We have broadband! Yippee! I can finally get on the internet and check my emails again from home! It only took one month and three days longer than it should. Now I am going to take great delight in writing to BT to let them know how I found the returning customer experience.
And I ended the writing year with a rejection from DCT for Sea of Dreams. Nevermind. I still have two partials out there and thanks to Janet Evanovich's How I Write (which I read in Cuba) I have a plan for 2007 which I intend to start working on as soon as I've had a long soak in a tub full of bubbles. I might even drink a glass of bubbles too!
2007 is going to be a busy year - I have seven exams to sit as well as writing and working full time. Bring it on!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Friday, December 29, 2006
happy new year!
Happy New Year everyone! Blogging from work again because we still don't have broadband at home... It's gone past annoying. We are beginning to think we'll never have broadband again. Our provider says they are at the mercy of BT. Still, I don't need broadband to write so I'm going to use my time over the next four days to begin editing the rest of Rules. Hopefully I'll also get around to writing about the holiday as well. All going well (ie IF our broadband starts working) I'll post about Cuba next week.
Friday, December 22, 2006
merry christmas!
Back from Cuba. However, in their usual style, BT managed to completely mess up moving my phone line back from my old provider so I haven't been able to blog because I didn't have a phone for several days and now I have a phone but no broadband. Grrrr! Once it's all resolved I am definitely going to send them a letter telling them how I didn't really get the impression that they wanted my business. Of course, all this wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the fact that my husband works from home. No phone, no internet, no work - and one very grumpy and bored husband. Not good after he's already taken more than two weeks off work to go to Cuba, which was fantastic, by the way! Will blog all about after I get back from where I'm heading for Christmas. Merry Christmas!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
cuba!
Checking in one last time before a) our broadband is disconnected and b) we go to Cuba!
The broadband is being switched off tomorrow. Won't have new broadband until a few days before Christmas. Leaving home on Wednesday straight after work to go to the airport to take advantage of twilight check in. Staying in a hotel at the airport overnight and flying early Thursday morning. Back in the UK on December 15th - but as I said, won't have broadband for a few days. I promise to post as soon as I can!
Really, really, really looking forward to Cuba.
A little exhausted right now though. Exams really took it out of me and I've had so much to do since (and still have to do) right up until Wednesday that I have hardly had time to think.
I had a really funny story to post about the vacuum cleaner (trust me, it's hilarious!) but I'm too tired to even think about it right now, other than remembering that I probably shouldn't tell it because it will show just how bad my housewife skills are!
Have three JD Robb books, Janet Evanovich's How I Write book and Kelly Hunter's latest Modern X to read while I'm away.
Fingers crossed I return to good news writing wise!
Happy festive season!
The broadband is being switched off tomorrow. Won't have new broadband until a few days before Christmas. Leaving home on Wednesday straight after work to go to the airport to take advantage of twilight check in. Staying in a hotel at the airport overnight and flying early Thursday morning. Back in the UK on December 15th - but as I said, won't have broadband for a few days. I promise to post as soon as I can!
Really, really, really looking forward to Cuba.
A little exhausted right now though. Exams really took it out of me and I've had so much to do since (and still have to do) right up until Wednesday that I have hardly had time to think.
I had a really funny story to post about the vacuum cleaner (trust me, it's hilarious!) but I'm too tired to even think about it right now, other than remembering that I probably shouldn't tell it because it will show just how bad my housewife skills are!
Have three JD Robb books, Janet Evanovich's How I Write book and Kelly Hunter's latest Modern X to read while I'm away.
Fingers crossed I return to good news writing wise!
Happy festive season!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
still here
Still here. Just busy. Exam this afternoon. Another tomorrow. Holiday next week. So much to do before we go. Will catch up with everyone's blogs after tomorrow's exam.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
phones
This whole phone business is starting to get me down.
I got my new phone on Friday November 3rd. It wasn't as I expected it to be so I called customer services. They said take it to a shop.
I took it to a shop on Monday November 6th. They agreed it wasn't right but said to try to fix it myself (and risk breaking it) or send it back. So I called the company and arranged for a new one to be sent out and the old one taken back.
So the new one arrives on Tuesday November 7th. It has the same problem as the original one. I emailed customer services (because this time I wanted my question to go to someone technical rather than speaking to the first person to answer the phone).
On Friday November 10th I speak to a customer services person twice; he's read my email so the first call is just to understand what I'm talking about and the second call is after he's spoken to the technical people.
The result: they don't know the answer! They suggest it's either a change the manufacturer has made that they haven't been told about or the manufacturer is sending out faulty phones.
The answer: I have to send my phone in so the technical people can look at it! I received a replacement phone today (different from the one I am using so I have to get used to another phone for a few days) and I have to go to the Post Office on Monday to post my phone back. Thankfully they sent a prepaid special delivery envelope so I don't have to pay anything.
In fairness, they are being very helpful in resolving the problem but I'm getting sick of this. I didn't programme numbers into the second phone and I won't be programming them into the temporary phone which means it's effectively useless. I am almost tempted to say I don't want the phone and cancel my contract. Only that would mean I need to search for another phone. Grrrr!
Ok, enough grumbling. I'm off to do a little bit of study now.
Hopefully we are going to the Lord Mayor's fireworks display tonight. And hopefully that means picking up fish and chips for dinner on the way home!
I got my new phone on Friday November 3rd. It wasn't as I expected it to be so I called customer services. They said take it to a shop.
I took it to a shop on Monday November 6th. They agreed it wasn't right but said to try to fix it myself (and risk breaking it) or send it back. So I called the company and arranged for a new one to be sent out and the old one taken back.
So the new one arrives on Tuesday November 7th. It has the same problem as the original one. I emailed customer services (because this time I wanted my question to go to someone technical rather than speaking to the first person to answer the phone).
On Friday November 10th I speak to a customer services person twice; he's read my email so the first call is just to understand what I'm talking about and the second call is after he's spoken to the technical people.
The result: they don't know the answer! They suggest it's either a change the manufacturer has made that they haven't been told about or the manufacturer is sending out faulty phones.
The answer: I have to send my phone in so the technical people can look at it! I received a replacement phone today (different from the one I am using so I have to get used to another phone for a few days) and I have to go to the Post Office on Monday to post my phone back. Thankfully they sent a prepaid special delivery envelope so I don't have to pay anything.
In fairness, they are being very helpful in resolving the problem but I'm getting sick of this. I didn't programme numbers into the second phone and I won't be programming them into the temporary phone which means it's effectively useless. I am almost tempted to say I don't want the phone and cancel my contract. Only that would mean I need to search for another phone. Grrrr!
Ok, enough grumbling. I'm off to do a little bit of study now.
Hopefully we are going to the Lord Mayor's fireworks display tonight. And hopefully that means picking up fish and chips for dinner on the way home!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
the whole world is against me..
...at least, it's felt like that today. I have lost count of the number of times I have said I would like my job a lot better if I didn't have to deal with people.
I didn't mean it. I love my job. I'm just really really really busy and had a second day full of meetings today which meant I had to clear two days of voicemail messages this afternoon and catch up with emails, which meant I didn't really get a lot of actual real work done. And with the end of the year fast approaching - and three weeks off before then - I'm feeling the pressure as I try to complete as many of my active projects as possible.
The last thing I need is people ringing me up constantly asking when the items I've ordered for them are going to arrive. I don't know and quite frankly I don't care. They will get here when they get here. Live with it.
In other news, I got a new phone (an MDA Pro) on Friday and had to have a courier collect it and exchange it for a replacement this afternoon, only to find the repalcement has the same issue as the original. Maybe it's meant to be like that but the customer services person I called on Friday said it wasn't, the people in the shop I visited on Monday said it wasn't and the customer services person I spoke to on Monday who arranged the exchange said it wasn't. So why is my replacement the same?
Then the Tesco man was late. When he finally called he told me he was standing in our carpark as he couldn't find us, so I popped out onto the balcony and...no Tesco man. He was in the carpark next door. He grumbled so much about how hard we were to find that I took the groceries off him in the foyer and brought them up stairs myself. I hasten to add that we have had groceries delivered by Tesco here for nearly four years and don't usually have this problem.
Grumble, grumble.
Thankfully, I have the day off tomorrow. Study leave. Will be going to the library first thing to get in a couple of hours of quality study.
Then again, I could really do with being at work so I can get some of that work done!
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. On Thursday morning, I'm going to work via the Cuban consulate as I need to get a tourist visa. Yay! And the holiday is fast approaching!
I didn't mean it. I love my job. I'm just really really really busy and had a second day full of meetings today which meant I had to clear two days of voicemail messages this afternoon and catch up with emails, which meant I didn't really get a lot of actual real work done. And with the end of the year fast approaching - and three weeks off before then - I'm feeling the pressure as I try to complete as many of my active projects as possible.
The last thing I need is people ringing me up constantly asking when the items I've ordered for them are going to arrive. I don't know and quite frankly I don't care. They will get here when they get here. Live with it.
In other news, I got a new phone (an MDA Pro) on Friday and had to have a courier collect it and exchange it for a replacement this afternoon, only to find the repalcement has the same issue as the original. Maybe it's meant to be like that but the customer services person I called on Friday said it wasn't, the people in the shop I visited on Monday said it wasn't and the customer services person I spoke to on Monday who arranged the exchange said it wasn't. So why is my replacement the same?
Then the Tesco man was late. When he finally called he told me he was standing in our carpark as he couldn't find us, so I popped out onto the balcony and...no Tesco man. He was in the carpark next door. He grumbled so much about how hard we were to find that I took the groceries off him in the foyer and brought them up stairs myself. I hasten to add that we have had groceries delivered by Tesco here for nearly four years and don't usually have this problem.
Grumble, grumble.
Thankfully, I have the day off tomorrow. Study leave. Will be going to the library first thing to get in a couple of hours of quality study.
Then again, I could really do with being at work so I can get some of that work done!
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. On Thursday morning, I'm going to work via the Cuban consulate as I need to get a tourist visa. Yay! And the holiday is fast approaching!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
tag
Yikes! It's been ages since I posted. Well, I did warn you that I was busy. Work is frantic and home is frantic too thanks to studying frantically for exams, which are now just two weeks away.
I looked around the place this morning and realised just how messy it is. This isn't a new thing. It's always messy but usually when I'm writing I take a break every now and then to clean, unless I'm really really inspired in which case I just write.
