My Bad

I am willing to admit that I have been woefully neglectful of my blog this past year. This wasn't an intentional decision but with edits, rewrites and the business of completing first drafts coming at me from all sides something had to give and sadly it was this blog.

This year has definitely run away with me. It feels like only days ago that I had an exciting trip down to a very cold London in March to sign with my fabulous agent, Nelle Andrew, at Peters Fraser and Dunlop. Since signing I've been locked away editing the novel I'm working on for Nelle and also completing my fourth book for Aria, Best Friends, which will be released next May.

To be honest with you I am exhausted. There have been a lot of lovely, unexpected things going on in my personal life and at times it has been a struggle just to stay on top of my writing commitments. But I have managed to stay on top of them which means that next year I should have a shed load of exciting news to share. Until then I'm hoping to hibernate for the upcoming festive season and do nothing but eat my weight in turkey and drink all the hot chocolate. I think that come the end of the year we are all entitled to a well earned break. And I'll be making the most of mine!

In 2018 I cannot promise that I'll be anymore dedicated to my blog as things are set to only get busier for me both on a personal and professional level. But I can promise that I'll always remain active over on Twitter (which I'm addicted to) and also on top of my monthly newsletter which you can sign up for via my website.

Thank you for sticking with me on my writing journey. I'm sorry for the slight hiatus over these past few months but it will be worth it! There is a book coming (kind of secret at the moment) which I am so immensely proud of I could burst. But more about that next year.

In the mean time I can offer you a sneak peak at the synopsis for Best Friends by way of apology for abandoning my blog for so long. Also, if you're a fan of YA check out the three novels I've posted over on Swoon Reads.

So here it is, the synopsis for Best Friends and I'll see you on the flip side (in 2018 at least). However you're spending the holidays I hope it is both a magical and relaxing time for you!

Carys

xoxo

Four friends, a terrible secret, and one week to stay alive...

Grace doesn't have a family. That was taken away one dreadful day when she was just six, and her twin brother Peter was killed. Instead she has her best friends and flatmates – Jasper, Franklin and Aaron – and nothing can tear them apart.

Living in London, and trying desperately to make a living, the four friends are rapidly running out of money and hope. So, when they find a discarded suitcase in a skip, they can't believe their eyes when its contents seem to answer all their prayers.

But then there is a knock on their door, and a very disgruntled thug with revenge on his mind, gives them one week to return his belongings, or they will pay with their lives. Soon the fractures in their friendships begin to show, and when one of them ends up fighting for his life, the stakes are raised even higher.

Will any of them get to the end of the week alive, or will the best of friends become the deadliest of enemies...

Dead Girls Can't Lie

I haven't written anything on my blog in quite some time and you can definitely blame the mountain of edits I've been slowly being crushed by over the last few months. I've been working on my third Aria novel, Dead Girls Can't Lie, along with my fourth book for them and also the project I'm working on with my lovely agent, Nelle. It just means that things have been hectic, I've had a lot of cereal based meals and have rarely left my writing room.

But things are calming down a bit as edits get finished, along with books, and I get to claim back some free time (woohoo, Netflix binge here I come)!

The cover for my next book, Dead Girls Can't Lie, has recently been revealed and I love it. Aria have outdone themselves again with a stunning cover that totally captures the essence of the story. So what's DGCL all about? Here is the official synopsis;

Best friends tell each other the truth – don't they?

When North Stone's best friend Kelly Orton is found hanging lifeless in a tree, North knows for certain it wasn't suicide. Kelly had everything to live for – a loving boyfriend, a happy life, and most importantly of all, Kelly would never leave North all by herself.

The girls have been friends since childhood, devoted to each other, soul sisters, or at least that's what North has always believed. But did Kelly feel the same way, or was she keeping secrets from her 'best friend' – deadly secrets...

When the police refuse to take North's suspicions seriously, she sets out to investigate for herself. But her search soon takes her to a glamorous world with a seedy underbelly, and before long North is out of her depth and getting ever closer to danger. Determined to find the truth, she soon wishes that dead girls could lie, because the truth is too painful to believe...

Like the sound of it? Then make sure to add the book to the TBR pile over on Goodreads before it comes out on 1st September this year. It's also up for pre-order.

And let me know what you think of the cover! I reckon it might be my favourite yet!

xoxo

Last Witness Cover Reveal

I'm not the best at blogging. I do apologise for this. I don't post on my blog nearly as much as I like but I have good reason for neglecting it - I've been knee deep in edits for one book and busily writing another. I rarely emerge from my writing cave these days.

