Thursday 29 October 2009

Parish Notices


A very brief blog post to pass on info... (oh, and a trillion years ago I used to live in the village in the pic)

First, an impassioned plea from the lovely Lynne Hackles who is trying to sell her house and is cleverly using the web/blog network to spread the word. Anyone who might be interested in moving to/in Wales (or who knows anyone who might be interested) please take a look at Lynne's website (fabulously glam photo, Lynne!) www.lynnehackles.com where there are some gorgeous pictures (it's stunningly beautiful and original and extremely reasonably priced - am sorely tempted myself!) of the house and a detailed description of all the rooms and the glorious surrounding area.

Secondly, I've got two new online interviews up and running - both on sites which will be of interest to new writers and old hands alike. They're at www.newbiewriters.com and www.novelkicks.co.uk.

Thirdly, the renovating of the lean-to is finished. It is now officially A Sun Room. When we bought the house it was described (in estate agent speak) as a conservatory. It isn't and never was. Over the years it's become a general glory hole/cat sanctuary/garden store. It's now beautiful and painted and wood panelled and carpeted and has furniture in it!!! We shall be opening it to the public in the spring...

Fourthly - I've gone mad - madder? - (after hating the new dining room - mind you, I'm much happier now it's got *stuff* in it and looks like home) and am allowing the living room to be tarted up next week. I know I'll HATE it to start with - especially as we're going for a radical change from navy blue and gold to burgundy and cream... gulp...

Fifthly, I have a Christmas deadline for Midnight Feast (now called The Way To A Woman's Heart according to Amazon - I always find it really scary when a novel I'm still writing, and especially when I'm wallowing in the muddly middle, appears on Amazon as a Real Book That People Can Order!!! - so it clearly wasn't just Sunny Strange or my house that had to have a makeover) and now I've really, really got to get a move on and finish it - and it only seems five minutes ago that I was saying the very same thing about Moonshine...

15 comments:

Colette McCormick said...

Good grief you've got a lot going on. Sadly I'm not in the market for a move to Wales but if I was I'd be there like a shot it looks great. Glad to hear that the domestic stuff turned out so well and good luck with the living room.
I'll be checking out the interviews later.
Did you really post this at 04.41?

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Glad to hear the decorating is coming along well. I'm sure it all looks gorgeous.

Best of luck with the writing; it does only seem a short time ago that you were writing Moonshine. Can't wait to read The Way To A Woman's Heart though.

Christina Jones said...

Colette - untidy desk, untidy mind, untidy life??? I can never just do one thing at a time - it's all or nothing. One day I'll be all calm and organised - hah! No - I posted it at about 11.30 am - no idea why the times are so weird - yours says 6.26...

Debs - thanks for your vote of confidence! Hmmm - I'm growing to love Ella Maloney but will I ever learn to love TWTAWH????? Good luck with NaNo-thingumjig too!!!

Brand-ie said...

We are in the middle of decorating too. Finished the lounge and now the stairs and dinning room are going to be done.
Midnight feast sounds so much better and more in keeping woth the other titles but heyho what do i know.
My son had to write a fairy story for a class project any tips?

Jan Jones said...

They're calling it what???

Ho hum. Sun Room sounds lovely, though. (Your garage is going to be gorgeous with all the stuff that's getting put in there.)

[Word verif: ronfogi - if that isn't a character name, just call me Sunny Strange]

katiebird said...

Wow.... that house is tempting. I wonder what would be more difficult, finding £200,000 or immigrating to Wales?

Thanks for sharing your news, Chris - it sounds like all kinds of exciting. I especially like your willingness to make changes even though they're scary.

Christina Jones said...

Brand-ie - good luck with your decorating. I've just looked at our denuded and blue-for the-last-time living room and sighed. Do NOT talk to me about that title!!! Out of my hands. And your son's fairy story - how about making it modern and funny? With a trendy, lazy, "whatever" fairy out of step with tradition? Well, that's what I'd do - but then - as you say as well, what do I know???

Christina Jones said...

Jan - I know. I know... I can't believe it either... I so loved Midnight Feast... No doubt they know what they're doing - honestly, it wasn't anything to do with me. Ron Fogi? My next hero! Sunny Strange's long-lost childhood sweetheart???? Garage is now looking like Antiques Roadshow! I'm trying to stay cheerful on all counts...

Christina Jones said...

katiebird - Lynne's house is lovely, isn't it? Yes, the changes were all pretty radical - the house ones I'm in control of, not so the writing ones. But I guess if you (I) want to stay published in these recessionary times there has to be a point where you (I) don't become a Difficult Author and insist on things going all your (my) way...

Chris Stovell said...

I'm trying to move in Wales, but no one's buying my house either. I'll pop over to Lyn's and have a look.

Love that you're always so honest about your feelings - I don't suppose all well-known authors admit to being anxious at seeing their WIP touted as a real book, but that's one of things that's so refreshing about visiting your blog.

Christina Jones said...

ChrisH - oooh sympathies re the house-selling. Must be a tough time to move at the moment. Am glad it's one problem I don't have at the moment. And thanks so much for understanding about the need for blog/writerly honesty. Never see the point of being anything else. Actually, having read the Amazon blurb today, I'm more than anxious! Who the hell is Sally Ellison???

Lynne Hackles said...

Thanks for advertising the house for me. We've suddenly had some interest - two lots of viewers in a week! Things must be moving or perhaps the spell I performed is working. It involved placing a key on a mirror in front of a white candle and reciting a verse. Then I had to wear the key around my neck but I don't like things around my neck so I kept it in my jeans' pocket until I wore a skirt. As that had no pocket I tied it to the loop inside the skirt and ooops. My knot wasn't good and the spell fell down the loo. Bad karma? No. I'm thinking it dropped down the pan because the magic had been done. A buyer is on the way.

alzamina said...

I know what you mean about the 'sun room' - we had one at my old house and all it did was collect cats, coats and dirty boots!!

The Way to a Womens Heart sounds like a Mills and Boon book and doesn't seem to fit in with all your other titles - but hey ho - as you say - I'm sure they know what they are doing!

Did you get the email with the pics of my beasties??

Christina Jones said...

Lynne - delighted that things are "moving" on the house front and thanks for making me laugh! No doubt the whole spell thing will end up in print??? Have got my fingers crossed for a quick sale now. C x

Christina Jones said...

alzamina - yes, thanks, just checked emails and aaaah - they're so lovely. Agree 100% about the new title - but I wasn't given a say and anyway what do I know??? Clearly not a lot... Our new sun room thingy looks sooo posh - wonder how long it'll take to become filled with cats, coats and boots...???