However, studying is a different matter, especially when combined with long frantic days at work. When I stop studying, all I want to do is watch tv and sleep. So I've studied, I've caught up on a load of tv and I've let the dust bunnies grow.
OK, I did sort of clean this weekend. But in the end I just gave up and decided that I will give the place a super clean after exams so that we have a nice clean place to come back to after the holiday.
Although in the back of my mind, what I'm actually hoping will happen is that I'll get a full request some time in the next two weeks. I'll have to put it to one side so I can keep revising but straight after my second exam I'm going to come home and spend every waking hour during the next week (aside from the ones at work!) editing so I can post my requested full off on the day before we go on holiday.
Not much time for cleaning if that happens!
So, anyway, I got tagged TWICE while I was off doing other things. Once by Christina and again by Phillipa. I admit that I'm cheating - I posted my five things on Phillipa's blog as requested and have now also copied it into this post to (hopefully) satisfy Christina.
At the risk of boring you, here at my five things:
1) I used to work as an asparagus picker in the summer in New Zealand when I was a student.
2) I had soooo many accidents that required stitches when I was really little that my mum swears my head would look like a baseball if I shaved my hair off!
3) I'm on a waiting list to get an allotment. I think it's been about two years now. The waiting list was about three years long when I put my name on it so I should get one soon!
4) I've interviewed two New Zealand prime ministers during my short career as a journalist.
5) Also during my career as a journalist, I did a story on a local blood bank needing donors urgently which featured several photos of me giving blood for the first time and explaining the process. Several months later when I went to the newspaper's general manager and asked for a pay rise, he asked me what I'd done to deserve it and I answered "I gave blood for my job". I got the pay rise!
A note from Sharon, the creator of People Collection (which seems to have originated this “Five Things…” list), says:
PLEASE LEAVE THE FOLLOWING IN ALL ‘PEOPLE COLLECTION’ POSTS:
Remember that it isn’t always the sensational stuff that writers are looking for, it can just as easily be something that you take for granted like having raised twins or knowing how to grow beetroot. Mind you, if you know how to fly a helicopter or have worked as a film extra, do feel free to let the rest of us know about it!
I tag Sadie, who can either answer on her own blog or post here.
Back sometime between now and the holiday!
I looked around the place this morning and realised just how messy it is. This isn't a new thing. It's always messy but usually when I'm writing I take a break every now and then to clean, unless I'm really really inspired in which case I just write.
However, studying is a different matter, especially when combined with long frantic days at work. When I stop studying, all I want to do is watch tv and sleep. So I've studied, I've caught up on a load of tv and I've let the dust bunnies grow.
OK, I did sort of clean this weekend. But in the end I just gave up and decided that I will give the place a super clean after exams so that we have a nice clean place to come back to after the holiday.
Although in the back of my mind, what I'm actually hoping will happen is that I'll get a full request some time in the next two weeks. I'll have to put it to one side so I can keep revising but straight after my second exam I'm going to come home and spend every waking hour during the next week (aside from the ones at work!) editing so I can post my requested full off on the day before we go on holiday.
Not much time for cleaning if that happens!
So, anyway, I got tagged TWICE while I was off doing other things. Once by Christina and again by Phillipa. I admit that I'm cheating - I posted my five things on Phillipa's blog as requested and have now also copied it into this post to (hopefully) satisfy Christina.
At the risk of boring you, here at my five things:
1) I used to work as an asparagus picker in the summer in New Zealand when I was a student.
2) I had soooo many accidents that required stitches when I was really little that my mum swears my head would look like a baseball if I shaved my hair off!
3) I'm on a waiting list to get an allotment. I think it's been about two years now. The waiting list was about three years long when I put my name on it so I should get one soon!
4) I've interviewed two New Zealand prime ministers during my short career as a journalist.
5) Also during my career as a journalist, I did a story on a local blood bank needing donors urgently which featured several photos of me giving blood for the first time and explaining the process. Several months later when I went to the newspaper's general manager and asked for a pay rise, he asked me what I'd done to deserve it and I answered "I gave blood for my job". I got the pay rise!
A note from Sharon, the creator of People Collection (which seems to have originated this “Five Things…” list), says:
PLEASE LEAVE THE FOLLOWING IN ALL ‘PEOPLE COLLECTION’ POSTS:
Remember that it isn’t always the sensational stuff that writers are looking for, it can just as easily be something that you take for granted like having raised twins or knowing how to grow beetroot. Mind you, if you know how to fly a helicopter or have worked as a film extra, do feel free to let the rest of us know about it!
I tag Sadie, who can either answer on her own blog or post here.
Back sometime between now and the holiday!
Sunday, October 22, 2006
win a copy of decent exposure
I pinched this from Phillipa Ashley's blog:
NOW magazine are running a competition with Little Black Dress Books to win a copy of Decent Exposure and I’m In No Mood For Love. Visit the site here:
http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/competitions/?id=925
Naturally, I entered! I've been visiting the WH Smiths down the road from work and my local Asda repeatedly for several weeks trying to get my hands on a copy of Decent Exposure. If I don't win a copy in this competition, I'll order it from amazon to take to Cuba with me.
Off to watch this season's last F1 race.
NOW magazine are running a competition with Little Black Dress Books to win a copy of Decent Exposure and I’m In No Mood For Love. Visit the site here:
http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/competitions/?id=925
Naturally, I entered! I've been visiting the WH Smiths down the road from work and my local Asda repeatedly for several weeks trying to get my hands on a copy of Decent Exposure. If I don't win a copy in this competition, I'll order it from amazon to take to Cuba with me.
Off to watch this season's last F1 race.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Busy, busy, busy
My only excuse for not blogging much this month is that I've been busy and as this is only going to get worse until November 22nd, I might not be here much. Please keep popping by just in case I realise a) I have something interesting to say and b) I have time to say it. In the meantime, get visiting my friend's blogs. Start with Amanda Ashby's brilliant post on TEAM MORELLI - http://amandaashby.blogspot.com/. I'm with Amanda on this one. Totally love the series. Think Ranger is hot but Morelli is something else!
In other news, no news from any of the publishers who have my mss, I'm watching (and loving) the new series of Robin Hood, and my copy of Janet Evanovich's How I Write has finally arrived.
In other news, no news from any of the publishers who have my mss, I'm watching (and loving) the new series of Robin Hood, and my copy of Janet Evanovich's How I Write has finally arrived.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
christmas!
Yes, folks, it's that time of year. The time of year when Christmas cards, wrapping paper and tinsel suddenly line the supermarket shelves!
Normally, I would ignore this because I'm very much a last minute person. I do my Christmas shopping in December. I also think about sending Christmas cards the week before Christmas. Last Christmas, I gave in and sent a Christmas email to my family and friends, promising them I'd be in touch more often this year. Have I? Nope. I had good intentions.
Anyway, on Sunday night as I was drifting off to sleep, it hit me. I'm tied up with work, exam preparation and actual exams for most of November. Then we're going on holiday. We arrive back on December 15th. One week before Christmas. Now that week is going to be very busy at work because of year end blah, blah, blah.
So for once I need to be organised. With that in mind, as I drifted to sleep I planned who I would send Christmas cards to and also thought about everyone I need to buy presents for and what I'll get them.
I transferred all this lovely information into my notepad on Monday. Then I Tuesday I set about trying to buy some of the listed presents. Well, money actually. New Zealand dollars to be precise, to tuck into parcels with chocolate! Only it appears that the Post Offices near my work don't stock NZ dollars. They can order them but I get no say in what size notes will turn up, which means I can't be sure that I'll get what I require for the four presents I'm planning.
It's enough to make a person give up and spend the money on herself. I hasten to add that I didn't and I haven't. I'll just trek to another part of the great city of London to get the cash.
My point here is that I've scared myself. It's October and I'm thinking about Christmas.
I'm also studying hard and not writing.
Normally, I would ignore this because I'm very much a last minute person. I do my Christmas shopping in December. I also think about sending Christmas cards the week before Christmas. Last Christmas, I gave in and sent a Christmas email to my family and friends, promising them I'd be in touch more often this year. Have I? Nope. I had good intentions.
Anyway, on Sunday night as I was drifting off to sleep, it hit me. I'm tied up with work, exam preparation and actual exams for most of November. Then we're going on holiday. We arrive back on December 15th. One week before Christmas. Now that week is going to be very busy at work because of year end blah, blah, blah.
So for once I need to be organised. With that in mind, as I drifted to sleep I planned who I would send Christmas cards to and also thought about everyone I need to buy presents for and what I'll get them.
I transferred all this lovely information into my notepad on Monday. Then I Tuesday I set about trying to buy some of the listed presents. Well, money actually. New Zealand dollars to be precise, to tuck into parcels with chocolate! Only it appears that the Post Offices near my work don't stock NZ dollars. They can order them but I get no say in what size notes will turn up, which means I can't be sure that I'll get what I require for the four presents I'm planning.
It's enough to make a person give up and spend the money on herself. I hasten to add that I didn't and I haven't. I'll just trek to another part of the great city of London to get the cash.
My point here is that I've scared myself. It's October and I'm thinking about Christmas.
I'm also studying hard and not writing.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
post book blues
If there is such a thing as post book blues, then I'm suffering from it.
Last week, a friend emailed me to say how nice it was reading my blog because I sounded so upbeat. I was upbeat because I had a plan - sending Heaven to M&B, Rules to LBD and Sea to DCT. I achieved that plan and now I feel a little lost. The addrenalin rush is over and I'm just trying to get enough sleep every night to see me through very busy days at work.
Thankfully I have managed to find the willpower to do some study! Not as much as I should be doing but enough to stop me worrying constantly about this.
I think post book blues thing is why I'm so keen to start work on my next ms even though I know I've still got to finish polishing Rules and Heaven in case I get a full request. Being the leave everything until the last minute person that I am, I'm much more likely to leave them as they are and only do the polishing when (thinking positive here!) the full requests arrive. Hey, I work best with a deadline!
Just realised it's only EIGHT WEEKS until our holiday to Cuba! This revelation just hit me because I just remembered that October 5th is the deadline to pay the outstanding balance. I've just written myself a note reminding me to pay this tomorrow.
Last week, a friend emailed me to say how nice it was reading my blog because I sounded so upbeat. I was upbeat because I had a plan - sending Heaven to M&B, Rules to LBD and Sea to DCT. I achieved that plan and now I feel a little lost. The addrenalin rush is over and I'm just trying to get enough sleep every night to see me through very busy days at work.
