New Publishing Contract!

It's with great excitement that I announce that I've signed a new book contract with the elegantly smart publisher Choc Lit! (pops champagne cork!)


It has been a long while since I've been excited about anything to do with my writing and my books in general. The last few years have been a time of transition for me as I moved from Australia to England and changed my life. In that period my writing and books haven taken a back seat, as in the very back seat of a very long bus! But a few months ago, in the middle of all the preparations for our wedding, I decided to submit a manuscript titled, The Diary to Choc Lit. The submission process is approximately 4 months, so I put it from my mind and got on with wedding planning.


Then last week, while still in wedding day bliss, I received an email from the director of Choc Lit and arrangements were made for us to discuss The Diary. The end result was a contract offered. I think I'm still in shock that The Dairy will be published, not because of the books itself, as I am proud of that book and it's a damn good story if I do say so myself, but more because I'm once again stepping into the industry, which for over ten years, was an obsession for me. If I'm being honest, I'm apprehensive that the world of writing and publishing may take control of me again. However, this time I think I'll be ok. This time I'll have the balance of a loving new relationship and wonderful good friends to pull me away from the laptop and tell me get a grip when I devote hours and days and weeks and months to all that is 'writing'. 


So, with this in mind, and a healthy attitude towards reachable goals, I am embarking on being an author again. This last week of frenzy since announcing my contract deal has shown me that I have actually missed the industry and the wonderful author friends I've made over time. It's good to be back. It's good to have goals to achieve, and it's so good to have the support of wonderful people who want to see me succeed.


I'm not aiming to win the Booker Prize or whatever, and I have no false illusions as to how damn hard this industry is, I've been here before remember, no, this time I'm going to enjoy myself, and be less stressed about it all. Without being big-headed about it, I know I write good stories. I'm a storyteller. It's what I'm good at and enjoying doing. I write my stories to please myself, because I get pleasure from creating characters and the worlds they live in. If, and I hope they do, other people have a few hours of relaxation with reading my books then that makes me very happy indeed. 


My new publisher has a stable of wonderful authors, and I encourage you to look for their books to try. Visit their website http://www.choc-lit.com/