This week

I haven't posted recently because last weekend I had a stomach bug and since then my stomach hasn't been right. I was off sick from work yesterday with it but back now. It's still not right and I want it to be.

On the writing front. I have sent the rest of the chapters to Pegasus and hopefully they should have received them by now. Meantime, I started writing Chapter 3 of Georgina's story today and can't wait to get on with it now. I am also revising Checkmate the adult novella and have lots of revisions for the last chapter to do, which I will type up at home tomorrow.

I am out tonight meeting my friend Heather for a meal. We're meeting by the local Chinese restaurant near where I live because it's not far from where we both live. Looking forward to that. I shall have something plainish without sauce because of my stomach problems. I don't want to upset it again.

Well, this is my news for now. Oh yes, my website is currently being updated by my web consultant and will be looking great very shortly. I have seen what it is going to look like and it is fab with lots of sunflowers and a more contemporary and teen feel to it. Can't wait to see the finished site.

Nearly home time and the weekend. Can't wait.

End of holiday

It's now near the end of my holiday. Haven't done much due to the weather not being so good. I had the blood test done on Wednesday and was very brave because the nurse had to do it in both arms in the end. She found a vein in my left arm but it refused to give blood, so found a vein in the other arm and thankfully got lots of blood for that. Will get the results next week. Went to Greenwich Park the other day and got followed by a squirrel, because we were feeding the squirrels some of our monkey nuts. Saw some deers there at a distance, they were sitting down. Had my hair cut this morning and that is it for this holiday. Have read a lot this holiday. So far have read 5 books. 3 Intrigues, 1 Stephanie Meyer and 1 Nell Dixon (Nell, if you read this I really liked Animal Instincts. I thought it was a gentle romance with a hint of mystery). Just started reading the 6th book, another intrigue.

Finished writing chapter 2 of Georgina yesterday and will type up the rest of chapter 1 later on. I want to email it off to someone for a workshop I will be going to in September. Meantime, I got a letter from Pegasus today, asking for the rest of Allie. So I will be printing off the rest of it over the next few days. Fingers crossed....

Well, must get on with reading some of my emails here. Talk more next week.

Holiday time

I am on holiday still and having a good time spending money. I went to the library on Wednesday. They took a book, poster, flyer and bookmark, said they'd pass it on to the children's librarian to have a look at and get back to me. I gave them my business card with my home no on. So that's 3 libraries I am waiting to hear back from.

I had a lovely spa treatment yesterday. I discovered this one locally which is only 15 mins walk from where I live, and they use natural and organic products. My mum and I each had an anti-stress facial with neck and shoulder massage and a manicure. The massage was lovely although it hurt a bit, prob cos I was tensed up a bit. We've decided that we are definitely going there again. It doesn't cost us to get there and there are no stairs for my mum to trip up. I spent a lot of money there on some of their products, which are quite dear so will only use for special and weekends.

This morning we went shopping in Bromley and I spent a lot of money there. I bought another mac (red), 2 nighties and 2 silky blouses with tie backs on. They look wonderful on me but no so on Mum as she liked the ruby coloured one. The other was ivory. So all spent out for today but v happy with purchases. Later I will be writing some more of Chapter 2 of Georgina's story, who I've decided will be black after listening to the founder of Tamarind Books talk last week.

Well, this is it for now. Catch up later in the week when I've done more things.

Promo update

Well, I heard from the Croydon woman last week and the answer was no, they can't do anything for me. The reason was that to do an event there, if they want to bring my books in they have to do it via their library supplier, and they haven't got my book on their list. They said they'll keep my details for future use. I left a message on the ansamachine of the Bromley lady and still wait to hear back from her. In the meantime, my successful news has appeared in Crystal, one of the small press mags that I subscribe to, along with the page about my book from my website. It will also be in the next issue of Creature Features, the other small press mag I subscribe to. And I have a letter in the current issue of Natural Health magazine. Not the star letter this time but still a letter.

Tomorrow I will hopefully be visiting another library in another borough and hope they can offer me something, as I'm keen to give talks another go.

Well, this is all my news for now. See you later.

Another library, more promo

Well, my mum and I managed to find Croydon library on Saturday. I got to speak to one of the children's librarians who took some of my promo stuff, a book and my contact details. She said she'd pass the stuff to the Head of the Children's libraries, and gave me the email address and phone number of the lady. I will wait until Wednesday to hear from her, and if I don't then I will phone her to ask about possibly doing an event there. I have decided that if I do do any more library events, they will be based wholly around my book and my writing as I feel that is a subject I am more comfortable talking about.

I forgot to say that to get to the library on Saturday, I had to go to East Croydon train station because due to engineering works no trains were going to West Croydon station. I have not been to East Croydon station since 2005 when my mum fainted, banging her head and breaking her wrist and it gave me bad memories. I had to overcome my fear of the station and managed to do it. I got very nervous waiting for the train going there, felt about panicking when I was leaving the station and was OK once I'd left it. I wasn't too bad when I got there to get the train to go home. Hopefully I will be able to go there again now that I've done it once as it is quicker going to East than West.

Will let you know what happens.

Library talks

I heard back from the Head of Children's libraries the other day. She asked me how I thought my talk went, so I said OK but thought the Q&A session afterwards went better so might focus on that area in future. She told me that as I don't have a medical background she was concerned that I might be misinforming the children about what I am talking about and wants me to email her my next talk so she can have a look at it to see if it's suitable or not. I have revised my talk to make it more interactive, another thing she advised, as well as mentioning books and websites which she also advised to include. I have decided that I might just do talks and sessions about my book and writing in future for libraries, if I get the chance again. Once I've reworked the talk I will email it to her saying that that would be what it'd be like if I talked about healthy eating again.

Meantime I am still waiting to hear from one library and the Head of Bromley libraries. And I have started writing chapter 1 of Georgina's story.

See you soon.