An early date for my Blog this month.  I've done one local craft fair and also attended Tunbridge Wells Comic Con. You can look on my Past Conference tab to see photos and also on TikTok to see my reel. A pleasant event, but not sure it was worth attending this time.

 I've got carried away, as usual, writing. Salty The Unshakable Mouse is finished and so is Hedgy and Quack and and I'm now working on Chicken Wizard Two.

 Aquasapien 4 had a breakthrough this week. there was one point when I wondered, how on earth all of this going to come together.  I wasn't sure it ever would, however I've come up with an interesting plot line to help complete the story. This book will be finished by the  end of this year with a view to being published in 2027. Then the series will be at an end.

As some of you know, when I go away for a weekend break, or a holiday I add videos to my YouTube channel as podcasts. My reason for doing this is because I kept thinking, it would be lovely to watch a short video, that wasn't paid by the company, to get an idea of things I'd like to see, or not see when going there and I didn't see much that wasn't sponsored.
Our recent trip to Tylney Hall Hotel in Hampshire is on there and if you want a place with a gigantic amount of stunning land within it, this is the place to go. Bearing in mind, its not cheap. I was amazed by a recent advert where I could have gone to Greece for a week half board, for the same price as our three days room only!

I'm hoping to do a bit more writing shortly and maybe finish Aqua 4 as we are off on our hols this week. I get the most writing done on holiday, when his lordship goes off walking in the woods etc. Also, at fairs and events where I sit for 6 to 8 hours in the hope someone takes  an interest.  It can be dull, and I do snack, or buy things from other traders, to pass the time, which doesn't help.

Some of you might be aware that I entered the Welsh International Poetry Competition this year. It is the final year they are holding the competition.  Didn't get anywhere - disappointingly. One outright winner, 20 highly commended and 16 other poems identified as good enough to get a mention.  Would have liked to know how many entries they had, to give me some idea of my chances.

I did think my poem, Remember Ypres,  stood a chance, it makes me sad every time I read it. I wrote it after returning from Tyne Cot cemetery in Belgium. We located several relatives graves in six, of the 76 cemeteries around the country.  In fact, we also had relatives names inscribed on the Menin Gate. - that didn't make my cry - much. Along with the Last Post. Take some tissues if you go.  I have done a TikTok reel of our trip and would thoroughly recommend a visit. Take your children & grandchildren too. Sadly, future generations don't have a clue about the horrific waste of life wars create.

Don't you wish sometimes, that there was a global law which all heads of state had to sign. It says "You will be put in this room and stay there until you have both sorted out your issues. " Think of the lives it would save.

On my return to England, and once Aqua 4 is complete, I've completed the outline of a Writer's Study Day for folk interested in writing, or trying to get somewhere with it.  I'm planning to hold it at a local hotel in the near future.  Please comment if you're interested. Leave your email on my comments page.

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Meanwhile, back to writing..............

July sees a bit of a rest for me from selling events. Locally, we’ve attended couple of music events instead. We enjoyed the group Neon Rush perform twice this month. Once at a local pub and the second time at the Broadstairs Pavilion where they were one of the acts supporting the StakLife Charity.
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STAK (Stefans Acts of Kindness) LIFE is a Kent-based Community Interest Company (CIC) that provides training, consultancy, and creative wellbeing groups for neurodivergent children & young people. Their mission is to help others, to enable people to understand and effectively support neurodivergent children and young people. Their provides training to parents, organisations, and employers, aiming to enhance their understanding and support for neurodivergent individuals. https://www.stak.life/

This weekend we’re away celebrating my hub husbands birthday And then it’s back to writing and selling and publishing as my day job reduces in hours over the summer break.

Since I last wrote I’ve attended the 2026 New Designer exhibition in London, It was amazing. If you ever get the chance to go, do It’s not expensive and it’s a massive event covering three halls containing every type of design you can imagine from fashion and artwork to furniture and engineering indeed every type of design in between. I’d love to go again and maybe take someone with me next time who enjoys that type of thing?

