My debut novel "A Love That Makes Life Drunk" is 2 years old this month (if going by the publishing date), so I thought I'd give it a nod and tempt those who haven't yet read it or heard about it to read the blurb on the back cover and you decide.
But I especially want to give those amazing folk who have bought and read the book a colossal thank you for all the lovely things you say, and for the ongoing support and to let you know "Hope & Jump" (novel 2) is well on it's way.
X
Me and the nice lady at York Publishing Services got our heads together recently and decided since we're in the month of Lovers why not offer my debut novel "A LOVE THAT MAKES LIFE DRUNK" at 20% off the original retail price of £9.99 as an EXCLUSIVE - that means folks, you get it for an amazing £7.99.
Now, since the book is bursting with love, passion and reciprocated desire, and the artwork "Mr and Miss Sweetiepie" (painted by Emily Martin) was originally inspired for Valentine's Day, the book is indeed the perfect Valentine gift.
If you are outside the U.K and want to participate in this EXCLUSIVE offer please contact pinkcupcakes@live.co.uk for further information.
Not so much 'Song for the Lovers' but 'Book for the Lovers'
Available at YPD-books.com NOW with many thank you's
Enjoy,
Karen X
When I was writing 'A Love That Makes Life Drunk' I became fascinated with a certain little lady - the Playboy Bunny.
Finding out about these beautiful ladies was quite difficult though because everytime I attempted to Google, alot of unsavoury pictures popped up or were consequently blocked - and then I stumbled across the wonderful ex-Playboy Bunnies.
This site does as it says - it is a webpage for former Bunnies.
Whilst researching the character of "Lily" I used this site alot for it's beautiful photographs and biographies of women who had once slipped on those uber fitted satin costumes and floppy bunny ears. At this time I had no idea there were so many different designs of the Bunny Girl outfit. Pictures I'd seen through the years always featured the classic black satin Bunny, so I was captivated as I flicked through the pages of former Bunnies to see the costume they were wearing, and the further I read, the more I had to incorporate this iconic figure into my work.
It was during research for the novel I began reading Kathryn Leigh Scott's 'The Bunny Years' - a fascinating account of the women who worked as Bunnies and what they are doing today. I mean, how many of us know Bunnies had to be padded out with dry cleaning bags because their breasts had to protrude a certain way in the outfit? Or having to stand in a precise pose (the Bunny Dip) when serving drinks even if it did almost break your back? Or that a Bunny should never "mingle" with a patron? These facts, along with many others were part of the 'Playboy Club Bunny Manual' and had to be adhered to at all times whilst on duty - they were very strict guidelines.
One other piece of information I discovered is the concept of the 'Playmate'. See, occasionally a Bunny Girl would be asked to pose for the Playboy magazine - the famous 'Centrefold' - she then became a 'Playmate.' As regular readers to this blog will be aware, my adoration for Miss May 1972 - Deanna Baker was founded at this time - a seriously beautiful Playmate whom captured my imagination and lead to the precise creation of 'Lily'.
By the time I had finished reading 'The Bunny Years', I knew Bunnies were not just sexy girls dressed in satin costumes with rabbit ears, they were infact intelligent, ambitious, and beautiful women breaking new ground.
I wanted to be one.
I don't think I'm giving too much away by saying 'Bunny Lily Ellen' wears green satin - often the Bunnies were given a certain colour/design based on her hair colour, naturally a beautiful redhead wears green - why would I want to change it?
I actually own an original copy of Playboy May1972 - I won it at auction on eBay a few years back. It is a treasured possession; and as I read about Deanna Baker's black belt in Karate and her ambitions of owning her own beauty business I realise there are so many feminist issues surrounding the Bunny, none of which I wish to go into in this post - but I want to conclude with a couple of wonderful quotes, the first from Kathryn Leigh Scott from the final chapter of her book,
"We were young women on the move, out there pushing a new frontier. We were like sisters learning together how to take charge of our own lives. We protected each other. We were a rare bouquet." - The Bunny Years (1998)
The second, a quote from 'A Love That Makes Life Drunk' during a casual converastion between Lily and Jefferson-
'Bunny Girls,' she said over dinner, 'don't you think they're the epitome of Classy Sexiness?'
