Author: Sue Moorcroft
Published: 5th September 2014
Publisher: Choc Lit
Guest Post with Sue Moorcroft on her journey into getting her 7th book published
The Wedding Proposal is set in Malta. The reason I love the island so much is that I lived there when I was a child. We were an army family and we were lucky enough to be posted to Malta twice.
Earlier this year I holidayed with my brothers and my mum – and we returned to Malta. Visiting our old quarters was a must, of course, although one of the barracks we lived in is now under a huge new development. Strolling along the promenades, dining in the
pavement cafes, eating ice cream and drinking Maltese beer, we remembered how things were several decades ago.
While we were there, both of my brothers read the uncorrected proof of The Wedding Proposal on their ereaders. (Mum waited for the paperback version of the book.) They checked out where the Shady Lady and Seadancer were moored and identified the pizzeria in Republic Street visited by Lucas and Elle. My brothers and mum read everything I write and I suppose that when I write of Malta they look for the tiny details that relate the book to their own experiences. It was a slightly odd experience for me and I was a bit worried they’d find some failure in my research … but they didn’t.
Then one of my brothers read Uphill All the Way, my first published book. About half of that book is set in Malta and I suppose he was interested for comparison purposes. He began asking me things about the plot, which was odd, because I couldn’t remember it as well as he could!
But what the discussion taught me is that I have developed in the intervening decade or so. When writing Uphill I can remember writing myself into a corner and having to rewrite my way out. I did my research in the wrong order so that I had to rush to rewrite the ending when I realised that something vital had changed. I got my timeline wrong (which has happened more than once, since!) and let the colour of somebody’s eyes change.
I can see that my control of plot and my understanding of the story arc are better these days and come to me more easily. I’m less afraid to go for bold ideas or tackle certain issues.
It’s nice to look forward but it can be pleasant to return to old haunts – and useful to revisit old books.
Sue Moorcroft writes romantic novels of dauntless heroines and irresistible heroes. Is this Love? was nominated for the Readers’ Best Romantic Read Award. Love & Freedom won the Best Romantic Read Award 2011 and Dream a Little Dream was nominated for a RoNA in 2013. Sue received three nominations at the Festival of Romance 2012, and is a Katie Fforde Bursary Award winner. Sue’s new book, The Wedding Proposal, has also recently been shortlisted for the Best Romantic Read award at the Festival of Romance 2014. She’s a past vice chair of the RNA and editor of its two anthologies.
Sue also writes short stories, serials, articles, writing ‘how to’ and is a competition judge and creative writing tutor.
Sue’s latest book The Wedding Proposal is available as an ebook from 4 August 2014 and as a paperback from 8 September.
Website www.suemoorcroft.com
Facebook sue.moorcroft.3 and https://www.facebook.com/SueMoorcroftAuthor
Twitter @suemoorcroft
Thanks for inviting me onto your lovely blog! :-)
ReplyDeleteAh. Timelines. My arch nemesis.
ReplyDeleteLovely blog. I've never been to Malta, but I remember my mum going in the eighties and me marvelling at the beautiful photos she'd taken. Whenever I travel, it's the difference in light and the colour of the scenery that get me. Every time.