About author, Lizzie Lamb: After teaching my 1000th pupil and working as a deputy head teacher in a large primary school, I decided it was time to leave the chalk face and pursue my first love: writing. In 2006 I joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers Scheme, honed my craft and wrote Tall, Dark and Kilted. Born in Scotland, but with Irish and Brazilian blood in my veins I’ve always wanted to write a romantic novel set in the Highlands and islands and with Tall, Dark and Kilted I’ve done just that. I’ve had enormous fun researching men in kilts, falling in love with brooding heroes and rooting for feisty heroines. I have a well developed sense of humour and love quick fire dialogue between the hero /heroine – like in the old black and white Hollywood movies. I hope this comes across in my writing. Although much of my time is taken up publicizing Tall, Dark and Kilted I have almost finished my second novel and have plans for a third, fourth and fifth novel in the pipeline. I am a founding member of an indie publishing group: The New Romantics 4 and my fellow New Romantics are June Kearns, Mags Cullingford and Adrienne Vaughan. Our watch cry is: all for one and one for all. All four New Romantics will be e-publishing again this autumn and organizing ‘red carpet events’ where we will share our experiences as writers with our readers and talk about our novels over drinks and nibbles in pubs and hotels.
INTERVIEW
Every good writer needs to have…: A support system of friends and a loving partner who understands her craving to write and that everything else will take second place unless she is pulled – kicking and screaming – out of her dream world occasionally! A place to write: a designated room, a corner of your dressing table, , the kitchen table while the kids are at school – any place quiet where you won’t be disturbed.
You left teaching to become a writer, how has the experience been so far? A dream come true. I get to write what I want, when I want and am no longer summoned by bells or made to follow timetables. All the time and effort I previously put in to writing reports, planning, marking and assessing children’s work, holding parent/teacher interviews and my role as a senior manager is now channelled into my writing. But, those years are not wasted, because of them I am organised and very disciplined when it comes to my work – and I can always boss the other three New Romantics around when I miss being a deputy head teacher(principal) LOL . Oh, and I can make myself a coffee when I want to – and eat far too many chocolate biscuits.
How has the social media helped you and your career? Immensely – I was kicking around Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for quite a few years before I was published and made lots of lovely writer and non-writer friend on those forums. Friends, writers etc who weren’t in to Facebook pulled faces and said it was a waste of time. How wrong were they!? Not only have my Facebook friends followed my writing progress and made helpful comments and suggestions, they’ve also bought Tall, Dark and Kilted. Through social media I’ve tapped into a wider writing community (such as the gorgeous goddesses), the Romantics Novelists’ Association and other writers’ groups. Sadly, I probably don’t interact as much as I used to because I am writing book number two, but I do my best. Twitter I find is great for re-tweeting and general chit chat. LinkedIn? Well, I’m not sure what I’m doing on there but I have nearly 500 contacts and keep getting offered jobs in teaching, management and the world of books. I really ought to post from there every morning like others do. It’s hard to say how it all works and WHAT works, but through a combination of all of the above I’m getting my name ‘out there. Hopefully when I launch book #2 in the autumn I’ll have readers who are keen to read my second novel.
What was the writing/editing/publishing process like for you? As I said, I am disciplined when it comes to writing. When I sit at the pc it’s to write, post, blog or tweet. However, because I am self-published I have had to seek out beta readers and proof readers; without an agent or an editor I have to hope that I’m, making the right choices. June Kearns – one of the New Romantics 4 is one of my beta readers and she gives me great feedback and helps with plotting. My other beta reader is Joan Davies-Bushby; Joan isn’t a writer, doesn’t read romance and prefers crime. When she reads my work, she fires straight from the hip – picking me up on anything that’s unclear, or if the heroine’s acting out of character etc. Both are ex-teachers, and normally send my ms back marked with red pen – ouch. Tough love.
In deciding to self-publish I have given myself a lot of work through designing covers, formatting my ms etc, which would probably have been done for me by a publisher. At least I have the freedom to choose my own covers, something which I gather can be a headache for conventionally publisher writers? In all of this I have been able supported by my gorgeous husband David (aka Bongo Man). However, for book #2 I’m paying someone to format it and to design the cover for me – to my spec. Hopefully everything will be much easier this time round as I know the ropes, have bought my ISBN numbers, have got my US tax code etc and know how long Create Space and Amazon take to get my book up there. I have also planned my publicity campaign based on what I’ve learned from promoting Tal. Dark and Kilted and now have a joint blog, website etc.
Who or what inspires you and your books? Where do you get your ideas? People, places, movies, music, my heritage, what I see, read and hear all merge to inspire me to write. I usually start with the hero and the heroin and am intrigued by what brings them together and what keeps them apart. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea but when I’m writing I like to listen to a Scottish Rock Band called RUNRIG who sing in Gaelic, Adele and light opera. I love reading other rom coms but have to be careful not to absorb other writers’ style as I want my voice to remain unique.