The sequel to Wrong Number, Last Witness, is being released in May and the cover for the new book was revealed yesterday in Aria's monthly newsletter and it's awesome. I love it! Just like my first cover with them it is eye catching, ominous and gorgeous with a flash of red! Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself -

For the book bloggers amongst you, Last Witness is available to request over on Netgalley. I'm so excited to hear what people think of this next instalment in Amanda's story. You can also pre-order the book ahead of it's May release. 

And if all that wasn't enough you can read a teaser from Last Witness over on the Aria blog. But proceed with caution - if you've not read Wrong Number there are spoilers ahead. You have been warned! 

I'm afraid that I can't promise that I'll be anymore committed to my blog over the coming months as yet again I'm in the midst of writing one book and editing another. A writer's life is a carousel of first drafts and edits which never ends but I wouldn't have it any other way! Make sure to follow me over on Twitter and Facebook where I'm much more active. Mainly because I can maintain those accounts via my phone during a Netflix binge of The Good Wife*

Hope you're all having a fabulous Friday!

See you in the funny papers! (Yes, I went to see The Space Between Us recently and yes, it was mega cute)

Carys

xoxo

*by Netflix binge I mean working. Night and day. Diligently : P

To Be Continued...

I hope that everyone is having a festively fabulous December! It's been a bit of a hectic month for me so far - what with the release date of Wrong Number being brought forward and having my birthday (don't ask how old I am). 

There have been some lovely reviews coming in for Wrong Number. It makes my day when I read how someone has engaged with the story. Most people seem to love Amanda and there has been support for both #TeamWill and #TeamShane. One thing reviewers have noted is the abrupt ending of the story. 

Well, the reason for that is because Amanda's story isn't over. Far from it. There's a sequel to Wrong Number which concludes the entire story and it picks up right where the first book left off. And it's called...

*Drum roll*

Last Witness. 

Sounds kind of ominous, right? As well it should as things get even darker and more perilous for Amanda in the next book. I hope that readers will continue with her on her journey in this the second (and final) book with these characters. 

You can pre-order Last Witness now and I promise that there is complete closure in this book. No cliff hangers! 

Here's the blurb for the next story (it's relatively spoiler free if you've not yet read the first book) - 

Amanda Thorne is on a mission to avenge those who took her husband away from her. Restoring his honour and protecting his legacy will be dangerous, but she will not rest until all those who have hurt her loved ones have been dealt with.

Her only option is to go undercover in the murky world of the gang kingpin McCallister so, with her loyal companion Shane by her side, she heads back to Scotland to finish what they started.

McCallister's world is one of seedy nightclubs, drug deals and beautiful women, but he is a hard man to get close to. As Amanda gets deeper and deeper into his dangerous world, what secrets from the past will come back to haunt her, and will she be able to protect the last witness to the truth?

A compelling, heart-stopping thriller which you won't be able to put down...

But enough about books! Is everyone super excited for Christmas? I know I am! December is my favourite month of the year. My tree is up, the halls are decked and I'm excited to spend a few weeks just basking in the festive spirit and watching all my favourite Christmas films!

What are your plans for the holiday season? I'd love to hear about them.

Happy Holidays everyone!

xoxo

Wrong Number

I'm so pleased to finally be able to reveal the awesome cover for my upcoming book, Wrong  Number. I've been waiting a while to be able to share it with everyone and it's nice that it's happened today when I've been submerged in my writing room for the past two months working hard on the book's sequel. So here is the cover;

And this is the official blurb for the story - 

A missing husband. Mysterious calls. And the biggest lie of them all.

Read with caution - you may never want to answer your phone again...

Will and Amanda Thorn are living the dream until, one day, their phone rings. Within 24 hours, Will is missing and Amanda’s world is shattered.
Who was on the phone? Where has Will gone?

Amanda is determined to find her husband and is drawn into a world of drug dealers, criminal masterminds and broken promises.

As the truth becomes clearer, she has to face the terrible possibility that she may never have known her husband at all...

You can add the book to your TBR list over on Goodreads and it's available for reviewers to request through Netgalley.  

I absolutely loved writing this story. Amanda Thorn is easily one of my favourite heroines that I've created and I can't wait for everyone to be able to meet her! 

So what do you think of the cover? Let me know!

