Six years an indie

Writing can be a very lonely job if you let it be. I love to be on my own to write, and really don’t like my husband popping by with news items to distract me. There’s time enough to hear about approaching storms, truck crashes and celebrity scandals once I’m back in the real world. Unfortunately, my writing room (grandly called The Office) leads through to his workshop, and he’s not inclined to take the long way around. He did take this photo of me though, so here I am at my tiny desk. Definitely the best size for me because the bigger the desk the more clutter I’d end up with.

I’m thinking about friends today because I had a lovely visit with Diana Fraser yesterday. We talked all morning about old times and new times. It’s six years since we started indie publishing together – giving each other courage and swapping notes and tips. Here we are, all dressed up at one of the Romance Writers of New Zealand conferences. Probably close enough to that magic day six years ago! We haven’t changed a bit. Maybe.

I had a long working life before I started to write fiction, and have found writers to be the most sharing and helpful people you’ll ever meet. They’ll tell each other anything. Share information and encouragement without backstabbing or trying to keep glory for themselves. I wish I could say the same about everyone who’s drifted through my life.

I guess it’s partly because no two of us are ever writing the same book or having the same ideas, so we’re not in direct competition. Put three of us in a room and ask us to write a story about an elopement and you’d probably get a Scottish historical about two lovers dashing off to Gretna Green, a rebellious punk daughter deserting her controlling wealthy family to run off with her penniless wannabe rockstar boyfriend, and the alien cupcake baker absconding to Planet Putrid with her eight-armed octopus-like lover. Hmmm – lots of cuddle possibilities there!

I love my writer friends dearly and enjoy their company so much. Here’s a photo of some of us at lunch last year. On the left is Shirley Megget – more about her in a minute. Then there’s Giovanna Lee, a friend for at least ten years, me (talking as usual) Diana Fraser, Ellie Huse (also one of the originals with Giovanna) and Leeanna Morgan who is killing us all with her amazing success and hard work.

Each and every one of these lovely ladies has helped me along the way. And I’m now having enormous fun with Shirley because we’re playing with a cozy mystery together. She’s coming up with delicious plot ideas, I’ve written the first 20,000 words, she might join in and write some too. Or she might just stay as my outrageous advisor. Both she and Diana will proofread and offer suggestions along the way. See what I mean about co-operation?

Here are some of my friends’ websites you might like to check out. www.dianafraser.net/ www.leeannamorgan.com/  www.traceyalvarez.com/  www.serenitywoodsromance.com/  www.kendradelugar.com/  https://sofiagrey.com/  And I’ll also add www.romancewriters.co.nz/ because maybe you’d like to join us?