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I finally read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, and I can see why everyone’s been talking about it.

Elizabeth Zott is one of those heroines who makes you want to stand a little taller — sharp, stubborn, gloriously out of step with her time. 

I loved how Garmus blended humour with heartbreak, showing the quiet battles women fought just to be taken seriously. 

It’s funny, too, how a book set in the 1960s can still feel like it’s talking to us now. I closed it feeling inspired — and slightly annoyed that I didn’t write it first.

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 Reflection

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how we measure progress. Not the big milestones — book deals, awards, followers — but the quiet ones. 

Like when a scene finally clicks after days of wrestling with it, or when I sit down to write even though I don’t feel like it. 

Those moments don’t make headlines, but they’re the heart of it all. They remind me that persistence is often quieter than passion, and that’s okay. Some days, progress is simply keeping the pen moving — trusting the words will meet me halfway.

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To outline or not, that is the question... 

There are authors, who refuse to outline their work before starting – and are often outspoken about their methods. They claim that if they make a plan, and already know what’s happening, the writing won’t be natural. Instead, they start the story with an incident, and let the whole thing develop.

The method undoubtedly works for some - for experienced writers who’ve trod the long and dusty path and understand the problems. 

The problem is, can YOU recognize a quality conflict that will continue unfurling for the next 80,000 words, or will yours be electrifying to begin with, only to end in a blind alley. It’s too easy to start with a bang and a flourish of bright ideas, only to wither at chapter four.

Tell Me a Story - A Garden Moment

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My Garden in Autumn


All writers need a muse of some kind to help the flow of creative juices. I find the peace and tranquility of a garden hard to beat when it comes to inspiration.

Come with me for a walk around my October garden and let me know what you think.

The Pink Bignonia at the back of the kitchen. It's done better this year than ever before. It gave us quite a flowery show - a nice greeting every time we went through the kitchen door.

I have to trim the ivy hedge too often for my liking, but it nicely separates the work area from the garden. I need a work area to store excess building materials, and of course the firewood for the winter.

We almost lost this cycad last winter, but it thankfully recovered and seems to be okay now. Hope it survives because it looked lovely when it was in full spread, especially with the pampas in the background.

One of my favourite spots in the garden. Give me a tall glass of something cold, a laptop, and I'm well away.

The purple ground cover, Tradescantia Pallida, has gone berserk this year - but it is rather stunning, so we let it do it's thing. Right or wrong, it'll be cut back to stumps in a few weeks, but it seems to do it good. We cut it back most years and it appears to be thriving.

The pool is still sitting at 26C because of the cover - but it's a tad on the low side for me. I like it around 30C.... wimp that I am...

SEI GWEI - New Kid on the Block - Horror Genres

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A touch of horror - Sei Gwei.

Over the years, numerous fantasy creations have been used to perform the role of adversaries in horror stories; the creation being the vehicle to be ultimately afraid of, to become the focus of terror.

Although each author will put a unique stamp on their horror creation, in general they can be summarised as follows:

• Werewolves - shape-shifting beasts often associated with abnormal speed, power, and perception. They are found in numerous horror/fantasy stories, shows, and films, and have a long and rich history. 
• Vampires - Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula is probably the archetypal vampire novel and is the basis of the modern vampire legend, still used today. 
• Zombies - The history of the Zombi really stems from Haitian stories involving Voodoo, where they quite often used powerful psychoactive drugs. The Zombi has evolved into its own strange entity no longer needing chemical stimulation to exist.
• Mummies - have featured in fantasy stories from the seventeenth century, but it was during the late Victorian period that Bram Stoker created the first novel with mummies as supernatural adversaries in The Jewel of Seven Stars, with a mummified Egyptian queen. 
• Supernatural - Ghosts in any form always a good fallback and have been used to frighten people of all ages for many years

New adversary-kid on the horror-block is Sei Gwei.

The word, derived from Chinese culture, has a literal meaning of dead ghost, although modern usage sees it applied as a derogatory term for foreigners. 

In the horror story, Sei Gwei Possession, the malignant entities are elevated to a different level and introduced as parasitic wraiths. They are not ghosts, but parasitic entities that live by occupying and controlling, unsuspecting human hosts, forcing them to become cannibals. 

The Ultimate Writers retreat - Emerald Waterways Cruise

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So where do writers go to recharge their batteries......

We tried a Danube river cruise this year and were very impressed. The line we chose was Emerald Waterways - relatively new to the river cruise scene, and wow, are they intending to make their presence felt.

We felt like royalty as were greeted aboard by the assembled staff. Luggage was never touched by our hands, and a personal smiling guide to our cabin, showed all the features it had on offer. 

Small touches were really appreciated, such as slippers, dressing gown, an alarm clock, chocolates on the pillows each night, towels changed twice a day, and the cabin cleaned as soon as we left.

Headphone links for guided tours were provided so that we never missed a thing, and there were cycles available for anyone feeling the need. All staff, including senior staff were always available to offer help, and as a bonus, the food was always great.

Will we go again - certainly. Will we choose Emerald Waterways again - absolutely. 

The Tortuga in Xalo

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We went to 'The Tortuga' Restaurant and Bar last night, here in Xalo.

WOW.... what a brill night it turned out to be. The live music was performed by 'Match' - and they were absolutely great. I highly recommend you see them the next time they're around. You won't regret it.

Tell me a Story: Those Short Moments

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Don't forget that life is too brief to miss SHORT MOMENTS. They seem to count the most in the long run

A Better Writer

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I love this list of 10 steps to Becoming a Better Writer from Copyblogger

Take note and follow...

Tell me a Story: Saying

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 I love this saying. So apt

Heartwarming, even when you're wet

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Heartwarming, even when you're wet

Tell Me a Story: Yesterday on a bus route

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If YESTERDAY is advertised on your bus route, please let me know

Brief Impressions a book review

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Title     - Brief Impressions
Author - AJ Barnett
Stars    - 5

Brief Impressions:
This is a new collection of tear-jerker short stories. Get your tissues handy - the ahh-factor is at work again. AJ Barnett has a reputation for emotive writing, Brief Impressions is no different.

Books from AJ are consistently in the best sellers of their category - in fact three ebooks, SHORT MOMENTS, YESTERDAY and THE TASTE OF LONELINESS have not been out of the best selling list for over 12 months - Most of that time in the top twenty of their category.











 Contents of Brief Impressions:
#1 - On Your Quad:
#2 - New Arrangements:
#3 - Pain, Rage, and Sorrow:
#4 - Connor Is Missing:
#5 - Showing Concern:
#6 - The Arrangement:
#7 - Going Back:
#8 - Phone calls From Laura:
#9 - A World Of Change:

Kindle Erotic Romance Reduced by 80%

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Without Reproach, a tasteful, erotic romance by Ellie Jones, is Reduced by 80% for a very limited time on Amazon Kindle - so grab it quickly before it's too late.

Following the unusually successful free period, the publishers have decided to offer this RED HOT ROMANCE at a drastic reduction to allow readers to take full advantage and experience the exciting writing from Ellie Jones in the hope that it will encourage further purchases.

This book is a Kindle Recommended Read

"A devastating relationship" "Heartbreaking love" "A sizzling liaison"

Without Reproach is an adult romance, an intriguing mystery - "Ellie Jones...excels at creating varied, well-developed characters and an emotion-packed story."

- Jenny freaks out when she finds a painting of herself in the entrance to the villa - totally naked. Spanish artist, Juan Garcia left the luxurious villa to her in his Will, which is gross. She is not related to him, has never heard of him, never met him, and certainly never been to this villa before... So why does she recognize things?

REVIEWS
Mrs Joanne Beech -
“What a wonderful book, I just couldn't put it down. Very raunchy…”

Roroblu’s Mum -
“This was probably the one that appealed to me most: intrigue, romance and hot steamy sex…”

Mrs Maureen Elizabeth Moss -
“Forbidden passion, mystery and intrigue - this story has them all. Have you ever desired someone you really don't like? Set in the magnificent hills of the northern Costa Blanca, this story covers a sweeping range of emotions. Intrigue, deception, disappointment, anger and passion - they are all here, simmering beneath a surface of self-control.”


