Have just spent twenty-five infuriating minutes trying to restore my photo to this blogspot after its mysterious disappearance the other week. Where did it go? And why? Is someone trying to tell me something? I found it - in the end. But not before all manner of expletives had turned the air blue and the PC had almost ended up crashing through the window!
It is Wednesday 25 February 2009 - it is just ten months until Christmas day! Ok. Ok. I promise I won't mention Christmas again until much nearer the time. It is now 07.47 and I am in the office at the day job, having come in early specifically to do a new blog. It is a grey, overcast morning. The sky is like moulten lead, the air is still and the 10,000 seagulls that seem to have adopted the airspace immediately above us recently, are nowhere to be seen. In fact it seems a little too quiet. The weather itself has improved marginally. After some drizzle yesterday, today it is at least warmer and dryer.
This is of great relief to my left knee which is very unwell and rather desperately in need of an operation to put it right. It really cannot tolerate the cold at the moment, but even when it isn't cold, that knee just can't tolerate anything. If I sit still for too long, it grizzles and complains. If I try to run anywhere it moans and groans. If it decides it has walked enough it sings grand-opera! A physiotherapist friend of mine spotted me hobbling about on it a few weeks back and promptly wrote a referral to my doctor, who contacted the hospital, who organised an appointment, that was overseen by a consultant, who concluded it is arthritis. I am scheduled for an op ( my first one since my appendix almost burst twenty odd years ago) which will involve the bones beeing scraped and the knee itself being flushed out. It sounds horrific but if it means I will eventually be able to walk without being in agony, and sleep through the night safe in the knowledge that I won't wake up in desperate pain at one in the morning, then I am prepared to put myself through it. Anyway it will mean two weeks off work so who am I to complain? That, to me, means two weeks in which to Write, Write, Write.
Things have really started to move of late. I have signed up with two publishing groups who employ so-called Ghost writers and within days, one of them sent me a brief for a series of boy's adventure stories. The commission will mean five books, each between ten and twelve thousand words, targeted at 7 to 10 year olds. I have been very busy drafting the one sample chapter they need by the end of next week to put me in the running. So far, so good. I am loving it. I work so much better when I have a schedule (or a deadline) to work to. And even if I don't get it, at least the company took me seriously enough to give me the option to have a go! Who knows where it could lead to?
The new Yucketypoo book, I have been told, is due to be published 'very soon' similtaneously in the UK and the USA; furthermore, the first book is about to be re-branded so its appearance looks more in line with the second book and, eventually, with the third and final book. The third and final book needs updating and I am arranging a meeting with a representative of a company that deals with envirornment friendly fuels to help it on its way. Once the entire series is complete, maybe those large chain retailers that expressed an interest in stocking it as one unit will pick up the option and give it their best shot.
On top of all that - I am very pleased to announce - the poet is back! I am looking at a number of new openings that could lead to regular Work so fingers crossed.
I tell you, this writing life! When it is going badly, it feels like the end of the world. But when it is going well - the sky's the limit.
Gotta dash - it is 08.23 and the day job commences in seven minutes ...................
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
'S NO JOKE.......
Had Youngest Stepdaughter's two last weekend. Eldest Granddaughter and Youngest Grandson ran Hubby and I ragged the whole time. E.G has become a proper little madam with the most infectious giggle and sense of humour. She has this way of looking at you as if you were the dumbest kid on Earth which is somewhat unnerving in a three year old. Y.G is into everything. He managed six steps all by himself before plopping onto his bottom and giving himself a round of applause. It was a different thing entirely when he borrowed E.G's dolls pram. With something to hang onto he zoomed across the floor, not stopping until the pram collided with the French windows. I had this vision that if there were no obstacles in the way he would be quite capable of walking in a straight line forever. He has also learned how to be very defiant. He squirted his milk all over the carpet so I said firmly "NO!". He looked up at me, gave me a gummy grin - and promptly squirted milk all over the carpet again. "NO!" I reitereated. When the milk hit the carpet for the fourth time I confiscated the bottle and then had to endure the screaming ab-dabs for the next five minutes.
