bits and bobs

Wahey, I discovered today that Black Lace's Wicked Words Paranormal Eroticashort story collection is already listed at Amazon.com! Obviously the above is not the actual cover... just me having a bit of fun with the title of my particular contribution... oh, he's such a bad, bad boy!

Good news on the Gothic Blue front too... My good buddy Ashley Lister has just reviewed it for the Erotica Readers and Writers Association. The review won't be up for a while yet, but here's a choice titbit from what Ash has to say... "Portia Da Costa does many things very well: plot, characterisation and (in the case of this title) she injects a credible suggestion of the supernatural in a realistic world." Suffice it to say that I'm mightily pleased with this lovely review, and I'll post a link to it as soon as it appears at ERWA!

As I've been feeling out of sorts today, I've been watching movies and telly instead of working [for a change... hah!] and chief amongst my viewing as been THE QUEEN, which I have out on loan from Amazon DVD Rental. I wasn't sure whether I'd like this film, and I'm not a monarchist, in fact I'm a bit anti if anything... but this film is just excellent! Helen Mirren is beyond awesome in the role, and I can see now just how richly she deserved her Oscar... Of course there's no way of telling just how 'real' this film is in terms of accurately portraying the Queen... but I certainly found myself feeling much more in sympathy with this 'story' version of her.

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Telly: The Queen
Chocolate: Nestle Heaven
Mood: weary, fuzzy
Writing: none
Reading: none
RSI/FMS: sore hands due to lifting bags of books for charity collection

Today's fun poll...

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I don't believe it!!!

As the late great Victor Meldrew would say...

Anyway, the latest episode in the fluid dynamics of my bedside area is that last night, on return from the pub, himself and I decided to watch Saving Private Ryan and partake of a bottle of beer to accompany [Cobra 0% alcohol for me] I drank most of mine, but about two inches were left in the bottom of the bottle when, during a particularly dramatic part in a particularly dramatic film, Alice decided she wanted to river dance on the bedside table and upended my beer bottle... all over the pile of dried out papers and magazines I had just returned to my bedside from their sojourn in the airing cupboard. Sigh... So it's all gone back to the airing cupboard. These documents and magazines are going to end up looking as if they've come out of an Egyptian tomb by the time I've finished, they'll be so discoloured and crinkled up and stiff.

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Telly: Saving Private Ryan extras
Chocolate: not yet
Mood: resigned
Writing: not yet
Reading: not yet
RSI/FMS: so so

recharging one's batteries

It's Saturday, and Tilly has just dropped in to recharge his batteries... LOL

No, that's not a power cable attached to his bottom, just the cable to the laptop adaptor, which is perched on the end of the desk. The Tillster saw a space - where my laptop sits when it's not actually on my lap - and parked himself there for a kip.

I've been busy this last two or three days with rewriting and editing Buds... the fantastic feedback my critique partner supplied has really energised my approach to this novella, and I'm seeing lots and lots of ways to bring it up to full PDC code. Am getting lots more characterisation of Zack, and better conflict and interaction between him and Teresa... building on the stuff in the story that's already pretty okay.

In other news, I think all the papers and magazines etc from the side of my bed have finally dried out, but I think I'll sort them out a bit more tomorrow when I do a partial Sort Out Sunday... can't do a full one, as I want to push on with this editing, and get the thing off my desk and on to my agent's!

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Telly: Master and Commander [mmm.... Russell Crowe]
Chocolate: cake and scone actually
Mood: okay
Writing: editing Buds
Reading: Radio Times
RSI/FMS: not bad...

that'll teach me...

No, this isn't me having done a fabulous clean out and sort out of the 'problem' beside my bed! This is the result of a stupid mishap with a full beaker of tea on the bedside table... sigh... tipped it over, didn't I? All over my bagful/heap of books, magazines and paper... and now 75% of said is in the airing cupboard, drying off. A few items escaped... but I've had to chuck a whole wodge of stuff too. Maybe it's a good thing out of a bad thing... and I've certainly learnt the hard way not to use unstable 'caffe latte' type mugs, and not to pile pillows up behind me, because they have a disturbing habit of tipping sideways towards full cups of tea!

