Killed by cows

I was upset to read a news item posted at Yahoo this morning, entitled:

"Dog Walker Is Killed By Stampeding Cattle"

Upset, but not surprised. On more than one occasion I have walked my dogs and come across a herd of cows who have been more than a little intimidating when they have their calves with them. Sometimes, I have been taken by surprise when the herd have been where they aren't supposed to be. They seem to signal to one another by making a strange sound and give me the evil eye.

I have hoped and prayed as I walked by they didn't charge at us. Luckily the dogs were on their leads but I felt it best to walk at a normal pace and avoid eye contact when close up.

People have laughed at me when I've said I've felt threatened by them and asked, how could a cow possibly kill you? I replied, "Well if one fell on top of you, their weight would kill you for a start." I didn't know for certain then that they could stampede someone to death.

I notice in the article it said the same thing happened to another woman the year before.

The main thing to remember when out walking, particularly with dogs, is to respect the countryside. And to particularly respect the cows when they have their young offspring with them.

You just never know what could happen otherwise...

Crafting the Romance Novel

The latest edition of my e-book, Crafting the Romance Story, is now available from Lulu. There is a bonus chapter on 'Crafting the Love Scene' and it's available to you at a reduced cost of £4.00.

Here are the contents which include worksheets and character charts:

~ Chapters~

1. The Hero

2. The Heroine

3. Complimentary Characters

4. Where can I get my ideas from?

5. Conflict/Obstacles

6. Dialogue

7. Plot

8. Crafting the Love Scene

9. Beginnings, Middles and Endings

10. The Black Moment

11. Happily Ever After?

12. Marketing Your Submission

13. Useful Books and Websites

All the links have been updated and new writing markets added. This is only an 86 page book but it's packed with relevant, easy to digest information.

Click here to download now:

http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/crafting-the-romance-story/7300519

Me the Super Hero

I don't know what this image says about me...I popped over to read Liz Fielding's blog this morning and discovered she had turned herself into a comic super hero. So, I thought I'd try it too. If you want to have a go, click here:

http://cpbherofactory.com/

Writing for free or for payment?

I usually advocate that it's best for a writer to write for payment. Now by this I'm not saying that a writer needs to be paid for every word he or she writes. After all, I'm not getting paid to write this blog, although of course there are ways of being paid to blog. What I'm saying is there are times when it's only right for a writer to be paid. An example of this would be if a writer is asked to write a column for a magazine on a regular basis, if that publisher is being paid for advertising and is paying other members of staff, then that would only appear fair for the writer in question to be paid.

It's a controversial issue. I believe in writing for free if it's to benefit a cause like a charity or to help someone out, but in the main I believe writers should be paid like any other profession.

Over the years, these are the kinds of things I have been paid for [not always large amounts mind you, but as the Tesco ad goes: Every little helps!]

1. Non fiction articles published online and in magazines

2. Short stories online and in magazines

3. Running online writing workshops

4. Running writing therapy groups

5. Royalties from my novels

I can even remember a time one month when I earned as much from writing as I do from my day job. However, post 911 a lot of online writing markets dried up or paid less. I had had a regular writing column but the website in question suddenly decided to stop paying writers. Their argument was "If you want to play a round of golf, you have to pay a fee!" To this day, I have no idea what was meant by it. Lots of writers pulled out of that website. I might have stayed but they also took away our free e-mail addresses.

So, along with lots of other writers, I left.

Not so long afterwards they began paying writers but in a different way. It was all about keywords and getting hits to the site. I think the money writers earned was probably a pittance for a lot of work. I don't think that site has the same feel to it anymore, somewhere along the line it lost it's energy, outlook and what it stood for.

There was another time when a new Canadian women's magazine was due to launch. I was offered a stint to write a regular column on personal development. However, the downside was I wouldn't be paid for it. The editor said I could write for it to 'make a name for myself' and then perhaps she would pay me!!!

Now, I wasn't that hard up to get my name in print. And I told her so. I also told her that as her magazine ran paid advertisements, and all the regular staff got paid, then so should their freelancers. Later on, after I had opted out, I found out she did indeed pay freelancers, but it was a pittance, but still, better than nothing.

I have witnessed online flame wars over the writing for pay issue, mainly from the people who think it's acceptable to write for publications like the one above, for free. How can a writer gain respect if all they do is write for nothing and maybe even put another freelancer out of a job by doing so?

Write for free on your website, in your journal, or to help a cause or someone out. But don't do it for the sake of it, especially, if it costs you dear in the long run.

Good old paper and pen!

Well, I have to say after my last post about my ailing novel, I went back to good old paper and pen today and it worked a treat. I had a break at work and my hand flew over the page. I managed around 1,500 words in quite a short space of time. Now the vicar is out of the bath and I have discovered something new about one of my characters.

I may try this a lot more in the future.

When I first started writing seriously about ten years ago, I always used pen and paper in the first instance and then typed it up. Over the years though I thought it was quicker and easier to go straight to the keyboard. It makes me wonder if in the process I lost some of my creativity that way. Does one use a different side of the brain or something when typing as opposed to writing, do you think?

