May Inklets

It’s so nice to get paid to write children’s stories.  It’s easy to just get caught up in the ‘get published’ mode, sending submissions out to anything that ends up in print, so when payment comes… WOW.  If anybody has a good children’s story, check out www.knowonder.com as it’s still accepting stories and pays very professionally for them. 1 June is when the website re-launches and all the new and wonderful stories will be featured; a story a day.

As for other markets, two short stories have been sent out to Chicken Soup for the Soul, who are constantly producing excellent books.  It’s a good market to capture, so fingers crossed, I’ve got it right.  If not, I’ll keep trying. 

The WIP (Lillia and Rose) will be drafted by August and then it’s the next couple of months for revising and sending out to agents.  It’s really coming into its own and I’m loving getting elements of Viking lore into the story (as the main character’s father is a historian… well, he has an MA in folklore and history, but he now works as an accountant in the city, so much for formal education).

The Colchester Oyster Fayre is getting closer and closer… my list of goods for sale is growing. I’ve now got pirate bags and pouches in treasure map print.  Not very medieval, but as I’m in the ‘pseudo-historical’ section, I figure I can stretch things a bit.  It was fun using my 1940’s hand cranked singer sewing machine (so there’s historic for you ;)

Ooh, and my tent for the fayre is ENORMOUS… I never appreciated just how big it would be (I finally had a chance to test it out at Grange Barn) and it’s too big to have the canopy up.  It will be an excellent place for friends to chill out at after competing in the archery tournament.  I’ll be pimping up the back to have sheepskin throws and a couple of blankies for ‘medieval crash-out’.  I doubt I’ll have time to paint the panels before the fayre, but I aim to have a full woodland up, with golden ink Shakespearean fairy quotes and maybe some Tennyson (or at least Mallory).

I’m still not happy with my website.  I’ve uploaded some new photos but I need to re-photograph many of the items with my ‘new’ second-hand manual zoom Nikkon (thank you amazon marketplace!) so they look a bit more professional.  The website keeps being uncooperative.  I’m no tekkie and my computer doesn’t like updates, but I’d really like to put a more personal and woodland spin on the website.  I may attempt to bribe a friend into helping me update it.

And finally, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for my friend and fellow historic fiction writer Laura – her book is with an agent who’s just asked to view the complete manuscript!