Hello All
Finally the kids are back at school/playschool! They went back yesterday and are there for three whole days (or half days for the youngest who's only at playschool, but still that's four hours of freedom). Then we have another long weekend for the Royal Wedding and May Day Bank Holiday. I must admit, the Easter holidays were brilliant but now I'm ready to get back in the saddle and do some proper writing - while trying to wear the kids out I ended up exhausting myself and kept falling asleep at the laptop!
Anyway, on to the bad news - my Nocturn Cravings blurb was not selected as a pitch, but I can't say I'm particularly disappointed. I enjoyed writing the MS but I never really found my mojo with it.
The good news? My full MS has still not been rejected. I've also completed my other Modern MS, bar the final edits which can wait for a few weeks so I can return to it with fresh eyes. I've now started a new WIP and last night I managed to get into the groove with it which felt brilliant.
I know I promised to name my favourite authors but have found the task too tricky to narrow down so must mull it over some more. In the mean time, I've compiled my top ten favourite 'heartbreak' songs that are a must for me to listen to when writing my black moments.
In no particular order (prepare to throw up at the cheesiness) ...
Mika: Happy Ending
Phil Collins: Against All Odds
U2: One
Jon Secada: Just Another Day
Billie Myers: Kiss the Rain
Harry Nilsson: Without You
Fleetwood Mac: Go Your Own Way
Air Supply: All out of Love
Tracy Chapman: Baby Can I Hold You
Florence & the Machine: Blinding
and... (new entry)... Adele: Someone Like You
Whoops, that's eleven.
Anyway, they're mine - anyone want to share theirs?
Take care all, Michelle xxx
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Favourite Books
Today I'm wondering what everyone's favourite books are. As a complete bookworm I have, literally, over a thousand books and I refuse to be parted with any of them (except those I lend out - I do get very upset when they're not returned).
So, without any further ado and in no particular order, I give you my top ten favourtite books:
Little Women (Louise May Alcott)
The Time Travellers Wife (Audrey Niffenburg - or however you spell it!)
The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
Rivals (Jilly Cooper)
Twilight saga - although maybe not New Moon as I found the Jacob stuff boring (Stephanie Myers)
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoeniz (JK Rowling)
The Brightest Star in the Sky (Marian Keyes)
Cell (Stephen King)
Lisey's Story (Stephen King)
Hannibal (Thomas Harris)
Ok, so I cheated a little with Twilight (my game, my rules so ner ner ner ner ner). And I'm pretty sure I'm going to hit the 'post' button and think of a different book I would have added.
Anyway, that's my list - would love to know everyone elses favourites. Next week I'm thinking I might do favourite authors.
Enjoy the sun, Michelle x
PS: Another rejection free week!
So, without any further ado and in no particular order, I give you my top ten favourtite books:
Little Women (Louise May Alcott)
The Time Travellers Wife (Audrey Niffenburg - or however you spell it!)
The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
Rivals (Jilly Cooper)
Twilight saga - although maybe not New Moon as I found the Jacob stuff boring (Stephanie Myers)
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoeniz (JK Rowling)
The Brightest Star in the Sky (Marian Keyes)
Cell (Stephen King)
Lisey's Story (Stephen King)
Hannibal (Thomas Harris)
Ok, so I cheated a little with Twilight (my game, my rules so ner ner ner ner ner). And I'm pretty sure I'm going to hit the 'post' button and think of a different book I would have added.
Anyway, that's my list - would love to know everyone elses favourites. Next week I'm thinking I might do favourite authors.
Enjoy the sun, Michelle x
PS: Another rejection free week!
Friday, 8 April 2011
School Holidays!
Today is the first day of the boys fortnight off school for the Spring Break, previously known as the Easter Holiday. I adore having the boys at home but it does mean my writing time is going to be severely restricted to just the evenings (I can normally get a couple of hours in most mornings when the youngest is at PlaySchool). Is there anyone out there with any ideas on how to mute a nine and four year old? Or any ideas on how to get two boistrous boys to sit still for half an hour? I've contemplated superglue but my eldest is quite liable to report me to Childline ha ha ha.
Anyhoo, I submitted my Nocturn Craving Blurb last weekend and then promptly forgot all about that particular manuscript as I was itching to get back to my other WIP for the Modern Romance line. I figure that if they do select me to pitch (highly unlikely) then at least I'll have four days to polish it off before the pitch... oh, do I hear the sound of SCHOOL HOLIDAYS? Doh. In that case I'll have four evenings to polish it off before the pitch!
