So I’ve been tagged by Natasha Hardy, author of Water, and Urban Fantasy author Hannah Pole, author of Silence of the Wolves, to take part in a global blog hop on the writing process.
Thank you, Natasha and Hannah! Now, to learn what my writing process is, keep reading…
- What are you currently writing?
I’m working on two new books for the Dating Mr Darcy series; one is finished and the second is halfway there. In book four, Gemma and Dominic break up – this time, for good. Dominic jets off to Corfu on his private jet with Christa, the new pop singing sensation, leaving girlfriend Gemma alone – and outraged. She joins forces with Jack Hawkins, the sexy arms dealer from Mansfield Lark, as he searches for his missing niece, Jools. Is it really over between her and Dom? Or will Jack win a permanent place in Gemma’s heart?
Book five focuses on Natalie Dashwood and Rhys Gordon, newly married and spending their first Christmas holiday together at Tarquin Campbell’s castle in the Scottish highlands. Their holiday is complicated by a decade-old family tragedy, a surly groundskeeper, a houseguest who isn’t who she seems, and an unexpected event – one which may just end Natalie and Rhys’s marriage before it’s even begun.
- What makes your work different?
One of the things that make my chick lit novels a bit unusual is the darker edge I give them. Although they’re romantic comedies, I like to throw a baddie into the mix whenever I can. I’ve always enjoyed romantic suspense and crime novels. Mary Stewart, Kate Atkinson, and P.D. James are particular favorites. So I suppose that’s why I like to toss a nasty villain into the romantic mix.
- Why do you write what you do?
Well, I can’t imagine writing anything else! I like banter, and witty repartee between men and women…it’s the best, isn’t it? I might like to try my hand at a Regency romance one day (I LOVE the Scarlet Pimpernel). But for now I like ‘meeting cute’ and mysteries and characters who argue, but who always (eventually) find their way back to each other. And I really like happy endings.
Sir Percy Blakeney, “The Scarlet Pimpernel”
- What is your writing process?
I write wherever and whenever I can. I work full-time, so that isn’t as often – or for as long a time – as I’d like. Mostly, I write on Saturdays from 7:00 AM until 3:00 PM, with a break for lunch. When I’m focused and I know exactly where my story’s going, I get a LOT done. In between, I use the Notebook app on my iPad to write a scene or jot down notes for the next chapter(s). When I’m finished for the day, I convert the file to PDF and send it to my Kindle; then I read through what I wrote and make note of any errors, or anything that doesn’t flow.
Sometimes my husband takes a look at my work in progress. He tells me exactly what he thinks and points out any problems…which can sometimes be annoying; but it’s helpful, too. I depend on his honesty to let me know if something isn’t working or doesn’t make sense. And he’s more than happy to tell me.
Of course, he tells me when he loves it, too.
So there you have it. Next up in the global blog hop is Debi V. Smith, gluten-free food blogger (Hunter’s Lyonesse) and talented writer extraordinaire (Chocolate Wasteland), who’ll be sharing her own writing process next Monday, 31 March.
Find Katie Oliver’s “Dating Mr Darcy” series here:
