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Heavens! It’s nearly nine – where has the day gone?  After our weekend away in Hereford it was strange to come back to my two days off.  Monday got taken up with all the domestic stuff missed from the weekend and today I’ve been a ‘lady who lunches’ with my good friend Jude who has just retired from teaching.  She’s really enjoying being a woman of leisure and like many of my contemporaries who have closed the door on the world of work, seems to find no end of things to do,.  She’s holidaying in Tuscany soon and then off to Nepal later in the year.

Currently, I’m still waiting for my book to be put on Amazon and become available for purchase.  It’s been a frustrating time, caused, I have to admit by yours truly.  I won’t go into detail but suffice it to say I have learned valuable lessons here which will never, ever be repeated because if they are I think I will definitely be sending for the men in white coats!  Everything is ready, including the book trailer and I’m anticipating a launch some time next week, fingers crossed!  Once the launch has happened I’ll feel my life is uncluttered enough to sit down and think about my next project.  I’ve sort of worked out a plot. The start, which will be a Prologue, is worked out in detail so at least I have something to start on.  However, looking back at Between Today and Yesterday, there were a lot of scenes which ended up ‘on the cutting room floor’ – they were a good idea at the time but once the book took shape for one reason or another they didn’t fit.  I do tend to keep the discarded bits in an archive file until the book is finally finished as sometimes they do come in handy.

It’s 9.10 now and time to finish off the evening with some reading and a large glass of wine.  Am currently 37% of the way through Barbara Erskine’s River of Destiny.  Catch you all again soon.

Thursday 26^th July, 2012

So what’s been going on in my week then?  Well it’s been all go with the book, or should I say book trailer.  I’ve been meaning to create one for quite a long time as it seems to me looking at what other authors do, it’s quite an essential part of the marketing process.  So knowing the actual book was nearing publication I decided to have a go at a trailer.  I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out and looking at others I’ve seen was quite convinced I could never come up to the same professional standard.  However, as in a lot of things, it’s the fear of the unknown which makes something new seem like a mountain to climb.  Luckily I have Windows Live Movie Maker on my home PC and when I opened up it looked straightforward enough.  I had a trial run with a few photos from my own electronic albums just to get the hang of it.  Then I searched on the websites I’d use when developing my book covers.  Jane Dixon Smith had forwarded links and I had kept these just in case I needed them; it proved to be a sensible decision.  First of all I looked at the back cover synopsis and took the key points.  Then I searched the websites for shots to match.  I downloaded samples and put together the draft trailer.  Once I was happy I contacted Jane and ordered the photos.  Next came the music.  There are a lot of royalty free music websites and after looking at several I found Jewelbeat which I thought had by far the best tracks to suit the trailer.   Looking through the website I actually found a piece of music that I liked and found I could download for free – even better!  By Monday I had put the whole thing together, complete with a title and a finish which gave the title again plus where to buy.  I have to say I found the whole process very addictive, more creative stuff you see, just like writing!

On Tuesday my proof copy of the book arrived by courier.  I had been checking through the electronic version again while waiting for it to arrive and I could see there were at least half a dozen more tweaks needed.  After checking through the book I e-mailed the corrections/amendments and am currently waiting for yet another proof copy to OK before the green light can be given.  The book is already advertised on Amazon with no picture and in pre-order mode.  There’s no e-book yet as that has to wait until I give the OK after receiving the up-to-date proof copy.  My new website, courtesy of Jane Dixon Smith is almost ready too – another brilliant job!  So, I’m thinking that by next week we should be ready to launch – it’s all extremely exciting and I’m hoping those who choose to purchase or download enjoy the book.  I think it’s the best I’ve done so far.

Yesterday I had the worst thing possible happen.  My iPod died.  Now me and music are totally inseparable – the iPod goes everywhere with me.  I find music both relaxing and inspirational – I simply cannot be without it. Anyway, to continue, I had recharged the battery over the weekend and used the iPod on Monday when ironing.  There’s another area where music is so essential says she taking the story completely off course again.  It almost enables me to have an out of body experience, drifting away somewhere wonderful with the distraction of Adele or one of my favourite rock bands while the ironing (one of my most hated jobs) is being done on autopilot.   So as far as I was concerned yesterday morning, the fact that it was working on Monday meant that everything was OK.

