All I want to do and what I have done

Excitement of the week - finding a supply of tomato puree

What I should be doing is writing. I have two novellas in progress, one started last year, the other about two/three years ago. The trouble is I don't feel the enthusiasm for story writing at the moment. I did go back to the novella I began last year and have added a little more to it. I even know where it is going, though not the ending. Yet I keep putting it off.

What I have been doing is more gardening, preparing beds and scattering seeds and sitting outside reading. I have read two books this week so my book pile are going down. I have a list of others to add to them! At present this is all I want to do, read.

I did get out for a walk today, first one in a week. There aren't many places near me but I chose one that cuts through a golf course. I seemed to spend more time on busy roads than in the quiet wooded walk. It seems so much shorter than it used to!

View across the golf course

I got particularly excited at the end of the food shop, after the walk, because I found a small shop with a supply of tomato puree. This seems to be one of those items in short supply. They only had cans but I bought three. I use tomato puree a lot in my veggie dishes.

At the back of a cupboard I came across a cookie mix box with a best before 2014! It's one of those you just add an egg and vegetable oil to. Well, I used it and they are going fast!

The highlight of the week was the supermoon and I got just a little obsessed with taking photos. My son even took his small telescope outside and I had a chance to get a better view of Venus. Thankfully, the sky was clear and it was warm enough to lurk around outside.

When I'm bored I often end up writing nonsense verse to amuse myself and my Facebook friends. So, let me share today's with you.

Mug

He was a half empty rather than half full kinda guy,

and always brimming slops of liquid brown eyes,

yet I would cup my hands around his body, feel the

warmth of him seeping into me.

Sometimes he was like china in my hands, overflowing

in emotion; I carefully arranged drip mats before him,

his spillages were hot tears or cold comfort, a handle

I couldn’t hold on to.

We ended up going around in circles and I threw him

to the wall. I shattered his heart and for that I am sorry;

I took up with someone whose lines lay between leather

bound pages.

My latest read and the excitement of travel

I apologise if you were expecting a post yesterday. I did think about it (honest), but decided to have another laptop free Sunday. It's good for me! Instead I spent most of the day reading. I started a book called Slade House by David Mitchell. This one is the Book Club read which we will meet and discuss next month when we go out for our Christmas meal. I'll have long read it by then as yesterday I'd got through over half the book (it is only a small book) and have read more this morning and well expect to have it finished later! I am loving it!

This is the first of David Mitchell's books I've read, but I think I shall be coming back for more. It's so different - a ghost story. Every nine years a sort of porthole opens and a guest goes into the house. At first they don't want to leave, then they can't. I shall carry on reading at lunchtime as things are winding up to an end but I have no idea how this will happen.

My youngest son has gone off on his travels again today. Right now he's on a plane heading to Croatia and then he has a few days in Slovenia. He's become quite the traveller over the last few years and has been to more countries than me, though I do love travelling and get quite excited by a trip.

I love going out and about. Right now I have a list of art exhibitions I'd like to visit and a longer list of places in England, and some abroad. I'm always making plans, checking out hotels and things to do, looking at train timetables and thinking about when I can go. I love planning for day trips as much as for longer trips. And I enjoy writing and photographing my trips. I have another blog called piece of the attraction where I post about all this. Maybe my son gets his wanderlust from me. He's not the best communicator but he does use Instagram so I tell him to post a photo when he gets to wherever  he is going so I know he's okay. I love his photos. I'm not Facebook friends with him as I think he's entitled to not have his mother tut tutting about his posts, but I've caught him on Twitter a few times and seen other sides to him, especially his humour. He makes me laugh with his one line quips. I like to think he gets that from me too!

My older son is the computer and science nerd. He's my IT man! He can be obsessive like me, and stubborn. He once had a thing about wearing suits with waistcoats and wanted a pocket watch! He likes hats is an animal lover and thinks deeply about stuff. We have long conversations sometimes. He's a bit of a loner and like me is a Trekkie fan. They are very different, the boys, but I see bits of me and my husband in both of them, and I love them to bits. Now at 30 and 27 they still surprise me.

