Tag Archives: Writing

Daily Prompts

I am getting so far behind.

I just haven’t had any inspiration since Saturday. I’ve been working on my last university assignment for the year, and reading books that I need to get reviewed this week. I have finally read the two most pressing books; their reviews are written and scheduled for Friday and Sunday. I have three other books yet, from Pen&Sword, to read and review, and I need to read through and mess about with Hidden Fire one last time. My plan is to have it ready for release, on Amazon, on my birthday, 17th June. I need to get my cover ordered and work out how to format everything. I need more beta readers who will give me  constructive criticism, that sort of thing.

Anyway, all this is distracting me and I can’t settle to write from prompts. I plan to keep going, writing when I’m able to, though posts might be irregular.

And now I’m tired so I’m going to get a glass of squash and go to bed early.

Rosie

xXx

Extract: ‘Hidden Fire’, by Rosemarie Cawkwell

Brief summary

Hidden Fire is a fantasy novel, the first of four set in The Northern Isles of a world called Erce, in which a young woman, LIZZY FITZALBONI, discovers herself and her place in the world. Privileged form birth, she must learn that not everyone exists to make life easy for her, while navigating a complex political world where many would like to see her dead.

Synopsis

The Northern Isles are four islands to the west of the great continental empire of Belenos. Midway between Belenos and the western continent of Camar, they are key trading ports, controlling the supply of furs and oils from Camar to Belenos, and of silks and spices back to Camar. When the islands go to war everyone suffers. Lizzy FitzAlboni is the illegitimate child of the King John VII of Albon. His political marriage to Jocinta Tarjani, the granddaughter of the ruler of the second largest island, Sumoast, has always been rocky. When Lizzy is kidnapped just before her 21st birthday evidence points to the queen and her kinsmen in Sumoast. Jocinta is exiled back to her family. In Albon, political and religious currents awaken as religious authorities object to the queen’s exile and the people agitate for further reform of the political system. Lizzy becomes involved, while raising her brothers. When her friend Lord Gos Val goes missing while on in Belenos, Lizzy and her friends must investigate, but are too late to prevent the war everyone knows is coming.

Copyright Notice: The author asserts the copyright to this material. No copying, sharing etc. without permission.

(This is my work; steal it and I’ll hunt you down with a big axe and two mad hounds.)

Continue reading “Extract: ‘Hidden Fire’, by Rosemarie Cawkwell”

Advance warning

I am going to be brave and post an extract from my novel Hidden Fire. I am fairly certain it has reached the point where I really need to do something with it, but I don’t know what to do. I’m conflicted. Should I try the traditional publishing route of find and agent and then hope a publisher buys it, or do I self-publish?

 

Short story a day. An explanation.

Writer’s Forum magazine has a page called ‘Idea Store’ every month. The Fiction Square is supposed to be used with a dice to chose characters, characteristics and situations. This month the squares are also numbered 1 – 30 as a daily writing prompt. I’ve done the first two.

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The short stories are just first drafts, written quickly with the prompt. I’m going to post the first two after this post. Enjoy.

Uni: Week 4

Yes, it’s the weekly update about my MA adventures.

I have my results back for the assignments I handed in at the beginning of term. For my radio drama I got 73% and a suggestion that I might consider writing radio drama for my dissertation. Another tutor suggested I’d have got a higher mark with a less restrictive subject, but I enjoyed it, It’s easy writing stories based on reality because once I get all the character traits and background detail, and the timeline sorted out in my head I can just fit it all together.Continue reading “Uni: Week 4”

Back to uni…on Wednesday

And I cannot wait!

Apart from anything else I’ll finally have some money. But that is only a minor consideration. I’m really looking forward to getting back to studying, handing in my assignment and being sociable for one day a week.

I had a last minute read-through of my assignments this morning and noticed a few things I’d missed before, so I’ve just spent half an hour fixing them. I’m getting organised for going back on Wednesday. The little laptop is on charge, and I have finally worked out how to use my digital voice recorder. I need to put the spare batteries in my back-pack just in case, and my laptop charger once I finish charging it up.I thought I’d got the little laptop charged up weeks ago, but I must have forgotten to shut it down properly and drained the battery.

I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I just need to check train times. My ankle is too bad for me to walk to Habrough to catch the train so I’ll have to get the bus to Grimsby instead. I know what time the train leave Habrough, I don’t know what time it leaves Grimsby. And the bus timetable has changed, so I need to check that too.

I’m really excited. Can you tell?

 

Update: I have now checked my bus and train times, all is well. I shall get an early bus, go for a coffee at a local indie cafe, pop in to the wool shop and then catch my train in a nice, relaxed fashion. And I will not stress about any of this anymore. (Well, I keep telling myself that.)

Editing book one – I’m not as appalled by my writing as I thought I would be

Evening dear readers,

Sorry no review yet, I’ve been working on editing ‘Hidden Fire‘.Continue reading “Editing book one – I’m not as appalled by my writing as I thought I would be”

2017 – onwards and upwards

2016 wasn’t a great year for a lot of people and there were political and cultural events that really mucked it up, but for me personally it wasn’t all horrible. Rather than dwelling on the upsetting stuff I’m going to list the positives from last year.

  • I made new friends, some of whom I’ve become very fond of;
  • I tried to be sociable, I even tried dating;
  • I travelled abroad for the first time ever;
  • I started my MA in Creative Writing.

This year, I can only go forwards.Continue reading “2017 – onwards and upwards”

Over 400 followers

When I started writing this blog in August 2011 I wasn’t expecting many readers, but it seems people actually do want to read what I write and since then 401 readers have followed this site. I don’t know how many are still regular readers and how many were just passing through, but you’re all welcome and hopefully I’ll keep you entertained for a few more years yet.

P.S.

If anyone knows anything about writing radio scripts, get in touch, please. I need help with my MA assignment. I’ve never written scripts and have to write 3000 words (15 – 20 pages apparently). I have a story, I just need help with the mechanics – formatting mainly.