Guest blogger - Julie Day

A warm welcome to fellow RNA member and writing friend, Julie Day. Here's a little bit about her! I live in SE London and am a full-time writer. I have been writing for 19 years and have had published reader letters in health and writing magazines, short stories in small press magazines Creature Features and Crystal, and my first children's fiction book was published in 2009 called Rosie and the Sick School, about healthy eating at school with magical elements. I have recently self-published two YA ebooks in a series called ‘The Guardian Angels’. Just published my first romance enovella called ‘One Good Turn’. Julie's latest book - One Good Turn is just out on Smashwords and should be on Amazon anytime soon.

Here's a bit about it and a small excerpt to whet your appetite. Fifty-five year old Geraldine Simmonds has died and gone to Heaven, but there’s a catch. She has to earn her place in paradise by making her ex-boyfriend Keith a happier and loving man again. With the advice of her acrobatic helper Coco and a sprinkling of heavenly magic, Geraldine not only wins back Keith but becomes a better person herself. The Boss above approves her request to be allowed to return to Earth to help relatives who need a nudge to get their lives back on track and fall in love once more. Here's a taster Through the expanse of white, Geraldine Simmonds gazed down at the sombre group of people below her. She frowned. Only one of them was crying, her niece Mandy. She heard, ‘Oh, Aunt Geraldine, why did you have to die? I was going to help you find some good in your life.’ Geraldine blinked back a tear. ‘You were the good thing in my life, Mandy,’ she muttered. She watched the group of people leave the graveside and climb into their cars. ‘Where are you going?’ Mandy asked her relatives. ‘The wake is at my flat.’ ‘We’re not coming. We only came cos you asked us to. Bye, Mandy,’ one of them replied. What sort of relatives were these, that didn’t want to say a proper goodbye to her, Geraldine wondered. Oh, Mandy. You being there for me is enough. As the scene faded, she sighed. Some relatives they were. She was well away from them. Horrible, mean people, she thought; especially when she heard a sob from Mandy. * * * The scene changed. The whiteness appeared once more and a flash of bright gold like a shiny new ring shone round Geraldine then. What the...? She blinked to focus on her new surroundings. Her eyes widened as huge pearly gates appeared. And standing guard by them was a tall man with a beard, holding a long golden stick with a ball on the end. ‘Are you Geraldine Simmonds?’ the man asked. Geraldine just nodded, dumbstruck as she realised where she was. ‘Thought you were.’ ‘Am I where I think I am?’ ‘Yes. You have reached Heaven. I’m Head of Security. In charge of all missions and tasks as well as guarding this place.’ Then Geraldine heard a deep, smooth voice. One she didn’t think she’d hear again. It shouted: ‘Get me that apple. Now!’ ‘Oh my, that sounds like…’ ‘Your ex, Keith. Yes, it is.’ ‘He never used to be like that. What’s made him so nasty?’ ‘I believe he’s missing you.’ ‘Missing me? But we’ve not been together for three years.’ ‘Well, your name keeps cropping up when he talks.’ ‘Oh.’ She felt her eyebrows lift as he said this. How could they? Wasn’t she meant to be dead? You can get your copy of One Good Turn HERE

Guest Blogger - Julie Day

I'm thrilled to be kicking off the New Year by introducing my lovely friend, Julie Day, author of young adult book The Railway Angel. Julie is a fellow RNA member and writes romance and young adult. She kindly agreed to be interviewed and to tell us a bit about her new book.
Julie, how did you become a novelist?
I became a novelist following recurring dreams in the night. This dream stayed in my mind during the day, and I realised the only way to get it out of my head was to write it down. Once I started writing, that was it. Ideas and more ideas came. That was over 10 years ago now.
Tell us what The Railway Angel is about?
The Railway Angel is about fifteen-year-old Lizzie, who becomes an angel after dying suddenly following a dare that goes wrong. She is sent back to Earth for a test, to stop another teenager from self-destructing and ending up like her. Along the way she finds she has magical powers, as well as the school she now belongs to. It is now free from Smashwords.
What inspired this story?
I think what inspired me to write it was reading lots of stories in the papers recently about teenagers and young adults doing silly things like running on tracks and doing other stupid stunts. I thought what would happen if they became guardian angels to other teenagers like them.
Any advice for aspiring writers?
My advice to aspiring writers is to keep persevering. You will find your own voice and what you like writing and when you do, you will find it easier to write those stories. Also, look out for different opportunities to get your work out there.
What do you have planned next?
I am working on the second angel story, which is Danny's story. He briefly appeared in Lizzie's story. I am also planning a series of adult romance ebooks with a touch of magic, both for a digital publisher and as an indie author. You can see what I like writing about, can't you? Magic.

Thanks Julie, the book sounds brilliant!
The Railway Angel
After a game of dare at a train station goes tragically wrong, fifteen year-old Lizzie Hammond becomes a lost angel, until she is tested and sent back to Earth to stop a teenager from risking their life on railway tracks, with persuasion and newly discovered magical powers. Passing her test, Lizzie now becomes a ‘Guardian Angel.”
Available from Amazon UK also Amazon US, Smashwords and other e-tailers. The perfect gift for a teen in your life!