1920s Dreaming

The week that was: 31st March, 2012

As a historical writer, I travel often into times gone by within my imagination. So, when an opportunity comes up where I can put on a costume and actually go to a historical themed party, I get just a little excited. Last weekend a friend of mine turned fifty, and to celebrate they had a 1920s themed jazz party, complete with four-piece jazz band.

I spent a lot of time researching the period and decided I would be a Flapper. They were the girls who lived on the naughtier side of life back then. They frequented pubs and dance halls, drinking and smoking, wearing bold makeup and shortening their skirts somewhat. They wore headbands on their heads, decorated with feathers and sequins, to stop their hair falling in their eyes while they bounced around dancing the Charleston and other face-paced dances. The photo is not the best, but this is the outfit I came up with, and apart from my hair, which will not be tamed by any amount of product or pinning, I was very happy with it.

Perhaps I should write a post World War I novel now …

In other news, Voyager finally made it home to Earth, co-incidently through their own time-travel twist. Strangely it took the crew seven years to discover it is not about the destination, but about the journey (now there’s a profound revelation). Everyone is wandering around my house as though they’ve lost something. Perhaps, my son thinks, we should start on another Star Trek series. I’m not sure about that.

I finally got back into working on my WIP, Hearts of Gold, but it will now be broken up with more work on the collaborative project, The Greenfield Legacy. Either way, I’m aiming to get 20,000 words in total down in April, PLUS, an extra challenge of a blog every day. But, more of that tomorrow …

Published in: on 31st March, 2012 at 10:00 am  Comments (2)  
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Oddities …

The week that was: 24th March, 2012

The last season of Star Trek Voyager is well underway in my house, and I have resorted to watching catch-up TV over the internet instead of sitting through more episodes of inter-planetary conflict and the obstacles facing the crew as they try to get home. I might join my family and watch the very last disk. Maybe.

My kids have also been playing a lot on the Wii – Just Dance. For the life of me, I cannot get one of the songs out of my head. I wake up with it, and go to sleep with it. Even after hours listening to the radio, as soon as the music is off, that song is back in my head. Aaarrggghhh! Why can’t I have music that I actually enjoy playing around in circles in my head???

It was an odd week for weather and I think it played havoc with my son’s mischief levels. We started the week having to wear light summery clothes, but by Wednesday, in spite of a warm night and magnificent sunrise (see photo), the weather quickly deteriorated to rain, hail and gusty wind. The heater even went on.

My lovely seven-year-old thought it would be fun to play a practical joke on his dad, hiding the work van’s keys. Not knowing this, hubby and I spent an hour searching the house, inside and out, while the little boy enjoyed his time in dreamland. It wasn’t until morning that the truth was revealed and the keys located. I suspect I shall have to keep my eye on this prankster – what will he be capable of in a few years???

Novel writing is back on track, with me happily rising at 5am once again to churn out a few hundred words every day. Having a great time working on my part of a collaborative novel at the moment. I love a new challenge.

Oh, and I now have a three-book contract for the Jacksons Creek series, of which Ellenvale Gold is published, Black Forest Gold is due out in October this year, and Hearts of Gold (tentative title) will be released in 2013. 🙂 Good news!

Published in: on 24th March, 2012 at 9:59 am  Comments (4)  

Shhhhh…

The week that was: 17th March, 2012.

Peopled out! That’s what I call it when I’ve been around crowds for too long. And now I have to battle my reflex to say “shhh” to anyone who speaks to me. I would dearly love to turn to the nearest chatterbox and say (in the words of 7 of 9 – of Voyager fame) “this conversation is irrelevant”. But, a couple of hours on my own and I’ll be back to normal.

Our church hosted a statewide conference this week, and it was my job to run the registration/information/book sales desk. Oh, I can do it well enough. I can smile and greet and shake hands and hold pleasant conversations, and banter words about a bit. I can even enjoy it. But it is, to put it plainly: EX.HAUST.ING! I am much more comfortable on my own in front of a computer or book.

So tired have I been, that all writing activity was shelved for the week, besides a couple of blogs. I did not rise for my 5am appointment with my laptop. Not since Tuesday. Thankfully, One Direction has been replaced in my head by the various songs played at the conference. Ah, yes, I much prefer worship coursing through my background noise!

And while I have been MIA on the home front, assimilation has become complete. My kids are even playing Star Trek Voyager games. My daughter does not make cute little animals with the plasticine, no, it is all Borg! Thankfully they only have one series left to watch. But, then what? Will I be dealing with Star Trek withdrawal symptoms? How will they cope with being severed from the collective? Will they cry for assimilation? God help me!

Published in: on 18th March, 2012 at 9:44 am  Comments (4)  

History in the Making (the week that was)

Star date 10.03.2012

Photo by DuJuan SylvesterDid I just say that? I mean 10th March, 2012. That’s what comes from a certain family member watching episode after episode of Star Trek Voyager, while I wander around the house aimlessly, trying to figure out how NOT to watch more of this Sci-Fi epic. Not that I don’t enjoy it. I just don’t want to spend all evening on it.

My poor children have been assimilated. My seven-year-old tells me he “will not comply” or that there has been a “plasma explosion.” I suppose resistance really is futile. Sigh…

The song most often in my head this week (besides Voyager’s theme music):  Any song by One Direction. Unfortunately my oldest girl has apparently acquired the One Direction Infection . So, when there is no other media playing in the house, she has that music on, and therefore I wake up with their music in my head. Aaarrrrghh!

In between all this madness, in my blissful hours between five and six AM, and days when all members of the household are in different locations, I have taken a break from my current WIP to catch up on some other writing projects. I have given this blog a facelift, which I am quite impressed with, if I may say so. I have caught up on a promised review and some old emails.

AND I have been editing Black Forest Gold, which is hopefully due out later this year. I have re-written the ending, ruthlessly cut a few pages from the middle and am in the process of re-working the beginning. Most people gasp when I tell them this, but it comes with the territory and my novel will be all the better for it in the end – I promise. 🙂

Published in: on 10th March, 2012 at 9:28 am  Comments (2)