I'll finish here with a few photos. Have a great day all.

Me in my late teens

My youngest as a child
(sorry for the quality, photo of a photo)

NaBloPoMo - What I am reading

I will try and keep this post a little shorter today! So, here is a photo of the books I am currently reading. Quite a mix. (Sorry the photo isn't great)

From the bottom up - Story of Ireland by Neil Hegarty came about because I recently went to Belfast with my hubby for three nights. For many years I've wanted to do this trip for the Titanic Experience exhibition and to see The Giant's Causeway. We were blessed with beautiful weather (it rained mainly at night and for a while on the first day) and I was knocked out by the countryside and coastline. Included in the trip was a tour of Belfast taking in the Protest and Peace Walls. We also visited Belfast Castle and there were short stops for photo opportunities during the days out. The day we came home we had hours to spare so we went off to City Hall for a free guided tour and to take in the exhibition about Ireland. After hearing so much about the Troubles on TV and from our most excellent tour guide who grew up in Belfast, I wanted to learn more about this place. Hence the book. I'm half way through it and it covers Ireland's beginnings, some of which is familiar to me as I have an interest in Celtic Christianity and Druids. I've reached the 1840's in the book and I'm learning a lot. Nothing is ever straightforward in history, but right now I'm inclined to think that Henry VIII played a big part. Had he not split from the Catholic church maybe, just maybe things would have been different. Then again, maybe not. There are so many influences surrounding the history of a place as countries are invaded and take on new language, forced or voluntarily convert to another religion and intermarry. It's still going on today. I guess in the end one cannot lay the blame at one person. What I do know is that we must learn to forgive and move on. Belfast is doing that and I found it a very safe place with lovely friendly people.

To Fold the Evening Star (New and selected Poems) - Ian MacMillan. I had the pleasure of meeting Ian at Winchester Poetry Festival and he signed my book for me. This is my dip in and out of book. It's been on the go for quite some time but I'm over half way through. It's a combination of poetry and stories. I love the stories perhaps more because they tickle my funny bone. Hearing him read was great. He really is a character and I could listen to his accent all night. I picked up some poetry writing techniques from him too and tried them out on a couple of my poems.

Sapiens (A Brief History of Humankind) by Yuval Noah Harari is fascinating. I began this one because the library was closed so I had to wait a whole day to change my books. I get jittery without a book on the go. I gave in and began it. It's now my in between book so it's taking a little time to read at over 400 pages, but I am over half way through it now. It certainly makes you look at life in a different way.

The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths. I'm a big fan of Elly's books. This Dr Ruth Galloway Mystery is the eleventh in the series, and yes I've read all the others as well as her Brighton Mystery Series and The Stranger Diaries (a stand alone book). These books are lovely to dive into and meet the same characters again. It's like coming home. I'm almost half way through this one.

The Pocket Encyclopedia of Impressionists. I started this just before beginning an art history course on the Impressionists last month. The book was given to me by a neighbour having a clear out ages ago (he knows I like art). However, the print is so tiny I almost need a magnifying glass to read it! Therefore I've not progressed much through it. I did borrow a library book before that, having forgotten I had this one. Small print puts me off reading. You need a really good light and I fear daylight hours is the only time I'm going to read this. (but not like today which feels more like evening with the rain lashing at the window).

So, there we have it, my current reading pile (not to be confused with the ever growing waiting pile!). What are you reading? Do you read several books at the same time or just one? What are your preferences, genres, authors? I'd love to know.

Book heaven!

Came across a neat idea today from Traverse poetry. It's a crowdfunding venture into poetry trading cards. Do go and have a look. It sounds like fun and got my attention.

I've finally got round to ordering How Not to Get Your Poetry Published from Happenstance Press. Maybe I can find out what I've been doing wrong all these years!

Right now I am in book heaven as not only did my youngest son give me a £30 Amazon gift card for my birthday last week but on Friday night I was presented with another for £45 (plus a five pound note) as a thank you for the six years I have lead our church branch of Mother's Union. I stepped down from this position in January and Friday night was our annual Summer Supper. The weather just about held for us to eat out of doors. It was a wonderful evening. Hubby won a raffle prize (Thornton's chocolates) and I was over the moon with my vouchers.

