Busy times in the office!

It has been a strange few months for the country, not to mention the whole world. We have all coped with an extreme change to our way of life which will effect us for years to come. Queuing at shops and supermarkets has become the norm. Missing out on the Wetherspoons breakfasts and Costa coffees when we pop into town has become a way of life, although these are back now! 

People can start moaning again about not wanting to go to work now that they're actually at work.

At Andrew Milner Books, lockdown for me hasn't really been an issue. My job has carried on as normal but due to the lack of the breakfasts and Costas, I haven't been going into town so I spent the time writing. My next book is finished and aside of the final edit, it is ready to start finding its way to agents. I wrote the book in six weeks from planning to final draft. That for me is amazing as I get so easily distracted.

I will keep putting out updates when I have more news but 'BETWEEN THE TWO' is finished and I am really pleased with it.

I have also had the opportunity to fulfil my first assignment as a ghost-writer. This is not writing about ghosts but writing a book where someone else is listed as the author. The formatting and editing was a learning curve for me but I am happy with the results and IT'S JUST A PHASE! will be out on the 24th August. This is the story of Angie who realised she was born in the wrong body. The book is written from her diaries and conversations between us and tells how her struggle formed her into the person that she is today. I am really proud to have worked on this book and I know Angie is extremely happy with the results.

Anyway, I am back to other book ideas and will no doubt tell you when 'BETWEEN THE TWO' is going to make an appearance.

Stay safe.

Writing during lockdown

This is something that we never expected. To be locked away in our homes is something none of us have ever experienced before. I was lucky enough to continue my life as normal with my job so haven't been hit as hard as others. It has only affected me on my rest days. However; I took to writing and actually finished my next book in 5 weeks! As yet I don't have a title but as soon as I do I will be sending it out to a few carefully chosen agents. I have also completed a ghost writing assignment which I have done over about three years. This book is an autobiography about Angie who had a male to female sex change believing that she was born in the wrong body. This has had its final edit and is now completed.

Ghost writing is a strange concept for me as I know I will get no credit for the time and effort I put into the book. Although the work is mine, the words however are not. The book was written from telephone conversations and diary entries
I have read the book a few times now and have enjoyed it. It should be out in the next month or so and it's called 'IT'S JUST A PHASE!'

I am now back writing my own and have loads of ideas.

I have a detective series already on the go. The first book is finished and the second one is being written now and I also have another story of a young girl living in a 1923 Yorkshire village.

The Andrew Milner Books office is a busy office at the moment and one which I hope will continue to be busy.

I will keep the updates coming as I go.
keep reading and I'll keep writing!

Andy

Taking it on the chin.

I haven't visited this blog for a while but here I am !!! I have been pondering something which I want to share with you.

Being a writer is hard, well for me it is anyway. Some people churn books out like there is no tomorrow, others, like me have to spend time to come up with ideas. Often I can think of an plot but when I start to develop it, it fades away; I think this is the characters telling me it's not their time yet !

My fourth book was called NOTE TO SELF. I made a mistake with this book. What's the best thing to do when you make a mistake? Put your hands up, admit it and move on. Well I actually made two. Firstly, the blurb on the back has a character called Kevin...well in the book he is actually called Dan. My second mistake which I didn't realise at the time was this: This book is a light hearted 'chick-lit'. I wrote this book in the first person as a women. Difficult for some men I'm sure but as I have been told a few times that I am in touch with my feminine side I found it fairly easy and fun.
My mistake came when I read the reviews for this book. I think people missed the point. It was meant to be light hearted. People's reviews, which I must say to an author are so important, seemed to be deep, picking it apart. It was meant to be a light hearted read when you're on holiday on a beach and don't want anything too deep. It talks of her mum getting a Cappuccino mixed up with Al Pachino, taking the huff so that Emily thinks she's dead and ringing the police who go screaming round.
I know people have views and as much as they're welcome, I think they missed the point. This leads me on to my next mistake. One review said as it was written by a man, this read like what a man expects a fifty year old woman to think !! Would the reviews have been so critical if I had written it under a female pen name? I don't think so.

