Pearlies

These beautiful pearly whites aren't mine, alas, but am feeling pretty cheery on the dental front today. A visit to the dentists went by without drilling or pain, which was a great relief to me, not having had a filling for probably about 20 years. The experience was so pleasant in fact, that I kept having to remind myself to keep my mouth sufficiently wide open to allow the dentist to work, because I was drifting off in the chair, thinking of ideas for books and stories and characters! LOL

In other news, I've spent the afternoon bouncing ideas of a friend in pursuit of something fairly important to me. And it's been productive. Even if only in the sense that I've done something 'active' rather than just being passive on a certain issue I've been passive - and angsty - too long over.

Daily Tweetage

• 23:23 Daily Tweetage: 23:22 Daily Tweetage: 23:22 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:21 Daily Tweet.. tinyurl.com/53nqle
• 12:07 Have just spent hours, searching for an important paper document in piles and piles of junk. The good news is - I found it! Result!!!!!
• 20:22 Watching the Euro Championship football... Spain are the better team, and winning, but I still fancy Michael Ballack of Germany!

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Sorting out Sunday again....

and it needs it!

As you'll have seen from my tweet, I've been searching and sorting amongst the morass of disorganised paper and assorted crap that constitutes my filing system. There was an important document I wanted to consult, and when I went to the filing cabinet that I barely use at all, and looked in the relevant section... needless to say said document wasn't there, because I took it out a couple of months ago, when I thought I had need of it then. And yeah, I didn't file it away again... that would have been far too easy!

But the good news is that I've found it, and marked it and sort of filed it so I won't lose it again. But I really need to slowly, perhaps, bring order to the chaos. I can't go on having to have these frantic, angst-ridden and emotionally draining searches for things. I haven't the time. But, I need to invest time in getting things sorted first, even if only gradually.

Actually, I need a secretary, or a PA, or even a wife to sort my life out for me. But wait... I'm a wife myself. Mmmm.... something wrong there. LOL

Daily Tweetage

• 23:22 Daily Tweetage: 23:22 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:21 Daily Tweetage: 20:08 Been out to.. tinyurl.com/3jxx6x
• 08:53 Who is this....: ... crazy broad with a nightmare clothes sense and a different kind of mad hair? A.. tinyurl.com/6zvkrm
• 16:21 Wahey... smiley Alvaro won...: the 250s, at Assen! Sadly, Valentino fell off at the first corner .. tinyurl.com/5vx2uo

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Wahey... smiley Alvaro won...

the 250s, at Assen!

Sadly, Valentino fell off at the first corner in the MotoGP, but at least he got back on the bike and finished.

Who is this....

... crazy broad with a nightmare clothes sense and a different kind of mad hair? And what the hell is she doing?

Many thanks to my buddy Jackie for this blast from the past!

Daily Tweetage

• 23:22 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:21 Daily Tweetage: 20:08 Been out today, sorting a few thi.. tinyurl.com/57l73h
• 23:27 Well, at least my office ceiling has stopped leaking now...
• 23:51 Courtesy of Stuff On My Cat: This isn't one of mine... but I couldn't resist it! LOLStuff On My Cat tinyurl.com/4fxo5c
• 15:53 I've got another one for you....: Found via the Scarlet newsletter... and priceless! LOL tinyurl.com/5nm6pb
• 19:52 I'm getting an Edward Norton kind of vibe...: for my next book. I think it's now safe to say that .. tinyurl.com/5ps54p
• 20:01 Nice day today, out lunching with a fellow author. No rain to speak of either... Have some tough decisions ahead though... sigh...

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I'm getting an Edward Norton kind of vibe...

for my next book.

I think it's now safe to say that I've got another Black Lace novel in the pipeline. Haven't actually laid my sticky mitts on the contract, but it's in the works. The book's called KISS IT BETTER, and while I haven't got an actual publication date, I reckon it'll be around June time next year when it's out. Have to deliver by 1st December.

I believe I talked about this book a bit on the blog some time ago, when it had a working title of Smalltown. It's about a couple who've met before, fleetingly and in stressful circumstances, who get together many years later, in circumstances that are also somewhat angsty, at least on the hero's part. Won't go into details, but he's a guy with major issues and secrets, but a profoundly romantic heart and sensibility.