What are you reading right now? Not my usual thing at all, a novel set in World War Two entitled Call Nurse Millie!! I’m reading a pre-publication copy in order to write with a review for Goodreads etc. I also have three other books to review for fellow writers.
Salty or sweet? Anything that is covered in chocolate.
Hard/paperbacks or eBooks? Paperbacks, because I’m working at the screen all day and my eyes get very tired. I also like to flick forward to see the length of the chapter I’m reading. . Harder to do with a kindle. Although, without the eBook revolution and Amazon in particular, I could have been waiting years for a publishing contract which might never have arrived.
Describe what a typical day is like for you: Luckily my time is entirely my own, and after 34 years of getting up at six am to get ready for school I’m definitely a morning person. I try to be at the pc for about 8am and answer emails, put a post on Facebook and write something on Twitter and do ReTweets. THEN I begin writing until about 11am or thereabouts – normally my parrot Jasper calls me to let him out and he plays in his cupboard all day!! I tend to write for most of the afternoon, too. Throughout the day I bit and bob between Facebook and Twitter and respond to anyone’s posted on my pages. I also try to see friends at least a couple of times in a week, otherwise, I’d stay in my study writing and never come out to play. Finally, when I’m watching TV in the evenings I’ll take my iPad/iPhone with me, put three new posts about my writing on Twitter and respond to any emails that I’ve missed.
What’s the best advice you can give an aspiring author? Make a start, even if it’s only typing out the title page or buying a note book and pens. Many people have a demanding day job and need to chill out when they get home, but if you can devote even 15mins to your novel in an evening, you’ll soon get there. When you’re not at your desk, laptop, kitchen table you can rehearse dialogue and scenes from the novel in your head so that when you DO sit down to write, you use your time constructively and don’t waste it chewing the end of your pencil looking for inspiration.
AND – when you do start to write your novel – don’t spend years polishing the first three chapters of your novel and submission letter – yep, been there, done that and got the t-shirt. Write the whole novel as best you can (a ‘dirty draft’) and THEN go back and tidy, revise, re-write and make it the best you can.
Can you tell us about any of your upcoming projects? I’m currently 90k into my next novel, also a romantic comedy – cover and title reveal in September. I hope to have it ready to launch on Amazon by the end of October. Then I will repeat last year’s successful book launches with the three other writers who make up The New Romantics 4.
I can tell you a little about the plot: Charlee Montague is a rookie reporter and a rebel without a clue. She’s sent under cover to a boot camp for brides in a remote part of the Norfolk marshes. She believes that her mission is to get secret photographs of a Russian super model for the magazine she works for; they want to run a scurrilous piece about the model. Her partner is an infuriating photographic journalist who has a hidden agenda he’s keeping from her which involves the boot camp, the model and her Russian boyfriend.
**Contact Lizzie: Website Blog Facebook – Lizzie Lamb Facebook – New Romantics Twitter – Lizzie Lamb Twitter – The New Romantics 4
**Click HERE to buy “Tall, Dark and Kilted”!
**Click HERE to see Lizzie’s book feature of “Tall, Dark and Kilted”!
Thanks you Isabella. A fabulous blog post. I will start spreading the word and hopefully we might get some comments, too. Many thanks for helping to get my name out there.
Lizzie xx
Sent from my iPad
You’re too kind! It’s a pleasure having you here today!
Hi girls, another great read thank you Isabella and Lizzie, you know that I for one, am so looking forward to offering No.2 in October – still swooning over the last hero you gave us!!!! Love your writing tips too Lizzie xxxx
Hi Shani, your turn soon. Can’t wait to read your debut novel when it publishes next month. Hope you like hero no 2 !!
Yours is a great story, Lizzie. Congrats on TALL DARK AND KILTED and much luck with all those upcoming releases!
Thanks Eileen. Only through the power of the internet could we be touching base in this way. Thanks for popping over.
What an interesting post, Lizzie, your enthusiasm for writing is infectious, and your humour shines through. I loved Tall, Dark & Kilted, and am looking forward to your second novel.
Thanks Margaret, looking forward to your new book coming out near Christmas, too.
Great post, Lizzie. Roll on book two! x
Thanks for popping over, Lucy. Good luck with your writing, too.
Very engaging piece, Lizzie. Loved reading it. Such good advice to newbies too. Looking forward to your next novel (and your next gorgeous hero). xx
Insightful and totally honest post – I know, you know! What I do love is how you’ve grown in confidence as a writer, even in the short time we have worked together and how generous you are with your time, experience and spare chocolate! I better be top of the list for a review copy of the new one – the snippets I’ve gleaned so far are brilliant!
Morning Adrienne, you are certainly top of the list for a review copy of ‘the next one’. Almost finished it !! Thank you for the lovely comments; not to sure about the chocolate, though . . .
Thanks Liz, very much looking forward to reading your next novel, too.
Hi Lizzie. Great piece. very interesting. Looking forward to your next book.
