Romance by the Book

An excerpt from a feature article in d’fine magazine written by Lyn Uhlmann entitled 'Romance by the Book'

(Issue 93 Feb, 2013 www.baysidebulletin.com.au – Photos in this blog courtesy of Bayside Bulletin)

For Noelle, her first dance with romance fiction recently scooped her up and twirled her around when Etopia Press, USA, offered her a contract for her novel, Let Angels Fly.

Noelle had previously written a work of historical fiction, but decided to write romance fiction after attending a RWA seminar and seeing “all the authors having so much fun.”

“I tried to read Fifty Shades of Grey, but the characters were too young for me and I couldn’t’ relate to them,” she said.

“I thought about what I like to read and I prefer protagonists who are a bit older, so I’ve written about a mature lady in her 40s.

“I wanted to write about people with life experience who have been through a major life change – maybe lost a job or a spouse or have experienced some other major life event.”

Noelle described her book as a combination of romance, suspense and action, with the story set in Cambodia, where the main character, seeking to pick up the threads of her shattered life, had gone to teach in an orphanage.

“I travelled to Cambodia last year and, like the character in my book, I fell in love with the people,” she said.

“Also like her, I’d like to go to Cambodia myself one day and spend some time volunteering there.

“It’s also an exotic location that provided the right back drop for the story.”

Noelle, who has also experienced success as a songwriter, said she especially enjoyed writing the adventure aspects of her novel and watching the “growth” of her characters as the story unfolded.

“I want my characters to become better people because of what they go through and that’s what keeps me writing,” she said.

“My main character (in this book) was feeling a bit worthless and losing confidence in herself.

“She needed to do something to make her feel her life was worthwhile and to find happiness again.”

***

Let Angels Fly is now available for purchase from Amazon.com (as well as their European sites in England, Germany, and France), Barnes & Noble, and All Romance e-Books. Over the next couple of weeks, they’ll also start appearing on Kobo and Sony, and a few smaller retailers thereafter.

Book Release Eve!

 

Hi everyone!

Hard for me to contain my excitement in this blog. My debut book - Let Angels Fly - will be on the virtual shelves tomorrow, 5th April.

As of tomorrow, my book will be available for purchase from Amazon.com (as well as their European sites in England, Germany, and France), Barnes and Noble, and All Romance e-Books. Over the next couple of weeks, they’ll also start appearing on Kobo and Sony, and a few smaller retailers thereafter.

Please hop on and spend a few dollars to read about the adventures of Abbie and Craig, and watch as their romance grows.

Thanks.

cheers, Noelle.

Let Angels Fly

Well, let them fly indeed! I am so excited, I feel like I could fly! The thing I never imagined would happen, has. My book, Let Angels Fly, will be available through Amazon and all good online stores as of Friday 5th April.

I can't wait for you all to meet Abbie and Craig.

When Abbie travels to exotic Cambodia, her goal is to find herself again. She also finds that the local people steal her heart, and she enthusiastically responds. But the mysteries of ancient Angkor Wat also captivate her, drawing her into danger and near tragedy. She unwittingly places her new friend, Craig, in a life and death situation. Abbie experiences utter joy, deep melancholy, and faces her biggest fears. But she emerges as a stronger and more confident woman, because of it. Set against a backdrop of wonderful scenery, appealing locals, and the Khmer culture, this story is a tale of travel, adventure and a mature romance story.

 

 

Resonating with Readers

I recently read an article by another author, TerryTyler, in which she wrote about the ideas and motivation for the stories she writes. It got me thinking. What is it in my life - past or present - that enables me to come up with story ideas, conflict, situations, and characters, that resonate with readers?

Although not every story ever written can be absolutely based on someone's real life experiences, it is fair to say that everything we do has an impact on who we are, what we think, what we do.

If in real life, an author experiences heartache, divorce, death, and separation from loved ones, then it
makes it much easier to write about the emotions that a character feels, who is going through one of those life changing events.

Similarly, joy, happiness, and love, can lift us higher than we've ever risen, especially if that love and exquisite happiness is new - or has been scarce in our lives.

So, as an author who writes contemporary romance with a good dash of adventure thrown in, my characters have a tiny piece of my life's experiences in them. The stories aren't about me, nor are the characters based on me, but minute aspects are based on what I know.

There comes a time in one's life when a great epiphany occurs. A major change. A time when we stand at the
crossroads, and ask "which way now?" It happens to all of us. For some people, making any decision is impossible, let alone making the 'right' decision.

So, my characters - both my heroines and my heroes - aren't perfect. Sometimes they prevaricate, not knowing what to do. Sometimes they are afraid of the consequences. Sometimes they fail. But above all, they learn to trust themselves. To have confidence in their own abilities.

I'd like to think that, if my characters have a tiny piece of me inside them, then it's the bit where I learned to trust myself, and to have confidence in myself.

Steps for Aussie authors: Obtaining an ITIN for US Publishers

For any authors who are not US nationals, and who live outside the United States, part of the process for being accepted by US Publishers involves the need for an ITIN – or Individual Taxpayer
Identification Number - from the IRS. Go to the IRS web site for information on the ITIN.

Your Publisher will give you instructions which you should follow to the letter, however I thought I’d share my steps to hopefully make this rather complex process a little easier.

1. You will need to have your identification documents formally certified, so gather relevant documents such as Passport, Birth/Marriage Certificates, tertiary qualifications/transcripts (a complete list is available on the IRS or DFAT website.) Note that a current passport needs no other documentation.

2. Take your documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in your capital city. (This is the link for the Brisbane office, with lots of good information.) They gave me a certified copy of my passport for free.

3. If you don't have a current passport, you will need to have all other documents (apart from an original Birth certificate) notarised by a Notary Public. (This link is not a personal referral, merely a starting off point with good information about what a Notary does.) It is not good enough to have your documents certified by a solicitor or JP.


4. For people other than Australians, or for Aussies abroad, go to the Hague Convention site and find your country’s link to Designated Competent Authorities. These are the only people who can identify you and no other will be recognised by the IRS.

5. Once you have entered into a contract with your Publisher, they will mail you a letter, which needs to be sent to the IRS along with the certified copies of your documents, plus a completed form W-7 (Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). When the IRS send you your ITIN, complete form W-8BEN and send it to your publisher.

It takes about two months to get your ITIN, so best idea is to start on this process early.

New book on the way

I'm very excited about my new novel.

 

Coming hot on the heels of the story of Abbie and Craig in Let Angels Fly, I now have to get to know my new heroine and hero. So far, I have plotted the story out, and am currently working on chapter outlines and character development.

The two new characters in this book are quite different in personality, needs, fears, and strengths, to the others. It's nice getting to know them. A bit like making new friends, and sitting down over a coffee and chatting, finding out about their past, their desires, goals - and about their past hurts and heartaches.

Like the previous two books, this one will be set in an exotic, but sometimes harsh, environment. A place I know well from my two visits there. But the location and plot are top secret! No one gets to know any details until I'm finished. :-)

Until next time, kind regards
Noelle