Wordy Blog

Wedneday 2nd November - Tears And Laughter And Happy Ever After

2011-11-02T08:00:00.008Z

Those of you who have been reading this blog since the beginning (anyone??) will know that my first foray into writing was with short stories, specifically for the womens' magazine market. I scored my first 'hit' with a short story called Crocodile Tears, which was published by My Weekly back in 2008 and have had lots of stories published, both in the UK and internationally, since then.

These days, I tend to concentrate on writing for younger readers but I'm delighted to be part of a new anthology of short stories called 'Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After', with lots of other ace writers. We're all part of a short story writing group (some, like me, are - ahem - slightly lapsed members, it has to be said) and, between us, we've had hundreds of stories published. And what better time to let you know about this anthology than just before National Short Story Week (7th - 13th November)? See below for a short blurb about the book, which will be available in e-book format very soon.

‘Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After’, a vibrant collection of wonderful stories from some outstanding UK writers.

Twenty-six stories that encompass the dizzying heights of happiness, the heartbreaking depths of sadness and every emotion in between.

A housewife with a surprising secret
- A beekeeper with a problem
- A most unusual undertaker
- Angels, ghosts, aliens
Find these and many other intriguing characters in ‘Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After’.

The writers included in this book have had hundreds of short stories published in women’s magazines, won or been placed in dozens of competitions, published novels and written non-fiction for many UK magazines. The idea for the book came from the successful ‘A Story A Fortnight’ writing group which brought the writers together in a project which has inspired and supported them in their short story writing.

So, if fab short stories are your thing (of course they are!), watch this space for more details about Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After!

Monday 31st October 2011 - El Día de Brujas!

2011-10-31T08:00:00.001Z

Happy Halloween! Or El Día de Brujas (Day of the Witches) as it's known in Spain. The Spanish version of My So-Called Afterlife, Mi Chica Fantasma, is published today and Maeva, my publisher, couldn't have picked a better day. The title translates as My Ghost Girl - here's hoping Spanish readers fall in love with Lucia on the spookiest night of the year!

Thursday 27th October 2011 - My So-Called Haunting Trailer

2011-10-27T08:00:00.001+01:00

Finally - after searching through every box we have from our house move - I have found the brilliant trailer for My So-Called Haunting, made for the Bolton Book Awards by St James' School - 'Team Haunting'! The gorgeously haunting music, Samson by Regina Spektor, fits perfectly with the mood the students wanted to evoke, don't you think? I hadn't heard anything by her before but will definitely be checking her music out now.

I especially love the way the trailer focuses on Skye's vulnerability and her struggle to come to terms with the problems being psychic brings. Anyway, have a look and don't forget to tell me what you think!

Tuesday 25th October 2011 - National Short Story Week Podcasts

2011-10-25T10:43:00.000+01:00

I'm very excited to have taken part in these National Short Story Week podcasts, hosted by the most excellent Sue Cook as part of her The Write Lines show. There are three programmes in total (I'm in the children's fiction one, obviously!) and they're all entertaining and chock full of valuable advice for aspiring writers.

So if you have a bit of spare time, settle down for a listen. The link to the podcast I did, with Chris Priestley, Joe Craig and Jon Mayhew, is below - I'm the squeaky voiced one. Enjoy!

Catching Up - Sunday 25th September 2011

2011-09-25T13:47:00.001+01:00

Well. It's been a long time since I updated things here. You might be forgiven for thinking I've been twiddling my thumbs but anyone who follows me on Twitter will know that while I've done a lot less writing than usual this year, I haven't exactly been lazing by the pool. So, in order to bring you up to date, here's a whistle-stop tour of this year's highlights:

Hay Festival in June - I did three events at the fabulous Hay on Wye Literary Festival and had a blast. Saw lots of fab friends and made a few new ones. Developed a mild crush on Dara O'Briain after seeing his show.

Portsmouth Book Award - I visited Portsmouth in July to attend the awards for their book awards and My So-Called Afterlife was narrowly pipped to the post by Paul Dowswell with Auslander. St Edmund's Catholic School performed the amazing Ghost Rap (based on MSCA) and have very kindly recorded it for me. I absolutely love it - have a look and let me know what you think!

Bolton Book Award - I also travelled to the Bolton Book Award, where My So-Called Haunting was narrowly beaten by Steve Voake's Fightback (I know, I know - always the bridesmaid...). I have a book trailer to show (made by one of the schools) but it needs a bit of copyright tweaking so that will have to wait until the next post!

RNA Conference - I went to my very first Romantic Novelists Association Conference and had a most elegant time - it was completely brilliant and I loved meeting up with so many friends, especially the very lovely Cally Taylor.

Stunt Bunny: Rabbit Racer was published in August - Harriet comes up against a new rival on Superpets! - Tornado Taz, the world's first agility cat. The usual suspects cheer Harriet on but there's a familiar enemy lurking in the background...

All change, please! - August also saw us moving house and we're now in leafy Hertfordshire, instead of East London. So far so good but I still haven't unpacked all my books.

Lucy Goes Dutch - My So-Called Afterlife hit the Netherlands, titled Het Geestige Leven Van Lucy Shaw. I tried my hand at a bit of Dutch - let's just say I'm not exactly fluent!

National Short Story Week - I recorded a podcast with Chris Priestley, Joe Craig and Jon Mayhew, hosted by the brilliant Sue Cook. It should be online in early October so if you have a burning desire to hear my slightly squeaky voice, you'll be able to fulfil that ambition :)

And that about brings us up to speed. The fourth Stunt Bunny book, Medal Mayhem, is in the bag (out Feb 2012) and I'm working on a couple of new projects. More news here soon - hopefully, it won't be such a long gap before I post again!

Monday 23rd May 2011 - Rabbit Awareness Week

2011-05-23T12:37:00.001+01:00

It's National Rabbit Awareness Week from 23rd - 29th May and Britain's Best Loved Bunny, Harriet Houdini, has asked me to blog on behalf of rabbits everywhere to make sure their owners know how to keep them healthy and happy.

I was really horrified to discover that although rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK, they're also one of the most neglected. It's a depressingly recognisable story - a pet bunny goes home as a child's present and, after the initial excitement, ends up stuck in a hutch in the garden day after day, with little food and dirty water. The mere thought makes me want to cry. Often, they are seen as a low-maintenance pet but that's not true - they need exercise (sometimes as much as a small dog) and love and attention, just like any other pet.

Dizzy

As regular readers of my website will know, I'm the proud owner of five rabbits and can vouch that they're by no means an easy option to keep. Each of them has their own distinct personality, and has different likes and dislikes. Dre, for example, doesn't care much for carrots but he loves dandelion leaves so I think I'm the only gardener in the world who welcomes weeds onto the lawn. Dizzy is the youngest and although she's mostly friendly, she has occasional mood-swings and I know this is because she needs to be spayed. This is something all owners should consider, by the way, as it prolongs your rabbit's life and helps to deal with aggressive behaviour. Ronnie and Roxie are VIPs - they're the inspiration behind the Stunt Bunny series and live together in a deluxe double decker hutch. All of my rabbits live inside the house so I try to make sure they get some outdoor exercise. This is my biggest bunny challenge as they fight if they are mixed together! Despite this, they are all sociable animals and like nothing better than a tickle behind the ears.

You can find out more about Rabbit Awareness Week here. As Harriet keeps reminding me, 2011 is the Chinese Year of the Rabbit so there's never been a better time to make your bunny bounce with happiness. You never know, you might have a Stunt Bunny in the making, too!

Sunday 10th April 2011 - It's Facebox Time!

2011-04-10T09:57:00.000+01:00

It's no surprise to anyone that kids have more demands on their leisure time these days. A new study, commissioned by Asda, found that a whopping 78% of 8 - 12 year olds chose TV as their favourite after-school activity and 69% plumped for games consoles. Only 40% said they might pick up a book and read, whilst a third thought Rudyard Kipling made cakes.

Joining forces with the fabulous Puffin Books and the Roald Dahl Foundation, Asda are launching a new initiative to turn kids on to reading - Facebox Time. Basically, they're putting extracts of brilliant books (starting with arguably the ultimate children's author, Roald Dahl) on the back of cereal boxes, arguing that breakfast time is the perfect time of day to capture kids' imaginations and encourage them to see books as an exciting alternative to TV. The more I think about it, the more I agree.

Ask any children's writer what they want from their books and after they've burbled on about champagne and chocolate, they'll tell you what they want most is readers. We want kids to love our stories, to read them over and over and remember them when they've grown up. So I was delighted to be asked to contribute to the Facebox campaign and happily gave a quote, which was featured here in the Daily Mail. What I wasn't so pleased with was the comments which followed. I was disappointed by the plethora of negative remarks, mostly geared towards political ends and generally harking back to bygone days when everyone read more and the world was a perfect place. Today's kids are described by one commenter as 'ignorant brats' who will all end up 'manning call centres'. Very few comments bothered to praise the Facebox initiative and that's a real shame because anything which encourages children to read can only be a good thing. Note that I say encourage, not dictate, because telling anyone they must read fifty books is a sure way to turn them off reading but that's another argument, for another day...

I disagree that our children are ignorant. I visited two schools last week and without exception, every single one of the two hundred kids I met behaved brilliantly. They were attentive, interested and asked excellent questions. Some had read my books, others had been on my website and they certainly knew their Stunt Bunny stuff. In both schools, the teachers warned me that I might have trouble with one or two children who had attention disorders but I can honestly say that I wouldn't have known they were there, so well behaved were they. I left those schools feeling very positive about the way kids view reading. Sure, there are other demands on their time, but, ultimately, children can't resist a good story. If we can make those stories more accessible, we're onto a winner. For that reason, I hope Facebox is a resounding success. Now, pass the cornflakes, will you?

Monday 21st March 2011 - Authors for Japan Total

2011-03-21T11:27:00.000Z

The total (unconfirmed) amount raised by the brilliant Authors for Japan Auctions is......

£10,962.25!

Which, in the words of Keris Stainton herself, is totally AMAZEBALLS! Well done to all those who contributed and put in bids. You did a very good thing.

Saturday 19th March 2011 - Authors for Japan: Part Deux

2011-03-19T11:28:00.000Z

So, you'll have seen my previous post about this. Maybe you've even bid for one of the truly amazing items up for grabs - I hope so, because it's a brilliant way to raise money to help the awful situation in Japan while getting something back for yourself.

As I said before, there are some real money-can't-buy items on the Authors for Japan website. Imagine having coffee and cakes with literary agent turned successful novelist, Alison Bond. Or having the next Jill Mansell bestseller personally dedicated to you (although asking for something like 'For xxx, without whom this book would not have been possible' is probably pushing it). There are signed books galore, some first editions and some with offers of illustrations (might be a good thing, might not be - I can't draw for toffee - but it's certainly unique). There are some real hidden treasures, search for your favourite author and see if they've donated anything. And if you'd like to bid for my lot, it's here. I'm going quite cheaply at the moment but I promise I'm excellent value :)

The auction closes at 8pm on Sunday so indulge those finely honed Ebay skills and bid, bid, bid. You're bound to get something no-one else has and all the proceeds go to the British Red Cross Tsunami Fund. It's win-win.

Tuesday 15th March 2011 - Authors For Japan

2011-03-15T12:43:00.001Z

This is a holding post until I have time to do a proper one but I wanted to draw your attention to this fabulous auction in aid of the British Red Cross and their relief efforts in Japan. I'm sure I don't need to remind anyone what a terrible disaster the entire country is suffering from, well, here's a way aspiring writers and lovers of literature can help out. Go to the Authors for Japan website, pick an item or two from the amazing range on offer, and bid. All the money raised goes to the Red Cross.

The website is here

So what are you waiting for? Go, go, go! There's even a money can't buy offer from me.

Thursday 10th March 2011 - Lucy Goes Dutch!

2011-03-10T17:27:00.000Z

One of the best things about having one of your books translated into another language is seeing what other publishers do with the cover. So I was very excited to get an email last week from Blossom Books, who are publishing a Dutch version of My So-Called Afterlife in May, with their version of the cover. And here it is:

What do you think? It's called Het Geestige Leven Van Lucy Shaw (there isn't a direct translation but I think it roughly means The Funny Life of Lucy Shaw) and, personally, I love the fluffy pink books and the angel wings. Lucy would be made up to see her name emblazoned across the front as well :)

I'm really looking forward to holding the finished book in my hands and slotting it in beside the German version. Blossom Books have asked me to record a brief video comment as well for their website, so I'll be brushing up on my Dutch. Fabelachtig!

Tuesday 1st March 2011 - Calling All Stunt Bunny Fans!

2011-03-01T12:00:00.000Z

I'm delighted to be able to reveal the finished cover for Harriet Houdini's third adventure, Stunt Bunny: Rabbit Racer, published by the fab Simon and Schuster in August this year.

I'm sure you'll agree that illustrator Lee Wildish has done an amazing job. In fact, I think it might be my favourite yet!

