Evening

Almost a year has passed, and no I’ve not been parked on the sofa buried under fantastic novels (I wish), nor rubbish novels, either. I have finished my MA; quite a 12 month distraction.

So, little summary, shall we:
I’m hooked on the Twilight novels and just a little bit in love with Stephenie Meyer…
I have a Kindle app on my smartphone, and over the next few months will fill it and my lovely Samsung e-reader with more books than I will purchase in paperback or hardback form…
I am expecting a baby in January, so my writing room will become a nursery…
As with any sort of cheating it isn’t good: the Americano shortchanged me by a tenner, and though it was my fault for not realising immediately, the naff customer service I received ensured that this coffee lover returned to Starbucks (once the morning sickness had passed)…
I plan to have a few more weeks of reading novels, then would rather like to take on NaNoWriMo. And finish a draft of Life to Do….
I have lots of other writing plans which I’ll share with you, lovely lovely readers, over the course of this blogging malarky.

Cor, tis good to be back blogging.

The e-reader has arrived.

Hello m’dears, I did it, I did it, I bought my e-reader today, thanks to the lovely book token win from the Mail on Sunday. My new Samsung E60 is actually labelled a Reading and Writing device and it does lots and lots-there’s an MP3 player, a notes function (bit like an easier-to-navigate-etch-a-sketch), a dictionary and books. Yum! Will see how many books I can get on it in the next few hours, before settling down to write. My plan is 42.

Septober and 6 am writing starts

Septober officially belongs to new students, falling leaves and 6 am starts to write. Apart from the events I have to organise, I do quite love a spot of Septober – especially now that I know Paperchase has arrived in Plymouth (1st floor of George St Waterstones).

And with my writing comes along new writing, in the form of a Plymouthian Marian Keyes – The Un-Working Girl: http://unworkinggirl.blogspot.com/

Enjoyez.

Clarke, Actually

Having a tremendous Sunday, travelling down from Hartlepool to Plymouth via London; the sun is doing good things, my head is not doing bad things (unlike Mr Emma’s Head, which is currently suffering on its way back from Norwich to Plymouth via London; I can’t wait for our Waterloo Road catch up on the Archos on our Padd train, either), and I’ve just received a newsletter from Stephen Clarke, Writer, regarding his rummage into the history of French-English relations. I now know how to use my Mail on Sunday writing win book vouchers.

‘Stephen Clarke’, you say, ‘the name is familiar…’ That’s because he’s a Merde writer (link on the right under Books)…non, he isn’t rubbish (rather the opposite) but is the hand behind the Merde series of books. I rather like his self-publishing and done-well-out-of-it-story, too, and use this to boost myself through any spots of Writers’ Block. Plus, I quite enjoy reading about what happens to the French and the English when they meet.

I could tell you more about him, but Clarkey doesn’t pay me for PR (or anything else), and he does talk about himself slightly better on his website, go have a nose. As soon as I’ve enjoyed the literary lunch in October I’ll be off to my local to pick up, perhaps in hardback, 1000 Years of Annoying the French.

Appréciez.

PS – If you ever have to loiter around Kings Cross station in the early hours of the morning, don’t; visit St Pancras for a civilised croissanty sit down and a free trip to the loo (is it me or does anyone else hate paying 30p for a penny?).

I’ve cheated.

You know how something catches your eye, and you tell yourself that you shouldn’t even think about those thoughts that are making themselves comfortable in your head, but you also know that eventually you’ll collapse like a weak ceiling in a downpour? That happened to me this week; after months of abstinence, my heart only grew fonder. I cheated three times, and I’m going back for more tomorrow.

I know what my boyfriend will think, but he just doesn’t understand. I’ve never cheated before, not on a test or in a relationship; I’ve always been loyal and stubborn. But I’ve gone to the dark side and there’s no going back. I’ve felt alive and sparkly every time I’ve cheated this week, not given a thought to the other being. From the first time I saw the welcome all those weeks ago, I think I knew I was ready for a change from my old scene. My boyfriend would rather be in a Wetherspoons; he doesn’t think coffee should take more than 10 minutes to drink.

What? No, I’ve not cheated on my man! I’ve moved from Starbucks to a new independant (possibly a chain if Plymouth City Council have anything to do with it). I’ve left the green goddess of Starbuck, for a sexy South American lounge called The Americano. I know, I know, I never thought I’d trade a Caramel Machiato for a bog-standard Cappucino, but if I could stick photos up on here you’d understand my reasons for swapping. All I’ll say is take a wander to the Baptist Church opposite the M&S foodhall, in the city centre of Plymouth and you’ll cheat on your favourite coffee house, too.

PS – I will continue to visit future Starbucks, particularly when I’m outside the Plymouth Area. I’ve not gone to the red (Costa) or blue (Nero) side yet.

4th place win!

I’m joint fourth in this year’s Mail on Sunday novel competition, with my 150 word entry on the word, ‘light’, so I’m having a lovely Bank Holiday weekend.

Going to put down the birthday cake and polish up Life to Do, aka my fourth place win.

Post-Breakfast Blog

Whilst enjoying some lovely scrambled eggs, and catching up with the Writers News forum, I bumped into a blog (I love the technological advances of writing) from a literary agent. Last topic posted: Synopsis Writing.
Enjoy:

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2007/08/how-to-write-synopsis.html

Good Summer?

Well, that was the summer, then. Work took over for a while, and when the conferences (International Student Conference: Unlock Your Employment Potential, May; Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching and Learning Conference, June and the UKCISA Conference, July) finished I cracked on with Collaborative Writing: Writing to Develop the Personal and the Profession(al) (Fox and Jordan, due 2010). Then I had a birthday so lots of red wine disappeared, and now it’s the Last Bank Holiday of the Summer. And there is clearning up (of writing projects, home and garden) to be done. Toodlepip for a bit, but not so long.

The Paris Review

Just read this lovely lovely New York magazine, and I’m a little bit in awe/love. Interview’s with some of the world’s greatest writers since 1953. Who says gorging is a sin?

http://www.theparisreview.org/index.php

The Melancholic Flipchart

I stand, patiently, once regularly used. Now I am bare, waiting for the clothes of white that have been locked away.
Resources.
Bring your own.
I’m always here, will go willingly wherever I’m needed, but nobody needs me. Everyone wants digital nowadays, not plain old paper.

A five-minue characterisation exercise written in tonight’s Writing Group.