Looking Back on 2024

Apologies for the lack of posts over the last few months. I last posted about 'hooks in books' on September 17th and that is the longest period without a post since I started the blog in January 2014. I have been writing, editing, attending meetings, giving author talks and selling books at book fair so I am very much still involved in the writing world.

Every year at this time, I look back and reflect on what my goals were for the year and consider how many I've managed to achieve. 

In 2024, I wrote 15 blog posts, way down on the year before. The year started well with nine of those being posts from guest writers who wrote about their forthcoming books. For me, supporting other authors is one of the most rewarding features of running a blog and I regret not inviting more writers onto the blog in the second half of the year. I love hearing about the 'stories behind the stories', the research writers have undertaken and about their writing journeys. 

Although 2024 was a lean year for blog posts, it was in fact the most successful for me since I started writing. In February, I remember my shock and thrill to receive an email informing me that my fourth novel, The Secret Sister, had been shortlisted in the Romantic Saga of the Year in the 2024 RONAs. I was sworn to secrecy until the shortlists were publicly announced on April 9th. I was bursting to tell someone! As you know, I absolutely loved writing that novel, having visited beautiful Sicily on a research trip the year before. 

Before the awards ceremony in May, in April, my first three novels were given new titles, covers and blurbs and this revamp resulted in considerably increased sales and ratings/reviews.

In May, my daughter and I took a whistle-stop research trip to Kefalonia where novel five is set. It was so good to walk in the footsteps of my characters. I was able to allow my senses to see, hear, taste and smell what Eleni would have done on her first visit to the stunning Greek island. I hope that sense of place will come over to you, the readers, when the book is published next year.

I

Back from the trip, it was down to London for the awards evening. What an amazing experience that was! I didn't win but was so delighted to have been shortlisted. You may read the blog post about the RNA Awards and the Joffe Garden party two days later HERE.

 

In 2024, I attended three book fairs and gave two talks about my books and my writing journey. As well as selling books, it was so good to talk about the stories and where my inspiration came from.

Giving a talk at Llandrindod Library
my home town.

All ready for the Winter Book Fair, Pontypridd.

In August, I attended the RNA Conference at Royal Holloway University. Again, it was excellent; I learned so much and enjoyed catching up with old friends and making new ones. 

I was pleased to have two of my flashes included in the Worcestershire LitFest Flash Fiction 2024 Anthology again this year. Because the date of the launch clashed with the Winter Book Fair, I read out one of them via Zoom.

In November, the year ended on a high for me. I signed a contract for two further books with my publisher, Joffe/ Choc Lit. With working titles of The Silent Sister set in Kefalonia and The Stolen Sister set in Crete, I'm excited to know that two more stories will be reaching my loyal readers. Watch this space for publication dates soon!

So how did I do in achieving my goals?

• to complete the first draft of The Silent Sister  - ✅                          
• to edit and polish it until it is as good as I can get it - ✅
• to submit to my editor - ✅
• to make a research trip to Kefalonia where the novel is partially set - ✅
• to start a newsletter and build up a list of subscribers - ❌
• to attend the RNA Conference in August at Royal Holloway - ✅
• to continue to support other writers - partially ✅. Have tried to share cand repost on social media but could do better on my blog! 
• to start researching and planning novel six, to be set in Crete - ✅.                                                                                      

Thank you for reading and for all your support in 2024. I'd like to especially thank all of you who have bought or downloaded my novels. The number of reviews and ratings have blown me away and help so much to calm down the old Imposter Syndrome that's ever present!

🎄🎄Happy Christmas to you all. See you in 2025! 🎄🎄                                                 .

You may also follow me on:

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BlueSky -  Jan Baynham‬

For more information about me and my books, please visit my Amazon page.

Hooks in Books

When I started submitting my first novel, I was told that, in order for it to be accepted, it would need to have a commercial hook. However, no one could ever tell me specifically what that was! Of late, as I embark on a new novel, I've been reflecting on what hooks my published novels have and what could be the hook or hooks in this new one.  