I loaded all my gift cards this morning and began buying! My wish list has been there for some time and I felt guilty about buying some of the books as I had already read them (library borrows) but I wanted them for keeps. So the first two were ones I'd read - 52 Ways to Read a Poem by Ruth Padel (partly read) and Forensics: The Anatomy  of Crime by Val McDermid. The third book was also on my list but I've not read it but always meant to - The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine. I seem to come across him rather a lot. He follows me around. There is a statue to him in Thetford, Norfolk (where he lived) where my grandmother was born and grew up (my mother seemed to have a grievance with him but as she always voted Labour I don't know why!)  and I learned more about him at the local Thetford Museum. I came across him again in Lewes in Sussex and then his name came up when I was studying Humanities with the OU. I feel Tom and I would have got on well! Still, I've yet to read the book and I may change my mind.

The final book I've purchased (for now) is the first novel by Mark Haysom called Love, Love Me Do. I love Mark's short stories (which you can view for free if you 'like' his Facebook page). They are heartwarming and nostalgic. So, I thought it was about time I bought one of his novels.

That's enough to keep me busy for a while.

Book Review - 'Barney' by Guy Sigley

Barney A Novel (About a Guy called Barney) by Indie Author Guy Sigley is a wonderful read. Funny, poignant, with echoes of The Rosie Project, this novel kept me coming back to the crazy world of Barney Conroy every moment I got. Barney has recently been fired from his job in public service when he lands a new job in the private sector with a small communications firm with a lack of clients. Here he meets Gloria and is captivated by her. Barney now sets out to win her over.

So begins an hilarious ride through the world of private sector dealings, a stand-up comedy routine and Barney's awkward way of dealing with life in order to be who he thinks people want him to be. Can he win the girl? Can Barney do the right thing and find out who he really is? That would be telling and I wouldn't want to spoil your reading. Barney is a lovable character and Guy's writing flows as one thought after another pops inside Barney's head as he encounters every situation. The offbeat comedy novel had me from the start. This was my kind of novel - the incident with the pizza but just one of several laugh out loud moments (sorry you have to read it to get it!).

Guy Sigley is an Indie author living in Australia. We met through Twitter when we were both spending strange hours writing during NaNoWriMo back in 2014 (I think it was). I enjoyed his tweets and decided to follow him. So, I was thrilled when I saw he had published Barney and headed over to Amazon to order the book - the paper version - a real book! It arrived virtually overnight and I began reading as soon as I could prize the cardboard packaging from it. I was not disappointed. I was sad to leave Barney at the end. The good news is there is a follow-up due out later this year and you can get some free short stories about Barney from Guy's website.

This book is worthy to sit alongside any shelf in Waterstones or WHSmiths.

I generally only write reviews for books on this blog when it directly crosses over into the writing section of my life. This one does because we struggling authors have to stick together. I wouldn't say that if the book was no good. But it's great! I hope you will be suitably enthused by my review to buy your own copy. If I haven't convinced you then you are seriously missing out!

New Year, catching up and reading poetry on trains

First post of the New Year. I heard about my novella at the end of December - didn't get on the shortlist. Oh well. Yes, I was disappointed but when I went back to it I realised that the opening isn't strong enough. I had already changed it once before I entered it for the competition, but it can be improved and will be! I had the idea of submitting it somewhere else. However, looking at the criteria for this particular place I'm not sure if it falls into their categories (sci-fi and fantasy). My story is more supernatural. My other problem is it's length. Very few competitions exist that take word counts of around 15,000 words. I still like the story. I'll take another look at it sometime and see what revisions I think it needs.

My 10p copy of War and Peace with  cover
sellotaped together!

I'm still trying to catch up on magazines and am now well into War and Peace, Dare I say I'm quite enjoying it now! I think I will watch the TV adaptation. It might help me clarify things, but the book has definitely become more interesting. Part of the problem is getting into that mindset of reading books written so long ago. They style of writing is so different. A lot of the books I read I fast paced, and this is a slow one. Once I accepted it I began to enjoy it.

