Looking forward to autumn with Kate Walker

Almost every morning before I get to my desk, I go for a walk in the local park. From there,  there’s a path that leads to the woods and I walk all round the woods as well. It’s a lovely way to start off my day. I have some peace and quiet to think. I get my exercise – essential seeing as the day job usually keeps me sitting most of the day – and I get to see the changing seasons up close.  The past few weeks have been lovely and mild so that I got to see the rabbits frolicking in the sunlight, or the squirrels running up the tree trunks.  Robins, magpies, crows, sparrows, all fly about the woods and I can hear the woodpecker hammering away at a tree trunk up above my head.

But this morning it was a very different sort of day.  There was a chill wind and a lot of rain. Suddenly it was so obvious that the season was changing. Summer is over and autumn is on its way in.  There was a sort of melancholy feel about it, but at the same time there was an excitement and anticipation of the new season that’s starting.  

I’ve often talked about how I love this time of year. New Term. Back To School. New (School) Year – all these things mean that there’s the anticipation of new beginnings and all the shops have  lots of lovely stationery and pens to mark ‘Back To School’ time. But there are other reasons why I love this time of year. Reasons I’m looking forward to Autumn -  So I thought I’d share some of them with you.

I’m not really very good with a lot of heat. Sunshine, yes, but hot days really exhaust me so I’m haf bach mihangel – Michael’s Little Summer – St. Michael’s Day being on 29 September) but it is rarely as hot as the height of summer. And I love that.

happy about the cooler days. We might still have an Indian Summer (or as we used to call it when DH and I were at university in Aberystwyth in Wales 

The changing colours. I love to see the way that the trees start to change colour – to turn from green to gold to brown.  I’ve always loved the ‘autumnal’ colours so I shall wear some of those too.

Shoes – and boots – I love boots -   high boots, ankle boots, black, burgundy . . .  I just bought myself a wonderful pair of flats in metallic leather – can’t wait to wear them with opaque black tights. My sandals don’t feel right any more and I can’t wait to get into boots!

TV  - I’m in the UK  so this will be slightly different here – but  the autumn schedules start – last weekend we had Lady Chatterley’s Lover ( Richard Madden, James Norton) coming up  are the new series -  Dr Who. Downton Abbey,  Sherlock,  Strictly Come Dancing, Jekyll and Hyde. (And meanwhile  Aidan Turner is filming the second series of Poldark and James Norton is working on  Grantchester 2) These are good ways to spend darker cooler evenings. And that’s before I consider films – the live broadcasts of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet – Tom Hiddleston as Hank  Williams.

Or theatre – so far I have tickets for The Importance of Being Earnest, Mack and Mabel,  Kiss me Kate . . . I  will be spending most of Autumn watching great acting!

Real fires. We’re lucky enough to have a real fire in our living room. It hasn’t been used for five months – I can’t wait to lay the wood, add the coal, strike a match . . . and the cats just love to curl up in front of it.

And if the fire’s lit and I’m not watching TV – there’s always the bundle of new books coming out.  The fire in the hearth, a cat on my lap – a good book . . .

Autumn is also a time when I go to London to meet all my friends and fellow authors  at the Association of Mills & Boon lunch. This time it’s extra exciting as  for the first time we’ll get to see the brand new M&B offices  in the News Building in Central London .  

October I’ll be running a guided retreat  Focus on Writing Romantic Fiction. This means I get to spend the weekend at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick Derbyshire – and I’ll

meet up with students, some of whom are already friends – and get to spend the weekend talking about writing – what’s not to like?

Oh, and I seem to have a lovely set of books  coming pout this autumn too. There’s the Australian collection of my 3 books about the Alcolar Family  called The Notorious Alcolars. A brand new  English Manga Comic edition of The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife.  And the one I’m most looking forward to of all – the publication of my newest title Destined for The Desert King.   (I just love the Presents cover for this one!) 

All I need to make my autumn complete will be to have written – and had accepted  - a new book ready for the new year. I’m working on that one. And that’s the other great thing about autumn. Because it’s not so warm and because of that ‘new term’ feeling, I always write so much better and more  concentrated in autumn. I’m hoping to get this new book  (Rose and Nairo’s story) to my editor very soon.

