Wednesday 23 February 2011

Howdie peeps...

Man, I 'm bad at blogging!

It's been some time since my last post, for various reasons that are too long to bore people with. Suffice to say that up until recently I'd been lucky enough not to have experienced anxiety problems, but they landed on my shoulders in a great heap a few months back and i've had a bit of a battle getting shot of them to be honest.
Anyway - am not going to grumble about it anymore as it is what it is, as they say, so back to business. :o)

On the writing front I'm nineteen weeks into waiting to hear back from M&B on a first chapter I sent in as a result of the NV competition, so no news to report there.

I'm currently focusing my efforts on my first bash at writing a ST, which I am happy to say i'm still very much enjoying. I'm about a third of the way in, and half of the time I think it's going fabulously and the other half of the time I contemplate hurling it in the bin. :o) All just about normal I reckon?

It's certainly different to sit and just go for it, letting random secondary characters get in on the act sometimes, and trying to get my head around how to vividly paint more than just the two main characters within the story, weaving in subplots around the main one...my head is spinning with it.
I clearly have no clue what i'm doing, but happily that doesn't seem to diminish my pleasure a jot.
I've ordered Donald Maass's 'writing the breakout novel' to hopefully help me along a little, i've heard so many good things about it that it's a pre-birthday prezzie to myself.

Lastly, can I big up my fellow minx? I'm proud as punch of Sally Clements for her fabulous new release Bound to Love - check out that beautiful cover! Snap up your copy here.

Right - i'm back to half term hell, sorry, fun with the kids.

See you soon, promise!


8 comments:

  1. Nice to hear from Joanne and hope you are feeling better. 19 weeks wait? Must be time for a nudge, have you queried yet?
    Single title sounds fab, keep going girl!

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  2. Hey chicka! Yeah, I did query a couple of weeks back, I'm not feeling too stressed about it with the ST filling my head.

    Hope things are rolling along well for you, I am DYING to buy your book. Will atke a picture of it on the shelves if I spot it!

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  3. "...half of the time I think it's going fabulously and the other half of the time I contemplate hurling it in the bin..."

    That sounds very familiar to me too lol! We can stand in front of the bin together :)

    Would you believe that I've just ordered Maass's book too? Great minds... ;)

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  4. Hey, Joanne. I'm at 18 weeks for my chapter and synop. Admittedly I've got another partial in there too but...well, it's a long time eh? Yay for the single title though!

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  5. lol Lacey, it must be our minxy sisterness!

    Hiya Jackie - well, it makes me feel slightly better to be in the same 'one chapter boat' with you.
    Have been keeping up with your news, bummer about the R on the SYTYCW thing - for the record, I think YOU can write. x

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  6. Thanks! Anyway, I'm over the R. Going to try again with another story idea that I'll have to get into at some point.

    Any idea when you'll hear about yours? I'm expecting mid-March so at least I don't have to bite my nails for another couple of weeks...

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  7. No idea at all - I guess it's a busy time over there, there's lots going on isn't there.
    I'll perhaps query again at 26 weeks if i've not heard back, but having done so already once I don't want to be a pest, you know?

    Is your chapter a revised version of your NV entry? I really loved the whole premise, it was fun and flirty, right up my street.

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  8. Oh yay! Thanks for the shout out, Jo! That wait is brutal, I'm getting ready to sub to M&B again, and so am enjoying the non ntainess at the moment! I bought the Donald Maas book and the accompanying workbook as a present to myself on receipt of my last R (better than chocolate...) and its bloody fantastic, I'm reading it in bed, one salient point a night and its a real eye opener...
    Dying to read more of the ST...

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