Feeling Loved

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I’ve now got over 270 followers. Inside I’m jumping up and down like a small child who’s just been promised a chocolate bar. Thank you thank you thank you 🙂 I am still surprised that people actually want to read my ramblings lol *blush*

But….I’m the sort of person who suffers huge guilt over the tiniest things *frowns*. So what am I feeling guilty about? Following back 😦

Ok, I follow 245 WordPress blogs and about 50 Blogspot blogs. So if the blogger has updated their blog I get an e mail every day. So some days it’s not unusual for me to get 100+ emails. Blog updates I want to read and respond to. I so value the advice, support and comments I receive on my blog posts. I know how much it means to feel that someone has read your words.

My husband said to me last week “You need to decide, are you a writer or a blogger?” I pouted, I want both *stamps foot* But he’s right, I cant really have both can I?

I love chatting to my followers, visiting their blogs, learning, growing, but I just can’t physically follow back every single person who follows me, and that makes me sad 😦

Soooo, this post it just to say sorry. To the people who follow me, who I don’t follow back. I really do appreciate your support and comments, and will always reply to any comments you leave here 🙂 I will try to visit your blogs on a regular basis, I promise.

So tell me, How do you cope? How many blogs do you follow? Are you a writer or a blogger? 😉

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From Cartoon Church

Would love some advice guys 🙂

Home Sweet Home

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Here’s what I came up with for Saturdays birdhouse picture 🙂

George lay down his chisel and admired his work. The small plain pine birdhouse lay in front of him on the kitchen table.

“What colour should we paint this one Sam?”

The black Labrador laying at his feet looked up when he heard his name. Then immediately put his head back down on his paws.

George eased his elderly frame out of the chair and bent, rummaging in the cupboard for his paints. He groaned as he tried to straighten.

“I think this one should be red don’t you? Mum liked red didn’t she.”

Sam scratched his ear and rolled over.

;

Several hours later George sat back and stretched. “This is a good one Sam, she’ll like this one. We’ll just have a cuppa, give it time to dry, then we’ll go for a nice walk.”

He filled the kettle and looked out onto the small green below the flats. Memories of his wife standing on the grass, throwing seed to the sparrows as she’d done every morning, played in his mind. She’d hated moving to this flat. They’d both missed their garden, the one they’d tended for over forty years. The one with the birdhouse George had lovingly made for Eileen, just after they’d moved in. Year after year they’d watched the sparrows raise their babies.

How long had he been alone now? Ten Months? Eleven? The tears welled in his tired grey eyes. He preferred remembering her like that. Not how she’d been in the final months of her life, when the cancer had taken hold.

;

Arriving at work that morning, Clare found her colleague Diane standing outside smoking a cigarette.

“Hi Clare…..look!”

Clare spun round and looked at the wall Diane was pointing to.

“Is that the bosses idea of brightening the place up?” Clare laughed.

“No, Jim doesn’t know anything about it. It wasn’t here before the weekend that’s for sure. My mate Sue told me about this, apparently they’re cropping up all over town, have been for about a year now.”

The two women stood, both deep in thought, looking at the small red box. They held their breath and watched as a tiny male sparrow alighted on the roof. It chirped and then was joined by a female.

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Photo from Wikipedia taken by Fir0002

Well, I tried, ok, it was sort of happy, but sad at the same time lol 😉 It must be awful when your spouse dies, when you’ve been together that long 😦

Ok, I’m depressing myself, and probably you lot too lol. I actually got quite upset writing this 😦

Let’s pretend that if I continued this story, George’s son calls him, they’ve just moved into a huge house and it’s got a lovely garden. They want George and Sam to go and live with them and look after the garden. Oh, and he’ll have his own granny flat. Better? 😉

The To Do List 16th to 22nd

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I’m really pleased with myself 🙂 I did well last week!

Critique subs for Mermaids (my writing group) I didn’t manage to get to the meeting because I had to pick my daughter up in Brighton. I did however read through the subs.

Do my Pocket Novel Homework Done, and earlier than usual to boot!

Do a synopsis for my Pocket Novel (which is homework for my Writing Class) Done and critiqued by my fellow students. Needs LOTS more work, but then, as I haven’t even got a real plot yet, the whole thing needs work lol.

Try to finish my current read Ah, no, not exactly. What can I say, I’m reading 50 Shades lol. But I’m nearly finished, and have read much more this week than I’ve done for ages lol

Critique story for a friend and look into comps for her Done 🙂 And if she’s reading this, it went in the post over the weekend 🙂

So a fairly productive week me thinks 🙂

Now….this week, may not go so well lol

On Tuesday I’m meeting up with some writers from my writing group, for a “write in” so that will be good. Wednesday at writing class we have a guy coming who’s a scriptwriter for a talk. Friday evening I’m up London, at London Zoo *chuckles* and then Saturday I’ll be helping hubby with a Chess Congress and trying to pack for my writing holiday, I’ll be going on Sunday morning…exciting!!!!! 🙂

I bought a diary a couple of days ago, so I’m going to start using that for my to do lists 🙂

Sooooo, the plans for the week are:

Do my Pocket Novel homework and upload.
Work on my Pocket Novel Synopsis and try to formulate a plan for the plot.
Read fellow bloggers short story & give feedback
Finish my current read and decide which book to take with me to Caerleon.
Buy stuff that I’ll need for Caerleon.
Get car serviced because, if I don’t, I won’t even make it there lol.

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There, that’s not too bad, I can achieve all that right? Next weeks schedule will be a bit up and down as I’m intending to go live as it were lol. I’ll be blogging every day telling you all what I’ve been up to on the writing holiday 🙂

What are your plans for the week?

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Six Sentence Sunday 15th July

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Today’s six sentences are from a prompt (using Judy Reeves book) I did earlier this week entitled “My real name is…..”

My real name is Jane, Jane Smith, but who remembers a Jane Smith? So for the past 5 years I’ve been Verity Delaney, which is far more interesting. In my previous life I was a housewife and mother. I spent my days cooking, doing the laundry and picking up my husbands underpants from whichever room he decided to de-robe in.

I bet you’re asking yourself what kind if woman walks out on her husband and two kids because she’s fed up with her life? A life she chose in the first place.

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I’ve been trying to practice 1st person recently. I was very anti it, but the more I’m doing, the more I like it 🙂

I wrote about 300 words for this prompt, not too sure where it’s going….yet 😉

A Little Birdhouse In Your Soul

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Isn’t that the line from a song? I don’t know why I’ve got it stuck in my head lol.

Anyway, this is this weeks picture prompt…..

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Taken in Jersey, in the courtyard of The Jersey Museum. Cute. I’m trying to go happier, can you tell? Lol 😉

I’ll post what it inspired me to write on Tuesday 🙂

Playing Tag

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I’ve been tagged in a game of Blog Tag by Paula Acton and in Tag! You’re It by Robin Coyle

The rules for playing blog tag are….

You must post the rules
Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post
Create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged (or use the existing ones)
Tag (eleven) people with a link to your post
Let them know they’ve been tagged

My questions from Paula are….

1) If you could have any animal as a pet what would it be and why? I’m quite happy with the bog standard cats and dogs to be honest. I think keeping wild animals as pets is cruel, and I’m not even sure I’m that keen on keeping birds in cages 😦 Hmmmmm, no, I’m cool with what I have 🙂

2) You can have a star named after you what would you call it and why?
That’s easy….Angel Child, which is the name I use online a lot. It’s one of my favourite Oasis songs and I have it tattooed on my shoulder 🙂

3) What was your favourite childhood toy?
Dolls houses!!!! Oh my, I’ve had sooooo many over the years. I just love them, even now! Lol

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The last dolls house I had 🙂

4) What was your nickname at school and how did you get it?
I never had one *sob* lol. My initials were V. G. when I was a kid and we had to have our initials displayed on our gym skirts. A few people pointed out/joked tht it stood for “very good” which was ironic, as I was so useless at sports lol.

5) You can go on a dinner date with anyone from past or present who do you take and why?
Tricky, I’m I assuming I’m single? Well you did say “date” 😉 Ok, my ideal dinner guest would be Stephen Fry, now, as a married woman. I think he would be fascinating 🙂 If I was single and we’re talking a proper “date”…..hmmmmm…..Hugh Grant or Pierce Brosnan, whichever one was single at the time 😉

6) What is the most embarrassing chat up line you have either used or had used on you? Ha ha ha, I don’t think I’ve ever used a chat up line… *thinks*…nope, sorry, well come on, I haven’t been single since I was 16 lol. As for one that’s been used on me? Sorry, I’m boring there too, I don’t get chatted up *pouts* lol.

7) Who would you want to play you in a film of your life story?
Probably Kate Winslet, not sure why exactly though. I guess because she’s very “English” lol

8) Someone wants to create a cocktail for you what do you call it and what are the three main ingredients? Ooooo, ummmmm, that’s really hard! I love sweet stuff, and it would definitely have to include Malibu (one of my favourite tipples). It would be named after my first novel *snigger*

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9) What guilty pleasure tv show do you indulge in?
Ok, I admit it, I occasionally watch Jeremy Kyle lol. It’s where I got the idea for But Not Forgotten lol.

10) Would you have plastic surgery if so what would you change?
No, probably not. I’m scared of needles and all things to do with surgery *gulp*. I guess I would consider it if I’d had an accident or something.

11) Who was your teenage crush?
*blush* Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran lol.

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I took this photo in 1982 outside the Kensington Royal Garden Hotel 🙂

So here are my questions that I’ll be tagging with.

1. Who is your favourite author?
2. If you could live in another time period, what period would that be?
3. You’ve been published, and you’ve just landed a movie deal. They ask you, which 2 actors/actresses do YOU want, to play the 2 main roles in the movie of your book?
4. What is your most treasured possession? (not people or animals)
5. If you could live anywhere in the world, money no object (just imagine you’re Stephen King lol) where would you live?
6. Who is your idol/hero?
7. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up, did you achieve it?
8. What’s your perfect day?
9. You get a HUGE advance for your first novel, let’s say 250 thousand dollars or pounds. What’s the first thing you’d buy?
10. How many times a day do you check your e mail?

Ok, I hope you liked my questions 🙂 I’m looking forward to reading all the answers lol. I’m tagging:

LouAnn at On The Homefront And Beyond
Teresa at Floating With The Breeze
Whitney at A Serendipitous Happenstance
Anushka at Finding My Creature
Brigitte at Brigitte Banter
Laura at Quill Wielder
Michael at My Glass House
Ava at Journey of Jordanna East
Virginia at Poeta Officium
C. B. Wentworth
CC at Honesty

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The Jersey War Tunnels

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I’m ashamed to say that I knew nothing of the suffering of the Jersey people during WWII. I guess the Channel Islands are too far away for it to bear any impact on the average spotty 14 year old sitting in a History class of a mainland British school.

My trip to the tunnels was educating and alarming. It’s a very thought provoking place. How can you say you enjoyed your visit in the knowledge of all the suffering that went on there? The atmosphere is heavy, cold and eerie. But, at the same time I found it inspiring. I carried Louisa May Gould’s ID card with me, at that stage, unaware of her fate.

The strength of us Brits in times of trouble is somewhat famous, and many would argue quite unique throughout history. So I emerged into the warm daylight from the dark caverns filled with a sense of hope and admiration.

Louisa was a widow when the war started, with 2 sons.

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This photo was taken in 1939.

One of her sons was killed in action, so when she discovered that one of the Russian prisoners had escaped the Nazi’s who were using their prisoners as slave workers, she said “I have to do something for another woman’s son.” She ended up hiding Feodor “Bill” Buryiv for nearly a year in 1943/44.

Betrayed by a neighbour, she was arrested in May 1944 and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment. Sent to France and by August of that year she was in a concentration camp near Berlin, Ravensbruck.

Unfortunately, when the Germans received word that the allies were closing in, they fled the camp, but not before killing everyone in it by constructing make shift gas chambers. Louisa died on the 13th February 1945.

I guess what drew me to this story is that I am a mother of 2 sons myself. Would I have done the same thing? I really don’t know. Louisa knew the consequences, what would happen to her if she got caught. But I guess, that desire to help a young man, when she couldn’t help her own son, was overpowering.

So that’s the basic story, and I’ve been toying with ideas, and the question, how to tell Louisa’s story. I could do it from the POV of “Bill”? Or what about her other son, the one that didn’t get killed in action, how did he feel about it all? Or how about the neighbour, the one that betrayed her. Why did that person do that? Who were they? Or just stick with Louisa’s? And then there’s the choice of 1st person or 3rd person lol.

I think that one of the overriding things that makes me beleive I’m a writer is the fact that I question everything and often describe myself *goes into London mode* as wanting to know “the ins and outs of a ducks arse” lol. Horrible saying I know, but one I grew up with as a child….haven’t got a clue who came up with that one! Anyway, I need to think, I need to make a decision…hey, I need to research lol

Which POV would interest you the most?