Here's the blurb from Amazon:

It's time for Stunt Bunny's biggest challenge yet! When Taz the Tornado, a cat who loves to race, joins the Superpet cast, the host Gloria decides that all the pets need to learn a new trick...or loose their place on the show! So, when an obstacle course race is suggested between Harriet and Taz, it's straight into Bunny Boot Camp training for Harriet, who wants to prove that she's not called Stunt Bunny for nothing! But with distractions at home from giggling guinea pigs and very strange next-door neighbours will Harriet be able to focus on the big race and secure her place on Superpets?

Stunt Bunny: Rabbit Racer is available to pre-order here. Is it August yet? Is it, is it?

Saturday 5th February 2011 - National Save Our Libraries Day

2011-02-05T11:36:00.000Z

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past twelve months, you must know seismic changes are happening in the UK. Funding is being cut everywhere and nowhere more painfully than at local government level, which means Councillors are looking around for soft targets. Up and down the country, they seem to think they've found one: Libraries.

"They're out date," the Councillors argue. "People can buy books from Amazon, they don't need to go out to borrow a dirty, well thumbed book from a musty old library."

I beg to differ and here's why; when I was growing up, my family didn't have much cash. I didn't have the latest trainers or holidays or CDs. But before you go feeling sorry for me, let me tell you that I consider myself pretty lucky, because within a five minute walk of my house, I had a library. It was vast and well stocked. I spent hours browsing the shelves within its safe walls, feeding my love of stories. When I was done, I would take my selection to the desk and head for home, to immerse myself in whatever worlds I'd chosen. Sometimes, I would read all the books I'd borrowed in a day and would go back to the library in the afternoon to choose more, much to the disapproval of the librarian.

I've said before (to anyone who will listen, in fact),that without my lovely local library, I wouldn't be an author. I firmly believe that the choice and availability of those books to a poor-ish girl made me the over-imaginative, widely read woman I am now. So I am passionately opposed to the cutting of library services. I think it undermines everything a civilised society strives for. If the Councillors take away the possibility of access these vast repositories of knowledge and dreams, how will they replace them? How can an enquiring reader decide whether to try a new author if they are forced to invest upwards of £5.00 every time? And even if they can afford the price of the book, won't they go for a tried and trusted author instead of experimenting with someone new? In these days of piracy (by which I don't mean the saucy Captain Jack Sparrow kind), closing libraries means pushing the technologically minded toward illegal downloads, which means authors will not earn anything from writing and will have to work at other jobs to make ends meet - writing less. I know how hard that is; between writing and my day job, I work two full time, demanding careers. Maybe some writers will even give up and I don't have to spell out what a loss that would be.

My local library offers so much. There's a great choice of books, magazines and newspapers. They offer basic computing classes and story-telling groups for under-fives. I went there when I was researching my first picture book and was amazed by the community spirit there was, something I'd forgotten about. Maybe they could do more to be current and appeal to more people but how are they supposed to know unless we, the customer, tell them what we want?

Libraries are an invaluable national institution. Show your support for yours and pop along this week - you can find out other ways to help in the battle for libraries here. I've blogged, tweeted and mentioned Save Our Libraries Day on Facebook. Today, I'll be visiting, to remind myself where I came from.

Thursday 3rd February - Happy Launch Day To Me!

2011-02-03T12:00:00.002Z

Today is the official launch day for Stunt Bunny: Tour Troubles and Harriet is certainly making her presence felt in bookshops up and down the country! I'd love to know if anyone spots her out and about - photos would be especially welcome. Just make sure you've got a carrot handy to get her to pose :)

It's a day of double delights as I'm most excited to announce that hot on the heels of her literary sister, Lucy, Skye has been shortlisted for the Bolton Book Award! My So-Called Haunting is one of several brilliant books in the running to win and I'll be nibbling on my nails until the award ceremony in June. You'll be the first to know how it goes!

Tonight, I'll be celebrating at the VIP launch of Harriet Evans' new chicklit book, Love Always, with cocktails and canapes in Covent Garden. I know exactly what you're thinking; it's a dirty job but someone has to do it!

Friday 28th January 2011 - Letting Go

2011-01-28T23:32:00.000Z

I think I've mentioned before what a mixed feeling it is when a book goes off to the printers. In some ways, it's like one of your chicks flying the nest; a sense of pride mingled with worry that they won't make their own way and be successful. Now that My So-Called Phantom Lovelife has started this final stage in it's journey to becoming a finished book and I'm feeling exactly like that. It won't feel real until I hold it in my hands but I'm still fretting about how it will do out there on its own. Sometimes it can be hard to let go and trust that yopu've done a good job.

The other thing I'm starting to think about is promotion. Spooky Lucy's fab trailer has got me thinking about filming my own for Skye's new adventure so if I can find the time, I might give that a go. And I'll be having a little launch party sometime in March, I think, so watch this space.

Meanwhile, Stunt Bunny: Tour Troubles is hopping into shops ahead of the official publication day. I discovered today that 2011 is the Chinese year of the Rabbit, which seems strangely auspicious, especially when you realise the new year starts on Thursday 3rd February, the same day Tour Troubles launches. You might see Harriet about as she'll be visiting the odd blog and I hear her adventure is going to be on sale in Waitrose. Do take a pic if you spot her - you'll find her next to the organic carrots.

Thursday 20th January 2011 - Spooky Lucy!

2011-01-20T07:14:00.000Z

Here we are, well into 2011, and I haven't even wished you a happy new year! How rude of me - I hope you've had a great start to the new decade?

Back in 2009, My So-Called Afterlife was sold to fab German publisher, DTV, and the translated version - Spooky Lucy: Mein Date im Jenseits (the rather ace title of Spooky Lucy: My Date in the Hereafter) - was published on 1st January. They are doing a great job with the book and it's had some excellent reviews already (at least I think they're good; my German isn't up to much and Google Translate doesn't always get things right) but I'm most delighted by the book trailer they've put up on YouTube. I'm sure you'll agree that you don't need to speak the language to get the point!

In other brilliant news, My So-Called Afterlife has been shortlisted for the Portsmouth Book Award! It's up against some tough competition so fingers crossed Lucy goes all the way!

Friday 31st December 2010 - My Big Fat Top Ten Of The Year

2010-12-31T13:04:00.000Z

You know when you get to New Year's Eve and suddenly wonder where the year went? That's how I feel about 2010. But even though it has flown by, it's been a good year and here are my top ten reasons why:

10) Lots of fabulous writers

The writing community is actually pretty small but every person I've met so far has been perfectly lovely and hugely supportive. To list them all would take all day but here are a few darlings who've made a big difference this year:

Gillian Philips - author of the fantasy novel of the year, Firebrand, and all round superstar
Caroline Smailes - author of Like Bees To Honey and other amazing books
Carol Dixon-Smith - Waterstones bookseller and event organiser; I don't know how she does it all
Scott Pack - Runs The Friday Project for Harper Collins but that's just the tip of the iceberg; what he doesn't know isn't worth knowing...
Mary Hoffman - Vastly accomplished author; someone I really look up to
Cathy Cassidy - brilliant author and completely lovely

There are many more - hopefully, you know who you are!

9) A very close friend fell pregnant

A good friend who has wanted a baby for many years finally got her wish. She's due next year and I think she's going to make an amazing mum - I wish her nothing but happiness.

8) Muse at Wembley

Anyone who knows me can't help but be aware of my love affair with Muse and even though I was the teensiest bit disappointed with their latest album (a bit self-indulgent on the epic long tracks front, boys), they didn't let me down at Wembley. To say I grinned like a loon through the whole thing is an understatement!

7) The RNA Pure Passion Awards

This was like a Who's Who of women's writing - all my favourite authors were there, as well as some fabulous Twitter-mates, and I had a real blast. Being in the RNA is great fun - I recommend it to any writer.

6) Inception

I came late to this film, watching it at the insistence of Teen Daughter this week, and I was so glad I took her recommendation. As someone who'd like to come up with a killer movie script some day, it was exactly the kind of film I love - complicated but believable plot, great characters and I didn't guess the end. I'm looking forward to watching it again and it's definitely given me some pointers for the future.

5) Booktrust Teen Prize

My So-Called Afterlife was Highly Commended in this year's Teen Prize and, along with the lovely Keren David (When I Was Joe), I was honoured to attend the award ceremony in November. Unhooking The Moon by Gregory Hughes scooped the award but it was a real privilege for me to be commended for my debut novel. The food wasn't half bad, either!

4) Signing my first picture book deal

Picture books are different to any other kind of writing because there's no room for flowery waffling - you have to know exactly what you want to say. When I woke up with the story of a new picture book in my head, I couldn't wait to write it down but it took a lot of polishing to get it right. The book is due out in 2012 (Simon and Schuster) and I'm looking forward to seeing what the super talented illustrator I've been paired with comes up with.

3) School Visits

I love getting out to schools and meeting the people who read my books. One of the best parts of being a writer is interacting with readers and I've had great fun answering their questions. The younger ones mostly ask about my pets and the older ones are fascinated by the paranormal elements of my books. And I'm proud to say, I've only signed a book to the wrong name once. So far...

2) Literary Festivals

I travelled up and down the country to attend some fabulous literary festivals, including the inaugural Chester Kids Lit Fest, GobbleDeeBook, and that sparkling gem in the lit fest crown, Cheltenham. Every festival I attended made me feel very welcome and I had a great time. More, please!

1) Becoming Published

No doubt about it, the best feeling of the year came from seeing my books in the shops. My So-Called Afterlife came out in February and got some great reviews. Then Harriet Houdini hopped onto the scene in Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation and stole hearts and carrots everywhere. Later in the year saw My So-Called Haunting hit the shops, with some of the same characters from MSCA and a feisty new heroine. 2011 has a lot more Stunt Bunny and another Afterlife book coming out, so watch this space!

So that's my round up of this year. Now all I have to do is come up with some New Year's Resolutions and stick to them. What are you resolving to do (or not do) in 2011?

Friday 24th December 2010 - Fairytale of East London

2010-12-24T23:44:00.000Z

To quote the immortal Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues, it was Christmas Eve, babe. I've spent the day wrapping, picking up some last minute presents and watching a lot of festive films. And I've been watching Santa on his rounds, courtesy of NORAD. As it's almost time for him to visit my house, I'd better get to bed, so I'll leave you in more capable hands than mine. Merry Christmas!

Talli Roland's The Hating Game is out today!

2010-12-01T08:00:00.002Z

Help Talli Roland's debut novel THE HATING GAME hit the Kindle bestseller list at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk by spreading the word today. Even a few sales in a short period of time on Amazon helps push the book up the rankings, making it more visible to other readers.

Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/hNBkJk

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/hX2ieD

No Kindle? Download a free app at Amazon for Mac, iPhone, PC, Android and more.

Coming soon in paperback. Keep up with the latest at http://www.talliroland.com/.

About THE HATING GAME:

When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £2000,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?

Saturday 30th October 2010 - Hubble, Bubble Toil and Trouble

2010-10-30T14:10:00.000+01:00

I've been a bad blogger this month - can it really be a whole thirty days since I wrote anything?!

In my defence, I've been a busy girl. I finished My So-Called Phantom Lovelife and sent it off to my editor. You can see the cover for it on the left - isn't is utterly gorgeous? I also wrote Stunt Bunny: Rabbit Racer and sent it off to my editor (not the same person or she'd have Tamsyn Murray overload). And I've been swanning around in a VIP stylee, talking to people about being a writer. The last bit is my absolute favourite part of this job and not just because of the wine and the cakes. This year's Cheltenham Lit Fest was a bumper one and I loved being part of it. Sharing the stage with the fabuloso Grace Dent was a highlight of my year. I was also honoured to be involved with Chester Lit Fest's inaugural childrens' festival - GobbleDEEBook, where I met ace writers Rook Hastings, Jon Mayhew, Keris Stainton and Catherine Forde. Mucho, mucho fun had by all and I completely fell in love with Chester - what a deliciously pretty city. In fact, I feel a Christmas shopping trip coming on...

November is looking equally exciting, if a bit less like hard work. On Monday, I'll be attending the Booktrust Teenage Prize award ceremony - you might remember that My So-Called Afterlife made the longlist. And Mr Postman should be bringing me my reward for knuckling down and writing hard - a shiny new iPad. So next time I see you, it could be through a crisp Apple screen :)

Now that I have a bit of spare time, I'm catching up with my favourite TV shows. I don't know about you but we're loving The Apprentice in my house, and Twitter mates will know about my slight crush Tim Roth in Lie To Me. I'm also loving Modern Family, as much for its slapstick as the sly humour you miss if you blink. Top of my TBR pile, which is bigger than my bookshelf, is made up of Cherry Crush by Cathy Cassidy, Almost True by Keren David, Like Bees To Honey by Caroline Smailes, Immortal Remains by Rook Hastings and Mortlock by Jon Mayhew.

What are you watching and reading?

Friday 1st October 2010 - Banned Books Week

2010-10-01T19:26:00.000+01:00

This week has been Banned Books Week and you might have seen articles in the newspapers or online about famous examples of the books the Powers That Be didn't want us to read. Regardless of your views on censorship, a lot of the examples I read about were banned for the most ridiculous of reasons; in the US, My Friend Flicka was frowned upon because a female dog was referred to as a 'bitch'.