But it wasn’t.   When I connected up to iTunes to download some music I had purchased the day before, iTunes did not recognise the iPod.  In fact when I opened up there was just a blank screen.  Nightmare!  So on my way to work I dropped into the local Apple Store.  Very business-like there – you are greeted at the door and given a timed appointment.  Mine was set in ten minutes, so very quick.  I’d get a confirmatory e-mail message I was told.  Unfortunately my mobile is just a basic communication tool, no fancy apps so a bit wasted really.  Anyway, I returned as requested and was directed to this long bar at the end of the store.  Pulling myself up onto one of the high stools I sat with five others to wait.  When I did eventually get to speak to one of their ‘experts’ he asked me how old the iPod was and when I said two months old he smiled and said that it was probably having an adolescent strop.  He showed me how to correct the problem – very easy – but he didn’t actually say what had caused it and I left the store none the wiser but happy that my sanity had been restored.

Tonight it is very hot and airless.  The good weather is great, but it always ends the same way, humid and sticky with the inevitable thunder storm.  Sitting up here in the office (which is another word for our smallest bedroom) it’s particularly uncomfortable as the front of the house faces west and the sun takes a while to lose itself behind the hill.  Even with the blinds down and the window open there is no air.  Time I think to leave and organise myself a nice glass of chilled white wine!

 

PS  – Trailer will be revealed on Monday, I’ll include it in my next post.

Thursday 26^th July, 2012

So what’s been going on in my week then?  Well it’s been all go with the book, or should I say book trailer.  I’ve been meaning to create one for quite a long time as it seems to me looking at what other authors do, it’s quite an essential part of the marketing process.  So knowing the actual book was nearing publication I decided to have a go at a trailer.  I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out and looking at others I’ve seen was quite convinced I could never come up to the same professional standard.  However, as in a lot of things, it’s the fear of the unknown which makes something new seem like a mountain to climb.  Luckily I have Windows Live Movie Maker on my home PC and when I opened up it looked straightforward enough.  I had a trial run with a few photos from my own electronic albums just to get the hang of it.  Then I searched on the websites I’d use when developing my book covers.  Jane Dixon Smith had forwarded links and I had kept these just in case I needed them; it proved to be a sensible decision.  First of all I looked at the back cover synopsis and took the key points.  Then I searched the websites for shots to match.  I downloaded samples and put together the draft trailer.  Once I was happy I contacted Jane and ordered the photos.  Next came the music.  There are a lot of royalty free music websites and after looking at several I found Jewelbeat which I thought had by far the best tracks to suit the trailer.   Looking through the website I actually found a piece of music that I liked and found I could download for free – even better!  By Monday I had put the whole thing together, complete with a title and a finish which gave the title again plus where to buy.  I have to say I found the whole process very addictive, more creative stuff you see, just like writing!

On Tuesday my proof copy of the book arrived by courier.  I had been checking through the electronic version again while waiting for it to arrive and I could see there were at least half a dozen more tweaks needed.  After checking through the book I e-mailed the corrections/amendments and am currently waiting for yet another proof copy to OK before the green light can be given.  The book is already advertised on Amazon with no picture and in pre-order mode.  There’s no e-book yet as that has to wait until I give the OK after receiving the up-to-date proof copy.  My new website, courtesy of Jane Dixon Smith is almost ready too – another brilliant job!  So, I’m thinking that by next week we should be ready to launch – it’s all extremely exciting and I’m hoping those who choose to purchase or download enjoy the book.  I think it’s the best I’ve done so far.

Yesterday I had the worst thing possible happen.  My iPod died.  Now me and music are totally inseparable – the iPod goes everywhere with me.  I find music both relaxing and inspirational – I simply cannot be without it. Anyway, to continue, I had recharged the battery over the weekend and used the iPod on Monday when ironing.  There’s another area where music is so essential says she taking the story completely off course again.  It almost enables me to have an out of body experience, drifting away somewhere wonderful with the distraction of Adele or one of my favourite rock bands while the ironing (one of my most hated jobs) is being done on autopilot.   So as far as I was concerned yesterday morning, the fact that it was working on Monday meant that everything was OK.