It definitely cleared the cobwebs for me today!

Why am I so slow writing this novel?

This really is a mystery to me. I started writing a follow up to A Taste of Honey, my romantic comedy, more than two years ago. That particular book was a pleasure to write and practically wrote itself. However, its follow up, A Spoonful of Sugar, is hard work. I wrote a follow up to one of my other novels, using two of the secondary characters from the first book as the heroine and heroine in the second. I am doing the same thing now but it's crawling along at a snail's pace.

It's not that I'm not happy with what I've written either or that the plotline so far has holes in it. I just seem to work on it in fits and starts. Yet, with everyone of my previous novels I have got them finished within months if not sooner.

I managed 1000 words the other day, which was great for me on this novel. My record is up to 6000 a day on my others.

At the moment I have left a funky motorbike and sidecar driving female vicar with her toe stuck up the tap whilst she's taking a bath! The hero, Antonio Santini and heroine, Suzie Frampton, have just arrived to rescue her.

Got to get the rev out of there soon. I can't leave her in a cold bath for months!

Does anyone have any idea why I am lagging behind with this book when the story reads quite well and I am enjoying the process but have to keep stopping and starting again?

This is a new one for me.

I want to finish it as one of my fans [yes, I do actually have some!] as just purchased A Taste of Honey and is asking about further publications.

I may have to try going back to pen and paper to see how that goes, instead of sitting in front of the keyboard.

Let down and letting it go

If there's one thing I really hate, it's being let down. It's happened to me a couple of times during this past week. One of the people who let me down is a family member that I love dearly. I could see it coming, and to be honest, I believe there is something behind it that I won't go into here.

I think the reason I take issues like this badly is because I go out of my way not to let people down myself, even though there are times like when I'm ill or have a specific need myself, I put them first.

I seem to spend my time thinking more about others than I do about myself.

It's got me thinking though that perhaps it's time I started to think about myself and my own needs more and then I wouldn't feel so bad when people let me down.

I haven't been on holiday for five years, apart from the odd couple of days here and there. So, I am going to book a holiday, hopefully for July, with my mother to somewhere on the coast, maybe Bournemouth or Torquay. I need to go away with someone who has similar values to myself. Someone who enjoys eating out and not penny pinching, someone who will try new things and experiences. The last thing I need is to go away with someone who is going to wind me up and stress me out.

My well is running dry and I need to top it up. I've given about all I can give, there's very little left. At least I recognise that.

Publishing Success: Do you need to go down the university route?

One of the first things that writer, Della Galton, says in her book 'How to Write and Sell Short Stories' is 'Don't let anyone tell you that you need a university education to be a successful writer'. [This is an excellent book by the way, I highly recommend it.] Not that there's anything wrong in obtaining a university education, far from it. I was so proud of my daughter when she got a 2:1 in psychology last year and I watched her graduate.

I think I know what Della means though.

Last year I took a course with the Open University on Literature and Creative Writing, something I have wanted to do for ages. I think there is part of me that yearns to get a degree. A kind of 'Educating Nettie' if you like.

Yet, while I felt the course was quite good, I think it could also put people off writing.

Why? You might ask.

Because I feel it boxes people in. It puts limits on their writing. For example, some students were told they needed 80% and above for their work to be of publishable quality. I disagree. Although I have passed my assignments, mostly in the 70 - 75% bracket, I never once achieved an 80% score. Well not yet. Although I have to wait for my ECA score to be marked which is worth 50% of the course marks. So, I haven't achieved those marks [as yet] but I am already published.

I wasn't happy with the way my tutor marked some of my assignments in any case. For my first assignment she gave me a 0% for my free write because I'd used punctuation. I free write all the time, but I'm so used to doing it that I automatically use punctuation. Some other students on the course had also done the same thing but their tutors didn't mark them down for it. So as a result, for one assignment, I immediately lost 20 % of the marks. I should have challenged it at the time of course. Too late now, it's sour grapes.

To get back to that 80% required for publication...I believe it's far more important for a writer to read guidelines, target the right market, then write an engaging piece that's so polished it positively sparkles on the editor's desk.

From reading some of the other students' comments, although they have done fairly well, it sounds as though they are still doubting they can be published. I am so glad I didn't take this course ten years ago when I first started seeking publication. I took a short course back then that was run by the university at my local library. I learned so much from other students there.

Next I joined a Yahoo group called Momwriters. It still exists today. As the group name suggests it's a group of mothers who write [although fathers are allowed to join as well.] Finding that group was like discovering a precious gem. Some were editors, others experienced writers who wrote for magazines or had books published. One was the ex-comedy editor of Playboy Magazine and the writer of the movie Blue Streak. I learned so much being a member of that group. If I wanted to write a magazine article there was always someone to interview about something or other. Whether it was an article about extended breast feeding or how to cope with your pets on holiday. There was someone who could give me valuable advice or a read through.

Back then, I didn't see any obstacles. There was only the blank page, my creativity and my persistence to get published. It finally paid off as I got pieces published online, in magazines and eventually of course, the novels.

