tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380342639641659902011-07-15T14:53:07.739+01:00(Thistletonthwaite Castle is the primary location in my first completed novel.)Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.comBlogger1121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-31673410082514821262009-07-02T19:30:00.012+01:002009-09-22T12:45:29.546+01:00

Painting by Georges MoquayHave you heard of AudioBoo, the audio blogging app for the iPhone? Well, I found this a toy too great to resist. And if you go here, you can listen to “My First Boring Boo ;)”. I may live to regret this. It was written and recorded on a whim with zero pre-meditation. Which is sometimes how I like things. Grab that little idea by the scruff of the neck, twirl it around,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-9389114233051451072009-05-24T19:40:00.009+01:002009-05-25T02:26:45.645+01:00

The weather is lovely!I have been quiet a little longer than planned. But the experiment has proven that, in the case of this novice novelist, less time online results in an increased production of fiction. In other words, the writing is going really, really well. At the moment, I’m busy with further ‘tweaks’ of the novel I now realise will never be ‘finished’ until it is a) published, or b)

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-23501421206046557602009-02-24T18:28:00.008Z2009-02-24T19:36:04.811Z

What first appeared as blog block has turned out to be something else. I suspected only a virus in my brain’s blogging mechanism and expected it soon to pass. But for the past week a debate has raged between my brain’s blogging nodes and the newly awakened single-minded centre. I’m not sure if I always had this, lying dormant, or whether it is recently grown. Anyway, the single-minded centre has

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-81586615746093035832009-02-16T20:06:00.015Z2009-02-16T20:49:37.936Z

Tara Donovan, “Untitled” (Styrofoam Cups, Hot Glue) The title tells all. But for those two words to be a real title, a post must be written in this space. Therefore, I elaborate: I am stuck.I know that simply isn’t good enough. However, as this post is a struggle, I am resisting the urge to delete any words; including “I am stuck”.Having placed “I am stuck” within quotes makes me happy to have

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-17095299004213744492009-02-07T15:35:00.013Z2009-02-07T17:23:25.668Z

In this amazing animation, “The Black Dog’s Progress” by small time inc., a series of flipbooks tell the sad story of the Black Dog. I adore this, and have watched it over and over again!*****Ironically, now I have more or less recovered from cold number two, which I worked through, I feel like acting like an ill person. I want to curl up and read. When I should be ploughing forward with the

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-58485303497864412052009-02-03T18:13:00.014Z2009-02-03T19:32:00.228Z

The common cold may not be the most interesting subject for a blog post. But. I am suffering my second cold in less than two weeks. What livens up this misery is that the second cold is quite different than cold number one. This time it’s all about sneezing, irritable eyes, and a very runny nose. To keep things exciting, I road-tested an alternative remedy. Kaloba, used by Zulus for centuries,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-21893612035216332032009-01-30T17:56:00.010Z2009-02-02T17:19:52.240Z

This week has completely run away with me! As though a troupe of leprechauns arrived with little rucksacks and sleeping bags, having decided to camp out on my floor. Such disruption! I have tripped over them in the dark, found their laundry heaped in the dishwasher, a bottle of Extra Old Cognac ... drained (yes, the little people do enjoy a drink), and two litres of pineapple juice have simply

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-82075926365434015532009-01-26T21:19:00.037Z2009-02-04T20:09:35.696Z

Happy Lunar New Year! We are now in the Year of the Ox, and I sense a stabilising influence already. I have not researched the significance of the Year of the Ox; the influence of which I speak is only my interpretation of information received from the telepathic highways.A down to earth fact, however, is that Barrie Summy’s debut novel, I So Don’t Do Mysteries, is a totally fantastic read. From

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-89943984874061534542009-01-21T19:31:00.010Z2009-01-21T20:01:36.783Z

Though I wasn’t in Washington yesterday, shivering in the open air -- and just as I was coming to terms with how ridiculously healthy I must be, seemingly immune to the bugs and flu that, in recent weeks, have plagued almost everyone I know -- I’ve caught a nasty, stinking cold.As a result, I’ve spent too much time today clicking through vast swathes of coverage of the inauguration of the 44th

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-12818729397387208922009-01-16T20:49:00.009Z2009-01-17T19:25:22.503Z

Was exactly how I felt earlier this week, when I began to get very uncomfortable with the new sense of warm, fuzzy calm that had engulfed me since the start of the year. At first I enjoyed it. It was new and strange and nice. And I almost convinced myself that it was good, that I had turned some kind of corner and this was how life would be from now on. Perhaps I had matured. (Oh, no!) Or

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-8546707679830046792009-01-13T19:58:00.005Z2009-01-14T16:51:16.887Z

At the weekend, I finished reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I spent ages with this book! When that happens, when I seem to be in the process of reading a book forever and ever... it is because it is good, good, good!!! I am enjoying the world, the characters, the story, and the writing so much that I want to stay there as long as possible. (And I do have a penchant for restricted

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-45767619588448824252009-01-09T18:27:00.013Z2009-01-09T18:57:36.213Z

I saw this fabulous quiz on Janet Reid’s blog, and of course gave in to temptation.Despite answering one question with: "I would ride the rollercoaster until I feel very unwell" (paraphrased), my result, nonetheless...You are Times New RomanSome call you timeless—others call you a snob. Either way, you’re a class act all around. Just don’t take yourself too seriously.An interesting result! ;)What

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-26650579339289845352009-01-07T19:33:00.014Z2009-01-10T16:11:54.033Z

