Wednesday 23 August 2017

Road to Publication - Patricia Gibney

Today I'm thrilled to be welcoming Patricia Gibney, bestselling author of the Lottie Parker series onto my blog today to share her Road to Publication.

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Do you find that inspiration strikes you in specific places or do ideas come to you everywhere? 

Ideas can hit me at anytime, anywhere. I always carry a notepad and pen, and the notes app on my phone is perfect for jotting down things also. I'm one of those people who feel that once I write something down then I won't forget about it. However, I often get inspiration while I'm driving and that is a little awkward. I have to keep repeating it to myself so that I can remember it once I stop the car. I also keep a pen and notepad by my bed - just in case my nightmares contain some inspiration and quite often they do!

What do you usually do after you get the first spark of a fresh idea, is it straight to the computer to write the first chapter or straight to a notebook to start planning?

I am a terrible planner so when I have the general idea, theme or plot, I get a few thousand words written on the laptop. Then, as a plan forms while I'm writing I do a rough outline on Scrivener. I also have a large whiteboard - which is great for doodling on! When I bought it, my intention was to use it for information graphs, with all my plots and characters to surprise me, so I know the reader will be surprised. 

How long does your first draft usually take to write?

I was five years writing The Missing Ones! I used to write a bit, leave it for a few months, go off painting or doing something else and come back to it. I couldn't begin to add up how long I spent sitting down actually writing. I was a master at procrastination.

Now that I have a contract with Bookouture with very tight deadlines, I can write a first draft in two to three months.

Do you celebrate when you finish your first draft and if so how? 

No celebration for me. It is just the beginning of the process and I know it is just a first draft. The really hard work is just about to start!

Is it straight to editing or do you leave your manuscript a while before you pick up the red pen?

About half way through the first draft I usually stop and edit the work to date. I sometimes get stuck in 'the murky middle' and I find going back over it at least once, helps me. When the full novel is complete I try to start straight away to edit. Once I have the ending, and as I'm not a planner, I need to start an edit immediately.

How long do you spend editing before your book is handed over to the printers?

Bookouture provide me with an editing schedule. Structural, line and copy edits followed by proof reading. 

The manuscript will be read by professional editors, so I have the opportunity to fine tune it and perfect the novel as best I can throughout the edit schedule. 

At what point, prior to publication do you find the nerves start to kick in or do you not get nervous in the approach to publication?

Once the book goes up on NetGalley, I get the heebeejeebies. Because it is the first time anyone (other than my editors) will get to read it, I get really nervous until the first reviews start coming in. I know it is in my control at that stage, but it is like bringing your child to their first day at school . . . anticipation, nerves and terror!

How does it feel when the early reviews start to come in?

Waiting for the early reviews is a terrifying time for me. Once they start coming in, I get a sense of how the novel is going to be received. I know there is nothing else I can do at that stage, so I just start the next book and try to make it even better than the previous one. I also know my books are not for everyone as they are crime books, exploring dark and disturbing themes. Inevitably some people will pick them up and dislike them, resulting in less than positive reviews and I can absolutely understand that. But the good reviews fill me with a sense that maybe I can actually write a damn good story. 

How long do you wait after finishing your book before starting on your next project?

I start almost immediately. I'm writing a crime series featuring Detective Lottie Parker, so at least I have a starting point. It is not a totally blank page. I toy with ideas and themes and then I dive straight in. 

And finally how do you celebrate publication day?

My books are published digitally so publication day is a surreal experience for me. I usually have to do loads of social media work to promote the book and then I have to keep up with the blog tours.

Two weeks after The Missing Ones was published, I held a launch party to celebrate with my family and friends and townspeople. It was fantastic. I didn't have time to organise one for The Stolen Girls but I'm currently planning one for The Lost Child on October 27th. 


Thank you so much, Patricia for taking the time to answer my questions. You can purchase her latest novel: The Stolen Girls by clicking HERE

Follow Patricia on Twitter by clicking here: @trisha460 


The Stolen Girls: A totally gripping thriller with a twist you won't see coming (Detective Lottie Parker Book 2) by [Gibney, Patricia]

ABOUT THE BOOK

The young woman standing on Lottie's step was a stranger. She was clutching the hand of a young boy. 'Help me,' she said to Lottie. 'Please help me.'

One Monday morning, the body of a young pregnant woman is found. The same day, a mother and her son visit the house of Detective Lottie Parker, begging for help to find a lost friend.

Could this be the same girl?

When a second victim is discovered by the same man, with the murder bearing all the same hallmarks as the first, Lottie needs to work fast to discover how else the two were linked. Then two more girls go missing.

Detective Lottie Parker is a woman on the edge, haunted by her tragic past and struggling to keep her family together through difficult times. Can she fight her own demons and catch the killer before he claims another victim?

The Stolen Girls is a gripping and page-turning thriller that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Karin Slaughter and Robert Dugoni.

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