Red Carpet Day:Terri Morgen

RED CARPET DAY

Terri Morgan

author of

Playing the Genetic Lottery

Terri Morgan is a freelance journalist who’s work has appeared in dozens of different magazines and newspapers. She is the author of four sports biographies for young adults, and the co-author of two others. She is the co-author of two books on photography: Photography, Take Your Best Shot, and Capturing Childhood Memories, The Complete Photography Guide for Parents. Playing the Genetic Lottery is her first novel. She lives in Soquel, California.

Guest Post

When people first discover my novel, Playing the Genetic Lottery, is about a 32-year-old wife and mother who grew up with two schizophrenic parents, one of the first questions they have for me “is this autobiographical?” The answer is no.

I’m much older than Caitlin, my protagonist, I don’t have any children, and both my parents were quite sane when I was growing up. In fact, my mother still is the picture of mental health, while my father is deceased. The next question is generally “How did you come to write about schizophrenia?” That answer takes a little longer to share.

I’ve always been fascinated with people, human behavior, and trying to figure out what makes people behave the way they do. One day my friend Kathy, who is also fascinated with the same thing, called to tell me about a woman she’d met. The woman, who was the oldest of seven children essentially raised her six younger siblings because both their parents had schizophrenia. Knowing that I’d written 8 non-fiction books during my career as a freelance journalist, Kathy suggested I work with this woman on a book. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head. Even though I hadn’t written anything but non-fiction for the past three decades I said “no, I want to write a novel.”

The words came out of my mouth before I even realized what I was saying. But once they were out I was obsessed with the idea. I started reading everything I could get my hands on about schizophrenia, and had lots of conversations with friends who had schizophrenic relatives. The one person I didn’t talk to, however, was Kathy’s friend. I was so worried about inadvertently stealing her story that I wouldn’t even let Kathy tell me her name. Once I had enough material I sat down and started creating Caitlin and her world.

 The book seemed to have a mind of its own. I had a general idea of the story I wanted to tell when I started, but the novel kept evolving as I finished more and more chapters.

 The topic of schizophrenia wasn’t completely new to me; as a journalist I had encountered a number of mentally ill people while covering the courts and crime beat, and writing general news stories about the homeless in our community. I have also known several people who are schizophrenic, and, being interested in human psychology, had done a little research over the years just to satisfy my own curiosity. But working on the novel taught me so much more about the disease and the impact it has on families. It also reinforced the fact people who are unfortunate enough to develop this devastating mental illness are individuals, people who have families and friends who love them, and should be respected like all the other people we share this planet with.

Terri Morgem -Author of Playing the Genetic Lottery.Read excerpts from my novel at www.terrimorgan.net. Now available as an ebook at smashwords  www.smashwords.com/books/view/104186 and at amazon

Excerpt from Playing the Genetic Lottery

Caitlin Kane knows more about the impact of schizophrenia than most people could imagine. Both her parents were afflicted with the devastating mental illness, a disease that tends to run in families, and Caitlin and her brother grew up trying to navigate the chaos of living with two schizophrenics. Her  tumultuous childhood left Caitlin determined to forge a peaceful and serene life for herself. Now 32, she is living her dream. Married to her best friend, she and her husband are raising two bright young children in the suburbs of Seattle. While her unusual upbringing has left Caitlin with emotional scars, she enjoys the love and support of her extended family and her challenging career as a pediatric nurse. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t shake the obsessive fear that the family illness will strike again, robbing her of her mind or stealing away the sanity of one or both of her children.

Chapter Five

             School started up again, and Jon and I were at our third elementary school. I was in second grade, and Jon was in fifth. A month or so after classes started, Dad stopped going to work at the hardware store again and started spending more and more time pacing through the apartment, talking to someone neither Jon nor I could see or hear. The discussions grew more heated as the days passed, and Dad would frighten us as he argued with his demons, repeatedly, and loudly, insisting that they leave him alone.

Mom, on the other hand, was actually doing pretty well. Her doctor had her on a new medication, and although it made her gain some weight, it seemed to leave her healthier than she’d been for a long time. She was painting steadily, and she started picking up dinner shifts at a Mexican restaurant nearby. She was bringing home money again, along with left over chips and burritos that Jon and I would take to school for lunch.

