EVERYTHING COMES IN THREES LINDA MITCHELMORE

Everything comes in three, as the saying has it. I can't be the only one who holds their breath when told of two deaths quite close together, wondering when news of the third will come. I remember reading in a newspaper article many moons ago that every man should have three careers. It was a long time ago and probably not very PC to say that now but my cousin, David, took it to heart and has been an Army Major, a criminal lawyer, and now a playwright. And it might have meant 'man' in the general sense, as in mankind. I couldn't quite match David's careers for prestige but have had three careers of sorts - banking, cleaning, writing. Anyway, I expect you're wondering where all this is going. As a novelist I've been published by two publishers - Choc Lit (six novels) and HarperCollins HQ Digital (three novels). So why the move from Choc Lit to HarperCollins? Well, I honoured my contract and submitted my next work of fiction to them only to have it declined after a very long wait ... by which time they were expanding like crazy and I think I just got forgotten and was a bit superfluous to requirements at the time. No matter ... I tried HarperCollins and they took it with very flattering indecent haste. Two more novels followed in very quick succession (that makes three, if you're counting) and then my editor left for pastures new - and a lot greener for her - and it seems my next submission didn't fit HarperCollins' requirements. So it was time to look around for a third publisher, wasn't it? I sent off an enquiry email ... might they (no names just yet) be interested etc. I'd just finished one book, but mentioned that I have two others completed that I could also offer (here we go, three again) and they got back to me and asked if I have anything set in the Med ... which, as it happens, I do. I am currently dreaming about three book deals! The only downside is this publisher has asked for synopses and I was in the very happy position before with Choc Lit and HarperCollins of never having to submit one. So before I could send one of my, as yet unpublished, books off I had to bite the bullet and write a synopsis ... it seemed like an omen when it came to three pages. So, book one has gone and everthing is crossed. Something else I read - and have been told many, many times by writing tutors - is that a writer needs a good story to be telling, to be able to write it well, and also a very big dollop of luck ... three things again, if you're still with me, and counting. These days I am very broad-shouldered about rejection ... it's just someone else's opinion and others might love it. So I keep going. A writer writes. What next? Well, I came across this picture when I was rootling around for something to blog about and it sort of 'spoke' to me - three sassy ladies - and I had a fancy to write about them.

Better get the typewriter out then! And Underwood just happens to be my maiden name!