I wrote a guest post over on I Was A Teenage Book Geek as part of the My So-Called Haunting blog tour. The post was about YA books I'd loved as a teenager and I had great fun writing it. One of the books on my list was Forever, by Judy Blume. It's a coming of age love story and it stood out from the idealised teen romance books I was reading at the time for two reasons; one, the characters met, fell in love and took their relationship all the way, and two, when I was fifteen and desperate to get hold of a copy, I couldn't. It wasn't in the library, nor the local bookshop and there was no Amazon to call upon. It was a banned book and the only way to read it was to wait until a battered copy made its way down a long list of friends to you. When it did, I devoured it in one sitting and the knowledge that my family absolutely would not have wanted me to read it only made it more delicious. It struck me then, as it did again this week, that the only true purpose achieved by banning a book is to increase its popularity and support.

So carry on banning the challenging and outspoken YA books which tackle difficult and taboo subjects, Powers That Be. Eventually you will learn that censorship does not work; it is wrong and self-defeating. And writers, carry on writing brave and uncomfortable books. Teenagers are making sense of a sometimes shocking and bewildering world and they do so by experience, which doesn't have to be first-hand. They should not be told what they can and cannot read, however well-meaning the intervention. Because here's a golden truth; ignorance breeds fear and nothing is ever made better by pretending it doesn't exist.

Thursday 23rd September 2010 - Happy Publication Day To Me!

2010-09-23T09:44:00.001+01:00

So it's finally here; today is the official publication day for My So-Called Haunting. Cue the trumpets, fireworks and lashings of ginger beer all round!

Official publication days are peculiar things for us lesser mortals. Big name authors have a date for the release of their book which is set in granite and readers can't get hold of the book before this date for love nor dirty stones, but for less-well know writers, it's a bit of a moveable feast. My So-Called Haunting has been available in the shops and online since early September, so today isn't the heady climactic occasion it might be, but it's nice to have a day where I can sit back and quietly appreciate having raised a book to the age where it can spread its covers and leave home. I'm not having a launch party either, because I'm already waist high in missed deadlines and launches take a bit of organising. Still, I've had some great reviews already and early feedback is that people really like my new main character, Skye. If you haven't met her yet, you can introduce yourself by reading the first chapter here.

I might have a little glass of something fizzy this evening to celebrate. Then again, with deadlines like these, I'll probably just be writing!

Saturday 11th September 2010 - The Booktrust Prize

2010-09-11T11:05:00.000+01:00

It's been a bit of a week. My blog tour for My So-Called Haunting kicked off over at I Want To Read That and the shortlist for the Booktrust Teenage Prize was announced. The shortlist includes some fabulous books and I was delighted to see that amongst six other books, My So-Called Afterlife was Highly Commended by the judges for its 'contribution to contemporary writing for teenagers.'

I've also been working on the publicity for a Spookytacular event I'm doing on 4th October with Michelle Harrison (amazing award-winning author of The Thirteen Treasures and The Thirteen Curses) and Rook Hastings (wonderful writer of Nearly Departed and Immortal Remains). The event will be held at Woodford County Girls School from 6.30pm and you can find out more on the Facebook page here.

Lastly, I'm mega excited and over-awed to be attending Cheltenham Literature Festival in an authorly capacity this October. I'll be taking part in a panel event with the super-talented and funny Grace Dent, author of Diary of a Snob amongst other books, on Sunday 17th October and you can book here. Do come along if you're at Cheltenham - I don't mind admitting I have performance anxiety already...

Sunday 5th September 2010 - Early Reviews

2010-09-05T10:21:00.000+01:00

Over the last few days I've heard rumours that My So-Called Haunting has been dropping onto people's doormats. The thought fills me with happiness and dread in equal measure, because, as any writer knows, it's one thing imagining people reading your story but it's quite another when they are actually doing it. Would they like Skye? How would they feel about Nico? And was there enough Jeremy, the surprise pin up of My So-Called Afterlife?

Well, I needn't have worried; the early reviews are good. "A fairly rocking read...Murray seems to know what it is teens today want to read about." says The Book Girl. "Loved it! 10000/5!" writes The Mile Long Bookshelf. "Amazing!" cheers my mother-in-law (but maybe she's biased).

But don't take their word for it, have a read for yourself; Chapter One is up on my website. And if you like it, you can buy your very own copy at The Book Depository or Amazon.

In the meantime, I'm still putting the finishing touches to the next Afterlife book. I have to - there's an advert for it in the back of My So-Called Haunting. Gulp.

Wednesday 1st September 2010 - Taz Tells All!

2010-09-01T10:03:00.000+01:00

Hot on the heels of her birthday appearance here, Taz has taken over Under The Paw, the blog run by Tom Cox. She tells me she's written a no-holds barred exposé of life with me. Seriously, I'm quaking in my boots. By all means pop over and have a look. I deny everything.

Tom is the author of Under The Paw, a hysterical tale of one man and his cats, and Talk To The Tail, the further adventures of a cat-man. He's also written some sporting and music books (although not together). I consider him to be is a very funny man and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Check him out.

Monday 30th August 2010 – That Sunday Night Feeling

2010-08-30T14:20:00.002+01:00

Some of you might know I've had two weeks off work in order to finish Teen Novel #3. I've enjoyed the time off and have nearly finished the book so it was time well spent. The weather wasn't great but at least I wasn't tempted to laze around in the garden when I should have been writing. The down side is that I'm finding it hard to summon up enthusiasm to go back to work tomorrow, hence the pie chart. Anyone else got that Sunday night sinking feeling?

If you have a moment or two, pop over to The Literary Project, where I talk about what I love about writing, how I feel about agents and why I'd think twice about writing a debut YA novel. Or if you fancy a longer read, why not nip over to The Book Depository, who have got copies of My So-Called Haunting in stock and are dispatching them now with 25% off and free P&P.

PS Sorry about the odd formatting on this post. I tried creating it in MS Word 2007 and exporting to the blog. It wasn't an unqualified success...

Saturday 28th August 2010 - Perspective

2010-08-28T13:07:00.000+01:00

Another flying visit blog post because I really should be writing but I came across this short Dove film and wanted to share it. It's about the unattainable face of beauty we are exposed to every day. Those of you who've read My So-Called Afterlife will know that self-doubt is a theme of the book - Hep, in particular, suffers from a spiral of low self-esteem and self-loathing about how she looks, which doesn't end when she dies.

Watch, enjoy and share with any women and teenage girls you know. And feel a bit better about yourself afterwards. Celebrate the fact that your beauty is real. Have a great weekend!

Wednesday 25th August 2010 - My So-Called Haunting Arrives!

2010-08-25T21:42:00.000+01:00

Those of you who follow me over on Twitter might have already seen this but early copies of My So-Called Haunting are in and I'm sure you'll agree it's looking gorgeous. I'm delighted with the new cover and can't wait to hear what you think of Skye, my new main character. The official publication day is 23rd September and I'll be posting a sneak preview of chapter one over on my website soon but if anyone would like to pre-order, you can do so on Amazon here.

In the meantime, I'm busy working on the next book in the Afterlife series and also the next Stunt Bunny book. So, if you see me slacking off on Twitter or Facebook, give me a nudge, will ya?

Wednesday 11th August 2010 - Here's Tazzy!

2010-08-11T21:14:00.004+01:00

Meet Taz. Around this time of year, she celebrates her birthday and I decided it was high time I introduced you to her.

I remember the first day I saw her as though it was yesterday. I'd been after a kitten but couldn't seem to find one anywhere in East London. Just when I was giving hope, a pet shop said they had one so I hot-footed it down to meet her. It was love at first sight. She toddled towards me, displaying all the warmth of personality I'd soon adore, and fixed me with a cross-eyed stare. Minutes later, we were on our way home and she's been my constant companion ever since.

She put up with the arrival of Teen Daughter if not with good grace, then with stoical resignation. The sight of Taz with my toddler's arms wrapped firmly around her middle as she was transported from room to room is one I'll never forget but she never offered so much as a scratch or a bite. She even suffers my flirtations with other pets, as long as she's the only one who sleeps on my bed.

Visitors to our house comment on two things when they're introduced to Taz. Firstly, her friendliness; Taz is not an aloof, self-absorbed cat who turns her nose up at humans. She'll do anything for strokes and makes sure everyone makes a fuss of her. And secondly, people are gobsmacked when I tell them she's an octogenarian. That's right, this year will be her seventeenth birthday but you'd never know it to look at her, she doesn't look or act a day over five. I don't know what her secret is but Hollywood A-Listers could learn a thing or two from her.

So please join me in raising a glass of milk to Taz. She's been my friend for my entire adult life and I hope she never starts acting her age. Happy birthday, Puss :)

Thursday 22nd July 2010 - And Now It's Harriet's Turn!

2010-07-22T20:15:00.003+01:00

Hot on the heels of the gorgeous My So-Called Haunting cover, here's Harriet's latest look. Well, you didn't think she'd let anyone outshine her for long, did you?

This is the cover for the new Stunt Bunny: Tour Troubles book (out Feb 2011), which finds Harriet and her showbiz pals on the road in Superpets: Live! Once again, the fab Lee Wildish has worked wonders and I'm sure you'll agree that he's caught Harriet's star qualities perfectly :) I can't wait to see the inside illustrations.

PS One small difference between this and the final cover is that my name will be in red in the bottom corner but that doesn't matter, does it? As if anyone is going to notice me next to Harriet's sparkles, anyway!

Wednesday 14th July 2010 - My So-Called Haunting Gets a Makeover!

2010-07-14T19:06:00.003+01:00

Look! The next book in the Afterlife series, My So-Called Haunting, is out in September (eep!) and Piccadilly have decided it needed a glamourous new look. So - exclusively - here it is!

Don't know about you but I love it. The rest of the series will be in a similar style and I got a shiny copy of the next cover (out March 2011) in the post today and it's even more gorgeous. But enough about me...what do you think?

Friday 11th June 2010 - Stunt Bunny On Tour

2010-06-11T22:18:00.003+01:00

Harriet Houdini and I have been busy this week. We've been out on the road, visiting schools and having a blast. I answered a lot of questions, signed a lot of books and had a lot of fun. I can't wait until my next school event.

It's been a significant week for other reasons, too. The last ever series of Big Brother started on Channel 4. I'm a reluctant fan of this show - TD loves it - but I must admit it's fascinating TV. My most favourite television show returned to UK TV as well; if you haven't seen Lie To Me yet, starring the delectable Tim Roth, then you're missing a real treat. It makes me want to write a thriller and I can never guess the ending. And lastly, the World Cup started. Here's hoping this is the year we break our forty-four year duck.

If you're looking for a fun read, Stephanie at www.BahToCancer.com is giving away three signed copies of Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation. All you have to do is tell her about a pet you've loved. It's just as well I can't enter. I'd be there all night.

Saturday 5th June 2010 - June is Busting Out All Over

2010-06-05T09:28:00.002+01:00

June already? Half way through the year? How did that happen? It'll be Christmas before we know it and the festive adverts will be all over the TV.

Things have been much quieter week for me this week. It's been half term as well so the day job has been much less frantic, which is just as well as I'm off on tour for Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation next week and will be visiting schools all over London and Essex. I'm also doing a signing at Ilford Waterstones today. With excellent planning*, this coincides with the publication of a certain Ms Meyer's The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, so I'm hoping to persuade a few teenagers to meet Lucy. Maybe I'll pretend there's a few vampires in My So-Called Afterlife...

Hope you're all enjoying the fabulous weather - is this summer, do you think? Long may it continue!

*blind luck

Saturday 29th May 2010 - And breathe...

2010-05-29T20:50:00.002+01:00

It's done; Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation is launched (you'll find a few photos at the ace My Favourite Books blog here). I had a fab time at the party, Venetia Gosling, from Simon and Schuster gave a lovely speech and I gave a less brilliant one, in which I completely forgot to thank her for publishing Stunt Bunny in the first place. Oops. My agent brought me some amazing flowers and demonstrated her usual flair for organising everything so I could flit about having fun. It was the perfect start to Harriet's extraordinary career. And the first reviews are in, too. Look on the brill Rhiana Reads and Wondrous Reads blogs.

On another note, this time fifteen years ago I was proud mum of a one day old baby. It's hard to believe TD was ever so teeny-tiny because she's very grown up now. With unfortunate timing, she had her first GCSE exam on her birthday yesterday but apparently it was 'fine'. We took her to TGI Friday's for a meal to celebrate and she spent all day today playing her new Xbox - it gave me a warm glow to see her shooting people. And now she has gone to stay at a friend's house and my husband is 'testing' the Xbox so I am watching him shoot people. If there's a glut of gun crime in my next book, you'll know why...

I've did my first primary school event this week too, which was immense fun. I'll leave you with my favourite question, which was, "Why do all writers have the same writing? It always looks the same no matter which book I read..."

Aww, bless :)

Monday 24th May 2010 - Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation is here!

2010-05-24T21:19:00.005+01:00

The waiting is over...Harriet Houdini has escaped from captivity and will be chomping on rosebushes up and down the country very soon. You might catch a glimpse of her in the Waterstones 3 for 2 (stores nationwide) or in-store at some Sainsbury's (next to the organic carrots if I know Harriet) or over at Amazon.

