Triskele Books Launch Party

One of the things I love best about social media is that you make wonderful connections with people you'd never have met in the normal course of affairs. Connections lead to friendship, advice, support and information - all of which may lead to further connections, friendship, advice ... you get the picture.

Some time ago, having decided to republish my novel myself, I set about looking for a cover designer. I wanted my book to look good. Professional. Eye-catching. Effective at thumbnail size. Distinctive. In no way amateur-looking. So, I started clicking onto book covers I liked, then finding out who was thanked by the writer for having designed the cover. I discovered Jane Dixon-Smith - and discovering her led me to Triskele Books, a writers' co-operative: Jane designed their logo and their book covers.

Liking what I saw, I started communicating with Jane and commissioned not only my book cover but logos for my consultancy and imprint. She turned out to be an absolute joy to work with: friendly, responsive, professional. I'm delighted with all she has done and fully intend to go to her again when I need future book covers designed.

With Catriona Troth

At the London Book Fair, I met another Triskele member, Catriona Troth - and saw the range of books published by Triskele on display. They struck me as being both beautiful and professional. As the rise of self-publishing continues, we all need to pay attention to the standard of book as artifact that we produce:  the Triskele writers are setting an excellent example here.

On Saturday, I went up to London to meet the other Triskele writers at their joint book-launch at Foyle's. It was a lovely event: the books were lined up, the buffet table awaited, the champagne was flowing, the atmosphere was lively and immensely friendly. It was great to meet Jane in person at last - and the other writers. Jill Marsh writes detective fiction, her latest, Tread Softly, is set in Vitoria in northern Spain. Gillian Hamer writes crime with a supernatural edge: she was launching Complicit, set in Wales. Catriona Troth draws on her Canadian background for her novella Gift of the Raven. Liza Perrat's novels are set in France, where she lives: Spirit of Lost Angels takes place against the backdrop of the French Revolution. Finally Jane Dixon-Smith has somehow found time, amidst all this cover and logo creation, to write her own novel about legendary lovers Tristan and Iseult.

What they all have in common, apart from a very beautiful and distinctive look to each, is a strong sense of place, linked frequently with the resonances of the past. Time and Place is the tagline for Triskele - and I'm very much in favour of both (which anyone who's read The Chase will know!)

During the evening, after the launch of the anthology of winners of the Words with Jam competition - oh yes, didn't I mention Jane produces that literary magazine too? - Liza interviewed each of the other writers briefly about their work. Toasts were drunk, short speeches made, books were bought ....

On the train home, I browsed happily through my purchases. All power to the Triskele writers! Here are some more photos of the night -

Jane, Gillian and Catriona at the book-signing table

Jane introduces the Words with Jam anthology

Liza Perrat interviews Jill Marsh

Pan Macmillan's Write Now Prize: my novel Hinterland is longlisted

I'm immensely proud and delighted that my unpublished children's novel Hinterland has made it to the eight-strong longlist for Macmillan's Write Now Prize. This process began when I submitted the synopsis and first three chapters back in December. In January, the full novel was called in, and a few weeks later I was notified that I'd made the longlist. I couldn't make this public for quite a while (argh!) but now the competition is heading into its next stage. Independent bookshops and their customers will get the chance to view the longlisted books via extracts and summaries - and they're the ones who'll vote for shortlist of four, whereupon a panel will choose the winner. The winner's book will be published in hardback and available exclusively to independent bookshops initially. I think this is a brilliant idea and hope that as many indie bookshops as possible will sign up - and that you, the customers, will join in with the process!

The other stories in the longlist are briefly summarised on the competition website: they sound dauntingly witty, adventurous and intriguing! I think it'll be a challenge to make the shortlist, but it goes without saying that I'd be ecstatic if it happened!

Here's a brief synopsis of Hinterland, along with a photo of a very significant location far to the west ... Hope you enjoy it!

'I hope you die!' yells Kick Delaney at his sister Olivia. Minutes later she's knocked down by a car. From then on, she's his 'zombie sister'. When the family moves to Cornwall, he discovers Olivia's zombie state is a defence against the Soulbroker, who's seized part of her soul and wants the rest to sell to the Anhungert, voracious entities of the Hinterland, the realm behind our own.

Kick fights to save Olivia, with the help of Argentail, the moon-dragon avatar of a long-dead Cornish mage. Ultimately, Kick must pursue the Soulbroker into the Hinterland itself. And it's there that a shattering choice awaits him.

Finally,  a reminder that my next Fictionfire courses are on the 18th and 19th of May (less than two weeks to go!). If you want to learn how to plot and pace your story, or how to craft a submission, go to my website to find out more and make your booking. Bookings must be made by midnight on 16th May. Also, if you've tried to ring or text me, my phone hasn't been receiving messages for a couple of weeks. I've changed phone and network so contact me again from the 8th, when the new network should kick in.

The Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair 2013: United We Stand

I visited the London Book Fair on Monday and Wednesday of this week, a year on from my first visit for Orna Ross's launch of The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), which I blogged about here. ALLi is a wonderful organisation and is going from strength to strength: if you're considering self-publishing I can't recommend too strongly that you should join (there's a link button in the sidebar of this blog if you want to find out more).

Last year, ALLi launched in an upstairs seminar room far away from the hustle and bustle of the main Fair. This year we were down and dirty, on the shop-floor itself (though still somewhat ghettoised away from the Big Guys and the Big Publishing Stands). The Author Lounge was the focus of indie activity, sponsored by KDP, Kobo and Matador, curated by marketing specialists Authoright. A year ago, this would all have seemed ambitious. This year it became clear that maybe it wasn't ambitious enough - the lounge was heaving with people and it was obvious that authors are so keen to join the publishing party a space three times the size could easily have been filled!

The purpose of the Author Lounge was to give writers the chance to listen to talks and presentations - and even to pitch directly to agents. This is unheard of - agents inhabit the International Rights Centre upstairs: an elevator rises like a stairway to heaven from the midst of Earl's Court 1, but no humble scribbler should attempt to mount it. However, in these days of publishing flux and uncertainty (about which I'm writing a separate article), agents are descending from on high, publishing services are touting their wares to authors as well as publishers. Last year we had a toe in the door - this year we've crossed the threshold.

As well as attending talks and seminars,  networking proved to be a crucial aspect of attending the Fair. We all networked like crazy - and it's a process which is not only necessary but can be nerve-wracking. Orna, though, was the perfect hostess and match-maker, ensuring useful contacts could be made in an atmosphere of fun and friendship. I was able to present my newly-republished novel, The Chase, and information about my literary consultancy, Fictionfire, both to published ALLi members and to aspiring writers who're considering self-publishing.

On Monday, ALLi launched its new book, Choosing a Self-publishing Service - the title explains all! It gives advice about self-publishing and service-providers and will be updated regularly. Orna is very concerned to flag up warnings about providers who are out to scam newbie self-publishers and highlight those who provide an honest and trustworthy service. Guest-speaker C.J. Lyons, who's sold 1.3 million 'thrillers with heart' bellowed to the audience 'you're all CEO of your global publishing empire' with the same yee-haw verve that Joni Rodgers had when she told us at last year's launch that 'we're all riding the sand-worm, baby!' (And if you've never read Frank Herbert's Dune you'll have no idea what that meant!)

The crowded Author Lounge

The book-launch came on the heels of talks by representatives of Kobo, Goodreads, Troubador and KDP. I'd arrived fairly late and then couldn't get near enough to the talks to hear - as I mentioned, the place was overcrowded and I think nobody really expected the Author Lounge to be quite as spectacularly successful as it was.

Joanna Penn and Orna Ross at the party

The launch was followed by a party for ALLi members, sponsored by Amazon (!) at the nearby Pembroke Pub - more networking in an atmosphere of excitement and nervous energy.

I didn't attend LBF on Tuesday but on Wednesday I turned up, carrying the new Kobo Mini ereader I'd bought after talking to Shayna Krishnasamy at the Kobo stand on Monday about my plans to publish to Kobo now that I've already published on Kindle. I attended a truly dynamic presentation by Joanna Penn on Advanced Online Marketing. Typically, her talk was full of honest personal experience, solid facts, statistics and up-to-date ideas. She focussed particularly on the importance of keywords and keyword research, talking also about the crucial need for us to have mailing lists and an established social platform. She discussed the 'marketing funnel' leading from attention, through interest and desire, to action. And she stressed the need to build relationships - this, I think, is a central theme of the Fair and of all our self-publishing activities. You can't do it if you lock yourself away. You need to put yourself out there. When I look back at the past five years of my career, everything I've done, every blog I've commented on, every writing event I've attended - everything has led to consequences and connections I couldn't have even imagined at the start. I'm busier and more tired than I can possibly say - but I'm also happier, in the sense that there's adventure and potential in it all and the fulfilment that only comes from being in charge of your own destiny.

