

TikTok: @Lizzie_Chantree

The winners will be selected by midday on the 2nd October and notified. T’s & C’s are on my prize page. Competition open worldwide.

 

Hunter’s Chase by Val Penny.

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Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog today, Lizzie. I am delighted to have a chance to tell you and your readers about Hunter’s Chase, the first novel in my series of The DI Hunter Wilson Thrillers.

I have been writing and telling stories all my life. When I was a child, I was inspired to make up stories for my little sister after our Mum put the light out and told us to go to sleep. Later, I wrote documents, contracts, and courses as part of my job, but my time was well accounted for, so I did not create any fiction.

However, I took early retirement when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and there were times when I suffered severe side effects from my treatment. I could not go out, spend time with friends or indulge in many of my favourite hobbies, but watching daytime television got very old very fast, so I turned to reading. It was the only thing I had the energy to do and could do safely.

I read voraciously, as I always have. I particularly enjoy reading crime fiction and thrillers. I indulged this interest with many novels including those by Peter Robinson, Ian Rankin, Linwood Barclay and Kathy Reichs.

After a while, I began to feel a little better and decided to start reviewing the books I read in a blog www.bookreviewstoday.info I enjoyed doing that. Then, as I began to feel better still, I got restless, but was not still well enough to do very much and I complained to my long-suffering husband about getting bored. It was then he challenged me: ‘If you know so much about what makes a good book, why don’t you write one?’ I did laugh. However, with the challenge set, the inspiration given, and I have been writing police procedural crime thrillers set in Scotland ever since.

In fact, I have just moved publishers to the stable of Spellbound Books. They will publish the first book in the series The DI Hunter Wilson Thrillers on 20. August.2022. The main character is Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson in Hunter’s Chase. My new series, The Jane Renwick Thrillers and four new books in a multibook deal will published by SpellBound Books in the months ahead. I am very excited to have made the move.

Although Hunter’s Chase, is the first book in a series, it can be read completely independently as a standalone.

I particularly enjoyed writing Hunter’s Chase it marked the end of a period of particularly poor health and so hope that readers will enjoy it too. The next novel in this series, Hunter’s Revenge, will be published by SpellBound Books in November. I’ll let you know more about that in due course!

Author Biography

It is with great delight that Val Penny has accepted a ten-book deal with Spellbound Books.

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction, and novels.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

Author Contact Details

www.valpenny.com

https://www.facebook.com/Authorvalpenny

www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

www.facebook.com/groups/296295777444303

https://www.facebook.com/groups/167248300537409

https://twitter.com/valeriepenny

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17300087.Val_Penny

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Val-Penny/e/B07C4725TK?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1611574956&sr=1-1

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/val-penny

Writer’s room. Behind the scenes.

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Hi everyone. How are you? I added a post to my book group about providing a “behind the scenes look” for readers to our blogs, once or twice a month and it has made me think that it’s been a while since I added some photos about my own writing routine!

As you might already know, I write from a small office at home in the evenings and a studio in a nearby town, during the day.  My writing buddy, Pepper, is usually asleep by my feet, or creating unusual hairstyles by rolling around in the mud outside.  I thought I’d show you some photos of Pepper today. She is twelve now, but everyone we bump into, thinks she’s a puppy. She’s gradually slowing down, but still has a spring in her step. When I’m writing, her favourite place to be is snuggled on my lap with her nose on my keyboard, which isn’t that helpful at all, so I usually pull up a chair and put her dog bed onto that, so she can keep a paw on my knee.  Occasionally she’ll see a squirrel out of the window and dashes across the field, but she slows down before she gets near, to let them get away.  Then that wears her out, so she lays down and snores for a couple more hours to replenish her energy!

Coffee is also a usual companion to my desk and looking at my photo reel makes me realise how often my snaps of my writing in progress have a coffee cup beside them. I found a photo of the children’s activity books and phonics cards that I designed with my mum, who is also a writer, so thought you might like to see them too. We have written stories about a magical little dragon called Sydney and his family. My mum used to tell my sister and I these stories as children and Mum and I worked on them together, over time, to create a range of products. We are hoping to publish the children’s stories that are part of this range, in the next year.

Have an amazing week! From Lizzie.

 

Cupcakes, Ice Cream and Romance.

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Hi everyone. How are you all? I’ve been working on getting two new books ready. The New Girl On Cherry Blossom Lane, will be out in the next month or two and my newsletter subscribers will be the first to see the cover. It will be in their email inboxes in the next week.  The other book is the sequel to my international bestseller, The Little Ice Cream Shop By The Sea. I’m so excited to revisit those sandy shores and it’s given me an excuse to sample some delicious cupcakes and ice cream. Not that I need much persuading! It’s also given me the chance to walk by the sea, sit and reflect for a while and to waggle my toes in the fresh sea air. It was a bit too chilly to take my boots off, so I wriggled my toes in my boots, but the sentiment was there. Lol!

 

I thought I’d share some pictures of the beach to make you smile today. Where do you feel the most creative? The sea often inspires story ideas for me.

