Francesca and Elaine are catching up with what’s been going on in the last couple of months.
Elaine: So you first Francesca, what’s your excuse for being absent?
Enjoying the RNA London Chapter Christmas meal in December
Francesca: Well Elaine, I spent the latter part of 2017 editing my historical novel, set in 1915/1916 in South Wales. It has taken me a lot longer than the contemporaries I’ve written, for obvious reasons. The history graduate in me has pushed me to research, re-research, then research a little more. It doesn’t take much to become absorbed by even quite minor subjects and spend longer on it than is necessary.
I’ve found this particularly with the census. I’m fascinated with the minutiae of everyday life as revealed by these documents. It’s all too easy to get carried away, especially when you can sit in the comfort of your own home to study them, rather than in a records office as I did forty years ago, straining my eyes to look at the microfiche.
Okay, Elaine, what’s the excuse for your absence from the blog?
Elaine: Oh you mean apart from spending several weeks in bed with the flu virus that has been going around and obviously excluding Christmas, which is always a hectic time in my house. You know, I can’t believe how long it’s been since we last chatted here. Where have those weeks gone?
Elaine’s New Photo
Gosh, I sound like my mother!
Anyway, my year ended with stunned excitement, if that’s possible. I received an e-mail and phone call from Aria, which is the digital imprint of Head of Zeus Publishers. I have signed a three-book contract with them and, if I’m honest, I still can’t believe it. It all feels very surreal after years of working towards that goal, but watch this space for further news of the cover, title and publishing date. To celebrate, my son took a new photograph of me, so I thought I’d share that with you.
So what’s next Francesca?
Francesca: First of all, congratulations! You deserve the success as I know you’ve worked hard. As for me, I’ve nearly finished editing now and it will then be submission time. With a bit more time back, I’m going to concentrate on other submissions too, particularly the short stories, which have taken a back seat during the current novel. I’m looking forward to writing and submitting some shorter pieces.
And what’s next for you, Elaine?
Elaine: I’m working on book two of my contract, but I don’t want to give too much away at this stage. It was already started, but now I know someone is going to actually read it, I’m revisiting the structure of it. I shall also be working on the edits of book one when they come through.
I have a list of things to do, most of it around social media and promotion, but I also need to start thinking about book three.
It’s scary times ahead.
What have you lot been up to then? We’d love to read your comments.
You can read Francesca’s January Competition Monthly on the RNA Blog here
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