The talented Natalie L. Sin tagged me with this meme:Share seven facts about yourselfHere goes!1) I was born at home with no midwife in attendance, though that wasn’t the plan. My father, certain I would die, baptised me. At my christening, the priest omitted splashing water on my head because, from what my father had said, he believed I was already baptised. To this day, my dad is not fully

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-47576486480506774342009-01-06T17:46:00.007Z2009-01-10T16:12:44.138Z

To celebrate this, blog post number one-oh-oh, I thought of writing a list of one hundred wonderful things. A list that would include everything but the kitchen sink: from Appleby Horse Fair to Handmade Dolls to Awido.com.Then I remembered: I kicked the list-writing habit back in oh-eight. (Self-induced stress: be gone!) It is so much easier to write a lovely, long to-do list than it is to

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-92076523548460996882009-01-03T14:56:00.007Z2009-01-04T13:36:08.072Z

There is nothing more optimistic than a bright and shiny new year; that wonderful sense that a page has been turned, that the future has arrived. A new year is fresh and clean. We don’t know how it might turn out -- but it presents an opportunity to achieve our goals, to get things right.A new year is ready to be created. It is up to us how we mark it, how we shape it, how we choose to use our

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-20578471440112981752008-12-29T20:10:00.007Z2008-12-29T21:16:37.075Z

2008 was a bumper year for reading. I read so much great stuff! None of my top three could overtake each other to reach the number one slot, as I love them all equally but for entirely different reasons. Therefore, we shall proceed alphabetically by author. I won’t say too much about each title; these books speak for themselves!Little Brother by Cory DoctorowExciting, inspiring, and entirely of

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-73480977534002575542008-12-24T14:32:00.006Z2008-12-24T15:30:10.136Z

Because it is Christmas (and because who doesn’t love special effects?) below is a bonus photo in which my little tree appears to be on fire. A roaring fire and a Christmas tree rolled into one!

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-85197659152763811422008-12-22T20:50:00.009Z2008-12-23T21:28:54.314Z

No sooner am I released from prison ;) than the shops start opening until midnight. Christmas is well and truly upon us, overpowering us, seizing our minds, our money and our time.I have very mixed feelings about Christmas. I love the ideal: snow, sleigh bells, twinkling lights, crisp air, carol singers, roaring fires, games of charades, tidings of comfort and joy. But the reality (aside from my

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-59161741140373778872008-12-08T20:24:00.003Z2008-12-12T17:32:32.735Z

My two-week blog break turned into a three-week blog break, and now... that three-week blog break looks set to become a prolonged hiatus. I am so entangled in the imaginary worlds of both fashion and fiction it seems I will be imprisoned here for some time. Things could be worse. Much worse. I am not incarcerated in a cold, dark cell. My sentence is not indefinite. The guards are kind; they even

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-3970845748405152752008-11-18T19:10:00.010Z2008-11-18T21:17:08.693Z

Tbilisi, Georgia by Martha CamarilloI'm taking a two-week blog break. I have a design deadline approaching and want, if possible, to maintain some writing momentum (not to be confused with momentous writing ;)) amidst the craziness of completing the project.Back in December!Until then...Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club Documentary by Martha Camarillo“In the heart of downtown Philadelphia, among

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-14780717982950418582008-11-13T22:48:00.007Z2008-11-14T17:46:14.214Z

My serious phase continues apace -- to the point that I might be embracing the ethic a little too wholeheartedly. For example, I have not allowed myself to stop and eat dinner until after 10 pm. And last night, I found myself propped up in bed writing elevator pitches for my no-longer-finished novel and my wonderful WIP. At 4 am! Needless to say, I drank gallons of coffee this morning.Back to

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-79407771847723291712008-11-10T19:51:00.006Z2008-11-14T18:05:25.515Z

In the last two-and-a-half weeks, life has gone topsy-turvy. Not in a dramatic way (though you wouldn’t guess it from the picture), but more that it has become too amorphous in shape, too flowing in form.Flow is good in the sense it is vital to the creative process. But if flow means one’s life is more like a flooded pond seeping down a partially blocked drain than a powerful running river, then

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-38303380936669400342008-11-05T20:03:00.031Z2008-11-06T00:14:46.581Z

If you do not love fireworks, look away now!Tonight is Bonfire Night. However, in tune with the popular idea that everything is better at the weekend, my town held its public firework show on Saturday, November 1st. So... we had ghosts, ghouls and skeletons on Friday, followed by an inferno on Saturday.My apartment is perfectly situated for this display. Quite a treat! And it made chez Mary a

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-89976825472740935502008-10-31T20:51:00.008Z2008-11-06T17:43:44.215Z

Photograph by Ralph Eugene MeatyardIt’s been an eventful week. What with the blogaversary on Tuesday, Halloween today, and Wednesday and Thursday spent in legal dispute. I wish I could say more about that, but I can’t...What I will say is that my solicitor is quite an inspiring character. The case was challenging and the time frame tight. There was a wonderful moment when this ordinarily composed

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-8894232249316636862008-10-28T17:56:00.006Z2008-10-28T19:24:11.914Z

Overnight at Thistletonthwaite Castle is one year old today!Which means... I have been blogging for a year.And... (here comes a cliché) what a wonderful year it’s been!When I first started this blog, I felt a little bit self-conscious and shy. But now, as I sit here looking out at a pink and hyacinth sky, I wonder why, oh why?With blogging, as with most things in life, it is best to relax and be

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-15846426185768796372008-10-26T16:48:00.021Z2008-10-28T14:08:02.565Z

