What's Occurin'?

Well, I’ve had a lovely email from My Weekly saying my story will be in the August 1st issue. Tidy. They are so lovely at My Weekly, and this week they are my very favourite magazine!

And I’m half way through the novel re-write! I know! And better still, I’ve had a brainwave – yes really! It’s transformed the whole thing and now it’s blinking marvellous, even if I do say so myself! No, only joking! But it is coming together!

Ooh, and I’m entering the Tonto Competition, all thanks to the lovely, DJ for pointing me in its general direction! I have a few ideas for that, but they have yet to find their way onto the page!

So that’s me in a nutshell, quite frankly. Genuine!

Novel Progress - WICKED!

I woke this morning feeling like I would never reach the end of my novel.

It was a maze.

I could see the start.

I could actually feel the end.

But what was all the sticky stuff in the middle? Quicksand I think; tricky people and scenes that didn’t belong, or did belong but were doing all the wrong things.

Crumbs, I thought. What a mess! How in heaven’s name was I going to join random thoughts like ‘evaporated milk’ and ‘Cromby coats’ into a novel that an agent may want to take on? - A novel buzzing round my head when I eat, walk, dream, run, iron (okay not so much ironing!)

And then yesterday, another plot idea popped into my head as I travelled by train to see WICKED (which is absolutely fab by the way – do go see, if you haven’t already. Oh, and guess what? Caroline Smailes was only sitting two rows in front of me and I didn’t even know – small world? I think so!).

Anyway, I got a bit cross,‘NO,' I said. 'Go away new novel idea - I really have to get this novel finished first.’

And today, SUDDENLY, it’s all come together. I actually think I know where I’m going with it! Yeah, really! Really, really! So watch this space! YAY!

Private Blogging Writers' Group

I would like to set up a blogging writers' group! I so need to, to keep me motivated! So if you fancy joining me, do email me my email is on my profile) for the info - there's only twelve places so please be quick!

Updated 18th June - We now have 12 lovely members of 'Get It Write' - Anyone interested in the group please do email, and I will be happy to inform you should a space become available.

Greenway: Agatha Christie’s Summer Home

We had the best of times down in Devon, but the most memorable for me was our visit to Greenway: Agatha Christie’s Summer Home, which she visited every summer from 1938 until her death in 1976.

Apparently, she never came to Greenway to write. Instead she would read her latest manuscript to her family after dinner - now why won't my family let me do that? The retreat also gave her ideas for her novels; the setting for Dead Man’s Folly was based on Greenway and its boathouse; a magical, haunting building. Whilst I was in the boathouse, I sat on Agatha’s chair, hoping some of her talent would wear off on me! I've bought a copy of Dead Man's Folly and will read it with a different perspective now, imagining how she was seeing the setting as she wrote.


Greenway is now owned by The National Trust, and is only a short ferry ride away from Dartmouth. Wonderful!

We also visited Burgh Island, a beautiful place, where Burgh Island Hotel sits in all its Art Deco splender. Amongst other famous people, Agatha Christie visited here too. She used the setting for her novels 'Evil Under the Sun' and 'And then there were None'.


And talking of 'and then there were none' have a little lookie at my word count – Yep, back to zero, as I begin a re-write. Wish me luck – and have a lovely Sunday all!

Step Away From The Novel

Two posts in one day, Amanda! What’s happening?

Well, it’s a displacement activity. I’m avoiding my novel. So if you see it, you haven’t seen me, right!

Initially, I was thrilled by the bond I had with my novel. I would put everything into our relationship, and it would never let me down. But now, I guess like any long term relationship, it’s all gone a bit stale.

Anyhoo, we’re off to Dartmouth next week, my novel and I. (Oh and hubby too!) And I’m hoping, once there, some of the passion we once felt will come back (I’m still talking about my novel here you understand!)

But if I return feeling like this, we’ve agreed a mini-break, while I try new ventures. My novel has agreed to sit in ‘my documents’ waiting for me, until I'm ready. But I hope, for both our sakes, the holiday does us good.

An Xtranormal Epidemic

Crumbs! What has our friend, Lane started?

They’re rampaging blogland! Yes, it’s the invasion of the Playmobile people!

They’ve been seen here, here, here and here – and that’s just what I’ve spotted as I've tried to catch them landing on blogs.

Oh, and, I must confess, a very sad example of these little people can be found here!

FANTASTIC! Go get your own HERE – You know you want to!

Paul McKenna Changed My Life in Seven Days-ish.

Paul McKenna is not the reason I write. But I totally blame him for why I am obsessed!

It all began back in 2006 when I was having a bit of a bad time of it for one reason or another. So I bought Paul McKenna’s book, Change your life in seven days. It didn’t. Well not in seven days anyway. But I’m convinced he hypnotised me.

Mr McKenna says on his CD, (and I won’t use his exact words, because when he pops over to read my blog, he may sue me for stealing his copyright) but to sort of paraphrase him, he says, ‘You can do whatever you want with your life, if you are determined enough.’ And he says too (and I’m paraphrasing again) that if you listen to his disc over and over you will find the tools that will help you fulfil your dream.

So I decided to listen to his CD over and over. And whilst doing so, I thought about my dream to write.

The outcome is this – I’m now obsessed with writing. And I really can’t stop, NOT NO HOW, NOT EVER. Now maybe this would have happened anyway. Gazillions of people get to this point and much, much further without the aid of Paul McKenna. But I do wonder whether, in my case, he played a part in my writing obsession!

That's Life Australia

Today has started well. I received an email from That’s Life Australia saying they are about to pay me for the story I sold to them a short while ago – YAY! And it’s all thanks to Karen for pointing me in their general direction and Womag for printing all their guidelines – without them I would never have thought to send it to the other side of the world.

And I’d like to give 'That’s Life Australia' a big thumbs up. They responded to my story within a day telling me it had been shortlisted. They then got back to me within three months, informing me they would like to buy it. Oh, and they pay pretty well too!

And to add to the day starting well, during the night I had a short story idea that wouldn’t leave my head – I so love it when that happens, as it's not often. So I got up at 6 a.m. and outlined the story and will spend today editing it. Here's hoping the day keeps getting better-er and better-er!

Finally, a huge thank you to all those who commented on my last blog post. Thankfully, my malady has past and, as you can see, my typing fingers are working overtime again! YAY!