So that’s why, although I’m sad to see the summer fade, I’m also excited by the prospect of this new season and I’m, really looking forward to Autumn and all the promise  that it holds.

What about you?  Do you love autumn – fall -  whatever you call  it?   Or are you dreading the darker nights and the cooler days?  I’d love to know what you’re looking forward to.  But let’s agree not to talk about the C word - Christmas -  just yet!!

My  latest romance  is Olivero's Outrageous Proposal published in April in Harlequin Presents and Mills and Boon Modern Romance . Coming next  Destined For The Desert King  which is published in December this year.
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Then there's the  12 Point Guide to Writing Romance, the newest edition of which is available on Kindle or a revised and updated paperback edition now available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Kate Walker's web site is here   and the up-to-date news can be found on her blog or her Facebook page.

12 Points on the 12th with Kate Walker

First of all, I have some great news about my book - The 12 Point Guide To Writing Romance. (well - it's great news for me! If you've been looking for a copy, it might not be quite so great for you.)

I heard from my publisher last week and this book is now officially SOLD OUT. He shipped the very last copies from the wharehouse and there are none left. There might be some around on Amazon.com or B&N .com - but not many!

But if you want a chance to win a copy of this book, Lee actually has not one but two copies of it to offer as a prize in a contest and she'll be setting that up on My Tote Bag very soon - so look out for that or for the details on my blog too.

So for today's 'point' - I'd like to look at Conflict a bit more. On my blog, I wrote a bit about this in my mini-series of hints about Writing For Presents with reference to the Harlequin Presents Instant Seduction contest, where I wrote:

It's the emotional intensity that makes a Presents novel - and to create that emotional intensity you need to have a strong and emtional conflict.

The Instant Seduction Contest is still going on - just - so I'd like to add a little more to that thought about conflict and what makes a good one - and how you can deepen and intensify it by

Adding layers to a conflict

Very few reasons for conflict, however powerful, can actually last through the whole of a book without changing, adapting, developing, or just varying in tone and emphasis. The best sorts of conflicts are those that have layers and layers of involvement, and as each one is dealt with and peeled away, it reveals another complication, another aspect of the same problem, or a different development of it, going deeper and deeper until finally the central core of the problem is exposed, ready for you characters to tackle it.

This pacing and staging of the revelations that make up the conflict adds to the suspense and the tension that keeps the reader turning the page. It also has the bonus of increasing and building on the sexual tension between the hero and heroine as they want more and more to be together but feel more and more that it will be a mistake/a danger/a disaster.

I tend to start out with a main character - either the hero or the heroine and a situation that they are in - okay - classic secret baby conflict (overused - but it's quick and easy)

So she has a baby - So what happened in the past?

Why didn't she stay with the father/tell him about the child ?

The answers to that will give me some more idea of what the conflict issues will be -

- She left him because she knew he never wanted children and she feared he would force her to choose between the baby and him and she knew she could never have a termination

Next - What is going to bring the two together

He comes back into her life Why? Has he been looking for her - or is it by accident

The answer to that will give me an idea of how he's feeling and so how he's going to react when they meet again.

Then putting the two together creates the initial conflict.

Short term conflict - She doesn't want him to know about the baby He believes she walked out on him for someone else

Long term conflict - the unresolved problem of the fact that he doesn't want children and she does and he thinks she has a new man in her life

So - the first conflict we see is that she hides the child's existence That's stage one

Stage two: - But then he sees her with the child - doesn't realise it's hers - a different conflict - should she tell him or not?
Especially as he is clearly taken with the child

Stage three : Her friend gives away the fact that the baby is hers

He now knows about the baby - but thinks it is younger than it really is - so the conflict shifts again He thinks the baby is with her new man and that's why she left. Same original conflict - but it's changing and reshaping with additional information

Stage Three - He gets to know the child - thinking it's someone else's. Then he finds out the truth

A new slant on this stage - how will he react to the realisation that he's been deceived ? He also has to face the fact that it was his own refusal to have children that made her hide the child in the first place

Stage Four: He comes to love the child - but does he love the heroine?

He explains why he didn't want children Which adds another complication.

They are building peace in order to care for the child but is there any more to it?

