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
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Off to the shops today - not my favourite way to spend a day but kind of exciting in this instance mainly because I am on a mission. I have things to buy so armed with my comprehensive list and with Himself at my side to lug the heavy bags I'm going in. I hope to survive the day.
More will follow in disaptches.
More will follow in disaptches.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Sue and other stuff
I was talking to an acquaintance (let's call her Sue - not her real name) the other day who has found herself in a place and a time in her life when she is free to move away from where she lives and go onto another phase. During this conversation a friend of hers who I don't know came along and the three of us got talking. Sue said that she felt like moving away and starting up a new career in another place which I agreed might be a good idea because there is nothing stopping her and she can always keep in touch with friends and family if she wanted to. Her friend also agreed and said why didn't she become a writer because "look how much money she made out of "Fifty Shades of Grey." Sue said that was funny because an ex boyfriend had said that and this is a direct quote "because I have a talent. I mean I had to write reports for my job."
So Sue is going to be a writer.
On a different note I have started working on Project MGI. I've changed the MC's voice which makes her less submissive and I'm going for short chapters because I find that really easy to read. So far I've worked on 2 chapters and there is no sign of George but don't worry folks he'll be around any time now.
On another different note. I still haven't heard from the editor about the article I wrote but it is just a month so I'm not worrying too much about that. I'd forgotten about it in fcat until just a minute ago. I haven't finished the other article that I started but I'll be working on that later.
Other than that the weather is doing its usual cartwheels. It is a glorious sunny crisp Winter's day today but for a couple of days last week I thought I might need to start building an ark. It took me just shy of 2 hours and 44 miles to do what is usually an 8 mile 15 minutes journey last Monday. Nightmare! But I made it home safely and at least the water was on the outside of the house. The poor people that have been flooded, many not for the first time this year, have my complete sympathy.
Stay warm and dry everyone.
So Sue is going to be a writer.
On a different note I have started working on Project MGI. I've changed the MC's voice which makes her less submissive and I'm going for short chapters because I find that really easy to read. So far I've worked on 2 chapters and there is no sign of George but don't worry folks he'll be around any time now.
On another different note. I still haven't heard from the editor about the article I wrote but it is just a month so I'm not worrying too much about that. I'd forgotten about it in fcat until just a minute ago. I haven't finished the other article that I started but I'll be working on that later.
Other than that the weather is doing its usual cartwheels. It is a glorious sunny crisp Winter's day today but for a couple of days last week I thought I might need to start building an ark. It took me just shy of 2 hours and 44 miles to do what is usually an 8 mile 15 minutes journey last Monday. Nightmare! But I made it home safely and at least the water was on the outside of the house. The poor people that have been flooded, many not for the first time this year, have my complete sympathy.
Stay warm and dry everyone.
Sunday, 25 November 2012
Project MGI
That's the name of my new project, well a continuation of an old project really.
MGI - Make George Interesting.
I decided when we were in Krakow that I'm not ready to give up on BTL yet and as it seems that editors/agents that I have sent it to before are not keen on George saying that he doesn't really bring anything to the story I need to make George interesting (MGI).
I'm going to give myself another year, well 13 months actually (deadline 25/12/2013) to MGI.
That's the plan anyway.
MGI - Make George Interesting.
I decided when we were in Krakow that I'm not ready to give up on BTL yet and as it seems that editors/agents that I have sent it to before are not keen on George saying that he doesn't really bring anything to the story I need to make George interesting (MGI).
I'm going to give myself another year, well 13 months actually (deadline 25/12/2013) to MGI.
That's the plan anyway.
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Excuses excuses
Well only one actually - excuse that is.
The article that I am writing isn't finished yet because I've been doing my Christmas shopping - online of course because I can't be doing with those queues in the shops. Actually I don't know if there are queues because I haven't visited a shop for a Christmas gift. Oh I tell a lie, I made a trip into a nearby town to go to M&S to buy some of those non elastic top socks for my dad and the queue wasn't so bad there just 3 people in front of me.
