Today’s guest is Kathryn Haydon, who writes medical romance. Based in Devon, Kathryn must be very tempted to not write at all! I think I’d be drawn outside to enjoy the beautiful scenery so close by. Surprisingly, she does make time in her day to put those words on the screen, and she’s here to tell us about her writing day. Over to you, Kathryn.
Hi Sharon, thank you so much for the invite to feature on your blog – especially in February, the month of romance! As a Devon based author, whose novels are set in the West Country, I’d like to share a little of the place I write with you. So, follow me as I take you through my writing day.
The pre-dawn hush is my favourite time, just as the pearly grey sky grows light. By nature, I am a lark. This is when I’m at my most creative. Early morning finds me at the dining room table, a mug of tea at my elbow as I log onto my laptop. The local radio station plays softly in the background. I do have a designated writing room, a shed-come-office in the corner of my garden – and I will miss it if ever we move – yet the table is always where I go to first. After all, in an open plan house it is closest to the kettle!
Some authors like to have a daily word count to aim for. Maybe I should, too, but I don’t. I am just happy on days when the words spill out, like the crystal-clear waters of a fast-flowing stream. Yet even on slow days when the writing doesn’t come easy, I write. Once there are words on the page I can go back and change them. There is nothing to edit on a blank sheet of paper. I am neither a plotter nor a pantser, but something in between. At the start of a story I have an outline which tends to be tweaked as I go along.
At some point, no matter how well things are going, I know I must stop. It’s time to log off and stretch my legs. I’m lucky enough to live a stone’s throw from the banks of the river Exe and glorious river walks. I count it as all part of the writing process; I do my best thinking when I’m surrounded by nature. I might walk the same way, but no walk is ever the same, the changing seasons giving an added dimension to the familiar.
Household chores, I hear you ask. Yes, I fit these in, albeit in a rather haphazard fashion. The secret, though, is to marry a man who likes to cook!
Evenings are for reviewing, going over the day’s writing with a more critical eye. I am checking detail and sentence structure now, not adding to the story – unless something amazing jumps out. I like to complete and review chapter by chapter, then do a full review on completion of the novel. Then it’s set aside for a short while, before I edit again with a fresh eye – at least twice before I feel happy to send the manuscript to my publisher.
Living in Devon certainly fans the creative spark. Maybe because I was born in Teignmouth, I would hate to live in a land locked county. I love the coast. The ebb and flow of the tide is immensely soothing – and, full of legends, there are few places so inspirational as the rugged, ancient landscape of Dartmoor.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. Thank you again, Sharon for the opportunity to share my day (and my latest book, ‘Prognosis Guarded’) with you.
Kathryn xx
Thank you for the lovely post and photographs, Kathryn. I’ve visited Devon on a few occasions and it’s truly beautiful. What a fabulous place to live and work.
You can find out more about Kathryn and her books via her Facebook page, or through her publisher’s website.
PROGNOSIS GUARDED
Palliative care nurse, Melanie Smythe is focussed on two things: the job she loves at ‘Greenways Hospice’ and helping care for her twin nieces. There is no room for romance. It hardly matters, though – because in the past she’s been let down and the experience has left her wary. Melanie fears history will repeat itself.
Then a chance encounter with new locum GP, Luke McGrath makes her think maybe he’s the one to change all that. There are differences between them, but the smouldering hot doc makes her pulse race. However, Melanie is holding something back and this leads to a misunderstanding. Angry and hurt, Luke severs their relationship. Will they be able to fix what’s been broken?
MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
Single mum, Phoebe Jackson is stunned to find her new neighbour is hot, new doc Oliver Grey – locum consultant for Greenways Hospice where she is a specialist palliative care nurse. At their first encounter sparks fly, but soon there are sparks of a different sort. However, Oliver makes it clear from the outset that he’s not a settling down kind of guy. Having a family is not for him. Phoebe must decide if a summer romance is enough – or can true love change his mind?