Thankfully I have managed to find the willpower to do some study! Not as much as I should be doing but enough to stop me worrying constantly about this.
I think post book blues thing is why I'm so keen to start work on my next ms even though I know I've still got to finish polishing Rules and Heaven in case I get a full request. Being the leave everything until the last minute person that I am, I'm much more likely to leave them as they are and only do the polishing when (thinking positive here!) the full requests arrive. Hey, I work best with a deadline!
Just realised it's only EIGHT WEEKS until our holiday to Cuba! This revelation just hit me because I just remembered that October 5th is the deadline to pay the outstanding balance. I've just written myself a note reminding me to pay this tomorrow.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
oh no!
I promised myself I would study intensively for the next six weeks because I have exams on November 21st and 22nd. So what happens? A book that has been rattling around in my head for a month or two suddenly falls into place and I get a burning desire to start writing it! Unbelievable! I can't study every night, right? So I could write a few hundred words here and there. There's no pressure to get it done because I've only just sent a partial into M&B so that's got to go through the usual procedure (thinking positive here - full request, fingers crossed!) before I can send something else in. Study or write? Experience tells me I can't do both. Studying totally sucks the creativity out of me. And I do need to study because I want to pass these exams. But still, there's got to be some spare time for writing, right? I will make time. Marc and Amelia are demanding it. Well, Marc is. Amelia would be happy to stand back and wait for me to have more time. But Marc has a point to prove and he wants to do it now!
allotments
I want an allotment!
This isn't new. This is an idea I fell in love with several years ago. Was it 2003 or 2004? I'm thinking it was 2004. Back then, I decided I wanted to write a book called Ladies Who Lunch about a group of women who share an allotment plot.
I've got their names and a fair amount of their stories worked out. The only thing I can't work out is how to start the story. So I've never started it. No, that's a lie, I've started it twice but I don't like either start.
And way back then I also put my name down on the waiting list for a plot at the local allotments, about five minutes walk from where I live. At the time I was told there was a three year waiting list. I think - but I'm not sure - that I might have given the lady my work number. Since I've changed jobs, I'm thinking I need to call and double check this.
What brought all this back into my mind was my husband. He wanted to order a book from Amazon last week. It was only £10 and he wanted to make the order up to whatever it was that is required to get free shipping. I should have said order me the Janet Evanovich book (How I Write) because I desperately want it but it's only available in the US and has a one to three week shipping wait so I said order me The Allotment Book by Andi Clevely.
Both books arrived yesterday. Well, actually the dh's book arrived on Friday but rather than ring the bell, our postie just left a card in our box saying we weren't home. Which we were. Very annoying. But mine turned up at 8am yesterday and straight after that I went to the sorting center and picked up Daren's.
Then I came home and went back to bed and read the entire book. OK, so I was in bed until some time in the afternoon but I figure that's acceptable since I sent out three mss last week which meant very late nights.
Plan of action for today: ring allotment lady to double check she has my home number and ask how much longer she thinks I'll have to wait, go back to Asda to see if Phillipa Ashley's LBD is out yet (it wasn't yesterday when I looked), read last module of very exciting business course and watched episode two of series seven of CSI.
ps: I swear I posted yesterday. It was one of those celebrity look alike things. I've seen them on a few blogs but finally gave in and followed the link from Ally Blake's blog yesterday only to find that blogger doesn't like the html that I copied from the site. I have no idea how to fix it so the post shall no doubt always remain as a draft that only I can see!
This isn't new. This is an idea I fell in love with several years ago. Was it 2003 or 2004? I'm thinking it was 2004. Back then, I decided I wanted to write a book called Ladies Who Lunch about a group of women who share an allotment plot.
I've got their names and a fair amount of their stories worked out. The only thing I can't work out is how to start the story. So I've never started it. No, that's a lie, I've started it twice but I don't like either start.
And way back then I also put my name down on the waiting list for a plot at the local allotments, about five minutes walk from where I live. At the time I was told there was a three year waiting list. I think - but I'm not sure - that I might have given the lady my work number. Since I've changed jobs, I'm thinking I need to call and double check this.
What brought all this back into my mind was my husband. He wanted to order a book from Amazon last week. It was only £10 and he wanted to make the order up to whatever it was that is required to get free shipping. I should have said order me the Janet Evanovich book (How I Write) because I desperately want it but it's only available in the US and has a one to three week shipping wait so I said order me The Allotment Book by Andi Clevely.
Both books arrived yesterday. Well, actually the dh's book arrived on Friday but rather than ring the bell, our postie just left a card in our box saying we weren't home. Which we were. Very annoying. But mine turned up at 8am yesterday and straight after that I went to the sorting center and picked up Daren's.
Then I came home and went back to bed and read the entire book. OK, so I was in bed until some time in the afternoon but I figure that's acceptable since I sent out three mss last week which meant very late nights.
Plan of action for today: ring allotment lady to double check she has my home number and ask how much longer she thinks I'll have to wait, go back to Asda to see if Phillipa Ashley's LBD is out yet (it wasn't yesterday when I looked), read last module of very exciting business course and watched episode two of series seven of CSI.
ps: I swear I posted yesterday. It was one of those celebrity look alike things. I've seen them on a few blogs but finally gave in and followed the link from Ally Blake's blog yesterday only to find that blogger doesn't like the html that I copied from the site. I have no idea how to fix it so the post shall no doubt always remain as a draft that only I can see!
Saturday, September 30, 2006
famous faces
Friday, September 29, 2006
still shattered
I posted the partial of Heaven Sent to M&B on Thursday. They would have received it today. Yesterday I felt elated. I've sent three mss - two partials and one requested full - out this week. Today I just feel tired. I've been up until midnight almost every night for the last two weeks and then up early to go to work. Did I mention how tired I'm feeling?
Shattered might be a better word for it. I've been living on lucozade. I feel a very early night coming on tonight. I just need to stay awake for another hour so that I can go to bed and drift off listening to the psychic show on LBC (http://www.lbc.co.uk/default.asp).
With the writing out of the way, the next six weeks will be filled with study...and reading Phillipa Ashley's (http://phillipa-ashley.com/blog/) Little Black Dress book in October and Kelly Hunter's (http://www.kellyhunter.net/index.html) next M&B Modern Extra in November. I totally loved Kelly's first book - Wife for a Week. I've read it soooo many times!
Shattered might be a better word for it. I've been living on lucozade. I feel a very early night coming on tonight. I just need to stay awake for another hour so that I can go to bed and drift off listening to the psychic show on LBC (http://www.lbc.co.uk/default.asp).
With the writing out of the way, the next six weeks will be filled with study...and reading Phillipa Ashley's (http://phillipa-ashley.com/blog/) Little Black Dress book in October and Kelly Hunter's (http://www.kellyhunter.net/index.html) next M&B Modern Extra in November. I totally loved Kelly's first book - Wife for a Week. I've read it soooo many times!
Monday, September 25, 2006
paper cuts
I got a paper cut yesterday when I was shuffling paper round during my editing of Sea of Dreams and then I got another one - a really nasty one that required a plaster to stop me bleeding all over my ms - this morning when I was packaging my mss ready for a trip to the post office.
Paper cuts are a hazard of writing. I always used to get them. Not so much recently since there's been a bit of a writing famine. But it made me wonder, do editors get paper cuts? I mean, they handle our mss. They must get paper cuts. Or do they read our mss with rubber gloves on their hands?
OK, silliness over. Rules and Sea were both posted today and so the waiting begins. I'm hoping to hear by Christmas but you never know - could be earlier or it could be longer.
Christmas will be here before I know it. This week I've got to concentrate on polishing up Heaven Sent for Modern Extra. Then I have six weeks of serious studying, followed by a week of freaking out about exams, a week freaking out about having so much work to do and then two weeks in Cuba! It'll only be one week until Christmas when we get back.
Let the countdown begin!
Paper cuts are a hazard of writing. I always used to get them. Not so much recently since there's been a bit of a writing famine. But it made me wonder, do editors get paper cuts? I mean, they handle our mss. They must get paper cuts. Or do they read our mss with rubber gloves on their hands?
OK, silliness over. Rules and Sea were both posted today and so the waiting begins. I'm hoping to hear by Christmas but you never know - could be earlier or it could be longer.
Christmas will be here before I know it. This week I've got to concentrate on polishing up Heaven Sent for Modern Extra. Then I have six weeks of serious studying, followed by a week of freaking out about exams, a week freaking out about having so much work to do and then two weeks in Cuba! It'll only be one week until Christmas when we get back.
Let the countdown begin!
Sunday, September 24, 2006
i wrote
...and wrote and wrote. And now I'm on a high!
The first seven chapters of Breaking the Rules are printed, ready to go to Little Black Dress at lunch time tomorrow. Can I just say that I think this ms rocks? And I think my synopsis is pretty cool too!
And the full of Sea of Dreams is also printed and ready to go to DC Thomson tomorrow.
Phew!
I'm exhausted! Or at least I should be.
The obvious question is did I do any study this weekend? Nope. Not a dot. But then there's always next week.
This coming week is about editing Heaven Sent (previously referred to as Holly's ms or The Husband Hunt) as my fantastic cp has sent me a fantastic crit.
The first seven chapters of Breaking the Rules are printed, ready to go to Little Black Dress at lunch time tomorrow. Can I just say that I think this ms rocks? And I think my synopsis is pretty cool too!
And the full of Sea of Dreams is also printed and ready to go to DC Thomson tomorrow.
Phew!
I'm exhausted! Or at least I should be.
The obvious question is did I do any study this weekend? Nope. Not a dot. But then there's always next week.
This coming week is about editing Heaven Sent (previously referred to as Holly's ms or The Husband Hunt) as my fantastic cp has sent me a fantastic crit.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
shattered
I'm officially shattered. I figure I must be about to come down with something because I'm feeling very low and tired in general. When the alarm went on this morning I seriously considered not going to work. I did go but the brain failed to engage on several occasions which resulted in several hysterical laughter moments at work after I astounded my colleagues with my complete lack of an ability to function as a person.
The thing is I did actually leave work early yesterday because I had a killer headache. It was brought on by stress, in fact it started about five minutes after the stressful situation I was in yesterday resolved itself. So I came home, ate, slept for a few hours and then edited chapter five of Rules. I also swore at the laptop a couple of times because it seemed to be functioning as slowly as me.
I didn't sleep well and woke up this morning feel crap but not crap enough that I didn't go to work. I still had the headache although it was just there in the background until about 4pm when it started to kick in again.
