I'm being interviewed today by another Whiskey Creek Press writer, Jennifer Wilck, at http://jenniferwilck.com/blog/, where I'm talking about my new release, and other writing topics such as developing characters, my goals, why I write and my routine. Oh, and my guilty pleasure too!
I'd be delighted if you'd pop in and leave a comment for me there!
Many thanks!
PS Don't forget you can download 'His Leading Lady' (in html or pdf format) from http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/
Monday, 13 June 2011
Thursday, 9 June 2011
I've been tagged (check to see if I've tagged you!)
I’ve been ‘tagged’ by Sylvia Ney (http://writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/)
This tag has 8 tasks, so here goes!
Do you think you’re hot?
Not at the moment, with the horrible weather we’re having in the UK
Upload a picture of wallpaper you’re using at the moment
This is my pride and joy, because last year I finally got to meet my idol Martin Sheen in Los Angeles
When was the last time you ate a chicken meal?
Trying to remember – think it was a roast chicken dinner last weekend but one!
The song you listened to recently
The song you listened to recently
This 12-year-old's voice amazing!
What were you thinking as you were doing this task?
Hmm, that I was doing it simply to avoid writing the next scene in my novel, which I know is going to be a difficult scene to write. I’m not completely sure which way I want it to go, and can’t decide whether to work it out in advance, or let my characters run with it.
Do you have nicknames? What are they?
My father called me PollyWolly, I use that sometimes as ‘user name’ on some sites, or else Polls – which is what my two Canadian friends always call me.
Tag 8 bloggers
1. Francine Howarth
2. Rosemary Gemmell
3. Jennifer Wilck
4. Celia Yeary
5. Jarmara
6. Margaret West
7. Cate Masters
8. Linda Banche
Who’s listed as No.1?
Francine used to be a regular contributor to our group blog ‘Heroines with Hearts’ (http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/). When one of our members had to drop out of the blog, I invited Francine to join us – and I’m so glad I did!
Say something about No. 5.
I ‘met’ Jarmara through the A-Z April Blogging Challenge, and she gave me my Versatile Blogger badge – thanks, Jarmara
How did you get to know No.3?
I got to know Jennifer through the Whiskey Creek Press author loop because our first novels with WCP are being released the same month (i.e. this month).
How about No. 4?
It was through one of the writers’ loops, either Whiskey Creek or was it Classic Romance Revival, Celia? Anyway, we’ve since discovered that we have a similar background (even though she’s a Texan and I’m English) because we were both high school teachers, took early retirement, and then filled our lives with others things, including writing romance novels.
Leave a message for No 6.
Margaret, thank you for choosing me as a ‘winner’ on your blog. I‘m looking forward to receiving my prize in the next day or so J
Leave a lovey-dovey message for No. 2.
Rosemary, love you because, even though it’s been such a short time since we ‘met’ on the British Romance Fiction loop, you’ve been so supportive and left comments for me on the blogs where I’ve been guesting! Thank you so much!
Do number 7 and 8 have any similarities?
Funny you should ask that! Apart from writing of course, Cate and Linda have both had me as a guest at their blogs in the past week! (see http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2010/06/paula-martin-in-author-spotlight.html and http://lindabanche.blogspot.com/2011/06/guest-paula-martin-settings-for-my.html
Now looking forward to your responses. Please let me know when you post!
Now looking forward to your responses. Please let me know when you post!
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Fear, accomplishment, regret?
I've just seen details of a blogfest where the participants are asked to write about their MC's greatest fear, biggest accomplishment and biggest regret. This is an exercise designed to help them to get to know their characters better.
I started thinking about this. Not in relation to any of my main characters, though, but in relation to myself - and I realised I couldn't define any of these things!
Greatest fear? Can't think of a greatest. I have lots of lesser and larger fears, from being stung by a wasp to being in a plane crash. From fearing a bad review for one of my books to being scared of spiders. (I know, I'm a wimp!). I've had lots of different fears at different times of my life. But 'greatest' fear? Nope, can't say that I have one single great fear.
