Hi everyone,

The birthday celebrations continue! If you missed the previous posts, check them out here, here and here. If not, please read on…

Planning Stately Pleasures

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, it took a while for me to make the jump from short stories to novellas, then from novellas to novels. I was worried that I didn’t have enough “story” to warrant a novel, or that it would get boring, or that I’d get bored.

But when the time came for me to start working on Stately Pleasures, I decided there was only one way to find out—I’d have to get on with it. With short stories, I never bother planning as they often just come from a small idea and I then write and see what happens. But this couldn’t be the case with a novel, I could end up meandering through a story, have no actual plot, or something equally horrendous. So, to ensure I wrote a full-length book which had plot, journeys for the characters, continuity and lots of hot sex, a plan was needed.

I know writers work in many different ways when it comes to planning, but I went back to being somewhat old-fashioned. In a brand new notebook (any excuse) I started scribbling. Then I shuffled things around, crossed things out, added things and finally had twenty (I think – I don’t have the notes any more) chapters planned out, with a beginning, a middle and a satisfying (I hope) ending.

Once that was done, I had no excuse. I had to get on with it—and so I did. It was much easier having the plan there, although I knew I wouldn’t stick to it 100%–if things changed it wasn’t an issue. It just meant that once I’d finished a chapter, I could look at the notebook and know exactly where the story was going next. There were no moments of indecision, of wondering what was going to happen next, how the characters were going to get from A to B, and why.

That’s not to say it wasn’t hard work. It was, very much so. I’d been used to being able to write a short story in a couple of days—a very quick and satisfying thing. A novel, of course, takes much longer, so the satisfaction of finishing is much further away. But far from being disheartened by this fact, I let it spur me on. Each word, each chapter I completed was another step closer to the end. And the more I wrote, the more I was determined to get it finished and not see the work I’d already done go to waste.

And, obviously, I got there! I think it took me roughly four months, which I don’t think was too bad considering that included the planning and a little extra research, and that it was my first full-length novel. I also don’t write full-time. I was very proud of my achievement, although I knew it wasn’t the end of the work! More information on Stately Pleasures’ route to publication in the next post.

Grab the book here. Add it to Goodreads here. Then scroll down to find out about the giveaway!

Happy Reading,

Lucy x

*****

WIN!

Win your choice of Kindle/tablet case, plus some awesome swag!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to stop by on the 23rd for the fifth and final birthday post!

Hi everyone,

The birthday celebrations continue! If you missed the previous posts, check them out here and here. If not, please read on…

My Research for Stately Pleasures

Research wasn’t essential to Stately Pleasures. The stately home it’s set in is fictional, and yet I did research. Why? Because I wanted to. I wanted to build a picture in my mind of Davenport Manor, what it looked like inside and outside, what the grounds were like, and so on. Much of what I saw, many of the places I visited, weren’t even used in the book, but it all helped me to figure out what the fictional house was going to be like.

My National Trust membership got some serious abuse while I was researching. Many weekends were spent sneaking off to properties, both nearby and further afield, as well as taking in some places to and from weekends away that were too far away to visit for a day trip.

The picture in my mind grew more detailed as I pieced together what I wanted from various mansions—school rooms, libraries, servants’ quarters, corridors and much more. But still I headed out to do more research. It wasn’t a hardship, you see. I love visiting those places anyway, which is why I ended up writing a book set in a stately home in the first place. Other things I saw sparked off more ideas for scenes to be included in the book—including a pestle and a carpet beater.

Finally, I was all researched out. I just needed to get on and write the book. But one thing I really wanted to include was a maze, and there wasn’t anywhere nearby that had one. One flying visit to a National Trust garden and then Hampton Court Palace later (not in the same day, of course!) and I was all sorted—I had everything I needed.

I take plenty of photographs when I go to these places, whether I’m researching or not, because I never know when places will pop up in my work. I referred back to my photos plenty, as well as heading online. The Internet is an incredibly valuable tool, and I used it to find out or clarify various bits and pieces and make sure certain things that I’d mentioned were correct.

I think perhaps I over-researched certain things as not everything was used in the book, but I don’t mind, not one bit. I’d rather truly know what I’m writing about, even if I don’t mention every little snippet. And it was an incredibly fun experience—though my poor other half possibly won’t agree!

Grab the book here. Add it to Goodreads here. Then scroll down to find out about the giveaway!

Happy Reading,

Lucy x

*****

WIN!

Win your choice of Kindle/tablet case, plus some awesome swag!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to stop by on the 19th for the next birthday post!

Hi everyone,

The birthday celebrations continue! If you missed the first post, check it out here. If not, please read on…

My Inspiration for Stately Pleasures

Although I don’t remember where the actual idea for Stately Pleasures came from, as it’s was in my head for so long before I wrote it, I can definitely tell you where my inspirations came from. Inspirations for setting and characters, that is.

The setting, Davenport Manor, is a totally fictional place made up of various real places I’ve been to and ones I imagined. It’s like a patchwork quilt, or something. A facade from here, a maze from there, a schoolroom from X, servants’ quarters from Y, a library from Z… you get the idea. It all pieced together nicely in my mind to make up a very rich and exciting place for my characters to play. I loved writing about the setting just as much as what was actually happening there!

As for character inspirations, well, that’s easy. Imagine Jeremy Renner with a posh British accent and you have Jeremy Davenport. Imagine Jared Padalecki, also with a posh British accent, and you have Ethan Hayes. Told you it was easy 😉

Alice Brown is much more difficult. She’s a curvy chick, and I looked around and couldn’t find a Rubenesque celebrity I wanted to base her on. Sadly, there are also far too few Rubenesque celebrities around! So Alice is a total figment of my imagination, but if I got asked to select someone for casting in a film, I’d choose Melissa McCarthy.

Grab the book here. Add it to Goodreads here. Then scroll down to find out about the giveaway!

Happy Reading,

Lucy x

*****

WIN!

Win your choice of Kindle/tablet case, plus some awesome swag!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for the next birthday post!