You see, I work full time and my Sunday off is a family time which means a lie in, dog walk, roast lunch and a bubble bath. My day off during the week involves grocery shopping, ironing and usually a bit of baking. So who has time for Christmas shopping? - hence the time spent shopping online instead of finishing my article.
The good news is the shopping is pretty much done so I will have no excuse then.
The article that I am writing isn't finished yet because I've been doing my Christmas shopping - online of course because I can't be doing with those queues in the shops. Actually I don't know if there are queues because I haven't visited a shop for a Christmas gift. Oh I tell a lie, I made a trip into a nearby town to go to M&S to buy some of those non elastic top socks for my dad and the queue wasn't so bad there just 3 people in front of me.
You see, I work full time and my Sunday off is a family time which means a lie in, dog walk, roast lunch and a bubble bath. My day off during the week involves grocery shopping, ironing and usually a bit of baking. So who has time for Christmas shopping? - hence the time spent shopping online instead of finishing my article.
The good news is the shopping is pretty much done so I will have no excuse then.
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Granny who?
Well that was very confusing! Let me explain.
I have a copy of my mother's birth certificate and she is listed with the name "Unfrith," however when I received a copy of her (granny's) marriage certificate the other day, her surname is listed as "Humphrey." I asked my mother this morning what her mother's maiden name was and she said "Unfrith" - fair enough, I mean that's what it says on her (my mum's) birth certificate. So I asked her if her mother had lived in a certain street next door to her soon to be husband and my mum got a bit excited because they did. Turns out Granny was a "Humphrey" all the time so goodness only knows who the other person was. Actually although the names are totally different they do sound pretty similar so maybe the registrar misheard. I'm looking forward to showing my mother the copy of the certificate because I think she'll enjoy seeing it.
I have a copy of my mother's birth certificate and she is listed with the name "Unfrith," however when I received a copy of her (granny's) marriage certificate the other day, her surname is listed as "Humphrey." I asked my mother this morning what her mother's maiden name was and she said "Unfrith" - fair enough, I mean that's what it says on her (my mum's) birth certificate. So I asked her if her mother had lived in a certain street next door to her soon to be husband and my mum got a bit excited because they did. Turns out Granny was a "Humphrey" all the time so goodness only knows who the other person was. Actually although the names are totally different they do sound pretty similar so maybe the registrar misheard. I'm looking forward to showing my mother the copy of the certificate because I think she'll enjoy seeing it.
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Update
Happy to report that I have taken my own advice and started the article mentioned in the previous post. However after two paragraphs I have hit a stumbling block but that's good because it requires a bit of research an I love that. It'll have to wait until later though because I'm off to make soup.
I know the answer but...
You know when one project is finished and you've dispatched to whomever you hope will commission it or whatever what do you do next? Do you immediately start your next project? Do you give yourself a couple of days off to recuperate? Or do you do nothing?
I have to be honest I tend to fall into the third category, not all the time, but sometimes and now is one of those times. I have an article with an editor and I have a pitch with another but I have done sod all about the other article that I wanted to write.
So my question is how do you cure post project inertia (PPI if you will)? I know the answer of course it is to just get on and do it but I thought I would ask anyway.
Any excuse not to start the article eh!
I have to be honest I tend to fall into the third category, not all the time, but sometimes and now is one of those times. I have an article with an editor and I have a pitch with another but I have done sod all about the other article that I wanted to write.
So my question is how do you cure post project inertia (PPI if you will)? I know the answer of course it is to just get on and do it but I thought I would ask anyway.
Any excuse not to start the article eh!
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Raw deals and other stuff
Okay, I wasn't sure if I was breaching some kind of copywrite if I copied the actual words on here so please bear with me while I try to explain this.
In a nutshell I checked out a website that is running a writing competition in conjunction with a publisher and when reading the T&C's discover that the winner gives over royaties, rights and basically any say, in any language, anywhere in the world. The tag line to the spiel is something along the lines of "Do you want to see your book in print?" and it just seems to me that the website are taking advantage of wannabe writers. If the story is good and presumably the winning one will be then they stand to make a lot of money from it and the only remuneration that the author would get is £500 and seeing their book in print. Seems like a bit of a raw dal if you ask me.
As for me I am still waiting to here back from the editor that I sent my article to but the last time it took a month for one of their colleauges to get back to me so I guess its early days yet. I also pitched another article to a different editor and I'm waiting to hear if they want to see it so fingers crossed. There is also another article that I want to write up this week but I want to iron out a couple of style issues first.
In a nutshell I checked out a website that is running a writing competition in conjunction with a publisher and when reading the T&C's discover that the winner gives over royaties, rights and basically any say, in any language, anywhere in the world. The tag line to the spiel is something along the lines of "Do you want to see your book in print?" and it just seems to me that the website are taking advantage of wannabe writers. If the story is good and presumably the winning one will be then they stand to make a lot of money from it and the only remuneration that the author would get is £500 and seeing their book in print. Seems like a bit of a raw dal if you ask me.
As for me I am still waiting to here back from the editor that I sent my article to but the last time it took a month for one of their colleauges to get back to me so I guess its early days yet. I also pitched another article to a different editor and I'm waiting to hear if they want to see it so fingers crossed. There is also another article that I want to write up this week but I want to iron out a couple of style issues first.
Monday, 5 November 2012
Worth the effort?
Okay, so I'm over last night's spelling mistake induced tantrum and have returned to ask the question that I was going to ask 24 hours ago.
Now you know when you start reading a book and it doesn't grab you and you are struggling with it do you give up on it or are you determined to read it no matter what?
There is only one book that I have started and not been able to finish and I have started it more than once. Its not that I don't want to read it and I'm sure that it is very good but its very complicated and I've never been in the right frame of mind to finish it before but I will one of these days.
So personally I tend to plough through and hope that a book will get better before it ends but I know some people who just give up on a book that they are not enjoying.
What about you?
Now you know when you start reading a book and it doesn't grab you and you are struggling with it do you give up on it or are you determined to read it no matter what?
There is only one book that I have started and not been able to finish and I have started it more than once. Its not that I don't want to read it and I'm sure that it is very good but its very complicated and I've never been in the right frame of mind to finish it before but I will one of these days.
So personally I tend to plough through and hope that a book will get better before it ends but I know some people who just give up on a book that they are not enjoying.
What about you?
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Morphing - how did that happen?
I had to go to work today and anyone that knows me knows that I hate doing that but needs must when the devil drives and all that. The usual person wanted a holiday and the usual cover couldn't do it so when all else fails I have to do it. Boo. I got through it though but it did leave me with not as much time as I would like for doing the things that I usually like to do on Sundays.
It aslso meant that I didn't have as long as I would like to polish and article. This would be the article that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the forst one that I wrote. I typed up what I had written the other day so it wan't the first draft but it was still very rough. I pitched it to an editor not expecting them to get back to me for a while but they came back the next day asking to see it so I wanted to get that to them over the weekend. I've tweaked it within an inch of its life this evening but its gone now so fingers crossed.
AARRGGHHH! I've just looked at it again - God knows why because like I said its gone now and I spotted a spelling mistake The word "from" morphed into "form" and I didn't notice sod sod sod! I had read through it a dozen times so how did I miss it?
I was going to talk about something else but I'm too annoyed with myself now and to be honest I can't remember what it was. Oh yes I can but I'll save that for another day.
It aslso meant that I didn't have as long as I would like to polish and article. This would be the article that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the forst one that I wrote. I typed up what I had written the other day so it wan't the first draft but it was still very rough. I pitched it to an editor not expecting them to get back to me for a while but they came back the next day asking to see it so I wanted to get that to them over the weekend. I've tweaked it within an inch of its life this evening but its gone now so fingers crossed.
AARRGGHHH! I've just looked at it again - God knows why because like I said its gone now and I spotted a spelling mistake The word "from" morphed into "form" and I didn't notice sod sod sod! I had read through it a dozen times so how did I miss it?
I was going to talk about something else but I'm too annoyed with myself now and to be honest I can't remember what it was. Oh yes I can but I'll save that for another day.
