Most Wanted

January is a month of remembering birthdays, renewing subscriptions, and an especially busy time at work. So, despite endless list writing, and rewriting (sounds like my books) I've somehow managed to forget to buy my Dog Licence. So, he (see photo of culprit) is now unlicenced and if I don't get a flippin' move on, I'll be liable for yet another fine.

The good, no great news this week was that Sas finally had her braces removed yesterday. Her teeth are beautiful and it's strange seeing her without a mouthful of metal. She's done so well putting up with it all for the past sixteen months and can now bite into an apple. Thankfully, she hasn't had any problem with chocolate, as that really would have been a nightmare.

I've been fascinated to watch little Charlie Simpson's JustGiving page increasing continuously. The amount this little boy has managed to raise with his fundraising for Haiti is incredible.

And The Winner Is...

Flowerpot.

Congratulations.

Please send me your address so that I can post your signed copy of Moonshine to you.

My email address is: debs.carr(at)jerseymail.co.uk.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment.

Moonshine Publication Day - Book Give Away

It's Publication Day for MOONSHINE, Christina Jones's magical novel.

To celebrate, Christina has very kindly sent me a signed copy, and all you have to do to be in with a chance to win it, is leave a 'Pick Me' comment. You have until Sunday, when I'll put all the names in to a hat and ask my daughter to pick one out.

Moonshine is magical and the perfect escape for the cold, miserable weather we've all experienced lately. Cleo Moon, newly single and unemployed moves to a caravan in the rustic hamlet of Lovers Knot, where she soon comes across, The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, Dylan Maguire. He's not only gorgeous, but also very upperclass. Cleo soon finds out there's more to Dylan than she had first assumed.

Cleo gets caught up in the preparations for the local annual Harvest shindig, and when Dylan offers to help her with the winemaking, the magic soons starts to happen.

I've loved all Christina's books and this one was superb. The vivid characters are so memorable and I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this wonderful book.

Mental Blocks

I haven't really had much trouble when it comes to writers' block, but I'm definately in need of some sort of help when it comes to mental blocks.

Today I received my fourth - yes, you read that correctly, fourth - parking fine in six weeks. Now, I haven't had a fine for approximately 10 years, and where I park I need to have paycards for 8 hours each day. So, there are the green ones for 4 units (hours) and the purple ones for 1 unit.

1st fine - dough head here put two purple ones, covering me for a total of 2 hours...
2nd fine - I put one of each, covering me for 5 hours...
3rd fine - was actually for three hours, so put one purple one, yes, you've guessed covering me for 1 damn hour, instead of the required three.

Today, how many did I display? Mmm? Well? Let me see? Yes, that's right NONE!

What the hell is wrong with me? I wasn't early, nor in a rush. All I can put it down to is the fact that my brain, when not at work - ahem - thinks continuously about my newly started book. Arrgh. I'm so annoyed. So, even with the 'pay within three days and get a discount', this now means that in the past six weeks I will have paid £160.00 in fines.

I walked into the house today and said to Rob, "Guess what I did today?"
He smiled and replied, "Got another parking fine?"
Don't you hate it when they think they're so clever?

Nevermind, don't forget to visit my blog on Thursday because I've got a very special 'pick me' competition, which I'd hate you to miss.

Workshops, Brilliant Results & Wet Books

I'm starting to plan any trips to the mainland to visit friends, Conferences/workshops or any other possible holidays. This year I'm intending to go to the RNA Conference being held in Greenwich, which means I can meet up with my cousin and his partner over that particular weekend, and also some online friends a month or so before that.

There were several workshops that took my fancy especially this one, Novel In A Day Workshop being held by Victoria Connelly. Victoria is not only a very talented writer - see my review here at Bookersatz about her wonderful book, Molly's Millions - but she's also had one of her books made into a film and is a lovely person. Unfortunately everything I go to is made so much more expensive by having to book flights, so I'll have to wait and see if I can make this, but I really would like to.

This week my daughter found out the results for the three GCSE modules she took back in November, Maths, Physics and Biology. She got A's for all three! I'm presuming she must get her intelligence from her aunt, Gerry - Deputy Headteacher of a school - because there's no way her father and I could possibly be responsible for A's!

Also this week my mother-in-law had water flowing from her living room lightbulb, caused by a problem with the water tank in her roof overflowing - not burst pipe damage - but it has meant that various rooms will need new ceilings etc. So I now have most of the radiators in my house covered with wet/damp paperback books as I try to dry them for her. Makes a change from keeping them in bookcases - or in piles - I suppose.

