Mills and Boon Author Lunch

So Friday dawned and I got up at 5am and made my way to Glasgow Airport.  And - I got lost twice.  My other half usually drives when we go to Glasgow Airport and when I'm in my car I literally have no sense of direction.  Hence, getting lost twice.
Eventually I made it and flew down to London City Airport and got the train into central London.  First stop was Oxford Street, House of Fraser to see the wonderful Mary Portas store.  I met all the lovely folks who were on her TV show and tried on every dress in the shop.  Then, I sped across to Harrods in search of a Christmas teddy for my new great niece. 


 By 1230 I was suitably attired, if a little red-faced, hot and bothered - and ready for the AMBA lunch at the Charing Cross Hotel.  It was fab.  The speakers were Donna Hayes and Loriana Sacilatto from Harlequin in Canada who spoke before the lunch and answered authors questions.  Followed by Dianne Moggy and Tessa Shapcott after lunch.

Fiona Harper and Lucy Gilmour



Me with my new editor the lovely Carly Corcoran.

Then I went to meet my new editor Carly Corcoran for coffee so we could discuss my latest set of revisions and plans for next books. 

And by 530 we were in the extremely posh Royal Horseguards Hotel for drinks and canapes at the Mills and Boon Author toast, where I met lots of lovely people!



Fiona Harper, Kate Hardy and myself





Heidi Rice and Abby Green

Then I went for dinner with some of my fellow authors India Grey, Heidi Rice, Abby Green, Lynn Raye Harris and her lovely husband Mike.  It was a fabulous night!



Myself and the lovely India Grey who is far too pretty by far!



Lynn Raye Harris and her husband Mike.

And blogger hates me again and won't let me write in the comments section!

Getting your foot in the door

Lots of people have entered New Voices, some of you may still be preparing your entry – last year there were over 800 participants, with a flurry of entries on the last day.

Then we’ll all wait anxiously for the Top 20 to be announced.  But what happens if that’s not you?

New Voices is only the start of the journey.  For some people it may be the first time you’ve dared to submit.  Congratulations on taking the first step.  For others, you may be veterans and looking for some feedback.  And if you weren’t here last  year you should know that after the announcement of the Top Ten (it was ten last year, not twenty), Mills and Boon also published a list of entries they wanted to see more of. 

But for all of you that don’t make it on the top 20 list, and feel all sad and dejected – don’t be.  There are lots of opportunities out there to get your foot in the door!

It you haven’t had a chance to look at the harlequin website now is the time.  The Write Stuff is full of information for aspiring writers.  It also frequently features pitching opportunities – specific to individual lines across the harlequin series.  For those of you who’ve never tried a pitch, you write a brief paragraph about your story.  If you’re lucky enough to be chosen you get to have an online conversation with one of the editors for the line you are targeting.  The chances are they’ll ask you for a partial submission and you’ll have a real live editor to submit it to. 

In March 2010, there was an pitch opportunity for medical romance.  Myself and Wendy S Marcus were successful “pitchers”.  And after some hard work, we’ve both been published.  So, for those of you who are sceptical, it does happen.

The harlequin website also ran a Fast Track opportunity in August last year.  For one month anyone could submit to the medical line and hear back within a few days.  And for anyone that’s experienced going through the slush pile before that is like gold!

If you have a little money you can also join the professional organisation in your area.  Two years ago I joined the Romance Novelists Association.  They have a New Writers Scheme, where unpublished writers can join and submit a full manuscript before the 31 August that year.  Your manuscript will be read by a professional writer in the RNA and you will be given a detailed critique on your work.  If they like your manuscript, it will be sent on for a second read, and could be forwarded to a publisher.  Fiona Harper got published this way.  Her first book Blind Date Marriage was published by the Romance line at Mills and Boon.  Be warned!  The New Writers Scheme is only open to 250 writers every year, place are limited and you literally have to get your application form in on 1 January!  If you live in the US, the Romance Writers of America have a competition every year called the Golden Heart.  Unpublished writers can submit their manuscripts and have them judged.  Many people who have finalled in the Golden Heart and have gone on to be published. Historical author Jeannie Linn is one, and new Medical Author Tina Beckett is another.

