Welcome!

I've set up this blog so that all my friends, relations and colleagues in the world of writing can keep up to speed with what I'm doing - from now on, I'll never have to say sorry for not keeping in touch.

Or anyway, that's the plan.

So do please link up with me on Facebook and Twitter - https://www.facebook.com/margaret.james.5268 and https://twitter.com/majanovelist

You can find my novels as digital downloads on Apple iTunes, Kobo, Kindle and Nook, and most are available as print paperbacks, too.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

iTunes freebie - this week only!

Rose Courtenay is having a busy week!

Who is Rose Courtenay?

She's the heroine of my Dorset trilogy and you can read the first part of her story free on iTunes this week.

Rose is very dear to my heart.  She's been with me for a very long time. She first walked into my head about ten years ago and told me to tell her story. Nowadays, I probably know more about Rose than I know about myself. I also know about her descendants, and this year I am writing her great-grand-daughter Rosie's story. Actually, I've got a bit out of sequence, because her grand-daughter Lily's story is still to be written. But there's time.

Busy, busy, busy!


Click on this link to download your free book: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-silver-locket/id550223793?mt=11

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Amazon Daily Deal

Yes, it's one of those blink-and-you-miss-it offers. The Kindle version of my Charton Minster Trilogy is only 99p on Amazon's UK site, but only for today, Sunday 21st July. The Daily Deal is just what it says - a bargain for one day only.

It's been very gratifying to see it race up the Kindle chart today. Click on the link below to see if you fancy the books?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charton-Minster-Trilogy-Choc-ebook/dp/B00CS7OD24/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374416141&sr=1-1&keywords=charton+minster



Monday, July 15, 2013

RNA Conference 2013 - the hot pix!

The RNA Conference 2013 was held in tropical Sheffield, and my goodness it was hot.  We were based on one of Sheffield University's sites, The Edge, which is a beautifully designed and landscaped place on the edge (fancy that) of the city. The lake was especially lovely and as I walked around it on Saturday morning I was very tempted to kick off my shoes and have a paddle.  But I didn't want to scare the moorhen chicks.

As usual, Conference Organisers Jan Jones and Roger Sanderson did a fantastic job of finding a great conference venue and making sure everything ran like clockwork. Well done, huge thanks and even huger hugs to Jan and Roger - two bright twinklers in the RNA heavens!

I took a few photographs of us all having a great time - that is, working really hard and being inspired by the excellent speakers Jan and Roger lined up for us. I was sad to leave and am already looking forward to the RNA Conference 2014.


At the Saturday night gala dinner - here is the lovely Jan Jones, Conference Organiser and all-round good egg!  Thank so much, Jan - you did a fantastic job.



...and here is Jane Lovering, RNA Major Award Winner in 2012, sitting next to Roger Sanderson, Jan's fellow Organiser and equally good egg.


Of course, my local RNA Chapter - The Devon Violets - sent a contingent to the conference. Here are Su Bristow, Cathie Hartigan and my lovely self getting ready to stuff our faces with roast duck, followed by vanilla bean cheesecake - delicious!

We actually did quite a lot of work.  I talked to lots of writers and now have most of my Writing Magazine articles for 2014 mapped out and organised - thank you, RNA members! 


Finally - here are my fellow Choc Lit authors Christine Stovell and RNA Chairman Pia Fenton, AKA Christina Courtenay, discussing weighty matters like plot, characterisation, structure, narrative viewpoint, and fancying a glass of something cold and white.

I'm sure a great time was had by all. Thank you, RNA - you've been my inspiration throughout my writing life, and I know you will always continue to be.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Time slipping - bargain price...

I would love to write a new time slip novel.  I have lots of outlines in my folders and files, and one day I'm sure I'll get round to it. If I'd had a different life, and made different choices, I would probably have become an archaeologist, so writing time slip perhaps has a natural attraction for me. I can dig into the past in all sorts of ways!

I really enjoyed writing a novel called Elegy for a Queen, which is currently available as an ebook at the bargain price of 77p or $1.17. I'd love to get some up-to-date feedback from readers. What is it about time slip which attracts so many readers and - I have to admit - turns other readers off?

Any thoughts?



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elegy-for-a-Queen-ebook/dp/B00452V7Q0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1372788302&sr=1-1&keywords=elegy+for+a+queen

and

http://www.amazon.com/Elegy-for-a-Queen-ebook/dp/B00452V7Q0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1372795745&sr=1-1&keywords=elegy+for+a+queen