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Stay tuned for a new website coming soon from Affinity!
Jen Silver on writing during the pandemic.
Darcy Comes Home is a second chance romance set somewhere in North Yorkshire. My initial thoughts about the book began with a name…Sycamore Lake. After a few false starts writing an opening scene, I changed it to Sycamore Haven. So, this is the name of the village where most of the action takes place.
For the early months of 2020, during the first Covid-19 lockdown in the UK, I thought the conditions would be ideal for writing my next book. Lots of spare time, nowhere to go, no friends to meet, no golf or archery…perfect for writing several novels, not just one. Some authors have managed to be prolific during this time, but I found the opposite. I stalled. My one completed writing project was a short story for Affinity’s 10th Anniversary Christmas Anthology. After a botched attempt to turn a previous anthology story into a full-length novel, I really thought that was it. No more novels inside me. Why not stop at ten? It’s a good round number.
Somehow though, once I had the names of the two main protagonists in my head… Darcy and Angie…the ideas started to flow. The writing part was still a bit slow at times, but I tried not to put pressure on myself. I set a target of 500 words a day. Very much on the low side, but achievable, and I could celebrate on the days when I exceeded it.
There were times when I wondered if I would finish it. With all my books, I’ve always had that period of doubt. Is this any good? Will anyone want to read it? But I did reach my self-imposed deadline of completing a first draft by mid April. By the third week in May I felt confident enough to submit the manuscript to my publisher.
Thankfully, after not too long a wait, Affinity’s beta readers gave it the thumbs up.
Following the editing process, the next big decision was about the cover and I’m thrilled with the resulting image from Irish Dragon Designs. A willow tree overhanging a river plays a part in the story, a place where two young lovers enjoy their stolen moments together.
Sycamore Haven is a fictional village, but these photos from where I live provide an idea of what it would look like. In villages throughout the country there’s always a church, a pub (or two), cafés, old foot bridges…and most likely, willow trees. So I hope readers will enjoy a stroll around the square, maybe pop in to the Magpie Inn for a pint of Sycamore Blonde (Syc’ Blonde to the locals) or a cappuccino in Fi and Fin’s café (don’t ask for anything fancier than that, coffee-wise – they do a very fine breakfast, though).
Darcy Comes Home by Jen Silver – published by Affinity Rainbow Publications and available from Amazon, Bella Books, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and Apple iTunes.
  
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