My Writing Process - the wisdom that comes with learning from others

This is my second shot at discussing my writing process, however this time around I’m going to be discussing the four questions from the viewpoint of what I’ve achieved in the six weeks since I did my last post.

Have I achieved much in that short time? I think so.

First of all, I’d like to tell you about fellow Brisbane author, Michaela Miles. You see, Michaela

asked me if I’d like to be part of this very interesting chain-style blog that’s been doing the rounds. I’ve been following it now for some time, and have been reading each author’s unique approach to their craft. Whilst we are all different in what and how we write, the commonality of the hurdles, difficulties, and goals, is very unifying. Each author who has participated in the Writing Process Blog has taught me something. It may only be a tip on time management; or a fresh way of looking at my own process. But it has, I believe, made me a better writer to read what others do.

For a glimpse into a busy mother, business owner, home renovator – and writer – check out how upbeat and hard-working Michaela is. Click here to read her writing process.

The common thread in all of the posts is that we don’t write for fame or money. We write because we are driven to bring to life the characters, places and stories that buzz around in our head. But above all, we write because we love it.

What am I currently working on?

I’m currently half way through my third contemporary romance novel, Honor’s Debt. But as often happens, my characters are playing hard to get with each other, and I’m being taken on a merry chase into uncharted territory. My plot outline has been thrown out the window, as my characters surprise me by taking over the direction of the story. However, I’m going along for the ride to see where they take me.

I’m also writing a couple of erotic romance novellas; doing final edits on my historical novel; and am doing some editing for a friend. I also just finished a series of author talks at libraries in my region, delivering an hour-long talk called ‘Person, Place and Passion’. Add to this, several book club visits to chat about my books, and it’s been a pretty busy month or so. But I’m loving every minute.


 How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I don’t know that my Contemporary Romance books are all that different to several other authors who like to use locations and settings that they’ve travelled to and fallen in love with. But what I do try to do, is to have several little subplots weaving through the stories which contain mystery,

intrigue, suspense, danger, adventure. I also like to have a couple of interesting support characters, who will one day be the main characters of future books. I then combine these elements with a well described (I hope) exotic location, two likeable main characters, and some pretty good romance.

My historical novel, Stone of Heaven and Earth, will – I hope – be fairly unique, as it’s based on fact and my family history.


Why do I write what I do?

I write books like Rosamanti, Let Angels Fly, and Honor’s Debt, because they are the sorts of books I


love to read. I also love to use locations that I’ve travelled to or lived in, and then watch as the setting makes my characters behave in a particular way, which may not have happened had I set the stories somewhere else. I believe strongly that location/setting has a huge influence on the behaviour of characters.

But apart from writing books, I have written many songs, essays, short stories, as well as academic papers and online education content in my career.

How does your writing process work?

Last time I answered this question I thought I had a process that suited me.










But I am revising that

thought now.  Instead of just one idea pinging into my brain, usually when I’m driving, or when I’m just waking up in the morning, I’m now receiving dozens of random, way out, crazy ideas. I’ve always loved those moments when the creative right side of the brain is acting superior to the normally dominant, logical, left side. I became a full-time writer two months ago – I can only guess that the freedom I now have to focus on my writing is allowing my creativity to run rampant. How lucky am I?





I still jot down dot points, everything I can about the characters, setting, conflict etc that spins
through my grey cells. But that’s it. What I’ve learned with Honor’s Debt, now that my creativity has this newfound freedom, is that no matter how much I plot, sometimes the characters are strong and pull the story in directions I didn’t even think of.

I’m enjoying this new (to me) way of letting them have their way.




Who will we meet next week?

Well, last time I did this blog, I passed the baton to fellow Aussie authors Isabella Hargreaves, Kendall Talbot and Susanne Bellamy. This time I’m going to ask any writers who read this to volunteer.

But right now, do me a favour and click on these three other authors. They are, like me, sharing their writing process. We can all learn from each other.
Renea Mason
Lea Bronsen
Roberta Pearce
Kerry J. Donovan
Lan LLP

Happy St Valentine's Day

Today I'm one of the lucky guests over at Shehanne Moore's blog. A dozen or so of us - all authors - are sharing the First Kiss scenes from our novels. We are also spilling the beans on whether it is love or lust, and what happens at the happily ever after.

Here's my portion of the post - re-posted with the permission of Shehanne Moore. But please visit her blog by clicking here, and read what the others have to say.