   

What is a 'hook in a book'? I think of a hook in a story as something that catches a reader's attention and makes them want to carry on reading - when you can't stop reading because you HAVE to know what happens next. Put simply, a hook grabs the reader's attention and pulls them into the story. 

'Story hooks work by reeling in the reader and making them want to learn more. Therefore, a good hook will create some sort of question (or better yet, multiple questions) in the reader's mind. They will simply have to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.'

Hooks can take different forms. Here are some of those listed by Casie Bozay in her excellent blog post, 10 Story Hook Tips For Grabbing Attention that I've used in Prologues:

- starting with action, dropping the reader into a tense scene. In The Greek Island Secret, the novel opens with Sofia finding her son dead, apparently having taken his own life. 

'Sofia Simonides let out a scream and tottered backwards. Her pulse struggled to force blood around her veins. The body was slumped against the gnarled trunk of an ancient olive tree, his head hanging to one side and resting on the left shoulder. Andreas had a blue-grey pallor, his skin a candle-wax translucency. Sofia bent over and touched his cheek. It was icy cold.'

In The Sicilian Promise, we share with Joe the arrival of the dreaded telegram informing him his son has been killed in action in WW2.

'He opened the door to a solemn-faced young man in uniform. "Mr Joseph Howells? A telegram for you." The blood drained from Joe's face. As he took the envelope, his hand shook. His pulse raced so fast he steadied himself against the hall table. Please, God. Don't let it be what I think it is.'

- create intrigue about the characters. In The Secret Sister, Carlo has just arrived at a POW camp in mid-Wales.

'Thoughts of home made him uneasy as he realised, once again, that he might never be able to go back (to Sicily). He felt for the crucifix that hung around his neck as an image of his accuser entered his head.'

Hopefully, the readers will want to find out why Carlo can't return to his homeland after the war has ended and what has he been accused of? Who is his accuser?

- introduce something ominous. In The French Affair, Odile wheels her bicycle into the barn at the side of the farmhouse.

'She heard the rafters in the upstairs loft creaking. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Her heart thumped. Several Nazis had been found hiding in neighbours' barns. They'd been trying to find out who was resisting the occupation and they were listening for evidence, She froze to the spot, hardly daring to breathe. Another creak. She wasn't imagining it.'

In my new novel, I've tried to introduce the possibility of something ominous to come after what should be a happy fun-filled evening.

'Greta smiled as she watched her new husband join in with the traditional Greek dancers, his blue eyes sparkling as swayed his hips and tried to dip in time with the others as they circled the dance floor. The haunting sound of the bouzouki music filled the busy taverna above the noise of the fun and laughter from the diners. Since arriving in Crete four years before as a naïve art student, she’d heard the instrument played many times but tonight, there was something unnerving about the dissonance of the music. She quickly dismissed the feeling when her three-year-old daughter wriggled down from her lap to join the dancers.'

These prologues are often short, sometimes no more than a page, but the hope is that they will pique the interest of readers to find out more. 

The advice in Casie Bozay's blog post is once we as writers have the reader's attention is to hold on to it. How can we do that? If the reader has too many unanswered questions, they will become frustrated but if they are answered straight away, the reader doesn't have a reason to read on. Getting the balance is crucial but not easy perhaps. Casie suggests:

'The best way to handle this is by answering some of the questions created by your hook while introducing new questions to keep the reader in suspense.'

So that is my task ahead as I write the first draft of a new novel. Wish me luck!

Thank you for reading. Writers, what hooks have you used in your novels? Readers, what makes you want to read on? 

You may also follow me on:

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FaceBook - Jan Baynham Writer

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For more information about me and my books, please visit my Amazon page.

Did you know that all my novels are available to read on Kindle Unlimited for those of you who subscribe?

Shortlisted for Romantic Saga of the Year 2024

'

I was transported to stunning Sicily and enjoyed the senses evoked through the setting and food. The mystery woven into the novel is compelling, and I love the art theme.'

 RNA CONFERENCE 2024

Just over a week ago, I travelled with my good writer friends, Sue McDonagh and Catherine Burrows to Egham, Surrey, for the RNA's annual conference. This year it was held at Royal Holloway University. Nothing could have prepared me for the stunning venue with its amazing architecture and history. The Founder's Building alone was both magical inside and out. After last year's event, I wondered how the organisers were going to top that conference but they did! I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and would like to publicly thank those organisers for their hard work and meticulous planning. 

We left Cardiff on Thursday 8th August by train and stayed in a Premier Inn not far from the venue so we could arrive early the next day when the conference officially started. 

We arrived by taxi to be greeted by a sea of excited faces to register and receive our goody bags and our keys for our accommodation. 

It was a very hot weekend and we were glad of the paper-heart fans we found in the bags. Here we are showing them off in the Welcome Meeting:

Courtesy of Virginia Heath

Over the three days, I attended some excellent talks and workshops, learned a lot and now need to reflect on that learning before I put it into practice. These included Sue Moorcroft's 'The Trickier Bits of Fiction', 'What's Your Hook?' with Fiona Lucas, Melissa Addey's 'How to Make and Use Book Trailers' and our fellow Cariad, Imogen Martin's 'Author IT for the Technically Challenged'.I definitely needed that one! The last two sessions on Sunday were ones I definitely gained a lot from, too - 'What a Great Idea!' delivered by Emma Robinson and, perhaps because setting plays such an important part in my own novels, Leonie Mack's 'Beyond Description: Using Setting to Enhance Your Story'.

The whole weekend was action-packed with a Hopeless Romantic Quiz on Friday night  - where I really was hopeless! - and the Gala party with its Barbeque and Disco on Saturday evening. Also included were the Joan Hessayon and Elizabeth Goudge awards, held in the stunningly beautiful Portrait Gallery. 

It was a wonderful conference. As well as all the learning, it was so good to catch up with old friends, meet others in person for the first time as well as make lots of new acquaintances.

Thank you for reading. What do you like most about attending conferences? What are the benefits? 

Thank you for reading. 

You may also follow me on:

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For more information about me and my books, please visit my Amazon page.

Did you know that all my novels are available to read on Kindle Unlimited for those of you who subscribe?

Shortlisted for Romantic Saga of the Year 2024

'I was transported to stunning Sicily and enjoyed the senses evoked through the setting and food. The mystery woven into the novel is compelling, and I love the art theme.'

An Exciting Week

Last week was a whirlwind week for me! Just back from a trip to Kefalonia where novel five is partially set, last Monday my daughter Joanna and I travelled to London for the RNA's Romantic NoveL Awards 2024 ceremony. My novel, The Secret Sister, had been entered for the Romantic Saga category by my publisher JOFFE BOOKS and I couldn't have been more thrilled to have been shortlisted. 

The event was held at the Royal Leonardo Hotel in Tower Hill on a lovely fine evening. The shortlistees had to turn up early at 5pm for photographs and a chance to meet and chat with the other finalists. Another Joffe author and fellow Cariad, Evonne Wareham, was shortlisted in the Romantic Suspense category. 

©Katie Hipkiss Visuals

The ceremony began at 6.30pm and we found our seats at the Joffe table. It was so good to have the support on the night of my fantastic editor, Emma Grundy Haig, and other members of the Joffe team as well as Joanna and fellow author, Anni Rose. The presenter of the awards was celebrity Anton du Beke who was great fun. I didn't win but to be a finalist made it very special. Huge congratulations to the winner of my category, lovely Francesca Capaldi, with her book A New Start at the Beach Hotel! 

It was great meeting in person authors I've admired from afar as well as catching up with old friends. I loved being part of such a fabulous, glittering occasion and it's one I will remember for a very long time. 

©Katie Hipkiss Visuals

Later that week, I travelled back up to London for the Joffe Books 10th Anniversary Garden Party. It was another brilliantly sunny day after the rain of the previous days and just perfect for the garden party held at Six Park Place, St James's. As you can see from the photograph, there were so many people there! The bubbles and wine flowed and trays of canapes were continually being offered. There was a good representation from fellow Choc Lit authors, many of whom I only 'knew' online, and it was lovely to get to know them better. As well as meeting more of the Joffe team, it was great to meet Jasper Joffe himself and celebrate the milestone of ten years of successful publishing with so many authors of all different genres. Another marvellous evening!