Joanna Penn presenting 

Finally, there was a drinks party back at the Author Lounge (though the drinks, even the water, ran out too quickly!). I want to mention all the lovely people I met, old and new friends - and thank everybody who liked the cover of The Chase! First and foremost, there's Orna herself, who is the onlie begetter of the Alliance. I can't wait to see where she takes it in the coming year! Then Joanna Penn, of The Creative Penn (go there for oodles of publishing and marketing advice), the adventurous Dan Holloway, children's writer Karen Inglis, who gave me lots of practical advice. Roz Morris - I was sorry to miss her author presentation at the Kobo stand because I was at Joanna's talk - sorry! Writers Jerome Griffin and Rohan Quine; Stephanie Zia at Blackbird Books, who'll be bringing out my friend Jacqui Lofthouse's next novel; David Gaughrean; Mark Lefebvre of Kobo; Ben Galley and finally the lovely Catriona Troth of Triskele Books - my cover was designed by Jane Dixon-Smith who also designs the Triskele covers. Scroll down for lots more pictures!

Great people, a great Fair - and here's to a great future for us all!

NOTE: there's only four weeks to go until my next Fictionfire day courses! Book now for How to Plot and Pace your Story on May 18th and Perfect Pitch: How to Craft your Submission on May 19th. For full details and to make your booking go to the Fictionfire website. To find out more about The Chase, visit Amazon or the Fictionfire Press website. The novel is now out on Kindle and other ereader formats and a paperback edition will follow.

The moon over Earl's Court at the end of Day 1

Looking out over Earl's Court 2

The unique Dan Holloway

Catriona Troth of Triskele Books

One of the big guys ...

Crowds at the AuthorLounge

Joanna Penn, Brian Felsen of Book Baby and Orna Ross

Author Roz Morris, looking pensive!

With Joanna Penn: she's holding the cover of The Chase and I'm holding my Kobo Mini with her third novel, Exodus, on it

Two exciting book announcements!

This is a very big day for me. Regular readers may have noticed this blog has been quiet for a while. This is because I've been working incredibly hard, not only in my Fictionfire role, but to edit and publish my novel, The Chase. And today's the day! The novel was originally published by Bloomsbury and the rights reverted to me some time ago. I've commissioned a new - and very gorgeous - cover and published it on Kindle, but intend also to publish it in other e-reader formats and as a paperback. I'm going to blog more about the process and about what The Chase means to me and how I came to write it in the first place, but in the meantime I wanted to announce that it's available! Please do take a look and if you read it and like it, I'd be incredibly grateful if you would review it on Facebook, your blog or Goodreads, or mention it on Twitter.

Here's what novelist and historian Alison Weir has to say about The Chase:

'This is a haunting book, skilfully written and tantalisingly unravelled. Lorna Fergusson weaves a vivid but dark tale set in the beautiful Dordogne, where past and present fuse in a page-turning mystery. I could go back to this again and again.'

Now, you know what they say about buses coming along all at once? Well, I have another announcement to make today, which I've been longing to make public for a while. My unpublished children's book, Hinterland, has reached the longlist of eight for Macmillan publishing's Write Now Prize! This is a competition run in conjunction with independent bookshops - so do visit your local bookshop and if there's a chance to do so please vote for me! I'd love to make it to the shortlist of four! I'll be blogging more about this too in the coming weeks but now feel the need to lie down in a darkened room with a bottle of smelling salts to hand - so much excitement!

Next week I'll be attending the London Book Fair, so will be blogging about that. I also have a backlog of posts to write about the Oxford Literary Festival. I'll be interviewing lovely writers Lynn Shepherd, author of A Treacherous Likeness, Tom-All-Alone's and Murder at Mansfield Park, plus Teri Terry whose novel Fractured comes out next week and is the sequel to Slated, her YA dystopian thriller, which I loved.

Now that my spring series of workshops are over, next up are my day courses at Trinity College Oxford: on May 18th How to Plot and Pace your Novel, and on May 19th Perfect Pitch: How to Craft your Submission. Cross to the Fictionfire site for more information and how to book.

Tonight the man and I will be cracking open a bottle of bubbly!

Learn how to plot and pace your novel, then how to pitch it: upcoming Fictionfire day courses

Trinity College, where I hold my Day Courses

The current series of Fictionfire Focus Workshops is well underway, with Point of View, Dialogue and Style as upcoming subjects. In addition I've posted details on my website of the next two day courses I'll be running at Trinity College, Oxford - here they are:

How to Plot and Pace your Story (May 18th)

So, you've hooked your reader with a blindingly good opening to your novel. That was the easy part: the challenge lies in keeping that reader intrigued enough to read the rest of it! This day course is designed to help you structure your plot so that it hangs together well. We'll look at the typical elements of a satisfying storyline and discuss whether you should plan in detail or risk a more instinctive, less rigid mode of composition. We'll brainstorm ideas and try out methods of visualising the overall shape of the novel. We'll explore how to pace the narrative and how to troubleshoot it when the momentum falters. We'll consider genre-expectations and pitfalls to avoid. With exercises, discussion and analysis of examples throughout, we'll discover how to create a storyline that draws your reader in and makes them say 'I couldn't put it down!'