On a different note I often see posts or articles stating that people are never seen reading poetry on trains. I must be an exception then because I do. If the book I am reading is too big to carry around I take whatever else I have to read - writing magazines, poetry books and small press magazines, even On Religion, a magazine I consider one of the best multi-faith magazines (subscription only). I love looking to see what other people are reading (I'm just so nosy) and I don't mind it they look at what I'm reading. Poetry books are handy sized reads and often fit into my handbag. Maybe we should make this the year of reading poetry on a train - let everyone know it's cool to read poetry. Who is with me? Why not take a photo to prove it too!

Books I keep

I'm not really one to re-read books, and, unless the book is one of reference, once read they usually end up at the charity shop, a book swap or I give them to friends. There are, of course, always exceptions.

On the left are five books I have kept. At the top to the left is One Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. I bought this at my school fair when I was about fourteen or fifteen for 6d! I came late to reading but I'm making up for it now. The book is falling apart but it has been read so many times. It has little black and white illustrations and a map. I was completely in love with this book. It's been a while since I last read it but I cannot put it out.

Next to it is The Loving Spirit by Daphne Du Maurier which belonged to my mum. It's a Book Club edition from 1946. I don't think this is such a well known book of hers because when I've mentioned it before no one has heard of it. The story is a family saga and I was hooked on it. I've kept it because this is one I do want to read again one day. From what I remember (it's years since I read this) you just sink into it - a feel good story with a nice ending (well wrapped up).

Below to the left is Peace at Last by Jill Murphy. I bought this book for my eldest son when he was tiny and he loved it. Somehow I've never been able to part with it. I adore children's books. They gave me as much pleasure reading them as the kids had listening. Kids are different though, one of my sons loved all the voices I did, the other wanted the stories straight! There were many kids books I enjoyed but there were some I loathed reading again and again - with two sons I was not expecting My Little Pony to be one of them! Somehow we graduated to Transformers!

To the right is Indoor Gardening. This belonged to my aunt and I guess it came our way after she died. The book found a place with me. I love the simple illustrations and the no-nonsense methods. This book also has my aunt's writing in it. Inside the cover is her name and growing instructions for some plant I haven't a clue about! It is also a Ladybird book and I loved Ladybird books. This year went to exhibition of Ladybird book cover designs. fascinating as well as nostalgic.

Finally there is a book called Flowers. I gave this to mum and when she died I kept it. My grandparents were the real gardeners in our family (my mum's parents) but when they died my mum took over the garden (all three generations lived under one room for a time and at one point there was four generations, but that's another story).

So there we have it! Do you have a favourite book that you cannot part with? If, so, what is it?

Bedtime Reading and the distraction of writing

I have a collection of books beside the bed to dip into before I sleep. At present I have Magma's Spring offering which I'm behind with as the Summer edition, is or will be, out soon. Also the latest from Brittle Star which I am liking more and more. A great find, this magazine. I also have a back copy of The London Magazine which I subscribed to for a while and considered re-subscribing to, but it is expensive and some of the articles I don't read.

Sometimes I take the book on Forensics (Val McDermid) to bed with me. I am nearly at the end of it and will be posting a review very soon.

Because I have been writing so much lately everything else is piling up - one day the washing never got out of the machine until it was too late to put it outside, the dinner was late and I had to drag myself away from a very emotional scene to go and chop vegetables. Magazines are piling up unread, housework gets done when really necessary and I think I've upset everyone in the house over the last week!

The chaos of the final push

However, my latest project is finished! My goal setting really works for me because I have done it ahead of time and kept to my other targets. Admittedly, I have been obsessed in the last week and as I got nearer the end I just went for it. One day I wrote all day with a few breaks, the longest ever I have spent writing, My characters are weirdly very real to me and when I hear something or see something on TV I find myself saying - 'that's exactly what so-and-so would have done'. That is scary stuff!

