Found a nice little procrastination tool while playing around on The Secret website. Check it out here and don't forget to have a look at the quote that matches your score.
TJ
Friday, 22 June 2007
Monday, 18 June 2007
Sunday, 17 June 2007
Father's Day Memories
I miss my dad every day of the year, but never quite as much as on Father's Day. Since I don't have a digital photo of him to put up, I've chosen one of Frank Sinatra (his favourite singer) as it somehow reminds me of him.
Dad loved life and lived it to the full. He was an armchair philosopher and always able to make me feel better when things didn't turn out too well. He looked for the good, for the positive and had a knack of exploring issues from all angles. He made me believe I could do anything I set my mind to.
Music was a passion we shared - Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones (he loved Mick Jagger)and he had every one of Jim Reeves' albums.
Mostly he loved his family. I know he adored me and was very proud of everything I achieved. He would love that I'm (almost) a published writer - I can see him now, propping up the bar at his local on a Sunday lunchtime, chest puffed with pride and getting the round in, while he told everyone who'd listen about his amazing author daughter.
He was my very first hero.
I love you, dad, and I miss you. God Bless.
TJ
Dad loved life and lived it to the full. He was an armchair philosopher and always able to make me feel better when things didn't turn out too well. He looked for the good, for the positive and had a knack of exploring issues from all angles. He made me believe I could do anything I set my mind to.
Music was a passion we shared - Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones (he loved Mick Jagger)and he had every one of Jim Reeves' albums.
Mostly he loved his family. I know he adored me and was very proud of everything I achieved. He would love that I'm (almost) a published writer - I can see him now, propping up the bar at his local on a Sunday lunchtime, chest puffed with pride and getting the round in, while he told everyone who'd listen about his amazing author daughter.
He was my very first hero.
I love you, dad, and I miss you. God Bless.
TJ
Monday, 11 June 2007
Edits and a Cover
My first ever cover has been approved! Pop on over to the Samhain Publishing site and take a look at my gorgeous cover for His Convenient Affair. Click HERE to see what a great job Scott Carpenter has done.
Just sent first edits back to my editor. Phew! I've heard about "edit cave" and now I've spent some time there I understand why authors love and hate the place in seemingly equal measure. During the past few days I reckon I've gone through pretty much every emotion going - or at least it felt like it. I hated my work, then I thought it was okay. I wanted to ditch the whole manuscript and start over, then I went and fell in love with my hero all over again. I laughed through it and I cried through it - but, boy, have I learned a whole lot of stuff. My totally awesome editor has really made me think about the way I write - I reckon I must be in line for the title of "ellipses queen". I really enjoyed the process, and I know my writing is, and will continue to be, stronger for the experience. Here's to the second round!
TJ
Just sent first edits back to my editor. Phew! I've heard about "edit cave" and now I've spent some time there I understand why authors love and hate the place in seemingly equal measure. During the past few days I reckon I've gone through pretty much every emotion going - or at least it felt like it. I hated my work, then I thought it was okay. I wanted to ditch the whole manuscript and start over, then I went and fell in love with my hero all over again. I laughed through it and I cried through it - but, boy, have I learned a whole lot of stuff. My totally awesome editor has really made me think about the way I write - I reckon I must be in line for the title of "ellipses queen". I really enjoyed the process, and I know my writing is, and will continue to be, stronger for the experience. Here's to the second round!
TJ
Friday, 1 June 2007
Plot Idol
Just heard there's to be a new TV reality show based on Pop Idol/the X Factor/Dragons Den. Aspiring authors will pitch their ideas for a novel to a panel of judges to include Jackie Collins and Jeffrey Archer. Now, I'm not a fan of reality TV shows as I can't bear to see people's dreams smashed under the guise of entertainment. But on the rare occasions I do catch one, watching the demise of budding singers and entrepreneurs was somehow distanced from me, although I feel for them as they are routinely demoralised and rejected. But watching writers pitch their ideas and seeing them brutally rejected will be far too close to home and doubly hard to swallow because, although the makers of this show are promoting it as giving writers a chance to shine through in the increasingly difficult arena of getting published, I can't help but feel it's just another cheap shot to improve ratings at the expense of belittling those courageous and vulnerable souls who put themselves out there in the hope of achieving their dreams.
TJ
TJ
Friday, 25 May 2007
Rant, rant and more rant ...
If there's one thing guaranteed to shoot my blood pressure into orbit mode (and not in a good way) it's shopping.
Today I venture out into the High Street for some goodie fun. In the first shop, a popular chemist, I spend about £35. The assistant hands me my goods with a receipt. "Can I have a bag, please?" I ask pleasantly. "Yeah... if you really want one," she snarls, and shoves a bag at my chest.
Further along I hit a health food shop and spend in the region of £30 on about eight items. "Do you want a bag?" asks the assistant, who obviously can't be arsed if I want one or not, or indeed if I plan on balancing said items on my head as I go about my business.
Then I treat myself to a pair of earrings for the grand sum of £4. Well, okay, the shop's not exactly going to see a surge in their profit with that little sale, but anyway. The earrings are secured on a little piece of card and the assistant hands them to me with the receipt. "You don't want a bag for those, do you?" she asks. In such a way that I daren't disagree for fear of tuts of disapproval, and perhaps being marched from the shop in disgrace.
Why all this angst about bags, you may ask. Well, because it irks the life out of me, that's why. The shops would probably say they're trying to cut down on waste, yeah right. They get away with that excuse, of course, because in the UK we have recycling shoved down our throats every which way. Now I recycle as well as the next person and I understand how important it is to cut down on waste (despite the constant reminders from the powers that be who treat us all like idiots who can't be trusted to think for ourselves). But the bag thing has nothing to do with recycling ... it's about service, or the lack of it.