Builders' Tea & Starting Over

Recently I found out that I'd won six months supply of a new blend of tea, Builders tea and today I received my prize.

Rob phoned me at work and said, "What on earth have you been doing now?"
"Why?" I said wondering what he was going on about.
"A van has just delivered three boxes taped together."
"Oh that will be my tea," I told him. He didn't ask any further questions.

I love a good cup of tea and have already drunk two cups. It's lovely. It's strong, if you let it stew for any time at all, but I suppose that's what builders tea is all about? In fact their site says it only takes 20 seconds to reach perfection and I have to agree with that. You can buy it at various stores in the UK and for those of us who don't live there, it can be ordered online.

So tonight, instead of getting on with all those jobs I've been meaning to finish, I'm going to settle down with my copy of Starting Over by Sue Moorcroft - I'm loving this book so much, her hero is to die for. This book should definately be added to your tbr pile - and another cup of my builders tea and ignore everyone for a few hours. Bliss.

Brrrrr

I know that compared to everyone else in the UK we've only had a tiny dumping of snow, but it's still been exciting to see the landscape changing and looking so pretty, although for a short while, and from the inside of a warm house.

Grumps has had a wonderful time sticking his nose into the snow, however he did get a fright when he came in and still had snow all over his back. Such a panic-pants.

My daughter, thinking she was the only one of her friends to be missing the first three days of school, wasn't thrilled to discover that the schools had been closed due to snow. "I could have stayed at home then," she said. Then when I told her we'd had approximately 2 inches - I measured by sticking my finger into the snow on the driveway - she laughed and found it hilarious that everything had ground to a halt whereas in Austria it's so different.

Anyway, today it's still mainly white - up where I live in the wilds of St Ouen - but the roads are fine and I'm off to meet friends for lunch to bid farewell to a fabulous colleague, Rachel, who is leaving our office after years of being great fun. It's also her 40th birthday tomorrow, so we're going to celebrate with bubbles and lots of scrumptious food. Work will not be the same without her though. Sigh.

One Apple Tasted by Josa Young

I had a list of writerly jobs I was determined to get through tonight, mainly finishing Assignment 12 of my Writing Course.

However, in the bath this morning I didn't have time to read the last two chapters of this wonderful book, One Apple Tasted by Josa Young and so, all good intentions forgotten, I raced home from work, said hello to my step-son who arrived from London today, made supper, then disappeared upstairs to my room to read the last few pages.

If you can't decide what to read next do treat yourself and buy it. I loved it. To do the book justice I've linked to Helen Hunt's review on Bookersatz.

Better get off now and check my son has taken his antibiotics as he has a nasty bout of tonsilitis and is feeling very sorry for himself. My daughter has just phoned - yet again, using her father's mobile without him knowing - from Austria where she's snowboarding with her father, to ask whether I'd rather she bring me back a book or some Milka chocolate. Now that is a dilemma. She obviously knows her mother well.

Happy 2010 from The Shed

I thought I'd take the opportunity of hijacking this blog as it's Blog Takeover Day. Well, this is called 'Debs Daydreams in the SHED' after all, and it's where all these posts and her other writing efforts are created.

My day starts at various times, but always with Herself marching towards me, a determined espression on her face as she passes the Bay tree and blackcurrent bushes on one side of the path and the vegetable garden on the other. Without fail she carries a small tray holding a mug of tea and one of those little Bonio biscuits for the grumby Miniature Schnauzer trotting behind her.

To be honest, most of the time she sits silently tapping away at her shiny black laptop with the dog snoozing by her in his chair. Occasionally she curses, and sometimes she even laughs, but rarely does anyone dare to disturb her here, mainly I think because it wakes the dog and he starts that high-pitched yapping business. It's a perfect deterent.

Every couple of weeks before locking my door for the night, she'll reappear brandishing a can in her hand. She takes a deep breath, frantically sprays some foul vapour around, then leaps out, slamming my door shut. Always returning the next day with a dustpan and brush to sweep the curled up dead spiders that were hiding in my corners.

I shouldn't moan too much, I did get a makeover earlier this year, and far prefer my new color to the old one. I had a more successful 2009 than she did too, being lucky enough to be a finalist in the Shed of the Year Competition. In fact, any sheds reading should think about entering, it's great fun.

Tonight, she's planning to sit and watch a distant cousin of mine on the telly. He doesn't look like me at all and apparently is far larger on the inside than his blue policebox exterior suggests. He stars in something called Dr Who, and is inhabited by a continuing change of timelords, which makes me glad that I only have to get used to one person, even if she is accompanied by a short, grey thing that resembles a fluffy breezeblock.