Brave...

Totals...Twitter 0 Tweets (shocking!)... Facebook...1 status update ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel... nothing today but I am thinking about it!  Emails/text messages from mad cousin...one yesterday (think she's slipping!)
Cups of coffee...0 Cupcakes ...0 ( I am drinking red wine as I blog - I figure that along with the Easter Egg cancels out my lack of coffee and cupcakes?)
Music mostly on spotify today ...much randomness...Goldfrapp, Rita Ora, Over the Rhine, Ingrid Michaelson, Norah Jones.

So having saved my bed from the evil clutches of text books, yes this is really what my bed looks like most of the time when I am trying to study.

I am certain that things will only get worse as I continue my studies - to be fair when I am writing and editing it probably looks so much worse but I fear I may need a trolley to cart this lot back to the library.
Having been nagged (somewhat) and bullied (as much as I will let her get away with) I have returned to blog. I am not entirely convinced that my life is all that interesting to make excessive amounts of posts but I have promised to keep at it so I shall try.
From the picture above it is quite evident that for the last few weeks the majority of my reading materials have been somewhat dry, so it was time for some light relief. I was so pleased to get hold of my copy of  'Good Husband Material' by Trisha Ashley on Friday. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Husband-Material-Trisha-Ashley/dp/1847562817/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364843905&sr=8-1
I came home that evening and didn't just start reading I can say hand on heart that I pretty much devoured it in one sitting - ignoring the phone, the pull of emails and everything else that easily manages to distract me and finished it all except a few pages - which I finished on Saturday.
Talking to a colleague about books we were attempting to recommend books to each other and got talking about Trisha Ashley's books which she described as the book equivalent of a cuddle! I love that - I think I may have to steal it. Certainly this book didn't disappoint and made me feel pretty good, so well done! The characters for the most part were very likable although I did want to get hold of James and give him a good shake - what an idiot ( I know that was kind of the point!) but it was a good mix of humour and moments that make you shake your head in disbelief and really what was needed after reading one too many text books. I only hope that as my writing progresses I am able to draw people in just as easily.

Once finished with the book I had to find something else to challenge my creativity as I just wasn't in the mood to write - so decided that my life would not be complete without cupcakes topped with penguins (obviously). I have yet to make the cakes or cake - its my birthday on Thursday so may just make myself a cake so
currently these little guys are living in my fridge. I need to make some more to add to the collection. I have a few days I am sure I still have plenty enough time to reenact the March of the Penguins. Not that I am obsessed (much).

The wine has clearly taken effect already and the title of today's blog so far bares no relevance to the content - just for a change. As I blogged last week about the challenges of 'pressing the button' and sending my writing off to be judged. In a moment of bravery I did it again this week and sent bood 2 off on its merry little way. I can only conclude that it means I am either feeling more confident about my writing or less precious - I am not entirely sure which is more true. I am sure other writers are the same, filled with self doubt, worried about being judged. But ultimately I am not too sure my aspiration of becoming a writer would be too successful it all I did on completion of my novels was to hide them under my bed, although it is a little tempting.

For the rest of this week I am now on leave from work (who wants to work on their birthday?) and work on my current project in between dragging my reluctant wobbly bits to the gym to get beasted. My next challenge to set a deadline for said project which is yet the untitled sequel to book 2 and over halfway written. I may have to ponder that for a while, perhaps after the wine has worn off.

Happy Easter!
x

 

 

Push the button...

Totals...Twitter 1 Tweets (shocking!)... Facebook...1 status update ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel... nothing today but 1500 words at the weekend! Did write 2000 word essay today does that count? Emails/text messages from mad cousin...1
Cups of coffee...2 Cupcakes ...0 (but I had some birthday cake see below...not my birthday but I made the cake)

Music mostly on spotify today ...James Morrison tonight.

So I guess I should start tonight with an apology to mad cousin that featured in previous blog. It seams she was a little perturbed at the picture of her stating 'it was a very flattering picture of me, NOT!' In my defence I am also in the picture and look just as good...NOT. It was cold and snowing and a few minutes after it was taken we couldn't actually see much more than a metre in front of us. I have also been reliably informed that unless I blog regularly I will receive regular emails nagging me until I do. I'm not entirely sure that my life is interesting enough to blog every day so I will have to wait and see if the emails arrive - incidentally I did receive one today. I'm not convinced she can keep it up.

So yesterday I did something very brave after I thought I'd done something very stupid...so I guess I will start with the stupid.
Looking for book two to tweak a few more bits before I was as happy as I could be HUGE panic when I opened the file and the page was blank...Now I have done this before so I now save my writing in a few different places just in case, however on this occasion I had been editing said book and had not re-saved it in my usual places. Not good, I thought it was probably karma - the book is about a girl who is a little accident prone and to whom ridiculous things happening to her is a daily occurrence. Perhaps she was seeking revenge? I have to admit apart from tweeting about my stupidity (because obviously it seemed important at that moment in time to share my pain!) I did remain pretty calm. I even went and made a cup of tea!
The good news for whatever reason I did a few things with the computer - pretending I actually knew what I was doing...I didn't. But regardless I found it - my only conclusion that my computer had in fact eaten it just to mess with my head.
On finding it you could say I was a little happy, I have also now re-saved it in all of the various locations. I am sure that I have learnt my lesson now...until the next time.

So onto the brave...I am a relatively new writer so I am still very precious about letting my work go. It's very hard giving it over to someone to be judged, of course I am aware that this is a ridiculous notion when I am actually wanting to publish, have lots of people read my writing and can't wait for the day when I hold an actual published book with my name on the cover in my hand.
So why is it so hard to send it on its merry little way to try and raise some interest from a publisher?

I have no idea (answers on a postcard?) but I did it and pushed the send button then felt sick, excited, a bit more sick, nervous and a bit more excited.
The important thing is that I have done it and alongside I am sure hundreds if not thousands of others it awaits its fate, so I guess it is now a waiting game. I am sure I am not the only person to feel this way - its just hard to describe to people who have never done it!

I am sure that's enough rambling for tonight so I am going to leave you with something that made me laugh this evening.


I would just like to think that if my computer was a cat (just go with me on this for a moment) that this is how guilty it would look for causing me to panic about my lost book.


Bye for now!

...back to reality...again

Totals...Twitter 4 Tweets ... Facebook...1 status update ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel (s)...possibly minus a few as am editing!
Cups of coffee...1 Cupcakes ...0 (but I am going to make some tomorrow!)
Music mostly on spotify today ...Neil Finn, Blondie, Nelly, and up next Freemasons, Kelly Clarkson, Natasha Bedingfield and Ellie Goulding (bit of a mixture!).

Wow two posts in a month that's not happened for a while!
So the past week or so have seen visits from the parents and one mad cousin who stayed with me for a few days. It was great fun and very welcome after feeling sorry for myself for weeks due to the stupidness of a trapped nerve in my neck! I am not sure I had laughed so much for a very long time.

This was helped a lot no doubt at my cousins enthusiasm for the snow that continued to fall - thank goodness as I had been on the receiving end of many texts earlier in the year with the ridiculous amount of snow that we had here when they had none in the south west, I think I was also accused at one point of 'stealing all the snow.'

There wasn't a huge amount of snow but it was enough to keep her happy for a while, and the picture to the right I have been reliably informed is a snow frog (!) this from someone with an art degree!!! I can confirm that her sculptures are much better than her snowy creation.
For some reason the whole visit she was obsessed with frogs to the point she had told me that I should write my next book about ghost frogs, not entirely sure where that would fit but I promised to keep it in mind. Who knows if a scene needs livening up I could always use a few ghost frogs (!).

Needless to say I had a great time and was sad to see her go home only to be followed a few days later by my parents, its great when they come to visit its just horrible when they go home again I am sure it feels worse every time.

In any case I didn't have too much time to think about it as I finally got the all clear to go back to work. Six weeks is a long time to be off and bored and to have to do as you are told (I'm really not very good at that) especially when your job is hectic it's hard to do nothing - I was on the verge of throwing my television out of the window, if ever there was a reason to go to work daytime television is it.

