Can you believe it? I can because I know how lax I am about backing up.
I just realised today that me "What's Where" file as in what I have sent to whom has not been saved to the portable drive. It is on the old laptop which after a short illness actually died last Friday. Oh bother!!!
Luckily for me though I think that is the only thing that hasn't been saved and to be honest there wasn't a lot in it at the moment. I know that I had 3 or 4 (think it was 3) stories with WN since sometime last year and there were a couple with TLFF. Sadly I can't remember which stories. There was also a non fiction piece or two but I remember what is where on that score.
So - note to self, let that be a lesson to you (or me) to back EVERYTHING up as I do it. Can't even tell you how bad the "what have I always told you?" looks Himself was giving me were like.
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Must try harder
Yes I know that I said I was going to be a better blogger this year but that went the way of most New Years Resolutions - that is to say out of the window.
However I'm here now.
Well I got a new laptop (remember the old one had a dodgy "s" and had started to do random things?) and I have been trying to get to grips with Windows 8. I can't pretend that I am a massive fan but I am getting my head around it. Until I do, Himself has set up the desktop so that it has a familiar look about it which is very comforting.
On the writing front, I made my first submission of the year this week. I'm still waiting to hear from the editors that I spoke to before Christmas about the non fiction possibilities. Like I said though I have worked with them before and the delay is not unusual. As for BTL, the nugget that was in my head is still there. Basically I have pretty much given up hope of ever finding an agent due to various reasons and so I will have to make it happen for myself which will probably mean self publishing later in the year. I always said that was a route that I wouldn't go down because people were supposed to pay you to publish your book and anything else meant that you weren't a real writer but the world has changed and whether I like it or not technology is the future so maybe I will embrace the e-book.
Other than that the weather has been horrible. and getting about last week was a bit of a nightmare. The most ridiculous thing was going to bed on Friday night to about a foot and a half of snow outside only to have that reduced to a couple of inches by Saturday morning.
Weird.
However I'm here now.
Well I got a new laptop (remember the old one had a dodgy "s" and had started to do random things?) and I have been trying to get to grips with Windows 8. I can't pretend that I am a massive fan but I am getting my head around it. Until I do, Himself has set up the desktop so that it has a familiar look about it which is very comforting.
On the writing front, I made my first submission of the year this week. I'm still waiting to hear from the editors that I spoke to before Christmas about the non fiction possibilities. Like I said though I have worked with them before and the delay is not unusual. As for BTL, the nugget that was in my head is still there. Basically I have pretty much given up hope of ever finding an agent due to various reasons and so I will have to make it happen for myself which will probably mean self publishing later in the year. I always said that was a route that I wouldn't go down because people were supposed to pay you to publish your book and anything else meant that you weren't a real writer but the world has changed and whether I like it or not technology is the future so maybe I will embrace the e-book.
Other than that the weather has been horrible. and getting about last week was a bit of a nightmare. The most ridiculous thing was going to bed on Friday night to about a foot and a half of snow outside only to have that reduced to a couple of inches by Saturday morning.
Weird.
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Temptations.
I know this sounds completely bonkers but I also know that there will be more than one person out there who feels the way I do.
I have had a new notebook in drawer for years.It is a beautiful notebook with crisp, lean white pages encased within the hard cover that is decorated with a picture of an angel and has the word "Dreams" written on it. This notebook is sooooooooo prreeettty and I have been reluctant to write in it since the day I got it and have had no difficulty in resisting the temptation.
However the temptation is getting too much for me today and I really want to write in it.
I have had a new notebook in drawer for years.It is a beautiful notebook with crisp, lean white pages encased within the hard cover that is decorated with a picture of an angel and has the word "Dreams" written on it. This notebook is sooooooooo prreeettty and I have been reluctant to write in it since the day I got it and have had no difficulty in resisting the temptation.
However the temptation is getting too much for me today and I really want to write in it.
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Pet hates
I read earlier today about the huge amount of food that gets wasted every year and I have to say that wasting food is my pet hate. I can't bear it and try to avoid it at all costs. This got me thinking about what else I hate and this is what I came up with.
2. (number 1 is the food thing) People that don't pick up their dogs poop.
3. Technology when it doesn't work.
4. When you answer the phone only to find that its a machine trying to sell you something that you don't want.
5. Cleaning the oven.
Any one for any more?
2. (number 1 is the food thing) People that don't pick up their dogs poop.
3. Technology when it doesn't work.
4. When you answer the phone only to find that its a machine trying to sell you something that you don't want.
5. Cleaning the oven.
Any one for any more?
Brian Who?
The nugget of a plan has lodged itself in my head (the brain doesn't take up a lot of space so there's plenty of room) which involved me going through my short story folder. And what do you suppose I found there? Well without wishing to state the obvious I found short stories there but not only that I found loads of UNFINISHED short stories.
As I was reading through them I was trying to remember where I planned on them going and in most cases (well alright all) I can't remember. This is a pity because one of them in particular would be perfect. I like the start of it but I just cannot for the life of me remember how I meant it to end.
So now I have another nugget of plan i.e. to finish some of these short stories, but like I said there is plenty of room for nuggets in my head.
How odd is this though? Of the first two unfinished stories that I read, there was a man called Brian.
As I was reading through them I was trying to remember where I planned on them going and in most cases (well alright all) I can't remember. This is a pity because one of them in particular would be perfect. I like the start of it but I just cannot for the life of me remember how I meant it to end.
So now I have another nugget of plan i.e. to finish some of these short stories, but like I said there is plenty of room for nuggets in my head.
How odd is this though? Of the first two unfinished stories that I read, there was a man called Brian.
Sunday, 6 January 2013
A Conundrum shared
Well the whole Christmas/New Year hullaballoo is over for another year and its time for us all to get back to normal - whatever that is.
For me that sort of starts today as my normal work pattern will resume so I might at least know what day it is without having to give it too much thought. Today is a bit unusual for me though as I am on my own this morning (even the dog has deserted me) but that has given me the opportunity to work on BTL a bit - or at least read through what I have - which is a bit of a conundrum.
I will try to be brief.
There are 2 versions of BTL
1. The finished one that has E and G all the way through,
and
2. The rewrite that was started when an agent was interested in it but wanted rid of G.
Here is my conundrum.
I am trying to incorporate the two because I like E's voice in the rewrite though to be honest she is dipping in and out of it a bit at the minute. But I also like G. Now in the rewrite I introduced him without mentioning him - just as someone E saw but now I need them to actually "meet" and that is proving a little difficult. I'm sure its nothing that I can't overcome but it is giving me food for thought at the moment.
On a different note, I had an email from an editor asking of I had anything on several given subjects and I replied. The thing is, this editor (God love them) takes weeeekkkkkks nay months sometimes to reply so I could have a long wait there.
Also, remember the keyboard problem that I was having before Christmas - the "s" didn't work and so Himself hooked me up with an on screen keyboard to get around the problem. Well they keyboard that was broken has now been replaced - by a mini one - or at least it feels that way. It is smaller and more compact and very pretty but the keys just aren't where I'm used to them being which is leading to a lot of typos.
Other than that everything is okay and so far so good for 2013 though its early days yet.
For me that sort of starts today as my normal work pattern will resume so I might at least know what day it is without having to give it too much thought. Today is a bit unusual for me though as I am on my own this morning (even the dog has deserted me) but that has given me the opportunity to work on BTL a bit - or at least read through what I have - which is a bit of a conundrum.
I will try to be brief.
There are 2 versions of BTL
1. The finished one that has E and G all the way through,
and
2. The rewrite that was started when an agent was interested in it but wanted rid of G.
Here is my conundrum.
I am trying to incorporate the two because I like E's voice in the rewrite though to be honest she is dipping in and out of it a bit at the minute. But I also like G. Now in the rewrite I introduced him without mentioning him - just as someone E saw but now I need them to actually "meet" and that is proving a little difficult. I'm sure its nothing that I can't overcome but it is giving me food for thought at the moment.
On a different note, I had an email from an editor asking of I had anything on several given subjects and I replied. The thing is, this editor (God love them) takes weeeekkkkkks nay months sometimes to reply so I could have a long wait there.
Also, remember the keyboard problem that I was having before Christmas - the "s" didn't work and so Himself hooked me up with an on screen keyboard to get around the problem. Well they keyboard that was broken has now been replaced - by a mini one - or at least it feels that way. It is smaller and more compact and very pretty but the keys just aren't where I'm used to them being which is leading to a lot of typos.
Other than that everything is okay and so far so good for 2013 though its early days yet.
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
New Years resolution number 1....
will be to be a better blogger. I noticed that my last visit here was December 5th and that surprised me because I thought it had been longer than that.
Not that I had a lot to say or anything to report really so you have missed very little by my not being here but it would have been nice if I'd dropped in from time to time even if it was just to say hello.
Christmas was lovely and I hope you can all say the same but that's over and done with for another year and here we are at the start of 2013. So, quick straw poll if I may, is it 20 13 or is it 2000 and 13? I'm flipping between the two at the moment but it's not been much of a problem for me so far as the only people I've spoken to in the first 10 hours of 2013 were my parents at midnight, my youngest son on my way to bed, Himself when he came in from night shift and a woman walking her own dog when I was out with mine and the subject of what to call the year hasn't come up with any of them. I'd like to know what we're calling it though, or future reference.
I'm not really making resolutions this year (apart from to be a better blogger of course) because a) making wholesale changes all at once is not realistic and b) if you want to change something in your life you should do it now - no matter what time of year it is.
I have a plan for what I want to achieve from writing in the next 12 months and its a bit different from what I have strived for in recent years but I think I am being realistic. Its just a rough outline in my head at the moment but I'm working on it.
2013 has one of those "special" birthdays for me - you know the ones they have a 0 at the end of them - and finally I am starting to feel comfortable with myself. Shame it took me blank 9 years to work it out.
I have a warm and fuzzy feeling this morning which may not last once the rest of the household rises (at the moment its just me and the dog and he's asleep on the sofa) but for now I am content.
Happy New Year everyone.
x
Not that I had a lot to say or anything to report really so you have missed very little by my not being here but it would have been nice if I'd dropped in from time to time even if it was just to say hello.
Christmas was lovely and I hope you can all say the same but that's over and done with for another year and here we are at the start of 2013. So, quick straw poll if I may, is it 20 13 or is it 2000 and 13? I'm flipping between the two at the moment but it's not been much of a problem for me so far as the only people I've spoken to in the first 10 hours of 2013 were my parents at midnight, my youngest son on my way to bed, Himself when he came in from night shift and a woman walking her own dog when I was out with mine and the subject of what to call the year hasn't come up with any of them. I'd like to know what we're calling it though, or future reference.
I'm not really making resolutions this year (apart from to be a better blogger of course) because a) making wholesale changes all at once is not realistic and b) if you want to change something in your life you should do it now - no matter what time of year it is.
I have a plan for what I want to achieve from writing in the next 12 months and its a bit different from what I have strived for in recent years but I think I am being realistic. Its just a rough outline in my head at the moment but I'm working on it.
2013 has one of those "special" birthdays for me - you know the ones they have a 0 at the end of them - and finally I am starting to feel comfortable with myself. Shame it took me blank 9 years to work it out.
I have a warm and fuzzy feeling this morning which may not last once the rest of the household rises (at the moment its just me and the dog and he's asleep on the sofa) but for now I am content.
Happy New Year everyone.
x
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