My guest today is romance author Lynne Shelby. Lynne is going to talk to us about her writing journey and her new book. So grab yourself a cuppa, get cosy and let’s get chatting to Lynne.

Bio:

Lynne Shelby writes contemporary and dual-timeline women’s fiction/romance. Her debut novel, ‘Meet Me In Paris,’ (originally titled French Kissing), won the Accent Press and Woman magazine Writing Competition, and her fifth novel, Love On Location, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists’ Award. She has done a variety of jobs from stable girl to child actor’s chaperone to legal administrator, but now writes full time. When not writing or reading, Lynne can usually be found at the theatre or exploring a foreign city, writer’s notebook and sketchbook in hand. She lives in London with her husband, and has three adult children who live nearby.

Welcome to my blog, Lynne. Can you tell my readers about your writing journey?

My writing journey is a long one! I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing stories, and I was about ten when I decided I wanted to be an author. I first submitted a novel, an adventure story about four teenagers who discover a mysterious island, to a publisher when I was fourteen. They didn’t publish it, but a kind editor sent me a letter, which I still have, encouraging me to keep writing – I’m very glad I took her advice!

Over the years, I wrote stories and novels in a variety of genres such as science fiction and historical, mainly just for me, although I did occasionally submit them to publishers – and, like most aspiring authors, I received my share of rejection letters. Then, in 2013, I ‘discovered’ the broad genre that is romantic fiction and realised that this was what I really wanted to write. Most of the stories and novels I’d already written featured a romantic relationship of some sort – even my early adventure story had a handsome prince rescuing the heroine – and reading countless romantic novels told me that I needed to set the romance at the heart of the book.

When the first romantic novel I wrote failed to impress the numerous agents and publishers I sent it to, I knew I still had a way to go on my journey to become a published author! Quite by chance, when I was looking for my next read, and typed ‘romantic novels’ into my browser, the Romantic Novelists’ Association came up. I joined their New Writers’ Scheme, which offers a critique of unpublished novels – and which I’d recommend any aspiring author of romantic fiction to join – and learnt a lot from the report on the novel I submitted to them.

I’d begun entering writing competitions and having some successes with short stories and flash fiction, when I saw on-line, a competition run by Accent Press and Woman Magazine for an unpublished women’s fiction novel, with the prize of publication. By then, I’d written a second romantic novel, about an English girl and a French guy, childhood penfriends who meet as adults. I entered it in the competition in November 2014, and tried not to think about it. When I received a phone call in January 2015 to tell me that I’d won, and that French Kissing (now re-launched in ebook as Meet Me In Paris) would be published that summer, it was a dream come true!

I went on to publish two more books with Accent Press including a re-written version of the first romantic novel I ever wrote. Accent was then taken over by one of the Big Five publishers, who published three more of my books, including Love On Location, which was short-listed for a Romantic Novelists’ Award.

This year, I decided to embark on a new venture, and I’ve made a foray into indie publishing, with my contemporary romance, Dancing In The Moonlight. Once again, I’ve a lot to learn, but, as my writing journey continues, I’m enjoying every minute!

Thank you for dropping by to talk to us, Lynne. I think we both signed up with Accent Press at around the same time.😊 Congratulations on being short-listed for the Romantic Novelists’ Award and I hope your foray into Indie publishing is very successful.

Lynne’s Latest Book

Blurb

When dancer Nell Avery auditions for Speakeasy, a new West End musical, she is shocked to discover that the choreographer is Finn Harris, a man she never expected to see again.

Ten years ago, Nell and Finn had a casual, no-strings fling. He left London to work abroad. Nell found herself pregnant.

Having made the decision to raise her child alone, Nell didn’t tell Finn that he was the father, a secret easy for her to keep while he was hundreds of miles away. But now Finn is back – and he offers Nell a role in Speakeasy’s cast.

Nell knows if she takes the job she risks Finn finding out her secret, with unimaginable consequences for the life she has made for herself and her daughter, Savannah. But Speakeasy could be Nell’s only chance of dancing on a West End stage – the dream she’s had ever since she first put on a pair of tap shoes. How can she give up her dream?

Nell accepts the role in Speakeasy’s cast, telling herself all she has to do is keep away from Finn . . .

Buy Link:  Dancing In The Moonlight eBook : Shelby, Lynne: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Lynne’s contact links

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lynneshelbywriter

Instagram: lynneshelbywriter

Twitter: @LynneShelby5

Threads: Lynne Shelby Writer

Website: www.lynneshelby.com

More of Lynne’s books