50,092 words in 26 Days

I can barely speak I'm so tired, but I've done it. I've finished my NaNo novel, all 50,092 words of it.

It was fun, it was tiring, and I even quite like the novel I wrote for NaNo.

Now I'm going to have a drink something cool and watch The Book Show whilst I recover.

NaNo - 19,000 Words Needed

I can't believe after all the typing I've been doing this month that I still have 19,000 words to find in the next nine days. Scary stuff.

However, as I hadn't blogged at all this week, I thought I'd quickly tell you about an excellent talk I went to yesterday with Rob at the Jersey Archives. It was given by Ian Ronayne, author of the book, 'Ours' about a small group of Jerseyman who left the island to fight in the First World War. You can buy the book here.

As soon as I've crawled to the end of NaNoWriMo on 30th November, I'll grab the book from Rob and read it properly myself as it's full of fascinating information and photos. In fact, sitting in front of us was an elderly lady who's father's photo is included in the book. It was history coming alive and I'm so glad I dragged myself away from my computer long enough to attend.

Lovely Blog Award

Having had an especially unproductive weekend where writing was concerned, I turned on my computer this afternoon to find an email from the very lovely Victoria Connelly letting me know she had awarded me this gorgeous, Lovely Blog Award.

Victoria has published several books, one of which has been made into a film, and her fabulous, Molly's Millions was published earlier this year. Please go here to Bookersatz to read my review. If you haven't read it yet, then you're missing a treat.

The rules say that you should:
1) Accept the award, and don’t forget to post a link back to the awarding person.
2) Pass the award on.
3) Notify the award winners.

Now deciding who to pass this award on to wasn't easy, as I read so many interesting and helpful blogs, but I thought I would like to pass this on to Amanda at her Writing Allsorts blog. In her most recent post she talks about feeling a little deflated, but then goes on to say that despite receiving a few rejections, she is working on stories to submit to magazines and competitions and is determined not to let a few rejections beat her.

As writers it's something we all have to contend with and sometimes keeping going when you don't feel like you're actually getting anywhere (me, not her) is exactly the time when you have to simply keep writing, improving and eventually hope you'll get to where you want to go. Being published.

And The Winner Is.........

TOM FOOLERY

Congratulations. I know you'll love the book.

Thanks to S for taking the time out to stir the names - endlessly - when I interrupted her Maths revision for her GCSE tomorrow, and pull a name out of the hat. Thanks also to everyone who left a comment.

Remembrance Day

Lest we forget.








Ordinarily I wouldn't post about a book on Remembrance Day, but then I thought that it's through books that periods in history stay alive. This book by Leah Fleming, called Remembrance Day is about the Great War and for every copy bought a donation will be made to the Royal British Legion, so for that reason I thought I could do it this once.

Heaven Can Wait - Win a Copy

So good, even he wanted to read it.

The night before Lucy Brown’s wedding, she said good-bye to her fiancé Dan thinking life could not be more perfect. The next day, she was dead.

Not ready to leave Dan, she chooses to become a ghost rather than go to heaven, however she soon learns that to become a ghost she first has to complete a task; an almost impossible task and only twenty-one days in which to fulfil it. Lucy is sent to Limbo, which turns out to be a grubby flat shared with two other wannabe ghosts who have their own problems to sort out. She discovers her friend Anna has an agenda of her own and despite Lucy’s recent demise is making a move on heartbroken Dan wanting him for herself.

I was in the middle of reading another book when my exhausted postman delivered my copy of Heaven Can Wait, and knowing I had a few days off to look forward to, decided I would keep it until then. Intentions are one thing, but having gazed at the gorgeous cover, I decided to take a sneaky peek and read the first couple of lines. Two days later I finished, the other book long forgotten.

If you haven’t already bought your copy and read it – why not – you’re missing a treat. I loved Cally’s book and laughed out loud within moments of starting to read it. It’s funny, clever and thought provoking, and the ending is quite perfect.

So, for those of you who haven’t yet bought your copy, or want another one for a friend as a present. Please leave a ‘pick me’ comment by Wednesday, 11th November, and I’ll ask my daughter to pull a name out of a hat (or bowl, or something) and send the lucky winner their copy as soon as I know who it is.

Spooks, NaNo & M&S Knickers

Well, it's that time of year again. The time when I start sighing, the husband groans and rolls his eyes heavenward, and the children say things like, "Oh, no. Not him again." To whom do they refer? I hear you ask. Why, says I, only the divine Richard Armitage *sigh*

I've been doing slightly better than I'd hoped with my NaNo novel and managed 8,514 in the first three days. Haven't done any writing yet today, but need to get a move on and stop checking out Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Yesterday, as I walked to the car after work, water from puddles seeped through my boots, so I put them to dry overnight. This morning, I'd only been out of the car 30 seconds when the same thing happened again. Past their sell-by date obviously. So, at lunchtime I ventured into town - about ten footsteps away from my office - and bought new boots, a new pair of trousers for work, and some M&S knickers. Can't beat them.

Funny how the prospect of buying clothes for work doesn't inspire me, and I wait until my feet are literally soaking, whereas if I wanted a book, I'd be hitting those shops without a moments hesitation.