But it wasn’t.   When I connected up to iTunes to download some music I had purchased the day before, iTunes did not recognise the iPod.  In fact when I opened up there was just a blank screen.  Nightmare!  So on my way to work I dropped into the local Apple Store.  Very business-like there – you are greeted at the door and given a timed appointment.  Mine was set in ten minutes, so very quick.  I’d get a confirmatory e-mail message I was told.  Unfortunately my mobile is just a basic communication tool, no fancy apps so a bit wasted really.  Anyway, I returned as requested and was directed to this long bar at the end of the store.  Pulling myself up onto one of the high stools I sat with five others to wait.  When I did eventually get to speak to one of their ‘experts’ he asked me how old the iPod was and when I said two months old he smiled and said that it was probably having an adolescent strop.  He showed me how to correct the problem – very easy – but he didn’t actually say what had caused it and I left the store none the wiser but happy that my sanity had been restored.

Tonight it is very hot and airless.  The good weather is great, but it always ends the same way, humid and sticky with the inevitable thunder storm.  Sitting up here in the office (which is another word for our smallest bedroom) it’s particularly uncomfortable as the front of the house faces west and the sun takes a while to lose itself behind the hill.  Even with the blinds down and the window open there is no air.  Time I think to leave and organise myself a nice glass of chilled white wine!

 

 

Well, I’ve actually arrived at that defining point in time.  That moment when it’s finally finished.  I’m talking about my latest book, Between Today and Yesterday.  It’s gone and now I’m waiting for my single proof copy to come back from the printers in Milton Keynes.  I do one last check, advise the publisher if there are any more amendments and if not then it will be offered to the world at large. This book, I have to say, has been so full on that it will be a glorious experience to get back to normality for a while.  Don’t get me wrong, I love writing, but it takes over your life and everything else has to take a back seat.  You find yourself scrabbling around to fit everything in and the things you took in your stride now become last minute panic jobs.

However, because I have my life back for a while, it doesn’ mean I’ve switched off from writing completely.  Oh no, my brain won’t allow me to do that.  Once you’ve finished, that little niggling thought is worming its way into your mind telling you that you have to think about the next one.  And I have sort of been doing that. A couple of weeks ago I was away for a whole week in South Devon and imagined quite foolishly that I could clear my mind of anything remotely connect with back home.  However, during that time I managed to plot the prologue for my fifth book.  So I know how it all kicks off, but where we go after that is currently a bit of a magical mystery tour.  Of course it always comes to me in the end.  It’s like I’m drip fed the plot by some superior life form.  When I started Between Today and Yesterday it was just the same.  I knew how the first part of the book would develop and the end.  It was the middle that was a bit of a grey area.  Because of that I was worried I would never find enough words to complete a decent sized novel.  How silly of me to worry!  The book has come out at around 144,000 words, nearly 30,000 words more than any of the three books of the trilogy.  I’d originally set myself a target of 120,000 but when it began nudging over that I knew by the way the story was going that I would never be able to keep to that target.  Anyway, all the angst and worry really isn’t of any concern any more, the book is finished, the journey ended and I’m actually sitting here feeling quite please with myself as it’s probably the best thing I’ve written so far. Am over the moon! I certainly hope those who decide to read it feel the same way.

Now then, enough of all this chatter, I’m off for an hour’s TV and a large glass of red wine!  Will catch up again tomorrow

What a week!  Rain like nothing I’ve ever seen before – and it took me nearly an hour to travel 3 miles home last night.  Then found out part of the cause of the traffic chaos (beside the rain) was the fact that both our Unis had an open day yesterday.  Bath sort of teeters on the edge of gridlock.  All it takes is one brewery lorry unloading and blocking the road and hey! we’re all stuck in the same place for long periods of time.  And it’s not only what happens in the city.  Several years ago there was a very bad crash on a raised section of the M5 south of Bristol.  It took a huge amount of time to clear the road for traffic and as a consequence we had a total shutdown of the road system.  Not just us, but nearby cities such as Wells.  I can remember taking forever to get from the hospital to the bus station, only to find no buses running because they were stuck on the perimeter of the city on their way in.  It felt just like war had broken out; people pushing and shoving, really stressed out because they just wanted to get home.  Think I made it home by seven that time.  Bath does suffer, it’s not a city which sits well with cars and with many of the big Georgian houses being converted to flats, we now have a situation where some areas are totally clogged with parked cars.  Luckily I live on the perimeter near green fields and woods, something which is always good to come home to after a travel battle.

