Scattered Leaves

Oh dear has it really been that long since I last blogged???
The trouble is that most of you lovelies are either on Face Book or Twitter so I can keep up with you all everyday. However I used to love my little blog world so I'm going to try and make myself spend some time here at least once a week. I'm not half as busy as some of you and you all manage it!!

So a brief update. Jamie is loving school, doing really well. His shunt seems to have made a big difference, he's so more responsive. Let's hope it continues.

Dad is getting better and better. In fact you really wouldn't know there had been much wrong with him!! I am starting to look forward to Christmas now I know he'll be there for it.

I have a new tattoo!! Well loads actually if you count them individually, which I haven't done yet. But I have a large constellation of solid black and open stars in a wave across my lower back (yes I know a tattoo there is called a slag tag). I would love to get it extended all up my left side and have it circle around my 'Be safe', but Rich not keen, I'll talk him round. I will almost certainly have some of the open ones coloured in in purple though.

Anyone who Face books with me will know my little obsession with Twilight and Rob Pattinson. Well the new film is out soon and I finally got tickets booked!! A group of us are all going together so heaven help Scotts in Barnstaple on the 21st November!!! I haven't looked forward to anything quite so much for a long time. And I have entered a comp to win tickets to the LA premier on 16th, keep it all crossed for me!!!!

And now for the reason for this post. As you know a few weeks ago the fab D J Kirkby was giving away copies of 'Scattered Leaves' by Richard E. Roach. And I won a copy! I promised to Post a review here when I finished it.

It's not the sort of book I would have chosen I have to admit, not my subject matter at all. But I try to be open minded in all things.
I was a little uncomfortable with the graphic violence, particularly the many rapes. But I can see that they were vital to the story. It makes you realise that bad things really can happen to anyone for no good reason.
Roach created characters that you cared about. You wanted them to get away with things and to end up the way they did. It really was a page turner.
If I had one criticism it was with some of the dialogue, a little clunky at times. But this didn't detract too much. I would defiantly recommend it to anyone who likes something a little different to the conventional romance, because that is basically what it is. But be prepared to feel sick as well as happy and angry.

I will also post a review on amazon D J. And thank you. I also won a copy of 'Motorbikes, ducks and crispy sweet apples' by Christopher I King. I will be reading and reviewing soon. But I promised Lucy that I would read 'Hens reunited' next. Watch this space (but not too closely as it might be a bit like watching paint dry!)

Bad Blogger, again *hangs head*.

I know, I know. I'm getting really lax at this since becoming a face book addict! The trouble is that most of you are on there so I can catch up with you all everyday. And now I have discovered Twitter as well (thanks Caroline) and so many of you are also there....oh dear. Anyway I promise to try and keep more up to date. And I also promise that, from now on this blog will be a Twilight/Rob free zone (unless something really exciting happens).

So to catch up. Well very exciting was winning a book from the always fab DJ Kirkby. 'Motorbikes, ducks and crispy sweet apples' by Christopher I King (her lovely hubby). I'm looking forward to reading it. As well as Lucy diamonds new book 'Hens Reunited'. Trouble is I'm not reading much at the mo. I seem to have a lot or random writing ideas popping into my head and evenings are spent getting them down on paper. But I will read them and post reviews here and on amazon I promise.

My other excuse is a snotty cold. And that Jamie has gone back to his nighttime antics (Annicles please help with the vibes!!).

Other news. I have lost a whole stone!! And have, just about, dropped a dress size. I am very chuffed. The trouble is I now have to keep pulling my jeans and skirts up!! But I'm not complaining.

Dad is much better. He's putting weight back on and, I hope, has turned a corner.

I still haven't got anymore writing news for you. The world of publishing moves sooooooo slowly. But I will post as soon as there's something to tell.

I love you all heaps. And I will try and be a better blog friend from now on xxx

Sad but desperate!

I know I'm sad but I'm also desperate!!!!

Is there anyone out there in blogland who know someone who can put me in touch with someone who can get tickets to the New Moon premier? I will pay money, or do almost anything else!! Pleeeeeeeeease???

Ok sad Twilighter blog post over.

Call yourself a writer....

The lovely DJ Kirkby tagged me to do this meme.

Which words do you use too much in your righting? - Really, I know I do but still do it.

Which words do you consider overused in stuff you read?- Too many exclamation marks are a pain, but no words in particular, not in general anyway.

What is your favorite piece of writing by you?- A couple of short stories I wrote. 'Living the Dream' and 'Dolphin Creature'.

