Guest Blogger – Liv Arnold and Law & Disorder

I’ve got a new guest blogger with us today, Liv Arnold, whose new novel, Law & Disorder, is out now. I met Liv online through RWA and it’s always such a pleasure to have fellow RWA members on my blog. Liv has agreed to answer my 10 getting-to-know-you questions. Thanks for being a guest on my blog. It’s really exciting to have you here for the first time to celebrate your new release: Law & Disorder.

LA: Thanks for having me.

LL: Can you tell us a little bit about your new book?

LA: An enemies to lovers story, my publish The Wild Rose Press describes it as an erotic rom com. Law & Disorder is a short read and will take 30 minutes to read. Or if you’re my husband and a slow reader – 1.5 hours.

LL: Ooh, I love an enemies to lovers story. Is this a standalone book or are you planning a little bit of a series?

LA: Originally Law & Disorder was going to be a standalone, but I’ve received an overwhelming amount of reviews from book bloggers/reviewers who said they want more of Juliet and Jesse. So now, who knows.

LL: If you’ve had that great a response, you really should do some more if the muse gives you inspiration. But on to the next questions. Authors are always being told it’s best to diversify in this ever changing publishing environment. Do you write only romance, or do you also write in other genres too?

LA: No, I write different genres. The novel I’m drafting now is a YA fantasy. I’ve also had short stories published in children’s, sci-fi and historical.

LL: What are you working on currently?

LA: Two things. First up…A YA romance fantasy- on an ordinary day, an ordinary girl gets summoned by a handsome demon prince to go on a quest to save his kingdom. And then I am writing…a YA romance about a blind eighteen-year-old school boy who falls in love with a girl on the train based on her scent and her voice. Meanwhile the girl has her own issues – her mum has been diagnosed with cancer.

LL: Sounds fascinating. Can’t wait to see that published. How long have you been writing for and what led you to being published?

LA: I used to write stories at school for fun, but I never thought anything would come of it. So, I did a degree that had nothing to do with writing and started a full-time job in the finance industry. My mum encouraged me to do a creative writing course at RMIT. It’s a short course that runs for 8-10 weeks for three hours a week after work. I loved every moment of the class and ended up doing three short courses. The teachers were so inspiring, and it was great to speak to likeminded people. I workshopped my stories in class and continued with them after the course finished.

LL: One thing I always love to find out from newly published authors is their ‘Call’ story. Can you share yours with us?

LA: After that first RMIT writing course a few years ago, I networked with authors through social media and started a blog where I interviewed successful writers – I still do this. I learned so many amazing tips such as building my online presence, elevator pitches, and being persistent.

Initially I received multiple rejections from publishers. Sometimes with detailed feedback and requests for a revise and resubmit. I gotta admit, this stung every time. I wondered what I was doing wrong and if I was even any good at writing. But so many author friends told me to keep persisting.

I kept working on my craft, took on feedback and experimented with different story ideas. I followed a lot of publishers’ Facebook page. Sometimes they post about the type of stories they want to read. That’s when I saw a call out from The Wild Rose Press. I thought no harm in giving this a crack.

So, I whipped up a novella called Law & Disorder and sent my manuscript off. Six weeks later (I stalked my email inbox everyday), The Wild Rose Press replied with a contract offer. There was no acting cool on my part, and I emailed back my response filled with typos in my excitement to say ‘yes’.

LL: That’s a great story. And good on you for continuing to pursue what you love. As all writers know, this gig is a hard slog and you need to have persistence (and a thick skin) to keep going. So, with all that in mind, what do you think is the best advice you could give to a new writer with an aspiration to being published?

LA: Don’t give up. Sometimes it’s all about having your manuscript at the right publisher’s desk at the right time. Do writing workshops, hone your craft, build your social media presence and enter in short story competitions/anthologies to build your writing portfolio.

LL: What inspires you to keep writing? Where do your writing ideas come from?

LA: I get my ideas from everywhere. One time my husband said an idea for a romance book as a joke, and I thought it could work, so I wrote the story. Usually I write whatever comes into my head. I don’t plan things. I eventually want a full-time career as an author. That inspires me to keep writing.

LL: I think that’s true for most of us, Liv. So, tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to writing?

LA: I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. I procrastinated way too much though because I work full time. So exhausted when I get home. But then I thought…no more excuses…go after what you want.

LL: That’s a great lesson for all of us. What are your pet peeves? What are your favourite things?

LA: Pet peeves – rude people, my alarm going off in the morning and exercising.  

Favourite things – my dog, Groot; musical theatre; sleeping and cheese. I’m a massive foodie. I can’t concentrate on work or writing if I’m hungry.

LL: Liv is running a competition to win a copy of Law & Disorder. What do people need to do to enter, Liv?

LA: To win a copy of Law & Disorder, send me a message on my page, www.facebook.com/livarnoldauthor, with why you want to win. A winner will be drawn randomly on 31 March 2019.

Thank you so much for being a guest on my blog today, Liv. It was fun finding out a little bit more about you and your writing.

Law & Disorder

Lawyer Juliet Jackson has come head to head with Sergeant Jesse Burns on numerous occasions in court. He is provoking. Pigheaded. Punch-worthy. They don’t get along. Not one little bit. The unfortunate fact he’s also her next-door neighbor brings her loathing off the charts. But when Juliet’s caught locked outside her home in nothing but a skimpy towel, she must swallow her pride and turn to Jesse for help. She doesn’t expect the explosive chemistry between them and can’t help but wonder if Jesse’s as demanding in the bedroom as he is in the courtroom.

You can buy Liv’s book, Law & Disorder, from:

Amazon Australia

 
Amazon USA

Amazon UK 


Amazon Canada

Barns And Noble

Author bio:

Liv Arnold has worked as a copywriter for several global companies and now runs her own freelance business. She grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and lives with her husband and their spoiled dog, who only eats freshly cooked meals. When she’s not writing, Liv’s avoiding the gym, devouring a cheese platter, or marathoning way too much TV. And of course, she’s a massive book addict and often reads until all hours of the night.

You can find out more about Liv at:

www.livarnold.com

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