Covid, Confinement, and Creativity

My painting of a fox using Derwent Inktense pencils.

This last few months have been hard. As someone who is classed as a 'vulnerable' individual due to a medication induced lowered immune system, chronic rheumatoid arthritis and chronic asthma, I have been 'shielded' at home for the last 4 months. That's rather crap in itself, but when you take into account that I also care for my husband (also shielded due to an incurable lung condition necessitating 24 hour oxygen therapy) and we have not seen any of our family, including our heavily pregnant daughter, grandson, and youngest daughter, since February then, to say things are 'hard' is a massive understatement. 

The fact that I am a natural creative, an introvert and have a decent outside space has somewhat mitigated what would otherwise be a virtually unbearable situation.  It has been difficult for me to write, as this takes a degree of immersion which I can no longer commit to. However, I have occupied myself with numerous other activities such as drawing, painting, sketching, crocheting, cooking, and working in my garden homestead. This has been my salvation.  

Home grown fruit and vegetables.

I have become convinced that the chances of food shortages due to Covid-19 and/or the Brexit fiasco are high, and so I have been busily 'prepping' and attempting to grow enough food to be able to support myself and my husband should those shortages materialise. I don't know if I would have coped if I had not had this outside space and my heart goes out to those in a similar position to myself who live in high rise flats or institutions. 

I have decided to resume this blog as an online journal in which I can share my experiences with others and maybe help them realise that they are not alone and there are many people like myself who are almost completely isolated from the outside world. Technology is a blessing in this situation as it enables a degree of social interaction that at the moment I cannot experience any other way.

I will be sharing my daily activities, my thoughts, my worries and also my strategies for coping under this high level of adversity.  The development of a high level of resilience is my ultimate aim, for resilience is what will get us through this Covid-19 pandemic and the climate disaster looming on the horizon.

Keep safe.

Homemade preserves & our homestead.

Excellent Value Book Cover Design Service!

If you are an independent author or small publisher, one of the biggest areas of stress is getting the right cover for your books.  The well known saying - "Never judge a book by its cover" is completely wrong - EVERYONE judges a book by its cover. The cover is what sells the book - or, more often, fails to sell the book.  Good designers are worth their weight in gold, and many of the best can charge their weight in gold too!

I have found a great company that offers expert design services at unbelievably reasonable prices. They offer premade eBook covers from only £30.

So if you are looking for a great book designer at a reasonable price - look no further. Just get yourself over to Magic Design Company - The Book Cover Design Experts.

Afterland Chronicles Trilogy - Audiobook OUT NOW!

Hi everyone,

I have been working hard to bring you the full Afterland Chronicles Trilogy on audiobook. So, if you are an audiobook lover the book is available on Audible and iTunes. The book is narrated by a first class, experienced audiobook producer and narrator - John H. Fehskens. The audiobook includes all three volumes - ASCENSION OF THE WHYTE, RYTE OF PASSAGE AND ICE AND FYRE.

AUDIBLE OFFER:
If you are not an audible member you can get your first book for FREE with a 30-day FREE TRIAL membership

(Click on the images to learn more)

Happy listening!

News! - Author & Book Rebranding

Well if you've been paying attention then you may have noticed that my Author brand has been undergoing something of a renovation.

Over the next few weeks, my website, blog and book covers will undergo a complete rejuvenation.  I would love to hear what you think of the new designs.

This month also sees the release of the Audiobooks for Ice and Fyre and the complete Afterland Chronicles Boxset - so if you like audiobooks then you're in for a treat!

Take a look at the newly designed book covers for my two series:

The Afterland Chronicles

The Dark Fairy Tales Series

Rabbit Girl - Cover Reveal and Latest News!

For the next few weeks, I will be busy completing the research and first draft of my new novel Rabbit Girl.

I have been investigating specialised mental hospitals for young people in and around East Anglia, where the story is set and I've got some super ideas for locations.

As the story is based very loosely on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, I have discovered plenty of useful material, inspiring quotes and ideas from the original book as well as from my visit to Alice's Adventures Underground this spring.

Curious? 

Here's a small insight:-

Would you abandon your best friend to save your sanity?

"You're absolutely bonkers - as mad as a hatter - all the best people are..."

