Friday 30 October 2015

Celebrate first drafts

You may recall I set myself a target of finishing a first draft by the end of October. Well, I am happy to report that I have just achieved this target. Woohoo! Lots of work still to be done in editing stages but I am always relieved when the bones of the story are there in a first draft. I am looking forward to what comes next.

I have spent a good part of this week working on the first draft but I have managed to slip in a couple of other things as well for my week off!

Hubby and I went to Dartmoor last weekend. I love the scenery there, so dramatic and inspiring (when you can see it through the rain and fog!). Sunday was a beautiful day and we managed a walk. Also got to see daughter number two for a couple of hours which was the icing on the cake! She is at university only about 30 mins away so the opportunity was too good to miss.

I recently read Crow Moon by Anna McKerrow a lot of which was set around this area (and Tintagel in Cornwall which is another favourite place of mine). This is a great Halloween YA read. When you read stories set in places you know, I think it brings a special connection.




Looking over Chagford/Gidleigh


Fernworthy Resevoir


Back home I found time to slip off to a book signing and met the lovely Lara Williamson. Author of A Boy Called Hope and The Boy Who Sailed The Ocean In An Armchair. I read her first book earlier this year and loved the voice and I have just started the new one which is equally great. I can recommend if you are looking for an MG read.


Lara even did one of her special doodles inside for me. 


And, because I was in a book shop and it would have been rude not to, I bought a couple more books as well. My reading list is ever growing but I can live with that!




Thanks to Lexa and her lovely co-hosts
 L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge 
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Happy weekend



Friday 23 October 2015

Celebrate the small things


Happy Friday!

This week I am celebrating the start of half term week. A break from the day job and the chance to finish the first draft of my WIP. I think I am still on target! But before I forge ahead with that I have two days away with hubs to look forward to.

We have some apple trees in our garden. We planted them a few years ago and they have done really well. This year we have had lots of fruit from them and so I am celebrating yummy apple crumble!

My daughter made me some of my very own business cards. Maybe one day soon I might get a chance to hand some out! Look they match the header she made for my blog. You don't think it's too unicorny do you? No course not, there's no such thing!








Thanks to Lexa and her lovely co-hosts
 L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge 
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Happy weekend

Monday 19 October 2015

Autumn sunshine


Sorry I missed the Celebrate the Small Things post on Friday. My internet connection has been a little slow for a day or two. I'm not sure why; things were taking ages to load and I just sort of gave up waiting! Anyway, things seem to have settled down again, the internet fairies have their sparkle back, so I thought I would share a couple of photos from a walk I took on Sunday afternoon. It was so warm walking along the cliffs it could have been August. In fact it was actually warmer than a lot of our August! Autumn walks don't all have to be trees and fallen leaves - although I love that too.

Have a good week all . . .




Friday 9 October 2015

Celebrate the small things

Welcome Friday, nice to see you again. Last weekend I attended an author event and came home with a stash of new books to read. It was great to chat to a couple of the authors about their books and writing in general. It was a beautiful sunny day and I came home feeling energised.

I managed some writing on Sunday morning (the leaves are still there if you read the earlier post!). The whole WIP is progressing nicely and I have set myself a target of finishing a first draft by the end of October. I think this is a realistic time frame as I have a few days off from the day job in a couple of weeks which should give me time for the final push.

Finally thanks to all who visited on Wednesday for IWSG. It is always a busy and interesting day and I still have a few posts to visit over the weekend.





Thanks to Lexa and her lovely co-hosts
 L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge 
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Happy weekend

Wednesday 7 October 2015

Embrace the insecurity

Welcome to the October gathering of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. The place to discuss our thoughts or worries without fear of judgement and the opportunity to offer a few words of support and encouragement to others. 




Thanks to our host Alex J. Cavanaugh and this month's co-hosts TB Markinson,Tamara Narayan, Shannon Lawrence, Stephanie Faris, and Eva E. Solar  

I have been thinking about the different reasons for insecurity this month. What is it exactly that makes me feel insecure? Is it fear of failure or the nagging voice that makes me doubt myself? Maybe it's to do with the anxiety that comes along with putting your work out there for others to judge. The truth is it's all these things and more! But will this make me give up? NEVER because that would be the biggest failure of all.

I feel pretty certain there isn't a published author out there who hasn't experienced the exact same feelings at one time or another. And that gives me hope. So embrace the insecurities I say, it's part of the process and we can learn from it and grow stronger.

Sunday 4 October 2015

A thought for a Sunday


While waiting for my laptop to whirr into life this morning, I gazed out of the window and this is the view that greeted me. I think today might be a good writing day. (Please don't tell me I should go and rake up those leaves instead!)

A happy and peaceful Sunday to you all.

Friday 2 October 2015

Reflection and Celebration

This has not been the easiest of weeks. I have been struggling to cope with a few issues that have left me emotionally drained. Some old memories have been stirred and they have not been easy to revisit. I love happy memories, those wonderful moments you can dip into and enjoy all over again, but those that are filled with heartache are not so welcome companions. Therefore my post this week is more one of reflection than outward celebration. I am reflecting on my ability to cope, to try and see the positives and the good as much as possible and I am thankful for having my writing as an outlet to help me channel some of that emotion.

I am looking forward to spending a few hours this weekend enjoying something I love and pushing ahead with my WIP. I am also planning a trip to buy new books tomorrow and hopefully meet a couple of authors doing some signings in the process.  So I shall celebrate a reading and writing end to the week.






Thanks to Lexa and her lovely co-hosts
 L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge 
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Happy weekend