Exciting times!

 Hi all,

I hope everyone reading this is well and navigating the pressures of the festive season. Trying to add Christmas into an already packed schedule can sometimes feel a bit much, but then it is always worth it 'on the day'.

It's been a few months since I blogged so I have a resolution that my New Year's resolution (lol) will be to blog once a month. That should be doable in the grand scheme of things.

Watch this space.

Life in general has been a rollercoaster since August. Family members have faced, and are facing, various challenges, but with a great deal of fortitude, of which I am so proud. Mr G and I went on holiday a few weeks ago but it already seems somewhat surreal. I now can barely imagine sitting on a sunbed in 30 degree heat. There were a lot of sea days on the cruise and, before going, I decided I was going to start completely rewriting/editing 'Secret Santa', a My Weekly pocket novel that was published in 2012. It was also sold to Ulverscroft and went into libraries. On the ship, I managed to rewrite 88 pages, which was a fantastic start. Not quite halfway through, but not too far off. I am also formatting it for Amazon KDP as I go.

During the Black Friday sale, I took advantage of an offer and ordered 4 book covers from Getcovers and am delighted with the results. Three are for previous pocket novels and one is for a book of short stories, which will include my The People's Friend serial 'Sandy Stables'. I have managed to get through the KDP process with 'A Match Made in Heaven' and it seems like I might be ready to launch it very soon. Exciting and scary stuff! Then I will make my way through the others, formatting and going through the same process. 

Mid November, my The People's Friend pocket novel 'All The King's Horses' came out.  I loved the cover.

I sold a short story to The People's Friend a couple of days ago and had one in the recent Special.

My gothic novel is 88,000 words in and still on the backburner because of all the KDP work, which is obviously very time-consuming. Still, they say you can't push a rope. Indeed. Step by step and all that.

So, how is everyone coping with the demands of Christmas? Presents bought and wrapped? Cards written? (ahem). This year I decided that, as Mr G is retired, there was no reason why he couldn't write at least some of the cards.

No. I wasn't popular, by the look on his face. 

😄🎄🎅

Finally, so sad to see that Sophie Kinsella died. What a loss to the book world. What talent she had.

😭

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! 🌞

Pocket Novels, bodies and groups

 Hi all! I hope this finds you well and happy. Not quite sure where the great weather went but I guess we can make the most of the long evenings regardless. I don't want it to get to June 21st as it then starts going the other way😟.

At present, I'm still waiting for my insoles as they hadn't arrived at the podiatrist's practice on my appointment date. The appointment has been postponed, therefore, for two weeks, as that's when he'll be there next. At least it is before my cruise, although I was hoping for more than a couple of days for my feet and legs to get used to them. Hey ho. It is what it is. At least I'll get them at some point. I am totally living in my Oofas right now. They are 'recovery' sliders that are shaped to give relief to your feet in all the right places. Amazing! If I'm ever famous, I will one hundred per cent be happy to promote them lol. They are the only thing I can wear without any pain so I am dreading the weather getting cold. My toes will fall off😬.

Writing-wise, I have written a couple of short stories since my last blog and sent the second one off this morning. (Weekends? What are they?) I am almost 19,000 words into my next pocket novel and, thanks to Sue and Stephen Pursey, think I may have the bones of an idea for another one based on Sue's family history. It will need alterations, of course, and imagination, plus a different ending, but Sue has a fascinating story to tell about her mother. It was so kind of her to share it with me. Thank you, Sue.

I don't think I have a story out at the moment, although I know that I do sometimes miss one or two. Christine Hollis kindly told me about a group for Pocket Novel writers on FB, which I have now joined. They are wonderful people, more than willing to share all their knowledge. I joined in a zoom call and it was great to 'meet' a few of the members. I have now joined the ACLS, which I obviously should have known about years ago. I'm hoping the result will be a few loan payments regarding my novel in libraries which I've never done anything about. I'm also going to join the Society of Authors and quite possibly the SWWJ (Society of Women Writers and Journalists). I'm tempted by The Romantic Novelists Association too, so I am going to have to make a choice because they all cost and I will be spending more than I earn at this rate! lol

To sign off, another success story, this time from one of my wonderful, generous OU friends Glenda Youde:

Glenda went on to complete a PhD and the book below is the result. She is an expert on art history and focused her dissertation on Elizabeth Eleanor Rossetti. 'Lizzie Siddal' was the model in John Everett Millais' painting Ophelia, but she herself was an important pre-Raphaelite artist herself. Of course, at that time, she wasn't recognised for her vital contribution to the movement, working in a predominantly male environment. 

