Another Submission

Yes, I hope you were sitting down for that one! I have indeed sent off another submission. And this time it was actually a novel!

As you know, I've been umming and aahing about sending this off - or rather about who to send this off to. I've been through the whole trying to find an agent thing previously, although not with this book admittedly. I did actually secure an agent way back then too, but although I got some good feedback from a few of the publishers, no deal was ever struck.

In the meantime, I had been working on other things, as one is meant to do so I wasn't just sitting waiting by the phone, but when it came time to send this baby off into the big, bad world, that experience was still in the back of my mind.

I realise it's not a unique to me experience either. That's not what I'm getting at. It's just that whole big waiting game thing. And sometimes you don't even get an answer so it's hard to know whether the agent has read it, binned it or even received it. I did send postcards with a mss previously but that doesn't really solve the 'have I left it long enough to contact them' dilemma.

Anyway, in the end, it became irrelevant because as I was pondering the problem, I happened to see a competition being run for novels. It was already close to the final day for submission but as my book was all ready to go, I thought it might be worth a shot. I know the date that decisions are being made so if I don't hear from anyone then, I'll also know I didn't make the cut. At that point, I can resume along the original path but, for the moment, this felt the right thing to do.

So, wish me luck and I'll most definitely keep you posted.

Congratulations to all of you who completed NaNoWriMo. I hope that it proved useful for you and that you're now taking a well earned couple of days rest.

Happy Writing!

Time Out and a Submission

Hello everyone!

It's been several weeks since I was here so, sorry about that, but I've come to realise that sometimes life just gets in the way of all our plans and that just has to be accepted, mostly by me. I'm getting better at that, but that isn't to say I don't still find it frustrating when health and stuff gets the upper hand for a while.

Still! I haven't been totally resting on my laurels - although resting was something that took up a few weeks, unfortunately. Firstly, I'd been having some pain and numbness in my hands and knew this as a sign than I needed a trip to the osteopath. True to form, there were some pretty big knots that had built up and so a fair amount of squashing, twisting and crunching went on.

I usually feel a bit off for a couple of days after these sessions but this one was particularly bad and I was pretty ill for about a week. Just as I was picking up from that, my ankle decided it was time to have one of the worst flare ups it has ever done. Perfect timing. Just as we book a real holiday for the first time in nine years, I can't even walk on it! There was nothing to do but rest it as totally as I could in the hope that it'd be ok in time for the trip. I was so stressed as it was so bad, we really were unsure as to whether we would be able to go. The holiday involved a certain amount of walking and hopping on and off trains, so crutches wasn't exactly an option.

Long story short, a perfectly timed check up with my surgeon meant that he was able to whack a steroid injection in to help settle it in time. I'm not a big 'trainers as fashion' girl but I could get my ankle supports in my boots so with a bit of fudging about, as much resting as possible, and a stock of painkillers, we were ready to go!

 

The flower garlands we were greeted with

 

Finally at the top after five hours on the UNESCO 'Toy Train' from Kalka to Shimla

 

Last time we visited here, it was dazzling in midday sun. The sunset visit this was just as amazing

 

The incredible sight of the Palace of the Winds, Jaipur

 

We took the trip through Great Rail Journeys and whilst it was great to visit, and sometimes for us, revisit the sights of India, the schedule was pretty full on. I'd taken my writing pad for any ideas and scribbles on our days off, and a journal to record thoughts in, but I only got a few days journaling in and never even got to look at the pad! It was literally up, breakfast, trip, dinner, bed. And there were some very early starts (4.50am in the foyer, anyone?!). Hence, very little inspirational writing took place.

 

On the other hand, I did have a couple of ideas and one of which was to twiddle and then send off a short story that I'd had written for ages as part of the Writers Bureau Course - an assignment I still haven't finished. Oops. And guess what, I actually did it! Off it tootled in an email. Whether anything comes of it, who knows, but at least I have tried. Short story writing isn't something I've done a lot of at all so I'd be over the moon if it did get published!

 

And whilst time to ourselves was very short, and brain and body was generally too exhausted to even think of picking up a pen, I've stored all the sights, sounds, and yes, smells (!) away for reference purposes in the future. That's the good thing about being a writer, no experience, big or small, is ever wasted.

 

I hope all of your projects are coming along well, and good luck to anyone tackling NaNoWriMo this month!

 

Happy writing!

 



To Nano or Not To Nano

That is the question...well, it is for a lot of people around this time of year. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and the idea is that you write 50,000 words - effectively a short novel, or at least a good chunk of an average size one, within the month of November.

It's not an easy task and I am yet to take part - although I did get very close to it in 2007 but things sort of fell apart and it went by the wayside. There is always something else going on around that time, it seems. But I would like to do it one day - just because. I haven't decided whether to take part this year. I'm thinking probably not just because there are others things that need my attention and if I do it, I really want to do it and not just have a half hearted attempt.

There does seem to be a lot more snobbery around this year about Nanowrimo, which is a shame. I don't know where that's come from, and why. It's a fun thing to do - but it is hard word and I admire those that do complete it. No-one for a minute imagines that what they produce in that mad, mayhem filled, Red Bull fuelled month is worthy of publication. That's not the point. It's a challenge and it is a starting point. A starting point for something that, with a lot more work, and a lot more editing, may in time become something worthy of publication.

So , are you taking part in Nanowrimo this year? And if so, why? And if not, why not?

One last thing about November - it is also the month for Movember - you grow a moustache during the month of November, getting sponsorship along the way. It's all in an effort to raise awareness and funds for mens' cancer, specifically prostate and testicular. I'm sure you'll agree it's a great cause and I'm proud to say that my hubby and his business partner at Advance Helicopters are taking part this year. Please feel free to offer your support, and any donation, if you are able - there's more about it on their Movember page here. Weekly updates will be posted, of course!

Nanowrimo

Apologies for the delay but I just wanted to wish everyone who is in the midst of thier Nano works the very best of luck!

I'm in the middle of several different projects (well, at least two) that I really want to get finished so after much deliberation I decided not to enter this year. I don't know what it is about November, but I always seem to have various amounts of things to do in this particular month. One day...

Anyway, I just wanted those who are embarked on the manic but amazing task that I'm cheering for you! Go Nanos!