One of the things I love about living in Cumbria is the dramatically changeable weather. At its most exciting, the conditions are extreme. When that is combined with the county’s patchy mobile phone reception, you can be in for an adventurous time!This weekend the weather in the Lake District has been truly severe, making national and international news after the Original Mountain Marathon went

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-69645430563248917762008-10-22T20:30:00.010+01:002008-10-22T23:26:32.407+01:00

I have a love/hate relationship with the fashion industry, and I usually keep that side of my life apart from this blog and apart from my writing. But. Sometimes a fashion house presents a true wonder, a product that is genuinely new and completely inspiring.Wode by Boudicca is the first fragrance from the house of Boudicca, and the first ever visible fragrance. (I find the concept incredibly

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-91310646596414446442008-10-17T19:52:00.014+01:002008-10-17T23:40:14.162+01:00

It is only October. And in the last two days I have sneezed a million times, used three boxes of tissues, and replaced tea and coffee with Lemsip Max. My head feels heavy, thick, and dull. My creative synapses are under siege. Which leads to this question: Is a boring blog post better than no post at all? A question that sounds like Carrie Bradshaw wrote it!And now she’s got hold of my laptop!

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-66297407693535491912008-10-13T20:36:00.017+01:002008-10-14T15:09:06.723+01:00

The title of this post is the tagline for The Machinist, and it is a very good question indeed.Unlike Christian Bale’s character in the film, my insomnia didn’t last a year. Had it done so, I would probably be dead. And, not having seen the film, I don’t know what steps the character takes to cure it. Insomnia is now buried in my past, though I sometimes have difficulty sleeping. But there’s a

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-65942193711117114012008-10-08T20:47:00.009+01:002008-10-09T18:05:06.489+01:00

A shocking first: I flopped down on the sofa last night and was thoroughly transfixed by ... golf! (I never watch golf!) It was the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, played at St. Andrews, Kingsbarn, and Carnoustie. The leisurely strides of the players, the lovely green greens, the occasional blue sky. The talk was of birdies, eagles, and even an albatross. It was so relaxing to watch. And the

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-4600886484554112152008-10-06T20:28:00.016+01:002008-10-07T15:26:28.538+01:00

"Win an editorial review of your full or partial manuscript, your children's picture book manuscript, your partial middle grade or YA novel, your query letter, or other fun prizes, all while fighting lymphoma!"This is a little late, but there are still 24 hours before the close of Moonrat’s raffle. Tickets are for sale for a whole range of critiques by this fabulous New York editor.The proceeds

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-33105230600064453952008-10-04T16:02:00.008+01:002008-10-04T17:34:40.862+01:00

No, it wasn't!It sounds like a cliché, but I honestly don’t know where the last week has gone. As though I went to sleep on Sunday night, was transported to another realm, and then woke up back in my real life yesterday afternoon.This was primarily caused by the global economic crisis rippling its way into my little corner of the business world.Things have steadied, but even my most trusted

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-81092196294929286792008-09-25T21:38:00.024+01:002008-09-26T20:22:28.695+01:00

“... an extraordinary novel about the redemptive power of words and reading.”Last night I finished reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Without doubt, it is one of the best novels I’ve read in my life -- yet I almost passed it by. For three reasons:It is a whopping 584 pages.It is set in Nazi Germany during WW2. And the Nazi regime is a subject I can barely stomach. The persecution and

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-70281618516419993782008-09-22T17:29:00.011+01:002008-09-22T20:12:56.900+01:00

What is this blog coming to? I never thought I would stoop so low as to blog about toilets. One toilet in particular, to be more precise -- and that would be the toilet in my bathroom. But, although I am writing about my toilet, I’ll excuse myself by telling you that’s not entirely the point of this post.In the meantime, back to the toilet seat, which, as you can see from these photos, has a

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-33975452911935416652008-09-18T22:02:00.024+01:002009-01-07T20:37:46.348Z

Tags have a habit of cropping up whenever I’ve sworn on the bible, written in blood, and promised my imaginary friend I’ll be writing my socks off all evening.But, the amazing Catherine J. Gardner has tagged me, twice!!First by awarding Overnight at Thistletonthwaite Castle an I Love Your Blog award.Why, thank you so much! :)The rules state that I must nominate at least 7 other blogs. So,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-64640823909238262122008-09-16T18:02:00.019+01:002008-10-04T16:29:28.493+01:00

The news is grabbing my attention. First the Large Hadron Collider, and now...Yesterday, on the very same day that Lehman Brothers collapsed, and our financial future became even rockier than it was the day before, the contemporary art world made history with Damien Hirst’s sale at Sotheby’s of an entire body of new work. Work sold at auction by the artist. Not the usual route -- where pieces

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-22032086674282220512008-09-12T20:49:00.019+01:002008-09-14T12:49:27.860+01:00

Physics was my least favourite subject at school. I found it difficult and boring. In fact, I didn’t even know what it was. Had the teacher told us that amazing things such as Tesla coils are physics -- and had we built one in the lab -- I would have been an enthusiastic student. Instead, all I remember is double-dutch equations on the board. I was lost, and dropped all sciences except biology at

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-25310385810944850592008-09-07T18:37:00.006+01:002008-09-07T18:50:21.952+01:00

Apologies for my absence: I’ve been unwell, but am now on the road to recovery. I hope it’s a straight one. But my life does seem to be in one of those roller coaster phases. And though I dream of a place of consistency and calm, I’m perhaps destined not to reside there. (But I do remain optimistic.) I’ve chosen the X2 to illustrate this post. The X2 adds a new twist to the old roller coaster

