#GuestPost: Welcoming Sue Moorcroft, sharing the reasons why #authorlife is #interesting | #UndertheItalianSun #comingsoon @SueMoorcroft @AvonBooksUK

It’s always such a pleasure to feature Sue Moorcroft here on Being Anne – I’m a member of her street team (if you’d like to join too, you’ll find more information here), she’s long been one of my personal favourites, and I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed every single book she’s written. A couple of months ago I shared the lovely cover of her next release – publication day’s coming ever closer, Under the Italian Sun will be published by Avon Books on 13th May as an ebook, in paperback, and as an audiobook (all formats available for pre-order), and I’m SO looking forward to joining the blog tour with a publication day review.

Shall we just take another quick look? Oh go on, let’s do that…

A bit difficult to read that one? Let me make it a bit easier…

A sun-baked terrace. The rustle of vines. And the clink of wine glasses as the first cork of the evening is popped…

 

Welcome to Italy. A place that holds the answer to Zia-Lucia Costa Chalmers’ many questions. Not least, how she ended up with such a mouthful of a name.

 

When revelations close to home turn Zia’s world upside down,she realises the time has come to search out the Italian family she’s never known.

 

But as she looks for answers, she can’t help but notice Piero, the vineyard owner next door – a distraction who may prove difficult to ignore…

 

This summer, join Zia as she sets out to uncover her past. But can she find the future she’s always dreamed of along the way?

 

The perfect summer read for fans of Katie Fforde and Carole Matthews.

I’m delighted to welcome Sue as my guest today, with a really lovely post all about why #authorlife is #interesting…

I enjoy social media posts with the hashtag #authorlife, providing a peek into the lives of other authors work, some insightful, some ironic and some humorous.

 

In the pandemic, #authorlife has become even more important to me as ‘getting paid for making stuff up’ isn’t a bad way to survive the restrictions. My time’s spent in my study, writing, my mind away in another place where people can still hug, kiss, visit pubs, travel and everything I once took for granted.

 

What has vanished is writing retreats, parties, book launches or research trips, and meetings with my publisher and agent. Where I live, I can sometimes hear the train sound its horn and I’ve suffered real pangs that I’m no longer walking to the station and hopping on board. I miss those personal contacts and I’ve been shocked to realise how valuable they were, how much easier it was when we were all in the same room, able to hear each other properly and allow the conversation to flow. It’s much easier to judge the mood of the meeting if you’re actually, physically in the meeting.

 

Meetings now take place on Zoom or Teams. OK, I don’t get a lovely day in London, which I could combine with meeting London-based friends, but I can attend meetings in leggings and slippers. It’s cheap. (Being cheap is not everything in my life. I’d be on that train like a shot if it were advisable.) It saves time. Above everything, it’s possible. Aren’t we fortunate to have technology? I can’t imagine what would have happened to publishing (and probably every other industry) without people working from home, carrying on valiantly, despite everything. Good on them, I say.

 

Events are now online and I’ve had to learn several different types of software. Social media’s been ever more important as things like mass mailings to book bloggers have been affected when staff aren’t allowed into their offices. But – technology again! – the Avon team has looked for ways of sending out eye-catching electronic advance reading copies and made use of NetGalley to get those all-important early reviews.

Under the Italian Sun was written entirely in the UK. I was able to rely on years of visiting the region of Umbria and having set a book in ‘my’ town of Montelibertà before. I have a big library of my own photos and an Italian friend to answer questions via email, so I made do.

 

I admit I haven’t always made do with a smile on my face because I love travel and to soak up the sense of place. I did get an overnight trip to Brighton and Chichester to research those chapters of the book, last summer, when restrictions were relaxed. Never have I appreciated a trip more.

 

My first glimpse of new covers is always a special moment and that hasn’t altered at all. I’m fortunate to get them from various countries, so several times a year. However, foreign publication has slowed – no doubts about that. Contracted books have been delayed and therefore there are fewer offers.

 

Bottom line, I’m grateful that #authorlife has allowed me to keep making some income, despite book shops being closed and footfall in supermarkets reduced. I’m grateful that technology means ebooks and e-audio, that means libraries have been able to lend remotely, meetings and events take place online. I’m grateful for everyone who has worked so hard to keep publishing going. I’m also grateful that #authorlife is #interesting.

And I’m grateful for the opportunity to share such a lovely post, Sue! Just one last reminder – Under the Italian Sun is published by Avon Books on 13th May as an ebook, in paperback, and as an audiobook. All formats are available for pre-order – go on, you know you really want to…

About the author

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author and has reached the coveted #1 spot on Amazon Kindle UK as well as top 100 in the US. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award and the Katie Fforde Bursary. Sue’s emotionally compelling, feel-good novels are currently released by publishing giant HarperCollins in the UK, US and Canada and by other publishers in other countries. Her short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.

Born in Germany into an army family, Sue spent much of her childhood in Cyprus and Malta but settled in Northamptonshire, England aged ten. She loves reading, Formula 1, travel, time spent with friends, dance exercise and yoga.

For more information on Sue and her books, she has an excellent website, and a blog: she also has a Facebook author page, and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram. And if you’d like sign up for her newsletter, you can do so here.