Things are sent to teach us. Should a writer who writes in more than one genre use different writer names? Absolutely. The reviews have taught me something which I will keep in mind for next time.

Anyway back to the story board. Keep on reading and I'll keep on writing.

Dipping ones toe

Most authors have one particular genre that they write. My first choice would be paranormal, something a little spooky I hope with a twist at the end. My first two books A FAR REACHING DREAM and THE HIDDEN PATH HOME were just so with a romance built in. CARD SCHOOL book number three was just paranormal. A boy stuck at a boarding school discovering a few secrets of the building where he lived. However for my next book I entered the world of chick-lit. I wrote as the first person, a lady called Emily who takes us on a journey of dating at 49 after 20 years of marriage. This book will be released soon, I promise. I have talked about it long enough. The pipeline is a long one for me with a vast range of books in the idea stage and some being written as we speak. After NOTE TO SELF will be a biography about one of my oldest friends Angie as she makes the difficult and emotional journey as a transgender person in today's society.

I have also written two different series of children's books with my wife Jade who is an early years teacher. So I will leave the single genre writing to the professionals and I will continue to dip my toe into the many genre ponds.!!

You keep reading and I'll keep writing.

www.andrewmilnerbooks.com

Oh, It's hard work !!

The best thing ever as a writer is when someone says something positive about your work. It's so easy sometimes to get disheartened when things don't go as planned... Trying to get an agent for a start it's not just hard but damn impossible. Nobody is interested in taking a gamble on an unknown writer.

Also finding your genre is hard. My first two books were both paranormal romance, the third was paranormal yet my next one which will be called NOTE TO SELF is a chick-lit. Written as first person it follows Emily as she approaches 50 and her husband leaves her. She has to get back into the dating game and after dating some strange men, she has a decision to make. Hopefully its release will be by the end of the year... I have also written children's books and I am now about to embark on a biography of a male to female transgender patient... I'm not sure sticking to one particular genre will suit me because writing gives me an opportunity to be whoever I want to be whenever I want.

I am also a trustee of a charity called Purple Owl which raises awareness of Epilepsy, a true honour as my wife founded it.
 

Anyway back to my original point someone said to me the other day; I have read loads of books, some fantastic, some not but yours are just as good as most. Compliment? I certainly think so.

Keep reading, I'll keep writing !!

Oh, It is hard work !!!!

The best thing ever as a writer is when someone says something positive about your work. It's so easy sometimes to get disheartened when things don't go as planned... Trying to get an agent for a start it's not just hard but damn impossible. Nobody is interested in taking a gamble on an unknown writer.

Also finding your genre is hard. My first two books were both paranormal romance, the third was paranormal yet my next one which will be called NOTE TO SELF is a chick-lit. Written as first person it follows Emily as she approaches 50 and her husband leaves her. She has to get back into the dating game and after dating some strange men, she has a decision to make. Hopefully its release will be by the end of the year... I have also written children's books and I am now about to embark on a biography of a male to female transgender patient... I'm not sure sticking to one particular genre will suit me because writing gives me an opportunity to be whoever I want to be whenever I want.

I am also a trustee of a charity called Purple Owl which raises awareness of Epilepsy, a true honour as my wife founded it.
 

Anyway back to my original point someone said to me the other day; I have read loads of books, some fantastic, some not but yours are just as good as most. Compliment? I certainly think so.

Keep reading, I'll keep writing !!

Helping others

Well it's been a while since my last blog.. About a year actually. I have finished my next book but just having issues with the cover... It'll be out soon enough... However, that is not the reason for my blog. I just wanted to share with you how wonderful my wife is. Despite being poorly, she has epilepsy, she works near on full time and has set up her own charity. Purple Owl is to raise awareness of epilepsy. She's wonderful, determined and clever as well as focused and funny.. I love her immensely. I'm proud to be a trustee of this charity and will do everything to support her in it. If anyone knows someone who suffers from epilepsy tell them to get in touch to see how we can help. Email -Charitypurpleowl@yahoo.com or text/call +44 7752 128212

Funny how despite having loads of issues themselves, people still want to help others.