Black Moment He has fallen in love with his baby and insists that he wants more than just access - he wants the child in his life The heroine sees this as a demand to take the child from her - that he wants the baby not her

So you see, this all started from the original conflict of him not wanting children but not saying why

Which leads her to react in one way

And he reacts to that - which changes the situation.

And she reacts to the changed situation . . . .

So the way to develop a deep, emotional conflict is to work from the inside - to go with the characters' feelings and the way they react to each stage of the developing conflict. That reaction will spark off an answering reaction in the other person - emotional reactions, not conflicts created by outside forces.

And because the reactions, the emotions and so the conflicts come from deep inside the characters' hearts, the conflict in the book will have the emotional punch that editors are looking for.

If you want to see these changes in action - the book is HIS MIRACLE BABY (Presents Feb 02)

So Lee will set up the 12 Point Guide Contest but today's prize from me is a copy of my best-selling Presents title The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife. This is the book that came out in November and you don;t have to answer a writer question for it. Seeing as Valentine's Day is coming up, tell me your favourite Valentine memory. (Mine is the year that my husband and I both bought each other the same card - because we'd both loved it and wished we could be given it instead of giving it to someone!)

Post your answers and I'll get that cat of mine to pick a winner.

You can find more about Kate Walker on her web site or on her blog

12 Points on the 12th with Kate Walker

Starting out . . .

Some time ago, I was talking with Lee and we were discussing the possibility of doing something for writers on My Tote Bag. We discussed doing on-line workshops but weren’t sure of the take up for them. So we decided to test the water with a series of Writing Blogs, to see how much interest there is.


So, here I’m starting the first of the 12 Points on the 12th. This title obviously links in to my award winning 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance, but the blogs should add to rather than repeat the advice and exercises in that book. So if you already have a copy of the 12 Point Guide, then these blogs won’t just repeat what’s in there – though they may cover some of the same ground.
What I want to do is to run this as I often run a workshop that I actually teach. So, in that case, the first session would be Getting to Know you.
So many people tell me that they would write a book if they had the time, that they could easily write a romance because writing romance is no problem at all, that they cold write a better romance than so many they’ve read. Oh yes, and they know all about romances and what they’re like- everyone knows that.

But if I ask for the title of the last romance they read – or the author – they are suddenly struck dumb, unable to think of anything. They don’t know if they want to write for Romance or Presents, or Medicals. And they have no idea what makes a ‘Modern Heat’ (in the UK) or what makes a Silhouette Special Edition different from a Silhouette Desire. They don’t even seem to know what they prefer, because they haven’t read enough. Romance publishing today is divided into so many lines, each with its own individual tone and style, so you need to know not just that you want to write romance but what type so that you can find that individual ‘voice’ that is truly yours.

So the start of a new year seems like a good point to pause, think, and take stock. Take stock of yourself as an individual and as an individual writer. What are your aims (other that getting published) what resources can you bring to the books you want to write – life experiences, studies, job experiences . ..

Why do you want to write? This may seem like an obvious question, but the truth is that publishing – in any area at all – is such a competitive field that there is no way I or any other tutor can promise you that you will be published, no matter how hard you try, how many classes you attend or books you read. So before we start out, you have to accept that if you’re only doing this to be published worldwide, make lots of money and become incredibly famous, then you’re not likely to find much happiness in your writing. But if you want to write because you have stories burning in your head, characters who talk to you at the most inappropriate moments – if you want to set out of this journey to enjoy the trip, rather than simply to get to the destination, then you’ll get a lot out of writing and learning to write the best way you can, no matter what the end result might be.

The other reason for taking stock of yourself is that no publisher, whether of romance or not, is looking for a copy of anything that has gone before. The romance world is not looking for a new Betty Neels, or another Penny Jordan, or Lynne Graham – they have those already. What they are looking for are not pale copies but fresh new individuals. In romance writing it is very difficult to be original – most plots have been done before - but you can be authentic. You can write in a way that is unique to you.So take a look at the best asset you have – yourself. What do you bring to your writing?

What are the experiences you’ve had – the jobs you know about, the places you’ve live, the people you’ve known. Even if you’ve lived in the smallest town in the most rural part of the country you will have met thousands of people already in real life- and many thousands more in fiction.