On the Sunday morning, I thought it would be an adventure to walk them over to the paper shop. Y.G was in the buggy and well bundled up and E.G refused to wear her scarf, hat and mittens. With every step we took it got colder and colder - the temperature was just plummeting every second. By the time we were on our way back some ten minutes later both youngsters were crying from the cold. I didn't blame them. I was almost crying myself. I told E.G, "Let's put your scarf and hat on at least!" But she flatly refused. "Well then don't cry because you're cold!" I said rather unsympathetically. They were okay once they'd thawed out back in the warm embrace of the house but I did mentally question the logic of a three year old who cries when she's cold but simply won't wear a scarf and hat!
Mummy picked them up at lunch time. As we waved them off the arctic winds forced a hasty retreat from the doorstep and within a couple of hours it was snowing. And snowing. And snowing. When I got up for work on Monday there was almost a foot of the white stuff draping everything. Hubby and I checked the weather updates on TV. Warnings were rife not to go out unless you absolutely had to. All bus services had been suspended but no-one mentioned the tramlink and finally at 7.15, Hubby began to escort me to the tram stop. Half way there, with snow up to my knees and a blizzard swirling around us, we met a group of people who told us the tamlink service has also been suspended so we turned round and went home again. A series of text messages and mobile phone calls finally confirmed that no-one was going to get to work that day so we spent it indoors watching TV and seeing the snowdrifts grow and grow and grow. The last time I recall snow like that is when I was living in a flat in Mitcham some twenty years ago!
Tuesday dawned frozen and cold. I checked and found that there were some buses so left home at 7.10 arriving at the office two hours later after some very long detours. It was complete mayhem. Even the staff at West Croydon Bus Station didn't know what buses were running and which ones weren't. Around half a dozen staff managed to get in that day and most finished by three to make sure no-one got stranded and, even though things were more or less back to normal yesterday there are still great huge clods of frozen snow everywhere and walking along our quiet little cul-de-sac this morning was a complete nightmare! I live in terror of having a prat-fall and making a complete idiot of myself.
Personally I think the snow brings out the kid in most of us. There is still something of a thrill in seeing your own footprints in virgin snow and there are plenty of smiley snow-people beaming at passers-by from front gardens. And of course I just had to take some photographs of our snow-covered garden and neighbourhood. It looks so pretty and it has this knack of bringing out the community spirit in everyone, with neighbours all waving at one another where, more often than not, we are all generally too busy getting on with our lives to even notice each other. But I am beginning to tire of it now, I must admit, and have huge hankerings for the first pink blossoms of spring and being able to walk the streets without the fear of breaking an ankle at every step!
On the Sunday morning, I thought it would be an adventure to walk them over to the paper shop. Y.G was in the buggy and well bundled up and E.G refused to wear her scarf, hat and mittens. With every step we took it got colder and colder - the temperature was just plummeting every second. By the time we were on our way back some ten minutes later both youngsters were crying from the cold. I didn't blame them. I was almost crying myself. I told E.G, "Let's put your scarf and hat on at least!" But she flatly refused. "Well then don't cry because you're cold!" I said rather unsympathetically. They were okay once they'd thawed out back in the warm embrace of the house but I did mentally question the logic of a three year old who cries when she's cold but simply won't wear a scarf and hat!
Mummy picked them up at lunch time. As we waved them off the arctic winds forced a hasty retreat from the doorstep and within a couple of hours it was snowing. And snowing. And snowing. When I got up for work on Monday there was almost a foot of the white stuff draping everything. Hubby and I checked the weather updates on TV. Warnings were rife not to go out unless you absolutely had to. All bus services had been suspended but no-one mentioned the tramlink and finally at 7.15, Hubby began to escort me to the tram stop. Half way there, with snow up to my knees and a blizzard swirling around us, we met a group of people who told us the tamlink service has also been suspended so we turned round and went home again. A series of text messages and mobile phone calls finally confirmed that no-one was going to get to work that day so we spent it indoors watching TV and seeing the snowdrifts grow and grow and grow. The last time I recall snow like that is when I was living in a flat in Mitcham some twenty years ago!
Tuesday dawned frozen and cold. I checked and found that there were some buses so left home at 7.10 arriving at the office two hours later after some very long detours. It was complete mayhem. Even the staff at West Croydon Bus Station didn't know what buses were running and which ones weren't. Around half a dozen staff managed to get in that day and most finished by three to make sure no-one got stranded and, even though things were more or less back to normal yesterday there are still great huge clods of frozen snow everywhere and walking along our quiet little cul-de-sac this morning was a complete nightmare! I live in terror of having a prat-fall and making a complete idiot of myself.
