Excited!

I recently entered Michelle Style's Pitch Competition which was open to all those who subscribe to her on-line newsletter.

Michelle wanted a 150 word pitch, similar to the middle paragraph that would go into a query letter. So in effect, the Hook and the Twist, that would entice Michelle to want to read more.
So I toiled over my entry. (How can so few words, cause so much angst! Pitching is so hard!) Finally I had something cobbled together and I was able to hit the "send" button. Fast forward to a few days ago, when I got a lovely email back from Michelle saying I made her top 5! Yay! Beyond happy!

I now have the opportunity to sub the first three chapters (and synopsis) to Michelle by the early New Year. She will then choose one person to mentor for a year. How exciting to have the chance to work with a published author - and one who writes books I *love* to read! So wish me luck. I need to seriously edit my story as it needs a lot of work doing to it. It can be done - I'm determined to lick this ms into shape. Caroline x

Back To The Drawing board.....

......again! Why? I recently got my NWS Report back. 10 pages of excellent advice - I'm eternally grateful to the reader for taking the (enormous) amount of time she/he must have taken to provide so much information on my MS.

The MS was one of my "Roman's" aimed at HM&B. In a nutshell she said she liked the story; that I wrote dialogue well, and write good sex scenes ( ;0 ). However, there were a few major elephants in the corner namely:

1. I have "craft" problems. I need to seriously look at conflict and character. Reading through her comments she's absolutely right of course! Duh on my part. Way too much external conflict and not enough internal conflict. Oh how many times have I read this - and then duh - *I* ignore it. (Sigh....) But having gone through my MS I can see where (hopefully) I can "repair" it. It's going to need a total re-write mind - but the story, I hope, should be all the better for it!

2. Embarrassment alert - Maybe I should keep this one to myself - but hey - I'm in a sharing mood. The other elephant in the corner that the reader picked up on was grammar and punctuation! When I went through my MS, I couldn't believe how many times it was marked for grammar and punctuation mistakes. Ye gads! Why do I have such a problem with the (dreaded) apostrophe? (Hangs head in shame).

So. Enough rambling. It's back to the drawing board. I need to make some serious changes to the MS. Make my hero less of a nasty character - even though he is bitter and twisted and wants revenge - and give both H/h much, much more internal conflict. Wish me luck peeps! Caroline xxx

Feeling enthused....

....at last! Why? Well yesterday was our RNA Chapter lunch. I haven't been for a while due to babysitting restrictions, but yesterday I was determined to go as it was the lovely Trisha Ashley's book launch for her new novel the "Twelve Days of Christmas". Started reading it last night and it's great! Pure Vintage Trisha! (Go buy it!)

As well as the book launch it was great to catch up will like minded romance writers - both pubbed and unpubbed. I *always* come away buzzing at the end of the afternoon. What made me so happy this time round was that a lot of them had read my New Voices entry, and all of them were so complementary about it. So with my mojo recharged I've decided to do 2 things. 1. Edit and polish up my NV book and send it off to HM&B, and 2. start a new book. I'm a bit late for NoNaNo etc. but I'll give it a shot, and aim at getting a "dirty" draft done by the end of Christmas. I'm changing track slightly, going for a "Viking" instead of a "Roman". We'll see how it goes! I was so happy when I got home I just went "pah!" when I saw that I had received *another* rejection letter in the post. 5 in 2 weeks. Not bad, even if I say so myself - LOL! Take care. Caroline xxx

Rejection Letters X4....

....I kid you not peeps. Four- FOUR - rejection letters in 2 days....*sigh*. 3 from Fiction Feast and 1 from Woman's Weekly for my short stories. Ah well onwards and upwards. I've got a few more to send out this week hopefully - so you never know.

PC seems to be behavin' itself (fingers crossed) so I'm back in blog land. But saying that I'm trying to cut down - I've done very little writing recently. My mojo seems to have taken a holiday and I need to kickstart her by concentrating of getting words on paper so to speak. Caroline x

M.I.A....

....computer at home has serious Gremlin probs so I've been MIA for a while! Typing this at work where I have limited time. But as Arnie says, "I'll be back"... Caroline x

Cream crackered - Part II

Just realised that I haven't blogged for ages - sorry! I've been a bit hectic with "life" recently - my poor old gran (92) has been in hospital. It was touch and go but she is now back in her OAP Home and feeling a lot better. She's not quite "right" but she's a lot better than she was.

The one thing about a loved one in hospital is just how time much your life revolves everything medical. As the only one in my family to drive, I was going there every day (which I didn't mind of course), but also I was the only "taxi" available for my family ferrying them to and fro as well. Again I didn't mind, but boy is it tiring!

Other things going on? Well we're looking at moving (those that know me will scream "again" - hee hee) but we have the opportunity to purchase a house with a loan from the Welsh Assembly Government - which helps those (us!) that can't afford a 100% mortgage. It's a good scheme, and they told us that we meet their criteria - so it's all systems go. House hunting as we speak!

So all in all I've been a bit scarce on the blogging and writing front recently - I hope to get back in the saddle soon. And guess what? I haven't even had a chance to vote yet on the NV 2nd Chapter. Shock horror - I'm surprised the site hasn't crashed I was on there so much - LOL. Take care. Caroline xxx

Am I losing the plot....

....or what?

Now it maybe old age creeping up (I'm nearer to 50 than 40!) but I've been saying some mighty odd things lately. Here are a few:

1. To the husband: "Now no eating between snacks - dinner is nearly ready."

2. "I'm putting my foot down with a firm hand."

3. When referring to my dogs and their daily "habits" : "They are so Pavlova dogs."

4. Referring to *everything* as "Watchyoumacallit" - which annoys the DH something chronic!

Of course there are so many more - but taking into account the above - I can't now remember any more of them!

So... any thoughts? Have I lost the plot? Has my addiction to New Voices seriously addled my brain (yes!)? Or am I just going eccentric, as I approach middle age? Let me know will you. Caroline x