Ouch!

A new year's resolution harshly suggests itself.  After I told someone I'd mentioned their business in my blog, they said they didn't read blogs as they weren't interested in the minutiae of other people's lives, and certainly wouldn't write one.  Then I realised that this is all my blog has been.  Things will have to be different.

The other 'ouch' was a slip backwards on black ice on our slopy pavement.  Minimal damage thankfully, just a bruise which is long gone now.  Our road is steep; there is a grit bin, but one charmer nicked some of the grit to spread over his own drive, even though there was never enough for us each to grit our 'road space'.

More cheerfully, since Catherine Miller persuaded many of us Writing Buddies to have a go at Twitter, I have taken to it, upgraded to new Twitter, and won a book, a tin of posh Derwent sketching pencils (feeds my passion for stationery), and now a 'book bundle' from Orion books.  In the past, when slogan comps were plentiful, I won masses of stuff from sweets to holidays, a full set of white goods, and £5k worth of energy saving for the house including cavity wall insulation.  Those comps are now rare, sadly, but Twitter is fun and full of draws for prizes.

Talking of the Buddies, it's been an amazing year in terms of what people have achieved.  And with the rate at which we are still scribbling, 2011 promises to be great, too.  I write best when I have a scheduled time slot, and when I have already decided in some detail what will be written.  Usually there are only one or two slots per week, but they are generally productive.

I am still looking for a suitable source of critique for my children's novel, the first draft of which is done. I've entered writing competitions, and have written a Christmas poem to read for the family that evening. Also still pitching for a stocking filler book for next Christmas.

In 2011 I shall be writing, taking vitamin/mineral pills during winter months, smartening up my appearance, chucking out masses of tee shirts and sorting out my 2 expensive new pairs of varifocal specs which aren't right.

So if you're reading this after Christmas, I hope it was good for you.  Let's hope for a really happy, healthy and successful 2011, and be sure that, if you make resolutions, they are easy and fun to keep.  Very best wishes.

Keep on writing!

On the writing front, I'm still looking around for a possible home for my junior fiction book, but thinking it might be wise to spend on a professional critique and advice.  May consider joining the trend towards self-publishing, too.  Also had acceptance of my adaptation of my late aunt's memoirs of the WAAF by a national magazine.  She'd have been so delighted; when I wrote the original for her, based on conversations and photos, she showed it to anyone who would look at it - in some case, more than once.  It was typed on my Amstrad, that's how long ago.

The Southern Daily Echo has printed my opinion piece in their In My View column, ranting about the rubbish choice for vegetarians in some pubs and restaurants, and how better choice brings in not only the vegetarians but their companions too.  The Vegetarian magazine has accepted me as a mentor for people wanting to take to the lifestyle - my pic is in the current edition.  I can advise on the vegan diet as well, and also wheat intolerance, so a Jill of several trades of that kind.

My article on being a great step parent has been accepted for the How To Books website.  Writing Buddy Catherine Miller set the precedent, and then went on to win a prize.  Wasn't going to copy, but the competition kept cropping up on various tweets, sites and facebook comments, so in the end I couldn't resist.  Currently 57 articles on suite101.com

Since my previous blog, we've had a good trip by train to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, and I have completed my last Talking Echo script for 2010.  We've seen Rich Hall live (v good but some repetition of previous sets) and the film Made in Dagenham.  Dashed up to Colchester to take John's rellies out to lunch, then next day dropped by at Jeremy's and Nikki's in London on the way back, to see them and the girls for lunch.  Great scram as usual.  Their kittens have had 'the operation' but are lively as crickets and much more charming (than crickets).

My brother was admitted to hospital for emergency major surgery; we scampered up there for a couple of nights to visit him and to be with his wife near Huntingdon.  Despite the seriousness of his original condition, and some time in intensive care, he was sent home in just under two weeks, tired, sore, and unsure about managing stairs - but cheerful and making good progress.  Phew.  We plan to go up again just for the day sometime soon.

We've lunched at the Royal Wok and the Coriander Lounge in Southampton and Strada in Portsmouth - all very satisfactory.  I detect a certain sameness about our lunches, except the excellent Cherry Tree Inn in Tendring, Essex which was great.  Must branch out once the white stuff fades.

A good visit to The First Gallery's preview evening - their annual Christmas show of "well-made, affordable crafts & art, ideal for gifts" at 1  Burnham Chase, Bitterne (a private house).  Some nice stuff there; I bought a sculpture - block of etched wood, with two wire clownfish fixed into the top - wire and orange glass.  Show is on until 21st Nov 2-7pm, 21st-27th by appointment 023 8046 2723.

Attended a public debate at the city art gallery featuring the Press Complaints Commission staff and editor of The Daily Echo.  Some interesting rants and the PCC evidently doing a good job.

Indian meal at The Great Moghul in Eastleigh - v reasonable though food not served piping hot.

On the writing front, I'm still drawing up a list of possible target publishers and agents for my children's book (first draft more or less done), but considering paying for advice first, e.g. Louise Jordan.    The Daily Echo said my piece for the "In My View" column is 'perfect for the column' and they hope to use it soon.  It's a rant about how pubs and restaurants offer poor choices for vegetarians.  If they did better at that, they'd get more trade - if a group is going out for a meal and one person is veg and doesn't fancy the menu, the group go elsewhere.  Business sense, I thought.  Currently I have one other invited piece and two pitches with national magazines, and am working on a competition entry.

If anyone reading this has an opinion on whether it's worth paying, say, £75 for advice on a part book, could you let me know please?  Thanks.