Personally I think the snow brings out the kid in most of us. There is still something of a thrill in seeing your own footprints in virgin snow and there are plenty of smiley snow-people beaming at passers-by from front gardens. And of course I just had to take some photographs of our snow-covered garden and neighbourhood. It looks so pretty and it has this knack of bringing out the community spirit in everyone, with neighbours all waving at one another where, more often than not, we are all generally too busy getting on with our lives to even notice each other. But I am beginning to tire of it now, I must admit, and have huge hankerings for the first pink blossoms of spring and being able to walk the streets without the fear of breaking an ankle at every step!
Friday, 2 January 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I was shocked this morning when I realised that I haven't witten a blog for a month! It seriously doesn't feel long since I rambled on about Secret Santas and Cristmas prezzies and suddenly - here we are in 2009! How did that happen? Anyway may I wish you all a very happy, lucky and successful new year whatever your aims and goals are. Now - where was I? Oh yes - the Secret Santa. My name had fallen to a male colleague but I have to say I was quite pleasantly surprised by his choice of gift. It was a pair of figurines from Doctor Who. They actually double as a set of walkie-talkies but I have just added them to my collection of dolls, teddies and thunderbirds memorobelia. They feature the Doctor (in his Christopher Eccleston guise) and the chief Slitheen and each fugure stands at least 12 inches tall so I wasn't complaining. In fact it was quite a relief because I seriously didn't know what to expect.
So how was your Christmas? The overall mood of 2008 did not really change over the festive season. My lovely neighbour Lily (see blog from 11.9.07)passed away the Monday before Christmas, my sweet little cat died of old age the Saturday after and on the 30th, I went to Lily's funeral. Despite all that though, Hubby and I did manage to enjoy our day - our first Christmas alone together in all the years we have been together (almost 26 of them). It was quiet and unhurried and we had a nice leisurely time. Then, for New Year, we went down to rural Danehill in West Sussex to cheer January in with Youngest Sister and co. which was a good laugh.
Do you have any plans for 2009? I am signing up for a promotion drive with Lollypop which bodes well for the future, I received my first EVER royalty cheque which was a massive achievement and I have already had a letter published (in Mslexia) this year! Plus I am feverishly researching and note-scribbling for the new novel (and I will tell you more about that soon, as well). My plan is to keep the momentum going and make this the Year of Me. I am recommending that everyone I know does the same!
Enjoy!
So how was your Christmas? The overall mood of 2008 did not really change over the festive season. My lovely neighbour Lily (see blog from 11.9.07)passed away the Monday before Christmas, my sweet little cat died of old age the Saturday after and on the 30th, I went to Lily's funeral. Despite all that though, Hubby and I did manage to enjoy our day - our first Christmas alone together in all the years we have been together (almost 26 of them). It was quiet and unhurried and we had a nice leisurely time. Then, for New Year, we went down to rural Danehill in West Sussex to cheer January in with Youngest Sister and co. which was a good laugh.
Do you have any plans for 2009? I am signing up for a promotion drive with Lollypop which bodes well for the future, I received my first EVER royalty cheque which was a massive achievement and I have already had a letter published (in Mslexia) this year! Plus I am feverishly researching and note-scribbling for the new novel (and I will tell you more about that soon, as well). My plan is to keep the momentum going and make this the Year of Me. I am recommending that everyone I know does the same!
Enjoy!
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
SECRET SANTA OR BUST ....
