The 12 Christmases of You & Me Playlist

 

One of the fun things about writing a book is compiling an accompanying playlist - especially when it's a Christmas book you're writing and you get to choose festive favourites!

The 22 songs in The 12 Christmases of You & Me playlist all feature in the book, and there's everything from seasonal classics like Elton John and Cliff Richard, to warm-and-fuzzy-feels-generating carols. So sit back and enjoy, preferably with a mince pie and/or hot chocolate.

Please note: For those taking part in Whamageddon, the playlist is 'safe' as I've used Taylor Swift's version of 'Last Christmas', which is allowed under the rules. However, once the playlist finishes, I have no control over what's played next, so be on your guard...

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.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Nanowrimo 2020 - The Final Day

 

So, it's the last day of November and our final chance to get some words down for this year's nano.

A lot has happened over the past 30 days: the UK has gone into its second lockdown due to Coronavirus, Donald Trump lost the US election, and Christmas trees have started to pop up everywhere (we put ours up yesterday. It's a bit earlier than I'd usually deck my halls, but in your face, shitty 2020).

And as well as all that, writers have collectively tapped out or scribbled down an ENORMOUS amount of words. It doesn't matter if you wrote a handful of words, 50,000 or exceeded the Nanowrimo goal - YOU contributed to that amount. How cool is that?

Anyway, I need to step away from the blog right now, because I've pointed out it's the final day of Nano and I want to get as many words down as I can...

Back In Time With Maisie: 2000

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

The year 2000 marked not only a new decade but a new millennium. During the year we had a cartoon builder reach number one in the charts, Tom Hanks made friends with a volleyball, and Big Brother began its run in the UK.

Christmas Number One:

Can We Fix It (Bob the Builder)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

Who Let The Dogs Out (Baha Men)

It Feels so Good (Sonique)

The Real Slim Shady (Eminem)

Rise (Gabrielle)

Pure Shores (All Saints)

Toca's Miracle (Fragma)

Reach (S Club 7)

Rock DJ (Robbie Williams)

I Have a Dream/Seasons In The Sun (Westlife)

Fill Me In (Craig David)

Highest Grossing Films:

Mission: Impossible 2

Gladiator

Cast Away

What Women Want

Dinosaur

Events, Music & TV:

Catherine Hartley and Fiona Thornewill reach the South Pole - a first for British women

Kathy Beale and Ricky Butcher leave Eastenders

A bus crash in Emmerdale kills off character Butch Dingle

The Tate Modern is opened in London

Euro 2000 is co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium

In Cornation Street, thirteen-year-old Sarah Platt gives birth to daughter, Bethany

The UK's version of Big Brother airs on Channel 4, presented by Davina McCall. 'Nasty Nick' Bateman is ejected by the show after attempting to influence who the other contestants vote for.
Craig Phillips wins the £70,000 prize

Home and Away airs for the last time on ITV before its move to Channel 5 next year

The Queen's Mother celebrates her 100th birthday

The Weakest Link debuts on BBC Two

Protestors block the entrances to oil refineries due to high fuel prices, which leads to fuel shortages when people start to panic buy

The Slater family arrive in Eastenders

The Olympic Games are held in Sydney, Australia. Great Britain win 11 gold, 10 silver and 7 bronze medals

Emmerdale increases its episodes to five nights a week

Judith Keppel is the first person to win a million pounds on ITV's Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?

Doctors, My Family, Waking the Dead, Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids, At Home with the Braithwaites, and Fat Friends also have their British TV debuts

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.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Back In Time With Maisie: 1999

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

In the final year of the 90s, Britney Spears arrived on our screens in her school uniform and pigtails, Star Wars made a return to the big screen and Haley Joel Osment saw dead people.

Christmas Number One:

I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun (Westlife)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

Baby One More Time (Britney Spears)

Heartbeat/Tragedy (Steps)

Livin' La Vida Loca (Ricky Martin)

Blue (Da Ba Dee) (Eiffel 65)

Mambo No 5 (a Little Bit of...) (Lou Bega)

That Don't Impress Me Much (Shania Twain)

9pm (Till I Come (ATB)

Better Off Alone (Alice Deejay)

The Millennium Prayer (Cliff Richard)

Genie In A Bottle (Christina Aguilera)

Highest Grossing Films:

Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace

The Sixth Sense

Toy Story 2

The Matrix

Tarzan

Events, Music & TV:

Macmillan publish Julia Donaldson's The Gruffalo

BBC's Casualty spawns spin-off, Holby City

Kim Tate leaves Emmerdale (and will wait almost 20 years before she returns)

Channel 4 airs Sex and The City for the first time

Russel T. Davies' Manchester-based drama Queer As Folk debuts on Channel 4

Noel's House Party is axed

Minimum wage is introduced to the UK, set at £3.60 for employees over 21, and £3 for those under 21

S Club 7 make their TV debut in Miami 7, a children's series aired on BBC One, which will launch their music career

Richard and Judy host the first British Soap Awards on ITV

Newsreader Trevor McDonald is knighted

Grant Mitchel leaves Eastenders

Wales hosts the 1999 rugby world cup

Roy Walker hosts his final episode of Catchphrase

The London Eye is unveiled

The Millennium Dome officially opens

Gimme Gimme Gimme, Tweenies, DIY SOS, The League of Gentlemen, The Naked Chef, Bad Girls, My Parents Are Aliens, Boyz Unlimited and Shipwrecked also have their British TV debuts

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.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

 

Nanowrimo 2020 - Week 4: A New Goal

 

I did it!

On Saturday, I reached 50,000 words of Book 13 and 'won' Nanowrimo 2020. I wasn't expecting to get to my goal with just over a week to spare, but it was a really, really lovely surprise to get there so soon and I can't quite believe I managed to write 50,000 words in such a short space of time.

So what now? Should I collapse (sounds good) or shall I carry on?

I'm going to carry on and aim for a new Nano goal of 60,000 words, which will get me to about three-quarters of the way through the first draft. I have until Monday night to do this, with a planned Zoom write-in with my local Nano writers' group that evening so I'm sure I can do it (and I'm going to give it my best shot even if I don't get there).

Back In Time With Maisie: 1998

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

1998 was the year when The Spice had their third Christmas number one, B*Witched Irish-jigged their way onto our music channels in double denim, and Blue Peter celebrated their 40th anniversary.

Christmas Number One:

Goodbye (The Spice Girls)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion)

Believe (Cher)

It's Like That (Run-DMC vs Jason Nevins)

Never Ever (All Saints)

How Do I Live (LeAnne Rimes)

C'est La Vie (B*Witched)

No Matter What (Boyzone)

Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are) (Pras Michel ft ODB & Mya)

Truly Madly Deeply (Savage Garden)

Feel It (The Tamperer ft Maya)

Highest Grossing Films:

Armageddon

Saving Private Ryan

Godzilla

There's Something About Mary

A Bug's Life

Events, Music & TV:

Brookside reaches its 4,000th episode

Hayley Patterson (later Cropper) arrives on Coronation Street. She is British soap's first transgender character

Japan hosts the Winter Olympics

Sky One debuts animated series South Park

ASBOS are introduced in the UK to try to tackle anti-social behaviour

Deirdre Rachid is jailed on Coronation Street for a crime she didn't commit (she didn't do anything), causing a public 'Free Deirdre' campaign

The Good Friday Agreement is signed

The character of Helen Daniels dies in Neighbours (in the UK. The episode aired in October 1997 in Australia)

Deirdre Rachid is released from prison

Following the UK's win the previous year, the Eurovision Song Contest is held at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham

Geri Halliwell announces she's leaving the Spice Girls

Channel 4 airs So Graham Norton for the first time

The two-pound coin is introduced

SMTV Live, hosted by Ant & Dec and Cat Deeley starts to air on Saturday mornings

Chris Tarrant hosts the first episode of ITV's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

 Jim Royle and his family make their first appearance on BBC Two

Blue Peter celebrates 40 years on air. Shortly afterwards, presenter Richard Bacon is sacked for reportedly taking cocaine

Matthew Corbett retires from presenting Sooty after 25 years

Robot Wars, Dinner Ladies, Ally McBeal, Bob the Builder, CD:UK and Streetmate also have their British TV debuts

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.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Nanowrimo 2020 - Week 3: New PB & The Midpoint

 

We're quickly heading towards the fourth and final week of Nanowrimo - are you ready for the last push?

Since my last Nano blog post, I've taken part in three Zoom get togethers with my local Nanowrimo group, which have really helped to propel me towards my 50,000 words goal.

On Saturday, we had an all-day write-in, from 10am to 4pm (though you could drop in and out as when you liked. Nobody was obligated to stay all day) and we had a mix of writing sessions, book chat and watching author talks together online. When we first started this year's Nano, we weren't sure how the write-ins would work over Zoom, but they've turned into really productive sessions and it doesn't feel a bit weird like I thought it would!

On Tuesday, we had another write-in where I managed to top up the words I'd already written during the day and I achieved a new daily word count Personal Best. I usually hit a bit of a brick wall when I reach 2,000 words (or sometimes even before) so having Nano as a motivator - and especially my writing group - has really pushed me and I managed to leap over the 40,000 words milestone during that session.

Fast-forward a few more days and I'm now at 48,422 words - less than 2,000 away from the 50k goal. In less than a month. I'm shocked and surprised and proud that I've managed to turn a blank page into so many words, and I'm looking forward to shouting it from the rooftops when I reach that 50,000 words very, very soon.

Before I started Nano, I spent a lot of time prepping, and one of my main focuses was getting The Midpoint of the book right. I've struggled with this in the past, even when I've plotted the book out, so I was determined to get it spot on this time. And I think I have!

I plotted out all my chapters and pinpointed the key scenes for the book, and I knew the midpoint should happen around Chapter 21. I was a few chapters out according to my chapter plan, but I wasn't too worried about this (my Midpoint events have ended up 75% into the book before, which takes a lot of editing!) but things started to shift a bit as I started to write. Scenes expanded and new bits got added (as always happens, no matter how much you plot) and guess what? The Midpoint ended up at Chapter 21. I literally couldn't have planned it better!

So I'm really pleased with how the book and Nano are going so far. Fingers crossed the rest goes as well!

How are you getting on with Nano? Let us know in the comments below :)