Thursday, 22 May 2014
Friday, 18 April 2014
Happy Easter
Sorry I have been away from my blog so long. For several weeks during winter everyone was ill, one after another, myself included. Writing was the last thing on my mind, and it took a while for things to settle back down.
Anyway, here I am to tell the tale. Writing again, gardening, sewing, walking the Big H, and trying to catch up with all your news. I sold a couple of stories to My Weekly, and every so often I go back to my historical 'thing' and do a bit on that.
For Christmas I decided to replace my forty year old sewing machine. My new one didn't come with a cover, and the ones you can buy aren't very pretty, so I made my own. I have a book on how to make patchwork bags, so adapted a pattern out of that. Please note the two polka dot buttons I found on the market, to finish off the handle! They were a perfect match with the red polka dot fabric, and I was so pleased with them
To make sure all the shapes were hanging evenly on the cord, I strung it up across the beam in our lounge before stitching them on. My newish neighbour was cutting her grass at the time, and had a wonderful view of me from her garden. So now she thinks I put my Christmas decorations up for Easter. As if she needed further evidence of my oddness.
I have to confess to a senior moment last autumn, when I thoroughly embarrassed myself in front of her. Her garage is right next to ours. She had her garage doors open, because she was cleaning her car. I had just popped out to the front garden, for some reason that I now forget. And instead of walking back into my own garage - you guessed it - I walked straight into hers! After a second's confusion I realised why everything looked so different. I burst forth like Basil Fawlty, trying to find some plausible excuse for being in entirely the wrong place, but inwardly mortified. I still have to smile when I think of it. Oh well.
On another tack, I have never seen so many bats as I have this spring. Is it because we had a mild winter? They are very small and very fast. I sit on the sofa and watch them appear at twilight, zipping and swooping like swallows. Hope they are not roosting in our loft, but am too nervous to stick my head up through the hatch to investigate!
Isn't it lovely to have better weather? I've been gadding here and there, with a birthday trip to Evita, a canal walk, various lunches in various places, and lots of general pottering.
Wishing you all a happy Easter - and don't skimp on the chocolate.
Anyway, here I am to tell the tale. Writing again, gardening, sewing, walking the Big H, and trying to catch up with all your news. I sold a couple of stories to My Weekly, and every so often I go back to my historical 'thing' and do a bit on that.
For Christmas I decided to replace my forty year old sewing machine. My new one didn't come with a cover, and the ones you can buy aren't very pretty, so I made my own. I have a book on how to make patchwork bags, so adapted a pattern out of that. Please note the two polka dot buttons I found on the market, to finish off the handle! They were a perfect match with the red polka dot fabric, and I was so pleased with them
Then I stitched twenty-one patchwork stars and Christmas trees to make into a garland. It took me until April to make all the little shapes! Here are some of them.
To make sure all the shapes were hanging evenly on the cord, I strung it up across the beam in our lounge before stitching them on. My newish neighbour was cutting her grass at the time, and had a wonderful view of me from her garden. So now she thinks I put my Christmas decorations up for Easter. As if she needed further evidence of my oddness.
I have to confess to a senior moment last autumn, when I thoroughly embarrassed myself in front of her. Her garage is right next to ours. She had her garage doors open, because she was cleaning her car. I had just popped out to the front garden, for some reason that I now forget. And instead of walking back into my own garage - you guessed it - I walked straight into hers! After a second's confusion I realised why everything looked so different. I burst forth like Basil Fawlty, trying to find some plausible excuse for being in entirely the wrong place, but inwardly mortified. I still have to smile when I think of it. Oh well.
On another tack, I have never seen so many bats as I have this spring. Is it because we had a mild winter? They are very small and very fast. I sit on the sofa and watch them appear at twilight, zipping and swooping like swallows. Hope they are not roosting in our loft, but am too nervous to stick my head up through the hatch to investigate!
Isn't it lovely to have better weather? I've been gadding here and there, with a birthday trip to Evita, a canal walk, various lunches in various places, and lots of general pottering.
Wishing you all a happy Easter - and don't skimp on the chocolate.
Monday, 18 November 2013
Harvey: on the occasion of his tenth birthday
What with one thing and another, Mrs Boss has had to join the ranks of the 6a.m. dogwalkers, traipsing the darkened streets with a torch. She says she doesn't mind clear mornings when the sky is all black and twinkly, but rain is not so much fun.
