It's a C..... didn't make it...

The flash fiction I have been waiting to be marked has finally come in as a C.... didn't make it... The Gift of Wisdom has now been sent off to another competition and The Nurse which was longlisted has also gone to another competition. I have now decided to be patient and just wait for e-mails arriving telling me they have been successful. Ever the optimist haha.

Today my 75 words It happened in the early hours was chosen to appear on paragraphplanet http://t.co/xOcwzIkq . Each day a different 75 words appears and then goes into the month's archives. If you have time its a great quick read each day.
Here are my 75 words

It happened in the early hours of Sunday morning. Felt like a hundred hands were turning forward. I fell into a void, taken hostage. It was dark, silent and eerie. I knew what was happening but ever year I was powerless to stop it. Like six months later when suddenly I would be released ready for winter. I missed the light, the sunshine, the summer. There’s a rhyme about my predicament Spring forward, fall back. 

I'm trying to be patient...... its not working...

I keep going to the website, logging in to my account to see if my flash fiction has been marked yet. I'm hoping this delay is good news and its hovering around the bottom end of the shortlist and the judge is hedging his bets by waiting until the last moment before it becomes an A (short listed) or a B (long listed) and hopefully NOT a C (didn't make it). It can't be a C because the three stories I sent one was a C straight away and the other became a B which pleased me no end. Prize money is a 1000 euros but being short listed would be fantastic, wouldn't mind being in the top 10 :)

Long listed....

I've always wanted to be long listed in a competition and its happened today. I'm so hoping to be short listed. My writing seems to be on the up at the moment. I'd entered this flash fiction story last year to the same competition and it didn't make the cut. This time I edited it, sharpened it and this year's judge seems to like it. I like it a lot, not sure I'm supposed to say that. But as I've always said if you don't blow your own trumpet, no one else will blow it.... :) 

'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.