Glenys O'Connell, Author of Mystery & Romance

Experience has taught me that there are some very scary things about admitting to the world that you're a writer. Sure, these are balanced by many wonderful things, but some things leave you staring at a blank screen, frozen in terror.

That said, probably one of the first is just that: staring at a blank screen. Sometimes my head is brimming with ideas, or I wake up in the night with snappy lines of dialogue going around in my head. Yet by the time I got to the computer (or even a notebook, or a restaurant paper napkin...I'm not proud) those tricky little neurons have shut down and I CAN"T REMEMBER what I wanted to say. Terror sets in - will I ever again write anything more than a grocery list or an excuse for missing an exercise class (yeah, I do a few of them)?

Sometimes I understand completely why some writers never venture near a publisher. In fact, I know people with notebooks crammed with stories. They whisper to you, as if it were a naughty secret, that they write, but if you press them to see their work, they immediately deny ever having put pen to paper. It's the pressure to perform.

You see, once you admit to writing as something more than a hobby, then you have to come up with the goods. People know.People expect. Editors are tsk, tsk-ing about deadlines. rejection letters pop into your mailbox. You peek at your email through your fingers, testing to see if there's a contract, or a review. Either of these can bring you out of hiding a little, but then someone says  the dreaded words.

"So, Glenys, when are you writing the follow up to Marrying Money? You know, about Lady Diana's best friend, Sally? I'm really looking forward to reading that."

Uhm, so am I, if I only had a clue what was going to be in it.

"Hey, I read that book you wrote, Resort to Murder! When is your next one out ?"

Wish I knew - probably when I unfreeze long enough to write it.

"My wife loved Winters & Somers. It's her birthday in six weeks - do you have another book set in Ireland? I'd really like to get it for her."

Well, actually, I do have another set in Ireland - Marrying Money. But please don't ask me when the sequel will be out. Please.

Okay, I'm joking. I love it when people ask about my books. I just wish that blank screen didn't scare me so......

Of all the things that cause a writer's heart to thump a little harder in a 'help me!' kind of way, being recognised is certainly one of them. Maybe we dream of being in the New York Times top 100, but that's an arms' length kind of recognition - the true test comes when you're actually facing your readers in person or online, chatting about writing or signing your books. That's when you have to emerge from the safety of your shell and actually interact with the people you're writing for.

For most of us, when you first begin writing, it's your own local community that picks up the scent first.

The first time I was introduced as a 'local celebrity' I had to grin foolishly later through many teasing greetings of : 'Oh, look - it's Miss Local Celebrity!' when I met friends and neighbours. This was sometimes yelled across crowded restaurants or from the other side of the street, causing strangers to turn around and stare.

Maybe they were hoping to see a Beyonce or LaCruz but no, it was just a matronly type in paint stained jeans and a faintly distracted expression. Me. Sometimes they looked puzzled, some would actually ask who I was and what I did.....oh, blush!

Of course, there's a point where you've got to get over yourself and learn to accept the 'local celebrity status' as a compliment. It's one of the hardest lessons I've learned, being naturally shy and all. I find it hard to talk about my writing - although I'll yammer on all day about writing in general. Teaching creative writing classes was such fun because it let me talk for a couple of hours several times a week to people who were as interested in writing as I am.

But talking about my writing on a personal level, well, I still find that hard. I think one watershed for recovery from the terminally tongue-tied state that put me in was when the local ladies book club decided to read my second novel, Winters & Somers, as their book-of-the-month. Lord, I was so flattered by that - it was perhaps the first time I felt I was really taken seriously as a writer, by myself as well as people whose educated opinions I respected. And I managed to chat away about the book and answer questions without becoming a shrinking violet - good practice for book signings!

The rural area I live in is noted for its excellent artists and craftspeople, many of whom I admire for their work. It came as something of a shock to realise, once my first novel (Judgement By Fire, from Red Rose Press, available in print on Amazon!) was published, that my friends and neighbours locally were really supportive of what I was doing, and as proud of the 'local writer' as they were of the many artists here. It was a real boost to my self confidence, especially as the encouragement (along with the teasing) grew as my later novels were published. And bought locally, too.

So this weekend I donated four of my novels to a local fundraising auction. And when the auctioneer started: "We are proud to have so many creative people in this area, and in particular, for the past two years, a writer...." I blushed just a little.

But I was proud and grateful for the compliment.

It’s funny the things we take for granted about books and bookbuying. If you are anything like me, you are attracted first by the title and cover, and then by the back cover blurb. At that point you’re holding the book in your hands and it’s logical to take a look at the first few sentences on page one. After all, you’ve come this far, right? According to the people who study these things, writers have something like 30 seconds to impress you once you, the potential purchaser, pick up the book. Getting you to open the covers and read the first few lines is crucial! If the book doesn’t grab you then, it’s quite likely to be consigned back to the shelf. But the major part of that battle is to capture your interest enough to get you to actually pick up the book and open the covers. Which means you’ve got to have something pretty special in the back cover blurb.......please click here to read the rest at The Romantic Journey Blog     http://romanticjourney.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/whats-in-a-blurb/

I'm blogging over at www.romanticjourney.wordpress.com/ about the manuscript that never quite gets finished. You know, I think every writer has one -it's a story you like too much to scrap, but somehow it's never just right enough to be submitted anywhere and winds up being like a ghost at the wedding - making you ever so slightly uneasy in a guilty way because you've not handled it well enough....drop over and take a look, and leave a comment!

Welcome to my first blog on Romance Can Be Murder. I write romance, suspense, and mysteries - often all rolled up into one. I'm published but still working towards the heights of the best seller list. Ah, the dream, the dream....

The aim of this blog is to share the triumphs and distresses of the writing life - and please feel free to jump in with comments! I know that there are many writers and artists out there who are blogging their thoughts and feelings about the process - and I'm glad you're here reading mine! Writing is a lonely occupation - that's one of the reasons so many of us enjoy Twitter - it's a way of reaching out and touching other people, in 140 character tweets. Leaves lots of spare time for real writing. Unless you become addicted to social media, and that's a whole new ball game. There are, of course, enterprising writers putting out books about being addicted to social media

I'll also post some writing tips that I come across and think worth sharing, plus occasional publishing news and bits and pieces from my fellow writers. Let me know if you have fabulous news or a lightbulb moment revelation!

And these blogs will be short - after all, I'm supposed to be writing, right? G'night, all!