Happy Christmas One and All
This will be my last blog for 2015 and I'm sure like me you wonder where the last twelve months have gone. This year for the first time in many years we shall be spending it away from our own house and will be staying in Manchester with our daughter who lives about five minutes away from our son, daughter-in-law and our two grandsons. 

The week is ending on a high for me with two new stories published on Alfie Dog Fiction.

On Wednesday, my story, 'Whispers in the Olive Trees', was published. It is set in one of my favourite parts of the world, a region of Greece where I often visited my aunt and Greek uncle. Following in her mother’s footsteps a generation before, Alex travels to the Peloponnese region of Greece searching for answers. What changed Elin’s life forever in the summer of ‘69? Will Alex find out who the mysterious C. is? Why does an old lady verbally attack her on the beach?

To put you in the festive mood, why not download a Christmas story from Alfie Dog? Mine is entitled 'Santa Calls' and is one of the new stories that went live today. It's a feel good story that I hope will make you feel warm and Christmassy. The festive season is in full swing but Mary's heart is not in it this year. She goes through the motions of buying a tree and decorating the house but memories of happy Christmases past reinforce the fact that this one will be different. How can Steve help lift her mood?

I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas. What are your plans this year? Are you staying at home or like me spending it away? I look forward to hearing how you'll be spending your Christmases, whether you'll be writing or not and whether you'll be carrying out any family traditions as part of your celebrations.

As the year comes to a close in a couple of weeks, I'd like to thank you all for supporting the blog. It's two years old in January and I have my very loyal readers who read and comment - you know who you are! :-) but the 'stats' also show how many more people read the blog without leaving a comment. 

Thank you for reading and I'll see you all again in 2016.

You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBayLit and on my Jan Baynham Writer page.

The End... Or is it?

On Sunday 29th November at 4.34pm precisely, I did what I'd planned to do when taking part in NaNoWriMo 2015 and that was to complete the first draft of my novel. It had taken almost 35,000 words to do that. I changed the font to 36 and typed those two words 'THE END' in large letters across the page. It was a great feeling and it has been a long time coming!
Once I came down off cloud nine and reflected on what I'd done, I knew that this was not the end but really the beginning of another journey that I hadn't ventured along before - the editing and the rewrites.

So what have I achieved so far?
- I've completed a first draft of a dual narrative story, set in two separate decades.
- I've told Clara's story set in 1965 and Rose's story set mainly in 1947 and allowed them to come to a conclusion, the two stories interlinking at the end. Both characters had to overcome obstacles on their journey through their stories and these have been resolved to a satisfactory conclusion. (Well, I hope so!) 
- I've managed to sustain a very long piece of fiction, explore characters in depth and develop plots and subplots.
- I've created a story that I'm proud of, albeit in its very raw state.
- Above all, I have learned so much about novel writing.

Where next?
- I've taken advice and I'm not going to look at the manuscript until the New Year. That way, it will serve to put some distance between me and the novel and hopefully when I next read it, I will be able to see its flaws more objectively. And I know there are flaws, lots of them! Here it is in a box file. I'm not going to open it no matter how tempting that will be.
- As I was writing, especially during NaNo, I didn't stop to sort out things but inserted comments with reminders of what I needed to check or find out. That will be the first thing I'll do. I'll go through each of those comments or queries and try to rectify them. It may be something as simple as checking that names are consistent or finding out details about an event that happened at that time in history.

Look out for my blog series early in 2016 when I'll be tracing the next stage of my journey as a writer and hopefully enlisting your help with recommended tips and advice.

How did you feel when you completed your first ever draft of a novel? Did you manage to leave it for a while or were you tempted to start the re-drafting straight away? 

Alfie Dog Fiction Short Story Competition Results

These were announced last Monday and huge congratulations are due to Linda Daunter who won the first prize with her story 'Forever'. Linda regularly reads this blog and leaves a comment. I'm thrilled for her and I look forward to reading her story. On a personal note, I was pleased to make the long-list again this year, this time with my story, 'Smashing the Mask'.

Thank you for reading my blog. You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBayLit and on my Jan Baynham Writer Facebook page.

Over in a Flash!

Yesterday I went to Worcester for the launch of the Worcester LitFest Flash Fiction Anthology 2015. This year, it was held at Drummonds in The Swan With Two Nicks. Two of my pieces, "Knowing" and "Standing Up To Barker", are included in the publication, "A Stash of Flashes", and I joined other writers to read them out as part of the launch.

