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7.2.13

I TOLD YOU I WAS ILL!

That's reassuring - despite me being off-line for a week I have still had a few visitors to my blog. Welcome to you all, and thank you!
I've been a bit off-colour and the old brain cells aren't functioning properly. My sight's blurred and my fingers forget how to type, so there have been some very strange words on the page that even I have been unable to interpret,
But enough of that - discussions of ill-health are boring. Cue cute photo of bored baby.

I am trying to decide what to do next. First there is this blog to maintain - my own - and the one month A-Z challenge is coming up - should I join this year or not? Last year I was keen and had half of it planned out in advance. This year I think I've got too much else on my plate.

I have had two short stories issued on the online magazine http://runningoutofink.com and am in the process of submitting another, I've entered a few short story competitions and even written a poem or two, but my main job had been, and still is, the re-write of A Volcanic Race, the first novel I ever wrote. Even that has a sting in the tail, as I  allowed myself to be persuaded to blog about the process on http://shortbreadstories.com  And with my various ailments - those boring ones, remember? - I haven't got on as fast as I would like.

And now I have heard from an agent who likes my novel Helter-Skelter enough to have given me detailed feedback and will look at it again if I address the issues she raised. It#s great to be told I am "An exceptional writer" but devastating to get yet another refusal. Yet I am so near with HS that I shall have to do what the agent asks and "Have another bash at it" - once I've got A Volcanic Race out of the way.

D'you reckon the Doc might have some pills to make me an instant genius?

One small sad tale to end with - my grandsons' cat died last week. RIP Marley.




8 comments:

  1. Hope you're starting to feel better. Congratulations on the short stories and the agent. It all sounds really good! You always get such a lift when you have something accepted that it spurs you on - because someone is suddenly telling you you're good, and you believe it, for a day or two :-)

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  2. Fantastic news about the agent! They absolutely wouldn't bother with the detailed feedback if they didn't think it had potential and they wouldn't say they'd look at it again if they weren't interested.

    It's up to you but I think making those changes and getting it back to that interested agent should be top priority.

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  3. You just HAVE to edit that piece of writing. I'm excited for you. Feedback is the best way to help you grow. Leave the A - Z challenge. You've got more important things to think about. Of course, I'm entering. I blog every day on another site anyway, so this is a perfect opportunity for me to work in news items. Trouble is: no planning ahead. ;-)

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  4. You're right of course, Patsy and Francene - Helter-Skelter must take priority, especially as my brief response to her email brought another lengthy reply, I just with my eyes were better!

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  5. Great news about the agent's feedback! That's got to be what concentrate on first.
    Keep well.

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  6. Well done for getting constructive feedback from the agent - hope they don't make you jump through too many hoops to get your work published! ;-)

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  7. Congratulations on your writing successes! And I hope you're feeling better this week.

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  8. So sorry to hear about the kitty. Very hard to lose a pet, whatever your age.
    Great news on the agent's interest though. I'd definitely agree with Patsy, and make that your top priority (as well as getting better health wise).
    Good luck and keep us posted!

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