Coffee, Cake and Keanu

Posted on May 17, 2018 by lgflannigan

Happy New Year! Five months in and this is my first post in 2018!

Besides being busy with renovating and working, I’ve been enjoying coffee and cake with friends and family. And we’re still loving living in town and being five minutes from the sea.

Here’s a photograph I took yesterday evening. Warmish sun, a gentle breeze and the sea lapping at the shore. What more could a person want…

After making the decision to self publish Ordering Flynn Matthews in 2016 I’ve not bothered sending any work off to agents or publishers, however this January, after much nagging/encouragement from my gorgeous friend Jenni (newly signed with an agent!), I joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme. It’s allocated on a first served basis and the membership allows unpublished authors to take part in all RNA activities and also submit a manuscript of a full-length novel for appraisal. I have one ready to send however a casual comment about Scotland from my lovely friend, Tina, after a Reiki session, had a new idea spinning in my head. Now, a few weeks later and 35,000+ words in I’m thinking I’ll have it finished by Aug 31st deadline. I suspect the only thing that will hold me up is the synopsis which usually takes me as long to write as an 85,000 word novel.

I’ve also joined the newly formed RNA Bristol Chapter – we first met in March and they are a wonderful friendly bunch of authors who are willing to share their experiences to help each other especially us newbies. I’m looking forward to our next meeting on 21st July. Ooh and we meet at River Cottage restaurant in Bristol. Great venue and delicious food.

This month I have published the third and final (sorry Nicki!) novel in the Addicted Series, Working Flynn Matthews. To please one of my readers (Nicki) there will some more extras posted over on the Flynn Matthews website soon!

And if you haven’t read any in the Addicted Series yet, get over to Amazon now where they’re available for only 99p each. Plenty of 5 star reviews on all three! Thank you to everyone who has bought them and an extra thanks to the people who have found the time to leave reviews, they help in raising the profile of each novel 🙂 so it’s much appreciated.

A big thank you to my family and friends for their continued support for my writing. You’ve been amazing!

Anyone who knows me well is aware of my love for Keanu Reeves and today I saw a trailer for a new movie he’s in called Destination Wedding. The story of two miserable and unpleasant wedding guests, Lindsay and Frank, who develop a mutual affection despite themselves.

The Matrix is in my top 5 movies and I liked John Wick however it’s good to see him free from blood and not holding a gun. Most people say he can’t act, I disagree. Bim Adewunmi in her article Why I love…Keanu Reeves says it better than I can:

Reeves is somehow reassuring, with an enviably serene manner. This makes people see him as wooden, but I think it’s actually more about a man who likes to measure his movements; a movie star who understands space.

And I love the way she describes his walk: rangy and relaxed, but precise; the gait of a man who never needs to hurry.

Back to the movie coming out late August. He’s playing opposite a woman of his generation and not a young twenty something. How novel is that. I love Winona Ryder, especially in Stranger Things. I tend to write stories about younger people but watching the trailer for Destination Wedding got me thinking that at least one of my novels should be about similar aged characters to me. I have plenty of ideas 🙂

Anyway, here’s the trailer:

Glit-er-ary

Posted on December 6, 2017 by lgflannigan

Don’t you just love it when WordPress goes all Christmassy and falling snowflakes appear across the page.

Eeek, can’t believe how long it’s been since I posted! And I’ve published another novel since then too. Failing Flynn Matthews is available on Amazon now and only 99p! It’s “totally addictive reading” and apparently an “‘Effin’ awesome book!!! This is every bit as gripping, enthralling and at times frustrating as the first book.
You won’t want to put it down until you get to the end.” Thank you dear reader 🙂 and thanks to all the other 5 star reviewers too for Ordering Flynn Matthews and Failing Flynn Matthews!

I’m in the middle of formatting Working Flynn Matthews so you never know it might be published before Christmas. Move over Ellie, there’s a new girl in town.

A short story of mine, The Stuff of Fairytales, has been published in Bridge House Publishing‘s anthology, Glit-er-ary and is available in book and kindle form. There’s a wonderful variety of stories, some sad, some funny and some glittery 😉

I love the cover of the Anthology.

Click on cover to take you to Amazon

A little teaser from The Stuff of Fairytales:

I’ve been paid a mighty sum to kill her. It would cost the villagers nothing to do it themselves but they are simple god-fearing folk who don’t want her blood staining their hands…darkening their souls. Still I’m not complaining as their fear gives me work.

I collect her from the gaol, shackled at the ankles and wrists and wrapped in an oversized cloak. People never cease to surprise me. They want her dead but still they give her protection against the winter cold. A tiny slip of a thing, possibly no more than seventeen winters old, she is easy to bundle in the back of my cart. I make sure her chains are secure so there’s no means of escape. She doesn’t struggle. How this girl evokes such fear astonishes me. True her kind exist but I refuse to believe that she could tear me to pieces and rip out my heart – that is the stuff of fairytales.

It’s usual to provide some proof of death, the body for instance but not this time. Not one single drop of her crimson blood is to return to the village. I’m an honourable man so I’ll do as they ask. I will earn the bag of gold that’s stowed away in my cart.

As I drive the horse along the track it clears of people, dust flying up as they hurry towards the safety of their homes. Doors bang shut and the scraping and rasping of furniture being pushed up against them echoes out. As we round the corner and disappear from view a breath-like breeze ruffles my hair as if the villagers sigh in collective relief.

Renovating first, formatting last

Posted on June 12, 2017 by lgflannigan

We have moved into our new house and renovations are under way. Real life has nudged fictional life to the back of the queue and my next novel Failing Flynn Matthews is waiting, not so patiently, to be formatted. Any spare time I have involves writing something new so I’d be grateful if anyone could recommend a professional kindle formatter, please. There’s not much left to do bar the contents page and links to headings and the indents, paragraphs etc, ie the fiddly bits!

The house we’re renovating is a house of two halves: Upstairs flat and ground floor flat – we’re living in the latter, our dog needs a garden and the cellar is perfect for all the clutter we can’t fit in! For renovation guidance we’ve bought a book (no surprise there!) The Victorian and Edwardian House Manual which is proving to be very useful.

Hubby wielding a power tool!

The ceilings are high, no standing on a chair like in our last house!

Besides renovating, we’ve been enjoying the warmer weather and the easier access to town, five minute walk to beach and restaurants. Can’t get better than that! Pimm’s o’clock anyone?!

If anyone fancies some summer reading with their Pimms and you haven’t read it yet Ordering Flynn Matthews is available over on Amazon! Click on title. Thanks!

Through The Decades

Posted on March 13, 2017 by lgflannigan

Writing and publishing Failing Flynn Matthews is on hold for now as moving house may be happening quicker than we thought (panic!) so this past weekend has seen a flurry of activity and this morning I took another car load to the charity shop. I’m not sure how we accumulated so much and if we ever needed it all.

Sorting through our belongings I unearthed many memories. From the decade of my life I call the Carefree years (age 1-10) I found my first teddy and a framed picture that hung on the wall above my bed.

Isn’t my teddy cute?!

From the Awkward years (11-20) books, loads of them! Some my Nan gave me, beautifully illustrated but battered from the 1930’s.

From the London years (21-30) a huge A4 binder with examples of typesetting – you know, the old way we used to print newspapers! I learned how to set type during my Occupational Therapy course – loved that module!

Typeset by me – ok, ok these words were cool at the time!

From the Child Rearing years (31- 40) there is so much and it’s hard to let go of anything – everything has a memory whether it be of our children or family. Sorting through the thoughtful gifts my mother bought reminded me of how much time she dedicated, sitting for hours playing games, doing puzzles and reading with them. It reminds me of how much I miss her and how much our children and her other grandchildren have lost out on since the dementia took what makes her, her. It is a cruel disease. We still have her to hold and hug but we do miss how she would have been without it.

My Mum and kids spent many hours having fun with these 🙂

The next decade I will call the Finding Myself years (41-50) – first I was ill but on the upside I finally put pen to paper and wrote. My first short story was published and I haven’t stopped writing since. I think it’s the first interest I’ve actually stuck with. My past is littered with discarded hobbies: pottery, water colour painting, oil painting to name but a few.

And now we come to this decade – no name yet as it’s early days however we’re going on adventure and renovating (sort of) a property and are trading this:

for this:

Very excited 🙂 Wish us luck! Publishing and writing will resume shortly! 😀

Meandering Through Life

Posted on February 27, 2017 by lgflannigan

February has been interesting.

Sold our house, subject to contract. The meander through to the actual move and the clearing out of ten years of accumulated junk has begun. How is it after numerous trips to the tip the garage still looks as full?!

The decluttering was put on hold while I nursed a swollen ankle and foot. Just tissue and ligament damage. Nothing fractured fortunately, unlike my editor who has her foot in plaster, but it did mean I couldn’t get a shoe on for over a week. Now back at work and despite the bruising the pain has gone, just left with an ache 🙂

Failing Flynn Matthews came back from my editor after a proof read/copy edit. Good news, she loved it and only minor copy editing amendments, mainly use of commas. For the laughs I have to share this one with you: Ellie says, “I am eating Dad.” No, I’ve not started writing crime novels! Think I should’ve consulted Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

True to form, the road to publication is slow – give me a story to write and I’ll do that quickly but when it comes to getting it out there I falter. It was meant to be published a few months after Ordering Flynn Matthews. Oh dear, and I never really got round to promoting Ordering Flynn Matthews properly either. Maybe this time round! Failing Flynn Matthews is ready to go bar the Kindle formatting – eeek! I can’t quite face that yet. I need to push myself. So perhaps a cover reveal and a tagline might help. Drum roll, please…

Sometimes holding on hurts more than letting go

Out soon!