So far tonight I have done absolutely nothing. I should be finishing chapter six of Rules but I don't think I can. It is not going to kill me to finish it over the weekend and post it on Monday.
But enough whinging. I had good news today! A full request from DC Thomson. Now, if you'd asked me last week after Tarts got rejected by M&B, I would have said I had nothing left out there. You see, I sent a partial of Sea of Dreams to DC Thomson on December 1st last year. They usually have a pretty quick turn around so when I didn't hear I just assumed it had been rejected and I hadn't got the letter.
But I was wrong! I got an email from the editor today apologising for the delay and saying she has read the partial and would like to see the rest. All I have to do is run through it with a red pen to shorten the word count and it will be ready to post on Monday.
I feel like the writing gods (if there are such a thing) are smiling on me at the moment. Tarts might have been rejected but I got a comps slip from M&B to send in with another submission which I'll polish up next week, Rules is just about ready to send into LBD and now I've got a full request for Sea of Dreams!
Now if only this headache would go away.
The thing is I did actually leave work early yesterday because I had a killer headache. It was brought on by stress, in fact it started about five minutes after the stressful situation I was in yesterday resolved itself. So I came home, ate, slept for a few hours and then edited chapter five of Rules. I also swore at the laptop a couple of times because it seemed to be functioning as slowly as me.
I didn't sleep well and woke up this morning feel crap but not crap enough that I didn't go to work. I still had the headache although it was just there in the background until about 4pm when it started to kick in again.
So far tonight I have done absolutely nothing. I should be finishing chapter six of Rules but I don't think I can. It is not going to kill me to finish it over the weekend and post it on Monday.
But enough whinging. I had good news today! A full request from DC Thomson. Now, if you'd asked me last week after Tarts got rejected by M&B, I would have said I had nothing left out there. You see, I sent a partial of Sea of Dreams to DC Thomson on December 1st last year. They usually have a pretty quick turn around so when I didn't hear I just assumed it had been rejected and I hadn't got the letter.
But I was wrong! I got an email from the editor today apologising for the delay and saying she has read the partial and would like to see the rest. All I have to do is run through it with a red pen to shorten the word count and it will be ready to post on Monday.
I feel like the writing gods (if there are such a thing) are smiling on me at the moment. Tarts might have been rejected but I got a comps slip from M&B to send in with another submission which I'll polish up next week, Rules is just about ready to send into LBD and now I've got a full request for Sea of Dreams!
Now if only this headache would go away.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
agent update
Thanks to everyone who has emailed me with advice on the agent dilema. I have listened hard and done some serious thinking and while I tend to agree that finding an agent is a good idea, I am going to send BREAKING THE RULES directly to Little Black Dress. That's not to say that I won't go down the agent route in the future. Just not with this particular ms. Tonight I'm doing a final run through chapters one to four and chapter seven then I need to finish an assignment. I have a feeling it's going to be a late night! Tomorrow I'm rewriting chapters five and six. Thursday I'll run through them one final time and Friday I'm printing and going to the post office. Now that I've posted that on my blog, I'll have to stick to it!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
agents
So, I spent Friday night working on the first person version of Tarts Inc. I'm pleased to be able to report progress. LBD take the first 100 pages which is SEVEN chapters for me.
The first three chapters are as polished and ready to go as they ever will be. Chapter four is done but needs a polish. Five and six need rewriting but everything is there so that shouldn't take too long. And seven is done, done, done.
I'm thinking I can have this baby out the door by Friday. Which brings me to my next dilema - do I send it straight in or do I send it to agents first? I only "know" two LBD authors and both have agents.
There's also a second dilema in the background but it's only a small one - a name change. I'm so over Tarts Inc. It was the name for my Modern X version. This version is much funkier and I'd like a new name to go with it. So far all I've come up with are:
Breaking The Rules
Breaking All The Rules
Breaking Her Rules
The Rulebreaker
The Four Week Rule
Breaking All The Rules is the only real contender at this stage.
In other news, we visited a HUGE stationery store - Staples - today! For me, it was like being in heaven! As far as my husband was concerned, I was weird! I tried to explain to him that all writers like stationery but he just didn't get it. But in the end he did give in and let me buy more things for his desk that he actually needed. I didn't get anything for myself because I already have an overflow of surplus stationery in the house.
And I have also completed ONE assignment this weekend. Last night, in fact. Which means I am now only one assignment behind schedule. If this headache that is currently bothering me goes away, I will get that assignment done tonight and may even start on the next one.
It's going to be a busy week. It's our seventh wedding anniversary tomorrow so shan't be writing or studying! On Tuesday we'll be watching our weekly dose of Prison Break and the first two episodes of Spooks, which returns tonight. And on Wednesday we'll be watching the start of series two of The Unit. The rest of the week will be dedicated to study and writing, which I will, of course, be finding time for on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
POSTSCRIPT: Now I have another dilema. Is it the first 100 pages I'm meant to send in or is it the first three chapters? I've seen guidelines with both. I have the first three chapters ready to go. What to do?
The first three chapters are as polished and ready to go as they ever will be. Chapter four is done but needs a polish. Five and six need rewriting but everything is there so that shouldn't take too long. And seven is done, done, done.
I'm thinking I can have this baby out the door by Friday. Which brings me to my next dilema - do I send it straight in or do I send it to agents first? I only "know" two LBD authors and both have agents.
There's also a second dilema in the background but it's only a small one - a name change. I'm so over Tarts Inc. It was the name for my Modern X version. This version is much funkier and I'd like a new name to go with it. So far all I've come up with are:
Breaking The Rules
Breaking All The Rules
Breaking Her Rules
The Rulebreaker
The Four Week Rule
Breaking All The Rules is the only real contender at this stage.
In other news, we visited a HUGE stationery store - Staples - today! For me, it was like being in heaven! As far as my husband was concerned, I was weird! I tried to explain to him that all writers like stationery but he just didn't get it. But in the end he did give in and let me buy more things for his desk that he actually needed. I didn't get anything for myself because I already have an overflow of surplus stationery in the house.
And I have also completed ONE assignment this weekend. Last night, in fact. Which means I am now only one assignment behind schedule. If this headache that is currently bothering me goes away, I will get that assignment done tonight and may even start on the next one.
It's going to be a busy week. It's our seventh wedding anniversary tomorrow so shan't be writing or studying! On Tuesday we'll be watching our weekly dose of Prison Break and the first two episodes of Spooks, which returns tonight. And on Wednesday we'll be watching the start of series two of The Unit. The rest of the week will be dedicated to study and writing, which I will, of course, be finding time for on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
POSTSCRIPT: Now I have another dilema. Is it the first 100 pages I'm meant to send in or is it the first three chapters? I've seen guidelines with both. I have the first three chapters ready to go. What to do?
Thursday, September 14, 2006
hm&b rejection
I came home tonight totally fired up to complete two assignments. But somehow I don't think I'm going to be studying tonight.
Instead, I'm sitting on the sofa with a rejection letter next to me. Yes, M&B rejected Tarts Inc. But it was one of those "good" rejections. I submitted my first ms to M&B in June 2003. Since then every single rejection letter I've received has been personal and I've always been sent a comps slips signed by the editor asking for me to send something new directly in to her. I've always been told comps slips are like gold dust.
I have another comps slip. That's the good part.
And it was another personal rejection letter - not a form rejection - so that's another good thing.
The editor said my premise was interesting and quite ambitious but the scenario was over complicated, and that there was a danger that the reader would not be able to identify with the heroine because they didn't get a clear sense of who she was because she was posing as somebody else.
However, my sensual tension is great and they look forward to hearing from me in the near future.
Hahahaha! The near future? I don't have another single thing that I can send them. I'm all M&B'd out.
OK, so maybe I'm not totally M&B'd out. I do have that ms I was freaking out about a few weeks back that I kind of like and haven't submitted anywhere but feel like it's missing something. I'll send it to my cp tonight along with an angsty email explaining what I don't like about it and see what she has to say.
And I do have a plot for a new M&B Modern Extra but it's many many many months away from being completed (or even started, for that matter) due to exams etc.
Anyway, the plus side is that I have a single person version of Tarts that I really enjoyed working on (unlike the M&B version which was like getting blood from a stone) and I'd talked to my cp about submitting it to Little Black Dress recently. Well, now I can. I'm kind of excited about that...at the same time as feeling a little sad that I've got yet another rejection letter.
Instead, I'm sitting on the sofa with a rejection letter next to me. Yes, M&B rejected Tarts Inc. But it was one of those "good" rejections. I submitted my first ms to M&B in June 2003. Since then every single rejection letter I've received has been personal and I've always been sent a comps slips signed by the editor asking for me to send something new directly in to her. I've always been told comps slips are like gold dust.
I have another comps slip. That's the good part.
And it was another personal rejection letter - not a form rejection - so that's another good thing.
The editor said my premise was interesting and quite ambitious but the scenario was over complicated, and that there was a danger that the reader would not be able to identify with the heroine because they didn't get a clear sense of who she was because she was posing as somebody else.
However, my sensual tension is great and they look forward to hearing from me in the near future.
Hahahaha! The near future? I don't have another single thing that I can send them. I'm all M&B'd out.
OK, so maybe I'm not totally M&B'd out. I do have that ms I was freaking out about a few weeks back that I kind of like and haven't submitted anywhere but feel like it's missing something. I'll send it to my cp tonight along with an angsty email explaining what I don't like about it and see what she has to say.
And I do have a plot for a new M&B Modern Extra but it's many many many months away from being completed (or even started, for that matter) due to exams etc.
Anyway, the plus side is that I have a single person version of Tarts that I really enjoyed working on (unlike the M&B version which was like getting blood from a stone) and I'd talked to my cp about submitting it to Little Black Dress recently. Well, now I can. I'm kind of excited about that...at the same time as feeling a little sad that I've got yet another rejection letter.
Friday, September 08, 2006
peter brock
I've just read the sad news that Peter Brock died earlier today in a rally crash. Most people probably don't know I'm a bit of a petrolhead. I watched Brocky in the Bathurst 1000 and Mobil 500 every year when I was a kid. I loved it! I even went to Wellington to watch the Mobil 500 one year. These days I'm more of a Formula 1 fan but reading about Brocky's death reminded me of those years. I feel sad for Australia. They've lost Brocky and Steve Irwin in the same week.
exam result
Got the result of my July exam in the post today. I passed. Just. Still, it was still a pass. I shall celebrate by taking donnuts into the office on Monday. It was a bit of a wake up call though ie I need to start putting a bit more effort in for November's exams. I've only done one assignment so far. So shall be studying hard this weekend.