Even though I was used to speaking to large audiences, on occasions of over a hundred people, when I was a Teacher Adviser, why was I becoming increasingly nervous as my place on the programme approached? Could it be because I was reading out something that I had written in front of fellow writers? I was first to read after the interval and then I was able to relax. In spite of my nerves, it was literally over in a flash!

What struck me listening to all the pieces was the wide range of subject matter and the variety of the writing styles of the authors. As it says in the blurb, there were "stories to intrigue, entertain and move you, about the past, the future, childhood, old age, people, relationships and the beliefs that carry us through life" and all this "crafted in no more than 300 words." 

For me, reading stories aloud can make them come alive in a way that is different from reading them on the page and that's what made yesterday afternoon such an enjoyable occasion. 

Thank you for reading my blog. Have you been nervous about sharing your work? I'd love to hear about how you feel when you read your stories aloud and look forward to reading your comments.

**Stop Press** -  I'm delighted to have received an email to say that my story "The Curse of the Turquoise Pool" had been Commended in the Swansea and District Writers' Circle short story competition. It will be included in their e-book early in 2016. 

You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBayLit and on Jan Baynham Writer Face Book page.

Help - a crisis of confidence!
Those of you who follow my blog will know that last year I wrote over fifty thousand words of my novel during November as part of NaNoWriMo 2014. It felt good to get immersed in the story lines and get to know the characters really well. Sometimes they surprised me by going off and doing or saying things I hadn't expected. I felt a real sense of achievement and was convinced that I was well on my way.

I knew there'd be things to change and there'd be plot holes I needed to fill; that's the nature of the beast when you write without stopping to edit. A slogan "Don't get it right. Get it written." was firmly embedded in my mind's eye. I would use Nano this year to finish the first draft and then write short stories in the rest of the time. After all I was so close, wasn't I? So why am I feeling so insecure and wracked with self-doubt this time around? I haven't got much more to write, I thought I knew where the two narratives were going and how they were going to come together at the end of the book. Apart from yesterday, I've managed to write something every day but rather than start typing with the excitement of what's coming up next in the story, I'm worrying about whether 'this' would happen or 'that' doesn't seem right. For me finishing the story is proving so much harder than it was at the beginning. 

I follow Susanna Bavin's Blog and because of all this self-doublt, I remembered her thought-provoking post from October 10th entitled Is Your First NaNoWriMo Bound To Be The Best? This is a sample of what she said:
In all the NaNos I've done since, I've never repeated that original sense of satisfaction. The second year, determined to hit 50,000, I used NaNo to work on the edit/rewrite of a first draft. That month, I stormed to a glorious 55,000...except that it didn't feel glorious. It felt like cheating.

Lesson learned. The next year, I worked on something new, but, though I worked hard on it, that first-time achievement didn't return. In fact, all these NaNoWriMos and CampNaNoWriMos later, I've never recaptured it. I wonder why. Is it because, having done it once, you never again experience that sharp sense of panic? That"What have I let myself in for?" feeling?

Is that what's happening to me? Perhaps I shouldn't try to emulate the feeling of satisfaction I had last year but just accept that the novel is at a different stage now. I'll still try to write every day but I won't be concerned if I fail to reach the goals set. After writing so many words and learning so much in the process, I know I will regret it if I give up now.  

Did any of you find the last part of your first draft the hardest to write? Can you please give me any tips on how to deal with this self-doubt? Did any of you change how you approached a first draft after writing your first book? Any advice will be gratefully received. :-)

Thank you for reading. I look forward to reading your comments.
You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBayLit and on my Jan Baynham Writer Facebook page.

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, PATSY COLLINS
Today, I’m delighted to be chatting to my on-line writing buddy, Patsy Collins, whose name will be familiar to lots of you. I got to ‘know’ Patsy in 2013 when I answered a request on the Alfie Dog Fiction Forum asking if anyone was interested in joining an on-line critique group. Since then, I have been in regular contact with her and have benefited so much from her wide ranging experience and expertise as a writer. Her latest novel, ‘Firestarter’ is published tomorrow on Amazon.

Patsy, welcome. Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about yourself as a writer.

Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog, Jan.

You already know I write short stories for women's magazines. I've been doing that for over twelve years now and have had hundreds published. I've been writing novels for almost as long, but the first ('Paint Me a Picture') took so long to finish and involved such big gaps that it seems a far more recent development.

I've also had a few writing articles published in Writing Magazine and Kishboo. 

Because I’ve followed the story right from when you started writing it, I’m particularly excited to see ‘Firestarter’ published tomorrow, and on November 5^th, too! Can you tell us what inspired you to write it?

