'The Daily Echo and 20 Bensons'

I'm so excited. I entered my flash fiction story 'The Daily Echo and 20 Bensons' in a competition and got placed. I'm now a published writer. Go see the anthology 'Take a Leap' http://t.co/qOYxBKI8

The flash fiction short course run by Nik Perring and my friend Sal Page who keeps telling me 'show don't tell' helped a great deal. I'm getting to grips now with editing and realising that each word is as important as the next one and to consider whether it should be in the story or not.

My confidence has really soared but I am still very much a novice, long way to go before I write that bestseller. Think I'm more suited to short, short stories.

London

Have just spent three days in London celebrating Mr T's 60th birthday. We stayed at The Grand in Trafalgar Square with Nelson looking down on us as we slept :) Didn't realise that the pigeons are no longer there, saw a man with a hawk so I presume that is how the pigeon population are disencouraged from venturing into the square. Had a champagne experience on the London Eye, last time I enjoyed a flight when it was owned by BA. Terminology may change but its still a great attraction. Had a cruise up and down the Thames. It was so windy and cold but determined not to leave the top deck and go below. Went to Madame Tussauds  and the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Walked the length of the Mall to see the Queen and back again. We didn't see her but I'm sure she was in :)

Friday the 13th....

Friday the 13th was a good day for me as paragraphplanet put my 75 words on their blog. I think its far better than 'The Christmas Cake' which appeared on their blog on December 27th 2011.  See what you think. I'd appreciate any comments even if you think its dire :)  http://t.co/xOcwzIkq

Can you remember the first time? I nodded and paused. He began to remind me trying not to look hurt. It came flooding back. I added a few reminiscences and he seemed relieved. We laughed together, recalling how nervous we were, the things I’d asked him to do. We weren’t kids we were drawing our pensions. He looked deep into my eyes and I’m sure he saw me packing for my next adventure, travelling solo.

I also had the afternoon off work and went shopping. Bought a top, shoes and underwear for me and a trendy snood scarf for my son that had been reduced from £6 to a crazy £1.80 and amazingly he liked it. He has spent most of his adult life saying 'Mum don't buy me clothes, I never like them and you always have to take them back'. Funny how history repeats itself I remember dreading looking at things my Mum used to buy me. Now my mum and I are practically the same generation, she is 85 and I'm nearly an OAP (58 nearly 59) her purchases for me are nearly always perfect. I really hope I'm like my mum when I reach her age, she has an amazing memory and is still so youthful in her outlook. I truely hope to live to be 100 as long as I'm enjoying life. :)

Resolutions

I'm trying to make as few resolutions as possible so I won't have too many to break. They are as follows

1) Knock my body into some sort of better shape physically and mentally
2) Talk only good about people, NO judgemental comments. (I'm hardly perfect myself, although sometimes I do think I am ..... :) 
3) Count three blessing every day
(Today's are: its not snowing, I'm not at work, a friend came to see me.)
4) Read more, write more.

I expect the best idea is never to make resolutions but a New Year brings a sense of new beginnings. Yesterday I sent off a flash fiction piece to be considered for WordGumbo sixth edition based on the theme 'Endings'. I'm sure it wont be successful but who knows. I loved the first paragraph, hope the editor likes the rest.

Happy New Year everyone.

The Christmas Cake

 

My 75 words for Christmas....... Today's 75-word tale is by Stella Turner. 'The christmas cake' http://www.paragraphplanet.com/

 

I submitted a 75 word Christmas themed story and to be honest it was dire. So I re-submitted the 75 words below and it was chosen for December 27th 2011. Sometimes I can be very lazy in my writing thinking anything is better than nothing but that is so wrong... Poor writing is always worthless. I'm enjoying reading the 75 words on paragraphplanet each day some are excellent, some are good and some are not so good. I'll leave the reader to decided where my 75 words fall. 

 

The Christmas cake; it’s too rich and too dark, I’ve always hated it. The little piece of plastic holly and the red ribbon around its midriff shouts out I’m posh not like the sponge fingers you put in the homemade trifle. I stab the fork through the hard Brussels sprout and dream of steamed vegetables. We look at each other trying to find hope for the future. Christmas spirit comes out of a bottle, cheers.

The Weekend before Christmas

Saturday
Had hair dyed, legs waxed.
Realised I'm vain enough to want to look my best for people I haven't seen for a year.
Husband's works Christmas do.
Stayed the night at the hotel.
Room had a bath with a jacuzzi.
Late night.

Sunday
English and continental breakfast at hotel.
Took Son and his girlfriend to airport to fly to Poland for the Chrismas holidays.
Went to daughter's home to see her and 8 month old Grandson.
Bought two books delivered to my Amazon Kindle.
Early night :)
 

German Measles

My son has German Measles, his girlfriend is just getting over it. What is unusual is that they are thirty one and twenty eight. They both were quite ill with it and I'm thinking wonder if I've had it. My son reassures me that anyone over forty has little chance of catching it, so I'm safe :)

Someone has just told me that snow is forecast for thursday. I hate driving in it, so I'm hoping it won't arrive. I really need to stop worrying about things I can't control. I woke up this morning really happy, that was a strange feeling because I normally feel a bit down thinking its work tomorrow. My favourite time of the week is friday after work and saturday morning. When I retire every moment of the week will be my favourite time. I need to re-evaluate my thinking because at the moment I'm wishing my life away. I need to live in the moment, not sure how easy thats going to be :)