I'm revising the story!

Oh dear. I seem to be pondering a bit at the moment.

Whenever this happens I tend not to sleep. I have no problem falling asleep, but then  after a couple of hours I wake up and can't get back over. This is fine on the days when I don't have to go to the day job, but when it happens on a work night - like it did last Thursday - it irritates and exhausts.

And, it can't be the festive season on my mind, because apart from the food stuff my shopping is done and dusted (and wrapped) and my new story for Harlequin M&B is now complete (I'm still biting my nails awaiting a reply) so what can be bothering me?  

Well, a couple of months ago I did stumble across an old manuscript I'd submitted to Mills and Boon back in 1991 when I was 33. It got rejected, and after re-reading it, I can see the reasons why. But the story is still there - circling around my head, slithering into all the nooks and crannies in my brain and refusing to move. So, what did I decide to do this week? Yes, start it again from the beginning! Even though if you look in the body of the letter from Mills and Boon, the editor advised me not to revise that story but to start something new! Does that still apply 27 years later?

I can't remember what happened back in 1991 when I received that rejection. To be honest I can hardly remember writing the story! And, rejections hurt, of course they do, but did it hurt so much that I decided to stop writing and to stop submitting for all of that time? Oh, I know life gets in the way and we had two lively boys to bring up, but it turns out I didn't submit again to Harlequin M&B until 2015, when I got through to the last fifty of their global writing contest SYTYCW15. After that my first chapter was accepted by them, but when I submitted the full manuscript, rejected. 

I've also had the email from Kate Walker giving me homework for her Advanced writing course in Fishguard in February. And today, my dear friend, Andrea, who I met on Kate's course some years ago texted me with a reminder that there are a couple of writing competitions/submission opportunities out there at the moment that I really should think about.

My brain hurts.

Until next time

Kim xx

London calling!

So, in my endeavour to be a much better, much more regular blogger, here I am again!

I'm slightly jaded after a super weekend away in London. We ventured south for my sister-in-law's 50th birthday party which she held in style at a lovely little Italian restaurant around the corner from where they live in Marylebone. They already had a houseful of guests for the celebrations so we stayed at The Frontline Club with its gorgeous rooms and exceptionally tasteful bathrooms. Lovely! We were at the very top of the building so had a slightly quirky view over the chimneys and rooftops of London. Very Mary Poppins! 

View from our room at The Frontline Club

Our pretty little bathroom

The weather in London was horribly cold, and we had little inclination to do any of the usual touristy stuff because, well (a) we'd done it all before, and (b) we had very little time, but we did have a little bit of a wander, and I was shocked at the amount of scaffolding wrapped around Big Ben! Apparently, it will look like this until 2021! I know the repairs have to be done but I felt sad not to see it.

Big Ben clock, or is it?

It was great to see our family, but our weekend away meant I got very little writing done. What I do need to mention is that after much encouragement from Kate Walker - having attended her recent writing weekend in Keele - I've submitted the first three chapters of my new story - Signed, Sealed and Delivered of Twins - to Harlequin M&B. 

So, cue much biting of fingernails and gnashing of teeth over the next couple of months until I hear from M&B.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Until next time

Kim xxx