Colour Me Happy...

Big SMILE!

I love it when I moan on blogger and lovely cyber super chums chime in and make me feel better (thanx Jax and Lacey-and Suzanne!)

I also love it when through weird kismet the issue then kinda sorts itself out.

Chapter One has (somehow and thanks to a bit of hard graft) turned from PANTS to PASSABLE. Result.

In addition...watching TV last night I happened upon the HERO. So no more need to dither...phew!

Imagine my jaw dropping as the 'hero that wasn't' suddenly no longer mattered a jot. THERE BEFORE ME WAS A HERO THAT REALLY TRULY IS!

Sometimes life is too strange. Onwards again we march.

P.S. He's young, he's hot. And he has the same surname as Suzanne. Sorted.

ClipMania No 3

Right now I'm wrestling. With an alpha hero who won't behave. And it's not good. It's slowing all progress on the writing front.

I'd been jogging along fine until I had my editor chat where it was suggested the hero had been too nasty to the heroine. GASP. (Actually she had a point I just had the rose tinted glasses on). Anyway she suggested a hero inspiration to steer me and offered tweak ideas.

Well I've been stalling, labouring and basically not getting very far. All because the new inspirational hero's name doesn't make me jiggle to write. When I do write him it's wrong. In short the hero suggested doesn't really work for me. Lovely as he is---just not my cup of darjeeling.

So. Any advice for getting a hero into shape? Because this one needs a hard shake and a half. I'm reverting back to Monty Halls with crucial bits of Gerry Butler...that usually works a treat. For me at least.

jx

P.S. I love this track. Very alpha male appropriate.

ClipMania No 2

Another mad clip. But there is a point there somewhere...

I'm including this one for 3 reasons:

• I love Music Box Dancer. Even with a techno beat (sorry for the cheesy clip included for the wonderful light show). But it's still a great piece of music.
• This particular clip reminds me of how I start out with a new book. Excited in capitals. A beat pulsing through my veins. Hoping I'm making the opening chapters as sparkly as possible and wanting to jump through light hoops to show my attributes to best advantage. Sometimes (usually about chapter six) the lights start to dim and flicker...the beats turn to ballads...I wind down. Sometimes I come to a complete stop. But I push through (this is the lesson learned of the dirty despicable draft). So this clip is in honour of First Chapter Euphoria and the Sparkly New Idea.
• On a serious note however the clip does also have some significance. It looks easy, fun, effortless. Fast. But behind all that sparkly colour and speed is the long hard task of set up-getting from one side of the christmas tree field to the other. Buying the kit and installing. Synching the lights. Waiting for the snow (yes, timing, a major part of any writing success story-remember this!) So this tiny wee 'make you smile' clip hides all the darn hard work and rolling sleeves up behind the scenes. And it shows just how important finishing that first dodgy draft is. It gives you a framework to work on and improve. Just like writing. Preparation and timing and FINISHING the thing to the end, dirty draft or not!
• Good clip eh? You Tube addiction is a serious issue.

jx

PS. I realise I've been a tardy blogger on the RNA conference because of holiday overlap. However if you're after good stuff from the conference I can strongly advise Sue and Gray's blog (top couple btw!) Go read their coverage. Brilliant stuff, couldn't do it better than that so I'm not going to try!

P.P.S Back with a 'hero thoughts' clip and 'marketing musings' soon...

Thoughts About Creating...

Over a week ago we spent the day in York and happened upon infamous pro electric violin busker Ed Alleyne Johnson. A rivetting experience-like the pied piper with a violin, you just have to follow and listen. Judging by the number of You Tube clips I'm not alone (you can find out more and buy his albums here). My fave was his version of Enola Gaye.

Anyway thinking about Ed has inspired some writing musings also:

• No practice is wasted. Just like a musician you need to put the long hours in. You need to live it, want it, believe and go for it.
• Voice, resonance, emotion, deft touch all deliver a 'soul touching' experience. Remember this!
• Characters we love and a world we want to step into are what every reader is buying into you for. Deliver and your audience is pulled right in. Deliver the world they want! Touch them with what touches you.
• Know your own USP - what you bring to the table (this has been a hard one for me...will talk about it later in the week...)
• Don't belittle your practice years. Work, work, believe. Enthuse, be determined and work some more. You will get there. Faint heart won't cut it.
• Tell the story your own way. No apologies for that.
• View each story as a journey.
• Love what you do!

More Music Musings later this week. So tune out now if I'm going too ecclectic on the clips!

Turbo Injection Holiday

Okay speed sprint hols recap-
Back from hols in North Yorkshire. Lovely though we have not stopped!
Highpoints-kids loved it, sunny weather, cottage amazing, ponies and sheep a go go!
Lowpoints-painkillers to the max for three days then had tooth out at dental hospital. Ouch! Broke camera. Meh. Thinking I’m jinxed.
Reading-Fair Deception by Jan Jones. Buy it, you will be glad to did.
Writing-not much but determined to crack the Monty Halls tribute romance novel. Pssst-I even have a pic of him on my mobile phone. This is baaad! The partial has suffered a setback but now is the time to crack on and get the butt in the seat!
Jobs for later this week- Ironing. Toodling about in new car. More ironing. Tidying daughter’s room/jumble sale cupboard from the abyss! And maybe writing too.

Things to be positive about: an agent has three chapters for consideration. Three chapters of the partial subbed four months ago. It is a book that if not ready for the call-is definitely indicative of me. I think this is a good thing. I am learning what I love and do best and this has taken me some time to grapple with. So I’m determined to be positive: my writing has moved forwards. Big plus.

