Inspiration

If you've ever seen pictures of the inside of my shed you'll know that I surround myself with photos, clippings and notes as well as the driftwood, signs and objet d'art that I've found on my travels. I find each and every one of these 'bits' inspirational in some way, either because they spark of a memory or simply because they remind me of something or someone in my WiP.

This picture was taken one day last summer when my aunt and I found a place that I'd only imagined still existing and thanks to her having the nerve to ask a lady who lived there if we could come in and look round, it led to one of the highlights of my life and a day I still can't believe happened.

When my historical novel is published (see, I'm being very positive today) I'll tell you all about it, but for now I just wanted to post this picture and to remind me that whether I am lucky enough for my book to be published, or not (oops, positivity slipping) no one can take away that surreal day.

Happy Easter/Passover

I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Easter or Passover this weekend.

This hyacinth was picked from my garden this morning, the vase is from Jersey Potteries, the cards are from my mother-in-law and the little chick egg is Robs! We do have other eggs, but they wouldn't fit into the picture!

This weekend is the start of a week with my son back at home on a short break from third year studies at uni, my daughter (working today and tomorrow) but here the rest of the time, a big family party on Monday, my birthday (yay, pressies!) and then a week off from work. It's a little chilly, but the sun's blazing and I'm in the conservatory reading, The Captain's Daughter by Leah Fleming.

What will you be doing this weekend?

Novelicious Undiscovered Entries & A Bored Dog

Most of my waking time is spent in front of a laptop/computer. If I'm not at work then I'm either in the shed, or in the conservatory writing, editing or reading books to review for Alternative Thursday over at Novelicious.com. At the moment I'm reading competition entries for Novelicious Undiscovered.

Don't forget, if you want to enter Novelicious Undiscovered, the closing date is this Tuesday, 3rd April.

My family are fine with this. Rob works a lot and loves gardening. Sas, when she's not at school, has a social life that really could keep a full-time social secretary busy and James is at uni. So, that leaves poor Grumps. He's the one who has to sit/lie and wait for me to finish. Something I never seem to do without immediately starting on the next book, etc.

He does go for a walk every day, usually to the beach, and whenever I go out in the car he comes with me, usually sitting on the front seat with the teens in the back!

Poor him. He always looks so miserable, even when he's having fun.

A Great Weekend

I had a wonderful Mother's Day last weekend. My son unexpectedly came back for a long weekend and these are the gifts my children and the Grumpy one gave me, as well as beautiful cards with thoughtful words written inside each of them.

These glorious tulips arrived by post from my son.







My lovely daughter bought me this book.

I love Leah Fleming's books and was going to wait until the paperback version of this book came out, but now I don't have to.











The Grumpy one bought me this beautiful orchid as well as a new pair of secateurs. Well, obviously Rob bought them on his behalf, thanks Rob.

To celebrate the new, sharper secateurs I began trimming back the tangle of honeysuckle and clematis that had overtaken one area of the garden. Some of the plants had grown over an old, dying palm tree and when I tried to pull the greenery away from the tree Rob noticed that it was moving rather more than it should have done and shouted for me to move out of the way.

Needless to say, the palm tree was rotten at the roots and the eighteen foot monster crashed down next to me. I don't know who was more surprised me or Grumps who gazed at it in horror for a few moments before taking the opportunity to have a celebratory wee against the horizontal tree. Charming!

Dancing With Sean Connery (Mum, not me)

For those of you who commented on my last blog post about my mum dancing with Sean Connery, here are the pictures.

It was the sixties. Doesn't she look lovely? He looks gorgeous too, of course, but then he was James Bond!

x

And The Award Goes To...Me

I was awarded the Liebster Blog Award by the kind and talented Choc Lit authors. Thank you, ladies.

I've got to give five random facts about myself and pass this on to a blog that I want to recommend to you.

- My mother once danced with Sean Connery. I'd forgotten about this until my sister told me that a postman came to her door last week and asked if it was her mother who had danced with SC all those years ago! (Odd?)
- My father had a plane crash and survived. Phew.
- I was asked to leave the convent school I attended when I was twelve because they said that I charming and always polite, but if I didn't want to do something, nothing could persuade me to do it. My daughter now goes to this school and is doing very well, thankfully.
- When my mother was pregnant they thought I was twins! I'm not sure what that says about me...
- I can ride side-saddle. (Although I haven't for years. Not much reason for it!)
I'd like to pass this award on to Jean Bull.

The lovely Diane Fordham passed the Sunshine Award on to me. For this award I need to tell you several things that make me happy.
- Reading in my conservatory with Grumps sitting next to me and the sun shining outside.
- Chocolate. (Goes without saying really though).
- Watching tv with my family with a fire in the grate when it's wintery outside.
- Opening books sent from publishers for my Alternative Thursday reviews at Novelicious.
- Walking the Grumps on St Ouens' Beach.
- Going out to lunch with Rob and the children.
- Writing in my shed.
I'd like to pass this award on to Flowerpot.




I didn't win a RoNA Award *mind wanders off into a daydream* at the Romantic Novelists' Association's 2012 Award reception, but the following authors did :



CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC NOVEL - Summer of Love by Katie Fforde
EPIC ROMANTIC NOVEL - The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas
HISTORICAL ROMANTIC NOVEL - Highland Storms by Christina Courtenay
ROMANTIC COMEDY NOVEL - Please Don’t Stop the Music by Jane Lovering
YOUNG ADULT ROMANTIC NOVEL - Dark Ride by Caroline Green
THE RoNA ROSE AWARD - The Dangerous Lord Darrington by Sarah Mallory
THE HARRY BOWLING PRIZE WINNER - A Dark Flowering by Natalie Lloyd-Evans
Congratulations to them all.

I did, however, receive a Special Commendation for my entry to the Harry Bowling Prize. I may have mentioned this once, or twice...

Editing In The Shed...

I'm in the shed editing, so really, I should sign off and get on with it, but there's so much going on at the moment. Here's a snippet...

On Monday it's the Romantic Novelists' Association's Awards 2012 (RONAs). I'd love to have been there, but work is hectic and I've only just returned from the Caribbean so I couldn't really take the time off.

The closing date for the Novelicious Undiscovered 2012 Writing Competition is on 3rd April (only a month away), so if you were thinking of entering (wish I could, but as part of the team I can't) don't forget to send your submission in before that date.

Posts about the line up for the Historical Novel Society Conference in September are very exciting. I have a three special birthdays this year (none of them mine) and each one is on a date/weekend when a conference I'd hoped to attend is being held. Thankfully, I should be able to make this one.

Right, enough chatter. It's time I made a fresh cup of tea and carried on with my editing.

What are your writing plans this year?