For those of you who don't know who Harriet is (where have you been?) there's more info on my website. Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation is perfect for boys and girls aged five and upwards and has been described as "hysterically funny and completely original" (Rhiana Reads). You can also find a Stunt Bunny Wordsearch and a 'Make Your Own Stunt Bunny' template on my website, perfect for keeping kids busy over half term.

I'm having a little launch for Stunt Bunny on Thursday. Pictures will be posted here but I'll put most of them over on the Stunt Bunny Facebook Page. In the meantime, I'd love to hear from anyone who spots Harriet out and about. Photos would be great and if you fancied posing with her, so much the better. Just make sure you catch her best side - she's very particular about that kind of thing!

Like Bees To Honey: Ch 31 - Caroline Smailes

2010-05-20T06:00:00.001+01:00

Sometimes, you meet a person who you get along with instantly. The first time I met author Caroline Smailes, I knew she was exactly that. Even after I'd dragged her around the streets of London and she'd almost missed her train as a result, she was still lovely and she taught me how a good writer behaves. She is one of the kindest, most generous and loving people I know but she doesn't believe in herself enough. I suppose it's just as well; if her ego matched up to the immensity of her talent, she'd be unbearable :)

Today, I have the great honour to be hosting Chapter 31 of Caroline's new book, Like Bees To Honey. Set in Malta, it is the delicate story of a mother on her son on a journey to learn more about themselves, their past and each other. Click on the jolly clever widget below and let yourself float amongst the words. Other chapters are being hosted around Blogland, starting at the very beginning (as all the best stories do) with Caroline's blog. If you have arrived here having read the previous chapters, welcome and I hope you've loved it so far. If you dropped by for any other reason, I'd be delighted if you'd join in the game. Either way, if you like what you read, please do go here and buy the book. You might not be aware that this is a novel which sold out its first print run long before publication - a sign of the quality of Caroline's writing.

Enjoy!

Open publication - Free publishing - More honey

Saturday 8th May 2010 - The Stunt Bunny has Landed!

2010-05-08T11:47:00.008+01:00

This week has been massively exciting. On Wednesday, I came home to find a very exciting parcel on my doormat - a crisp first copy of Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation! Naturally, I showed it to the original stunt bunnies, Ronnie and Roxie, to get their thoughts. As you can see, they were very impressed :)

I popped in to St Aubyn's Prep school to talk to the girls about My So-Called Afterlife. I had an ace time answering their questions. I also went to see 30th Ilford Guides and they asked some fab questions too. It's been a bumper week for Lucy and the gang - I realised this morning that over 100 copies have sold this week alone :)

I was also lucky enough to go along to an evening with Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart on Wednesday, where they were talking about their new book, Wyrmeweald. Chris drew a wyrme (dragon) as they talked and I was utterly gobsmacked by his talent. The book looks awesome, can't wait to read it!

And then, this morning, the postman brought me Stunt Bunny stickers and activity sheets. So anyone who comes along to a Stunt Bunny event will get a sticker and I'll be uploading the activity sheets (including one to make a Stunt Bunny puppet!) to my website soon.

I can't believe that Harriet will be in the shops soon. You can pre-order over on Amazon and, while you're there, you might see that Stunt Bunny: Tour Troubles has appeared there. It's not out until Feb 2011 but people are pre-ordering already. I've seen the cover image and it looks gorgeous :)

This afternoon, I'm off to Wembley to see Barrow AFC (my old home town) play Stevenage in the final of the FA Trophy - come on, you Bluebirds! And then I'm off to the launch of Della Says: OMG! by Keris Stainton. Have a great weekend.

Monday 3rd May 2010 - How To Horrify The Parents Of Windsor

2010-05-03T12:06:00.003+01:00

Anyone still there? Oh, good :)

I've decided on a new approach with the blog - rather than beat myself up about not blogging every other day, I'm going to accept its sporadic nature. It might be once a month or once a year (let's hope not) but I'm going with it because my head might just spin off otherwise. Is that OK?

So, what's been happening? I went to the Windsor Firestation Bookswap to talk about My So-Called Afterlife and had cake. I spent ninety minutes on the slightly saggy couch with the lovely Peter Cocks, who is one half of the writing duo behind the Triskellion books. Peter was charming and erudite and his books sound awesome. I laughed rather too loudly and managed to offend the assembled parents with a flippant commet about motorway speed limits. There's a podcast here if you fancy a listen and I thoroughly recommend you pop along to the adult bookswap if you get a chance - it's a great event.

Very excitingly, Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation is out in just a few weeks - can you believe it? Soon, Harriet Houdini may be in a garden near you, back-flipping for all she's worth and eating your rosebushes. I'll have some rather fabulous Bunny Trumps up on my website in the next week, along with colouring pages (for younger and older readers alike) so watch this space for details. You can become a fan of Harriet over on Facebook and pre-order over on Amazon.

And lastly, the synopsis for teen book #3 is with my publisher. Initial noises are very encoraging and if I get the go ahead, the third Afterlife book will be out next year. I'll keep you posted :)

Sunday 18th April 2010 - Lucy in Sugar Magazine!

2010-04-18T08:55:00.003+01:00

A flying visit to say that Lucy and My So-Called Afterlife are featured in Sugar Magazine, along with a chance to win two tickets to the sold out Muse gig at Wembley Stadium in September and a signed copy of the book. If you're a Muse fan, or know someone who is, pop over and enter (you need to register first) - the password is 'newborn'.

Good luck!

Thursday 15th April 2010 - The Queen of Teen

2010-04-15T18:11:00.004+01:00

Nominations are open for the title of Queen of Teen 2010 and I'm hoping for a few nominations. The award was set up in 2008 to celebrate YA authors who bring a sparkle to their readers lives - making them laugh, cry and generally happy to be alive. Previous holders of the twinkly tiara include Louise Rennison and it's a very coveted prize, not least because shortlisted authors get to ride in pink stretch limos!

You can find out more about the award here and the great thing is you can nominate more than one author up until the closing date of 14th June. The snag is that you have to be between the ages of 10 and 18. If you know of any teen girls who have read and enjoyed My So-Called Afterlife, encourage them to have a look on the nomination page. Because I'd really like a go in a pink stretch limo.

Friday 9th April 2010 - Firestation Junior Bookswap

2010-04-09T10:45:00.003+01:00

On Sunday 18th April, I'll be at taking part in the Firestation Junior Bookswap with the amazing Scott Pack and Peter Cocks (one of the authors behind the Triskellion trilogy). Basically, it starts at 2pm and the audience will get to ask Peter and me anything they want to. We then have to answer without using any swear words at all (although I think poo might be OK) and eat some cake.

The event is completely free and you can find out more here. Do come along if you can and bring a child (aged 9 and up is better, I'm told). I am very excited about the whole thing (especially the cake) and hope to see you there! I even have an idea which book I'm going to be swapping - it's a real doozy...

Wednesday 31st March 2010 - Ahem!

2010-03-31T21:21:00.007+01:00

I promised to not neglect you, didn't I? I said I'd give you photos of the My So-Called Afterlife launch party, too. I tantalised you with mention of 'other stuff'. I have failed at all these things. I am a Bad Blogger.

Some of it, at least, isn't my fault. I've been a little bit let down by the person who took the photos at the launch party - not intentionally but he's been very busy and hasn't managed to sort the pictures out yet. So in the meantime, here's a picture from the "Not As Pink As You Think" event with Piccadilly and the Youth Librarian's Group.

That's me at the back left, next to fellow author Tom Eglington, and then we have (from left to right in front of me) Ferelith Hordon (YLG committee), Karen Robinson (Past YLG Chair), Charlotte Arthur (Present YLG Chair), Jo De Guia (Victoria Park Books), Hilary Freeman (author) and Tracy (TM) Alexander (author).

Around the same time, I took part in the 'Make 'Em Laugh' event at Simon and Schuster, to introduce Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation. Sharing the limelight with me was Katie Davies and Jo Nesbo and it was most definitely a fun-filled evening. Jo is better known on his native Norway for crime novels but his book, Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder, is about as far away from death and murder as it's possible to get. I was really pleased I opted to read first as following Jo's farting exploits must have been a tough act for Katie :)

And speaking of Stunt Bunny, the final illustrations are in and Harriet is hopping her way to the printers. The book is even more amazing than I could have imagined and I cannot wait to have the finished copies in my hands.

So what are you up to for Easter? My plans mostly include eating chocolate. Well, it would be rude not, really. I've put some links on the right hand side of the blog to a few of the awesome reviews My So-Called Afterlife has picked up - pop over and have a read if you get a chance. Happy Easter - hope that bunny is good to you!

Saturday 13th March - Four is the Magic Number

2010-03-13T14:14:00.006Z

Wow, I've been a bad blogger. In my defence, I have been a little bit busy but there's really no excuse for neglecting you and I'm sorry.

We have a lot of catching up to do; there's been the launch of My So-Called Afterlife, the Simon & Schuster 'Make 'Em Laugh' event, the Piccadilly 'Not As Pink As You Think' evening and all kinds of other events (in which I met lovely and famous people like a real author does). But all of that will have to wait until my next post because first I have some fab news to share.

You remember I hinted at some writing-related news a while ago? Well, I can now reveal that I've got a new publishing deal and it's for the picture book I wrote last October. There was much interest in it - two mighty publishers offered on it and I had to choose which one to go with. It was an agonising decision but I'm happy I made the right choice. And I'm not telling you who it is yet because there will be a press release at some point.

Today is a momentous day for other reasons, too. This time one year ago, I'd been to visit Piccadilly Press to talk about My So-Called Afterlife for the first time. By the end of the day, it was sinking in that I really was going to be a published writer. Twelve months on, I have four UK publishing deals, for seven books and My So-Called Afterlife is being translated into German and Dutch.

So here are my four tips for success in your writing:

1) Get Busy With The Beeswax: I know you want to get your work out there but take the time to polish and make it the very best writing that it can be. Agents and editors may suggest ways to improve it but not if they don't see the promise to start with.

2) Be Patient: Once you've submitted your MS, start on something else to take your mind off the agonising wait. It will probably feel like you've grown old in the time it takes for an agent or editor to respond but nagging them won't do you any favours.

3) Accept Amendments Graciously: Once you've hooked an agent or editor, they will probably want you to change things. It will feel like they are criticising your very soul but under no circumstances can you tell them this. Grit your teeth, thank them and in all but the most extreme circumstances, see if you can accommodate the changes. They are trying to make your book better. Sometimes they are even right.

4) Don't Give Up the Day Job: Unless you're a celebrity, your first book deal probably hasn't bagged you a million pound deal so don't expect to be sipping Bolly on a yacht by the end of the week. It's been said before but if you're in writing for the money you're going to be very disappointed indeed. I have four publishing deals and I am still nowhere near being able to give up work. So please take pity on me and buy my book, if you haven't already. Thanks.

I promise it won't be so long before the next post. There will be pictures of my MSCA launch and other stuff. Stay tuned...

Tuesday 23rd February 2010 - Make 'Em Laugh

2010-02-23T21:48:00.002Z

I'm doing my very first author event next Tuesday and I don't mind telling you I'm a little bit overawed. I'll be rubbing shoulders with the very funny Katie Davies and Jo Nesbo at Simon and Schuster's Make 'Em Laugh event. We'll be discussing the importance of humour in fiction.

I've had a few more fab reviews for My So-Called Afterlife and thankfully all of them agree that it's a funny book. Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation is also meant to make the giggles flow. But I'm still a bit worried so if anyone has any jokes, I'd be happy to hear them. Just keep them clean ;)

Friday 19th February 2010 - My So-Called Afterlife Reviews

2010-02-19T18:41:00.006Z

It's a funny old thing, an official publication date. My So-Called Afterlife isn't officially on sale until 25th February - next week! - but you can get it from Amazon and a lot of independent bookshops now. So considering it isn't out yet, I'm delighted by the number of ace reviews I've found this week. Here are just a few of them:

Chicklish

The Mile Long Bookshelf. Amber is also giving away a signed copy of the book!

The Bookzone for Boys

And there are lots of lovely comments on the MSCA Facebook page - pop over to have a look.

Unsurprisingly, I haven't done much other than get ready for my launch next week. Pictures will follow!

Thursday 18th February 2010 - Free Zac Ephron!

2010-02-18T11:00:00.003Z

No, he hasn't been arrested (you see what I did there? Comedy genius!). I have one copy of 17 Again, starring Zac Ephron and Matthew Perry, up for grabs. If you'd like to win, all you need to do is become a fan of My So-Called Afterlife on Facebook and leave a comment on the giveaway thread. I'll choose a winner at random around 6pm on Sunday 21st February and post their name on the page.

If Zac isn't your cup of tea but you know a teen who'd like a piece of him then feel free to send them over. The more the merrier!

Saturday 13th February 2010 - Can't Stop!

2010-02-13T20:32:00.002Z

Am busy editing Stunt Bunny 2 and working on promo for My So-Called Afterlife. Also, the exciting thing I mentioned has been resolved so I'm hoping to go public with that next week (I know, I said that last week). Anyway, in the meantime, here's a review of MSCA by the fabulous L-Plate Author. Enjoy!

