I finished it!!!

Just popped on here really quickly to say I Finished!!! Sadie's House-The  Secrets is now a complete manuscript!! Off to a few friends for proof reading but the next stage is in progress. Excited! 🍾🍾😀😀😍😂🍫🍫

The age of technology

Very excited to be travelling the French Alps this weekend. It's taken me an age and a half this morning to sort out all the administration for this.....hotel check in on line, car hire, print the tickets and vouchers, decide I need a suitcase so retrace the booking and add this to our flights, organise the car park, check that we have directions and so on. What happened to the good old days when you just toddled off to the travel agents, told them what you wanted then waited for everything to just come in the post? Why is everything so immediate on the one hand, and yet takes me twice as long on the other hand?

I am not the generation that grew up with computers. When I was at school there was THE COMPUTER in D block at school. It took up a whole room and looked like something from your favourite sci fi movie. We had to ring the university then put the phone on to a cradle to connect but it was nothing like the Internet we know today. It was something mysterious and vaguely awe inspiring, we didn't really know what it was for or what it did. It was a simpler time. I was late to university and even then, the COMPUTER was an enigma to me, something quite terrifying that I was convinced would break should I hit the wrong button. I have not mastered the (limited) skills I have today, many years later, without a great deal of anxiety and perseverance! And this continues! 

Today has been hampered by the fact that my own lap top has conked out and when I took it for repair to the shop from whence it came I was greeted with "we don't repair these, you'll have to ohone the company". Deep sigh. Tried to use the daughter's brand new lap top but can't fathom it so have had to rely on my trusty I pad, of which I have become very fond. 

Which brings me nicely round to the book. Having edited it 4 times, I completed a spell check and found about another dozen mistakes, cleared those up and am now half way through formatting ready to send to one or two very generous friends who have offered to read through. And I say half way through formatting as I have stalled yet again due to technical issues! I started writing this sequel in 2012 (I now this because I found the very first draft on my portable hard drive!) so it's been a long time coming. I'm hoping to have it with aforementioned friends before the end of the week. I LOVE this book and I can only hope, as can any writer, aspiring or otherwise, that it is well received. I hope to have news in my next post!

Meanwhile, I'm off not skiing (but I hear good things about the Spa and shopping!)  Meanwhile, stick with it, is my message for today. Perseverance can move mountains ( but not the one I will be at this weekend I hope!!!) 😀✈️⛷

You know you're a writer when........

These certainly resonate with me

Start as you mean to go on

So today I am very much inspired my very close friend's new blog, a witty repartee about her life around the equestrian world. I will post a link once I work out how to do such a thing on my IPad. It prompted me with the reminder of the promise that I had made to blog a bit more regularly than I have, hence the title of this post.

I am feeling slightly proud of myself this evening as I have completed the latest edit of the current book. Now I just have to have one more read through, then transfer it back to the lap top to complete formatting, then contact the publisher, and then off we go again. This series of events is likely to be slightly hampered by the fact that my laptop is currently out of action, having conked out last week after the hinge broke and subsequently broke the screen. But this will be sorted out in time so that I can complete everything. I seem to have been going at this for AGES but I have to say that I am so excited about this book that I actually got goose bumps as I reached the final chapter today. Is that normal? Perhaps I am biased......

And in my spare time, I am organising the charity event I referred to last time. With a full time teaching job and a large family, spare time is rare, but plans are going really well so I hope to be able to report back with news and photos later.

So, back to my plans...progress so far
Blog reorganised - not yet. Still trying to work out how to do this on ipad
Gym - up to 45 minutes and leg and stamina v much improved
Finish book - got a step further with completion of current edit
Blog more - here we go
Work out iPad- trying my best
Not make a fool of myself- difficult as it seems to come so naturally! (Hitting fellow diners over the head with my new boots bag, trying to climb into a cupboard I had mistaken for the door in the toilets, tripping over myself to name but a few on aforementioned visit to shopping centre.)

Will keep you posted on improvements!

Meanwhile, came across this. So whilst I am going to start now as I mean to go on, here are some wise words.

Are you a real author?

How to tell if you're a real author

The story so far

Is it too late to say happy new year? Not quite sure of the protocol, and I am quite sure that it probably is, being February. But the sentiment of good wishes is there anyway. One of my new year resolutions is to try to blog more regularly so we will see how that goes. 8 weeks in and this is the first so.......

So Christmas came and went, strange and sad without my dad but a good Christmas nonetheless. And Santa (aka Hubby) brought me an IPad, which is helping as it makes my writing that much more portable. I can edit on the go now - massively helpful. I am so determined to make sure that my new book doesn't have the errors of the first that I am painstakingly editing and it's taking AN AGE! Had a few days in a log cabin over the new year, visited Centre Parcs at half term and spent some of the time writing and editing so result! I came across the article below and did a quick word count of unnecessary words.....oh dear. Back to the beginning again. But then, just because it's on the Internet, does that make it true?  I have used it as a guide anyway....

Useless words in writing

Also came across the picture below, which pretty much sums me up where writing is concerned. I'm sure I'm not the only one!

After the Annus Horriblus, I am hoping for better things this year. I stepped tentatively into the new year, reluctant to leave Dad in the past and cautious of being too optimistic, which isn't like me at all. Since Christmas....

• Santa has returned my sense of humour, which is not always appropriate but my loved ones get me so that's what's important 
• My muscles are slowly getting back to normal but getting back to the gym is still proving to be a challenge!
• My brain still won't switch off...I think I was asking for a lot there
• I am editing like mad 

We had my daughters 21st birthday and had an amazing weekend of parties and surprises. And my sisters and I are planning a charity gala night to raise money for the hospice who cared for my dad.

Still to do...

Reorganise blog site ( long story. You'll see)

Gym????

Finish book

Blog more regularly

Learn how to use IPad properly

Not make a fool of myself in the shopping centre. (Long story again....for next time!)

Till next time -health and happiness to all 

X

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,
for Christmas this year,apart from the obvious world peace and harmony and an end to hunger (top of all our lists, I'm sure), I just have a few requests.

1 - Please return my sense of humour, which after a difficult 18 months, I seem to have misplaced. Word on the street from Elves Inc is that you may have come across it, left rather neglected and a bit battered, whilst I busied myself with other things. It's time to have it back now, methinks.
2 - I would like my body back too, if you don't mind. I know you don't have it, as I look down and there it is. However, if you can send a bit of will power mixed with a bit of good health then I can get back to the gym in the new year and get myself fit again.
3 - any chance you can send someone how to switch my brain off at bedtime please, as I would like to get a bit more that 3 hours sleep a night! I have ideas for half a dozen other books which keep me awake!
4 - give me a push to finish editing my second book and get it published! Then I need to start the third.

And please know that I am most grateful for
- my amazing family, without whose support I might have literally lost the plot sometime over the past couple of years!
-my lovely friends, whose jokes, gentle teasing and mickey taking have made me laugh, even when I thought I couldn't
-my job, which I love, even though its very difficult sometimes
-my home, my cat, and all the things that I am surrounded with.
-the support I have had from friends and complete strangers during my journey as a would-be author. It's very encouraging!

I doubt that I will blog again this year, mainly because I will be busy with family, Christmas, a holiday in a log cabin and preparations for the new year. So after what I can only call my #Annus Horriblus (well now I have something in common with the Queen!) it's time to move on. So I want to wish everyone here a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I can only hope for better times ahead. New Year, new start. It's all very personal, but it has been a part of my journey, which was the reason for this blog, warts and all.
Deep breath and fingers crossed. Here we go....................


PS  can I also have a new red bag please :)