Getting on with the writing

Today I added to the story – or novel as it’s aiming to be. After finishing chapter 5 (yay) the word count is just over 11,000. Now for a writer, this is nothing, but for me who’s got a bit stuck lately, this is monumental. This is me getting back into it, and I have a few more characters now as well. 

Are you writing and got stuck? How’s it going, and what helps you get back in the story? I knit when not writing, and making a throw over blanket for Sophie.

Remember, we have to love the characters and their journey ourselves because if we don’t how can we expect anyone else to care about them?

The bizzie lizzies are to remind you that spring isn’t far away.

Now off to read through the first 5 chapters and add some action and spice to keep it going through chapter 6.

Every time I pass another 10,000 words I’ll blog about it and soon there might be a story for you to enjoy. The two pound coin is to remind us of the industrial revolution and the beginning of the twentieth century an era during which my story is set. 

The writing fairy says, “It’s okay to have some thinking time, then when you get back to it, the words will flow and you’ll have a masterpiece on your hands.

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Her Own Robinson Crusoe

This is what I’m off to read in the garden under the umbrella of course. It’s still hot here in Warwickshire, but before long I’ll be taking the plane journey with Serena off to the Caribbean. Better get a cool drink to go with it. It’s in the shops today.

Sophie had good news today as well, she got her first swimming certificate. Well done, little swimmer and  hope it’s the first of many.

She looks as proud as Grandma with her books doesn’t she? Well done, Sophie.

 

 

 

Pocket Novels

I’m a pocket novelist for My Weekly, and proud to say another one will be published soon. It’s set in the Caribbean, will let you know as soon as it’s here.

Great to see family members today, Ann and Sophie called, then our Son and his dog bounded in, and lovely to see them all.

                

Knitting is another pastime that I find helps with relaxing, not that I need an excuse to sit down and watch something funny on t.v. Rising Damp is on, and for me good comedy doesn’t date. Same as Larry Grayson who was on the night before. He was a local celebrity in our area, coming from local town of Nuneaton.

My day job is now making badges and key rings, also putting words on tee shirts. Can’t wait to put book covers on key rings, and more news on that coming soon. Have a great week, however you’re spending it.

 

 

 

Updating the blog…

It’s been a few months since I updated the blog – here’s me and Sophie having a swing in our local park. Always great to spend some time together, and she’s growing into a clever little girl. Making cakes and loving her reading books and spending lots of time outdoors.

Swing-time

Making cakes for nursery

 

Marble Arch at dawn, for
any Fools And Horses fans

Two handsome chaps relaxing and chatting by the seaside.

Magic moments xx

Sly doesn’t want to get his feet wet today…

The building work on our house is finished for now, and we have a jukebox in the corner of the room so we can listen to fabby music all day long, when not at work. Alan retired this year, so it’s smashing to enjoy long walks in the afternoons together.

A quiet moment before we walk a bit further.

Now today it’s snowing and the scenery looks great. Funny how everything looks different coverd in snow and so glad it’s a day when I don’t have to go out to work.

Gathering sticks for a real fire

Mom and Dad’s dog – Tess

A couple of fun pics to finish with, and enjoy the festive season spending time with loved ones – More blogging news soon, I’m off to edit the last chapter of my latest pocket novel, more news on that later.

Billy and the blue jeans will be on tour next year

With Suzy on guitar:))

 

 

The Winner is…

Congratulations to Sally J, the winner of Murder in the Village. Alan drew your name out of the pepper pig pot a while ago.

Well done, Sally

 

 

The winner is…

Your signed copy will be on it’s way next week if you could email your postal address please. Or p.m me on facebook. Well done.

Thank you to everyone who had a go at winning my latest book. Jan, Honoria, Maggie, Nick, Rosemary, Amy and Navedeep.

Here’s the link if anyone would like to buy it, and there will be more giveaways on the blog later on. To enjoy the first in the series of Redington, that one is here.

If you’d like to see the other works I’ve done along the way, these are found on this link.

The garden is looking good at the moment, have a look at these.

You wouldn’t be surprised that I have an idea for a book with the word sunflower in the title for later on in the year. Still working on the Caribbean story, and looking forward to the RNA conference next Saturday. Have a good week, and more news after the conference.

Anyone for lettuce?