Thanks Cathy, I bet your excited about the launch of #2 this coming Friday. You have done really well. Thank for your support, too.
Thanks Cathy, I bet your excited about the launch of #2 this coming Friday. You have done really well. Thank for your support, too.
So nice to get to know you better, Lizzie! You are an inspiration to those of us working to transition out of teaching into writing. And your lighthearted, fun personality comes through so strongly in this interview! Isabella has quite the gift for engaging us all, I must say! Tall, Dark and Kilted is very high on the TBR list and I honestly can’t wait!
Hello Patricia, thank you for all the lovely comments you’ve left. Yes, I found combining teaching and writing almost impossible, so I’m very happy to able to concentrate on the writing. Thank you for your support here (and on twitter). I’ve got quite a few books to read and review then I’m heading over to the CLG’s.
I enjoyed this, I learned new things about you! x
Thanks Yasmin (and Isabella) we only know snippets about each other and our lives prior to becoming writers. Thanks for coming over and commenting.
Fabulous interview, Lizzie! Your books really do sound fantastic. I never knew you had Brazilian blood in you… fala Portugues?
😀 x
Ha, ha, Suzie – the strange thing is I never heard my grandfather speak a single word of Portuguese. I guess he just wanted to assimilate into the whole Scottish culture. Not easy for him as he was tall, olive skinned and had startling blue-green eyes. My husband often cracks the joke about Brazil being where ‘the nuts come from’. 😉
He he he! I have some Brazilian friends here in the Algarve and I probably have to agree with your husband 😉
Enjoyed this a lot Lizzie, you are always interesting. Good luck with everything and Runrig, now there is a blast from the past. One of the Scottish bands we worked with were huge fans and supported them once back when….fun writing to music. 🙂
Hi Lizzie, loved reading this, so interesting and so much good advice about writing, making me far more determined to write more and actually do something instead of just dreaming am having a hip replacement in a couple of weeks so will have time to sit and write hopefully! xxx
Hi Carol, I find that trying to establish a routine is the best way to ‘get down to it’. having said that, some days I bit and bob between activities, but its amazing how soon those words can add up to make a novel. Good luck with your hip replacement – plenty of time for writing then. Ouch.
Hi jane, thanks for stopping by. You are so knowledgeable about the music scene, I can just see you writing a novel about it. Names changed to protect the guilty and all that. Saw Runrig in concert once and they were fabulous. I play their music for inspiration when I’m writing scenes of a romantic nature. My husband refers to it as ‘warthog music’. Don;t know why !!
A great post Isabella and LIzzie. So much good advice and encouragement which is what all writers need and Lizzie is so generous with her time and incredibly supportive. An absolute inspiration to us all!
Thanks Alex, what a lovely thing to say. I know you work really hard at your writing, too. Good luck with your latest Young Adult. Seeing friends getting/becoming published is a real spur to achieving my own goals.
90k! Good luck with that awesome word count. 🙂 Enjoyed your interview Lizzie.
Rose
Thanks Rose, since writing this I am now approaching 110k and the last two chapters of the book. I can’t believe it 😉
Lizzie you deserve every success. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed Tall Dark and Kilted and can’t wait for your next book to be published. I think you may be turning me away from crime!
Hi Joan, having a beta reader who doesn’t usually enjoy romance is a great help to me. You see things with a different eye. Keep reading those crime novels – who knows, a dead body might turn up in one of my romances – one of these days.
Such a great post, ladies! Lizzie, you are an inspiration to us all. TDK is a fabulous read – a novel that definitely stays with you. Lovely to learn so much more about you. Congrats on your success & all the very best with your future novels 🙂 xx
Thanks Jan, I know your debut novel is nearly finished. That’s quite a scare feeling, actually, isn;t it. You’ll have to let it go out there on its own. Poor thing. Thanks for stopping by.
Arriving late as usual! As always, a lively and inspiring interview, LIzzie. As a one quarter of New Romantics 4, have heard a short excerpt of your next novel, and looking forward to reading the whole shebang.
Thanks mags, you’ve been ill so I’ll cut you some slack. Nearly finished (two chapters to go) and then the edits. Thinking about #3 already !!
Slow down, slow down, Lizzie. I shall have a relapse just thinking about it.
I’m even later than Mags and don’t even have the excuse of illness. Oh well, I’ll blame the demanding day job (ah hem). Great advice about the ‘dirty first draft’ – I’ll throw that back at my inner editor next time she comes knocking before I’ve invited her.
Arriving even later than Mags, and no excuse, just being offline with family and needing to rest!
Lovely post, Lizzie, and so right on the “dirty draft”. Lots of your post resonates with me, actually, and I’m so glad we met in the virtual world and loved each other’s books!
If Ron and I can ever organise a trip to Lincoln (a 9 hour round trip!) we might bump into you at The BookStop Cafe!
A toast to your continued success 🙂
Oops I meant to be polite and say hello to Isabella, too, but I got carried away with my toast. Sorry, Isabella! 😉