Secret's finally out

I thought of how I could tell my friends that didn't know that I wrote about my book and I decided that the "just spit it out and let them deal with it" approach was best - so that's what I did. I have to say that everyone has been so supportive, some were really interested, some wanted to know what the book was about and one wanted to know why I kept my ambition a secret. The answer I gave him was that if people that I actually physically know ie. colleagues, neighbours etc. didn't know then I wasn't putting pressure on myself to succeed all the while I got love and support from the like minded souls that I'd met in cyber-land. Best of both worlds really.
I'm at a bot of a loss at the moment. I'm working hard on NRIMH but I don't know what happens now to BTL. I imagine that my baby is out there being primped and prepared to go out in the world but I don't know how the publishing thing works. I'm sure they are looking after my baby but just like my sons I'd like to hear about them/from them from time to time.

News

When I first started this blog, many years ago when Adam was a lad and dinosaurs still walked the earth, it was called "Gonna be a Writer" and my plan was in the title. I always said that I would never consider myself a writer until I was doing it properly and to do that (in my opinion for me personally) was to write enough short stories/articles to earn a living at it or to have a book contract. Today I can finally (in my own words) call myself a writer because today I signed a 3 book deal with Accent Press. It's like a full circle because Accent Press published the first story of mine that I ever saw in print when they included "Elaine" in an anthology called "Sexy Shorts for the Beach" whose profits went to Cancer Research UK who I was working for at the time.

Almost no-one that I know in the "real" world knows that I write so this might come as a shock to them. I would really appreciate any advice any of you can give me.

Sounding off

I know editors are busy people, and I know that they are dealing with more people than just me so I understand that you have to be patient. I hate it when I have to remind them of something or give them a nudge which is stupid really because in my job when someone reminds me of something I haven't done I don't take it personally. I usually just think "Oh sod!" Okay so its not personal and I'll get in touch. Having said that maybe I should give them a bit longer to get over Christmas.
Thank you dear blog friends for once again being my sounding board. "Chatting" to you has once again put things in perspective.
On a different note I have a cold though it does seem a but better today though I am barking like a dog. I'll keep an eye on it because if you remember my "problem" started as a cold but I think I'll be ok and the last time I saw my nephrologist he said that I would still get colds.
Other than that, not a lot has been happening round here  - apart from rain. Dear God  am sick of it. Thankfully for us all that has been flooded around here is a few roads its just a pain that they are the roads between home and work.

Off and running

Less than 11 hours into the new year and I've done 2 hours (give or take a minute) of actual writing. Not checking emails or surfing the web but actual writing. Current project is 30k words long and want it finished by the end of April which is a deadline that is subject to change but the one I'm working at the moment.
Don't make resolutions as such any more because I hate the feeling of failure when I don't lose 4 stones or learn a new language though I do like a "to do" list and one of my things "to do" today was to wish you al a very happy new year.
Good luck for 2016 everyone.
 x