Whittering On...

"Hello Ladies!" I cried, arms outstretched to embrace my dear friends.

"Janey!" they returned in unison and the three of us shared a big hug.

You see, this is the great thing about the friendships I have formed on the internet amongst the writing community - they are true and deep running friendships between like-minded people. And I gotta say it's just like meeting one's oldest and dearest friends when you meet in the flesh.

Introductions were made to FHH's Beloved and Robin's husband JB and we were shown to our table. For various reasons we actually moved table twice after that but soon after we'd finally settled in along came Polenth and Whirlochre to join out motley crew.

Then we ordered our 1st bottle of wine .....

L-R Robin,Whirl, Polenth, me and Gina

The Evil Editor made an appearance too - albeit in picture form. He happily kept the salt and pepper mills happy whilst we nattered on.

Polenth and Fairyhedgehog get a flash of Whirl's socks

Many people wondered if Whirlochre was actually a real person. Just to prove it was really him he flashed us his stripy socks. Obviously FHH was gobsmacked but I noticed Polenth had a wry and knowing smile.

"Yes ladies the socks are real but you'll have to wait for a chillier day before I break out the kilt."

Well he is adorably cheeky!

Many bottles of wine later we had to part company even though there was so much more left to say. I guess we'll just save it for next time.

Th-th-th-th-that's all folks!

I love these meets.

I wonder if anyone has actually figured out that I'm not actually one of The Evil Editor's minions?

Shhh! Keep it shtumm!


***Just a small little aside added much later - Blogger seems to be eating the comments being left but please do leave them because I think I'm getting them on email notification. Well I've seen a couple so far! I have no idea what's going on with my blog though!***

*******UPDATE ON UPDATE: It took 12 hours but eventually they all showed up! YEAY!*******

The fabuous Dr Paca has urged the faithful (in the style of Robin) to go forth and record ourselves reading something we've written. (Links to all those who've joined in are on Paca's blog). After a whole pile of to-ing and fro-ing I think I've finally stuttered my way into something here. This is the first few paragraphs of the first draft of my current WIP called Seeders. Apologies for the nasal delivery but its hayfever season so...

Do let me know if there's any technical probs. Apparently the audio loops once it's finished so be prepared to click on stop. I think I may have to lie down now! I've included the text of what I read below.




SEEDERS

Chapter One
The tube doors opened vomiting out so many passengers that those waiting on the platform were forced another metre back. Like two different coloured liquids, for a brief moment, those getting off the train merged with those getting on before separating again, one safely contained in the carriages while the other flowed away quickly into passageways and stairwells. In the scramble for the few seats available nobody noticed the thin girl who quietly moved into the corner next to the opposite door. Lank hair spilled from her grey hoody like a dark curtain separating her from the crowd around. She wore a canvas messenger bag across her body so that the bag hung behind her. Hidden behind sunglasses and an iPod she may as well have been a ghost.

An announcement warned everyone that the doors were going to close. The newly boarded passengers grabbed hold of something to brace themselves for the impending judder as the train began to move off. The girl peered over the tops of her Raybans to see a heavily pregnant woman standing in front of a seated businessman too engrossed in his broadsheet to acknowledge the belly inches from his face. The woman looked weary. The Businessman went to turn the page of his newspaper and as he folded the page he had just read back on itself he glanced around. He didn’t even see them, but his eyes momentarily met with those of the girl. Nobody saw them flash a brilliant shade of emerald green before she pushed her sunglasses back up her nose and bowed her head again.

“I do beg your pardon,” he said rather loudly to the pregnant woman, “I’m afraid I was so engrossed in my paper I didn’t see you. Please have my seat.”

“No. No I couldn’t possibly … I mean it’s very kind … but you shouldn’t feel you have to…”

“Nonsense. It’s my pleasure,” he assured her as he stood up and shuffled around so that in an instant they’d swapped places and the pregnant woman found herself with her bottom right in front of a vacant seat.

“Well if you’re sure …” She sank heavily into the seat.

The man smiled kindly before returning to his paper indicating their exchange was now at an end.

“Thank you,” said the woman as she closed her eyes, grateful to be off her swollen feet.

