It's Christmas Eve and my house is smelling rather lovely. The Day will be spent at my Dad and Step-mum's and I'm taking my own main course, being the only vegetarian. I've roasted some butternut squash, sweet potato, red onion, garlic and baby plum tomatoes, sauteed some chestnut mushrooms and spinach in mustard and white wine, and now I'm waiting for it all to cool so I can wrap it in puff pastry and set it aside for tomorrow.
My plans for the rest of the day involve cups of tea, chocolate biscuits and the TV - Muppets Christmas Carol! And then a book (a real, proper printed one - not an Authonomy one) until the girls arrive, hyped up for the night. I fully expect tears before, during, and after bed-time! Presents are all wrapped, cards are all written and all I have to do tonight is leave out some chocolates for Santa (lucky Santa), carrots for the reindeer (to help them see where they're going - according to Big Toots. Little Tootsie thinks they help Rudolph's nose glow) and pop a couple of Santa presents under the tree for the morning. The majority of pressies are already waiting at Granny and Grandad's for after church, but I figured they'd need something in the morning if they're not to burst from excitement.
It's strange to think we're only a week away from next year. 2011 has been a good year for me, certainly compared to previous years! One book written that I plan to shape up even more and submit to agents, and a NaNovel that needs completely re-written, but it's a start. I've learnt a heck of a lot, even since starting this blog, and I hope next year goes even better.
Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas and I'll see you all in the New Year.
My NaNoWriMo Word Count Widgets!
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Monday, 19 December 2011
Drum roll please....
...the second draft of Hospital Corners is complete!
My plan now is to catch up on my Authonomy watch-list and research queries/pitches/synopses etc over the Christmas period. Mind you, my original plan was to leave the first major edit until after Christmas....
My plan now is to catch up on my Authonomy watch-list and research queries/pitches/synopses etc over the Christmas period. Mind you, my original plan was to leave the first major edit until after Christmas....
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
5...
Five chapters of Hospital Corners left to edit, and I hope to whizz through one of those this morning. I am, however, singing all the songs for my Xmas Cabaret at the same time, so the results could be interesting! Hopefully, www.prowritingaid.com will pick up any doozies.
My main reason for posting today is pure excitement at the fact that I've been a guest blogger for the first time ever! One of my NaNoWriMo writing buddies has a blog and asked me to do a spot for him. I did it with much pleasure and I'm sure to be asking for a return blog at some point. Here's the place to find it: http://my100goals.blogspot.com/2011/12/guest-post-staceym.html
Right - I'm off to practise my solo. We had a rehearsal last night with the band, and the drummer was a tad on the loud side, meaning I couldn't hear the piano and came in well off-key!
My main reason for posting today is pure excitement at the fact that I've been a guest blogger for the first time ever! One of my NaNoWriMo writing buddies has a blog and asked me to do a spot for him. I did it with much pleasure and I'm sure to be asking for a return blog at some point. Here's the place to find it: http://my100goals.blogspot.com/2011/12/guest-post-staceym.html
Right - I'm off to practise my solo. We had a rehearsal last night with the band, and the drummer was a tad on the loud side, meaning I couldn't hear the piano and came in well off-key!
Monday, 12 December 2011
7 Chapters and counting...
Well, I'm keeping on with the editing of Hospital Corners and a mere 7 chapters will see me reach the end for the second time. Being more active with the various Authonomy Crit groups has helped get my book circulating again, and there are some decent reader comments to take into consideration. All in all, I'm still pleased with how well the book is going down and the comments are still overwhelmingly positive! I still have a pesky red arrow though...currently at 286 and falling.
Cabaret is this week and i'm giving up my one free night this week to go carol singing! It's all in a good cause though - the combined churches of Montrose go around various sheltered housing complexes and provide some entertainment for a wee while. I went last year and it was good fun and we don't have the snow stopping us this year! I'm still preparing for drastic changes in temperature, however. It gets to below 0 some nights, and the housing complexes are set to boiling (as Esme says about LGH).
Cabaret - two rehearsals left and things are going OK. That's a cautious OK as there's still a lot of work to get through. We're not helped by the fact that half the cast has a cold (myself included) and it's hard to give the 110% our director is asking when you'd much rather be somewhere cosy with a cup of tea!
Anyway - I'm planning on editing more of Hospital Corners this afternoon, in between completing a work-related questionnaire for my benefits and waiting on Asda man.
Cabaret is this week and i'm giving up my one free night this week to go carol singing! It's all in a good cause though - the combined churches of Montrose go around various sheltered housing complexes and provide some entertainment for a wee while. I went last year and it was good fun and we don't have the snow stopping us this year! I'm still preparing for drastic changes in temperature, however. It gets to below 0 some nights, and the housing complexes are set to boiling (as Esme says about LGH).
