Confession

I came home tonight to find an answer machine message from the library, telling me that my books that I ordered are now in stock. I got excited. Quite excited in fact. I have no excuse other than it's been a very quiet week and anything book related tends to make me very happy.

I can still remember the day my Mum joined me to the local library. I thought all my Christmases and Birthdays had come at once. I suddenly had access to hundreds and hundreds of books, instead of begging and pleading with my Mum that yes I had been good that week and that buying the next Roald Dahl book/Famous Five book would indeed make me very happy.

I spent endless summers biking to the library to get my next batch of books, sometimes I would go first thing in the morning and then revisit at night, having sat all day long reading. The freedom of youth and all that.

Of course as I got older, the visits wained and as I began to work, I bought my own books as apposed to borrowing them and very rarely stepped foot into any library, which is where my list comes in. Purchasing 100 books seemed a massive financial commitment, in order to complete the BBC Top 100 list, so I decided to go back to my old haunt.

So when I go to collect my books, I'll open the door and smell that old familiar smell and feel happy and safe and all those wonderful childhood memories will come flooding back. My list is a wonderful thing.

It's Been A Long Time!

Hi! I know, I know it's been a while, two weeks in fact! The truth is I didn't think I had anything list related to say at the time, but looking back, perhaps I was mistaken. Updated tasks as follows:-

The Novel

Well this has had more editing than I care to disclose, but just as I've got it finally to a point where I feel it's ready to be sent out, I gave a copy to Mr M to read and he's come back with some further amendments. Nothing too drastic, so I just need to whip my ass into gear and get a synopsis together and then I can send it out. I'm planning, at this moment in time, to go to a Marie Claire event in Leeds this coming Wednesday, where an Agent will be present, so no better time than the present to start the process and crossing everything in sight!

Learning A Foreign Language

Any car journeys (and there has been a few at late) and I'm quite good at taking my i-pod and listing to my French phrase book. Two problems with this 1) My pronunciation is crap and 2) As soon as I say the token phrase I've forgotten it - I think I need to also look at something visually - I suppose this has been quite useful in discovering how I learn new things and also discovering what a prat I must look to other drivers as I randomly spurt out token French phrases.

BBC Radio Nottingham

I was booked in for another paper review last Wednesday and also booked in for a further one on the 3rd of September. Unfortunately it was the same day that the news broke of Sven coming to Notts County, so I had a very quick few minutes to update on tasks completed and run through the papers. Pretty chuffed that they keep asking me back though.

So that's what I've been getting up to, since I last updated yourselves, oh and a little matter of me and Mr M finally, finally getting the house sorted to put on the market and move out of our inner city dwelling (rumours that Sven is purchasing our property so he can 'hang with the kids' is completely unfounded at this present moment in time). We should be ready to market in approx 1 month's time, so looking forward to that, but not looking forward to the hoards of strange people trampling through our house.

I promise it won't be so long next time...

I don't Speak French

This week I spent 4 hours during 1 day travelling on the M1. When I got home, I could have kicked myself for wasting that amount of time. The next day I was prepared. My I-Pod travelled with me, complete with my French phrase book. Cue some very strange looks from people as I busily recite my French words out loud, but I don't care, at least I'm not spending 4 hours watching the traffic.

My Week V My List

Well it's been a funny old week. Further announcements at work made for a very unsettling time, then I found out one of my friends was being made redundant for the second time in six months, so it brought it all in to context and I stopped feeling sorry for myself, well for a while any way!

My list as always has proved my saviour and has dragged me back into feeling motivated and just getting through the week. I loaded my French phrase book onto my ipod, which has brought me moments of laughter; there I am listening to dance music, when the next thing some random guy is telling me how to get to the train station.

Although I managed a smidgen of editing on my novel on Monday pm, before I hit the UK premiere of Coco Avant Chanel, the weather has been way too humid to even consider doing anything when I arrive home, after battling through the rush hour traffic in Nottingham. My novel is nearly there, but I'm just not happy with the last couple of chapters.

I managed to go to a few more events at the Broadway Literature and Media festival in Nottingham. One of which was a BBC Writers Room event. I still don't think I want to work in TV and that writing novels is the avenue I wish to choose. However, writing is writing at the end of the day, so I'm always game to listen to any advice that people wish to dish out, especially when it's free!

Then I had an email from BBC Radio Nottingham and I'm due for another appearance on 22nd July - doing the paper review once more.

Not a bad old week really!