Saturday 6th February 2010 - SQUEAK!

2010-02-06T18:36:00.004Z

I had an amazing day yesterday. My So-Called Afterlife started being dispatched by Amazon early so I got lots of lovely messages from people telling me they had got their copy. Then I got more messages from others saying they had ordered it. As you'll imagine, I was mega-excited!

I got my first ever reader review too, from a fab fifteen year old called Gemma. You can read what she had to say here but I am chuffed to bits with it.

Stunt Bunny: Tours Troubles and My So-Called Haunting are both with their respective publishers. Cross your fingers they are both OK! And by the end of Monday I might be able to share some exciting news with you. Maybe...;-)

PS Pop over to my website to have a look at the new character biographies for My So-Called Afterlife - they're awesome!

Wednesday 3rd February 2010 - Awards R Us

2010-02-03T19:23:00.006Z

I'm dipping my toe into the waters of blogging after a frenzied start to the year and what nicer way to do it than with a couple of awards? So here's the first, from the most excellent Carol - the Circle of Friends Award. The rules are that I have to write five things that I like doing and then pass this award on to ten friends....

1) Singing. Even though I've hung up my performing arts boots for a while, I still enjoy having a good sing, as my poor family can testify. Even when I'm in a filthy mood, singing can help me feel better.

2) Walking the dog. I'm whispering this one as I don't want my husband to know but I like taking our puppy out and about. She's a joy to walk (except for the poo bit, obviously) and it helps me to work through plot niggles.

3) Spending time with friends. I have a tendency to be a bit anti-social, especially when I'm writing and just want to get on but once I'm dragged out to see friends I have a great time.

4) Being with the bunnies. I have four rabbits and two of them are directly responsible for the Stunt Bunny books. They're all lovely, though, and such fun.

5) Talking to TD. The best bit about being a parent is when your child catches you completely by surprise with their take on something. TD is now at an age where she's got a cracking sense of humour but also empathy and a caring nature. She's also super-smart. I'm very proud to be her mum.

This award is meant to be passed onto ten other bloggers but we're all busy (and I'm lazy) so I nominate anyone who'd like to do it.

The other award is from Cat Clarke and is the One Lovely Blog Award. Cat's blog is very lovely indeed and her debut novel is going to be published by Quercus soon (but maddeningly, she doesn't say when - I bow to her suspense building skillz). Anyway, I have to nominate some other blogs but - well - see above, really :-)

PS Did you notice it's February already? I'm sure there was something exciting happening this month but I can't think what it was...any ideas?

PPS I also have some very exciting news pending - watch this space!

Sunday 24th January 2010 - We Interrupt Your Normal Service

2010-01-24T22:31:00.002Z

Sorry for the lack of posts here. I'm busy putting the final touches to My So-Called Haunting. And then I really ought to do my tax return. Normal service will resume soon!

Monday 11th January 2010 - 44 Days and Counting

2010-01-11T20:09:00.002Z

It's 44 days until My So-Called Afterlife hits the shops but if you really can't wait, I've put a sample chapter online here. Hope you enjoy it!

Sunday 10th January 2010 - Reality Bites

2010-01-10T22:06:00.005Z

This week has been a blur of Stunt Bunny-ness but I was delighted to see that My So-Called Afterlife was the Waiting on Wednesday pick on the Wondrous Reads Blog. You can read what Jenny has to say here - there are some lovely comments :-)

I'm aiming to get the second Stunt Bunny #2 first draft done by Friday. You didn't see me here. In fact, if you catch me on Facebook or Twitter, you have absolute licence to smack my wrists. No, really. You do.

Monday 4th January 2010 - Back To Work Blues

2010-01-04T20:11:00.002Z

Like a significant chunk of the rest of the world, I went back to work today. As I opened one sleepy eye at what felt like the middle of the night, I hoped for snow drifts the size of hedges so that I could legitimately take the day off but no such luck.

So I got up, dressed warmly (because our offices are colder than a polar bear's paws after the holidays) and took myself off to work. And it wasn't as bad as I thought. Because part way through the day it hit me; in a few weeks, I will hold the first copy of My So-Called Afterlife in my hands. A few weeks later, other people will hold it in their hands and will read it. They will have opinions - some may even like it. And as if that wasn't enough, a couple of months after that, I'll be doing it all again with Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation.

After realising all that, it felt a bit churlish to feel grumpy about the job which gives me the financial freedom to write and I hastily tacked on a new New Year's resolution; to try and be more cheerful at work. What are your resolutions?

Friday 1st January 2010 - Lucy's New Year Resolutions

2010-01-01T08:00:00.001Z

Hello? Can anyone hear me? I'm not wasting my time sharing my New Year's resolutions if no-one's actually listening. He-llooooo?

Oh, so you can hear me. Let me tell you, you're in the minority. When you've spent as much time as I have being ignored by practically everyone you meet, it gets pretty boring and you learn to appreciate the people who bother to pay attention to you.

So I should probably introduce myself. My name is Lucy Shaw and I'm not your average fifteen year old. I'm dead. Not dead bored (although it's been known) or dead cool (definitely not that one, sadly) but actually cold-as-the-grave dead. In fact, New Year's Eve is the anniversary of my murder, in the toilets on London's Carnaby Street. But before you go feeling sorry for me, let me tell you things aren't as bad as they might be. OK, I'm trapped in the loo (the men's loo to be precise, which is every bit as gross as you'd imagine) and I've totally lost the plot where Eastenders in concerned but I am blissfully coupled up with the Most Snogtastic Boy on the planet. Luckily for me, he's also dead. And my friend Jeremy is does his best to help, too. Well, I say friend but, you know, he's more of an acquaintance, what with him being ancient and galactically uncool. But, yeah. He tries.

Anyway, I'm supposed to be making a few New Year resolutions, so here they are.

1) I will not obsess over how I look (not much point since I'm kind of stuck with this outfit and there are no GHDs in the afterlife - thank Crunchie I was looking my best when I died)

2) I will remember to back away when people are using the urinals - an eyeful and a shoeful are equally revolting

3) I will try to find the man who killed me (not my idea, this one but Jeremy will sulk if I don't put it down)

4) I will not let my best friend, Hep, bully the hoodies at the local park (Seriously, she has major anger management issues, even for a poltergeist)

5) I will find my happy-ever-afterlife with Ryan. No matter what it takes.

So these are my goals for 2010. You can find our more about me in My So-Called Afterlife (out Feb 2010) but if you're ever in the men's toilets on Carnaby Street make sure you say hello. You never know, I might just say hello back :-)

Thursday 31st December 2009 - 'Twas The Night Before New Year...

2009-12-31T18:25:00.002Z

...and I'm staying in. There are lots of lovely nibbly bits in the kitchen, champagne in the fridge and probably nothing on the TV but that's OK :-)

Tomorrow this blog is being taken over by the heroine of My So-Called Afterlife, Lucy, but for tonight I wish you the happiest of New Year's. May your party poppers explode with fun!

Thursday 24th December - 'Twas The Night Before Christmas...

2009-12-24T14:12:00.002Z

...and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring,
apart from the cat, the puppy, the four bunnies and a hamster called Boris. Oh, and me, trying to get everything done.

Christmas Eve has arrived and caught me completely unawares, as usual. I'm sat amid a jumble of wrapping paper, tags and sellotape, wondering why I've left it all the last minute again. Next year, I'm going to be better organised and get it all done on October. Seriously, I am.

So, I should probably get on but before I go and make the Christmas cake (see? I told you I was disorganised) I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you have a fabulous day and get everything your heart desires. See you on the other side!

Tuesday 15th December 2009 - An Exciting Week

2009-12-15T11:13:00.002Z

OK, I know it's only Tuesday but I have to get my kicks where I can. Two fab things have happened so far. Yesterday, I got the layouts through for Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation, complete with suggestions for what the illustrator should draw where. I can't tell you how exciting it was to see how the story will come to life through the pictures and I really cannot wait to see the finished drawings early next year.

Then today, I got the suggested cover for the second teen novel, which I can officially announce will be called My So-Called Haunting. I'm hoping I'll be able to show you the cover soon but it's still early days so you'll have to hang on. Needless to say, I'm relieved to actually have a finished book to go with it, even if I'm not 100% happy with it yet.

I'm also pleased to report that the Christmas shopping has started. I'm going for a mixed economy of online Vs traditional buying this year. Hopefully this will prevent me from the usual 'one-for-them, one-for-me' mentality!

Sunday 13th December 2009 - The End

2009-12-13T13:13:00.002Z

A moment arrived today that I thought at one time might never come. I typed the words 'The End' on my second teen novel. And heaved a huge sigh of relief.

It's been nothing like My So-Called Afterlife. When I wrote that, the characters presented themselves fully formed and the plot just materialised out of nowhere. With the follow up (now officially titled My So-Called Haunting), very little was easy. I didn't know Skye, my MC, as well as I'd known Lucy and the story took quite a lot of teasing out. Real life kept getting in way,too, and I had to scratch out words in scrappy fashion. But I persevered and got the first draft done.

It needs a lot of work, of course, but at least I have some raw material to work with. So I think that's my Christmas pretty much covered. I'm not complaining, mind you. It could be so much worse :-)

In other news, I'm disappointed to say I didn't get the role of Eliza Doolittle. But when I stopped to think about it, I was actually quite relieved. When I think of all the rehearsals I'd have to attend and the lines I'd have to learn, alongside producing two books and promoting another two, I think I'd have been heading for a nervous breakdown by the end of April. So it's all worked out for the best.

And now I suppose I ought to think about Christmas shopping. The good thing about having left it so late is that the shops are going to be pretty empty now, right? Right??

Saturday 5th December 2009 - Heaven Can Wait

2009-12-05T09:50:00.005Z

Today is a very special day. Cally Taylor is having the launch party for her debut novel, Heaven Can Wait, and I am going. There will be lots of blog friends there and I am looking forward to it very much. To celebrate the 'official' launch of the book, I thought I'd post a review.

Meet Lucy Brown. She's an everyday kind of girl, who worries about exactly the same things the rest of the female population does; how to get through her mammoth to-do list the day before her wedding, whether her fiance Dan is taking the preparations seriously and whether her wee should be frothier than lemonade cappucino in the toilet bowl? But all of this pales into insignificance when a freak accident ensures Dan is never going to see her walk down the aisle.

Death isn't exactly what she expects. She didn't know there'd be quite so much paperwork, for one thing. But when she is offered a way to be with Dan again, she doesn't think twice and before she knows it, she's living in a grotty little house in North London, with trainspotter Brian and an Emo called Claire who makes black widow spiders look friendly. It is the House of Wannabe Ghosts and each of them has to complete a task in order to become a ghost and remain on earth. All Lucy has to do is find love for someone she's never met within twenty-one days; how hard could it be?

When Lucy meets the person she's finding love for, the enormity of her task becomes apparent. Just how is she supposed to find a soul mate for the kind of geek whose idea of grooming is to scrape the jam stain off his t-shirt? And what if Dan meets someone else before she can do it?

Heaven Can Wait is a fabulous read, the kind which made my husband groan in annoyance when I refused to put it down and go to sleep. I'm very much looking forward to getting Cally to sign my copy and will be buying several copies for Christmas presents this year. And the best news is that Cally has another book coming out next year. I can't wait wait to get my signed copy of that one too.

PS Cally is running a fantastic short story competition over on her website. The winner will receive a money-can't-buy one to one consultation with the Darley Anderson Literary Agency, £100 and all sorts of other goodies. Pop over here for more details.

Tuesday 1st December 2009 - Goodbye From Our Newsletter...

2009-12-01T09:26:00.002Z

I don't know about you but I've seen an increase in the amount of spammy emails dropping into my inbox trying to sell me things I don't especially want. In an effort to see the wood for the trees, I started to click on the unsubscribe buttons and this morning I received a response which made me shout with laughter. It went like this:

Goodbye from our Newsletter, sorry to see you go.

You have been unsubscribed from our newsletters.

This is the last email you will receive from us. We have added you to our
"blacklist", which means that our newsletter system will refuse to send
you any other email, without manual intervention by our administrator.

If there is an error in this information, you can re-subscribe:
please go to blahblahblah.com and follow
the steps.

Thank you

Is it me or is there more than a hint of emotional blackmail about this email? I can practically hear the heartfelt sobs. I mean, I have more than enough guilt about my relationships with *actual* people, I don't need more heaped upon me for unsubscribing from a newsletter. And added to a blacklist? Surely this terminology is a bit heavyhanded?

I thought about writing back: "It's not you, it's me. We just have different needs." etc but I couldn't be bothered. I reckon I'm just going to put it behind me and enjoy my blissfully spam-free inbox. At least I can be sure this is one ex I won't be bumping into down the pub :-)

Tuesday 24th November 2009 - And...relax...

2009-11-24T22:40:00.002Z

Thanks so much for all the good wishes last week. The show's over now and we had some fabulous feedback from the audiences, which meant we sold a lot of tickets after news of the opening night spread. But as I mentioned in my last post, there's no time to catch my breath as workshops for the My Fair Lady auditions started today. Auditions next week, my least favourite part of a production.