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Decisions decisions
Oh well, its decision time again. What do I read next. I finished what I referred to last week as a Kinsey Milhone book and need to choose something else to read. Just to clarify, Kinsey is the character in the Sue Grafton Alphabet series and the book that I have just finished is "I is for Innocent." I do have "J is for Judgement" but I think I'll give Kinsey a rest for the moment. So what to read next.
There are literally hundreds of books in this house that I haven't read but somehow I can't make my mind up about which one to choose. I haven't read a biography for a bit, well for at least two books anyway, somaybe I'll give one of them a go. Himself bought me the biography (or is it "ies" given that they are in the same book?) of Lady Jane Grey's sisters so maybe that'll be the one. No doubt you will all lose hours of sleep until you find out the answer to that one. Just kidding.
On a different note, I finished the rough draft of the article that I was writing last week but I didn't polish it and send it off because I decided to write the second article that I had in my mind. Actual writing with a pen on paper which was a lot of fun. I plan on polishing this week. I also want to write a letter to a newspaper in response to a letter that I read in there today. Not that productive I know but at least it will let me get something off my chest.
Did you get the snow the other day? Up here we get a lot of snow usually although we only had one real session of it last year but we're not quite Scotland so we don't usually get it in October so I hope it isn't a sign of the things to come.
Anyway, I'll let you know what book I choose and I'd be interested to know how other people make their choices.
There are literally hundreds of books in this house that I haven't read but somehow I can't make my mind up about which one to choose. I haven't read a biography for a bit, well for at least two books anyway, somaybe I'll give one of them a go. Himself bought me the biography (or is it "ies" given that they are in the same book?) of Lady Jane Grey's sisters so maybe that'll be the one. No doubt you will all lose hours of sleep until you find out the answer to that one. Just kidding.
On a different note, I finished the rough draft of the article that I was writing last week but I didn't polish it and send it off because I decided to write the second article that I had in my mind. Actual writing with a pen on paper which was a lot of fun. I plan on polishing this week. I also want to write a letter to a newspaper in response to a letter that I read in there today. Not that productive I know but at least it will let me get something off my chest.
Did you get the snow the other day? Up here we get a lot of snow usually although we only had one real session of it last year but we're not quite Scotland so we don't usually get it in October so I hope it isn't a sign of the things to come.
Anyway, I'll let you know what book I choose and I'd be interested to know how other people make their choices.
Sunday, 21 October 2012
My week in a nutshell
So what can I tell you about what I did this week? Well the pink pen ran out of ink for a start and it wasn't from over work. I noticed that it was empty when I started to work on my first project. Trouble is that I need to go to a shop that isn't local (used to be when I worked there) to get a refill , so that could take a while. Nil desperandum - I found a red pen (outside that is, not the ink) and that is proving to be an adequate substitute.
I know I mentioned my "first" writing project but to be honest its been my only, but it's coming along quite nicely and I hope to have it completed this week. As usual when I made my "to do" list there were too many things on it and I only got to the first one. A few years ago, every Sunday, I used to post "this week I'll..." and I used to give myself too much to do back then too. I mean, five days a week I go to work before 8am and I get back around 6pm. Then I make tea, usually by 7pm. I then have to eat and before you know it, its bed time. I try and fit some writing into t least one of my days off but this week I had a lot of other stuff to see to. Maybe I'll try to concentrate on doing one thing well instead of trying to do lots of things in a mediocre manner.
Remember I was going to sign up to Ancestry.co.uk to search into my past? Well I haven't done that yet, mainly because I didn't want to buy a month and then disappear to Krakow and I know that I'm back now but...well to be honest I've had other more important (more boring) things to do so I just haven't got round to it but I will.
What else happened this week? Well not a lot really. I had 3 books on the go and I finished one of them. One of my regular customers had brought it when he discovered that we both liked Ed McBain. The book was called "Privileged Conversation" by Evan Hunter (Ed's real name) and it was brilliant. The man wrote the best dialogue I have ever read in my life. I'm almost finished the Kinsey Milhone that I took to Krakow and then there's my "breakfast book" which is by Raymond Khourey. I should point out that I am not being anti social by having a breakfast book because I am usually on my own apart from the dog and to be honest he's not much of a conversationalist.