The train noisily pulled into the next station. The word Westminster appeared and disappeared in the window of the door next to the girl as the tube screeched to a halt. Passengers moved toward to their nearest exit as a silent exchange of positions occurred. The doors whooshed open. Those collected at the exits moved forward, forcing those waiting on the platform to step back.
Nobody noticed the thin girl in the grey hoody who blended seamlessly into the flow of people pushing forward out of the carriage, temporarily blending with those waiting to get on, before separating again and drifting upwards to the streets above.

One of the things I love most about the writing community is just how supportive it is. It seems that with every chapter written, draft finished, rewrite rewritten, query and synopsis battled with and submission submitted, there is a crowd of like-minded people cheering you on to take the next step. Imagine then the celebrations in the collective when one of our own finds and agent, gets a deal and their book gets published. 

The crowd goes wild!

This year has been a great year for the gang and there's a lot to celebrate. Today I'm bringing Tall Story by Candy Gourlay to your attention. Candy is one of the hardest working and most supportive SCBWI members here in the UK and it's a thrill to know that tomorrow (May 27th) is the launch day for her debut novel.  And there is no-one who deserves it as much.  The making of her book trailer was a real family affair.  You can read all about it here .  I think it's fab.



My copy arrives tomorrow and it is a much anticipated feast.  I can't wait to have it in my greedy little mitts.

My weekend has been set aside for devouring!

I rarely buy DVDs these days except when the kids specifically ask for them for (say) their birthday or Christmas. We rent instead, from LoveFilm.com. You know how it works … you get a couple of DVDs in the post, you watch them, you send them back in the pre-paid envelopes. They then send you the next available movies from your list. When you make the list everything automatically goes on medium priority. If you want something badly you need to move it up. Something on high priority does tend to get sent out first. The stuff on medium priority comes as and when they're available. There are titles on our list that have been there for years though.

A few weeks ago our youngest, Small Son, saw an ad on another DVD for the release of an animated movie called Planet 51. He was desperate to see it and asked me if I could put it on the LoveFilm.com list please. I explained that his Dad was the person who held the account and it had a password so he'd have to wait till Daddy got back from a business trip and ask him to put the movie on the list. Small Son was disappointed at having to wait ("awwwwwwwwww!) but his Dad was going to be home soon and that really wasn't such a long wait. Besides I happen to think that waiting for things is an important life skill. The kid needs to learn a little about delayed gratification.

So that's when the countdown started.

"How long till Dad is home? How many days? How many hours?"

You get the picture.

The day Hubby walked back through the door he barely had time to drop his bag on the hall floor when Small Son ran up to him.

"Dad, can you go on LoveFilm.com and order Planet 51 now?"

"Can I take my coat off first?"

"OK. I'll get the website up on the computer."

As Hubby was hanging up his coat I explained the Small Son had been driving me crazy. "I'll make you a nice cuppa, if you could just update the list quickly so he'll stop badgering me." Hubby found it all very amusing.

When I brought him his tea he was looking over the (now updated with Plant 51) list. "There are a few films on here that we put on ages ago."

"Put them on High Priority and we'll get them faster," I suggested.

Small Son's ears pricked up, "Can you put my movie on that too so I get it faster too please?"

"OK," said Hubby as he ticked the box.

"So how long before I get my movie?"

"Well first we have to send back the ones we have at the moment and then they check the list and they send you the next two that they have available, which might include your movie or it might not. See if it's very popular all their copies might be already out, so you might have to wait a bit. OK?"

Small Son (he's 6) looked dubious. It was quite obvious that all this waiting was becoming very tedious. However, he's a proactive little thing so he put the DVDs that we currently had back in their envelope and pestered me hourly until I posted it.

Unfortunately a few days later the movies that showed up were the ones that Hubby had moved up to High Priority - Terminator Salvation and Australia. Small Son looked like we told him that Christmas and his birthday were cancelled.
"Sweetie - we warned you that this might happen. Never mind. Planet 51 is the only one on High Priority now. As soon as we send these back they'll send it I'm sure."

"When will you be finished with your movies?"

