Have spent most of the day editing Mark Wagstaff's The Canal for Mighty Erudite. He's a really wonderful writer - so dark and bitter, and so very "London". I love it. And he's polished it so much that the edit is delightful. I'm about halfway through now, so should get it finished by early next week. Then it'll be back to The Gifting Part Two of Four ...

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The Storytellers' Cafe is a wonderful intiative from my writing friend Felicity Cowie. Here is how she describes it:

You have to bring your own cup of tea or coffee but come inside and take part in Cafe Improv where you can write the next installment of a group story. Or heckle.

You are also very welcome to submit your own new fiction writing to the site. Or advice about writing. The cafe is also keen to showcase bands, comedians and still or moving pictures. Work is published regularly. Guidelines are available by clicking on the Submit work button.

If you visit Chatter you can post and read any messages asking for or offering help or work. You can post whatever you like although The Management will frown on anything including the words 'bigger', 'satisfied', 'left to you in a will', 'just days to go'. ....

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Had a blissful couple of hours having a Clarins facial and back massage today. Really enjoyed it. People's lives are always more than you think though - my new Clarins therapist was telling me her boyfriend is in the army and has been in Iraq, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. Horrific. I can't imagine it - I don't think I could handle it if it were me. Either being there (obviously) or being the one left waiting. Apparently the unit he was with was blown up at one stage and the therapist was driving somewhere when she heard the news and had to stop and ring his family just in case. Apparently, they always tell the family before it's on the news anyway, so she knew he must be okay, but still, the shock of it. I was glad to hear he's coming out into civilian life this year - a relief for both of them ...

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On her marvellous site and blog, which are a must for any writer, Kelly Spitzer has begun a series called Get Real, where she asks writers and editors to talk about different aspects of writing and publishing. The first round was "Get Real: Writers and Editors discuss the Publishing Process", more specifically, The Rejection Letter. The second Get Real round has just gone up, a fascinating look at writers' views on Online vs. Print Publishing. I am one of the writers participating in this, and it's been interesting to examine the process, as well as to read what everyone else has to say. Check it out.

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Why is it that as soon as I’ve sealed an envelope or parcel of any kind, I start to worry that it might contain something entirely different to whatever it was I originally intended to post? I mean, it’s extremely unlikely that I (or indeed anyone) might accidentally send someone a live chimpanzee, a pile of damp socks, or a box of jelly, instead of the nice, normal book or cuddly toy which I originally planned to dispatch. If nothing else, then surely the conspicuously different shape and smell of the parcel would betray my blunder before I could get too far with the posting process.

No need to worry then, one might think. Unfortunately, however, the potential errors in content about which I'm inclined to fret aren't usually that extreme. They tend to be somewhat subtler, though no less detrimental to my peace of mind. For example, roughly seven seconds after sealing the envelope of a birthday card, I begin to worry that I may not have put the right card inside. For while the envelope clearly does contain a card, who’s to say that I didn’t, in a fit of absent-minded distraction, insert one addressed to someone else, or perhaps one that congratulates the recipient on attaining the wrong age? (Happy Birthday, Grandma – 5 Today!)

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First, I must say thank you to Jane, Ang & Jane’s mother for a wonderful evening out last night. I think we put Godalming to rights and we talked a great deal about vomit. My ideal evening really. Jane’s mother also managed to dissuade me from breaking into the (naturally shut – but it was evening so I forgive them, this time …) briefcase shop which is opposite the restaurant. Probably a wise move. Even I can see it might have been tricky explaining it to the police …

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I felt I should post something on this after reading Welshcake's blog earlier. I don't know the ins and outs of the situation she's referring to (and don't want to either) but here are the basics:

Writer gets fab deal. Fellow writer from one writers' website or another gets jealous and makes snide comments about said success.

Which is silly really.

Why?

Allow me to put forward my answer.

Writers get jealous. They are naturally envious creatures. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. It is natural. Totally.

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As some readers of this blog may have realised, in my spare time, when I’m not fighting off grubby handprints from the boy or working towards a nasty deadline in La Office, I’m a writer.
Now I say I’m a writer because I write. I have written almost three books - and countless columns and a jillion articles on everything ranging from depression to the monthly Diabetes Association meetings.
I’m not really qualified to be a writer. I am, of course, qualified to be a journalist and I follow certain journalistic rules - otherwise I imagine I would get the boot.
But when it comes to writing I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kind of a gal.

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Hey, my two favourite things. Well two of my favourite things anyway. And sound the trumpets but I’m having a good day today. Hurrah! I managed to get the first draft of the Nursery Group minutes done and the Acting Chair is happy with it. Actually, he said he was more than happy – he went so far as to say they were excellent. Ye gods! It’s not often the Head of HR says that to anyone, believe me. Naturally I took the opportunity to ask if now was a good time to enquire after a pay rise – to which he replied that I’d be more than welcome to do so, but to bear in mind that HR knew at least 100 ways of saying no. Ah well, that’s me told then. But hey, it was classy. I might well use that line later …

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Okay bit of fun. Experiment if you like. Often in the blogosphere a story is started and then the challenge is to continue it in the comments.

Let's try it here, where I know a lot of writers hang out, and see what we end up with.
Word Limit per comment is 250.

Have a go, even if you don't consider yourself a writer.

Best contribution to the story wins themselves a £40 amazon voucher! (or $80)

Ready? Here we go ...

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