New Phase Day 15

Here I am at the end of the third week and things are looking pretty good. I took it a little easier today - actually I got sidetracked doing some genealogy research for a friend. I always lose all track of time when I'm doing that. It's a great feeling. I found lots of things and was busy writing down lists of names and dates and registration numbers.
Book related work was limited to buying a new ink cartridge and finishing the printing of the novel for daughter to proofread. I also received three enquiries about how to purchase a copy of The Maria Challenge Quilt. It's nice talking to people who are interested in my books and are keen to read them. What a fantastic feeling to finish the week with.

New Phase Day 14

Finished reading through for the first edit and sent it off to my editor, poor thing. She has very little time to work through it if I'm to take it to the printer by the end of next week. I also sat down and did some letter writing and started printing out a copy to proofread but ran out of ink.

New Phase Day 13

The next step after finishing writing my book is to read right through it and make any corrections I wish to make. I managed to read 66% today and have sore eyes from reading a computer screen all day. Will be able to finish it in the morning though.
I thought I might have to change the day of the book launch because I have to go into the city for a meeting that day at 2 o'clock, but ten minutes of chatting with my daughter and I talked myself into keeping the date. There were too many reasons not to change it. However, it does mean I will have to be very smart about the way I prepare for the launch because a huge chunk will be taken out of my day, and not going to the meeting is not an option.
It'll work. I'll make it work.

New Phase Day 12

I'VE FINISHED WRITING MY BOOK. It only took another 1,000+ words today to finally reach the end of my story. I feel very accomplished. Now I need to proof, proof, proof, edit, proof some more and then desktop publish, print and market. Not much to do! I love doing this stuff. It makes me feel good.
This afternoon was patchwork group with my friends and I worked on my Elizabeth Challenge Quilt. That will be the next challenge as I try to finish the quilt in time for the book launch on 3 October. It's booked in with the machine quilter so I have another deadline to meet. Deadlines are just times you set to make your dreams come true.

New Phase Day 11

Where did the day go!? Time did not seem to be on my side today as I ran out of it very quickly. I wrote over 2,700 words, which in itself is very good. I was only disappointed because I expected to finish the book today, and probably would have done so if I had not needed to fit in washing, ironing and work. Tomorrow is another day wherein I expect to complete the novel. Then I can start proofreading. No doubt I will make some changes - there are already a few in my mind to be made.
I received two cheques in the mail for books already despatched to library suppliers. There's a good reason to smile. And last night I received an enquiry from New Zealand about Maria. News is spreading.

New Phase Day 10

I didn't blog on Friday evening because I was enjoying myself at a wedding. We had a lovely time indeed, at Poet's Lane in Sherbrooke Forest (in the hills outside Melbourne). The venue was exceptionally nice, the food was very good indeed and the bride and groom seemed incredibly happy - it was a joy to watch. We were even given the pleasure of the groom and a couple of mates having a jam session. The star of the show, however, was a real crawler. A bald male dressed in a blue suit with white shirt and red bow tie. He was the best dressed lad in town - and was about nine or ten months old! He was so gorgeous he stole all our hearts and his little grow suit that looked like a real suit was a gem. He was a happy little chap and provided quite a bit of entertainment.
Meanwhile, I had managed to type another 2,200 words for The Elizabeth Challenge Quilt - work before pleasure. Not that I can call writing 'work'. It's a lot more fun than going to the office. Am very close to the end of the book now.

New Phase Day 9

Another positive day with a total of over 2,300 words. I surprised myself actually - the first 1,000 didn't come easily making it rewarding to see I had achieved so many by the end of the day. I also received, and posted off, two book orders. I confirmed with the printer that he has my job booked in for the 1st September and I am mulling over the book launch details in the back of my mind. Am VERY close to finishing now.

New Phase Day 8

Another successful day with over 3,100 words written. I wrote a very emotional scene today which I found quite draining but I was very happy with it when I finished. I'm very close to the end of the book now. Perhaps another two chapters, maybe three. I really need to finish by the end of the week if I'm to get it to the printer on time.