I really wasn't in the mood for cyborg murder and mayhem and despite my fantastic description of Australia (It's like a cowboy film set in World War 2 with Wolverine in it!), I couldn't get Hubby enthusiastic about spending an evening in front of it.

"Well we're away this weekend so I guess we'll watch them when we get back."

"Okay." It was a bitter pill to swallow. I could see him working out how many days he'd have to wait and it was very frustrating for him.

So we went away for the weekend and got back this Monday. On Monday evening just before going to bed Small Son kissed us both goodnight then gave us the LoveFilm.com envelope with the two unwatched movies in it.

"Here you go," he said all chipper, "That'll give you something to do. You can watch one of these tonight!"

You have got to give him full marks for his tenacity and despite the fact that he was constantly knocked back he never got whiney - he just got more relentlessly pro-active.

We watched Terminator Salvation on Monday night. It was all sealed in an envelope ready to be posted when Small Son got up for school on Tuesday morning. He watched to make sure Daddy took it with him to post. He looked quite satisfied.

Of course he's nagged us continuously since to watch Australia just in case LoveFilm.com won't release the next movie without getting both rentals back. Well we haven't. It's been a lot harder to get my husband interested in a cowboy/WW2 movie starring Wolverine than you might think.

Today is General Election Day in the UK. I'll be going to cast my vote a little later and frankly the current state of politics induces gloomy thoughts. I can't stand the current Prime Minister - who by the way was never elected Prime Minister - he just kind of assumed the job when Tony Blair abdicated resigned. The leader of the opposition makes me want a shower every time he opens his mouth such is the slimy feeling I get. I know that no matter how I vote one of these will be our Prime Minister this evening.

This morning Hubby and I were sitting up in bed, laptops on laps, checking our mail and drinking tea.

ME: How depressing. The Guardian is calling it a conservative victory before the first vote has even been cast.

HUBBY: On the upside, I just got an email to say Planet 51 has been despatched.

So not all bad news today then. Perhaps I should take a leaf out of Small Son's book and not give in just because things look bleak.

Lessons learned: Good things come to those that wait, perseverance pays off and there's always an upside.

April - it's over already! Can you believe it? I love April. It's such an energetic and optimistic month. Must be all the blossom, tweety birdies and rampant bunnies that abound. Also I love the weather - warm and sunny one minute, heavy rain the next and just when you start to feel down, beautiful rainbows light up the grey skies. I wish it were longer...

But if it was longer I'd just have to wait for May. I love May even more. May is the most joyful of months. The fruit and hawthorn blossom invigorate the landscape and my gorgeous walks in the woods magically transform into dreamy world of bluebells and anemones. Every day is a blessing. And the sky is never better than in May. The clouds are light and fluffy and race and tumble to the horizon morphing from a dinosaur to a three legged man carrying a bag, to a tree, before disappearing and being replaced by another unlikely shape. And if looking up at the clouds doesn't take your fancy, you can lose hours looking at how their shadows and the strong winds race across the planted fields. Oh my! It fills me up.

Then there's June. I'm allergic to everything in June. You can keep June.

Sunday started grey and wet in an otherwise beautiful week. I was aware if Hubby getting out of bed to let the Pooch out but I drifted past that realisation into the realm of dreams and let him get on with it. It's Sunday. There's no rush. Clocks and schedules become more plastic …malleable… less rigid.

I don't know how much later I became aware of a tapping noise. Hubby was sitting up in bed with his laptop researching toys to get for his great nephew whose first birthday is next week. He smiled at me. I smiled back at him.

"I made you a cup of tea, but it's probably freezing now."

"Oh thanks Hun." I felt the cup on the nightstand beside me. There wasn't a trace of warmth in it. "Sorry Babe, it's even too cold for me, but the thought was lovely. And I appreciate you not waking me up..."

He went back to tippity-tapping and I opened my laptop and see what'd been happening while I slept. As I checked out blogs and made new friends on Facebook, I kept thinking that I really should get up and do my morning speed-walk. I know myself and my shortcomings only too well to put it off. As Hubby got up and went downstairs and I promised myself I'd just read this one last article and then get up.

