Fiona Harper's Blog

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073786111 1 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page WordSection1 {size:595.0pt 842.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style> --> <div class="MsoNormal">Okay, a little bit more about the plot board! I use it to pin ideas on in the planning stages, to help with restructuring and editing in the revision stages, and just generally to help me to think through my book in a visual way when I need it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Before I blog about how I’m using it on my current book, I might as well explain how I lay it out, otherwise none of it is going to make sense! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ovmf4tpoZT..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ovmf4tpoZT..." width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">If I could have one very, very long board so I could see the whole of my story in one line, I would,...</div><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073786111 1 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page WordSection1 {size:595.0pt 842.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style></style>

I posted a picture of one the most vital tools in my writing life on Twitter yesterday and was surprised by how much interest it got. I'm talking about my plot board. This is it, bare and ready for a new story:

Nothing too special. Just a A1-sized cork board with added bits of string, pins and headings on cut-up index cards. However, I've found I'd struggle to write a book without it!

I can’t claim to have invented the idea – far from it – but I’ve been tweaking my own approach for about ten ye...

Now, don't faint. I know it's been  more than a year since I last blogged, but today I find myself wanting to pick the whole thing up again. Not because I'm going to subject you all to my random wanderings, but because I've decided I'd like to pick apart an aspect of my writing process - my plotboard.

I first used this cork board and a few cut-up index cards while writing my second book (see left). Back then, my plotting process was as sophisticated as "write down twenty things that happe...

Okay, I'm resurrecting my blog for a while. It's been an age since I posted, so there's probably only three people reading, which is fine, because I want to keep a diary of my latest research project. Don't laugh, but I'm learning to tap dance.

Maybe I should be more accurate and say I'm trying to learn to tap dance. Yes. It's that bad.

I had my first lesson last week. Before that time, I hadn't even worn a pair of tap shoes. I had to rush out and buy some last Monday afternoon. The adult tap c...

I've blogged before on how I used Agatha Christie's Devon home, Greenway, as inspiration for Whitehaven in Kiss Me Under The Mistletoe . If you're interested in seeing the place that inspired the book, then check out the latest episode of Poirot (Dead Man's Folly) on ITV Player.



Greenway 
The boathouseNot only have they used Greenway as the setting, but they've also used the boathouse, which features heavily in Louise and Ben's story, and there are glimpses of Dittisham across the river, w...

I have a neat little blog widget for my latest release The Guy To Be Seen With! If you want a sneak peak of my brand new release for Harlequin KISS, and it's on the sidebar. You can read the first three chapters by clicking the 'browse' button.


Meanwhile, I'm hard at work writing my next single title, so blogging has fallen by the wayside. But I'm sure that everyone would much rather that I got on with the books than waffled on my blog! You can catch me (sporadically) on Twitter or Facebook wh...

Great news! Always the Best Man has been shortlisted for the RNA's RoNA Rose award!

People have been asking my where they can get hold of a copy. But the not so good news is that Always the Best Man hasn't had a full UK release yet.

However...

The US copy, which has a different cover, but is exactly the same inside, is available on Amazon UK and The Book Depository. There's also the Aussie version .

And if you have an ereader that reads ePub files, you can get it from eHarlequin.com!

No kindle rel...

I also tagged Pam Hartshorne (AKA M&B author Jessica Hart) in my Next Big Thing blog, and today I'm hosting her replies. Help me give a big welcome to Pam as she talks about her amazing timeslip novel, Time's Echo!



<!--[if gte mso 9]>

Well, last week it was my turn to answer The Next Big Thing questions, but this week I am hosting brand new Harlequin Romance/M&B Cherish author Jennifer Faye! Take it away, Jennifer...


<!--[if gte mso 9]>