Accomplishments

This page shows the successes and achievements of the Novel Racers over the years.

Publications

There is an NR publications gadget under design and development. For the time being, please see the book list.

Accomplishments 2010

Please send your lists of accomplishments to Captain Black, then he'll put them here in this section.

Chris Stovell	Published novel: Turning the Tide.
Debs	Now finished five books and am working on novel 6. Recently edited my two romantic novels and will be submitting them. I read and review Little Black Dress novels for the publishers at the Novelicious site.
Graeme	Although not novels (I took a sabbatical from NR), 2010 was productive. Three books written: Using Museums as an Educational Resource - 2nd Edition is already in print. The Druid Way 'Made Easy' will be in print from 1 May 2011. Museum Educator's Handbook needs final page proofs and index to be done and will be in print later in the year. I have also edited a children's novel for someone else and seen published two Michael Moorcock books (Into the Media Web and a new edition of Sojan) that I helped with.
Karen	First novel, My Future Husband, has been sold in Germany. Over thirty stories sold to womens magazines.

Accomplishments 2009

Helen Hunt

Sold 11 short pieces to magazines – a mixture of short stories and articles. Continued to work on Bookersatz, writing book reviews and editing the site. Completed the first draft of my first novel.

Accomplishments 2008

Calistro	Six short stories sold to womens magazines. 3rd placing in Writers Bureau competition. Finalist in the Romance Writers of America Stiletto competition (paranormal chicklit category). And finally... Got myself an agent for The House of Wannabe Ghosts and she got me a 2 book deal in the UK (Orion) and Germany (Goldmann) and a one book deal in Brazil (Bertrand Brasil) and Russia (Eksmo). Needless to say it's been my best writing year EVER!
Captain Black	Joined the Novel Racers and met some of them. I consider that an achievement! 95% completed first draft of novel, Insight, with my co-author.
Caroline	Raised £1500 for One in Four through sales of Disraeli Avenue e-book. Paperback of In Search of Adam came out. Publisher went into liquidation (which is not really an achievement but I link it with the paperback!). Hardback of Black Boxes came out. Disraeli Avenue should be out any day now. Wrote and finished Like Bees to Honey.
Cathy	I was delighted to be asked to write a short piece for the Picador blog, which was published at the end of October. Set up the book blog Bookersatz. Unfortunately that is currently in a short hiatus, as I no longer have a co-editor (anyone interested?), but I hope to relaunch it in January. I successfully completed the OU course 'The Art of English', which was fascinating and contained all sorts of material pertinent to writing.
Clare Sudders	Got a deal with Random House Germany for my second novel, Dance Your Way to Psychic Sex. Will be published July '09.
Debs	I was thrilled to have a blog post published in Your Not The Only One in aid of War Child. Sold a piece to My Weekly. Rewrote novel 3 (and have started to rewrite it again, changing the last third as per recommendations from my RNA NWS report). Started novel 4.
Flowerpot	Turning the corner from being amateur to professional journalist. Had two agents ask to see full manuscript of The Current Beneath. Both said no but third time lucky??!! Had some incredibly positive feedback from one agent though. Also worked on 2nd rewrite of Give Me Time and idea for non fiction book.
Graeme K Talboys	Finished Thin Reflections and got permission from Roy Harper, Mike Moorcock, Sebastian Peake (acting for the estate of Mervyn Peake) and the Estate of Michael de Larrabeiti to quote from and/or use their characters. The book has gone through several re-writes and has even been rejected by three agents (and I expect there'll be plenty more where that came from). My short story ...the price is worth it was reprinted in Exterminating Angel and also received a rave reception from Mike Moorcock. The story is what gave birth to the novel. I blew up a computer and completely failed to repair it (but it was Vista, so no loss to the world). Started some preliminary work on a couple of non-fiction titles as well as the second Charlie novel The Mirror That Is Made.
Helen	Had a blog post published in Your Not The Only One in aid of War Child. Became a freelance writer for Trashionista. Started a new cake related blog which I aim to push next year. Gave birth to my lovely daughter.
JJ	Back in early summer a story and characters appeared in my head so I abandoned my first story to concentrate on that. In October I joined The Literary Consultancy's mentoring scheme 'Chapter and Verse'. My mentor is lovely and is providing feedback. The constructive comments are obviously most useful, but the praise for what I am doing right is almost as important as it stops me worrying ... just a bit. The mentoring has also enabled me to develop a better habit of writing.
Juliette M	Completed my first novel, had it professionally edited and wound up as a BubbleCow writer! Also having it edited by proofreader partner which is handy as he is pretty anal about things! Finished novel #2. Now looking for representation.
KayJay	I was one of the winners of the British SCBWI's Undiscovered Voices competition and as a result had part of my children's book published in an anthology. Had my first book launch and got to meet a bunch of VIPs of the children's publishing world! I also completed the first draft (and most of the second) of my first adult novel. Finally, I moved to the US, sold my theatre company and sold a children's play to a Canadian production company.
K.Imaginelli	Got a book contract (& a fast-approaching deadline--yikes!) for my academic book project. v. scary. Decided to completely rewrite novel #1 and have just finished writing a new ch 1 (only 92,000 more words to go!)
Lazy Perfectionista	Completed NaNoWriMo. (Fingers crossed) will complete the book by the end of the year.
Lily Sheehan	My short story Cutting the Cord was published in an anthology this year.
Liz Fenwick	Rewrote A Cornish House which is out in the world. Began next book.
L-Plate Author	Won the 2008 Novel Race!
Lucy Diamond	Had my second novel, Over You, published in August. Have just sent off the second draft of my third novel, Hens Reunited, which will be published next year. Am 20,000 words into novel 4, yay. Also had over 20 children's books published under various pseudonyms, my favourites being the 8-book Prince Jake series which Orchard published in hardback this autumn, under my real name (Sue Mongredien). I have at least 15 more children's books scheduled to be published in 2009! My biggest professional hurdle was doing a couple of festivals - Bath and Cheltenham. Lots of angst beforehand but I loved doing the events themselves. And most importantly... I got married and I loved every minute of the day. A cracking year, all in all.
Paige	Finally biting the bullet and sending my first book to agents. Okay, I got rejections every single time but just to have the guts to send it was a major step forward for me. Even though I've currently no plans to send it out again - I haven't given up writing. Completed NaNoWriMo in 25 days - I wrote 50,107 words in 25 days. Meeting other writers face to face for the first time. Prior to the first Novel Racers Meet I hadn't actually talked about writing with other writers face to face. I was always a bit scared I'd say something completely stupid and would feel like an imposter. But all went well and I got to meet more writers at the second Novel Racers Meet. Roll on the next one I say!
Un Peu Loufoque	Finished rewrite for my first novel. Started second novel. Written and re-written childrens story.
Wordtryst	My debut novel Café au Lait (Dorchester Publishing) was released in September 2008. I completed the rewrite of the second novel, Give Me the Night.

Accomplishments 2007

Calistro	24 short story 'hits' (10 short stories in print, 9 competition placings, 3 online publications, one radio broadcast, one performance). Wrote and edited novel #1 and an agent requested the full MS of it (and is still considering it).
Caroline Smailes	In Search of Adam (HB) sold out of first print run in a week and signd an Italian deal. Black Boxes (Novel Racers novel) finished and signed for publication in June 2008. Novel 3 signed (to be written from January 2008). Finished a children's story and have submitted this month to 4 publishers. One message in Your Messages (publication January 2008).
Cathy W	Two pieces chosen for the charity anthology Your Messages to be published on 31st January 2008. Two poems published online at WikidWords.
ChrisH	Strange Days, Indeed autobiographical anthology published by Honno, March 2007.
Fiona	Finished first draft of Sitting Pretty. Signed a contract for non-fiction book due April 2008.
Graeme K Talboys	Five poems published (A Morning in Shots 2 - March 2007; So this, the dream, Swan Maiden, Wind Fall, and Grace on WikidWords). The short story Declarations published in The Copperfield Review - Volume 7, Number 1 (Autumn 2007). The short stories "...the price is worth it." and Declarations published in the anthology First Class: Early Works of the Nearly Famous - Orchid Station (Monkey Business - 9780955760600). The short story Snow Lotus accepted for the magazine Prototype X (volume 3 due early 2008). Did a rewrite of my children's novel Hob. Edited the anthology First Class: Early Works of the Nearly Famous - Orchid Station (Monkey Business - 9780955760600). Edited The Healing Garden by Nancy Bench (Grey House in the Woods - 9780954053185). Edited a new edition of Inventing Reality by Tom Graves (Grey House in the Woods - 9780954053178). Rough edited a children's novel by Carenza Hayhoe. Did 55,000 words on my new novel, Charlie Cornelius. Began research for Charlie Cornelius II. Outlined two new non-fiction books.
Helen	Regular reviewer for the Trashionista web site.
Kate Harrison	(May 2007) The Self Perservation Society. I've written and edited two novels from scratch. In fact, I had the final OK from editor and agent for the Secret Shopper's Revenge yesterday. I signed a new two-book deal on a Top Secret Project, and also signed deals with publishers in Germany and Russia. Also had a book (The Starter Marriage) published in Portuguese. Taught creative thinking/ideas development in China.
KeVin K	Wrote a really cool website for a contest that never happened connected to a movie that tanked (but I got paid and the site's up). Pitched and wrote To Ride the Chimera (MechWarrior Dark Age #30) coming out in February of 2008. Also had my first Doctor Who sale, Men of the Earth in Doctor Who Short Trips: Destination Prague. Plus a handful of short stories published in media tie-in markets.
LeatherDykeUK	Signed for her book The Ungodly Child.
Lucy Diamond	(April 2007) Any Way You Want Me.
Rowan Coleman	Published three books in the UK: The Baby Group, Ruby Parker Film Star and Ruby Parker Hollywood Star. The Baby Group reached no 14 in The Times bestsellers. Wrote three new books: Ruby Parker Hollywood Star (Sept 2007), Ruby Parker Musical Star (Feb 2008), The Accidental Wife (April 2008). The Accidental Mother published in the USA where it is still selling well and even made an appearance in the NY Times bestsellers lists! Signed a new two book UK deal with Century Arrow at Random House. Signed a new two book US deal with Simon and Schuster NYC. And finally made the long list for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year which I am very proud and happy about.
Wordtryst	First novel, Café au Lait, sold to Dorchester Publishing in April 2007. It will be released in August 2008 as a Leisure Books title, and is on the mass market lead titles list for that month.
Zinnia Cyclamen	I did have pieces selected for two blog-related charity fund-raising anthologies, Shaggy Blog Stories for Comic Relief (still available at lulu.com) and Messages for Kids Company.