Mom was at work, and Jon and I were in our bedroom, trying to do homework while Dad was stomping around the apartment yelling that we had to hide. Suddenly, the door to our bedroom was thrown open, and Dad barged in. “Come on,” he shouted. “Come quick.”

He grabbed my arm and pulled me off my bed, my schoolbook and papers flying off my lap. “We have to get out of here. They’re after us.”

Jon’s eyes widened.  “Dad, calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” Dad shouted. “This is an emergency. We have to get out of here. NOW!”

Dad was dragging me out of the room. My feet went out from under me, and I slid on my side as he pulled me towards the living room.

“Help me Jon,” I screamed. Jon rushed over and tried to knock Dad’s arm away from me to loosen his grip on my forearm. Dad lashed out with his other arm and knocked Jon away. Jon’s legs went out from under him, and he crashed onto the floor. By the time Jon got back on his feet, Dad and I were out the front door. Jon ran after us.

“Get in, get in,” Dad screamed as he pulled me to the car. I was screaming too, and Jon was yelling “Stop it,” at the top of his lungs. “Both of you get in. They’re coming to get us. We have to get out of here now.”

Jon could have made a run for it while Dad was struggling to shove me into the back seat. I would have, if I had been him. I would have run as fast and as far as I could have from Dad’s maniacal delusions. But my loyal, protective, older brother didn’t abandon me. He climbed in the back seat behind me and pulled me close.

Dad fired up the engine and peeled out of the parking lot in reverse. The tires shrieked as he slammed the car into drive while we were still backing onto the road. He floored the gas pedal, and we took off.

“They’re after us, Jon, they’re after us. You have to help us get away.”

Jon must have realized arguing with Dad was futile, so he took the only other option available, and pretended to cooperate. “OK Dad. What do you need me to do?”

“Keep a look out the back window. See if you can spot ‘em while I try to lose ‘em.”

“OK Dad.”

Jon turned and knelt on the back seat, peering over the back dash and out the rear window. “I think it’s clear Dad. There’s no one behind us.”

“They’re too crafty, son. They’re still there. Keep looking.”

I strapped on my seat belt, certain we were going to crash and gripped the armrest on my left hand. I was still crying, but more quietly now, more confident that Jon would be able to reach Dad and get us out of this nightmare. That confidence began leaking away as Dad sped up, blasted through stoplights, took turns without slowing down, while continuing to rant that “They’re after us, they’re trying to catch us.” Jon was gripping the back of the seat, but was unable to hold on when Dad abruptly turned to the left. He fell towards me and landed partially sprawled on my lap. We both yelped in pain, loudly.

The noise distracted Dad for a moment. He looked into the rear-view mirror and began yelling again when he realized Jon wasn’t in position to watch for our tail. “Get back up there, son. You can’t quit. They’ll get us if you do.”

Dad turned his head to see if Jon was complying, and the car began veering to the right. We screamed. “Watch the road,” Jon shouted.

Dad turned his head back and jerked the steering wheel to the left. We were inches away from sideswiping a minivan. Then suddenly we were racing into oncoming traffic. “Look out,” Jon screamed again, as horns blared. The other driver swerved in time, somehow, missing us by inches. Dad corrected and swerved back into his lane. Jon slide down onto the seat beside me and belted himself in.

Flashing blue and red lights filled the car. “Oh shit,” said Dad. “It’s a trick. They’ve got the cops in on it now, too.”

“No Dad,” Jon said. “I can hear them on my radio. They’re here to help us. Pull over.”

“It’s a trick,” Dad repeated and sped up again. “I’ll lose them at the light.”

He raced towards the intersection, where the traffic light signaled red. “They think I’m going to stop,” Dad said and started to laugh. “I’ll show them.”

The last thing I remember was Jon screaming “NOOO.”

Thank you so much for your visit Terri – if anyone missed Terri’s interview she can be found on the last Red Carpet Day

We are very excited! ROW80

Well have mentioned on the ROW80 page that it looks as if after months of anticipation my sister will be having a new guide dog before Easter.  They will meet tomorrow (Monday) just to check that they click and then four weeks later they will begin training together.

I have posted to kiss a frog about guide dogs in our life but suffice to say here, that I know the training and first few months after will need us to reorganize our nice comfy lives quite a great deal.  Training is very hard work and my sister is my older sister:) then there is the all important bonding and trust issues so I am now having to rethink my goals – but hey the news is so exciting it doesn’t worry me.