We’re fully stocked with salad leaves. At the moment it’s all year round lettuce, spinach and rocket leaves available in the kitchen garden. And growing on we have yellow courgettes, mini munch cucumber, tomatoes, money maker are my favourite variety. As well, we have normal cucumber, green courgettes, dwarf beans, and dwarf peas, lots of herbs and tons of strawberries with heaps of flowers on them as well.

Good job the garden is looking rosy as we’re having the house re-vamped and it’s going to be a bit of a building site during the summer months

Front border

 

In writing news, this will be available soon.

And I’m busy working on my next pocket novel, which is a romantic story set in the Caribbean, so off there now. So I’m going to have some chopped pineapple to eat while I’m sailing away… Up to chapter 6, and more news on that as it develops.

Enjoy the lighter nights and mornings. It’s getting light at half past four in the morning now when I go out to my cleaning job.

And the great thing is I’m all done by coffee time.

Bit of a clanger

You may remember that I’ve recently released A Factory Affair, and done a giveaway on the blog. The winner is the lovely Rosemary Gemmell, and still waiting to hear whether you’d still like the book, Rosemary.

Well, another lovely lady, Elaine Everest, author of Woolworths Girls, and due to release Butlin’s Girls, wondered why I’d put that I was on the shortlist with this for the RNA new talent awards. I didn’t realise the shortlist I was on, along with Elaine, was with the Festival of Romance. For some reason I really thought it was run by the RNA. Maybe it was sponsored by the RNA, but because lots of names I recognised as being romantic writers, were there, and Katie Fforde spoke at the end, and won an award as well. I think that’s why the confusion popped in. So now I’ve corrected the opening of the book to say, this story was on the shortlist of the Festival of Romance, new talent award. We have to get these little details right don’t we? So glad that’s cleared up. Now I need to alter it on the kindle version as well. Thanks to everyone who’s shown an interest in the book, and watch out for another giveaway very soon.

Family time

We had fun today, opening presents with Ann and Sophie as they’re going to her other gran and grandad’s for Christmas Day.

Here is the must have p’j’s – clangers and the unicorn handbag for all the best dressed girls about town.

And in the middle picture, pink fluffy marshmallow dressing gown for when a young lady is chilling on the settee.

Speaking of the settee, no day is complete without jumping off the back and rolling on to the floor.

 

Any time spent with loved ones is special, it doesn’t have to wait until a certain date on the calendar. Enjoy Christmas, and don’t forget to tell people who matter that you love them. Now I think it’s time I found something yummy to eat. Happy Christmas.

 

Happy Birthday – Dad 80 today

When your Dad has his 80th birthday, it’s a good reason to do a blog post.

There’s me and Sister Sal with Mom and Dad helping him to eat his lovely cake and sharing a cup of tea. We, or rather, I tried doing a photo of us all together but it turned out rubbish, so two separate ones makes more sense.

He said he doesn’t feel 80, and now he’s recovered after having a new knee, he’s raring to go again.

We’ve got our tree up, but not decorated yet. That will be tomorrow, as I’m busy reading Tracey’s pocket novel – it’s Scary Mary – and that new writing book by Patsy and Rosemary which is really good.

Our old gas fire has gone now and there’s a toasty new heating system in. Now we’ve got a smashing flower arrangement, one Mom did earlier, in the gap and plenty of room for Santa to come down the chimney as well.

Have a great week, whatever you might be doing.

Don’t trifle with me

I’ve made one of my own. Reason being, we had some banana loaf that needed eating. It’s now the base of the trifle with some blackberry jam on. Then a layer of mandarins, red jelly and custard, with the topping you see here.

One good thing about the weather getting colder, is that we have a real fire. There’s nothing like watching real flames and warming your hands by the fire with a cup of tea and a huge bowl of trifle. The diet can wait until tomorrow.

Now I’m working on the next chapter of my latest book and loving it. Still reading through A Factory Affair as well, ready for the release of the paperback. We’ve had some good walks lately through woodlands where fallen leaves were ankle deep, only I didn’t take the phone or camera. Sometimes It’s good to enjoy the moment and forget about camera phones and all things media related.

Enjoy your week, whatever you may be doing, and to anyone doing nanowrimo, keep writing. I didn’t sign up for it, but doing lots of writing all the same.