Health and Writing News

I saw the dr yesterday and got a shock. My cortisol level had gone up even more than it was originally. The normal range should be between 600-700 but mine was over 1000. I am convinced that it was all the sugary foods over the break that caused my body to stress thus raising the cortisol levels. So, I have asked the dr to refer me to my Endocrine consultant here at Guy's in case it's to do with my hormones. In the meantime I am avoiding excess sugar as I am convinced it doesn't help me at all now. We shall see what happens.

I got another rejection from an agent this week so that leaves only one left to reply. I have in mind a publisher, whom I've been told are looking for teen novels and from their website encourage new writers to submit to them. So I will sort that out this weekend and post it out next week. I am still working on my novealla. I have recently read in my new writing magazine about a new publisher who are publishing novellas so might try them when it's finished. What I did like to read on their website was that the printers they use are through the Forest Council who replant timbers. Very green and recommended. One of the things that is persuading me to try them, as well as being new so they won't have many authors on their books.

Must get on with proper work now. Fashion shopping tomorrow and hope to try on some clothes with my shape in mind.

Queries out!

Queries have been sent out to agents now, and I've had one rejection already. That's life, I suppose. I think I might try publishers next if I get rejections from all 3 agents, or do both. Have been receiving conflicting advice. Some say agents, some say publishers and others say both. Maybe try all and see what happens.

Meantime I am working on the synopsis of the novella and novella itself. The epublisher I had in mind now says on their website they're closed to general submissions. So, I might see what they are up to when I've finished it and if they're still shut then try others, if they do novellas. We shall see.

Must get on with work. Only 6 min's to go now until home. Yay!

New year, new beginnings

Happy new year to anyone that reads this. Well, it's now a new year and I've decided that it will be new beginnings for me.
1. I have already mentioned that I am going organic and started to use all my new facial organic products last night. Too early to say if they suit me or not but so far no reactions. I do like the smell of the new foot balm I've got, it smells of grapefruit. I smell wonderful when I go to bed now. Grapefruit feet, strawberry lips, and other natural smells from hand creams, spritzers. I was hoping to go 100% organic but found that I can't as an important face cream I have to use daily contains mineral oil, which is another name for petroleum things. The rest of the time I am organic.
2. I had my blood test yesterday which wasn't too bad this time despite being very nervous before it. I am determined to reduce my stress levels and have already bought a yoga dvd for beginners. I have also bought a relaxation pulse roll-on to use which I will take to work with me and use there, as I can get quite stressed at times in the office.
3. I have started to clear out a lot of things that I don't want anymore, esp papers and magazines. But one major thing that I've collected for years and decided to sell most of is the pocket dragons. I have decided to enlist my brother's help in selling them on ebay. I will also at some time try to get rid of my old computer and keyboard either via charities or Freecycle. Will look into that next weekend I think.
4. Clothes - there is going to be a new me fashionwise, thanks to watching Gok Wan on How to look good naked and buying the book in sales. I now know which figure I have so know now what clothes to look for and suits my shape best. I tried on a wraparound top the other day and despite the low neck (I don't like showing my boobs) it suited me very well and made my body and arms look very slim, so that is what I will look for next weekend.
5. Writing - Bug has now been completed. The synopsis revised and I will be sending a query off this week to an agent, and 2 more next weekend. In the meantime, I will concentrate on revising the short stort I'd typed up before Christmas and working on the novella for epublishing.

Well, they are my new starts to 2008. I will let you know how each of them go.

Results - getting somewhere

Well, I saw the dr yesterday about my test results. He seems to think that my cortisol level is all stress-related, and I should think about reducing my stress levels. My mum said for me to give up work and I said I wish. Honestly though, at times I do wish I could give up work and concentrate properly on my writing. My cortisol level had actually gone down from last time so he seemed to think like the other dr that it wasn't the cause of my problems. He was going to contact the dr here I saw about Endocrine but decided to wait and see what my next test reveals - yes, I am to have yet another blood test. Thankfully it's during the holiday, New Year's Eve, so I don't have to worry about taking time off work for that and can relax at home as it's holiday. There is also another possibly for it. My thyroid. I haven't been tested for that, although I thought I had, so that's been put on the test form. We shall see. Watch this space. Following the news that the dr believes my high cortisol level is down to stress, I have already made one new year's resolution for next year. To not get stressed out so much, esp with family and at work. I know that I have been acting defensive and a bit aggressive towards my mum at times, which she has recently pointed out to me, and I want to try to fix that. Maybe if I relax a bit more and the body doesn't stress too much, my eczema will calm down and go. I might even do some relaxation exercises, perhaps yoga to help me stay calm. We shall see.