Which blog do you wish you'd written? -All the ones I follow!

Regrets. Do you have a few? Is there anything you wish you hadn't written? -In a word, no.

How has your writing made a difference?/What do you consider your most important piece of writing? - I would never be that presumptuous!

Name three favorite words? -(I know I can't say Twilight three times!). Richard and Jamie.

And three words you're not keen on?- All words are right if they are used well.

Do you have a writing mentor, role model or inspiration? - No mentor. And too many inspirations to mention here. I love Katie Fforde, Virginia Wolfe, Alice Walker......

What's your writing ambition? To get published. And if I can make some money at it so much the better.

So now I have to tag people. The trouble is those I would have tagged have already been tagged! So if you like this and want to do it then consider yourself tagged! (I'm doing the explanation mars thing aren't I?)

Catching up...again!

It's been a while again hasn't it? Sorry.

Ok so what has been going on in Claire land? Well those of you who Face book with me (click the link, you know you want to) will know that Richard and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary last week. We have actually been together eighteen years (yes I was 16), but only married for the last nine. I had a lovely bouquet of flowers delivered, bless him, he never forgets.

Some of you also know of my tattoo plans (thanks for the sound effects Blu!!). A few of you know what I'm having and where, but I'm not telling here. I will post a photo when the deed has been done on the 8th Sept. Listen for the screaming about ten in the morning!!

Jamie is fully recovered now. His tummy scar is still a little sore, but this is as much to do with the plaster as the wound itself. It seems he has inherited a tendency to be allergic to some dressings. We shall have to watch that in future. I wish I had half his energy. He was up at 2am this morning, went back to sleep for a hour around 7.30, and he's bouncing round like he's had 12 hours!!! Now I remember when 2am was the time to crawl into bed after doing something your mother wouldn't approve of (although my parents were so liberal and laid back they were almost horizontal!). Now I'm groping around for my glasses so that I can change a nappy and a wet bottom sheet, oh how did my life get this glam!!

Still at least the silly season is almost over. Yesterday was the last busy changeover day, we hope. It's just so intense for about eight weeks, manic. Then we get the rest of the year off, in theory. But the best laid plans and all that. Are we taking bets on a rush of late lets for the autumn? Not that I should knock it, it's our living after all. Or it is for now. The novelty has well and truly worn off and next year might be our last year. No idea what we'll, or rather what Rich, will do instead but hey something will turn up, usually dose.

So that's us for now. x

Bad blogger!!!

Oh dear it has been too long since I blogged!! The culprit is Face Book. Because so many of you are there I can catch up with you all and forget about my poor blog!

So what has been happening in Claire land recently. Honestly? Well not much actually. And to be honest that's been nice after the last few weeks of madness. Dad is getting better by the day. Jamie has bounced right back (and not sleeping much, so we know he's fine!!).

You will all (especially a couple of you, you know who you are) be please to know that I have decided to leave the Twilighting to FB and not bore you all with it on here. I heard that round of applause Annicles!!

I had an email from my agent the other day to say that she was very positive about selling DV, so fingers crossed. She seems to think we may start to hear something next month when the hols are over. I am living proof that it can be done, so all of you fellow writers out there don't despair and keep going.

And to go off on another random angle. I have decided to start trying to potty train Jamie again. We gave it a go last summer, but with no luck. If anyone out there has any hints for potty training a profoundly autistic child who is also non verbal, then please share.

Catching up...

We're back. Properly this time, not dashing off again. It has been a some what intense week or so.

First of all the wedding. It was wonderful. I think the pics say it all really. Everyone had a great time. It was a shame we couldn't stay till the bitter end. But it was a child free wedding so Jamie spent the day with my aunt. We didn't want to leave him there too long so we left about eight. But it was worth the 250 miles and the jam on the M5! One of the best things was realising that I'm not the only 30something Twilighter! (this is my blog and I'll Twilight if I want to!). Arrangements are being made for a girlie weekend when 'New Moon' come out in November.

And then we were off to Bristol. They do everything they can to make it all as easy as possible, but it's still hard. Apart from anything else there is so much waiting around.

The op itself didn't go as well as expected. They had a problem getting the shunt tube where they wanted which meant a quick trip to the scanner and then back to theatre to redo it. We didn't know any of this until it was all over fortunately.

Throughout it all Jamie was a star. And now he seems back to his old self (he was up at 2.30 this morning so he must be feeling better). Fingers crossed that this is it. There will be follow ups of course, and other appointments for his other conditions, but hopefully the hydrocephalus is sorted.