Monday 2 November 2020

Nanowrimo & The 12 Christmases of You & Me

Nanowrimo & The 12 Christmases of You & Me


We're on Day 2 of Nanowrimo2020 and I've just started a new project, but this time last year I was working on The 12 Christmases of You & Me. It was the first time I'd ever attempted Nanowrimo and I wasn't sure if I had it in me to bash out 50,000 words in one month.



What is Nanowrimo?


I'd just joined a writing group in my town, and they were taking part in Nano. I knew all about Nano, but I'd never given it a go because I always seemed to be in the middle of a project whenever November rolled around. And November 2019 was no different; I was around 20,000 words into what would become my eleventh novel (and later, The 12 Christmases of You & Me) but I decided to stop making excuses and have a go anyway. If I managed to reach the 50,000 word target, it would bring me tantalisingly close to The End, which was very encouraging.


I attended the Nano writing sessions at the library with my writing group as well as writing every day at home. The library sessions were a huge morale boost and those, along with updating the word count on the Nano website and seeing how much my novel was growing, gave me the enthusiasm to keep going towards that 50,000 word goal.


Nanowrimo 2019 Winner Certificate


And I did it! I manage to write 50,000 words during November (I know the title is a bit off in my certificate). The book wasn't anywhere near publishable (I didn't even quite have a first draft yet). But I had a massive chunk down in a short space of time, and it wasn't long before the first draft was finished.


After a break over Christmas, I tweaked and polished the book until I was happy to send it for a professional edit, and now, a year after I started Nanowrimo, the book is out in the world, being read and hopefully enjoyed.


Find out more about the book


The 12 Christmases of You & Me


What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?


Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?


When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?


The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.


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