here

Just a little one to say I still exist - I'm still writing (but working a lot too) and honestly, I'm not just obessively watching Jason Donovan pop videos...


I'll be along soon with more words and a link to something that's being published online tomorrow.

T

it's research, okay?

I'm working on a short story and Jason Donovan's in it. So I've had, had, had to watch this video once or twice today.

For inspiration. And to get a vibe. Y'know?



Ha ha. Love it. Can't help it.

listening in

Two things that I'd like to add together:

I spend a lot of time in coffee shops writing
+
I love listening (or, I'm nosy)

Equals:
a lot of hastily scribbled down overheard conversations/observations in my notebook.


Here's part of a monologue I overheard recently. It came from a mother to her teenage daughter. The daughter (meek, quiet) kept silent throughout.

"I have just said to you, 'Do not eat anymore of that muffin' and you have looked me in the eye and taken a bite. How am I supposed to think that you understand me and are capable of an adult conversation when you deliberately, after I'd told you not to, took a bite of that muffin? We are back to square one. You have failed the test."

They were really discussing something else - the girl has chosen (without consulting her mother!) to change a subject she's studying at school. And didn't the whole cafe know about it.

It was the deliberate-ness of it all: the mother hadn't just found out. She probably thought it'd be a good idea to take her for a hot chocolate and a muffin and then tell her off, under the disguise of having a conversation with her. She just verbally tortured (with a loud voice - I was at the opposite side of the room) her daughter for about 15minutes and even at one point said, "I know you've apologised but it doesn't matter."

The girl just sat there, not even being especially cocky, more just resigned that she had a Head Case for a mother.

Maybe I shouldn't judge, I'm not a mum. But if ever I am...

Not that this is a blog about parenting. But it's good to listen and write down conversations when you're a writer, isn't it? For speech patterns and such. Not just because of nosiness.



*Writing news*
-Got a rejection from Dark Tales
-Subbed to Aesthetica
-Working on a story to sub to Mslexia ('Skin' theme, closes Sept 18th)
-Working on a book idea... hopeful.

Thinking and flaking

A reason or two for not posting much here in the last 2 weeks:

I haven't had any rejections

But let's not get excited - I haven't had any acceptances

'Life' has been a bit bigger

I've been thinking quite a lot (well done, Tree!) about various story and project ideas, sort of mulling over things.

The transistion between summer and autumn is distracting




Hmm, yeah. Definitely in a pondering place. A flaky place.