• books
    writing

    Books, Christmas, writing and reading

    31st December 2019

    New year’s Eve and books

    New Years Eve and Christmas is well and truly over. My daughter has new books to read and I need to focus more on mine. The Christmas tree now needs to come down.   January 5th 2019 – blog post  featured the children tipping the tree upside down. Now I just need the motivation to get the boxes back out of the loft.

    All the dramas that surround Christmas. This year I would have happily not worried about putting up the tree. The children however were desperate to put it up as soon as possible. I will be happier when it is back safely in the loft. However, my husband wants to bin it and buy a new one next year. It is an old tree but it is functional, I’ve been reading reviews and can’t decide on one better.

    My writing

    My anthology story is almost complete but the deadline has been extended to the end of January. I have read it and rewritten parts so many times now, that I have questioned whether it will ever be good enough.

    Trying to develop on showing is hard but I feel that I am making progress. My eight year old will be published in a poetry book in the new year, I would love to have my story published in a book by June. When I think it’s done though, there’s always someone that finds fault with it. It highlights just how much work I have to do on my novel.

    My reading

    I know that I don’t read enough. The constant struggle between writing, being mum, and wanting to read. As writers we can learn so much from other writers. Last night in my book ‘Survivors’ by Gemma, GX Todd. The lead character overturned a van. Gemma didn’t just write that he rocked it over. She described the other passengers, their feelings, then all the gruesome details. I have so much to learn and develop upon.

    However, the restrictions of a short story when you are limited on word count, in my mind, adds to the pressure of show don’t tell. Showing uses more words. Yes, writing really is a craft and it is one where you will get different opinions from different people. The best you can do is go with what is comfortable for you.

    Christmas reading and books

    My six year old got a pile of books for Christmas. It’s just getting her now to read them. She can read well, but it’s trying to keep her attention across 300 pages or more. She has enough books to keep her occupied for months, see featured picture.

    My eight year old already has enough to read, but he got these as well.

    books

    New year’s resolution

    I need to make more of an effort with my reading. I have a pile of books to read. I’ve told myself that I need to aim to read a book a month, aiming for twelve books a year. This might sound minimal but at the moment I’ve been reading ‘Survivors’ since early November and I’m about half way.

    Going to bed sooner is key to me being able to read, but it also will mean I write less. However, maybe my writing will be better with new writing ideas.

    The year 2020 and my writing

    I hope this to be the year that I have something published in a real book.  Hopefully by the end of the year I will have completed a few drafts of my time warp story.  I hope that I will be more of an expert on my showing not telling.

    I intend to continue writing both blogs and my monthly newsletter.  Its a lot of work but I am continuing the challenge to get everything done.

    Face book live

    Here are my Facebook lives from last week

    Christmas Eve, Santa and new blog post – 24th December 2019

    Christmas mess and stress – 27th December 2019

    Today

    This morning we did the supermarket shopping. The children always argue over who is pushing the trolley, refusing to let me help them and inevitably it gets pushed into people’s legs. They rarely do as they are told and I get stressed with them. They are not easy to take shopping.

    My next job is to take down the Christmas tree.  We also still have the jigsaw puzzles, books to read, and if I can get motivated enough, we could go for a walk.  At the moment the children are busy making a mess in the front room.  Im now going to put the kettle on for more tea and then find the mess, tidy and then take down the tree.

    I hope to be on Facebook live later today.  I hope you all have a good new year!

    For more see Christmas Eve, baking, writing and children

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  • chrisrmas mince pie
    writing

    Christmas Eve, baking, writing and children

    24th December 2019

    Christmas time

    Christmas Eve and the children are excited.  Presents are under the tree and I have been moving Elves all month.

     Christmas elves

    I spent all yesterday afternoon baking mince pies. I think I made over fifty, and they are being enjoyed.. Despite there being only four of us, sweet food gets eaten quickly.  I should really go and buy some cream for them..  I’m trying not to give into the temptation of cream.

    My writing

    I’m still working on my Paranormal Activity story. I have added to it and deleted parts, I’m finding it hard to stay to 5000 words. With advice on how to keep up the tension, advice on the ending. It has taken work but the end is in sight. As the deadline is just after Christmas, I need to get it done. I am grateful for all writers that have read it and given me feedback.

    To my friend in America, thanks for all your support! The world is much smaller with Facebook messenger.

    Advice

    If you are going to write something important, don’t do it in isolation. Lean on the support of other writer’s in real world groups or online forums. Allow other writers to read your work, comment and offer feedback. I think we are always learning, developing and growing.

    Facebook Live

    Here are my Facebook lives from the last week.

    New blog post and life – 17th December 2019

    A busy Friday and late blog post – 20th December 2019

    Today

    I’ve just returned from town with the children. I had planned to return my daughter’s library book which she has still not read. For Christmas she has other books, so the chances of this one being read anytime soon is unlikely. As we reached the library, we found it closed. I’m annoyed, it’s Christmas Eve, but also Tuesday. The rest of the town is open, why not the library? So, that will be another journey later in the week or next.

    christmas book

    I’m trying to avoid the sales. Black Friday cost me enough, Debenhams online cost me yesterday. Today I marched the children past Debenhams, past all its reductions. As well as being Christmas it is also closing down so more reductions.