Well maybe I'll read this other one too...

Hubby arrived back several articles later with breakfast. I was torn. Part of me was horrified because I really don't like to eat before I exercise. But most of me thought "how lovely of you" - because it is lovely and I'm a very lucky girl. So I ate my breakfast in bed as one or two early bloggers start to post.. I heard the two youngest children playing downstairs. I didn't even know they were awake.

After about a half hour I realised that I had to get on with it. The rain had stopped and the sky was clearing. Much better to exercise in the cold than in the midday sun. It was, by now, heading toward 11am, about four hours past my usual walking time. I like to walk when nobody's around. Speed-walking is inherently embarrassing. It's like fast waddling. Not a spectator sport. But it's Sunday, right? Everyone has a lazy morning on Sunday.

Not my local cricket team apparently. It's not quite Village Cricket season yet but apparently there's an awful lot of preparation to be done in getting the pitch ready. So every indigenous male over the age of 16 was in our Recreation Ground strimming, mowing and rolling the ground while the oldfellas were sanding the peeling paint off the pavillion in readiness for a shiny new coat.

It was like Grand Central Station. Only a really English version of it. Outdoors. And I had to make five speedy, waddly circuits of it.

"Morning"

"Morning"

"You're keen aren't you?"

"Training for the marathon are you?"

"Shouldn't you be lining up in London right now?"

"Can I attach the roller to so you can save me a job?"

I nodded, smiled and quipped back as I waddled past. Then I did it again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

There is no dignity in fast-paced walking. I do it because I am carrying way too many extra pounds on a frame that is creaking. My hot, sweaty, red face may be result of my increased heart rate but it could just as easily be a biproduct of my embarrassment. When doing it I'd really rather be ignored. Despite the cloudy sky I wore my sunglasses. I tried to look forward and not engage with them but such coldness is completely incongruous with the polite, friendliness of Village Cricket.

It was a relief to pass them the final time. By now the sun had broken through and I was regretting wearing a sweatshirt. I would normally have just taken it off but I didn't fancy compounding my mortification with flashing my white belly (because tee-shirts always ride up when you're pulling a sweater over your head) and worse still, my ginormous bra for keeping the puppies from jiggling while I'm wiggling. But I soldiered on because I'm committed to this regime and more importantly I told the guy with the strimmer that I was doing five circuits so I had to keep going.

As I left the field and all the industrious cricketers behind I wondered briefly if I was going to be the topic of conversation when they were having their tea and sandwiches later. Never mind I thought, putting it behind me as I marched through the gate, I'll just go straight home and get on with my stretching and toning. My legs were aching and sore and the persistent bugger of a blister on my left heel was giving me gip but as long as I get it all done it'll have been worth it.

As I opened the door to my house I was greeted by Hubby smiling warmly at me.

"Perfect timing Darling. I've just made you a cup of coffee."

My Hubby is just so lovely.

I never did get the rest of my exercises done.

Ah well it's Sunday. Different rules apply on the Day of Rest. It's probably better to adopt a more malleable frame of mind ... y'know … less rigid.

What if an experienced and talented published author offered to mentor you for three full months? What if she invited you to come for tea and cakes with herself and Arrow Publishing Director, Kate Elton? What if she offered a letter of introduction and agent feed back from literary agents David Higham Associates? And as if that wasn't enough, £100 to spend on Random House books, your story to be published on her blog/website and a signed copy of her soon-to-be-published novel? You'd be psyched! Right?

Well that's just 1st prize. There's a 2nd, 3rd and five runners up prizes too.

Well the wonderful author Rowan Coleman is having a Short Story Competition to celebrate the release of her latest novel THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS (on August 19th 2010).

If you have dreams of being published and you can display your talent in approximately 1000 words under the banner of "Starting Over", then this might just be the break you've been waiting for. The prizes for this competition are OUT OF THIS WORLD! It's open to residents of the UK and Ireland who have not had a novel or short story collection published and/or do not have a publishing contract.
This is is the most amazing opportunity for aspiring writers! Don't stop! - hotfoot it straight over to Rowan's blog and devour it. Who knows it could just be your shot.