Meanwhile, a little story of why I should not work in the garden (apart from the fact that I really don't like gardening). I had a packet of Flanders poppies that needed to be planted and thought the bed by the front step would be the perfect spot. It needed weeding and tidying up first so I did that then fetched a rake to pull back a layer of soil and mulch. The packet said there were a wopping 7,250 seeds so I figured I wouldn't have any problems filling the whole area of approximately 1.2m x 0.5m with that many seeds. Soil duly raked back I ripped open the packet and took a look inside. The seeds were miniscule which sort of confirmed the idea that there might be 7,250 seeds therein. The plan was to sprinkle some in one spot, cover them with soil and do the next spot until I'd reversed myself out from the corner back to the footpath. I gave a little sprinkle starting in the corner and POOF - all the seeds were gone from the packet. I stared into the packet in disbelief. Where did they all go? All 7,250 of them! Obviously all in the very corner of the garden bed. And being so small there was no hope of 'seeing' where they were. I tried spreading them around by rubbing my hands over the spot I thought they might be, then with resolution I covered them up and watered them in. I expect in 90 days we'll have a very pretty CLUMP of Flanders poppies tucked into the corner of the garden bed! Ho Hum.

New Phase Day 7

I have heard recently that when a new CEO takes up his/her position it is said they will make their mark in the first 100 days. Hence it is common to find them counting down those days. Perhaps if I do it too I will be able to see the difference 100 days make. My aim, however, was to make myself accountable to someone or something and if I think people are reading my blog then I feel duty-bound to give them something to read each day. It's a theory.
Today I managed 1,500 words. This was not what I'd aimed for but when I consider I spent most of the day working in a voluntary capacity on a different project then 1,500 words is okay. I have a whole day to write tomorrow - so long as I don't allow distractions. I also had a phone call from a lady wanting to order a copy of Maria.
BTW - the 100 day thing reminds me of the 1969 movie, Anne of the Thousand Days with Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn and Richard Burton as King Henry VIII. There is a scene where Anne is imprisoned in the tower awaiting her execution and counts out these little sticks that represent the days she was Queen. I saw it again recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. (I love Tudor history!)

New Phase Day 6

I took the weekend off, although I probably should not have done so. Today I made up for it by writing over 3,000 words. I'm happy with that. I also surfed the 'net to research catering for the book launch in October and concluded that it was going to cost a huge amount to have caterers in. Looks like the best thing in regards to my budget is to do it myself. I know what I want to serve, making the planning easy enough. That's one thing off the list of things to do.

New Phase Day 5

Not many words today - only 700. But that's 700 more than yesterday. I also sent off some advertising material to Quilters Companion for the November issue. That was a real positive as well as being the point of no return. I'll have to get the book printed and launched by October as planned. Nothing like a bit of pressure to keep a girl honest. I also received an order via email. All together a successful day and a good week.

New Phase Day 4

Very little steps forward today. I didn't even reach 500 words and am not sure I'll even keep them - the delete button may be used on them tomorrow. I did manage to put together the cover for The Elizabeth Challenge Quilt with the help of my daughter and her good camera.

New Phase Day 3

Received another order in the mail and managed to write 3,000 words. A successful day.

New Phase Day 2

Managed to write 1,400 words today putting me half-way into Chapter 9. Was happy enough with that. Today was patchwork day with my private group and I worked on my Elizabeth Challenge Quilt. Have more than enough of the quilt done for the cover of the book, which I need to put together tomorrow for advertising purposes. Feeling positive about things even though my deadlines are looming.

First day of the new phase

I've recently changed things in my life to allow me to work on my writing more. This meant resigning from one of the two paid jobs I have, a decision which will have financial consequences but which I feel is the leap I need to take over that chasm in order to reach my goal. Now my days are better organised. I start and finish paid work at the same time each day leaving me free to work at my writing and self-marketing during the day. It's a good feeling.
Today I finished a difficult chapter with a sigh of relief. There was nothing hard about the writing of it, only that it was a chapter that had to be researched thoroughly in order to have my facts correct. It certainly wasn't my aim to instruct the reader in a particular field but the reader does deserve to have the right information. Besides, I love learning about new things, or adding to my current knowledge. Now I can move on with the rest of the story.
I also applied for the ISBN today. This is always exciting because it makes the process feel very real. It is one step towards making the story a tangible book. And I received another order in the mail which will be posted out this afternoon.
All in all a very satisfying start to the 'new phase'.

So much news!

