Romance Writer’s Weekly Blog Hop #lovewritechat

September 30, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 6 Comments

This is my first week of taking part in Romance Writer’s Weekly! It’s a weekly blog hop for us romance writers to answer questions about our writing and generally help each other improve as romance writers. So take a look.

If you’ve joined me from Brenda Margriet’s blog, welcome.

This week we’re answering questions set by Vicki Mixon. Enjoy!

1.) Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were going to become a writer? If so, what was it?

I don’t think there was ever a defining moment in my life when the mist parted and I knew I was going to be a writer. It was more a gradual process, a slow realisation that writing is what I enjoy and do best.

2.) When you write a story do you see it unfold as one big picture, or do you add layering in subsequent drafts?

A bit of both if that makes sense. To begin with I think about the overall story, how I want it to unfold, and I plan for that. Then as I make a more detailed plan the story becomes clearer to me. But I do change and add things later, following the advice from my beta readers, but also thinking myself about what I feel is working and what isn’t.

3.) How many drafts do you usually write before you send your work to your editor?

I write the first draft then go through it with a fine toothcomb to improve on it, creating a second draft. I often change scenes or add bits. I also check for spelling mistakes, typos and so on. That is the version that will go on to be edited.

Now why not go and check out Veronica Forand’s blog and see what she has to say about her writing process.

A review of ‘The Queen’s Jester’ by Mishka Jenkins

August 26, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 2 Comments

I thought it was high time I shared another review of a book I’ve read recently here on my blog. The Queen’s Jester is the first book I’ve read by fellow indie author friend Mishka Jenkins. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it. Here’s my review to have a read of:

When Queen Marie receives a beautiful gift of an emerald amulet at her wedding celebrations, she’s immediately captivated by it. Feeling neglected by her new husband, Warrick, Marie is entranced by the new jester when he arrives. He gives her the affection she craves, but as the story progresses Marie begins to realise that all is not as it seems.

I found this a hugely enjoyable story. The character of Marie was sympathetic and engaging, and the story pulled me as the reader along, with its ups and downs. The story had plenty of twists and turns and I thought the author did well to keep me guessing as to what would happen next. The descriptive passages were vivid and the imagery beautiful. I could easily picture myself with Marie in her winter gardens.

I liked the world that the author created, with the descriptions of the gorgeous gowns Marie wears and the festivities at the palace. The sense of isolation that Marie feels at times was well depicted too and I empathised with her in her predicament.

The one thing that for me didn’t work quite as well was the character of Warrick. I thought that he had a lovely personality, but I was unsure why exactly he wasn’t being demonstrative with Marie. At times I wondered if perhaps he wasn’t attracted to women and so this confused me as the story went on.

But overall this was a book that kept me reading on, wanting to find out what would happen to Marie and if she would find lasting happiness. I would definitely recommend it as a fun, gripping read.

The Queen’s Jester is available now on Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

How the release of ‘Reunion of the Heart’ went

August 17, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 7 Comments

Hi all. Just a quick line to update you on how my release of Reunion of the Heart went on Friday.

Well the answer is not bad. I was tearing my hair out a bit (OK not literally!!) because of formatting issues with it and having to do a load of updates to it, but now I seem to be over that. I say I – technically it’s my husband who’s in charge of the technical side of my self-publishing adventure. (No pun intended!) The frustrating thing is that when we published The Inheritance there were no problems whatsoever. That’s always the way I guess.

I don’t how those of you authors who are responsible for every last part of the self-publishing process do it! I mean if I tried to do it I think I’d still be staring at the computer screen a year from now trying to work it out lol! So I’m VERY grateful to my husband for doing that for me.

Anyway to go back to what I was saying, it was great to have such wonderful support from my fellow authors, family and friends. The sales, while not exactly setting the world alight, are going well. I’m hopeful that as I continue to promote my work and write more I’ll improve and become more established as an author. And hopefully make my mark, if only in a small way.

It is so difficult to make a splash in the BIG pond that is the world of published and self-published books. And yet the exciting thing is that while there may be lots of books out there that you or I are up against, there’s a whole load of people out there waiting to read them. As indie authors we just have to find a way of reaching them, which I guess is the tricky part. I think it’s also good that, what with the advent of self-publishing via Amazon etc., there’s so much more choice out there for readers. Readers don’t have to be confined to only read the books that the Big Six have selected for them. (Cynical, moi?!)

So thank you all for supporting me and each other on this self-publishing journey we’re on. 🙂

BTW you can get Reunion of the Heart on Amazon.com here or Amazon UK here. The Inheritance is available on Amazon.com here or Amazon UK here.

‘Reunion of the Heart’ is here!!!!