Before I sign off I would like to pass on the excellent news that yet another week has gone by without a rejection on the full MS requested by M&B.
Take care all, Michelle
Anyhoo, I submitted my Nocturn Craving Blurb last weekend and then promptly forgot all about that particular manuscript as I was itching to get back to my other WIP for the Modern Romance line. I figure that if they do select me to pitch (highly unlikely) then at least I'll have four days to polish it off before the pitch... oh, do I hear the sound of SCHOOL HOLIDAYS? Doh. In that case I'll have four evenings to polish it off before the pitch!
Before I sign off I would like to pass on the excellent news that yet another week has gone by without a rejection on the full MS requested by M&B.
Take care all, Michelle
Friday, 1 April 2011
Is There Anybody There...?
I've named the title of this post as above because I'm currently wondering how the heck to get some more followers. Maybe I should be shamelessly promoting myself but I can't help but wonder what I've got to promote? My startling wit? Hmmm.... Maybe I should start by actually telling people that I have a blog, such as my family and friends?
Anyway, that is enough procrastination. The first draft of the Nocturn Craving is complete. I now have exactly two weeks to work through the second draft, think of a title, and come up with a two paragraph blurb that will make the editor go 'oh isn't she marvellous, we must select her to pitch for us!' rather than 'who is this woman and will she ever stop darkening our door?'
I decided against submitting for the Desire contest. As soon as the Nocturn is finished I'm keen to get going on the second draft of my other manuscript. This is the one that has taken over my brain, the characters living in my head (rent free may I add) ready for me to make the adjustments that will bring them to life. I don't know if the way I write differs to other writers, but I find that I have to get the whole story down first, the layers adding themselves as I write, until the first draft is complete. By this point I know my characters intimately and can go back and add more layers and also remove sections that no longer fit.
On a personal note, I now have another niece and two nephews all born in the past ten weeks. Well done Jennie, Lulu and Jo (not that any of you read this blog, mostly because I haven't told you about it ha ha). Love you all xxx
Anyway, that is enough procrastination. The first draft of the Nocturn Craving is complete. I now have exactly two weeks to work through the second draft, think of a title, and come up with a two paragraph blurb that will make the editor go 'oh isn't she marvellous, we must select her to pitch for us!' rather than 'who is this woman and will she ever stop darkening our door?'
I decided against submitting for the Desire contest. As soon as the Nocturn is finished I'm keen to get going on the second draft of my other manuscript. This is the one that has taken over my brain, the characters living in my head (rent free may I add) ready for me to make the adjustments that will bring them to life. I don't know if the way I write differs to other writers, but I find that I have to get the whole story down first, the layers adding themselves as I write, until the first draft is complete. By this point I know my characters intimately and can go back and add more layers and also remove sections that no longer fit.
On a personal note, I now have another niece and two nephews all born in the past ten weeks. Well done Jennie, Lulu and Jo (not that any of you read this blog, mostly because I haven't told you about it ha ha). Love you all xxx
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
16th March 2011
First for the good news: the first draft of my new manuscript is complete.
Now for the bad news: still not heard from Mills & Boon.
I had been planning to go back over the new manuscript but then I noticed on the eHarlequin site that they are having a 'pitches' competition for their new Nocturn Cravings line (eventually to replace Nocturn Bites, or so I think). I've always fancied having a go at the paranormal lines and, as they only want 15,000 - 25,000 words, I thought I would give it a go. I've been plotting the story in my head for a few days and last night I actually started writing it and got the first 2,000 words done. I have no idea if it's going to be any good but it keeps me quiet.
Anyway, disaster then struck. The eHarlequin site has also got a 'pitches' competition for their Desire line. I have an old manuscript that I have been planning to submit to Carina Press (it's been sitting in Mills & Boon Land for 10 months - I would chase it up but don't want them to think I am a pain in the bottom especially as they have a full manuscript currently under consideration). The old manuscript was originally submitted in 2009 to Mills & Boon and was rejected with proper revision suggestions and lovely words of encouragement rather than the generic 'R'.
So now I'm in a bit of a quandry: do I send the old manuscript to Carina Press as planned or do I give it a go with the Desire line as, with a bit of tinkering, it should fit into their brief. Decisions, decisions. I think I'll crack on with my nocturnal, and make up my mind over the weekend about the other one.
