Happy 2016, and New Year's resolutions

Happy 2016 people!

Although 2016 started three days ago already, tomorrow feels like it will be the proper start of the new year for me. It's my first day with a word count target, the first day my husband will be back at work, so the first day of real life after an incredible Christmas and New Year break. So in the spirit of the new year, here are my writing resolutions for 2016:

Keep my writing JOY Before writing was my job, it was my hobby and my passion. Contracts and deadlines have a way of sapping the joy out of anything, but if my maternity break showed me anything, it was how much I love my craft.

But I can't just write when I feel like it Because as much as it used to be my hobby, it's now my career, and I'm a professional. I've not
missed a deadline yet and I have no intention of starting now.

Be kind to myself Those first few thousand words when I came back to writing were never going to be my best. It's taken a while to hit my stride, and there have been times when I've lost faith in my talent and my craft. But I know I can do it. The book will get finished, and it will be good.

Has anyone else got inspirational resolutions to share?

Ellie
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Table? What table?

I was lucky enough to be invited to a wedding in Winchester recently (GREAT wedding. There was a quiz - need I say more?!) and history geek that I am I couldn't resist the lure of the round table at the castle's old Great Hall.

So I dragged long-suffering hubby and baby off to indulge my love of medieval history, regurgitate everything I knew about the Morte d'Arthur and generally be an insufferable know-it-all. Now, I flipping love a castle. There's something so visceral about being able to reach out and touch the walls of a building that has survived more than half a millenium, and trying to understand the lives of all the people who have touched that stone before me. And there is no shortage of inspiration in Winchester.

The Great Hall did not let me down. I've got so ideas battling for my attention now I'm going to have to break out one of my shiny new notebooks and get them down on paper before I lose them. So many stories and so little time to write!

Here's a selection of my photos from the day...

 There's something more than a little Iron Throne-y about the detailing at the top of these gates, no? They were installed in 1983 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana

This incredible painting covers the entire end wall and lists all of Winchester's representatives in Parliament. Why the blank spaces, though, I wonder? If anyone can enlighten me then please do!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Good name, is Eleanor. Very regal...

And what did the husband make of the legendary round table, I hear you ask. 'Table? Was there a real table? I didn't see one?'

You can see how it's easy to miss...  

Has anyone else been finding inspiration in unusual places?

Ellie

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Bound By a Baby Bump

Those of you who hang out here a lot will have heard me talking about Beach Bum, recently renamed Bound By a Baby Bump and given a stunning cover, rather a lot of the last year or so. Well, it's finally time to reveal a little more about it. And that surprise I told you I was springing on my characters, well, you've probably guessed it from the title -- and it's a biggie. Well, about seven to eight pounds worth of surprise, actually, but you get the idea. So to whet your appetite, here's what it's all about:

Nine months to change her life… 

PA Rachel Archer [remember her, Will's PA from Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss?!] has every little bit of her life planned down to the letter—it's the only way she can feel safe. Until gorgeous artist Leo Fairfax tempts her to live on the wild side, just for one night…

That night changes both their lives forever, when they discover Rachel's pregnant! Now, bound by their beloved baby bump, lone wolf Leo must convince Rachel that not only is he here to stay, but he's dedicated to winning her heart!

I was looking through my holiday photos the other day, and came across these pictures of a huge chunk of driftwood that had washed up on the beach and served as my inspiration for a lot of Leo's artwork. I loved trying to capture all the different textures, though I'm sure Leo would have done a better job. But for those of you who like (very) amateur photography and/or great massive pieces of wood (insert your own inappropriate joke here), enjoy!

Ellie
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Research -- it's a hard life...

Last weekend I had the absolute joy and privilege of attending my best friend's wedding, and acting as her maid of honour. Cue days and days of being immersed in the warm and fuzzies, as I watched two people looking like they were the happiest and luckiest souls on the planet promising to spend their whole lives together. Emotional doesn't even start to cover it.

And because the happy couple had made the extraordinarily brilliant decision of getting married on the beautiful Jurassic coast, I also managed to cram in a little research for #BeachBum! This is where I introduce Miss Krista Cartlidge, Head of Geography at Burlington Danes Academy, south-coast native and my other long-suffering BFF (yes, we're a BFF triumvirate). She is the fount of all knowledge geographical, and I am now officially fully versed in the creation of arches, stacks and stumps; coastal erosion; world-heritage status; and the watersports potential of several south-coast resorts. Thanks, Miss Cartlidge!

