Hello, my friend! Welcome to the blog. 😁
So, a little book update.
Lately – like, since I released Breaking News back in January – I haven’t been able to get into my writing the way I usually can.
I keep thinking I’ve cracked a book, typing along with smoke coming off the keyboard (or maybe that’s steam from my tea…) and then stalling out at around five thousand words in.
Although I did make it to around 13k in one which was meant to be a short story – classic Clarey. Then I figured out I’d messed up something right at the start and basically needed to start over and make it a novel.
Again. Classic Clarey.
Then I started writing that novel and clunked to a stop at five thousand words.
Good times.
I’ve been doing rewrites/edits to various degrees on my older books because I plan to relaunch them, which means I’ve been doing a lot of work and not producing any new books.
It also means I’m really, really, really, really sick of mysteries, so I picked up some romantic comedies to read instead.
Aaaaand… I’ve been devouring them ever since.
(Specifically ice hockey rom-coms, which is confusing because… sports. Me. Huh? And now I’m super into ice hockey, but that’s a story for another time.)
I also found a new musician I really like, which seems irrelevant but I promise will make sense when I continue with the story.
While bopping along to my folk-rock tunes and reading a bunch of hilarious sexy books, an idea popped into my head. Within two days, I had six thousand words on a new book (I got over the 5k hump!) and I had the next five books planned out as well.
Which means… I’m writing a folk-rock romantic comedy series set in Gerongate. It will have some links to the Charlie series, but obviously won’t contain a mystery because at the moment the thought of writing scenes about questioning suspects makes me so bored I’d rather chew off my own hands. And my hands aren’t even that tasty.
If you’re wondering why it’s specifically folk-rock, by the way, it’s partly because of the music I was listening to when I came up with the idea and partly because ‘folk’ has a lot of great punny title potential.
(It sounds like a rude word, just in case you need some help getting there.)
So here’s a sneak peek from Get Folked, my new romantic comedy:
Dannielle
Air whooshed out of my lungs as I smacked onto my back on the grass beside the path, a giant of a man on top of me.
Was it bad that this was the sexiest thing that had happened to me all year? A random jogger accidentally tackling me in a public place, our legs getting tangled and all our sweaty bits smushing together?
It was, wasn’t it? Sigh.
After brunch with C, I’d spent the day on my computer trying to find more work and failing, so I was jogging through Cypress Park to burn off some of my anxiety. Well, I had been. Now I was on my back with a man on top of me and only now realising how long it had been since I was last in that position. (Or any position, come to think of it.)
I blinked, dazed, and tried to suck in air as the man pushed himself up onto his arms, taking his weight off me. Ah well. It had been mildly sexy while it lasted. It probably belonged in my top five sexual experiences, less because this was good and more because so far as I could tell the guy wasn’t sobbing over his ex now that we were done.
“I’m so sorry!” came the man’s low voice. “I didn’t see – Danny?”
Tilting my head up, I finally looked into the green-flecked brown eyes of Cole Brooks, my accidental grassy romancer.
I groaned. Great.
“Are you OK?” he asked, misinterpreting my groan. “Where does it hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
“I got you wet.” His eyes widened. “Oh my god, with my drink bottle, not…”
“Your vast quantities of sweat?” I suggested.
“You really don’t pull punches, do you?”
“I don’t know. You can tell me when I punch you. Mind climbing off me first?”
😁 I hope you liked it! You can always leave a comment below if you did…
(Or not. I know it’s a lot of effort. Silently enjoying it is good too. Thanks for being here.)
Can’t wait to read the whole book and yes the plant looks like a stray penis 😂😂
Hahahaha, I’m so glad it’s not just me! 😁 The writing is going pretty quickly, so you shouldn’t have to wait too long.
Bwahahahahahha! Phallic plants! 🤣 classic, Clare, and well spotted 😋
I love the sneak peek of Danielle’s romance, and I can’t wait to read the whole book! May I ask which folk-rock band you were listening to?
I’ve also been reading ice hockey romances and just finished the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy 😉
Have fun writing about Gerongate’s hidden romantic side! Xxx
OK, I downloaded the first Off Campus book as soon as I read this. 😉 I’m so glad I’m not alone in the ice hockey love – I’ve been looking for games to watch here in Sydney now. It’s getting out of hand.
It was Father John Misty’s music (not an actual priest as you may have guessed 😂) – he has some hilarious songs. Definitely recommend. 😁
So glad you liked the sneak peek! xx
Yes to the book, yes to the plant…a very limp plant at that…. so now get writing so I have something to read….. push much? Lol.jk. I’ll wait.
Hahahaha, I promise I’m writing as fast as I can! 😁
Sounds good, cannot wait to read the whole thing.
Thank you! I’m having so much fun writing this one. 😄
After reading that, I can’t wait to read the rest. It’s a great opening that grabbed me immediately didn’t let go.
😄 So happy you liked it! I hope you enjoy the rest as much. 😉
Loved it, can’t wait to read it.
😄 I’ve been writing all day, so fingers crossed it won’t be too long until it’s done.
Sounds like a good start….the picture you took reminds me of a ostrich….
.just saying
Haha, thank you! It really does now that you’ve said that… Someone else thought it looked like a swan, too. Much more wholesome thoughts than mine. 😂
Love it already..carry on!,
Yay, thank you! 😁
Don’t really like Rom com’s but I’ll read yours,love your books very funny ! It looks like a plant that took its own life.
Thank you so much! 😁 I hope you enjoy it even though it’s not your genre. Now that I’m looking at the photo again, it kind of looks like a snake vomiting. 😂 Who knew there would be so many interpretations for a single picture?
I can’t wait to read the rest of the story
Thank you! 💛😄
Love that beginning! With that beginning, how can it be anything but spectacular? Looking forward to release!
Yes, I see what you see.
Yaaay, I hope you like the rest of the book just as much! 😄
So glad it’s not just me. 😂
Love the start – can’t wait for the rest of it. By the way, only you could run into a plant penis while out and about.
Ha! Based on a very interesting picture of a cactus my mum sent me, it runs in the family. 😂 So glad you enjoyed the sneak peek!