I don't usually do much in the way of life updates on my blog, but something happened this weekend that I wanted to share with you guys.
On Sunday, I had the opportunity to meet Jeffrey Archer!
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect--Mum is more of a fan than I am (not really my genre). But he was doing a talk at a local literature festival, so we went along, and ohmygod, you guys, I was blown away!
He is a phenomenal storyteller.
(Incidentally, that was what the talk was about--how to write a bestseller.)
He had the entire audience hanging off his every word, and the best thing was that he actually turned almost the entire session into a Q&A. I love it when authors do that--it means we get to ask the questions that are important, and really engage with them. He managed it really well and told some lovely stories, too.
If any of you ever have the chance to see him live, I really highly recommend it. You'll have a great time.
Afterwards, he did a book signing, so I even got to meet him and shake his hand. He asked everyone about themselves, what they do, so I even got to tell him I was an author, which *squeals*. Might be the highlight of my author career so far (he wished me good luck!!!).
Alright, alright, I'm done fangirling. :)
During the session, he was talking about how to tell stories, and he shared his famous hundred-word story, UNIQUE, which he wrote for a challenge by the Reader's Digestl. The challenge was to tell an entire story, in just one hundred words (including the title). The story had to have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and he had to finish it in 24hrs.
(Scroll down to the bottom of that page to find it.)
Yep, that's it, just a hundred words. Including the title. And it really does tell a whole story, doesn't it?
He broke down how it worked for us, explaining every single word choice and how it provided the reader with context and intrigue, and guided us through the piece. Then he challenged us to write our own.
I couldn't not give it a shot.
Here's mine (and it was, in fact, written in 24hrs, even though I'm only posting it today):
What I learnt:
A hundred words is really short. Really, really short. And when you take into account that it has to include the title... yeah. Really short.
This kind of short story is like producing a surrealist painting. Show it to a hundred people, and ninety of them either won't understand it, or won't like it. (#unpopularopinion, but yeah, there you go).
Anyway, that's it for me today. What did you think of my 100-word short story? What do you think it means? And can you write your own? I'd love to see them!
Margot
You guys, it's here!
RISE, my adult sci-fi debut, is now available on Amazon. Also my romance debut, because this novel is all about the romance!
(Although it's a slow burn. Slow, slow, slow burn. Ultra slow burn? Is that a thing?)
Let's call it an ultra slow burn romance.
RISE is set in a post-apocalyptic world, more than three hundred years in the future. After a natural disaster, mankind is scattered in small settlements, struggling to survive. Harley, our main character, lives in a tiny town battling threats as varied as poverty, extreme weather, gang violence, and slavery.
This is a story that has been rattling around in my head for quite a few years now. Putting it to paper almost felt like coming home--the opening chapters basically wrote themselves. (Though the rest was predictably difficult, as these things always are.) I'm so excited that you guys will finally be able to read this brainchild of mine!
It's the first of a four-book series, so I'll be coming to you very soon with information about book two! Until then, happy reading!
Margot
RISE
Blurb:
I don’t like new people. They come into our town and don’t know the rules. They get up in our business. They mess things up.
That’s why when James Maddock walks into my bar, I’m suspicious. He might act like a nice guy, but for sure he spells trouble.
And that’s the last thing I need just when I’ve got my life on track.
All I want is to keep my sister safe, but suddenly, my tentative peace with the local gang, the Iron Fists, is exploding. People I thought I could trust are turning out to be enemies in disguise, and people I was certain were dangerous seem to want me on their team. I don’t know where to turn. I don’t know who is a friend and who a foe.
What I do know is this: when the dust settles, the only person I can rely on to have my back… is me.
💃🏻 strong female lead
☄️ post-apocalyptic world
💻️ low-tech
🔥 slow-burn enemies-to-lovers
💋 love triangle (sort of)
🗡️ betrayal/revenge
It's here!
I've kept super quiet about this project, because honestly? I was pretty nervous. This was one of those that I almost scrapped several times. Will people like it? Will they read it? Will my urban fantasy audience read sci-fi?
Guess we're gonna find out.
I am so excited to announce that my adult sci-fi debut, RISE, will be hitting Amazon on the 26th January 2023. There's no preorder just yet, but it'll be going live in December.
In the mean time, here's the blurb:
*
I don’t like new people. They come into our town and don’t know the rules. They get up in our business. They mess things up.
That’s why when James Maddock walks into my bar, I’m suspicious. He might act like a nice guy, but for sure he spells trouble.
And that’s the last thing I need just when I’ve got my life on track.
All I want is to keep my sister safe, but suddenly, my tentative peace with the local gang, the Iron Fists, is exploding. People I thought I could trust are turning out to be enemies in disguise, and people I was certain were dangerous seem to want me on their team. I don’t know where to turn. I don’t know who is a friend and who a foe.
What I do know is this: when the dust settles, the only person I can rely on to have my back… is me.
*
I've had RISE knocking around in my head for a really long time, so it's really exciting to see it finally come to life. I can't wait for you to meet the main character, Harley, and follow her through all her shenanigans in a post-apocalyptic small town.
The cover was designed by Miblart. They did a seriously fantastic job on it. I couldn't be more pleased.
I'll be updating when the pre-order goes live. That's all for now!
Margot