When I originally conceived a prototype of this idea, quite a few years ago, it was a straight romance, and the hero template was James Marsters, but time passes, and me being a floozy, I move on to new passions. I still like James a lot, but he's not right for this hero any more. Neither is my beloved Vincenzo and neither is the delightful Professor Hottie. They've both had their books and stories, and no doubt all these simmering, sexy guys will appear in future yarns of mine, but for this hero, the man whose image calls to me, who feels right for Jay, is Edward Norton... I started to fancy him in a major way when I saw The Illusionist, and that spurred me to write The Retreat, for the Bound Brits collection... so he was a natural for this new story. He seems quirky and deep to me, just as Jay is... and I might even let him have a sexy little goatee beard again too! ;)

Hubba hubba, eh, Sarah? ;)

ps. nip over to my pal Saskia Walker's blog for some awesomely exciting news from her too!

I've got another one for you....

Found via the Scarlet newsletter... and priceless! LOL

Courtesy of Stuff On My Cat

This isn't one of mine... but I couldn't resist it! LOL

Stuff On My Cat

Daily Tweetage

• 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:21 Daily Tweetage: 20:08 Been out today, sorting a few things out and getting so.. tinyurl.com/655uth
• 08:55 Am in a better mood today... I think. LOL
• 09:21 Here's a nice...: ... picture of Alice, reposing on a box. I'm not sure how she can be comfortable,.. tinyurl.com/3uohuk
• 13:17 Agh, I think I have dislocated myself, trying to do a burlesque workout as research for a story! I am far too old to strut my stuff... :(
• 15:52 Oh crap, we're having a torrential rainstorm and water is dripping from the ceiling in my office. I don't work in there, but still... scary.

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Here's a nice...

... picture of Alice, reposing on a box. I'm not sure how she can be comfortable, but it seems she is. :)

Daily Tweetage

• 00:21 Daily Tweetage: 20:08 Been out today, sorting a few things out and getting some stuff for my RWA tr.. tinyurl.com/6bglzk
• 09:57 Ooh, I'm in a bad mood today. I could smash the house up. I really could... Good job I'm alone, or there could be injuries... grrrr...
• 10:54 I'm grumpy again...: ... but what's new there?I know I should be nicer, and more philosophical and .. tinyurl.com/3ox6o3

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I'm grumpy again...

... but what's new there?

I know I should be nicer, and more philosophical and all that, but I'm not. I'm in one of those moods or phases when everything seems to annoy me, and make me grind my teeth and scowl, and feel more collosally curmudgeonly than I already am. I'm the sort of person I hate, actually. Always seeing the glass half empty and being jealous and resentful and downbeat.

I don't know whether it's my age, or just my horrible personality. Probably a bit of both. I've always been like this, but now, as the years pass, I just get more and more like an evil old witch, muttering in my cave and harumphing all the time.

I really must cheer up and adopt a positive attitude before RWA or nobody will speak to me!

Daily Tweetage

• 20:08 Been out today, sorting a few things out and getting some stuff for my RWA trip. Bit tired now, probably won't work today...
• 20:09 Andy Murray has won his first match at Wimbledon! In straight sets. Way to go, Andy!
• 20:13 Have made myself a fan page at Facebook.tinyurl.com/6l47qs Not much there yet. It'll be embarrassing if nobody signs up as a fan!

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Daily Tweetage

• 23:20 Daily Tweetage: 23:21 Daily Tweetage: 23:20 Daily Tweetage: 23:55 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweet.. tinyurl.com/6gyekj
• 07:58 I must be more constructive today and not spend so much time on Facebook!
• 16:51 Is sorting out drawers and throwing out junk constructive? I think it is! :)
• 16:52 Non writing progress...: I haven't done any writing today. I haven't even done any web design bits .. tinyurl.com/3e7rj6

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Non writing progress...

I haven't done any writing today. I haven't even done any web design bits yet, either, and I've a client coming back from her hols on Wednesday who'll be expecting to see new stuff on her site. But I am filled with a quiet sense of achievement today, because I did some 'sorting out'.

There's not much to show for it, superficially, but I vetted one of the 'piles' in my office, and in doing so, found a document that I was actually looking for and which was the whole motivation for starting the sorting. And finding it, I discovered something that pleased me. Something I thought was part of a horrible mess was actually sorted. So less mess to worry about.

While I was in this sorting mood, I turned to the drawers in the bedroom. Again, I was in search of a particular item in an ocean of jumbled crud, and again, I found the item [although nearly lost it again, by putting it away again...] I was looking for. I also did a bit of chucking of clothing I know I won't wear, which was handy because a charity had left a plastic bag to be filled for collection on Wednesday. Result!

