Fires and Formatting

It's been a busy time that has resulted in me forgetting all about connecting with the outside world! As well as being occupied with the obvious...writing...my son's shared flat caught on fire and they all had to find new accommodation. Fortunately they, and the care staff, all escaped unscathed, so we have so much to be thankful for, but pretty much everything was ruined and they have had to start again. People have been so kind, donating beds and bedding, fridges, freezers, sofas and tables etc. The terraced cottage-style house was about to be auctioned and so needs a lot doing to make it more habitable, but it is a home and thank goodness for that. I cannot praise A2A enough for their support.

On another non-writing front, I recently stayed with my lovely sister and her husband, and was encouraged and excited to start hanging bird feeders at home here. It has turned into a bit of an obsession and now I have bird feeders in the front and back gardens. Then I noticed that a hedgehog kept turning up beneath the feeders, so I did a bit of research and learnt that hedgehogs shouldn't really be eating seeds and mealworms. This resulted in buying a hedgehog house, plus bedding and hedgehog food, to encourage him to go there instead. This bird feeding is an expensive malarky! lol

I am slightly worried that the cats in the neighbourhood (of which there are many) will eat the hedgehog food before it can get to it, but I suppose there's not much I can do about that.

Onto writing...

I have recently finished writing my novella 'All The King's Horses' and submitted it to The People's Friend pocket novel department. I am now waiting for a yay or nay. In the meantime, I have various short stories with the short fiction department, and am also waiting on a yes or no for a serial I sent in ages ago.

Now that 'A Match Made In Heaven' has hit the supermarkets and WH Smiths, I am able to start thinking about what else to do with it. I think I shall submit it to Ulverscroft because, if they want it, it will go in the libraries, like 'Secret Santa' in 2012. I need to email them. 

   

My main task at the moment is formatting the 'Match' manuscript for Amazon Kindle Publishing. I haven't done this before so it has felt daunting. Years ago, I considered putting a book of short stories on there, but was put off by how people were saying how difficult it was. I am partway through and decided to send it to my own kindle to see how it is working and was pleasantly surprised at the result! What I have worked on so far appears to look fine and the links to each chapter heading works. It is also linking to this blog, so bonus! I have yet to sort out a cover design, which Tasha has said she will help with, and then I will work out the uploading process etc. I will get there. I'm assuming that once I have done one, the next ones will be easier.

I have sold a few stories lately. One will be in the PF Special on November 5th.  Another will be in the 2027 annual, out next August. Not sure about the others.

Congratulations to all my lovely writery friends on their successes since my last blog. I have joined a Pocket Novel group on FB and they are all so welcoming and generous with sharing information about how to do this and that when I ask. We have a zoom meeting once a week. I haven't managed to get to it every week and miss it when I don't. It's the same with the Tuesday morning X meet up for PF writers.

Off to do more formatting. It's mind-numbing and it's possible I may fall asleep over my laptop.

😴

Enjoy the sunshine! 🌞