I pushed myself ruthlessly last year because we just didn’t know when this dog would come, now we know. I have a month to push ruthlessly and then slooooow way down.

My sister and I live very harmoniously because

1) We like our own company and that of books so we are usually in different rooms.

2) she likes doing things such as :     Washing up/ironing (you really don’t want to watch someone who’s completely blind iron not unless you have nerves of steel!!!!! Scares our fiends rigid) -  Shopping – Washing and hanging up the clothes.  All things I hate doing!! and no you cannot borrow her she’s my secret weapon:)

I like cooking, she doesn’t,  I am happy to keep an eye on our necessaries such as finance, nutrition etc which she isn’t -Drive the car which I enjoy, she can’t:) -And as she can’t see, my lack of zeal in the housework dept goes un-noticed – yay.

During this period I will no longer have the hours at my disposal that I usually have because she will be too busy/worn out to do her normal tasks. Who will do them? Moi.  Gladly.

I still wish to do everything on my original list for the year I just don’t know if the timetable I have mapped out for this end of the year will work – so goals remain overall and the Round 1  goals just what can be done around the more important things in life. So maybe it is time to join that Life Goal thingy that I have read about – new Goals next week?  One goal (my least fav!) that remains intact andwill be enhanced is exercise – from next week I will have to start walking the to be retired dog every day.

We are excited happy and my sister is nervous and stressed as well.  So please fingers crossed everyone for her and the new dog on Monday.

ROW80 this round:   I am ahead on Blue Moon so will make a great push in Feb on that one, ready for the NaEdNoMo in March (might not be a winner this year, but will get some done)

The Ancestor’s Tale may well have to wait ‘till May now to begin in earnest

I think my blogging goals will be ok as they are written in short bursts

and the book trailers can be fiddled with in between times.

This week:  I stopped Blue Moon word count  at 4,000 , when we heard the news, because I had to get garden and house ready for lively 18mth black Lab !!  (That involved turning part of it into a ‘spending’ pen for it – I needed to dig out and move a couple of very heavy pots 3x3x3 ft not far fortunately, I was exhausted after I had done it!! Getting too old for this lark.  Have had to clip back (with apologies to wildlife who were expecting at least another couple of months of unclipped plants!) and sweep up last of leaves blown around by the many storms we have had this winter.  For a sluggard I was extraordinarily active the last few days! So exercise goals have been met as well. – Roll on Tuesday when we can relax for a month!)

I have hosted two guest authors on the Red Carpet spotlighting their books. Rebecca Emin with New Beginnings and Terri Morgen with Playing the Genetic Lottery

I have put up a review of The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet and a piece about guide dogs – blogging goals almost met.

Have had a tremendous clear out of my mail box reduced the backlog to a mere 100 (it was 2000!) And have discovered as I mentioned some wrongly filed mail (it’s an automatic organizer!) and on searching my sent  e-mails and these misplaced emails have discovered that some of those who should have had prizes last year didn’t get them (I think) so have sent new vouchers and apologies out to them  - cringe, grovel, cringe. Memo do not let mail swamp me.

I hit a block on Twitter when I tried to follow – apparently there was too much diff. among followed and follower so have been through all those I follow and found those who are vanished (never posting) those who seem to be very self opinionated and never mention anyone except themselves; eliminated them (so hard) and have been allowed to follow again whew!

With the movie making software I treated myself to I am moving Sefuty Chronicles over – it’s the same pics and music as on Movie Maker but the transitions and timing  better and easier– have been in photo editing (which I’m not good at) to try and turn pics for Ellen’s Tale trailer into something more like I imagine.

Next week apart from beginning to walk dog (wean her away from my sister and prepare her for retirement) a couple of days.  I hope to do more of the usual.

1) Head down fingers flying more on Blue Moons – so near the end now.

2)  Blogs Terri Morgan is returning with a guest post last day of the month.  Will put up a couple more blogs.

3) Try and understand Tibbre and  tweet repeat software.