Life has been a bit of a whirlwind since my last blog. We went on our Great Alpine Road holiday and had a brilliant time. The mansion, Kilmany Park near Sale was absolutely stupendous. Actually it set us up for a bit of a fall because it was so magnificent that nothing could compare with it after that. Out host, Daryl was wonderful, and we had the whole place to ourselves for the first day. What a great place to stay and unwind. Next we stayed at Tara House in Bairnsdale which was also very beautiful with a great host. Omeo has the Golden Age Motel (Mark IV) which was comfortable and friendly and had nice views. The castle followed, and after looking forward so much to a couple of days sitting doing nothing and being alone, they had double booked and we were not able to have the suite we had booked. It was a disappointing night during which we were compelled to sit with the owner in his loungeroom and make conversation instead of being on our own enjoying a second honeymoon. Extremely disappointing. A real let down. So we didn't stay the second night. We went to Beechworth where Cheryl at Barnsley House welcomed us with open arms and gave us plenty of sympathy (we'd also had some car troubles), good tucker and was generally a wonderful lady. Our room was beautiful, cosy and had everything we needed. Our final night was in Benalla at Belmont House where Bill did a terrific job of looking after us with silver service style. It was a perfect end to the holiday.

We did so much while we were away. John and I are like that - we like to hop in the car and see where it takes us and what we can find. He's good at driving and I'm a good navigator so we are the perfect match. We saw Annemieke Mein textile art at the Sale Gallery; churches everywhere we went - some nice, some gaudy; 19th century gaols, courthouses and various other buildings; stunning views in the High Country; about 18 patchwork shops (grin); went on a ghost tour of the Beechworth Asylum; bought lots of books; and took over 250 photos which I now have to scrapbook. I wrote a journal while we were away so I wouldn't forget anything - 2,000 words a day (times 10 days).

So what's been happening since our return. So much I can barely remember. I've been sick twice and had a few days off work, only a cold and throat infection, nothing serious. John has broken a toe and been hobbling around with that. My daughter has had an interview with a bookbinding company which feels positive and I hope she can gain employment in that field very soon. I've been editing and proofreading someone else's book therefore I have not been writing my own.

The Maria Challenge Quilt has been selling well as it was mentioned on the Southern Cross Quilters chat group, prompting interest. I was interviewed by a wonderful young journalist from Melbourne Weekly Eastern and she wrote a good article about me which came out in the paper last week. I've been booked as a speaker for the Geelong Patchwork Guild on 19 September. And as another way of marketing myself I have joined Facebook. So if you want to chat with me there please feel free.

I have made big plans for the next few months of my writing career and have decided upon 3 October as the launch date for my second book in the Australian Challenge Quilt Series, The Elizabeth Challenge Quilt. Keep watching my blog for updates as they occur. Cheers for now.

Great Ideas

I went to the publishing seminar mentioned in my last blog and it was a great day. Most of the day was taken up with topics I already knew about from experience - how to develop an idea, how to write, approaches to writing, how to get your book printed, costs that might be involved - all of this I have done several times before. What interested me most was the last session for the day, on marketing. With my book, The Maria Challenge Quilt available to the public and through some patchwork shops, I needed some ideas for more publicity. Strangely enough my biggest idea came from a session that had nothing to do with marketing. It came when a speaker made one little statement which sent my mind flying in fantastic directions, full of ideas for how I could promote my children's novel.

In my last blog I complained about the mainstream publishing world. Now I have a new perspective and believe more in myself and what I can achieve. I will self-publish my childrens book and I have a really quirky way to promote it. I'm not going to give away my ideas here, but when the time is right lots of people will soon be hearing about me and my Prattle House series.

Meanwhile, I'm off around the state for a driving holiday and on the way I intend to visit lots of patchwork shops to promote my book, The Maria Challenge Quilt (and just quietly, I'll probably spend some money in the patchwork shops too!). My husband and I are having our first holiday alone together since our honeymoon 22 years ago. We are really looking forward to it. Our route is the Great Alpine Road and we will be staying in beautiful B&Bs - one is a mansion and one is a castle! Keep posted for an update when I return.