We have done a Secret Santa at the day job. The spending limit was £10.00 and today I brought my contribution into the office. I had a Brand New Bear created at the Build-A-Bear Workshop in Centrale, Croydon, named after the lucky recipiant who just happens to be male and the sales manager. I chose a bear because he collects them and my bet was that he had never had one created just for him so, when his name fell to me in the name draw, I knew exactly what I would be getting for him. Hubby made an interesting comment though as I emerged triumphant with the new bear snug in his travel box. He said "I hope whoever got your name is just as thoughtful." This is a valid point. Last year, I was working in a different part of the company and we were encouraged to write a suggestion or two before the names went into the hat for picking. I wrote "Thorntons Chocolates or Smiths voucher" and I got a Smiths Voucher which was then put towards the price of the 2008 Poetry Writer's Handbook. This year, no such option was given so who knows what any of us will end up with? Do men take things like a Secret Santa seriously or is that strictly a female domain? I have been worried ever since that I will end up with totally inappropriate smellies, a vibrator or some Chocolate Body Paint - or something from the Pound Shop. I don't mean to sound ungrateful and I know it is the thought that counts. But I also know, from working with men that, by and large, their thoughts tend to be made up of Sex, Football, Booze and Facebook. It will be interesting to see what us girls end up with if our name happened to be picked by a fella, don't you think? Stay tuned for The Big Reveal which, I have been reliably informed, takes place this Friday.
Talking of Christmas presents, I am at a complete loss this year as to what to get for Hubby. He tells me he is having a similar problem getting stuff for me. It is not only because money is tight. It is also because we have been together for such a long time now that we don't really need anything. We have built up our home as much as the sweet little place will take it; the children have flown the roost and we have all the necessary apparel so what else is there? We did agree to only buy little things to unwrap on The Big Day so that we can put the rest of the money towards tickets to a show - but I know Hubby and a few little things will not be enough as he always wants to give me the world. I know he would like an iPod (although neither of us would know what to do with it, he just likes the concept of having all his favourite music at the touch of a button) and I, personally, would like to get him a basic Mobile Phone but he has flatly refused to get involved with them so it would be quite pointless to get him one. It goes without saying that he'd like to give me the opportunity to stay at home and write and I would like to give him the opportunity to go into semi-retirement, but neither are possible without some help from the lottery so where do we go from here?
I am hoping to get the chance next week to go out and get his stuff and I do have a few little ideas for stocking fillers and tree presents, but no ideas at all for his proper gifts. Any suggestions? I suppose with the world on the brink of economic collapse and everyone still reeling from the Baby P scandal and all the other horrid things going on in the world, that I should be very grateful for the fact that one of my main problems at this point in time is what to buy my husband for Christmas. I do know how privelaged I actually am, believe it or not and I, like everyone else with any heart really wishes only two things for 2009 - Peace and Enough Food To Go Round. And I would actually be quite willing to give everything up to make them possible - even the Secret Santa.
Talking of Christmas presents, I am at a complete loss this year as to what to get for Hubby. He tells me he is having a similar problem getting stuff for me. It is not only because money is tight. It is also because we have been together for such a long time now that we don't really need anything. We have built up our home as much as the sweet little place will take it; the children have flown the roost and we have all the necessary apparel so what else is there? We did agree to only buy little things to unwrap on The Big Day so that we can put the rest of the money towards tickets to a show - but I know Hubby and a few little things will not be enough as he always wants to give me the world. I know he would like an iPod (although neither of us would know what to do with it, he just likes the concept of having all his favourite music at the touch of a button) and I, personally, would like to get him a basic Mobile Phone but he has flatly refused to get involved with them so it would be quite pointless to get him one. It goes without saying that he'd like to give me the opportunity to stay at home and write and I would like to give him the opportunity to go into semi-retirement, but neither are possible without some help from the lottery so where do we go from here?
I am hoping to get the chance next week to go out and get his stuff and I do have a few little ideas for stocking fillers and tree presents, but no ideas at all for his proper gifts. Any suggestions? I suppose with the world on the brink of economic collapse and everyone still reeling from the Baby P scandal and all the other horrid things going on in the world, that I should be very grateful for the fact that one of my main problems at this point in time is what to buy my husband for Christmas. I do know how privelaged I actually am, believe it or not and I, like everyone else with any heart really wishes only two things for 2009 - Peace and Enough Food To Go Round. And I would actually be quite willing to give everything up to make them possible - even the Secret Santa.
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
CHICKEN POX AND CHRISTMAS SHOPS
We had Youngest Step-daughter's two littluns over at the weekend. Eldest Grand-daughter was just getting over chicken pox and Youngest Grandson was just starting it. I was up all night with him on Saturday as he writhed and screamed - although he did manage to snatch two and a half hours sleep from around 2.30 a.m out of pure exhaustion. It is a long time since I held such a sick infant in my arms and I felt so sorry for him. He is only ten months old, he didn't understand what was happening and couldn't tell me how he was feeling so he did the only thing he could - cry. Youngest Step-daughter did offer to come and get him but I told her to hold off. She and Clever Son-in-Law recently split up and I knew she needed the break - particularly since she'd already seen Eldest Grand-daughter through it single-handedly. Chicken pox is just so nasty, isn't it? I didn't get it until I was about 12 which is quite late. But it seems horribly unfair for a ten-month old to get it and he really was so unwell.