I am very happy that now it is easier and not so painful to sit at my computer I can write more than I have for a long time, most of my time at the moment seems to be spent editing and I have to say I am being more brutal than I ever was with my first novel. I am just wondering if it is because my writing is worse or if I have learnt more - I am hoping it is the latter. That's it for now as I am off to have a Friday night editing session...yes it is true I know how to live!

Blog...re-booted!!

Totals...Twitter 2 Tweets ... Facebook...1 status update ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel (s)...nothing for a few weeks more to follow on that!
Cups of coffee...1 Cupcakes ...0 (sadly lacking in the cupcake department, had some lemon cake does that count?)
Music mostly on spotify today ...have gone all high tech and made my own play lists full of randomness song playing at the moment A&E by Goldfrapp, up next Drive by by Train and Let Your Love Walk in by Paloma Faith

Am feeling slightly ashamed at my abandoning of blog! It lasted longer than my diary normally does but still not good. Lets see a quick catch up of life since...um...June 2012 (currently hanging head in shame!)

Book one still working with an editor on this one, think its a labour of love but am starting to feel that my writing is getting better the more I write so not sure where to go with this one when complete. Self publishing is an option, who knows? I don't! Tested edited parts (and last part still to be edited) on lovely housemate who cried twice and told me I was evil...I am hoping it was a compliment? The book is on a supernatural thriller theme I was being evil on purpose!

Book two that randomly I had the whole plot mapped out during a swimming session and it has nothing to do with swimming...weird! I keep tweaking trying to make my voice stronger, I've never done funny am hoping it is as funny as I think it is! Am currently road testing this with American friend...I know she will be honest I am nervously excited awaiting her feedback. During a random Tweet this week pondering out loud if I should be brave and enter book two into a comp got a reply from the lovely Trisha Ashley encouraging me to do just that. Kind of have to now it would be rude to ignore the encouragement! Thank you for that and the subsequent Tweets I needed that.
Will keep you posted the comp closes on 29 March 2013.

Book three which is a sequel to book two I am currently two thirds of the way through and that's the state of play at the mo.

Lots of things happened last year I got a new job which has been very interesting, studying for said job took up lots of time then by the time I stopped studying it was Christmas. This was almost a wash out and disaster for so many people and going back to the South West for Christmas and travelling by train on Christmas Eve was an epic journey, which was made fantastic by the sight of my parents who came to rescue me about 30 miles away from my destination to save me from another coach/train change.
They will probably not thank me for this but look at their amazing Christmas jumpers, definitely brought a smile to my face after travelling for 8 hours.

Incidentally I stole the penguin jumper it came home with me! I did consider wearing it everyday for work but it has so far been relegated to a drawer ready for next Christmas!



 My parents very rarely give me opportunity to take pics of them that I decided it was high time that they made an appearance on here!

So Christmas came and went, then the snow came...and went...eventually!

 Then stupidness happened and for whatever reason I managed to injure my neck. This caused me to be in a considerable amount of pain the likes of which I have never felt and would prefer never to feel again. It also resulted in me having to do what I was told, something I am not very good at. I am very happy to say that after physio, acupuncture, countless medications, hydrotherapy and mindfulness I appear to  be on the mend and am allowed to go back to work - this I am very happy about. Yes really!

Phew...so that's me almost up to date! So tonight is the first time I am going out for about 6 weeks and am going to the theatre I am very excited! And if this wasn't enough excitement my parents are coming to visit at the weekend along with my Very hyper cousin who will be staying with me, am wondering how I will cope!!!!

So with a bit of luck I will post soon, and perhaps I would have even done some writing (but only if I finish my assignment first!).

Trying...

Totals...Twitter 0 Tweets (REALLY bad!)... Facebook...1 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...nothing so far I worked a 13 hour shift, there's still time!
Cups of coffee...1 Cupcakes ...0 (sadly lacking in the cupcake department, will remedy this tomorrow!)
Music mostly on my itunes this evening...Florence and the Machine, James Morrison, Alanis Morissette (forgot how good she was!)

