Last year I decided to use the month of May to make some serious headway in regards to the writing of my second novel. I had twenty-five completely uninterrupted days in Cairns, Australia, and knew I needed to make a start on the book before I commenced a roadtrip that would see me touring the Northern Territory for the next month.

I called this endeavour “Na-No-Wri-May”, a homage to National Novel Writing Month where the focus is to get the words (all 50k of them!) out before any editing takes place. Instead of waiting until November, however, this challenge would take place in May (see what I did there?).

It worked pretty well and I got the majority of Inyoni Rocks at least plotted out, if not a good chunk of it written before life and travel once again took over.

This year I’ve decided to steer away from the Toti series and plan to write something altogether new and exciting. It’s an adult, contemporary romance, set amongst the thistle and heather strewn hills of the Scottish Highlands.

Introducing…

Tommy

Louden first met fire-starter Thomas Rayne at seventeen, after Tommy was sentenced to community service at a remote rangers station deep in the Trossachs National Park. A ‘Ned’ through-and-through, despite a summer of intimate firsts, Louden is adamant he didn’t have time for Tommy then, and he certainly doesn’t have time for the man he’s become almost ten years later.

When Tommy returns to the quaint village of Glenallan, it’s for more than the breathtaking beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Having led a troubled life, he’s never forgotten the boy who once saw through all his bravado and posturing, and gave him something so precious he’s spent the last decade working hard to become the man worthy of Louden MacCraigh’s heart.

Convincing Louden won’t be easy, however, not when Tommy left him broken-hearted and outed to his entire community all those years ago. But like the fires he’s accused of starting, Tommy knows that even the smallest smolder can grow into an unquenchable flame, and amongst the thistle and heather surrounding them, Tommy’s ready to turn that flame into another wildfire.

What do you guys think? I honestly cannot wait to get started on this one! I’ve got around 21 uninterrupted days this time around before I fly down to Cardiff for the Hay Festival. That’s definitely a good chunk of time to get the majority of it written, right?

And hey, if you’re interested in joining me for nanowrimay, please do let me know! I’ve managed to rope a few others in, but the more the absolute merrier! As I said in my Rough Draft Round-Up for April: nothing motivates an author more than the threat of a kick-up-the-backside to get writing!