August 15, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 13 Comments

My second novel Reunion of the Heart is here! For those of you who don’t know, it’s a contemporary romance and so you know a little bit more about it, here’s the blurb:

After a messy breakup with her boyfriend, Anna is feeling fragile. So when her best friend Melissa suggests the two of them go to their school reunion, she’s reluctant as Anna’s school days weren’t her happiest. The evening is going well until she meets the boy who made her school life hell.
But the grown up Will is different and Anna is surprised by the direction her life takes. The reunion sets in motion a series of events that lead Anna to realise things will never be the same again.
‘Reunion of the Heart’ is a romance that will lead you to ponder whether love can atone for past mistakes.

It’s available to buy on Amazon and here are the links:

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Reunion-Heart-Elaine-Jeremiah-ebook/dp/B00ML03PZO/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408090441&sr=1-3&keywords=elaine+jeremiah

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reunion-Heart-Elaine-Jeremiah-ebook/dp/B00ML03PZO/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408090418&sr=1-3&keywords=elaine+jeremiah

So please do go and check it out! I’ll be around my computer for most of the day, tweeting and Facebooking etc so why not come and say hi?

A sneak peek at ‘Reunion of the Heart’

August 11, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 11 Comments

Well the release of Reunion of the Heart is fast approaching. Only four days to go!!

Now I know most of you don’t take part in WIPpet Wednesday, so you won’t have read any of the excerpts from Reunion of the Heart that I shared.

So… I thought I’d share a spoiler-free excerpt from it with you. To give you the lowdown on the story, Reunion of the Heart is a romance about Anna, a young woman who returns to her school for a reunion after her friend encourages her to go. She’s reluctant to go because her school days weren’t her happiest. But the reunion sets in motion a chain of events that lead Anna to realise her life will never be the same again.

In this excerpt Anna has arrived with her best friend Melissa at her old school for the reunion. She’s feeling nervous…

Melissa’s voice brought Anna back to the present with a bump. She’d been so distracted that she had hardly noticed the car slowing down. Now she felt all unprepared. As the school loomed up ahead and the car ground to a halt, Anna could feel all her previous anxiety about the event hit her like a blow to the chest. Am I doing the right thing in going to this thing? she wondered. It was as if the reunion was her own personal D-day.

Seeing her old classmates, gauging their reactions to her and making a good impression – she had to get it right or the battle would be lost. She hadn’t forgotten what Melissa had told her, but being relaxed about it all and keeping it on her terms was easier said than done.

‘Are you OK, Anna?’ Melissa asked her voice concerned. ‘You’ve been very quiet since we started talking about your parents. I’m sorry if I’ve brought it all back for you.’

Anna shook her head. ‘It’s not your fault. Sometimes I find it hard to face the fact that my parents haven’t been together for years and never will be again.’

Melissa nodded. ‘So you’re happy to face the brood of vipers now?’

Anna pulled a face. ‘You make it sound so pleasant. But yes, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Let’s go inside.’

******

They got out of the car and headed for the entrance. Anna shivered in the cold wind. Although it was early March, winter was still clinging on and she was freezing. Her fancy coat and winter dress weren’t as warm as her puffer jacket and fleeces, but she wanted to look good and so today fashion won out.

Her long chestnut hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail which Melissa said really suited her. Anna stumbled a little as she walked; she didn’t wear heels very often. As they approached the school buildings, memories of being a pupil here flooded back to her. It was hard to believe that she and her ex classmates were thirty one now. She and Melissa walked through into the hallway where there was a large banner saying ‘Class of 98’. A middle aged woman she didn’t recognise was standing there waiting to greet them.

‘Welcome to Mayfield Secondary “Class of 98 Reunion”,’ she said. ‘In case you don’t remember, the sports hall where the event is being held is at the end of this corridor. I hope you have a fun evening.’

Anna and Melissa smiled and nodded, though they didn’t need to be directed. Anna felt as though she had the memory of this place engrained in her mind. They walked down the corridor which was every bit as long as she remembered. Loud music from the sports hall drifted towards them. Melissa gave Anna’s hand a squeeze.

‘It’ll be OK,’ she said softly. ‘Just remember what I said. And if you’re really struggling imagine everyone’s naked!’

Anna snorted with laughter and then covered her mouth quickly. ‘You are quite loopy, Mel,’ she said.

Melissa shrugged. ‘It’s what a friend taught me once,’ she said. ‘You’d be surprised how well it can make you feel more relaxed.’

I hope this has whetted your appetite! I’ll be posting every day on this blog in the run up to the release on Friday.

As always any comments gratefully received! 🙂

Not doing a blog tour but…

August 10, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 4 Comments

As I mentioned when I did my cover reveal, I’m publishing Reunion of the Heart on Friday (15th August)!!!

In support of its release, I’ve got various ideas up my sleeve. I’m not doing a blog tour this time as I think I mentioned, BUT I would be interested in doing an interview or a blog post on a few different blogs. Not too many – it’s not a blog tour!!

But if any of you would be interested in hosting me/interviewing me on your blog, let me know. I really don’t mind if it’s after this Friday (I know I’ve left it a little late lol), just drop me a line if this sounds appealing to you.