Um ... it seemed like a good idea at the time? Sorry, I'm rubbish about spotting what started off a particular train of thought. I suppose it's possible I was thinking about firemen, but why I'd have been doing that I can't imagine.

Really, can't you? What is the novel is about?

That's an easier question - Firemen!

Not really. There are firemen in the story and some are suitably hunky, but the story is really about relationships. Of course there are romantic relationships, but also family relationships, friendships and relationships between colleagues.

How does it compare with your other novels? 
All of my novels have dealt with relationships, two others are romantic, this is set in the same location as my only non romance novels, and they all include at least a hint of crime, so they have things in common.

This one has a larger crime element than my previous books. It's also (in my opinion anyway) funnier.

I like the sound of ‘hunky firemen’ and ‘research’ in the same sentence, Patsy. I have to ask you how much research did you do for the book?

Quite a lot - but nearly all the fireman stuff was by email. I'm nearly over that disappointment now.

I thoroughly researched the wildlife and cakes which both feature heavily - that was fun.

Research into the locations has, in a way, been going on for years as the story is mainly set close to where I live and in places I know well. Even the scenes set in Wales take place in an area I've visited several times. (I'll be back - and hopefully we'll get to meet for real at last)

That would be great if we could! 

I’m often drawn to a cover when choosing a book to read and I love the one you’ve chosen for ‘Firestarter’. Can you tell us how you went about selecting the images and the colours?

I agree that covers can influence our choice of books, so I'm really glad you like it.

I knew I wanted flames, to suit the title and hint at the warmth of the story. I also wanted a couple in a romantic pose to suggest the genre. I passed that (very brief) brief on to Gary Davies, who created some designs for me to consider and share with a few writing buddies. Gary suggested using a silhouette and found a couple which were suitable. The one we selected looks very like my two lead characters.

We experimented with 'real' flames, but they made it look more like a scary thriller than a fun read. The stylised ones seem less threatening. Originally I wanted a sky blue background, but the result was a bit too bright even for me. Then that Jan Baynham woman suggested changing the background to the same gold as seen in the flames. I'm delighted with the final version.

That Jan Baynham woman much prefers the background in the same colour range as the flames that you've got now, so thank you.

On a more general note, do you have a particular writing routine when writing?

Nah. If the writing is going well I keep at it. If not, I do something else for a while.

Music to my ears! Where do you write?

I'm extremely fortunate to have both a home and a mobile office. The mobile one is a campervan and enables me to write many of my stories on location. Both are shared with my husband.

How much planning did you do for each of your novels?

Usually not enough! 'Firestarter' was plotted and planned quite thoroughly, which made it quicker to write. I'll try to learn from that.

What is your proudest writing moment so far?

Someone told me they got so engrossed in one of my books they missed their stop on the train. That's quite a compliment.

It certainly is. What are you currently working on?

I'm attempting NaNo with 'Poppyfield Farm'. It's mostly set on a farm quite like the one on which I grew up. It involves a business providing horse drawn carriages for weddings so there's plenty of scope for romance.

My plan is to write it in first person from two different POVs - one male, one female. I know quite a lot about Phil, but Maria is still a mystery.

Good luck with that. You must be very excited about the launch of ‘Firestarter’  tomorrow. How will you be celebrating?

Hopefully we'll be out in the campervan. We can't have fireworks in there of course, not even sparklers - I'll have to make up for that by drinking sparkling wine and eating ... bangers? No. Crackers? No. I know, a Catherine wheel shaped cake.

There's always cake. ;-)

Thank you so much for taking time to chat to me, Patsy. I wish you good luck with your new book. 

‘Firestarter’  is published by  Amazon on November 5th.

Blogs:  www.patsy-collins.blogspot.co.uk

  www.womagwriter.blogspot.co.uk

Website: www.patsycollins.uk

FB Author page: www.facebook.com/PatsyCollins.writer

Twitter: @PatsyCollins

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I enjoyed chatting to Patsy. 

You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBayLit and on my Jan Baynham Writer Facebook page.

Is there Anybody There?
It's that time of year again. The nights are much darker and thoughts are turning to Hallowe'en in a few days time. If you enjoy reading ghost or horror stories why not visit Alfie Dog Fiction where there are plenty to choose from? Some of these appear in an anthology of ghost stories entitled The Day Death Wore Boots. 