Anyway, I had some very positive feedback on the rhyming picture book I wrote last month and I'm rewriting it according to the editor's suggestions. It's a very big publisher so I'm hoping I can weave some magic and persuade her to take it to acquisitions. And I'm off on my own to a friend's flat in Edinburgh this weekend - no family, no internet, no distractions; just lots and lots of words. I have to get the first draft of teen novel #2 down before the end of December or I haven't a hope of licking it into shape for the deadline at the end of January. And once that's done, I need to finish off the next Stunt Bunny book.

But before all that, I have a screen test tomorrow for the Nintendo Wii adverts you might have seen on t' telly. If I do well on the test, I might be hula hooping on the Wii Fit for the nation's entertainment. I'm not 100% sure how I feel about that, to be honest. Maybe it would be better if I didn't do so well...

Tuesday 17th November - Break a Leg!

2009-11-17T09:09:00.004Z

Apologies for the lack of blog posts - as you may guess from the title of this post and the rather lovely poster, it's show week so I've been rather caught up with preparations for that.

Loughton Operatic Society's production of Bow Bells to Broadway (d'you like the title? I came up with that...) will be running over five performances and encompasses a mixture of songs from London based musicals (Oliver! Half a Sixpence, Jack the Ripper, Matchgirls, Liza of Lambeth) to Broadway blockbusters (Sweet Charity, Mack & Mabel, 42nd Street, Chicago) . My favourite number is What a Life! from Jack the Ripper, where I play a Victorian lady of negotiable affections. I'm slightly worried by how much I enjoy the costume and the role...

Our next production will be My Fair Lady, in April 2010, and the audition process starts almost immediately after the close of this show. Since I'll be auditioning to play my dream role of Eliza Doolittle, there'll be no rest for me. I'll report back on how I get on in a couple of weeks.

Needless to say, there's been little writing progress, although I have crawled to 50% on teen novel #2. Deadline? What deadline?

Friday 6th November 2009 - Stunt Bunny Uncovered!

2009-11-06T14:24:00.002Z

I was going to wait until this went up on my website but I can't resist sharing it with you now. This is the fabulous cover for Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation, which is published by Simon and Schuster in May 2010. The illustrations are by the super talented Lee Wildish. Don't you just love it?

Thursday 5th November 2009 - Remember, Remember...

2009-11-05T14:55:00.004Z

Time flies, doesn’t it? This time last week I was writing about our trip to Alton Towers and suddenly it’s seven days later and dressing up as a zombie is a happy but distant memory. Some of you insisted on a photo so being an obliging type, I’ve posted one below. Please note, I take no responsibility for any damage to your eyesight or computer resulting from this image.

The weekend itself was fab. Highlights included The Boiler House maze (in which you are chased around a prefab building being by people pretending to be serial killers) and the challenge of being catapulted through the air at 100kph in fancy dress. I know the saying goes that hell is other people but at Halloween, fellow thrill seekers are what make the theme park so much fun. We saw Batman, Freddie Krueger, Superman and The Joker queuing for one ride together and Scooby Doo sneaking a crafty cigarette around the back of the Runaway Mine Train. Can’t wait for next year J

In other news, rehearsals for the am-dram show I’m in are hotting up. This week is fairly relaxed but next week is looking extremely manic. At the same time, I’m trying to finish the first draft of teen novel #2 and the eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that the progress bar for SSADH is creeping up. It’s going to need a big edit when I’ve finished but at least I’m getting it down on paper.

But this weekend is all about the whizzbangs. I do love a good firework display and this year I’ll be watching one local display on Friday night and another at Leeds Castle on Sunday. Chuck in the tour of the Olympic Park we’re lucky enough to be taking on Saturday morning and it’s looking like a busy weekend. I think I need a ghostwriter…

Thursday 29th October 2009 - Off for a Spooky Time

2009-10-29T18:33:00.003Z

I'm signing off for a few days as it's time for our annual trip to Scarefest at Alton Towers. The hotel is booked, our tickets are pre-ordered and the costumes are packed. We will be dressed as funky fairies (and before anyone thinks this is isn't scary, you need to see me in a dark wig - you will be very afraid) and fully intend to scream ourselves hoarse. TD is very excited as the soundtrack to New Moon is being exclusively played around the park. Oh, and I'll be wearing my "Who Killed Lucy Shaw?" jumper to promote My So-Called Afterlife so Lucy will be with us in spirit.

So how do you feel about Halloween? Are you a Night of the Dead junkie or do you hate this time of year?

Saturday 24th October 2009 - A Jaunt Down Memory Lane

2009-10-24T13:13:00.005+01:00

I amused myself with a trip down Memory Lane today. Rustling away in the recesses of my brain recently has been the knowledge that it's a year since I bagged me an agent, so I took a look at my blog posts from this time last year. And I was right; it is a year and a few days since I signed on the dotted line and joined the Big Cheese Agency.

It was fun, looking back at all my breathless posts about V Exciting News (see? I haven't changed a bit) but more than anything it's made me appreciate how far I've come. This time last year, My So-Called Afterlife was only just going out to publishers and Stunt Bunny was still tucked away in her hutch. I moaned about the day job every bit as much as I do now (although I'm trying to be more positive about that - ahem).

So my challenge to you is to look back at your own lives to see where your journey has taken you. Maybe you blog (very easy to reflect if you do), maybe you keep a diary (also handy) or perhaps you'll be relying on memory alone. The time scale doesn't have to be a year. Not everything will be good but I'm willing to bet you've grown and moved forwards. How far have you come?

Wednesday 21st October 2009 - On Writing With A Puppy On My Lap

2009-10-21T19:12:00.002+01:00

Just as I was about to start this blog post, Lillie got bored of waiting for me to play with her and decided to climb on my lap. The post is going to much shorter as a result.

So what's been happening this week? Well, no sooner had I finished my proof edits for My So-Called Afterlife than the copy edits for Stunt Bunny arrived. Thankfully, they were light so I'm done with edits for the time being and can concentrate on writing teen book #2. Apart from that, I have been mostly reading the wonderful Heaven Can Wait by Cally Taylor. There'll be a review to follow soon but in the meantime I really can't recommend it enough. If you haven't bought yet it then you don't know what you're missing.

There's also Cally's short story comp, which I'll be helping to shortlist (see my previous blog post for details). I know Cally is hoping for lots of fabulous entries so get writing!

Lillie is now trying to eat the laptop so I guess that's it for now! Anyone fancy puppy-sitting?

Thursday 15th October 2009 - A Heavenly Short Story Comp

2009-10-15T16:42:00.006+01:00

When I started writing, I happened upon the inspirational blog of one Cally Taylor. Recognising a good thing when I saw it, I popped back there frequently and in the process got to know Cally. At the time, she was writing her first book and I've followed her as she first found an agent and then a publisher. That book is being published today (you can buy it here) and I am super proud to be able to call Cally a friend.

To celebrate the publication of Heaven Can Wait and to give something back to all those wannabe writers out there, Cally is running a short story competition. Pop over to her website for full details and how to enter. Good luck!

Monday 12th October 2009 - Dead Men Do Tell Tales

2009-10-12T20:45:00.003+01:00

Part of teen book #2 is set in Highgate Cemetery so, on Saturday, I took a guided tour. Rather than head to the eastern cemetery, where Karl Marx is buried, I opted for the western side, which is only accessible by tour. The cemetery is an atmospheric, magical place in the daylight but I can imagine it would be seriously creepy at night. The tour itself was informative but I was a little taken aback that I wasn't allowed to take notes. The guide wasn't able to give me any concrete reasons why not but got quite upset so I gave in gracefully and put my notebook away.

I still enjoyed the tour because I wasn't really there for hard facts, more for the sights, sounds and smells and it was useful in that respect and our guide did have some fascinating tales. At £7.00 it wasn't cheap but I don't mind contributing to the upkeep of such a wonderful hidden treasure. I can't wait to write the scene set there. It's going to be fab :-)

As well as being Frankfurt Book Week, this week sees the launch of Cally Taylor's book, Heaven Can Wait. I don't know about heaven but I certainly can't wait for my copy to arrive and am looking forward to reviewing it here as soon as I can.

And...and...my agent is sending the picture book I wrote last week out to publishers tomorrow. I am very excited to have something new to fret over and hope it finds a home really quickly.

Lastly, spare a thought for Lucy (from MSCA) and Harriet (Stunt Bunny). They're at large in Frankfurt right now. Goodness only knows what they're getting up to without me...

Friday 9th October 2009 - A Week In Which I Wrote A Book In A Day

2009-10-09T18:53:00.003+01:00

Up until Thursday this week was quiet. I didn't get any short story acceptances but I didn't get any rejections either. There was no sign of the Very Exciting News that dare not speak its name. Then I woke up on Thursday and a picture book title I'd been batting around for a few weeks crystalised in my brain. I got up to write it down and before I knew it, I had pretty much the whole book. By the end of the day, I'd emailed the finished MS to my agent, who loved it. There's a little more work to be done but it should be going out to publishers next week and I am very pleased with it. I think that's the best part of being a writer, when you get something just right and both your heart and your head sigh, "Yes."

Was that all that happened? I hear you ask. It wasn't. The proof edits of My So-Called Afterlife arrived and I loved seeing it laid out all book-like. Piccadilly emailed to say it was available for pre-order on Amazon (and Waterstones and WH Smiths), which was massively exciting. And I came up with a new title for teen book #2, as the first one wasn't quite right, which was agreed by Piccadilly. Lastly, I saw the revised cover for MSCA, which is pretty much perfect now.

So, this weekend I am mostly going through the proof edits, with a few hundred words of teen book #2 thrown in. I'm hoping to tour Highgate Cemetery tomorrow, weather permitting, as research. Wish me luck!

Tuesday 6th October 2009 - Something for the Cat Owners

2009-10-06T11:39:00.003+01:00

Nothing much happening so far this week so here's something for the cat owners. I particularly like the sundry toys scattered around the floor and the scratched up bedposts. This is pretty much what my house looks like, plus assorted dog toys.

Enjoy :-)

Friday 2nd October 2009 - Cervical Cancer Vaccination

2009-10-02T11:51:00.005+01:00

Earlier this week TD brought a letter home from school about the vaccination for cervical cancer.
She wasn’t massively enthusiastic about having needles poked into her but recognised that it was A Good Thing.

The very next morning, the news broke about the tragic death of a teenage girl who had just had the cervical cancer vaccine. The media leapt on the story, spreading panic about something which will save countless lives in the future. TD’s reaction was that she wouldn’t hand in the paperwork for her own injection until the cause of death was determined. This morning we learned that there were underlying reasons for the death of the girl, which doesn’t make it any more heartbreaking but at least exonerates this very important vaccination.

I’m lucky; my teen didn’t panic. But many did and so we need to reinforce the fact that the cervical cancer vaccine is vital to stamp out this killer disease. So please, if you’re a blogger, take the time to write a blog post about it and link to this NHS information page. We need to spread the word. Ignorance shouldn’t be responsible for needless deaths.

Wednesday 30th September 2009 - We Have A Winner!

2009-09-30T18:48:00.002+01:00

I interrupted TD's bath to make her pick a name from the hat and...congrats to JJ, who has won my spare copy of Pamela Cleaver's book! Use it well :-)

It's been a quiet week so far but a busy one. I've made a start on the new teen book and have had some very exciting ideas on where it's going. It's taken longer than with My So-Called Afterlife but I am starting to fall in love with my characters. I think the hero in particular is going to be fab so I'm looking forward to getting to his scenes. Unfortunately, this weekend is looking busy with a quiz night on Friday and a hen night on Saturday (which involves a cocktail making class and much swanning around town in a limo - it's a tough job etc). Sunday is going to be a dedicated writing day, though.

Oh and I'm now on the Waterstone's website, if anyone has a burning desire to pre-order Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation...

Sunday 27th September 2009 - Book Giveaway

2009-09-27T09:44:00.005+01:00

Whilst browsing my bookshelves, I noticed I have two copies of Writing a Children's Book: How to Write for Children and Get Published by the excellent Pamela Cleaver. I can thoroughly recommend this book for good, down-to-earth advice on getting to grips with the children's market and I thought I'd put the brand new spare copy up for grabs.

Just leave a 'Pick Me!' comment and I'll pull a name out of the hat on Wednesday. Good luck!

Friday 25th September 2009 - Th-Th-Th-Th-That's All, Folks!

2009-09-25T14:01:00.007+01:00

No, I'm not going anywhere. It's my clumsy way of making light of something a bit unpleasant; I've had Swine Flu this week.

Erm...anyone still there?

Oh, good! So, I've tried not to make a big deal of it (although Twitter-mates may disagree) and I hope I'm over the worst of it now but it's made things pretty quiet for me. On the plus side, I've re-acquainted myself with my favourite TV shows (Gilmore Girls, Friends, CSI, Stargate etc) and know exactly what to do with my unwanted gold.

I haven't been up to writing, which is a bit of a blow since I only have around twelve weeks to write the new book (as well as the next Stunt Bunny book). But I was cheered immensely by the following review of My So-Called Afterlife in The Bookseller's 'Ones To Watch' section:

"My last choice is a debut novel and a very strange one at that: it's about ghosts and the afterlife..... Murray is someone to watch, her novel drives along with great gusto, there's plenty of fun to balance the dark side of murder and loss, it's a boy-meets-girl but so refreshingly different."

The reviewer was Sue Baker and I think she might just be my new BFF. As long as she doesn't mind my slightly grubby dressing gown and Betty Boop slippers.

Have a great weekend and be sure to use the hand sanitiser on your way out :-)

Wednesday 23rd September 2009 - Let's Be Careful Out There

2009-09-23T07:40:00.004+01:00

I had trouble sleeping last night and got to thinking about the way that modern authors are using technology to build a greater audience. Now, more than ever, we have the opportunity to reach more people faster and tools like Twitter and Facebook are great for doing just that. But I wonder how many us think seriously about everything we write online. In cyberspace, there's no such thing as a delete button; the moment you put something out there it's out there forever for anyone to find. The bots are everywhere, taking snapshots of everything.

Take the case of Alice Hoffman, the author who took a shot at a critic using her Twitter account. Once she'd vented her feelings on the internet there was no going back, and not even the deletion of her account removed the evidence. Facebook works in the same way, although there's a bit more in the way of privacy, in that even if you delete your account, things you said can still remain. And there are countless stories like this one where someone has moaned about their job, only to have their boss read it...

I'm not ashamed to say I Google myself regularly at the moment - I want to know how well news of my book is spreading. There are 30,000 hits for my name, and although I can't take credit for them all, many of them are mine. One thing I've noticed is how often my Twitter account appears on Google, with snippets of tweets all over the place. It's made me a little more careful about what I write, because I am a childrens' author and if I can find these pages, so can my readers.

I'm a big fan of the opportunities building an online platform offers. But let's be careful out there. Because you never know who's looking over your shoulder.

Sunday 20th September 2009 - My So-Called Afterlife Soundtrack

2009-09-20T15:28:00.005+01:00

I know a few other writers have done this and not being one to let the bandwagon pass me by, I thought I'd have a go. So, for your listening pleasure, here's Lucy's soundtrack.

1) Great DJ - The Ting Tings
I can hear this playing over the opening of the MSCA film :-)

2) Blame It On The Boogie - The Jackson Five
Lucy loves Michael Jackson (and loved him before he died; that's one bandwagon I'm not getting on) and I could have chosen any number of songs by them.

3) Oh My God - Lily Allen
The lyrics say it all - it's safe to say Lucy has never been so far away from everything she knows.

4) Unintended - Muse
Lucy is a massive Muse fan and this song is key to one of the best moments of the book (if I do say so myself).

5) All I Need - Air
I can hear this gorgeous melody during one of the most romantic parts of the story.

6) Rule The World - Take That
Not so much Lucy's choice as mine, for the end of the book.

If all this has sparked your interest in My So-Called Afterlife then go here to read a short synopsis. There are lots of others song I could have chosen but I think that'll do for now. What songs inspire your creativity?

Friday 18th September 2009 - If You're Looking For A Fun Night Out....

2009-09-18T16:52:00.003+01:00

Earlier this week, TD and I went to see Ed Byrne in his Different Class show at the Vaudeville Theatre in London and I can thoroughly recommend it. He starts off talking about his upbringing in Ireland, lances some festering resentments and finishes off with a dig at the three ring circus that is the modern day wedding. During the truly hilarious show, Ed lamented that it was quite hard to get bums on seats so I thought I’d help him out a little by telling you all to go and see him if you can. He’s added some extra dates to his West End Run, so that it’s now ending in October. Go here for more information and don’t forget to tell him I sent you.

Have a great weekend :-)

Wednesday 16th September 2009 - More Excitement :-)

2009-09-16T16:35:00.004+01:00

2009 has been a bit of a Pinch-Myself-In-Case-I'm-Dreaming kind of year so far and I often worry that I'm going to wake up and find none of it really happened. So I've got into the habit of checking on places like Amazon to check I really do have a book coming out next year. Today when I clicked on my name underneath the title of Stunt Bunny, it had a little surprise for me. Click here and you'll see what I mean :-)

I am hugely excited anyway. Two books on Amazon? Surely this means I can't be dreaming...if I am, I'm not sure I ever want to wake up.

As if that wasn't exciting enough, TD and I are going to see Ed Byrne's new show, Different Class, at the Vaudeville Theatre tonight. I'm looking forward to laughing my socks off.

Stop Press!

2009-09-14T11:17:00.003+01:00

We interrupt this blog to make the following announcement:

I delighted to say I am officially a Simon & Schuster author! See press release here: http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/23236

And as if that wasn't exciting enough, I'm also on Amazon! Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation (featuring the awesome Harriet Houdini) is available for pre-order here: http://tinyurl.com/r5fbja

Please don't tell Ronnie and Roxie (the gorgeous fluffy bunnies who inspired the books). They're quite conceited enough as it is :-)

Monday 14th September 2009 - Why The X Factor Teaches A Valuable Life Lesson

2009-09-14T10:38:00.004+01:00

So The X Factor is back on our screens and the early auditions have been full of promise. For every gem there’s been plenty of – erm - rough diamonds, shall we say, and these people make the show what it is just as much as the talented ones.

After Susan Boyle’s very public mental deterioration in Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year there was much talk of whether TV talent shows were fair to the contestants and no doubt X Factor will spark another debate about why some of the mind-bogglingly bad contestants are put through to the live auditions (because you can bet your boots this is not the first audition they’ve done for the show – before the live auditions, there will have been auditions in front of a producer, who then puts them through). People will question whether it’s fair to raise hopes and dreams and then dash them, sometimes cruelly.

I’d like to argue in defence of Simon Cowell. Although I can’t condone cruelty, I think X Factor has a valuable life lesson to teach to its contestants. In these days of positive thinking, when we are told to reach for our dreams and that anything is possible, it provides a sharp dose of reality. Because as unpopular as this truth is, actually, we cannot do anything. Some things require raw talent and without this, we will not achieve the thing we strive for. You would not expect someone who struggles with painting by numbers to one day produce a masterpiece. That said, there’s nothing wrong with trying to improve and that’s where X Factor comes in, because every single contestant will have worked on their audition piece, to make it better. For many the journey ends in a definite “No,” from the judges and this is the true lesson of the show: rejection is something you need to learn to accept.

Writers know this. From the start of our careers every single one of us has been rejected. We’ve all survived the experience and learned from it. It gets a bit easier to take each time and that knowledge spreads into other areas of our lives, so that we’re better able to cope with all kinds of things.

Writers don’t usually do X Factor auditions. But if we did, we’d be the ones taking the judges' comments on the chin and holding our heads high as we walked off stage.* Rejection is a fact of life everyone needs to deal with. Handle it the right way and it will make you practically Teflon-coated.

*And then we’d go home for a little cry and stick pins in a doll of Simon Cowell.

Wednesday 9th September 2009 - Some Good News

2009-09-09T21:05:00.002+01:00

Some of you may remember I had a meeting with my publisher Piccadilly Press last month to talk about a new teen book. I left the meeting with a firm idea of what they wanted me to write and spent a few weeks researching it and working on a synopsis. Today I had an email from my agent saying that they liked what I'd put forward and were happy to go ahead with it. It features some of the same characters as My So-Called Afterlife, along with some great new ones, and I'm very excited about it. If I can get it written by the end of the year then it will be published next September. 2010 is looking like being a very busy year :-)

So it's fizzy stuff all round in my house. Anyone care to join me in a Sherbet Dip-Dab?

Thursday 3rd September 2009 - Ten Books Which Have Influenced My Writing

2009-09-03T13:05:00.002+01:00

I don't know about you but I don't read much at all when I'm working on something. But I started musing today about books I've read in the past which have shaped the writer I am today. Here's ten I came up with off the top of my head, in no particular order:

1) Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) – Quite possibly my favourite book, Jane Austen’s sly observations of her time helped to instill an awareness of the often ridiculous behaviour of others. It was also a fabulous love story with great characters.

2) Good Omens (Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman) – I have read this so often I know chunks of it by heart and I own at least two copies of it. A humorous take on The Omen, Neil Gaiman was relatively unknown when it came out but pairing him with Terry Pratchett was an inspired match – the humour is glorious and the characters are stand-out.

3) Beauty (Robin McKinley) – This was my escape during my teenage years. I borrowed it from the library for months and months at a time. It is the retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story and is just gorgeous.

4) A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess) – This novel turned my stomach, to the point where I couldn’t bear to have it in the house. It told me how and what I didn’t want to write.

5) 4.50 From Paddington (Agatha Christie) – I think of this novel every time I travel on the Chingford to Liverpool St line because you can practically see into people’s houses. The plot idea was simple but brilliant and features my favourite detective, Miss Marple, who I’ve tried (unsuccessfully) to emulate in crime stories on a number of occasions.

6) I Capture the Castle (Dodie Smith) – This romantic coming of age story taught me that the setting of a novel is paramount. What's not to like about a very down to earth heroine who lives in a castle?

7) Diary of a Killer Cat (Anne Fine) – I bought this for my then five year old daughter and enjoyed it as much as she did. I learned that children’s books can be funny and that the humour can be quite sophisticated.

8) Wannabe A Writer? (Jane Wenham-Jones) – This is the book that made me knuckle down and start writing. It made me write the first short story I ever got published, and the first feature too. A great introduction to the confusing world of publishing.

9) Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (Louise Rennison) – The first book to make me cry with laughter, I was instantly transported back to own my not-so-distant teenage years, which was very handy when I was writing my teen novel. A handy reminder that although today’s teens are more sophisticated than I ever was, the situations they get into are pretty much the same.

10) The Bone Collector (Jeffrey Deaver) – Supremely memorable characters who I cared about even if I didn’t like them and the plot corkscrews more than the twistiest roller coaster. I’d love to be able to keep a reader on the edge of their seat; not a skill I’ve mastered yet but I’m still trying.

What books have influenced you?

Tuesday 1st September 2009 - I So Need a New Job

2009-09-01T15:35:00.004+01:00

This was one of the IT telephone support calls I did today:

Me: OK, I think we need to restart the PC. Can you press hold the off switch for me please?

Client: Right, I've done that, it's gone off.

Me: Great, can you switch it back on and log in please?

Client: Done.

Me: (Slight pause) That was quick. What log on did you use?

Client: I didn't need to log in. I just switched it back on and all the pictures came back.

Me: (Slightly longer pause whilst I count to ten through gritted my teeth) Well, that's the monitor restarted. Can we try switching off the actual PC now?

(Please, please please can I win the lottery?)

29th August 2009 - It's Oh So Quiet...

2009-08-29T10:00:00.003+01:00

I have mixed feelings about August. Schools are closed so the day job is significantly more relaxed, there's occasional good weather and the days are long. On the other hand, very little happens in the publishing world as people are on holiday. For those of us awaiting news (and let's face it, that's most writers) it's a tough time.

That said, I know of three writers who've had short stories accepted by Take A Break in the last week so there are signs that things are getting back to normal. I'm hoping September brings me good news on my picture book and on the Very Exciting Thing, which I've been rather quiet about of late (see above). And of course the press release will go out for Harriet Houdini - Stunt Bunny, so I can reveal who my publisher is.

On the subject of Harriet, I heard yesterday that my edits have been accepted. It's been a remarkably pain free process, aided by the fact that I have a great editor, and the MS will soon be off to the illustrator. I'll be able to tell you who that is soon, too. His work is utterly fabulous and I can't wait to spill the beans!

I met with Piccadilly Press last week, to discuss where we're going after My So-Called Afterlife comes out in February. It's early days yet but I'm hoping we'll be able to agree on an exciting new teen series and that's what I'm working on now.

For a supposedly quiet month it's all go, isn't it?

Wednesday 26th August 2009 - Travels With My Labrador Puppy

2009-08-26T11:15:00.004+01:00

I’ve never been on holiday with a dog before, probably because Lillie is the first one I’ve owned one since childhood. So it was a bit of a learning curve taking the puppy to the Isle of Wight with us last week. Apparently, you can’t take a dog onto Sandown beach between May and October. There’s a fine of up to £1000 if you do, which we might have found out about the hard way if a kindly canoe rental man hadn’t warned us. And a surprising number of people will cross the road to avoid a dog, even one a cute as Lillie. But I think what surprised us the most was the amount of fuss and attention she attracted. Because we couldn’t leave her alone in our accommodation, she came everywhere with us and made a lot of new friends as a result. On the whole, people responded well to her enthusiastic hello (her entire bottom wags when she’s happy) and I lost count of the number of times I recounted her name, age and breed. As TD pointed out, she was a great ice-breaker.

Lillie herself coped extra-specially well with the rigours of travel. Although it was clear she didn’t like being in the car or on the ferry, she put up with it stoically and with the minimum of upset tummyness. She even came on a boat ride around The Needles (see above) and played crazy golf with us without eating the ball (much). Overall, we were very glad we took her and would definitely take her again.