From the top of Durdle Door. Very tempted to perch my hero's house right here

So that he and my heroine can enjoy views as beautiful as this one...

And stroll along this beach hand in hand

And learn about stacks and stumps from Miss Krista Cartlidge!

And if you're interested to know what a geography teacher gets up to in their summer holidays, read on! This summer Krista will be taking on her most crazy challenge to date...

She is flying off to the Swiss Alps to trek the famously beautiful but difficult Haute Route. The trek normally takes 9 days, but she'll be doing it in just 7 so it is going to be tough! This is one of the stages of the STRIVE challenge which has been set up by the fantastic charity Big Change, who help young people across the UK to develop critical character traits such as resilience, leadership, confidence and team work. If you want to donate to this fab cause, head to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/KristaCartlidge.

And now I'm off to plan my next gruelling research trip. Wine tasting in the south of France perhaps? A yacht around the Carribean? Would love any suggestions!

Ellie

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Book titles, serious research, and getting hitched

So many exciting things to update you about! Since my last post, life has been pretty exciting around Darkins HQ.

First up, news on my first book with Mills and Boon. Avid readers of the blog might know it as 'Food Glorious Food', as 'Will and Maya', or, because I'm lazy and madly in love with my heroine -- usually, just good old 'Maya'. But the wonderful folks at Mills and Boon have put their heads together and come up with the beautiful, swoon-worthy title: Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss. Needless to say, I LOVE it. This will be hitting bookshelves (real and virtual) from September 2014, so watch this space for more details.

In other news, they have also just okayed my proposal for my second book, currently untitled, but known around these parts as 'Beach Bum'. I have some serious research to do now, scouring interior design mags for coastal cottage ideas (VITAL to the story), checking out beautiful seascapes, and with any luck a trip to the beach to smell the sea air, listen to the seagulls and taste the fish and chips. Life as a romance novelist -- it's torture all the way ...

And as if that wasn't enough excitement, I lived out my very own HEA last month and tied the knot with my long-suffering boyfriend. I now feel well qualified to rule that married life is pretty bloody wonderful, and intend to introduce as many characters as possible to the institution.

All in all, 2014's proving to be a pretty spectacular year, and we're only in April. Can hardly wait to see how the rest of it pans out!

Much love

Ellie
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P.S. Will you forgive the blatant self-promotion if I point out this fantastic 5* review of Hiding from Hollywood by Coffee Time Romance? You will? Well, thank you very much! http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/hidingfromhollywoodbyelliedarkins.html#.U0J2-ag7t8E

Food Glorious Food

With Hollywood finished, and Old Friends resting I'm very excited to be revisiting a much-loved project I started last year - I've been waiting ages for the right time to give it the love and attention that it deserves.

My heroine was inspired by the warm glow on the faces of cookery show contestants - the pure, unadulterated pleasure of seeing someone love something you've created. I wanted to explore how this love of food, and love of pleasing people might fit into a relationship, and my heroine blossomed onto the page. I knew exactly the man who would challenge and push and irritate her, and the sparks started to fly as soon as I got them into a room together!

So for the coming weeks, or months, or however long it takes to do their story justice, I'm going to be exploring the relationship between food and love. Because as Virginia Woolf said: 'One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.'

Ellie x

How to write a novel: Part two

You've read How to write a novel: Part one. 
You've come up with an idea, or been inspired by the Story prompts (more to come soon).
Your characters are fully formed in your head.
You have an idea of where your plot starts.

If all of the above apply to you, it's time to take the plunge and start writing your novel. Here's how ...

1. Write something. Anything. If you're anything like me, then you'll find a blank page terrifying. The only way to banish the beast is to start writing. It doesn't matter if it's the first line of the story or the last line, whether it's a work of genius or not. But I promise, once you get that first line down, the next one will be easier!
2. Keep writing. Well, that's obvious, right? But I think this is the hardest step. You won't always be in the mood to write. At some point (for me, always about half-way) you may well start to believe that you have written the worst book in the world, ever, and want to give up completely. You're wrong. You just have to keep going. Try and build writing into your routine. I don't think it matters whether it's a hundred words a day or five thousand, whether you manage to find fifteen minutes a day or five hours. JUST KEEP GOING!
3. Read what you've written. Before I start my day's writing, I read what I wrote the day before. This helps me remember where I am in the story - not just in terms of plot, but in terms of the development of characters' emotions. This (hopefully) leads to a smooth, natural progression of the romance. 
4. BUT Write without editing. This is not at all a hard and fast rule. Some people like to write one paragraph, or even one sentence at a time, rewriting and editing and getting it absolutely perfect before moving on. This is a perfectly valid way of writing. But it's not my way. If I tried to work this way, I don't think I would ever get past the first chapter, and learning to write first, edit later got my first novel finished. Try and find out what works for you. If you've a folder full of perfect first chapters, but no finished manuscript then maybe writing with editorial blinkers on will work for you too. 