I am going to do this. Even if my teeth are in decline.
The End

P.S. Google ranks me No1 for searches on Crimplene Gusset. Chest puffs with pride. I am also featured on crimplene dot com. Is this a good thing? I feel it should be. Might dream up some more fake romance book titles featuring retro fashion statements...

Back And Going Again...

The RNA Conference (my second time) was just as good as my first. Big smile.

Inspiring, motivational, more lightbulbs than the world cup. Lovely new friends to meet. It's not just the wonderful speakers and seminars, it's that rare chance to share writerly chat, meet lovely people who share the same ups and downs and CROWS as you do. Plus that rare priviledge of milling among esteemed authors from your keeper shelf.

Encouragement in abudance prevailed and that is a very wonderful thing. You really cannot put a price on it. I have a rather large pile of signed books now teetering on the shelf that will not hold anymore books!

The editor chat gave really valid pointers on how to take this next WIP story forward. Made me realise just how amazing those editors really are. All editors want is to help you make a story the best it can possibly be. And that in itself is an amazing thing.

Thank you RNA. You are all magic! Truly.

Now I must go pack again for holiday by the seaside. The bucket and spade awaits!

Penrith Ahoy!

Off to Penrith in the morning and can't wait. I'm even painting my toenails (now there's a thing that doesn't happen often around these parts). Not sure why, I guess painted toenails feels like a splash of glamour in my otherwise Slummy Mummy life! Usually I'm lucky if my t-shirt isn't on inside out (yes I have been known to have the tag showing on the outside).

And as everyone else at conference will be wearing fabulous shoes and I don't have any, it seemed like a suitable token gesture. The toes are now good to go!

Conference Countdown

This Friday, I'm heading off (without any crimplene gusset in tow) to the RNA Conference in Penrith. Yey!

Did I mentioned I have (deep breaths here) a Mills and Boon editor chat lined up (even bigger breaths) on Friday afternoon (cue palpitations)? No, I jest. It's okay, I'm calm. I think. I even have a project I'm excited about to take along.

Before then and now there's ironing, organising (for our Yorkshire holiday right after the conference) and entertaining the kidlets because it's now School Hols in Scotland.

The lovely hubbie has also bought me a sparkly new cute car after my run in with a wild deer incident last week (which I didn't blog about and won't go into in order to protect animal lovers/those of a nervous disposition). Also because I'm still twitchy and sticking to 10mph as a result.

It's all go in the Judy household. See you after conference.

P.S. I have a strong suspicion a 'wild deer incident' may well end up in a book very soon.

Cupcakes and Sparkle!

You’re browsing in the bookshop with your sunnies atop your head…hoping for a feel good and fresh summer read that will have you reading solidly from page one with a mighty satisfied sigh at the end.

Ideally you’d like to happen on one of those precious rare books that’s just dying to be made into a film with an armful of laughs, a smattering of ahhh moments and a couple you want to get together right from the dot of the first i?

Look no further.

Nina Harrington’s debut 'Always The Bridesmaid' is all the above and more. Go buy, buy three and give to your pals (they'll love you for it). Buy another as a spare. You will be truly glad you did.

And you will probably also develop a strong hankering for strudel and cupcakes along the way. And men who can ably indulge in moment's notice pranks involving fake pregnancy bumps. ggg

Now if only I could go and buy myself an inflatable Jared. Scrummy hero alert-this one is a keeper with kudos!

Blog Specialities

It is interesting and noteworthy *to me* to see that the following keywords have been used to find this blog:

Eighties anthems (yey)
Alan Rickman (yey again)
Gerard Butler (yey yey)
Porridge for bath (hmmn stranger than fiction)
But my favourite to date…

‘FANCY DONAL MACINTYRE’

In summary. I’m doing my job well.

P.S. Had a long, turmoil inducing dream last night-in which MnB sent me a seven page scathing critique rejection on my PARTIAL. Yes it's driving me to dreams.

The Crimplene Gusset

My long-time 'friend' -a man who has never failed to make me laugh my head off, and that's just at the way he devours a chocolate bar and sniffs the wrapper-sent me a spoof email about my blog...

Lovely, twinkling blog and light of my dull, boring life that it is...

Dear Judy Jarvie

As an avid reader of your blog, may I say that you are an inspiration - not only to me but all of us on the Rosemary Conley Ward. I understand that you are a published author: Looking at your photo, it's clear you've been around the block a few times and I bet you could show us wannabes a few wrinkles! That being the case, I wonder if you would be prepared to cast a critical eye over my latest offering, The Crimplene Gusset? You will be pleased to learn that I believe that brevity and economy are the cornerstones of creative writing so I'll just be sending you the first 50,000 words. Chapter two to follow thereafter. Thank you for your time and keep up the good work. A wellwisher.

I'm doing my Marge Simpson 'hhmmmn' face. Crimplene Gusset...actually, that could be a goer! Maybe the man's got talent?

P.S. I should also add that the 'questionable friend' discussed above has assaulted me regularly with his practical jokery-the fake letter to the editor about a collector of vacuum cleaners almost ended up published (thanks to his tricks/my lack of observation skills and scant supply of letters to the editor for publication) AND I haven't forgotten the knotting the string ties of my hoodie episode when I was unable to escape in a public venue.

P.P.S. One day there will be a price to pay!

P.P.P.S. Rant over.