Why is this story called Rosamanti?
Rosamanti is a villa. A 400 year old villa. In its lifetime, it’s witnessed its fair share of happiness, sadness, loss, even violence. When you’re 400 years old, you gain a bit of wisdom.
Rosamanti seems to have a hand in causing good things to happen to good people who deserve happiness.
Do you believe in magic? I do.

The first kiss between Sarah and Pietro:
Pietro picked up the bottle of wine and the glasses and indicated to her to follow him. She walked behind him up a steep but well-trodden pathway. After about ten minutes, they reached a flat area atop the big headland that she recognized from her study window. They sat down on the grassy knoll and looked across to the east where the big full moon again made its slow climb, spreading gold on the waters of the calm, dark sea. The sheer beauty of the place was very moving.
Trapped in the moment, she hardly noticed Pietro remove the glass from her hand. She detected the silhouette of his head as it blocked her vision, then his warm, soft lips caressed hers. It was a mere whisper of a kiss, but tender. He pulled back.
“I couldn’t help myself, bella. Do you mind?”
She didn’t know what to say. She shook her head. Did she mind? No. No she didn’t mind at all. But no words would come out.
“Ah, I see. Then please forgive me. The wine, the moon…”

She reached out in the darkness and placed her palm gently on his cheek, unable to speak. His big hand covered hers, then his strong arms embraced her. His kiss this time was warm and robust. She found herself responding. It was delicious. He parted her lips with his tongue and probed for hers. Caught up in the moment, she touched his tongue, tasting saltiness, mixed with wine. Somewhere deep down, something fluttered—oh so delicately—through her. His embrace became tighter. Linked together, they lay back on the spiky turf, their kiss becoming more passionate.

What happens next?
He cooks for her, gives her a whole cellar of gorgeous wine, charms her with his smooth Italian ways, makes her laugh again.

But is it love?
She watched enthralled as Pietro spread the pliant dough on the smooth, floured bench in Nonna’s kitchen. Sipping wine, she could feel contentment oozing through every pore of her skin. He started singing as he worked—firstly skinning the rich, ripe tomatoes, and dicing the onion and basil finely. Every so often, he looked at her and winked, a happy smile resting on his handsome face. When the meal was ready, they sat opposite each other at the old wooden table. She loved the meal, and she loved the happiness that he infused into the food. Wholesome, calm, generous, and sweet.
When they finished eating, he raised his glass to her. She clinked hers with him and smiled. “Bella, you look so happy.”
“I am happy, Pietro. I’m happier than I’ve been for a long time. I don’t know if it’s your wine, your food, or Rosamanti, but I feel like I’ve been transformed into a fairy tale where everything is good.”
His face took on a look of mock admonishment. “Ah, bella,” he chided, “maybe it is because of me!”
They both laughed. She looked thoughtful for a moment, tipping her head to one side. “You know, maybe—just maybe—it is.”
The tender look in his eyes, and the happy smile on his face, warmed her heart.

When it is love, how does Sarah know?
Taking her coffee outside, she sat at the little white wrought-iron table under the pergola and waited for the sun to rise. Her thoughts turned to Ted and she felt the weight of sadness deep within her. When he was first diagnosed, they talked a lot. She remembered his words: “You’re still a young woman. Promise me you’ll love someone else.” She drew an involuntary breath as she realized she may have just done exactly that. The vision of Ted’s sick, pale face dissolved into a brown, smiling countenance brimming with life. Pietro’s black eyes twinkled as they gazed out from his handsome face. She felt like she was sixteen years old again. No way—no way at all—had she expected this to happen. Not so quickly. Maybe even never.

Australia Day Book'd Out Blog Hop & Giveaway - The Call of the Bush

Visit Book'd Out for more blog posts with giveaways

The Call of the Bush

Join in the Book'd Out 2014 Australia Day Book Giveaway and Blog Hop - Visit the other blogs. Lots of fun and giveaways - click HERE

In the mid 1960’s, when I was in primary school, I was given a fourth-hand book called The Call of the Gums. It had a beautiful sketch on the cover.  Graceful gums, their branches casting a dappled shadow over the ground, seemed to sway in the breeze as I gazed at it. I loved that picture – and I loved that book. So much so, that I still have a copy. Inside the cover are the names of my cousins and older sisters who also owned the book before me, each one crossed out and the new owner’s name proudly written in a childish scrawl.

