This week sees the publication of Jessica Ruston’s second novel To Touch The Stars, and as well as hosting an exclusive extract from the book, and a review later in the week, we’ve also been lucky enough for Jessica to write us a piece for the website called “A Writer’s Week”! It’s a great read, and we hope you enjoy it! Our thanks go to Jessica for taking the time to write this for us.

“One of the best things about writing for a living is that every week is different. But, to give you a taster of what it’s like, here’s a sample peek at what my diary might look like when I’m publishing a new novel.

Sunday

Prepare for the week ahead. Make a CD of music to take on a local community radio show I’m appearing on in the morning. Check that I have my Sat Nav and the address of the school where it’s broadcast. I also write a couple of feature pitches to send to off editors the next day. In the afternoon, I check in on my student forum – I’m teaching an online novel writing course – reply to some queries, and send off their marked homework assignments from last week. Then I catch up on the week’s tv on my laptop – The Good Wife, One Born Every Minute and My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding are all faves.

Monday

Appearance on the radio show is postponed at the last minute, so I have a free morning. Write a few thousand words of my work in progress (novel #3, which is currently untitled) and then go to the gym. In the afternoon it’s a bit of admin – double-checking that my tax payment all went through ok and filing receipts. In the evening, I meet up with my agent for a quick drink and a catch up, before going with him to a ‘media night’ held by my publishers. This is where they gather a group of their authors and a selection of magazine and newspaper journalists together for drinks. They’re a great idea – it’s a relaxed and fun way to meet the people who might review your book or commission a feature, and I spend the evening chatting with editors about my latest novel and what I’m working on next over a few drinks.

Tuesday

Up early to work on the novel – I write best when I get a good chunk done first thing in the morning, before I’m properly awake, so I creep out of my bedroom at about half five to get my three thousand word target done before anyone else is awake. It takes me a bit longer than usual today, as I didn’t get to bed until quite late, wired from the drinks party. I’m also doing a short journalism correspondence course at the moment, so in the afternoon I read over the course notes and do the homework assignment for that.

Wednesday

Day before publication so, after my morning words are written, I spend quite a lot of time obsessively checking Amazon to see if people are ordering my book. Eventually I drag myself away to the gym and run some errands as a distraction. I spend the afternoon doing research – reading and talking to a couple of friends who are helping me – for novel 3, which gives me lots of new ideas.

Thursday

Publication day – very exciting. The morning is spent writing, then racing around making sure everything is ready for the drinks party I’m having later. A few people phone to check the address or say they can’t come after all while I’m in the hairdresser. I meet my publicist at the venue a little before the start time to sign some copies of my book and make sure the room is set up ok. She’s done a brilliant job putting blown-up images of the cover on large cards around the room.

Friday

No words this morning as I only got an hour or so’s sleep following the party – it’s always the same, I get overexcited and then can’t switch off! It was a fabulous night, and I feel very lucky to have so many great friends, both in publishing and not, to support me. Spend the day on a bit of an exhausted high, answering emails, chatting on Twitter (I’m addicted!) and gossiping with friends about the night’s events, and doing some reading.

Saturday

Write early – I’m keen to get back into the swing of it after publication day excitement, and then do an email interview for a blog. Write a couple of feature pitches, and do some work on a TV idea that I’m developing. Have an email conversation about a radio proposal that I’ve been working on, with a great writer who is mentoring me in this field. Manage to get to a yoga class in the afternoon, before updating my website with some photos from the launch party, and then going out for dinner with my husband in the evening. Lovely end to a busy week!”

Thank you Jessica!

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