Visited baby Annie yesterday. Very pleased to say she's gorgeous but that I didn't have any maternal urges. Phew! I was worried! She must have known because she was very well behaved! So well behaved that I'm already planning my next visit.
Visited baby Annie yesterday. Very pleased to say she's gorgeous but that I didn't have any maternal urges. Phew! I was worried! She must have known because she was very well behaved! So well behaved that I'm already planning my next visit.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
technical difficulties
I've been missing for a while due to technical difficulties. Not with my new laptop, I hasten to add. My husband's computer died over a week ago and he uses it for work (rather than just writing and study like me) I had to let him use my laptop.
He builds his own computers so I had several days of "bits" arriving last week and when they all arrived, the lounge turned into something resembling a bomb site. It's usually over in a couple of days but this time, come the Friday night, one of the new bits failed. So instead of having my laptop back to study all weekend, I had to find things to entertain a grumpy husband who used my laptop.
He offered to tidy up since he had to wait until Monday to order new stuff (arrival Tuesday) but I didn't think it was worth it. I regretted this last night when the groceries arrived and I didn't have anywhere to put anything!
Touch wood, it all appears to be working tonight and I have my laptop back!
I'm way behind on my study and I'm also inspired to start writing again thanks to Julie Cohen (www.julie-cohen.com).
And I've got a half day in the office tomorrow because I'm going to see my friend and baby Annie!
He builds his own computers so I had several days of "bits" arriving last week and when they all arrived, the lounge turned into something resembling a bomb site. It's usually over in a couple of days but this time, come the Friday night, one of the new bits failed. So instead of having my laptop back to study all weekend, I had to find things to entertain a grumpy husband who used my laptop.
He offered to tidy up since he had to wait until Monday to order new stuff (arrival Tuesday) but I didn't think it was worth it. I regretted this last night when the groceries arrived and I didn't have anywhere to put anything!
Touch wood, it all appears to be working tonight and I have my laptop back!
I'm way behind on my study and I'm also inspired to start writing again thanks to Julie Cohen (www.julie-cohen.com).
And I've got a half day in the office tomorrow because I'm going to see my friend and baby Annie!
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Argh!
Writing is frustrating! Very frustrating. I read through The Husband Hunt last week and thought I'd worked out how I wanted to edit the first three chapters. So I copied the word doc and started playing with the cutting and pasting tonight. So far all I've managed to do is change it all and then and put it back to almost how it was before I started.
Now I've done a chapter breakdown and think I just need to switch two events around.
Well, technically that incorrect. As well as switching the two events around, I also need to go back and layer in lots more sexual tension. That is definitely missing.
However, I'm having a slight panic attack right about now. I'm thinking maybe I can't write and this ms is really just a pile of poo. I just logged into my gmail account and read an email that my first ever crit partner (hi Amanda!) sent me after reading the original first chapter for this ms. She liked it. Of course, that was quite some time ago because I did originally start work on this ms in 2004.
Maybe I should just make the two changes, switch the laptop off and come back to it again tomorrow to layer in the sex stuff and see how it seems.
Or maybe I just need to be ruthless and cut anything that seems rubbish. After all, it's only words and I can write more.
Of course, I'm also panicking because I should have done an assignment this weekend. I went to the library on Friday (day off) and Saturday so I have read through the lessons for assignment three and four. I just haven't finished assignment two. Maybe tomorrow.
Or maybe I just need to send my chapters to my current crit partner for some feedback. I assume she must have read through the three chapters last year before I sent them to a US publisher but I don't remember. However, I'm not sure she's around at the moment - school holidays and things.
As I said, ARGH!
Now I've done a chapter breakdown and think I just need to switch two events around.
Well, technically that incorrect. As well as switching the two events around, I also need to go back and layer in lots more sexual tension. That is definitely missing.
However, I'm having a slight panic attack right about now. I'm thinking maybe I can't write and this ms is really just a pile of poo. I just logged into my gmail account and read an email that my first ever crit partner (hi Amanda!) sent me after reading the original first chapter for this ms. She liked it. Of course, that was quite some time ago because I did originally start work on this ms in 2004.
Maybe I should just make the two changes, switch the laptop off and come back to it again tomorrow to layer in the sex stuff and see how it seems.
Or maybe I just need to be ruthless and cut anything that seems rubbish. After all, it's only words and I can write more.
Of course, I'm also panicking because I should have done an assignment this weekend. I went to the library on Friday (day off) and Saturday so I have read through the lessons for assignment three and four. I just haven't finished assignment two. Maybe tomorrow.
Or maybe I just need to send my chapters to my current crit partner for some feedback. I assume she must have read through the three chapters last year before I sent them to a US publisher but I don't remember. However, I'm not sure she's around at the moment - school holidays and things.
As I said, ARGH!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Oh baby!
My best friend had a baby today! A little girl - 6 pound 2 ounces. They've known for months that their baby was a little girl and we've been calling her by her name - Annie - for ages. I got the call just after 12 noon. Daddy sounded rather stunned! Annie was born by c-section a week early because she was in breech position. My friend has sent me several texts tonight. Apparently Annie has slept most of the day, including when her mummy tried to feed her! I've also been sent a photo. Mother and baby are doing well and I'm planning to visit next week. I've been the excited friend for months, however now I'm the worried one. What if I see Annie and decide I want a baby? Or worse, what if I see her and still don't feel that maternal urge? I have to go shopping to buy a present. I saw the cutest little baby socks in a shop two months ago. Nearly bought them but didn't want to tempt fate. Apparently Annie has more clothes than she is ever likely to wear and millions of fluffy bunny rabbits. So I'm thinking maybe I'll buy her a book. Then again, that sounds boring. The only thing I know for sure is that I am not stepping foot in a Mothercare store. I did that a few months ago and it was scary!
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Tagged
Yikes, I've been tagged. Thanks, Amanda! And the question of this particular tag:
"If you could write a novel about any subject, what would it be?"
Before I get into my answer, I want to say that Amanda's lovedotcom (see her tagged entry on her blog - and no, I don't know how to put links in my posts yet) was fabulous! She sent it to me to read when she first started critting my writing for me and I loved it. It's a shame she hasn't still got a copy of it but at least she's managed to recycle some of her characters. I've done that too!
So, what is my answer? I've been thinking about this for two whole days and I'm not sure I have an answer. If I could write a novel about any subject, then I guess it would always be the book that I'm currently working on because that is always my favourite book at the time.
The first book I ever wrote was called The Wrong Brother and was about a woman who joins an online matchmaking service after a couple of years of being single again (after her husband left her for another woman), falls in love with a guy she meets online and then, when she goes to meet him for real, finds out he's actually her brother in law. That all happened in the first chapter and the rest of the book is them working out their relationship. I loved that story and I still do.
Jump forward two mss to the next one I'm still in love with (what that means is that there was a rubbish one in between!) called The Italian's City Bride.
OK, I'll stop rambling about past mss and talk about the current one now. To be honest, I'm not sure I should write it. It's about a woman who doesn't have any children and doesn't actually want any. Why am I unsure if I should write it? Because not wanting children seems like a crime these days!
However, this story has been running around in my head for at least 12 months and the desire to write it gets stronger and stronger each time I look at it. I probably shouldn't but...
Family events, Jake Wellington hated them. People went out of obligation, not because they really wanted to be there. They spoke politely to each other, smiled for photographs and then usually ended up getting drunk.
Except he didn’t think this event would involved that much alcohol. This event was supposed to be about a person who couldn’t drink. A child. But that didn’t usually stop his grown up relations from turning celebrations into a drunken party.
Still, he didn’t intend on staying long enough to find out. He’d go outside to join in the party for long enough to say hello to the family. Out of obligation. Then he’d make his excuses and leave.
It was already arranged. In precisely thirty minutes his mobile phone was going to ring. He’d take the call and would, reluctantly, have to leave to attend an urgent business meeting.
‘You look like this is torture for you.’
Jake turned towards the voice, ready to defend himself. ‘You don’t look so happy yourself,’ he retorted, guilty at having revealed his thoughts. Hopefully Rosie and Justin hadn’t noticed his unwillingness to take party in what was supposed to be a happy family event.
The woman shrugged. ‘I don’t like christenings.’
There was something in the way she said it that told Jake there was much more to her short statement. Then it suddenly dawned on him. ‘You can’t have children?’ he asked, followed quickly by ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.’
He was surprised when the woman laughed. ‘Oh, it’s much worse than that,’ she said with a tinkle in her eye.
He raised his eyebrows in question.
‘It’s not a case of not being able to have children so much. It’s more a case of not wanting children.’ She paused to glance at the guests, most of whom had a child or two. ‘It’s something of crime around here.’
He smiled. ‘I know.’
‘Don’t tell me they pester you as well? “When are you going to get married?” “When are you going to have a baby?” “Don’t leave it too late – your biological clock is ticking”.’
He nodded. ‘They do. ”Isn’t it time you found yourself a wife to have children with?” I get that one every time I come to a family event.’ He grinned. ‘So how is your biological clock?’ He ducked to avoid the flowers the woman threw at him.
That is the opening for the ms I'm calling No Maternal Instinct. I have no plot. I'm just writing it as I go, putting the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Another ms I'd write if I had the time is about a group of woman who share an allotment. I've done the research but I need more of a plot (no pun intended!) for this one. I've got several opening pages but none of them have grabbed me yet. And, I had a title but I saw a new book out with the exact same title when I was in Tesco yesterday checking out the new releases.
OK, so I've prattled on enough. Who am I going to tag? Only four or five people know about this blog and three of them have either already answered the question or been tagged. So I'm going to cheat a little bit. If you haven't already been tagged, tag yourself and leave me a comment so I know to pop over to your blog to read your answer.
"If you could write a novel about any subject, what would it be?"
Before I get into my answer, I want to say that Amanda's lovedotcom (see her tagged entry on her blog - and no, I don't know how to put links in my posts yet) was fabulous! She sent it to me to read when she first started critting my writing for me and I loved it. It's a shame she hasn't still got a copy of it but at least she's managed to recycle some of her characters. I've done that too!
So, what is my answer? I've been thinking about this for two whole days and I'm not sure I have an answer. If I could write a novel about any subject, then I guess it would always be the book that I'm currently working on because that is always my favourite book at the time.
