Before
After
Tuesday, 17 October 2006
eek, I'm mental hermaphrodite!
| Your Brain is 47% Female, 53% Male |
 Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female You are both sensitive and savvy Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve |
What Gender Is Your Brain?
I'm not sure this is an entirely true result though... bits of it are spot on, but the words 'rational' and 'reasonable' are not ones that have ever been associated with yours truly! :)
wot a relief!
Got up this morning and sighed with relief as all the correct lights were glowing on my broadband Livebox! Thank heavens for that!
Having to connect via a dialup connection for a bit made me realise just how quickly I've come to take the speed of broadband for granted. I held out against going bb for ages, because my old Win98 desktop just wasn't up to the job, and I thought I was okay, what did I need bb for... but now I realise just what I was missing. A lot of the sites I visit nowadays are just impossible without the higher speed. Anything with movies or music, and even a lot of normal sites that are graphics intensive are just unusable on dialup. So hurray for broadband, even if it's crap broadband like Orange...
Still feeling a happy glow about my CP's response to Suite Seventeen. :) I've done the little bits of tweakage and I think now's the time to print the sucker off and send it to my agent to see what she thinks... It will be weird to have this one off the table because it's been in my life for a long, long time, as there was a long lead time with it... I must have been writing the thing on and off for almost a year now. I've done other things in between, of course. I've written a clutch of short stories, a novella, two partials and a few other bits and bobs... but now it's time to move on and get stuck into other stuff. Am working on another novella at the mo - the one that's mutating from first person to third - as well as reformatting a v. old novel that I'd love to find a brand new home for. I'd also like to get stuck into a proposal for a full novel, but I'm not quite sure what sort of thing to go with until I hear from agent/editor... It's such a relief to know that I've finally finished Suite Seventeen though...
Having to connect via a dialup connection for a bit made me realise just how quickly I've come to take the speed of broadband for granted. I held out against going bb for ages, because my old Win98 desktop just wasn't up to the job, and I thought I was okay, what did I need bb for... but now I realise just what I was missing. A lot of the sites I visit nowadays are just impossible without the higher speed. Anything with movies or music, and even a lot of normal sites that are graphics intensive are just unusable on dialup. So hurray for broadband, even if it's crap broadband like Orange...
Still feeling a happy glow about my CP's response to Suite Seventeen. :) I've done the little bits of tweakage and I think now's the time to print the sucker off and send it to my agent to see what she thinks... It will be weird to have this one off the table because it's been in my life for a long, long time, as there was a long lead time with it... I must have been writing the thing on and off for almost a year now. I've done other things in between, of course. I've written a clutch of short stories, a novella, two partials and a few other bits and bobs... but now it's time to move on and get stuck into other stuff. Am working on another novella at the mo - the one that's mutating from first person to third - as well as reformatting a v. old novel that I'd love to find a brand new home for. I'd also like to get stuck into a proposal for a full novel, but I'm not quite sure what sort of thing to go with until I hear from agent/editor... It's such a relief to know that I've finally finished Suite Seventeen though...
Monday, 16 October 2006
the smooth with the rough...
This will be brief, for reasons I'll explain in a mo...
First the smooth... My absolute star of a critique partner has just got back to me about Suite Seventeen and she loves it! Wahey! She says that in places I've even managed to convey the emotions of the 'other' character in a first person narrative... which I think is quite a nifty achievement, though I say it myself! I feel so very very much better about the book now. I did subconsciously sort of love it, even when it was behaving badly, but after the high of Entertaining Mr Stone, I was so frightened that anything that came after it would be a let down. But it seems that Annie and Valentino's story works after all...
But there's always a rough, isn't there, and in this case it's my ****ing, ****ing broadband connection which went kerpuft at around four o'clock with no warning and for no apparent reason. Bastard thing! Bastard, bastard Orange for being so bastarding useless... I know they are, because there's a whole message board about the problems people have with them. I will give them until tomorrow morning, and then I will ring up and berate them... much good it'll probably do me. Now any writer worth their salt would think, goody, no internet distractions... but not me, I've spent hours trying various troubleshooting manoevers. None of which worked.... obviously. And I'll probably go on fretting and achieving nothing until I get it back!
So, folks, if things go a bit quiet here for a while, it's 'cos the broadband thing was a bigger problem even than I feared... Keep your fingers crossed for me, eh?
First the smooth... My absolute star of a critique partner has just got back to me about Suite Seventeen and she loves it! Wahey! She says that in places I've even managed to convey the emotions of the 'other' character in a first person narrative... which I think is quite a nifty achievement, though I say it myself! I feel so very very much better about the book now. I did subconsciously sort of love it, even when it was behaving badly, but after the high of Entertaining Mr Stone, I was so frightened that anything that came after it would be a let down. But it seems that Annie and Valentino's story works after all...
