Chick Ink

Ah, it’s sunny, no, it’s stormy, wait… it’s changing again… Okay, so the weather seems to be mimicking my to-do list this week. I’ve only finished about a third of my short story for cold moon press. I’m loving writing it, but I keep getting distracted by things like jewellery making, weaning babies, new chickens, press releases for Wyvern, and the other random distraction like going into Tindalls craft shop and deciding that I really can gold leaf items professionally even though the last time I tried, the end result was appalling.

So I need to focus. I will finish the short story… But first, I’ll submit my poem to them. Yes, I broke down and really did it. After years of not doing poetry I was struck with the muse – it attacked with vigour and the end result is probably very laughable, but it’s going to get sent out anyway. Then I’ll finish my story. Really.

Not that finishing the story means it will get accepted. I’d been spoilt last year with so many yeses from anthologies that I’m still trying to take in not being accepted into Pill Hill’s Holiday Horror Massacre. Was it not bloody enough? Were the scenes of blood and flaying of humans not dark enough to secure my place in the bloody anthology (not cursing, just describing). I’ve not heard back so I assume it’s a no if they say they’ll get back to authors by the 15th of July.

At least things are going smoothly with the little Vlad impersonator. She still tries to suck my neck, but the fangs have not yet come out, despite the constant hand-chewing and saliva dripping. And we went to the St Botolph’s event in Colchester and got a Victorian photo done. I did try not to laugh, but the curatorial team were all bouncing behind the camera, trying to get her to look at them and smile.

Other than that, it’s been chickens this and chickens that. Poppy is being a real terror to the newbies and getting Ruby (head chick) to chase them. Star hides in the corner and because Gemima puts on a bold face, they go for her every time. Poppy is in a separate pen now and just watches as the other three get along like a girl group. Hopefully she’ll calm down in a couple of days and we can re-integrate her with the rest.

My medieval dress is nearly finished but what I’m really excited about is my Elizabethan posh dress that should be finished in August. I’ve already made the pearl necklace which has passed the authenticity test (hoorah). Once my dresses are finished, I’ll post dates and venues of events I’ll be doing. Should be fun as long as the weather behaves…

lost ink

Sadly, I've had to remove one of my 'published in' books as it was supposed to be released last year and due to illness on the team, the book has not only been postponed, but possibly cancelled. I'm gutted about this because it was my first ever acceptance for a short fiction.

On an upper note, I'll be finding a new home for the tale after some re-edits and sending it out this week to new publishers.

Speaking of publishers, I've fallen in love. With Cold Moon Press and I am definately submitting something to their upcoming anthology: http://coldmoonpress.com/walkingdowntheskyv1.html

I'm not sure what yet... I may attempt a poem - something I used to be told I was good at but never believed. I was published in a poem anthology when I was a teen but for some reason, I didn't take it seriously!

I've popped up a photo of one of my recent creations - and I'll be selling this sort of strangeness at the Norwich Christmas Fayre if anyone is interested.

chick ink

Well, so much for getting writing time – how long has it been since my last entry? Although, I managed to finish my Hacked Up Holiday submission for Pill Hill – my first hack-and-slash short story. I certainly had fun writing it and killing off all the characters. I’m suddenly struck by how much more fun it would have been to use my old schoolyard tormentors as the characters that kick the bucket, but maybe next time. What is writing, after all, other than fabulous therapy for all of life’s wrongs?

Life in general has been surprisingly fun, not least for the reason that my little vampire has begun giggling more and waking in the middle of the night less (hoorah). So the day to day grind is more like: wake up, rush to get food, relax with baby, have a good play with lots of smiles and cheeky grins, naptime for baby (and rush to either write or work on Wyvern… as you can tell, I’ve not had much writing time), then it’s manic again when she wakes.

Aside from writing the hack-and-slash, I’ve started a new novel – something completely different (yes, again. I will settle on a style when I have to, but for now it’s just too much fun to do a bit of everything). This one is… well, it will have to remain secret for now ;)

Time does keep slipping by. We were supposed to get two new chickens for our hen house and run as our egg supplies are dwindling now that Poppy has been suffering from Egg Drop Syndrome (well, ex batts have an excuse). After looking at all the breeds available locally, I’d settled on getting a Sussex White and Speckledy Hen, but the time just doesn’t seem right and I’ve had to re-lay lawn twice already due to the poor turf available at B&Q (keeps being half-dead when we unroll it at home).

To add to more distraction, I’ve joined a new re-enactment group that covers more than one time period, so I get to make several period dresses. My 1350’s dress that I’d used for Barley Hall in York is not about two sizes too small (I can’t believe I was ever that thin!) and luckily, I have the material handy for a new one – it was going to be my Viking outfit for Saebert’s Folk, but as they didn’t ‘do’ Vikings (odd, for a group within Vikings), I never had the chance to make it.

