Voices Inside My Head

I really need to do a blog post. The last time I blogged it was the 14th October! (I didn't even mention my birthday which has came and went). And now we're rapidly approaching the end of October, and Halloween.

I have finished the first draft of my 3rd book, and came up with an idea for another book - which maybe the 4th I write, as these characters keep talking to me. It's nicknamed Cinderella meets James Bond, only because she leaves a ball (Christmas party) at midnight and the hero - dressed in a tuxedo - doesn't get her name.

I appear to be alternating the seasons with my books. My first book, Plus One is a Lucky Number, was set in the summer and my second, One Fine Day was set in autumn/winter. My third - which is only in draft state - is set in the summer again, where as this 4th book, if this is the next one I write, is set in the winter. Well, it starts with a Christmas party where the hero and heroine meet. It may go the whole four seasons! Who knows?

It's been rather lovely actually. It's felt like a very long time since two characters really spoke out to me to have their story told. I don't know what it is about these two but they won't leave me alone. But, however much these two characters keep talking to me, they're going to have to be quiet for a little longer. I have written their first scene and made some notes of their characters, and I will continue to brainstorm them as I need to give them a back story each but my focus must be on editing book 3, which has the working title of To Love Again.

Obviously I haven't managed any writing while the kids have been off school - but next week it's back to the grindstone. Without wanting to wish my life away, or my children's for that matter, I do dream of the day I can work full time as a writer. If it will ever happen, is another thing. But for now, I need to continue to do the best I can.

My Writing Therapy...Blogging

Zzzzzzzz!

I am so tired I can't see me editing tonight, however much I feel guilty that I should. So I thought I would at least blog instead. (It's sort of writing therapy I find).

I have a plan, you see. July will be spent editing Perfect Isn't An Option to the best I can get it (which might still appear to be a first draft in the RNA New Writers' Scheme hands), then send it off, so that August can be used to concentrate on editing The Wedding Favour to under 60,000 words for the 'interested' publisher.

Also, I always feel guilty when I'm not doing something writing related, just because I feel I ought to otherwise I should be out doing a 'proper' job. But I find, like this weekend, when I do a 'proper' job (i.e. I get paid albeit just over minimum wage) I am so tired, I can't write. Just tried reading two chapters of a book (as reading is classed as WRA), and my eyes felt heavy and itchy, wanting to close.

I've put myself down for some overtime, but I know that my writing will suffer for this. One, it's evenings I'm doing - and that's when I do my most writing related activities (WRA), and two, I'll be tired the next day, or whenever, and that just zonks me out.

I'm even failing miserably at the moment reading my Writing Magazines. But I won't cancel the subscription. I just find it hard to sit down and make time for magazines at the best of times - hence I stopped the non-fiction side of my Writers' Bureau course, and swapped to the fiction. I find if I have time to read, I want to be reading a book. (I'm even lacking a bit on my Goodreads target, though I've read a book that actually hasn't been released yet, so can add that later). 

Anyway, I am trying to stay positive with everything else that's going on around me. (Not always easy with this bloody weather!) I vowed it on the 1st July. The next 6 months would be positive. I do have wobbles, but I give myself a mental kick when I find myself spiralling downwards. I yank up Maroon 5 on my PC (found a fab remix of Payphone and I'm loving their new album Overexposed) and that usually helps. Music really does help my moods. It always has. Especially stuff that makes me want to dance like a loon. That's why Kiss FM is always on in my kitchen on my digital radio!

So by typing this I've had some writing therapy. It makes me feel I've done some WRA.

And now for something romantic and inspirational....

Don't you just love this picture? Isn't it gorgeous? It was on Facebook and I shared it there, too.

I do wonder if it's an odd camera angle or something, but that third arm must be her right arm tucked across her body so they could fit in the bath. (The photographer should have told her to keep it in the water!). It just looks long.

Feel free to give me a kick!