But there's always a rough, isn't there, and in this case it's my ****ing, ****ing broadband connection which went kerpuft at around four o'clock with no warning and for no apparent reason. Bastard thing! Bastard, bastard Orange for being so bastarding useless... I know they are, because there's a whole message board about the problems people have with them. I will give them until tomorrow morning, and then I will ring up and berate them... much good it'll probably do me. Now any writer worth their salt would think, goody, no internet distractions... but not me, I've spent hours trying various troubleshooting manoevers. None of which worked.... obviously. And I'll probably go on fretting and achieving nothing until I get it back!
So, folks, if things go a bit quiet here for a while, it's 'cos the broadband thing was a bigger problem even than I feared... Keep your fingers crossed for me, eh?
Sunday, 15 October 2006
Uh oh...
I don't predict much work getting done today... It's 11.20am, and I'm still in bed, sitting up, swigging tea and watching Moto GP with himself... And the motorcycle coverage doesn't finish until 2.15pm!!! As I've said before, I'm not a biker myself, but I do enjoy watching the races, as much for the droll commentaries as for the racing itself. I don't think I'll stay in bed and watch it all... I'll have to get up and get dressed in one of the breaks, but I still don't think I'll be getting much ticked off my ponderous to do list until tomorrow...
Am still thinking about that first person/third person quandary for my novella thingie. Have received some excellent advice on a list I'm on from a writer who does first exceptionally well... and she has also used dual first, and other combinations too. I started changing the text I have so far to third, and it was a right mare of a task, and I was convinced it was turning into a giant pile of poo... but... on reading back the bit I'd transformed, it didn't actually read too badly at all. I think the struggle was colouring my feelings about the outcome... if that makes sense. I think it's quite likely that I'll go with third throughout but I may experiment with first for the heroine and third for the sort of hero... I seem to 'hear' him in third, although I can hear her in both first and third...
So today, when I get up that's what I'll be putzing about with, as well as doing a bit more on a web site update job I have in hand. I say 'get up' in the loosest possible way, as a lot of the time, I actually work on the lappie while sitting up on the bed. But when I get dressed and switch into 'work' mode, those are the things I'll be doing...
Am still thinking about that first person/third person quandary for my novella thingie. Have received some excellent advice on a list I'm on from a writer who does first exceptionally well... and she has also used dual first, and other combinations too. I started changing the text I have so far to third, and it was a right mare of a task, and I was convinced it was turning into a giant pile of poo... but... on reading back the bit I'd transformed, it didn't actually read too badly at all. I think the struggle was colouring my feelings about the outcome... if that makes sense. I think it's quite likely that I'll go with third throughout but I may experiment with first for the heroine and third for the sort of hero... I seem to 'hear' him in third, although I can hear her in both first and third...
So today, when I get up that's what I'll be putzing about with, as well as doing a bit more on a web site update job I have in hand. I say 'get up' in the loosest possible way, as a lot of the time, I actually work on the lappie while sitting up on the bed. But when I get dressed and switch into 'work' mode, those are the things I'll be doing...
Saturday, 14 October 2006
why does this not surprise me?
| Your Wrath Quotient: 83% |
 You have the makings of a very evil dictator. If you don't want to go that route, you should consider anger management! |
I've won the pools!
Yes, believe it or not, I've won the football pools! But before you all get too excited, I'm afraid my prizewinning cheque is only actually for £27, so I won't be rushing out and buying any fast cars, mansions or yachts just yet. Still, twenty seven quid is better than no quid at all, so I'm ahead of the game already today... :)
I think my little win must have been a good omen too, because thanks to a suggestion from my angel of a critique partner, I've finally got a bit of direction on what to write next. She suggested I try a novella, 'cos they're shorter and not such a commitment, and I remembered an idea I had a while back, for which I already had a vague outline [very, very vague] and even a bit of text. Which isn't actually too bad, but I'm not sure about the POV/tense... For this story, short as it is, I think the reader needs to know the hero's POV, but, the stuff I've done so far is in first person present. [Can't believe this, actually... the text I have was written several years ago... and it's in first present... long before Mr Stone was even a twinkle in my libido!!!] Anyway, I think the thing should be in third person, past... but the first person stuff is very immediate. So, I have a question... or questions...
If you're a writer, have you ever written in two first person viewpoints? And if so, did it work to your satisfaction? And did reader feedback indicate that they thought it worked too?
If you're a reader, have you read any books written in dual first person lately - or ever - and did you like that way of doing things? Did it seem natural... or weird?
I'd really like to hear some opinions on this one, and would be very grateful for feedback.
In other news, my results for the How Gross Are You? quiz were not faked! I really am that disgusting!!
And finally, as there hasn't been much chocolate news in this new blog, here's a recommendation....
Tesco's Finest Swiss Plain Chocolate with Espresso Filling.... it's bloody fantastic! Get some!
