The blog is mostly going to be about writing stuff today and - phew! The My Weekly interview has just finished and it was lovely! I don't mean my part in it was lovely (I waffled and giggled and flapped and repeated myself as always), but Wendy, the interviewer was wonderful. She asked such great questions, made it all so easy - like chatting to a friend. I'm so glad it's over though - I hate talking about myself. Well, you feel such a show-off, don't you? And I don't think I have anything remotely earth-shattering to say (although I'm really good at remembering those clever little quips, sparkling witty anecdotes and humorous gems the minute it's over...) - so again, hats off to the lovely Wendy for making it a breeze.
Also this morning I've sold a short story to Allers mag in Sweden. Yippee! This was one I'd had published in People's Friend a couple of years ago - so maybe this is a good writing tip? Anything suitable for PF might well be worth subbing to Allers to sell Swedish mag rights? I shall certainly try them with some more...
And I'm thrilled to discover that the online romance site Cata-Network are going to review Happy Birthday on their Single Titles list - so more good news, well, hopefully, unless they absolutely hate it of course, in which case I'll probably cry.
Now all I have to worry about is if I'll finish Moonshine in time... if the Telegraph are still laughing their posh socks off over my first love revelations... if the Daily Express are ditto-ing their less-posh dittos ditto over my childhood... and if I'll ever be brave enough to face the audience at the Manchester Literary Festival on Oct 18th... I've just been sent the details of my slot (a romance panel with the mega-famous Mavis Cheek and Penny Jordan - think I must be the token chav) and it sounds great if only I could convince myself I was A Real Writer...
I am A Real Writer.. I am A Real Writer... I am A Real Writer...
13 comments:
You are most definately a real and wonderful writer.
I'm sure you'll be great at the Manchester Literary Festival, I wish I could come, it sounds as if it will be well worth attending.
thanks for the vote of confidence, debs - but I'm still not convinced... Oh I really wish you could be at the Manc Lit Fest too - I'm going to need all the friends I can get!
I'll do my best to be there Christina. I grew up not far from Manchester and I still work there every Sunday so fingers crossed! The 18th is a Saturday I think....I'll let you know!
Of course you are a real writer, you daft mare!!! Goodness, me. Your books are stupendously wonderful and you just get better and better. If Cata don't adore Happy Birthday I'll eat my ... well, something! HB is utterly superb, a triumph. So there!
You jest with your picture of the manly chest displaying the wonderful progress of having written the page numbers. Sadly, it has that hysterical ring of truth to it! Especially with a deadline that seems to be rampaging ever closer at a vastly faster speed than any actual progress of the book! We will get them done on time, we will get them done on time, we will ... Please?!
Fab news that the MW interview went so smoothly and I am sure all 3 features will be excellent. Wish I could read them all.
Anyway, have a fab weekend and good luck getting back to Moonshine with renewed enthusiasm and inspiration ... and please send some my way, too!
Lots of love,
Mags xxx
mummy - ooh, that would be great if you could be there - it'd be really lovely to meet you. I do hope you can make it. The romance panel is in Tiger,Tiger in the Printworks on Sat 18th Oct - starts at 3 o'clock with cocktails...
mags - well! I'll ignore the daft mare bit - but I thought you'd appreciate the awful truth scrawled on the rather lovely manly chest!!! Of course we'll make the deadlines - we will... we will... we will...
Of course you're a real writer - or did someone else write all your wonderful books and use your name!
Oooh, I'll come on Oct 18th. Have sent an email to your 'bonfire night' addy.
Love the t-shirt and am in total awe of your Nationals triumph. Can't get to Manchester this time, but I'm sure you'll be fab. All you have to do is smile and be yourself.
pat - bless you for the kind and encouraging words but I'll never, ever be convinced that anything I write is any good. I'm not being coy - I've just had the confidence knocked out of me over the years. Long story best never told... Oooh - I'll check my emails now! It'd be really fantastic if you could be there on the 18th - thanks so much!
jan - thanks a million for the support - you were brilliant at Pure Passion (even your pics made me look less like a sack of spuds wrapped in a curtain than most - who in god's name let me go out in that get-up???). And the mega publicity spree is nowt to do with me but everything to do with Little,Brown deciding to move me up a notch in the writerly scheme of things.
Moving up a notch - it's about ruddy time!
A notch up in the writerly scheme of things is more than deserved, not to mention very well earned.
It's weird how the Crows of Doubt will insist on pecking away, isn't it? Self-confidence has always been in very short supply here and doesn't seem to get any better. But YOU I have limitless confidence in because I know how brilliant you are.
Now, if we could just get these wips to flow ... another week gone and the deadlines looming closer. Oh, help! Can someone please slow down time and speed up the daily word count?
Lots of love,
Mags xxx
18th is still a possibility here too, have spoken to my other half and he's going to take the Bean over to Dawson's to play on the drums! hehehe Should keep him occupied :) How long do the panels usually last?
jan - thanks so much, but you know as well as I do how these things work. If yer face/name doesn't fit... Think that winning Pure Pash and the Melissa Nathan thing made people take notice - which is sad really because I'm not writing anything different. Although having a new ed who is a star and having just been brave enough to leave my agent (eeek!) and find a wonderful new one who seems to like me a lot, seems to have helped... Anyway, I'm just grateful for anyone noticing that I exist actually...
mags - that's okay then. We'll just be confident about each other! Don't mention the deadline - please! Am now off until Weds playing on the fairground - so, I'll really, really catch up with Moonshine then. I will!!!
mummy - it's sounding good for the 18th, then - I think we all mingle from 3, then the panel starts with readings at 3.30 - 5 mins each - (oh, god - how bad will that be??? I'm so awful at reading aloud that I make George Bush sound like Stephen Fry), followed by a Q&A session, with a book signing at 4.40. As I'm booked on a train back from Picadilly at 5.25 this will possibly be very brief!!! You will probably be able to escape well before 5. Do hope you can make it...
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