Hello June! Wow it's halfway through already, I have no idea where the time is going, but it's going somewhere pretty quick these days. So my good intentions of increasing blog posts has kind of failed but still here I am!
The title of today's blog means many things and kind of sums up life at the moment, trying to study, trying to blog, trying to write...trying to get fit (not sure my bottom has recovered from the three spinning classes I attended last week!!) and generally things that come up day to day. I sit here this evening enjoying a nice glass of wine (red of course!) thinking about the last couple of days in the day job, which have been somewhat trying for a number of reasons. What is great to see is the support from colleagues and how a team really pulls together when things get difficult, my job is rewarding on so many levels but can be very difficult. I'm not sure if any of them will be reading this out there but I would just like to say cheers!

In terms of life outside of the day job, it has been interesting to say the least. I am waiting for the next part of my first novel to be returned from the editor which is both exciting and terrifying - receiving feedback on my 'baby' and acknowledging that he is helping me on my journey. Picking up a new project which I'd not bargained for! Having already decided I would re-visit a project that is halfway through now that I have completed the second draft of my second novel. Instead of which I am now three chapters into a follow on to second novel, this thing seems to be taking on a life all of it's own so I figured it was only right to go with it and see where it leads...only time will tell.

At the same time 'trying' to feed the inner creative being I took myself to the movies, thankfully this time I was not plagued by compulsive talkers.

Cosmopolis, I've read the book - I found it an interesting read and will admit I had to read a few bits more than once but I stuck with it and loved it. I think there has been mixed reviews for the films and to be honest I usually make my own mind up if a film looks interesting and I enjoyed it. There were no special effects, huge explosions or the like as much of the films takes place in the back of a limousine but I thought it was great! I suppose the fact that Robert Pattinson has been cast in the lead will cause interest for some female fans, but rest assured for those who are not fans this is nothing like it! Hopefully it will prove to some out there that he can actually act? Who knows, but I enjoyed it.
Aside from the cinema this week I will be going to the theatre to see Carmen, something that I have wanted to do for a very long time. I love the music and it's the first time I've been to see and opera so I hope that I am going to like it. Perhaps I can let you know next time.

In terms for the next few weeks, I am hoping to really be able to concentrate on the storyline to the latest novel and develop it into something worthy of a sequel. Often sequels are a huge let down so I am determined a continuation of a story has got to have enough of a spark to captivate a reader to want to spend time with my characters once again, at least that's what I am trying to do.

Why?

Totals...Twitter 2 Tweets (which is kind of pathetic!)... Facebook...1 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...nothing I took a day off! Cups of coffee...1 Cupcakes ...1
Music mostly on my itunes this evening...Goyte, Florence & the Machine, Christina Perri.

Hi! So I vowed to get better with the blog and I have failed fairly spectacularly, so here in a nutshell is what has been happening in my life just in case you were wondering...the day job, studying related to the day job, having an impressive meltdown about studying, finished second draft of third novel, sent second part of first novel to editor (after emailing him under the influence of red wine and cocktails, not advisable!) and have now gone back to second novel - which is currently half way through, after stopping it to write third. Confused? Try being in my head!

And breathe...am wondering if I have a finger in too many pies, but I have to admit I've never been good at sitting still for long.
Currently I am enjoying two days off from the day job, I had a nice day planned. Spending the day with my Aunt who was catching the train to come and meet me...so here is where the title of today's blog comes into play... Why is it when you have something planned do things never go as you think they should? I get a message saying she will be late because the train has been cancelled, they put buses on instead which means it will take and hour instead of 20 minutes to get to me...a few minutes I get another message telling me the bus has hit a car! Thinking I have plenty of time I think I will leave the car and take a bus to the train station, after standing at the bus stop for forty minutes I give up, walk home and pick up the car. Finally we meet! Then after a bit of shopping we do lunch!

Well, this wasn't our entire lunch but definitely my favourite bit! If the bus had turned up it would have been even better because I would have been able to have more than half a glass, but I am sure my Uncle was very appreciative of a slightly tipsy wife to accompany him to the cinema after I waved goodbye. In any case it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours.
Having had my evening plans cancelled I decided a trip to the cinema would be a nice way to end the day. I didn't want anything I would have to think about too much so having already seen What to expect when you're expecting last week I decided to give Snow White and the Huntsman a try...

Now I doubt the film will win many (or any) Oscars but I have to admit I enjoyed it, or would have. Sorry am going to moan a bit here...WHY do people insist on going to watch a movie and talk through the ENTIRE film? What is the point in going, or do they think that everyone else in the theatre has paid their money to listen to their conversation? I can probably guess the answer to this and it would be NO!!!! Everyone makes the odd comment and that's fine but there really is no point in going to see a movie if you are going to talk all the way through it. OK I feel better now I have that off my chest. I guess I've probably been spoilt as in a former job I got to go to press screenings and had the entire screen to myself most of the time - perhaps I need to find myself another job like that? In the meantime I will try and avoid the cinema at busy times or maybe I could just take a supply of projectile weapons to launch at anyone talking to excess and ruining the film...too much?

Zen like calm...

Totals...Twitter 6 Tweets ... Facebook...2 status updates ...blog entry...one in progress...actual productive writing of my novel...nothing I'm (still) editing! Cups of coffee...1 Cupcakes ...1
Music mostly on my itunes this evening;  very sore subject...but Rebecca Ferguson, Marcus Foster.

Am feeling a little guilty not having posted anything since April. it's not that I've not had anything to say - I've probably had too much but life has just got in the way a little.

So I will start by saying that life has been a little stressful recently, it was not helped any by itunes yesterday. When I sat at my computer ready to edit - and as usual I need music to work with - my house is too noisy most of the time not to have something in the background to drown it out. But as I logged in my play list was nowhere to be found!
Now obviously I am aware in the grand scheme of things that this is a very trivial matter - but to me this was a disaster, the list was not that bad (honest) and I had been cultivating it for months. It sported a very eclectic mix of everything I liked at the moment and found motivational while I wrote. Needless to say I was not happy. I still have no idea where it went, I also spent a considerable amount of time looking for it when I could have been editing - so to say I was unhappy was a bit of an understatement! I have now started the process of compiling another play list - but it's just not the same and is going to take time to love it...I'm just wondering if by the time I come to love it the same thing will happen? Perhaps or maybe that is just paranoia?!

Due to the fact it has been a while since I last blogged I should at least prove that I have used my time wisely in order to harness my creativity...

Painting! I had a huge space on the wall which has been home to my story board for almost six months and it finally got taken down and was replaced with this! I had great fun with paints and mosaic mirror stars. It was a bit of a stress reliever too!

I also made some crab cakes for a friend who is a little bit obsessed with crabs! They were great fun to make but a little time consuming, but I think they were well worth it.

In terms of writing progress I had some great feedback from my editor, which I was very pleased about and having now had the first half of my first novel back I have to say that I love what he's done with it. It's still me ( I was worried - having never had anything edited before) but it's tidier and flows better. It's true to say that I probably walked around with a cheesy grin fixed to my face for close to a week. He is currently working on the next part and I can't wait for it to be finished.

In the meantime I have now finished the second draft of my second novel which is so completely different to my first, and the first time I have attempted to write "funny" I'm hoping it pays off as it was fun to write. I am hoping for this to be edited when first is done, and now I can pick up the next which I am about a third of the way through. If that wasn't enough alongside a full time job I am also studying and my assignments are really starting to pile up. I am trying not to let my writing take a back seat but I have a feeling something is going to have to give...if for nothing other than my sanity!

I am open to suggestions of how to juggle my time effectively, until that happens I guess I will just have to keep smiling and carry on! While on this I have to say that my gym membership has been wasted too, this is something I will be rectifying on Monday! I am going to drag my reluctant butt to start my running schedule (this is going to be hilarious!) along with a very lovely yoga class...