This week has had its lighter moments, however, like yesterday morning, when I arrived at Bath Bus Station to find a large group of young women waiting for the National Express en route to Ascot and Ladies Day.  On a miserably grey morning, their colourful clothes, hats, fascinators and skyscraper heels plus lots of excited chatter – oh and a couple of large wicker picnic baskets – made me wish I was going with them.

Next week holiday – a break from work and my current novel.  It’s nearly there.  The cover has been sorted and is ready, the book has been laid out and returned to me for a final check.  I’ve finished but my editor has a copy and am waiting for her to come back with her observations.  Once we’re both happy it can be returned to the publisher for sending off to the printers.  And then that very special moment I, and no doubt many of my fellow writers look forward to – receiving the book in the post.  Looking at it you realise that all those evenings when you sat in front of the PC until almost midnight, all those times you looked at it and said to yourself, is this going to work as a book?  Will anyone want to read it? All that angst, well it was worth it because here you are with your finished product.  For me that is such a special feeling.

Anyway, while I’m away I’m going to be thinking about book 5.  I’ve already got an idea marinating, but it needs a bit more thinking about before I actually start putting down some thoughts.  At the moment I’m calling it The Other Side of Morning which is the title of a track by the 90’s Scottish band Del Amitri.  All my books, with the exception of Love Lies and Promises have had their titles taken from songs and I find its something that works well for me.  It may only end up as a working title but if I like it enough (as I did with Between Today and Yesterday [an Alan Price song]) then I’ll hang on to it.

So bye for now – off for a coffee and the rest of Graham Norton and then to bed!  Catch you all at the end of next week.  Have left you with a shot of our apartment block, the two velux windows in the roof on the far right of the picture – that’s where we’ll be.

I’ve been trying so hard to fit everything in and it hasn’t worked.  But now I’ve finally finished all the amendments to my book’s PDF and life can perhaps get back to normal.  It’s been a very intense period, wanting to get the checking done, eager to get the whole thing off your hands and nearer to publication.  At least when you’re writing you are the one in the driving seat.  Currently someone else is pulling the strings!   On opening up the PDF my first thoughts were that  it’s surprising what you don’t notice when you’re reading a document with double line spacing.  Now, looking at something which is to all intents and purposes an electronic book (or how your book will eventually look), it opens your eyes to things and you wonder how you missed them in the first place!  However, that’s all behind me now.  All done and dusted  – phew! what hard work , but I wouldn’t give it up for the world.  I love writing!

On the home front, this weekend has been a bit of a mouse-fest.  This wet summer has meant the field behind the house is teaming with wildlife and the cats are capitalising on it.  The poor old hawk hovering over the long grass doesn’t appear to be faring too well, though.  He’s probably quite dismayed at the number of cats sitting on my neighbour’s fence which appears to be a favourite feline vantage point for surveying potential victims.

I don’t mind dead bodies, I can cope with that – it’s the live ones I’m not very happy about and worse than that, the ones which are brought in secretly and actually live in the house until my feline charges realise they are there.  Max is the worst culprit.  He’ll bring in a catch and abandon it straight away, wandering off to find his food bowl in the kitchen.  The mouse/vole/shrew will either scuttle to safety (preferably somewhere dark and out of sight) or just sit there totally perplexed.  If we are there then we can repatriate it.  However, if we’re not, we end up with both an unknown and unwanted lodger.  Days later I’ll find Max poking a paw in some corner or sitting in one place for a long time concentrating his feline gaze under an item of furniture.  The poor thing normally surfaces quite quickly and I can despatch it back to the field.  Its freedom is probably only going to be short lived though as one of the other cats is bound to catch it!  Not much of a life if you’re a mouse!

So here we are at last – journey’s end.  I can’t believe I’ve finished the manuscript, it’s been edited and now everything has gone off to the publisher.  Mind you there’s still a fair way to go before the whole thing is available to the public.  Jane Dixon-Smith my cover designer now has to liaise with James at Authors on Line.  James has to set the book up and let Jane know how many pagesthere will be, Then Jane will load the cover into the template he sends her.  Once completed this all goes back to James and cover and book go to the printers.  I then receive a draft copy for final checks and if I’m happy then we can publish!

