Conferences and workshops

Rue

 It has been a busy few weeks with lots of big submissions like poetry pamphlets, novellas and a young adult manuscript as well as the usual poetry submissions. I've had a rejection with novella but they did say that they found my writing engaging; it just wasn't for their list. It's back in my project file but the life of this one isn't over. My goal is now to have it published by October next year! Watch this space.

Last weekend I joined the online conference run by Alliance for Independent Authors, attending several talks. The theme this year was about attracting readers. That old chestnut about marketing/publicity I'm so good at - not! The talks were very interesting and I have loads of notes. I realise I have to take a new step forward, so my pet project for next year (because I have no time this year) is to have a proper author website. I will let you know how it is going. When it goes live I will post the link here. I may well keep this blog, at least for a while. I've become a bit attached to it, which isn't surprising because I think I began blogging in 2009 without much clue what I was doing.

I am taking part in two online courses (through email) this month. The first is a poetry course on loss with Julia Webb and the second is a flash-a-day with Nancy Stolhman from the USA. I took part in this flash NANO last year and was pleased with what I wrote. This year I'm trying even shorter flash. Todays runs at 114 words, and actually is adapted from a poem I wrote years ago.

On Tuesday evening, I took part in a flash fiction webinar workshop with David Gaffney as part of the Arvon Foundation. The two hours fled by and I came away with lots of notes and a potential flash. David interspersed examples and information with four short exercises, building on what we had written so far. There were recommended authors and books and I found the workshop really helpful.

My poem Flashes has been published by Aayo magazine. Things seem very slow to appear at the moment as I'm still waiting for another piece to appear in a different magazine.

As a new year approaches I am thinking of other ways forward. There may be one talk for me to do as I was asked by my local Mother's Union branch if I'd do something for them (I am a member!), and maybe a written piece in a church magazine, though that is just a suggestion at the moment. I feel there are a few projects now coming to a point where publication is possible next year. This year has been exciting. Perhaps next year will be more so? Who knows. I only know that I feel in a better place than I was 18 months ago.

Finally, there has been an addition to our family. Rue is my son's puppy, but everyone loves him. He's just over three months old and only been with us for three weeks. A bundle of needle sharp teeth, into everything, but with that face, those eyes, he gets away with it! I've got to go out and replace a USB cable for my mobile as he chewed it yesterday. I've even worked on my laptop with him on my lap. I had to find a box to put my feet on to raise my legs so he didn't slip off!