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Showing posts with the label writing

What does a writer do when a writer isn't writing?

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I'm in a bit of a limbo - in the best possible way. Last week I completed writing my novel  The Paper Mill Girl. I've pressed the 'send' button and it's on its way to the publisher. It's a book I've loved writing and includes much of the research into paper making methods of 100 years ago I researched at Frogmore Mill in Apsley. I blogged about my visit to F antastic Frogmore here . Later this month, I'll start researching and writing my next novel - but I'm allowing myself a couple of weeks off before I start planning that. And in those two weeks, you might wonder what a writer does when a writer isn't writing. Not too surprisingly, while my fingers are taking a break from bashing the keyboard, my brain is whirring still. So I've been... Thinking about what I've done so far with my writing life and what I might do in the future. Tinkering with a monologue I wrote some years ago to turn it into a play. Submitting  dark an...

Putting myself about a bit this Christmas

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I'm putting myself about a bit this Christmas, in the nicest possible way. Sunday 1 December from 2pm to 3pm I'll be at the National Glass Centre Sunderland as part of Museum Shop Sunday.  All details here . Sunday 8 December at 3pm I'm giving a talk on my novels set in Ryhope, Sunderland at the Christmas Cracker event at Fulwell Community Centre. Norman Kirtlan, another local author and a member of the Sunderland Antiquarian Society, will also be talking about his books. There'll be mince pies, a glass of fiz, sparkle and raffle prizes galore. All details here .  Thursday 12 December from 6pm I'll be at Waterstone's Sunderland doing a book signing of the hardback of Pearl of Pit Lane. And last but by no means least I'll be at the Christmas Fayre at United Reform Church, Sidecliff Road, Roker, Sunderland on Saturday 14 December from 12 noon to 3.30pm. There'll also be a raffle to win one of my books. Hope you see you at on...

Fancy a fun, festive read? My book of Christmas short stories

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Fancy a fun, festive read? The Greatest Snowman is my book of Christmas short stories, available now in paperback (£2.99) and ebook (£1.99). Available here. __ Glenda Young Author of historical novels with Headline Twitter:  @Flaming_Nora Facebook:  GlendaYoungAuthor

On the shelf in Sunderland civic centre

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Things happen, don't they? Nice things, I mean. Nice things that make your heart swim with pride and put a tear in your eye. Today was one of those days when something lovely happened.  Kathryn Robertson is an illustrator and her website is here.   She's created this mural (or as Hilda Ogden would say, a muriel) which now graces a wall in the cafe at Sunderland civic centre. It's a mural of a bookshelf with some Sunderland authors and I'm over the moon to be included. I'm there with Marie Gardener, Nancy Revell, Jessica Andrews, Alan Parkinson, Iain Rowan, Kate Adie, Terry Deary.   And there's more.  The mural is part of a bigger picture with more authors - including the author of one of my favourite books Alice in Sunderland - Bryan Talbot, Mary Talbot, David Turton, Sarah Dobbs, Jane Gulliford, Shiela Quigley and Paul Swinney,  What an absolute joy. __ Glenda Young Author of historical novels with Headline Twitter: ...

My writing week: London, New York, Paris... and Middlesbrough

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What a whirlwind of a week it's been. To London this week for a meeting which I can't say anything about just yet.  While there, I called into the D C Thomson Building on Fleet Street where there's a People's Friend magazine celebration going on. It's the magazine's 150th anniversary this year and I've been lucky enough to have already attended a party up in Dundee. Find out all about it here in my write-up, it really was an amazing event. Also, I've been invited to be a guest speaker at a Meet The Authors session at The People's Friend magazine's 150th anniversary weekend in late May. Find out more here! And the day after London I travelled again by train to Middlesbrough, just over an hour from home. I was there to sign BELLE OF THE BACK STREETS books, my debut novel and what a wonderful time I had. People were very friendly and whether they bought a book or not, they stopped to chat and wished me well. Today, I'm having a res...

Short story The Housekeeper's Secret in My Weekly magazine

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There's a very special competition in this week's My Weekly magazine to win one of ten copies of my debut novel Belle of the Back Streets.  The magazine also carries an exclusive short story I've written, called  The Housekeeper's Secret  and I do hope you enjoy it. Debut novel  Belle of the Back Streets Now out in paperback, hardback, audiobook and e-book

From Soaps To Saga: My interview with Women Writers website

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My debut novel Belle of the Back Streets is published in paperback this week on Thursday 7 March 2019 - World Book Day. Women Writers website asked me to write a blog post about my love of soap opera and how (or if) it's influenced my writing, especially my debut novel. It's a cracking read - and it's here if you'd like to read it Debut novel  Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback, audiobook and e-book Paperback released March 7 2019  .

Sweets & Friends & Rock & Roll

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Me with my pal Paul Dunn This week I was invited to my local branch of Waterstone's book shop in Sunderland to sign some of the hardback copies of my debut novel Belle of the Back Streets.   I took with me a box of sweets, hoping to entice book browsers to me. One of the lovely people who came in to see me and have their book signed was my pal Paul Dunn who came in with his wife Nessa. I love Paul and Nessa, they're crackers in the best possible way. I met them both while I was pretending to be a stuffed lion. Yes, that's how my life rolls. Wallace the Lion at Sunderland Museum Anyway, Paul was one of the people who was instrumental in giving me the confidence and courage to submit my novel to an agent.  Not only that, but he's written about me on his own website and if you'd like to have a look at it, it's here. I find it very  hard to blow my own trumpet and sing my own praises but I'm learning that if I don't do it, nobody else will. Wel...

Tall. Northern. Daydreamer - my Q&A

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With the launch of my debut novel Belle of the Back Streets  I'm interviewed by author Katie Ginger on her blog this week.   It's a fun Q&A but with a serious undertone too. Katie asks what success feels like. I reply that it's filling in her Q&A.   I hope you enjoy reading it, it's here. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book.  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

Behind the scenes at an audio book recording

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Today has been an incredible day and one I'll never forget. The recording of the audio book for my debut novel Belle of the Back Streets took place and I was invited in to sit and listen to some of the recording.  What an amazing experience it was. Esteemed TV and stage actress Janine Birkett is the narrator of my book and I sat and listened in the studio to her read a couple of chapters. She was fantastic, really bringing the characters to life in a way I had never imagined. At one point I even had a tear in my eye, moved with the emotion of hearing my words read out in such a dramatic style. I was also given a behind the scenes tour of the recording and editing process for which I'm very grateful indeed. It really has been the best of days. The audio book of Belle of the Back Streets is released on December 15th by Soundings and is available on CD, MP3 and download. Find out more at Audible. Here are Janine and I in the recording studio. I'm the one look...

Short Story on the Shortlist - Dorset Fiction Award

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I'm over the moon to announce that I've got a short story on the shortlist for the Dorset Fiction Award 2018. I can't say which one is mine, as they were all judged anonymously, but I really am chuffed! Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Help! My Husband's A Hipster

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In January of this year I had a short story called Help! My Husband's A Hipster published in The People's Friend Fiction Special magazine.   As if that wasn't exciting enough, in this week's magazine there's a letter from a reader saying how much they enjoyed my work. I'm over the moon! Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Commuter Crush

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I've a short story called Commuter Crush which is in The People's Friend magazine out today. Also in the magazine is another instalment of my weekly soap opera Riverside, which is my writing highlight of each week. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Two stories in Take a Break's Fiction Feast

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I've two short stories in Take a Break's Fiction Feast, in the shops today. "Jenny Two-Phones" is a comic story inspired by a woman I met at a training day who was using two phones. I wondered what would happen if she sent the wrong message to the wrong phone... ... and "The Female Fab Four" is a story of an all-female Beatles tribute band. One of the most poignant short stories I've ever written. Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Workshop: Writing short stories for women's magazines

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Date for your diary if you’re interested in writing short stories for women's magazines. Wednesday 28th March at 11am in the Pottery Gallery, City Library @ Sunderland Museum. I'll be sharing some top tips to help you get published! My talk is part of Sunderland Creative Writing Festival. Keep up to date with events at the festival via their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/litwritfestival/ Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

An ode to the North East Business Innovation Centre

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On a wet weekend in the middle of this summer, I was locked away in an airport hotel.  That sounds like the beginning of a short story but it was in fact all true. Well, apart from being locked in. I was on a residential course which was held over a weekend. Now then, I'm no fan of death by powerpoint over the course of a weekend, and truth be told wasn't really looking forward to this. But I do like learning, in fact I hunger to learn new things and to keep my skills up to date.  Working for myself now, as a freelance writer, it's important I keep myself aware of what's going on because some days, as a writer, I don't even leave the house.  And that's great on days like today when it's sleeting down outside and the muse is upon me (well, she was this morning, I think she's gone for a lie-down now).  But on other days, when it's not blowing a gale outdoors, I like to get out and meet people. Most of all I like to learn. After seeing a soci...

Could it be magic?

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I've a short story in The People's Friend magazine which is in the shops today. The story is called Could it be magic? and is a comedy romance about a magician called Magic Ian who finds a new love. The story also makes the front cover of the magazine too.  Chuffed to bits! Find out more about me and my books. Click on the image below : I'm on twitter @flaming_nora