I am sure my family will appreciate the fact that I have ironed their clothes today and they might actually get fed later - though I have failed to go shopping again today, so it might be a freezer job! This project is now shelved for editing. I will talk about it more when things are coming together. For now I have to go back to my novella and take one more look at it, probably re-write the first few lines or scenes (that first line advice came at the right time at the Winchester Writers' Festival) ready for submitting for a competition.

I keep thinking about my poetry. I haven't had time for it but I am aware that I have missed deadlines for competitions and must try to seek out magazines instead as I do have a couple of poems worth trying with.

Finally, I had a really nice surprise today. I had a Tweet from Alison Wells to tell me I had won her blog competition answering the 'question why read books?' I had completely forgotten about it so was absolutely thrilled. I have a £10 Amazon voucher winging it's way to me, along with a signed copy of her book 'Housewife With A Half-Life'. Can't wait.

Looking back to 2014 - the round-up

2014 was the most productive year ever for me. I had intended it to be more a year of reading poetry that writing it but I still managed to send out a lot of poems. I’ve received more rejections than acceptances but that’s the way it goes. As well as poetry I also submitted four flash fictions pieces and one short story.

I had another go at a pamphlet competition, entering ten poems to the Pighog Pamphlet Competition but I wasn’t lucky in that. Not to be put off I have entered another pamphlet competition which I’m still waiting on.

I had successes with Areopagus, including a poem in their Anthology (now out) and OU Poets Anthology. Highlights include my poem Aftermath going on display at the Willis Museum in Basingstoke in September, attending Winchester Poetry Festival, the Poetry Book Fair and coming second in The New Writer Prose & Poetry Awards in 2013, though publication and prizes came in 2014.

I don’t only measure my progress by the amount of acceptances/rejections I get. This year I have achieved drafts of two novels, something I never thought was possible. I attended some great poetry readings and met some lovely people.

I wonder what awaits me in 2015? My big project this year is to edit my first novel. I have already made a start doing the basic stuff like correcting typos/spelling mistakes, sorting inconsistencies, and doing some minor re-writes. There is a long way to go and probably a lot more edits to come but I’m taking it bit by bit and doing a little every day. I’d also like to spend some time editing some of my older poetry. I have a lot sitting around which needs working on to bring it up to standard so I can submit them. Again I have made a start and sent off three poems to the OU workbook. Once they are in the workbook I have to wait a year to see which one (if any) gets voted for to go into the next Anthology. What’s left is then available to submit elsewhere.

Having achieved my goal of reading more poetry in 2014 I intend to carry on finding new poets to read. There are many good poets out there whose names are not famous and don’t win big prizes but write stunning stuff and it’s a shame they fall under the radar. I’d like to get to more festivals and readings and perhaps take a one or two courses. I need to learn more about story/novel writing (and find out whether my writing is any good…..yikes!). I feel have a lot of work to do in that respect. I won’t be doing another NaNoWriMo (please remind me I said that when November comes!). When I write my next novel (gosh I said when not if!)I will set my own goals, which strangely I’m quite good at!

So although I didn’t have many acceptances last year I do feel I have achieved a hell of a lot. This year? Bring it on!

Post Christmas?

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I finally succumbed to the virus doing the rounds and after a week of a bad throat and hacking cough the cold broke on Boxing Day. Thankfully I wasn't entertaining over Christmas - it was just the four of us - so I was able to get rest and have been vegetating in front of the TV, reading, sleeping and helping with the annual jigsaw puzzle when I felt like it.

On Christmas Day morning while I still feeling pretty okay I was, as usual, first up. I love that time alone with a CD of Christmas carols and a mug of tea, candles lighting the room. And guess what I was also doing? I was editing some old poems!

Reading wise I have some poetry books by my bedside and instead of reading a chapter of my current book I've been reading a few poems before I go to sleep. I've just finished Christopher James' England Underwater. This is the third collection of his I've read and I thoroughly enjoy his quirkiness. The poems are beautiful, often unusual and amusing and stimulate the mind (where does he get his ideas from?). I shall have to track down the missing volume from my collection of his work. They are poems I will read again and no doubt get something new out of.