That’s another thing you need to consider. What are you like as a reader? What books have you read and loved – maybe read again and again, over and over? What books have lived in your memory long after you’ve finished them? Because the books you read, the ones you pick instinctively, and enjoy the most, tell you what sort of stories you most relate to – the ones you’ll probably be most likely to tell well.

If you can’t handle strong emotions and intense passions, then you’re unlikely to be able to write the intensity that a Presents novel needs. And if you have no experience of the world beyond a small country town then the sophisticated, worldly settings these books use are not likely to come easily to you. But those same characteristics that could be a problem for one line could be much more of an asset for a writer who’s aiming for the Romance line.

When asked what is the best advice I can give to a new writer – someone who is just starting out with the aim of writing their first novel – of any sort – my answer is always the same – READ.

Read, read, read – and then read some more. Read a variety of stories, from a variety of lines. See which ones appeal to you, not just as a story but because of the characters they contain, the places they’re set in, the tone of the story , the type of conflict there is between the hero and heroine. Read to see the differences between all the lines, to see which one seems the best ‘fit’ for you. If you’re aiming at a single title, learn the different ways and tones in which a story can be told – it’s not just ‘this happened and then that happened and then that happened. . .’ Make notes, and analyse, to see which line feels like ‘home’. That way, you’re creating a sort of writing map for yourself, so that when you set out on your own journey to create a fictional world and the characters who people it you’ll have a much better idea of what you can bring to your story as a writer and how you should think about writing it.

For some of you this will be easy. Others will have a more difficult time deciding just where there voices belong. I know this from experience – in my 53 + titles, I have 12 that were published in Harlequin Romance, the others in Presents. I just wrote the first books, without any idea of targetting or aiming for any particular line. But I’m not naturally a Romance writer. I’ve been much happier, and much more successful since I focussed on where my voice really belonged – where I was writing my most authentic books.

So this month take some time to take stock of yourself as a person, as a reader and as a writer. You are your own best resource as a writer so get to know that resource really well. Start creating that ‘writing map’ that will show your where best to begin – and where you really should be heading. Avoiding false starts and wrong directions will save you a lot of time and heartache from rejections.

Questions? Comments?

I have a copy of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance to give away - together with my latest book, the Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife. Just post any questions you have - or tell me what book it was that made you feel 'I want to write like that!' What line are you really aiming for and why?

The more you join in the more I can direct my writing blogs to what you want to know.

And in the run up to the Harlequin Presents Instant Seduction Contest I'll be posting some other writing hints on my own blog so why not come along and take a look there too?

Counting down and looking forward - by Kate Walker

I love Christmas. I love the way that it brightens up the dark, cold (well, it's cold here in the UK) days of December with decorations and celebrations, I love the way that, when it's celebrated right, it brings together loved ones from near and far, puts you in contact with people you don't connect with the rest of the year, and brings friends and warmth into your life and home.

I just had my traditional early Christmas with a group of very special writer friends who all come to stay at my home for a long weeked. They've only just left, that's why I'm a little late writing this blog. We ate a lot, drank some wine, visited 'Christmas World' in a nearby village. We played silly games, laughed a lot, some of us had things they needed to shed a tear or two over as well. And we talked and talked and talked . . .

There were different generations gathered together too - one of my friends couldn't make it last year because the birth of her baby was very close. This year, her almost one year old son joined us for the weekend - hopfully the first of many such visits by him and other new members of the 'family of friends'.

For a time, for various reasons, I'd been feeling too stressed to think of Christmas without worrying but this weekend has brought home to me just what it's really all about.

It's about sharing. About reaching out to other people and letting them know that they are important in your life. And that includes my readers. Every year as Christmas approaches, I run several contests to involve my readers in my Christmas celebrations. To reach out to them and let them know how much I appreciate them and how grateful I am to all the readers who buy my books and so keep me writing and published next year and for years (hopefully) to come.