Youngest Step-daughter arrived to collect the children around 10.30 Sunday morning and looked as if she'd been up crying all night. I felt very angry with Clever Son-in-Law - or Former Son-in-Law as he shall henceforth be known - for not being around to support her when she obviously needed it but of course as a parent - even a step-parent - I know not to get involved or to show my own feelings about the whole sorry mess. We did ask her if she'd like to stay for the night but she refused saying she wants to keep the routine as normal as possible for the two children and Eldest Grand-daughter had nursery the next day. Fortunately by the time she arrived, Youngest Grandson had perked up quite a bit. His temperature had returned to normal and he'd eaten some weetabix for his breakfast - which was more than he'd managed the previous day when the worst was only just beginning - and he beamed up at her, spots and all, as she walked through the door.
After they'd gone, Hubby and I had a whole hour to clear up before Youngest Sister arrived with her hubby and youngest son for lunch - soup and French Stick - prior to meeting Mother in Croydon for a spot of Christmas shopping. Hubby was working so he stayed behind as the rest of us braved the freezing winds and hit Poundland and the new 99p shop with great gusto to stock up on Christmas Cookies and other festive delights. By the time I got home just after 5pm he had left and at 7pm I fell into bed, the lost sleep of Saturday night finally catching up and hitting me full-force! I only woke up once and that was when Mother called me at 9pm to see how I was. I went straight back to sleep afterwards and stayed that way until the alarm roused me the following morning.
This weekend Hubby and I are determined to get the bulk of our present buying out of the way so we are both looking forward to that and the following weekend we are off to Worthing to see Vampires Rock. Less than two weeks after that is the Big Day itself then the New Year will arrive and we'll start all over again - and hopefully, 2009 will be a better year all round.
Catch you again soon.
Youngest Step-daughter arrived to collect the children around 10.30 Sunday morning and looked as if she'd been up crying all night. I felt very angry with Clever Son-in-Law - or Former Son-in-Law as he shall henceforth be known - for not being around to support her when she obviously needed it but of course as a parent - even a step-parent - I know not to get involved or to show my own feelings about the whole sorry mess. We did ask her if she'd like to stay for the night but she refused saying she wants to keep the routine as normal as possible for the two children and Eldest Grand-daughter had nursery the next day. Fortunately by the time she arrived, Youngest Grandson had perked up quite a bit. His temperature had returned to normal and he'd eaten some weetabix for his breakfast - which was more than he'd managed the previous day when the worst was only just beginning - and he beamed up at her, spots and all, as she walked through the door.
After they'd gone, Hubby and I had a whole hour to clear up before Youngest Sister arrived with her hubby and youngest son for lunch - soup and French Stick - prior to meeting Mother in Croydon for a spot of Christmas shopping. Hubby was working so he stayed behind as the rest of us braved the freezing winds and hit Poundland and the new 99p shop with great gusto to stock up on Christmas Cookies and other festive delights. By the time I got home just after 5pm he had left and at 7pm I fell into bed, the lost sleep of Saturday night finally catching up and hitting me full-force! I only woke up once and that was when Mother called me at 9pm to see how I was. I went straight back to sleep afterwards and stayed that way until the alarm roused me the following morning.
This weekend Hubby and I are determined to get the bulk of our present buying out of the way so we are both looking forward to that and the following weekend we are off to Worthing to see Vampires Rock. Less than two weeks after that is the Big Day itself then the New Year will arrive and we'll start all over again - and hopefully, 2009 will be a better year all round.
Catch you again soon.
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
IT'S BEGINNING TO FEEL A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS ...
