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Did you know I teach?

by Unknown's avatar

One of the things I really miss about my old day jobs was the amount of teaching that they included.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I have the utmost respect for the people I would call ‘real’ teachers. The people who teach our children, young people, and adults through educational institutions. You are incredible!

But on a much smaller scale, I adore teaching. I love breaking down something complicated, teaching it to someone else, and seeing them get it – and then apply it themselves!

I used to teach a lot of workshops, speak at events, and mentor, and I’ve spent some time working out how I can bring those elements into my writing career.

First off, I’ve created two writing courses specifically for authors, based on my skills. You can find them here.

Secondly, I teach courses through the RWF throughout the year, based on my historical and craft specialties. You can always seen what courses are coming up here.

And thirdly, I offer developmental and line editing (separately and together!) for authors who want to up their game. Get in touch to talk with me about this, if this sounds interesting.

Thank you for reading!

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What is your favourite fairytale?

by Unknown's avatar

There’s something about a fairytale, isn’t there? They creep into our social and cultural consciousness. There’s so much imagery shorthand that can add something to a piece of art: a red hood, a tower with golden hair, glass shoes.

I have always wanted to write a series of fairytale retellings, but I just haven’t had time yet! I don’t think I’m alone, I think most authors would love to bring their own spin to the fairytales that we love so much.

So my question is: if I WAS going to write a series of fairytales…which would you like me to include?

Let me know in the comments below!

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My writing habits

by Unknown's avatar

When I was growing up, I didn’t know any authors. I had to completely imagine what their daily routine would be, what their writing habits were – and when I used to read about classical authors, their routines seemed to involve a lot more money (and alcohol!) than I wanted.

So I wanted to share my own writing habits: not only for my readers, so that you can get a snapshot view into my life, but for all those future writers out there of all ages.

Caveat – this isn’t the only way to be an author! There are so many ways to be an author, and I don’t want you to think that if this approach doesn’t appeal to you, you therefore can’t be a writer. Definitely not!

Let’s dive in.

I am definitely a morning person, which is when my brain is most active and most creative. Because of that, I try to get my words down before 11am or midday, because then I know they are going to be the best I can create.

When I say I’m a morning person, I mean I naturally wake up just before 5am and crack on pretty much straight away. That gives me around 5 hours of writing time a day.

Some people might be surprised by that, especially as I am a full time author – but remember, there is so much more to being a writer than actually writing!

After I have finished getting my words down, I clear my head by clearing my emails and social notifications. Then I have lunch and go for a walk. I try to always make sure that I get outside at least once a day, preferably into sunshine, though being a Brit that’s not always possible.

When I get back to my desk in the afternoon, I spend some time working on my strategy and business decisions. What books do I want to be writing over the next 6 months, 12 months, 18 months? What are my five year goals, and how am I working toward achieving them?

By this point it’s about 2pm, and this is when I have any calls – when I’m still fresh, but I can be confident that I have my words down. When all calls are done, I do my admin: any invoicing, paperwork, chasing up the last few emails, writing my newsletter, that sort of thing.

And then I’m done for the day! This is usually around 3pm.

I am so fortunate to do a job I love, and I hope you can see why!

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What’s on my desk?

by Unknown's avatar

If you’re anything like me, you love to know what creatives have on their desk! So I thought I would write a short post to give you some insight on what is on my desk right now…

(No photos because…okay, it’s messy. Like, real messy).

SO:

First off, my computer. I have a MacBook Pro which allows me to be a full time author, it offers the speed and cleverness and battery life that I need (can you tell that I’m not a technical person?). That means I also have a few adapters, chargers, and my headphones. I can’t work without music, and I have playlists for every stage of the creative process: from plotting, writing, and editing to strategy, promo, and admin.

Next I have my black and gold lamp, a gorgeous one from IKEA that I just adore. I once read that every room should have something black in it to ground it, and I’ve tried to take that to heart.

Alongside that I have my HP printer! It scans as well as prints which is so important for when I need to sign and scan contracts (hint hint 🥰)

Depending on the book I’m writing, I will always have a few research books on the desk. When I was writing my historical non-fiction book, REGINA, you could barely see my desk, it was so covered in books!

Alongside that I have notebooks and pens, absolutely crucial to jot down any brilliant ideas that might derail my current writing session, but I don’t want to forget.

And last but by no means least, I have all the essentials to (try to!) keep me healthy: a large bottle of water, and some (not so) healthy snacks to help motivate me. Yes, I am basically a toddler, I am very food motivated 😅

So there you go! That’s what is on my desk.

If you’re a creative, let me know what you have on your desk in the comments! If you’re not, let me know what you think of my desk – does anything surprise you? Anything you thought would be there and isn’t?