Also, while she is not the most social of persons (particularly at 6a.m) she is surprised to find the early morning joggers incapable of as much as a grunt of hello.
So anyway, while she may be too whacked to keep up the blogging right now, she just wants to say that she is still batting about. She was happy to have a poem commended in the Sentinel quarterly poetry competition. It has reminded her that she is supposed to be a writer, and therefore should be writing.
Before that, though, my next walk is due. Oooh look - it's raining!
Sunday, 8 September 2013
My favourite bookshop
This week I had a little trip to Derbyshire, mainly to visit my favourite bookshop, Scarthin Books at Cromford.
Here is a place where you really can get lost for hours. Three floors of rooms, passageways, and staircases all crammed with books. They have a good stock of new books, but the real fascination is with the old, out of print and obscure. If there is ever a book you are struggling to find, just email them and they will track it down if humanly possible.
I bought two in particular that will really help with my novel research.
There's a small cafe on the middle floor, serving vegetarian and vegan food.
Scarthin's even came in at number six in the Guardian's online list of the world's best bookshops. Note - not just Derbyshire's, or England's, or even the U.K's but the whole world's!
Scarthin's even came in at number six in the Guardian's online list of the world's best bookshops. Note - not just Derbyshire's, or England's, or even the U.K's but the whole world's!
Researching is thirsty work, you know. So I bought a new tea mug too. Like it?
Monday, 12 August 2013
August news
I was going to let Harvey tell you about his Great Escape this time, but I've elbowed him out of the way so I can share a few bits of writing news.
The most surprising thing of all was winning the monthly poetry contest in Writers' Forum magazine. My entry is printed in the current issue, number 142. Although I don't write much poetry I am enjoying it more and more, especially after my welcome win!
Since my interest in poetry seemed to be growing this year, I began looking for a small press poetry magazine to submit to. I came across The Dawntreader, published by Indigo Dreams and decided to subscribe. It's a quarterly magazine, focusing on poetry that relates to nature, spirituality, myth and legend. Right up my street! And so I also feel honoured that one of my poems is in the current issue of Dawntreader (issue 23)
Thirdly (because you know things always come in three) I was very happy to be shortlisted once again for the Flash 500 flash fiction competition - that's the one for the second quarter of 2013, in case you're looking for the results on the website.
Although I shall probably continue with flash fiction and poetry, I don't see myself writing as many mid-length stories in the next few months. I've been looking through the folder of research that I started with a view to writing a historical novel. I really want to spend some time on that now, and don't think I can cope with more than one narrative at a time.
I've been trying to post a gratuitous picture of Harvey, for anyone who's missing him, but I am having so many problems with Blogger today that I need to go into an empty room and scream!
The most surprising thing of all was winning the monthly poetry contest in Writers' Forum magazine. My entry is printed in the current issue, number 142. Although I don't write much poetry I am enjoying it more and more, especially after my welcome win!
Since my interest in poetry seemed to be growing this year, I began looking for a small press poetry magazine to submit to. I came across The Dawntreader, published by Indigo Dreams and decided to subscribe. It's a quarterly magazine, focusing on poetry that relates to nature, spirituality, myth and legend. Right up my street! And so I also feel honoured that one of my poems is in the current issue of Dawntreader (issue 23)
Thirdly (because you know things always come in three) I was very happy to be shortlisted once again for the Flash 500 flash fiction competition - that's the one for the second quarter of 2013, in case you're looking for the results on the website.
Although I shall probably continue with flash fiction and poetry, I don't see myself writing as many mid-length stories in the next few months. I've been looking through the folder of research that I started with a view to writing a historical novel. I really want to spend some time on that now, and don't think I can cope with more than one narrative at a time.
I've been trying to post a gratuitous picture of Harvey, for anyone who's missing him, but I am having so many problems with Blogger today that I need to go into an empty room and scream!
Saturday, 20 July 2013
Southend-on-Sea
It was hot, it was crowded, it was noisy and I loved it! So full of life. See all those little dots on the beach? Each one was a person with a story to tell, and I found that idea kind of exhilarating. It's like when you visit a big city, and for the first half hour it's slightly overwhelming, and then you start to enjoy the buzz. And for me, being by the sea is always wonderful.
Someone, somewhere on the pier, received a very special message. This next picture is a banner being towed behind a plane, which circled round and round above our heads.
If you squint closely you can see it says 'Temilade I love U will U marry me'. I never found out who Temilade was, or whether it was a 'yes'. If you know, please tell me!
Meanwhile, men were fishing...
and even in the bustle there were quiet and tranquil spots.
When I got home I took about twenty-five photos with the self-timer to get a new profile picture I was happy with. (top right.) Note how I co-ordinated my T shirt with the colours of my blog background. (Well, OK, it was a happy accident really. I'm not that organised!)
It's cooler here today. When I went to the supermarket yesterday, the freezers had been cleaned out of ice cream! Next week, thunderstorms, apparently. And maybe a royal baby! Would you like to suggest a name?
I think we'll have Harvey on the blog next time. He hasn't done a post for a while and he's beginning to feel left out.
I think we'll have Harvey on the blog next time. He hasn't done a post for a while and he's beginning to feel left out.
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Roz Goddard and the coming of summer!
Guest speaker at our local writers' group this week was Roz Goddard. Roz is a former poet laureate for Birmingham, with several volumes of poetry published. She also writes short fiction. We all enjoyed hearing Roz read some of her own poems, including the powerful and haunting Spaceman. This poem was runner up in Mslexia's poetry competition last year. You can find it, and other work, on Roz's website here.
Roz spoke about her sources of inspiration, such as the visual arts, and how we don't always have to try and write about the big things in life, but just look at small things in new ways. One thing Roz said, which I certainly need to hear every so often, was that we have to decide what is the actual story within the idea that's bubbling away - and whose story it is too.
This may seem obvious, but sometimes when writing longer stories I feel myself throwing more and more elements into the mix, just because I like them. It can take hours of rewriting before I see that these random details add nothing, and out they must go! Maybe this is why I enjoy flash fiction - it gives me no room for meandering down scenic by-roads and forces me into the heart of the story from the outset.
By co-incidence, today I came across an excellent post on editing at Denise Covey's blog from the other side of the world. Here again I found the questions 'what is my story about?' and 'whose story is it?' This is clearly my message from the universe this week. Focus, Jo, focus.
One editing trick I've been trying lately is recording my shorter stories onto my MP3 player. If I find my gaze wandering out of the window during playback, then it's quite likely a reader would lose interest too. I just note down those points where my attention flags, and see how I can give them more oomph. Then of course I delete everything, because it's too horrible hearing a recording of your own voice.
Tomorrow I break up from work for a whole fortnight. Yippee! This time last year I was in Paris. ("We'll always have Paris.") I am taking a little trip next week. Not Paris, but I'm sure it'll be fun in different ways. No, I'm not telling you where yet. You'll have to come back and see my holiday snaps!
Apparently we're going to have a heatwave in July. Are you planning a month of sunbathing and travelling, or will you be a busy bee like the one below? Do drop by and tell me what you're up to this summer.
Roz spoke about her sources of inspiration, such as the visual arts, and how we don't always have to try and write about the big things in life, but just look at small things in new ways. One thing Roz said, which I certainly need to hear every so often, was that we have to decide what is the actual story within the idea that's bubbling away - and whose story it is too.
This may seem obvious, but sometimes when writing longer stories I feel myself throwing more and more elements into the mix, just because I like them. It can take hours of rewriting before I see that these random details add nothing, and out they must go! Maybe this is why I enjoy flash fiction - it gives me no room for meandering down scenic by-roads and forces me into the heart of the story from the outset.
By co-incidence, today I came across an excellent post on editing at Denise Covey's blog from the other side of the world. Here again I found the questions 'what is my story about?' and 'whose story is it?' This is clearly my message from the universe this week. Focus, Jo, focus.
One editing trick I've been trying lately is recording my shorter stories onto my MP3 player. If I find my gaze wandering out of the window during playback, then it's quite likely a reader would lose interest too. I just note down those points where my attention flags, and see how I can give them more oomph. Then of course I delete everything, because it's too horrible hearing a recording of your own voice.
Tomorrow I break up from work for a whole fortnight. Yippee! This time last year I was in Paris. ("We'll always have Paris.") I am taking a little trip next week. Not Paris, but I'm sure it'll be fun in different ways. No, I'm not telling you where yet. You'll have to come back and see my holiday snaps!
Apparently we're going to have a heatwave in July. Are you planning a month of sunbathing and travelling, or will you be a busy bee like the one below? Do drop by and tell me what you're up to this summer.
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