Now it's down to earth with a bump! This week I shall be further editing novel five after a successful and informative research trip to Kefalonia. The novel was already written when I went with a list of questions and places to visit. Armed with my notes and photographs, I'm delving in! Please wish me luck. 

Thank you for reading. 

You may also follow me on:

X/Twitter - @JanBaynham

FaceBook - Jan Baynham Writer

Instagram - janbaynham

Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jan-baynham

For more information about me and my books, please visit my Amazon page.

Did you know that all my novels are available to read on Kindle Unlimited for those of you who subscribe?

Shortlisted for Romantic Saga of the year 2024

'I was transported to stunning Sicily and enjoyed the senses evoked through the setting and food. The mystery woven into the novel is compelling, and I love the art theme.'

Guest Post by Vicki Beeby

This week, I'm thrilled to welcome very talented author, Vicki Beeby, to the blog. Vicki writes historical fiction about the friendships and loves of service women brought together by the Second World War. The second in her Bomber Command series, A Wedding for the Bomber Girls was published by Canelo on April 25th.

Welcome, Vicki. I think you're going to tell us about wartime wedding gowns, a subject you know lots about after writing your latest novel. It's over to you   

Wartime Wedding Gowns

What subject for a novel could be more heartwarming than a wedding, complete with springtime flowers and a beautiful dress? That’s what I thought when I was outlining ideas for my Bomber Girls books, and I was thrilled when my editor at Canelo agreed and commissioned the series. Of course, as soon as I started to write A Wedding for the Bomber Girls, I was faced with a major challenge – what was the bride, Pearl, going to wear to her wedding? The more I researched the matter, the more I saw how difficult clothes rationing made procuring a luxury one-off item like a wedding gown. I soon found that wartime brides who wanted to get married in a new dress would use their clothing coupons to make or buy a smart dress or suit that could be worn again. Those that wanted a traditional white wedding gown would usually have to borrow one from a friend or relative. But what options were open to brides unable to borrow a dress if they had set their hearts on a white wedding? 

If they were able to get hold of used or surplus parachute silk, they would have plenty of material for a gown without using up any of their precious coupons. In fact, there are several cases of a bride using silk from the parachute that saved her fiancé’s life, which has to be the most romantic ever dress to get married in! There are also examples of well-to-do women buying up second-hand wedding dresses to either hire out or donate. Author Barbara Cartland famously advertised in The Lady for two wedding gowns which she then donated to brides. These gowns would be worn for the day and then returned so other brides could also use them. Over time, Barbara Cartland amassed a large pool of gowns, enabling many brides to have their dream wedding. As well as clothes rationing creating problems for brides, theatres and film studios also suffered – clothes rationing applied to theatrical costumes as much as to everyday clothing. To help, Gainsborough film studios compiled a catalogue of their entire costume collection and made it available to other film studios and theatres, enabling them to hire costumes for their productions. However, they had several bridal gowns in their catalogue, and brides started using the service to hire dresses. Imagine the thrill of being married in a gown that had been worn by a film star! 

Another option for servicewomen was to marry in uniform, and many did. However, I immediately dismissed that idea for Pearl – planning the perfect wedding is how she distracts herself from the terrifying truth that her bomber pilot fiancé might not even survive long enough to make the wedding. So which option did I choose for Pearl’s gown? You’ll have to read A Wedding for the Bomber Girls to find out!

Blurb

As wedding bells ring out, joy will be found amidst the tensions of war… At RAF Fenthorpe, instrument repairer Thea is helping her sister, Pearl, plan her wedding alongside fellow WAAF and maid of honour Jenny. A misfit amongst the women on the base, though, Thea is struggling to get others onboard. When Flight Sergeant Fitz makes a point of befriending and standing by her, sparks fly between the two. And when Fitz’s crew member, Jack, faces being stripped of his rank due to cowardice, Thea throws herself into seeking justice and support for him. Just as she begins to be accepted by her fellow WAAFs, a shadowy figure from her past has returned and is determined to ruin not just Thea, but also Pearl’s wedding. Will Thea's reputation be marred once more? And will she face this struggle alone…? 

A page-turning and feel-good Second World War saga, for fans of Johanna Bell, Daisy Styles and Kate Thompson.

Purchase links

mybook.to/WedBG

Social media links

Website: vickibeeby.co.uk

Facebook page: facebook.com/VickiBeebyAuthor

Instagram: @vickibeebyauthor

Thank you, Vicki. I love the fact that some brides were able to have their dream white weddings with the help of Barbara Cartland. I knew first-hand about wedding dresses at the time being made from parachute silk. Although it was a few years after the war, my mum looked beautiful in hers. Your novel is already doing brilliantly and receiving super reviews. I wish you much continued success with it.

Thank you for reading. I'm sure you enjoyed Vicki's post as much as I did. Did any of your relatives have a wedding dress made from parachute silk? Did anyone hire one from someone famous? We'd love to hear. Thank you. 

You may also follow me on:

X/Twitter - @JanBaynham

FaceBook - Jan Baynham Writer

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Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jan-baynham

For more information about me and my books, please visit my Amazon page.

Did you know that all my novels are available to read on Kindle Unlimited for those of you who subscribe?

'I just adore Jan Baynham's books - they each read like a beautiful saga - stretching over a couple of generations, the stories just grab you and draw you in.' 

Amazon Reviewer 5*

Guest Post With Angela Petch

Today I'm delighted to welcome one of my favourite authors, Angela Petch, to the blog. Angela writes the most amazing historical WW2 novels set in Italy. Her latest, The Sicilian Secret. was published last Tuesday by Bookouture. 

Angela, welcome. As you know I'm a huge fan of your books so I'm fascinated to learn more about how you set about writing your novels. I think you're going to tell us about PLOTTING. It's over to you! 

I tend to be a pantser – somebody who writes, supposedly, by the seat of their pants. But in writing The Sicilian Secret, I had to keep a tighter rein.

The story has three timelines, many locations and a mystery running through.

I had to keep careful notes, making sure characters were in the right place at the right time and not lose the reader before I had even started to drop breadcrumb clues. Cue post-its, spread sheets, notice board and notes in the margins. 

In a very early chapter, I introduced a mysterious coded letter and I hoped the readers would want to work it out for themselves.

I love watching whodunnits and I know there is nothing more annoying than keeping the viewer in the dark by not dropping sufficient clues or being dealt random red herrings. Ashley Stokes in The Creative Writing Coursebook (from the university of East Anglia) writes:

 “Plotting is the underside of the stone that nobody sees.”

In plotting The Sicilian Secret, I felt at times like a duck paddling furiously on top of muddy waters, trying to remain calm, occasionally sticking my bill through the murky depths to see what the hell was going on beneath. There were so many what-if moments cropping up, not apparent to me at the start. Characters appeared in scenes I hadn’t plotted out in the beginning stages and I allowed them in, but always with the fear I was pulling the narrative out of shape. But I needed all these separate stories. In the end, I realised the process had to be a combination of planning, composing and, most importantly, careful editing once I had laid everything out.

One location in the story involved a visit to further my research. On a sunny day in September 2023, I travelled to Bletchley Park – BP or X as some of the workers there knew it.

A photo of me at Bletchley Park in 1940 clothes. 

It is a fascinating place and going there helped me get inside the head of one of my main protagonists. Out of the 12,000 workers, 8,000 were women. They helped with decoding, classifying and breaking codes, providing important intelligence that led to Allied victory in the Second World War.

To work in such a place, amidst absolute secrecy, involved having a tidy, meticulous mind but it also involved huge powers of imagination and ingenuity. (Rather like a writer, I thought.) I needed one of my characters in particular to read into a strange message that arrived. Did she? Could she? Or was she only human and having a bad day? Would it make much difference?

After plotting, pruning, cutting, cogitating, revising your book, it’s time for the author to let go and let the readers decide.

