Well, the novel is Out There in the big wide world and to stop myself obsessing about how it's getting on I've made myself start a new one. It feels weird, getting to know a new set of characters, but the idea leapt out at me on one of my dog walks and demanded to be written. I'm enjoying it so far, but keep getting distracted by things going wrong in the house. Mice behind the bath panel making a horrid smell - that sort of thing. I'm resigned to the fact that we'll never be critter-free living where we do, but I suppose it's a small price to pay for being in the country and having lovely walks and views all round.
Elsewhere the lovely Colette has awarded me a ... well a lovely award, quite frankly. Made my day it did and the rules state I must pass it on, which threw me into a frenzy of indecision. I've decided TomFoolery deserves it for (among other things) her envy-inducing photography. Enjoy!
36 comments:
Judging by your short stories, I know this novel is a goodie so keeping everything crossed for you Karen.
I have mice in my drawers (kitchen drawers:)They ate all the dog and bird food. Bless.
Wow...your novel is out in the world! That is so exciting and good on you for starting another one straight away. I'm sure you won't see it but my very best luck sent to you and your MS.xx
Congratulations on the blog award Karen, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the novel being out in the big wide world. Fantastic and good luck.
Word Verif is drobtes. I think that's the official name for the wee poos that the mice leave behind, isn't it?
Well done your having your baby out there and woo hoo for the new book!
Sorry about the mice though.
lx
Liking waving off one of your children into the big bad world. Good luck Karen - I'll keep everything crossed for an agent snapping up your lovely novel.
Well done for sending your novel out. Am sending posivie vibes for good news soon. And congratulations for the award - well deserved.
XX
I'm sending happy query response thoughts your way, as well as wordy noveling ones too... :)))
re. mice... have you tried the little plug-in repellents that send out high frequencies, the equivalent of a mouse size industrial drill outside their pied-a-tere? Might make them up sticks if they are becoming tiresome housemates. :)
Ms Clarkey, You're so sweet m'dear. Had a shit day today, so you've made me day, good and proper :-) Well done for sending out the novel - I'm sure it will get published. NO! IT WILL GET PUBLISHED. Mark my words.
Now, these vermin creatures! I've penned you a little song to sing over at my place. On the count of three, ONE, TWO, THREE... ;-)
Tommox
Good Luck Karen! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. It's a great idea to start on the 2nd book because when you do get a publishing deal you'll only have a few months to write the first draft of the second book!
Wishing your novel lots of luck, Karen :-)
Really well done for getting it out there. That's not at all easy, so take yourself some credit. Leaping ideas are good things too. Fingers crossed for positive outcomes for both.
(And the verification word is, I kid you not: 'buggr'.)
Congratulations on your well-deserved blog award.
Good luck with your ms, I'm sure you'll receive loads of positive feedback.
Good luck with the novels, Karen - the one that's out there and the one you've just started.
And many congratulations on the award.
Good luck with the novel!
Keeping my fingers crossed for you Karen. Good luck!!
Good luck! Onward and upward!
Karen, many congratulations on the blog award which is well-deserved - and wishing you so much good luck with your novel. xx
Fingers crossed for the novel Karen. I should do the same thing myself but my baby is currently still at home. Maybe it's time to say stuff the postal strike and send it anyway.
We once had mice - didn't like it - don't want them again.
Fingers and everything else crossed for your book and thinking lots of positive thoughts!
Re mice - 'Something' has been galloping over my ceiling the last couple of nights. As long as they stay in the walls/under the floorboards I can cope.
YO! So envious of you (not the vermin, natch, but the novel and the discipline to start another one straight away!)
Well done Karen on getting the novel out there, and will keep everything crossed for you! xx
Good luck for your 'out in the world' ms, Karen.
Have fun with the new one
xxPat
I CANNOT wait to read your book! I loved the first chapter and I'm your target market (I think) so they'd better sign you!!!
Congrats on the award too!
Good luck with the novel. That is exciting news. Re - the mice, would you like to borrow a cat? I have several available.
Good luck with the novel.
Did you know mice don't like mint? Supposedly if you plant it close to the house, it'll deter them. (I get so desperate with them some winters, I'm thinking about writing to Spirit and Destiny for a spell...)
Yay! Congrats on sending it out and fingers crossed :-)
Bonne chance!
Just a quick note to thank you for coming by my blog on Friday, and to wish you every success with the written book and the being-written book. I look forward to interviewing you on publication as well!