Reader Appreciation Award

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I’ve been nominated by the lovely Michael over at My Glass House for The Reader Appreciation Award 🙂

I love receiving all these awards, it’s so nice to be thought of, to know that people enjoy what I have to say *grins stupidly* lol

So thank you Michael, I will be playing by the rules with this one as I really like the questions 🙂

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What is my favourite colour?
It’s a toss up between red and purple lol. I wear a lot of red, and love writing with purple ink.

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What is my favourite animal?
Hmmmm, I love cats and dogs, oh and foxes.

What is my favourite non-alcoholic beverage?
A Costa Latte….mmmmmm.

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Facebook or Twitter?
FaceBook, I’m not on Twitter, yet. Although I’m getting really peeved by all the crappy things FaceBook are getting up to recently 😦

Favourite pattern?
Anything black and white, but I’m a bit partial to hearts 🙂

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Do you prefer getting or giving presents?
Giving, definitely!

Favourite number?
Can’t decide between 15 (my birthday, hubbys birthday and my eldest sons birthday) or 5 (the month I was born and the number of people in my family).

Favorite day of the week?
Probably Sundays as I get to lay in and snuggle with hubby lol.

Favourite flower?
White roses, no contest. But I love the smell of Lavender.

What is my passion?
Hmmmm, that’s tricky, I’m passionate about a lot of things….my family, love, helping and caring about other people, volunteering, animals….but, come on, you know the real answer don’t you? WRITING 🙂

I’m going to nominate the following Bloggers for this award. You know the rules guys, answer the questions and pass it on….nominate as many fellow Bloggers as you like, make someone smile today 🙂 I know some of you have already had this award, so my apologies…. Is there such a thing as too many? Lol

Sabrina at Creativity or Crazy
Laura at Quill Wielder
Kathryn at 4am Writer
Clar at Clarbojahn
Lightning Pen

The Prayer

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Here’s what I wrote in response to Sundays photo 🙂

“Have you seen them?”

“Seen who honey?”

“The men, the men in the van.” She grabs my arm and digs what is left of her bitten down finger nails into my skin. I steer her towards the bed and ease her down gently onto the rough blanket.

“How are you doing Jan?” I ask. She turns towards the window as I prise my arm from her grip. “Has mum been in to see you?”

She remains silent and stares at the window.

“Jan, I miss you.”

She turns, a wry smile forming on her face and pats my leg. For a second, there is a flash in her eyes, a moment of recognition. A glimpse of my beautiful sister, the woman she used to be before this disease took over.

“Have you seen them?”

I don’t need to ask who this time. “I’ll come and see you next week Jan.” I stand and hug her, but she flinches.

I hold back the tears as I walk to the door and turn. She’s staring at the window, lost in her own world.

I make my way to my mothers room with the smell of disinfectant filling my nostrils. I pause at the door and wonder, when will it will be my turn.

There’s a whole debate isn’t there, on whether mental illness is hereditary. Not really sure where this story is going, or even what genre it is lol 😉 I think I’d have to do a lot of research into mental illness if I wanted to continue with it. It must be soul destroying to see someone you love end up institutionalised 😦

Sorry, hope I haven’t depressed you all too much lol 😉

The To Do List 9th to 15th July

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Last week was a funny old week lol 😉

The To Do List consisted of

Read through my WIP with the idea of making notes on the ending lol

Tidy my workspace, I mean really tidy it lol

Do my home work for the Pocket Novel course

Upload all my pics to Flickr

Read at least 1 book this week I’m fed up not reading. It’s ridiculous!

I didn’t do too badly 🙂

I made a decision on the WIP (see the IWSG post on Wednesday-the links below)
I tidied my workspace!
Did my Pocket Novel Homework.
Read a quarter of a book – a huge improvement as I’ve been in a reading slump lol

So this weeks list is:

Critique subs for Mermaids (my writing group)
Do my Pocket Novel Homework
Do a synopsis for my Pocket Novel (which is homework for my Writing Class)
Try to finish my current read
Critique story for a friend and look into comps for her

I’m not even gunna bother adding upload my photos to Flickr because it just ain’t happening lol. I will do it at some stage lol

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So what are your plans for the week? 🙂

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