I’m very pleased to announce that, as of Saturday, around 12:00, I was appointed a director of Thanet Writers. I won’t repeat everything in the announcement or the role definitions – you can read them in these links, if you wish:-

Announcement on Thanet Writers

Thanet Writers Directors

As many of you will know, I’ve been a great advocate of Thanet Writers for some time and see this as an opportunity to pay back some of the insight and advice the team  members have given me over the last couple of years. The ability to network through the meetings has also been a significant help to me.

Their most important role has been in being able to say that I’m published. Professionally – paid with real money. They’re been kind enough to publish a number of my shorts online.

So, please support Thanet Writers. Go to the events, read the stories, articles and reviews and, if you are an author or poet connected to Thanet (in any way!), submit your work for publication!

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I also completed my first ever Facebook Live Event for Derwent Valley LitFest on Thursday 27th June. I thought it went OK. I’ve had more than 500 views at the time of writing, which seems pretty reasonable to me.

I’ll be getting some feedback from a professional speaker friend later today… then I’ll know how it really went!

In it I talk about being a fledgling author and pass on a few tips I’ve picked up along the way. I also read Lomea (free text version here) – my short story about a monk from Canterbury investigating rumours of heresy on the Island of Lomea, just off the Sandwich coast.

You can see the full Live session (45 minutes), here:

Lee – Live at the Derwent Valley LitFest, 27/06/19

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Beta review of Waterguard, my first full length novel which has been a work in progress for about 4 years, is progressing very well and is set to continue over the course of the summer. In my last post I mentioned some of the feedback, but I want to repeat it, because it feels so damn good!

Gripping

Fast flowing

I can’t wait for the next instalment

Enjoying it immensely

Forgot I was reading an unpublished work

I’ve stalled in the last week. Partially because of the LitFest prep (I over-prepared!) and partially because… it just got hard. The novel is in 3rd person / present tense (as I rewrite) but was 3rd person past tense. Before that it was 1st person past tense. So, I’m transposing as I go, but I’ve just reached the first section where my main character is no longer the centre of attention.

After some advice from a friend who is an author and editor, I’ve chosen a path – I’m going to stick with the narrator following the new lead for a few chapters. They take an increasingly important part as we go along, so it feels OK to preview this by giving them some of the stage now.

We’ll see if it works!

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A quick reminder that the HG Wells short-story competition closes on the 8th July. Still TIME to get those entries in! I’m absolutely delighted to say that Norah Perkins – of the agency Curtis Brown will be our keynote speaker and award presenter at the November awards ceremony in November. She will also be offering a coaching session to our two prize winners.

HG Wells Short Story Competition

Norah Perkins to Present 2019 HG Wells Awards

 

Anyway, that’s it for now. Toodleoo!

Lee