Links
One of the nicest things about having a website is that you can become part of a community without having to worry about whether you’ve scrubbed your front step or neglected your borders. Below are links to various websites and organisations that are dear to me.
Jane is my wonderful fiction agent, and we've been together since the momentous day when she phoned me with the news every novelist wants to hear: 'I love your book and I'd like to represent you'. I can hardly believe been a whole decade. You can find out more about the other clients she represents, together with useful submission advice for aspiring writers, by visiting her website.
The non-fiction wiriters, biographers and memoirists among you, might like to know that Andrew Lownie is the literary agent who took on Never Say Die and sold it to Harper Collins. He's a brilliant, well connected and highly regarded agent and his webite is full of useful advice/industry news for authors and readers alike.
This is a great site for avid readers - as well as getting your hands on all the latest titles, you can access author profiles and features, and use their 'if you liked this' feature to help you choose further books in your favourite genres.
Set up by Harper Collins last year with the strap line 'beat the slushpile', Authonomy, while probably not being any sort of magic bullet (amateur writers take notes;whatever anyone tells you, there IS no magic bullet - it's very competitive out there) uploading all or a part of your novel will hopefully get you lots of FREE useful feedback, plus the chance that an editor from harper Collins might take a look. i.e. it's another weapon in your armoury in the battle to get pubkished. It's also a great community of writers, and such support networks are priceless. Never Say Die was aired on Authonomy, incidentally, and though it was sold to HC via the traditional agent route (see Andrew Lownie, above) the wonderful feedback from Authonomy readers was definitely a force for the good at the final decision stage.
Not wishing to upset Andy who's a bit further down this list (he designed this website and is also a fine photographer), but I just had a bunch of pics done by this brilliant guy, Darryl, so really must have a big enthuse. He mostly does great b and w landscape stuff, but I think he's pretty good at funky portrait pics too...Which he's also done for my lovely Western Mail editor and fellow columnist, Hannah. Go visit her site to find out about The little Book of Large - her 'Dairy of A Diet' column in book form - coming out soon....
Accent Press is run by the lovely Hazel Cushion, and is, I believe, the newest – and most successful - independent publisher in Wales. Both Hazel and Accent have already won several prestigious awards; from the Pandora Women in Publishing award to the Most Borrowed Library Book in Wales – for Sexy Shorts for Summer (see Sexy Shorts page for info). Accent are also the publishers of both my new novels; Barefoot in the Dark, and Out on a Limb, and my re-issued backlist.
Sexy Shorts are Accent’s acclaimed range of charity short story collections. As you’ll know if you’ve already visited the Sexy Shorts page, the series raises £1 for its chosen charity for every copy sold. As my husband’s an oncologist I’m more than aware how valuable such an enterprise is, and am very proud to be a part of it. Sexy Shorts book signings happen all over Britain, so if you’re interested in having either me, or any other well meaning author bear down on you with intent in a bookshop, check out their diary pages, as well as my events page, of course.
My lovely friend Lesley, who is herself a writer - and a fine one - also makes the most beautiful jewellery. And to order, if required.
isn’t that fab?
QWF (Quality Women’s fiction) is a really high quality subscriber only literary fiction magazine set up and edited by Jo Good. Jo was one of the first people to publish a story of mine, and I’ve been a subscriber/contributor for nine of those ten years. I recently judged the annual QWF Phillip Good Memorial Prize competition, which was a really big honour.
A subscriber only bi-monthly magazine for writers, plus website and regular competition/course bulletins for email subscribers. A good place for writing related articles, workshops, short stories and poetry.
This is such a clever idea, and I hope it goes from strength to strength. It’s a website dedicated to interviewing authors about their new books, and is a nice counterpoint to the nasty glasses-on-a-silly-chain superiority of the types you get sitting around tables on late night literary chat shows. So if there’s a book you’ve enjoyed, chances are you can log on here and hear the author talking about it.
A great site for writers and artists, run by fellow writer, Dee Rimbaud, this includes al sorts of useful info, including the AA independent press guide, which covers UK, US, Canada and more. Also includes advice and links to writers' websites. Def worth a visit, particularly if you're just starting out.
librariesonline: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ac940/weblibs.html -
Not everyone buys books, of course. Lots borrow them from libraries. Libraries are also home to most of the large print editions that are really expensive to buy. This natty website helpfully links you to every library in Britain that has an online catalogue, which means you can reserve, order and suggest additions to stock (mine please!). As a reader, you’ll be supporting the thousands of authors who’d struggle to get by without their annual PLR (Public Lending Right) payments, and as a writer, you can check if anyone’s borrowing your books. A handy distraction for a dull day…
I must confess an interest here. Sarah Broadhurst, who reviews for this brilliant new online bookstore, also reviews books for one of the publishing industry’s trade journals, The Bookseller. In this capacity, she’s cast an eye over most of my output over the years, and has always been very nice. You’ll see, then, that she’s clearly a woman of taste… Lovereading is the cyber equivalent of a really good independent local bookshop; intelligent, knowledgeable and easy to browse in. Though no biscuits, sadly. But never mind.
These guys, who designed this lovely website, could also, if you ask them, do one for you. This is where to find them…
…and here’s a rather good photographer. See?
His website includes lots of royalty-free-for-web-use stock images like this one. Perfect if you’re setting up a website yourself.
If, like me, you’re a writer, you’ll realise the importance of not interrupting your creative flow by having to get dressed and troll off to buy boring food. In which case, if you haven’t already, you really must try this. They’re brilliant.
And lastly…
This is my son’s band and I make no apologies for giving them a plug. Also, they’re very, very good.
Viewers are advised that strong language prevails…
Friends
Yes, we’re all at it. Not my normal friends, obviously - they are all busy with their day jobs and don’t have paperbacks to sell - but my writing friends, without whom this would be a very lonely lifestyle and way heavier on the custard creams and tears. Thanks and love xxx