Again, there's not a massive reduction in crud to naked eye, but it's resulted in a slightly more manageable situation and that's satisfying. I'm very tired now, but I feel as if I haven't wasted the day so far. Obviously, no work on stories or anything, but I still feel that the time's been well spent, when often it isn't and I just fritter it away. And feel bad.

I've also watched last night's Top Gear, and particularly enjoyed the 'home made police car' feature, although some of the rest of it wasn't quite up to the lads usual stellar standards. I experimented with watching the prog on the Beeb's Iplayer thingie, because I forgot to tape it, due to putzing around on Facebook and also half watching a terrible game of football last night.

I may try and do a bit of webby stuff tonight, and possibly think a bit more about the story that's on my mind at the moment. It's about burlesque dancing, so if you know anything about that, do get in touch! :)

Daily Tweetage

• 23:21 Daily Tweetage: 23:20 Daily Tweetage: 23:55 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:53 Daily Tweet.. tinyurl.com/4qskak
• 10:56 Sunday... I think this will be a day of motorbikes and football on the telly, and not much achieved. But you never know... ;)
• 13:51 A British Winner!: Congratulations to Scott Redding, who's just won the 125cc class at the British .. tinyurl.com/3k9jqv
• 16:11 Time to get on my exercise bike and do my daily constitutional...
• 16:20 I must not become addicted...: ... to Facebook!I've been spending far too much time on it in the la.. tinyurl.com/4nt8a2
• 17:24 Wow, just got a brill review of WILD IN THE COUNTRY! Ta, Cheryl! tinyurl.com/5loqn9
• 17:51 A great review for WILD IN THE COUNTRY!: I've just been given a lovely review of WILD IN THE COUNTR.. tinyurl.com/4pskcj
• 18:01 Wow, another great review! Two on the bounce... www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Magicanddesire.html
• 20:20 I don't believe it! In a good way...: I got another great review, this one for my contribution to t.. tinyurl.com/6ldnpk
• 21:30 Agh, the football is rubbish tonight!

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I don't believe it! In a good way...

I got another great review, this one for my contribution to the MAGIC AND DESIRE antho, ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT.

Lototy of Coffee Time Romance says:

Ms. Da Costa gifts her readers with characters that really touch the heart.

Isn't that lovely?

You can read the full review here.

A great review for WILD IN THE COUNTRY!

I've just been given a lovely review of WILD IN THE COUNTRY, by Cheryl at Cheryl's Book Nook. Here's a clip of what she says...

"... when you start a Portia Da Costa book you better clear some time as you will find yourself getting not wanting to put the book down till the last page. Wild in the Country had me loving every moment of it"

And here's the full review!

Many thanks to Cheryl, and to all the other wonderful readers and reviewers out there who've read my books and invested their time in posting reviews. I'm going to do better about thanking you here in this blog in future... you're the best!

And even those who've reviewed but didn't like my books. I still appreciate you taking the time to read my work, and I respect your opinions. I always like to think that my next book might hit the spot better for you. :)

I must not become addicted...

... to Facebook!

I've been spending far too much time on it in the last few days, when I should be writing, doing web design, coming up with new ideas, planning for RWA, and generally trying to get myself organised and keep on top of everything in my life!

But FB is fun, and it's so much easier to update content there than it is on MySpace, which still requires that you grapple with html and stuff to add things to your profile.

I'm going to do better though. I'm going to pitch into my to do list, and achieve something!

A British Winner!

Congratulations to Scott Redding, who's just won the 125cc class at the British MotoGP meeting at Donnington Park. This gladiator on a motorbike is only 15 years old, and even though he can wrestle a powerful machine around a demanding race track, battling with fierce opposition, he's still too young to drink the celebratory champagne on the podium!

In other news, I'm having a very lazy day here. Just doing a bit of web design work and spending far to omuch time pootling around on Facebook! Alas, it's a bit of an obsession at the moment.

Daily Tweetage

• 23:20 Daily Tweetage: 23:55 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:53 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweet.. tinyurl.com/4zwo7n
• 00:23 Have decided to uninstall twitterfox for the time being... have had a few FF3 crashes... don't think my old 'puter can manage...
• 10:16 I had a rubbish day yesterday. Next to no writing, although did do a bit of research. Must do better today!
• 11:16 Erk, reading the FF forums, seems lots of problems with v3. So no just me. Hope they issue a bugfix soon. No twitterfox for me until then.
• 13:06 Saturday is flying by and I'm achieving nothing. Spending too much time tossing around on Facebook.
• 13:06 And the weather is crap! Bucketing it down with rain, and very cold for supposedly mid summer.