From this anthology of Australian verse, I learned to recite, by heart, poems that I still remember. The Call of the Gums introduced me to Australian poets such as Kenneth Slessor, Henry Lawson, Judith Wright, and local Aboriginal poet, Kath Walker – who changed her name to Oodgeroo Noonuccal in 1988. The anthology also gave me a sense of what it meant to be Australian. Kenneth Slessor’s Beach Burial never failed to make my eyes sting with tears; I learned about war, about droughts, about dogs dying, and I learned a deep love for the Australian bush which has lasted a lifetime.

More than 50 years since The Call of the Gums was first published, I can say that, thanks to the words and imagery contained within its covers, I have enjoyed a life-long love affair with the bush. Nothing makes my heart sing as much as being in the heartland of Australia – the bush. It’s where my senses soar; it’s where a spirituality enters my sometimes hardened respect for religion; and it’s where I’m filled with peace and wonder at its beauty.

Some of you may know that I have written a number of songs over the years. Most have themes inspired by being in the Outback – the country – the bush. But there’s one song I’d like to share with you this Australia Day. It’s called The Bush Church, and it fairly well sums up my feelings.

THE BUSH CHURCH                                              (© Noelle Clark/ND 2002)

A hundred foot tall gum tree makes a most imposing spire
The fallen logs around me make good pews
The carpet of a million leaves soften where I tread
And a hollowed out old tree stump tells His news.

I look about me at the congregation gathered round
Their peaceful faces show no signs of care
For the faces that surround me are the creatures of the bush
All the animals whom God has made are there.

No bricks and mortar, glass and walls, could ever be this good
The glory of God’s work is at hand
The lofty ceiling echoes as no real church ever could
And my bush church makes me feel as no place can.

A choir starts to sing a song of praise to God on high
No chorus ever sounded quite so sweet
The bird song of the Aussie bush, God’s creatures one and all
And now this bush cathedral is complete.

No bricks and mortar, glass and walls, could ever be this good
The glory of God’s work is at hand
The lofty ceiling echoes as no real church ever could
And my bush church makes me feel as no place can.

There is no better place to sing God’s praise than way out there
Where the fragrance of the bush acts like wings upon my prayer

No bricks and mortar, glass and walls, could ever be this good
The glory of God’s work is at hand
The lofty ceiling echoes as no real church ever could
And my bush church makes me feel as no place can.

Here’s my ‘bush’ version of The Bush Church



It's GIVEAWAY TIME!

That's right. Just leave a comment below to be in the random draw to win an ebook copy of my latest release, Rosamanti.

An Aussie girl finds love in the most unexpected place

Entries are now closed. Thank you to all who entered.

The winner is Faith Hope Cherrytea. 

 

Thanks to Book'd Out for hosting the great 2014 Australia Day Blog Hop & Giveaway. 

 

Next tour stop - Addicted to Writing

I'm having a ball on my Goddess Fish Promotions blog tour. Today, I'm visiting the lovely Christine

over at Addicted to Writing. 

Please come and say hello. Leave a comment to be in the running for some great gift card prizes.

Just click on this link to see Addicted to Writing!

http://christineyoung-romancewriter.blogspot.com.au/?zx=5c1f672863894a35

Queen of the Night ... a fitting place for Rosamanti

Hello everyone! Yes, my lovely Italian romance - Rosamanti - is being launched over at Queen of the Night Reviews with that crazy mid-west gal, Maria. Unlike the Queen of the Night cactus flower in this picture, neither Rosamanti nor Queen of the Night Reviews are one hit wonders. We're not here for a fleeting, night-bloom. We're here to stay. Please come on over and enter the competition to win some great prizes..

Harlie's Books - full revs here girls!

No, not those kind of Harley's. The wonderful Marika at Harlie's Books has me visiting her website. Comment to win great gift cards. Come on...why not?

It's Raining Books - truly!

Yes, the lovely people over at It's Raining Books have kindly allowed me to visit their gorgeous website today, to help me celebrate the release of Rosamanti.

They have excerpts and giveaways galore! Now, who doesn't like gift cards?

So please, pop on over, say hello, and I wish you the best of luck in winning a prize.

Rosamanti -- Release day is here!

In February this year, I sat down and wrote Rosamanti in three weeks. The story came from my heart; from a deep love of the beautiful island of Capri; and from a life-long fascination with the Blue Grotto. Today, Rosamanti is published and on sale throughout the world. I feel like pinching myself.

This book is very special to me in many ways. I do hope you enjoy reading it.