Lissie has long had more than her fair share of problems. For one, her only friend Is a six-foot white rabbit called Lewis.

Add to that a childhood traumatised by schizophrenia, confusion over her sexuality, and Lissie generates enough material to keep a team of psychiatrists busy for years.

If she is to recover, Lissie must be prepared to give up the only friend she has ever known.

However, getting rid of Lewis is no easy matter...

To keep up-to-date with my progress check back here or subscribe to my Readers' Community.

Karen

Audio Books, Exercise and Taming My Dragon

Hi everyone,

I've had a busy couple of weeks since I got back from my holiday in the Cotswolds. Mainly I've been concentrating getting my audiobooks produced and on sale. I now have three on sale and two more in production!

Available to buy now are the first two books in the Afterland Chronicles series - Ascension of the Whyte and Ryte of Passage as well as The Last Girl Guide, my stand alone post-apocalyptic young-adult survival adventure story.

In production is the final book in the Afterland Chronicles - Ice and Fyre, and my first children's book - Molly Midnight and the Little People.

I have also been putting my new exercise regimen into operation in an attempt to be healthier. Writing is a notoriously sedentary lifestyle so I vowed to walk at least 4 miles a day which pretty much ensures that I smash my 10,000 steps a day target too! My Fitbit stats are now something to be proud of and hopefully, I shall reap the rewards with a little weight loss and improved level of fitness too! My dog Jinks is also, understandably, extremely happy about this new exercise routine!

Lastly, with a view to increasing productivity and improve dialogue authenticity, I have been experimenting with Dragon Dictation software, and hopefully from now on will be writing all my first drafts using dictation.  The great thing is that I can combine the two and dictate while I am walking! So if you pass a preoccupied, dog-walking woman chuntering "Full stop, new paragraph" stop and say Hi - it will probably be me!

RABBIT GIRL

I've (finally) started writing my new book, working title - Rabbit Girl.

Draft cover:-

As I write, I'm collecting ideas and images in Pinterest.

Some of the images on my board

Click here to view the complete board

I'm excited to be delving into the world of Lewis Caroll, investigating new ideas,

and creating a new book based loosely on Alice in Wonderland...

Rabbit Girl - Draft Blurb

Would you abandon your best friend to save your sanity?

"Sanity is overrated. Look at you - you're as mad hatter - all the best people are..."

Lissie has long had more than her fair share of problems. For one, her only friend Is a six-foot white rabbit called Lewis.

Add to that a childhood traumatised by schizophrenia, and Lissie generates enough material to keep a team of psychiatrists busy for years.

If she is to recover, Lissie must be prepared to give up the only friend she has ever known.

However, getting rid of Lewis is no easy matter...

DO YOU LOVE POST-APOCALYPTIC, BUT HATE ZOMBIES? - THE AFTER BOXSET - NEW RELEASE

I am proud to announce that one of my books has been included in the AFTER bundle - a boxed set of uniquely different post-apocalyptic novels, featuring characters just like you.

What would you be willing to do to survive?

BOOKS INCLUDED:

1. "The Last Girl Guide" by Karen Wrighton
2. "The Tube Riders: Underground" by Chris Ward
3. "Mr Apocalypse" by Mark Gillespie
4. "Of Myst and Folly" by Leah Cutter
5. "The Rift" by Kim Antieau

FIND OUT MORE HERE

OR 

PURCHASE FROM THESE STORES

Ascension of the Whyte - Audiobook OUT NOW!

ASCENSION OF THE WHYTE

AVAILABLE NOW ON AUDIBLE (AND ITUNES)

View this title on Audible

Fun with Dragon Dictation

Hi everyone,

This week I have been experimenting with Dragon Dictation. I walk my dog Jinks every day for over an hour. I usually walk her in the woods, on the beach or at the Roman ruins along by the Norfolk Broads. An expert at multi-tasking, I have long used this time to catch up on Writing and Author Podcasts, listen to audiobooks and to use text to speech software to do a copy edit of my work. However, I never thought I could use this time for actually writing the first draft of one of my books - until now.

I purchased the Dragon app for my iPhone and armed with Bluetooth headphones and mic I thought I would give it a try.