And Happy Halloween! I hope you're all celebrating doing something suitably spooky! Me? I'll be watching American Horror Story Hotel later from behind a cushion as that show is creepy!!

xoxo

What Makes a Princess?

Today is Paper Princess' publication day. Yay! So in honour of the book being out in the wild I thought I'd write a post about princesses.

Like many young girls I grew up on Disney movies and therefore harboured a desire to be a princess. Belle was always my favourite (especially since she made reading cool) though Ariel was a close second! So this afternoon to celebrate publication day I'll be curling up with Beauty and the Beast and some cupcakes : )

Image sourced through Google

But what actually makes a princess? Disney definitely taught me that it's about more than a sparkly tiara and a pretty dress. It's about having a good heart and being strong.

In Paper Princess Tilly dreams of being trapped up in a tower, waiting to be saved. But she doesn't yet understand the true qualities that a princess must embody, and as her own world starts to change beyond recognition she'll be forced to search for these qualities within herself.

I'm so excited to hear what people think of Tilly's story. And I hope that in honour of the book's release you'll all unleash your inner princesses! I'm definitely a Belle but who is your favourite princess? Let me know xoxo

A New Book Deal

I'm so excited to announce that I recently signed a four book with Head of Zeus' imprint, Aria. The first book will be released at the start of January, with its sequel following in summer 2017. Then there will be two standalone books released in 2018.

All of the books released with Aria will be contemporary adult thrillers. I've already seen the cover for my first book and it's amazing. If any of my book blogging friends would like to be involved in it's cover reveal later this year just give the Aria team a shout over on their Twitter page.

Until the release of these new books I'm being kept busy with my Princess Trilogy. The first book, Paper Princess, is out next month and will be widely available in book shops as well as online. If you'd like to win a copy hot off the press Accent YA are currently holding a giveaway over on Goodreads.

So 2017 is shaping up to be really busy for me as it will see the release of Porcelain Princess, Plastic Princess and my two Aria books. I'd best go and chain myself to my desk!

xoxo

Paper Princess goes to YALC

So this upcoming weekend is a pretty important one in the Young Adult calendar. It's YALC, a really fun, awesome event held in London to coincide with a comic con. Last year I sat at home and watched all the excitement unfold online and wished I could be there. Sadly, I'm unable to attend this year as I'm at a friend's wedding this weekend but I am going to be at YALC. Sort of.

My latest book, Paper Princess, will be at the event. If you head over to Accent YA's stand you'll be able to pick up an exclusive sample of the book along with some other goodies. I mean, how cute do these samples look?

The Girl Who Cried Wolf and Eidolon sound mega exciting! I'm jealous I'm not there to pick up some samples for myself but I'll definitely be getting the books when they come out in August and September.

As for Paper Princess, the book is being released on 13th October and is available for pre-order. Until then you can add it to your TBR over on Goodreads as I've got a feeling there may be some giveaways happening over there in the lead up to the release date ; ) 

If you're lucky enough to be heading to YALC I want to hear all about it! Or will you be following the event online like me? Either way, let me know!

xoxo

Beginnings

My latest book, In Another Life, is released a week today. Release days are always a strange beast; it's both a terrifying and exciting event. I love thinking that another story has flown the nest and is out in the wide world but then I'm filled with the nervous expectation of hoping people like it. 

I had a lot of fun writing Marie's story, mainly because it draws inspiration from two of my favourite things; the movie, Pan's Labyrinth and the TV show, Once Upon a Time. It explores how we could all potentially be the stars of our own fairy tale without even knowing it. 

To give you a little taste of what's to come I've posted the start of the story below. Like what you read? You can pre-order the book for £0.99 and have it promptly drop onto your kindle next week (on Friday 13th ominously, lol). 

And if you like the book please let me know by way of a review online as they truly do make a huge difference and are greatly appreciated! 

Hope you have a great weekend whatever you're doing and that you enjoy the start of In Another Life - 

Beginnings

The unusually bitter October wind pulled at loose strands of Marie’s hair as she walked briskly along the busy pavement. Checking her watch she noticed with a plunging sensation in her stomach that she was already running five minutes late.

“Damn it,” she cursed aloud as she tried to increase her walk from brisk to fast. Her high heeled shoes clipped manically against the floor creating a sharp staccato soundtrack to her commute.

With as much speed as the six inches of her stilettos would afford her, Marie descended down from the pavement and the ominous grey clouds overhead into the underbelly of the city and the tube railway system.