And decide we did, Angela. I felt I knew your characters so well that I could gauge what they were thinking and why they made the decisions they did. Thank you for giving us such an insight into the plotting that went into your fabulous book. 

Blurb

Italy, 1943. With war raging across the rugged cliffs and turquoise waters of his beloved Sicily, Savio's pen scrawls desperately across the page. His letter must be sent in secret - or his life will be in terrible danger...

England, present day, Paige is devastated when her reclusive but beloved Aunt Florence dies - the only family she'd ever known. Inheriting her crumbling cottage, Paige finds an unfinished note. 'I'm sorry, Paige. It's time to tell you everything. It all began in Sicily...'

Beside the note is a faded envelope - addressed to a woman called Joy  - with an Italian postage stamp from 1943. The letter is made up of Roman numerals and snippets of sentences written in Italian. But who is Joy? Was someone sending a coded message? Paige is desperate to piece together the truth. But she soon discovers it will change everything she'd ever believed about her aunt, and her family history.

1943. Lady Joy Harrison may have grown up in a manor house, but she's determined to fight for what's right and use her fluent Italian to help the Allies. Breaking code on a long night shift, Joy reads a secret message that makes her whole body shake. A dark haired young man she once loved is in terrible danger on the shores of Sicily. Was the message sent by him? And will she ever see him again - or will war tear them apart for good?

An absolutely heartbreaking and stunning historical novel about how wartime secrets can stretch across the generations, and the incredible bravery of ordinary people in the darkest of times. Fans of 'The Nightingale', Fiona Valpy and Lucinda Riley will be captivated. 

Read what everyone's saying about The Sicilian Secret:

'Stunning and captivating... Moved me to tears... Powerful... An absolute must-read! I really loved it! Cindy L Spear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Unforgettable... I was swept away... An achingly beautiful story, brimming with emotion... Simply stunning! Goodreads reviewer. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A story of love, danger and sacrifice. A tear jerker. I used so many tissues... it was wonderful! Goodreads reviewer. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Fantastic... I fell in love with Joy and Savio... Beautiful... I adored this book.' Confessionsofabookworm1. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I had trouble putting this down!... A stunner!... Put everything on hold whilst reading this one.' Goodreads reviewer. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Charming... a mystery that was hard to put down until every question was answered.' Goodreads reviewer. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bio

Published by Bookouture, Angela Petch is an award-winning writer of fiction – and the occasional poem.

Every summer she moves to Tuscany for six months where she and her husband own a renovated watermill which they let out. When not exploring their unspoilt corner of the Apennines, she disappears to her writing desk at the top of a converted stable. In her Italian handbag or hiking rucksack she always makes sure to store notebook and pen to jot down ideas.

The winter months are spent in Sussex where most of her family live. When Angela’s not helping out with grandchildren, she catches up with writer friends.

Angela’s gripping WWII novels set in Italy are published by Bookouture. While her novel, Mavis and Dot, was self-published and tells of the frolics and foibles of two best-friends who live by the seaside. Angela also writes short stories published in Prima and People’s Friend.

Buying Links

Order link for book

https://geni.us/B0CYQTW8KKauthor

Order link for audio

UK: https://ow.ly/8BP850RkY2U 

US: https://ow.ly/xrJn50RkY2T

Social Media Links

Blog: https://angelapetchsblogsite.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaJaneClarePetch

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Angela_Petch

Instagram:  @angela_maurice

Thank you for reading. I hope you found Angela's comments on plotting as interesting as I did. If you haven't yet read The Sicilian Secret, I highly recommend it. Here is my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6450158040

You may also follow me on:

X/Twitter - @JanBaynham

FaceBook - Jan Baynham Writer

Instagram - janbaynham

Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jan-baynham

For more information about me and my books, please visit my Amazon page.

Did you know that all my novels are available to read on Kindle Unlimited for those of you who subscribe?

'I just adore Jan Baynham's books - they each read like a beautiful saga - stretching over a couple of generations, the stories just grab you and draw you in.' 

Amazon Reviewer 5*