Writers Fuel

I haven’t had a coffee ALL day… My day started at 7.30a.m and has literally only just stopped!
Coffee is my fuel. Today I managed a breakfast cereal bar and a cup of soup on the go with maybe 2mins break/sit down all day… And even then I was multi-tasking!
Some big decisions have been made today, not easy ones.
In a flux of grabbing bags to go home my coffee (well Mr G’s coffee I had borrowed and taken into work in the hope of getting some in a mug of hot water… Fell out of my bag, hit the metal chair leg and shattered into a billion shards! What a waste of caffine.

Now I’m lying on the bed surrounded by notebooks, magazines and Easter egg wrappers. Trying to complete May writing schedule, finish chores, find telephone numbers for calls in the morning AND find all quotations for car insurance.

Tomorrow as well as writing & working … I need to; do foodshop, book mot, speak to several important people, contact people about marketing my apartment. Compare insurance renewals. Chores. Business meetings. Research. And hopefully also relax a bit.

Tonight (if I had less willpower) my fuel would be alcohol.

Chocolate will have to do.
Easter eggs are a bonus to still have. I mean mini ones when I say eggs.

What’s your fuel?

Bookends

Sunday rolls around all too quickly, can’t believe how fast the weekends pass! This is my entry for this week’s Picture It & Write challenge – click the contributors button to find out what it’s all about and read other amazing stories and poems.

Veronica had dreamed of this moment her whole life. She had drawn her day in crayons, later in names on the back of pencil cases, in the bark of the mighty oak down by the school’s pond, in the sand with her toes, in the air with Sparklers on Bonfire Night. Throughout her whole life, the story was traced and wished for.

Veronica had watched her friends living her dream, her younger sister and countless work colleagues, until she became the only ‘Miss’. It troubled her, she was worried she was destined for Spinsterhood. It ran in her family.

When Andy had suggested a trip to the lake she hadn’t even considered his motives. She wondered what the extra bag was for. He had asked her last night as they sat watching the sunset, wrapped in blankets. In her dreams she said ‘Yes!’ straight away but in reality she couldn’t manage a word.

Andy had gone into town to pick up supplies. He had kissed her so tenderly when she woke up. Veronica had been full of blissful excitement, rolling over and staring at the diamond sparkling on her finger.

“I knew you’d bring your outdoor stuff here so I took the liberty of packing your stunning clothes, in case you want to sparkle like your diamond. Of course, feel free to stay as you are!” he added cheekily, kissing her bare shoulders softly.

Veronica chose her favourite little black dress and red shoes, applied her make up carefully and took her book down to the waters edge to read and wait for Andy to come home.

It was a beautiful day, she slipped into the lives of the women in the novel, her mind being invaded all the time with the proposal. Veronica lost all concept of time. Back in the cabin the radio talked to itself. Veronica remained oblivious to the newsflash, she had no idea of the gas explosion, staring at the sunlight dancing off her diamond and feeling happier than she had ever been in all her life.

Thank you

A great start to the day!

followers of the Fountain!

A (Flat) Note from Rejectionsville!

On Friday I submitted a short story. It was my 1st attempt at Fantasy genre (although I have read the genre!) an Urban Fantasy at that (easier I thought as I have lived in cities and never the mountains or forests!)
It took me the best part of the week to complete and was 4012 words.
The idea was born from a Picture It and Write challenge I posted last weekend.

I have just checked my inbox, I did miss the deadline – the publication I saw open submission call out in had printed the incorrect deadline.
However, when you find yourself in rejectionsville it’s nice to carry around a bit of paper that says it wasn’t bad. Writing needs to fit. Considering it was my 1st attempt and it was for an international market I don’t feel dejected – I feel like there is a lot to learn and I am going to keep trying.

It is another pleasant email rejection, my manuscript was at least read. (Yipee!) Not bad for a submission 2 days late of the deadline! I take that (if it is indeed true) to be a huge compliment.

                                                                                                                                     ’It’s really good …

… and I enjoyed it.’    

                            

                                                                                                                                                                      

Writing Workshop II

Writing Workshop 2/3

I had another amazing day at the workshop, it was really enjoyable, great people and talented writers. We had a few more breaks today, my brain doesn’t hurt as much, looking forward to the email exercises this week.

You can’t beat a good practitioners workshop, we all learnt so much today!

It was lovely getting to know each other better today and collaborating our ideas and exchanging stories. It is the last workshop next weekend and although I won’t miss the hour+ trek across to the Theatre/ Arts Centre, I WILL definitely miss these people. If I was closer I would attend their Mon night writing group – there are some more local though.

Definitely got a packed (can’t take anything else on right now) schedule though; with work, the house, the monthly submissions, these Saturday workshops, Writing classes on Wednesday nights, and the online course – which was booked as 6 weeks and is now 10?! weeks long with the Ohio University. There isn’t time for anything else. July is fairly clear.

I came home full of adrenalin and writing passion and a hope that this dream will meet full fruition.

I would really encourage workshops, whatever stage of your career you’re at!

Submission Made!

2nd submission of the month – and 16th of the year! I have just made it by 10 minutes, I MUST LEARN NOT TO WRITE SO CLOSE TO DEADLINES.

The problem is there have been conflicting submission details printed and I may actually be 2 days too late!

I am hopeful if enough people read my source that they will also be making submissions right now and that they might read them. I have spent most of my writing time on this story – I was trying to edit it before work, but ran out of time. Spent another hour on it this evening.

I fell asleep on the sofa in exhaustion @ 7:30 this evening and work up with an hour and 10 mins to finish edit and submit my writing. Lucky!

Friday Fictioneers

Copyright – Sarah Ann Hall

Sheila couldn’t believe how overgrown it was. She traced her hand over the white rail.

“It seems like only yesterday doesn’t it.” Bert whispered in her ear.

She remembered how glorious that special day had been. He had promised her the most spectacular wedding and it had been. Truth was she’d have been happy with a small Church and a few guests, it was marrying him that meant the world.

“You looked beautiful my Princess…you still do. ” Bert added grinning.

Sheila smiled and looked out over the hills below.

“I wish you were here.” she muttered.

“I am.” Bert replied.

FWF Freewrite Friday

 

I know the country

But I don’t speak the same language,

I am hoping for something

that will never be.

I wish I had just turned around

and walked away.

I hate the feeling of homesickness.

Trapped in this eternal limbo

between a place I wanted

and a place I could be.

Desperately seeking to settle

in a place that doesn’t even

exist.

 

 

 

Writing Away

Friday rolls around and I can see the end to another busy work week.

I have spent 2 hours this morning completing my short story – an urban fantasy, my 1st attempt at such a thing.

I did some retrospective research and found that I wasn’t far off the mark. I had to amend the setting a little. The characters were fine and have grown out of last week’s Picture It & Write prompt. Read it here

I was aiming for 3000 words, it is just over 4000 but… now comes the edit! Chop, snip, change, chop, snip, change, chop, snip, change. I aim to get it submitted before going to work today!

(I’d cross my fingers, but I need all 8 to edit!)

On Your Marks, Get Set…

Go! That is exactly how I feel today, it is a race (and believe me I’m NO runner!)

This morning was a race to submit writing – in 2 different venues, on 2 different PC’s and neither worked!
An intense planning meeting followed by prep for Writing Class homework!
This afternoon I am researching and writing on a deadline, then writing the end to my short story (due tomorrow) and hoping to edit, proof etc. (I must learn how not to write right to the bone of a deadline!)
After that I need to take a trip to Ohio (virtually, unfortunately) to find out what I am supposed to do for assignment 4. (Posted Monday!) Can you see why I need 24/7 internet access?

I also picked up some post today, a poetry book from the Poetry Society which (when I have time) will be a good read!

Right… time to be a headless chicken!