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+ new book, regency

Read today! A Duke a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

by Unknown's avatar

It’s here! Aaaah, this is such a wonderful forced proximity/bluestocking trope mashup. I really hope you love it!

When Luke Beauchamp, Duke of Ashcott, was thrown from his beloved’s home by her brother, there was only one thing to do: become a spy and run away to France.

Perhaps not his finest moment—but he’s learnt from his mistake, and is determined to win Lady Margaret Everleigh, his one true love, back.

The trouble is, she has absolutely no desire to see him, and plenty of witty remarks at his expense.

But when Luke knows what he wants, he gets it. He’s the most scandalous rake in the ton, and he’ll do anything, even orchestrating a “surprise” meeting at a fortnight-long house party, to win her back.

Lady Margaret, or Peggy to those she loves, isn’t buying it. All this remorse is too little, too late. Where’s Luke even been since he abandoned her to the scandal of a broken engagement?

Try as she might, Peggy can’t entirely escape either Luke, or her feelings for him—but unfortunately a few other house guests at this party have plans for her that she may not like…

Will Luke ever humble himself to reveal his true feelings to Peggy—and will Peggy finally admit to herself, let alone the man she once loved and lost, that the best things in life are dukes?

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

Free in Kindle Unlimited!

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Follow me on the socials!

by Unknown's avatar

Hello, lovely readers!

I know that many of you love interacting with authors on social media, and I suddenly realised that I haven’t shared my social links in a little while – so here you go!

Twitter: @emilyekmurdoch

Facebook: @emilyekmurdoch

Instagram: @emilyekmurdoch

My newsletter (with free book!): click here

If you love seeing photos of my real life, hearing how the writing process is going, and the random thoughts from the mind of a historical author, social media is the place to find me.

See you there!

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Writing the senses

by Unknown's avatar

Now, if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s admitting to the things that I’m NOT good at.

See what I did there?

I’ll be the first to admit that writing the senses or description is not something that comes naturally to me. My first drafts often look far more like a script, focused on dialogue and movement across the ‘stage’ of my scene.

Obviously that’s not a great reading experience for people, and so I would never allow the manuscript to be published like that! I have to be really intentional in the ways I write the senses precisely because they do not come naturally to me. So how do I do this?

  • What senses make the most sense (!) in the scene?

In a cooking scene, I’m going to draw more on taste and smell. In a dancing scene at a ball, I’ll instead focus more on sight and touch. In a love scene…well, taste and touch, of course!

  • What senses do my characters rely on?

For example, I’m writing a character at the moment who is very artistic, so she is very visual in the way that she navigates the world. I have also written a blind heroine, so of course hearing and touch are far more important to her.

  • What sense have I not mentioned in a while?

I don’t want to bore my readers by writing three scenes in a row that have more of a focus on smell! By mixing it up a bit, I can give my readers a (hopefully) really fun experience.

I hope you found this interesting! What else do you want to know about the way that I write? Tell me in the comments, and I’ll be happy to share!

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Have you checked out my Patreon?

by Unknown's avatar

If you have never heard of Patreon, you are not alone. Not everyone has! I hope this short blog will give you an idea of how you can support me in a new and exciting way.

So first off, what is Patreon?

Patreon is a website where anyone can sign up to support a creative person for just a few dollars a month, in exchange for rewards. It is a modern re-imagining of the medieval and renaissance idea of a ‘patron’, a wealthy person who pays the salary of an artist, creative, or engineer, so that they can get the prestige of being their supporter.

But thanks to Patreon, you don’t need to be rich to be a Patreon supporter, and you’ll still get a whole ton of rewards!

On my Patreon page, which you can find here, there are three different levels of support. Each level costs a different amount a month, and as you would expect, the higher the financial support, the more rewards.

I’d really encourage you, if you want exclusive insights, behind the scenes, early access to chapters, and free books, my Patreon is the place to be.

Please check out my Patreon and consider whether you’d like to take your support of me to the next level!

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PRE-ORDER: A Duke a Day Keeps the Doctor Away…

by Unknown's avatar

I have always wanted to write a Regency romance with a female doctor, and I have finally managed to slot it naturally into a series!

You can pre-order for just 0.99, and I highly recommend you do ASAP…

When Luke Beauchamp, Duke of Ashcott, was thrown from his beloved’s home by her brother, there was only one thing to do: become a spy and run away to France.

Perhaps not his finest moment—but he’s learnt from his mistake, and is determined to win Lady Margaret Everleigh, his one true love, back.

The trouble is, she has absolutely no desire to see him, and plenty of witty remarks at his expense.

But when Luke knows what he wants, he gets it. He’s the most scandalous rake in the ton, and he’ll do anything, even orchestrating a “surprise” meeting at a fortnight-long house party, to win her back.