My email address is: elaine (dot) jeremiah (at) gmail (dot) com

Oh and I should add for any of you who don’t know Reunion of the Heart is a contemporary romance.

Thanks! 🙂

Cover reveal for ‘The Compass Key’ by Charles E Yallowitz!

August 6, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 3 Comments

Debuting August 8th on Amazon Kindle!

Swords will clash and spells will fly in the newest adventure of young warrior Luke Callindor, Nyx the magic-flinging caster, and their friends.

With Sari captured by their enemies, the champions of Windemere are determined to get her back and destroy the Lich’s castle. Little do they realize, their battles in the Caster Swamp are only the beginning of this adventure. Trinity and her Chaos Elves have invaded the city of Gaia in search of a relic called the Compass Key. Rumored to be the key to rescuing Sari from a magical island, our heroes are in a race to find the mysterious relic.

Which side will claim the Compass Key? And, what will our heroes do when they’re faced with an enemy whose evil power overshadows anything they have ever faced?

About the Author:

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.

Blog: Legends of Windemere
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz

Read the Previous Volumes of Legends of Windemere!!!

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen (CLICK FOR AMAZON SITE)

Cover by Jason Pedersen (CLICK FOR AMAZON SITE)

Call for volunteers for cover reveal for Reunion of the Heart!

July 29, 2014July 29, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 20 Comments

Well this has certainly come around fast! I’m in the final stages of preparing to publish my second novel Reunion of the Heart.

To tell you a little bit more about it (without giving too much away!), it’s a romance and the story of a young woman who returns to her school for a reunion. She finds that her life won’t be the same again…

I’m not gonna say any more about it because (obviously) I don’t want to give half the plot away. But to cut to the chase, I need some volunteers to do the cover reveal for it.

I didn’t do one for my previous novel, The Inheritance. To be honest I was learning the ropes – I still am but last year when I published it, I had no idea about cover reveals, so I simply shared the cover for it on Twitter.

This time around, having seen other people do it, I thought it would be a good way of generating some interest in my novel.

I’ve decided to do things differently in other ways too for the launch of Reunion of the Heart. Last year when I published The Inheritance, I did a blog tour which I’ve decided I’m not going to do this time. Organising and promoting the blog tour was a lot of work and while it was quite fun to do, I didn’t have a lot of people commenting on what I’d shared and it didn’t really seem to translate into sales.

So. That was then and this is now. I’m doing this cover reveal and I’m going to do some other promotions for Reunion of the Heart… Watch this space!

Confession

June 20, 2014 ~ Elaine Jeremiah ~ 34 Comments

I have a confession to make. You know how on social media, blogs and writers’ blogs in particular we’re often told that a success for one indie author is a success for us all? Well sometimes I find it really hard.

I find it hard to swallow that while my novel is languishing at the bottom of the Amazon rankings (well it feels like it anyway!), Mr or Ms Successful Indie Author has sold millions of copies of their novel and is doing very nicely thank you.

As a Christian, I know I need to take a step back from myself and not ‘covet my neighbour’s success in writing’! And I’m trying, really I am. But sometimes it’s a bitter pill to swallow when I read about so and so’s book doing fabulously while mine… well, isn’t.

See the thing is, like most if not all indie authors, I’ve put the hours in; I’ve worked hard to write and then publish a novel, done a blog tour, updated my blog regularly, tweeted, posted on Facebook etc etc.

I do realise it doesn’t necessarily work that way – I may have worked hard but perhaps my book just isn’t quite what people were interested in reading. But I feel I’m not quite at the point where I can truly be glad for others’ success. I’m trying hard but I’m not quite there yet.

I guess it’s a lot like life in general – for most of us there’s always gonna be people who’re more successful than us, have a better job, bigger house, more expensive car etc.

I find it helps me to remember what the Bible teaches – that ultimately these things don’t matter. What’s important is not how successful we are materially but how we live our lives.

When I consider this life and all the things (i.e. possessions) we hold dear, I often think of the ancient Egyptians and the way they painstakingly filled the tombs of their Pharaohs with their most treasured possessions, much of it still priceless today, in order that the Pharaoh would take it with him to the afterlife.

Because ultimately it’s the same with us: the success we have materially in this life and all our possessions aren’t going to go with us when we die. So what’s the use wasting precious time getting hung up on so and so succeeding more at something than me?

I hope that someday soon I’ll be able to read about a fellow author’s success without feeling a pang of envy, and be truly glad for them.

Am I the only one who struggles to be gracious when faced with others’ success being greater than mine?

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Debuting August 8th on Amazon Kindle!

About the Author:

Blog: Legends of Windemere Twitter: @cyallowitz Facebook: Charles Yallowitz

Read the Previous Volumes of Legends of Windemere!!!

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Blog: Legends of Windemere
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz