Saturday 17 December 2011

kno ink

It’s been a week of ups and downs. The Colchester Christmas Fayre was fairly unproductive – I learnt that people wanted cheap and cheerful, but not hand made things with precious stones; all of my children’s things went very well, but the adult bits were nearly untouched. Ah well, there’s always the Oyster Fayre.

To cheer things up, I went out to dinner with friends, only to have the worst dining experience since Denny’s in Hawaii didn’t serve what I ordered (and I got old rubber chicken). All I’ll say is don’t waste your time at Pasha’s in Colchester – even the olives were dire and more chewy than that rubber chicken previously mentioned. We left the restaurant hungry and went to finish our meal in Manningtree (the chocolate monster saves the day again – thank you Julie at The Crown for such a yummy invention).

Yet, with every cloud…

I’m now very proud to say that I’m part of the on-line sensation knowonder! magazine (www.knowonder.com). Part of the permanent writing team, I’ll be sending them three children’s stories a month – I’ve got a few in the pipeline, but I’m very happy that my writing will reach a wider audience.

Must dash, have some writing to do :)

Sunday 4 December 2011

Christmas Fayre and Inks


Or should I say Saturnalia? Or perhaps Yule? I love a good celebration, especially when food is involved, so I do think it’s important to celebrate them all… Ah, the feasts of Saturnalia!

It has been a while since my last blog… too long in fact, but I have been busy. No information on the upcoming book by Cold Moon Press, or even a contract yet, but I know they’ll get around to it as soon as they can. Meanwhile, I’m trying not to get too itchy with impatience as I am more thrilled about that anthology than I have been about all the others put together. Maybe it’s because I’ll be featured with one of my favourite authors AND one of my favourite poets.

No word as of yet from agent or publisher over my historical teen novel, Blood Tide. I think I’ll whack the book up on Create Space and have a copy printed off for my grandmother for Christmas (this is the time when I should have heard back if it were to be an acceptance) and one for me on my bookshelf and then move on to something new.

I do keep thinking that I’ll give writing a rest and just focus on making jewellery, but then I end up typing something out. My friend and assistant editor for Wyvern threw me a line for a new outlet for my writing and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my work will be accepted. It’s a part-time writer’s post (one story a week) for the e-zine Knowonder! and for the application I needed to whack out a few more stories for younger children. It was good fun and I got a chance to write about dragons, winged bunnies, Vikings and chocolate cake.

Anyway, my first experience as a market trader is coming up soon – on the same day I make a public debut as a Tudor dancer. Gulp! My dress is just needing some very fine tuning and my jewellery is priced up and packed away for the day. December 14th is the day – Colchester Castle Park 3-8:30 (dancing is at 7pm in the castle and then again at 7:45).