Sandy Hyatt-James's Blog, page 3

Sabine Dolls Is Out At Last.

At last Sabine Dolls has been released, but only in e-book format. Bluewood Publishing told me that it will be going to print, but not until they get some more money. Apparently, sales were bad last month. While feeling disappointed at the book isn't going straight into print, I do understand that there's a world financial crisis on and most people are cutting back on spending.

I await next month's sales with some concern. And of course, I hope that Bluewood doesn't go the same way as some...

Spring

I hate the winter so don't expect too much from me around that time. Now, though, it's warm, heady and full of buds and crocuses. Lovely.

So, what have I been doing? I've finished the final edits of Sabine Dolls at last and that should go out as an e-book soon. I've also completed my second novel: Parallel Triangle. I've been trying to get an agent for it, to no avail. I've learned not to expect too much in that area though, since getting an agent is, as far as I'm concerned even harder ...

Gloom

I watched the much spoken about documentary "Collapse" last night, in which Michael Ruppert speaks of the decline of civilisation (If indeed we can correctly term it as such). The reason, according to Ruppert, is because we're all so dependent upon oil which, unless you've been asleep for the past thirty years, will know is fast running out.

I'm not one for gloom and doom prophesies as a rule. However, this man spoke from the heart, even crying at one point, about how he's been forced out on...

Impatient But Happy

I love this time of the year; especially living in Bulgaria where a white Christmas is usually a given. And I like the fact that Bulgaria, although a Christian country, doesn't do commercialism like Western Europe or America. Some of this could be that people just don't have any money here. Paying out large sums in advertising, to try and trawl in vast revenue for goods, therefore, is a waste of money.

On the subject of money, I read that the Bankers of RBS have quit because the Chancellor ...

Autumn

Why is Autumn referred to as Fall by our American friends? When viewing the spectacular golds, russets and browns from my home, I can see nothing "downwards" about it. To me, it's such a special time of the year. It pricks at my imagination. Makes me think of misty forests, and mythological creatures. I want to sit by the fire, eating butter-melting muffins with my friends and tell creepy stories. Here's a short one to be getting on with:

Last November I went to a fancy dress dance with ...

My First Draft Completed

What a great feeling it is to have finished the first draft of a novel. Now, some authors might argue that putting the initial stuff down is the best part, but for me it's what comes afterwards that's the best. Now I can wait a little while, go back to the beginning and really start to "write" my book. I've been tempted to go back and perfect this and that over the past six months: the time it's taken me to to the draft, but being further along as a writer now, I think this way's going to ...

Just thought I'd say how difficult it is to write. I'm u...

Just thought I'd say how difficult it is to write. I'm usually a plotter and plodder, but yesterday I motored along like a happy little dolphin. By the time I got to bed, I felt, well, pleased with myself at having written far more than usual. But, this morning, when I checked what I'd written I could only conclude yesterday's offering was excrement in the extreme.
The moral of this tale, where writing is concerned, is to do it little, often and well. Don't, as I did, slam it all down, the...

So, here I am again, two months later with something to s...

So, here I am again, two months later with something to say. We're well into the summer at the moment and I haven't had time to post anything. But, I thought I had to record that the e-publisher with whom I signed up in March this year has now gone out of business. At first I was disappointed, but now, after having corresponded with the other ejected authors of said site, I'm really glad that my book "Sabine Dolls" never got to print with them.

So, I'm now back off the wagon and having to h...