Me and Stevie

Last night a major realisation hit me. With a THUNK.

I have a Stevie Nicks alter ego I've really never analysed until now. But it's really there, lurking...

Yes I am a big Fleetwood Mac fan. There's a copy of both Rumours and Tango In The Night in my car and actually I think the song Everywhere and its video are what spurred me to write romance in the first place. I just love that vid. Did I mention my secret thing for Highwaymen (and don't even get me onto my teen obsession with Baroness Orczy and crush on the Scarlet Pimpernel...but I digress).

So after X Factor I switched over to a music channel's Fleetwood Mac roundup. And suddenly it hit me.

I want to be 'Stevie Nicks'. Blonde (check always wanted that); wearer of romantic gypsy style clothes and long boots, frilly petticoats and perhaps even strange hats with feathers in (check perhaps because I've always been a jeans wearer there's a deep secret part of me that longs to dress up in a wispy butterfly dress and maybe even a velvet corset with BIG HAIR and just go for it...ggg). Anyway. Perhaps that's why I write romance...I have this inner 'ethereal' crazy woman whom I've never given full control to. Because she scares me...

And possibly would scare passers-by too.

So I keep my inner 'Stevie' repressed...Well, I mean. Who wants to go to Sainsbury's with mermaid hair and a velvet cloak especially with kids in tow?

Anybody else got any embarrassing alter egos? Or perhaps you have an unworn velvet cloak in the cupboard too...? Go on...fess up!

Mouth Is Alive...

Actually that's a lie. It's my fingers that are alive!
Nothing like NaNo to get you writing feverishly and even if it's bad, does it matter? No, heck you can fix it later. It feels good to be flying fast and free.

The Mouth is Alive title is a result of Duran Duran Hungry Like The Wolf overdose. My hubbie's family brought him a huge bag of old stuff from his 'childhood home'. And guess what we found...Rio by the DD boys. So it slipped on the CD player as you can imagine.

And can I stop playing it? No. Good old Simon Le Bon. A rejection easer if there ever was one.

Life After The R Word

I've had some lovely squeezy hugs from lovely writer chums since the dreaded R. The R has got me thinking too. Thinking a little deeper about the particular requirements of the line...which I'll admit here, perhaps I pushed?? I do have a habit for sailing on in an 'I love it so everyone surely must' fashion. Perhaps this is a future wake up call to really think things through. Perhaps I pushed because I wanted it to fit. But did it really? Anyway 'if ifs and ands were pots and pans etc'.

So...the best cure? Writing again. And since it's Nanowrimo month I'm figuring a 1000 word count for November will blitz away the blues as good as any. Luckily I have a project at the 2.5k mark just waiting to be bickhoked! Happy writing Nano people. Let's make November busy!

Again...

I'm writing again (see. that didn't take long!)

And listening to Angela Aki! Living proof that a song in another language can still be amazing when you don't know the words.

All The Rs

Rejection....

Feels Better...

With Rupert and Rock On Side! (They are glaring daggers at an editor right now) Kidding! :)

Rejection & Keeping The Faith

I got (drum roll please) a form R on my partial today of Crazy Nanny.

But ya know...I'm okay. I'm actually full of fighting spirit because...for me 2009 has been a wonderful year. The very best in fact.

Here's the reasons:
I wrote a book I love, I went to the conference and met so many amazing writers/friends, and best of all I've been lucky enough to be mentored for a whole amazing year by the most wonderful writing mentor in the world (Michelle Styles, who I can never thank enough). So all in all I've kinda woken up to 'feeling happy with my voice'. Feeling like I've found who I am. Surely that is a great thing. In fact I even had an agent interested in my work so that's another first!

And now an R. A form one on a partial. After many (blissfully naive) years of getting full requests and feedback and comps slips....

In this old gnarly game of writing it's just the way it can be. Ups down. Highs, setbacks.

I can't be mad or even sad. Because now I know I've learned loads of craft and I'm comfy in the saddle with how I write. All to the good in my view.

In summary I know this book has a home. And I've had Michelle rooting me on to believe it's true...so. Watch this space.

Not a chocolate binge in sight. Though I may have a small treat later for being so brave ggg!

My writing light sabre is still shining ladies. If you gotta write, you just gotta write! And now the Crazy Nanny and I are going to take an adventure somewhere new!

Healthy Interest

Rather a while ago now I did have two books in print but sadly no more. The publisher went out of business. So my rather nice news involves the fact that a rather nice new publisher wants to read the full of one. And I have hopes for the other too. Groovy.

jx

Donwell Dilemma

Yes I've been watching Emma. And although I will watch to the end I'm having problems.

Jane Austen's Emma isn't a favourite. I've tried all the versions. I loved the book. But as a romance period drama it doesn't float my empire line frock skirt up. Probably because a lot of the time I think Emma needs a good slap.

Though Kate Beckinsale did a version without slap factor...

But anyway...Jonny Lee Miller has long been a favourite bottom drawer hunk of mine. What's not to love? And the love affair started with this film...Plunkett and MacLeane which I saw in the cinema and adored...it's got grit, highwaymen, graverobbery, Liv Tyler and two wonderful Bad Guys. Jonny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle. They had me in the palms of their hands.

And there's the rub. As a good, worthy man, I struggle to keep my passion aflame for Jonny. Plus he just feels too young. And I'd far rather see him behind a pistol than making polite chit chat.

So as Mr Knightley...um...I'm struggling. He's cute. He's likeable. But I watch the developing romantic attachment in the same way I watched Ted and Ralph on the Fast Show. And that was meant to be funny. Emma isn't funny nor does it move me nor is it fun. No passion, zip and I end up not really caring.

So as much as I love Jonny. And as much as I love a good costume drama I'm in a Donwell Dilemma. It's just not working for me. But I dearly want Jonny in a leading man role that fits!