Get it from USA: Without Reproach
                  UK: Without Reproach

Don't Buy My Book

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Well here's a fresh approach. Is the plea a publicity-angle, or is Clarke genuine. It will certainly bring him media hype - I just wish I’d thought of it…

Author Jaime Clarke's new novel "Vernon Downs" will be available on Amazon in April of 2014, but readers can get a copy this December. His request: Buy it straight from the publisher, not from Amazon.

In his Web site Clarke encourages us to back indie publishers and ignore the hostile cost-cutting campaigns of Amazon that, he says, are good for consumers but damaging to the livelihood of publishers and authors.




Clarke is co-owner of an independent bookstore in Boston.

"As a bookstore owner, I see small presses come and go -- they usually publish a book or two and then fold after running out of money," Clarke writes. "For many small publishers like Roundabout, Amazon accounts for a large portion of sales, but the publisher realizes very little of the purchase price owing to Amazon's discounting policies."

Pay Attention

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I love this

Pensioners abandoned in Jerusalem by Thomson Holidays

For Erotica Lovers Everywhere

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A new site is in operation. serving lovers of erotica and erotic romance.

 

Give Erotica Every Day a visit, you won't be disappointed. Books are presented in a very professional manner, for example this adult romance from Ellie Jones

Who Needs Prozac

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Ain't this the truth...

Five Tips to Getting Published

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This article is from writer, Charlotte Rains Dixon

Here's the deal: you all know the basics of how to get published, right?  You research agents and publishing houses that might be a good fit for your book, write a stellar query letter, and then you send it out.  And send it out again.  And again.  That process hasn't changed, even with the advent of indie publishing (which is a whole different process), and it's not likely to any time soon. 
But what you might not know is what lies beneath the above process, the mindset that you need to develop in order to find success in the publishing marketplace. And that, my friends, is what this article is about.  This mindset is in some ways as important if not more important than anything else, because developing a strong underpinning to what you do as a writer will carry you through your career.
So, here's to a publishing mindset, which takes:
1.  Willingness.  You need to be willing to do the things you think you don't need to do--like establish an author's platform while you are writing the book.  You need to be willing to master social media, start a blog, begin connecting with your future audience.  Long gone are the days when all writers had to do was sit back, write and let their publishers do all the marketing.  You'll be expected to participate, and it's going to be a lot easier if you get a head start.  Agents and editors look at things like your blog, and your social media presence these days.
2.  Consistency.  There's nothing sadder than coming across a blog whose last post was six months ago.  Or a year ago.  Start your blog and be consistent with it.  Get on Twitter, and keep tweeting.  Polish your query, and keep sending it out, even after you've been rejected a gazillion times.  Work on your WIP regularly, as often as you possibly can. It's the writers who keep at it who eventually get the win.  I know, I'm one of them.
3.  Determination.  Are you going to quit the first time it gets hard to accomplish your daily quota of pages or word count?  Are you going to stop the second you get a rejection?  Are you going to give up when you can't figure out how to format your novel to indie publish it?  You better not, because both of those things will happen a lot.  To be a successful writer takes determination and perserverance in spades. If you don't force yourself to do whatever it takes to send the work out, your words will remain stashed in a drawer.
4. Creativity.  You can be the most lyrical writer in the world, but if you don't find ways to plant yourself in front of the computer, the words won't get written.  It all begins and ends with the writing and if you put the writing first, everything else will take care of itself.  Master techniques to get your butt planted in that chair.
5.  Craziness.  To commit yourself to a writing-centered life and vow to get published takes a bit of craziness.  It just does.  It's ever so much easier to be content at a 9-to-5 job, come home, eat dinner and turn on the TV.  Not you, because you come home, eat dinner, and turn on the computer to write, with no guarantee that anyone will ever see those words.  That's crazy, isn't it?  So be it.  I happen to believe it's also the most important thing you can do, crazy or not.

Writer, mentor, and coach Charlotte Rains Dixon is passionate about helping writers, coaches, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals succeed, achieve, and profit in their careers and lives through writing. Visit her for more tips and techniques on writing—and living—at www.charlotterainsdixon.com.

Ellie Jones Christmas Box-set

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A brill Christmas Box Set offer on Kindle from Ellie Jones - three books for the price of one

Get grabbing while you can -  Christmas Box-Set Kindle USA

                                               Christmas Box-Set Kindle UK