Is Anybody Out There?

Crumbs, I can't believe how dusty my blog was.  But with a little squirt of Pledge, and a quick nip around with a duster – it’s sparkling like new!

Well it’s been a while hasn’t it?  And although I’m peering through a now shiny screen – I'm wondering if you're there at all.  I wouldn't blame you for disappearing onto other blogs that update miraculously before your eyes, bringing with them exiting news and intelligent banter.  So, by way of an apology and a bribe to get you back, I’ve brought cupcakes.

Okay, so how have you all been over this past – ummm – four and a half months?  Is it really that long?  I’m so ashamed, but have an excuse for being absent without leave. I was waiting to announce that I’d achieved some of my 2012 goals. 

Except I haven't!

I'm doing okay though, as I've now sold 29 stories. I'm nearly able to add an extra star here - and I'm wearing my goggles and flippers in anticipation of plunging feet first into the 'I've sold over 30 stories club.'  Plus I've been asked for a story re-write by People's Friends would you believe?  Although I haven't yet dragged out my dancing shoes ready to celebrate cracking such a fab magazine, as I know they could still easily pass.

Ooh, and just to say Chloe Kent's (a.k.a, the lovely Karen Clarke) brilliant novel Dancing Queen has finalised for the Novelicious Undiscovered 2012 competition.  Go Read - it's FAB!


In other news – well I could go on and on and on, as waffling is my favourite past-time - as my hubby often says with his eyes, but I’d best not.  Just in case nobody’s there reading.  So I’ll just say I’ll be back soon with interesting and exciting posts on writing and other super intelligent stuff in the very near future – and I really, hopefully, maybe mean it this time!

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

'Well,' I hear you say, 'where the devil have you been?’ Actually I’m not sure anyone is saying anything, as you’ve probably all lost faith in me as a blogger by now.

But 2012 will be different. I promise. It's on my list of New Year's Resolutions to blog more regularly - and I never break a resolution - well only sometimes.

In the mean time have a great Christmas and a very happy 2012!

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Non-smoker: Looking to share a novel with suitable voice and genre.

When I studied Creative Writing a few years back, my tutor emphatically told the class that to write you need to find your own voice and decide on a genre. Well I’ve found my voice twenty-seven times. Yes, I have multiple writing-personality disorder. And I’ve had more genres than hot dinners. (My tutor also said avoid clichés – so pretend I didn’t say that)

The thing is, I’ve written ghost stories, murder mysteries, comedy (well attempts at), love stories, chick-lit, tear-jerkers, factual articles, a children’s novel – oh, and now I’ve completed a thriller novel - but I still can’t find my voice or my genre.

Plus, I’m continually drawn to writing in first person. I pop myself right there in the protagonist’s head, and, well, talk like them. A thousand voices – but which one’s mine? Ooh, I feel like Rory Bremner.

So this whole 'voice' thing is a bit complex then, isn’t it? If you write in first person, then you are that person, that character – they can’t all be you, can they?

I suppose, then, I’m still experimenting. And if, by some sort of miracle one of my VERY different novels are ever snapped up – I would develop that voice and run with it.

In the mean time, I'll continue to have fun experimenting with different styles and voices. In fact, I’ve got a comedy, tear-jerker with lashings of ghosts, a dollop of murder mystery and a smidgen of love interest - written through twenty different first person viewpoints, on the go right this minute. You think I'm joking. :-)

21 TODAY

No, not me! I’m a wee bit older than that. I’m talking about Womag Short Story SALES! Yes, yippee yo-yos I sold my 21^st story TODAY. Actually, that’s not quite true – it was a couple of weeks ago to be exact, but it's taken me this long to get my posterior into gear and get around to blogging about it.

But I’ve got a huge excuse. My eldest son got married at the end of August. How exciting is that? I’ve yet to come down from it all. My daughter-in-law is wonderfully creative, and the wedding had an Alice in Wonderland theme. It was fantastic. Below are just a tiny sample of the designs she created.

So what else? Well, I’m going to enter a few competitions. I’ve never really tried the world of competitions but a few have tickled my fancy.

The Mslexia Novel Competition – details can be found HERE.

The Mail on Sunday – Start-of-novel competition. Details can be found HERE on Womag’s blog. Thank you Womag!

The Best Short Story Competition. Thanks to Suz for her help voucher gathering!

SUCH FUN!

Ooh, and do help yourself to cake!

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