Sunday 19 July 2015

What a Difference a Year Makes!


Oh my word – this just happened!

The Torn Up Marriage in Waterstones Newcastle-upon-Tyne

My debut novel is sat next to David Nicholls' “One Day” and a host of other famous authors on a “Summer Reading” table-top display at Waterstones, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Did I really just write that? Yes, this is true! Wow.

I cannot begin to explain how this feels…  A little bit surreal, and me doing some happy dancing in the living room, is the nearest description. A year ago, I was wondering if all those hours and hours of writing were worth it, and if after 6 years of submissions, rejections and over 10 years of writing, I was actually a bit delusional. Was I any good at writing? Would I ever get a publishing deal?




After a lot of hard work, picking myself up, learning from my experiences and carrying on writing, it finally happened. I still remember that day vividly, just less than a year ago, when not just one but two publishing deals were offered to me.

The whole journey has been a huge learning curve. I am now trying to get on board with promotion and publicity for my debut “The Torn Up Marriage”, (must have done something right with getting in to Waterstones!) as well as starting to write Book 3, and tackling edits for Book 2. Along with doing my first ever library talk (stomach like a washing machine, but seemed to go okay), the day job, and everything else.

And what has been so lovely is that I have met some wonderful people on the way, made new friends, and been supported in such generous ways by my old friends, my family and my local community. I’m on a new journey, and boy, I’m so glad I persevered and held on to my dream of becoming a published author.

THANK YOU, and if you are still writing and dreaming of that publishing deal KEEP GOING!

Very best wishes,


Caroline x