writing on thin ink

Well, it’s been months since I’ve heard from Cold Moon Press – I’m beginning to think they’ve been abducted by marauding faeries! So I’ve no idea if the anthology will go forward or not, which is a shame as I was really looking forward to that one in particular.

Things with knowonder! are on hold for a little longer, so I expect I’ll have new story links to post perhaps by the end of February. But I’ve been so inspired by them and the idea of having so many children’s stories that there is now a backlog of stories in my brain and I can’t seem to get them out fast enough.

Lillia and Rose is the temporary title of a children’s book I’m working on now. It’s really Lillia’s tale – she’s ten and always wanted to be stolen by the fey, or to discover that she’s got magic faerie powers. On the day her parents convince her to keep her feet on the ground, she meets her twin brother… in the woods. He’s got pointed ears, teeth, and talks in an unusual dialect. Yup, he’s fey (that means faerie for all my non-fantasy readers). And Lillia finds that not only is she from the woods she’s always loved, but her real family had put her in hiding. To confuse matters more, her human ‘sister’ Rose turns out to have magic too and is also part of an intricate prophesy of the children to free Wildwoods from the darkness of troll-law.

The Rabbits of Carrot Wood is the other book I’ve started – it was meant to be a children’s book, but the characters have hijacked it and now it’s an unusual tale of a pagan tribe of intelligent rabbits. It has an odd feel of Native American/Celtic tribal origin myth and it’s been a joy to write so far. It’s unusual, as I said, so it’s not the sort of thing I can imagine an agent slapping a contract on, but it wants to come out and won’t take no as an answer.

Blood Tide is still in the mill – I think I want to give it another polish before I put it up for sale on Create Space. It is extremely pedantic fine-tuning, but as it’s historical fiction, I’d rather have it absolutely right.

Aside from the big projects, small tales for knowonder! are seeping out of my typing fingers (here’s hoping that they are good enough).

So that’s the writing side of things. There is still so much more work to do with Seadrake Creations, especially the website which looks a real mess at the moment. I’m happy with the sidebar and one photograph… the rest is rubbish! I think once I get some more professional-looking photos and get used to the web programme (things keep hopping to different areas when I’m not looking) it may be much nicer. Or maybe I just keep comparing it to high quality professional websites that I’ll never be able to afford.

The really lovely thing is that my silver leaves have been landing more contracts. I’ve got two sets in the VIC and having finished one commission, I’ve been asked to do another, which is very nice :)

I also want to start workshops as it’s covered in my PLI.

That’s the light side of life. Then there is Claudia starting to walk and using me as a walking frame, which is hilarious, but pretty time-consuming. And with having three books to edit for publication this year with Wyvern Publications means that every minute of my day needs to be accounted for. I do feel a bit exhausted and spread a bit thin.

Alright, as I said, spread a bit thin… I’d better be getting back to work now. The allotment needs digging over today.

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).

NewNaNo splots

NaNoWriMo is just around the corner and I’m going to need to be strict! The plan is 1k words before lunch (up at 7:30 and write like a maniac, taking a break about 9 for brekkie and shower) and 1k words after lunch. I’m planning to finish by 3pm and let my eyes glaze over.

Then there are those pesky work days. B****R! That’s something different. How on earth do I fit 2k words into a day where I’m miles away from the computer? I suppose it will be good down time for my subconscious to help work out plot, but once out of my writing stride, I find it difficult to get back into again.

There is no way around it…late nights for me. (wrinkles forehead and tries to envision getting home at 6:30, skipping dinner and writing until midnight)

When I was working full time in London once upon an era ago, I used to wake up at 5am to write, get on the 7ish train and sleep until I got to the station. Then I’d use my lunch break to hide in a quiet spot and write there. I reached a high word count, but couldn’t keep up the early mornings for more than three months. As this is only a one month stint of insanity, I think I might be able to do it J

Ah, and here is a small clip from my latest short story that I’m not supposed to be working on (rough draft of course):

The Taking of Alexander

I grew up on these islands – running barefoot from shore to shore with each new tide. Mother used to wake with the sun to see what new ships would pass on the horizon. I didn’t know it then, but she was really waiting for my father. Each morn to the darkest setting of the sun, she’d look wistfully out to sea.
It wasn’t until my sixteenth year that I knew I wanted something more. Just as my mother had left her hut and wandered to the shore, I knew that there would be a ship. And there was. I didn’t really want to leave her – the other islanders didn’t visit her anymore. But I had to go. I guess it was my father’s blood that called me to him.
‘Alexander, don’t go,’ she said to me as we watched the ship come in. We both knew this ship wouldn’t pass. The islanders had a knack about knowing these things and even though I was half islander, I still couldn’t see in the way my mother could. ‘I’ll never see you again.’
I kept silent. It hurt me to see her lose another family member, but the longing to go was stronger than the need for air after a long dive.