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-18531938288611456682008-08-23T16:23:00.011+01:002008-08-29T16:13:04.611+01:00

Expect the unexpected.My missing relative is now safe and well after “escaping” from his wife as they drove through Italy. He walked away from the car with only his wallet and phone and the clothes on his back. Several people, myself included, received a brief phone call from him to say he was okay -- but he refused to tell anyone where he'd gone.After searching for a month, his distraught wife

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-62326584194615468932008-08-08T15:50:00.011+01:002008-08-09T23:44:33.836+01:00

In case you haven’t heard: Stuart Neville, AKA Conduit, has a two-book deal with Harvill Secker, an imprint of Random House. His first novel, The Ghosts of Belfast, will be published in the UK towards the end of next year.You can read all about it at his blog.UPDATED: And... the Japanese rights have sold to Random House Kodansha.Fantastic!

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-12183112316891745512008-08-07T19:44:00.013+01:002008-08-11T04:59:37.609+01:00

I feel slightly ridiculous and a little bit embarrassed. But. It was only after announcing my temporary retirement that I found I needed a change, not a rest.Yes, I now have a tumblelog (or tlog), A Quiet Place. It is quite different and more personal than this blog -- and you are welcome to visit!After spending some time at my new blog (or tlog), I imagine I will move back and forth between A

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-51045935996811861162008-08-05T18:07:00.012+01:002008-08-23T16:57:03.346+01:00

I have a tendency to over-extend myself because there is so much I want to do. If only there was a microchip implant that meant one could read a book, write a letter, watch a film, and take a relaxing walk along a river, all at the same time!Unfortunately, there isn’t -- and time constraints rule.I’ve had to re-evaluate my use of the 24-hour restriction placed on each and every day. I have to

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-75354035278455437372008-08-01T22:20:00.011+01:002008-08-03T15:09:28.731+01:00

Charming and clever; one of the best films I’ve seen in my life!On Wednesday evening I took my mum to see WALL-E. I thought she would enjoy it, but she adored it, and cried buckets and buckets of tears. When we left the cinema she was a wreck. Despite her puffy red eyes and dripping nose, she insisted I stop at Tesco before taking her home. She never misses an opportunity to swoop in and buy two

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-7724868870841040072008-07-29T18:04:00.011+01:002008-08-29T21:04:44.780+01:00

Crazy PeopleWe have probably all encountered them. These are people who get the bit between their teeth so tightly that they swirl like a dervish spontaneously increasing their passion and speed. The crazy person gradually loses all sense of etiquette, as they wind themselves up to a frenzy. The crazy person involves other people in situations that aren’t their business. The crazy person’s vital

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-20530335927957518052008-07-25T21:24:00.007+01:002008-07-27T21:39:25.414+01:00

I did it! Project complete, client happy (yippee!), and my apartment … a mess.It’s been an intense couple of weeks, and it’s strange how time distorts when you’re working furiously towards a goal. It feels like I’ve been away from blogland much longer than 17 days.And signing in to my Blogger account seems lovely and fresh.And speaking of fresh: There are many pros and cons to working from home.

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-86206975213169610422008-07-08T19:08:00.010+01:002008-07-09T12:01:27.678+01:00

This blog is on hiatus for two or three weeks.I’m working on a design project that has turned tricky (naughty thing). There’s a mountain to climb. I don’t mind the challenge, but need lots of energy to reach the top. Once I’ve stuck a flag in the summit, I’ll be back...In writing news: How I love submitting short stories! (Though I’ve sent out only two, thus far.) It’s so gloriously different

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-26733407556874535052008-07-04T20:37:00.025+01:002008-08-11T04:20:40.449+01:00

I had just recovered from my exhaustion/stress rash, and was feeling quite pucker as I dashed to a dental appointment yesterday afternoon. I tripped on the kerb, fell off my 3¾-inch heels and, in slow motion, collapsed towards the pavement. I managed to break the fall with my left hand, so avoided skinning my knees.A kind stranger arrived at the scene in an instant. I assured him I was fine.“As

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-73782756254617139572008-07-02T17:37:00.018+01:002008-08-29T21:06:32.283+01:00

The most irresistible desert.Barrie Summy put out a call for 4th of July side dishes. Visit her blog for a great 'ice cream in a bag' recipe and links to other recipes for delicious side dishes, salads and deserts.We don’t celebrate the 4th of July in the UK (obviously) -- but is that any reason not to make a great big sherry trifle? Of course not!Sherry trifle is quick to make and easily

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-31465700878236152662008-06-30T20:44:00.017+01:002008-08-29T21:04:10.211+01:00

A very British subject about which to blog.The month of June was like March or November -- until today. Thank heavens! This afternoon we’ve had sunshine, a slight breeze, and no rain.I don’t suffer from seasonal affective disorder, but was starting to think the lack of summer was making me SAD. I need summer. Not only because the days are longer, people are happier, the countryside is gorgeous,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-28166035760121327752008-06-26T21:35:00.008+01:002008-06-27T22:27:29.194+01:00

I’ve felt frustrated these last few weeks because I haven’t had time for writing: Ahhhhh! But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about writing -- which probably made the lack of production even more frustrating.I knew the balance had been tipped when, two days ago, my face broke out in a rash. This is my exhaustion/stress rash. It is not very pretty, and not how you want to appear when

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-5992616147683234172008-06-23T18:57:00.048+01:002008-08-29T21:02:16.152+01:00

Is not quite enough to appreciate this fabulous city.Despite high winds and changeable skies, I fell in love with the place -- and am not at all disappointed to have to return next week. :)Thanks to Travis’s comment on the previous post, I remembered to take my camera. Once I start snapping, it’s impossible to stop; I took 222 pictures. I’ve narrowed things down to what looks like a good

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-56799076584349738682008-06-18T18:50:00.008+01:002008-06-18T19:48:08.419+01:00

Edinburgh is a beautiful city. I remember it vividly even though I haven’t visited for years. (It somehow fell off my radar, usurped by Glasgow.) It’s unique features include two extinct volcanoes, one of them right in the city centre onto which Edinburgh Castle is built; a fact I was unaware of until today.I have a meeting there tomorrow. It’s a trip I could do easily in one day, but I’m going

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-23052559919420187312008-06-16T20:24:00.039+01:002009-01-07T20:38:59.058Z

Katie Alender, author of BAD GIRLS DON’T DIE -- a novel I am dying to read as soon as it’s released in April 2009 -- tagged me on May 31st. I know... that was AGES ago! But, with all this moving malarkey... Enough excuses; here goes! 1) What was I doing 10 years ago?I was living a fast-lane fashion life in New York City; designing by day, socialising by night. I’d worked incredibly hard to reach

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-4197641620844593122008-06-09T18:20:00.016+01:002008-09-19T18:41:59.070+01:00

It has happened. Last week was a blur, but, by some small miracle, and the hard work of two fabulous helpers, I have moved!!! The apartment is WONDERFUL. It’s on the top floor of a converted mill and the views are spectacular!(I'll take more photos, with my real camera, on a less cloudy day.)Nothing feels strange or unfamiliar -- as if I've lived here much longer than five days. However, the

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-3664125186355859502008-06-02T20:26:00.021+01:002008-09-19T18:34:38.087+01:00

The final countdown: In 36 hours, removal men will cart my worldly possessions out of this haunted house.Not all my worldly possessions; I have a storage unit that I intended to use for a month or two -- to which I still have the keys after almost two years! After moving into the apartment, I intend to move everything out of storage. It is probably time I started behaving less like a gypsy and

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-21564605797913065312008-05-28T19:19:00.028+01:002008-09-19T18:37:40.498+01:00

I’ve been a bit of a nervous wreck these last few days, and slightly distracted. It’s been a time of sleepless nights and silly punctuation mistakes.And now? Well, I’m so excited I can hardly type. In fact -- my hands are shaking! Today, my solicitor confirmed that we have exchange of contracts on the sale of my haunted house and the purchase of what will be my apartment in the sky!!Because this

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-17170934860481235212008-05-23T21:45:00.024+01:002008-05-25T14:06:51.420+01:00

I don’t like to get political. I really, really don’t. But. What’s the world coming to when laws are being passed against fortune-tellers? Was this a hot issue? Were you running into people every other day, complaining that their tealeaf reading had not come true, that they'd been mislead, or cheated?New Consumer Protection Regulations, which implement an EU directive on unfair commercial

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-55558501637519782512008-05-20T21:02:00.026+01:002008-07-24T22:13:16.312+01:00

From last Friday until this morning, my high-speed Internet connection was travelling at a snail’s pace. Which I calculate as seven-times slower than dial-up!According to my ISP, there were no problems with the service. So I assume this must have been another manifestation of life in a haunted house.I moved here in August 2006. And the first ghost I saw was a little girl, about 8-years-old,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-6262302159487382722008-05-15T20:51:00.054+01:002008-07-16T10:54:48.499+01:00

I tend to be prematurely over-enthusiastic about the arrival of summer. So I was horrified when I woke up this morning feeling cold. After a handful of sunny days, I had completely forgotten it’s only mid May and therefore, technically, spring. Luckily, the sunshine returned mid morning, and all is well. :)Good news, considering I’ve already found my summer soundtrack: Silent Movie by Quiet

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-28403347727141378732008-05-12T20:19:00.024+01:002008-09-19T18:43:07.351+01:00

It is a hot summer’s day; there’s not a cloud in the sky. You, and your friends or family, make the decision to go to the beach.As you run through the house, gathering flip-flops and towels and swimsuits, you imagine warm sand, blue-green water, a slight breeze.You put on your sunglasses, get into a boiling hot car, and roll down the windows. Then you drive through sunny countryside, the wind in

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-476321948633572052008-05-09T21:56:00.014+01:002008-05-10T13:25:09.736+01:00

I’ve redecorated the blog!And it’s S-T-R-E-T-C-H-Y…The dark-blue background of the previous template fit well with the ‘overnight’ theme. But summer is almost here; the days are brighter and the evenings lighter. So… inspired by yesterday’s shopping expedition (which was successful, apart from not finding the sandals of my dreams), it seemed time for a change of mood.