Despite having lived in London for almost eighteen months Marie still struggled to accept the infiltration of her personal space each time she rode the tube to work. People would push up against her as though she were completely invisible. She’d learnt to use her bony elbows as a weapon against the more persistent of intruders. Clutching her handbag tightly to her chest she boarded her train, moving with the same militant precision as the commuters around her. Everyone seemed to move with such urgency, as though their very being depended on boarding the waiting train before them.

As the train surged in to motion and swept the passengers deeper into the city, Marie dared to remove one hand from her hand bag to wipe wearily at her eyes, careful not to smudge the mascara she’d barely had time to apply.

Marie was tired. The previous night, like all the nights before, the twenty seven year old had struggled to sleep. She lay awake, anxious, as though she were waiting for something though she had no idea what.

It took twenty minutes for Marie’s train to arrive in central London. Not quite long enough to remove her Kindle and delve in to the latest fantasy novel she was reading. She thought about the story as she looked forlornly out of the train windows. Endless miles of nothingness sped by. She missed travelling through the countryside and looking out and seeing endless fields of luscious, green grass. Marie Schneider was a city girl by necessity, not choice. She’d grown up amongst trees and fields not sky scrapers and stop signs.

Every morning as she stood on the tube she wished the same thing; that she didn’t have to go to work that day that instead she could stay home and read and get lost in another world.

“You spend far too much time with your head in books,” her mother would note with disapproval.

“Reading stories won’t get you anywhere,” she’d add callously. Marie would just roll her eyes. Her mother didn’t understand the magic which existed within a great story. She was too pragmatic, existing only in the moment. But Marie dared to dream bigger. She always secretly harboured the belief that she was meant for great things, that her destiny would somehow be wondrous.

Yet as she stepped off the tube and an overweight man in a suit already covered in sweat pushed a little too close up against her Marie realised she was hanging on to her romantic notions of a better life with a very thin thread.

“Excuse you!” Marie exclaimed as the man peeled himself off her and headed towards the escalators. He didn’t so much as turn back and offer an apologetic glance.

“Chivalry is so dead,” Marie muttered to herself as she straightened her blue dress which was adorned with patterns of white tipped daisies. Checking her watch she realised she was still running late, so taking the briefest moment to tuck back any loose strands of hair which had wrangled themselves free of the bun at the nape of her neck Marie headed out of the tube station, back up to the surface.

Emerging in to the dim light of an autumn morning Marie squinted slightly, feeling momentarily as blind as a mole squinting up from the ground. She could scarcely afford even a second to get her bearings. Her boss, Amanda Pickens loathed tardiness almost as much as she loathed those who opposed her right to wear real fur.

When Marie finally pushed her way through the glass doors of the office building where she worked her cheeks were flushed and a slight spattering of perspiration had formed upon her forehead.

I'm a Pet Person

You know how sometimes people label themselves as a people person? Well, that's not me. I'm far too shy to be a people person. What I definitely am though is a pet person. I adore my pets, they rule my house, and me! So I thought that today I'd dedicate my blog post to the two pets in my life; Rollo and Roger.

Rollo will be four this summer. He's my precious boy and I've had him since he was eight weeks old. He is not named after a Nordic king as some people presume (though it does make the origins of his name seem far grander than they really are). Rollo is actually named after a boat from the TV show Deadliest Catch because around the time when we got him my husband and I were flat out addicted to that show. And no, the Rollo wasn't our favourite boat. The Northwestern was, but we didn't feel like that was a good name for a dog!

Rollo is an utter softie. He loves nothing more than being cuddled and napping away most of his day (which suits me just fine). Every time I go upstairs to write he's there with me. And he's quick to tell me when it's time to sign off for the day - he's even learnt where the off button is on my laptop and he'll try and tap it with his paw until I agree to get off the computer.

He is an absolutely gorgeous boy and a huge part of my family and my home.

The other pet in my life, Roger, also turns four this year although a month or so earlier than Rollo. Roger is a guinea pig. And he's a very grumpy little chap. He doesn't enjoy cuddles although he does love singing along to music, the more base the better! Whenever I put a CD on he chirps along with it! Roger is named after a character from one of my favourite TV shows, Mad Men. Originally we had Roger and also Don. But sadly Don died a few years back and Roger's obstinate nature means that he's never going to be receptive to a new guinea pig on the block.

And so for the past three years Roger has been going it alone in the house my husband built for him. Although during this time he has had a faux guinea pig to keep him company. He used to cuddle up to it but then he grew bored of it and just peed on it all the time so it had to go.