    Later today, we of course have Santa visiting. The children want to leave him one or two mince pies and maybe a carrot for Rudolph.

    I also hope to get closer to completing on my story. The fact it has taken me so long, highlights that my novel might take me years. It scares me, I don’t want it to take years.

    Thankyou to all of you, for following me, commenting, liking my posts and just being there. Hope you all have a very lovely and Happy Christmas.

     

    For more see, A life cut short, a deadline and my writing

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  • deadline laptop and mug
    writing

    A life cut short, a deadline and my writing

    17th December 2019

    A life cut short

    Its 11.00am on a Tuesday, the house is still a mess, I’ve achieved a bath but that’s about it. Those of you that have read my other blog,  Just muddling through life, will know that my ex-husband passed away last Saturday 14th December. He wasn’t well but he died from Sepsis, something we never expected and a shock to his family, children and friends.

    I never told him about my blogs, he read and enjoyed my poetry years ago when we were together.  I was too scared to show him my writing now.  I’m kicking myself now for hesitating.  He might not have been interested, but I never gave him the option.  Yes, his life proved to short for me to worry about it.  Deep in my loft is poetry that he wrote back to me. It would take me hours to find it now, our loft is full of kids stuff and junk.  Important sentimental boxes I think are probably under everything, and at the back.

    He will never know about my aspirations with my writing or that this Christmas I have a writing deadline to meet,. Though I’m sure there is a lot that I didn’t know about him, we parted many years ago.

    My morning

    I’ve spent my morning so far, just lying on my bed, reading messages, knowing that I really need to come and write this post.
    As a worrier, my friend passing away has really highlighted to stop it. We don’t know what the future has in store. He was hoping to be here a while yet, and I’m sure there is plenty more he would have done if he had known that Saturday was his last day. We don’t know when that last day is. I think the message here is to try and stop the stressing, relax a bit more and enjoy life. I need to keep telling myself this, but it is easier said than done.

    My writing

    My deadline (unfortunate word in the circumstances, but that’s what it is) is fast approaching for my paranormal anthology piece. I have revised it a few times, and friends have advised on it. One writing friend emailed me with a huge amount of support and kind words which I then read to my husband. He made me feel that actually I can do this, I just need to keep going.

    I have a friend in America who has messaged me with endless support and encouragement. In this life we sometimes need people to help keep us going. To help cheer us on towards that important deadline.

    The craft of writing is hard. It’s not just thinking of a story, I’m good at that bit, that’s the easy part. Its writing it in a way that will pull in the reader, to make them want to read. As I’ve said before, its then the many redrafts to get it right. Asking for feedback and accepting it, taking criticism and wanting to cry. Submitting work to places thinking its good and then getting rejected. It is certainly not for the faint hearted, it requires a lot of work and determination.

    I’ve been advised that I still have a long way to go with my story and the deadline is next week, I want it submitted by Christmas. I think I will be emailing with a message saying that its not quite completed. They might read it and think it’s finished but I will know it’s not. There are things I still need to work out and the end needs re thinking.

    My submission

    I submitted my Christmas day poetry poem  to Spillwords.com, and I’m happy that they are publishing it on their website Christmas Day as a featured piece.

    Writing on my blog, Just muddling through life

    If you do read my other blog, you might feel that the writing is raw. This is because it is. I have spent weeks writing my 5000 word paranormal story. It has been rewritten and feedback received and there’s still a long way to go with the deadline fast approaching.

    The writing on my blog is written that day with no plan at all. For Blog Battle, I will read the prompt word and then sit and think of an idea and then write. My Ruby and Freda stories follow a sentence or photo prompt. Again, I read the prompt and then start to write. If I stopped and planned these stories and made them perfect, there would be very few stories on Just muddling through life.

    The writing here is written the same day. I’m sat in my kitchen knowing that I need to tidy up before I collect the children. So again, no time to tidy it up properly. I will often go through later and correct mistakes that I notice. Yes, I do care about mistakes, but it is trying to get my work out there. Life is so busy, and I am so busy and I do love both my blogs.

    Facebook Live

    Here are my latest Facebook live videos.

    Yesterday new blog post and Christmas – 11th December 2019

    Todays new blog post and Christmas – 13th December 2019

    Today

    It’s school Christmas parties today.  My daughter has worn her pyjamas to school as requested.  She announced last night that she is to old for Peppa Pig, which made me feel sad.  Apparently she will be teased if she wears her.

    My son is wearing non uniform and his Christmas jumper. Both children were excited and looking forward to party food.

    Me, I’ve achieved very little today.  I’m now cooking some food, then I have the children to collect.  I need to tidy the front room today, though most of the mess belongs to my six year old.  The window sill has become her art table which is not good.  one day I will need to buy some white gloss paint and repaint it.  Maybe when she stops drawing on it.

    I hope to do Facebook Live later and more of my paranormal story this evening. I’m working closer towards my deadline.

    Anyway I’m now going to go, I need to eat and make more tea.  Then have a few minutes before collecting the children and all the stress and their noise.  Yes I do enjoy my quiet times alone.

    For more see, Writing my stories, revising and redrafting

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