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-32353904219193709612008-05-06T18:03:00.035+01:002008-05-10T03:03:52.195+01:00

I’ve discovered another fabulous way to waste time! God bless the Internet. And all praise to my guardian angel (who must have now deserted me) for keeping this off my radar for such a long time!Which cornucopia of delights has taken an hour from my day? Meet the Author UK.They have almost 1,500 video clips of authors talking about their books. The Sunday Times describes the site as “curiously

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-9908723201955168092008-05-02T19:24:00.022+01:002008-05-04T15:51:39.692+01:00

This week I’ve been busy writing, planning my next round of submissions to agents (must remember to keep submitting), and polishing a short story.I have phases of focused productivity when nothing will stop me. I’m oblivious to distraction (including music blaring through the party walls). I can block out the world, and achieve in two days what might otherwise take a week!Then I have phases when

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-23077249612323459182008-04-29T13:55:00.019+01:002008-09-19T18:47:14.259+01:00

I nearly posted about this last week. But stopped myself, when it appeared my enthusiasm was premature. But today, as sunshine floods through the windows of Thistletonthwaite Castle, my suspicion is confirmed: SPRING IS HERE!We can now stop worrying about newborn animals freezing in the fields.A friend saw some tiny lambs wearing little coats, a sight I’d love to see.It’s been such a long winter,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-930106898093592302008-04-25T17:00:00.011+01:002008-05-02T20:28:53.705+01:00

My brother suffered a disease for almost fifteen years. Last year he visited a healer in Brazil who identified his unusual condition without asking any questions, and without my brother saying a single word. She cured him, on the spot, and then told him his illness was the result of a curse, which she had now removed.My brother is a businessman, and not at all the type to believe in curses. But,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-27279843662914539472008-04-24T20:09:00.021+01:002008-09-19T18:51:04.889+01:00

I love how one thing leads to another … and then you discover a brilliant book!Today, I visited Folio Literary Management’s new blog and read the inaugural post, “On Query Letters”, by agent Jeff Kleinman.The post includes an example of a successful query from Garth Stein, now one of Jeff Kleinman’s clients.The query letter is excellent, and the novel seemed both unique and compelling.Later, I

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-48733753407869507912008-04-22T23:40:00.040+01:002009-01-07T20:39:43.443Z

The amazing Cate, proprietor of The Poisoned Apple, has tagged me -- TWICE!!Oh, crumbs…The rules state that I must tag six others. But I’m not good at chain letters, so I hope Cate will forgive me. :)My rules:1. Anyone who wants to be tagged can become so by leaving a comment. I will then add a link to your blog at the bottom of this post, confirming the tag.2. You can choose to follow the real

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-67440632922335387882008-04-18T19:33:00.020+01:002008-09-19T18:56:58.208+01:00

Whenever you are standing on a high mountain you feel free andhappy. You see around you bigger and smaller mountains, youfeel the music they play together, nothing irritates you, nothingseems to trouble your sight. You feel happy.An extract from ‘Whenever you are standing on a high mountain’ by German Dada artist Kurt Schwitters (1887-1948). He fled Nazi Europe and settled in the English Lake

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-83281457098398458172008-04-16T19:07:00.040+01:002008-09-19T18:58:35.711+01:00

Today I sit here with a foggy head.For the last 7 days, life has seemed crazy, beyond my control.Nothing drastic, dreadful, or overly dramatic has happened. It’s the little things. And when lots of little things go wrong, you feel stupid. Maybe I try to squeeze too much into a day. But don’t we all do that? We want to achieve as much as possible, succeed against the odds, and beat the

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-80334832823481924512008-04-11T12:45:00.017+01:002008-05-18T14:39:39.030+01:00

I finished the edit, and now feel much better about the comma content of my manuscript. Phew!It’s time to move forward, and concentrate completely on my WIP. I’ve promised myself, I will no longer keep going back and forth between the new work and -- I don’t even like to say it -- the old.I wonder how experienced and prolific authors such as Amélie Nothomb, who wrote the best book I read in

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-74123867609974747612008-04-07T21:30:00.040+01:002008-09-19T19:03:20.098+01:00

I’m busy with yet another edit of the novel I’m submitting to agents.I found writing the pitch and synopsis so difficult, such a test of endurance; I was astonished to receive two requests for sample chapters. My letter and synopsis had worked! I couldn’t believe it; I was high as a kite! But several weeks later, I had been kindly rejected by both.Uh, oh…So I went back to the manuscript. Some

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-68778368582400449222008-04-03T19:45:00.032+01:002008-09-19T19:06:33.944+01:00

I have a sister who loves reality TV. I don’t. I find it depressing and downright boring. I really would prefer to watch paint dry.Reality TV is a subject on which my sister and I will always clash. Therefore, since our last bust-up over How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? it’s a subject we’ve agreed to avoid.She’s an aficionado (and I sort-of respect her for that). Reality TV is her preferred

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-78042373112206462812008-04-01T12:57:00.006+01:002008-09-19T19:08:03.886+01:00

Answer: 473,922.1APRIL FOOL!But seriously, my desktop email client, Mac Mail, has 1,052 unread emails in the inbox and 2,221 in the junk folder.Including those in the inbox I’ve opened and read, but not deleted, I guess the grand total would be (gulp…) 8,000!Time to start spring-cleaning…(Apologies for the nostalgic image; my very first Mac was an iMac, shaped just like that.)

