Tag: self-publishing

Working, working, working . . .

Posted on by Maggie McGuinness

There’s been lots of very serious work going on around here lately, just like in this picture. In fact, that’s me in disguise in the middle, madly tapping away at the first draft of Book 2 in the Mirrabooka Romance series. Having just gone over the 30,000-word mark, I’m calling that halfway! Meanwhile, it’s springtime here on the coast, which means wind, wind and more wind – a bit like Tilly after she’s eaten too many of the revolting, squidgy things she finds on the beach.

We haven’t had anywhere near enough rain, unfortunately, which means everyone’s a bit nervous as fire season approaches. To quote one of our fire station personnel: “We’ve got 1,000 houses and two fire trucks. You do the maths”. Yikes! I’m glad my place is in a fairly cleared area. Even so, I’m doing lots of cleaning up in the yard to lower the fire risk as much as possible. Here’s hoping we get some decent rain soon.

Progress at last!

Posted on by Maggie McGuinness

It’s been ‘all systems go’ around here. Mirrabooka Magic (Book 1 in the Mirrabooka Sweet Romance series) has been published both as an ebook and a paperback, and Planet Single is now available in paperback too. Now to write Book 2 of the Mirrabooka series!

I’ve actually written quite a lot of it already, but only in my head. I do a lot of long drives to Melbourne (about seven hours on the road) and that time is perfect for picturing the scenes and listening to the characters interact with each other in my head. When they get too noisy I have to tell them to shut up so I can concentrate on driving. After all that, merely writing it down will be a cinch, right?

I also have another romcom that I’m about a third of the way through, but I’ve parked that one for now. I will get back to it someday, though, I promise!

PS – Do you like The Mirrabooka Magic cover? It’s from The Cover Collection. They do a great job and provide exceptional service Iincluding this 3D marketing image).

Planet Single’s new look

Posted on by Maggie McGuinness

I am making progress with Mirrabooka Magic, honest, but in the meantime I decided Planet Single needed a new cover. I found this one at Beetiful Book Covers and thought it was perfect for the genre and the story. Hope you like it!

I’ve also recently discovered Instagram. It’s so much fun! I live in a photographer’s paradise surrounded by beautiful beaches, inland waterways, and unspoilt forests, so I’m enjoying rekindling my love of landscape and seascape photography and publishing the pics on Insta. Tilly also features in my feed – she’s very photogenic too – and even the grumpy old cat gets a look-in sometimes. Come and join in the fun – and if you mention any of my books I promise I’ll follow you. 🙂 Find my Instagram feed here.

First romance novel is on the way

Posted on by Maggie McGuinness

I’m happy to announce that I’ve been working like a slave – or perhaps a slightly obsessed accidental cat owner (see below) – on my new manuscript. Mirrabooka Magic is the first book in my Mirrabooka Sweet Romance series, which is planned to be a trilogy.

I’m in a frenzy of editing at the moment, and in my attempts to get enough peace and quiet to allow me to focus on the book (i.e. not getting interrupted by young-adult offspring, demanding cat, friends who think I should actually socialise, or other assorted life inconveniences) I look like this:

Then, when I knock off for the night, I look like this:

It’s all fun, fun, FUN!

To be serious for a moment, the book is coming along very nicely, and I’m excited about getting the editing finished, choosing a cover, and then doing a final proofread and writing the marketing blurb. Not long to go, so watch this space!

(Re the cat: I’m not a cat person, right? But when you realise some poor frightened cat is living under your house and slowly starving to death, what do you do? You feed it, that’s what. And, eventually, that cat realises it’s on to a good thing and begins to roll out its plans for complete household domination. It’s a pretty smart cat.)