Saturday 29 June 2013

1001 Downloads!

Hi!

I'm having a little celebration.  Being Isobel has had an incredible 1001 downloads from Smashwords!



I am so grateful to everyone who took the time to download my story.  I can't thank you enough!

The idea for Being Isobel came about after seeing other authors pinning hunks on Pinterest and casting them in their romance novels.  I wondered what the authors would do if they ever met the objects of their desires?  My imagination ran away with me and I decided to write up the story for NaNoWriMo 2012.

Writing the story was quick, easy and a lot of fun!  I took a little break before editing it and in January 2013 I published it as a free novel on Smashwords.  I decided to give it away for free just to drum up a bit of interest in me an an author.  I'd already published Heaven Knows This Time and Another Perfect Angel but despite excellent feedback from my readers, I wasn't exactly challenging JK Rowling in the earnings department!

I quickly started getting five star reviews on Smashwords and Being Isobel featured in Heart of Glass magazine.  I joined an indie review group on Goodreads and received this really positive three star review from fellow author MC Lavocat.

The positive reviews were really uplifting but not everyone appreciated my story.  My mum blushed as she told me how she enjoyed it but she thought it was 'very explicit!' and a reviewer was not happy about me dropping so many F-bombs.  I know it was childish but that made me giggle :)

It's always hard an author to read bad reviews.  I was a little upset when a Goodreads reviewer gave me my first ever one star review: 'Awful writing style. It was free, but not worth the time. Implausible and annoying read.'

I know everyone is entitled to an opinion but it's hard to take criticism that isn't backed up with any reasoning.  What was so awful about my writing style?  And since when was plausibility a requirement for fiction?  Is it plausible for Harry Potter to go to school on a magic train?  Or for a little man with hairy toes to go on adventures with a magic ring?

Thankfully the reviewer was in the minority and I received many more positive reviews.

"Really enjoyed this book. Characters you can understand, romance, lust plus some real down to earth moments. I loved it. Nice and easy to read, didn't take me long at all."

"A Must Read! This book was wonderful!! I was very impressed with the author's ability to gain the reader's sympathy. Tracy is a wonderful character! Can't wait to read more of her work!!"

"I LOVED IT? THE WHOLE PLOT LINE FIT WELL TOGETHER? AND THE ENDING WAS GREAT!!! I HOPE THEY HAVE A BOOK 2 OR MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

So may I say thanks again to everyone to downloaded the book and if you haven't already got it why not download it for free?  It's available from Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books and all good ebook retailers.  I hope you enjoy it!

Clair



Thursday 13 June 2013

The trilogy is complete

So, that's it then.  The Heaven Knows trilogy is complete.

I know it sounds daft but I kind of feel a bit sad to be leaving Angel and her friends.  From the opening lines of Heaven Knows This Time I lived with the characters in my head, wondering what they would do next and how they would handle all the bad stuff I threw at them.

I still feel guilty about Simon, he was a unique character and one of my favourites, but he played his part and was the catalyst for everything that was to follow.

I had fun with Lora, the flaky party girl with a heart of gold.  She's the perfect BFF, even if her mouth isn't always connected to her brain.  Livi was fun to write too but Oliver was quite tricky.  He might look like his brother but his personality is quite different.  It was interesting writing the relationship between him and Angel.  I wanted them to have a close relationship but I didn't want it to be physical, even though at times it nearly was.

Angel is no heroine, she started out as a blank canvas, passive and obedient, but I think she grew up into a pretty strong young woman, despite what I put her through.  Miles is her rock and I think they make a pretty cute couple.  They're aren't perfect but who is?

I had too much fun writing the novels, drawing on happy memories of going to  gigs when I was a teenager and mucking about in bands.  I especially enjoyed writing from Miles's point of view in Angel's Shadow.  It wasn't easy putting myself in the head of a 24 year old man but I felt the story needed his voice.

It's hard to believe I only started writing these books 18 months ago but I didn't have to think too hard about any of the story lines.  The plot came together pretty well and  I really hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoyed writing them.

I still have to finish Lora's Secret Diary but for now I'm going to close the door on Angel and concentrate on other writing projects.  I recently wrote a short vampire story, The Last Bite which you can download for free from Smashwords.  I've also written a short ghost story which I've entered into a competition and I'm currently working on a novella about love and knitting.  I think I might be addicted to this writing lark!

Anyway, thank you for all your support and I hope you enjoy my books :)





Tuesday 11 June 2013

Angel's Shadow - OUT NOW!

Hi!

I'm pleased to announce the release of Angel's Shadow, the third book in the Heaven Knows trilogy.

Unknown Pleasures are back from their US tour and Angel is glad to have Miles home until her world is rocked by a shocking discovery. She's pregnant, but Miles isn't the father. 

Tensions are high and Angel struggles to make sense of everything as events unfold. A singer goes missing, a body is found and Angel wonders if her nightmares hold the key to what happened. 

All Miles wants to do is protect her but he's fighting his own battles. Fame has gone to Jamie's head, he's mixing with the wrong people and jeopardising the future of the band.

Is this the end for Unknown Pleasures? Will love tear them apart or can Angel and Miles rebuild their unique family.


The book is available to purchase from Amazon UK, Amazon US and Smashwords.