Cabaret - two rehearsals left and things are going OK. That's a cautious OK as there's still a lot of work to get through. We're not helped by the fact that half the cast has a cold (myself included) and it's hard to give the 110% our director is asking when you'd much rather be somewhere cosy with a cup of tea!
Anyway - I'm planning on editing more of Hospital Corners this afternoon, in between completing a work-related questionnaire for my benefits and waiting on Asda man.
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Can someone please turn off the wind?
Brr....it's blowing a gale here in Scotland! The slide has crashed into the flowerbed (first time it's succumbed to the wind) and there's a tree down at the end of the street. Not fun. I took Little Tootsie to the supermarket this afternoon to buy her shepherds outfit for the church Nativity and we nearly took off with the trolley!
Apologies for not updating much recently - I'm swamped with preparations for a Christmas Cabaret (in exactly 1 week I will be a nervous wreck as I contemplate my first solo singing in over 10 years). Tonight I have to stitch up some seams in a nifty flapper-esque dress for our Cell Block Tango number and attach some velcro patches to a white shirt for easy removal. Our director has kindly given 5 of us about 30 seconds to change from white blouses, ties, hats and guns (it's a spoof James Bond number) to black tops....I'm apparently going to be wearing a wimple for my solo (Sister Act - Hail Holy Queen). Nothing is simple when LAMS are involved!
Where am I at with Hospital Corners? Well - I've knuckled down to the editing over the past couple of days and I'm now up to Chapter 39. I'm rather pleased with how things are progressing, and I've now read through to the end of the book for the first time since I wrote it in October. I love it when I put down my own work and can say "Damn, that was good"!
I'm making Julie into more of a chick-lit heroine than before - if she's not allowed to drool over Alex, then what's the point?! I'd love to finish the first major edit for Christmas and then I'll take a break before reading it through again for character continuity and POV. I'll probably end up starting that edit over the Christmas holidays....
Right - time to get busy with needle and thread before a night in front of the TV after 2 nights of rehearsals! I've discovered Tesco's Mince Pie flavour crisps. They shouldn't work, but they REALLY DO!
Apologies for not updating much recently - I'm swamped with preparations for a Christmas Cabaret (in exactly 1 week I will be a nervous wreck as I contemplate my first solo singing in over 10 years). Tonight I have to stitch up some seams in a nifty flapper-esque dress for our Cell Block Tango number and attach some velcro patches to a white shirt for easy removal. Our director has kindly given 5 of us about 30 seconds to change from white blouses, ties, hats and guns (it's a spoof James Bond number) to black tops....I'm apparently going to be wearing a wimple for my solo (Sister Act - Hail Holy Queen). Nothing is simple when LAMS are involved!
Where am I at with Hospital Corners? Well - I've knuckled down to the editing over the past couple of days and I'm now up to Chapter 39. I'm rather pleased with how things are progressing, and I've now read through to the end of the book for the first time since I wrote it in October. I love it when I put down my own work and can say "Damn, that was good"!
I'm making Julie into more of a chick-lit heroine than before - if she's not allowed to drool over Alex, then what's the point?! I'd love to finish the first major edit for Christmas and then I'll take a break before reading it through again for character continuity and POV. I'll probably end up starting that edit over the Christmas holidays....
Right - time to get busy with needle and thread before a night in front of the TV after 2 nights of rehearsals! I've discovered Tesco's Mince Pie flavour crisps. They shouldn't work, but they REALLY DO!
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Chapter 29...
Now that the frenzy of NaNo is over (OK, I know there's 1 day left but I've reached the target and I'm happy with that - my therapist would be proud!), I'm knuckling down to Hospital Corners again. I've been spurred on by my Authonomy buddy DaisyF, who started reading it and couldn't put it down. I emailed her the rest of the first draft tonight because she just couldn't stop thinking about Esme, Dr B and the hunky Alex. She's even started a thread in the "Recommend a Manuscript" forum saying I'm her new favourite book. Cheers Daisy!
And from that thread, I've had two more very positive comments and ratings, with the possibility of backings in the future. Woo hoo!
It's fired me up to finish the first draft edit by the end of the year. That is, if I can fit in enough time around rehearsing for the Xmas Cabaret (15th and 16th December) and time with my girls. Big Toots has had two days off school and is also off tomorrow. Two days are my limit, however, and she'll be spending the day at nursery tomorrow while I get my hair cut. We went to the cinema yesterday to see Arthur Christmas (great family fun) and then they had haircuts and we had a chippy tea with Granny. Today was shopping for winter clothes - the smaller the boot, the bigger the price tag! Can't quite believe Big Toots needed a size 12....I remember having size 12 feet and I was a lot older than 6!!
