Errrmmm.....................

I signed up to a book review service recently.  I loved the idea of getting free books to review and I thought why not? Trouble is when I did, my brain was still in 20th century mode and I was thinking of physical copies dropping through the letter box like literature confetti. Wrong!! Naturally virtually all the review requests I got were for electronic copy. Which made me think.

Some time ago, I decided I wanted an iPad. But the more I thought about it, the more bamboozled I became.  Look - I'm fifty seven in less than a fortnight! I'm allowed to be bamboozled by electronic gadgetry, okay!  And being bamboozled by electronic gadgetry is nothing new to me.  I think I have mastered this laptop now.  And I think I am half way there with my camera and my android phone.  But if I got an iPad what would I actually use it for?  What do they actually do?

And once I realised I was going to need something to read whatever books I choose to review, maybe what I needed was a Kindle?  I could not make up my mind one way or the other.  I spoke to a few people who had iPads and they said they didn't know how they managed without it.  Then I spoke to some Kindle readers.  Their argument was that a Kindle would be better because it is designed to hold books, and, since that was mainly what I wanted it for, that made the most sense.

With my birthday creeping ever closer, hubby Steve urged me today to make up my mind.  And I plumped for the Kindle Fire HD.  It can be used for other stuff as well - emails, Twitter, internet, movies etc.  I wouldn't ever use it for movies I know that but I will definitely use it for Books.  So we got it and brought it home and an hour or so ago, I got it all out.  The guy at Currys had set up the account and everything for me - and I have linked it to my email and Twitter accounts.  But after playing with it for an hour, I am still completely in the dark about how to use it.  I have no idea if I am connected to wi-fi or not.  On one screen it said I was.  On another it said I wasn't.  On one screen it advised me  to use free wi-fi - on another I was told I'd need to buy it - £4 for an hour or £35.00 for a month.  I am sure that can only be one option.  I can't believe it is going to cost £35 a month.  My almost-nine year old grand-daughter has one and I am pretty positive her mum doesn't pay £35 a month for that.  Or for her own one either.

In the end, I noticed it was only 40% charged so I have plugged it into fully charge and I will have another play with it tomorrow.   I am quite positive I will eventually get the hang of it because I eventually got the hang of the laptop, digital camera and android phone.  But that doesn't stop me wondering how.  Watch this space.  This could be a new saga.

Coming away from the electronic highway for a minute, the Young Writers had an excellent session yesterday morning.  I had seven regulars and one new member turn up and afterwards had two separate enquiries for potential new members.  One man has five children aged between five and ten that he is thinking of enrolling.  This means our numbers could double by Christmas which would take us back to where we were first time round when I regularly had sixteen youngsters turn up to a session.  When that happens I might need to find another local writer to help me run it.  But we shall see.

So with all this going on I am still managing to find some time to write what I can, when I can.  I am just about keeping on top of everything, although I often wish - as do most of us girls - that there were more hours in a day sometimes.  Because there's still running the house, visiting my old mum and maintaining a full-time job to consider.  And of course I have to save precious time to spend with Steve whom I love more than the entire universe!  So a lady of many facets I have become.

If anyone reading this can give me any advice on how to get the best out of my lovely new Kindle Fire HD please get in touch.  Nobody ever does but I promise I don't bite.  I think we'd get on just fine!  And between me and you I sure could use some advice...

Where Did That Month Go?

Weird thing today.  Woke up and realised we are almost at the end of June.  How did that happen?  I have had two weekend breaks, a holiday, a funeral - and news of a forthcoming new baby - in that time, had My Writer rejected (again), cranked up my online presence, had at least one  Young Writer session, published three pieces on Wattpad (take a look) and still managed to fit in a full time job, several visits to family and keep on top of the washing.  But I have not really had five minutes to sit down and do another blog post which is appalling!!! 

Anyway, all that is changing as of now.  Here I am at the Day Job, using my lunch break  (not to go shopping for a change) to say hello to you.    Yes - I have been very busy.  Have not yet started my new book  but a dozen or so poems have been born - and rediscovered - over the past few weeks and I have all kinds of irons in all kinds of fires.  I flatly refuse to let the latest rejection deter me from envisioning a successful future for My Writer.  Or the Yucketypoo books come to think of it.  But I know I also need to move on and get stuck into something completely new - including making myself known to more editors.  So I am open to commissions of all kinds - articles, features, special occasion stories or poems, ghost-writing, you name it, pretty much.  So if you need a speaker for your writing group (as long as I can get there; I don't drive remember), a competition judge for the latest story/poetry writing competition (yes I have even done that), would like me to come and speak to your class about Creative Writing... just let me know.  I won't let you down.

So that is about it for now.  Lunch break is almost over.  I have eaten my healthy lunch and, in about eight minutes, will be back to the grind.

Don't ever forget that if you do not believe in yourself, how can you expect other people to?  Go out there.  Make it happen.

Good writing!