Thanks to Patsy for this lovely award. Looks quite stylish doesn’t it? Now I need to tell you 7 things about me that you might not already know.
1. I listen to the radio while I’m at work making up holly wreaths. Today it was five live in the workshop and radio 2 in the shop. Listening to the stories of those children in America had me in floods of tears. Luckily no customers were in at the time. I heard the tale of a little boy who said, ‘It’s alright, I know karate so we’ll be alright.’ We must send prayers for them all there.
2. I get lots of ideas for my writing from work. A lady came in today looking at a little Christmas tree. She said, ‘I might have that. I bought a new one last year but it’s up the loft and I can’t get up there, so I’ll probably buy a new one.’ (how strange)
3. We don’t have many Christmas cards these days. One from our accountant with his team of smiley people. Saying, we’re the team who charge you a lot of money to tell you you have made some money, but not lots, then you can pay us – Happy Christmas. Then there’s one our Son had from the Indian takeaway. Two from a couple of favourite aunts, one mine and hubby’s side, then there’s one from – Aunty Nelly, from Alaska. That’s a pseudenym of course. Now Aunty Nelly writes in a silver pen on white card, so you have to tilt the card to read it. Not only that, she writes slantedly, so it’s nigh on impossible to read. Here’s why. Aunty Nelly say’s she’s dissapointed that blah blah blah de blah blah, and they’re busy busy busy. But not too busy to write the A5 sized manuscript that passes as a Christmas card. Oh and we want you to come and do this that and the blah blah other. How that card hasn’t been ripped up I’m not sure, but living in Alaska… Don’t think Aunty Nelly follows my blog, but I’ve joined so many twitters, about me, linked in and so forth, that she might just zoom in one day. Punctuation!!??–… She’s good at that, one of these screamers!!!!! follows every sentence, she’s thick as a brick and twice as cheeky, BUT. She will be in my next story and have lots of thing happen to her. Must go and read Patsy’s Mavis story – Paint me a Picture to get some ideas as I remember you saying some people got bumped off in there. Not that Aunty Nelly will get bumped off, she must have a custard pie in her face at least first.
4. I don’t like being told what to do, which is why we have our own shop. Thing is, they’re being knocked down next year, so must change direction. Ideally I need a job where I get paid lots of money for writing, be able to drink tea whenever I want, be outdoors a lot and in general please myself. Haven’t found one of those yet, but will keep an open mind.
5. My New Year slogan is something like this. ‘In the year two o one three, aim to sell your work for a fee. Expect to get paid for the words that you’ve said. Know your wordsworth.’ That’s not to say that I won’t ever submit a story for free, just that I intend to lift the bar up a bit, then drink the brandy and babycham, and improve the standard of writing. (I don’t drink, but if I did it would be b&b.
6. Out on the market is where I feel most comfortable. It’s splendid for getting story ideas. For instance, there’s usually an argument if someone goes in someone else’s place. Someone usually gets stuck in mud. Someone might shoplift, and have a stall holder chasing them around. Last time we went, the man on the next stall lifted a clothes rail from a girl who insisted on wandering round. (not me, I only mooch once in the day) He shouted to her when she came back. ‘Watch out there’s thieves around today.’ She kept saying ‘thanks for that.’ Took her a while to notice he’d taken her rail.
7. Family also give good things to write about. Especially Dad who is really funny without realising. He’s a natural born story teller. If he’s in a room, nobody gets a chance to get a word in. He always has a tale to tell. He used to tell us stories about an old king who lived in the woods. The only people who could talk more than him is his elder brother and his Mum – my Gran.
Phew, bet you’ve dropped off to sleep by now. Here’s some blogs I like.
Teresa, Helen, Sally, Gail, Amanda, Suzanne. There’s lots more like Juliet, and Linda. Nicola and Vanessa.
Susan Jones 