Anita Dawes's Blog: http://jenanita01.wordpress.com, page 4

Reasons to be cheerful, anyone?

Today started badly.
It started at 2am really, and I should have heard the warning bells, but was too busy trying to ignore the din our geriatric cat was making with his latest rodent acquisition. He has never learned that none of them will sit and wait where he drops them while he gets his breath back, so then he has to turn the house upside down searching for it.As for me searching for it, I gave that up last time. Far too many hiding places, not to mention my lack of agility. I probably share my office with an assortment of night visitors; for I swear when it’s quiet I can hear them moving around. As long as they don’t chew anything important, they’re welcome to stay!
Just been informed that the new rotary washing line I installed in the back garden last week is too wobbly. I thought at the time it needed a better anchor system. Guess what I will be doing later today?
I leaped at the chance to visit the coast at the weekend. It was in the evening, so should be cooler. And it was, in fact the wind was rather chilly. For some reason, the short journey (10 miles) triggered a touch of travel sickness, which totally ruined the treat. Two days later and it hasn’t quite left me, adding to my growing list of misery rants.
Adding to the pile is a general disappointment with my lack of progress as a writer AND as a marketer/promoter. I have not touched the WIP for several days and feel terrible about that. I can usually manage to squeeze in a thousand words or so, no matter what’s going on. Also, the number of nominations for Anita’s book on KindleScout seems to have slowed right down, so not much hope there either.
Behind all the other rants, lurks the big one. We have a very important family wedding coming up, and I hate what I have chosen to wear. I always hate what I wear, unless it’s my old tatty jeans and t-shirt, but I can’t turn up in them. More’s the pity, for I’m a much nicer person when I’m comfortable.
Not really being one to dwell on the bad stuff, I shall find ways to work through the shit, hopefully coming out the other side smelling of roses. Might take a shot or two of Rescue Remedy and a handful of Stressless tablets, but who’s counting? I like me a hell of a lot better when I’m mellow…

A Following Wind…

I recently wrote a very smug post about how clever  productive I think I am being, but have since come to realise that although I have learnt so much more than I ever thought I could, along comes another truckload of stuff that I would love to be able to do. 
So much more to learn about book promotion, for a start.
This is on top of a workday crammed with so many things; I doubt I could fit anything else in. And if I thought my brain lacked something before, this is nothing compared to the state of it now.
I am talking about all the times I come to a standstill in the middle of the room, without a clue as to what I was doing or about to do. Could be either! And the times I catch myself doing something crazy, like trying to shove the kettle into the fridge!
Writing is becoming a bit of a problem too. If it wasn’t for the existing outline, storyboard and a pile of post-it notes, I don’t think my work would be coherent these days, unless my muse’s brain is in a better state than mine. I pray that it is.
I can manage to work on the PC efficiently enough; as I have an extensive filing system of all the lessons I have learnt at my fingertips, without which I could not function. Adding to these problems is the cataract in my left eye. Even on a good day, my vision is reduced; leading to feverish cleaning of the glasses, convinced the fault is there.
The rest of my body is starting to convey dubious messages also. Messages I try to ignore, but refuse to go away. After my tussle with cancer earlier this year, I feel remarkably well, but something still seems to be wrong and the state of euphoria has gradually faded, leaving me with more questions than answers.
Basically, all things considered, I know I am fighting a slowly losing battle on all fronts. It all seems to be downhill from here, and I had no idea how steep the incline would be. When did I get this old? 
I still get good days, and not about to hang up my pencil just yet, though. Despite everything, I am still having fun, loving every confusingminute, even those annoying head banging ones. All the wonderful people we have met have made the journey worthwhile, and with a benevolent God and a following wind, the journey isn’t over yet!

The Joys of Emails...

Since I started blogging, I have heard many authors bemoaning the amount of emails they get. Something I don’t really understand. Isn’t it supposed to be an indication of how well you have created your platform?
I can remember when the few emails we received in the beginning were mostly spam. These days, we get 200+ every day and is the one job I will not shirk. Due to time constraints though, I have recently split the load, doing half in the morning and the rest in the evening on my laptop.It is quite a time consuming job, but one I truly enjoy.
I read them all, reblogging the interesting ones, printing out the helpful informative ones and the ones I want to read again, and discarding the rubbish rest. I have met such a variety of interesting people, simply by reading emails and following their blogs. I talk to so many lovely people every day. People from all over the world!
Practically everything I have learned since the self-publishing bug bit me, has come from these people and their emails. For the interesting thing about bloggers is that they love to share. They will share their good news and the bad, how they managed to do something amazing, and all manner of happy times. In the course of one hour, I can be impressed, overjoyed or sad, and I realise now, looking back, that I could have been a little lonely before I was a blogger, as I didn’t know many people.
 Can’t say that now!
**************
PS:   I have noticed that we don’t get many comments these days, and not sure why.Either we as boring as hell, or the site has a problem.  So could someone please say something, just to check?Thank you!