She makes me smile,
'Classy sexiness?' I said picking up my wine, 'is that a word?'
'No,' she smiled, 'I just made it up.' She started laughing, 'anyway J, the 1960's and 70's American and British Bunnies were as gorgeous as Hell.'
I think you know my standing on this one now.
K x
I've finally done it - created a webpage.
It's something I've shied away from for a while now, but with the release of the 2nd novel next year it's become a necessity.
It's a simple creation to promote Karen Roderick - the author, and has a link to my Pink Cupcakes blog as well as ways to purchase my debut novel 'A Love That Makes Life Drunk'. It contains information about the forthcoming novel 'Hope & Jump' and news on book signings, release dates and interviews. I'm also working on 'Visual Karen Roderick', where there will eventually be video recordings of book readings available to watch and listen.
Karen Roderick is finally entering the 21st Century...
www.karenroderick.moonfruit.com
X
In my early days of writing, I was so precious about my first draft I didn't want to change anything, afraid if I took something out, corrected, or added something, it wouldn't be the story I wanted to tell. I became very attached and very sentimental about my words and characters, but as I grew and developed, I realised the enormity of my imagination and steadily realised editing or rewriting is absolutely everything.
It took me almost 12 months to rewrite A Love That Makes Life Drunk, a 120,000 word manuscript I basically tore apart, and put back together; At the time I was anxious and unsure, wondering if I'd done the right thing, had I ruined what I originally set out to do.
In 'Rewriting', Kaplan (1998), describes this first draft as a "warm promise of glory", he also goes onto explain that after basking in finishing the first draft, often rewriting is the last thing a writer may be thinking about, that a "few brush ups...punctuation, typos and spelling..." is enough - it's not.
I can't emphasis enough that rewriting is everything. It turns "a promising piece of work, into a sharp, precise manuscript that hopefully won't end up on a slush pile". Kaplan (1998) says one of the essential attributes to being a good writer is "ten per cent inspiration and ninety per cent perspiration", yet still there is a reluctance to rewrite in full, that means, as again, Kaplan (1998) suggests, "maybe we're just too easily satisfied, too much in love with our own words, or too 'frozen' by them."
I was one of those "reluctants" and had been for years, until I became very serious about my work being published. People were actually going to read MY words, and therefore, I can only be judged by what's in print, and since I've spent years trying to master this incredibly difficult thing called "writing", I put in that ninety per cent perspiration Kaplan talked about with a lot of sacrifices along the way.
So, what about finding the time, because there's work, kids, family, the house etc, and your "hobby" can no way been seen to be coming first (!) I was on maternity leave with Little Fella when I wrote the first draft of my published novel. It took about 6 weeks. I'd grab an hour or so during his naps, forgoing the chance to kip myself because "Jefferson Howie" was pestering me more than sleep, and pretty soon it became obvious to me this manuscript was something special.
With negotiations, sacrifices and fantastic support from Big Fella and the Parents, I stole 3 days a week to start editing. From my hubby's point of view (because he isn't really interested in writing), I could be onto something lucrative, so supporting me emotionally and financially to do this most amazing thing, could benefit us in the long term. From my Parents' view, they got to have Little Fella every week to give loads of love and fuss.
I set up my writer's space and started my new "job". It wasn't easy. I was often very tired, a bit grumpy, frustrated at reading over the same damned sentence fifty times and still not knowing why is sounded clumsy. I missed out on Little Fella's bathtime, evening drinks in the garden with Big Fella and totally neglected my appearance.
Then a bombshell struck. Money was tight. I had to go back to work.
This complicated things, but not one to be defeated, I came to a compromise with Big Fella, and I worked on the book 3 evenings a week instead - which was even harder. I look back now and wonder how I did it, how I survived, or how the book flowed and read as easily as it does, but I know one thing, those long and sometimes excruciating hours of editing had a hell of a lot to do with it, and those 10 drafts I spent 12 months working on, is now a published novel.
