October 2008

The weather has gone from gale force winds and driving rain, to balmy sunny days once more (long may that last) and I've entered the Slingink competition where you write a short story based on one of three prompts given out every two weeks for 20 weeks.  I've sent my first effort in and am looking forward to tackling the next one.  The course is coming along well and so is novel #4.  In the next week or so I need to finish my edits for #3 and then send it out to agents.

September 2008

I can't believe how quickly this year is flying by.  I've just arrived back from a two day trip to London where I caught up with a good friend and we attended an RNA meeting where the incredibly talented and interesting Penny Vincenzi gave a talk on her writing and how she goes about it/is inspired/keeps organized.  It was definately worth going and I've taken notes and blogged about them.

August 2008

I'm now writing novel #4 and thoroughly enjoying it.  My writing course is coming along well and I'm learning all new and interesting facts as I work on each assignment.  I'm noting down ideas for novel #5 that is wanting to be written but which will have to wait.  At least I have two weeks off work this month, I just hope the weather is sunny, at least some of the time.  I finished the month by receiving a phone call from My Weekly who want to publish a submission that I sent them recently.  So exciting, I can't wait to see it in print.

July 2008

Despite the dreadful forecast, the weather for the Romantic Novelists Association Conference 2008 in Chichester was lovely.  I had a busy but informative time, as usual and you can read my reports and find links to others on my blog.  I always return home carrying copious notes and with my mind a veritable whirr of ideas to inspire me for my next book.  I have to go and finish my corrections on my m/s in order to post it off to the RNA's New Writer's Scheme on Monday.  The feedback I know I'll receive in the report from my Reader is invaluable and although the deadline is August, I would like to send mine off as soon as I possibly can.

June 2008

So much for Flaming June!  Mind you it is getting a little warmer and sunnier so I suppose we can't grumble too much.  Fling those umbrellas to the back of the cloakroom cupboard, pack away those rain macks and lets dig out the slingbacks and bikinis and get a little sun.  Right, that's enough of me waffling, I'm off back to the shed to get on with this editing because the sooner I finish this book the sooner I can get started on book number four as it's driving me mad and stopping me from getting a decent night's sleep.

May 2008

Happy Liberation Day (9th May) for those of you with Jersey connections.  Thankfully the weather seems to be taking a turn for the better (about time too, if  you ask me) and hopefully we can all start enjoying a better summer than we had last year.  Happy writing too.

April 2008

I'm now moving ahead with my rewrite of Reading Paige and apart from writing and the usual running around the only other exciting part of the month was a long weekend in London when I was lucky enough to attend the London Book Fair Masterclass.  You'll find my report about it on my blog here's the link: http://debcarrs-daydreams.blogspot.com/2008/04/london-book-fair-masterclass-report.html

 March 2008

Can't believe it's already March and Easter is neary upon us.  Looking out of the shed window (with the door firmly closed and heating flat out) I can see signs of Spring everywhere.  I can't wait until the longer, warmer, sunnier days are with us.  Here's hoping that we don't have a repeat of the ghastly weather from last Summer.

Still editing, nearly finished and then I can move on to rewriting, Reading Paige.

February 2008

I have entered a couple of competitions and worked on my WIPs but am now engrossed in writing a ten minute script for another competition.  Having never written a script before it is rather a learning curve but I am enjoying it and at least the deadline isn't until April, so I still have time to work on it.

I've had an idea for another novel and have been making notes and can't wait to get working on it but I have to finish my editing first and working on the script, so I doubt I will be able to do very much until next month on this project.  Remember to look up my blog.  Hope you enjoy reading it.  Until next month...

January 2008

 HAPPY NEW YEAR & 2008 TO YOU ALL

Now that the first draft of Reading Paige is complete, I shall leave it for a couple of weeks and concentrate on redrafting Truth & Other Lies and Bea Stings before sending them out.   I also need to get a move on with my writing course and then redraft RP and make it the best that I can before sending that out in a couple of months.

The shed is cosy and my pot of miniature Narcissus (sitting on the shelf inside the window) are blooming and make me think of Spring - I can't wait.

December 2007

Where has 2007 gone?  Blink and you miss it.  I'm not nearly ready for Christmas this year and that's most disconcerting as I usually am fairly organised with Christmas cards, shopping etc. The weather, now that the gales have subsided, is gloriously sunny, dry and crisp and so pretty.  So although I'm not quite ready for the 25th, I am at least in the spirit of things which is really what it should be about.  Mind you I had better get shopping otherwise I shall be persona non grata if I don't deliver the requisite presents.  Instead of presents for the more mature members of my family, I am sending a donation this year to the Jade Stoner Memorial Fund (HSBC Bank, 15 High Street, Christchurch, BH23 1AF or paid into account number 71495623, sort code 40-17-22) which is a fund set up in memory of a little girl who died as a result of an accident outside her home and whose parents agreed to donate some of her organs resulting in a baby, child and two adults being given a second chance to life.  Also, if you're not sure what to give someone, then how about buying a certificate with World Gifts where for £15 you can give someone in a third world country a starter home.  There are many more ideas at different prices.    I've finished my first draft of Reading Paige and am delighted that I have managed to do this in such a short time (2 1/2 months) thanks mainly to the encouragement of Lane and the other fabulous members of The Finishers.

Merry Christmas to everyone and here's hoping that 2008 will be a happy, healthy year for us all.

