Writing, Reading and Thriving!
April's Foxtrotting News
Dear Foxy Friends,
I hope April finds you well. March somehow passed me by in a blur. However, better late than never, here I am with some super exciting news!
The anthology, 12 Tropes of Christmas, which I was working on last year with eleven other fabulous Australia authors, has just received the Runners-Up Award for the favorite romance anthology of 2024 from the Australian Romance Readers Association! Woohoo! I’m so proud of our collaboration. We hit best seller lists on Amazon and several of us were there at the ARRA dinner to share in the celebrations. Here is a handful of my favourite photos from that evening (you may recognise a few faces!).
In other exciting developments, I’m now offering author coaching, as well as my usual editing services. I do offer book coaching support, but I’m really all about the big picture, helping authors to write and thrive no matter what stage of their writing journey. Some of you (if you’re romance writers) may have read my interview in the April issue of Heartstalk Magazine. It doesn’t look quite so pretty as it did in the magazine, but I’ve included it at the end of this Substack if you’d like to read it. I’ve been taken aback by the really awesome testimonials and feedback from other authors I’ve received, and I’m not too proud to share them! If you’d like to check out their gorgeous comments, check out this link!
I have a group coaching course starting at the end of April/early May on Monday evenings (final dates to be confirmed), and if you’d like to grab a seat or are interested in tailored one-to-one coaching, check out my website via the link below or email me direct at info@foxkirk.com.
Now that I’ve resigned from my permanent teaching position, I’m excited about the prospect of getting more writing done, not to mention the coaching and editing.
But my writing has taken a diversion…
I’ve decided to try my hand at writing romantasy! This is an incredibly popular genre at present, but that is not why I’ve pivoted. I’ve always loved fantasy. The very first book I tried to write was fantasy, and it’s been languishing in a bottom drawer for some years. While I’m not resurrecting that manuscript, I’m returning to what is one of my favorite genres to read and write. That’s not to say I won’t return to romcom in the future, but I felt, to keep things fresh and joyful, I wanted a change this year. I’m kind of selfish like that!
Anyhow, I’ve had several false starts, but I think I’m now in my writing groove and my muse is behaving! At present, my main female character is called Skyelora (Skye) and her male hearthrob is Mace (as in good old-fashioned hammer). I’ll keep you posted on progress and share a few snippets down the line.
That’s my news for this month. What’s your news? What are you reading? Do you have any favourite romantasy books you’d recommend?
Keep writing, reading and thriving!
Best wishes,
Anna
x
Here’s the HeartsTalk Interview:
Anna, tell us a bit about your writing journey.
I’ve always loved writing and was encouraged from a young age by my dad, who was a historical fiction author. I didn’t begin writing ‘in earnest’ until we moved to Australia in 2013, when I made writing a priority. That mindset shift permitted me to carve out precious time for writing, whereas previously I’d just dabbled. Perhaps also, our big move to Australia aided my mindset shift because suddenly I found myself living in this ‘lucky country’ with vast horizons where anything seemed possible.
Who are your favourite authors and genres?
Easy answer - my favourite authors are my writing friends – the people I know and connect with regularly. Collaborating with fellow writers and making friends in the writing community brings me so much joy.
Choosing my favourite genre is a bit trickier: I’m what you might call a genre slut! I’m a sucker for a tragic romance, but I also love romcoms and historical fiction. Having said that, my current passion is romantasy …
What kind of fiction do you write, and why?
I’m well aware of the implications of not sticking to your lane with regards writing, but I don’t want to pigeonhole myself because I’m not writing just to make money. So far, I’ve written historical fiction, contemporary romance/magical realism and romantic comedy. Relationships are definitely front and centre of everything I write, but other than that, I like to challenge myself. I’m currently working on a romantasy with a dark academia vibe, so it’s very different to my previous work.
You’re a teacher as well as an author, editor and writing coach – Can you tell me how you find a workable balance?
Balance #lol! As any high school teacher will tell you, teaching takes a big toll, physically and emotionally. I spend countless hours outside of school doing related work. In order to redress the balance, as of Apri,l I’m returning to casual relief teaching. I’ll block time out for my writing, editing and coaching on a weekly basis, so it’s protected. The coaching is relatively new to me, but it feels like a great fit with writing and editing.
You used to teach leadership and motivation in the army. How did that come about?
I’d finished my MA at St. Andrews University in Scotland and was waitressing. Tbh, I was broke and a bit lost about what to do with my life next. Walking past an army recruitment office, the friend I was with dared me to go in and sign up. So, blessed with great immaturity and naivety, I did …
I had to grow up fast. I completed four operational tours in Bosnia, and it was a real eye-opener. It gave me a much better understanding of humanity and human psychology than I’d hitherto possessed. One of my ‘peacetime’ roles was teaching soldiers ‘military management’ which included motivation and leadership. On the course, we delved into motivational theories such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. While the study of human motivation has progressed considerably since then, much of it remains relevant. Understanding that if our basic physiological needs are not being met, it is extremely challenging to focus on higher order thinking, is equally important for writers as it is for soldiers.
You’ve travelled extensively and lived in many countries. How has this inspired your writing?
Whilst I consider myself fortunate to have lived in many different countries, the result of my peripatetic upbringing means I sometimes feel like a citizen of nowhere. Unsurprisingly, my writing has a common thread of fish-out-of-water protagonists.
What can help writers ‘write and thrive’?
This is simplifying things, but there are simple steps we can all take to strengthen our positive mindset. The life of a writer could be likened to riding blindfold on a bucking broncho much of the time. How you deal with the ups and downs, or being bucked off and dumped in the dirt is crucial. You don’t want to waste too much time dwelling on your failures or the negatives. Your resilience and how quickly you can bounce back to focus on writing is really important. Support networks and connections with other writers, who understand what you’re going through and appreciate the challenges, can really help keep you in the game.
I’d also recommend working on your self-awareness. Often, we go through life on autopilot rather than taking control of the steering wheel. This means understanding your ‘core values’ and ‘strengths’, not being swayed or derailed by what others are doing. Set SMART(ER) goals that align with your values and writing aspirations, but remember writing is only one important thread in your life. Establish effective processes to live a healthier, more joyful and fulfilled life. A good coach can give you objective advice while also supporting your progress. To my mind, coaching should never be just about getting the next book done and kicking goals: it’s more about the looking at the whole person and the big picture.
How did you approach setting up a coaching service?
My husband is a very successful and highly regarded business coach, and we’ve had a lot of conversations about his experience of coaching over the years. He always works with his clients holistically, so I’ve taken that principle on board with my own coaching.
Encouraged by my husband, I started researching positive psychology. It was like flipping a switch in my head and being handed the toolkit I needed to help manage my own emotional health and well-being. It’s a fallacy that to create art we need to lock ourselves in a garret and starve. Happy writers write better. I was so thrilled with everything I was learning, I wanted to share it with fellow writers so they could benefit too. I trained as a positive psychology coach and made a business plan. Now, it’s not just the writers I coach who are thriving -- I am as well!
You've had such a fascinating career, Anna. Can't wait to see where your book / writing / coaching goes next!