Tonight we had Granny for tea (not literally - I'm vegetarian) and then Big Toots made her Rainbow Promise. We were all really proud of her. There were 6 of them "graduating" and they all had the option of saying the promise on their own or with the group. B.T. was the only one to say it on her own - clear and loud and proud. With 2 performing parents, it shouldn't be a surprise!
I'm also going to try and give up chocolate until Christmas. I know most people love having a chocolate advent calendar (B.T. keeps calling them advert calendars and she's probably right!) but I'm going to save up my chocolate rations for Christmas and then enjoy a lovely box of Hotel Chocolat liquors on the 25th. :)
And from that thread, I've had two more very positive comments and ratings, with the possibility of backings in the future. Woo hoo!
It's fired me up to finish the first draft edit by the end of the year. That is, if I can fit in enough time around rehearsing for the Xmas Cabaret (15th and 16th December) and time with my girls. Big Toots has had two days off school and is also off tomorrow. Two days are my limit, however, and she'll be spending the day at nursery tomorrow while I get my hair cut. We went to the cinema yesterday to see Arthur Christmas (great family fun) and then they had haircuts and we had a chippy tea with Granny. Today was shopping for winter clothes - the smaller the boot, the bigger the price tag! Can't quite believe Big Toots needed a size 12....I remember having size 12 feet and I was a lot older than 6!!
Tonight we had Granny for tea (not literally - I'm vegetarian) and then Big Toots made her Rainbow Promise. We were all really proud of her. There were 6 of them "graduating" and they all had the option of saying the promise on their own or with the group. B.T. was the only one to say it on her own - clear and loud and proud. With 2 performing parents, it shouldn't be a surprise!
I'm also going to try and give up chocolate until Christmas. I know most people love having a chocolate advent calendar (B.T. keeps calling them advert calendars and she's probably right!) but I'm going to save up my chocolate rations for Christmas and then enjoy a lovely box of Hotel Chocolat liquors on the 25th. :)
Saturday, 26 November 2011
I've done it!
Woo hoo - a verified "winner" of NaNoWriMo. 50,910 words in 26 days...not bad at all!
And I still haven't actually reached "the end" of the story so I can keep adding to my total until the end of the month and keep my ML happy. Best wishes to Marie Rex, the moderator of Scotland-Elsewhere forum, as she's in hospital. :( She's been doing such a great job, chivvying us all along and doling out our virtual bones for the Skeleton Marathon. I'm going keep on writing every day, as a tribute to her.
I may have my problems, but I can at least write without pain and get around without pain. Kudos to Marie Rex and all the other writers on NaNo and Authonomy who struggle with painful physical ailments and still keep on going.
Now NaNo is out the way, what am I going to do with the 50,910 words? Well, I'm going to leave them well alone for a while. However much I enjoy reading chick-lit, writing it is a whole other ballgame. I've spent so long thinking in a more literary style for Hospital Corners that it's hard to get my brain to loosen up. Plus, with my personality, it's hard for me to loosen up at the best of times! I'm not saying I'm going to dump Tai Chi Choos and never do anything with it, but I'm going to concentrate on Hospital Corners first. And possibly Agoraphobics Anonymous after that (more on that at some point). Maybe Minotaur Mysteries too....
And I still haven't actually reached "the end" of the story so I can keep adding to my total until the end of the month and keep my ML happy. Best wishes to Marie Rex, the moderator of Scotland-Elsewhere forum, as she's in hospital. :( She's been doing such a great job, chivvying us all along and doling out our virtual bones for the Skeleton Marathon. I'm going keep on writing every day, as a tribute to her.
I may have my problems, but I can at least write without pain and get around without pain. Kudos to Marie Rex and all the other writers on NaNo and Authonomy who struggle with painful physical ailments and still keep on going.
Now NaNo is out the way, what am I going to do with the 50,910 words? Well, I'm going to leave them well alone for a while. However much I enjoy reading chick-lit, writing it is a whole other ballgame. I've spent so long thinking in a more literary style for Hospital Corners that it's hard to get my brain to loosen up. Plus, with my personality, it's hard for me to loosen up at the best of times! I'm not saying I'm going to dump Tai Chi Choos and never do anything with it, but I'm going to concentrate on Hospital Corners first. And possibly Agoraphobics Anonymous after that (more on that at some point). Maybe Minotaur Mysteries too....
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