Busy Times

Yesterday was an extraordinary day. The Day of the Workshop but also the day my author copies for my contemporary novella The Marriage Inheritance arrived in the post from DC Thomson. It is number 1494 and I presume out now in Asda and selected WHS. The nicest part was seeing the by Michelle Styles on the front. There is a heart after my name which Margaret Carr assures is A Good Sign and not everyone gets a heart. She had to waitseveral novellas for a heart.
The assuming thing is the couple on the cover look nothing like my hero and heroine. But it is MY words inside. The blurb reads -- When a business arrangement sees Caroline Adams involved with brooding landowner Rafe Worthington, it takes all her effort not to fal lin love.
I didn't think Rafe was brooding, but there you go. It is good that it is in print. It is a story that will remain close to my heart because the first draft of this was the first manuscript I finished when I decided to start being serious about my writing. It went through several subsequent drafts, but the essence of the story remained.
I now have to discover who I send it off to, to see if I can get TMI into Large Print as it might help contribute to my PLR.
Whatever happens this is the story that turned me from potential to published. Sometimes dreams do come true.

The workshop was wonderful. I was so pleased with the speakers. As they were all people I had wanted to hear, I assumed that others would as well. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. It was lovely to finally meet people in the flesh as it were. Anna Lucia is truly a genius at logistics. She was the heart and soul of the workshops. The wind beneath the workshop's wings.
I also had the great pleasure of hosting Eileen Ramsay for the night before the conference. I adore Eileen's writing, and her story of perservance in the face of the strong opposition has comforted me through rejections. If ever you get a chance to hear Eileen speak, do so. Also try to get her to talk about her other passion -- opera. A totally enthralling evening where I stayed up much too late.
I finally found out what the fuss was about Kate Walker's picture of Hugh Jackman. A very nice picture. I also loved her Snoopy pictures. She also repeated the words that kept me on track when I first started being serious about my writing. They want to buy unique voices, not people who write like somebody else.
Hilary Johnson spoke after lunch. She is a very talented speaker (and poet). She gave tremendous insight into the process of how someone goes about lifting their game as it were.
Wendy Robertson who writes for Headline rounded out the day. Again she was an enthralling speaker. She touched on many subjects, including the importance of archetypes and the importance of self-belief.
By the end I was slightly brain dead. Kate had given me two Anne McAllisters early in the day and Eileen a bottle of wine. Two perfect ingredients for spending a relaxing Saturday night unwinding.
Kate Walker also presented me with an abolsutely lovely heart locket for becoming a M&B author. It was all I could to keep from crying. The gift was absolutely perfect, but the it was who did the giving that made it so special. Kate always says -- write from the heart -- and now I have my heart to remind me and to keep the crows of doubt away!. She has been such a mentor to me, even when she did not know it. I plan to wear my heart with pride!!