Off to write…

baby ink

Ah, the chickens are nestled in the grass, sleeping with their wings out to the sun, the cat is snoozing on my bed and the baby is (finally, thank God) asleep. Just what I should be doing. And yet, I’m here at the computer blogging. How tragic :) It’s been a manic few months with very little writing having found its way out of my pen. Any spare moments have been used for keeping on top of my work at Wyvern Publications (the coming together of the anthology Fangtales and sorting out the final texts for the next Pixiefoot Press book, All in the Woods). I have a list of ‘must do’ and, although I’m getting to some of it, the bulk is being left behind. My story for the angel anthology has been edited thanks to some fabulous editing suggestions from the Bridge House editor, Debz – and I’m eternally grateful for being asked to dedicate my story to an angel in my life. Having had no doubts in my mind at all or even a moment’s hesitation, I’ve dedicated my story to my late Grandmother Elizabeth Gunn. I know she would have loved it! Having the angel story accepted was a great boost for this year and also a kick up the rear to get organized and on top of all the writing I’d intended on doing. The words of many friends and family echo back – “You’ll have lots of time with a new baby, all they do is sleep”. Of course, leave it to me to have a vampire baby who likes to be up at night, hates the daylight, garlic, crosses, and actually pulls her hand and arm around her mouth at feeding times in the same way Dracula does in the fabulous old Hammer Horror films. Sleep? Not usually – she’s too busy plotting how to take over the world. Little diva aside, I’ve got a plan (don’t laugh). One that should actually work this time. I’ve also got a new anthology to write for (fingers crossed I get it done in time). All works needing representation are going to be listed on this blog at the bottom of the page, and I’m going to make sure to send out at least one submission a fortnight (yes, not that much, but its all baby steps for now). New fiction may find its way onto the pages, but this year is going to be all about getting an agent (it was sooo close last year, I was even asked to resubmit something before I lost his attention). Wish me luck! And sleep… could really use some sleep right about now.

more inky updates

I've finished editing two books for other authors and now I can get back to my own writing (hoorah!). After having started National Picture Book Idea Month, I've got a good file of book outlines and one finished picture book that I really love and would love to see in print. Aside from the fact that picture books are a bit difficult to place (especially when you don't have the artist already finished, but that's a whole different kettle of rejections), I still feel positive about being able to send SOMETHING out.

Not only that, but there are about 3-4 other indy publishers who are taking subs for fabulous anthologies (mainly for adults) and I'm tempted to go back to 'a short story a week'. Or am I just turning into a short story whore? Maybe I should be spending my time submitting my historical teen fiction to agents? I should really balance the two out. Truly. And I will... just as long as I don't get distracted or end up with too much Wyvern Publication edits to do this month, or start making more chainmaille jewellery...

Enough ranting... here's how things have been in my neck of the woods which is just right for sitting indoors and writing (or editing, or updating websites, or making things). Okay, so the image placed itself at the top of the blog. Sigh.

The New Anthology

I’ve been accepted into another anthology. This one (appropriately) is an anthology of Angel stories to balance out the Demon stories in the last Bridge House publication I was in.

‘The Angel Stone’ was written (well, the opening anyway) in the galleries of Colchester Castle on a slow day when there were just two visitors who had already been harassed by me enough and didn’t want to talk about history any more. The tasks at hand had been done, the glass polished, and to keep my sanity, I’d carried a small notebook and started writing by one of the Roman displays.

It was meant to get my brain going on the demon story, which it did do, but not the one that was published – that was something meant for an entire different publisher who didn’t like it as much. My original demon story, ‘Demon Inherited’, now published as a flash fiction with Pill Hill Press (see Daily Bites of Flash Fiction at the side of the page), was inspired by the idea that everybody has demons, but what if someone could actually see them on other people.

Spinning off that idea, what if angels weren’t just heavenly beings, but something inherited in the same way that we inherit our parents’ demons…. So in ‘The Angel Stone’, the manifestation of inherited angels comes in the form of a stone that is passed down from family member to family member until the right candidate is found. I suppose it’s a bit Witchblade, but more of a good-inspired power rather than dark.

Anyhoo, I’m very pleased to have been chosen for the anthology and even more pleased that I can put the angel anthology next to the demon anthology on my bookshelf (even if that demon story has very little to do with my angel story).

My next plan of attack on the writing front will probably change a bit. I do want to formally submit my historical fiction novel for teens to some of the larger houses, despite knowing that they are very unlikely to even read subs, let alone take on one. But the stubborn determination in me is taking over – and yes, the delusions too. It must be a writer thing. To bring things back to reality, I’ll be hitting all the agents with my scribbles too. I had a few bites with two previous children’s stories, but no takers; maybe this time will be different?

Aside from the novel, I think I’ll be focusing more on paid writing work. That means no more anthologies based on royalties (you just have to split them with so many people that it comes to pennies by the end of the month). Pill Hill usually pay for subs, so even though they generally publish various genres of adult, it’s nice to have a bit of payment (the last story paid a whopping £3, but it was still instant gratification).

Okay, enough ranting…

TTFN!

NaNo conclusions

It’s now 1 December and NaNo writers all over the world are breathing a deep sigh of relief. Now, apparently, it’s the month for editing. Stop breathing and panic!

I really enjoyed doing NaNo at first. It got things moving along, new characters developed, the storyline took a major (and improved) turn, and some latent characters decided they needed major threads. It looked as if it was all coming together. Until I realised that 50k words would be in no way representing this tale. Fair enough as the genre for trad fantasy usually is a bit meatier anyhow. But knowing that I couldn’t get a whole book out in the month made NaNo feel pointless.

Five days until the finish, despite being a little ahead of my schedule for 50k words, I stopped writing. I hate the work. I despise all the characters. And if I even see one sentence more from that book, I think I’ll throw myself out the window onto the new Georgian-style spire on top of my new conservatory (thank you builders for finishing on time after all that!!!).

The thing about creative writing for me has always been how it envelops all my senses as I write. I truly enjoy every moment of the creation and about half way through NaNo, I began to loathe it. It was too forced, too quick. I didn’t have time to really get to know each character and take them through the weeks with me. I think, in short, that NaNo is not really for me. I’ll use it still to keep certain targets as it’s good to have that sort of motivation, but as for a complete 50k novel in a month… nope. It just takes out all the joy.

Having said that, I will finish the last 20-30k of my novel in next year’s NaNo and then use some of the extra time to begin redrafting. I may hate it now, but there was a time when I was head-over-heels in love with the thing and I’m hoping to rekindle the romance.