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Daily Tweetage

• 23:55 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:53 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 09:58 decisions d.. tinyurl.com/6moj4y
• 09:43 Tons to do today, but need to wake up first! Weird dreams about being on a plane. Must be fear about my RWA flight manifesting itself.
• 11:37 I am such a dork! I completely forgot it was my husband's birthday! But I think he'd forgotten too, so not too bad... Just texted him. :)

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Daily Tweetage

• 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:53 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 09:58 decisions decisions: Apart from m.. tinyurl.com/49bv3z
• 08:47 Right, time to get my breakfast, get dressed and get some work done! Also do some static cycling whilst watching BSG DVD.
• 08:51 Today I will do better!: Am going to make a concentrated effort to do the stuff I'm supposed to be .. tinyurl.com/6jk6eb
• 10:57 Aw, I was going to do so well today and now crap, complicated bank stuff has arrived in the post, and I can't find stuff I need...
• 13:54 Day not going well... no writing done. Too many complications arising...
• 15:02 An astonishing thing... Day going bad, then suddenly, opened my story and did 1K words! Just need to do about 200 now, then it's done!
• 15:03 Anybody having trouble with MySpace? I keep getting a service unavailable message.
• 15:51 MySpace seems to be fine again now. Must have been teething troubles with all the shiny newness! :)
• 16:18 Wahey, have finished my story! 1.2K words today!
• 21:59 Now I'm thinking about another story. One I had absolutely no idea I might write until around a couple of hours ago. An unexpected project.

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Today I will do better!

Am going to make a concentrated effort to do the stuff I'm supposed to be doing today. The 'to do' list is massive again, still, as ever, and I need to polish some items off... including:

1. finish a story [HANG TOUGH]
2. polish some answers to interview questions and send them off to the interviewer
3. do a bit of work towards the tranche of web updates that've just come in
4. do some RWA prep, including order some stuff, make lists, timetables of stuff to do
5. edit two other stories [LIAISONS thing and FLICKER]
6. keep on top of my accounts
7. do some reading for a mate [this is a priority priority, actually]
8. begin thinking about how to tackle my next Black Lace
9. try and pull together some proposals for new book ideas [yeah, like that's *so* easy...]
10. bloody well stop foofing about!

In spite of the technological distractions of yesterday, I did achieve a bit of writing. Just a very modest 200 words, so all is not lost on that front. :)

Right, better get some breakfast and start on the above list...

Daily Tweetage

• 00:53 Daily Tweetage: 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 09:58 decisions decisions: Apart from managing to get my acco.. tinyurl.com/66zfo7
• 08:45 Who out there has installed Firefox 3? Everything okay? I want to do it, but I'm a bit scared...
• 12:45 Eek, I've installed Firefox 3! Hope I haven't cocked things up...
• 15:23 new toys, new procrastinations: I am so naughty. I will do anything rather than buckle down to my w.. tinyurl.com/3gm7bh
• 15:26 Wah! Why has my Twitterfox 'T' gone red?
• 16:09 Oh dear, it's really turning into a day of procrastination today! Have to go out again soon, and no writing done at all... sigh...
• 21:52 Well, despite a colossal amount of procrastination and displacement activity today, I did manage 200 words of a story. Beats nothing...
• 21:55 Yikes, I'm Tweeting big time here! LOL

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new toys, new procrastinations

I am so naughty. I will do anything rather than buckle down to my writing. I'm always looking for new techno doohickeys and whotnots to play with rather than apply myself to the serious business of writing.

Yesterday, I signed up for Facebook again, because a good buddy of mine has just joined. I was in Facebook a while back, but as 'Wendy', but I've now joined as 'Portia' instead. Bit schizo of me, I know, but there you are... If you're a Facebook nut, look for me as Portia Da Costa.

I've also just installed the spiffy new Firefox v.3! Very swish and nifty. Bit of a panic now and again, of course, when things don't work quite the way they used to, but you soon get used to the new versions of things... and I think I'm going to like the new Fox.

I've also installed Twitterfox, to further feed my Twitter addiction. Which means all I have to do is click a little 'T' in my status bar in order to 'tweet'!