My reason for being there was to identify possible illustrators for my next books. Unfortunately, my current illustrator who I started a contract with in December has failed, so far to produce any work for my next picture book, nor replied to any of my emails. My contract ends with her on the end of this month. This is why I’m now looking for illustrators. Check out my TikTok site for the reel on it. Carol M. Salter

At the New Designers exhibition I identified eight possible artists. So far I have dwindled this down to five and my next task is to contact each of them and ask if they are interested to produce a specific illustration that I request. I have already met them, so that part of the interview is over, Now comes the second part to see if they’re capable of working to contract with designs They have to follow. The next few weeks should be interesting and hopefully after this I’ll be able to start work on Hedgy and Quack, and Salty the Unshakable Mouse.

As usual my novel writing has taken a back seat. I have now got 70 000 words. Only another 15,000 to go Minimum on the first draught for me of Aquasapien Four, Legacy. The final book in the series.
I might be able to share a few new illustrations in the coming weeks and months.

Grange Park is forging ahead. fifteen tomato plants, four peppers and two strawberry plants in situ. Also on Tiktok. 

May was busy and June is turning out to be just the same. Whereas in May we were tied up in family and social events, June is full of book selling events.

You may like to know our Charity Ball in Maidstone raising money for the Not Forgotten Association raised approximately £3,000. We are super pleased about this, and my husband plans to present a huge cheque at their next Garden Party on 13th July. I would have loved to have gone too, but I have a student starting work with me that day. ☹ Still I love having students. 😊
 
First weekend in June, saw me selling at Gravesend, weekend two at Whitstable. Last Weekend at the Manston Comicon, and the next, the last weekend in June, at the Dame Janet craft fair, Ramsgate. July, I have a mix of selling markets for two weekends, and then we’re away for my husband’s birthday weekend. Thank goodness I’ve dropped my work hours, don’t think I’d last too long otherwise.

Violet is heading off to printing shortly. I did two formatting reviews and it looks like August 30th launch date is realistic, providing there’s no hold ups on the printer end.

We’ve started Gold now, so if you write and never thought you’d ever be published, think about joining Inspirations Writers Group and who knows, by this time next year you could be a published author.

Regarding my own writing, done a little bit more on Aqua 4, but not much due to violet and also my picture books. Sadly, it looks like I’m going to need another illustrator as my current one on contract hasn’t produced any work in seven months. I’m planning to attend the New Designers Exhibition in London next week to see if I can secure a couple of new on-contract employees. I have five more picture book waiting to be published.

My guilt at not doing our own garden, got the better of me and I started work on ours a couple of weekends ago. Meanwhile the new Grange Park is coming along. I bit more work than we expected. The first session is now cleared and planted with strawberries, fuchsias and clematises. Another lovely lady has promised us 12 tomato plants too. I wanted to add a water tank onto site to reduce the water haulage but sadly the original place I’d planned is too small, meaning we have to clear another section of land before we  can achieve that goal.

I did have a bit of a surprise uncovering, what I thought was the stock of a pistol. Turned out to be an 8 inch blade kitchen knife dug vertically into the soil. Almost lost a couple of fingers! The local Police were very impressed with our find and I assume have taken it for forensic assessment.

Since then we’ve uncovered a saw blade too. I’m wondering whether there’s going to be a body next? Hope not. That’s the plot for a murder mystery, shame I’m not into writing those.
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I need to knuckle down and get on with Aqua four. It is at 67,000 words. I like my first draft to be 85,000 so not too far to go. Not sure how to get my protagonist from Kent to the Pacific and the finale. Only time will tell.