4) Get mail box down to minimal levels

I hope everyone is well and happy /content/ satisfied and all the best for the coming week

Red Carpet Day: Terri Morgan-Playing the Genetic Lottery

I am delighted to welcome Terri Morgan on the Red Carpet today.  Terri has written a novel Playing the Genetic Lottery which deals with schizophrenia.

RED CARPET DAY

TERRI MORGAN

PLAYING THE GENETIC LOTTERY

Caitlin Kane knows more about the impact of schizophrenia than most people could imagine. Both her parents were afflicted with the devastating mental illness, a disease that tends to run in families, and Caitlin and her brother grew up trying to navigate the chaos of living with two schizophrenics. Her  tumultuous childhood left Caitlin determined to forge a peaceful and serene life for herself. Now 32, she is living her dream. Married to her best friend, she and her husband are raising two bright young children in the suburbs of Seattle. While her unusual upbringing has left Caitlin with emotional scars, she enjoys the love and support of her extended family and her challenging career as a pediatric nurse. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t shake the obsessive fear that the family illness will strike again, robbing her of her mind or stealing away the sanity of one or both of her children.

EXCERPT

Prologue

             Every morning when I first wake up I wonder and I worry. Before getting out of bed, before registering my full, aching bladder, before remembering what day it is and what responsibilities await — I assess myself for signs of the disease. I roll my eyes around the room, looking for phantoms that may have appeared while I was sleeping. For odd, moving sights, like my dresser transformed into a rolling automobile or roaring lion. To make sure that the clock radio on my nightstand or the framed photos on the bookshelves haven’t cloned themselves overnight and morphed into twins or even triplets.

Then I listen carefully. I hear Jason snoring lightly beside me. I hear the ticking of the living room clock. I hear the jangle of Rosco’s tags as he rolls over on his bed in the corner of our room. I hold my breath and listen for mysterious voices or alien noises. Then, once I’m sure I’m not hearing any unusual, strange sounds, I ask myself—silently so not to wake my sleeping husband—-a series of questions.

Who am I? What’s my address? Where do I work? How old are my children? What’s my husband’s name? Who’s the president? Only after the correct responses to the first five pop into my mind, and I chuckle to myself after answering “Calvin Coolidge” to the sixth question because I know good and well that Barack Obama currently resides in the White House, do I know I’m safe for another day. If I still have my sense of humor, and apparently my faculties, I’ve still escaped it.

Escaped the mental illness that afflicted and consumed my mother, my father and my brother. Escaped the schizophrenia that robbed them of their minds and me of a childhood.

I know that at 32 my chances of developing schizophrenia are miniscule and keep shrinking with every passing month. Despite that, I’m still obsessively terrified of developing the devastating mental illness that was an ever-present part of my formative years. It’s shaped who I’ve become, and I’ve worked for more than half my life to recover from its impact. My father, mother and brother all lost the genetic lottery, and their misfortune continues to ripple through my life even today.

My name, at least the name I go by now, is Caitlin. That’s the name I chose for myself 18 years ago when I fled my childhood home of horrors. I cast off the name on my birth certificate for the new one in hopes of casting off the madness that was my family.

INTERVIEW WITH TERRI MORGAN

Alberta:   Terri you have written 8 non fiction books yet you chose to tackle this subject as a novel saying you immediately wanted to write the story as fiction.  Since you have done so, do you believe that this form has any advantage in the way of message/information/ or instigating discussion/understanding than straight forward reporting?

Terri:      In this case, definitely! Writing fiction allowed me to pick and choose what  scenarios to include to move the story along and reveal information about mental illness and the impact it has on families. It also allowed me to create the characters that helped Caitlin learn, grow and cope, and to take the readers into her head and understand how she was feeling.

Alberta:    You are a writer of great experience.  Has this transition been more or less difficult than you originally thought?

Terri:      The transition was surprisingly easy. I was expecting it to be a lot more challenging. I did have a little problem, at first, because I wanted to include quite a bit of factual information about schizophrenia before each chapter. Once I realized that it wasn’t wise to try to combine fact and fiction, I didn’t have any problem making the switch to fiction.

Alberta:      You say that you had for your own interest researched mental health problems in the past and that you were able to talk to friends who had had experience of this condition.  Did you find when you came to write the book that you had to research deeper and/or wider than you had already?