Be happy, Michelle
First for the good news: the first draft of my new manuscript is complete.
Now for the bad news: still not heard from Mills & Boon.
I had been planning to go back over the new manuscript but then I noticed on the eHarlequin site that they are having a 'pitches' competition for their new Nocturn Cravings line (eventually to replace Nocturn Bites, or so I think). I've always fancied having a go at the paranormal lines and, as they only want 15,000 - 25,000 words, I thought I would give it a go. I've been plotting the story in my head for a few days and last night I actually started writing it and got the first 2,000 words done. I have no idea if it's going to be any good but it keeps me quiet.
Anyway, disaster then struck. The eHarlequin site has also got a 'pitches' competition for their Desire line. I have an old manuscript that I have been planning to submit to Carina Press (it's been sitting in Mills & Boon Land for 10 months - I would chase it up but don't want them to think I am a pain in the bottom especially as they have a full manuscript currently under consideration). The old manuscript was originally submitted in 2009 to Mills & Boon and was rejected with proper revision suggestions and lovely words of encouragement rather than the generic 'R'.
So now I'm in a bit of a quandry: do I send the old manuscript to Carina Press as planned or do I give it a go with the Desire line as, with a bit of tinkering, it should fit into their brief. Decisions, decisions. I think I'll crack on with my nocturnal, and make up my mind over the weekend about the other one.
Be happy, Michelle
Thursday, 10 March 2011
I'm in Misery
Thursday 10th March 2011
Seeing as I started this Blog last November I thought now would be a good time to actually blog something. On Friday 7th January I almost fell off my chair (alright, the sofa) when I received an email from Sally Williamson, an editor at Mills & Boon. The subject was 'Marco & Pippa', the exciting title I had given for the first three chapters and synopsis I had submitted to them. To be honest, I thought she was emailing me another rejection (I've had two outright rejections from them before) and didn't think I was worth the price of a stamp. Not this time. Oh no - she wanted my full manuscript. Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As she had a few revision suggestions, I spent a couple of weeks polishing it off then on the 18th January I submitted the full MS.
Since then...
Well, my nails are being worn down and I have repetitive strain injury on my index finger from hitting 'refresh' so often. As she had said she would get in touch with me shortly, after a month I decided to email her to see if she'd had a chance to read it (this was the 16th February - patience has never been my strongest virtue).
Alas, she had not. However, I do have to give her enormous Brownie Points for responding to my email within 20 minutes! She kindly told me that it was printed and sat on her desk and that she thought she would be able to tackle it within the next couple of weeks. It's now been three weeks and two days and I'm in agony. Today I discovered the e-harlequin forum for tortured writers and have learnt that this time frame is peanuts. There is every chance I could be waiting for months for the next response. Oh Boo hoo.
So, now I have given my dear followers, who so far number the grand total of zero, an update of my misery, I shall say cheerio and get on with my current manuscript.
Seeing as I started this Blog last November I thought now would be a good time to actually blog something. On Friday 7th January I almost fell off my chair (alright, the sofa) when I received an email from Sally Williamson, an editor at Mills & Boon. The subject was 'Marco & Pippa', the exciting title I had given for the first three chapters and synopsis I had submitted to them. To be honest, I thought she was emailing me another rejection (I've had two outright rejections from them before) and didn't think I was worth the price of a stamp. Not this time. Oh no - she wanted my full manuscript. Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As she had a few revision suggestions, I spent a couple of weeks polishing it off then on the 18th January I submitted the full MS.
Since then...
Well, my nails are being worn down and I have repetitive strain injury on my index finger from hitting 'refresh' so often. As she had said she would get in touch with me shortly, after a month I decided to email her to see if she'd had a chance to read it (this was the 16th February - patience has never been my strongest virtue).
Alas, she had not. However, I do have to give her enormous Brownie Points for responding to my email within 20 minutes! She kindly told me that it was printed and sat on her desk and that she thought she would be able to tackle it within the next couple of weeks. It's now been three weeks and two days and I'm in agony. Today I discovered the e-harlequin forum for tortured writers and have learnt that this time frame is peanuts. There is every chance I could be waiting for months for the next response. Oh Boo hoo.
So, now I have given my dear followers, who so far number the grand total of zero, an update of my misery, I shall say cheerio and get on with my current manuscript.
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