Happy 99th Birthday!

This is my Gran.

She's cheekily claiming she's only 90! Many Happy Returns Gran. You are one amazing lady!

I remember her running around a tree in her back garden on her 70th birthday. She'd drank a bottle of wine and was shouting, "Look at the moon, look at the moon!"

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Action sequences

Just finished an action scene.

It's not your typical sequence with guns, cars and one-liners. I like to (at least try to) include the unconventional. Human tools don't cut it against the antagonists in the SC series. And, I'm having a lot of fun strreeetching the boundaries of my imagination, and striving for something original. It was good fun to write, but now its on to an important segment of mystery in book 2.

Also, I'm re-(re)reading Mis-fit, Misplaced, to make sure I don't stray too much from the essence of the first. It's tempting to just go all out gung-ho, but just familiarising myself with where it all began - and staying true to the Shelly Clover in first novel is essential. Getting the balance of being loyal to no.1 whilst branching out with no.2 is a challenge I'm loving. It's old school sticky labels placed in the pages to highlight the key points I want to retain.

Also, I'm starting a new assignment at a new school tomorrow. I must say - after 15 years - I'm quite excited about this school. In the words of Gargamel (Smurfs): "Cautiously excited..."

Also, my wonderful Gran turns 99 tomorrow - separate post for that one me thinks.

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Back Writing

Viva the half-term break!

Just finished a secondment at a special measures school. It was gruelling, but I'm glad I did it. Honestly, I have taught in challenging environments and have thought myself more than capable of handling any class. But, this...

Phew! Over.

I have set my Shelly Clover series in a school that falls into special measures. I didn't deliberately set out to be a method-writer and actually blood myself in with the real deal, but the experience has been invaluable nonetheless. Now I've caught my breath a little, I'm able to suppress my stress-immune response and draw my thoughts back to El Macbari, albeit slowly.

Coming up to 50,000 words. Hatching a plan and a time-frame, and more importantly, trying to save money for a proof-reader and hire a cover designer. (Yeah, I want my book cover to resemble the first.) Busy, busy, busy.

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