Author @SherryGloag asks Does It Get Easier?

Romance Beckons welcomes Sherry Gloag.

Best-selling author, Sherry Gloag is a transplanted Scot now living in the beautiful coastal countryside of Norfolk, England.  She considers the surrounding countryside as extension of her own garden, to which she escapes when she needs "thinking time" and solitude to work out the plots for her next novel.  While out walking she enjoys talking to her characters, as long as there are no other walkers close by.

Apart from writing, Sherry enjoys gardening, walking, reading and cheerfully admits her books tend to take over most of the shelf and floor space in her workroom-cum-office.  She also finds crystal craft work therapeutic.

Sherry loves to hear from her readers so give her a shout out here: 

My Website  |  My Blog  |  FB  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Does It Get Easier?

Something I’m asked regularly when I meet readers is… ‘It must get easier with each book you write.’ And they are genuinely surprised when I say ‘Not for me.’

It’s a bit like saying that if you ace your first test in primary school then automatically you are going to ace every other test and exam during your academic life. And that’s just not the case.

It is true, that with every book, I try harder to raise the bar, to grow with each story I write. But… and as ever, there is a ‘but’…

If you organise a party and invite guests to come and share it with you, you can’t always guarantee the behaviour of those guests.

Perhaps someone has had a bad day at work and has come so as not to disappoint you. And then there is the one who has to be the ‘soul of the party’ and of course at least one probably started their own party before they arrived at your door. And then there’s the one who has to compete to see who can drink the most.

Of course there are the shy ones, wallflowers who hog the dark corners and observe, and there are those who want to help keep the party swinging/on track/fed and ‘watered’.

It’s the same with the characters in your story. I’m not a planner, but I have heard even the most ardent story planner bemoan the fact that  their characters have taken a side journey that –while it improves the story- completely wreck the initial plans set out by the author at the start of the project.

So does it get ‘easier to write’ with each book? For me ‘no’ because those pesky characters (party-goers) are always up for a challenge and I, the author, am in constant negotiations with them from the first to the final word!

Sherry's NEWEST BOOK has just been released.

Blurb:

Renowned portrait artist, Samantha Brown is through with men. After dealing with an overbearing father and cheating ex-fiance, Samantha is not in the market for romance, of any kind. Give her a blank canvas, some paints and brushes and she’s in charge of her life. There was no room in her life for love, so why did she find herself giving in to Rafael Santini’s outrageous demand that she paint his portrait.

Satisfied with his upcoming marriage of convenience Rafael Santini isn’t in the market for love. So, how come he finds the pint-sized artist stirring up emotions he didn’t have time for. An accident forces Rafael to re-evaluate his life and wonder whether he can teach Samantha the art of love.

Excerpt:

Why couldn’t the stubborn man get it? She wasn’t giving him any favours at the expense of her other clients. In his case, money would not talk. Almost all her clients were well-heeled, but most understood the time restraints. After all, as she told each person, including Rafael Santini, who contracted a commission they wouldn’t want her to rush their painting and offer them a sub-standard product, would they?“Give me the names of your clients and I will arrange to exchange places in your queue.” His unequivocal belief pulsed across the airwaves. Did the stupid man expect her to break the confidences of her clients?“Tell me, Mr. Santini,” she asked in her most dulcet tone, “if I asked for a list of your clients would you hand them over, simply because I wanted something?”“Don’t be stupid woman. It’s not the same thing at all. I’m a businessman.”Would someone please save me from stupid arrogant men, Samantha offered in silent plea to the ether without expecting any response.
“I may not deal in electronics and communications systems, or equipment for the world of espionage, secret agents, and private investigators, Mr. Santini, but I do maintain a strict code of integrity and honour and customer confidentiality.”“Why would you need confidentiality to daub a few colours on a piece of paper?”Is this guy for real? Does he think insults and condemnation will get him what he wants?“Let me get this straight. You want my agreement to let you queue jump the rest of my clients, who, incidentally have all signed contracts to be here on specified dates at specific times, and then you will be quite happy for me to go around publicising the fact you are not only having your portrait done, but that you bullied, harassed and threatened me into agreeing to your terms? I don’t think so. Not to mention that in many cases the commission is usually a gift for someone special and total secrecy is not only expected it is essential.”The silence at the other end of the phone was almost deafening.

NAME THE DAY Buy Links:

Amazon  |  Amazon UK  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords