Sunday 15 February 2015

BOOK LAUNCH IMMINENT!!!

Within two weeks I should have my initial stock of 100 copies of My Writer right here in my study!  So on 21st March I am going to hold the official launch at the local library straight after the Young Writers session!  Now I need to publicise it as much as possible and am busily designing fliers, posters and invitations!  All very exciting.  In fact it is so exciting that, once the launch is over I will be at a complete loss!  Obviously need to maintain the momentum so I will be arranging some signings as well - lots of letters to write and emails to send.  Talk about learning curve!   Not sure I have it in me to self-publish at this level again.  Probably be easier if I didn't have a Day Job taking up so much of my time.  As it is I am doing everything during my free time and there just ain't enough hours in the day!  Not that I am complaining - it was my project and I have achieved a dream and - it must be said-  I simply couldn't  have got this far with it if it wasn't for my Steve!  I know how fortunate and lucky I am to have such a supportive husband whose belief in my writing endeavours knows no bounds!  So get your diaries out.  If Croydon is not too difficult to get to, come along to Ashburton Library, Shirley Road, Croydon, Surrey on 21st March between 11 and 12 for The Big Launch.  Be good to meet you!

So what has been going on since my op?  Well - went back to work last Monday.  Nearly killed me.  I hit this brick wall around 2 in the afternoon and got through the next three hours on auto-pilot, I was so tired.  It did get easier as the week went by though and by Thursday it was as if I'd never been away.  And on Friday I got my All Clear letter from the hospital.  Massive relief!  Yesterday - Valentine's Day of course, Steve and I head down to Southend on Sea to take buy birthday presents for grandsons who turned 8 and 7 within a day of each other.  And for a sneaky snuggle with their baby brother of course who is absolutely thriving and has started to smile.

Visited Mum today.  She seemed in quite good spirits - she just looks so little and helpless.  But she still has a wicked sense of humour I can tell you!  Made me roar with laughter a couple of times.

So that is about it for now.  Will be back in a few days.


Friday 6 February 2015

I'M ALIVE!!!!!

Had my little op on Tuesday.  Cried and slept most of Wednesday and yesterday began to feel so much better!  Went all day yesterday without the need for a single dose of painkillers!  And today - well - what can I say?  I have actually Been a Writer most of the morning, sending out the Press Release for My Writer, planning tomorrow's Young Writer session and bringing the admin up to date. I love Writer Days!  Despite the fact I am sitting at a desk tapping away at the laptop, just being an active writer gives me an Adrenalin rush like no other!  It is no use.  I need to win the lottery.  Not billions.  Just enough to either comfortably give up the day job or, at the very least, cut my hours so I can have one day a week when I can do things like this!!!!!

Did you get much snow?  We have hardly seen any and today it is totally gorgeous outside - all sunshiny and springy.  I know my window gazes out over trees and rooftops, but I still feel as inspired as I would if I had an Artists's Cottage up in beautiful Braemar for a few weeks!  Believe it or not I have actually already seen two trees covered in froths of pink blossom.  It's true.

My plans for this afternoon are to sidle onto my comfortable sofa and browse the 2015 Children's Writers and Artists Year book (thank you parents-in-law) because I want to find another publisher for the Yucketypoo books.  It was such an honour to be commissioned to write two more once I found a publisher - and such a bloody shame that everything then fell through before the third one could be published.  Especially since I have had stockists telling me they'd be happy to sell the whole trilogy - but not the individual books!  And the amount of people still asking me for their copy of the third one!  Shows me that these books have the potential to be timeless as our awareness of the environment continues to grow - especially the awareness of the children who will inherit this beautiful world of ours.

Anyway we shall see.  What's that?  11.06?  Must be coffee time!