Cover reveal! The Wedding Proposal

This is the scrumptious cover of The Wedding Proposal, due out in September 2014.

And here’s the blurb:

Can a runaway bride stop running?

Elle Jamieson is an unusually private person, in relationships as well as at work — and for good reason. But when she’s made redundant, with no ties to hold her, Elle heads off to a new life in sunny Malta.

Lucas Rose hates secrets — he prides himself on his ability to lay his cards on the table and he expects nothing less from others. He’s furious when his summer working as a divemaster is interrupted by the arrival of Elle, his ex, all thanks to his Uncle Simon’s misguided attempts at matchmaking.

Forced to live in close proximity, it’s hard to ignore what they shared before Lucas’s wedding proposal ended everything they had. But then an unexpected phone call from England allows Lucas a rare glimpse of the true Elle. Can he deal with Elle’s hidden past when it finally comes to light? Secrets? Or lies …? Will Elle stay – to trust him with the truth?

Excited! Just got to finish the edits, now, though …

 

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The one-sentence synopsis

If writing an ordinary synopsis is hell, why know your one-sentence synopsis and why have one?

For me, it’s a summary of my theme and a brilliant place to begin a synopsis if the need arises. It gives me the essence of the book, which keeps me on-topic if I begin to ramble:

‘Is This Love?‘ is about the different qualities of love.

‘Want to Know a Secret?‘ is about money and family, and who thinks which is most important.

‘Dream a Little Dream‘ is about finding a new dream when the old dream crumbles.

A one-sentence synopsis can also form the first part of an elevator pitch to agents/editors. Then:

• Add to the one sentence a category that sums it up: It’s a quest. It’s a reunion story.
• Something about tone is useful, too: It’s lighthearted. It’s gritty.
• If appropriate, mention the message: Be careful what you wish for.

Formulating a one-sentence synopsis is a handy habit to get into. It can even help you sum up your book up for journalists when you’re a bestselling author and they’re queuing on the phone for interviews!

Ooooh … gorgeous hats!

Samples of the kind of thing Abigail makes

Yesterday, in the pursuit of research, I had the enormous pleasure of visiting Abigail Crampton, a couture milliner, to learn a little about her art and her business, Abigail Crampton Millinery.

I began to understand the difference between picture hats and cartwheels, fascinators and cocktail hats, cloches and trilbies.

And the colours and decorations! Stunning.

Making a hat by hand is an enormous skill as well as a testament to creativity. Abigail makes bespoke creations so if, say, you want a hat for Ascot, you take along your outfit and Abigail designs a hat that completes your ensemble and is a visual joy.

I fell in love with a cocktail hat (probably because the height of the decoration made me look taller) and discovered that I have a totally average head size. I also learned a lot about blocking, steaming, stab stitch, sinemay and the uses of an egg iron.

The research is for a novella I’m planning – The Twelve Dates of Christmas. I came away content that I’ve chosen the correct career for Ava Bliss, my heroine. She’ll prosper amongst the sinemay, straw, felt, feathers and veiling.

I’ll let the rest of my photos speak for themselves. My thanks to Abigail for giving up her time and sharing some of her expertise.

A fascinator I fell for – you can’t go wrong with purple. Abigail Crampton Millinery

The thread rack. Every thread has to be such a close colour match as to become invisible.

Blocks. Essential to the creation process.

Wow!
Abigail Crampton Millinery

A block for a snazzy cocktail hat, covered in clingfilm so no dyes can be transferred from creation to creation via the wood.

A pillbox hat in creation

Today we welcome Sue Moorcroft – Award winning writer and Vice-Chair of the Romantic Novelists’ Association

This comes from the lovely Write Minds Write Place blog.

Write Minds

The Romantic Novelists’ Association has just published its second anthology, Truly, Madly, Deeply. Natalie asks guest Sue Moorcroft to explain how the process worked.

How long was it from inception to publication of Truly, Madly, Deeply and can you tell us a bit about your ‘journey’?

I think it was about two years. I saw Kimberley Young, who was then working for Harlequin, the publishers of the first anthology, Loves Me, Loves Me Not. Kim asked if I’d be interested in editing another and as I was off the Romantic Novelists’ Association committee at the time, I said yes, if the committee members were in favour. They were in favour. I pretty much had to go back on the committee in order to do a good job, and somehow I ended up accepting an invitation to stand for vice chair.

The contributors have been as co-operative as their various…

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