Roger is like the terminator of guinea pigs. He's had four major surgeries in his short little life. One to remove one of his eyes. He's been plagued by bad health but he always comes out swinging and against the odds pulls through!

I'm lucky to have two such awesome pets to keep me company all day when I'm at home writing! Do you have any pets? If so tell me all about them! And send pictures! I love pet pictures!

xoxo

Mum's the Word

Since yesterday was Mother's Day here in the UK I thought I'd start the week with a blog post dedicated to all the fictional Mums who I've created in the last few years. Some of them are arguably much more deserving of a pampering on Mother's Day than others...

Isla Connelly

Isla is Aiden's wife in my Avalon series and mother to their little daughter, Meegan. She's had a tough time adjusting to her new life outside of the city and adapting to being a full time Mom. She does her best with her young daughter but sometimes lets her frustrations get the best of her. 

She hooked her basket to the back of the stroller to stop Meegan loading it up with random goods. However, this didn’t stop the little girl, as when Isla looked down to check on her she was holding a box of crackers, a jar of peaches and a packet of spaghetti.

‘Oh, Meegan,’ she despaired, removing the items and trying to find their appropriate location on the shelves. ‘What has Mommy told you about picking things up in shops?’

Meegan just laughed as her mother scolded her and started reaching out for more treasures.

‘Stop that!’ Isla pushed the stroller into the centre of the aisle so that Meegan couldn’t reach any of the items.

‘Kids can sure be tricky,’ a male voice from behind her noted.

‘Yes, they can be very tricky,’ Isla said, turning around. She was greeted by a tall man; she guessed late fifties by the lines on his face and the grey in his hair. He was devilishly handsome though, even more so as he was wearing a pale blue shirt which was unbuttoned enough to hint at an admirable physique.

‘Oh, hello, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Isla Connelly.’ She offered him her hand and blushed profusely when he kissed the back of it in a gentlemanly manner.

 Angie Trafford

Angie is Mum to Maggie in Dare to Dream along with Maggie's unruly siblings. Like Isla, Angie struggles with motherhood. She regularly feels like she's fighting a losing battle as she tries tirelessly to raise her children alone whilst rubbing two pennies together in the hope of making three.

‘Jack, Kyle! Whichever of you is making that racket, turn it down!’ Maggie’s mother threw the kitchen door open, hot and bothered and clearly annoyed by her sons’ inconsiderately loud music. She glared angrily at the ceiling, brandishing her baking spoon like a weapon. Angie Trafford was in her late thirties but she appeared much older. Raising five children single handily had taken its toll and she looked haggard and her eyes were forever shrouded by dark shadows. It pained Maggie to see her mother like that but there was little that could be done; they had no money and could just about survive day to day.  

Eileen Summers

Mother to Dawn from Sunkissed, Eileen is a broken woman. She's being forced to watch her daughter slowly waste away and sadly Dawn won't be the first child she's lost. Eileen is a product of her time; hardened by the cruelties her life on the frontier has forced her to endure

.

The only respite Dawn had from her ailments came when sleep took her, and in these moments she could find peace once more. Eileen longed for the day when the Lord would be merciful and end Dawn’s worldly struggles, she hated how she had become hardened to her suffering and it was in both of their interests for Dawn to eternally be at peace. Lately, Dawn had taken to sleeping more as her body slowly began to run out of energy, unable to keep fighting against the disease which relentlessly tore through it. She would die soon, and the thought of it gave Eileen some morbid comfort.

Ivy Johnson

Later this year I’ll be introducing readers to my favourite fictional Mum yet, Ivy Johnson. She is an utter gem; the embodiment of kindness, generosity and patience so it’s little wonder her daughter, Tilly, adores her. And hopefully readers will too when they meet her in Paper Princess, the first book in my Princess Trilogy. Here’s just the smallest of teasers from the book;

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Ivy Johnson smiled. Whenever she smiled her features softened in such a way that Tilly’s mother looked like it would be physically impossible for her to ever be mean.

Who are some of your favourite fictional Mothers? 

xoxo

In Another Life

I'm really excited to share the cover for my upcoming release, In Another Life. The book will be released on Friday 13th May and is currently up for pre-order.  Here's the official blurb for the story;

Pans Labyrinth meets Once Upon A Time in this fantasy thriller from Carys Jones 

Returning home one weekend Marie Schneider’s life changes forever when her car collides with a lorry on the motorway and she is left fighting for her life. Whilst in a coma, Marie awakens in the fantastical world of Azriel which appears to be right out of the pages of a Fairy Tale book. Here, Marie learns that she is their long lost Princess North, and that Azriel is where she truly belongs. 