On the general front, I've been feeling really cruddy again these last few days, hence the slim blog presence. Also had to do a major cleanup in the house, as himself had someone coming round to see him on a semi work type visit, so the place had to be tidy. I've also been thinking about edits on Buddies, suggested by my critique partner, as well as bits for my smalltown idea. But mainly, I've been fighting off the lurgi again, especially in the form of jammed up sinuses, aching limbs, and a constantly hovering headache/migraine.

In better news, Kuffer was at the vet last night, and he's responded well to his thyroid meds. He's actually put on a bit of weight! He's to be on the pills for another month, and then the vet will decide whether he needs and op, or whether his overactive thyroid can be managed with pills alone.

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Telly: UK History
Chocolate: cake instead, actually...
Mood: mad with self for being an idiot
Writing: editing Buddies
Reading: Web User
RSI/FMS: generally aching

accretion... like a pearl, but not, obviously...

My 'smalltown' idea is starting to accrete... which is the process where a bunch of random bits floating about in my imagination start to draw themselves together by some sort of dim gravity, and begin to loosely fit together as something like a 'story'... I'm not quite there yet, but there's some promise. I'm getting names, a clearer locale, themes, snippettes... I'm actually getting a sensation of *wanting* to write this thing, which is a bloody miracle after all the interior resistance towards writing that I've been experiencing for quite a few weeks now.

Still don't know if my ed. will actually think this idea is suitable for the line, but it's worth a shot, if I can enthuse enough about the sexy, grown up romance between 'real' people angle. I think that's my strong area, whereas 'edgy', 'innovative' and 'high concept' aren't really me... Sometimes it's great to push yourself and go to new areas, but if it's really *too* much a stretch, I think it's worth continuing with a style/technique that you know you're good at... and just striving to do that thing even better each time!

Writers... what do you think? Do you strive to write 'different' just because that seems to be what the market wants? Or do you stick with what you know best, but instead try to up the ante, quality-wise, so your 'know best' output holds its own amongst the trends and fads?

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Telly: UK History
Chocolate: Hotel Chocolat Excellence
Mood: not bad
Writing: brainstorming 'smalltown'
Reading: nothing much
RSI/FMS: not too bad

things are looking up a bit...

Well, as I said in a comment below, I think I might have turned a corner away from a lot of the doom or gloom...

For a start, my neck's eased up a lot now. Still a bit twingey, but not excruciatingly painful any more when I try to look up, down or to the sides. If I'm careful, I reckon it'll be back to normal in a few days.

Still got a bit of cold, but don't feel quite as grotty as I did, and because my neck feels better, I can handle the viral stuff better.

On the home front, the supremely practically gifted himself has managed to fix both the central heating and the water heater. The only delay has been sourcing the parts, and the fact that himself has a demanding day job that takes up many hours and he has to do work on our gaff in the evenings. Of course, we could have paid British Gas or some plumber... but we know how much work is involved in these sorts of jobs, and we ain't paying silly money to someone else to do them.

One of the biggest things that's been worrying me is the frozen inertia on the writing front. I've been grappling and grappling with vague fragments of stories but nothing's been coming together as a real idea. It's all been like a nasty, murky soup of half baked notions and no real plot. So, being frozen, I've done nothing... and the longer I've done nothing, the worse I've felt. And the harder it's been to think straight about ideas... so... round and round and round again in a negative spiral.

But today, with heat and hot water and a less painful neck etc, I've been able to see things in a more positive light. I haven't actually started writing a new book or novella, but I did do a little necessary work on an older novella for which the proposal is 'out there'... my critique partner had made a great suggestion for improving the reader's perception of the hero, but I hadn't got around to doing it... but today I added a few paras that I really liked and which showed the hero in a more sympathetic light.