My work on Bug is progressing hard and nicely. I have now revised Chapter 11 and just need to read aloud Chapter 10 and 11. I managed to finish typing the rest of the first draft on Saturday and printed off Chapter 13, and will print Chapter 14 this weekend. Hopefully over the holiday I shall finish it entirely and get it ready to send to agents in the new year. I already have a draft query letter which I did as part of the Writing for Children course I did, and need to slightly adjust that for each agent I wish to write to. Sunday I typed up the animal story and think I just need to read that through and make some improvements. Once I've done that I shall start typing up the novella I want to target e-publishers with. I plan to be busy with writing projects over the break, so that in the new year I can start concentrating on my RS novel, Forgotten Memories, which now I know where I'm heading with that I'm looking forward to getting back with it.

I probably will be here again before Christmas, but would like to wish all readers here and my friends and acquaitances a Happy Christmas.

Still high

I was off sick on Wednesday due to being very tired and worn out - it was one of my bad days. While I was off at home, I phoned the clinic and got my last test results. My cortisol level is still raised and was told to see a dr, which I will be doing on Monday. Knowing now that it's still high, I am convinced that all this tiredness and getting up during the night is all down to the adrenal glands. Cortisol is the hormone that the adrenal glands produce to regulate water, mineral and stress balances, and I have 2 out of 3 not balanced. I just want to sort this out and hope that the dr can do so on Monday. I just hope that this isn't something that will lead to a longer illness such as ME (or chronic fatigue syndrome as it's called now). My aunt says that how I have been feeling this year with tiredness is how her daughter started with ME. Fingers crossed I don't have it. My aunt also said that she felt I should take some time off work to rest. I wish, I wish, I wish. At least I have the Christmas break in 2 weeks time so have time then to rest.

I am working hard on Bug. I have revised chapters 8 - 10 this week and will type those amendments up over the weekend. On Sunday I plan to type up an animal story for the animal small press magazine I subscribe to.

I am so longing for the weekend now. I am tired and just want to go home. Only 11 minutes to go before I can pack up and leave here. Not shopping tomorrow. Finished my Christmas shopping last weekend, and now have to wrap the presents up. My mum's presents should take the longest because I've got her lots of little presents and a couple of big ones, that's why I have left hers to last to do.

Goals for 2008

I have already made up some goals to reach for 2008, but I have changed one slightly. When I went to the RNA SE London Xmas lunch the other week I told one person my goals and this is what they are.
1. To finish Bug and send it to a critigue service. This is what has changed. I have been reading my home email loops on children's writing and read that people are sending their mss to agents. Also, my stars said yesterday to have more faith in myself, so instead of sending the book for critique I am going to send it to an agent or two. I have almlost finished typing up the first draft and am now revising Chapter 9 and probably 10 this week. I still have to print chapters 12-14 and will do that over the Xmas break and sort out the synopsis too.
2. While that's at an agent, I will type up a novella I have already written and started typing and will try to get that e-published. I have an e-publisher in mind for that.
3. Once I've done that I will work on Forgotten Memories and finish that and try to get that e-published by the same e-publisher I have in mind.

Watch this space.

Rosie's story continued

Hi, Rosie here again. I've been away because Julie has been making my story more entertaining and fun to read for you readers out there. But I'm back now and this is where I get excited.

Last time we spoke I said there's a plan afoot, and the plan was to have a combined team and family meeting to discuss how to defeat the enemy. First of all though my team and I went shopping and something one of the girls said the day before gave me an idea for lunch. To buy something new they hadn't tried yet. That was hard for me because I had tried most of the healthy stuff and then in the last shop something I hadn't tried appeared from nowhere. Someone's powers were at work. It turned out to be mum's although she denied it at first. Aunt Lucy met us from our shopping and took us home. We had lunch and then our meeting. We discussed what the team and I had decided and then dad tells me I have one more power to find, as if I haven't got enough. Everyone was partnered with a teacher whom I knew to be on my side and then we would discuss it with the teachers and Mrs Zabberwol on Monday. Now that we had a plan and strategy for the week ahead, we all said the same thing. Bring it on!