If the truth be known I feel I’m in a bit of a vacuum at the moment.  My baby has gone; a project I’ve spent so much blood,sweat and tears ove during the past 18 months.  When the trilogy was finished and published I had a few scenes already down for this book, but had no idea how it would develop.  I had the core of the story but knew in order to make it into a complete book, other characters had to come in with their own stories which would in some way tie in to the main thread of the journey.  Some of the old characters have been left out as there was no way they needed to be involved on this occasion.  However, I think Between Today and Yesterday finishes in a way which means a fifth book is possible.  And from the fragments which I’m currently collecting, it will be as unputdownable as all the others and those are not my words!

Written 8.30am Friday 8^th June on arrival at the office.

To say it’s wet this morning is an understatement.  I really hoped by the time I left the house the weather would have finished venting its spleen on the UK, but not so.  With difficulty I managed to control my umbrella aware that one gust could have me airborne like a  modern day Mary Poppins  floating over the valley.  The footpath that connects our road with the A4 gave me a false sense of security.  It was sheltered and quiet, but I knew when I reached the main road not only would the wind and rain be back, but I would be at the mercy of every passing car and lorry ploughing through a virtual lake of surface water.  I’m not sure whether they just don’t see the water, or whether they’re up for a challenge – let’s soak a pedestrian on our way to work.  Whatever passes through their minds, by the time I got to the bus stop I was well and truly soaked, not only from traffic  spray but from the fact that water runs off my lovely waterproof mac straight into my trousers!  Our bus stop has no shelter, despite many pleas to First Bus and the local Council, therefore I was anticipating an even wetter wait, but then, just as I got there, a bus pulled up. The driver, long blond hair and the chiselled features of a young Sean Bean became my knight in shining armour. I don’t usually catch this particular bus as it goes through the village picking up the world and his dog.  My usual bus runs a good five minutes later but because it uses the bypass, is quicker and arrives in the city in good time for my connection to the hospital.  However this morning I was just glad to get on board the first vehicle that came by and out of the monsoon, umbrella and me dripping nicely over the floor of the bus!

 

It’s Monday today, although it actually feels like Sunday.  I get thoroughly disoreientated over Bank Holiday weekends now I only work part time.  By the time I finish work completely, I’ll be totally confused!

The week started off well.  Tuesday morning enter one plumber and assistant to tear out old leaking boiler and replace it with a brand new one.  In the fitting of this we lose our hot water tank and cold water tank in the roof.  Everything comes straight off the mains now, that’s how a combi boiler works apparently.

Wednesday I leave for work around 10 am.  Floorboards are up and I’m hopeful when they nail them back down neither of the cats is beneath them!

Thursday morning we can have a shower, everything up and running and is so powerful that it has the potential to blow you through the window and out into the garden.  It will obviously need adjustment and some getting used to.

Friday evening I arrive home to find a utilities van outside the house.  They’ve hit a snag.  The main gas pipe into the house is not sufficient in circumference to feed the new boiler.  It’s registering 14 when the minimum is 18.  ~We are told they will return on Sunday to did up the road and put in a new pipe.  Am glad we have no street party booked otherwise there would have been total chaos.

Sunday a crew of four arrive, dig two holes, fit pipe and leave.  Holes are surrounded by large plastic barriers waiting for another crew to come and fill in properly and tarmac.  From other examples I’ve seen in the past, we could be looking at weeks with these mole hills!  Our problem is sorted, gas now registering 21 – woo hoo!  Well within the limits.  Neighbour opposite is away, although car left on drive.  Am hoping he’s gone for a week because the utilites men have partially blocked his driveway with their orange plastic barriers.  He will not be pleased if he returns.

Monday (today) plumber has returned to commission boiler.  Heating must be run to achieve this.  I’m wilting!  Radiators are so hot you can’t touch them!  At least it looks good for winter says she trying to be positive.

Tomorrow is the last day of the Jubilee Holiday and am hoping this will be quiet and totally non-eventful!