Daily Tweetage

• 23:51 Daily Tweetage: 09:58 decisions decisions: Apart from managing to get my accounts done, I really ha.. tinyurl.com/3h8pym
• 09:38 Loads to do today. Feeling swamped again. And panicking because it's only 6 weeks today to setting off for RWA and have tons to organise!
• 10:12 Oh noes! I just dug into another drawer that I haven't looked in for ages. Found masses of stuff that requires throw/no throw angst!

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Daily Tweetage

• 09:58 decisions decisions: Apart from managing to get my accounts done, I really haven't had all that pro.. tinyurl.com/6n6rj3
• 14:42 Wow, I'm doing great today! Have just done 1.6K on an old story that's been hanging around for months... and have finished draft #1 of it!!!

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decisions decisions

Apart from managing to get my accounts done, I really haven't had all that productive a weekend. I've got so my jobs on my to do list that I can't decide which to do... and I think decision making, or a phobia of it, is one of the things that really holds me back generally in life and writing.

I will do anything to avoid making a decision, and this really makes life difficult. It induces a sort of paralysis in which nothing gets done. Because I'm locked in this inability to make a decision, I do nothing and seek solace in procrastination and displacement activities. I think it's fear, really, this thing about making choices... fear of the outcome of a bad choice. Because boy, have I made some colossally stupid choices in he course of my life, decisions that have had major ramifications and generally f**ked up a lot of things. It's no use wailing and gnashing my teeth about them now, because there's nothing that can be done, and you have to make the best of life as it shakes down, but it does make me leery of all decisions and choices that I face...

And writing is all about choices. Choosing the right characters, the right plot [hah!] and the right words, and I think that's why I find it far tougher than I used to... and conversely, more rewarding, because I know how hard the struggle is, and when something turns out even half way decent that's quite an achievement! In the early days, I was so naive, I just plugged away at it, not realising how badly I could cock it all up. I wasn't conscious of having to make decisions, I just cheerfully wrote my drivel, not thinking about all the better ways I could do things... it was so simple. Just pure enjoyment, I suppose, before the days of reviews and critiques and feedback... But now, in the age of the internet, I'm always finding myself second guessing virtually every word I write, already hearing the criticism, the analysis, the questioning of my choices...

Yikes, what a ramble. I never meant to go on like this, but it's just something that's on my mind.

But I'm curious...

Writers out there, do you just 'do your thing' and write your story? Or are you conscious, as you write, of what reactions there might be to your words, specifically adverse ones?

Daily Tweetage

• 23:21 Daily Tweetage: 00:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:51 Daily Tweetage: 07:49 Should have been a good day yeste.. tinyurl.com/4m5soy
• 10:01 Sunday morning. Slow start. Would really like to achieve something on the writing front today... but there's a lot of sport on the telly.
• 11:47 In my current sorting out mood, I decided to go through a drawer... FAIL! Head now spinning from deciding what to keep and what to throw.

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Daily Tweetage

• 00:51 Daily Tweetage: 00:51 Daily Tweetage: 07:49 Should have been a good day yesterday, but some news on.. tinyurl.com/4yvemc
• 09:21 State of Rage: Crikey, I wasn't half in a mood yesterday! And I don't know where it came from, real.. tinyurl.com/6lazfe
• 09:44 So far, I'm in a much better mood today, but the morning is flying by and I'm not getting anything constructive done. Must shape up!
• 12:02 Still grappling with accounts, but am beginning to see a glimmer of light now. I will never, ever let them get this out of date again!!!
• 16:03 Glory Halleluia!!!! Have got my accounts up to date at last! I must never let them get that bad again.... never....
• 16:51 Portia, I award thee....: ... a beautiful scatter of GOLD STARS for finally getting thy business ac.. tinyurl.com/449yjf
• 23:07 Just back from pub meal with himself. Turkey and ham carvery dinner, and a couple of glasses of Stella Artois... yummy!

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Portia, I award thee....

... a beautiful scatter of GOLD STARS for finally getting thy business accounts bang up to date!

What a marathon task it's been, but having done it, I feel a wonderful sense of achievement and a weight lifted off my shoulders. Now, if I could just get my office cleaned out, I'd be floating on air in the self achievement department...

And I hereby pledge to myself that I will not let them slip again, and will record each expenditure and income as and when it occurs!!!

State of Rage

Crikey, I wasn't half in a mood yesterday! And I don't know where it came from, really. Naturally I've got the usual worries and minor crap going on in my life, but who hasn't? But I don't think any of it is enough to explain the state of psychotic rage that descended on me late yesterday morning and seemed to grip me until early evening.

