Popping Puppy

So, while tidying up last night, I found some popping candy...

Alfie was fascinated by the sound it made in my mouth, so I thought I'd let him try some...



Nomnomnom

Super Sunday Sunshine and Smiles

Happy Sunday!

The sun is shining, I can hear lawnmowers and children playing in the gardens behind my house (though not together, I hope) and my laptop is fixed. Huzzahs all round!

But that's not why I'm writing today. In fact, I'm not sure why I'm writing today. Maybe it's because I've pretty much finished writing The Hungry-Man, but am still surgically attached to my laptop (which, thanks to the wizzards, now has internets again). So, prepare for a ramble while my butterfly-brain decelerates from the epic race that is writing a novel.

Pretty Procrastination

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

Not that I'm very good at plans, being far too much of a procrastinator. Instead, maybe I should say that I love it when a fleeting notion comes to fruition with very little effort or passing of time. I'm all about the instant gratification!

One of my excellent beta-readers made a suitably excellent suggestion about the chapters in The Hungry-Man that are told from a different character's point of view, and typically in flashback. Rather than "chapter" them, she suggested, I could use a chapter divider symbol to signal that they are different from the bulk of the book. Great idea! Off I went, googling for the perfect one.

BUT I quickly discovered that the really nice ones are rather expensive, and the cheap ones were not what I was after at all. So, I made my own.

Here it is:

Lily's squiggle

I've called it (titles not being my strong point) "Lily's squiggle" and I'm rather chuffed with how it came out. Literally fifteen minutes after I decided I needed a chapter divider symbol, I had one that was original, pretty and looks lovely on the page. And it was fun! (I'm all about the fun).

The wonders of a free art app and a spare five minutes.

The Hungry-Man is in its final stages as you read and, all being well, will be available to download from Amazon on Monday 21st April 2014, with a paperback version soon after. I hope you're as excited about it as I am! (because I'm very excited)

Strange Ideas on Tour!

A couple of months ago, I scribbled instructions in the front of three copies of my book, Strange Ideas: Death, Destiny and Decisions and sent them off into the world. The object was to see if I could make a book go viral, in the sense that it would be seen and shared. I just received this:

 

 

 

Thank you very much to @gab229x who joined in the fun and made some very sweet comments. I wonder where this copy will end up next? Or where the other two will turn up?

Friday Five: Five Sure-fire Ways to Beat Writer's Block

Writer's Block is a torturous thing. I usually find it hits me around the three-quarter done mark, after the rush of enthusiasm has burnt off and before the end is realistically in sight. I run out of words and, rather than writing drivel which I know I'll end up throwing out or banging my head on the keyboard (which hurts), I've found other ways to work through it. Here are the top five that work for me.

Puppy Love: *CUTE ALERT*

Happy Sunny Sunday, everyone!

I hope you've had a chance to enjoy this glorious weather. I took full advantage of my Mum's garden to lounge in the sun and play with her two puppies while I got some blogging done- keep an eye out for new posts this week.

I've run out of words now, what with that and a marathon editing-weekend, so today I thought I'd just share some photos of my afternoon puppy-sitting. Enjoy!






Bilbo and Bertie enjoying lunch

The Hungry-Man is on its way!

Major news! The Hungry-Man is one step closer to publication today!

Today I finished the first proper version that has all the right bits in the right places! Please excuse me (or feel free to join in) while I have a little WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!

Ye gods, I hope you enjoy it. I'm exhausted. The analogy of giving birth has never felt more true. From the embryonic initial idea to the (almost) final 64,000 word book-baby, I feel I have more than carried this one full-term. False starts, crises of confidence and some downright terrible writing have plagued me for over a year. I think I'd have rather had morning-sickness and piles! I definitely had the backache and strange cravings in the middle of the night...

But it was worth it. The mad scribblings of NaNoWriMo, where I stripped back my original short story into post it notes and then wrote 54,562 words in three weeks (before collapsing from exhaustion), have been pruned and sorted, edited and added to, and what has emerged is a pretty awesome tale (well, I think so- and so does my Mum- tee hee) of the special bond between a dog and his Mummy, and how far he'd go to keep her safe. It's even a little bit scary too. And you might cry a bit. If you have a dog, you've got no chance of avoiding either emotion. (But I promise no dogs were harmed in the making of this novel. Well, maybe one... but he's not real, so it's OK- isn't it?)

As chuffed as I am today, I know I'm not quite ready to present The Hungry-Man to the world yet (would that be like a christening? Another Strange Idea). It still needs a little more work before it can find its feet and toddle off into the big wide world. By the time I've tidied it up a bit more, I expect it to be a little heftier and healthier, but I still think it's beautiful now- even covered in lack-lustre verbs and unnecessary adverbs.

I just wanted to squeee a little.

So- SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I'll keep you posted xxx

Friday Five: best Valentines Day tunes

 

 Happy Valentine's Day!

 Were you swamped with cards and flowers this morning? Overwhelmed with chocolate hearts and surrounded by teddy bears and balloons? Or are you reading this while you wait for your starter to arrive at that lovely little restaurant in the expensive part of town? Good for you, if you are! It's nice to be loved and I like that we have a special day to push us into showing it.

 

But, even if you're not loved up, Valentine's Day is still fun. There are lots of pink things in the shops and bulk-buying chocolate is perfectly acceptable. And there are some great deals to be had on bouquets of roses the next day! (I love a bargain!)

 

This year, being single, I will be spending the most romantic night of the year enjoying the whopping box of Lush goodies my dogs bought me (thank you, boys) and the excuse to sing along in the bath to the slushiest songs ever sung!

Here's my special Valentine's Day playlist, just for you xxx

 

Friday Five: Places to fall asleep

Happy Friday, everyone!

I've done it again... come home from work, fed my boys, eaten my tea, sat down on the sofa with a cuppa to browse the internet and see what's going on in the world- and just woken up.

A waste of a Friday evening? Probably.

An unusual occurrence? Certainly not.

Impressive? Maybe... let me explain.

Happy New Year!

Well, what an interesting year 2013 was! Hang on- wait- or was that 2012? I'm losing track! Or maybe it's just that all my years are interesting? I certainly try!

Before the messy drinking begins, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported and encouraged me as I made the scary leap from aspiring writer to real one- whether it was spotting typos, suggesting names, fact-checking, or telling me everything there is to know about greyhounds. You're all awesome, and I'm sending you big hugs and lots of (virtual) cake.

Thank you too to all those who bought Late and the first of my Strange Ideas. I hope your 2014 surpasses your wildest dreams in terms of health, wealth, happiness and pretty things.

As for me, I have at least two books coming out in 2014, and I hope to have another go at public speaking where my leg doesn't shake so much I can't see the words to read aloud... I'll keep you posted on how that goes!

Happy New Year! Make 2014 the year you Live What You Love.

Lou xxx