I also took some writing courses with people who were experts in their own particular fields. Like Marcia Yudkin who ran a Break into Magazines Course. Marcia is published in The New York Times and Cosmo. I also took an online course with Leigh Michaels, a Mills and Boon author, at what was then called 'The Barnes and Noble University'. The course was excellent, I learned so much and it didn't cost me a penny.

But what if I had taken that OU course before getting published? Then I think I would have set myself limits and doubted my skill as a writer. I truly believe it might have put me off. Don't get me wrong, of course I have learned things from the course. There's always something new to learn as a writer.

I met one of the contributors to the course book at a writing workshop some years ago. He was getting paid handsomely for supposedly teaching us about 'Internet Publishing'. The man didn't have a clue. He thought everyone who was published online got paid-per-click. He looked astonished when I told him I received a monthly cheque for my writing column. He gave a lot of misinformation to people during the workshop that I had to correct him on.

After saying all of this, I will carry on with my OU course. I want to achieve the Diploma in Literature and Creative Writing. I want to take the advanced course because it includes scriptwriting. I doubt very much if that module will be taught by a scriptwriter though. Maybe I need to write that script for Doctors before I move on to the advanced course, so I don't place any limitations on myself by being told I need 80% or above in my assignments to achieve publishing success.

Maybe I want to carry on to prove I have the ability to be an academic, but at least I realise when it comes to writing, I learned more from the 'School of Life' than a university.

Sending my brain on vacation

I've been feeling a little overwhelmed of late. This might be because I am doing too much, mentally. As well having as several writing projects on the go and just completing my course work for my Open University course, I also have work which takes a lot of my mental energy, so I feel a little overloaded.

I know it's time to slow down because I am becoming forgetful. For instance I went upstairs this morning [twice] to get a bar of soap for the kitchen and returned on both occasions without it.


It was while I was feeling flustered cooking Sunday lunch for six that I noticed I hadn't put the broccoli on to boil. I heard a little voice inside my head. No, it wasn't that kind of a voice. It was my inner voice. It said, quite clearly: "Send your brain on vacation." So, that's what I intend to do. No more writing for a week. I am also going to try to keep off the Internet [easier said than done].

I am going to let my tired brain rest for a while.

And while it's soaking up the sun in the Bahamas, my body will carry on.

I'll let you know if it works.

Why I write

If I asked you, why do you write? How would you reply?

Maybe you'd say something like one of the following:

"I've been writing since I was a child..."

"It's a form of escapism for me."

"It's my passion."

"It makes me feel complete."

"I get a kick out of creating something from a blank page."

Maybe you agree with all of the above, or maybe you have something completely different to say about the subject.

All I can do, as I can't second guess, is tell you why I write. Yes, like one of the above comments, I have written since I was a child. I wrote stories in school and sometimes the class teacher read them out. I made my own magazines. I sat all my dolls and teddies in a semi circle and became the teacher who gave them homework. Of course, I had to give them a hand, so there was even more writing to do.

I kept diaries until I was in my twenties.

I did all of that and then for many years I put my writing aside as life took over.

I then began writing short pieces when I had my first child and again when I had depression during and after the birth of my second child. During the dark days, when it was an effort to make a cup of tea, wash dishes, and do general household tasks, as well as look after two young children, I could still pick up a pen and write.

I wrote poems about the mood I was in. I wrote essays about how I was feeling. I'm sure this helped me through the depression and I was fortunate to come off my antidepressants within four months. What was happening without me realising it, was that I was writing for therapy.

As many of you know, I am a huge advocate of this and I've had experience of running an online group and two groups which are currently still meeting at the cancer centre where I work as a counsellor.

I've had some publishing success over the years, but it wasn't handed to me on a plate. I've had my fair share of rejections, but I don't give up when I have one, in a strange sort of way it spurs me on.

The real reason I write though is because I have to. To me, writing is as essential as breathing and if I gave it up, I would die, metaphorically speaking of course. I write for therapy. I write for enjoyment. Sometimes I write for payment. Most of all, I write because I am passionate about it.

So, why do you write?

I'd love to know.

I'm so glad I have a great publisher

A Publisher Worth its Weight in Gold

Nothing is too much for one of my publishers, The Wild Rose Press. If I have a query about something they get back to me within days or even hours of my query. They are a joy to work with and I am proud to be known as one of their authors.

This is a far cry from the first publisher I got published with [who shall remain anonymous]. It was hard to get a reply to any of my queries there. Once, I had concerns about something serious and contacted three members of staff. Not one of them replied. Another time, books I ordered for a charity book launch failed to arrive after six weeks and they seemed unconcerned. They even spelled my name wrong. It was correct on the cover but not at the top of each page of the book, despite me mentioning to them six times they got it wrong on their website.

I'm glad though that this was my first publisher and although it took some of the shine off my experience of publication, I learned some valuable lessons.

I managed to pull both my books from them and went on to get them republished with The Wild Rose Press as well as two new ones there. My editors have been lovely to work with, allowing me to keep to British spellings and sayings. This is important to me as I don't want to Americanise my books. No offence to any Americans out there, but I believe a writer should keep true to themselves. If I buy a book by a foreign author then I want it to reflect the ethos of that particular country.

So, my advice when looking for a publisher, especially if it is your first time is to check out what other authors are saying about them. Are the lines of communication good? Do they care about their writers? Don't be afraid to ask around, it could save you a lot of hassle and heartache.

Just write the book

A new writer can worry so much about the technique of writing that they don't actually get much writing done.

Concerns such as: How should I begin my novel? How many words should a chapter be? Do I need to make charts beforehand? Should I outline? Are common questions not just to self but to other writers and tutors.

My main advice about this is if you worry too much about technique it might sap your creative energy.

When I first started off trying to write a novel around ten years ago I had similar questions, but realised one day, it was time to just get on with writing. I already had a plot in mind: a teenager who goes missing after chatting with someone on the Internet. My main character was a detective called, Declan McKeague. A large Irishman, who bungled things up, but was a lovable character.

Initially, I wrote a chapter or two and read them out at the writing group I attended at the local library. They went down quite well, so I wrote more chapters but run out of steam and put that project aside. I never finished the book but I completed 8 chapters of it.

What I had done though in the process was learn a lot about novel writing. How to maintain pace, how to create suspense, craft a scene, etc.

I wrote three trial run novels that way, and to be honest, when I look back on them now, I can see how much my writing has improved! What I'd done without realising it was to give myself a masterclass in novel writing and all for free!

Sure, I read books about the topic but I threw myself in the deep at the same time. That's why I believe that Nanowrimo , National Novel Writing month, is a great thing for new writers. They are forced to turn off their internal editor and get into the process of novel writing to create a draft of 50,000 words within the month of November. Of course, you could do this yourself during any given month, but taking part in the challenge with other writers can help to motivate and inspire you to get that draft down.

Reading books about novel writing and taking courses is a good thing: learning from people who have already achieved their ambition, but there is nothing like getting your toes wet and having a crack at it for yourself. Don't fear failure. Rejection happens to everyone, even the big names out there. Most authors were once in the same position and have probably got drawers full of dusty, flawed manuscripts before going on to get published.

As Nike says:

Just do it!

A Five Star Review: How to Write and Sell Short Stories

I love Della Galton's book, "How to Write and Sell Short Stories"

So far at Amazon.co.uk it has received five star reviews which I totally agree with.

Della writes for many of the well known women's magazines such as:

My Weekly, People's Friend, Take a Break, Candis, Woman's Weekly etc.

So you know when you read this book, she is someone who knows what she is talking about. She shares her tips with her readers as well as sharing some of the mistakes she has made.

The book is an easy read that you can dip in an out of. I also like the fact she has included tips from other well known magazine writers.

Another bonus is that if you order the book from the above link now, you will get a reduction of £3.00 off the recommended retail price.

The book is worth its weight in gold.

Five Stars: * * * * *

The best part about novel writing

For me the best part about novel writing is the first draft when my ideas are not fully formed and I have no idea which way the plot is going. It's a bit like playing a game of blind man's buff or murder in the dark. I don't yet know my way or who the bad guy is.

I like to surprise myself as I go along because I believe if I have no element of surprise then neither will my readers. So it's not unusual for me, not to have worked out until over half way through the book, who the murderer is or what the black moment might be.

As I race towards the finishing line of getting the first draft down I get a rush of adrenaline and when I finally write 'The End' a surge of relief. It's over. At least for now. It's time to allow the casserole to steep in its own juices for a while. So I put the 'baby' to bed.

A couple of weeks later I get the 'baby' out of its cot and it's back to work for revision and edits. This is the worst part of all. I probably end up with three or four drafts. I look for flaws in the plot like loose ends that haven't been tied up. Isn't it awful to read a book where someone is left locked in the loo or you wander what happened to the dog?

I spell check and look for grammar and punctuation errors. I take out extraneous words [as much as possible.] I use 'that' a lot and 'just', the majority of those have to go. There is an easy solution of course, to perform a word search which will highlight any words I wish to delete.

I move paragraphs around.

I try cutting as much as I possibly can. If it's not vital to the plot then it's out! If a character isn't doing anything, then off they go. Sometimes a character can double duty. For example, perhaps the hero can also be the office boss or the heroine's friend her aerobics teacher.

Less is always more.

When all the edits are complete I submit the package which usually consists of the first three chapters, a synopsis and a cover letter. If I'm fortunate that the publisher wants to see the entire novel, then off it goes.

If it's accepted it's back to editing again as per my editor's/publisher's requirements.

This all takes time and to be honest the whole process can take longer than writing the first draft. It is a wonderful feeling though when the galleys go off for the last time and I'm at that moment of waiting to give birth.

I always enjoy discussing the cover art. I have been fortunate so far that my publishers have allowed me to have a say in this. I tell them my vision for the cover and they come back with a picture, sometimes it needs tweaking but more often than not it's just what I wanted.

Edits are a good thing though. My Samhain editor ended up getting me to cut 4000 words of text! But I have to say that it made my writing tighter and the book was a much better read because of it.

So far I have given birth to 'four babies'. It's time to get broody again....

Seven Ways to Keep the Editor Happy

1. Know his name

This might seem obvious – but if you are able, find out the editor’s name before you query or submit your article or story. You can find out the editor’s name by looking at the first few pages of a magazine where it lists the staff, or on the ‘contact us’ link of their website. Do not address him or her by his or her first name initially. It’s a no, no. Address them either as Mr. Ms. Miss or Mrs. If they get back to you and answer just using their Christian name, then it should be fine to use for future correspondence. Keep your contact formal unless you discover otherwise.

2. Read author guidelines

It’s surprising how many newbie authors don’t take time to read the submission guidelines for a magazine or website. It can save a lot of time and trouble. If a magazine asks for articles of no more than 1000 words using a ‘how to’ style, they are going to be seriously ticked off if you submit something that’s 2 ½ K and in first person!

3. Know your target audience

It’s no use submitting an article about teenage troubles to a magazine read by the elderly. Study the magazine beforehand from cover to cover. A good clue to the intended readership of a magazine is the adverts it runs. If you see lots of ads for stairlifts, incontinence pads and magnifying specs, then it’s obviously not for spotty teenagers, whether this particular readership are young at heart or not.

4. Get Image Requirements right

Some magazine editors have a bee in their bonnet about receiving digital photographs with the right dpi. DPI stands for [dots per inch]. In fact, the dpi has nothing to do with the quality of the photograph submitted. You might send in a JPEG with a dpi of 72 and your editor may claim this is not suitable for the quality of print for the magazine. He wants you to send a picture in of a 300 dpi [this seems to be the standard asked for]. So what do you do? Well, rather than arguing with him, you can download Irfan View. This will enable you to open your picture up and change the dpi to 300 by selecting image, resize/resample option and changing to the dpi to 300, then saving a copy. Easy Peasy! Your 72dpi image is now saved as a 300dpi image http://www.irfanview.com/

5. Be flexible

If you get a bite from an editor, whatever you do, don’t go away and nurse your swollen fingers! If he shows interest in your article but asks you to add, cut or rewrite in a particular fashion, then go ahead, be flexible and show him what you’re made of as a writer. Too many writers give up when their work doesn’t immediately get accepted for publication. Be professional and be thankful he has shown an interest in your work at all. Do not throw you teddy out of the pram. Instead, evaluate his thoughts and learn from them.

6. Deliver on time

Okay, so the editor has shown an interest in your article. He wants you to add another 500 words. He would like the article in within a couple of days. It shouldn’t take you that long to come up with 500 words but you’ve procrastinated and now the deadline fast approaches. If you don’t think you can deliver on time, it’s better to say so. And even better not to have procrastinated in the first place. If he wants you to deliver -- then do it. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time in this profession.

7. Do not send him a barrage of e-mails complaining

So, he’s rejected your article. Get over it. As writers we all suffer from rejection at some point. The clever writers realise each rejection is a stepping stone on to better things. If it comforts you, go and eat some chocolate or curl up in the corner, or better still, eat a lot of chocolate while curled up in the corner! Shed a tear if you must, but then dust yourself down. Whatever you do don’t send him a barrage of e-mails whinging about his rejection. If you feel you must ask why you were rejected, go ahead. He might tell you if he has the time. And if he does, pay attention, he’s not an editor for nothing. Rewrite, resend somewhere else and wait. And one day that rejection will become an acceptance if you’re persistent enough. Persistence pays off in the end -- big time.

A Crash Course in Short Story Writing

I was inspired to publish this here today after sending someone an e-mail about short story writing.

The main points I've learned over the years are:

* Give your main character [protagonist] a problem that needs sorting out

This doesn't have to be something huge like a fire or a flood, it might be something like a newly married woman who wonders how she will cope when her mother-in-law comes for Christmas dinner.

* Go immediately into where the action takes place

If your story involves the bank getting robbed for instance, then there's no need to start it where the main character is pouring milk on his cornflakes. Go straight into where the action takes place where he is queuing up to deposit some money and two masked men with guns burst in.

* Don't have too many main characters

3 or 4 is enough [max] and perhaps a couple of 'walk on parts' of unnamed characters like the postman or taxi driver.

* Ensure there is a definite beginning, middle and a satisfying ending

A story needs structure. Think of a chart when someone's temperature starts off normal, then goes through the roof. That's how your story should be with a climax at the end. Don't let it go on well after the punch line. Leave them wanting more.

* Make Use of Setting

Setting can become one of the characters in its own right. Think about the dark, brooding house in a horror story or a white, sterile, clinical waiting room. Make use of it in your story.

* Allow the main character to have solved his or her problem by the end of the story

The character needs to have learned and or/grown from it as a result. [Character Arc].

* Ensure you are showing more than telling

Ensure you use lively dialogue where the characters exhibit their mannerisms. Also make use of the five senses. However, sometimes a story might have little dialogue because it's more about going into the character's internal thoughts and feelings. This can work out okay if it is well written, but sometimes sounds a bit 'self indulgent'.