Like this post, I'm a little late with organising this but now I'm in the Christmas mood I'm organising my 12 Days of Christmas contest and the details will go up on my web site just as soon as I can get them there. And then here on My Tote Bag Leena will be running my 12 Days of Christmas contest. Every day for 12 days leading up to Christmas I'll be giving away a signed copy of one of my books and a little extra Christmas Gift to all the lucky winners. So why not check out my blog or my Contest page on my web site soon to see when the contest is starting?

The other thing I do is ask my readers to help me with my Christmas Charity Card. I would love to be able to send you all a Christmas card to wish you all the happiness of this special season, but the planning and organising of all that is just impossible - so I'm going to be doingwhat I did last year, and that is to give a real, practical gift tothose in need instead of cards. Last year's gift was a batch of essential medicines for a whole village - that was the choice voted for by most of the visitors to the blog. So this year I'll be running the poll again and I hope you'll drop byand vote for your choice of special gift that I'll be sending this year. It is, after all, in place of a card to say thank you to each and every one of you for your support for me all through this year.

And as I did last year, I will be posting up a special cyber card foryou all on my web site from December. I have at least got that organised and it's up on my web site from today so I hope you'll come by and see that.

And looking forward? Well when 2008 dawns, Lee and I have some plans that we hope will interest those of you who want to be writers of romance as well as readers. Today's blog is on the 12th of the month and from January 2008 I will be regularly posting on the 12 of each month and then I will be talking about writing - 12 points on the 12th. Because, of course, my award winning guide to writing Romance is called the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance. And I hope to have some exciting news about that to tell you very soon. So I hope you'll come by and join me for that too.

And to celebrate Christmas with all the readers of this blog, and too look forward to those special posts, I'm going to offer a special prize today. I have 2 copies of the 12 Point Guide To Writing Romance to give away - and if you're lucky I'll put in a copy of my current Harlequin Presents title too, That's The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife a book that's still riding high on the bestseller lists on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

All you have to do is to post me a reply to this blog - telling me what you're most looking forward to for Christmas and New Year. Let me know what you're hoping to write too - that would help me for the 12 Points on the 12th blog starting in January.

At the end of the week I'll get Sid the cat to pick a winner, as he picks all my winners and if you're really lucky you'll have those prizes with you in time to be an extra present for you.

And even though it's still a little early, I'd like to wish all of you a really happy, joyful, sharing Christmas. I hope it's everything you've ever dreamed of and leaves you with some truly special memories to treasure. And I wish you a fantastic New Year, with lots to look forward to in the next 12 months.

One of which I hope will be joining me here on the 12 for the start of those special posts.

I can't avoid it anymore . . . . by Kate Walker

I've been away - teaching Romance Writing in Wales, which is why everything - including this post - is a bit later than I intended as I catch up.


I had a wonderful time, a great group - we had lots of fun, talked all sorts of things about writing and the weekend just sped by - and then it was time to come home.And that was when two things happened.


One was that one of the students on the course gave me a small thank you gift - she had gone to the trouble of baking me a special Christmas Cake in appreciation for the classes and the one on one advice I'd given her on this course and one last year. I was so touched. Thank you so much Rachael - that was so sweet of you.


And then on the way home, the hotel where we stayed overnight to break the journey (and that was much needed as I'd barely had any sleep for the past two nights and it was pitch black and pouring with rain) - anyway, that hotel had suddenly transformed itself into a Christmas Wonderland. It hadn't been that way before. But suddenly there was a Christmas display in the main reception hall, a Christmas tree sparkling and twinkling in the corner, and the staff were putting the finishing touched to decorations in the bar!


Now I'm someone who likes to wait at least until December to even start planning Christmas. OK, I've bought some cards but they come from a charity catalogue, and so I have to order them a bit in advance. But this weekend things got to me and I gave in - I even bought a couple of Christmas Presents while I was in a new town, a different place, with different shops from the ones I'm used to. And now that I'm back I realise that I need to get on and plann and organise my special Christmas Celebrations over on my blog and my web site.


It's a tradition that I run the Christmas Stocking Stuffed With Books contest on my blog. Writing friends donate books and I put them in a special Christmas Stocking and two lucky people win copies of all the donated books. That way you get to hear about a lot of new authors and maybe add their names to the list that you'll be sending on to Santa and his elves (or whoever else distributes the presents in your house) very soon.