Have an amazing rest of the week and don’t forget to pop by my book group for writing support or my Instagram page for bookish inspiration.

 

 

 

Don’t quit your daydream.

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Hello everyone. I hope you’ve had a great month so far. I’m still following my dream of publishing as many gorgeous books as I can and discovering more readers along the way. My other goals are constantly changing, but this one always stays the same. I love chatting to other book lovers and have been updating my social media feeds and trying to find time to post on TikTok and Instagram, a bit more.

I now post a marketing quote each day on Lizzie’s Book Group on Facebook, to hopefully help the writers of the group and I also share anything new I learn about book marketing there. We also have a lot of readers in the group who help us with their thoughts on cover design, why customers pick up one book over another and in sights into which genres they adore. It’s a lot of fun if anyone wants to join. Just hit the link.

I have a new book which is almost complete, about a woman who has just moved to a beautiful new area. Her business is very successful, but she is unsure about fitting in with the other people on the street. Her sexy boyfriend is also an issue, because her friends don’t know she’s dating him! More news and a cover reveal for that book soon.

Have a brilliant day. From Lizzie. x

 

Monday marketing. 3 quick tips.

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Food meme by Lizzie Chantree.png

Hello everyone. I run a book group on Facebook, Lizzie’s Book Group, which is full of authors and writers. We chat about what books we like, how our writing targets are going and how to reach more readers. We come across some pretty eclectic chat topics and I have decided to share a few recent ones at the bottom of this post. Feel free to join the book group if you love books and writing. We have almost 500 members now and it’s a lot of fun.

Procrastinate meme by Lizzie Chantree.png

I am currently in third edits for my new book and am trying to reach writing targets for another manuscript. I sometimes find it hard not to procrastinate too much, but I read a recent article where it said that procrastination is not about being too busy, it is about feeling emotional. If we are feeling that way, we tend to put off what we should be doing. It’s made me sit and think about clearing my work desk, so it’s a pleasurable place to work, getting the everyday jobs done early so that they are out of the way and then doing my favourite thing, which is sitting down to write… with a desk timer so I get those words onto paper!

Have a great week everyone. My first prize draw for my subscribers will be at the start of next month. Exciting times!

Here are 3 quick articles that we have shared in my book group: 

The ultimate author resource list.

19 book marketing strategies.

BookSweeps tips to grow your email audience.

Being a writer.

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writer meme by Lizzie Chantree.png

This meme always makes me smile because it’s so true! I feel like I have far too many notepads stuffed into my handbag and teetering on the edge of my bedside table, for me to scribble ideas onto for another book or blurb. I’m a bit of a notebook Magpie and can’t walk past a shop with sparkly notepads without drooling all over them, hence the puppy in the photo!

This week I’ve been working on my latest manuscript, which is about a woman who feels lonely and misunderstood, but she does something that pushes her into the limelight, causing her endless amounts of trouble. I’m at the start of the book, but I’m loving her personality already.

Have an amazing week everyone. Feel free to share what you are working on in the comments below this post.

 

Monday reads.

/ lizziechantree / 6 Comments

listen meme by Lizzie Chantree

Hello everyone. I’ve got my first festival next weekend where I will have a book stand and hopefully be chatting to some book lovers as well as music lovers. I have been trying to pack everything I will need and remember to take things like sellotape, signage, and table coverings. I put the books into boxes and it’s tricky to know how many to take. It’s a music festival, but there is a shopping area, which is where I will be with my books. I have also designed some pop up banners, and have a fold up book stand for the counter top.

I did a checklist and thought it might be helpful to anyone else doing a book fair or festival.

  1. Books. Enough of each type to display and sell.
  2. Stands to hold some of the books up so that they are easier to see.
  3. Frames with clear pricing. These follow my brand and have a picture of my books and a slogan at the top.
  4. Table or counter cover.
  5. 2 x chairs
  6. Gazebo.
  7. Tables.
  8. Name squares for customers who would like a book signed so that I know how to spell the names! These are cut out of A4 sheets but fit with my branding colours.
  9. Battery powered lights.
  10. A receipt book.
  11. Paypal app set up on my phone.
  12. Card reader.
  13. Plastic cover to keep the table dry if the weather turns.
  14. Sun hat/suncream.
  15. Water.
  16. Food.
  17. I have a five aperture frame with each of my book covers in to show the range.
  18. Scissors.
  19. Pens.
  20. Change for sales.
  21. Decoration for the table. Paper hearts etc for romance theme.
  22. Bookmarks.
  23. Leaflets. I had these made with all five of my books on them.

I hope I’ve thought of most things, but if you have any other suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

Have a great week! From Lizzie:)

Author page: https://www.viewAuthor.at/LizzieChantree

The Village Green Festival. Chalkwell Park. Southend on sea. Essex. U.K. This is the trader area. There are many more stages and creative areas around the park. Saturday 13th July. 11am-9pm. Festival link.

map artwork VG