So apart from doing some house painting, more writing, some editing, and looking carefully at those two contacts, I haven't done much; mainly because I spent most of last week in bed with flu. A typo in my original draft made it look like I had spent a week in bed with Flo (whoever she is!) but unfortunately not. No, I was out for the count most of the time with a head ache and the usual grotty feelings that we men get as soon as we get a sniffle. It was man flu!! Honest!
I was heartened by several emails with comments about the site; some from people I know, some from complete strangers. Like Mike from South Africa who said he stumbled on the site and liked the background picture of the rocks at Hartland Quay which he remembered from his youth. Others of you who have commented include: Julie and Deneane from the USA, my very good writer friend, Liz, who writes under the name of Elizabeth Jasper and Kevin in Canada. Keep your comments coming - it's nice to know that someone else is reading this rubbish! As a result of one complaint, I have made the 'Enter Site' button bigger. How's that for service!!
So... I hear you say... if lots of people are looking at yr website, (well about 20 so far) why is the site count still in single figures? Good question! The answer is simple: My webmaster and good friend Jon Downes, used someone else's site counter in the beginning and now that I have one of my own, it has started at zero again!
On the writing front, having sent one amended contract for 'Deniable Operation' back to the publisher, I am still working through the other one. I have had very good advice and comments from Elizabeth Haylett at the Society of Authors, so I await the publisher's comments.
Auditions for 'The Witness for the Prosecution' went well and I hope to cast it very soon. I still have a couple of people to audition before I make the announcement but I have actually allocated some of the smaller parts already.
I also started the ball rolling on our local village concert.
If I could just get rid of the last vestiges of the flu virus which has laid me low... I'll be fine!
More soon !
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Sunday, 6 January 2008
New Year, New Website, New Blog, New Beginnings
Publishing Contacts? They’re just like buses! You wait three years for one and then two come in the same week?
When I’d completed Deniable Operation about 3 years ago, I started sending it to agents and publishers, and almost immediately started receiving rejection letters. The most popular comments used to ease the pain of rejection were, ‘This is not suitable for our lists’. Followed closely by, ‘Sorry, not for us’ and, ‘Our lists are currently full.’ I probably have enough rejections letters to paper my office walls!
So you can imagine my surprise when, just before Christmas, I received not one, but two, contract offers for the same manuscript. I won’t name the publishers just yet, but one appears to have a prestigious address in Canary Warf in London and the other has an address in Gloucestershire. If they are reading this… they know who they are!!
Which one will I accept? The truth is, I don’t know. Both contacts have some attractive clauses, and one even offers and small (very small) advance. However, both contracts have some clauses didnt seem right so The Society of Authors currently has both contacts and I hope their comments will help me make up my mind. I then have to arrange appointments with both publishers and ask some pertinent questions. Once I have decided which contract to sign, you will be the second to know. I’ll also reveal the names of the publishers.
I’ve been trying to find the impetus to continue writing over the holiday. Lots of distractions. Hope to settle down to a routine soon. I feel I might have taken on too many outside activities for the coming months. On the 12th Jan I will run a drama course for kids in the village called ‘Dramarama’. With others, I will spend two hours every Saturday morning for six weeks with up to 20 children between eight and fifteen, working towards a village concert on 23 and 24th February. I am also directing the concert and performing in it, as well as reading some of my humorous poetry. Also next week, I’m holding auditions for Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. This play is a courtroom drama set in the fifties which I have also agreed to direct. The production will be at the Plough Theatre in Torrington in May. I have also agreed to direct and perform in another charity concert of sketches and songs for production in April. When I’m not doing any of those, I will be concentrating on finishing The Pistachio Package, the sequel to Deniable Operation in the hope that whichever publisher I choose wants that one too. Busy, busy, busy!
More next time.
When I’d completed Deniable Operation about 3 years ago, I started sending it to agents and publishers, and almost immediately started receiving rejection letters. The most popular comments used to ease the pain of rejection were, ‘This is not suitable for our lists’. Followed closely by, ‘Sorry, not for us’ and, ‘Our lists are currently full.’ I probably have enough rejections letters to paper my office walls!
So you can imagine my surprise when, just before Christmas, I received not one, but two, contract offers for the same manuscript. I won’t name the publishers just yet, but one appears to have a prestigious address in Canary Warf in London and the other has an address in Gloucestershire. If they are reading this… they know who they are!!
Which one will I accept? The truth is, I don’t know. Both contacts have some attractive clauses, and one even offers and small (very small) advance. However, both contracts have some clauses didnt seem right so The Society of Authors currently has both contacts and I hope their comments will help me make up my mind. I then have to arrange appointments with both publishers and ask some pertinent questions. Once I have decided which contract to sign, you will be the second to know. I’ll also reveal the names of the publishers.
I’ve been trying to find the impetus to continue writing over the holiday. Lots of distractions. Hope to settle down to a routine soon. I feel I might have taken on too many outside activities for the coming months. On the 12th Jan I will run a drama course for kids in the village called ‘Dramarama’. With others, I will spend two hours every Saturday morning for six weeks with up to 20 children between eight and fifteen, working towards a village concert on 23 and 24th February. I am also directing the concert and performing in it, as well as reading some of my humorous poetry. Also next week, I’m holding auditions for Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. This play is a courtroom drama set in the fifties which I have also agreed to direct. The production will be at the Plough Theatre in Torrington in May. I have also agreed to direct and perform in another charity concert of sketches and songs for production in April. When I’m not doing any of those, I will be concentrating on finishing The Pistachio Package, the sequel to Deniable Operation in the hope that whichever publisher I choose wants that one too. Busy, busy, busy!
More next time.
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