A week of firsts!

I have had such a busy two weeks off work. Not only have I suddenly turned into Jessica Ennis – ok, slight exaggeration but I have been cycling, swimming and walking most days and have managed to wear out my right hip, so much so, I think I now need a hip replacement – but I have also managed to write every day too.

I've finished The Fourteen Years Between Us and, at last, I'm happy with it. I've renamed it too. It is now called Destination: Vega which is much more fitting to the the story and will relate well with teenagers. 

I've also written my first short story, that's if you don't count the several thousand I wrote as a child! I am extremely pleased with it. It's 5000 words long and based on the relationship between psychotherapist and patient. I will publish it on my blog once I've entered it into some competitions and the closing date has expired.

On top of all that, I've written an article on the importance of breast cancer screening for a new women's magazine (a subject very close to my heart) and my very first magazine column! I've been signed up by Queen Bee as their monthly columnist and I'm really excited about it! I'm going to be my usual self, frank, honest and at times a little controversial, but hopefully I'm not going to get into too much trouble ;)

I've been a very busy bee and am looking forward to getting back to work for a rest!

It's Competition Time!

I've decided to start entering some literary competitions on the advice of an author I spoke to on Monday. I've started by writing my very first piece of Flash Fiction, which is a style of fictional literature of extreme brevity. My piece has just 250 words and I am extremely proud of it, considering it's my first effort! I will publish it on my blog after the competition closing date has expired.

I am going to write my first short story this week too, and have had a great idea for one based on a strange experience I had at the weekend involving going for a walk by myself and seemingly encountering the same person at different intervals along the lane!

Yes... my imagination does go into overdrive even when I'm taking the dog out for a quick stroll! :)

Nook Book!

The Charm is now available to download for £2.99 on Nook! If you read it, please could you also leave a review? Thank you x

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1120005514?ean=2940151637480&itm=1&usri=2940151637480

Wattpad!

For those of you who want to read The Charm but are too tight-fisted to buy it, I am being extremely generous and kind and am publishing it for FREE on Wattpad! So there's no excuse not to read the best book about witches in town! Ten chapters published so far... twenty-one to go! Oh and please leave little comments about the book. They would make my day. But only if they are nice :)

http://www.wattpad.com/story/30635066-the-charm

A quick update!

I've only just read The Tent, The Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy... it came out five years ago! What a brilliantly funny book. Easily a-laugh-a-page. I hear it's been bought by the BBC and will appear on our screens sometime this year as a six-part series. I can't wait!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Tent-Bucket-Emma-Kennedy/dp/0091926793

As for me, I've decided to change the ending to Book Two and completely re-edit it. I've not taken the decision to do so lightly as this will be very time-consuming for me but I want it to be absolutely perfect before I approach agents with it. The original ending didn't sit happily with me and I wanted the story to be about Loveday and Sam – the two main characters – and nobody else. So I'm changing it. Because I can! The teenage market is very fickle and trending writing styles can change very quickly, hence you can be in and out of fashion in the blink of an eye. I'm aiming to get all the work done over the next few weeks because I've spent a long time on this novel and I'm itching to start writing my next book!

I've temporarily put Book Three on hold. This isn't because I don't want to write it. I can't wait to write it! Just not now. It's quite a dark, complex thriller and after the rubbish year I've had so far, I want to write a happy book :) I've had a children's book in my brain for several years now and a couple of weeks ago I outlined the entire plot line and am now ready to write it.

So this spring and summer I shall have my head filled with the Fens and farms and bogs and secrets and magic... it's going to be a bit like reverting to my childhood :)

PS. Nine chapter of The Charm now online...

http://www.wattpad.com/story/30635066-the-charm

Wiling away a very windy day...

My youngest daughter is ill and I am at home looking after her. I've done nothing today apart from offer her sips of water, take her temperature and spoon her medicine. So while I am sitting around doing nothing, I've posted chapter seven of The Charm on wattpad for you to read and have started outlining the plot for Book Four (I haven't finished Book Three yet but I've decided I really want to write a children's book first!). 

Click here to read the book so far!

http://www.wattpad.com/story/30635066-the-charm

Hello!

I've now published Chapters Four and Five of The Charm on wattpad so get reading it for FREE! I will be publishing a chapter a week until the whole book is online. If you want to read it all in one hit then please download the eBook at Amazon or go to lulu.com and order it in paperback format.

I'm still getting word from lots of happy readers, which is fantastic, and many of who are demanding a sequel...

Hmmm, I'm thinking about it!! :)

http://www.wattpad.com/story/30635066-the-charm