Having a lovely time...

Well except of course for right this minute where I am listening to football chat where I haven't the slightest clue what anything means.  Boyf is watching the Pompey/Chelsea game while I have sat here dutifully not asking which team is which, drunk my wine and been glued to my net book (which I am secretly loving).   So far in the time that a bunch of wet blankets have managed to kick a ball in a net* I have managed to finish and send my story for womag 2 weekly, sink an entire glass of wine, make a new friend, ignore some football chatter, facebook some friends and read up on blog posts.  Not bad for 45 minutes work - and no injuries whatsoever.  I know who the real winner is here!!

So yes, here I am in sunny Cyprus for the third time in 2 years and I still love it.  This time we decided to visit Paphos where it is pretty quiet but the weather is glorious and the sea, just a stones throw from our hotel, is a silky blue bed of come get me heaven and the sun never fails to give me a nice warm hug whenever I step outside in the morning.  I haven't ventured in the sea though as despite the sun leaving me with burnt bits here and there, the water is still bloody freezing.  Just 2 and a bit days left and I feel properly chilled.  Car insurance paperwork and scrapped cars are but a distant memory but I know it can't last forever.  I may stay here forever.  Call it research....

*Apologies to any hard core footballers/fans - I just cannot stand being a football widow!!!

Saturday 20 March 11am - 5pm - Picador Day

Just had the following info from one of my writing groups.  Sadly I shall be jetting off  to Cyprus that day so can't make it but thought you might be interested:

Saturday 20 March 11am - 5pm

The Gallery at Foyles, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0EB

Picador Day

In association with leading literary imprint Picador, we invite you to spend the day with top authors and publishing insiders as they discuss literature from all angles.

11am - 12pm Family and Self
Things are getting personal in the first session of the day, as our panel of authors discuss the ways writers bring their nearest and dearest into their work, and reflect on literature's greatest fictional families. With:

Jackie Kay

Jon Ronson

Kate Clanchy

William Fiennes

Abi Grant


12.30pm - 1.30pm Writing of Place
How do you conjure up the spirit of a place in writing? And how important is the setting in shaping a work of literature? Our four literary explorers will attempt to find out. With:

Graham Robb

William Fiennes

Jim Crace

Charles Lambert


1.30pm - 2.30pm Break


2.30pm - 3.30pm Poetry and Beyond
How easy it for a writer of prose to create poetry? And what happens when a poet decides to put verse to one side? Discover the answers with our multi-talented panel. With:

Kate Clanchy

Jacob Polley

Jackie Kay

Gerard Woodward

Paul Farley

(chaired by Don Paterson)


4pm - 5pm Becoming a Writer
If you've ever dreamed of getting published then our final panel, including freshly published debut novelists and experienced creative writing teachers, will guide you through the whole process, from writing your first sentence to seeing your book on the shelves. With:

Gerard Woodward

Trezza Azzopardi

Ben Myers

Simon Lelic

Naomi Wood

(chaired by Paul Baggaley)


Tickets are £18/£15 concessions covering admission to all four sessions. Tickets include a goody bag. - I AM SO GUTTED I CAN'T GO!!!!

http://www.foyles.co.uk/events.asp?#picador

Here in my car...

So following my accident back in December it has only taken my insurance company Diamond 3 months to inform me that my car 'Maisy' is a Total Loss.  I am gutted.  My Dad bought me my Peugeot 106 for my 21st and now sadly 8 years later I have to say goodbye.  I am very upset.

As the accident was not my fault I have been supplied with a courtesy car until my money comes through.

So in the space of 1 day I have gone from a red Peugeot 106 with a pink bonnet, rattling exhaust and mouldy windows

to this.....

I don't want to sound ungrateful but I really don't like it.  It's too new and shiny for my liking.  The brakes work too well which means I pratically hit my head on the dashboard every time I even so much as tap the brake pedal.  It's too smooth a ride and its unnerving.  I miss driving in my tin can and being able to feel every bump in the road and actually being able to hear the engine.  It has power steering though and OMG I have never parked so quickly in my life!!

No writing news today as this whole car business has been stressing me out.  I will get on with my story for my short story group tomorrow.  I bought two magazines today, Yours and Peoples Friend.  I might try and aim for these markets but I need to take a look first as I know they are aimed at an older market.  The stories look eye catching to me though so I might be able to try my hand at this market.

About time too!

No I haven't been published, nor have I received a massive cheque for any amazing stories I may have written.  I know it's a long time coming but that isn't my news.

WE HAVE INTERNET!!!

Only 3 months late but I'm not one to complain...much.  Normal blogging/commenting/surfing/procrastinating shall resume.  I am slightly afraid that my writing will suffer as a result of me now having the gift of website surfage but I shall try and be good.  I can now start my course...well after I get back from holiday at the end of March.

I now have another womag story 'out there'.  One at My Weekly and the other with the Weekly News which I sent yesterday.  I did receive an immediate response from the Editor but only to tell me I'd hear back in around a month. Not sure if that's a good thing but I won't dwell, I shall just work on more stories for my short story group Womag 2 Weekly and get them out into the big wide world.