Why do you want to be a Journalist?

Well thats just it I don't. But I did. Or at least I thought I did, that is, until someone I worked with asked me 'Why do you want to be a Journalist?'. My answer plain and simple was 'Because I love to write'.
'Then why don't you be a writer' she spat back at me. If my answer had been something along the lines of 'Because I'm interested in people' then I probably wouldn't be here writing this now. I went away from that conversation feeling deflated. Every bit of effort towards a career in News Reporting was a waste of time I thought. Maybe it was but it made me realise that 'Why don't I become a writer? Why the hell not? I love to tell stories and I love to share them so that is what I am going to do.

My Character has a Cat!

Today was the first day where I had nothing to do during my lunch break. No errands to run, no money to buy things in the shops with, no emails to check, websites to search....Not a thing. So... it hit me...DO SOME WORK ON YOUR NOVEL YOU LAZY... and we'll leave it there. I couldn't think of where to start as I have sort of written a mini version of Confidence in Me and its now just a case of padding it out with ALOT of padding. So I thought I would give my character her own cat. Its a bit of a cliché I know but why not. I've always wanted one but can't (house rules) so there's no sense in us both being miserable. Anyway I have called my cat Sparky (after the cat my family had as a child). I have linked the cat to her father who I had not mentioned in the story before now. I find that in most chiclit stories that I have read the father doesn't seem as prominent as the mother - something to think about me thinks.

Back to London

I went back to work today after my long weekend spent in Devon. Plymouth was where I spent most of my childood. As I showed my boyfriend around for the first time I never quite realised how beautiful Plymouth is. I lived there for 15 years before I moved to London and its amazing how much I took it for granted. Sights such as the Plymouth Hoe where you can see Smeatons Tower, overlooking the open air pool. This is also where Sir Frances Drake played Bowls in the 1500s and where the Beatles filmed part of the Magical Mystery Tour. There's the Barbican where you can walk the cobbled streets surrounded by quaint little shops. Mind when you fall out of the Maritime Pub drunk though, its a bit tricky. I felt a sense of pride while I was there. I also never realised how nautical it is. I knew it was a Naval town as we moved there because my Dad was in the Navy but it didn't impact on me quite as much as it did when we went this weekend. I'm looking forward to my next visit and doing all of the things I didn't do in the 15 years that I lived there.
I definately think I will use it as a setting for any future stories and I won't ever take for granted the history that is on my doorstep.

6 Word Memoir

I've been tagged by the very wonderful Karen. I have to choose six words that describe me.
I didn't ask anyone what they thought as I'm told on a daily basis what people think of me. Sometimes good sometimes bad, heres a mesh of what I think and what I've been told:

I am…

1) honest
2) Loyal
3) weird
4) impatient
5) Scatty
6) paranoid

I shall tag A. Writer, Cal, Emerging Writer and Sarah g

Making some time for me... and how to write like Carrie Bradshaw.... sort of

Ok so I am over my little episode. I have my new phone and my dust caps which are still attached the car as far as I am aware.

I have been really tired of late, I mean exhausted which is odd because I dont really do much. I have booked Monday off so I am going to chillax to the max all this weekend and use Monday to work on finishing my short story for the first line comp. I have decided not to add too much more to it as it already has quite a big build up and a huge ooooohhhh!!!. I just need one other person to read it and then can tidy it up and get it sent off. I haven't seen any other competitions which I'd like to enter to I will be able to concentrate 100% on Confidence in Me.

I have also booked my holiday. I am off to Gran Canaria for a week in May with my boyf so I can see some light and the end of the tunnel FINALLY!