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-92211566486223913972008-03-28T20:12:00.019Z2008-05-02T20:30:46.066+01:00

This email from my DVD rental service arrived this morning. Easter has arrived! Which means it’s time to sit on the sofa, stuff your face full of chocolate and enjoy some much deserved time off work. Worried about gorging ourselves on too many sugary treats, this week we celebrate the coming of spring and all things Easter with our top 10 bunnies in film list. Ok, we’ll stop rabbiting on now…

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-66953378790122898962008-03-26T20:19:00.029Z2008-09-19T19:11:52.882+01:00

For a couple of years, I’ve had a huge crush I have not mentioned to anyone. My reason for secrecy was threefold: he’s an older man, a married man, and his dress-sense is slightly dated. But push those things aside (quickly!) and he embodies all I admire.He’s intelligent, creative, and driven. He has soul. He draws and makes things out of wood. He writes wonderful short fiction and wonderful

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-40899496303363396942008-03-20T16:37:00.051Z2008-09-19T19:15:10.861+01:00

:-)I love good news. And good news about a brilliant book by a fabulous writer is double (or even triple) good news! Which means it must be GREAT news! What, what, what? Well, I’m delighted that Patricia Wood’s wonderful debut novel, LOTTERY, is a contender for the 2008 Orange Prize for Fiction!And, because I’m having no luck winning the UK’s National Lottery (though I live in hope), I’ll trot

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-53752066261551536432008-02-22T18:52:00.023Z2008-03-27T11:37:55.580Z

I’m taking a break from blogging.Whether this is temporary or permanent, I don’t yet know.Thank you to everyone who read this blog. And thank you to everyone who left a comment.But... I might be back before too long! ☺ 

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-64886000004142836352008-02-19T18:59:00.016Z2008-09-19T19:17:33.746+01:00

Last night I found myself plugged in to Pixar Studios' dream machine. (That must be what it was!) First, I dreamt that my 13-year-old second cousin was a 7-year-old, world-famous gymnast. She had bobbed black hair, Chinese eyes, white skin, and wore a red leotard. She travelled alone, performing her non-stop-back-flip to huge crowds around the globe. Then I dreamt that my Mum’s tiny soft-toy dog,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-82601268051384472262008-02-15T22:11:00.027Z2008-09-19T19:25:24.458+01:00

My current WIP is a contemporary novel with an historical element, which means lots and lots of research! Some research, or a lot of research would probably be enough, but I seem to be doing masses and masses! I’m drowning in books and printouts -- some still unread.Perhaps I have a geeky academic or collecting urge that lay dormant until now. Perhaps I don’t want to miss an amazing piece of

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-35905161829270106512008-02-12T22:12:00.008Z2008-09-19T19:31:10.612+01:00

After last week’s roller-coaster ride on the local property market, I took off on Friday evening to celebrate with a friend who lives fifty miles away. It’s an easy drive from west to east. And I always imagine the road as a straight line, even though, in fact, it isn’t. But never mind…On Saturday we toured furniture and department stores. Daisy, my eleven-year-old protagonist, kept popping up

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-14113115490136391102008-02-08T20:57:00.003Z2008-09-19T19:34:55.145+01:00

I made a decision on the apartment. The deal is done, and, if all goes according to plan, I will be moving in 8 to 10 weeks!!!No more endless cleaning!No more gardening!No more parking problems!No more music blaring through the party walls! (I hope.)I could not be happier. I feel light as a newborn lamb. ******************************************In writing news...The main character in my WIP is

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-56203803774557541552008-02-05T19:04:00.005Z2008-09-19T19:37:48.595+01:00

I bought my Edwardian house eighteen months ago. I'd always lived in apartments, so I thought a house and garden would be fun. But I’ve never felt organised here, and the truth is… I don’t have time to keep on top of the property.I’ve been thinking about moving for several months. But buying/selling/moving is a project that takes time away from writing. However, once moved, I will have more time

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-83879414159478707292008-01-31T18:38:00.000Z2008-02-01T00:58:25.046Z

You will be pleased to hear that my Zen phase has passed. Total calm no longer prevails and I am nicely, slightly stressed. Yippee! (Though I did enjoy the Zen phase.)Few will have missed the Surprisingly Essential First Page Challenge (or First Five Hundred Word Challenge, to be precise), held this week by Nathan Bransford on his blog. The contest closed yesterday, with a total of 645 entries on

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-88587494885016302892008-01-29T19:57:00.003Z2008-09-19T19:41:31.928+01:00

I feel very calm. Which is most unusual, as I normally function at a level of medium to high stress. Rarely low stress. And never total calm.I can’t remember when I last felt this way, if, in fact, I have ever felt this way at all! I am totally and utterly chilled. I’m listening to ambient music (and visualising dolphins ;)) as I type!My ex used to insist that stress is good, that without it one

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-81255070291180553572008-01-24T20:15:00.003Z2008-09-19T19:43:14.602+01:00

Lottery by Patricia WoodMy name is Perry L. Crandall and I am not retarded.You have to have an IQ number less than 75 to be retarded. I am not. Mine is 76.I am lucky. I know this because I am not retarded.I know this because I have two good arms.And I know this because I won twelve million dollars in the Washington State Lottery.Perry L. Crandall is an adorable character. His story grabbed me

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-62248564202956316342008-01-22T17:42:00.000Z2008-01-22T18:50:19.847Z

Today is my birthday. And, at long last, I’m impressed by my sisters’ good taste. Because this year – they both gave me Waterstone's gift cards. I can buy more books. Happy Me!!!

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-62881473187463518192008-01-21T21:45:00.002Z2008-09-19T19:46:15.280+01:00

In January 2005, after one month’s rain fell within 24 hours, the area where I live was severely flooded. Many properties were affected, and many people’s lives turned upside-down.This afternoon, I popped to the supermarket, about one-and-a-half miles away. It was raining, heavily.As I wheeled my trolley towards the checkouts, two cashiers were talking. They said the main road I’d just driven

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-38678759854236950192008-01-17T22:27:00.001Z2008-01-20T13:44:17.697Z

This week, as well as work-overload, I’ve had dental appointments and a hospital appointment, meaning messy chopped-up days. It's so frustrating to rush to an appointment, then sit -- waiting for two hours -- when you have other things to do! But, while lounging around at the hospital, I remembered some pitch-writing advice I’d read on editor Cheryl Klein’s website, Talking Books: If

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-13730308674950776692008-01-17T22:22:00.001Z2008-09-19T19:48:14.577+01:00

I’ve changed my profile picture!When out and about in the blogosphere, I will now look like this...The new me!

