Next month is my birthday month... but then, now we're in the sign of Libra, I wonder, is this the start of my birthday month? Should I include the middle of September? Should I start celebrating now?
I have a lot of friends who share their birthday in the 'Libra' month (or their children do) with me. We're all fabulous people. However, I'm trying to work out why there are so many of us. My calculations makes New Years Eve too early and February's Valentines' too late. Unless of course, as babies we either arrived late or early... depending on when we were conceived...
And as you can see, I have also been neglecting my blog. I even need to send something off for someone else's blog, but have failed to do that too. The email is in my inbox to remind me.
With birthday looming, basically, on my writing days, I've tried as hard as possible to concentrate on my writing. It's safe to say I've been neglecting the housework. Book three needs to be finished and over to my editor by November (we agreed). And now I have an agent, it means it needs to go through them first too.
I know I won't get much done around my birthday, and October half-term is then rapidly approaching, where I definitely won't get anything done. Therefore, I'm aiming for this week, next week at the latest to send over my manuscript to my agent.
The powers of modern day technology means I can upload it to my kindle, and read it through from there. This is what I'm doing this week, noting any nitpicks that need altering, or a blinding obvious spelling mistake or typo. I've found "mine" and it should be "mind" for example.
It felt weird putting my feet up today, reading my book on my kindle. But it is part of the writing process. Honest.
So it's September, the six weeks flew by, the kids are back at school, and I'm trying to get back into the routine, although it's a new routine, with one at a different school.
I need to be writing. So that's what I will be doing. I need to finish this third book! I had a great meeting with my editor way back in the beginning of August, and now I need to deliver this thing.
Therefore I will apologise if my blog posting is few and far between this month.
My third book now has a working title of Meet Me at Wisteria Cottage... (although you never know, it may still change). But this is the title I'm working towards, and trying to incorporate into the book itself.
At first I was thinking of calling it Lilac Cottage, as I love all things purple. However, the house I grew up in was called Wisteria, although it never had any of the bush attached to it when I was there, I always imagined it must have once.
I just love the colour of this flower. Wisteria gives the imagery of lilac and purples, and pretty floral scents, and I think it sounds mysterious too.
Therefore it's the inspiration for the name of the cottage, and I've seen beautiful houses draped with wisteria and just loved it. I know it flowers usually April/May but I was at my aunt and uncle's over the holidays, on the Isle of Wight, and their wisteria was having another blossom in August.
So you know where I am if I'm not posting frequently... I'm at Wisteria Cottage...
It's one of those blog posts again. The one where I apologise profusely for neglecting my blog.
I have been busy though. And it is the summer holidays!
Firstly, I have to report that my big boy left primary school. This is his first and last day picture!
What a difference!
I have given him a mobile phone, and although it feels so wrong for an 11-year-old to own a phone, it is rather handy. And he does text me cute stuff.
At the start of the summer holidays, while the boys were off on holiday with their dad, I went to Alcudia for a week with a good friend.
We had a fabulous holiday. It was the most chilled out, cocktail induced break I've had. Gwen and I had such fun, it was sad to come home.
Upon my return, I was dashing to London to meet with my lovely, gorgeous editor, Charlotte Ledger to discuss books, and to let me nose around the new building. I have touched the Harper Collin's wall of books!
I was chuffed to bits to see one of my books on the shelf too!
We had a great lunch, with cocktails (keeping me in the Alcudia spirit) and it was inspiring to brainstorm ideas about my next couple of books.
You'll have to watch this space on the writing front (not that I've got much done during the past few weeks).
The rest of the holidays have so far been catching up with family, a visit to Center Parcs, Slimbridge. (The swans are shrinking! Oh, wait, my kids are getting bigger...)
We have steam trains on the agenda, among other things. And I only have two weeks left to squeeze it all in... Don't even think about September being around the corner and the start of school! :-O
I promise to be a better blogger. But sometimes, real life does get in the way.