The first book I ever wrote was called The Wrong Brother and was about a woman who joins an online matchmaking service after a couple of years of being single again (after her husband left her for another woman), falls in love with a guy she meets online and then, when she goes to meet him for real, finds out he's actually her brother in law. That all happened in the first chapter and the rest of the book is them working out their relationship. I loved that story and I still do.
Jump forward two mss to the next one I'm still in love with (what that means is that there was a rubbish one in between!) called The Italian's City Bride.
OK, I'll stop rambling about past mss and talk about the current one now. To be honest, I'm not sure I should write it. It's about a woman who doesn't have any children and doesn't actually want any. Why am I unsure if I should write it? Because not wanting children seems like a crime these days!
However, this story has been running around in my head for at least 12 months and the desire to write it gets stronger and stronger each time I look at it. I probably shouldn't but...
Family events, Jake Wellington hated them. People went out of obligation, not because they really wanted to be there. They spoke politely to each other, smiled for photographs and then usually ended up getting drunk.
Except he didn’t think this event would involved that much alcohol. This event was supposed to be about a person who couldn’t drink. A child. But that didn’t usually stop his grown up relations from turning celebrations into a drunken party.
Still, he didn’t intend on staying long enough to find out. He’d go outside to join in the party for long enough to say hello to the family. Out of obligation. Then he’d make his excuses and leave.
It was already arranged. In precisely thirty minutes his mobile phone was going to ring. He’d take the call and would, reluctantly, have to leave to attend an urgent business meeting.
‘You look like this is torture for you.’
Jake turned towards the voice, ready to defend himself. ‘You don’t look so happy yourself,’ he retorted, guilty at having revealed his thoughts. Hopefully Rosie and Justin hadn’t noticed his unwillingness to take party in what was supposed to be a happy family event.
The woman shrugged. ‘I don’t like christenings.’
There was something in the way she said it that told Jake there was much more to her short statement. Then it suddenly dawned on him. ‘You can’t have children?’ he asked, followed quickly by ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.’
He was surprised when the woman laughed. ‘Oh, it’s much worse than that,’ she said with a tinkle in her eye.
He raised his eyebrows in question.
‘It’s not a case of not being able to have children so much. It’s more a case of not wanting children.’ She paused to glance at the guests, most of whom had a child or two. ‘It’s something of crime around here.’
He smiled. ‘I know.’
‘Don’t tell me they pester you as well? “When are you going to get married?” “When are you going to have a baby?” “Don’t leave it too late – your biological clock is ticking”.’
He nodded. ‘They do. ”Isn’t it time you found yourself a wife to have children with?” I get that one every time I come to a family event.’ He grinned. ‘So how is your biological clock?’ He ducked to avoid the flowers the woman threw at him.
That is the opening for the ms I'm calling No Maternal Instinct. I have no plot. I'm just writing it as I go, putting the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Another ms I'd write if I had the time is about a group of woman who share an allotment. I've done the research but I need more of a plot (no pun intended!) for this one. I've got several opening pages but none of them have grabbed me yet. And, I had a title but I saw a new book out with the exact same title when I was in Tesco yesterday checking out the new releases.
OK, so I've prattled on enough. Who am I going to tag? Only four or five people know about this blog and three of them have either already answered the question or been tagged. So I'm going to cheat a little bit. If you haven't already been tagged, tag yourself and leave me a comment so I know to pop over to your blog to read your answer.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Too much of a good thing?
Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? My husband seems to think so. When I last posted, I was about to watch the next episode of Bones. Mainly to oggle at David Boreanaz. However, my husband decided that watching nine episodes in nine days was enough so instead he made me watch a show he likes called The Dead Zone.
It's about a guy who is living his dream until a near fatal crash leaves him in a coma. He wakes up six years later to find his girlfriend has married someone else. He also now has the ability to see into the lives of people he touches. It's based on the book by Stephen King.
I grudgingly watched the first episode. Then we watched the original movie. Then I grudgingly watched the second episode. Now, four days later, I am on episode eight. All I've done is swap one obssession for another!
I find my obssession with The Dead Zone rather amusing. The relationships are rather weird. There's Johnny (the guy who has been in the coma for six years) who is still in love with Sarah (his girlfriend from before his accident). Sarah is married to the sheriff but is still in love with Johnny. Then there's a reporter who appears to be in love with Johnny. But Johnny touched her in an earlier episode and saw a vision of her life and I swear it was the reporter having sex with the sheriff, who is meant to be in love with his wife!
I have also seen two episodes of Bones. TV, it seems, is ruling my life!
Take today for example. I had the day off work. We would have gone to Southampton again but the weather forecast wasn't great so we decided to stay at home. Did I study? No. This morning I stayed in bed very late and then checked out all my favourite blogs and websites when I finally switched the laptop on before watching two episodes of The Dead Zone. We had a late takeaway lunch and then I switched the laptop on again. This time I did do some study but minutes after posting this, I'll be watching another Dead Zone followed later tonight by a Bones.
I've also just been reviewing the list of "fall" shows on a favourite site of mine (www.tv.com) and realised not only does Prison Break start on Monday, but I won't have long to wait until The Unit and CSI return! Bones also starts a second series shortly.
Did I mention that I have two exams in November? I have seven assignments and a mock exam to complete for one exam and a whole lot of study for the other. Not to mention those 16,000 words I need to write to complete The Husband Hunt.
I think I need to get focused!
Those who want to can read more about Bones at the link below. But be warned, this site may spoil the show for you as it contains a summary for every episode. Personally, I like that!
http://www.tv.com/bones/show/33332/summary.html?tag=tabs;summary
Likewise, you can read more about The Dead Zone here:
http://www.tv.com/search.php?qs=the+dead+zone&type=11&stype=all&tag=search%3Bbutton
It's about a guy who is living his dream until a near fatal crash leaves him in a coma. He wakes up six years later to find his girlfriend has married someone else. He also now has the ability to see into the lives of people he touches. It's based on the book by Stephen King.
I grudgingly watched the first episode. Then we watched the original movie. Then I grudgingly watched the second episode. Now, four days later, I am on episode eight. All I've done is swap one obssession for another!
I find my obssession with The Dead Zone rather amusing. The relationships are rather weird. There's Johnny (the guy who has been in the coma for six years) who is still in love with Sarah (his girlfriend from before his accident). Sarah is married to the sheriff but is still in love with Johnny. Then there's a reporter who appears to be in love with Johnny. But Johnny touched her in an earlier episode and saw a vision of her life and I swear it was the reporter having sex with the sheriff, who is meant to be in love with his wife!
I have also seen two episodes of Bones. TV, it seems, is ruling my life!
Take today for example. I had the day off work. We would have gone to Southampton again but the weather forecast wasn't great so we decided to stay at home. Did I study? No. This morning I stayed in bed very late and then checked out all my favourite blogs and websites when I finally switched the laptop on before watching two episodes of The Dead Zone. We had a late takeaway lunch and then I switched the laptop on again. This time I did do some study but minutes after posting this, I'll be watching another Dead Zone followed later tonight by a Bones.
I've also just been reviewing the list of "fall" shows on a favourite site of mine (www.tv.com) and realised not only does Prison Break start on Monday, but I won't have long to wait until The Unit and CSI return! Bones also starts a second series shortly.
Did I mention that I have two exams in November? I have seven assignments and a mock exam to complete for one exam and a whole lot of study for the other. Not to mention those 16,000 words I need to write to complete The Husband Hunt.
I think I need to get focused!
Those who want to can read more about Bones at the link below. But be warned, this site may spoil the show for you as it contains a summary for every episode. Personally, I like that!
http://www.tv.com/bones/show/33332/summary.html?tag=tabs;summary
Likewise, you can read more about The Dead Zone here:
http://www.tv.com/search.php?qs=the+dead+zone&type=11&stype=all&tag=search%3Bbutton
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Cleaning
I must be feeling ill. I have a new laptop but instead of spending the weekend playing with it, I spent yesterday cleaning. Why? It all started because my husband asked me to find the user guides for the old laptop because apparently someone might want to buy it. So I looked. And looked. And looked. In the end we came to the conclusion that we must have decided the old laptop was so old when we got it that we'd never sell it and probably threw them out.
But the looking reminded me that our place was covered in dust. Literally covered it in. When I'm writing or studying I can normally get away with a quick clean every now and then. I mean, I have an excuse. I'm busy! But yesterday, having soaked in the bath and made myself clean, I decided to clean the house.
It started with in the bedroom with the windowsils and bedside cabinets. Then I progressed into the bathroom - which wasn't as bad as it could have been since I'd washed the floor last weekend! After that I moved into the lounge. I have a terrible sense of smell so I couldn't smell the cleaness of the disinfectant but I did have a satisfied smile on my face a the end of it...until I got up this morning and saw all the fluff all over the lounge floor from that beanbag. How much fluff can a beanbag create? We must have had it for a month now. Surely it's got to stop moulting at some stage?
Anyway, so I felt virtuous yesterday. It might have lasted today if only I'd done that assignment. I swear I meant to but it just didn't happen. I'll try to do it this week. I did get all my research for Ladies Who Lunch (my allotment ms) out of the box file I'd hidden it away in and located some stuff for No Maternal Bones (which is the single title that's really calling at me at the moment).
But, if I'm going to be honest (and if I can't be honest on my blog, what's the point in having one?) the story I'm really dying to work on is called The Husband Hunt. It was originally written with M&B Tender in mind but I never actually submitted it because the line changed direction and The Husband Hunt no longer fitted. But it had a kind of Modern X feel to it. It only needs 16,000 words and I'm due a response on Tarts any day soon so I'm keen to get this ms completed so I've got another partial ready to send on in.
But right now, as always, I'm going to watch another episode of Bones. Purely for research purposes.
But the looking reminded me that our place was covered in dust. Literally covered it in. When I'm writing or studying I can normally get away with a quick clean every now and then. I mean, I have an excuse. I'm busy! But yesterday, having soaked in the bath and made myself clean, I decided to clean the house.
It started with in the bedroom with the windowsils and bedside cabinets. Then I progressed into the bathroom - which wasn't as bad as it could have been since I'd washed the floor last weekend! After that I moved into the lounge. I have a terrible sense of smell so I couldn't smell the cleaness of the disinfectant but I did have a satisfied smile on my face a the end of it...until I got up this morning and saw all the fluff all over the lounge floor from that beanbag. How much fluff can a beanbag create? We must have had it for a month now. Surely it's got to stop moulting at some stage?
