DEADLINE DILEMMA by Kathleen Whyman

Being longlisted in a competition is every author’s dream. Unless you haven’t finished the book! Kathleen Whyman describes how she wrote a third of her latest book in 10 days, and retained her sanity.

‘Congratulations! Your novel, Has Anyone Seen My Husband?, has been longlisted for the Comedy Women in Print prize in the Unpublished Comic Novel category.’

I stared at the email in disbelief. I’d been longlisted! For the Comedy Women in Print Prize – the competition set up by comedy legend Helen Lederer to champion witty women authors. This was a dream come true. With a smile so broad it could have been seen from space, I read on. ‘You must now submit your novel in full by midday on Tuesday14th April.’ I checked my calendar. It was 4th April. My smile wavered. The deadline was 10 days away. And I’d only written two-thirds of the novel so far. 

The T&Cs advised that failure to submit the novel in full by the deadline would result in my entry being withdrawn from the competition. Failure was not an option. I wouldn’t get another shot at this. I had to get the book finished. 

Aside from the sheer enormity of writing 30,000 words to a gold star, competition-level standard in a week-and-a-half, there were a couple of other minor issues. Actual minors, as in my two children, who needed love, attention, nurturing and feeding on a regular basis. Oh, another small point – this was April 2020. The height of Covid lockdown! So, we were all at home and my daughters required home schooling. Thankfully I wasn’t having to teach them to read from scratch or help them through career-defining exams. However, they still needed support, guidance and serious supervision to ensure they attended Zoom lessons and did the work set for them, rather than Snapchatting and binge-watching Tiger King.

I’m an author – get me out of here!

I’ll be honest – I don’t actually know how I did it. I think I must have channelled the same determined, resilient, slightly deluded mindset that celebrities employ when trotting off into the jungle. Others have done this before you, you’re not going to come to any actual harm, but it’d be much appreciated if deadly challenges could be kept to a minimum.

In some ways, lockdown helped. There was nothing to organise, no chauffeuring the children to clubs, activities or play dates. No necessity to get the school uniform washed, ironed and ready for wear, and no one was visiting, so it didn’t matter if the housework wasn’t done. Basically, we lived in squalor for 10 days. We didn’t eat off the floor, so cleaning it wasn’t a priority. Sleep was low on the list of priorities too. I didn’t have time for such luxuries! We ate a lot of jacket potatoes and I didn’t wash my hair much. My family were very understanding about my need to lock myself away and I threw myself into the book. Better that than throwing myself out of the window! 

I eventually typed The End at 4.13am on Tuesday 14th April. I collapsed into bed, woke up a couple of hours later, and read through the last few chapters. Amazingly, it made sense. Even more amazingly, I was pleased with it! Binge writing in this way isn’t to be recommended as a way of life (not if you want to remain sane and avoid scurvy), but being so absorbed helped the words flow out of me. I could see the story unfold before me, as though I were watching a TV show, and my fingers had to race across the keyboard to keep up. Satisfied I’d done everything I could, I emailed the book off and normal life (well, far from normal – this was lockdown – but our new normal) resumed.

To my shock and delight I was shortlisted. The awards evening at The Groucho Club didn’t happen because of Covid and I didn’t win, but being shortlisted was prize enough!

Agency security

By this time, I’d signed a one-book deal with Hera for a book, Wife Support System (about three mums who move in together to help each other out – a situation I really wish I’d been in during lockdown!), that I’d written before Has Anyone Seen My Husband?. I’d gone to Hera direct, but thanks to the Comedy Women in Print accolade, I came to the attention of Emily Glenister, director at DHH Literary Agency. Emily is a powerhouse of an agent, and one of the nicest people you could ever meet, so to be signed by her was phenomenal.

