Flaming Nora

Today I spent the afternoon in the University library, of which I'm an alumni member. There are no students about, I had the top floor to myself. It was quiet and peaceful, just perfect for the task in hand. From the two page synopsis I wrote to outline my third novel, I took the plot points and expanded each one. Then I scribbled onto post-its and finally, started sticking them down onto 16 pieces of A4. 16 pages for 16 chapters, which is where I like to head. At approx. 6,000 words per chapter that takes me, more or less, to the 100,000 words which I'll turn in before the deadline of February next year. The next step is writing up the chapter plans, loosely embroidering some stitches around the framework I've created, but always knowing that things will - and should - change, as I go. After chapter plans comes the writing, right? Wrong. First comes more thinking, more day-dreaming. What colour is my heroine's hair? What's her dog called... or should she h...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update  has just gone live here. This week in Corrie, the fabulous Claudia returned. Find out more about me and my books at: Glenda Young Books I'm on Twitter @flaming_nora and Instagram @flaming_nora

Very proud to say I've been shortlisted in the Ryedale Book Festival short story competition. I'm one of the final ten whose short stories have now been published by Blackthorn Press in an anthology called 10 Short Stories. You can find out more about the Ryedale Book Festival here .  The award-giving night will be held in September at the Talbot Hotel in Malton, which is just a stone's throw away from one of my favourite places, Scarborough. A weekend has been booked and I'm looking forward to it already. Find out more about me and my books at: Glenda Young Books I'm on Twitter @flaming_nora and Instagram @flaming_nora

I love the summer and warm weather. People are nice to each other, friendly. They wear their summer clothes and they eat ice-creams and let's face it, who isn't happy with a 99 in their hand? But the heat is no good for writers. Or at least, it's no good for me. I'm indoors, editing my second novel. It's so hot my fingers stick to the keyboard. I'm concentrating on my work hard, for long periods of time, that I don't notice I'm dehydrated and when I stand up, I wobble. I wander downstairs for iced water, and the house feels swampy inside. I open more windows, but the breeze hides outside, somewhere. Indoors there's no air-conditioning, this is northern England after all. In the study where I write, I have a door to my side which opens to a balcony. But the door remains closed. When I open it my paperwork flies, that pesky breeze that I couldn't find before is right there, swirling notes and photocopies around. I close the door. I open al...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update  has just gone live here. This week in Corrie there was a lot of good stuff, actually.  Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I'm very proud to say that I've been interviewed by the Romantic Novelists' Association. I feature on their blog this week where I talk about soaps and saga and my passion for writing. If you'd like to read it, it's here. And if you'd like to know more about the covers of my first two (of three) novels coming soon with Headline, you can find out more here. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

VERY proud to be able to share the cover of my debut novel "Belle of the Back Streets" - it's out in hardback in November this year with Headline.  It's set in the northeast coal mining village of Ryhope in 1919. All details at https://www.headline.co.uk/books/detail.page?isbn=9781472256560  Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've a short story in The People's Friend Fiction Special No. 160 which is out in the shops now. It's a very short, one page story called Missing! And it's about, well, a couple who go missing. Their daughters are frantic with worry - but where have the couple gone and why are they being secretive?  You'll have to find out by reading it all but be warned, it's not what it seems. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've a short story in My Weekly's burlesque special pull-out called For Your Eyes Only. My story is called The Spice of Life.  It was a real pleasure writing something saucy. Here is the cover of the Special and it's in the shops now. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update  has just gone live here. This week in Corrie there was too much doom and gloom. Again. Bring on the new producer, bring on the new owners of the Rovers - and let's make this the best show on telly again. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I originally wrote this blog post on the 4th anniversary of the 2005 London bombings when I worked in London.   It's worth reposting.  On my way to work this morning, I walked through Russell Square Park just like I’ve done for almost every working day of the seven years I’ve lived in London. But this morning I took a different route through the park to stand by the oak tree planted as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the London bombings, four years ago to the day. I know how lucky I was that day. I know. I was one of thousands of Piccadilly line commuters who, if we’d left the house a couple of minutes earlier / later / hadn't stopped to buy a paper, could have been on the tube train which exploded between King's Cross and Russell Square tube stations. When I did eventually reach central London that morning, I then walked to work past Tavistock Square where the bomb on the bus exploded later that morning. I heard it from my office. The memorial oak tree i...