I think my little win must have been a good omen too, because thanks to a suggestion from my angel of a critique partner, I've finally got a bit of direction on what to write next. She suggested I try a novella, 'cos they're shorter and not such a commitment, and I remembered an idea I had a while back, for which I already had a vague outline [very, very vague] and even a bit of text. Which isn't actually too bad, but I'm not sure about the POV/tense... For this story, short as it is, I think the reader needs to know the hero's POV, but, the stuff I've done so far is in first person present. [Can't believe this, actually... the text I have was written several years ago... and it's in first present... long before Mr Stone was even a twinkle in my libido!!!] Anyway, I think the thing should be in third person, past... but the first person stuff is very immediate. So, I have a question... or questions...
If you're a writer, have you ever written in two first person viewpoints? And if so, did it work to your satisfaction? And did reader feedback indicate that they thought it worked too?
If you're a reader, have you read any books written in dual first person lately - or ever - and did you like that way of doing things? Did it seem natural... or weird?
I'd really like to hear some opinions on this one, and would be very grateful for feedback.
In other news, my results for the How Gross Are You? quiz were not faked! I really am that disgusting!!
And finally, as there hasn't been much chocolate news in this new blog, here's a recommendation....
Tesco's Finest Swiss Plain Chocolate with Espresso Filling.... it's bloody fantastic! Get some!
Friday, 13 October 2006
in a similar vein...
| You Are 60% Gross |
 You're more than a little gross, but probably no more gross than the average person. Maybe it's time to drop some of those disgusting habits that could eventually embarrass you! |
my little problem
Well, I did manage to throw out some magazines and papers etc yesterday, but there's a long way to go yet. The photo above of the 'problem' beside my bed isn't before... but after!
Thursday, 12 October 2006
Ack!
Ack, I've done nothing today... well, not exactly totally nothing, but certainly nothing particularly productive and inducive [sp?] to the furthering of my writing career and progress. I've probably done less for the advancement of my career than Kuffer did yesterday on the washing... sigh...
Things I have done today:
Actually, that looks quite productive, but in reality, it isn't when set aside the time spent lolling on the bed, reading magazines and surfing to purely entertainment web sites... including this one...
Stuff on my Cat
Now, I'm not sure putting stuff on your cat should be applauded... but I've done it. I occasionally drape a garment or two over Kuffer, or place the remote control for the telly on his side when he's stretched out. He doesn't seem to mind...
I've also been feeding a serious addiction of mine. I said when I went up into little town that I would *not* go to the newsagent, thus avoiding entirely buying any magazines. I bought two computer mags in Tesco last night, and so I don't need any new mags today. However, I am weak, I went in to a newsagent, and bought FOUR magazines. Two women's, one erotic, one computer... and the worst of it was, when I got home, I realised that I already had a copy of one of the women's magazines! Looks like my good buddy will be getting an unexpected little extra when we next meet together for lunch... One of my most recent resolutions was to pledge that every time I bought a magazine, I would put one or two of my existing mags out for recycling... but as yet, I haven't been able to part with the six [or a dozen] that I'm supposed to be turfing out today!
As I said, I.am.weak.
Things I have done today:
- paid in some cheques
- posted some books to a buddy in thanks for a kindness
- posted my Sex... with a Stranger story
- did a mini bit on some web design... a very mini bit...
- did some reformatting on a chapter of 'a very old book'
Actually, that looks quite productive, but in reality, it isn't when set aside the time spent lolling on the bed, reading magazines and surfing to purely entertainment web sites... including this one...
Stuff on my Cat
Now, I'm not sure putting stuff on your cat should be applauded... but I've done it. I occasionally drape a garment or two over Kuffer, or place the remote control for the telly on his side when he's stretched out. He doesn't seem to mind...
I've also been feeding a serious addiction of mine. I said when I went up into little town that I would *not* go to the newsagent, thus avoiding entirely buying any magazines. I bought two computer mags in Tesco last night, and so I don't need any new mags today. However, I am weak, I went in to a newsagent, and bought FOUR magazines. Two women's, one erotic, one computer... and the worst of it was, when I got home, I realised that I already had a copy of one of the women's magazines! Looks like my good buddy will be getting an unexpected little extra when we next meet together for lunch... One of my most recent resolutions was to pledge that every time I bought a magazine, I would put one or two of my existing mags out for recycling... but as yet, I haven't been able to part with the six [or a dozen] that I'm supposed to be turfing out today!
As I said, I.am.weak.
Wednesday, 11 October 2006
quickie...
Have had some fabulous feedback on my Sex with Strangers story from my critique partner! I had a good feeling about this story... and her comments confirm my optimism over it. She loves it! Now all I have to hope for is that the editor likes it too! :)
Mini extract here!
Mini extract here!
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