When Marie eventually wakes from her coma her thoughts of Azriel are still very present in her mind and she struggles to adjust to her 'normal' life. Everyone around her insists that Azriel is just a figment of her imagination but as she tries to recover from her wounds people start approaching her on the street, insisting that Azriel needs her and that she must return there at once. 

Confused, Marie tries to discover which reality is the right one. Could she truly be a long lost princess from another world or is she just losing her mind? As the world of Azriel starts to creep in to her current life it gets harder for her to ignore that perhaps she really is Azriel's Princess after all...

And here is it's beautiful cover;

I can't wait to share Marie's story with everyone. Don't forget to add In Another Life to your Goodreads TBR pile. 

Review copies will be available closer to the release date so if any of my blogger friends are interested just give me a shout! 

Let me know what you think of the cover! Hope you're all having a great weekend.

xoxo

Do the Best Things Really Come in Threes?

Like many people I love a good trilogy. Every Christmas the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit boxsets come out. From Star Wars to Back to the Future three seems to be the magic number. But is it really so great to get a triple shot of everything?

Perhaps it shows that the number three, and trilogies, have been weighing heavily on my mind lately. Should the first book set the scene, the middle one add depth and the third a conclusion? Or is each book/movie a story on its own just set in the same universe?

I guess my curiosity stems from the fact that I am days away from completing the third book in my Princess Trilogy, Plastic Princess. I've spent so much time in the world of the Princess stories that thinking about the characters has become second nature. I half expect one of them to call me or send in a request for a Skype call. But when do you call time on a series?

For me, my characters continue to exist long after I've written the final words on the last page of their story. I've never believed in finite endings. They are too simple, too swift, too unsatisfying. But things do have to end somewhere else I'd never be able to start work on a new project.

So is spending three books with characters you grow to know and love enough? With my Avalon series I went to four books and have planned out the fifth. And still there could be more. Characters, and their stories, are forever unfolding.

As a reader I love the familiarity of reading a series of books and falling back into the pages of somewhere I know. The characters start to feel like friends. But as much as I love reading through a series I love exploring new books and new voices too.

It's going to be hard to conclude my Princess Trilogy. Tilly's story is far from over, but a part of it will be finished for her, I hope.

xoxo

Hello 2016

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a great time over the festive season. I indulged too much and journeyed to both Middle Earth and a galaxy far, far away as a I caught up with some of my favourite films both old and new.

I'm excited to look ahead to 2016. In just over ten days I've got a new book coming out as my vampire tale, Sunkissed, is being released on Friday 15th January and I can't wait. There's a blog tour organised around the book's release date so make sure to keep an eye on my Twitter and Facebook pages for updates.

Sadly it's not all good news though as I've had to pull out of an event I was due to attend in Leeds in March this year. I'm really sorry to anyone who was hoping to see me there. I hate to cancel on people but sadly I've got no choice as due to health reasons I just can't go. But once I'm on the mend and back on my feet I hope to be able to attend more events in the future around the UK.

2016 also sees the release of my book Paper Princess, the first in my Princess Trilogy being released later in the year through Accent YA. As soon as I have an official release date and cover I'll make sure to share them on here. I'm currently writing the second book in the series, Porcelain Princess, so am spending a lot of time with Tilly and her family at the moment.

I hope you all have an exciting and prosperous 2016! Let me know what you've got on the horizon for the upcoming year : )

xoxo

Sunkissed is Revived

Firstly let me apologize for being absent from blogging for so long. Between NaNoWriMo and various other commitments I feel like I've not been around lately. I've also been in Disneyland Paris for the past week celebrating a milestone birthday and getting lost in the magic so am now well and truly full of festive spirit!

My main update is that I'm really excited to announce that my beloved vampire novel, Sunkissed, is getting a new lease of life. It's being re-released with a shiny new cover on Friday 15th January and is already up for pre-order for just £0.99 over on amazon.

I've always loved this book and been protective of Dawn's story. I'm pleased to finally give her, and the book, the kind of cover they truly deserve. I hope you all love the new cover as much as I do!

He'd do anything to save her...

Dawn Summers is dying. It’s 1853 and as the seventeen year old continues to fade away she has visions of the father she never knew, urging her to fight for her life.