Fate drew her to Rosamanti. Love made her stay…

After the death of her husband, best-selling mystery author Sarah Halliman has lost her desire for just about everything. Desperate to break out of her funk and rediscover herself, she answers a newspaper advertisement—For lease: Isolated villa on Capri, Italy. Must love cats. Traveling alone to the beautiful island of Capri, she locates Villa Rosamanti, a gorgeous 400-year-old dwelling nestled in the hillside of Monte Tiberio. Above it lies Villa Jovis, the 2000-year-old villa of Emperor Tiberius, ripe with history and intrigue.

Sarah soon discovers a strong resonance with Rosamanti and its gardens and quirky pets. She begins to feel a deep connection to Elena Lombardi, the deceased owner. But it’s not just the villa Sarah’s fallen in love with. Elena’s grandson, Pietro, is handsome and charming, the epitome of the passionate Italian. His dream is to own a restaurant of his own, but such dreams are for wealthier men.

Between the sparks that Pietro kindles in Sarah’s heart—and her kitchen—and the mystery of nearby Villa Jovis, Sarah’s muse begins to stir. She senses stories in the ancient stones, and romance in the phosphorescent blue waters of the Blue Grotto. But when her curiosity takes her to Elena’s library, a child’s notes and maps lead Sarah to a mystery that could be the answer to everyone’s prayers—or perhaps, be the destruction of everything they hold dear…

Buy Rosamanti here

Amazon   

Barnesand Noble

AllRomance Ebooks    

Kobo 

  

 

Pietro

Pietro lived with his grandmother – Nonna –and his mother, the only male in the household. From his Nonna, he learned all about loyalty, love, and belonging. Nonna was his rock in a sometimes difficult childhood. She taught him about life, and nurtured him until he was a grown and capable man.

Although life threw some curve balls at Pietro, he grew to be a stoic and reliable man. He is happy working as a chef in his Aunty Maria’s restaurant, turning out authentic Caprese fare to the hordes of tourists and day-trippers to the island.

When Pietro happens to meet an Australian woman who arrives on Capri, his whole world seems to turn upside down. He is forced to face his future, seeing for the first time the opportunities to turn his life in a different direction. But his loyalty to Nonna goes much deeper than pursuing his own dreams.

Stubbornly, he fights the notion of change, but there is one thing he is helpless to fight, and that is the power of falling in love.

Rosamanti -- out on November 29^th from Etopia Press
 

Rosamanti - out on November 29th

 

Three mysterious clues ...

ROSAMANTI

 

out on November 29th

She clung tight on the little blue Vespa

Mystery, danger - treasure

Rosamanti - Fate drew her to a faraway villa – her heart made her stay

 

Out on November 29th!

 

 

Meet Sarah Halliman

Successful crime author, Sarah, needs to write a new chapter in her life. But right now she’s finding it difficult to write anything, let alone find her place in a world which has turned upside down.

 

Never one to shy away from hardship, she takes a big breath – and a huge leap of faith – and embarks on a solo adventure to the other side of the world. She’s seeking solitude, peace, and inspiration. When she arrives on Capri, the tiny island off the Amalfi Coast, Italy, she finds all of what she needs in huge abundance.

ROSAMANTI

 

Fate drew her to a faraway villa – her heart made her stay

Out on November 29th

What would you do?

Read this ad in the newspaper classifieds.

If you wanted to get away from everything for a while – maybe to pursue your dreams, maybe to recover from something or someone, or maybe just to think for a while – what would you do?

Sarah had this dilemma. Could she pack up and leave her friends and family, and go somewhere she knew no one? Where she couldn’t speak the language? Would it fix the problem?

Rosamanti  -  by Noelle Clark

Out on November 29th

Facing inner demons

Meet Nonna

Elena Lombardi is Pietro’s grandmother, or Nonna. She and Pietro both call Rosamanti home, a safe and loving environment in which to nurture one’s soul. Pietro’s love for her is evident in the way he cherishes everything that she holds dear. She has instilled in her grandson the most admirable of traits – loyalty, honesty, and hard work.

Although tragedy has been no stranger to Nonna, causing her great pain and immense loss, she has never lost her ability to love those dearest to her.

Full moon over Capri

The magic of cuisine

When I think of Capri, I think of many things, but being a lover of food I often think of the cuisine first and foremost.

In Rosamanti, my hero Pietro is a chef. He never set out to be a chef, but life’s twists and turns have landed him in the kitchen at Zia Maria’s restaurant, where he works daily to prepare delicious local meals for the hordes of tourists and day-trippers to the Italian island. But as the story unfolds, it’s clear that food is his passion. But not just any food. Pietro has a deep love for traditional, local dishes, made with fresh produce sourced from local producers.

