This blog post marks a major achievement in my writing. At the beginning of the year, I joined the Get Your Words Out online community of writers. In order to sign up, you have to pledge to write a certain number of words over the course of the year. They also have to be certain […]
Author: Annie
Distracted by the Shinies
I’m supposed to be finishing a final polish of the novel, ready to send it to Cornerstones for a professional edit report. My deadline for doing that, set by my wonderful husband who is paying for report as my birthday present, was 2 November. But it’s now nearly three weeks later and I’m only halfway […]
Helping the Crew
I was recently introduced to an interesting way of thinking about the conscious and subconscious parts of the mind, which I’ve found very helpful in working on my writing. Think of the mind as a ship, with the captain steering and looking out to the horizon, and the crew working away below decks, out of […]
Safeguarding the Future
My story, Safeguarding the Future, is part of the Oct-Dec 2016 issue of The Lorelei Signal. The wonderful piece of art produced for it is by Marge Simon. You can read it here – and, if you like it, you can show your appreciation by donating to the magazine using the Donate button at the […]
Major Milestone
I am learning the inevitable lesson that life as a writer, and interaction with the publishing industry in particular, is unpredictable and sometimes frustrating. There were a couple of months over the summer where everything suddenly felt as if it was coming together. Four of my short stories were accepted for publication, I was offered […]
The Owl
An eagle eye Surveys my heart Noting the changes since it awoke Whispering wings Convey my love Feather soft and strong as oak
The Waiting Room
The room was bright, perhaps a little too bright. The space was difficult to define, stretching as it did perhaps only a few dozen feet or perhaps to infinity. The undefined whiteness made it impossible to tell. The five of us sat in a group of comfy armchairs, somewhere in amongst the brightness. Clay very […]
Under The Microscope
In this month’s Writing Magazine, author James McCreet analysed the first 300 words of my novel, doing a line-by-line commentary and providing a summary overview of his thoughts, as well as a suggested re-write. When I first heard that this was going to happen (so many months after submitting that I’d forgotten all about it), […]
She Loves Me
I watch her cooking Each movement precise and confident Concentration and grace Punctuated by joyous singing along to the radio I watch her entertaining Talking, laughing, making sure everyone’s glass is full The perfect hostess Queen of her domain and ruling with benevolence I watch her working The cute frown line forming between her eyebrows […]
The End of All Things
I wait. Formless yet conscious, just beyond the edge of reality. I know I have a role to fulfil. The passage of time has no meaning for me yet, but my time will come. Nothing can remain static forever. All things change and, when the change comes, I will be ready. There is a shift […]