I have to say, revising the Opening was the most frustrating part because it determines whether a reader will continue reading your story, short or novel, and now when I read over those old drafts, it's not the same chapter, I tore it apart numerous times, talked myself out of sentimentality and went for it, without regret, because I know it was the right thing to do.
OK, so I could go on for hours about this revision stuff, but instead I'm recommending you read "Rewriting - A creative approach to writing fiction" by David Michael Kaplan. It is essential reading for anyone serious about sending off a manuscript in the hope of being published. It addresses issues such as: Why revise?, First Revisions and Openings, Cutting out what's not essential, Adding what's essential, rearranging the plot and endings, and plenty more to give you that really special manuscript.
I hope I haven't put you off, because I actually found revising totally inspiring. I fell in love with my characters again, and got to go back and add things, refuelling my love for London and Paris. It opened doors to new inspirations and characters that have subsequently developed into new stories and interests, and even people and friends, and you do not have to be the most academic person to do this job, or have (or had) a trade in Publising or Journalism, because it wasn't really until my mid to late twenties that these things clicked in to place for me either. Self belief and constructive criticism is what you need, there is no room in this competitive career for sensitive souls, numerous rejections will put pay to that, be strong, pick yourself up, and start again. You are a writer remember, so write.
Have a good Tuesday
K xx
When I first started this blog affectionately known as "Pink Cupcakes", it was to market my debut novel "A Love That Makes Life Drunk". I'd been writing for many years, with 15 written novels to my name, but this was my first published novel and as an unknown writer I knew I had a long and difficult road ahead of me - I still do.
My first attempt to promote and sell myself was a clumsy and amateurish postcard featuring a rather dodgy print of the book's sleeve - it was bloody dreadful. They looked unprofessional and the font was wrong, but since I naively had 1000 printed I was stuck with them - until I came across this brilliant little company via a Woman and Business article in Country Living Magazine called Moo.
Moo allowed me to upload my favourite Facebook photos and create them into postcards (pictured above), as well as business cards and my favourite device (and my boys'), stickers.
This photo I used for one of 2 business cards,
This being the other.
This became a sticker,
So did this,
and this.
This time I was a little more savvy and ordered a much smaller quantit, no, I'm not being pessimistic, just a realist, but when they arrived I was so thrilled I just knew they'd be another order sometime in the future, and so I continue happily to slot the postcards and business cards inside every book purchased through Amazon, Pink Cupcakes and in the near future books sold through YPD-books.com
Kooky it may be, but this cool marketing and publicity tool, is something personal and unique to Pink Cupcakes and Karen Roderick, a small touch, that keeps in tone with Karen Roderick - the writer and "A Love That Makes Life Drunk". A long way from the clumsy tatty postcards from the early days.
Moo is the future.
Karen xx
Me being me, I have kind of put my foot in it again.
OK, straight to the point, it appears the cute cover of my book A Love That Makes Life Drunk is causing a wee bit of controversy.
See, when I decided this was the only cover in the world for my book, I guess I thought everyone would see the irony in it. Anyway, yes, it is unassuming, and people have felt a little mislead, so, for the record, it is not chick lit and DOES contain strong adult content. The babble on the back of the novel also indicates there is likely to be some detailed sexual scenes, but I have also added a warning on the front icon page to make readers aware - it's only right so no one gets red faced and upset.
Right done!
Be good,
K xx
It appears someone is offended by me.
To be more specific, my choice of conversation on this blog and the Pink Cupcakes fan page on Facebook.
I'm not really sure who or why, but I'm assuming it's the post about Miss May 1972. I can only hope who (not sure how many reported it "abusive") actually read the content. Yes, the pictures may be a little provocative, but it's the words that bring the post together and explain the reasons for showing you Deanna Baker. I can absolutely assume the Facebook users who reported Pink Cupcakes as "abusive" have not read A Love That Makes Life Drunk and know nothing about me as a writer.