It's funny, I was fine in the morning, and even managed to accomplish a task that usually turns me into a snarling beast - parcelling up books to send out - in a calm and reasonably contented manner. Then everything changed and I seemed to turn into Jack Torrance or Victor Meldrew on benzedrine or summink. Just total rage. With everything. I'd say it was like PMT, but I should be past all that crap... Maybe it's like some unexpected sunset upwelling of the hormones before I settle down to being a mildly grumpy old woman on a fairly even keel? Who knows... But it's a miracle I didn't break a lot of stuff yesterday, and some of it expensive. Thankfully, I confined my destructive tantrums to a bit of paper crumpling and mild throwing about...

Needless to say, me being me, I selected the most stupid job to do yesterday afternoon, given the above mentioned foul mood. Catching up with my accounts! Sigh... Thankfully last years are all sorted and submitted to the mendacious gouging bastards who like the bleed the average working woman in the street dry aka. the Inland Revenue. But this year's are in a bit of a muddle and need bringing up to date. Just the job to get stuck into when you're feeling like a cross between an axe murderer and a chain saw killer... But then I never did have much good sense...

The good news is that I feel quite chipper today... not ecstatic, but not enraged either... Let's hope this mildish mood survives the rest of the day, eh? :)

Daily Tweetage

• 00:51 Daily Tweetage: 07:49 Should have been a good day yesterday, but some news on a non writing front r.. tinyurl.com/3jgedj
• 11:28 Busy wrapping parcels of books this morning, to send to readers and reviewers. Managed to do four without becoming psychotic... miracle!!!
• 11:50 Some progress: Well, I'm making some progress at least. I pushed on ahead with my 'Liaisons' story,.. tinyurl.com/63mbtd
• 21:02 Ack, have been grappling with my accounts, and now I feel like throwing the whole lot out of the window! Drives me nuts!!!!

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Some progress

Well, I'm making some progress at least. I pushed on ahead with my 'Liaisons' story, and I've finished the first draft of it. Have to admit it's a bit of a bodge up towards the end, but at least I've got something to work with, and that's a relief. I'm particularly eager to get this one done in good time, because the closing date for submissions is just after I return from San Francisco, and I want to have the story polished and subbed well before I set off on my jaunt with Saskia and Madelynne.

I've also been jotting down notes for a project that will probably never come to pass, but which I chat about often with the above writing chums. More of a paranormal romance than an erotic romance, and I doubt if I'll ever get further than just thinking about it, because my plotting skills are so slight, but it amuses me to toy with the idea now and again, and it's a cause of never ending mirth when my mates tease me about this ongoing idea that has no plot, no characters, no setting etc. LOL

In other news, I'm hoping I might have something a bit more concrete to announce here sooner or later, but you know how it is with chickens and hatching... I never like to count on anything until I have definite facts. In this business, the brightest hopes can crumble to dust, and what sounded like enthusiasm and positive signage can just disappear like Scotch Mist, completely forgotten by those who inadvertently elevated one's expectations and dreams... It's just the fickle nature of the game really, nobody's fault.

Daily Tweetage

• 07:49 Should have been a good day yesterday, but some news on a non writing front really took the shine off it, causing many worries. :(
• 11:35 Don't worry, guys, my worry isn't life or death. Nobody is ill or anything. It's just an issue affecting many folks at the moment.
• 16:36 Have just finished the first draft of a story, and the sense of achievement has made me feel *a lot* better, generally. Good therapy there!

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Daily Tweetage

• 08:29 Why have a given one of the characters in my sexy, fun, entertainment story a bunch of angst and 'issues'?

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Daily Tweetage

• 00:25 Daily Tweetage: 00:24 Daily Tweetage: 01:24 Daily Tweetage: 08:25 Twitter still acting weird... # 0.. tinyurl.com/3sf7cj
• 10:07 Erk, feeling achy this morning, and my face itches. Not a great start to the day, but maybe things will improve...
• 10:08 2 books arrived in the post. Lover Enshrined and the Starman novelisation. Which to read? To be honest, I'm veering towards Starman.
• 16:30 Off the roll...: Erk, I'm not feeling particularly productive today.I've had two or three pretty go.. tinyurl.com/5pfcvs
• 17:15 I just discovered this and it made me laugh out loud! failblog.org/
• 17:57 Wahey, I finally managed to write 400 words, with a vibe that I really like. Don't like just shagging stories... gotta be tenderness too.
• 20:45 Back to vets with Alice. Her leg is still sore. She had to have antibiotics as well as steroids. Poor baby. She seems okay in herself tho.

