Recipe for Success

It's now the time of year I most enjoy - summer is almost over, the schools are all back and the shops are quieter! The great excitement here was granddaughter's first day of school. Where have the years gone? It's also one of the best times to get organised - making plans and trying new hobbies perhaps. We're planning to get back to at least a weekly swim and of course, I'm looking forward to knuckling down to proper writing again.

Meanwhile, I've still been getting out and about at weekends, something the husband and I hope to continue as long as possible. The Recipe for Success of the post title was on the wall in what is one of the prettiest cafes and sweet shops I've come across, appropriately called Once Upon a Time - yet another attraction at South Queensferry. The wallpaper has scenes from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  and the whole shop is a delight, as well as being child-friendly of course.


In case it's not easy to read, the Recipe is as follows:

For best results dream big

2 cups of effort; 1 cup of kindness; 1 handful of curiosity; 3 tablespoons of honesty; 2 cups of teamwork; 2 cups of imagination; 1 cup of excitement; 1 handful of fairness; 1 sprinkle of pride in your work. It ends:
*Note: Success is always better when shared, so pass it around!


I was also at the Society of Authors (in Scotland) AGM and lunch in Edinburgh last week which is always an enjoyable occasion, not least to catch up with old and new friends. It was held in the elegant Bonhams Hotel this year and the two course lunch was simple yet delicious. The photo below is me with two of my writing buddies, Joan and Myra - one of the young waitresses insisted on taking it just before we left!

 
Many of us are excited about the weekend conference the SoAiS has organised for the first time, ScotsWrite, which is taking place in September this year in a wonderful hotel just north of Glasgow. The programme is excellent, partly thanks to a generous grant from Creative Scotland and includes Joanne Harris (Chocolat), online guru Joanna Penn and Charlie Higson, as well as other fabulous speakers and events, plus a ceilidh after the Gala Dinner on the Saturday evening (hope I can still manage to dance by then).

Needless to say daughter and I, plus several of my writing friends, are going and I'm very much hoping to be inspired by it all. It's open to non-members now too and there might be a few places left if anyone wants to investigate! You can find the details and programme on the Society of Authors in Scotland website.

Rosemary