Sunday, June 29, 2008

Some stories....

Some stories write themselves, the words and ideas flowing effortlessly onto the page, and I've been fortunate in that respect. Others attract every form of disaster known to mankind and the current one is a perfect example.
It's troubles began in mid ocean, when it morphed from romance to general fiction and doubled in length. This required going back to the beginning and recasting the introduction of additional characters to provide subplots etc. Then the impending arrival of another grandchild was confirmed and tasks which had been pending became urgent and our babysitting racked up a level, especially when another daughter went back to university. Then personal medical problems for both of us intervened and had to be dealt with and adjusted to in the middle of the temporary insanity that set me seeking an agent.
The latest calamity came when my sister suffered a TIA (mini-stroke) that escalated to the point where her entire personality was wiped. (It was heartbreaking, sitting at her bedside, being recognized time and time again, her knowledge of me never lasting for more than a second) Thankfully, she has taken the first tentative steps on the road to recovery with the partial recovery of her power of speech (single words so far, but every one sounds great!)

It's a great life...sometimes

Amy

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Wherefore art thou....?

No posts for a while because of family dramas etc., and initializing the search for an agent to represent my writing in the US.

I began writing seriously in 2000, having played at it since 1997 and have published six print books and seven e-books, all, more or less, category romances of sixty thousand words. The reviews have improved more than the sales and I've had three publishers fold on me--which highlights my lack of expertize in this area, even if I've learnt to write publishable prose.

Succumbing to the blandishments of a fellow writer, I began my search for a suitable agent and quickly learnt this is almost as difficult as finding your first publisher, especially as I'd like to shift from romance to general fiction with the story about privateers/pirates in 1802. Fortunately, my insanity (the only excuse I have for wanting to write) has progressed to the obsessive stage and I am persisting. The general longevity of my family gives me hope that I will succeed eventually--after all, I'm only seventy.

It's a great life (I think...)

Amy