Before I start, I am not afraid of change. I got divorced, for heaven's sake!
I'm not really a strongly political person either. Usually I'm not that opinionated about it. I vote, because I feel I should. Women fought a lot for me to get that vote, so I should at least do it. I let the government get on with it, and I tow the line in life. I don't really care who is in power, as long as it's not UKIP. I have a roof over my head, two delightful children (when they're asleep), a (paid) part-time job (although the rate could be better), and I'm an author (the don't rely on the royalties type). Life is good generally.
But I'm worried that life is going to go downhill if we really do leave the EU. The Brexit vote has already impacted our country. And I keep seeing Brexits telling us to think positive, stay calm... as if doing a fucking rain dance or smoking a peace pipe is going to fix this.
'We'll get our country back."
When?
After the recession?
This could take years to recover from.... (currently quoting five, I'm thinking more ten, twenty...It'll be 100 years before they let us back in, I tell you.)
The irony is that a good proportion of the people who voted out because they want their country back will be dead by the time it's back standing on its own two feet. If that ever happens.... (I'm sure it will, we just have a very stormy ride ahead of us, and I actually want to be proved wrong that Brexit was the right thing to do. Honest to God, I do, because the fear of losing my home, my job, the future of my kids and their aspirations is sickening).
Oh and these same people are retired... so they're hardly going to help work this country back to its glory, either.
FFS! *insert eye roll here*
At least my dad, who I do love dearly and knew he would have voted out but didn't because - and this is why I love him even more - he said, "It wasn't up to me to vote. It's up to the younger ones to decide. I've had my time on this planet. This decision would affect them not me. It's not up to me to decide their future."
Oh, if only a few more had thought like that.... (I wouldn't be writing this blog post).
And then I read things like the media are scaremongering us into a recession.
It's almost like the Brexits will not take responsibility now this has been voted. I mean all the politicians who were campaigning for an exit, have all stood down. What does that tell you?
(This video is a fantastic analogy! It will make you laugh!)
Love or hate David Cameron I can actually understand why he's stood down. He didn't want this. He's failed to convince his country to remain in the EU, so a Brexit should take the helm... and lead us forward... to this magnificent event....
You'd think, right?
No, they've all fucking scarpered.
I don't feel like we've got our independence back. I feel like I've lost my freedom!
So the next Brexit to tell me to stay calm and be positive I am likely to shove a (hypothetical) pencil up their nose.
Don't tell me... show me why I should be.
Start filling my social media with reasons why I should be rejoicing the idea of our country leaving the EU. There must be something out there, other than the ever decreasing exchange rate of the Euro against the Pound....
On the evening of Monday 27th June, I joined a panel with these five other lovely ladies. We gave a talk about writing romance to a small audience in Chippenham Library.
We all belong to the Bath and Wiltshire RNA Chapter organised by Rachel Brimble who was in the audience.
From left to right: Me, Alison Knight (aka Alison Rose), Louise Douglas, Pia Fenton (Christina Courtenay), Jean Burnett and Nicola Cornick.
I was extremely nervous because I hadn't done anything like this before and was worried I wouldn't know the answers.
How stupid. Of course I know the answers.
I talked of my experience, and of my opinions, and it was a lovely, fun discussion about the voices in our heads, and how we have to love our heroes. It was just as interesting to hear the other five authors' stories too.
So whether you've known you want to write since you were a child, or stumbled into it like me as something to do, working around the kids, if you want to write, then just write.
Me of course!
You can not edit a blank page. And if you want it bad enough, and listen to good advice, you can make it.
After the talk we had in usual romance author style, homemade cakes (supplied by the lovely Ali Williams) and wine.
Alison Knight
I was so nervous that I wouldn't know what to talk about. A bit silly really when writing romance is my passion. I do need to learn to be more confident about it. And about myself. I have had two books published.
Anyway, this blog post is about sharing some pictures from the evening.
Thoroughly enjoyed myself immersed in the world of writing and talking to like minded people. :)
