Unwanted Visitor

Unwanted Visitor
Available on Kindle

Thursday 27 January 2011

Is it relevant?

I still haven't heard anything from the competitions I entered, oh well.  I'll find some more.  I've been too busy to write much this week, I just seem to be running from pillar to post and haven't had time to sit down and really think about what to write.  I have dusted off another novel I began a while back.  It's true when they say you should put your work away then look at it with fresh eyes.  I'm not sure if it's because I have learnt more or because I've had a break away from it, but I could see straight away that it has promise but needed urgent revamping.
     I did well with the weight loss this week, another three lb off.  I've still got a long way to go but I'm beginning to belive that I won't look too bad when number 2 son ties the knot.
     Going completely off the subject, I read a report in the Daily Mail about a terrible fire that has killed 4 children in Manchester.  One thing about the report bothered me.  It mentioned that the children are believed to have been fathered by at least two men.  Why did the paper feel the need to print that?  The only reason I can think of is to invite the reader to judge the woman.  How is this relevant to this tragedy? The woman was said to be a good, loving mother who did not claim benefits, in fact she runs two hairdressers.  This was not a report on the breakdown of families, not a report on state spongers or even a report on feckless single girls having babies; this was a report on a tragedy that destroyed a family and the mother's domestic details are no-one's business.  I feel quite cross about it.
    

Thursday 20 January 2011

Professional Help

I've decided that I need professional help with my novel, Unwanted Visitor.  It's the first book in a saga set in Wirral that spans the period from the second world war to the present day and deals with the theme acceptance versus alienation.  The description I've put in my agent's letter is as follows:-
    
Everywhere he goes, Martin Fischer knows he is not wanted.  Amidst the chaos of war, he tries to build a normal life but everything and everyone he cares for is snatched from him.  An attack by the Norwegian resistance leads to his capture by the British.  He is taken to a POW camp in Wirral and sent to work on a farm.  Despite some local hostility, Martin finds the sense of belonging he has been seeking and elects to stay in England after the war.  When he meets tragic Jane Fellows, he is smitten but to the people of Brimstage, Martin is the face of the enemy, the unwanted visitor in their midst.  He and Jane must again struggle to overcome tragedy and prejudice to find acceptance in rural, post war Wirral.
 
What do you think?  Does that interest you?  I've been chipping away at it since 2007 and I have reached the stage where I can't do any more with the book or the letter by myself.   
   I've researched literary consultants and decided to trust my baby with Bubblecow after I saw they had a decent write up in Writers' Forum (or was it Writers' News, I can't remember, it doesn't matter.)  I'm bracing myself for the feedback and the revelation that the novel I've worked on for so long is unsaleable rubbish.
http://bubblecow.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/BubbleCow/202063449025

Making plans

I haven't heard anything about the competitions or from the magazine.  I'll give it a few more days before I admit defeat over the competitions, then I'll have to find some more to enter.  The magazine says it could be four months before they get back to me. Ages!.
     On a plus note, I lost 5lb last week :-).  I was feeling very upbeat about sending so much writing out, perhaps this week's loss will not be so good. 
     I'm eyeing up the writers' conferences and book festivals.  I went to the conference at Winchester a couple of years ago and loved it.  I want to go back but it's difficult to plan ahead because the husband works abroad and doesn't know what dates he'll be away during the year.  Sod's law says he'll need to be taken or collected from the airport on the days of the conferences I want to go to.

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Dreams

I sent of a couple of short stories today, I hope they're accepted.  I worked hard on them and I think they're as good as I can get them.  It's hard to get rejections, they make me wonder whether I have any ability.  Sometimes I think I'm not as good as people tell me I am but then something happens, like coming 3rd in a competition which reinforces my confidence.  At the moment I am quite upbeat.
     Perhaps because I'm upbeat, the weight loss has been going well.  The Fat Writer isn't quite as fat as she was. There's still a long way to go.  Number 2 son is getting married later this year and I want to look reasonable in the photos.  Wouldn't it be great to earn enough from my writing to help him get a deposit for a house.  Get published, lose weight, help the kids.  These are my dreams.

Wednesday 5 January 2011

A good day?

I spent this morning polishing my novel, Unwanted Visitor  In a few days, I'll send it off.  I also worked on a couple of short stories, so I'm happy with my output for today.  The diet is another matter, I had a slice of toast for breakfast, a ham sandwich for lunch and a chicken donner for dinner.  I have no idea how many calories/fats etc are in a donner, but it can't be good because I feel very full.  I must research this, I might surprise myself and find I haven't overeaten today after all.  Tomorrow I'll try harder.

Saturday 1 January 2011

Day One

Well, it's here, the first day of my new regime.  I hope everyone had a great New Year.  I stuffed myself last night, which perhaps I shouldn't have but I will be good from today.  I weighed myself this morning - Aaargh!  I have so much weight to lose.  My first target is March, when I go on holiday with my daughter.  Perhaps if I am really strict, I can shift a couple of stones by then.  My next target is later in the year, when number two son is getting married.
     I'm sending my novel out in a couple of days, I've been researching appropriate agents to write to so fingers crossed I'll get a positive response.  I can update my writing CV with my third place win, which might make agents more amenable.
     Anyway, I've had cereal for breakfast, ham salad is on the menu for lunch and roast lamb is for dinner.  I'm going to write this morning until my little grandson's arrive.  They are staying with us because it's their parents' anniversary.
     Have a good day, everyone.