Merry Christmas

My tree!

This is my last post before Christmas, and possibly this year. So I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

2014 has been a challenge for many of my blogger, and real life, friends, so I hope 2015 treats you better.

News, and cheesy Christmas music

It's December. I am not ready for December. I'm sitting here, amongst the Christmas decorations that Hubby put up last night while I was out at work, and I'm still not feeling it. I even went present shopping this morning, and - nah, nothing...

The problem is it's too early for Christmas/December/winter. It was such a long, hot summer, I haven't really accepted autumn yet (fall, for my American friends).

On Facebook the other day, I mentioned Boney M, and several people said they'd never heard of them. So, here there are, in all their Christmas cheesiness...

In other news, I finished my novel. A couple of people are reading it at the moment - so I have my fingers crossed. I'm hoping to submit it to an agent - yes, I actually wrote a proper novel that an agent might consider. This is huge for me, seeing as though I have a habit of taking novel length manuscripts and cutting them down to novellas.

I'm also considering re-writing my 1998 novel Pictures, Fading. Note the use of the comma - I did that way before Love, Actually and Girl, Interrupted ;-) Hubby read it, many years ago, and has several hundred ideas on how to improve it - I still have the email! Although if I implement all the ideas, I'm sure he'd want double billing!

I got a rejection last month. I've always referred to this particular book as the most depressing novel in the world... ever, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that their reason was it is 'relentlessly bleak'. I'd spent time re-writing it, taking out the most depressing parts, and yet it still, apparently, is. Ah well. I still stand by the story, so obviously that publisher just wasn't a good fit. Back to the drawing board.

That's all my news, but I'm racking my brains to come up with something positive to end on. Oh, yes - my shifts at work are changing (again) which means I'll now have a whole Tuesday and Wednesday once a fortnight where I won't have to leave the house at all. Now that's what I call a pyjama day :-) Is that the kind of thing you were expecting?

Merry Christmas

There's a possibility I won't get round to posting anything else before Christmas, so I'm good to sign off now.

Fighting against my hermit tendencies, I have accepted five offers to be sociable over the next week. Which is a lot for me!

No fear though, I fully hope to be able to lock myself away to work on my two books-in-progress! The words flow better when you've got a chocolate Santa to hand.

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

2012 has been a great year for me - seeing Cat and The Dreamer, a book I'd worked on and loved for several years (and thought might not ever get published) brought to life was amazing. I'm hoping to be able to announce my next project sometime in the new year.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who's visited my blog this year and for your continued friendship. I appreciate how many of you stop by to comment. I've made some really good friends, and met a heavy metal band! (Eek and squee, Kyra Lennon!!)

This is my last post before Christmas, but I'm hoping to squeeze one more in before New Year - I seem to remember I made a few resolutions earlier on this year, so I have to come clean and share how I did.

I hop you have a warm, safe, fun, music-filled and very Merry Christmas !!

(edited to make sense 2pm 20/12/12)

Merry Christmas!!

I tried so hard to get back to my laptop and write a proper Christmas post, but - obviously, as it's the 28th already - I failed. Next year, I'll schedule a post. I might be super-organised and write my Christmas post in October, just to make sure.

I hope everyone had a great time - eating and dranking, overdosing on cake and chocolate and Morecombe and Wise Christmas Specials (probably UK only for that last one) , and spent a great time with their families with no arguments!

I did - a lovely day at my in-laws - but then I got ill. Again. Right now my arms, legs, throat and some of my bones are very sore. I managed some sale shopping yesterday, which - as always, for me - meant buying things that weren't in the sales at all. Every year that happens!

And today, Hubby's cooking Christmas Lunch 2. Yum, yum, can't wait! I just hope my tastebuds hold up long enough for me to enjoy it.

National Short Story Day - 22nd December

This is just a quickie post. I'm just not getting to my laptop much at the moment, for all the obvious reasons.

The 22nd has been declared National Short Story Day by Arts Council England and Creative Scotland.

(The web site states 22nd is the shortest day, which would make sense as short stories are also short, but I'm sure the shortest day is the 21st, so to be on the safe side - in case the dates have been messed up somewhere - I'm posting this today! If I'm wrong, then I'm simply giving you a day's notice.)

Check out the website, listen to some short stories, follow some links, grab your favourite short story collection and read. I'd love to hear who your favourite short story writers are and what your favourite story/collection is. Mine is Margaret Atwood, and my favourite collection is Ali Smith's The First Person.

In case this is my last post before Christmas: