June Moonbridge's Blog, page 9

Seamstress Clara

For the past few weeks months I've been editing my third novel. You read it right – months. The thing is – I needed to go through it quite a few times. But that was not the reason why it took  takes me months. Yup, I'm still not finished.  

Firstly I blamed the months from the edge of hell – end of September and October. Not many good things happened then – and one really bad thing happened – I lost my dear friend and that put everything on hold.

After I managed to process the matter and accepted that it had actually happened – the months from hell followed – November and December right up to 21st. Everything piled up on me: work, home, school, home works,  therapies, etc...

You name them I probably did them. My batteries were close to empty even before the sun went down... I had no wish, no desire, and no energy to even sit down and edit. I tried, but didn't do much.
Then last week, when I finally found some time to sit down and take the manuscript into my hands, everything looked so easy. I managed to go through almost one quarter of it. I looked through the window and there was still sun outside.

And then it hit me. Hard. You could say I had a breakthrough.

You know – here where I live we have a saying – which I'm going to try and translate. It rhymes in my language, but I promise you – it won't in English.

Seamstress Clara – through the night she sews, and rips apart through the day.

The meaning of it is that if you're not careful what you do when you do it – you're probably going to have to mend it.

I felt like Clara. I write / sew better during the night and I can get myself into editing / ripping apart only during the day...

So, recognising and accepting this thing about me – about my writing – I know now, that for my following novels, I'm definitely going to take days off from work until the deed is done.

Our Christmas tradition

Everybody seems so cheerful as soon as Halloween is gone, waiting for Christmas to come. I - on the other hand - am struggling seeing all the Christmas decorations in the stores, all shops already decorated with ornaments two months before... geez... please give us some space to breathe. And the worst thing - I cannot escape this.  (I love this meme as describes me perfectly - I'm no. 2)  Sure, I do my Christmas shopping in December, rarely before. I'm planning to write Christmas cards, but as it happens, they don't go to the post office before the last week before Christmas. You see, time, or better, lack of time, is my enemy.
For as long as I remember, we have put up our Christmas trees on Christmas eve's day. As 24th of December is not a public holiday where I live, I take a day off then Christmas eve's day is all about Christmas. We decorate the tree. We prepare each others gifts - sure Santa is going to bring them. We prepare a nice dinner - with a notion that my son will probably eat something completely different than the rest of us, but we don't care as long as he sits with us and eats. 
And this is what makes my day and my spirit fall into the Christmas mood.
I'm trying to understand that people have different kinds of tradition than my own and that's why I'm not going to share my thoughts about people putting up their Christmas tree the last week in November. But I'm going to be honest too - I'm not going to apologise for them either.
So no matter what your Christmas tradition is - enjoy it in full. Don't let it be put down by anyone. I know I'm not going to. 
 

A week till Christmas

For the past few years I'm noticing I hate time between Samhain and Yuletide - the time between 1st November till Winter Solstice. I do. I can't help it.

The one thing that gets me down at this time is the fact that we turn the clocks backwards at the end of October and that the days become significantly shorter. There's nothing worse than going to work when it's pitch dark outside and coming home - not much different. 

Basically, this is the reason for my 'silence' in the past few weeks. There have been so many things to be done in my 'real' life and frankly some bad things has happened that I had had really no desire to write about them or share them with the world. 

But, this is going to change and soon. The sun will return, the days are going to get longer - bit by bit, second by second and this helps me get through. I know now I'll have to prepare myself next year much better for this... 

The Bookcase at the Shed

If you're near the Henstead near Kessingland (just off the A12), you can find my novel  All That the Heart Desires in a paperback edition in The Bookcase at the Shed Café in Henstead Arts and Crafts Centre.
You can find there a variety of genres: anthology, poetry, crime, romance and books for children, by following amazing authors : Becky Bishop Tricia Cass Author Terry Tarbox, Sandra Forder and of course also by Suzan Collins.

Can you think of better gift to give this Christmas than a book?

p.s. Don't miss the delicious cakes they offer there too!

Art

I never thought about being artistic myself.

OK. Perhaps I know how to plot and twist and write stories, but I think I inherited it from my mother. She is a superb storyteller. I always loved to listen to her telling the stories from her childhood... I still do.
But what I never could do, and still can't - is to draw, to paint, even doodling is a sort of mystery to me. And that made me sad - it still does. I had a good grade with Art, but... well, I'll be honest - I never considered any of my attempts average. I love paintings. I have my favourites and my taste is my own and I'm not going to explain or apologise for it.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
And then it happens; I know that for many years though, but nevertheless... Today's gift from my daughter Loris (she's 12 yrs old) - for the St. Nicolas (the first good man in December we celebrate) left me speechless... 
#sunset Unfortunately the photo doesn't do the painting justice.
It's what she's painted at school - in her Art Class. The technique she used is pastel. And the landscape she caught... She has the talent, no doubt. I just wonder from who. Can't wait to see the two others she said she's done...

An Announcement

I know I have been away for quite some time now, but you see... well, no. This is a completely different topic from what I'm going to tell you today.

For the last few months - yes, months - I've been working on edits of my third novel. I must tell you the truth - I wasn't working on it every day as that's not all I do and if I want to do it properly - it takes time. A lot of time.

Right now I can actually see the cloud above your head: 
'Third? How on earth 'the third', when she hasn't published her second one!'

I agree and this is the reason for today's blog post...


With great pleasure I'm announcing to you today that my next full length novel
TORN BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
will be published on 
1st February 2017  
~
INBOLC day 2017    For a proper book cover reveal - you'll just have to wait a little bit. It's on its way...

Another 5 Star review

...this time again - on Amazon.co.uk.
S.A. Smith keeps it short but she says everything.

Or if you don't believe this snapshot from my mobile - you can go straight here
All That the Heart Desires ~ Amazon.co.uk
scroll down to the reviews and you will find it there.
Although the Kindle Countdown is finished you can still read it for FREE if you're a member of Kindle Unlimited. And if you're going to read it - will you, please leave a review. It doesn't need to be long, but it can be of great help. 
Thank you.

Someday I'll see you again...

I'm sad today. Truly sad. I... I've never imagined something like that can happen and so suddenly. I'm still in shock. I've lost a friend. A friend I had met on Facebook. Haven's knows as I don't remember when we first started to talk, but somehow weclicked and through the weeks, months and years our friendship grew. We shared the same passion - writing. He always had time for a chat or serious conversation. It didn't matter to him. We laughed together and we were there for each other when the going was tough... Finally this summer, when we were in London, we met. We spent an amazing afternoon together. Thank you, Les, for your warm welcome, it was truly fantastic to meet you in person.

I thought in a few days I would be able to write you a happy blog post about our meeting in person instead of that... this horrible news waited for me when I came home. I couldn't believe it. I am still having hard time believing it.
Rest in peace, Les. No matter where you are - I am certain...

Holiday 2016 ~ Bangor & Anglesey ~ Part One

It's been a while since I wrote about our summer holidays. October was a bit hectic for me (personally) so I'm not ashamed to say that I'm glad it's over. 
In my mind I know that the next 6 weeks will be tough on me too - the weeks between Samhain and the Yule are always the toughest weeks of the year for me... but that's a completely different story.
Let's go back to Wales - to be honest - I'd love to go back in person right now, but some memories might do just as well...

To help you recollect where have we been last - hop quickly to my last Holiday 2016 blog post ~ here it is: Holiday 2016 ~ Aberystwyth.

We travelled the next day from Aberystwyth further north. Our final destination for the day - Bangor.
We stopped a few times along the road and the most interesting moment we had was crossing the Penmaenpool Bridge. The weather was a bit murky, but that didn’t change our mood. After all we were on our holidays.


As the Penmaenpool Bridge is the toll bridge, we stopped at the toll house. There he was, an elderly gentleman who was collecting the toll. While I was paying he looked at all of us and very kindly asked if he could ask a question. The thing was – he was wondering where were we from. As there was nothing to hide, we told him. 
Afterwards he told us he saw pretty much almost every European registration plates, but ours were unfamiliar to him. We had talked for a quite some time, until there were a few more cars behind us and we had to say farewell to him. I was a bit sad as he told us a few things about Penmaenpool and the bridge and I’m quite sure we could have learned more if we wouldn’t cause a queue at the bridge.
Continuing our journey we stopped at Caernafon castle and made a tour at its premises. The rain stopped when we got there so we had a nice walk around. Another impressive building I had a hard time to leave behind.


Afterwards we were heading straight to Bangor.
When we came to the town we went straight for the hotel. When we found it, we were all astounded - the hotel was situated at the verge of the coast line, with the views of Bangor Pier and the sea. 
It was perfect - outside. I took my bag and went to check us inand realised that... OH was going to kill me.
There were stairs everywhere. Narrow and steep stairs. From the parking to the hotel and reception. From the reception to the next building of the hotel, where our room was... yes, you're right if you are thinking - on the second floor. Stairs again.
You see, my OH had a motorcycle accident years ago - before we met and it looks like he never healed properly. He has troubles walking up and down the stairs and when it comes to the steep ones, it's even harder - not to mention - we needed to drag two large suitcases up these stairs as we were staying for two days...
It was late in the afternoon and after my long and meaningful persuasion, we finally left the room and went exploring the town centre.
Finally lady luck sprinkled some magic star dust on us. As you probably remember - my son does not eat everything - it has nothing to do with him being spoiled, it has everything to do with his Autism. And the one thing he doesn't eat is - brace yourself - potato. Of any kind. And I mean really - ANY KIND! His favourite meals contains, rice, meat and pasta...
and
...we found perfect restaurant for our supper.

Review in InD'tale Magazine

A few months ago I put my novel All That the Heart Desires 
( currently on #KindeCountdown deal at price 0.99$/0.99£ or FREE on Kindle Unlimited) 
under submission for a review to InD'Tale magazine.  
I knew there would be some time to wait and I was somewhat patient. Wondering what a total stranger might say about my novel.
Finally, a few days ago, the November issue of InD'Tale Magazine finally landed in my inbox. Imagine my surprise to find a review in it. 


It is a solid 4 Star review and to be honest, I am thrilled with it. Go on and read it.
Page 92 - Review of All That the Heart Desires