The Presence of Peacocks, or How to Find Love and Write a Novel (extract)

Sabrina Bell wants two things in life: to find true love, and to get published. Unfortunately, she is drawn to old-fashioned items whose beauty is equalled only by their impracticality, including large hats, fountain pens, and handsome men with commitment issues.
Will she find a way to exit her stressful magazine job and write The Novel? Is her true love out there, or should she stick with Mr So-So? When she starts attending Writers’ Circle meetings at the Guru’s country house, and meets arrogant wine farmer Robert le Roux at her first tango milonga, the plot gets a whole lot stickier.
Filled with music, chocolate and tango, this sensual, light-hearted novel about writing and romance is the ideal companion for writers and lovers of fiction. In each chapter, the eccentric Guru, Lionel Wolfe-Valentine, sets a writing exercise that gets Sabrina back on track in matters romantic and literary; each meeting of the Writers’ Circle explores a key aspect of novel-writing, from setting and structure to conflict and dialogue. Sure, The Presence of Peacocks is a useful book – but mostly, it’s a charming, witty, addictive love story.
This novel forms part of The Peacock Book Project: go to www.peacockproject.net to download free Writer’s Templates offering prompts and tips on writing a novel starring a fictionalised version of yourself as central character. Write your own personalised life-advice cards, complete the writing exercises, and make this delightfully original novel your own.