Also, on another note I have noticed that 'how to write like Carrie Bradshaw' has been entered into the search engine a few times which is linking people to my page. Its a shame I am not actually offering that sort of advice. How about this:

-start all of your articles with a question
- write about relationships and sex
-live in New York
-have unlit cigarette in mouth constantly - or nicotine patch on arm
-have laptop
-wear a vest without bra quite a lot
- have a shoe addiction

Hope that was informative enough (sorry I had to improvise a bit towards the end)

I'm not a stress head, honest

Just a quick catch up as its been a busy couple of days and I have had no time to blog. I have also been quite mardy and wouldn't wanna take it out on my writing:

Thursday: I had an Indian Head Massage from a friend who is training in alternative therapies. It worked wonders (for a little while)

Friday day: any of the tension that was taken away the previous night by my head massage was firmly instilled by the ever so (un)helpful staff at a Vodafone call centre. I am at present still waiting for my new mobile phone. Aaarggh it annoys me just thinking about it.
I couldn't find The House at Midnight by Lucie Whitehouse. I'll have a look in Waterstones today while I am out. Until then I'm reading Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keyes.

Friday Evening: Went to see KT Tunstall - ah, the tension did slowly leave me for a little while
Saturday: who the f??? steals dust caps???? I mean come on who does that!

Sunday: Off to Halfords today. They will cost me £1.50 for a pack of 5 dust caps. I think I will get them all alarmed!!!!

I am such a Luddite!!

This is because I am rubbish at all things blogger but with the help of A.Writer and blogging for dummies I think I am finally getting the hang of it. Hopefully if I come across any cool new things I'l actually be able to add them instead of spending an hour trying and then giving up!

Oh and on the subject of this post I still havent heard anything back. Its starting to bug me now. I hope I havent jinxed it.

It have also finished My Booky Wook so I am going to take Karen's recommendation and read The House at Midnight, by Lucie Whitehouse

Early Post

Not much to say today as its still only .5 way through the day. I thought it best to get blog post done so I dont faff around on it later. Boyfriend is off to the football tonight so I have the whole evening and no excuses. I WILL WRITE SOMETHING. I picked up from where I left off on my first line short story last night. Ive written just over 400 words (its beween 300-3000). I like what I've written. Its a sad piece and when I read it through last night I did get a tear in my eye, which is good because I wrote it. I love a good old weepy so I know exactly what it needs to be heartbreaking but I don't know whether I have enough. I think its time to let my no.1 critiquer read it.

On another note I only have one more chapter of My Booky Wook left. Aaaaaghhh now what am I going snuggle up with at bedtime. Can some please recommend a good book???

Christmas came early or late as the case maybe

It was Christmas Day at our house this weekend as my brother came to visit laden with Christmas presents. He hadn't managed to leave Devon to visit us in London due to work commitments but he made it this weekend for a 'bit of a do' as it was 30th birthday as well. It was a good gathering with all the family + other halves - the BAGS I called them (boyfriend and girlfriends - no they weren't that impressed either). I spent the best part of the night trying to work out this wine in a cage puzzle. What I lacked in skill I certainly made up for in tenacity as I finally managed to free the bottle (30 mintues later - my dad did this in 30, seconds that is!) I could not, however, muster up any further patience to get it back in again. Subsequently I didnt get much work done, but I did have a little think about doing some. Unfortunately that's as far as I got with that but I do have a clean bathroom now. I have a free evening tomorrow so I will pull my finger out and do some writing.

Courtesy of A. Writer's blog

If Your Life was a Movie....

...What would the soundtrack be??

So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...because your not!
7. Stick the soundtrack on your mp3 player and listen away during the day.

Opening Credits: People should smile more by Newton Faulkner
Waking Up: Everlasting love by Jamie Cullum (thatll be my love of sleep then!)
First Day At School: The Way I are by Timberland
Falling In Love: Apologise by One Republic/Timberland (tell me about it)
Fight Song: The Scientist by Avril Lavign (her version of Coldplay's song)
Breaking Up: Autumn by Paolo Nutini
Prom/Dance/Ball: Ticket to Ride by the Beatles
Life's OK: Shame for You by Lily Allen
Mental Breakdown: If Only by KT Tunstall (not quite what that's supposed to mean
Flashback: Take what you Take by Lily Allen
Getting Back Together: Let me talk to you by Justin Timberlake
Birth of Child: Feels like home by Newton Faulkner
Wedding: Wildwood Flower but Resse Witherspoon (walk the line)
Final Battle: Hey Jude by the Beatles
Funeral Song: Break it off by Rhiana
End Credits: I walk the Line by Joaquin Phoenix