Wednesday 4 July 2012

FIRST FAN!

Howdee dodee folks! Me again! Hope you are all well?

Not much to talk about today, only that my first 'fan' (a man from up the street) turned up on my doorstep yesterday, clutching a copy of my book, and asked me to sign it for him! I've arrived! YAY!

Oh, and I'm 'doing' some 'coffee and chat' mornings, and some talks, in all the libraries in the area (a total of about twelve in all) starting with Accrington Library, on the 19th of July. No dates for the others yet, but will put them on here as I get them.

Tat's all for now folks, pop back again.
Meantime, do take care.

Tuesday 3 July 2012

GREAT REVIEW!

Hello again folks. I'm a happy bunny today, I was trawling through the 'net, (as you do) yesterday and found a brilliant review for my book.

It was posted in  westernfictionreview.blogspot.co.uk by someone called Steve M. (Not a friend or a relative, or even a casual acquaintance).

He says in part -  '(Amos Carr's) writing style is very readable and I soon became swept up in the story, as I needed to find the answers to the many questions the author hooked me with. Action scenes, descriptions of places and emotions, and dialogue, are all handled expertly and provided me with an entertaining read.' 

How about that! And I didn't even have to bribe him!  Now I feel like a 'real' author.

See you soon!

Sunday 1 July 2012

New Bullets on the go.

Howdy all! 


I'm working on my fourth Western now, already four chapters in (don't ask how many words, I haven't done a count yet, sorry).


Numbers 1 and 2 were accepted for publication straight away, unfortunately though, number 3 came back, not enough 'action' for them. I had concentrated more on the Romance of it, and veered away from the bullets, so it came back, (boo hoo). I will be altering some of it, and sending it off again, either back to Hale, or maybe I'll just LURVE it up a bit more, and send it off to a Romance publisher, who knows?


However, I have already got into this next one, so that will have to wait a while, which is okay, as the main body of it is done, so I just have to make a few alterations, instead of re-writing the whole thing.


I do enjoy writing the Westerns, but you know, sometimes I do find myself thinking, 'if only he had a mobile phone, he could get help quickly'. or - 'if he jumped in a car, he could catch them easily'. How much we rely on technology these days, without even thinking about it!


My number 1 book, 'The Ghosts of Poynter' is out on general sale now, and already doing quite well, thanks to all who got it on pre-order. Number 2, 'Crazy Man Cade' will be out in October, and to my mind, it is a better read than the first. I think that could be because there is one character in it who I really enjoyed writing (and it's not the actual hero!) That character keeps on coming back into my head and asking me to write his story. So I will be doing that. In fact I have the 'skeleton' of his story already written, so just have to flesh it out at some point later.


Here is a picture of my very first reader! And no, she isn't a family member, or close friend. (yet).


Okay folks, I'd better be off to the range, and get on with number 3. (No title for that yet, but it's going well up to now). See you all next time!

Saturday 30 June 2012

5 4 3 2 1 - LAUNCH !

Today's the day!!! It's Launch Day. My new book 'The Ghosts of Poynter' is on sale at last!

So far, I have two very positive comments from people who purchased it on pre-order, looking forward to some more please! I know there are a lot of people out there who will never have read a Western, and who wouldn't even dream of reading one. But please, take a chance, have a go, you never know, you might just end up enjoying it. One of my reviewers says - 'This was my first Western, it won't be my last.' So she has found something new to read, which, until reading mine, she wouldn't have even considered.

I do believe that we should all try reading something in a different genre to that which we become familiar with. You never know what you might be missing. For instance, I never thought I would enjoy the so called 'chick lit', but this year, I decided to try reading some different genres to expand my knowledge of what is avilable. I purchased 'Flings and Arrows' by Debbie Viggiano, and was very pleasantly pleased. I will be reading some more.  So go on, even if Westerns were never your thing, why not give them a try.

As a woman, writing Westerns, (one of only four women in the UK who do so) I believed that I needed a male pen name in order for the books to appeal to a wider audience, so you will find my Westerns filed under the name of Amos Carr. Sort and sweet! I also think that my books are a little less violent than many of the male written Westerns, 'softer' if you like, I use quite a few female characters, and my heroes usually fall in love with one of them. I also like a happy ending. Is that wrong for a Western? Perhaps you will let me know?

Thank you for reading.

Friday 29 June 2012

Day 2 of 'Bullets and Hearts'

Oh dear. Can't figure out how to edit any of my past writing on here, and I have spotted mistakes! Not a good start.
Anyway, yesterday I received copies of the magazine my article was in, 'Doll's House and Miniature Scene'. I sent an article and some pictures, they published all the pics, but cut some of the article about and changed it from first to third person. I suppose that's the 'done' thing for a magazine?
And the good news is, that a gentleman is coming all the way from Kent on Saturday, to us, in sunny Lancashire, to pick it up. What dedication! I have no doubt then, that he will finish it, and send me progress pics.
No writing today. Ticker playing up again, so had to lie down most of day. Ho Hum.

See you later folks.

Thursday 28 June 2012

Blogging Beginner.


Hello all! This is my first attempt at making a blog, so please, forgive me for any mistakes, and do come back again to make sure they're fixed!



I am a writer of Western novels, but am also working on a contemporary Romance at present, (hence blog title).

My Westerns are written under the pen name of 'Amos Carr' (an amalgam of two great-great grandparents) although my real name, is Jill McDonald-Constable. I am one of only four women in the U.K, who write Westerns for Robert Hale, under the imprint of 'Black Horse Westerns'.

I also have a website you can visit, which carries 'blurbs' and excerpts of my published works, and works in progress. Go to www.womanwholeads.webs.com 
Sounds like a strange title, but there is a reason. I tell you that reason on my site.

As this is my first page, I'm not really sure just what to put on, I need to do a bit more research on other blogs, to give you something exciting to read. I'm really looking forward to chatting to some of you, and talking about my work, and that of other authors, and craft workers, as I also  create hand crafted cards, charted cross stitch pictures, gift boxes, and other craft items. They can be found on my other web site, go to the main one for the link.

Be back soon folks! Bye for now.