Projects Update - April 16

The Gaia Effect
You probably saw my post about positive rejections - here's a link just in case you missed it.  I have rung and spoken to the agent that asked for my manuscript so a tenuous relationship has begun but we are still very much in the wait and see holding pattern.

I have just researched likely publishing houses who will take direct submissions.  It's not many.  But there are still a few out there so with nothing to lose I shall sally forth and chance my arm - why not?

The Pen to Print - How Writing Changed My Life event, as part of Women's Empowerment Month, on 31st March 2016 was possibly the best experience I've had thus far as a budding collector of words.  Wonderfully organised by Lena Smith at Barking Learning Centre with, quite possibly, THE best selection of biscuits I have ever seen.  My fellow Book Challenge winners, Jessica McLean with The Vidents and Farzana Hakim with Sweethearts of Ilford Lane, and I sat before a small, yet perfectly formed audience answering Lena's insightful Q&A's and each of us read a small extract from our books.  It was also Writer's Workshop that evening and the ever wonderful Ian Ayris bought the troops through for the final part of the evening.  I will be uploading the Q&A session to my website soon.

I am entering The Gaia Effect into the 2016 Daily Mail competition so at the moment the first 5000 words are currently being revisited with a fine tooth comb and all characters involved are being interviewed at length.  I like my book but I have always felt that it's not quite there yet so I shall continue to tinker, probably until the end of time.


Pen to Print Competition 2016 - two entries
Thursday's Child
This is based on the life of my late paternal grandmother Daphne Davis.  My dad was extrememly generous in letting me use her story as the basis for a new book and I have entered the first chapter to the competition.
Pint of Milk & a Stabbing
This is based on my recent experience with my little boy - we unwittingly watched the getaway of a group of youths after they brutally stabbed someone in broad daylight on a Monday afternoon.  It seems you really can't make this stuff up.

I am incredibly inspired by both stories and will be writing them in full regardless of whether I place in the competition or not.


Other News
My poetry book, Little Book of Verse, is currently waiting for me to figure out all the tax information CreateSpace and KDP require you to be incredibly knowledgeable about.  I am completely clueless but I think I may have to become a business in some form or another.  I may have a guy who knows a guy.  To be continued.

Hackers & Jackers collaboration with the hubster is awaiting the husband approved draft.  I shall be editing and wotnot when he is ready.  There will be a bulk purchase of red pens.  And chocolate.

Finally I am trying to read about writing and I am still working through the OU course about writing and reading lots of books to gauge other writer styles.  I have lately been chuckling over alternative plot devices and talking at length at the clever ways other authors have managed to do X, Y and Z. I'm liking this learning curve.  The short stories are looking at me mournfully from the folder on the side. Hey - it's on the side and not under the bed, that's progress.

Oh - I'm also looking at how we can increase the number of hours in a day.  I'll let you know how it goes.