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 9, 2017 by lgflannigan

Nine days in and finally I’m posting you a Happy 2017! I’m hoping for and wishing you all a year of love not hate, inclusion not exclusion, peace not war.

I can’t believe I haven’t posted since September last year. Baubles was published in November and is available in paperback and eBook if you fancy reading an interesting selection of short stories including mine, We’re Off To See The Wizard. Go on, you won’t regret it!

Late October we decided to move house in 2017. I have been preoccupied with that and you all know my inability to multi-task so the publishing date of Failing Flynn Matthews has been delayed. It is about to be sent off for proof reading. Fingers crossed for a February publication date. I will be doing a cover reveal soon!

Meanwhile Ordering Flynn Matthews is still available on Amazon and has wonderful reviews. Thank you to everyone that has read it and also if you’ve taken the time to write a review. I really appreciate it.

Not Hard Wired To Multi-task

Posted on September 30, 2016 by lgflannigan

Well I’m not doing very well at this social media presence am I? I’ve mentioned before I can’t multi-task so I won’t go on about it however what with having fun with family, writing, editing, working etc I haven’t found the time to tweet, post etc.

But behind the scenes exciting developments are afoot!

I’m doing the final edits to Failing Flynn Matthews so I am hoping that will be published soon! Ordering Flynn Matthews is making steady sales however I designed the cover and was not completely happy with it so I’ve been on the look out for a new one. I was lucky enough to come across a blog that recommended a few cover designers and that’s how I found James at GoOnWrite who has a wonderful selection of premade covers at very reasonable prices. He also does custom covers. Very quick in responding too, great service!

So OFM has a new cover!

Ordering Flynn Matthews

Posted on July 28, 2016 by lgflannigan

Drum roll … last week I published Ordering Flynn Matthews!

While struggling with formatting it for kindle there was a moment of regret in not accepting the publishing contract I was offered but in the end we got there. So folks it’s available on Amazon for only 99p!

Buy Me 🙂

We’re off to see the Wizard

Posted on July 14, 2016 by lgflannigan

I’m coming to the end of my holiday and had some good news waiting for me when I got back from Rome. My short story We’re off to see the Wizard has been accepted for Bridge House Publishing’s 2016 anthology ‘Baubles’.

It’s dedicated to my mum and is another story about dementia – although it’s fiction I’ve drawn on my relationship with her and my experience of working in a dementia unit. Losing a person to dementia is sad but there are real moments of joy. It helps to remember them.

Here’s a photo of a cobbled street at the Roman Forum – not yellow bricked though!

What Makes Me Novel

Posted on May 28, 2016 by lgflannigan

Last week I went to a monthly writers event held by Novel Nights in Bristol with my friend Tina. Great evening spent with lovely writers and listening to readings and hearing from three guest speakers about their different experiences with getting published and marketing their books and of course marketing themselves.

With Ordering Flynn Matthews due out in June it’s the latter that makes me feel uneasy. I’m not sure there’s really much about me that people will find interesting. Went to school, college, got a job, went back to college to train to be an OT, got a job, got married, got a dog, had two children etc. I’ve loved every minute but not sure any of it makes me marketable or remarkable!

It got me thinking hard. Surely there’s something remarkable about me? Then a couple of nights ago round the dinner table the one talent (weird though it is) was brought up… drum roll please… I look the part if I wear the gear, like I could do the job, be a professional.

I can’t swim very well. I attempted to resolve this in my twenties by going to classes. It was a small pool and the water only came up to my waist. Compared to everyone else I was a mermaid. Yes there were worse swimmers than me! And I had this navy blue swimming costume with go faster stripes and more than once people thought I was a member of the medal winning swimming team who used the main pool. In my costume I looked like I could have swam for Olympic gold. You want pictorial evidence? Sorry there isn’t a pic of me in my swimming costume, plenty of me in bikinis – nope I don’t look like a model! My talent doesn’t always work, vertically challenged sadly!

However I did do some modelling (it’s who you know!) for a Horse Riding magazine – jodhpurs, riding jacket, boots and crop, add the horse and I looked like a professional show jumper. I do have photos just not sure where they are though…shame!

Every August bank holiday we meet up with family in Wales for what we call the FlanFamClanShazzam. Approximately 14 of us in a bunk house for a weekend of activities including canoeing (count me out, can’t swim very well – see above), horse riding – did that spent rest of weekend sitting on a pillow…ouch! Last year we went paintballing – oh my that was fun, I was useless…army fatigues three sizes too big – check, very heavy gun – check, 100 paint balls – check, arms weak no muscles – check, ability to hit moving target – no check, ability to run, crawl, avoid being hit – no check. Photograph of me looking like paintballing ninja expert – check! See below: