Where: Place the code in between the Writer, Mother and Reviewer: January 2012

Tuesday 31 January 2012

New article published




It's been a while since my last post.  It has simply been a case of not enough hours in my day.  I have been busily spending time on various other writing projects and therefore something has had to be sidelined.  Then I had technology problems; my laptop decided to die on me.  For well over a week I had to rely on good old fashioned pen and paper but it has actually been a real eye opener. I have come up with loads more ideas so in future I think the new laptop, much as I love it, will be taking a bit of a backseat.

I have had an article out today in woman magazine.  For all those smokers out there if I can do it anyone can!

Saturday 14 January 2012

Fish and Chips!



"Lunch Norma, Can you see it? The fishing boat is back and I just bet it's full of lickle, wickle fishes all waiting for me to swoop down and scoff the lot.  I'm sooo excited,"
"Yeah, yeah, Trevor whatever"
"How can you not be excited? You know how much we love to wind up those fishermen.  They go all red in the face, shouting and flapping their arms around, like they wanna fly like us or something."
"I know Trev, but today I don't wanna pinch raw fish.  Do you know what I wanna do?"
"No, no, tell me Norma, tell me" squawks Trevor hopping excitedly from foot to foot, so much so that he almost loses his balance and falls off the wall.
"see that man over there?"
"Yeeaahhh"
"The one with the windows on his eyes that keep flashing when the sun hits them, like he's sending out a signal to us.  I'm here! I'm here!"
"Yes, yes, yes I see him.  The one with the shiny bald head that looks like a target."
"Yes, that's the one.  Do you see what he has in his hand Trev?"
"Chiiipppps"
" Exactly Trev, Not just chips but hot battered fish and chips covered in glorious salt and vinegar.  Why would I wanna eat slimy raw fish when I can eat that?"
"Shall we do it? Norma, Shall we?"
"Don't forget the plan, Trev.  You fly off, hover above him, hit the target, he'll drop his package of grub and hey presto, lunch."
"woohoo, I'm ready Norma, I'm ready" Opening up his enormous wings Trev prepares to take flight.
"On your marks, Trev.  Get set and gooooooo!"


Thank you CT for allowing me to use your photograph.  Without it todays entry just wouldn't be the same.


Monday 9 January 2012

No Pain, No Gain!

I didn't make any New Years resolutions because I simply can't stick to them.  Same as diets I just can't do it.  Fact is, I love my food to much.  I've done the Weight Watchers counting points and Slimming World weighing out food and counting syns and I lose all motivation because they just don't work for me.  I starve all week and live on lettuce and for what? I lose a pound.  Hurray!  I don't need to lose that much but I have over-indulged over the Christmas period and eaten far to much chocolate.  The wobbly bits just need toning up a bit.

The simple fact is I need to exercise more.  I can't get to the gym because being a single parent, when the kids are at school, I'm at work and they don't spend enough time with their dad, to enable me to get the most out of a gym. I did a bit a research and found that people were really positive about the Jillian Michaels workout, so my copy came today, I got the kids to bed and whacked it on.

Half an hour later I was laid in the middle of the living room floor hardly able to breath.  Holy S**t I practically crawled up the stairs into the shower and I just know that tomorrow is going to be even worse.  Still no pain, no gain. That is the most intense workout dvd I have ever ever done. I'm suppose to do that 5 times a week to get the results.

It might get another chance tomorrow but can't make any promises about that.

Friday 6 January 2012

Real Writer!

I officially feel like a real writer today. I submitted a feature I had written and was contacted by the editor to discuss the various things in more detail.  Yes, I thought hanging up the phone.  This was the moment I had been waiting for I felt like a real writer.

I'm doubly pleased because it is the first article that I have actually pitched as an outline first.  So the course must be teaching me something right because what ever I did, it worked.  Also the magazine is a really well known woman's weekly which as a beginner is no easy nut to crack.

I successfully sold my article, negotiated the terms and I am one happy girl.  It's given me a massive motivation to get cracking and turn some of those ideas that have been languishing on the notepad into saleable work.

What a start to my year. I just hope it continues and is not beginners luck.

Thursday 5 January 2012

2012 Blogging Resolutions

I want to increase my readership.  My aim is to be a successful writer and I want to use my blog as a platform to display some of my work.

Tuesday 3 January 2012

How Dopey am I?

It was my dreaded first day back at work today after a lovely, much needed two week break.  So, got myself in the right mind-set last night.  Made a mental check list of all the things I needed to do this morning went to bed and set my alarm for the awful hour of 6.30am.

The kids have been sleeping in just lately so it was a shock when the alarm went off and I had to drag myself out of my lovely warm bed in what felt like the middle of the night and stumbled downstairs to make my morning coffee.  An hour and half later, I was all showered, kids were up, dressed and sorted and the mountain of stuff they were taking to nanna's was packed and ready to go.

Just about to walk out the door and the phone rings.  It's nanna just wanting to see if I needed anything from the shops because she was heading off early.  "Taking the kids with you?" I asked innocently.  "You have gotta be kidding" was here response.  "Erm, but your looking after them today because I'm at work!" I informed her.  "Yeah, I know" she said "but it's Tuesday.  You don't start work till 12."  I had totally got mixed up my with days.   I could have had a lovely last sleep in.  Goddam what a start! Needless to say the day hasn't got any better.

Monday 2 January 2012

A Change of Direction!

A new year and I think it's time for an over-haul of my blog.  I have been playing around with various ideas of where to progress and take this to another level and ultimately I have opted to start show casing a small selection of my fictional pieces.  I did consider setting up a new blog to coincide with this one but maintaining two blogs may just take up to much time, that I already have very little of.  From now on instead of just blathering on about my day to day life with the kids I will be adding a selection of paragraphs from my stories and even possibly poems.

To kick start this I have included a paragraph from a short story I am working on:

I run up to his room slamming the door behind me; standing there motionless I close my eyes and he's here.  He's with me.  I can feel him, I can sense him, I can smell his sweet baby scent, but it's different here too.   The feeling has changed.  The smell is weaker, it's still there but only just.
"Louis, darling" I whisper into the empty room.  "I know I promised that I would never leave you, but baby I have to..." I can feel the pain taking a hold of my body and I desperately hold back the sob that's trying to break free.  "We have to.." I continue.
"Mum? Mum, where are you? Daniels waiting for us in the car" shouts Jamie cutting into my thoughts.
"I'm in here J" I reply "I'm just saying goodbye" I whisper.

Sunday 1 January 2012

Kiddizoom Mayhem!

I'm really starting to regret purchasing the Kiddizoom camera/video camera for my 6 year old.  she is driving me nuts with it.  It's like being on a reality TV show she never turns the goddam thing off.  She captures my every move and word and the amount of dodgy photos that yes, I have deleted, is unreal.

The other day I just fancied a nice hot bubble bath so I settled the kids in front of the TV put on their favourite DVD and snuck off upstairs, stupidly thinking I would have 10 minutes to myself.  Ran the water and poured in loads of my new foam bath.  Checked where the kids were, still watching TV.  Result!

Just managed to sink into the bath, closed my eyes and "muuuummmmyyy" In she barged camera in hand "I'm gonna film you in the bath  haaahaaahaaa."  Nightmare! She spent the next 10 minutes documenting my every move before off came her clothes and in she got.  As if that wasn't bad enough Charlie decided to follow suit.  Kids!

So much for a nice relaxing bath.  Just for information the film has been deleted.