Such an exciting feeling when your novels expand into other formats. Today, Aquasapien - Metamorphosis officially joins Witch on the Warpath and Underworld in kindle format.

​I need to thank other people for making this possible and not least Karen, who is an awesome person and knows 'how to' do 'stuff'. Thank you Karen, more chocolates if you need them.

​Now I wait for all those folk who told me in 2017, "well I would buy one, but I only read on kindle now," to make good on their promises.

​You can purchase my books via My Store, see menu above or from Waterstones etc. If you are local you can pick up a copy from Quex Barn where they sell regularly. That Xmas money must be burning a hole in someone's pocketises.

​I also desperately welcome reviews of my work on Goodreads or Amazon, or even My Store which has an area for reviews.  I will not pay for such as other folk might, I rely on honest readers who enjoy my work,  commenting on their experience. Though I would say, my mother always taught me, "if you can't say something nice, its better not to say anything at all." 

​Update on Gristle's Revenge, final review in process then it's off to the copy/development editor (aka Karen the Star). Meanwhile, I need to start taking photos and finding folk to draw for me, plus speak to my illustrator regards the cover. Not sure what is going on there yet, maybe one with motorbikes. (You'll have to purchase the book)

Found a new printing company too which looks promising. and more affordable, since I've also had to employ an accountant to do the books as the bills and invoices are a nightmare to a fragile, no-idea-on-numbers person, like me. Children beware this is what happens when Mr McLaren, your maths teachers, chucks you out of Maths aged 13. All I remember is the chalk marks from the blackboard rubber he threw at me - constantly. Please don't ask what  a blackboard rubber is, it'll make me feel old, just learn from my mistake. Maths is officially good for you.

I have a nice feeling in tummy, its the feeling of something accomplished. My third novel, and the follow-up to Witch on the Warpath, is complete.

Gristle's Revenge has taken a couple of years to finish, I started it in 2015 straight after publishing WOTW and before I knew I was going to change jobs. Now that the words are done, I need to review the storyline and plot for any glaring errors, along with typos I notice. After this it's consideration for the cover and illustrations.

​Last time, for WOTW, my initial idea was for several full page illustrations, but this didn't pan out so I changed them to chapter heading illustrations. The one's of the characters were done by a friend and I undertook the twenty-three others of scenery and animals. This involved me spending a lot of time on Ramsgate beach, Ellington Park and Margate cemetery.

​This time, I would like some illustrations of the characters again, along with my own work, like last time. However funds are even tighter this time round with no profits made yet on the first novel. I was hoping to use money from WOTW to assist with publishing GR. It seems like footballers, it only the highest peak of writers that can make a living at it. Working full-time probably has something to do with it too, but I can't survive financially otherwise.

​So, I'm thinking I might ask any local budding illustrators, including those in my writing group, if they'd like the chance of providing an illustration. Sadly, I've no funds to pay this time as my funds are strictly rationed for the proof editing, formatting, cover and printing costs. It will give someone an opportunity to have their work published and showcase their work too. Their work will be accredited in the book too. If you check out WOTW you'll see Jim Scott received his own bio  and page.

​In GR there are a lot of new characters and of course some of the old ones too. Onk and Harty are on another adventure, this time in the Neath Realms. They meet Stone Dwarves, Gaggle gnomes and Demon Stones along with a smattering of unusual animals and birds. Tenamunday gets involved too plus a whole bunch of Demons.

​There's lots of scope for creativity for illustrators and I'm happy to talk, meet and discuss  my ideas with anyone who is interested.
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I did it! I completed NaNoWriMo  - National Novel Writing Month 2017. More correctly that should be International NaNoWriMo since thousands of writers take part from around the globe. This year I started the follow-up novel for Aquasapien Metamorphosis, Aquasapien Prodigy. It was tough going. The aim is to write 50,000 words in one month, with approx. 1,650 words a day to keep your head above water. Miss one day and its 3,300 the next day. Miss another day and its 4,950 words in one day - get the picture? Its important to stay on top of the game , or die trying.

The week leading up to it, I was away at the National Soroptimist Conference in Cardiff Bay. I was honoured to be asked to provide a blog on the modern slavery session for their national SIGBI website which is viewed worldwide and not least by our Headquarters Soroptimist International and our United Nations colleagues. See the link on  thanetsoroptimists.com

​As some of you know I work full-time in addition to writing and Day 1 saw me put in a full day then go out with a friend, on a last minute ticket to see Tom Allen the comedian in concert. He was very good, but my mind kept thinking, I've still got to write 1,650 words yet. Finished first night at 1.30am. Day 2 wasn't much better with a PPG meeting running until 6.30pm, but at least I saw midnight in bed. Day 3? Hip-hip Dancing Lesson at 7pm. Day 4 - Karate till 9pm and so on.  That weekend only had the Thanet Soroptimist meeting to run and Sunday was my writing day.

The following weekend, I was away at the Sci-Fi Novacon Conference in Nottingham driving there straight from work Friday evening and returning Sunday afternoon. Wrote a good amount in my room each night. That week wasn't too bad either with only Pilates,  dancing and karate after work though the weekend was heavy with clearing out a charity warehouse and attending a charity evening event, the afternoon writing whizzed by. Sunday saw me sitting all day in another book signing in Margate frantically writing as I signed autographs. It is the first time I wished people didn't stop quite so often, but I did fairly well, my best sales yet.

​The last four days were a god-send my husband was away in Dublin, I don't mean that like it sounds reading it back, but I wrote up a proverbial storm finishing the whole thing three days early.

​I don't think I'm going to do it again whilst working full-time. My two previous 'wins' were before I retired when I worked part-time and could fit it in. With full-time work it's a nightmare. This may be my last sojourn into NaNo for quite some time, so I will treasure my win with a small amount of pride.