Progress Report

Today dawned dry and bright. We have sunshine, well sort of, too many clouds up there for any great warmth, which kind of reflects where I am at. Not exactly a crossroads, but a definite milestone. Or it would be, if I can pull myself together and finish the first draft of book three. I’m almost there, only another 10.000 words, but knowing this could well be the end of the series, it has to be good.

This worrying has crept in over the last few days, as certain elements of book two have started haunting me. The ending on that one was weird, and now I think about it, not great either. So, a major rewrite might be on the cards. I have been looking at the covers too. Why are we never happy with our covers?

But I digress. Someone stop me please. Finish this draft I must, and let the editing have its way.

I think I know what my problem is. Far too many irons in the fire, so to speak. Or the wrong irons, or maybe I am losing the plot. Probably all of the above. I have been so tired lately, with no reason for it that I can see. Housework has ceased, and the garden is a mess. Non writing jobs are piled up and haunt me every time I walk into the room. All my careful planning and scheduling has failed to streamline my working day, and its driving me mad.

I should take a break. I always go for a long walk when things get away from me, but for some reason (book three?) I just can’t do it.
In my defence, I have been prescribed another course of antibiotics for a kidney infection, as the first lot didn’t work. I am also approaching the six month check-up at the cancer clinic, and I have mixed feelings about that. I think it will take another scan to convince me I am clear, for the messages from my body tell a different story.

But all of that is not important. The third book of a series I never thought I could write needs me to buckle up and get cracking.

So I will. After all, I have danced in the rain. Thanks for listening!

Southsea Rock Gardens

Living as I do, quite near to the coast in the south of England, I have visited several places of interest during my time here.
One of my favourite places is the Southsea Rock Garden, which is just a short way from Portsmouth and on the sea front so it is very easy to find. Access is easy and free, and if you like gardens you’ll love this one. 
Calling it a rock garden makes it sound small, but it is over 12.000 square metres. You can wander around and lose yourself in the peaceful tranquillity that is always there, no matter what time of year you visit.
I was surprised to discover that it was built in the early 1920’s by unskilled labourers, set to work by the government during the years of depression after the First World War
The garden is designed on several levels with paths and steps leading you to many areas of natural beauty filled with an impressive array of plants. Huge rocks and boulders were brought down from Cumberland to create magnificent rockeries and a huge fountain and waterfall occupy the centre stage, with a goldfish pond at the bottom. I never could find out who actually designed this garden all those years ago, but if I ever come into any money, I would have this garden replicated in my own back yard. I would need a very big back yard and lot of money though, for this place is huge!
Nearly a hundred years later, we can still enjoy the layout and beauty of the unusual planting, despite its being badly flooded on several occasions whenever a fierce enough storm arrives. This happened last year, and I worried that the damage would be so severe the garden would be ruined.
But when I went there last week it was as if nothing had happened. The voluntary organisation, The Friends of the Gardenhad done a magnificent job, pumping out all the sea water as quickly as possible to prevent salt damage.
I expected to find desolation and ruin and be saddened by the loss of a beautiful thing, only to have my heart gladdened by the display of care and attention I did find there. To say I was pleased does not begin to describe my joy, as I walked around and enjoyed the sense of peace and serenity the garden has always given me.

Something in the Air

re-posted from 2015
What if it's true that you can never really go home? Returning from a soul-crushing war, Daniel Dragan is determined to put the past behind him. But with his beloved uncle dead and the town’s economy in a slump, there may not be much to keep him in San Prospero, California.

That is, till he is startled by veterinarian Willow Dixon at the embankment overlooking their hometown and its new factory. A desperately needed job offer there may offer Daniel the chance he needs - but all is not as it seems at the factory and Willow, determined to save the inhabitants of her animal sanctuary, wants the factory's operations stopped. Sometimes the road home is not what we expect. And not the one we left behind...


 This novella was gifted to me by the author, Ben Starling, when I showed an interest. I loved the cover and was in the mood for a romantic mystery.
The main characters Daniel and Willow were charming and very real, and the way the author handled the romantic scenes really impressive!  There were strong messages about how mans greed can threaten our planet, something I know is close to the authors heart.
I must confess to being a little confused by the mysterious hair dryer, and must have missed something there.
I am not a huge fan of short stories, as they are never quite long enough for me somehow. This story could have been so much longer, as I for one, wanted to know if disaster would be avoided and that Willow really would be okay. I get the feeling this story or its theme may continue somewhere else along the way, and I shall be looking forward to it!



