Hi/Bye

I have been away from the blog for a week more than intended, for a variety of reasons. Some were positive and joyful and for now I will think only about them.

We are always hearing that we should live life to its fullest – but the possibility for each of us to do so is massively different depending on circumstances. For me, on those days when perhaps I haven’t grabbed every opportunity (and instead sat watching tv and eating biscuits), it’s good to reflect on the more enriching experiences of the week.

So last week I went to a music night for my friend’s birthday, had a family party and separate meal with friends for my own, went shopping, spent time with my husband, and had writing group.  All positives!

I do have quite a bit to share with you and I will start with three books, tomorrow.  I will plan from there!

So hi, and bye, for now.  See you tomorrow,

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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Ciao for Now!

My holiday starts today, so I thought I’d write the posts for the week now…

On Tuesday I will be reflecting on the book, ‘The Tiger’s Wife‘, by Téa Obreht. It won the Orange prize for fiction a few years ago so I will probably be comparing my reaction to that of the judges!

On Thursday I will be pleased with myself for writing down my experiences over the course of the break, and be finding the beauty of the setting a huge inspiration.

On Sunday I will be sad about reaching the last night already. I will be drinking Sangria. These two things do not make for a complex, interesting or coherent post, so I will simply share a song that makes me happy 🙂

Now you know what you’ll be missing you can rest assured you aren’t missing anything…

Have a great, productive and inspirational week and I will be back soon.

Oh, and I am not going to Italy, but I like using the word ciao!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

 

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Free Post Thursday – Packing Up

I am getting ready to disappear off on holiday soon.  I need to decide what writing paraphernalia to take with me; notebook and pen, obviously, but it’s the rest I have to consider!

On holiday, I tend to write a journal, recording the days, the sights, the conversations.  It feels right to be absorbed in the place.  This is what separates a retreat from a holiday in my head.

But when I am just lazily sitting in the sun it’s really good to try a few writing exercises, because a different environment leads to a very different perception.  When the world around you has changed, it’s inevitable that your impression of things will change too.

So a book of exercises, certainly.  A journal to write in, and a notebook to carry about.  Pens.

More than those practical things though, I need to take an open mind, a sense of adventure, and a willingness to meet people and get involved – that way even if I don’t write, I will be filling the research banks in my head!

I might not be about on Sunday, and I definitely won’t be here next week, but I will dig out some inspiration posts for you to enjoy in my absence.

Have a great week or so, and I have no doubt I will be full of bright ideas when I get back…  Maybe not another trapeze course though!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

 

 

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Happy Easter/Sunday!

It’s the Easter long weekend and we’ve been celebrating birthdays as well as getting together with family, so I am pretty much on holiday today!

I will write a post after the next birthday celebration, which is tomorrow, but for now I will say good night.

For those celebrating Easter I hope you have had a wonderful day, for those who are not, I hope you have had a wonderful day too!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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Away!

As I said on Thursday, I am having a little break – it’s our wedding anniversary and as a great believer in celebrating as much of life as possible naturally it demanded time off work, and (in due course) a pretty hotel!

I will be back on Thursday at which point I will catch you up on plot, Fred and reading!

In the meantime, have a happy few days!
EJ
🙂

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Free Post Thursday – A retrospective!

Apparently I used up all my energy on yesterday’s post because the lurgy is back and I am writing this wrapped up feeling sorry for myself.

So it seemed a sensible time to go back to my Mediterranean sunshine images and find a few to share.

Maybe they’ll cheer you up like they do me, or inspire a bit of writing, or maybe they’ll make you want to head off on your own holiday!

I’ve limited the number but there are lots so don’t be surprised if we head back there another time!

Whatever they make you think, I hope it’s positive!

Happy writing,
EJ
🙂

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Week 247 – Just Keep Swimming

If you have Dory in your head now, that’s ok. I do too…!

This week, writing-wise, has been all about keeping going.

It has been hugely busy: I am trying to sort everything out before my holiday, which starts on Tuesday, and I have been a little overstretched and under-rested.

However, I have only missed one writing session and as that was when I caught up with a friend I have only seen twice in the last 20 years, it was worth a night off.

Nothing outside of the new story has been looked at – no submissions, no chases, no revisions of other work – and I have to be honest and say it probably won’t be until June what with one thing and another. That’s a shame but I cannot spend time feeling negative about it: there’s no value in that and it won’t change things anyway!

What I have decided is to take the new novel with me on holiday and try to do a few sections here are there; I had intended to have a break but it’s flowing too well to stop, even if I only do a few sentences now and again. I don’t want it to get in the way of exploring a new place though: the writer in me also needs to have time to be inspired and learn about different places.

So writing’s going well on one hand and there’s room for development on the other.  I just have to keep swimming…

Actually, that’s pretty much every part of life at the moment!

Happy writing,
EJ
🙂

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Week 214 (because I missed one!) – Back to Normality

It’s taking me a while to get back into my normal routine. I have not done any writing since Wednesday (on my way home), and I haven’t even done any reading since Thursday.

This weekend was busy, with a friend’s art show and another friend’s public reading, a family gathering, a visit to my aged nan and a bit of shopping so I haven’t  caught up with myself over these two days, which I would normally try to do.

But I will not worry for today.  I’ll get back to it all next week, and see how far my motorway writing took me…

Due to the lack of anything writerly, I’m going to share a few moments from Germany with you. These are just some of the many pics we took.

Number 1: Free ice cream with coffee 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Number 2: Wobbly buildings.  The look a little bit tipsy, like they’re holding each other up!

Number 3: A beautiful town hall with a market square (and a market, where I bought sweets, as you do…  You can just see the awnings of the stalls.  The vast majority sold foods including lots of fruit and veg, honey, sauces and spices, cheeses, breads and cooked foods like the famous German sausages).

I’ve never been so far north in Germany, and my husband has never been before, so it was great to get a chance to explore.  We were treated to some lovely home-cooked traditional German foods which I will try to recreate someday, and our forays into eateries made me realise how very expensive it is to buy food in the UK!!

I will leave it there for tonight, as it’s nearing midnight and I am close to that point where I type random words in the vague hope they make a sentence…  I’ll be back on Tuesday with at least one book to talk about, and hopefully the second is nearing completion, so I’ll see you then!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

 

 

 

 

 

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Free Post Thursday – And We’re Back!

That felt like a very short week away, but involved enough food for about a month!

I am still catching up with washing, housework, sleep etc so I tonight I’m just going to share a picture from my travels.

Late one afternoon we went for a walk into a nature park area, and just out of sight of the parking area, beyond some trees, was a little hotel.

There was a wedding party at the hotel, the tables all lit with candles shining through the windows, and it felt magical.

When I think of the stereotypical German village it’s very much from fairytales – a leftover from a childhood reading The Brothers Grimm, no doubt – and this scene seemed to fit perfectly.  There was such a romantic feeling to the place, and a sense of timelessness that is almost impossible to define.  It felt like I had fallen into a storybook, for just a few moments.

And doesn’t that seem fitting for a couple celebrating their own love story?

Until next time – happy writing,

EJ

🙂

 

 

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Free Post Thursday – Off Duty!

This post is just a reminder that I’m not here for the next few days; I have no idea if I’ll have wifi anywhere but I won’t easily be able to upload posts even if I do so I’m going to give myself a full-on blogging break until I’m back in the UK, hopefully with pictures and stories of my German adventures.

So until then – auf wiedersehen,
EJ
🙂

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