Giving in, not giving up

Oh sad, sad.  Despite the previous blog, I have had to truncate my ambitious writing plan.

It's not the commitment itself; in the first ten days I wrote 10,000 words as intended.  However, working from the plot, I found that without introduction of sub and sub-sub plots it was not going to work beyond about 12k words.  And complicating the story would not seem appropriate for the readers I have in mind.  So instead of padding or weaving, I am looking for publishers of junior fiction who work with books of that length.

I'll spend the rest of the month sending query letters to agents and publishers, and refining the story, which I think is a reasonable compromise.  As my mother-in-law used to say, "Oh, don't get on at me"!

Committing ...

Just to make a commitment that, although not joining in NaNoWriMo (50k words in November), I plan to write 1,000 words of my novel for children each day of the month.  This would more or less complete it, should the work go well.  The plot was sorted a while back, though by today (end of 2nd day) I already see flaws in it and have changed relationships, events etc.  2,100 words and counting!

Good luck to our local writers who are taking up the challenge.  Notes to be exchanged this Friday at Southampton Writing Buddies meeting.

Barely a pinprick with the flu jab - how times have changed.  A couple of days with snuffles, mind.

Another goodly meeting of Southampton Writing Buddies.  I chaired it this time; 15 lively writers but I think everyone had the chance to say their bit, celebrate their successes, and get answers to queries.  Some really helpful info, too.  We seem to follow the same path: keen on writing as a child, developing interests about which to write, then some formal writing but a crisis of confidence - is it worth sending off?  What if they don't like it?  That seems to be the tipping point.  Do we lob it out anyway and keep writing, or leave it in a drawer.  Hopefully the former.  Many of us have become more confident after some success, and once it's our very best work, off it goes in hopes while the next masterpiece gets under way.  Talking of which, I've sent a pitch for a new feature to a national mag.

I've recently finished another script for the Eastleigh Talking News.  It seems we may be getting a third editor for this team, which is great - means I'll be 'on duty' for 2 weeks out of every 6, much better than every 4.  I've also been invited to be a mentor for The Vegetarian Society, available to advise and support anyone who's thinking of becoming vegetarian.  I have periodic 'vox pops' pieces in their quarterly mag, and may be in the next one due out in November.  Have now reached 50 articles on suite101, so revenue will have a 10% bonus - and as we all know, 10% of 20 cents is 2 cents.  I shall run an extra bit of water to celebrate.

Now my favourite bit - the food.  Have been eating my mushroom, chestnut and cranberry pate since I made and photographed it for suite101.  My best pate so far, I think.  We took a recently bereaved neighbour out to the South Garden Chinese Restaurant for dinner; he did really well, and sent us a thanks note to say it had really lifted his spirits.  It helped, I think, that we weren't part of their usual social circle so there wasn't any attached awkwardness.

Also ate at the King Rufus - battered halloumi, very rich, and the batter tasted of fish so I left it and complained to Greene King (no response as yet).  I assume it was fried along with scampi, cod etc, which means it shouldn't be marked vegetarian.  Also lunched at the Royal Wok in Southampton, Bella Italia, and La Cuccina, as well as regular dose of Pinot Grigio and onion rings at Wetherspoon's.

We use the local buses quite a bit. I get cheesed with the young 'uns who sit at the back and always put their shoes on the seat opposite.  Sometimes I glare or comment and they remove them (until I'm not looking).  Or their music players treat the entire bus to ching-ching-ching backing.  One day I shall get up and jive to it - that'll embarrass them into turning it down.

Hope everyone has enjoyed the late burst of decent weather.  Get ready for Hallowe'en - we have a large carton of Thornton's Moments for any trick-or-treaters, 'cause we're scared of them.

And finally ...  I gave her a wooden leg for Christmas.  It wasn't her main present, just a stocking filler.

At the meeting of the So'ton Area Talking Echo editors, the inclusion of short stories in the magazine editions was again discussed.  They are keen to try this out, and I have asked Writing Buddies if they have any 500-800 stories they'd be willing to offer.  So far two have provided a story (one already broadcast), and I have given two of mine.  Really hope Buddies are able to help with this.


Since last time, we have eaten at the South Garden Chinese, Giddy Bridge, Coriander Lounge Indian, The Star at East Tytherley (highly recommended though not much for vegetarians), and the Moby Dick F&C restaurant in Shirley.  All really enjoyable.

Culture-wise, we saw The Song of the Goat's production of Macbeth at The Point, Eastleigh - a weird, 65-min presentation from this Polish company with a stringed-instrument player, modern dance moves, chanting, skilful choreography, and of course high drama.  Enjoyed very much, though the music sometimes drowned out the words, and some of the voices were very quiet.  Interesting interpretation. Two films - The Social Network (about creation of Facebook and surrounding aggro), good but sound quality uncertain, and Inception - high action crashes, huge explosions, death and destruction, but based on the premise that you can manipulate dreams on various levels.  Very weird, and long (2h22m), and not my usual kind of film, but engaging in its way and some interesting ideas to debate afterwards.  Looking forward to seeing Made in Dagenham, and also Rich Hall live in late November.  Living, or what?

Now have three articles pitched at different magazines, but thinking of entering more writing competitions.  Wake up in the night thinking about various writing projects.  Bug well and truly caught.

May get to the Gauguin exhibition in London, and hoping to meet the family soon for lunch at Zilli Green, Aldo Zilli's vegetarian restaurant in Soho.

Tip of the day: the only cashpoint I know of that dispenses fivers is the farthest machine in the dedicated foyer at Lloyds in Southampton High Street.