For the last couple of days, intriguing images have been appearing on my Twitter and Facebook…
…a CHEEKY LITTLE OWL…
…a DAISY CHAIN NECKLACE
…and a HOPE HEART
BUT WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
Well, I can finally reveal the full pictures… They are part of an amazing TREASURE HUNT that will be taking place in BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER and LONDON from Thursday 24th September – the day A Parcel for Anna Browne is published!
Here’s how it works: the posters (see below) will be put up across the three cities (each one represents some of the gifts Anna Browne receives). When you find them, take a photo and tweet @panmacmillan using the hashtag #AParcelforAnnaBrowne. You can also post on Facebook – just make sure you use the hashtag so we can find you!
There are NINE gifts to find. Up for grabs are signed copies of A Parcel for Anna Browne and – this is the best bit – I will be inviting people who find and share the most of Anna’s gifts to a sumptuous afternoon tea with me!
The competition runs until 1st October, so there’s plenty of time to hunt for Anna Browne’s gifts…
I’ll be posting clues to the poster locations from Thursday – and if you’re in Birmingham that day you might meet me and my agent Hannah as we’re planning to hunt the parcel gift posters ourselves!
Here are all the gift posters in their absolute glory:
It’s going to be so much fun. Happy hunting – and best of luck! xx
All this year, I’m vlogging about the writing, editing and publishing of A Parcel for Anna Browne. This week I go to the printers to see my book being printed – and it was AWESOME!
When you want to write books, the thought of one day seeing thousands and thousands of your novels whizzing around a printing factory seems like the stuff of your wildest dreams. And it completely is a dream come true to actually see that happen!
I was very lucky to be invited down to Pan Macmillan’s printers to see A Parcel for Anna Browne being printed. The very lovely Amanda from onemorepagecame along, too, which made a wonderful day even more special. I’ll warn you, I squeak a lot in this vlog!
Apologies for the blatant Sinatra reference, but I was thinking of the opening lyric to this famous song today.
What made the song play on repeat in my head today was a wonderful tweet I received. As you know, my seventh book, A Parcel for Anna Browne,launches on 24th September. The lovely lady who tweeted me said she had ordered the book and couldn’t wait to read it.
It isn’t the first time I’ve received a tweet like this, but today it struck a chord. This year, it’s sixteen years since I first started to write what eventually became my first novel, Fairytale of New York. At the time I had no idea I was even writing a novel, let alone dare to dream that one day it might be published. It was just a story I started to write for fun – just for me – and I didn’t really expect anyone else to read it.
If someone had told me, in 1999, that people I haven’t even met would be ordering my books before they were published, I would never have believed them.
Over the years, it’s gradually sunk in that I am a published author (although it still feels weird to see it written down like that!) and, since 2013, that I am a full-time published author. But with each new book I’m blessed to be able to release, I’m increasingly amazed when lovely readers tell me how excited they are to read my latest work.
I don’t ever want to take this for granted. Ever. Because I remember the years and years of dreaming about walking into a bookshop and seeing my books there. It’s a thrill I will never get used to.
In November last year, I was invited my my local Waterstones store in Merry Hill, Dudley, to sign copies of I’ll Take New York. When I went into the store, the display they had put together blew me away:
All my books, together, in one beautiful display.
I was a mess. I think I blubbed over everyone (apologies if you were there and faced the deluge!) What was so amazing was that my dream had come true, not just once, but six times over.
Here’s what I’m saying: this isn’t about me bragging about how many books I have in Waterstones – it’s about something I’d dreamed about, hoped for – but, if I’m honest never really thought would ever be possible – coming true. And, like Ol’ Blue Eyes himself sings, it can happen to you.
I know there will be writers reading this blog right now who feel they have been dreaming about being published for ever. Maybe you feel it’s never going to happen. I just want to encourage you to keep believing, keep dreaming – keep writing the stories that are burning in your heart. Don’t think it can’t happen. Because it happened to me – and there is nothing special about me. I just wrote the book I wanted to and I didn’t stop.
This year, I have seen three lovely friends who dreamed of being published finally being signed by publishers. There will be more, too, because as long as there are readers there will be stories that need to be told. Stories like yours.
It can happen to you.
I think the only way to end this blog post is to let a certain silken-voiced crooner play us out. Take it away, Frankie…
So, I finally have a cover for my seventh book, A Parcel for Anna Browne. And I’m thrilled with it! Ahem… drumroll, please…
TA-DAAAAAAH!