And I've been thinking about, and analyzing my dilemmas over new ideas for my regular publisher. Basically the books have now to be erotic romances... and therefore have to conform to reader expectations for romance ie. happily ever after, and in general, sexual exclusivity for the main hero/heroine couple. [yes, I know some people do write romantic menages, but I'm not sure that'd work for me] So, this cuts out a whole raft of writing variations, ones that work fine in erotica, but not in erotic romance. And then there's a further complication... feedback I've been getting is that the kinkier, twisted stuff is just not doing so well. Which cuts out yet another area where I do well as a writer... it's what I'm actually mildly good at writing!!! For other writers these restrictions might not be a problem... because they've got innovative, viable, high concept plot ideas to fall back on. But I haven't... my writing is of the plotless wonder variety, depending almost entirely on characterisation, emotions, situations rather than plots, and intense often pervy eroticism... so basically, with these 'cutbacks', I'm in a bit of a pickle!!!

However, today, I've just started thinking in a more romance frame of mind. Pulling together story bits that I'd thought of using for purely romance novels, but which could be given a more sexy treatment that flows naturally from the relationship... Storylines that probably wouldn't work for the category romances I once tried to write, but which might work for a grown up erotic romance that doesn't have to have a particular type of alpha hero etc etc... Which is paradoxically, a liberating concept rather than a restricting one. It's early days, but I've raced down a few brief notes for a plotline, and instead of going for a high concept location ie. exotic, paranormal, metro... I might write it from a small town perspective... because I live in a small town. I might even set it in a small town in the borough where some of my other books are set. It won't quite be in that 'universe' - because that's a pretty twisted perv universe - but there might be places where this new story could intersect safely with that world.

Sorry if that seems like an ill thought out ramble, but I had to sort of get it down and use this blog as a sounding board for myself... and at least I'm making up for the paucity of entries here lately...

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Telly: Bear Grylls survival thing
Chocolate: excellence selection!!!
Mood: better
Writing: bit of editing, bit of planning
Reading: various notes
RSI/FMS: bit sore, not too bad

still beset by it all...

Still ill, still unable to write or do much of anything... but himself has fixed the water heater, so at least something's improving...

And in an effort to perk myself up, I've ordered myself a Happy Easter Egg from Hotel Chocolat...

insult to injury

And it's not just that I feel poorly... Domestic malfunctions at Chez Portia are adding to the aggravation too... On Sunday afternoon, both the central heating and the water heater decided to pack up! So, no heat, no hot water... This is really the best time to have to cavort around the house with heavy pans of hot water, having a big crick in my neck... yeah!

Fortunately, himself is on the case, and should be able to fix the above mentioned appliances once he's sourced the parts. Hopefully he'll get some of the bits today, and get hot water back on tap within the next 24 hours. It's very, very useful having a chap around who knows how to mend more or less everything!

Sorry to seem such a downer... it's really quite funny in a grim sort of way that everything seems to go wrong at once. I suppose I could cite all this crap as my excuse for not writing, but it isn't really... I'm just in a state of writer's bleck at the moment. I can't focus my ideas, and even when I try to, those ideas are so bitty and stupid that I just give up on them. And everywhere I go, writers seem to be blossoming with ideas and they all sound like great ones... and here I am futzing around with scraps of horse plop that make no sense, or have been done a zillion times before and a gazillion times better by other authors.

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Telly: UK History
Chocolate: Nestle Heaven
Mood: peed off
Writing: nil
Reading: the labels on medicines
RSI/FMS: back neck

silence isn't golden

Sorry I've been silent, but bronchitis and a trapped nerve in my neck are making life difficult and wearisome...

But I did receive a lovely review for Gothic Blue that has cheered me up no end!

