Every now and then I have a moment when I sit down in front of my computer, black coffee to hand, and I wonder what the hell I’m doing. Why do I sit in my café corner everyday and write books when I could be out doing a proper job? I could be earning a reliable wage, and saving my body from the hazards of a caffeine overdose.
These moments don’t happen that often, and are usually the direct result of a large unexpected bill coming through the post. These temporary issues are often solved with a brisk walk or a chat with other – equally mad- writers. Lately however, I will confess to having felt a little bit flat. I bit aimless if you like. My body and brain have been screaming at me to take a break, to put the pen down and leave it all for a while so my brain could unfog.
I tried to do that- I really did. I lasted three days before I drove myself bonkers and had to pick up a pen again. But then came a new problem, what on earth should I write next? At least four novels are knocking at the inside of my brain- but which to do first?
I needed advice, and so I emailed my lovely editor, Greg, and arranged to have a face to face chat about my writing direction.
I had no idea of course that, in between making the appointment and actually heading into Wales to visit my publishing house, my latest novel, Abi’s House, was going to do the unimaginable, and hit the top of the Amazon UK Romance chart. It got as high as no. 6 in the overall fiction chart on Monday! (If you were one of those lovely folk who purchased Abi’s House over the weekend, then THANK YOU!)
Hazel Cushion, myself, and Greg Rees at Accent
As a result, when I got to Accent, I was greeted with the pop of a champagne cork!
Hazel, and the Accent team, treated to me to a lovely buffet lunch with champers in the beautifully bookish board room. We raised our glasses to Abi’s House.
I was already feeling reenergised by the time the coffee had been poured. Once I’d chatted business plans with Hazel, had the thumbs up for my marketing from Bethan, and talked writing plans with Greg, I was ready to start drafting the next novel on the train back to Devon…which I did… (News of that soon!)
Dinner in Cardiff with my dear writing friend, Lily Harlem, put the final flourish to my recharging day in Wales.
Now- only twelve hours since I got home- I’m back! The buzz is re-buzzing (and I’ve only had one coffee so far today!!)
So, if you’ll excuse me, I have a novel proposal to write….
Happy reading,
Jenny x