My seventh novel – woo-hoo!
What I’m so happy about is that my book getting its cover is one step closer to it being shared with the world. And that makes me happy because this is a story I have wanted to tell for several years. Moving to my new publisher, Pan Macmillan felt like the right time to write Anna Browne’s story – and I’m really proud of the book. I firmly believe it’s my best yet and I can’t wait to share it with everyone!
All this year, I’m vlogging about writing and publishing my seventh novel, A Parcel for Anna Browne. This week, very exciting news about the book and your questions answered…
I’ve had a right old game with YouTube to get this video to upload, so apologies that the quality is not as good as you’re used to. All will be fixed next week, I promise, so bear with me while I do battle with the YouTube gods, Game Of Thrones-style!
Questions this week come from Anna @AnnaMansell and Katy @katynotwedordead (both on Twitter – do follow them, they’re fabulous writers!). So I’m talking about how you can find a good manuscript critique service that will actually be worth investing in; and how to move on to new stories once a book is finished.
Enjoy! xx
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Fuzeeeeeee’.
All this year, I’m vlogging about writing and publishing my seventh novel, A Parcel For Anna Browne. This week, I reveal the truth about my very short-lived acting career and talk about the constant threat to writers’ – ahem – behinds…
Before you get to do your dream job, the question you’re asked most often is what you’d like to be doing. When you are doing the job you’ve dreamed about for years, what everyone wants to know is what you’d be doing if you weren’t doing it! So, this week I reveal my infamously odd previous employment history, including the reason my fledgling acting career was scuppered as soon as it had begun.
Fantastic questions this week come from Jennifer Joyce (about my favourite snacks for writing), Rosemary Umbers (on balancing being a full-time writer and a full-time mum) and Peachy Outlook (on what I would be doing if I wasn’t a writer).
Enjoy!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled: ‘Behold, The Amazing Blurry Hand of Doooooooom!’
All this year, I’m vlogging about writing and publishing my seventh novel, A Parcel For Anna Browne. This week, key words, Christmassy book plans and books I’m excited about reading this year!
I’ve been having a lot of fun working on some new projects before the page proofs for A Parcel for Anna Browne arrive. Which gives me lots of time to answer your fab questions which this week come from Katie Marsh, Julie Williams and Jennifer Joyce. What were my three key words for writing APFAB? Am I writing a Christmassy book this year? And which books am I getting very excitedabout reading this year?
Enjoy!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Where did you get that hat?’
All this year, I’m vlogging about writing and publishing my seventh novel, A Parcel For Anna Browne. This week, the latest news on my book, plus I answer more of your wonderful questions!
Would I consider writing any more sequels? Why did I change publishers? And what’s my advice for new writers about planning a novel and staying focused? It’s all in the vlog this week!
Questions this week come from the very lovely Wendy Kerridge, Daniel Riding – check out his new vlogs – and Carla.
Enjoy!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Finding this script HILARIOUS, love!’
All this year, I’m vlogging about writing and publishing my seventh novel, A Parcel For Anna Browne. This week, why being a daydreamer is crucial if you’re a writer and I answer more of your lovely questions!
At school, all of my reports said I would do better if I ‘did less daydreaming’. But today I’m proud to daydream for a living… In this week’s vlog I’ll explain why I think you have to be a daydreamer if you want to write and why, right now, I’m in my ‘daydreaming stage’.
All this year, I am keeping a video diary about writing and publishing my seventh novel, A Parcel For Anna Browne. This week, my vlog returns after quite a long break…
I’ve been editing A Parcel for Anna Browne and I’m really pleased with the result. It turned out to be a huge edit – the equivalent of a structural edit (getting all the key themes and scenes in the right places) and line edit (going through the book with a fine toothed-comb, making sure story arcs are complete and the flow is right) combined. It’s been interesting finding out how my new publisher, Pan Macmillan, works differently to my previous publisher, Avon HarperCollins and, like any new job, there’s been a steep learning curve. But it all helps me to understand what kinds of things Pan Macmillan are looking for in the stories I write.
So, have I seen the cover yet? You’ll have to watch the vlog to find out!
What would you like to know about my books, writing in general or anything else? Ask me a question and I’ll answer it in the next vlog! Just leave a comment below, email me at: mirandawurdy@gmail.com or tweet me @wurdsmyth.
Enjoy, lovelies!
p.s. This week’s You Tube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Cheesy Grins R Us’…
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