Emily loved the writing and the humorous story about being a second wife and the challenges of dealing with blended families, stepchildren, an ex-partner and a husband who’s torn between two sets of children. The publishers she submitted to agreed, but said it didn’t have enough of a hook and that they didn’t have time to work with me to create one. Emily was positive and upbeat though and said she knew she could sell it, but to try a different approach – write another book and sell that as part of a two-book deal. We would then present Has Anyone Seen My Husband? as my second book. Which is exactly what happened!

Not overnight of course, and not even in 10 days. I hope never to go through that again! Fortunately, I had started another book – Would You Ask My Husband That? – about a husband and wife who swap career roles when he loses his job and she gets promoted. Embla, the digital imprint of Bonnier, bought this book (which went on to become an Amazon bestseller!) and, as Emily had predicted, worked with me to create that all important hook for Has Anyone Seen My Husband? 

Cover story

The book comes out on 17th July and the jacket has a roundel stating ‘Shortlisted for the Comedy Women In Print Prize’, which I’m very proud of (especially as I didn’t know what a roundel was before this). Helen Lederer kindly provided a quote for the cover: ‘Page-turning and heartwarming, with pitch-perfect bite and wit.’ Not that I’m bragging. (I’m totally bragging.)

My main takeaways from this experience are, firstly, never to give up if you believe in your book. Although Has Anyone Seen My Husband? had to be put to one side for a couple of years, I knew it had potential and I clung on doggedly to the belief that it would get published one day. I was also very open to feedback on how I could improve it and know that it’s a better book now for this. Secondly, I recommend that you enter as many writing competitions as you can. Agents and publishers really do take notice of these. Although, unless sleep and personal hygiene aren’t high on your list of priorities, my advice is to finish the book first!

You can get the first chapter of Has Anyone Seen My Husband? for free by signing up to my newsletter through my website www.kathleenwhyman.com. I promise not to spam you – I don’t have the energy!

About Has Anyone Seen My Husband?

When they met, it didn’t bother Marie that Scott had been married before. But four years later, it’s a different story.

 Now Marie feels as though Scott sees more of his first wife and their children than he does of her and their daughter. She longs for them to be a happy, blended family, but how can they be when his ex-wife refuses to let the two families meet?

Marie’s had enough – there’s only so much simmering resentment a 40-year-old can sustain! She sets out to find his ex and prove to her that she’s a decent person who can be trusted with the children.

 But there’s a slight catch: Scott’s asked her to let him handle it, so she’ll need to be discreet. Which is difficult when her mum, cousin and aunt decide to get involved and don’t know the meaning of the word.

Marie’s determined to make it work and pull off the impossible, preferably without getting publicly humiliated, arrested or even divorced… 

BUY HERE

About Kathleen Whyman

Kathleen Whyman is a bestselling author of humorous women’s fiction novels. Her latest – Has Anyone Seen My Husband?, out 17th July – was shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print prize. 

Kathleen writes for all the multi-tasking, mentally-overloaded women out there, who put themselves on the subs bench for the sake of their family.

Her books are inspired by her own struggle to juggle childcare, career, housework, life admin and never-ending laundry. She’s still struggling, despite the fact her children are now teenagers. (Any tips on how to cope – both with the teenagers and the laundry – would be much appreciated.)

Kathleen lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two teenage daughters. There’s a lot of door slamming. 

As well as being an author, Kathleen runs comedy writing workshops, hosts author events and loves interviewing authors, either for print/digital media or in person for events. Halfway through an interview about her memoir, Susannah Constantine told Kathleen and the audience: ‘I thought you were going to be crap, but you’re bloody brilliant!’ Kathleen has chosen to take this as a compliment.

For more information about Kathleen and her novels – Has Anyone Seen My Husband?, Would You Ask My Husband That? and Wife Support System – please visit www.kathleenwhyman.com

Social media handles

Website: www.kathleenwhyman.com

Instagram – @kathleenwhymanauthor

Twitter  – @kathleenwhyman1

Facebook – @kathleenwhymanauthor 

LinkedIn – @kathleenwhyman

 

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing