Nothing strange or startling...

Hmmmm, feel like I need to update this but nothing much to report. Great weekend - lazy, snowy and a couple of nice trips out. Did a bit of writing. Tried to rest my neck which was hurting. That's it. So I'm posting this picture of cool shoes in the absence of anything more profound...

An exciting development!

Feeling very happy tonight as I got an email from Gillie Russell, the agent in London I had approached. I sent her the full MS of The Watchers about a month ago and have spent the last 4 weeks trying not to:

a) become an email stalker

b) chew my nails away to nothing

Anyhow, my patience *may* be rewarded in time. Gillie emailed this evening to say that she has been swamped but that she is reading the MS and is "really loving it." I was so pleased to get her message as it feels like I sent the MS to her about a decade ago - every day feels so slow...! :-)

So now I need to keep my fingers crossed that she likes the ending etc and that she decides she wants to sell it to somebody, dammit!

The whole process is a total emotional rollercoaster. I thought writing the book was the hard part - but that now seems like a breeze in comparison to this bit...!

More from Oz...

Oz fever!

Nope, I don't mean Australia Oz. I'm talking about 'The Wizard of Oz' which is on next week in work. Oz fever has gripped us all!!! The picture I found on this rather quirky site.

Currently reading...

... this book. Very quirky and it's definitely keeping me guessing! Plan for evening is to light the fire and get settled in to find out what's going to happen next! Writing for young people is the perfect excuse to read brilliant books for young people!

Christmas Lights!

A great weekend planned... Christmas lights are being switched on in Carrickfergus (my home town, a little seaside town near Belfast) and of course in Belfast itself.

Even better, the Continental Market opens on Saturday too, complete with quirky gifts, lovely food and a couple of bar tents. It is totally magical!

Sadly, the big wheel in the picture is no longer with us but I'll raise my glass of mulled wine in memory of it!

Sláinte!

Mslexia Diary!

Just ordered my Mslexia Writer's Diary 2011 - looking forward to getting it! I haven't had one before but it sounds rather lovely and has places for writing in details of submissions - and of course lots of blank pages for when inspiration strikes!


If you like the look of it, you can get it here.

Guerilla Gardening!

Before I go any further, how gorgeous is this picture?! I found it here, along with some other lovely pics.

So guerilla gardening is new to me but I heard about it on a radio programme today (available for 1 week only I'm afraid). The idea is that people randomly plant things on public land that looks a bit neglected - grass verges, wasteland, the grassy bits in the middle of roundabouts etc. It's about bringing a little bit of colour and nature to the urban sprawl.

I really liked the idea of this. I'm lucky to live somewhere with lots of grass and lovely beaches but I used to live in a place that was all concrete and horribleness. In The Watchers Evie walks through a cemetery and finds it grassy and peaceful - because it was the only big, green space for miles. Well, six years ago that was me walking to work every morning, glad to bottle some of the calm before the storm.

It also made me think about where Evie lives. Imagine a Victorian house, with families crammed into flats from the basement to the attic. The path and stairs up to the front door are covered with chipped black and white tiles and there's a square of garden full of dead earth and weeds. Again, this is a house I knew in London. A bit of guerilla gardening in places like that might put a smile on lots of people's faces... and Evie's an artist so I know she would love the colour!

House hunting...

The Murph and I are house-hunting. Most people go to look at a house and check out things like the bedrooms or the size of the kitchen or the garden...

Instead we both look around and think, "Oooooh, which room will be the writing room???" Two writers* in one house = fight to the death for best study / office... :-)

Needless to say, I didn't get much writing done. As Stephen King says you can write anywhere because art supports life, not the other way round. If I have to write at the kitchen table, that's where I'll do it!

* One journo, one aspiring novelist...

Cute pic came from here.

This is so sweet!

Find it here.

TV Night!

Ok, I'll be honest. I'm not much of a TV watcher. Life seems too short - but never too short for reading, writing or watching the cats chase a tie twitched like a snake.

I digress. If there is one night of the week when I abandon all my scruples and throw caution to the winds, it is Friday night. Friday night is the home of The Mentalist on Ch5, followed by The Event on Ch4+1 (God bless Freeview).

Lots of people seem to hate The Event. In fact, I may even steal an Event-hater's joke and post it here because it's funny. For me however, it's perfect Friday night TV. The characters are straight-forwardly good or bad and I can ALWAYS work out the ending. After a long, exhausting week this always makes me feel clever. Also the Sean / Shaun character is easy on the eye.

Sean is desperate to find his girlfriend and won't stop until he does. We all want to believe that the men in our lives will never give up on us. Maybe that's why it was so easy to write The Watchers. After all, Evie trusts that the 'man' in her life will do whatever it takes to save her - even if it means sacrificing himself.

Diversionary tactics

Haven't done too much writing today but did plot out the whole third chapter. Feeling very tired - too many late nights - so going to hit the sack early.

Also feeling a little despondent on the publishing front but not really sure why. Hope it's not some spooky sixth sense... Patience is a virtue which I'm sorely lacking!!!

Either way, I needed cheering up - and this picture does the job nicely. Enjoy!

Writing again!

Started to get really into the new book today, the sequel to The Watchers. It hasn't even got a working title yet but I have a fairly good idea of where it's going.

I'm starting to think that this is one of the nicest stages of writing. You have characters you like and a (rough) story that you want to tell. You start writing with a few sentences as a guideline. E.g. "Evie goes here and this happens, she's really annoyed and then she meets so-and-so."

What's amazing though is that as I'm writing, Evie starts getting her own ideas and bumping into people she doesn't expect to. In chapter 2 for instance she runs into Annette's younger brother Ben. We haven't met Ben before this point - until now he has just been a name. Now he's a living, breathing character, who's full of grief because his sister is dead. He's quite a forceful little bugger and seems to be shoving himself into a plot twist near the end - none of which I anticipated.

I think this is the bit that Stephen King describes as 'creative play'. Later there will have to be more sophisticated plotting - this will happen in this chapter, followed by that in the next. I found at that stage with The Watchers that it began to feel a little 'join-the-dots' as I wrote it and that it took some of the fun out of the process of writing it, until I reached the last six or seven chapters. On the other hand, it meant that the book was written fairly tightly and needed a lot less work in the revision stage than it might have done otherwise.

Anyway, I just have to enjoy this bit - and hope that The Watchers finds a home... otherwise I will have TWO homeless, urchin books to take care of!

(Cool pic came from here.)

REVISIONS!!!

I've decided to start writing in black just in case anyone ever starts reading this. All that turquoise will burn the eyes out of your head...

Actually... tonight I'll be writing in red pen. The hour has come... Having finally written a complete first draft I now have to go back through and butcher it. No doubt this will be painful and involve a lot of forehead slapping, Homer Simpson sound effects etc - but c'est la vie, baby! The time has come!

However... as I am not Wonder Woman, first of all I am going to have a nice Indian ready meal from Marksies and catch up with the long-suffering Murph.

"IT IS FINISHED!"

An amazing evening. The first draft of The Watchers is finished. The queen of half-written novels has finally finished a complete book. A few weeks of revision and out it will go in search of a home.

I am too weary and elated to write any more but I did have a cup of tea and a white chocolate chip cookie to celebrate. Nobody parties like a writer... ;-)

Judgement Day

I have reached 68,500 words and a feeling of excitement is brewing! I am currently writing chapter 20, where Evie will have to stand before the Authority. It's a big turning point in the book as a whole, as well as the actual writing of the book. Basically I am really seeing the last ridge here!

I've only been writing since June but it feels like I've been going for a long time. I'm hoping that within two weeks I will have the first draft complete. If I work my a** off I might even get it finished by this time next week.

As the self-confessed queen of half-written novels this is an exciting moment! I'm looking forward to being able to email Gillie Russell to say, "It's finished! Just a few revisions and it's all yours!"

Almost there!

Achy neck = occupational hazard?

So I have pretty poor posture, not helped by the fact that I spend hours every day a) driving and b) sitting at a computer. This is bad enough when I'm at work, but then I come home and try to do some writing... ouch!

Today's post will be short and sweet but I'm hoping this website might prove helpful:


http://ergocise.com/what.html

It has free exercise demonstrations that are supposed to be good for helping to prevent neck pain. Here's hoping...

Sweating at the desk...

It's a beautiful sunny day outside, one of the first of the summer, which obviously is why I'm sitting at my desk on a Bank Holiday watching other people enjoy it. My friend Clare was up visiting for the last couple of days and it was brilliant seeing her. Now I am making up for my lazy weekend and getting stuck into the writing.

Have just finished chapter fifteen, and I reckon there are about six chapters to go. You would think at this stage it would be easy to get motivated, knowing that the finish line is just over the hill... but no! I am the master of the half-finished novel. I currently have around 200,000 words spread across five unfinished books. I'm determined to get this one finished. Bernie McGill is the person to thank here, as she encouraged me to send the sample chapters out to give myself a sense of deadline - and it's making a big difference.

So just carry on outside there without me sunshine. Another 500 words and I will be joining you in the garden.

ps: All the people who say they want to write a book, but they just haven't got the time... you're the ones lying in a deck chair with a beer at the minute. I'll be right behind you...

Guess who's back? Back again...?

Okay, so not much writing action going on over the last couple of weeks. The holiday was great and then spent a few days catching up with family and friends. This week was the return to work - noooooooooooooooo!

Don't get me wrong, I actually like my job most of the time - on the good days I LOVE it! But having the summer to write was an amazing luxury. Now my brain is having to re-engage with work there is less space left for the writing. Have only got a couple of thousand words done in the last few days, so will have to go for it this Bank Holiday weekend.

So the revised plan of attack is:
1. Aim to finish the book by September the 30th.
2. Spend October revising and re-drafting.
3. Send the whole lot to agent(who has told me to take my time).
4. Start praying, sacrifice goats, pace about a lot and generally do what any hopeful new writer does when waiting to hear if a book will be taken forward.

I shall keep you posted...

PS: Bernie's book is out now!

... and it's really good!

Another milestone...

Well, am delighted to say that last night I finally crossed the 50,000 word mark. Only did a little bit today but I'm sitting on 51,123 words exactly! Just as well as we are about to head off on holiday - on a cruise to be precise.

We are going on the Ocean Village, starting in Palma, stopping off at Tunisia, Naples (going to Pompeii), Florence, Monaco and Corsica - and finishing back at Palma. Would love to say I am thrilled at the idea of it all, but the writerly bit of me wants to stay home and bash out another 10,000 words before I head back to work. Still, once I'm there I will no doubt love it. We are going to have dinner with mum and dad and my brother tomorrow night, then head to bead early as we will be up at 03:30 - yuck! Hardly seems worth going to bed at all to be honest!

So more when I get back...

Just finished...

Just finished this - some great humour in it. Not my usual thing but very vivid and I loved Katla the nursemaid - very cantankerous and funny. Halli is a great hero - squat and ugly, but easy to like. Wouldn't fancy living with him though...

STUCK!!!

Hmmm, I say I'm stuck but I'm at 46,000+ words. The last couple of days have seen some amazing self-sabotage, seriously. I've hit about 1200 words a day yesterday and today but it was like pulling teeth. The whole thing is feeling pretty joyless at the minute. I sat and played the Sims for 2 hours last night like a wastrel, when I could have been hammering out another couple of thousand words.

Thank God Bernie McGill sent me through some feedback today, which will give me something productive to do if this dry spell continues. In fact she wrote almost as much in feedback as I managed to write in a WHOLE DAMN DAY!!!

Bernie, the picture is dedicated to you!

How gory is TOO gory?

So yesterday I ploughed on and hit 43,621 words (tried to post this last night but broadband was down). I’ve come a long way in a week, let’s be honest here. I had to write a pretty tense scene today, involving a dead body. The question arises - how much gory detail should I go into for YA fiction?


My clearest memories of being a teenager are:

• Having some really hilarious times, especially with friends.


• Feeling different , odd, overwhelmed or lonely at times.


• Being quite sensitive to horror / gore – I only got into gory books when I was a bit older.


• HATING being patronised.

These last two come into direct conflict while I’m writing. I want it to be vivid and immediate, but I don’t want it to be really disturbing. I also don’t want it to be some cartoonized version of a distressing event, all watered down. I imagine the teen equivalents of me rolling their eyes and making barf noises as they read it.

When you’re a teenager and you’re smart it is hateful when people treat you like you’re dumb. In THE WATCHERS Evie hates feeling out of the loop, or like she isn’t trusted enough to handle certain information. After all, she’s doing pretty well dammit!

It’s said that every writer puts a little bit of themselves into their characters. Maybe this is the side of me that ends up in Evie. I certainly got luckier on the family front!

What I contribute to Javan on the other hand... hmmm, scary stuff! I’ll leave that to the head shrinkers to figure out... ;-)

PS - the worry wart!

I am by nature something of a worry wart...

Everybody knows getting a first book published is meant to be awesomely difficult.

So far the one author, one agent and one publisher who have read the sample chapters have liked them.

I sense a fall coming...

The problem is when I think about the fall I lose the courage to actually invest myself in the writing.

So, I need to tell myself it will all be okay. They will seize the completed manuscript from my grubby, toner-stained mitts, hand me a (miserly) cheque and publish my story.

I believe it and I don’t believe it. Believing it is essential – but dangerous. Not believing it will coat me in protective cynicism, which will unfortunately set like concrete and stop me moving forward at all.

In this situation, faith is the only way to go.

A milestone is reached...

Yesterday I hit the 40,000 word mark, which is probably around the halfway mark. I wish there was time to savour the moment - but I don't feel like there is. This whole angel fiction thing is coming to the boil – but whether it actually takes off or not is the big question. Both Gillie (my possible agent) and Paddy (my possible publisher) have said to take my time and not rush, but I feel this urgency to finish it.

I could easily become a hermit when I’m like this. My routine over the last week has been doing roughly 2000 words a day, the first 1400 or so in the morning. After lunch I’ve headed to the beach with my travel mug of coffee and gone for a good long walk, just letting the air blow away all the crazy. As I walk I record any snatches of dialogue or scene ideas on my mobile phone. Once I’m back at the car I park up facing the water and slurp my caffeine down with a notebook on my lap.

When I come back home it takes me a while to get those last 5-600 words down, but it feels good when they are nailed to the page (or rather the screen). I feel tired from the mental energy going into it all, but I’m also relishing this really simple life. I feel like an amoeba – sleep, eat, write, walk. The husband is absorbed in redrafting his PhD and I’m absorbed in writing this first draft.

Last night we went round to dinner with a couple of Colm’s work colleagues. They made delicious food and interesting conversation. It was a lovely evening and I totally enjoyed it – once I was there. Getting me there was like prising a limpet off a rock. I’ve gone into this quiet, internal world where I spend hours on the computer or at the tide line. My uniform is a revolving rail of tracksuit bottoms.

I can see why so many writers are a leetle bit crazeeeee!

The ultimate convenient distraction!

Okay, so finding it hard to get started this morning, and I'm browsing the net and I find this video ... ENJOY!

Frikkin' dumbass dog owners

Now don't get me wrong here. I like dogs and I mostly like their owners too, assuming they aren't dumbass dogs or dumbass owners. And let's be honest, you *rarely* get a dumbass dog without a dumbass owner.

My definition of a dumbass owner is someone who lacks the skill, confidence or simply sheer will to control their dog. Typically these are the type of people you see getting dragged along pavements by their four-legged flatmates - or worse still rampaging insanely in public places because their dumbass owner has LET THEM OFF THE LEAD!!!

Today I had my usual beach walk, which has been proving pretty fruitful as book plotting time. I was getting into the zone, figuring out a tricky plot development for one of the later chapters of the Watchers. I had just got it all wrapped up and lifted my phone out of my pocket to start voice recording the scene.

Without warning a four-legged fiend appeared at my side barking and growling. It wasn't playful or friendly barking - it was properly aggressive, territorial barking. Of course I ignored it at first and kept walking. It then made a second run at me, getting itself into a slathering frenzy. At this point I turned to its moronic owner (a bespectacled woman accompanied by four kids) who was standing gormlessly watching the whole thing. I politely asked her could she please control her dog. She did absolutely nothing. Her kids ran about in a frenzy calling the dog, which although well-intentioned served only to whip the dog into even greater aggression. It then made a third run at me and I swear I was tense, feeling it at my heels as I walked, waiting for its teeth to sink into my calf muscle.

The worst thing is the dog in question was a miniature schnauzer, one of my favourite breeds and the dog I hope to get in a year or two. They are yappy at times but they're the kind of dogs who bark frantically and then come and lick your hand. This one was aggressive and untrained by its idiot owner. It's *ALWAYS* the owner's fault.

It surely does focus the mind...

As hoped, knowing an editor is waiting for your manuscript is a marvellous motivational tool. I've done 7000 words in the last 3 days and aiming for another thousand before I finish today. I've just started chapter 12 and I think when I finish it I'll have crossed the 40,000 word mark and thus be at the tipping point, where I'll be closer to the end than the beginning.

Traditionally I've been great at writing half-novels, but usually I reach the stage where *I* know the ending and think, "What's the point going on?" The thought that other people might get to read it and might want to know how it ends is giving me more focus.

We're heading away for a week on the 10th August, and the following week I'm back to work. If I can be at 50,000+ words by the time I go back to work I'll be happy. I've said I'll aim to submit by mid-September, so that's the goal. Fingers crossed...

I really shouldn't...

... be blogging that is. I have my back to the wall writing-wise here! Have had a week and half off that I could ill afford, and I'm sitting on 31,500 words.

The totally great news is that Paddy O'Doherty (Puffin Ireland) emailed me today to say that she really liked The Watchers sample I gave her and that she'd love to have the rest of the manuscript.

The bad news is that I don't currently have the rest of the manuscript, and won't have for a few weeks yet. I'm still writing it! However the last few plot tweaks are coming together so it's just a matter of getting the words down on the page. I'm hoping that nothing focuses the mind like having a commisioning editor waiting for your book... :-)

Par-tay!

I have a theory (not a new one) that people get married when they have run out of steam for the 'out five nights a week' lifestyle. Out last night with the drama crew at karaoke, then back to the house for a few drinks. Got home just after 6am this morning. We have cleaned and bought food all day for our brunch for 12 tomorrow, and now are supposed to be going to a party.

All I really want to do is go to bed... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Silly Season

Well folks, it's the 12th of July, marching day. We pretty much ignored it all, after I sat up half the night to watch True Blood. We had a lie in as el husbando is off work today, then headed to the beach to make the most of the sunshine. It was scorching earlier but the sky has started to pile up with clouds.

Back home we had some barbeque chicken kebabs for lunch out in the garden. It started to get very hot and close. We're back indoors watching the sky turn black.

Tonight we are heading out for dinner to Yoko, a nice Chinese / Fusion restaurant nearby. The Rosemary Drama Group are back in town for summer theatre, and I used to be one of their illustrious members. We saw a few of them at our wedding in April, so it will be nice to catch up.