Terri:     Yes I did. I actually did quite a bit of research on schizophrenia once I decided to write the novel. I had a vague idea of how I wanted to book to turn out when I started, but found as I began writing the story took on a life of its own. So with some of the chapters I had to do additional research, whether it was on anger management classes, sailing, or the requirements to get a Red Cross babysitting certificate, to make the story realistic.

Alberta:      It reads so well as Caitlin’s autobiography that I suspect, whatever you say, many readers will think it is your life story! How easy was it to find Caitlins ‘voice’?

Terri:    I can’t tell you how many people have asked me if the novel is autobiographical, but it isn’t in any way shape or form. I didn’t have much trouble finding Caitlin’s voice, because I have a very good memory of what it was like to be a kid, a teenager, and a young adult. I had a good idea from the start of what kind of personality Caitlin would have, and that also helped me shape her thoughts, reactions, and voice. For me, it was a lot of fun to change Caitlin’s voice as she aged and matured.

Alberta:      Cailtin enjoys her moments of structured ‘normality’ i.e. school, hospital, grandfathers house.  One’s instinctive reaction is to want her removed from the ‘bizarre and hazardous’, to place her in the ‘normal’. After your research how do you feel about the children’s position should the state intervene more?

Terri:     That’s a very good question Alberta, and one I’ve been struggling with since I started writing the novel. A parent-child bond is tremendously strong, and Caitlin clearly loved and continues to love her parents, despite everything. And her parents not only loved their children, but resisted any suggestions that Caitlin and her brother would be better off with either of their grandparents. I just don’t know, so I’m going to take the easy way out and say each situation should be examined on a case-by-case basis.

Alberta:    Now you have dipped a toe into fiction do you have plans to write more novels?

Terri:    I’d love to, but unfortunately it’s really hard to make money writing novels. I’m going to have to concentrate on non-fiction for a while. But I do have a couple of ideas percolating through my brain.

Alberta:     Finally, your readership. Who have you written this novel for? Do you have a main readership in mind?

Terri: I did have two specific audiences in mind when I wrote this book; people who have a family member or close friend with schizophrenia, and book club readers. In the case of the former, I wanted the novel to validate some of their experiences, and to educate people about how the disease affects families. I also had book club readers in mind because I think the novel brings up a number of questions that could generate great discussions.

Alberta:  Thank you very much for joining us and sharing so much of your work.  I am sure we all wish you all the best with Playing the Genetic Lottery.

Terri: It’s been my pleasure. Thank you for including me on the Red Carpet.

Terri Morgan is a freelance journalist who’s work has appeared in dozens of different magazines and newspapers. She is the author of four sports biographies for young adults, and the co-author of two others. She is the co-author of two books on photography: Photography, Take Your Best Shot, and Capturing Childhood Memories, The Complete Photography Guide for Parents. Playing the Genetic Lottery is her first novel. She lives in Soquel, California.

Author of Playing the Genetic Lottery. Read excerpts from my novel at www.terrimorgan.net. Now available as an ebook at smashwords  www.smashwords.com/books/view/104186 and at amazon

Terri will be a guest here again at the beginning of next week with another excerpt and a guest blog.

Red Carpet Day: Rebecca Emin. New Beginnings.Book Launch

 RED CARPET DAY

REBECCA EMIN

AUTHOR

NEW BEGINNINGS

New Beginnings by Rebecca Emin

 Sam Hendry is not looking forward to starting at her new school. Things go from bad to worse as the day of truth arrives and all of her fears come true… and then some.

When Sam meets a different group of people who immediately accept her as a friend, she begins to feel more positive.

With her new friends and interests, will Sam finally feel able to face the bully who taunts her, and to summon up the courage to perform on stage?

I am so pleased to welcome Rebecca Emin to the Red Carpet today.  Rebecca is here to tell us a bit more about her novel ‘New Beginnings’.

Alberta:  This is a novel for children and is your first adventure into this sphere.  I wonder what inspired you to write for the age group – late childhood, early teens, is that right?

Rebecca: Having a teenage step daughter and a nine year old daughter, as well as younger sons, has made me naturally spend a lot of time with children. Also my children are avid readers so when books for children are constantly being put in front of you, you get in that mind frame without even really thinking about it.

Alberta: Did you find writing for this age group more of a challenge or did it flow easily?

