The Results are Now In

The Writing Buddies meeting came round again and quite a few of us gathered at the Art House Cafe to learn the results of the anthology competition. We had a guest, Simon Walley, who announced the winners and runners up. A very well done to all those who went home with certificates and an envelope - I was hoping for a "highly commended" mention but alas, my short story fell short I suppose. I can't wait to read the winning entries in the book when it's published.

The Writing Buddies meeting is always informative and I go home with lots of ideas to follow up and there's always plenty of encouragement. Eileen told me that I need to get more feedback on my work and not rely on my Writer's Bureau tutor. That's not to say my tutor gives the wrong adivce. Indeed, I value what she tells me and certainly take note. It may not always be what I want to hear but feedback should always be positive and constructive. Funnily enough she didn't like the story I submitted to the antholgy comp and said it was "confusing." It was a ghost story and I didn't think it was confusing but I wonder what other's might think.

I'm off to Spain and hope to spend the afternoons writing THE NOVEL. As it's partly set in Spain I should be inspired enough to produce some reasonable work plus I need to write two short stories for the Writers Bureau. I shall spend this afternoon gathering up all my writing materials.

It'll be an early night as we're up uber early to drive to Dover to take the P&O to Calais.

No Excuses

It's tuesday afternoon and since last thursday I haven't put pen to paper. Let me explain. Friday brought bad news that my cousin had suffered a serious stroke and was in hospital. The weekend saw me and my brother and his wife make a 260 mile round trip to Southport to visit him. I truly believe that in times like this you have to put certain things on hold and the family must come first. I am no stranger to driving up the M6. Southport is my birthplace and I am always happy to go back there. My cousin is paralysed down one side but has regained his speech very quickly with only a slight slurring. He expects to be in hospital for 3 months, may be more and I have promised to visit again. Sunday was spent recovering from the long drive and very late night.

Monday came and went and no writing. I don't know what was the matter with me but I could think of a thousand things to do and writing wasn't on the list. In fact, by the end of the day I asked myself did I really want to commit to it anymore? There's no excuse not to open your laptop for even half an hour and write gibberish if you have to. The point is, you are writing something. I have only submitted one article to Bukisa and am procrastinating on what to subm it next. I am dithering over assignment 6 for the WB and waiting for assignment 5 to come back. Not a good day for motivation.

Today is different. This morning I went to the hairdressers for a much needed restyle and colour. That was uplifting. This afternoon I have written for two hours non stop (THE NOVEL) and I am in the process of making a list of possible articles to submit to Bukisa.

I realise I have no excuses when it comes to writing. Yesterday I should have been back on track after a busy weekend doing other things. Today I am making up for lost time and really quite enjoying myself.

Beautiful Bath

Yesterday We went to Bath. I know I went there as a child but couldn't remember anything about it except I'm sure it was busy with tourists. Well yesterday was the same. Busy and lots of visitors. I had printed a map off of the main streets and decided that the Royal Crescent would be the sight I wanted to see most. It was just a short walk from the town centre through quieter streets. We made the Crescent the first stop on our tourist trail and arrived to find it deserted. It's a magnificent sweep of Georgian splendour and exactely like the photo in the guide book. We walked through small streets, lined with antique shops and posh hairdressers and quirky coffee shops back to the town centre and followed the signs for the Abbey and Pump room. We didn't venture into either and carried on to the picturesque Parade Grounds and watched people haul their blue and white striped deckchairs to a shady spot for a picnic lunch.

I like Bath because it looks so stately. The shops are different with 'one offs' as well as the usual high street chains. I wondered into Cath Kidson and couldn't resist buying a book of sticky labels. I'm not sure what I'll do with them all but I've got a mania for labelling things so I'm sure some of them at least will be used. We browsed charity shops, a Fairtrade shop and there was even a shop selling sausages and nothing else!

Lunch was at the excellent Loch Fyne (we have been to many now) and the £10 menu didn't disappoint - fresh sardines to start with followed by whole plaice in a herb butter.

Bath is just under two hours away. I think I'll be visiting more often from now.