Anyway, so I felt virtuous yesterday. It might have lasted today if only I'd done that assignment. I swear I meant to but it just didn't happen. I'll try to do it this week. I did get all my research for Ladies Who Lunch (my allotment ms) out of the box file I'd hidden it away in and located some stuff for No Maternal Bones (which is the single title that's really calling at me at the moment).
But, if I'm going to be honest (and if I can't be honest on my blog, what's the point in having one?) the story I'm really dying to work on is called The Husband Hunt. It was originally written with M&B Tender in mind but I never actually submitted it because the line changed direction and The Husband Hunt no longer fitted. But it had a kind of Modern X feel to it. It only needs 16,000 words and I'm due a response on Tarts any day soon so I'm keen to get this ms completed so I've got another partial ready to send on in.
But right now, as always, I'm going to watch another episode of Bones. Purely for research purposes.
Friday, August 11, 2006
New laptop!
I'm excited because I have a new laptop! And it was a complete surprise! Well, not a complete surprise. My husband talked about getting me a new laptop on Monday. I just didn't expect it to happen for a long time.
My old laptop is many many many years old and didn't have word on it because it didn't have enough memory. It was also very s-l-o-w. But it was good enough for checking my emails and working on assignments. Not so good for writing though. The programs I used in place of word mostly didn't have word counts. It was frustrating. But all that is in the past now.
I came home from work last night to find a new HP waiting for me! I didn't play with it much last night because I was late home but I have been playing tonight. I had actually been planning a lazy weekend because I'm not feeling 100% but instead I will be writing and studying so I have an excuse to use the laptop. I won't have any excuse not to write now!
I've just spent the last half hour transferring mss from my usb drive to the laptop. I've got two mainstream mss that I'm going to play around with over the coming months plus I have an ms on 44,000 words that I need to get up to 60,000 for Modern Extra. I want to have it ready to send in as soon as I hear back about Tarts.
But right now I'm off to watch another episode of Bones. Amanda, if you're reading this, Bones is fantastic! Well, DB is. I'm not sure about the actual storyline but I'm not that bothered since I'm really only watching it as hero material research. He is definite hero material!
My old laptop is many many many years old and didn't have word on it because it didn't have enough memory. It was also very s-l-o-w. But it was good enough for checking my emails and working on assignments. Not so good for writing though. The programs I used in place of word mostly didn't have word counts. It was frustrating. But all that is in the past now.
I came home from work last night to find a new HP waiting for me! I didn't play with it much last night because I was late home but I have been playing tonight. I had actually been planning a lazy weekend because I'm not feeling 100% but instead I will be writing and studying so I have an excuse to use the laptop. I won't have any excuse not to write now!
I've just spent the last half hour transferring mss from my usb drive to the laptop. I've got two mainstream mss that I'm going to play around with over the coming months plus I have an ms on 44,000 words that I need to get up to 60,000 for Modern Extra. I want to have it ready to send in as soon as I hear back about Tarts.
But right now I'm off to watch another episode of Bones. Amanda, if you're reading this, Bones is fantastic! Well, DB is. I'm not sure about the actual storyline but I'm not that bothered since I'm really only watching it as hero material research. He is definite hero material!
Monday, August 07, 2006
Nice things!
The last few days have been packed full of nice things!
On Friday, as we drove through London on our way to Southampton, we went passed Eton House - the home of Mills & Boon! I've been to Richmond before but I've never seen Eton House.
On Friday we caught up with my husband's father which was nice. We also caught up with my husband's brother, who we haven't seen for years. And we spent some time at Mudeford Beach, which I love. All in all, it was a great day!
On Saturday and Sunday, there were free events held in our local park. Sunday was the best. It was the Latino carnival. We watched an amazing parade and then went back to the park with a rug and sat and listened to the music. Last night when I went to sleep I was a little sunburnt and tired, but I felt very relaxed. I'd had a fantastic weekend!
I also started watching a new tv series at the weekend. It's called Bones and is inspired by real-life forensic anthropologist and novelist Kathy Reichs. I've read her books so I figured I might as well take a look at the series. Watched two shows so far. I'm slightly undecided. Planning on watching another one or two before making up my mind whether to watch the whole series. One big thing in its favour is David Boreanaz. I never really got into Buffy or Angel but I'm liking him in this!
Some time this week I'll have to do some study. I should really complete assignment A of my new course. I would like to get some writing in too. I'm toying with two ideas at the moment - a single title and a Modern X. Although right now, Bones is winning.
I'm off to watch some more David Boreanaz!
On Friday, as we drove through London on our way to Southampton, we went passed Eton House - the home of Mills & Boon! I've been to Richmond before but I've never seen Eton House.
On Friday we caught up with my husband's father which was nice. We also caught up with my husband's brother, who we haven't seen for years. And we spent some time at Mudeford Beach, which I love. All in all, it was a great day!
On Saturday and Sunday, there were free events held in our local park. Sunday was the best. It was the Latino carnival. We watched an amazing parade and then went back to the park with a rug and sat and listened to the music. Last night when I went to sleep I was a little sunburnt and tired, but I felt very relaxed. I'd had a fantastic weekend!
I also started watching a new tv series at the weekend. It's called Bones and is inspired by real-life forensic anthropologist and novelist Kathy Reichs. I've read her books so I figured I might as well take a look at the series. Watched two shows so far. I'm slightly undecided. Planning on watching another one or two before making up my mind whether to watch the whole series. One big thing in its favour is David Boreanaz. I never really got into Buffy or Angel but I'm liking him in this!
Some time this week I'll have to do some study. I should really complete assignment A of my new course. I would like to get some writing in too. I'm toying with two ideas at the moment - a single title and a Modern X. Although right now, Bones is winning.
I'm off to watch some more David Boreanaz!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Well done, Donna!
Woohoo to Donna Alward who sold a book to Harlequin Romance! It's always good to hear about friends selling. You can read Donna's sale story on her blog which you can find by clicking on the link in my links on the right or by going here: http://www.donnaalward.blogspot.com/. I haven't figured out how to do links in my posts yet!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Today I don't suck
Today is a good day. Today I don't suck. Today I am celebrating passing my May exams! The results arrived early, which was probably good because I would have been a nervous wreck today in anticipation of the results tomorrow. Instead, I'm surfing the internet and thinking about studying. I was a little shocked because I was convinced I'd failed one exam. I didn't! I passed them both! The coursework and study guides for those two courses were put away this morning!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
I suck
I was planning to blog about a story I read on the BBC this afternoon about a prisoner who has been blogging since going on the run. However, today's post brought with it some news which has me full of self pity and about to open a bottle of wine. So, if you want to read about the prisoner blogging since going on the run, go here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5219716.stm. I tried to find her blog on my space but I'm new to my space so I don't really understand how it works or how to find someone on it. If you want to take part in my self pity, read on.
So, the dreaded envelope was waiting for me tonight. I knew one was due. Two or three even. The self addressed envelope. The letter from the editor who has read my ms and written to tell me that it sucked.
It sucked.
The letter said "while the characters ere interesting, we found the plot complicated and hard to follow."
Like all my mss, I loved that dam story. I don't think it sucked but then I'm not an editor.
The letter was from a US publisher. I had originally written the ms - called The Husband Hunt - with M&B's Tender line in mind. However, before I sent it, an editor there suggested I try writing something for the Modern Extra line because the Tender line was changing direction. So I never sent The Husband Hunt to them. I sent it to the US publisher instead. And they said it sucked.
Now, that wasn't what bothered me about the letter the most. The bit that bothered me was the bit that read "On behalf of X, I want to express my apologies for the amount of time you've been waiting for an answer on your manuscript."
OK, so The Husband Hunt was sent to X in June 2005 so I had been waiting just over a year but what bothered me was that X also received another ms of mine in DECEMBER 2004 which I still haven't heard back about. I know it was still there - and unread - at the beginning of July when I last checked. So why did I get a rejection letter for The Husband Hunt (submitted June 2005) before I heard about Just Pretending (aka The Italian's City Bride for those who might know it from it's first outing - submitted December 2004)??????
So I had to ring.
I rang.
And spoke to a lovely woman who was surprised I was asking about a 2004 ms. There was nothing on their database about my ms having been read but she was sure they had cleared everything from 2004 so she asked me to wait while she checked where the submissions are kept. Minutes later she was back. My ms wasn't there. Maybe my letter is on the way, she suggested. Or maybe it had been lost. Wait two weeks, she said, and if your letter hasn't turned up, send your ms in again with a letter explaining what has happened.
Now, I'm not being optimistic. I think the letter has been written and it's either been lost - along with all the other post I was expecting in the last 10 days that has mysteriously disappeared - or it's still on it's way.
So, I don't just suck once. I suck twice today.
For just a tiny second, I thought it was time to give up. Why waste my time writing when I'm obviously no good at it? But then I thought about my new ms. It's called How to Marry a Prince. It's aimed at Modern Extra. I've got names for the two central characters and I have a plot. They want their story to be written. So I'll write it and then maybe I'll give up. Or maybe not.
I think my wine is calling me.
So, the dreaded envelope was waiting for me tonight. I knew one was due. Two or three even. The self addressed envelope. The letter from the editor who has read my ms and written to tell me that it sucked.
It sucked.
The letter said "while the characters ere interesting, we found the plot complicated and hard to follow."
Like all my mss, I loved that dam story. I don't think it sucked but then I'm not an editor.
The letter was from a US publisher. I had originally written the ms - called The Husband Hunt - with M&B's Tender line in mind. However, before I sent it, an editor there suggested I try writing something for the Modern Extra line because the Tender line was changing direction. So I never sent The Husband Hunt to them. I sent it to the US publisher instead. And they said it sucked.
Now, that wasn't what bothered me about the letter the most. The bit that bothered me was the bit that read "On behalf of X, I want to express my apologies for the amount of time you've been waiting for an answer on your manuscript."
OK, so The Husband Hunt was sent to X in June 2005 so I had been waiting just over a year but what bothered me was that X also received another ms of mine in DECEMBER 2004 which I still haven't heard back about. I know it was still there - and unread - at the beginning of July when I last checked. So why did I get a rejection letter for The Husband Hunt (submitted June 2005) before I heard about Just Pretending (aka The Italian's City Bride for those who might know it from it's first outing - submitted December 2004)??????
So I had to ring.
I rang.