Rebecca:  I find it quite easy to mentally take myself back to when I was that age and recall all the emotions and feelings I had back then. Also, again, I think having my daughter and her friends around me a lot helps with this.

Alberta:  The book centres on that difficult time in a child’s life that of starting at ‘big school’ – from known territory to the unknown. To a certain degree it continues into 1^st jobs, moving house etc.  Was there any particular spark of an idea that inspired the setting?

Rebecca: Personally, I have always been quiet and not particularly confident, so I know how hard it can be to have a fresh start of any type. It was having conversations with others who also struggled with these scenarios that led me to believe it was a story worth telling, as many people would be able to relate to it.

Alberta:  There are, as in all good stories, multi strands interweaving throughout but the central theme is that age old one of bullying.  Did you have to do much research in the subject, talk to many parents, teachers, and children?

Rebecca: I had first hand experience of bullying at school and I drew from my own experiences to write the book. But over the years I have got to know a lot of other people who have been bullied for various reasons and in various places, so I didn’t feel I needed to research this topic much at all.

Alberta:  It seems that children are reluctant to take problems such as these to authorities or even parents, why do you think this is?

Rebecca: Children who are being bullied to any extent will already be feeling under confident and sadly most likely thinking it’s their fault that they are being bullied and that telling anyone will only make the problem worse.  The sad thing is, sometimes even teachers bully children, so it can be hard to know where to turn. I was delighted to see, when I did a little research online, there is a lot more access to help via the internet now, and that is why I am donating 10% of any profit I make from the book to the charity Bullying UK, who help people who are being bullied for whatever reason. They are also mentioned in the book.

Alberta:  Other themes concern that of a girls awakening awareness of ‘boys’, of the importance of friendships and the development of self confidence. It is easy when we have grown and hopefully sorted out these problems to forget how real and difficult they are at that age.   You have obviously, judging by reviews, especially from children, found just the right voice to explore these issues.  How difficult was it to find Sam’s voice?

Rebecca: I found Sam’s voice quite easily, and that again is due to the fact that I drew from my own experiences. I based Chloe (Sam’s best friend) very roughly on my best friend from school and thought about our times together and how I felt at the time. We are still very close friends, so I told her about this when I gave her a copy of the book; I haven’t heard what she thinks of it just yet! I thought of the ridiculously plentiful unrequited crushes I had (they never lasted long with me!) and as for the self confidence side of things, I wrote about what I would have liked to have happened to me in my dreams! I am personally nowhere near as confident as Sam turns out to be.

Alberta:  New Beginnings has garnered some splendid reviews and it becomes apparent that the children at least are hoping for some more of Sam.  Do you have any more for them? Do you plan to write more for this age group?

Rebecca: I will never, ever tire of hearing from people who enjoyed my writing. It’s a massive honour to do something I love and for people to say they enjoyed the result.

I am definitely planning to write more about Sam, but not just yet. I did start working on a sequel, but that is on hold at the moment. I have a second novel already complete so I am hoping it won’t be too long before that is published. I am currently working on a collection of short stories for children, and my plan is to have the first story in the collection about Sam and her friends, and the last story about characters from my second novel, to give a taster of both.  I am very conscious that young readers read a book and if they like it, want more from the author pretty quickly, and I don’t want to disappoint them, so yes I will definitely be writing more for children.

Alberta:  Rebecca thank you so much for coming here today and sharing some insights into Sam’s story. I am sure everyone wishes every success for New Beginnings and your future career.

BOOK SIGNING

New Beginnings on Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Beginnings-Rebecca-Emin/dp/190837506X

New Beginnings on Amazon.com      http://www.amazon.com/New-Beginnings-Rebecca-Emin/dp/190837506X/
Rebecca Emin lives in Oxfordshire, with her husband and three small children. Her debut novel, ‘New Beginnings,’ will be published by Grimoire Books on 23 January 2012. Rebecca has finished her second novel ‘When Dreams Come True’ which is also for older children.

Rebecca enjoys writing flash fiction and short stories and has had several flash fiction stories included in fundraising anthologies. ‘A Knowing Look and Other Stories’ is a collection of Rebecca’s short stories which was published in November 2011.

Rebecca is also an author for Ether Books who publish short stories and essays to mobile devices via the Ether app.