Lady Margaret, or Peggy to those she loves, isn’t buying it. All this remorse is too little, too late. Where’s Luke even been since he abandoned her to the scandal of a broken engagement?

Try as she might, Peggy can’t entirely escape either Luke, or her feelings for him—but unfortunately a few other house guests at this party have plans for her that she may not like…

Will Luke ever humble himself to reveal his true feelings to Peggy—and will Peggy finally admit to herself, let alone the man she once loved and lost, that the best things in life are dukes?

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

Free in Kindle Unlimited!

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+ new book, regency

Launch day! The Best Things in Life Are Dukes

by Unknown's avatar

I am so glad that you can now read book 10 in my Dukes in Danger series. I’m so excited for you to fall in love!

If you ever wondered what was going to happen to Lady Margaret Everleigh, who you met in book 2 of my Dukes in Danger series…you’re about to find out!

When Luke Beauchamp, Duke of Ashcott, was thrown from his beloved’s home by her brother, there was only one thing to do: become a spy and run away to France.

Perhaps not his finest moment—but he’s learnt from his mistake, and is determined to win Lady Margaret Everleigh, his one true love, back.

The trouble is, she has absolutely no desire to see him, and plenty of witty remarks at his expense.

But when Luke knows what he wants, he gets it. He’s the most scandalous rake in the ton, and he’ll do anything, even orchestrating a “surprise” meeting at a fortnight-long house party, to win her back.

Lady Margaret, or Peggy to those she loves, isn’t buying it. All this remorse is too little, too late. Where’s Luke even been since he abandoned her to the scandal of a broken engagement?

Try as she might, Peggy can’t entirely escape either Luke, or her feelings for him—but unfortunately a few other house guests at this party have plans for her that she may not like…

Will Luke ever humble himself to reveal his true feelings to Peggy—and will Peggy finally admit to herself, let alone the man she once loved and lost, that the best things in life are dukes?

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

Free in Kindle Unlimited!

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+ Writing

How do you know when to stop a series?

by Unknown's avatar

Though it’s hard to admit, sometimes we authors have to stop writing a series that we’re really enjoying, so that we have time to write something else!

Seriously, it’s a real challenge.

I am known for my longer series (check out last week’s blog!) and that’s because I fall in love not just with my characters, but with the concept that I’ve created for them. I simply adore the world that I’ve built, and I don’t want to leave it!

But the trouble is, I have so many ideas. There are so many types of books that I want to write, and if I stick with one series for the rest of time, then there simply isn’t the space in my mind for others.

And that means sometimes, even if I am really enjoying writing a series – and my readers are loving reading them! – that I will halt a series.

Take, for example, my Never the Bride series.

At twelve books, it’s a standard length for me, even if it is a little long for others. And honestly, I could have probably written three or four more!

But The Governess Bureau series had been rattling around my brain for a good long time, and I wanted to ensure that I gave it my best shot. That meant being able to step away from something that was working, and trying something new. Which is scary! I didn’t know if readers were going to love my governesses as much as my previous series. Thank goodness they did!

Making the decision to end a series is a hard one, but honestly, once it’s made, it’s a relief. It frees me up to do other things that I’m just as excited about.

What do you think? Do you always wish authors kept on going with the series you love?

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+ new book, regency

PRE-ORDER: The Best Things in Life Are Dukes…

by Unknown's avatar

If you ever wondered what was going to happen to Lady Margaret Everleigh, who you met in book 2 of my Dukes in Danger series…you’re about to find out!

You can pre-order for just 0.99, and I highly recommend you do ASAP…

When Luke Beauchamp, Duke of Ashcott, was thrown from his beloved’s home by her brother, there was only one thing to do: become a spy and run away to France.

Perhaps not his finest moment—but he’s learnt from his mistake, and is determined to win Lady Margaret Everleigh, his one true love, back.

The trouble is, she has absolutely no desire to see him, and plenty of witty remarks at his expense.

But when Luke knows what he wants, he gets it. He’s the most scandalous rake in the ton, and he’ll do anything, even orchestrating a “surprise” meeting at a fortnight-long house party, to win her back.

Lady Margaret, or Peggy to those she loves, isn’t buying it. All this remorse is too little, too late. Where’s Luke even been since he abandoned her to the scandal of a broken engagement?

Try as she might, Peggy can’t entirely escape either Luke, or her feelings for him—but unfortunately a few other house guests at this party have plans for her that she may not like…

Will Luke ever humble himself to reveal his true feelings to Peggy—and will Peggy finally admit to herself, let alone the man she once loved and lost, that the best things in life are dukes?

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

Free in Kindle Unlimited!

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