And finally, there is the slush pile.  Let me tell you about another new medical author Louisa George.  She entered New Voices last year – didn’t final and didn’t get a mention in the call back list.  But she submitted her three chapters via slush and will be published in March 2012.  Maisey Yates, one of the Modern/Presents authors was pulled from the slush pile too, so it does happen!

So whatever happens in the next few weeks, think of New Voices as a first step, and keep writing!

And not sure whether blogger still hates me or not.  Last week no-one could post on my blog and I couldn't post on any others!

How much fun can one girl have?

First of all apologies, I'm due to post on eharlequin medical authors blog and it seems to hate me. So right now the only way to post is to do it here first and then copy to the other blog. Some of you may have already seen this on the Minxes of Romance, so if you have, apologies!

The gala dinner with editor from Harlequin and fellow authors

It didn't start well. The train to Newport in Wales was packed with a variety of dogs and children crawling down the aisles. At one point I ended up with two unknown babies sitting on my lap. However once we arrived in Newport I recognised some fellow women scrambling with cases and shared a taxi with the lovely Freda Lightfoot to Caerlon.

Conference is all the about the people.  Last year I met the lovely medical author Kate Hardy, along with Heidi Rice and Kate Walker.  This year, I met two other lovely medical authors Margaret Barker and Jennifer Taylor.  I also had the privilege of meeting two Present authors India Grey and Natalie Rivers, and the lovely Harlequin Romance author Fiona Harper.




Scarlet with Harlequin editor Flo Nicoll




But then there is also the lectures - to give us all a chance to learn a bit more about the craft.  There was a huge range of topics covered in the programme and the hardest thing was picking what to attend. I have to say that this year I was naughty and ducked out of a few lectures through sheer brain drain.

But the ones I attended were fab. The conference started with Celebrations and this year there were a lot of members with good news of sales. It seems great that when we continually hear about tightening purses and less income, writers are still considered a priority. There was an award winning panel with Louise Allen, Elizabeth Chadwick and Jill Mansell all answering questions on how they wrote. I was amazed to learn that Jill Mansell writes all her books longhand with a Harley Davidson fountain pen! I was even more amazed when Fiona Harper (who writes for Harlequin Romance) pulled out her moleskin notebook from her bag and showed me that she writes long hand too - her next book was sitting right in front of me. I nearly snatched it and ran away!

Scarlet with Harlequin Romance author Fiona Harper

The Harlequin editors delivered a talk on being Unpredictable - their latest buzzword. They want new twists on the old stories and are still keen to acquire new authors.

Jenny Hutton and Anna Baggaley from MIRA and Mira Ink gave an overview for their line, highlighting all areas that sell well in women's fiction and teenage fiction. They also have new websites www.mirabooks.co.uk and www.miraink.co.uk

My favourite talk was given by Fiona Harper on getting emotion on the page and keeping it there. You could have literally heard a pin drop in the room while she was speaking. She has promised to put her notes for the talk on her website

The conference ended with agent Carole Blake and her client Elizabeth Chadwick letting us know how they were 'A Perfect Match'. Their working relationship has lasted longer than Carole's two marriages and they were a true doubleact!

It was a perfect end to a great conference and after the long journey home to Scotland I spent the next few days in bed recovering!

But then it was up and off to London with my kids and what did I do?  Something I can never help.  I bought tat.  Lots of it.  My other half cringed in horror when I was let loose in the Harrods Gift Shop.  Any item that had the name Harrods on it - I bought.  And here's the proof.

So what makes a fun day for you?  Attending a conference?  Buying tat?  What will it be??

Scarlet Wilson's debut book It Started With a Pregnancy is out on 2 September in the UK.