Empress

Posted on November 7, 2018 by lgflannigan

Currently editing my YA novel, Blood Rain and listening to Snow Patrol’s latest album, Wildness, which I love ❤ Their song Empress captures Willow’s story and her relationship with Rowan and Ashley perfectly ❤

I’ll leave the lyrics and video here:

Empress

Snow Patrol

You’re angry but you don’t know how to be that yet
It seems too much went wrong and all at once
Resistance seems impossible from down this low
And surely no one else can feel like this

But on the streets
You can see them gathering
And in your heart
You know they feel like you do

Sound and pulse and volume
Hands just reaching out for hands
This is almost overload
I said almost overload
Friends and foes and princes
Are all just human in the end
This is so damn simple, yeah
It’s so damn simple

So standing in the steady throne of restless hope
You don’t feel like an outcast anymore
And something deep inside of you has waken up
And you know that nothing’s gonna be the same again

And on the streets
You can see for what seems miles
Because in your heart
You know they feel like you do

Your mind won’t be still
It may not again
You don’t think it will
But it will, it will

Sound and pulse and volume
Hands just reaching out for hands
This is so damn simple, yeah
It’s so damn simple
This is so damn simple, yeah
This is so damn simple
This is so damn simple, yeah
This is so damn simple

Songwriters: Garret Noel Lee / Gary Lightbody / John McDaid / Jonathan Graham Quinn / Nathan Connolly / Paul Wilson

Empress lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Spirit Music Group

And here’s the band version:

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.

London’s New Year fireworks! ©lgflannigan

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!

To sign or not to sign

Posted on February 1, 2016 by lgflannigan

The promised update about Ordering Flynn Matthews.

Gosh where to start! In November 2015 OFM was offered a publishing contract (yay!) with a US Indie, mainly ebook, publisher. They appear to have a wonderful set-up, great cover art, promotion and their authors seem very happy. I’ve signed contracts for my short stories before however this contract was more extensive. On the advice of my editor I applied to join Society of Authors and emailed the contract to them. Great piece of advice! They offer the service free although you pay to join – well worth it in my opinion. I didn’t have to wait long before I received a reply containing their valuable comments.

The SoA also queried if I’d considered self publishing as an option. The answer to that is no. In my head it was a last resort and here was a well respected organisation suggesting it as an option. With the reality of signing a contract scaring me with its deadlines and the fact I would lose a bit of control over my creation I started to give the idea serious consideration. And although the publisher was willing to negotiate the contract I declined their offer. Cue thoughts of have ‘I made the right decision?’

Having finished his PhD a couple of years ago my husband declared he is now ready for another project. He is researching what self publishing entails while I re-edit OFM. Can’t believe I’m still finding typos! Gutted I’m unable to attend the Ebook workshops the SoA have organised for March as it would’ve been extremely helpful.

One of my son’s housemates, Tom, is a design student who wants to extend his portfolio and has offered to do the cover art for the ebook. So the poor lad is currently reading OFM for inspiration. Not his usual reading material! It’ll be interesting what he comes up with. He says I don’t have to use it if I don’t like it bless him. I have a couple of ideas and two friends (thanks Carrie & Jenni) have made good suggestions too.

So it looks like I’m heading towards self publishing Ordering Flynn Matthews as an ebook. Who’d have thought it. I think it’s a beach read so the month of May seems like a good time to publish!

It doesn’t mean I’d never sign a publishing contract. It’s just at this time self publishing seems the way to go.

We’re looking at going to Rome this year which is a good thing as the follow up to OFM Failing Flynn Matthews includes a trip to the city and prior to writing I did my research virtually! Be good to check out my facts and take some photographs.

Ordering Flynn Matthews is based in London and Bristol – I’ve been to both of those cities 🙂

Fab Feb

Posted on March 2, 2015 by lgflannigan

February was good to me.

On Valentine’s Day Choc Lit announced its Search for a Star competition shortlist. I was delighted and grateful if not a little stunned to discover my novel Ordering Flynn Matthews had made the cut along with five others.

Cue flights of fancy of it being published with a gorgeous book cover (Choc Lit has amazing cover designs!), being made into a movie – the story really lends itself to the big screen, honest – doesn’t hurt to dream and hey in the spirit of the book and its main character Ellie I’m putting it out there in the hope of triggering the universe’s law of attraction and turning my dreams into reality!

My fellow shortlisters are lovely, accomplished and talented which doesn’t bode well for me!

Being shortlisted means I have returned to editing Failing Flynn Matthews and Working Flynn Matthews. Although Ordering Flynn Matthews can be a standalone novel there are sequels.

Thanks to Carrie, John, Lydia and Sam for reading my stories and for their valued feedback! And thanks to my editor Debz Hobbs-Wyatt too!

The good news continued as a few days later I successfully interviewed for a job with a charity! Ten hours a week which works perfectly with writing. I’m looking forward to starting early April.

It’s years since I went on a march and with my Behcet’s under control I decided to become more proactive and move on from just being an armchair supporter of Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the Green Party. So February saw me join the Green Party and sign up for the Time to Act march for action on climate change in London on 7th March. My children are marching too, so my daughter and I will be meeting her uni student brother there. We went banner making in Bristol on Saturday and met some wonderful dedicated activists. We’re looking forward to next weekend!

Best news of all. 😉 It’s official. Dark chocolate is a super food! Fact. (Dietitians may disagree)

My weekly supply…you think I’m joking

Three Manuscripts Later…

Posted on December 1, 2014 by lgflannigan

This year has flown by. My last post was in February. I had intended to post every month which is a reasonable aim I think however ten months later here’s my second post of the year!

So where was I? Ah yes, Ordering Flynn Matthews – no agents interested yet so after being ‘nagged’ by a couple of my readers, you know who you are ;), I’ve entered it into the Choc Lit Search for a Star Competition hoping they find my flawed heroes irresistible! You never know…

My Blood Rain manuscript is currently with an agent. In anticipation of her liking it, channelling positivity, finally this month I edited the second novel in the trilogy, Blood Moon. I need to write the finale, Blood Stone – story outline written so I’ll get to that after I’ve finished my latest project.

So what have I done in the ten months since I last posted? Written three novels (80,000+ words each) that’s what! Whether they get published is immaterial (although it would be vindication for the time spent away from my family and all the burnt, late dinners!) I won’t give up writing. I get agitated if I don’t get time to write! It’s an addiction. It truly is.

Ordering Flynn Matthews is a stand alone novel however I have written a sequel Failing Flynn Matthews. I took a break from Flynn and wrote a romantic suspense novel No Blame – it’s dark and unlike my other novels has two points of view. Two weeks ago I completed Working Flynn Matthews. I’m resting all three for the moment. I will do another edit before sending them to my kindle for a read. I find it helps me with spotting typos and seeing if it flows like an actual book! After saving up the pennies I’ll send them to my editor Debz Hobbs-Wyatt who provides a wonderful service. In celebration of the first birthday of her debut novel she’s offering a limited number of reduced price in-depth novel critiques this December. So for anyone looking for a professional edit I can’t recommend her highly enough and her normal rates are very competitive too.

I have plenty of ideas for new stories and have started on my next project The Horse’s Head inspired by a gorgeous notebook (my weakness) I bought on a trip to Camden Market in the summer. It’s become our favourite market to frequent, slightly inconvenient considering we live in Somerset!