* A 'black moment' can work well before the story reaches its climax.

The moment when things seem impossible: there's no solution to the problem, everything is bleak, etc. However, something then happens that turns it all around and brings the story to its final, but satisfying conclusion.

* It's usually best to stick to one point of view.

Most magazines seem to like third person, although I have read some stories in certain mags that accept first person. I recently read a story in Candis where multi viewpoint was used and it worked very well! I have never seen that used in a short story before, but it goes to show if the writing is strong enough then you might get away with breaking a lot of rules!

And they're off!

This is so bizarre. The other night I was in my bathroom when I noticed a very distinct silhouette of a horse on the shower curtain. No, I wasn't drunk or on mind altering medication, but it was so clear. I somehow knew the horse was a male and that there was some connection to a diamond or a star.

I rarely place a bet but I checked out the races held for Easter Monday, which was the following day. There were none with the name 'star' going but there was one I was immediately attracted to called' 'Ffos Las Diamond'. I had a feeling about it.

My hubby placed the bet for me as I wouldn't have a clue what to do. It was running at the 1.55 at Chepstow. Somehow, and I don't know why, I knew it was going to win. At one point it was only in fifth place, but I still knew.

Yes, it won!!! It took over the leader right at the end.

The odds were 7 - 2. Now I wish I had placed a large bet on it. I won enough for us to all have a takeaway and a few drinks though.

Wonder if I will ever see any more winners on my shower curtain again, or was it just all a mad coincidence?

Writing For Payment Or For Art's Sake?

"For free or not for free - that is the question?"

Whenever the 'P' word -- PAYMENT -- gets a mention, writers are frequently up in arms. There appear to be two camps of thought: those that think we should all write for free, 'because it is our art', and those who want to get paid what they are worth as a writer. Of course, you yourself, might fall somewhere in between where you prefer to get paid, but will write for free for good causes or if it is to promote yourself.

Recently, I queried a new national magazine and submitted three articles for the editor to peruse. She was looking for columnists as well as article writers. Within the hour an e-mail arrived in my mail box, [the fastest response I have ever had from an editor], to say that she loved one of my articles and wanted to publish it in the following month's debut issue of the magazine.

Warning bells started to ring at her swift response. After all, most of my magazine queries have taken days, weeks or even months for replies. And as any serious writer knows, magazines work months, not days, ahead of time. Not only did she want to publish my article, she wanted to work with me for a further four editions of the magazine.

Sounds fantastic, right? Not so right. The snag was she didn't intend to pay me a single, solitary cent for my time, effort and expertise. It was a case of, 'We'll see how it goes and if we can pay you sometime in the future, then we will!" Well stuff that for a game of soldiers, which is almost what I told her, but not quite. Instead, I told her I thought that writers deserved to be paid and sent her a few helpful links so she could read up on why writers deserve payment. Cheeky, on my behalf, I know, but I was spitting feathers at the time. I didn't need the clippings that bad.

Now, all this is well and good, but when I pointed this out to one of my Yahoo writers' groups, apart from having a cyber pat on the back from some of my contemporaries, I was flamed off list for daring to suggest writers should be paid.

We're back to that art thing. I shouldn't be surprised. I recently attended a writers' workshop. One of the exercises was to write a poem or story in a short space of time. A writer sitting next to me, who I vaguely knew, came up with a fantastic poem off the top of her head. I said, "You are so talented. Have you been published anywhere?"

"No, certainly not!" she replied as if I had said something I shouldn't.

Then I made the mistake of using the 'P' word. "You know, you could get published and PAID for poems like that."

You'd think I'd hit her in the face with a wet fish. When she had got over the initial shock, she replied, "I couldn't possibly take money for something I love."

I just don't get it, but then again neither did she. Are some writers so precious about their words that they feel it is degrading to sell them? When I told her about some of my own publications, I got the distinct impression she thought I was some sort of writing floozie spreading it around a bit, and horror of horror -- for money, too!

You'll know you're being ripped off when:

1. You're writing for free for a magazine that runs paid advertisements or that sells a subscription, products and/or services.

2. You've brought your expertise (teaching, counseling, nursing, computing skills, etc.) into the article and you're still not offered payment.

3. Everyone else at the magazine is being paid. This includes the Internet provider, phone company, electric company, photographers, models, and editorial staff, right on down to the cleaners. Why should everybody else get paid and not you?

4. The magazine says they are giving you plenty of exposure, so why do you need to get paid?

5. Or, as one high profile website put it a couple of years ago when they suddenly stopped paying writers, 'If you were learning to play golf you'd have to pay fees, so why should you expect to get paid for something you love doing?'

You're not being ripped off when:

1. Your writing will help a charity or good cause close to your heart.

2. It will help further your career as a writer by advertising a product or service you're selling.

By the way, the editor of the new national magazine recently contacted me to say they would now be paying writers. Whether this was as a direct response to my cheeky e-mail, I don't know, but it couldn't have hurt, could it?