May is proving to be an extremely busy month for me and my family, with not one but three hotel weekend stays. This might sound great, and it is, but there are other things to think about including the care of our pets. It also means my writing work doesn’t get done either. Instead it builds up waiting for me to return, unless I can do some of it whilst away, which is difficult, especially when I’m the designated driver.The first, an overnight stay away, my birthday treat, staying at Suffolk at Hintlesham Hall. The second, this weekend at the Greyhound Hotel in Sutton for a family wedding and the third at the end of the month in Maidstone, at the Tudor Park hotel for a charity event. Check out my reviews on Trip Advisor (TA) if you want to know more.
Writing reviews on TA and Google and other places is a great way to keep my writing skills honed. With TA you can end up getting discounts on hotel stays. I currently get 20% off all bookings on there, but then I have written over 500 reviews on that site alone.

Moving on to Violet, this anthology is now in formatting. In fact I’ve been sent the first sample chapters to review from Geoff, and already noticed two spelling omissions. Editing never ends does it?

Being away I thought I might be able to do some writing of Aquasapien Legacy but not so much. I’ve discovered (I know its taken a while) I need to be away from the home, away from family and sitting somewhere loud and busy.
If I’m at home, I find many other things to do. Like writing reviews, doing the laundry,, putting it away, mending clothes, feeding our pets and birdies in the garden, feeding my hubby and son. Washing the bins out, the toilets, cleaning drawers out, tidying my son’s hellhole of a bedroom, messing about with my trinkets or makeup. It never ends. I can always find something to do.

Then there’s our garden which I’m feeling a bit guilty about at the moment. I haven’t weeded or done anything major in our garden for several years, but here I am, running a Guerrilla Gardening project with the Phoenix Community Group in our second project - Grange Park, Ramsgate. This started in April for twelve months.

Speaking of which our gardening session dates are our Phoenix Facebook page. If you’d like to do a bit of gardening with us, come long. We’d love to see more folk. We meet in Violets (Yes deliberate use of the place) Tearooms at 11am first.

June will see me back to my book selling events. The first being at the Inn of the Lake, Gravesend, on Saturday 6th June. Not sure how good a venue it will be but I have to try different places in an attempt to make money. Without it I can’t publish more work, or do more print runs. If you have friends or family that way, I'd be very appreciative if you would let them know. 

Finally, some sunshine, in between the heavy showers. Typical spring weather for England. I’ve finished the first round of proof editing for Violet. Its been over to Kaz, who, as I knew she would picked up the errors still present. I also overlooked one story entry submitted that I’d put in twice. Don’t know how that happened, or how I didn’t notice it. I remember thinking, I’m sure I’ve read this story before, but put it down to reading it at one of our meetings. This comes from doing several other jobs and having to read books in between, a bit like the showers.

​Sneak preview of Violet cover here.

Pleased to be back writing Aquasapien Four – Legacy. Just finished writing an interesting mission which even I didn’t see coming. The joys of being a pantser writer.

Thinking of sequels, I’ve realised they haven’t really been worth the effort of writing. Witch on the Warpath sells really well, but the remaining two? Not so much. Unless folk purchase the whole trilogy in one go, which they often do. Aquasapien, likewise, hardly any numbers of three book - Prodigy sold. Even my picture books, Timmy one sold really well, Timmy Two? Not so much. Shame.

Maybe I should just concentrate on one offs? Between Here and Hell sells well. I decided to do follow-ons novels because of requests from readers, who did purchase them, and because I love reading series. Most of my reading list has at least six books in the series.

Going forward, I’m unsure. I’ll finish Legacy first. I have a separate, side novel aligned with Witch on the Warpath waiting in the wings—literally—it’s about dragons. After this I have the outline of at least five more separate fantasy novels sitting in the laptop, plus five more picture books. If I live that long. Don’t tempt fate, Carol.

A development I didn't expect in March, but one I'm quite happy with.  I've had a TikTok account for a couple of years now. Okay, I'll admit I've been a tiny bit miffed that I don't have many followers. I suppose to be expected when I don't follow lots. Anyhow, I decided to put my most recent litter picking session on TikTok as well as Facebook this time. 

I'm not sure how but someone, somewhere, decided collecting dirty sanitary towels, toilet paper and hypodermic needles was newsworthy, but they did. Someone shared it, who shared it some more and somewhere a long the line my work 'clients' picked up on it. What followed I wasn't expecting. As a result my followers have gone from 43 to over 200 in a week! 
Okay I would have loved it to be for my books and writing stuff, but I'll take it. Especially, if going forward, we can encourage more people to take their rubbish home, or play the game "Where's the nearest bin?" to drop it in.

 Actually, I've just had an idea, Wouldn't it be great if Thanet Council had an app that showed you where the nearest public bins were? Just a thought. Any IT masters out there up for the task? Could take off as a business, if you offered it to all councils, especially based on what I've heard on the news this week.

In a couple of hours, I'm off to the next litter picking session. This time it's part of Ramsgate Spring Litter picking week. You turn up, they supply the equipment and off you go to discover how residents of Thanet truly live!!!!

Look out for further Litter picking groups and events -  or join Phoenix if you want more than just litter picking. Both are excellent opportunities to meet people, start friendships and get that sense of belonging that you may feel is missing from your current life.

As you know Phoenix Community Group is already involved in our own litter picking project across Thanet while we wait for individuals to let us know what else we can do to improve our beautiful Island - within our meager abilities.
We do need more folk on board so consider coming along to one of our meetings. Just to listen, give advice or drink Hotel Chocolate's delicious temptations. Remember we meet the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month, from 2 to 4pm at HC Westwood Cross.

Meanwhile, writing wise, I enjoyed meeting other writers and groups at the Faversham Literary Festival. Gutted I couldn't attend Neil Gaiman's session due to work though. 
I'm still proof editing out next anthology Violet, a bit slow with folk not responding as quick as I'd like so I can get on with it.  After my input it goes to another member, Kaz, for proof reading. I'm sure she'll find any stuff I missed. She's excellent at it.
Don't see us getting it published too soon. Check out my monthly blog for future progress and remember. We are starting on Gold, our final Anthology in the Rainbow Series. A great time to join Inspirations Writers Group if you'd love to see your own work in print in the near future.  (Click on the name.)


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Another month has flown by. This time I almost missed February’s blog. So much going on, not all of it writing related.

Illness, work, supporting in the winter homeless shelter, running Phoenix Community Group and our first project; litter picking and weed clearing across Thanet. This feels like a full time occupation by itself. Still waiting to hear from other people around the island regards support or help they need.

Our litter picking commenced after comments made by local residents around the Granville area. Another, mentioned a private area belonging to a company that was a bit messy. We spoke to their management and got permission to clear the area, concerned, or at least made it more presentable.

I’m editing the Inspiration Writers group 7th anthology - Violet. I’m about a third of the way in but the above activities have made progress slow. I will continue prioritize our anthology giving my own work a rest for now.

I am in the process of moving on with my next picture book, The Hairy Tortoise, who grows up in Margate tip. The story is written So I don’t have a lot to do, but my new illustrator does.
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I’m excited about tomorrow the 28th of February when a group of us from the writing group attend the author chat at Faversham Literary Festival. It should be exciting meeting new like-minded folk. With a view to spreading in the word, I’ve created business cards for our writing group which I hope will go down well.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Karen for covering the group when I am not available. Her input is really appreciated, along with her role as treasurer for the group. Thank you Karen.

Looking ahead, March looks to be busy, two fairs locally together with the three day Rochester Art Festival next week. Maybe I’ll get some of the editing done there, or not.

Not much more to say, which is probably why I didn’t get round to doing my blog until now. Continuation of the same thing rather than anything exciting or new. Unless you count communicating with Princess Anne via her private secretary, John, which was a bit awesome.

Maybe next month I’ll have more to say, and feedback on the literary festival, plus get the blog done earlier too?
Watch this space.

