It's not wot it's like on the telly!

Had to take my poor mum to A&E on Friday evening. (Too much warfrin in her blood caused her eyes to hemorrhage - looked like she'd gone 10 rounds with Frank Tyson!) Anyway as I intimated in the title the A&E department of the hospital wasn't much like Casualty, ER or Holby City. Yes there were air ambulance's coming in at a rate of knots, and the doctor's and nurses were rushing around like headless chickens - but as far as I could see - and we were in there for 8 hours |(!!!) - there was none of the intrigue that seems to be part of the weekly soap opera's we see on the telly. No nurses lusting after handsome doctors etc. No obvious signs of doctors being ruthless so they can limb the ladder to success. No nothing like that.

Was I disappointed? After all like all good authors - I did have the notebook ready to job down some kernel of wisdom for a potential book or two. No I wasn't. In truth I was impressed by how busy and dedicated they all were. Even though it was a long night - there were two RTA's so everything goes into "emergency plan" mode and we had to wait (quite rightly) until they had been sorted out there was nothing really I could have used in a book - and I'm sure the likes of Kate Hardy have done emergency A&E's in many a book.

The only thing that did annoy me was the attitude of some of those waiting to be seen. As I said the RTA's got seen first - but some of those waiting around didn't quite see it like that. They were under the impression that their cut hand (sustained by falling down drunk) was more important than some poor man who'd had a crushed chest! I ask you the nurses had more tact than I would in dealing with this person (+ others as well!)

So a big cheer to all NHS staff who's job I don't envy at all. Thanks for all the hard work you do. Take care. Caroline x

Life according to...

To make sense of this Blog go over to Kate Hardy's Blogspot. Trust me all will become clear!

"My life according to Caroline Storer
Pick your Artist: AC/DC
Are you a male or female?: Whole Lot of Rosie
Describe yourself: All Screwed Up (!)
How do you feel: Kicked In The Teeth (I'm tired today)
Describe where you currently live: Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be (I'm at work!)
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Bedlam In Belgium
Your favourite form of transportation: Walk All Over You
Your best friend is: (a) Girls Got Rhythm
You and your best friends are: Back In Business (I'm off for a girlie weekend next week!)
What's the weather like: Up To My Neck In You (it's raining!)
Favourite time of day: You Shook Me All Night Long
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called: Riff Raff
What is life to you: Ain't No Fun (waitin' round to be a millionaire)
Your last relationship: Highway To Hell
Your current relationship: Whole Lotta Love
Your fear: T.N.T
What is the best advice you have to give: (don't get) Caught With Your Pants Down
Thought for the Day: Beating Around The Bush
How I would like to die: Shot Down In Flames
Looking for: Sin City
Wouldn’t mind: High Voltage (to get me back on track with the wip!)
My soul's present condition: If You Want Blood - You Got It (ode to my current wip)
Most Faithful Companion: Givin' The Dog A Bone
My motto: For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

Phew! That was harder than I thought! But fun! Take Care. Caroline x

"How Beautiful Thou Art"

We often take things for granted. I know I do. This, believe it or not, is the view from the front of my house. I live on the brow of a hill that sweeps down over the Malltraeth Marshes then over to the wonderful, beautiful vista of the Snowdonia mountain range. Like a lot of the country we haven't had a good summer weather wise, and normally it's been a dash to the car to avoid the rain (like today - we've got the remnants of Hurricane Bill). But yesterday was an exception. After the rain had cleared viola! the splendour and beauty of Snowdonia is there for all to see. It's just that I sometimes forget about it. Take care. Caroline

Fishguard Here I Come!

The fabo dh took the massive hints I've been dropping about what I'd like for Christmas this year. (Unusually for me I never know what to ask for!) But this year is different... This year I know what I want - and woohoo today I got it. Booked onto the Writing Weekend course that is going to be held in Fishguard in Feb next year - and the workshop I going on - Contemporary Romance hosted by Kate Walker - double whoooo! Excited? Moi? YOU BET!!

Mind you all the above depends on whether I actually filled out the on-line application form and PayPal thingybob correctly - but I think I did it ok! Take care. Caroline x

That's My Boy!

I was going through my photo's of my grandson Corey! Came across this one - that I hadn't spotted at the time. It made me LOL - knowing how much he loves his food it kinda sums him up. Take care. Caroline x

Layering the Emotion

I re-read the first chapter of my HM&B Competition entry last night (well OK the only chapter so far) and.......ewwww what a load of cr*p! And I mean that most sincerely folks!

What had started out as promising first chapter (hah! who am I kidding!) is now being pecked to pieces by the "crows of doubt" who seem to be swarming in ever decreasing circles as I type. (It didn't help when I read Lynn Rae Harris's opening chapter last night of her debut HM&B book - you know the one - the one that won her the competition last year!)

I now need to "re-visit" my wip and think serious, serious editing (read "total re-write") and layer in the emotion - I've decided my wip is lacking the emotion quotent that is a pre-requisite of any HM&B. Kate Walker (in her 12 point Guide to Writing Romance ) devotes a whole chapter of her (excellent) book to the subject of emotion. Michelle Styles, Donna Alward and Kate Hardy all go into great length about layering in the emotion on their blogsites. And now so must I. So I'm going to get out the metaphorical "cake filling" and I'm going to start layering it in right now. Before it's too late. And if I can quote one of the quotes in Kate's book "The 3 most important things in making a book a best seller are emotion, emotion, emotion." (HM&B editor) Right got it? Yes absolutely got it. 100% got it - I think!

Take care. Caroline x

Day of Rest?

Today I am mostly....chilling out. It's Sunday. No take that back I can chill out when..
1. I've made the Sunday dinner
2. I've done the washing and ironing
3. I've cleaned and hoovered (although dh may do this!)
4. Made supper and finally,
5. Done some of my wip..

Take care. Caroline x

Sunday funny...