I have three ghost stories published on the site:

• The Journey Home  - On the way to their cottage after a busy working week in London, Sophie and Tom give a lift to a teenage girl. Why is she out alone on a cold night, dressed in a flimsy dress? Why are they so uneasy when they drop her off at her home? 

• Unfinished Business - Kathy will never settle until she finds her cat, Monty. She ventures out of the house in the dark and in atrocious weather to look for him. But will she be able to face her fears as she nears the end of the street and enter the place she dreads? 
• Rock-a Bye Baby ( included in the anthology) - Ali and Ben are awaiting the birth of their first child. The baby’s bedroom in Rock Cottage is freshly decorated and everything is ready. Mums-to-be are supposed to be excited, aren’t they? So why did Ali feel so uneasy? Was it just over-tiredness like Ben said? 

You may find them to download HERE. 

For the next Writers' Group meeting, we have been asked to write something entitled 'The Room in the Pub'. You've guessed it - the new venue is a room in a pub so it's very topical! I've decided to make it a ghost story and am grateful to Honno author,  Juliet Greenwood, for posting this link on her Facebook page. 14 Welsh Ghost Stories That Will Send a Chill Down Your Spine

What better way to get inspiration for a story than to read accounts of 'real' stories of ghosts that have been handed down through generations. Many of the stories involve haunted goings on in pubs where poor souls have met their Maker in unfortunate circumstances. 

According to author and historian, James Moore, more than two hundred and fifty inns and taverns across Britain are linked to gruesome tales of murder. His book 'Murder at the Inn: a History of Crime in Britain's Pubs and Hotels' links pubs that can still be found today with 'captivating and sometimes horrifying tales from their past.' 

So far, my ghost stories have been quite gentle where the ghost can't move on until something has been resolved but perhaps after reading these I may be able to come up with a story that's more terrifying or spine-chilling. Will I have the courage to walk up the stairs to the meeting room in the old pub and read out what I've written? ...Aaaarrrrgggghhh!

Do you believe in ghosts? Do you know of an incident which doesn't have a rational explanation? What inspiration have you had for writing a ghost story? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment. Thank you for reading.

You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBayLit and on my Jan Baynham Writer Facebook page.

Back to It

It was back to earth with a bump last week after three weeks away. I didn't get much actual writing done in terms of the novel or completed short stories but it was a busy week with lots of 'writerly' things going on. In writing group on Monday, we looked at each other's work and I talked through an idea I have for a story. It's inspired by an anecdote told to me by someone I got chatting to on holiday - as you do! How we got talking about life insurance I don't know, but suffice to say the guy won't take any out because of what he told me. I just hope I can do justice to his story and turn it into a worthwhile piece of fiction. I should say that his wife was present and she was laughing as much as me! :-) Watch this space!


On Tuesday, I attended a writing workshop as part of Penarth Book Festival. The well attended session, led by author, Julie McGowan, was interesting and interactive. Julie presented us with a number writing scenarios covering character and avoiding stereotypes, dialogue and editing. The time flew by and I thoroughly enjoyed the morning. 

Later in the week, I attended the launch of 'Awen Inspirations', the 2015 Rhondda Cynon Taf anthology, at Pontypridd Library. All contributors had to either live or, as I do, attend writing classes/groups in the area. I was pleased to have both a story and a poem included . In spite of a heavy cold and croaky voice, I read out my poem 'The Grandmother Clock' and enjoyed listening to other writers and poets. I then met my writing buddy, Helen, for lunch. We talked about which stories we were submitting to competitions and looked at some critiques. 


This week also saw me start working with Geraldine Ryan as part of the Womentoring project. For those of you not familiar with the scheme, the idea is 'to introduce successful literary women to other writers at the beginning of their careers who would benefit from insight, knowledge and support.' I applied to be mentored by Geri because she was offering Womag fiction as her specialism. Her stories and serials regularly appear in Women's Weekly and she also writes for Fiction Feast and other magazines. She has run many workshops and courses on 'Writing Fiction for Women's Magazines'. I'm very excited to be working with Geri and only hope I can do justice to the help she'll be giving me.

I've also tried to catch up with fellow writers' blogs and I've registered to take part in NaNoWriMo again this year. I intend to use the time to complete - yes, FINISH, END, CONCLUDE, FINALISE - the first draft of my novel! Between now and November 1st, I hope to do some more research so that I can just write without interruption.

How about your writing week? Have you been busy with 'writerly' things above and beyond actual writing? I'd love to hear what you have been doing so please leave a comment. Thank you. :-)

Thank you for reading my blog. You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBayLit and on my Jan Baynham Writer