I must admit, I did feel a little self-conscious walking around the woods talking to myself. Luckily there were not many people around.  It took a little practice, and the result was rather littered with mistakes, but in one hour I managed to 'write' almost four thousand words!

Consequently, I am rather keen to keep this up and see if I can make the process produce a more accurate transcript of my words.  With that in mind, I have just ordered a new headset with a drop-down mic so the microphone will be closer to my mouth.  I'll let you know how I get on.

So if you are walking in the woods and see a strange woman walking her dog whilst annunciating loudly; "Full stop - new paragraph," say hi - it's probably me!

Karen

Afternoon Tea Break

I took a short break from editing the second draft of Ice and Fyre to enjoy a day out with my two daughters.

They treated me to afternoon tea at The Urban Jungle - a local eatery and garden centre where you sit in a virtual jungle to eat. They serve gluten free food by the bucket load. It was great to be able to enjoy a full afternoon tea - sandwiches, pastries, cakes and scones included!

Later we took a trip down to the cinema and watched Beauty and the Beast, which was very good indeed. I got royally spoiled and had a wonderful break from all the hard work of editing.

It was back to work this week though and I am now close to finishing the second draft of Ice and Fyre. Things are moving fast now.

I'm also planning the first draft of my next book 'Rabbit Girl' and really enjoying writing the new characters - a change is as good as a rest (or so they say).

Happy Easter!

Karen

Noirwich Crime Writing Festival

This week I attended Noirwich Crime Writing Festival and had a fabulous time in spite of the heavy rain.

I particularly enjoyed the Spotlight series - Ian Rankin was awesome, as usual.  He signed books afterwards and provided materials for a display of first and fourth drafts of his latest novel.

I met a lovely bunch of writers at one of the workshops and we have set up The Norfolk and Suffolk Writers' Circle.  If you are an author or aspiring writer, then drop us a line asking join the group and we will see what we can do!

Karen

Ascension of the Whyte - Audiobook News!

Hi everyone,

You may well have been wondering where I have been the past couple of weeks. Well, I have been away on holiday to the Cotswolds where I visited many literary places including the birthplace of J. K. Rowling and the famous Rose Farm, and Woolpack Inn made famous by Laurie Lee. I even checked out his grave with a beautiful inscription which pronounces, "He lies in the valley he loved."

I also had a well-deserved rest, ate a great deal, drank a little and sat a lot! However, I have not been entirely idle.  I have done much research and written a few thousand words of The Last Girl Guide, and I have arranged to have an audiobook produced for Ascension of the Whyte, which should be available by Christmas.  So if you are an audiobook fan, check back here for updates on the release date.

A Writers Life - Disasters

Okay, so this week has been a busy week, I planned the complete outlines of the five books that I intended to work on over the next twelve months and even got their cover designs drafted.

Cover Design for my new
Thriller Series - Hoyle & Son

I downloaded a new scrivener app so that I could sync my work onto my iPad for when I had a flash of inspiration and no laptop handy. I was feeling pretty happy with myself, smug even. 

Then, just like there really was some Amish-like God up there waving his divine finger at me and tut-tutting at my shameful display of pride - KERPOW! Everything fell apart. 

Cover design for the third
in the Afterland Chronicles
Series - Ice & Fyre

Maybe I did worship at the feet of that false God of 'Technology' a little too enthusiastically - recklessly even, but the punishment was harsh. My new syncing app synced all of my work into oblivion, including the first five chapters of Ice and Fyre. I am not ashamed to tell you I cried like a beauty queen only not so prettily. 

So, instead of spending the day busily writing as originally planned, I spent the next eight hours trying to recover my work. After googling thousands of 'solutions' to my problem, trawling through hundreds of backup files and performing various geeky technological gymnastics, I got most of it back. Though it appears that the first Chapter of Ice and Fyre sadly, is lost forever. 

Trying to remember a couple of thousand words that you wrote a few weeks ago seems an impossible task especially when those words were painstakingly crafted to resolved the cliffhanger left at the end of Ryte of Passage, So now I have to rewrite it....

Looks like this week is going to be another busy week - doubly so because I'm going to backup the hell out of everything!

Karen