Thinking time...

On Sunday, the title for a new novel popped into my head! Oooh, I thought with grinning anticipation, this is exciting. But then I realised I only had the title. (I'm not going to tell you what it is, because I love it so much I don't want to share it just yet!)

So while some of you might be frantically scribbling ideas at this stage of the process, planning, shaping characters, and doing all those things that authors do, I'm walking around the streets, repeating the title over and over to myself (yes, I admit, sometimes out loud, and sometimes within earshot of other people...) waiting for the characters to tell me what their story is. In fact, I'm actually waiting for the characters too.

This morning I woke up with two thoughts: chocolate and tattoos. I don't know how or if this relates to my new idea (or perhaps I just want both in real life... actually, yes I do!) but it's pretty interesting watching these disparate parts come together.

I'm starting to think that the first draft of this story is worthy of the handmade notebook that my kids bought me several years ago, and which has been waiting for the right story ever since. If any of you have a similar notebook/journal, then you'll know that this is quite a big deal.

And now I just have to wait for the characters, plot, theme, and story to appear.

Ladies and gentlemen, this isn't just pantsing, this is ultimate pantsing. 

New Web Site

I've been busy... I've set up a new web site!

Annalisa Crawford, Author.

I'd be delighted if you want to check it out. I'm open to advice and criticism.

In other news, I'm two-thirds of the way through my novel, and I've already started thinking about the next one. This is a badly timed because I really need to focus on the current one. It's not easy getting into the head of this current character - he's a bit odd, to say the least! Every so often I get the feeling he's not as bad as I need him to be, so I have to go back and re-write to stop him handing himself into the authorities or disappearing into the sunset with a trusty side-kick.

Do your characters ever work against you?

How to do pull them back into line?

The final day of the tour

I've made it all the way to the end of the tour. The eleventh and final guest post is over on Michelle Wallace's Writer-in-transit blog, and I'm discussing the title story of the collection, That Sadie Thing.

I've had a great time on this tour, so thank you to everyone who's supported me and commented on my many posts.

Tomorrow, I start on the final 20,000 words of my new novel... and then I'll start to panic about what to do with such an odd tale. Ah, the writer's life... I wouldn't have it any other way!

Popping over to Rachel's, and a sneaky photo of Kyra Lennon

Today the tour takes me to Rachel Schieffelbein's Writing on the Wall blog, and I'm talking about The Girl who is Good. If you really want an insight into the weirdness of my mind, this is the story to read!

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You all know that Kyra Lennon and I did a book signing/fund raising extravaganza on Saturday, because I've been telling you about it for weeks. It was a really great day, and I met some lovely people. And we both the chance to give advice to a budding writer... It was almost as though I know what I'm doing.

I did keep forgetting to sign my postcards for people, and Kyra kept reminding me. But I did a great job at handing out my badges!

We didn't take as many photos as we were expecting, but here are a couple of self-edited ones!

Kyra, me and the table of prizes - and our book cover t-shirts!

My giveaways and my cider

Kyra signing her book

Kyra's books looked great on the table

If you want to read more about the day, Kyra's written a post about it on her Write Here, Write Now blog - and she's having a giveaway of her signed books, bookmarks and fridge magnets! So, pop over to Rachel's, pop back, and then pop to Kyra's!

I'm on real life tour

Okay, so I realise that going to one town doesn't make a tour, but I have to get a bus and a train to get there, so it sort of counts, right.

By the time this post goes live, Kyra Lennon and I should be nicely settled into the Smugglers pub, where hoards of people destined to become devoted fans will be queuing up to buy Kyra's signed books and grab freebie badges from me.

And that's not the only thing they - and you - will be able to get free today!! That Sadie Thing is FREE for the weekend. Grab your copy here, if you haven't already got it. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell the lady who works in your local shop, tell your dentist, share the Sadie love!

You can get your copy of That Sadie Thing here

Have a great weekend!

Beth meets Clare

Yay, it's Friday! I hope you've all got that Friday feeling.

The blog tour hits Clare Dugmore's blog today, and I'm going to explain the thoughts and ideas behind Beth.

Once again, I'm having Saturday and Sunday off, and then there are just two stops next week. To celebrate the end of the tour, and the book reading/signing with Kyra Lennon, That Sadie Thing will be free to download from Amazon this weekend. If you've been intrigued by my posts about the individual stories, why not grab yourself a copy here from tomorrow. And, while you're there, please check out my novella Cat and The Dreamer.

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you on Monday!

Lurking in the shadows

It's another first for me today - I'm visiting DL Hammons's blog, Cruising Altitude 2.0, and I'm talking about one of my personal favourite stories, Shadows of Autumn.

In the real world, I'm going to start practising read out loud, because I'm off to see Kyra Lennon on Saturday - yes folks, it's almost time for our book extravaganza! Nervous? Me? Noooooooooo... (or, yes...)