Hubby and I went down to rural Danehill in West Sussex last Saturday, where Youngest Sister and Brother-In-Law run the village store, to celebrate the village Tree-lighting ceremony - you know - like Trafalgar Square but on much much smaller scale. Of course Saturday night just had to be the coldest of the winter so far so it was a very chilly group of us that stood singing Christmas carols as the tree-lights twinkled and frost paved the way for snow. It was sooooo lovely, though; thousands of stars, everyone muffled up in gloves and scarfs and hats, mulled wine and warm mince pies doing the rounds, excited children tearing about, Father Christmas ho-ho-ho-ing in his jolliest fashion; it was like stepping back into that old Judy Garland movie "Meet Me In St Louis" and really brought the Christmas spirit into all our hearts. The only thing missing was the snow but that came in droves on Sunday morning when Neice # 2 convinced Hubby and I that we should go and meet her horse Billy.
Now I absolutely love horses. I think they are gentle giants with the lovliest liquid eyes and softest velvet noses and sweetest natures imaginable. Unfortunately I am also horribly horribly allergic to them so that, even though I took two anti-histimines and kept my distance from thoroughbred Billy, I felt my sinuses clog, my eyes stream and my chest tighten from the second I entered his snowy field and watched him canter towards Neice # 2 and regard her with complete and utter adoration. By the time we got back to the house, I was in the first early throws of asthma and had to get very liberal with the inhaler. I did not actually feel a hundred per cent again until yesterday morning, but it was worth it to see the look of pride on her face. The things aunties do for gorgeous neices!
Hubby greeted me last night when I got home with the excellent news that his shares had sold so we can actually afford to go out and do some Christmas shopping soon. What a relief. I know we'd have coped somehow without them if we'd had to, but it does take a certain amount of the burden off knowing we can do it without breaking the bank, now. We still can't go as mad as we did a few years back when we remortgaged but we can afford to give ourselves a Christmas budget which makes the whole thing a lot more enjoyable. And guess what? We have got Eldest Grand-daughter and Youngest Grandson staying with us this weekend and I am sure we will take them into Christmassy Croydon on Saturday. It will be interesting to see how they react to the singing Christmas tree in Centrale and moving mannequins in Whitgift after Eldest Grand-daughter's clear distaste last year. Hopefully she will not be averse to going to see Santa although, I have to confess, the grotto in Whitgift is a sad disappointment after last year's winter wonderland. I guess even Santa must be feeling the pinch a bit!
And as Christmas is now less than a month away, I have got to say how very impatient I am for the Christmas break to begin so that I can write and write and write and work on my new project. Who knows - maybe next year, I really will be able to cut the hours at the day job and do what I am meant to be doing with my life. Well - I can live in hope, can't I? Maybe I will drop Santa a letter - how should it go? Oh yes ... Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing.......
Now I absolutely love horses. I think they are gentle giants with the lovliest liquid eyes and softest velvet noses and sweetest natures imaginable. Unfortunately I am also horribly horribly allergic to them so that, even though I took two anti-histimines and kept my distance from thoroughbred Billy, I felt my sinuses clog, my eyes stream and my chest tighten from the second I entered his snowy field and watched him canter towards Neice # 2 and regard her with complete and utter adoration. By the time we got back to the house, I was in the first early throws of asthma and had to get very liberal with the inhaler. I did not actually feel a hundred per cent again until yesterday morning, but it was worth it to see the look of pride on her face. The things aunties do for gorgeous neices!
Hubby greeted me last night when I got home with the excellent news that his shares had sold so we can actually afford to go out and do some Christmas shopping soon. What a relief. I know we'd have coped somehow without them if we'd had to, but it does take a certain amount of the burden off knowing we can do it without breaking the bank, now. We still can't go as mad as we did a few years back when we remortgaged but we can afford to give ourselves a Christmas budget which makes the whole thing a lot more enjoyable. And guess what? We have got Eldest Grand-daughter and Youngest Grandson staying with us this weekend and I am sure we will take them into Christmassy Croydon on Saturday. It will be interesting to see how they react to the singing Christmas tree in Centrale and moving mannequins in Whitgift after Eldest Grand-daughter's clear distaste last year. Hopefully she will not be averse to going to see Santa although, I have to confess, the grotto in Whitgift is a sad disappointment after last year's winter wonderland. I guess even Santa must be feeling the pinch a bit!