In France I frequent a lovely cosmetic chainstore where I buy little gifts to take home for friends. Often I'll buy one or two tiny items costing about £3/£5, but no matter how much I spend I get a bag! Even without asking! Shock. Horror. I'm even asked if it's a gift, and if so the pressie gets wrapped in tissue paper with a little bit of matching ribbon ... and then put into a bag! The result? I feel like a valued customer and am inclined to make a return visit. Frankly, I'd never set foot again in any of the shops I visited today if I didn't have to.
So come on Britain's shops, get your act together. Make us feel like valued customers ... and give us a bloody bag!!
TJ
Today I venture out into the High Street for some goodie fun. In the first shop, a popular chemist, I spend about £35. The assistant hands me my goods with a receipt. "Can I have a bag, please?" I ask pleasantly. "Yeah... if you really want one," she snarls, and shoves a bag at my chest.
Further along I hit a health food shop and spend in the region of £30 on about eight items. "Do you want a bag?" asks the assistant, who obviously can't be arsed if I want one or not, or indeed if I plan on balancing said items on my head as I go about my business.
Then I treat myself to a pair of earrings for the grand sum of £4. Well, okay, the shop's not exactly going to see a surge in their profit with that little sale, but anyway. The earrings are secured on a little piece of card and the assistant hands them to me with the receipt. "You don't want a bag for those, do you?" she asks. In such a way that I daren't disagree for fear of tuts of disapproval, and perhaps being marched from the shop in disgrace.
Why all this angst about bags, you may ask. Well, because it irks the life out of me, that's why. The shops would probably say they're trying to cut down on waste, yeah right. They get away with that excuse, of course, because in the UK we have recycling shoved down our throats every which way. Now I recycle as well as the next person and I understand how important it is to cut down on waste (despite the constant reminders from the powers that be who treat us all like idiots who can't be trusted to think for ourselves). But the bag thing has nothing to do with recycling ... it's about service, or the lack of it.
In France I frequent a lovely cosmetic chainstore where I buy little gifts to take home for friends. Often I'll buy one or two tiny items costing about £3/£5, but no matter how much I spend I get a bag! Even without asking! Shock. Horror. I'm even asked if it's a gift, and if so the pressie gets wrapped in tissue paper with a little bit of matching ribbon ... and then put into a bag! The result? I feel like a valued customer and am inclined to make a return visit. Frankly, I'd never set foot again in any of the shops I visited today if I didn't have to.
So come on Britain's shops, get your act together. Make us feel like valued customers ... and give us a bloody bag!!
TJ
Sunday, 20 May 2007
And the truth will set you free...
Okay, my recent bout of procrastination is over! And I mean over! This morning I haven't stopped writing ... and it feels GREAT!
What, you may ask, has brought about this sudden change of behaviour? Did I have a flash of inspiration? Not really. Idea for a new story? Always got one of those. Did something hit me on the head? Well, sort of. I checked that little toolbar history button that lets you see what websites you've visited. Shock and horror! I won't embarrass myself by admitting to the number over the past couple of weeks. Just let's say it jerked me out of procrastville. Fast.
I've also been pondering on the importance of attitude and how it can make or break how we approach things. See, I'd convinced myself that I didn't know where my plot was going (or plots, considering I've currently got four WIPs in various stages of completion. Each time I opened the document, or even thought about opening the document, I'd get the eebie-jeebies. This has never happened to me before and it was scary. I'd just sit staring at the screen allowing that stuck feeling to strengthen. It was becoming far too familiar and had to change pretty darn fast.
So I've got this little mantra going - I am a creative and prolific writer ... I am a creative and prolific writer... over and over until I want to shout "enough already!" But it's working, and so am I. In fact I'm flying, or at least typing - the two are pretty much the same thing to me.
Henry Ford said: "Whether you believe you can do a thing or whether you believe you can't, you're right." Right now I'm choosing to believe I can.
Anyway, gotta go ... I've left my H/h in a compromising situation and you can't trust those two for more than a few minutes if there's a lockable door in the vicinity (or any sort of door if the H has anything to do with it).
TJ
What, you may ask, has brought about this sudden change of behaviour? Did I have a flash of inspiration? Not really. Idea for a new story? Always got one of those. Did something hit me on the head? Well, sort of. I checked that little toolbar history button that lets you see what websites you've visited. Shock and horror! I won't embarrass myself by admitting to the number over the past couple of weeks. Just let's say it jerked me out of procrastville. Fast.
I've also been pondering on the importance of attitude and how it can make or break how we approach things. See, I'd convinced myself that I didn't know where my plot was going (or plots, considering I've currently got four WIPs in various stages of completion. Each time I opened the document, or even thought about opening the document, I'd get the eebie-jeebies. This has never happened to me before and it was scary. I'd just sit staring at the screen allowing that stuck feeling to strengthen. It was becoming far too familiar and had to change pretty darn fast.
So I've got this little mantra going - I am a creative and prolific writer ... I am a creative and prolific writer... over and over until I want to shout "enough already!" But it's working, and so am I. In fact I'm flying, or at least typing - the two are pretty much the same thing to me.
Henry Ford said: "Whether you believe you can do a thing or whether you believe you can't, you're right." Right now I'm choosing to believe I can.
Anyway, gotta go ... I've left my H/h in a compromising situation and you can't trust those two for more than a few minutes if there's a lockable door in the vicinity (or any sort of door if the H has anything to do with it).
TJ
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