The writing thing has been pretty dismal - finding it hard to get motivated, so have really just been scribbling notes in a book for the last couple of days. Not sure what's wrong - maybe doubting whether any of it will ever be published, in which case I might be better chilling out for the summer... :-)

Cat with string

This cheered me up... my brother's cat Cookie playing with a piece of string. She's a bit reluctant to start with, but once she's in, her paws are a blur! Maybe it's a metaphor for me writing... ;-)

Soooooooooo borrrrrrrreeeed

Yesterday I crossed the 25,000 word mark, which was a good feeling. I should be raring to go today. So why do I keep sitting down at the computer, and surfing the net, checking emails and generally pockling round like an eejit?

I know where the next couple of chapters are going, and I know how the last few chapters will look. I'm at the stage where there's a chunk in the middle that's vague and amorphous. So far as I write each section the next section unfolds, so I suppose I will just have to trust that process.

I got up late this morning, and that always gets a Sunday off to a bad start, especially when you need it to be a productive Sunday. I don't want this whole process of trying to knock the book out to become something joyless, something that will make me resent giving up my summer to do it.

The sun is appearing in occasional glimpses. After I got back from the beach yesterday the weather became what can only be described as 'suicide weather'. Grey, monotonous sheets of rain pouring through the afternoon and into the evening. We heated up leftover Chinese and watched a bit of the football. Family Guy was on later on, great one - Empire Strikes Back theme. I rarely watch TV so it was a bit of a treat.

Think I need to get out for an hour and clear my head. Maybe then I can come back and sit down with something like enthusiasm. I read a tip in a book that says you should always do ten minutes free writing before you start writing, because it clears the garbage and gets you ready to write for real. Maybe this will be my free writing.

That'll be fun for anyone reading... :-)

Back from the beach

Keep hearing about this heatwave they are getting in England - complete with health warnings no less! Looking out the window there is no sign of it here in not-so-sunny Norn Iron. In fact we're promised truly apocalyptic rain this afternoon.

We headed out for breakfast this morning, then got to the beach before the black clouds came in. It's not swimming weather but a paddle was definitely on the cards. Not too many cars on the Strand this morning which was nice for us but probably not so good for the town. Lots of absent holidaymakers. We almost walked to the barmouth, then turned and ambled home.

So now I am settling in at the desk, because the sky is darkening outside the window and it's shaping up to be what Colm calls 'writing weather'. I'm sitting at 22,000+ words so aiming to hit 25,000 by the end of the day. Got to use the holidays wisely.

My office is a crazy mess and really needs binned out, but don't want to procrastinate. So I'll do the writing first, and then see if I get to the cleaning. Mrs Mop I'm not...

PS

If you ever feel down, or in need of something uplifting, take ten and listen to this song...

Notes from a small island...

Hi!

I'm Debbie and I'm a writer-in-progress. I work with teenagers in Northern Ireland and I'm currently writing my first novel, aimed at teens. It's an urban fantasy / paranormal romance, and I'd love to see the story in print.

I'm writing this blog to chart the whole process, from plotting / writing to submission - and hopefully to publication! So where am I at to date?

The book has a working title of THE WATCHERS. It's an urban fantasy about a girl called Evie, who has a pretty crappy life. Only two things in her life work well - her drawing, and the very special guy who watches out for her. More on that later...

This week I sent a sample (first 4 chapters and a synopsis) to an agent in London. I was put in touch with them by the fabulous Bernie McGill (first novel 'THE BUTTERFLY CABINET' to be published by Headline on August 5th!). Bernie was good enough to read my sample and read it in one sitting. She gave me brilliant feedback, and really helped me make a few things clearer. Thanks also to her daughter Mary, who read it and loved it!

Today I met the lovely Paddy O'Doherty (Puffin Ireland) in a workshop organised by Yes Publications in Derry. Paddy gave our little group of writers some great insider info, and I was able to give her the same sample.

It's strange sending work out to people and knowing that I should expect a whole lot of rejections before I ever get any joy. I will try and be as honest as I can about the whole process! :-)

That's all for now folks! I'll keep you posted!