And then here on My Tote Bag Leena will be running my 12 Days of Christmas contest from December 1st or near then. Every day for 12 days leading up to Christmas I'll be giving away a signed copy of one of my books and a little extra Christmas Gift to all the lucky winners. So why not check out my blog or my Contest page on my web site to see when the contest is starting?


Or if you can't wait then there's a contest on My Tote Bag right now - this one is to celebrat the publication of my November release The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife that's in the shops right now.


I'll have to get busy planning and organising these contests - and then I have to plan gifts for my family and friends too - and write another book! Before I know it, it's going to be a brand new year.


So what about you? Have you started planning - and even buying - your Christmas presents yet? Are you a planner, with a list already drawn up and maybe one or two items and people ticked off on it? Or are you someone who prefers to wait until the last minute, and rush out to the shops when they're crowded and busy - so that you can enjoy all the bustle and excitement then?

One thing I know, at least - and that is that thanks to Rachael I won't need to make - or buy - my Christmas Cake. That's already stored away safely in the cupboard

It's all Greek to me . . .

Hang on a minute. I’m sure it was only yesterday that I was blogging about being in London and being presented with the gold pin for my 50th title and then – well, then I blinked and now a month has gone by and it’s October 22nd and, as Lee has reminded me it’s time for me to come and blog again.

So what happened to that month in between? I don’t remember too much of it. That’s because I was busy writing and with a deadline looming and a sexy alpha hero to deal with, I was fully occupied. I’m always more absorbed in the ending of a book than at the beginning. In the first few chapters, I’m getting to know my characters, learning all about them, finding out what makes them tick . . .Then when I get to the middle of the book , it’s as if I’ve turned a corner. I know just what’s happening with my characters and who they are and suddenly the words start to flow, coming faster and faster and I write more in the last week or so than I did at the beginning. And that keeps me totally absorbed so that I don’t really noticing the days passing by.

So now I’ve lifted my head and taken my fingers from the keyboard, suddenly I realise that it’s October 22nd and I’m booked to blog here. One of the reasons I’m here now is because I have a new book coming out – The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife – which is out in November. So from concentrating on one hero in my latest story, I now have to concentrate on talking about another one. And by coincidence they are both Greek heroes. I didn’t plan it that way, it’s just happened.

It’s a well known fact that in the Presents line, the Mediterranean hero helps to sell the books. I’ve never been quite sure why readers see them as so much more exciting than other nationalities. After all, I’m married to an Englishman and have been for years so I’m really fond of that ‘stiff upper lip’ type. (And he’s a Yorkshireman as well – they’re even more so!) . But when I choose my heroes, I don’t just think ‘Oh, I’ll write about a Greek or a Spaniard or an Italian this time. Each nationality has particular characteristics that make me choose them.

Which is why these two heroes ended up being Greek. The stories are about pride and family and honour – all things that matter to their heroes. And now when I look at the books side by side, even their names are similar – the hero of The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife is called Andreas. The hero of my newest , as yet untitled, story in Angelos (the heroine calls him the Black Angel). But they’re very different men and so their stories are very different. For one thing, this November book is an amnesia plot, and in the new one the hero remembers everything about what has happened in the past – so that his heroine wishes he didn’t.

One of the questions I keep getting asked when people learn that I’ve written over 50 books is ‘How do you keep fresh?’ well these two Greek heroes are the perfect example of how I do it. They are both from the same country, they’re both alpha male types – but they are both very different people. And when I’m telling their stories, it’s keeping them individual that makes the story come alive for me and so helps me to tell a fresh new story.

And so Andreas’s story will never be Angelos’s - and although it’s an amnesia story it will never be the same as other amnesia stories I’ve written before. Because this is Andreas’s story and no one else’s.
(I’ll be talking about amnesia stories over on the I heart Presents blog on November 5th if you’d like to come along and join in – tell me some of your favourites)

But all this thinking about Greek heroes has me wondering – do you love the Mediterranean type of hero or do you prefer your heroes ‘home-grown’ from the USA or UK? I’ll be intrigued to know as I think about my new hero and try and decide who I’m going to write about this time – a Sheikh? – an Italian? Or maybe that stiff-upper lip Englishman. What do you think?