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Off the roll...

Erk, I'm not feeling particularly productive today.

I've had two or three pretty good days, and written quite a bit on my Liaisons story, but today I feel tired and achy and a bit brain fuzzed and I don't feel like doing very much of anything, but lazing around. I've done my static cycling, but that was a struggle, I can tell you.

After waking up from strange dreams, I must admit the haul delivered by postie was good though, even if not much else about the day is.

I received:

1. A LOCI goodie from the wonderful Eliza. Pretty much out of the blue, and a wonderful treat.

2. A lightweight cabin bag, fluorescent pink suitcase strap, and a TSA approved luggage lock for my RWA trip. All great.

3. A DVD of AFTER THE SUNSET, comedy heist movie starring Pierce Brosnan, bit of background for Thief, if I ever get to write it.

4. Novelisation of STARMAN, by Alan Dean Foster. Have started this and it's pretty good. ADF is a very talented writer in his own right, not just some hack drafted in the reproduce the script. His writing has depth and even a certain poetry. He did the Alien novelisations too, and they're great.

5. LOVER UNSHRINED. I should already be devouring this, but have put myself off by reading too many bad reviews. I'm sure I'll read it and enjoy it, but I'll not be able to read it uncritically, as a fan, somehow. I read DARK LOVER that way, but since then, the internal editor has switched on with BDB, alas...

6. Reimagined BattleStar Galactica, eps. 1 - 4 on DVD, from Amazon DVD Rental, which will be next for my viewing pleasure. Have already watched a little bit, and think I'm going to like it very much.

Daily Tweetage

• 00:24 Daily Tweetage: 01:24 Daily Tweetage: 08:25 Twitter still acting weird... # 08:26 Hope to continue .. tinyurl.com/5jgp5u
• 12:39 A beautiful day in West Yorks today. No writing yet. Have been pottering about and watching a bit of Starman, whilst static cycling.
• 12:55 Writing again...: I'm pleased to be writing again. I did 1.6K of my 'Liaisons' story yesterday, and.. tinyurl.com/4xeqcs
• 13:52 Oh hell, I've getting stuck into watching Starman instead of doing some writing. Fail!
• 13:54 Gawd, I should learn to speak too... 'I've getting'... what the blue blazes does that mean?????
• 17:04 Not doing so great today. Just 500 words. Watched Starman and now I feel weepy, a mismatched vibe when I'm writing a silly erotic story. :(
• 17:46 Have redeemed myself and done another 500, bringing wordcount up to 1K. Can officially hold my head up again... :)

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Writing again...

I'm pleased to be writing again. I did 1.6K of my 'Liaisons' story yesterday, and started to really get into it, as opposed to struggling with it and worrying about it feeling forced. Once I can get over the hurdles of actually starting something, and feeling afraid of it, I'm usually okay. But sometimes I have trouble with the concept that I'm actually in charge of the goddamned thing, and I can do what I want with it, and find myself too worried about guidelines and expectations and what I think I should be writing as opposed to what I want to write....

In other news... I was hoping that Battlestar Galactica [reimagined version] Series One would arrive from Amazon DVD rental today, but it didn't. So instead, I've started watching a DVD I bought a while back but hadn't looked at yet... STARMAN, which Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen. I love this movie, it's fun and touching and a simple but rattling good story. It always makes me cry at the end... but in a good way.

Daily Tweetage

• 01:24 Daily Tweetage: 08:25 Twitter still acting weird... # 08:26 Hope to continue working on my Liaisons.. tinyurl.com/5cjzug
• 09:53 Don't think today will be a productive as yesterday. There's MotoGP *and* football on the telly... and it's fish and chips night tonight too
• 11:11 Well, not such a bad start. Have done 250 words while watching the 125cc race! Need to get dressed now though. LOL
• 11:31 Ack, still not dressed. Have changed my avatar and now it's not showing up properly... bad Twitter.
• 12:45 Aw, my favourite Alvaro Bautista got pipped in the 250s... But there's still hope that Rossi will win the MotoGP... Forza Valentino!!!!
• 12:53 Behaving like a Twit: Well, in spite of spending way to much time Twitting and reading tweets yeste.. tinyurl.com/5xn3hk
• 14:50 Done my daily exercise. 30 mins on static cycle to Sum 41, Madonna, Oakenfold, Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada and a few others.
• 15:57 Wahey, have done 1000 words! That's my per day target, so can happily goof off now if I want to... May do some more, or may not. :)

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Behaving like a Twit

Well, in spite of spending way to much time Twitting and reading tweets yesterday, I did manage to rack up a very respectable 1K words of my latest WIP, a short story on the theme of Liaisons for the next Black Lace short story collection. It's been a tough one to come up with something for, but I've finally managed to develop an idea and I'm actually starting to have fun with it. Am up to about 1.8K with it so far, so nearly a third done.