And as Christmas is now less than a month away, I have got to say how very impatient I am for the Christmas break to begin so that I can write and write and write and work on my new project. Who knows - maybe next year, I really will be able to cut the hours at the day job and do what I am meant to be doing with my life. Well - I can live in hope, can't I? Maybe I will drop Santa a letter - how should it go? Oh yes ... Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing.......
Thursday, 20 November 2008
WOO-HOO!!!!!!
Guess what, Blogspot Buddies? I am writing again! What a huge relief; I was beginning to think I'd lost it forever. I am very excited about my new work in progress because it is one of those projects that seems to come from nowhere, yet feels as if it has been waiting somewhere at the back of my mind forever. If it carries on developing at the rate it currently is, I could be sitting on something amazing. And this all came about because I did something I haven't done in ages - I sat back and looked at the whole picture.
As you know, I have had a couple of very dificult years in a row - my health, Mother's health. personal stuff going on in our lives (including the arrival of three grandchildren after having just one grandson for ten years), the job situation and so on. Lollypop came along and took on Yucketypoo, taking me by surprise when they then commissioned two sequels where none had ever been planned. The whirligig of having that published, the ups and downs of creating the sequels so that they were as fresh and original as the first one and tying that entire package together has probably made for the most difficult time in my entire writing career. As I got more and more tied up with Yucks 2 and 3, everything else in my writing life kind of fell by the wayside. In short, I felt completely at a loss. Where I'd been tootling along my entire life writing and publishing the odd poem here, article there and meeting the odd commission, all of a sudden there was a pre-destined path I had never expected or envisaged and I just didn't handle it terribly well. The harder I tried to find the writer I once was, the less likely it became that I would. I think maybe I even burned myself out to a point.
The other week I resigned from being group host to the Young Children and Haiku groups on Writewords because I was finding it more and more difficult to give them any degree of attention. I haven't quit Writewords, you understand; I have just taken a breather. Around the same time, I signed up for NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) where the gauntlet is thrown down for writers of all levels to come up with a 50,000 word novel between November 1st and November 30th. If they achieve it, they get a certificate and if they don't - well they can always try again next year. I will not be getting the certificate this year. A week and a half in and I suddenly saw a new possibility and here I am, three weeks in, rediscovering within myself what it is like to be an active writer again. And I am quite happy to continue along this path for as long as this new work will have me. I feel suddenly free and unfettered. I am writing again because I want to; no more, no less. It is a good feeling.
I won't give too much away about the new project, just in case it changes its mind and puts itself on the back burner again. But I will come back to my blog more often now that I have got something worth telling you about.
Catch up soon.
As you know, I have had a couple of very dificult years in a row - my health, Mother's health. personal stuff going on in our lives (including the arrival of three grandchildren after having just one grandson for ten years), the job situation and so on. Lollypop came along and took on Yucketypoo, taking me by surprise when they then commissioned two sequels where none had ever been planned. The whirligig of having that published, the ups and downs of creating the sequels so that they were as fresh and original as the first one and tying that entire package together has probably made for the most difficult time in my entire writing career. As I got more and more tied up with Yucks 2 and 3, everything else in my writing life kind of fell by the wayside. In short, I felt completely at a loss. Where I'd been tootling along my entire life writing and publishing the odd poem here, article there and meeting the odd commission, all of a sudden there was a pre-destined path I had never expected or envisaged and I just didn't handle it terribly well. The harder I tried to find the writer I once was, the less likely it became that I would. I think maybe I even burned myself out to a point.
The other week I resigned from being group host to the Young Children and Haiku groups on Writewords because I was finding it more and more difficult to give them any degree of attention. I haven't quit Writewords, you understand; I have just taken a breather. Around the same time, I signed up for NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) where the gauntlet is thrown down for writers of all levels to come up with a 50,000 word novel between November 1st and November 30th. If they achieve it, they get a certificate and if they don't - well they can always try again next year. I will not be getting the certificate this year. A week and a half in and I suddenly saw a new possibility and here I am, three weeks in, rediscovering within myself what it is like to be an active writer again. And I am quite happy to continue along this path for as long as this new work will have me. I feel suddenly free and unfettered. I am writing again because I want to; no more, no less. It is a good feeling.
I won't give too much away about the new project, just in case it changes its mind and puts itself on the back burner again. But I will come back to my blog more often now that I have got something worth telling you about.
Catch up soon.
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