Today I am so pleased to welcome Rebecca Cohen to Joyfully Jay. Rebecca has come to talk to us about her latest release, Overly Dramatic, as well as some of her other books and writing experiences. She has also brought along a backlist book to give away. Please join me in giving Rebecca a big welcome!
Wandering the Writing Wilderness
The first five months of 2015 flew past in blur of words. My fingers danced over the keyboard, and by the beginning of June I had three novellas, each roughly 40K in length, submitted to my publisher. Write, edit, write, that was my mantra. And while some days I did wonder for my sanity, on the whole I loved it. Overly Dramatic is the first of these three novellas to be published. With its crazy play and papier-mâché goat I had a real blast writing it.
After I submitted He’s Behind You (the final novella in the series), I flew off to Crete with my family for relaxing break, expecting to have to fight the writing bug and force myself to step away from the screen and endure spa treatments but surprisingly I didn’t need much persuasion. Fast forward to the beginning of August and, apart from a false start on one novel that pretty much ground to a halt, I’ve stopping writing. This is not good.
I write for many reasons. It makes me happy, helps combat the stress from the day job, and is one of the few things I do solely for myself. So, as you can imagine, I’ve felt a bit like wandering the wilderness for the last few weeks.
In some ways it started because I have an embarrassment of riches, meaning I have a long list of WIPs and plot ideas. I was almost paralysed by the inability of what to do next. Each of the unwritten stories were calling to me, but none of them with a strong enough voice to grab and make me write. I selected one, Making History at Crofton Hall (this will be the second of the Modern Crofton stories). Now, I love this series, and the Crofton family, but having just completed three contemporary novels my inner genre writer couldn’t settle.
I turned my attentions to Avarice, the final in my high fantasy series. I should mention that Servitude, the first in the series was my first published novel. Lornyc and Methian have been running amok in my head for over ten years. They are one of my favourite couples, so writing Avarice would be mean the end of their story… and I didn’t want to face that. But they were calling me back and I did something I’ve not done before: I went and reread my own novels (Servitude and Idolatry). By the end of the reread I had a fully detailed plot for Avarice but also something else. A story I’d itched to write for years, but thought better of it.
The Reagalos series starts with Lornyc and Methian as an established couple, and I’d thought about writing how they got together but decided against it, not sure if writing a prequel would be a good idea. But now the words are flowing. I’m giving Lornyc and Methian their romance in a story called College Days, and it’s struck me that in some way I’m writing a fan fiction of my own stories, filling in the back story and giving them a proper beginning. So the plan is to indulge myself, write this story, and the all the romance it deserves. I’m not even sure if it’s something anyone else would want to read, or even if my publisher would want it, but the love for my first couple has got me writing again, and that on its own is priceless.
For the chance to win an ebook of my back catalogue (not including Overly Dramatic) leave a comment and I’ll pick one reader at random.
Author page art Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/rebecca-cohen
Blurb
Andy Marshall is looking for a fresh start. After breaking up with his long term boyfriend he moves to London. To stave of boredom and to meet new people, he joins a local amateur dramatics society called the Sarky Players, based in Greenwich, south London. He gets cast into the eponymous role in the truly dreadful play, Whoops, Vicar, There Goes My Trousers, written by a local playwright.
The play might be bad, but the members of the society are a friendly bunch. Andy finds himself attracted to Phil who is a local artist helping with the props. But life doesn’t run to a script and Andy and Phil need to work to get their own happy ending.
Bio
Rebecca Cohen is a Brit abroad. Having swapped the Thames for the Rhine, she has left London behind and now lives with her husband and young son in Basel, Switzerland. She can often be found with a pen in one hand and a cup of Darjeeling in the other.
Rebecca’s blog: http://rebeccacohenwrites.wordpress.com/
Giveaway
Rebecca has brought a copy of an ebook from her backlist (not including Overly Dramatic) to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Friday, August 21st at 11:59 pm EST.
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
I’m really intrigued by this book. I was in an amateur dramatics society when in College, and enjoyed it a lot. I think that’s why I want to read this story, because I remember all the crazy and hilarious stuff that happened behind the curtains before any performance. Thank you for the post and giveaway.
Sounds like a very cool series!
Fantasy romance is one of the sub-genres I don’t read very often, but having read your story about your temporary writer’s block I’d say I would probably pick up the prequel – for two reasons. One, I have had my eye temporarily on “Servitude”, the first book in the series (so if I liked the prequel I would have to get the other parts too) and two, I love the falling in love aspect of a romance.
The Reagalos, YES! Fantasy is one of my favorite genres, but because I’ve read a lot of it I am a little bit more picky of it as sub-genre. When I found the Reagalos I loved it and inhaled both books and than moved on Under Glass. I will pre-order anything in the Reagalos universe. One of the things I most enjoyed in the series was that the couple was already established and there was almost no internal dangers to the relationship. So I will very much like the prequel (this second if possible) and if some of those stories you have involve already established couples I would like to read them as well.
And as a big fan I would like to thank Miss Cohen for one of my favorite series.
I completely understand not want to complete the Reagalos series. However, there ate those of us who are willing to read beyond a trilogy, so keep that in mind.
Thanks for the post. Sounds like you have been super busy – glad that you are writing again. The newest WIP sounds interesting.
I like the look of that cover. Very cute.
This looks interesting. Outside my usual style, which I have been trying to break out of anyway.
I love the sound of this book.
How interesting to hear about the inner workings of the writer’s mind! I can relate to have an embarrassment of choices; in my case, it’s usually all of the things I OUGHT to be doing. Thanks for sharing and for offering the giveaway.
This book sounds great and the cover is really fun! Thanks for the chance!
This books sounds like fun to read. I am adding it to my list.
This sounds like a fun read, thanks for the post. This is definitely going on my TBR list. Thanks for a chance in the giveaway.
Great post. Congrats on your new book! It sounds like a fun read =)
This is a new author for me so I’d love to win a free ebook from her backlist!
Overly Dramatic sound just like the kind of book I love reading. I can’t wait but I have had my eye on the Stately Passions series since they first came out. Thank you for the post and the giveaway!
Servitude sounds good – there isn’t enough fantasy in m/m, imo. Love the cover for it, too! Dreamspinner tends to have really nice covers (as opposed to bad MS Paint-and-Photoshop-looking jobs).
A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who stopped and left a comment … made my day 🙂
And thanks to Jay for letting me visit.
Sounds really interesting. I love books set in Britain because I learn so much. And I love the cover.