Wishing The Novel the very best of luck, Karen. Here's hoping the right person picks it up and loves it...
How exciting!
And how wonderful to have started the second one already!
I'm sending good luck vibes through the ether xx
Congratulations on sending your novel out! I shall keep my fingers crossed for you. But if your novel is as witty as your blog you will surely have a publishing deal soon.
Enjoy getting to know new characters. I love that part of the job.
In answer to your question on my blog, yes I do remember The Strawbs especially the song Part of the Union:
Now I'm a union man
Amazed at what I am
I say what I think, that the company stinks
Yes I'm a union man
When we meet in the local hall
I'll be voting with them all
With a hell of a shout, it's "Out brothers, out!"
And the rise of the factory's fall
Oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
Until the day I die
Until the day I die
The union has made me wise
To the lies of the company spies
And I don't get fooled by the factory rules
'cause I always read between the lines
And I always get my way
If I strike for higher pay
When I show my card to the Scotland Yard
And this is what I say:
Oh, oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
Until the day I die
Until the day I die
Before the union did appear
My life was half as clear
Now I've got the power to the working hour
And every other day of the year
So though I'm a working man
I can ruin the government's plan
And though I'm not hard, the sight of my card
Makes me some kind of superman
Oh, oh, oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
Until the day I die
Until the day I die
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
Until the day I die
Until the day I die
Wow, I'm so impressed by all your stories in the current Fiction Feast! Have you been too modest to mention these successes or have I just not been paying attention?
I used to live in East London and was riddled with mice. Haven't seen one at all here, although I've seen a rat and have toads under my wheelie bins:-(
Everything is crossed for you. And baited breath too - although I probably shouldn't mention baits.
fia - That's lovely thank you :o) I don't know what it was that died upstairs, but the smell's still lingering :oO
kerry - Thank you, it IS excting - and nerve-wracking :o)
jj beattie - Thanks for your good wishes, and love the word verif - definitely the official name!
liz fenwick - Thank you, and yes they're a pain!
helen p - Thank you :o))
suzanne jones - Thanks, you're such a lovely lot :o)
anna - Thank you, I'll put them in a box and keep them safe :o)
joss albert - We have tried those but they seem particularly resistant, the little blighters. We're trying cotton wool soaked in peppermint oil at the moment as they apparently don't like the smell!
tommo - You're most welcome you lovely lady, and I'm going to sing that song at top volume and hope it scares them away :o)
laura cassidy - That's a good point actually - I need to stop faffing about on here and get on with it :o)
amanda - Thank you :o))
queenie - Word veri is either apt or naughty at times! Thanks for the good wishes :o)
debs - Thank you, I do hope so ... I need a back up plan just in case!
teresa ashby - Thanks so much :o)
womagwriter - Thank you :o)
annieye - Thanks - it's horrible waiting though isn't it?!
jan jones - Thank you, and definitely onwards (hopefully upwards will follow!)
lorna f - Thank you for that, and good luck with your first course :o)
colette - Hopefully the postal strike is over now, so maybe it's time to get the baby out there :o)
As for the mice/glis-glis - the less said the better I think!
sky blue - Thank you so much :o) Yes, we hear lots of galloping about in the walls - sometimes it sounds like they're building things ...
edward - Thanks! Not sure about discipline though - more a distraction from stalking the postman!
olivia ryan - Thank you x
pat posner - Thanks so much :o)
lilys - Ahem - thank you (you know it's not the same novel, right?!)
helenmhunt - Thank you and YES - send them over forthwith!
honeysuckle - Thank you, and yes we're trying something minty and off-putting at the moment! If you do come across a spell that works let me know :o)
tam - Thank you x
dumdad - Merci!
catherine withenay - Thank you, I must pop over again ... in fact I'll add you to my bloglist :o)
alis - Thank you - the waiting is hard but at least everything is still possible!
bernadette - It is exciting and thank you for the good luck vibes xx
katw - Thank you, and it is surprisingly fun getting to know new characters :o)
dumdad - Oh my Lord, that's the one! Their most famous song I bet - wasn't it adopted by the trade union movement? Took me right back to ToTP that did!
honeysuckle - Ooh, thank you! I'm far too embarrassed to keep bragging about them :o)
lane - Ooh yes, we saw a rat out the front the other day, making a nest in some logs. Sigh. We're never going to be critter-free.
Thanks for the good wishes and no, don't mention bait ... :o)
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