I'm pleased with this progress, because I wasted a helluva lot of time yesterday, not only with Twitter, but also following various blog dramas and reading reviews of books I haven't even read yet. I thought the whole day might end up being a washout, but curiously, in the evening, I thought 'sod all this!' and just opened the file and got stuck in. :)

More good news is that Alice is doing well today. Her sore leg is much less inflamed and clearly responding well the the jumbo steroid shot. She's cheerful and relaxed, and as always the case with steroid intervention, she's eating like a horse, bless her!


It's a gorgeous day today, here in West Yorkshire, but I'm indoors watching the MotoGP, and later probably the football. I don't foresee a huge amount of writing being done today, but have done a little 25o word chunk already, and have been thinking of a few plotty bits, so it's not going to be a total washout.

Daily Tweetage

• 08:25 Twitter still acting weird... #
• 08:26 Hope to continue working on my Liaisons story today. Have some ideas and notes, and am getting a sense of my characters. At last! #
• 08:48 Will I get sucked into the football today? Loved the World Cup, and always did prefer watching the matches England *weren't* in! LOL #
• 09:49 Never mind the footie, I just got sucked into following up an ongoing blog drama/war type thing and that's really hoovered up a lot of time! #
• 11:44 Ack, I need to stop reading reviews and spoilers of Lover Enshrined or I'm going to hate the damn thing before it even arrives! #
• 12:37 Oh dear, my kitteh Alice has a sore leg. Off to the vets with her at 2.40pm. Hope it's nothing serious. She seems pretty cheerful though... #
• 15:23 Kitteh Alice has dermatitis.The vet has given her a steroid shot to make her more comfortable. Back to the surgery Tues to follow up. #
• 19:41 PortiaDaCosta Blog The Patient: I had such good intentions today, vis a vis writi.. tinyurl.com/6lakcv #

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The Patient

I had such good intentions today, vis a vis writing, but so far it's just not happened. One of the main reasons is that I've been worried about Alice, who is suffering again with dermatitis. Fortunately I spotted this fairly quickly and we were able to zip her into the vets for a jumbo steroid injection to nuke the irritation. And I'm happy to say that she's not really miserable with this complaint or anything... she seems cheerful enough. But we needed to get a professional on the case with the correct medication to sort the problem out.

In other news, I've started watching the European footie. It'll probably be far less anguished experience because our lot *aren't* playing! They can't break the nation's heart if they're not there, can they?


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EYES RIGHT FOR TWITTER UPDATES!

The same old story...

After a reasonably productive day yesterday, I'm back to my old bad, purposeless habits... sigh...

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EYES RIGHT FOR TWITTER UPDATES!

Now why does this not surprise me?

Your Sensitivity Score: 82%

You are an extremely sensitive person. You notice everything. You've probably been called overly sensitive before, and it's partially true. Highly sensitive people tend to be highly intelligent. And you just can't turn off that part of you.

Are You Extremely Sensitive?

A solution to my blog uselessness... sort of.

I've been a useless blogger lately, haven't I?

It's not as if nothing whatsoever is happening in my life. Stuff is going on, but I'm in a sort of blogging lull somehow, and not finding it easy to find even my sort of anti intellectual content. My mind seems to be taken up with trying to corral my book and story ideas, attempting to bring order to the disorder of my 'to do' lists, my business accounts, my massive amounts of paperwork and my TBR piles, and generally plan for and anticipate RWA. So there's a disappointing amount of brain capacity left over for interesting blogging and musing... at the moment.

However, I've found a little bit of a solution. Sort of...

On the right hand side of the page, beneath my little clock, you'll see a widget called Twitter updates. This is a kind of micro blogging thingoid, that's just a snapshot of what I might be doing at any given moment... so if there's no new post in the main blog, you might see a little mini entry there instead. It'll probably be something daft, or pretty meaningless, like 'am staring into space, doing nothing'... but at least it proves there's a living person here on this blog... sometimes! LOL