BiographyBen Starling is passionate about environmental conservation and sport, both central themes in his work. His interest in marine life has taken him across three continents over the past three decades.

He is Oxford's only ever Quintuple Blue (varsity champion five years running), was Captain of the university boxing team, and coached and boxed competitively until about five years ago. He is 6'3"and 185 lbs.

Ben graduated from Oxford University with a Master of Arts and an M Phil. He was born in the USA but has lived in the UK since childhood.

http://ben-starling.com

Am I productive enough?

Sometimes I wonder.
It is true, there are days when either the mood isn’t quite right, or something else conspires to slow me down. Best laid plans and all that.
Some days I feel too old to get a wriggle on, a bit like trying to swim in treacle. There are also those days  when it is fun to play hooky and escape from everything, knowing the only one you answer to is you and your conscience. And you can handle that. Well, most of the time you can.
I read an interesting post the other day by Sacha Black, 3 tactics to make you a more productive writer. If you haven’t met Sacha or visited her blog yet, you really should. The girl writes brilliant posts and is a constant source of inspiration!
Planning your workload is crucial, and I have tried to include what I consider most important to our progress, but Sacha’s post had my brain off and running, and I am achieving far more than I normally do.
For instance; one day last week …I started my day by writing a chapter on my WIP, The Wrong Life. (my brain works better first thing)Then I read and cleared all of our emails.
Logged into our WP and Blogger sites, checking any comments and stats.Uploaded new posts on both sites.
Then I edited 5 chapters of Anita’s WIP, a Cornish drama called Let it Go.After lunch, I sorted out some artwork for the new covers.
Finished the beta read and review for Dan Alatorre new book, The Navigators.Worked on synopsis/blurb for Anita’s WIP.
Added another short story to an idea for a new book.Finally, arranged for Scarlet Ribbons to be free for the week on Amazon Book Promotion.
This was all in one day, and I managed to play one of my pc games and complete an online jigsaw puzzle while having my lunch. I hope you are all impressed, for I know I was!
There are many other jobs on my list, and I wish I had more days like this. Our progress seems slow, but we are in a better position than we were a year ago.
We always try our best, whether we are writing or gardening, editing or decorating, promoting our books or cutting the hedge in the back garden.
We love what we do, no matter what it is, for at the end of the day that’s all that matters, isn’t it?

Newsflash!

I have debated long and hard about sharing our news with you all.
Supposing it amounts to nothing more than a glitch, something that only happened by chance, never to be repeated? But when it happened I couldn’t believe it.
Moi? Did I actually do the right thing at the right place and make something happen?
Against some people’s better judgement, I have never hidden our seeming inability to do even the simplest things and achieve even small amounts of progress. My reasoning was this; book promotion is so difficult, almost impossible, and to try to hide that fact, I think is wrong. It makes it even more special when fate decides to smile on us.
What am I talking about?
A short while ago, I realised that we could run a free promotion on Amazon. And on the spur of the moment I picked one of Anita’s books, Scarlet Ribbons and booked the week. Five whole days of being free on Amazon. Add a bit of promotion on the side and something might happen. So I ran promo posts to spread the word, including Twitter, Google+ and Goodreads.
As the days passed, I resisted the temptation to check the stats until the very last day. When I did finally check, my jaw hit the floor with a resounding thud. 36 copies of Scarlet Ribbons had been picked up!  36!
Now, I know this is not huge, but compared to our past efforts it’s pretty miraculous, and Anita and I want to thank every single one of you for making a pair of old ladies very happy. Could this be the start of a trend, and if so, what should we do next?
Apart from hoping that some of the 36 actually enjoy reading SR and leave a review or two, that is. That would be the icing on the cake!

Free copies on Amazon!

Yes, BAD MOON, another one of our books is FREE this week, as part of a kindle book promotion on Amazon. From now until Friday, the kindle copy costs absolutely nothing!
Of course, we have an ulterior motive. We would love a few more reviews for this book, as it would make promoting it just a little bit easier. Nothing too difficult, just a few words on Amazon. Really easy to do and would mean so much to us both.

So click on this universal Amazon link   myBook.to/badmoon and help yourself (and us)!
~~~~~
Seeing as this week is all about BAD MOON, I thought it would be a great time to post this interview with Anita herself. She hates anything to do with computers, so this is a milestone AND proof of my persuasive powers, so enjoy!
“Now Anita, do stop glaring at me, relax, and let’s get on with it. Bad Moon was your first book, what made you write it?
“Okay, I give in. At the time, I was a fan of CredenceClearwater Revival and loved their rendition of “Bad Moon Rising”   It wouldn’t leave my head, and before I knew what was happening, characters had climbed on board and I was off and running.”
“When I first read it, I thought it was an incredible mix of the film Deliverance and The Walton’s. How would you describe it?”
“Beneath this savage family saga, the desire for normality and kinship shines through, despite some appalling odds. I loved the idea that you can find love and caring in the strangest of situations.”
"BAD MOON has an amazing bunch of characters, who is your particular favourite?”
“I’m never sure if we should have favourites. It’s a bit like being a mother, you’re supposed to love them all equally. However, having said that, Annie, the teenager rebelling against tradition, will always have a special place in my heart. So young and determined to change her families way of life. The lengths she goes to still amazes me, and I wrote it!”
“It is a bit brutal in places, not a gentle family story by anyone’s standards. Is this something you think could exist in an ordinary family?” Anita is glaring at me again; maybe I shouldn’t have asked that question?
“Not so much the brutality, although it does happen. But a close family can go to extraordinary lengths to protect and defend each other. Are we done yet?”
“Just one more question. Was SIMPLE, your next book, ever intended to be a sequel, as it is very similar?”
“I’ll let you into a secret. I have this strange affinity with West Virginia in America. I love the way the people talk and there is something strangely familiar about the country. It is possible, I think, that I may have lived there in a previous life or something.”
“Yes, it certainly reads as if you feel at home there. I loved both books, and always imagined them good enough to be made as films. Thank you for talking to us about your books, Anita. I’ll let you go back to your writing . . .”

~~~~~~
I hope you enjoy the link to Credence Clearwater Revival, it's an oldie but still brilliant, after all these years!

The Power of Books…

 I was a lonely child, and London was a lonely place to be when I was growing up there after the war. All around me, people were busily trying to put their lives and homes back into some kind of order.
I remember walking around the streets, confused by the chaos that still had to be dealt with, the piles of dusty bricks and rubble all that remained of so many people's lives.
This is probably what made me such a melancholic child, and the reason I retreated into the world of books.

My favourite book was a copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and I would love to have that particular copy back in my possession. I remember it as being illustrated, full of hauntingly beautiful but tortured imagery that managed to scare the living daylights out of me. (I was only eight years old)

I often wonder if my memory is at fault. Was this book really illustrated, or did the words simply conjure up what I thought I saw?
I do love a good book and I must have read thousands of them in my lifetime. This brings me rather neatly to my favourite author of all time, Stephen King. He wrote about everything from a crazy car to a tormented child and just about every scary subject in between. I have spent so much time in his company.

Which brings me to another of my favourite authors. Anita Dawes. You meet her here quite regularly, as she is the other half of this writing partnership.  She is not quite getting the recognition I think she deserves, but I can see a similarity with King in everything she writes. Horrible things happen to her characters too, but you cannot help but love them anyway.
What follows is an excerpt from Bad Moon, my all-time favourite...

"Watching the truck coming towards us seemed to take forever, like Pa was going deliberately slow. We waited for Pa to get out of the truck and I could see from his dirt-streaked face that it weren't good. Nathan's face looked worse.
Ma tried to stop me from running to the truck, but couldn't hold me. I climbed on the back and didn't see Nathan getting out. Suddenly he was there beside me. I remember kneeling and touching the blue check shirt that covered Josh's face. I remember the touch of Nathan's hand on mine and the gentle way he said, 'Don't look, Annie please. Just let Pa bury him.'
 But I had to see for myself, had to know if it was the tree falling on him that had killed him. My eyes were wet, but the tears wouldn't fall. I pulled the shirt back and a scream tore at my throat, trying to find a way out.
No sound came as I looked at what was left of his face, dark gaping holes looked back at me. Gone were his blue grey eyes, the very thing I had liked most about him had been gouged away.
His face was torn and bloody. Dried blood matted his hair and dead leaves were sticking to him.
Nathan tried to take me away, saying I had seen enough. I felt myself being lifted slowly from my knees and as Nathan carried me away, that's when my mind registered what it had seen.
The torn flesh on his face hadn't been caused by the fall. The skin standing away from the bone and all the dried blood made it hard to read, that was why my mind didn't see it right off.
They had cut Pa's name down one side of his face, as if taking his eyes weren't enough.
The scream that wouldn't come before, finally broke through and shut down my brain like an axe blow..."

See what I mean?
If you want to read more of this incredible book, it is free next week on a Kindle promotion! 
You can find it here on Amazon…myBook.to/badmoon

See you next week...