Thank you so much for a really informative day! Not a second was wasted and I learned heaps about plotting which let me see the shape of my own work more clearly. Also, I appreciated the relaxed atmosphere in the class - there really was no pressure. (E.G., writing about an earlier Fictionfire course on plotting)

A view of Trinity's beautiful lawns

Perfect Pitch: How to Craft your Submission and Land an Agent (May 19th)

You've completed your writing project - congratulations! Now you want to get it out there to readers. This day course is designed to help you meet the challenge of making your pitch in a focused, professional way. Practical exercises will guide you through crucial self-editing techniques so that you can hone your opening chapters. We'll look at the components of the pitch-package: those polished opening pages or chapters, the query or covering letter and - what everyone dreads! - the synopsis. Using exercises and examples, we'll discover how to make an agent - or editor - want to see more. You'll learn how the publishing industry works and how agents want to be approached, along with what puts them off. Even if you're not aiming to publish by the traditional route, the skills of creating a powerful opening and a compelling summary of your novel will help you to bring your work to your readers' attention. The marketplace is crowded: here's how to make yourself stand out!

Once I was ready to submit the novel to literary agents, I approached Lorna to help with my synopsis and covering letter. Again, the feedback I received was invaluable and I learnt a lot. Lorna's friendly professionalism meant that I felt comfortable throughout. and it obviously worked: I secured an agent and a publishing deal! (Katherine Clements, who now has a three book publishing deal with Headline)

In the beautiful Sutro Room where I hold the courses

To find out more about the course venue and how to book, visit the Fictionfire website www.fictionfire.co.uk. There is an early bird booking discount available until 28th February.

Meanwhile, currently only one place is left on the first of my Point of View workshops on February 23rd - for Focus workshop details, go to www.fictionfire.co.uk/page26.htm

In Memoriam

The best of people, the worst of times.

George Johnston Fergusson
Elizabeth Hay Findlay

21.1.72

New Year Writing Inspiration: Upcoming Focus Workshops

The new year - time for those fresh starts: TV adverts urge us to start new diets, leaflets come through the door advertising gym memberships. How many resolutions have you made - and perhaps already broken? For writers, a new year marks a fresh chance to get going on a planned project or complete one which has stalled. I wish you every success if you're starting out - or even if you're feeling bogged down and want to know how to rev up your self-belief and productivity.

Writing successfully means being open to ideas, being experimental, trusting yourself - but also learning from experience, whether it's your own personal experience or that of a writing buddy or teacher. My Fictionfire Focus Workshops have been running for some time now and what I love about them is how warm and relaxed yet how productive and inspiring they have proved to be, creating a small friendly community of regular attenders who are keen to share ideas and provide mutual support. I hope that sometime during 2013 you'll be able to join us!

Here are the titles of the two upcoming blocks of workshops, starting later this month:

WINTER 2 BLOCK

WALK-ON PARTS (January 26th)
It's important that even minor characters are convincing - we'll explore how to bring secondary characters to life and what functions they can perform in your story.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR (February 2nd)
With Valentine's Day approaching, we'll look at how to portray love and romance in your fiction - whether that passion is unrequited or fulfilled, brief or everlasting, innocent or corrupt ...!

PLAYING WITH POINT OF VIEW 1 (February 23rd)
In the first of two workshops about point of view, we'll look at the advantages of the close perspective: using first or second person in your story.

SPRING BLOCK

PLAYING WITH POINT OF VIEW 2 (March 2nd)
We'll explore degrees of distance when it comes to perspective: how to use third person, multiple points of view and omniscience.

DYNAMIC DIALOGUE (March 9th)
This is a re-run of a popular workshop from last year. Writing convincing dialogue is an important skill to learn: it will make your characters spring to life and inject your plot with energy - but you need to do it right!

SHARPEN YOUR STYLE (April 6th)
In this workshop you'll be invited to bring samples of your own work as well as engage in exercises designed to make you look closely at how you express yourself. The ability to look dispassionately at your writing and refine it until it says precisely what you want it to say, is of crucial importance if you want to self-edit your work.

Each three hour workshop costs £25 and there are discounts for booking more than one within a particular block. You can find out more and make your booking by going to the Focus Workshops page on my Fictionfire website.

Later in the spring, I'll be running two day courses at Trinity College, Oxford. How to Plot and Pace your Story is on 18th May and Perfect Pitch - How to Craft your Submission and Land an Agent is on 19th May. Details are on the course dates and details page of the Fictionfire website.

Booking is open for all of these - I hope you can join us! In the meantime, a very happy and creative New Year to you all!