In the small village of Fandova the only medical care is in the form of the mysterious Dr. Moralus who has a known penchant for bloodletting. Thomas, Dawn's fiancé, is warned against inviting his intervention, but feels he has no choice, he pleads with the doctor to save Dawn’s life…whatever it takes

xoxo

How Avalon Saved Me

This week I started work on my 20th book. It feels like a bit of a milestone which had me thinking back to the first full length novel I ever wrote, First to Fall.

First to Fall will always be such a special book to me. Not only because it was my first but because of what it did for me. When I wrote the book I had quite literally been torn in half. I won't get in to the gruesome details but I had to take a year out of work to wait for my very broken little body to mend, not that there was any guarantee that it actually would.

It was a very dark and lonely time for me. I couldn't go out, I couldn't do anything. I had to be helped to even get out of bed or get out of a chair. I was twenty three and I felt lost. I needed to go somewhere. I needed to escape.

I'd been writing stories since I could first hold a pen but I never actually finished anything. Time never seemed to be on my side. I was either too busy getting my butt kicked by my illness or living life at full throttle during the rare moments when I was well. But suddenly time just loomed before me, an indefinite stretch as I waited for my body to sort itself out.

I took all my savings and bought a laptop. Then, for one hour each day I got my parents to wedge me up with some cushions behind me and I typed. I created Aiden Connelly, the hero of my story and together we discovered Avalon. I spent my days eager to get back to Aiden and his story. And after three months it was finished. Only I was still very much incomplete. So I wrote another book.

Eventually I healed completely and by that time I'd been well and truly bitten by the writing bug. I just couldn't stop. It became my sanctuary where I could slip away in to my world of make believe and forget all about my problems.

For me my books have always been about escape. And with my Avalon series I want other people to feel like they can escape there too. I absolutely love writing, it helped me heal in more ways than one. So now, working on my current book I can't help but think back to where it all began. I'll always love Avalon, and Aiden. And one day I will go back. That's a promise : )

Until then if you fancy visiting the town that helped save me a ticket is less than a pound at just £0.99. I love all my books but First to Fall will always be the one that got the ball rolling, the one which held me together when nothing else could : )

xoxo

 

Ah November and the return of NaNoWriMo

I know we are still in October but as things turn autumnal my mind starts to think about NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month. The premise is just as the name suggests; write a book in a month. Or at least 50K words to be exact.

I did it last year. That book is currently with my agent and I'm crazy excited to share it with the wider world in the near future. And I'm all set for NaNoWriMo next month. My experience last year really helped me fine tune my writing and get used to working to really tight deadlines. I've planned out this year's project I now just need November to start so I can sit down and do it. Oh, and I also need to finish my current WIP before then...

If this is going to be your first NaNoWriMo then best of luck to you! And if you're back for another round then what's the matter with you? Gluten for punishment? ; ) In all seriousness it is a lot of fun and the camaraderie online during it all is insanely helpful and inspiring.

But, tips! Let me bestow on you some essential truths I've learned through being a writer...

Cereal.



It's a quick, easy satisfying meal. During November cereal in its variety of forms should become your best friend.

Pyjamas



Comfort is key. If you're uncomfortable at your computer/typewriter/stone tablet, whatever you write on, you won't stay there long enough to hit your target if you're not super comfy. And warm. If you're in the UK like me then staying warm can be an issue. When I write I'm beneath a duvet and snuggled in my Jedi dressing gown. Yes, I totally do channel the force as I write especially during NaNoWriMo! : )

Targets



Pick a daily target and then stick to it. No matter what! I don't care if the zombie apocalypse just broke out beneath your window. You need to get those words down dammit!

Just Write



Don't edit. Editing comes later. Accompanied by jelly babies (at least for me), lots and lots of jelly babies...

Available



If like me you're already in a relationship then I pity you. Because a spouse wants things, like your time. And time is something you just can't go giving away during NaNoWriMo! My advice during November; don't date. Just become a hermit. Live in your little writing cave and only surface to grab some cereal and an extra blanket.

But the most important thing of all is HAVE FUN. Because that's why we do this, right? Because we love it? NaNoWriMo is a great incentive to crank a book out in just a month, to do something you've always been meaning to get around to. But don't make yourself miserable. Write your book, have fun with it and then use December to recover and stuff your face with turkey when Christmas rolls around.

All images sourced online

Good luck everyone, happy writing!

xoxo

When the Words Won't Come

I was inspired by my friend (and fellow Hello Kitty lover) Anabelle Bryant after she wrote a post about author's secret indulgences, and how they cope with ironing out tricky scenes and characters.

It got me thinking about the ways I tackle a nasty case of writer's block or sort out a few characters who are refusing to behave. Whenever I feel like I'm hitting or wall, or I'm approaching a really important scene that I know I need to nail I tend to do one of three things. This magical trifecta, though woefully mundane, never fails to pull me out of a slump. I've even planned out new books, extended a scene and killed people off while doing them (only in my mind, of course, lol). So let me share with you my three fail proof ways to help bring forth the words when my mind is feeling stubborn -

I take a bath.

Wallowing in bubbles seems to do more than just ease away my troubles. It helps me focus solely on what's going on inside my head which at times is actually useful. I'm a bit of a bubble bath fiend and love throwing in heavily scented bath bombs and oils.

I take Rollo for a walk.



I'm fortunate enough to live right by some really beautiful woods. Weather permitting I tend to walk my cheeky canine companion, Rollo, on a daily basis, usually after I've finished writing for the morning. Watching Rollo chase after squirrels offers my mind a chance to relax a bit, kind of like having a bath does. I tend to use the time to think about future story ideas and then come back home and jot them down.

I go for a drive.

All image sourced online

Whilst I don't advocate adopting my questionable driving style, when I'm off on a long drive my mind does tend to wander. With my music playing I find it quite easy to drift off in to my own thoughts (while, I assure you, never taking my eyes off the road). A long drive in the country can do wonders for my WIP and by the time I pull up back at home I'm refreshed and have ironed out all the annoying kinks in the plot.

So there you have it. My three go to responses to the wretched writer's block. What do you do on day's when the words just won't come? I'm always open to new suggestions : )

xoxo

The Princess Trilogy

The Princess Trilogy

I've been sitting on this news for awhile now so I'm really excited to announce that I've signed a 3 book deal with Accent YA to release my upcoming Princess Trilogy. The first book in the series, Paper Princess, is due for release next year and as soon as I have a concrete release date I'll let people know. 

Paper Princess and the other books in the series, Porcelain Princess and Plastic Princess will all be widely available in both ebook and paperback format. I'm thrilled to be working with Accent Press and unleashing a new trilogy out in to the world. 

It's liable to change but this is the working synopsis for Paper Princess to give you a rough idea of what the story is about - 

After the summer of Matilda ‘Tilly’ Johnson’s 12th birthday things are changing. Her best friend, Josephine, has left for London so might as well be on another planet. And Tilly’s about to start secondary school, the same school where her older sisters, Monica and Maria go.

But Tilly doesn’t fit in with her sisters. She doesn’t really fit in with anyone. Her head is always filled with fairy tales and potential happily ever afters. In her mind she’s still a princess trapped up in a tower waiting to be rescued.

“Tilly, you need to grow up.” And it’s not just her Mum who thinks so. Everyone is telling Tilly that she needs to stop believing in fairy tales and start being present in the real world. But with so many things changing beyond her control is Tilly really ready to give up the one thing which makes her feel safe? Can Tilly learn to accept that happily ever afters might not even exist?  

Tilly's story is definitely one that is really close to my heart and I've arguably poured more of myself in to this book than I ever have before. 

I can't wait to share her story! 

xoxo

How to Summer in Avalon

Bring Sunscreen

The temperature in Avalon can get extremely hot so use protection. That said…

You May Need a Raincoat

Thunderstorms aren’t uncommon and they can be intense. You have been warned…

Image Sourced on Google

Don’t Expect to Make Friends

Avalon isn’t known for its hospitality. If you need directions you’d best just use google maps…

Unless you have Secrets

Secrets are like currency in Avalon. If you have a good one, you’re suddenly everyone’s best friend

Secrets Stay Buried

But be careful what you do choose to share during your stay. Secrets that enter Avalon rarely tend to leave…

Image Sourced on Google

Avoid the Sherriff

That sneer on his face is there especially for you, since you’re an outsider and he hates those…

Take in a Football Game

Looking for something to do? Try checking out the Avalon Angels, the town’s High School Football team. Their season hasn’t been so great this year though…

Image Sourced on Google

You Can’t Escape the Past

Avalon is still haunted by the tragedies that have occurred in town. Try not to let any of the ghosts that are lingering there follow  you home…

Enjoy your Stay!

You can now buy the complete Avalon series online.