I've now taken the Emma Press Anthology of Motherhood upstairs. I started reading it earlier in the year but it's been sitting on the coffee table for ages without a look. So, this has become my plan - to read poetry before I retire to sleep!

So to make up for not getting here to wish every one a happy Christmas I'd like now to wish all my readers a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. Come back soon!

#wpad July challenge - Best non-fiction read

BEST NON-FICTION READ

I read a great many books over a year and possibly a quarter of them may be non-fiction.  I read a lot of faith-based books and some of those have been really thought provoking but I could not pick out one book from the non-fiction genre as a 'best'.  In fact it's hard enough picking one best fiction book!

There have been many inspirational books on writing where I have tried new exercises in writing and I dip in and out of these from time to time, especially when I get in a rut.

So there are no recommendations, nothing that has stayed in the brain that I can offer you.  I do prefer fiction  and get withdrawal symptoms without one on the go but often I will read a fiction and non-fiction at the same time.  At present I am in the between stage as I have just finished Monsoon Memories, a first fiction book  by Renita D'Silva.  Her descriptions of India are filled with exotic aromas of spices and cooking, colours and sounds, the plants and trees.  I can imagine being there.  I very  much enjoy books set in India or the Middle East and this one did not disappoint.  The story is full of secrets, family loyalty and a mystery to be solved.  I have one non-fiction book I've recently started but I also have a book at the library waiting for me to collect which is non-fiction, Under The Tuscan Sun by Frances Maye.  Having been to Italy this year I am into everything Italian and picked up the second book at a charity shop for 50p but would rather like to read the first book first.  The library have had to search around other libraries to get a copy but now it has arrived so I may go down today and pick it up.

Do let me know what your favourite non-fiction book is if you have one.

Just a thought - does anyone else keep a list of the books they've read?  I used to just write them down in an exercise book but now I have graduated to a folder with alphabetical tabs for authors.  Tell me I'm not weird!

Writing day and thoughts about an online soap!

I decided to give this day over to write as there is nothing else on as such.  Yesterday I sent off three poems as competition entries (all for the same comp) and two poems for the next OU Poets Workbook.

Today I've been looking again at a story I started at least a year ago, maybe two!  My ideas for writing this was to perhaps publish it online as a sort of online soap.  It's written in small chunks, changing scenes quite quickly like a TV soap.  It is based on a community in the countryside....no not quite Emerdale, but there are farms!  Also the idea came from something similar I did at work years ago, posting up a new episode every week.  Well, I'm back working on it.  In fact reading J.K. Rowling's book A Casual Vacancy reminded me of my 'soap'.  Her book is great and I've really warmed to certain characters and hate others.  I'm over half way through it now and really into it.

So, I am toying with idea of posting perhaps the first edition of my story up here for some feedback, especially as story writing has taken a back seat with me for so long.  I can't say when I'll do it.  Some urging and support required here!!

Well I think it's time for a break and some fresh air.  I need to think where my 'soap' is going next.

We

Ideas....my latest inspiration

To be honest I've not written a great deal lately.  Having just finished a course I was taking a breather, catching up on some reading, spending far too long online trying to piece together part of my family tree and well, it's been too hot!

However, whilst reading a book about the Bronte sisters through poems (theirs and others)  and photography an explanation behind one of the poems hit a nerve.  I had to put down the book and write!  Wow! I love it when that happens.

I rarely buy The National Geographic Magazine.  Usually its something on the cover, some story that interests me makes me buy it.  This time it was about Easter Island, somewhere that has always fascinated me. But it wasn't that story that gave me an idea for another poem, it was a little snippet about cursive writing, just one paragraph.  Again I had to put the magazine down and write. This piece is more prose than poetry.  Neither poems would have been written had I not been reading.  They came out of the blue, not subject I would have normally written about.

Maybe the trend will last and something else I read will spark off some poetry.  Reading widely is great for this.  So if when reading an article, story or even another poem something gets into your head, stop and write it down.  If you don't it might be lost for ever.