I’m not saying anymore – you’ll have to wait until November 29th, when Rosamanti is released through Etopia Press to find out more. But just to whet your appetite, here are a few of mine – and Pietro’s – favourite Caprese dishes. Buon appetito!

Insalata Caprese is a simple salad usually served as an antipasto (starter) made of sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil, and seasoned with salt and olive oil. See the recipe here.

Ravioli Caprese is the island’s signature dish. Fresh, hand-made pasta ravioli pillows are filled with locally made caciotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and marjoram, and served with  fresh tomato sauce and tossed in melted butter and sage. For an extra taste bud extravaganza, fry them. Recipe from http://www.capri.net/en/recipes

Ravioli, filled with caciotta and Parmesan cheese and marjoram, is the Island of Capri's signature dish. Prepared in all of the kitchens of Capri, according to age-old recipes handed down from generation to generation. Much loved by both adults and children, the ravioli are served with a fresh tomato sauce or tossed in melted butter and sage. When fried, they provide a delicious starter.
To make the ravioli place the flour in a mound on a flat surface. Make a crater in the middle and pour the olive oil and hot water into it. Work together to obtain a compact dough. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add the caciotta, parmesan cheese and the marjoram. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out a quarter of the mixture into a thin sheet. On half of the sheet, place teaspoonfuls of the cheese mixture, positioning the balls about 6cms apart. Take the other half of the sheet and cover the first half. Proceed to separate the ravioli, cutting around each ball with either a ravioli cutter or a glass, with a diameter of roughly 4 to 5cms. Repeat the procedure with each of the remaining quarters of the dough.
Once you have finished making the ravioli, place them to one side (taking care not to put them one on top of the other), on a flat surface, which has been dusted with flour or on clean teacloths. Cook the ravioli in boiling water for five minutes and serve with a fresh tomato sauce (see recipe for Chiummenzana), Parmesan cheese, and a few leaves of basil. Alternatively, the ravioli can be fried in hot oil until the pasta turns a light golden color. Serve hot.

Ingredients for 4 people

• For the pasta: 500 gr. flour, 2 table spoons of olive oil, half litre of boiling water
• For the filling: 300 gr. Caciotta di Sorrento cheese (grated), 2 eggs, 200 gr. grated Parmesan cheese, marjoram
• For the sauce:: Fresh tomato sauce, grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil, olive oil

Totani ripieni (stuffed cuttlefish) – the cuttlefish have a similar taste and texture to calamari but have a stronger flavour. Cuttlefish form part of the staple diet of local Caprese, and are caught at night in the sea around Capri. On summer evenings, it is easy to spot the flickering lights of the boats heading out for the night’s catch. The stuffing consists of local caciotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and tomatoes. Recipe from http://www.capri.net/en/recipes

This dish is perfect as either first or second course. Clean the cuttlefish and remove tentacles, making sure not to break the cuttlefish's body, which will be stuffed. In a pan, lightly fry the garlic in olive oil and cook the tentacles (cut into little pieces). In a bowl mix the eggs, Parmesan, caciotta, chopped parsley and cuttlefish tentacles. Use this mixture to fill the cuttlefish body and seal together with a cocktail stick. In a saucepan prepare some tomato sauce and then add the stuffed cuttlefish. Cook for 20 minutes. The sauce can also be used with pasta.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 1 kg. of cuttlefish
• 500 gr. tomatoes
• 1 small grated Caciotta cheese
• 100 gr. grated Parmesan cheese

• 4 eggs
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Parsley

Come along and spend some time with Pietro and Sarah at Villa Rosamanti. You’ll get to sample homemade goats cheese from the milk of Geraldina; eat the eggs from the Rosamanti chickens; and sample the home-made wine. No reservations necessary.

Rosamanti – out on November 29th

 

Meet Carlo

I'd like to introduce you to Carlo, one of the characters in Rosamanti.

Eleven-year-old Carlo lives with his mother, Teresa, in an old cottage near Villa Rosamanti. Carlo and Teresa struggle to make ends meet. They have no modern conveniences in their small home, but what they have they share with friends and neighbours. Carlo and Sarah take an instant liking to each other, and when Sarah is in grave danger, it is Carlo who responds.

Not having a father of his own, Carlo hero-worships Pietro, and brings to the story a refreshing perspective on life and love.

Rosamanti  -  out on November 29th