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Snoozing-heck, it's tiring to get back in to the routine after a holiday! I haven't gotten any further on editing Pieces of Me just yet because I keep thinking up new scenes to 'flesh' the story out; now I have to figure out where to place them and get them typed up and get back to editing.
I need to get a wiggle on, 1st November is coming around quickly! Hello strangers! I arrived back in the UK from Mexico at about 7.30am today and promptly fell asleep for 6 hours, oops.
I had such a lovely time with my partner; he had kept the location of our holiday a secret from me until we were in the airport lounge and then I had to play a game of hangman to figure out our destination! I do some editing (not as much as I had planned) and some writing for Pieces of Me and came away from Mexico with some new story ideas after visiting the ancient Mayan cities of Chichen Itza and Tulum. The architecture there was just incredible and hugely inspiring. Tonight is a bit bitter sweet for me - it's another 'first' without mum. The first time I will be going on holiday without giving her all of our flight and hotel details; my uncle sadly passed away on holiday 31/08/2007 and since then I always gave mum all the holiday details and messaged her all of our trip details so she wouldn't worry about me. I would message or call her pretty much every day too, since I shared pretty much everything with her.
It will be the first time I don't speak to her from the airport for her to tell me to have a great time but to 'be careful'. I actually can't put in to words how much I ache for the woman who seemed to be a pain in my ass growing up but who became, genuinely, the best friend I ever had. It wasn't until my mid twenties until I came to realise how alike we were with our little eccentricities and as I've grown older I see her sneak into my reflection in the mirror more and more each day. In her final months she became horrified as she saw her own mother looking back at her in the mirror but I take such comfort in seeing similarities to mum in mine. I am excited about my holiday tomorrow but I am sad too. I want more than anything to share my stories and pictures with her. I didn't make it to her grave today as I had hoped to but I will bring her a souvenir back to place there. Don't be sad that I cry for you mum, be proud of yourself that you were such a wonderful woman that my heart aches for you and to talk to you again. Today is potentially my last blog until 7th September because in 'two sleeps' I am going on a two week holiday! I will be updating my Facebook fan page from time to time so click here to go to my page and click 'Like' to follow me.
My clothes are washed and ironed, just need to put them in my suitcase tomorrow! I will miss the kittens and big cats while we're away but I know that they'll be well looked after. I will be busy revising, editing and writing while I'm away ready to release my next two stories for you all to see. Be good! I just wanted to share this with you; below is 13 months of my hard work and commitment to becoming a fully fledged writer.
It is, of course, just the face of the work I have put it. It doesn't show the hours of writing, editing, planning, dreaming, worrying, self-doubting, designing and promoting. But, it looks pretty cool... The new website is coming along nicely! I'm really pleased with the look of it and I already have some blogs saved ready for the 'go live' date, including my first Saturday Share.
It's a fresh and modern looking site and there is no mistaking that it is designed for me, a writer, with my book cover banner emblazoned across each page! I originally thought I would go for a New Year release thinking that it would take forever to get it looking just right, but I'm glad I brought it forward to the 1st October because I can't wait to share it with you all! Here's a little preview of the home page for you... I love to read - always have, always will. A person who doesn't find enjoyment in reading is alien to me - it opens up your mind to different worlds! A writer who doesn't read? What the heck is that all about?! How can you proclaim to be a writer and ask people to read your work when you yourself "don't" (won't?) read?
I was a reader first and foremost; it was reading which encouraged me creatively to make little picture books as a child. I started my writing 'career' as (I think) a seven year old; I was already hooked on taking photographs (still a huge passion of mine) and drawing and so when my parents used to develop the rolls of film (remember those!) I would paste a series of photographs on pieces of A4 paper and draw around them before creating a little story above and below the pictures. Sadly these picture books are long gone; with so many moves in my adult life they went astray or got thrown out, along with any teen/young adult stuff I wrote. I know that there is a floppy disc out there somewhere with a joint story I was writing with an American girl who I used to email (back when there was only one provider). I'm sad that this history of my writing is lost; no doubt it would be cringingly embarrassing to read today but I would still like to see that connection with the younger version of myself. Luckily I still have a few of my childhood reads (Little Women and The Secret Garden have pages cellotaped in, so well were they read!) although even lots of those found there way to car boots; many were also handed down to my niece who shares my love of reading. I read, I think, all of Ann M Martin's 'Babysitter's Club' series - they taught me quite a lot actually as a young reader. It was my treat as a child to go to the book shop in nearby Solihull and buy two or three new books in the series - it's still a treat for me to go and buy new books! My Kindle is fully loaded with published and indie books ready for my holiday next week and I will very much enjoy devouring the worlds which their writers have created for me. Of course, any which I really, really love will have to be purchased in paperback so they can sit prettily on my bookshelf. I'll admit I was a little anti-ebook when they first came out - one of the best smells in the world (to me anyway) is that of an old book shop or library, and the best sound is the cracking of a new book's spine. However, I came round and I am now gleeful in the knowledge that I can take dozens of books in my hand luggage on holiday without being told that it is overweight and I have to leave some behind. I can also read late in to the light without keeping my partner up because of needing to have a light on. Still, I need 'real' books in my life and so my favourite Kindle books inevitably end up on my bookshelf even if only for aesthetic purposes. I'll go back to my original point... People who don't/won't read are definitely aliens. |