Fi Phillips

Progress on my novel is coming along nicely and by the summer, I should be starting back on the submitting to literary agents trail. Am I the only one who finds that process scary? According to Write It Sideways, while the process may be a tad terrifying, it's also good for you. Check out their article - 5 reasons querying is good for you to find out more. On a completely different note, writer Suzanna Williams asks, Real life doesn't make sense but does fiction have to?  Finally, I have a video from Piers Blofeld, who is a literary agent himself from Sheil Land Associates, on the 5 types of rejection (and what to make of them).

From a reader's point of view, I love book trailers. They not only give a preview of what the book will be about but they also give an idea of how the writer wanted their book to be portrayed. One of the many things I'm looking forward to when my first children's novel is published (traditionally or self) is making a book trailer of my own. I haven't decided yet what form the trailer should take. I could use images from the book and quotes with some accompanying music like writer Kelly Hashway . I could have actors portray events in the book like my friend Suzanna Williams did in her book trailer. I could give clues to what the book will contain with beautiful photography and questions like another friend Heather Blanchard . Animation is quite costly but a series of drawings, like in Neil Gaiman 's book trailer, could work effectively with a voice over from the author. Alternatively, I could put my own face on the trailer and tell you what the book is about a...

My friend and author Robyn Roze has passed the My Writing Process Blog Tour baton to me today. Please do check out her Blog Tour article here . Thank you, Robyn. The first rule is that I have to include a photo of myself so here's the best photo I could come up with from the last couple of years - sorry. I suppose I'd better get on with it then. What am I working on? Firstly, I'm continuing to work on my novel, Haven Falling. It's a fantasy novel set in a future where magic exists alongside robots. It started out as a novel for adults (as in grown-ups, not erotica) but after a rethink at the end of last year, I've decided to rework it for the 9-12 age range. My original protagonist Steve is now fourteen years old (not thirty three) and my new accompanying protagonist Blessing is eleven years old (not seven). It's the first of a trilogy and I envision the world I create in this novel leading to many other magical novels too. Secondly, I'm working o...

The intention of making new year's resolutions has always been to start anew but seeing as 2014 will be more of a continuation for me (working on my novel, writing more plays, losing more weight), I decided to make just one new effort. I'm constantly reading (on my bedside cabinet at the moment are Titania Hardie's The Rose Labyrinth and the first S kulduggery Pleasant novel) but in 2014, I've decided that I'll step away from my usual genres and authors and support some of the writers that I follow, know and converse with. So my reading list for the first half of 2014 looks something like this: Ninety-Five Percent Human by Suzanna Williams : a young adult alien adventure inspired by the 'Welsh Roswell', an alleged UFO crash in the Berwyn Mountains in 1974. A is for Angelica by Iain Broome : his debut novel, "Gordon Kingdom struggles with the fate of his seriously-ill wife while patiently observing and methodically recording the lives of th...

Today I'm taking part in the book launch blog tour of Suzanna Williams ' new YA novel, Ninety-Five percent Human. The tour has been arranged by the Finishing Fairies and you can find the list of bloggers taking part at the bottom of this post. Now for the good stuff. Ninety-five percent Human is a YA sci-fi. It tells the story of sixteen year old Joe Kendrick who saves a girl from drowning only to discover that she is a human/alien hybrid sent to Earth as a test. As she has survived, hostile aliens are now planning their attack on the planet. Inspired by 'the Welsh Roswell', an alleged UFO crash in the Berwyn Mountains in 1974, along with reports of strange animal mutilations on the Welsh hillsides, and the ongoing Government conspiracy theory cover-up debate, the story mixes real-life places and events with fictional explanations. What are the ten reasons why you should read Ninety-five percent Human? I'll tell you. 1. Sleepy Welsh villages. 2. Evolvi...

Today, I'm assisting in the cover reveal of a book written by a friend of mine, Suzanna Williams. The cover reveal has been organised by The Finishing Fairies. Ninety-Five Percent Human will be released at the end of this month. Welcome to the latest cover  reveal  with Young-Adult Author Suzanna Williams. Released today is her latest  book , the first in the series, Ninety-Five Percent Human. Suzanna is known for her first release, Shockwaves which is free today in honour of this cover release. At the end of the month,  the   book  will be on Tour. Check in with  The   Finishing Fairies  for  the  full tour schedule coming soon. Ninety-Five Percent Human     Teenager, Joe Kendrick, thinks he’s got problems . The farm he’s looked after since his father’s suicide is failing and his brother wants to sell it. His girlfriend has dumped him and his normally down-to-earth Nan starts muttering...