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-64547325581348653312008-01-11T19:14:00.004Z2008-09-19T19:56:28.031+01:00

A new TV concept aired last night.  I LOVE new concepts!From What’s On TV:“Echo Beach is a … soap-style drama … while earlier show Moving Wallpaper is a comedy that follows the fictionalized crew who make it." Wow. Sounds GREAT. I would never have expected this from ITV!“The interlinking comedy and drama screen back to back … with plots, characters and jokes crossing over between the two."THAT

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-55301096112635053662008-01-08T22:15:00.001Z2008-09-19T19:58:08.120+01:00

If I were keeping to my schedule, I would, by now, have written several thousand words of the first draft of my new novel.But I woke with a start on Sunday morning, compelled to edit (yet again!) the manuscript I’m currently submitting. I was puzzled. I ate a delicious croissant and drank a litre of coffee, hoping to come to my senses.I’d previously worried that I had edited this novel to death.

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-55692405975344447332008-01-04T18:15:00.006Z2008-09-19T20:05:30.358+01:00

I should have blogged about this sooner, when it wasn’t last year’s news!I’m a fan of local newspapers. One of my favourites is The Keswick Reminder (it inspired the newspaper in my novel). When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe it: eight pages, no colour, heavier paper than regular newsprint. I'd include a link -- but they don't have a website.I love things in miniature, and I also love horses.

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-40689520987567255262008-01-01T18:12:00.006Z2008-12-29T18:53:16.022Z

Fear and Trembling by Amélie NothombI’m in awe of this little book (132 pages). It is so well written, acutely observed, interesting, funny; such a good story, beautifully told.From the back cover: “Amélie, a well-intentioned and eager young westerner, goes to Japan to spend a year working at the Yumimoto Corporation. Returning to the land where she was born is the fulfilment of a dream for

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-34185929760675896762007-12-30T18:55:00.000Z2008-01-01T13:51:05.529Z

Oh, the pain! Day after day of talking and socialising has taken its toll. If my family were smaller, or had less time off work, or if they didn’t throw themselves so completely into Christmas…Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day were fantastic. But then it went on…It feels like I’ve toured the whole of Northern England. A car sped through a red light and almost ploughed into the side of

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-72140586079204421242007-12-24T19:24:00.000Z2008-01-18T21:52:16.743Z

I succeeded in Saturday’s Christmas shopping challenge!!!Trees sell-out more quickly than I thought. I did find one. It’s just a little small -- and artificial. But it’s very cute, and took next to no time to decorate!I have a few presents still to wrap, and then I’m done. Or should that be… READY! Happy Christmas to everyone!Cheers!Peace and Joy.

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-81005590428878847992007-12-22T12:32:00.000Z2008-01-18T21:52:50.583Z

Can you believe it? I still have eight presents, wrapping paper, a tree, wine and food (to take to my sister’s for Christmas lunch) to buy!!!My brother leaves all his Christmas shopping until Christmas Eve. But he has that skill -- he’s a boy!This is the first time I’ve been soooo LATE.Will I succeed…?*****I’ve just opened the post. Inside my latest delivery from DVD rental service LOVEFiLM, is a

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-38340787217321470662007-12-18T22:41:00.000Z2007-12-21T01:43:13.030Z

I have a really bad memory. Or, for a more positive spin, I could say my memory is very selective. I don’t forget people’s names. But I do forget what my mind, of its own accord, seems to consider trivial. And I’m not proud of this fact.I recently walked into my mother’s house and picked up an ornament.“Oh, that’s nice!” I said.“Don’t you recognise it?” she asked.“No.”“You gave it to me for my

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-78231666677789990052007-12-13T22:50:00.000Z2007-12-16T20:37:10.006Z

I’m recovering from another heavy cold. This is the second within three or four weeks -- so it seems the tone is set for the season.I sailed through last winter without a sniff. But this year, it looks like I’ll be sneezing right through to spring. Not that this stops me working. No way! It does stop me returning a phone call, if an email will do, and the dust has reprieve from the hoover. And,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-42704815976695231422007-12-07T20:54:00.000Z2007-12-14T00:58:46.673Z

Last night I was dragged from my writing, hauled by my coat sleeve for a full half-mile, then pushed through the doors of the cinema.“I can’t believe I haven’t seen it yet!” said my friend.“It only opened yesterday,” I said.“Exactly!” she said.Luckily, from the very first scene, we both LOVED The Golden Compass.This gorgeous, high-production-value film is one of the best I have seen this year.

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238034263964165990.post-71749489623454608522007-12-03T20:15:00.000Z2007-12-15T18:44:42.009Z

I’ve just had a weekend off.I honestly can’t remember when I last had a ‘proper’ weekend. And after seeing my writing goals for 2008, alongside many others, in J.A. Konrath’s 300th blog post, I doubt I’ll ever have time for another!!!Revealing these goals in public makes them seem even more important. I feel compelled to do my absolute best to reach them. Though I felt anxious when I saw them,

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10442346154131507824noreply@blogger.com2