For anyone interested, it's available on Amazon.

Sharing Recommendations

First of all, how have so many months passed since my last blog?! My mid-year resolution is to come on here more often. I hope everyone is well and enjoying the amazing weather. I just love these gorgeous, long evenings. I am sitting in the log cabin with the dog beside me, but it's not as tranquil as it sounds. Although I'm looking out at sheep, and their lambs gamboling about, Leia is squeaking her ball relentlessly. I'm doing my best to tune it out.

So, obviously, I am still alive, but not really kicking as I have serious foot issues. Having been told it was gout at A&E after an x-ray, the progression of pain made no sense so I ended up booking an appointment with a recommended podiatrist. It appears I have fragmented sesamoids (or should I say 'sesamoid' as one appears to be missing😕 and the other foot isn't great either. A similar issue there. Anyway, exercise has come to a halt, as did actual walking, so I have definitely had more time to write!

At present, I have two stories out...one in The People's Friend weekly and one in the above People's Friend Special. Actually, I've just checked and that's not correct. The Special has just come off the shelf after three weeks. I made it to 88,000 words plus in my gothic novel, but then guilt overcame me and I went back to the pocket novel that I was supposed to be writing for People's Friend. It's a romance based around football and bereavement. The PF had asked for the whole manuscript the week after I'd had my basal joint replacement, but, embarrassingly, I never got back to it. I finally bit the bullet, rewrote the first three chapters and then continued with the rest. Three drafts later, I sent it in and it was accepted three days later. I couldn't quite believe that! 

The pocket novel is called 'A Match Made in Heaven' (although they may, of course, change that), due on the shelf on 31st July in supermarkets and newsagents for two weeks. After that, I aim to put it on Amazon Kindle. To be honest, the idea terrifies me as I've never done it and it seems pretty complicated. I also have a another serial under consideration, plus a number of short stories, but I have to confess that short story production has been a bit thin on the ground due to writing the longer stuff. At the moment, I'm three chapters and a synopsis into my latest romance. This one's about the king of a fictional Mediterranean island and the temporary stable manager. All I can say is...they have a past!

Tasha, my youngest daughter, loves to read and devours books as if they're going out of fashion. I always think that if I write something she's keen to finish, then that's a great achievement. One thing I will say is that my kids have never read anything just because it was written by Mum! 😄

Thanks for sharing your time and I hope you're enjoying whatever you're reading. I'm always keen to hear what people recommend. My friend Olga Wojtas has just had her latest 'Miss Blaine' book published. 

The first in the series, 'Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar', was named as one of the best fiction books of the year by Kirkus Reviews. Olga herself won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award. I studied on the same creative writing course with her, at the Open University. 

But enough about that as I could go on forever. I will share other Open University successes another time...

 

I AM still alive

 Good grief. I can't believe it's been almost a year since I last did a blogpost. Not long after the last one, I had my thumb basal joint replacement, which knocked out writing for quite some time. Especially as the other hand has been pretty horrendous. But I am able to write again, at the moment, so I'm making the most of it. I've sold quite a few stories to People's Friend lately, and have a story in the weekly this week called 'A Peace of Mind'. The illustration is beautiful. I was intending to post a photo of it here, but this MacBook Air is old and I now realise that it has stopped uploading photos from my phone.

I have recently been working on a serial proposal for PF, set during 1977 in a horse rescue centre. After completing the synopsis, character developments, instalment synopses and the first instalment, I emailed it in. It may be some time before I get a yay or a nay.

I've sent a few stories in recently too, including a couple to My Weekly. I do have a novel for PF part written, which they OK'd in principle, but I started it last summer, sending off the first 3 chapters and synopsis. In November I had my operation, and it was a week later that they got back to me, saying they'd like me to write the whole novel. Not the best timing! I've tried to get back to it a few times but am just not feeling it. It feels so flat, so I'm going to leave it and let it marinade for a while. See if something comes to me to get myself interested in it again. If I'm not enjoying writing it, a reader won't enjoy reading it...