‘Packed with sex and kink, this is a novel that still retains a mysterious and powerful air. A hint of the supernatural is mixed with a fun gothic setting as a tale of intertwining romances is told by Da Costa with aplomb. A highly recommended novel’ ~ Erotic Trade Only Magazine – Issue 44 March 07

the thyroid kid

Well, just heard from the vet, and it's *definitely* an over active thyroid that's been causing Kuffer's weight loss and other symptoms. All his other blood results are normal. So this is very good news, as thyroid conditions can be treated, and in other areas, he's in good health for his age. He's got to go on some tablets for a couple of weeks [which should be interesting to say the least as he's impossible to 'handle' that way...] and then be assessed for thyroid surgery. Looks like the old credit card will be taking some hammer in the near future, but hell, it's worth it if my darling furry lad is going to be okay!

In other news, I think I've got a minor chest infection of some kind, and that's what's making me feel so crappy. Feel tired and under par and my chest feels awfully raw and congested... sounds like it's going around though, as both my critique partner and my agent are also suffering... although they both sound to be worse off than me.

Feeling rough isn't conducive to creative and original thought though... and I'm still struggling with ideas. Or lack of them... I have few bits and pieces bobbing about, but no solid, big, good to go plot ideas. They all seem to require huge amounts of fudging and forcing and contrivance to make them even remotely viable. I think my big problem is that as I try and 'work' these ideas, I'm constantly hearing what the future snarky reviews of them might eventually be... because astute readers can always pick up on plot weaknesses and the fact that stories have had to be 'mangled' rather than just developing naturally.

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Telly: Tale of a Vampire
Chocolate: Nestle Heaven Milk Truffle
Mood: mixed
Writing: idea brainstorming
Reading: Jeremy Clarkson - Born to be Riled
RSI/FMS: so so

he's doing great, I feel like cr*p

Here's Kuffer again, having a nice kip. He's on good form today, happy and cheerful and having eaten plenty of breakfast. No gurgly tummy either. I'm feeling much more optimistic about his prospects today, hoping that the blood test pinpoints the thyroid probs, and a suitable treatment can quickly begin.

Me, I feel terrible! I had a gruesomely broken night's sleep! Not worrying about Kuffer, really, but with my mind churning and turning about writing. Last night, aware that I've got the first draft of Buddies done, and both my agent and my editor are asking for new ideas, I decided I had to start thinking of some... A bloody sight easier said than done! Idea finding [and plotting] are my hugest problems, and last night was no exception. I lay awake for an age, turning bits and pieces over in my mind, and nothing but nothing transpired. Everything was either :

1. stupid
2. too fragmentary, not a real story
3. I've bloody well done the same idea before... at least once

I couldn't pull anything together, and none of the vague bits were even worth writing down they were so poor. But, my mind continued to churn... and I kept waking up, almost every hour, with it still fruitlessly churning. I eventually fell asleep and ended up dreaming that I was managing a large, British country estate for absentee owner, Kevin Costner! And everything was in uproar because he was finally coming to visit... Go figure! He turned up and seemed quite friendly, then the dream morphed into a kind of posing contest between two rival drag queens, one of whom might have been Bernadette from Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Then I woke up...

None of the above was in the slightest bit useful for a novel idea, but when I was in the bathroom - as ever - some more useful fragments began to coalesce... it's still bitty, but some sort of rudimentary story idea is germinating, I think. Although it's still pretty daft, and it'll probably come to nothing... I also had one or two possible extra plotty bit ideas for an existing story. Although that too, is very vague and very slight, as yet...

Gosh, I don't half wish I was one of these writers I keep encountering on boards and lists who say they have a constant stream of ideas for books pouring into their heads!!! So many they can't write them all... Maybe I should offer to buy some of these ideas from author friends who have an embarrassment of idea riches???

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Telly: CSI
Chocolate: Tesco Belgian Milk
Mood: OK
Writing: just a few ideas
Reading: Radio Times
RSI/FMS: not too bad