I finally got to see "Warhorse" the other day and I wailed from beginning to end.
The only other thing I did this week was buy a new Winter coat. It was a bargain from a charity shop and I make no apologies for that. I work in a charity shop so I know what kind of bargains you can pick up in them. When I see the prices that regular shops charge for clothes it makes my eyes water. Seriously when I see what we get donated I am amazed. I mean we often don't get as much as we used to but sometimes the quality is phenomenal. I think it has something to do with the "throw away" society that we live in now.
Anyway that was my week in a nutshell. Not a lot of it was to do with writing but it was about me.
I know I mentioned my "first" writing project but to be honest its been my only, but it's coming along quite nicely and I hope to have it completed this week. As usual when I made my "to do" list there were too many things on it and I only got to the first one. A few years ago, every Sunday, I used to post "this week I'll..." and I used to give myself too much to do back then too. I mean, five days a week I go to work before 8am and I get back around 6pm. Then I make tea, usually by 7pm. I then have to eat and before you know it, its bed time. I try and fit some writing into t least one of my days off but this week I had a lot of other stuff to see to. Maybe I'll try to concentrate on doing one thing well instead of trying to do lots of things in a mediocre manner.
Remember I was going to sign up to Ancestry.co.uk to search into my past? Well I haven't done that yet, mainly because I didn't want to buy a month and then disappear to Krakow and I know that I'm back now but...well to be honest I've had other more important (more boring) things to do so I just haven't got round to it but I will.
What else happened this week? Well not a lot really. I had 3 books on the go and I finished one of them. One of my regular customers had brought it when he discovered that we both liked Ed McBain. The book was called "Privileged Conversation" by Evan Hunter (Ed's real name) and it was brilliant. The man wrote the best dialogue I have ever read in my life. I'm almost finished the Kinsey Milhone that I took to Krakow and then there's my "breakfast book" which is by Raymond Khourey. I should point out that I am not being anti social by having a breakfast book because I am usually on my own apart from the dog and to be honest he's not much of a conversationalist.
I finally got to see "Warhorse" the other day and I wailed from beginning to end.
The only other thing I did this week was buy a new Winter coat. It was a bargain from a charity shop and I make no apologies for that. I work in a charity shop so I know what kind of bargains you can pick up in them. When I see the prices that regular shops charge for clothes it makes my eyes water. Seriously when I see what we get donated I am amazed. I mean we often don't get as much as we used to but sometimes the quality is phenomenal. I think it has something to do with the "throw away" society that we live in now.
Anyway that was my week in a nutshell. Not a lot of it was to do with writing but it was about me
Sunday, 14 October 2012
Honey I'm home.
For anyone that doesn't recognise this place it is the main square in Krakow Old Town and the building is The Cloth Hall. We spent a wonderful 5 days there and I can heartily recommend it as somewhere to visit.
But I'm back now and the reality of normal life is kicking back in. For instance, it is back to work tomorrow so ya boo hiss and all that but as I keep telling Himself if life was spent on holiday all the time then these times would not be special anymore. I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow at the moment but I'm sure that by this afternoon or this evening at the worst my head will have got itself back into the right place.
So I know that you will have spent all week worrying about what decisions I will make regarding the direction my writing will take so I will put you out of your misery. Just kidding BTW.
Well, remember BTL and how several of the agents that I had sent it to said that they did not like G but I love him so I don't want to get rid of him? Well, I have decided that I need to make G more appealing so I am going to revisit that project with that intention in mind. I have also had a couple of ideas for new projects - both of them non fiction. When (many years ago) I realised that I wanted to write I wanted to be a journalist so maybe non fiction has always been my first love so why fight it. Back then I also had a couple of attempts at writing a book so I am pretty much doing now what I started out doing. Anyway, I'm going to start working on the NF ideas later today - getting a plan sketched out at least.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)