 November 2007

I have been remiss lately and paid too much attention to my daily blog: http://debcarrs-daydreams.blogspot.com/ or simply type in the name of the blog: debs daydreams in the shed and it should appear.  To anyone who reads my blog, you will know that we have been sans boiler for over a week and I have sympathized greatly with anyone who has a lack of heating.  Horrible.  The WIPs are coming along slowly, but I suppose it would help if I concentrated on one at a time.  It is simply a case of deciding on which to chose as I'm enjoying them both.  I haven't done much with my coursework and fully intend to focus on that at some time in the near future.  I may be working hard on the WIPs but haven't given the Christmas shopping a thought and only realized today (21st Nov) that it was less than five weeks until Christmas.  Help!  Nevermind, I'm sure I shall manage it all somehow.   Until next month...

October 2007

Am loving my shed still and so are the rest of the family.  They've never had so much peace nor possession of the remote control before.   Am excited that Robin Hood is soon to be back on our screens once again on a Saturday evening.  My course is coming along swimmingly although I'm a little concerned that when I sent in my second assignment I was told that my tutor had left - I just hope my attempts weren't too off putting.  I now have another tutor who is also most helpful.

September 2007

Well its back to school for the children, my mother is over from South Africa for a month, Uni for my oldest step-son and putting the finishing touches to my contemporary manuscript.  I have now written the synopsis and first three chapters of another contemporary romance and am enjoying it thoroughly.  The trouble is that when I sit in front of my laptop and start writing I can lose hours and probably days if was allowed to.  I go to my shed - yes my husband has happily set me up in a shed and my mother is sure that one day I shall return from work and my bed will be out there too.  Having listened to a wonderful talk by Alison Baverstock at the RNA Conference that every writer should have a special place to work, I returned home and told Rob that it was imperative that I take over an area that can be solely for my use.  He suggested the shed!  I'm not sure if it is a good thing that apart from containing pictures, shells and various other artifacts that inspire me especially a couple of truly adorable pictures of the divine Richard Armitage, the shed now has a heater.  I dont think that I am being missed in the house.

August 2007

Boys still here and we are all enjoying the summer, even though it isn't as glorious as it should be.  My report came back from my Reader (NWS) and it was full of constructive criticism and now I have to work on that ms once again and try and improve it in whatever way I can.  My son's GCSE and 2 AS results were wonderful and my oldest step-son is ready to go to his chosen university as his A2 grades were excellent.  I cant believe they are all growing up so fast.  Unfortunately my two weeks off work are nearly over and it will be back to the grindstone once more.  It marks the end of summer days spent relaxing,  writing and pottering at home and back to only being able to write in the evenings and weekends.  Never mind.

July 2007

Had a wonderful weekend staying with my friend Andrea and attending  my second Romantic Novelists Association Conference at Leicester University where  I spent a busy Saturday attending talks by Jodi Thomas, Alison Baverstock, Lesley Pearse, Anita Burgh, Amanda Grange and Emma Dunford (See RNA link) and returned home with copious notes and much inspiration to keep me going until next year. 

Have sent off my ms to RNA NWS and shall concentrate on my assignments for my writing course whilst awaiting the reader's report on it.  My step-sons are over staying with us so days (not as sunny and warm as we all would have wished) are spent down at the Watersplash and various eateries.  I have started my next novel and am working through the plotting and characters at the moment.

June 2007

Im Back!!

Rob and I had a wonderful time in Sorrento.  Driving - scary!  Hotel - divine, can look it up on www.capodimontesorrento.com - Views from our balcony - breathtaking! 

Drove to Positano for lunch - gorgeous meal but as everything is on the side of a cliff face, had to walk back 390 steps to car (and were only half way down!) I thought my lungs would explode!  Drive there so beautiful - Amalfi coast.

Went to Pompeii - fascinating and amazing to see the countless streets, still see the coloured paint on the walls of the detailed murals.  The marble on the pavements which they used as cats eyes (the light of the moon shining on them).  The ruts in the huge cobbles of the streets where the carts and chariots had been driven.  Truly amazing and thrilled that I went.  Had to take pics of some dead bodies - for son James!

Walked down (15 mins) to Marina Grande - typical unchanged quaint fishing village - for a jug of capoccino - heavenly.  Sorrento town itself - 5 mins from hotel - all tiny cobbled streets with small shops and bars and one day we ate in a Piazza there and another had the most marvellous dinner in a restaurant, 5 small courses of the tastiest food ever (fairly expensive but divine) - a mandolin player serenading and it felt just like one of the Godfather movies but without the guns!! And unfortunately without Bobby de Niro and Al P!

Rob and I had Bellinis on our balcony which was on the 9th floor but as it is all terraced, we looked out on to flat gardens and the pools (literally no drop at all, not even one inch!).  The room and both bar, terraces and restaurants overlooked Sorrento town - roofs lightly covered in a mist some mornings, with mountains straight ahead and to the right of our view, then to the left lies the bay of Naples and each day a new liner arrived in the early morning.  To the right,  Vesuvius.  Heavenly, truly glorious - I would go back tomorrow.  For pic of view from our balcony of Vesuvius, see Gallery.

I shall be finished and have the ms in the post on its way to the New Writer's Scheme by the end of the month and am looking forward to attending my second conference next month. 

May 2007

Have thought of a name and theme for my next novel.  I have to keep going with my redrafting of BS first though and once that is finished, I shall push on with my next one.

April 2007

I've passed!!!!!!!!!! Hugh sighes of relief.  Now I can get on with my ms without any interruptions - well, apart from work, children and daily life, that is...  Thoroughly enjoyed the RNA Awards Luncheon at the Savoy, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson gave a great speech and the organisation was excellent, as always.  See pic of me in Trafalgar Square, the day after the lunch and just before having to leave to catch the Gatwick Express.

March 2007

Thankfully now that the exam is behind me, I can concentrate on my writing and the fourth draft of BS.  I have completely re-written the novel and the POV has now changed from first to third person.  I think it works much better now.