The thing I'm working on right now is a gothic novel. I've written the outline, character developments etc and a rough list of scenes, but that's very loose. I'm only one chapter two but it's great fun to write. I'm just going with the flow and seeing where it takes me.

Oh yes, and I'm partway through a rewrite of Secret Santa (because it needs a rewrite!). My aim is to eventually put it on kindle.

Other than that, and helping with grandsons, a friend asked if I go to work?

Erm...

Off to feed Nikki's cat, Effie. That'll be half an hour minimum. It's getting dark and raining a bit, but I'll walk round because I have been sitting down writing all afternoon.

Hope you've had a good week and that you have an even better weekend. We are off to Butlins again, for our 70s weekend. Yes, I will take the laptop for any spare minutes...

Busy

 I've been very prolific during the past few months and The People's Friend now have a lot of my stories piled up for consideration. I've been lucky enough to sell one to My Weekly last week, as well as one to PF last week and another this week. I also have a story in PF out today (Wednesday 4th Oct). I called it 'All Creatures Great and Small'. I wonder if they published it this week to coincide with the new series of 'All Creatures Great and Small' on C5?

We went on holiday for ten days to Malta and, whilst lazing around on the sunbed, I wrote three short stories and also edited the first three chapters of a Pocket Novel which I have now submitted to PF. It is about a female football fan and I think it's going to be a lot of fun to write, even if sad in places. I was crying whilst writing the first chapter lol. In fact, Tasha and I were both crying when I was telling her the plot hahaha.

I should point out that it's not all sad, though! It does have the feel-good factor. I hope they like the idea.

It's very odd but I seem to have story ideas up the ying-yang, as we used to say. So many, that I can't really keep up. I do have a book that I write them all down in, for the days when I can't think of anything for the life of me. My thumb joint replacement is looming on the horizon. I was told it would be October but haven't got a date yet. Not so easy to plan anything. If I'd have got the go-ahead from PF re the Pocket Novel, I may have been able to write it before the op, but there's no point in pressing on with it unless they've said yes, in case they want it but need something changing.

Friends and family are always telling me that I should write a book about my life but I have always found the prospect a bit overwhelming. However, perhaps I should have gone ahead earlier because it is now even more complicated, with the discovery of some wonderful new relatives, including half-siblings. Extremely unexpected. The movie will be great 😂. I would like Jodie Foster to play me (no point in aiming low😎😃).

Enough waffle. Better get on with some work. Research first, though. Oh, don't we love research?! It's knowing when to stop that's the problem with it...

Today's quote:

“You do an awful lot of bad writing in order to do any good writing. Incredibly bad. I think it would be very interesting to make a collection of some of the worst writing by good writers.”

―William S. Burroughs

PS Forgot about our Butlins 70s weekend! I'll include that next time.

Slacking

 I'm not going to look at how long it is since I last came on here. It's too embarrassing. I think it was before my cruise.

Over the past month, I've written ten short stories and sent them off to My Weekly and People's Friend. I've been enjoying the PF's Writer's Hour on Tuesdays on X (still think that's ridiculous!) where I get to virtually chat with the other writers. This is fantastic as, up until now, they have just been bylines on a page. My 3 part serial has been and gone in PF and I've had some wonderful feedback from that. I've been asked to think about writing another one but haven't yet come up with a plot. 

Not much has been happening apart from having discovered I have a half brother in Orlando and a cousin (once removed) in this country, neither of which I knew about a few weeks back! Jon and I actually met my cousin and his wife and we had the most wonderful time together. I felt a huge connection. There is a huge story to all this and I am thinking that, one day, it has to be in a novel.

Just got back from the cinema, having seen The Blackening. A sort of 'black' humour horror. Very good. One of the characters was hilarious.

Yes, I have seen Barbie twice, and I've seen Oppenheimer, plus many other movies since last I blogged. We have just watched 'Collision' on TV, which aired in 2009 (probably when we were still in Bahrain the first time and missed it).  It really was excellent and I loved the ending. ITVX.

A busy day with the grandkids tomorrow but back to writing on Friday. Whenever Ant rings and I eventually say I have to go because I'm working, without fail I get back 'Work? What do you mean 'working'?"

A writer's lot. 😬

Quote for today"

'Description should begin in the writer's imagination and end in the reader's'

Stephen King.