Biggest accomplishment? I've accomplished a lot of things but how do I quantify or compare them? Is bringing up two daughters to be mature and responsible adults a 'bigger' accomplishment than having a 25 year career as a teacher? Is running a Girl Guide unit for 20+ years a bigger accomplishment than running a social group for over 50's for the last 12 years? I'm proud of many things that I've achieved, but no way could I say which was the 'biggest' accomplishment.
Biggest regret? We all have regrets and I'm no exception. But again, it's impossible to define the 'biggest' regret because it's so difficult to compare one with another.
As a result of my self-questioning, I question the value of asking writers to define their main character's 'biggest' fear, accomplishment or regret. By doing so, I think we run the risk of making our characters one-dimensional. I think we have to take into account, not the 'biggest', but ALL the hopes and fears, accomplishments and failures that contribute to the complexity of each individual's personality.
What do you think?
I started thinking about this. Not in relation to any of my main characters, though, but in relation to myself - and I realised I couldn't define any of these things!
Greatest fear? Can't think of a greatest. I have lots of lesser and larger fears, from being stung by a wasp to being in a plane crash. From fearing a bad review for one of my books to being scared of spiders. (I know, I'm a wimp!). I've had lots of different fears at different times of my life. But 'greatest' fear? Nope, can't say that I have one single great fear.
Biggest accomplishment? I've accomplished a lot of things but how do I quantify or compare them? Is bringing up two daughters to be mature and responsible adults a 'bigger' accomplishment than having a 25 year career as a teacher? Is running a Girl Guide unit for 20+ years a bigger accomplishment than running a social group for over 50's for the last 12 years? I'm proud of many things that I've achieved, but no way could I say which was the 'biggest' accomplishment.
Biggest regret? We all have regrets and I'm no exception. But again, it's impossible to define the 'biggest' regret because it's so difficult to compare one with another.
As a result of my self-questioning, I question the value of asking writers to define their main character's 'biggest' fear, accomplishment or regret. By doing so, I think we run the risk of making our characters one-dimensional. I think we have to take into account, not the 'biggest', but ALL the hopes and fears, accomplishments and failures that contribute to the complexity of each individual's personality.
What do you think?
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Win an e-book copy of my new release!
I'm 'in the spotlight' with Cate Masters this week and I'd be delighted if you'd drop in!
http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2010/06/paula-martin-in-author-spotlight.html
Leave a comment for me at Cate's blog for a chance to win an e-book copy of my contemporary romance, 'His Leading Lady'.
Good luck!
http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2010/06/paula-martin-in-author-spotlight.html
Leave a comment for me at Cate's blog for a chance to win an e-book copy of my contemporary romance, 'His Leading Lady'.
Good luck!
Friday, 3 June 2011
'His Leading Lady' - released today!
'His Leading Lady' is released today by Whiskey Creek Press!!
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/
E-book at present, printed version will follow.
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/
E-book at present, printed version will follow.
Thursday, 2 June 2011
The is THE day (not!!)
Well, my novel wasn't released yesterday - so it looks as if I'll have to wait until June 15th :-(
I heard from another writer whose novel is due out in June, he actually received an email from Whiskey Creek Press to say it would be released on the 1st, but it wasn't (commiserations, Mark).
Only one of the 'Coming Soon' June releases is shown on the 'New for June' homepage of WCP, the rest of us sit and wait patiently (or maybe impatiently!)
Meanwhile, I'm interviewed today by the Wicked Muses. It's the first stop on my June blog tour, so I'd be delighted if you would pop in and say hi to me
http://wickedmuses.blogspot.com/
I heard from another writer whose novel is due out in June, he actually received an email from Whiskey Creek Press to say it would be released on the 1st, but it wasn't (commiserations, Mark).
Only one of the 'Coming Soon' June releases is shown on the 'New for June' homepage of WCP, the rest of us sit and wait patiently (or maybe impatiently!)
Meanwhile, I'm interviewed today by the Wicked Muses. It's the first stop on my June blog tour, so I'd be delighted if you would pop in and say hi to me
http://wickedmuses.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
This is THE day - or is it?
It's June - and 'His Leading Lady' is due to be released by Whiskey Creek Press this month. It could be today or it could be the 15th - watch this space! Or watch http://whiskeycreekpress.com/.
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