I'm baaaack

The writing holiday(what holiday I slaved....) went well and I doubled in three days what I have written this year...hmmmm not hard....
The beach house was wonderful....It was all set up for a writer...do wop music and a thesaurus!
I have a theme tune to my book....Papa Ooo Mow Mow by The Rivingtones 1962
Anytime I got stuck I would play this tune and off I'd go again.

This week has been the week of fine tuning....no not my current WIP...the Creative NZ application. My WIP has gone on the back burner again....

I should join the circus - I seem to be juggling lots of balls.

The application went off this morning so I can drop one ball for a little while...I'll balance it on my toe and flick it back into the air next week when I look at the lotteries commision application form.

The book launch ball is looking a pretty colour....
Invitations have gone out and replies are coming in.
So come and join us at THE CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOP KILBIRNIE AUGUST 8 AT 6PM
rsvp so we can see how many are coming....the shop holds 130...

On the book front I received my first review from the review copies that were sent out by the Penguin publicist this week.

Hello Maureen

Congratulations! I have just read Bones over the lunch hour and I really loved it. It zips along at such a great pace, is original and very funny. When is the next one coming out I wonder?

I really like the new format for Kiwi Bites because kids could never resist putting the old ones with the real bites in them, in their mouths. Yuk!

Look forward to the launch.

Cheers

Barbara M

Barbara just happens to have an amazing magazine called Around The Bookshops where she reviews and reccomends books for children.

About the next one coming out I don't know either....Penguin promise a decision at the end of the month. They have had the book since November.... That's about the time I should hear from Texas - they have three chapters and a synopsis. So it could be great news or it could be depressing....

So current balls in the air....the launch ball, the book ball, the kids ball...three of them, the church ball, I'm singing for a wedding on saturday and am learning new music for it,
the playgroup ball, new parish priest just took stuff belonging to us to the tip without telling us...I'm the co-ordinator and I am learning how to be diplomatic when you are P#$%$# off...that's a BIG coloured ball.

the blog ball...that's interesting I'm having trouble getting into the dashboard...I've got interesting stuff saved to post on different topics when my life gets boring....
Check out Fifi's blog (see sidebar) to see what our current topics of conversation are. Fifi is in a competition to write a novel in a week!
Now that is the full circus! With clowns and lions eating the ringmaster!
maureen

works in progress

a work in progress is called a WIP....

I often think it should be spelled WHIP.

It sits in the back of your mind while you are doing other things....you can hear the faint crack anf feel the flick of the WIP as you chant to yourself... I'll just do that or this and then I'll get to you....hang on....one minute...just wait....soon...

and so it goes on...

My own particular WIP has been flicking me for a couple of months now as I stack up other projects in front of it. Storylines...National conference of children's writers and illustrators (we have to find a shorter name...)I'm writing the funding submission for that project...with help!

my book launch and blogs and general household mayhem associated with a baby, a seven year old, a teenager and an overworked husband....not to mention the other stuff we're involved in...

Something usually has to give- and it's my WIP.....

So to stop myself from getting a bad case of the 'more guilts'...I am going away to write for four days....next week while my husband manages the family during the second week of the school holidays...It will be good for him... he won't bring work home because it is already here!

To get my head into Wip mode I found this postcard on the phoenix home page!

Cool Huh!

I'd love to send it....

Greetings From Mars (Front) - This postcard was created using some of the first images that were returned by the Phoenix Mars Lander. Created by Jacob Egan and Jenny Mottar. http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/postcards.php

maureen