Research

I'm back in business - amazing how much you can get done if you've been bored out of your skull for a week! My hand was a blur, scribbling down ideas, twists, motivations, descriptions...

My fingers are now too sore to continue so I'm off to do some research. I've made up a new vocabulary for this story - it's set in a cult-like community so they'll have their own terminology for certain things - but I want it to have more resonance, so I'm going to look up some biblical and religious references.

Have a lot of paperwork and administration stuff to sort out too - so I'm keeping busy.

Thanks

Thank you for all your get well soon comments! I'm back writing again today but I won't be going to Scribblers Corner later - I still have a sore throat and don't feel like doing a lot of talking (for once).

Here's to a productive week!

Weeks Like This

Well - it hasn't been the best week so far. I'm still as sick as a small hospital. Last night I felt better and was all set for a writing frenzy, but today I feel rotten again.

I keep telling myself that everyone has weeks like this and that I'm lucky I can just sleep it off instead of dragging it out at work, but I do feel guilty for not getting close to enough writing done.

Hey ho at least I've done a lot of thinking. And I am feeling slightly better today so hopefully I'll be back in the saddle tomorrow.

Have a great weekend y'all!

Horizon Review

Found through Facebook:

A new literary magazine called Horizon Review will be published in September 2008.

"...an homage to the 1940s lit-mag Horizon founded by Cyril Connolly and Stephen Spender. Following the best traditions of that magazine, a critical edge will be in evidence from the first issue, with an emphasis on encouraging and developing new types of writing."

They publish poetry, short stories, essays, articles and reviews and currently looking for submissions.

If you're interested you can read about their submission guidelines here. Good luck!

Manky

Am feeling manky at the moment. Not sure if it's hayfever or a virus, but my lungs are working to rule and it feels like someone pounded my head in a fit of rage. (Mistaking it for a stress toy perhaps?)

I'm doing bits and pieces of writing at the moment but nothing concrete - my attention span is minute - which is very frustrating as I have a lot to get done.

Anyway I have my fingers crossed that I'll get something decent on paper soon.

New Plays Wanted

If you have a play burning a hole in your desk drawer, read on:

To celebrate our 25th birthday Red Kettle Theatre company would like to host the second Waterford Festival of New Plays. We are searching for Ireland's playwrights who have not had their work previously published. The first Festival of New Plays was a huge success, and coincided with the Sean Dunne Literary Festival. The second festival will be staged in 2010. This is a great opportunity for any new writers who would like to see their work come to life.

Entries should be sent by hard copy or email (no discs please) by 31st October 2008 to:

Joan Dalton,
Red Kettle Theatre Company,
15 Broad Street,
Waterford
Ireland

or: joan[at]red-kettle[dot]com

Book Meme

The lovely David Maybury has tagged me for a book meme. Here are the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

At the moment I'm reading Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley.

"Uh-uh, no. I been paid already an' I guess that comes from you anyway. But what I need is for you to help me understand what's happening. You see, I don't trust your man Albright at all and you can forget the police."

I don't usually read crime novels but this one came recommended. So far I'm enjoying it; the writing is fresh, fast-paced and intelligent. Mosley tackles racial and cultural issues through his protagonist Easy Rawlins, which gives the genre a new lease of life.

I know this meme has been making the rounds for a while, so I tag anyone who fancies giving it a go.