Reviews

I need to be more pro-active about getting reviews so, if you have read any of my books ... and enjoyed them ... would you please be kind and review it/them on Amazon etc for me. Thanks.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/276-9005011-0277723?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=aggie+lichen&x=0&y=0

Book events

Have just finished the last of my Christmas book signings and so pleased! Have sold lots of books and met some fabulous people too. Many thanks to all the book stores and readers who bought my books. Merry Christmas!

Edits

Well, the MS is back from Lucy with 327 comments. I've already made lots of changes, but still a long way to go. Have moved the finishing line to beginning of March as no way can I get it done any sooner!

Waterstone's Sutton

Home from home! I just love signing at Waterstone's Sutton! There's no fuss. I just get on with talking to people in the hope they might want to buy my book. The staff are so suppportive and always check to see if things are going okay. They build me up by telling me that I'm their best selling local author with little signs by my books saying just that! Just love it!

Okay, let's skip to the SCBWI agent's party.
A good turn out of SCBWI members and lots of lovely literary agents. Some of them seemed to be after exactly what I hade written; Marvin's Curse. So after introductions and questions I decide to approach one of them. I wait patiently in line for my turn, wishing the other writers would just hurry up, after all, it was my work she wanted, not theirs.
So my turn comes ... and my mouth goes into involuntary spasms. I spout something out about a boy who sees and speaks to ghosts; she's not impressed. So I try harder, too hard. 'W-What if he had mental health issues?' I babble. Well, to say the colour drained from her cheeks would be an understatement. 'Have you ever tried writing a pitch?' she says. Oh, god. Beam me up Scottie.

catch up

At last. I have been trying to access my account for sooo long. So here I am. I'm back and here's a quick catch up
- several author signings at schools completed
- lots of signings at bookstores
- eldest daughter married
- new website up and running
- grandson started school
- Marvin re-edited by Lucy Cuthew
- attended SCBWI agents party

And lots, lots more

Will start filling in the details ...

SCBWI Conference

Just returned from SCBWI conference and am full of ideas from the inspirational speakers I heard. I really do need to get on with editing Marvin, but school work getting in the way as usual! Found the critique meeting useful and will be putting some of the ideas into practice, but certainly not all of them. Made new friends, Kathy and Mel, and met up with lots of Facebook friends too. A great weekend in all.

Cornerstones report

So here I am, report in hand, looking through all the things that may need changing. It's amazing how when you write a book you just don't see the blatantly obvious - well, I don't.
One thing that came up was using too many other words for 'said' as it disturbs the flow of the reading. I can see that, but in school we are always on at children not to just use 'said' which puts me in a dilemma. We have lessons on, 'how many words can you find to replace 'said'', words to make your writing more 'interesting'.
Hmmm!

Marvin

After a long hard think, Marvin will be renamed as 'The Curse'. It sounds quite dramatic and relates well to the plot of the story. I keep thinking about covers to and have been playing with colours, shapes etc. I am hoping that it will be published mainstream, but I suppose there is always a chance that I will need to self-publish again.

Final stab

I have decided to send 'Marvin' off to Cornerstone's to see if they can give me some pointers seeing as no publishers have been interested.
I'm also thinking that if this doesn't work it may be time to throw in the towel. I'll still write, but for me. Sometimes you just have to be realistic!

Marvin

Marvin, the seventeen year old in my current book, is still moving along at a pace - snail's pace to be honest. Finding time to write has always been difficult and seems all the more so now. I have to just keep plugging away and hope I will eventually come to a natural end - that's the book, not me!

A surprise review from an Authonomy member

'It's easy to see that this is from the pen of an accomplished writer. It may be a simple child's story, but the imaginativeness and inventiveness place it far higher than that. Creating languages that can be read by humans but are easily seen to be foreign is just genius. Using language in such a creative way is exactly what sparks the minds of adults and children alike.'


If only a publisher could look at it like that ...

Red House Children's Book Award

The new book 'Hero Required' has been nominated for the Red House Children's Book Award!!

It is the only award voted for by children which makes it very special.

If you have read the book and would like to vote for it, here's the link;

http://www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk/nominate-books-for-2010-award.html

Did you know that the inspiration for the background of the all book covers is Prague? Not sure what tooth fairies are called in the Czech Republic ...

Having a good week so far.
Wholesalers have just sent through an order for 102 books!

Also sold lots of books at a school talk today!

Had a good week so far as books go. Sold 62 which is brilliant!

Tomorrow I'm at Watertone's Alton, Hants. I'm hoping there are lots of people about who would quite like a novel about teenage tooth fairies! Let's hope they are all open minded!

I'm loving having the set of books to offer people. The three books look stunning together - thanks to Tara, of course!

If anyone's is around north London on Saturday, pop in and see me in Waterstone's Finchley Road branch. I shall be signing copies of my books from 11-3pm.

Talking of signings, I've had a lot of interest just lately. Lots of signings up to Christmas at W H Smith branches as well as Waterstone's which is great. I just need to make sure I sell lots of books because, as we know, they won't move if I'm not there!!

Wish me luck!

RANT

I need to rant!

After trailing round Waterstone's branches for three years, they still won't stock my books centrally because my books won't sell if I'm not there. I don't have the budget to compete with the likes of mainstream publishers. All I have is my family to help market my work. How on earth can I reach the nation like other publishers do?

They keep books in their stores that have probably stay on the shelves for years yet won't give mine a chance even though I have probably outsold many of their 'mainstream' authors if the figures were tallied.

Instead, I must continue to peddle my books through weekly bookstore signings and school talks.
I love writing, but sometimes ...

Books have arrived!!

Seven boxes of Hero Required were delivered today! Brilliant! These are for my talks and book fairs. rest will be delivered to wholesalers as needed so that the world can read the final part of the trilogy ... unless there's a comeback novel. Well, Take That did alright ...

Still no book!

Well, sadly, I am still waiting for the third book to be delivered. the printers have promised that it will be in the next few days. Just hope the distributors don't start getting ratty with me!

On the good side I have lined up five book signings for the autumn with Waterstone's and W H Smith's - hopefully the books will be here by then!