I know I said I am concentrating on completing Aquasapien Four – Legacy but…
 
Wayside Publications has taken on and met its latest illustrator Emily Lucas. I needed to find work for her. As you know I’ve another five picture books sitting here in my laptop. Now its another four because we are starting The Hairy Tortoise.
Emily and I met at Riparo Lounge this week and I’ve shared the whole Hairy Tortoise story with her. My picture book seem to have  similar themes, several are where the creature is different to the average. Timmy has magic Toe Beans, the chicken is a Wizard etc. We join them through their journey. Writing this I’ve realised on reflection that my novels have that theme too! Anyway, Emily has been sent page 1 and I wait eagerly to see her first illustration for me.
 
I went to the Cosy Cat Café again in Herne Bay yesterday. After reading on Face Book that it is closing down on the 31st January over lack of funds. Gutted. I discovered the lady who runs the charity/café has been covering the deficit with her own salary.
I love going there and wish she’d said something earlier. We could have done a Just giving page and saved the place. Plus, done better charity support fund raising. Sadly, she has made her decision and found home for almost all the kitties. You can book to go online and its free, unlike other places. This is probably why it's closing. You can check out a spot easily. They are open Thursday to Saturday (10-4pm) Sunday (11- 4pm.
    https://www.thecosycatcafe.co.uk/
I know it’s not writing. It is in a way because I wrote 7 pages of Legacy there yesterday.
 
I haven’t booked too many events this year as I’ve set up the Phoenix Community Group, we are doing our 1st project, clearing the side streets of Ramsgate. I am also doing a few hours a week at the Thanet Winter Homeless Shelter and booking  workshops for Thanet Schools, free of charge.
 
If you hear of any events, festivals, fayres etc. that have inside areas, I’d appreciate knowing, please make contact. So far I’ve only booked one Comicon at Maidstone and a space at Rochester Art Fair. I am disappointed that literary festivals don’t seem to be interested in having me at their events, despite them knowing I exist and so far have never charged them.
 
Finally, I am in the process of arranging a Writer Workshop Day in Thanet. We’ll be covering all aspects of fiction writing from character building, author style, and editing. If you know of any person who might be interested, give them my details and I’ll forward the workshop details in due course.
 
My mind is considering another novel. It's about two women who run an animal sanctuary, with a pet accessories store out front. Plus, they have a side business as a Paranormal Pet Agency. They take on cases investigating missing or deceased pets. What folk don’t know is Crystal and Emerald are both witches too. I can’t imagine where I got this idea from. LOL
 
I’ve got to go upstairs and add my introduction and closure elements to my Japanese Podcast for YouTube now before we put it online.

Till February.

Days before Christmas and I’ve realised something very important. Normally, I write my blog as a draft within the pages of my website. On the odd occasion, like now, I do it on my laptop, then copy and paste it over. I read my last blog through before starting to make sure I don’t repeat myself—too much.

This time I scrolled down my archives, amazed to discover I’ve been writing one a month since my birthday in May 2015. That’s ten years. Well, that wasn’t the surprise. It was the fact I have not saved one blog on my computer. It hit me hard, What If? (No pun intended to my book titles—maybe just a little one).

What if the website who host my site goes bust? I’d lose everything. Noooo! There’s enough lines for a book on its own. It gave me a bit of a scare. These aren’t fictional words I’ve invented, these are real elements of my life, thoughts on my progress, my beliefs. A bit like a journal or diary.

So here I am, over the last couple of days downloading every word. I’m aiming for a year a day, so it should be completed by 2026. Of course its also created part of my blog here too. LOL

I have several activities running now, apart from the usual Karate, Tia Chi and yoga. My writing continues apace, two novels on the go, and though I said in my last blog that I’ve put picture books on the back burner, I’ve found a new illustrator who I’m hoping will be brilliant for the next one, The Hairy Tortoise.
By the way, Mustard & Marmalade went down quite well at the launch and I still have some folk planning to collect several. Local schools, and others in Kent are starting to show an interest in the picture books, with orders and requests for school sessions. I didn’t know other authors charge! I don’t. Might need an agent if this area continues to expand. Any one know a good one, let me know.