And that's it. Although there are four steps listed about,what this post really boils down to is two things: start writing and keep going. If you can do that, you can write a novel.

Let me know how you get on!

Ellie x

How to write a novel: Part one
How to write a novel: Part three

Story prompts

So, you've read How to write a novel: Part one, have pen and paper at the ready, but are struggling with Step 1: Have an idea. Don't worry: it happens to us all! All you need is a prompt to get you started, and then Step 2 will take care of the rest.

Courtesy of  me and two of my nearest, dearest friends, here are some ideas:

Tears came to her eyes as they held each other for one last time. A kiss, a look, and he walked away ...

A classic: You arrive home from the airport, open your suitcase, and realise it has been swapped with another passenger's. Inside you find ...

You spend a week in paradise having a delicious holiday fling, but you never plan to see him again. Five years later, you decide to put a cheating ex behind you by travelling the world. Walking through an airport, guess who you see ... ? 

Feel free to use these prompts however you like. The most important thing is to pick one as a starting point, and see where it takes you. Brainstorm your ideas in the comments section, and let me know what happens to these guys!

Ellie (and friends)
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How to write a novel: Part one

OK, so that's probably not the most accurate title for this post, because there is no one way to write a novel. But this is how I do it, so if you're still interested, read on. Oh, I should also say that the actual writing of a novel isn't covered in this post, this is all about the planning, but if you're still interested, here's how to do it...

1. Have an idea. Sometimes this is easier said than done. It is especially difficult when sitting staring at a blank screen, telling yourself that you have to have a really good idea, right now. Take the pressure off by having really good ideas all the time instead. And, importantly, write them down so that you can come back to them when you need them.
2. Ask yourself questions. If your inspiration is a location, then who lives there. If your inspiration is a person, then where do they live? Are they in trouble? How did they get there? How will they get out of it? I love to do this stage the old-fashioned way, with pen and paper. I find that when I'm writing on paper, my brain is always a step ahead of my hand, so by the time I've finished writing the question, I know the answer, or I at least know which question needs asking next. 
3. Find out who your friends are. Take all the information you have about your characters (from your scribbles from #2), and draw up profiles. Who are they? What makes them tick? What's brought them together, and what's going to keep them apart. Ask more questions. Really get to know your characters inside out. 
4. Work out what they're up to. By this stage, a beginning and a middle may be making themselves known. Play around with different ideas thrown up by #2 and #3. How much detail you put in here really depends on how you like to work. Writers fall into two camps: plotters and pantsers (though of course there are many shades of grey in between). Plotters plan what they are going to write, and then write it. Pantsers start writing and see where it takes them. I'm a plotter, but only up to a point. When I start on chapter one, I'll have a pretty structured plan for the first third of the book, and know the major milestones for the middle and the end. But I don't plot these in detail at the start, instead I have a couple of big plotting sessions along the way.
5. Do your research. OK, so this isn't really #5. It's a little bit of points 1-4, as it needs to be done all the way through. Research can be lots of things. It can be sitting with your eyes shut, glass of wine in hand, thinking about why your character reacts in the way they do; it can be reading historical manuscripts at the British Library; and it can be pretty much everything in between. The point is, you have to make your story believable, which means knowing the ins and outs of every character, every decision, every location, and every historical event. That's not to say that you need to include all this information in your book - in fact you really probably shouldn't - and it's not to say that you can't monkey with the facts a little, if it's what your story really needs. But if you're winging it, then something may ring hollow about your story. 

So there we are. Once all this is done, you just need a notepad and paper or a computer, and a few short, easy months later, you will have written a novel. Simples. Honest... Meet you back here for Part 2!

Ellie 

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How to write a novel: Part two
How to write a novel: Part three