And spoke to a lovely woman who was surprised I was asking about a 2004 ms. There was nothing on their database about my ms having been read but she was sure they had cleared everything from 2004 so she asked me to wait while she checked where the submissions are kept. Minutes later she was back. My ms wasn't there. Maybe my letter is on the way, she suggested. Or maybe it had been lost. Wait two weeks, she said, and if your letter hasn't turned up, send your ms in again with a letter explaining what has happened.
Now, I'm not being optimistic. I think the letter has been written and it's either been lost - along with all the other post I was expecting in the last 10 days that has mysteriously disappeared - or it's still on it's way.
So, I don't just suck once. I suck twice today.
For just a tiny second, I thought it was time to give up. Why waste my time writing when I'm obviously no good at it? But then I thought about my new ms. It's called How to Marry a Prince. It's aimed at Modern Extra. I've got names for the two central characters and I have a plot. They want their story to be written. So I'll write it and then maybe I'll give up. Or maybe not.
I think my wine is calling me.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Belle de Jour and La Petite Anglaise
I was surprised to find I had two comments on my previous post when I logged in tonight. Surprised because I hadn't told a single soul that I was blogging again. And yet two friends found me.
Apparently I was found through something called a site meter. Right now, I have no idea what that means. Amanda Ashby was checking her site meter, saw my site listed and followed the link. Sara Hantz says it's like big brother.
Big brother is one of the reasons I'm blogging under an assumed name. Previously, all anyone who knew me had to do was type my name into goggle and my blog and website was right at the top of the results. I'm told that's because I blogged so often that google liked me. While this was good when I was blogged about writing things, it wasn't so good when I was moaning about work things.
Blogging about work - even anonymously - is dangerous. Just this week I read about a London woman living in Paris who was fired when her employer found out she had a blog. She never used her name on her blog.
I suspect her site stats have gone through the roof in recent weeks as the world has been reading about her plight in newspapers, online news sites and now on blogs. I've been there - her site is http://www.petiteanglaise.com - and I'll be going back when I have time to read more about her life because what I've read so far was dammed funny!
This is how she describes herself: "After living 'in sin' for 8 years, I left my partner for a man I met on my blog. I now live alone with my daughter Tadpole; her daddy, Mr Frog, lives nearby."
One post I read - prior to her leaving Mr Frog - talks about the funny moments they shared as they stumbled through the language barrier. One thing I recall in particular was her description of a telephone conversation Mr Frog had with her mother. Her mother had called to ask what Mr Frog would like for his birthday. Handcuffs, he replied. He meant cuff links! Imagine trying to explain that one to your mother!
Another site I've visited in the last week outside of my usual writing loop is http://belledejour-uk.blogspot.com - diary of a London call girl. I went there after a conversation with my husband about something he calls "bliction". I think he described it as a blog that tells a fictional story in real time. Belle de Jour came into the conversation because nobody is really sure if the blog is real or not. Belle de Jour published a book last September which was basically her blog with more information added, so I'm told, and prior to publication, everyone thought Belle's identify would be revealed. There is another book out this September which details her life since the first book was published. Belle de Jour is still anonymous.
Even the BBC are blogging now. The Editors can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors. I particularly like the posts by Daniel Pearl, deputy editor of Newsnight. He recently wrote a big brother type "we're watching you" post which you can read here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/07/were_watching_you.html. Hilarious! I can't comprehend that people who blog don't expect others to read it. I don't expect hundreds of people to be popping by here on a daily basis but I was constantly surprised by the searches that people did that brought them to my original blog. Then again, I did talk about so many different things!
I'd love to stay and chat more but the list of blogs I have to check each night is growing daily - and I still have to find time to study and write!
Apparently I was found through something called a site meter. Right now, I have no idea what that means. Amanda Ashby was checking her site meter, saw my site listed and followed the link. Sara Hantz says it's like big brother.
Big brother is one of the reasons I'm blogging under an assumed name. Previously, all anyone who knew me had to do was type my name into goggle and my blog and website was right at the top of the results. I'm told that's because I blogged so often that google liked me. While this was good when I was blogged about writing things, it wasn't so good when I was moaning about work things.
Blogging about work - even anonymously - is dangerous. Just this week I read about a London woman living in Paris who was fired when her employer found out she had a blog. She never used her name on her blog.
I suspect her site stats have gone through the roof in recent weeks as the world has been reading about her plight in newspapers, online news sites and now on blogs. I've been there - her site is http://www.petiteanglaise.com - and I'll be going back when I have time to read more about her life because what I've read so far was dammed funny!
This is how she describes herself: "After living 'in sin' for 8 years, I left my partner for a man I met on my blog. I now live alone with my daughter Tadpole; her daddy, Mr Frog, lives nearby."
One post I read - prior to her leaving Mr Frog - talks about the funny moments they shared as they stumbled through the language barrier. One thing I recall in particular was her description of a telephone conversation Mr Frog had with her mother. Her mother had called to ask what Mr Frog would like for his birthday. Handcuffs, he replied. He meant cuff links! Imagine trying to explain that one to your mother!
Another site I've visited in the last week outside of my usual writing loop is http://belledejour-uk.blogspot.com - diary of a London call girl. I went there after a conversation with my husband about something he calls "bliction". I think he described it as a blog that tells a fictional story in real time. Belle de Jour came into the conversation because nobody is really sure if the blog is real or not. Belle de Jour published a book last September which was basically her blog with more information added, so I'm told, and prior to publication, everyone thought Belle's identify would be revealed. There is another book out this September which details her life since the first book was published. Belle de Jour is still anonymous.
Even the BBC are blogging now. The Editors can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors. I particularly like the posts by Daniel Pearl, deputy editor of Newsnight. He recently wrote a big brother type "we're watching you" post which you can read here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/07/were_watching_you.html. Hilarious! I can't comprehend that people who blog don't expect others to read it. I don't expect hundreds of people to be popping by here on a daily basis but I was constantly surprised by the searches that people did that brought them to my original blog. Then again, I did talk about so many different things!
I'd love to stay and chat more but the list of blogs I have to check each night is growing daily - and I still have to find time to study and write!
Monday, July 24, 2006
Why Am I Here?
I'm here because I want to blog! I used to blog. In fact, I've had a blog for years under my real name but just recently I realised that blogging under my own name wasn't such a good idea. My colleagues all knew I had a blog. Any of them could have read it. I never actually mentioned where I worked or exactly what I did but...well, after a while I started to get paranoid. My posts were normally about every day life but then something happened at work which affected my every day life so I started mentioning it in my blog. Then my blog turned into a kind of daily moan about everything that I felt was unfair. Then, I stopped my blog. Partly because I was bored with hearing myself moan, partly because I'd lost the will to blog and partly because I changed jobs and was worried my new colleagues (who love to google everyone they come across) might read my blog, particularly if I was still moaning about work related issues.
Nearly five months on and I'm ready to blog again - but under an assumed name! So what am I going to blog about? Anything I feel like blogging about. I'm a writer so I'm bound to talk a lot about writing. I also like to talk about my favourite tv shows - Stargate, CSI, The Unit, 24, Battlestar and many, many more.
I might even talk about slightly more boring things like study because I sat an exam on Friday. Exam number five of 14. I think, no, I know, I mucked up 22% of it but I'm hoping I did OK in enough of the rest of it to pass. So far I've passed two. I get the results from the next two on August 1st and then the result from Friday in early September. I have two more exams in November, three in May 2007, two in summer 2007 and the final two in November 2007.
But for now, back to writing. I've been writing since 2001. So far, I've been aiming at Harlequin Mills & Boon but I also have several ideas for chick lit or mainstream novels down on paper and want to write a crime novel. I currently have three requested fulls sitting on editor's desks and I'm in a kind of no man's land - do I keep on writing what I've been writing for the last few years or is it time to try something different? I haven't had a form rejection letter from M&B yet (touch wood). So far I've had four full requests and each rejection has been a personal letter detailing exactly why the ms was rejected, and most importantly, each rejection has also included a comps slip with a request to send more directly to the same editor. So, she's seen something in my writing. She's been encouraging me. I appreciate that. But I've never actually written anything else. Maybe I'd get the same encouragement elsewhere, from publishing houses publishing a different genre.
It is said that you should write what you like to read. While I still like to read romances, recently I have found myself leaning more towards a kick ass type heroine - more like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and JD Robb's Eve Dallas. So, I'm toying with the idea of writing that crime novel. I think I'll warm towards the idea even more in September when Janet's "How I Write" book comes out.
Until then, I'm happy playing with an idea for a Mills & Boon Modern Extra, just in case the editor who has my current requested full sends me another one of those comps slips that I'm told are like gold dust!
So, let's get writing!
Nearly five months on and I'm ready to blog again - but under an assumed name! So what am I going to blog about? Anything I feel like blogging about. I'm a writer so I'm bound to talk a lot about writing. I also like to talk about my favourite tv shows - Stargate, CSI, The Unit, 24, Battlestar and many, many more.
I might even talk about slightly more boring things like study because I sat an exam on Friday. Exam number five of 14. I think, no, I know, I mucked up 22% of it but I'm hoping I did OK in enough of the rest of it to pass. So far I've passed two. I get the results from the next two on August 1st and then the result from Friday in early September. I have two more exams in November, three in May 2007, two in summer 2007 and the final two in November 2007.
But for now, back to writing. I've been writing since 2001. So far, I've been aiming at Harlequin Mills & Boon but I also have several ideas for chick lit or mainstream novels down on paper and want to write a crime novel. I currently have three requested fulls sitting on editor's desks and I'm in a kind of no man's land - do I keep on writing what I've been writing for the last few years or is it time to try something different? I haven't had a form rejection letter from M&B yet (touch wood). So far I've had four full requests and each rejection has been a personal letter detailing exactly why the ms was rejected, and most importantly, each rejection has also included a comps slip with a request to send more directly to the same editor. So, she's seen something in my writing. She's been encouraging me. I appreciate that. But I've never actually written anything else. Maybe I'd get the same encouragement elsewhere, from publishing houses publishing a different genre.
It is said that you should write what you like to read. While I still like to read romances, recently I have found myself leaning more towards a kick ass type heroine - more like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and JD Robb's Eve Dallas. So, I'm toying with the idea of writing that crime novel. I think I'll warm towards the idea even more in September when Janet's "How I Write" book comes out.
Until then, I'm happy playing with an idea for a Mills & Boon Modern Extra, just in case the editor who has my current requested full sends me another one of those comps slips that I'm told are like gold dust!
So, let's get writing!
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