Publishing Disappointments

A couple of weeks ago I received two more rejections for the children's novel I have been attempting to have published. One of those rejections included some criticism, which is always a very useful thing to receive, but not necessarily easy to take on board. I always allow myself the rest of the day to sulk about the disappointing news, but after a good sleep I wake up with renewed enthusiasm to push forward yet again.
However, this time I woke full of anger, not at what had been said about my story, instead I was angry with the way the publishing industry seems to be. These days a publishing house expects a prospective author to do pretty much all the work for them. When a writer submits a manuscript it is expected to be accompanied by a covering letter detailing why you think your story fits in with their publishing list, what else you have had published (your c.v.) and any marketing ideas you have. All this is only to take up one page, because editors are very busy people and don't have time to read pages and pages. Fair enough. But then don't expect fully expanded ideas unless you want me to do it in 7 point type with no margins! And the worst is this marketing business. If I was capable of coming up with brilliant marketing ideas, I probably would not be spending my energy writing novels - I would be earning squillions working for an advertising agency. What happened to the marketing team employed by the publishing house? Do they sit around waiting for prospective authors to give them new ideas? And if I had a good idea for marketing my novel, why on earth should I share it with a publishing house who most likely wont even give my novel a second look, let alone publish it, and they get the idea for FREE!!? Not on. I do have ideas for marketing my book, when it's published, and I'll share those ideas with the publishing house that is prepared to support me.
I'm also amazed at how long these publishing houses take to respond to a submission, IF they respond at all. Manners don't seem to exist much any more. One of my last two rejections was in the form of non-response, after over one year of waiting to hear from them. I understand that publishers receive a lot of submission every week. I also know from experience that you don't have to read very many pages to know whether or not the writer is any good at their craft. Manuscripts could be, and probably are, rejected after only having had the first few pages scanned. So why does it take so many months, even a year or more, to get the job done and give the anxious writer an answer? If the publishing house has an overload of ms then employ a freelancer to get through the backlog! Then, give the prospective author something for all their hard effort - a response.
Is it any wonder I resorted to self publishing my patchwork novel, The Maria Challenge Quilt. I resarched it, wrote it, edited it, proofread it, printed it and marketed it all in one year. And I also work almost full time. It may not be a Dickens or and Austen, but people are buying it and reading it, and they are also emailing me to say how much they have enjoyed it.
I'm going to a publishing seminar next week, organised by a woman who self-published. I'll let you know all about it in my next blog.

Now it's our Worst Weekend

This morning when I wrote my post we knew a lot of land had gone up in flames, but as our day unfolded the reports became more and more horrific by the hour. The death toll from bushfires in the state of Victoria grew from 35 to 40 to 50 to 60 and as I prepare for my own comfortable bed, the death toll is 84. They predict this figure will now go over 100. Among the dead was a well-known newsreader - a familiar face we saw on our television every night. As a small way of making a public statement of the sadness I feel for my fellow Victorians, I have made a cross of black ribbon, which I will wear for the coming week in memory of the dead. I know Aussies will help the victims, but I hope my blog reaches people in other countries so that they may know our grief and offer a helping hand.

Victoria's Worst day

Firstly I would like to acknowledge all the unfortunate people in Victoria who yesterday suffered in the worst day in this state's history. With temperatures exceeding 46 degrees Celsius, bushfires ravaged the state. The news this morning has told of 25 confirmed deaths, but this figure will likely reach over 40. My heartfelt compassion is sent to those who have lost loved ones, lost their homes, their livelihoods, their pets and livestock, and maybe even their motivation for life. Australians are well-known and loved for their ability to bounce back in times of trial, and to extend a helping hand to mates in need. We will do this again, and our fellow Victorians will come through this.

For me, yesterday was actually a good day. Most importantly (on a very personal level) my family is safe and well, our pets are well and my home is standing so I have nothing to complain about. Normally I would have stayed at home out of the heat, but I had a very important event to attend - I was guest speaker at the Patchwork and Quilters Guild of Victoria's meeting in Hawthorn. Their President had asked me to come and tell the members about my book, The Maria Challenge Quilt, and how it had come about. Nerves settled in during the morning as I sat and wrote out some cue cards and went over my talk. On arrival the women were extremely pleasant and welcoming, looking after me with a cold drink and introducing me to several members. My talk went very well indeed, for someone who prefers to write than to do a talk. It felt as though the room was interested, and the response was positive.

It was spooky to feel like I was acting out part of the plot of my very own book. Just as in the novel, I was a speaker at the first meeting for the guild for the year, held on the first Saturday of the month. When I wrote the book I did not intentionally copy the details of any particular existing guild. It was completely coincidental.

A big thank you to everyone at Ps and Qs for making me feel warmly welcome (pardon the pun).

I also thought you might like to see a photo of my Black Dahlia quilt, which I made over the Christmas/New Year period. The pattern is a design by Michelle Yeo and templates for it are available from her website at http://www.michelleyeoquiltdesigns.com/ and she calls it 'Giant Dahlia'. I've made a blue one and now this black one, and will be making a red one later this year.