September 2018: Competition Monthly

...my competition life of occasionally doing something you should avoid with themed competitions: shoehorning the topic into a story you’ve already written. Unless the story was written with this theme...

RNA Conference: From Workshop To Publication With Fanny And Roger

...the big day. But now they’re reunited for their friend’s wedding in sunny California and it’s clear that while their whole lives have changed, the heat they always generated remains...

Jessica Redland: My Path To Selling One Million Books

...the darkness. Hindsight’s a great thing and I now know why my indie career never took off. Amazon’s algorithms respond to regular activity and my activity wasn’t regular enough. Trying...

Julie Ryan: How Much Research Do You Do?

...him stating ‘No body can say I’m a shirker, I did my duty.’ I can only imagine the horrors that those young men experienced and the immense bravery. This book...

Meet The 2020 Joan Hessayon Contenders

...Briton. High-born Aoife will ensure the safety and prosperity of the Norse settlement. When Aoife’s family’s deception is revealed, a near-fatal betrayal in Tormod’s past threatens to destroy all.  ...

February 2021: Competition Monthly

...x $200 in any category. Publication online for all Closing date: 30 April 2021 Entry: US$20 Details May Competitions Mairtin Crawford Award Theme: Short story up to 2,500 words from...

Ask An Industry Expert: Clare Wallace

...authors was short-listed for the Romantic Comedy category in the RNA’s Romantic Novel of the Year Awards for 2019. Can I start by asking you what store you set by...

Sue Moorcroft: Let It Snow

...Middledip books) I consult my street team, Team Sue Moorcroft. They come up with great ideas. (NB If you think you’d enjoy being part of my street team you can...

Ask An Industry Expert: Charlotte Ellis

...your story. We want to know exactly how your hero and heroine get their HEA. And, lastly, think about your own USP, what it is that you can bring to...

What’s That Sound? By Eleanor Harkstead

...you can set it up to play as you’re falling asleep, very handy as tinnitus is a right pain at bedtime! As I wrote while my new sound generator was...

Ask An Industry Expert: Debi Alper

...they’re nearly always right. If they tell you how to fix it, they’re nearly always wrong. I also think it’s really important to ensure an editor points out the things...

February 2019: Competition Monthly

...to avoid common titles if you can, though that can be difficult if you’re not sure how common your title is! One of my first published stories was called New...