Mystery of Edwin Drood | The View Outside

I’ve been nominated for the Beautiful Blogger Award by Hezalyte at Iridessence Indeed and by Ayesha Shroeder Anushka at Finding My Creature Kristi at Dressed To Quill Jane Ayres Patsy Collins and Cheryl at Catching Fireflies for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award *squeals* Thank you so much ladies 🙂 What can I say? How many nominations can a girl get in a 2 week period? Lol *blush*

I’ve already received both these awards in the past, so wow! Surely I should be drop dead gorgeous by now and inspiring everyone across the world *snigger* No? It doesn’t work like that? Oh well 😉

The rules are the same for both of these. Say thank you to the blogger who nominated you (done). List 7 facts about yourself and then nominate 7 bloggers….so lets see, you know I’m a rule breaker, so rather than list 7 things about myself I’m going to show you the town where I live. All the photos taken by me 🙂

Some of you may know I live in Rochester (Kent) in the UK. The town was frequented by Dickens who lived close by. He loved the place (as do i!) so much that he was inspired to use a lot of the locations in the town for his books.

This is the Cathedral graveyard where you’ll find the grave of Little Dorritt.

Below, The Vines, where Dickens would often be seen walking (no doubt mulling a plot over). He was seen in here, leaning against a fence people watching the day before he died.

The Cathedral, 2nd oldest in the country, after Canterbury.

Dickens chalet, where he wrote some of his masterpieces. It was moved from his garden to its current location after his death.

The Castle, site of many a battle! Dickens would often be seen walking round it talking to himself.

Dickens wanted to be buried in the Castle Moat, but when he died, Queen Victoria wouldn’t allow it and insisted his body be laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. The first, and only time an English monarch has ever over ruled a persons last will and testament.

Eastgate House, featured in two of Dickens novels. He obviously found it inspiring as a location.

Restoration House, famous in its own right, but now, people come to stare at it because Dickens used it for Miss Haversham’s house in Great Expectations. I don’t know if Dickens ever got to go inside, but I have 😉

And finally, Minor Cannons Row, which lies behind the Cathedral. Dickens used it in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

I could have shown you sooooo much more, but this post is turning into 2 posts lol 😉 So now, back to business 😉

I’m nominating the following bloggers for the Beautiful Blogger Award
Holly Michael
Bridget Whelan
Florence at Ramblings From The Left
Sabrina at Creativity or Crazy
Sam at Him, Her and Us
Madalyn Morgan
Bel Anderson

I’m nominating the following bloggers for the Inspiring Blogger Award
Cheryl at Creating Space 365
Sue at sassyspeaks
Lin at Voices in My Head
Joanne Phillips
Morgen Bailey
Patsy Collins
Sue at The Long & The Short Of It

So on top of all that I’ve also been nominated again for the Blog Of The Year award, this time by Hunter Emkay and Chris Stocking so a huge thank you to both! It appears I now have 8 stars 🙂

Please take a moment to visit some of these wonderful bloggers and I hope you enjoyed the mini tour 🙂 Do you find where you live inspiring?

I watched the BBC’s adaptation of The Mystery of Edwin Drood last night and was soooo pleased to see they had actually filmed it in Rochester (where I live and the ‘home’ of Dickens). A good adaptation I thought, and I’m gripped already 😉

I spent most of yesterday trying to sort out my assignment (in between going to the dentist lol) and the homework for The Write Place as I went to the first class last night. Really good, very educational, the ‘tutor’ Elaine Everest is lovely……but, I’ve discovered I have a problem. The minute I’m asked to write anything that I know I will have to read out I go completely blank! 😦 we were given the choice of 4 prompts…..I tried one then gave up…..then I tried another and that was just as crap. My mind went blank and I just couldn’t think of a thing to write. It was the same with exams at school (and the 2 I took as an adult)…..the minute I entered that room all the revising I’d done went completely out of the window…..how the hell am I going to get over that? 😦

Yesterday’s prompt was quite hard, the one about sleep. Perhaps I’m setting myself up for a fall, trying to come up with a short story every day…..I’m exhausted already and it’s only day 11 lol. So, I’ve decided that I’m being too hard on myself, too strict, and that, really, so what if it’s not a complete story…..just an extract will do 😉

Before the sleep prompt there is a section in the book where Reeves talks about ‘Desks & Spaces’ and how to create a ‘space if your own’. She suggests you spend a practice session describing your ideal writing space.

My Ideal Writing Space: I’m not greedy, a small cosy room would do me just fine. I don’t need a chaise lounge or a huge oak desk. Just a bookcase where I could store all my notebooks and writing books. A small armchair in the corner for reading and a couple of shelves above my desk for photographs and small nick nack’s that have meaning and sentimental value. On the walls, some inspiring words and pictures and an old clock that ticks. A large window (that opens) in front of my desk with a view of trees or the sea, so that I can stare out and daydream. In warm weather I could open it and feel the soft breeze. Scented candles and a couple of lamps, no stark overhead lighting. A coffee machine or some kind of tea maker and my cosy fluffy slippers. A comfy office chair to support my back and plenty of power sockets at desk height for my iPad and NetBook 🙂 I so wish I had a spare room in my house…….

Today’s prompt is in the distance so I’m sure I can come up with something 😉 I’ve also got to tackle The Write Place homework…..I’ll tell you all about that tomorrow 😉