Rebecca can be found

Ramblings of a Rusty Writer

Facebook

Twitter

and Goodreads

Dancing in the Kitchen:Alberta’s ROW80

What a good week this has been – not from amazing word counts although they were good but for so many small things.  The greatest of course, in the middle of winter, is that there is some heat in the house. I have a lovely plumber, he ought to a hero in a book but is probably too nice a man to be considered! He showed me how to override the problem and so we await the spare part – from Germany – in comfort. The weather itself is milder and softer and one can truly believe spring is ‘lurking’ if not yet joining in.

 ROW80 Goals:

1) Me Time:  I have factored in time for me and I am so enjoying that. So far (as there is no heating still in my workroom, affectionately known as the ‘with’ room) I haven’t indulged in any art doll creations or crazy patchwork but I have been reading.

Each morning instead of staggering to the computer before my eyes are even slits, I now sit in bed with younger cat and read Angela Carter, well not her as such.  As I finished her Bloody Chamber last week I am now reading her collection of folk takes from around the world and what a great start to the day that is. My absolute treat this week was Inanna I cannot stop thinking about the book.

2) Exercise:   Was also put into the goal mix –I find exercise for the sake of exercise so tedious – I can’t do much and with my ankle long walks are out so I have a step machine. I also have a book. It is here on the machine I shall read my book group books. I get so caught up reading I forget aching legs and so have increased step to 1x 20mins We are reading Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keys this month – not my normal genre of book but that’s what so good about book groups.

Also started dancing (in the kitchen? Why not? While I’m waiting for marvels to happen I wibble and wobble = 2x 5 minutes.

 Words:   7,643 on Blue Moon and 1,265 on The Ancestor’s Tale – I know, I know I said I wouldn’t start Ancestors until March but. . . .

I completed 1 short story to ‘friend from forever/editor to check stage’ and began to ‘last stage’ another.

Blogging: A good week I have had Morgan Mandel talking about her book Forever Young on Red Carpet.

The Value of Reading here as readers and writer comments on the piece would be welcome if you have the time.

Too young for Black on kiss a frog,

A short review on Inanna, my fav. read for a long time.

Researching: goes on apace, for Blue Moons I have made contact with a sea fisherman and he has given me some useful pointers in the best way to dispose of my body off a particular stretch of coast!  Thank you everyone for your advice/comment on my problem. I have also been checking boats suitable for the dire deed!

For Ancestors I have been reading this week about sermons, solitary confinement, sieges and city bombardment.

 Nano in Nov. I also started looking at bacteria and other tiny life forms

Others:  Trailer, I have finally decided on a structure for Ellen’s Tale. Spent 3 hours looking at images and roughly the same composing music

Housekeeping stuff; I have begun to wade through the jungle that was my e-mail – I have reduced mail waiting to be dealt with by half.  Started to respond to all the twitter and google+ invites and follows (guilt encases me whenever I see the dates)

I have also discovered the organizing system that Yahoo put in place last year has been hiving of some  emails into obscure folders – I am busy sorting that out but fear some important ones have been languishing – if anyone is waiting for an answer to something or just written me off as a flake I apologise and will sort ASAP.

Creating a new official website, still WIP and am tidying and revamping Alberta’s Sefuty Chronicles, also still a WIP so bear with please.

Next week quite excited.

Two Red Carpet guests.  First, on Monday, is Rebecca Emin spotlighting her book New Beginnings, for older children 11 + its central theme is bullying but covers the big events of that age from starting a new school, friendships and confidence.  Should be excellent.  Rebecca has agreed to be interviewed as well.

Then at the end of the week I have Terri Morgan in the first of two Red Carpet posts, with her book Playing the Genetic Lottery, a novel about the daughter of two schizophrenics.  Terri has generously offered excerpts as well as an interview so I am running this over two days, the second post will be the following week. This book also sounds good.

I want to continue all of the above.  I am more relaxed about word counts this year.  Blue Moon now stands at about 80,000 and there is not so far to go.  I think my ‘end of Feb to begin editing’ is still safe.  Ancestors is becoming very clear in my head and most of the sections have a running plan now.  I am enjoying getting back to reading again and have a couple more lined up for next few days. I will hopefully advance further on the trailer front and website/blogsite tidy ups.

I hope everyone else has had a good week and the sun is shining there as it is trying to here – feeble attempt I have to say:)