A Sad Day

I was sad to hear that Jade Goody passed away in the early hours of this morning, ironically on Mother's Day. I read reports yesterday that it was hoped she would be conscious enough to spend today with her boys.

Although people have criticised her for being famous for being a celebrity who hadn't done much, except to go into the Big Brother House a few years ago, I think they are wrong. Jade has been an inspiration to women, not just because of her public battle with cancer, but she was a business woman too. It's true, she was the brand, Jade Goody, but there was no one quite like her. She didn't always get her words right, but told it as it was from the heart. She also kept herself in the public eye while she went through her illness via Ok! magazine to build up funds for her boys.

The woman had courage.

Before Christmas I watched her on This Morning on ITV talking to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby about her cancer. She looked quite well, except a little thinner. She was enthused with energy for the panto she was about to go into: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Lincoln Theatre where she was to play the wicked queen. She had plenty of fight in her and told Phillip and Holly: "I am bigger than cancer!"

And she was.

Although she has passed away, she left a legacy of cervical cancer awareness, particularly for young women in this country. It has been reported that there's an increase of 20% more going for smears.

Jade Goody lived up to her name in my book and has done good for both her boys and the public and will continue to do so after her death, by saving more women's lives while sadly losing her own.

Today I am going to appreciate every moment of Mother's Day, hug my children as much as I can while remembering the rug can be pulled away at any time. It's not how much time we have here that counts but what we do with it.

Excerpt # 3 Watching You

Angeline was pleasantly surprised by the

man’s appearance, she’d only been able to make out his

silhouette as he stood at the window, but now she slowly

drank him in. The newspaper picture didn’t do him

justice. He was far more attractive. His hair was dark

brown, almost black and he had the most vivid jade green

eyes she’d ever seen. He wore a light pink, expensive

monogrammed shirt with a grey silk tie and gold cufflinks.

Suddenly, she felt very small and insignificant.

“Mr Johnson, my P.A., explained that you were sent

last minute for the interview with me.”

Interview. Cripes. She rather hoped it would be the

other way around and it would be she who was

interviewing him with regard to his intentions towards

the old house.

“What is it you wish to know about me?” she asked in

a forward manner, something she would never do in an

ordinary interview. But this was hardly likely to be an

ordinary interview.

Sitting forward in his leather chair, he steepled his

fingers, all the while still looking through her.

“I’d like to know why you think this position might

suit you?”

She straightened. “Oh. I see. Well I think it might be

a challenge for me. I like a good challenge.” That was a

laugh, she didn’t even know what the position was in the

first place.

“Give me an example of a recent challenge you’ve

taken and overcome.”

Now what was she going to say?

“Well, let me see. I recently needed to leave my home

and look for another and also a job, too.”

“And?” he leaned further forward.

“I had to give up my home so that some stranger with

an eye for business could move in and do what the hell he

likes with it!” Angeline surprised herself with the strong,

passionate tone of her voice.

“This stranger,” Sebastian Tremaine asked, now

leaning back in his chair, “did he evict you from your own

property?”

“No.”

“Then why do you appear to dislike this person?”

Angeline felt that lump return to her throat.

“Because he’s taken away all that I have left, the

memories of my parents for his own selfish ends.” She

heard her voice tremble with emotion and regretted her

decision to come.

Mr Tremaine fell silent for a moment, as if deep in

reflection. “You are Angeline Hamilton, aren’t you?”

She nodded between sobs.

He raised his voice an octave. “Well, is that the case?”

“Yes, it is!” She stood, about to leave his horrible

office.

His face flushed and she noticed a muscle twitch at

the side of his jaw. “Look here. I bought this place and all

the contents fair and square. It was my understanding

that it needed to be sold to pay off all your father’s debts.

You can’t blame me, it’s just not cricket.”

“I know,” she said, heading for the door. She reached

out and found the door knob, comforted to know at least

that’s where it had always been. She turned it a fraction

with bitter regret, knowing she had made a big mistake in

coming here to confront the man.

Sebastian Tremaine stood, then stumbled towards

her. Was he drunk or something? She spied a crystal

decanter of whisky or some other liquor on his desk. It

was then she noticed the white stick in his hand.

Excerpt # 2 from "Watching You"

Angeline was so busy job and home hunting that the

idea almost left her mind, but not completely. It came to

the forefront again when she caught sight of Sebastian

Tremaine on the front page of the local paper, The

Bridgeford News, one evening as she purchased a copy at

the local shop to look out for the latest jobs.

There, standing proudly, holding up a large prize fish

with a big grin on his face was the man responsible for

turfing her out of her home. She’d never seen him before,

but could make out how handsome he was even though

the picture was slightly blurred and in black and white.

The headline read:

Business man, Sebastian Tremaine, Takes over

Tarrington Manor House.

Angeline gasped in astonishment as she read the

article which made it sound as if Mr Tremaine would be

an asset to the local community. Fiddlesticks, he was no

more an asset than one of those large out-of-town

hyperstores was to Bridgeford’s retail community. He’d

probably turn the Manor into some sort of a holiday park,

encouraging bus loads of undesirables to flood the village.

What poppycock!