I'm sad about this for only one reason; I am now blocked from telling anyone about my Pink Cupcakes Fan Page on Facebook, and so to avoid any further "offence", I have removed the "abusive" pictures of Miss May 1972.
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil...you are being watched...
Sadly
Karen x
When Borders suggested I do a book signing at their Coventry store I was petrified.
Big Fella convinced me it would be a great idea, a way of getting myself out there, and although I knew all of this, it still kinda felt like I was waiting to go to the dentist. I was as organised as I could be, Big fella hand picked 10 pink roses from a florist near to where he works, and had 12 black and pink helium filled balloons at the ready. Everything was cool and we were ready to go...
Despite a typical Roderick start (droopy pink roses when I got up this morning, and 12 deflated balloons in the car), we managed to recover well. The kids were picked up by granddad, I finally got dressed, picked up some more roses and ordered more balloons, we were not going to be defeated.
It was freezing, but in true Karen Roderick stylie I wore flip flops, which were commented on, after my silver polished toe nails had been admired (wink). We met Francis, the incredibly helpful and accommodating store manager, who kindly showed us where I'd be sitting for my signing. It all got a bit real, and I wondered whether I was going to get through it. Big Fella made jokes of me and him sitting alone at the table like a National Lampoon's Christmas party with him half heartedly blowing a balloon and me sipping my sherry, hum, didn't do much for my waining confidence, but it did make me laugh.
By the time the lovely staff arrived with our tea, and I'd set up my table for the next 2 hours, I was starting to feel a little better, and actually quite excited. For the first time in 20 plus years of writing, my work was actually out there for people to read and hopefully enjoy, as well as see the woman who wrote it, which I found out absolutely makes a difference.
I was surprised how quickly people started coming over to "browse", and at 11.30 on the dot, I had my first lovely customer (!)
It felt kinda weird to be signing MY book. It's always been my world; my secret place with my secret friends, and now, hooray. they're out there for everyone to enjoy and love, and the more I signed, the more I really started to think I could do this thing and be a "proper" author. The staff at Borders were lovely, really friendly and helpful, and one lovely lady from one of the other departments drifted by on a number of occasions before finally being able to come over for a signed copy as she was supposed to be working, bless.
I had a surreal moment when Big Fella went off for the coffee's and an American guy came over and asked "Are you Karen Roderick?", obviously I said yes. He said I was the first kinda celebrity he'd met and wanted to come over and say hi. I shook his hand and he wondered off. I watched with a pleased grin reeling back in the Diva, wondering if he'd had thought me a "celebrity" had he seen me screaming at the kids in my PJ's this morning.
It was dead nice anyway, and I won't complain, and now that I've done the book signing, I wonder why I was so worried. Francis says I can come back again when I want, which I thought was so lovely, and I have every intention of doing so, see, I'm kinda on a roll now, like my first gig is over, and I'm looking for super stardom (sort of), but it was so great to meet the readers and just say hi, and see their reaction when I signed my name in their book. Some amazing people even bought the book without even knowing what it was about, who says you can't judge a book by it's cover (or author) - hope the gamble pays off for them.
The 2 hours flew by, and in all honesty, I could have stayed another 2, I was just getting my act together when it was time to close shop, but I have plans for the New Year...
Anyway, I could not sit in the Cookery section for 2 hours and not leave with a little something...
Oh thank Christmas it's Nigella X
BIG BIG thank you to my lovely husband, Big Fella, for whom really and honestly, as cliche as this sounds, I could not have done this without him XXX
Karen XX
I'm really excited about Sunday.
Now that local High Street bookshops have started selling my book " A Love That Makes Life Drunk", it's presented me with the brilliant opportunity to do a book signing.
I know it's a few days off yet, but I really wanted to show off my book boards and posters kindly designed by my friend Joe.
And this uber cute hand wrapped gift edition of the book only available at the book signing. Think Christmas...think Pink Cupcakes and "A Love That Makes Life Drunk" by Karen Roderick.
Book Signing @ Borders, Coventry on 30th November at 11.30 - 1.30 pm
Hugs K xxx
