One of those weeks!

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 clock.

Sometimes we go the extra mile to please others or to prove our supersonic abilities -- then kick ourselves for the silly mistakes that ensue.

Last week I submitted this blog to Authors Blogs, a fabulous site listing lots of great blogs, including The Book Lady and Barrie Summy. I typed in the info, hit submit, then realised I’d made a mistake. So I re-submitted, with “UPDATED!” preceding the revised description.

And this is how that description now appears on the site:
UPDATED!: An aspiring YA author blogs about what captivates her three-track mind: writing, entertainment, and life.

The week continued, with a catalogue of minor disasters.

On Monday, I rushed to mail three letters before the last collection. I lay in bed that night re-living the stuffing of the envelopes. Had I…? Was it possible…? Surely I couldn’t be that stupid?

Unfortunately, yes. I discovered on Tuesday that I’d mixed up two letters and put them in the wrong envelopes!! The recipients were amused: accidents happen. But I felt completely incompetent.

I hope this phase is passing, and once I publish this post this, I’ll become a calm and organised person. :) 

Some very good news: Patricia Wood's wonderful debut novel, Lottery, has reached the shortlist for the Orange Prize for Fiction!

Happiness, Sadness, and Something In-Between

:-)

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 along to the bookie’s and bet on LOTTERY winning the Orange Prize!

:-/ 

I adore characterful property. And the gypsy blood that runs through my veins means I’m always thinking of moving. In fact, I was supposed  to be moving next week. To this apartment:

But my buyer backed down two days before exchange of contracts, so I was forced to pull out of the purchase. This is exactly what happened when I tried to move last October. So, I’ve had two potential buyers pull out, you guessed it, two days before exchange of contracts. And on both occasions, I was trying to move to an apartment!!

This must be a sign that my next move should be… NOT to an apartment, but towards my dream of living in the country.

:-(
The untimely death of writer and director Anthony Minghella is incredibly sad news; “… absolutely ghastly” is how Juliet Stevenson describes it in her warm and insightful tribute.

I re-watched Truly, Madly, Deeply only last week, as part of my research on ghosts.

You have to be in it, to win it!

Lottery by Patricia Wood
















My 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 from page one.

I loved the voice and the rhythm of the writing. I felt the haziness surrounding the action and conversations Perry didn’t understand, or didn’t wish to be involved in. Perry is a man with a low IQ, but also a good and happy person.

When he wins the lottery, his mother and brothers try to swindle him out of his fortune. But Perry ultimately proves to be wiser than them.

I laughed, and I cried. Perry’s friends became my friends. And, after 305 pages, I wanted to keep on reading.

This book is a gem!