She knew immediately upon reading the article, she

wasn’t going to like the man. Wasn’t going to, never

would. She clenched her fists at her side, feeling as

though she were about to explode into tiny pieces all over

the shop floor.

Count to ten, keep calm. Buy the newspaper and leave

the shop.

She did as her inner voice suggested, intending to

walk back to her cousin’s flat, but instead, found her feet

leading her in the direction of a taxi rank. One of the cabs

displayed an illuminated ‘For Hire’ sign in its window.

She lowered her head to ask the driver to take her

immediately to Tarrington Manor. If the driver was

surprised by her choice of destination, he didn’t show it.

She settled herself down in the back seat of the cab,

wondering why she was returning to her ancestral home

and what she would find when she got there.

Excerpt # 1 from "Watching You"

** I'll be posting up a few excerpts from my latest novel, "Watching You", this week. Here's excerpt #1:

The man hid behind a tree, watching the funeral guests as they left the big house, his heart beating a tattoo beneath his shirt. He extracted a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and patted his brow. Must be all the adrenaline flowing around his body, he surmised. This was such an exciting day for him, better than winning any lottery. Ah, yes, revenge is sweet.

Most of the guests wouldn’t want to stay now there was nothing in it for them. Little did they realise it was because of his plan. Oh yes, he’d finally got his hands on the Hamilton money. Not only got his hands on a fortune, but made money on the money by investing it wisely, and now it was stored away securely where they would never find it. Especially that snooty cow. She deserved nothing.

He drew a silver hip flask from his inside pocket, unscrewed its top and took a long swig, gasping as the alcohol took his breath away. He had every right to celebrate--it had been a good day. Especially now he knew the bitch had lost it all. After all, it was the law of the universe, wasn’t it? Karma. What goes around comes around and all that. She’d really done a hatchet job on him some years back. His future was mapped out at the time: a wife, children, and Angeline’s inheritance when her old man snuffed it. But that was all taken away when she left him.

He took another sip of the amber fluid, feeling it hit the spot, right at the back of his throat, warming him to the very core. He drank a lot of whisky these days after what Angeline had done to him. He needed warming up the way she’d turned cold on him. Frozen him out, she had. If she hadn’t abandoned him like that, they would be married with children by now. Only she’d cheated him out of what was rightfully his, both his offspring and the money.

There had been no other women since, none of importance anyway. Most of them were interchangeable bimbos he met in pubs and clubs for a knee trembler up against the wall of some filthy alley way. Or if he felt generous and they looked fairly decent, he would book a hotel room for the night. If they were fortunate enough to share his bed, the following morning he neither cared for them nor wanted any more to do with them. It gave him a kind of kick that most of them wanted to see him again to start a relationship. He rejected the silly cows before they rejected him. Just like Angeline Hamilton had done to him. Well, someone had to pay, didn’t they? They were all bloody whores, the lot of them. Women couldn’t be trusted.

There was only one woman he trusted, the one who gave birth to him, and he hadn’t seen her for some time. No woman could compare to his mother. He thought Angeline had, but he should have known better.

He unlocked his car door and sat behind the wheel then slammed the flask down on the dashboard and stared at his trembling hands. Well, there was already blood on them and no doubt, there’d be blood on them again, sometime in the near future...

When the kissing has to stop!

As a romantic novelist, I often write about kissing. In general, most of us like to be kissed one way or another, whether it is passionately by our partner, or a quick peck on the cheek from an old friend or relative.

However, whilst reading some of the Yahoo news headlines today, I came across two kissing stories that were horrific. The first one because of the drink and probable violence involved, and the second, because of a kiss that should have been the most harmless thing in the world from a mother to a young baby that turned out to have deadly consequences.

Here's the first story, entitled: 'Woman 'bit off boyfriend's tongue'

And the second story, the saddest of all: 'Mother's kiss 'killed newborn tot'

The first story sounds to me as if it was a premedicated action on the girlfriend's part and the second, something that in a perfect world could be avoided. A lot of people with cold sores might not realise the harm they are doing if they kiss a vulnerable person like a young child or someone with a lowered immune system. The good thing to come out of the second story is the fact that the mother now wants to campaign to get the message out not to kiss people when you have a cold sore.

I'm Back

Okay, I apologise. I have been away from my blog for quite some time. I was ill before Christmas with stomach problems and although I am a lot better now, I am still not back to normal.

Before Christmas I had a gripping stomach discomfort accompanied by bouts of vomiting, thankfully that has now gone, but I still have some problems which I think might be to do with yeast. When I was at my worst, I couldn't touch any alcohol, my favourite tipple: a glass of white wine, was like poison to me. I believe that sometimes our bodies know what's best for us and for me it was to avoid alcohol like the plague during that time. White bread has also been causing me problems. I don't think I have Celiac disease, but maybe some sort of intolerence either to yeast or gluten found in wheat.

On a positive note, I have lost a stone in weight. So it's not all bad, and of course, I have the added benefit of not drinking alcohol. I drank a glass of wine last night and enjoyed it, but from now on, it will be only the occasional glass.