As many of you know I run a local writing group, Inspirations. We have completed our content for Violet, the next anthology. In the holiday I will begin the process of editing content, Identifying front cover images and formatting, all in preparation for publishing in 2026. I have approached Violet Tea Rooms in St Lawrence and they have offered to be part of our Book Launch. Seemed a good idea and it’s a lovely place. If you get a moment to visit tell them Carol the writer recommended it.

Finally, Phoenix Community Group has started its first project aimed at improving areas and elements in Thanet. We welcome single, one-off requests to help out, or longer projects like this our first which involves tidying up some of the side streets around Thanet.

You can see us out about on Thursdays removing litter clogging up drains, removing hundreds of black tie-wraps, baby wet wipes left on pavements and other delightful objects. We have reported fly-tipping areas and on our last session, a drain where a person decided it was okay to pour a whole tin of paint down it, subsequently blocking the drain completely. Honestly, leaving it in the tin next to a council bin would have been better.

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On an up-note have a wonderful Christmas everyone, and hopefully I’ll either see you in the New Year, or hear from you in the comments. Best Wishes. Carol.

I hate getting old, time is flying by far to fast. I'm sure it was last week when I sat down and wrote about my last lot of activities and grips. Checking October's blog I did have quite a moan reading that back.

Moving on today I'm happy to announce that Mustard and Marmalade will be launched in time for Christmas.  Hurrah! I already have pre-orders which is awesome.

FORTHCOMING BOOK LAUNCH

MUSTARD AND MARMALADE DACHSHUND DOG DETECTIVES
AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING FILLET STEAK.

11 TO 3PM AT RIPARO LOUNGE,
WESTWOOD CROSS, BROADSTAIRS.

I was a bit afraid we weren't going to make it, however my new printer's Lane's, based on the Pyson's Estate have delivered. Well, I collected from them to save postage (and the carbon footprint of course) last Thursday.

Today I'm off to Hotel Chocolate to run the next meeting of the Phoenix Community Group, shortly  (2pm) and Saturday I will be at the Birchington Christmas fayre 9 to 2pm. I will have a few copies of Mustard and Marmalade should folk want them before the launch.

On the writing front, still plodding a long with Aquasapien Four - Legend. It is hard. I usually write because something inspires me. Here I am writing because I have to in order to complete the series. Its not the same writing action at all.
I reckon this must be what it feels like if you have a traditional publisher. Either you write something, they don't like sections of it so you have to re-write them to suit the publisher's request.  Or, like now, you've written a book and they say, "It sold really well, write another one in the same style/subject." Where to begin you wonder. Follow on from the end of the previous book is obvious. Prodigy  had four storylines running and Legacy is doing its best to out-smart that.

SPOILER  ALERT.  Don't read next paragraph if you don't want to know.
In Prodigy, book three, Redshaw's story continued. Plus-shall we say-his descendants' story, Unit one's stories and Unit Two's stories carry on apace. I have those, plus the baddie's story,  and the individual descendants' stories in addition to those in Prodigy. Confused? Welcome to my world.

Its coming along gradually and using different places I've visited recently including Japan, Brighton and South Wales, its filling out. I'm over the half way mark 50,000 words which is good. I tend to feel better once I know I have less to write than I've already written. It feels downhill from here. Not in the negative sense of going downhill to your doom, but the one where you've pedaled uphill, reached the top aka halfway through writing your novel, and you're on your bicycle going down, legs stretched out, shouting "Weeeee!" A mad grin of pleasure on your face. Okay, maybe I haven't got to the grin part yet, but you know what I mean - don't you?