May Round Up

So, it’s the end of May and here in Norfolk the miserable weather has returned. I’ve recently sent off several story proposals and currently I don’t have any publishing news to share.

There’s a weary anticipation – waiting to hear back on submissions, waiting for the rain to let up so I can finally finish the raised bed I’m making for my pumpkins – while hoping the sun will soon emerge.

My great-gran used to say, “Don’t throw your clout until May is out,” which is from the original proverb “Ne'er cast a clout till May is out”. Basically, don’t put away your winter gear as there’s no promise good weather is near.

Let’s all have our fingers crossed for June tomorrow!

 

Preview !

I’m currently deciding what to focus on as my next main project, so here’s some openings from my various work in progresses:

“Wives at Saltmarsh come and go as the harvests do.”

Emily’s governess always warned against the dangers women faced in society.

– The Marshman’s Secret Bride, historical romance novella

 

“Highwaymen, French spies, ladies duelling over a lover. I fear they’ll call this fiction rather than a memoir!” Poppy laughed, pushing back her hair to lean over and blow away the sand she had scattered to quicken the ink’s drying process.

– The Copper Rose Heir, historical romance novella

 

“Do not stray from the path, no matter how dark it gets or how badly the thorns prick you.”

Mama presses to each child’s heart the marker. There is a whir, click and gasp. The centre gleams gold.

“If the tracker registers you strayed a single step, they will reject you.”

- It Rains Rust in Paradise, science fiction short story

 

“I should have drowned.”

Elsbeth’s teeth chattered, but she kept talking to herself. She needed something to mask the noises just beyond her torchlight: rustling scrapes from talons, the chitter-hum of insects and the drawn-out croak from a toad.

The creatures here weren’t gentle. They were hungry… and they were larger now.

– The Gale and the Plover, science fiction novel

WRITING TIPS @

I love seeing other people’s books, photographs and art, but I hate banging my own drum. It always feels too forced and I just want to hide back under the covers, but a big part of a writer’s life is social media and figuring out ways to advertise books without it sounding insincere.

Blog posts provide snapshots of a book and further insight, which is going to be more interesting to readers than a constant call to “buy my book”. It’s similar to the special features option on a DVD, providing extra content for people who have enjoyed your stories or even catching a new reader’s interest.

For example, I’ve done a few posts examining Viking life and culture for my romance book The Bride Who Rode in With the Storm as well as a post about Victorian pharmacies for my short story collection The Wherryman’s Daughter. The pharmacy post garnered lots of interest. I was able to include things I’d researched but couldn’t put in the original story and revisiting it led to inspiration for a sequel which has since been published. Sometimes I've stumbled upon new writers while doing research online and coming across blog posts discussing historical details related to their books.

What is it about your book that makes it different from others? Is it the story’s focus on food, a specific location or something personal in your life that inspired it?

An avid knitter? Try and recreate a favourite character’s outfit. Fancy some baking? Make some dishes that appear in the story. Artists can illustrate some of their favourite scenes. Even my WIP section for this post could be used as an online poll for readers to choose which openings they prefer. We all want to feel as if we're talking to someone and sharing similar interests, rather than being talked at.

Writing can feel like a bubble, but once you’re ready to share it you’re engaging with that vast world and it's hungry to know more.

Now, I can go hide again and hopefully next month we’ll see whether summer is well and truly here 😊

About the Author

Kitty-Lydia Dye wanders the beaches for inspiration with her dog Bramble. Her historical fiction has been influenced by the local myths roaming the haunting landscape of the Norfolk marshes. Many of her short stories have appeared in The People's Friend magazine. She has also released a collection inspired by Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. She enjoys knitting dog jumpers, gazing at the waves at night, exploring church ruins as well as taking part in amateur dramatics (and played the part of an evil flying monkey!)