I didn’t get much writing done, in spite of the shiny netbook. Still, there’s a Bank Holiday weekend coming up, just the thing for getting to know my new toy, right? So you definitely won’t find me at the Notting Hill Carnival, sampling a rum-based cocktail or three…

Thursday 20th August 2009 - Catch You on the Flip Side!

2009-08-20T18:29:00.003+01:00

I am off for a few days to the lovely Isle of Wight and I'm going totally offline. No emails, no Facebook, no blog. I intend to be a Tweet free zone.

How long do you think I'll last??

Sunday 16th August 2009 - The One Where I Become A Novel Racer

2009-08-16T18:23:00.003+01:00

I've had a great week. Firstly, I went to a gig with a very lovely writer friend. In fact, I went to it twice. On Monday evening there was a power outage in King's Cross, which meant the gig was rescheduled for the Tuesday. So I got to see my friend twice and we had time for a fabulous writerly chat as a bonus.

By midweek, my web designer mate had finished working on the new website and I spent a few days tweaking that. I think it's increasingly important for writers to have a presence online so I was delighted to get mine up and running. You can find it here if you want to go and have a look. It's not finished but I'm very happy with it so far.

And then on Friday, an extra day off, I got an exciting email telling me I was invited to join the Novel Racers group. For anyone who doesn't know about the Novel Racers, they are an online group of writers supporting each other towards completion of a novel (and in a thousand other ways too). I've been waiting a little while to join and I'm delighted to be a member. I'm hoping they're going to help me beat 'third book syndrome'...

Next week is looking like being another good 'un - my brand spanking new netbook is arriving tomorrow (drools longingly), I've got lunch with my agent on Tuesday (new dress ready to go), my new writerish business cards should be delivered and we're off on holibobs on Friday. With my netbook, obviously. I need to bond with it.

Tuesday 11th August 2009 - New Kid on the Blog

2009-08-11T10:29:00.003+01:00

More Things I Know by Lillie, aged 5 months

Hi, my name is Lillie and I am here for Blog Takeover Day. Here are some more things I’ve learned:

1) Slugs are really tasty. Try them.

2) I am making progress with the cat. Why else would she wave at me whenever I go near her?

3) It is my job to jump on your head and lick you if I come upstairs and find you still in bed.

4) The joke ‘Why has Lillie got big ears? ’Cos Noddy wouldn’t pay the ransom,’ is not funny. (No, not ever, Mum)

5) I cannot be held responsible for chewed shoes. If you don’t want me to eat them, you’ll have to hide them better. Putting them in the wardrobe really lacks imagination.

6) If you are eating, I need some too. It’s the law.

7) When it’s bedtime I have to hide under the dining room table and refuse to come out. It helps me sleep.

8) Baths are the work of the devil.

9) The stairs are more fun if you come down them at 70 mph.

10) I bark, you pay attention. It really is that simple.

Kthxbai :-)

Sunday 9th August 2009 - I Don't Like Cricket, Oh No...

2009-08-09T13:45:00.005+01:00

As anyone who follows me on Twitter will know, I'm a big cricket fan. And I especially love it when it's an Ashes year, even though my nails are bitten to the quick and I've often groaned at the way England have played. So I'm very much enjoying the test matches and the banter over on Twitter. It plays havoc with my writing, mind you. I've done nothing today, unless you count tweeting. But there's ten days between now and the next match so I've got no more excuses. I will write the short story I've been developing for the Story A Fortnight group.

I wanted to point you in the direction of Sally Quilford's blog, as she's come up with an interesting twist on the usual blogging day-to-day. Basically, she's suggesting that you blog as someone else for the day on Tuesday. It can be a fictional character or an alter-ego or even a pet (get down, Lillie!). Anyway, pop over and see for yourself what it's all about. I'll be joining in - it's a straight battle between Lucy from the teen novel and Lillie the puppy.

I'm going to see Brandi Carlile tomorrow evening with a friend in London. As much as the gig, I'm looking forward to nattering about her forthcoming book and other writerly things. But before that, I have to write this short story. You will excuse me, won't you?

Tuesday 4th August 2009 - Confessions of a Bad Blogger

2009-08-04T17:29:00.003+01:00

My name is Tam and I am a bad blogger. It has been nine days since I last blogged.

In my defence, things have been a little hectic. I completed and returned the copy edits for the teen novel. And I've just finished the first round of edits on the first children's book. Did I mention I signed the contract for that, by the way? Well, I did that too and am hoping for a splash of publicity sometime this week. I'll be sure to blog about that when it happens!

I did promise some pictures of our new bunny, didn't I? I'll take some this week, I promise. Also coming up is another guest blogger appearance from Lillie, who is now five months old and anxious to share some more of her wisdom with you all.

It's rehearsal tonight. I'm going to be a prostitute. What's that, you say? Typecasting? You cheeky monkey!

Sunday 26th July 2009 - Are You Trying To Be Funny?

2009-07-26T10:50:00.003+01:00

No, I'm not having a go, it's a serious question: When you write, are you trying to be funny? I know I often am. So how do you keep your jokes fresh?

Humour plays an enormous part in my novels and I use this as an excuse (if one was needed) to immerse myself in comedy, on the TV, in books and in everyday life. But my worry is this; what happens if I run out of original material? What if, by book #4 in the bunny book series, my characters are doing the same old things and cracking the same tired old jokes? What if, *cringe*, the dreaded tumbleweed starts rolling across my pages?

The chances are you'll notice it first. My blog posts will be blah. My tweets will be lackustre. You will give me a nudge if this happens, won't you? Feel free to wear a comedy nose if you do.

Wednesday 22nd July 2009 - Where Does Time Go?

2009-07-22T21:50:00.002+01:00

Does it flow down the drain of the universe or is it stuck down the back of the celestial sofa? Wherever it goes, it disappears at an alarming rate. Rather astonishingly, it's been twelve days since I blogged; how did that happen?

So, guilt trip aside, what's been happening? Rehearsals for the next amdram show, that's what. Now I know I said I was taking the rest of the year off from performing but circumstances have changed and I find myself freer than I thought I'd be. I am taking it easy, though, so haven't auditioned for any solos. So if you're looking, I'll be in the back row of the chorus.

TD and I went to see Bloc Party on Monday, as part of the iTunes festival. I learned two things; one, Bloc Party are great live and two, I can't dance to their songs. But it was still a great night.

This week, my agent sent off the picture book I've been working on. It's a story that is close to my heart for all sorts of reasons and I so hope it does well. The outline for teen novel #2 is being discussed by Piccadilly this week too. As you'd expect, my fingernails are paying the price.

And finally, we welcomed a new animal to the ark. For several weeks, there'd been a lonely little bunny in the pet shop where I shop. Eventually, I couldn't stand his forlorn floppy ears any longer and splashed out on him and a new cage to keep him in. He's called Snoop Bunny Bun and is extremely cute. Photos to follow when I can get him to sit still.

So that's me. How've you been?

Friday 10th July 2009 - I am Proud to Present....

2009-07-10T16:34:00.005+01:00

The cover for my teen novel, My So-Called Afterlife, out in February 2010. Isn't it scrumptiddlyumptious? I absolutely love it!

Otherwise, it's been a quiet week. I had a cracking time at the Wireless Festival at Hyde Park last Saturday. Then my agent thought she had swine flu but it turned out to be tonsillitis. I subbed a short story to the Guardian Weekend Short Story competition (thanks to Tania Hershmann for prompting me to do this!). I STILL can't reveal the exciting news or the children's book deal publisher. Hang in there, folks!

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!

Edited to add: There's a sneak preview of the synopsis over on the Chicklit Blog. Feel free to pop over there and leave a comment!

Saturday 4th July - Things I Know by Lillie, age 14 weeks

2009-07-04T11:03:00.004+01:00

Hi, my name is Lillie and I am guest blogging on here today. Here are some things I have learned in my 14 weeks so far:

1) Human feet are my toys.

2) The cat wants to be my friend really. She's just shy.

3) One day I will be able to bite the water in puddles.

4) The living room carpet is my litter tray. (It is, right?)

5) It is illegal to tell me off when I do my cute face.

6) Cat food tastes better than my food.

7) Rabbit food tastes better than my food.

8) Shoes look better when they've been chewed a bit. I'm helping, honest.

9) Going down the stairs by myself is not an option. And why would I when a perfectly good stair-lift arrives whenever I bark?

10) Playing with toilet rolls is in my genes. I can't help it.

Thanx for reading. Bai!

Wednesday 1st July 2009 - Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

2009-07-01T19:33:00.003+01:00

I love the summer. It makes me feel light and cheery. I don't have to swaddle myself in lumpy clothes, I can dig out my pretty dresses and shoes and flounce around like I am a gorgeous twenty-something again.

It's just as well I have the weather to keep me cheery as there's naff all else happening. I am in the writer's waiting room again, hanging about to hear more exciting news of the top secret kind and, as the outline for my second teen book has gone to my publisher, I'm nibbling my nails over that (even though it will be weeks before I hear anything). I also dropped the MS for the first teen novel into a local bookshop so that the very influential (in bookseller circles) owner can have a read and give me some feedback. This was a suggestion from the PR lady at Piccadilly but I'm now a bit worried I'll never have the courage to go into the bookshop again. If I don't go in, I can pretend he loved it, right?

On the plus side, I have a story in this fortnight's Yours magazine (page 103, if you're interested). I like to think it will help people in all kinds of waiting rooms up and down the country to pass the time whilst they wait. Surely this must count as giving something back?

Saturday 27th June 2009 - It's Been A Funny Old Week

2009-06-27T09:43:00.003+01:00

Well, it has, hasn't it? Two major world-icons died, the weather's been a bit bonkers and on a personal note, I haven't been at work all week, although I saw plenty of colleagues.

I don't plan to comment much on the deaths of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, other than to say I am saddened by the passing of both. I think they both had very troubled personal lives but inspired many people in different ways and the world mourns their loss.

As you'll know, I was away from home at a conference at the start of the week. This conference is an annual, day job thing and it was lovely to catch up with so many familiar faces. This year, we were at Nottingham University. As you can see from the above photo, the campus is lovely but I pity the poor students if my room is typical of the standard of halls of residence. An entire box of spanners appeared to have been sewn into my mattress and the less said about the shower, the better. But the conference content was fabulously inspiring. We even had a talk from Microsoft's Chief of Cyber Security on the subject of 21st Century Crime. As you might imagine, it was fascinating and terrifying in equal measure.

Back home, things were just as good. I had Thursday and Friday off. Yesterday, I had a PR meeting about the teen novel and talked over ways to promote it. I cannot wait to go to festivals (and sit with real writers) to talk about my book. I'm a bit more apprehensive about standing in front of critical Year 7 and 8 pupils to do the same thing. Most of all, I can't wait to hear what readers think of it.

I filled out and returned the in-house publicity sheets for the publisher for my children's series. The contract isn't done yet so I can't say who that is yet.

There's also been a super-exciting development with the teen novel. In traditional fashion, this is top secret until things are sorted out. But, as always, you'll be the first to know!

Like I said, it's been a funny old week...

Monday 22nd June 2009 - A little break...

2009-06-22T17:47:00.001+01:00

Am at a conference for a few days so it'll be a bit quiet on here. See you soon!

Friday 19th June 2009 - You Know It's Going To Be A Bad Day When...

2009-06-19T09:15:00.004+01:00

...it starts like this. I woke up to the sound of the puppy whining downstairs. When I got up, I found that during the night she’d jumped in some poo and needed to be washed. The cat was demanding to be fed so I quickly de-pooped the dog and dug out some Whiskas. Whilst I opened the tin, the puppy found the cat litter tray and attempted to eat the contents (bleurgh). Guessing she might be hungry, I fed the dog some proper food and went upstairs for a shower, only to discover the cat had thrown up on the bathroom floor. Twice.

After being joined by the puppy (who was most interested in the cat sick), I cleaned the bathroom floor and got into the shower. When I got out, I discovered that the dog had dragged a brand new toilet roll out of the cupboard and the hall now resembled Antarctica. Whilst I picked up the lumps of sodden tissue, muttering about Andrex adverts, the puppy ate one of TD’s shoes. Then she weed on the carpet. Did I mention that I needed to be in work early? I got in on time (just about) but with wet hair and no breakfast.

People sometimes ask where I get my inspiration for writing from and now you know. But obviously I tone it done a bit in my stories. People would never believe the truth.

Tuesday 16th June 2009 - Reasons to be Cheerful 1, 2, 3

2009-06-16T20:22:00.003+01:00

I had a lovely weekend. Firstly, I met up with a lot of luvverly writing pals. We travelled to a pub in London and nattered for hours over wine and lunch (and dinner for some). It was over too soon.

Secondly, I heard that my publisher has sold the rights to my teen novel to a German publishing house. The hardback edition will be out in winter 2010 and the paperback in 2011. I wonder how the title will translate. It's all too, too exciting!

Thirdly, the proof cover for my teen novel arrived in the post. I was ridiculously excited as I ripped open the envelope and stared at my name. My book cover, with my name on it, actually in front of me. I couldn't resist wrapping it around a book to see how it looked and - guess what - it looked a-maz-ing :-)

I have lots of reasons to be cheerful just now!