I'm entering a competition. It's for a chance to be published with a well respected publisher. I seriously don't think I'll be one of the finalists judging from past winners, but it gives me a chance to be seen by local industry professionals. Some would say, 'why bother?' Well, first off, I'm a paid member …
Changing my writing process
I was selling my books at a local author event. On the table next to me was science fiction writer, H.G. Ahedi. It was a very rainy Friday night so not many potential readers showed up, leaving me and H.G. with plenty of time to talk. After chatting about cover artists, the difference between being …
Manuscript Assessments
I've had several assessments done on two books. One was very recently. The others were for my first novel, Drama Queens with Love Scenes, more than ten years ago. This process should be eye opening. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn't. With my first book, a woman who was recommended to me provided three assessments …
Recycling characters
Many authors do it. They place their characters in several unrelated books. I've been doing it for a while although I'm planning to stop after my current release, The Midnight Man. And while the major characters in this novel are brand new, a whole range of characters from my novellas Nate and the New Yorker …
Writing about a dream lover
I was listening to Kate Bush. The track was 'Man With the Child In His Eyes' - a song about a mystical lover that waits for the songwriter at bedtime. It has been one of my favourite songs since its release in 1978. Natalie Cole does a beautiful cover version. Its haunting melody was the …
I wrote a sex scene without realising it.
The Midnight Man started with a nightclub scene. At least it did in earlier drafts. In the scene we meet middle aged gay couple, Stanley and Francesco, as they pick up a guy to share their bed for the night. After that opener was an erotic sex scene in which we discover Stanley isn't happy …
Continue reading "I wrote a sex scene without realising it."
Over think your novel between drafts
During this Sydney lockdown, something has occurred to me. Over thinking is best done between drafts! I'm writing this on July 21, 2021, and as I'm here at home with my husband, my works in progress have taken a back seat. Usually, I'd be working on the next draft of a manuscript while another is …
Writing about music without infringing copyright.
It's hard to write a novel about 90s rave culture without mentioning music. You have to be careful not to infringe copyright. This has been a real issue with my story set around Sydney's Oxford Street in that era. I started by referencing songs without using their lyrics. Or I'd reference those lyrics without using …
Continue reading "Writing about music without infringing copyright."
Time Away to Write
Last week I was on a work trip. I travelled from Sydney to Broome via a connecting flight to Perth. The first leg of this trip alone was four hours. Knowing this, I decided to print one of my works in progress, The Midnight Man, because I’ve been feeling the urge to get it ready …
Obsessing over Chapter Four
As you may know, my writing is more sporadic these days. Gone are the days when my fingers regularly tapped frantically in the hope of churning out a best seller. Now there is more time to obsess over each chapter before I return to my trusty laptop. In the past I have lived with the …
kevin klehr 