Nelson Mandela. Requiescat In Pace. My thought for this crisp sunshiny day is this: The world needs humble leaders. Step forward and make yourselves known all those who can prove they are. Yup. Thought so. No queue.  

Two posts in as many days, but Christmas is coming, it's a bright, crisp day and my friend and translator Bettina Obrecht  has just sent me a tidy pile of her books for children. So here I am. No, I don't read or speak German, but my aim is to try, so that I can read these stories. It's a sign, I reckon. Besides, the pics look good. So haul out the German dictionary, work out what the words mean and  piece together the plots. Sounds easy.  Hmm. My cousins are great linguists. So what happened to this side of the family? We came from the same root, yet languages were never our thing. A smattering is all. A very light smattering. OK. That's probably overestimating things. Nearer zilch in the lingo stakes. Hey ho. Obviously our talents lie elsewhere. Anybody find them, let me know. Auf wiedersehen.

Spent the weekend in Islay, writing. Fab. Sunshine. Mild breezes, splendid sunsets and the Port Charlotte Hotel, which didn't seem to mind me sitting in corners writing. Lots done. Thank goodness.
Synopsis for part 2 off to Ellen. Fingers crossed. Now to finish a long short story and earn some money while I wait! Ah the life of a writer. Oh and the new CD is out. Links. That's the name. And it's the Celia Bryce Band, if you want to have a look at our facebook site and have a listen, of course.

This is the exciting time.  This, right now! I have notes from Ellen, my editor. They're going to help me flesh out the bones of the plot for novel number two. It's amazing how much you need to write before the real story emerges. For me anyway. I'm sure people who've been writing novels forever can just do it. Maybe not. But I haven't been writing novels forever.  Most of my research has gone into the current draft which is all well and good, if I want you to read my research findings. I don't. You wouldn't see the wood for the trees, the bones for the fat. The real story's buried underneath it all. So let the trimming begin. Let the real characters emerge.  And when it's done, then you can read it. Wish me luck!

Busy, busy, busy. New character in book two (suggested by my editor and what a good suggestion, it's given me wings) seems to be taking over the world. Must rein her back. Down girl! Writing like mad. People are voting for me left right and centre, and hopefully putting some nice comments about Anthem for Jackson Dawes into the mix too. From January it gets lively. The books start to be booted out. One by one. Week by week. Heck. I'll keep you posted, all you people out there in the great unknown. Off to a school in Sunderland tomorrow. Writing workshop. Been back a week or so from holiday and it's like a mirage, like it never happened. How is that? Answers on a postcard. Must get down to sorting out the last leg of my new website. Dean, who's constructing it for me is a very patient person. Let's hear it for Dean. Like I said. Busy, busy, busy.

OK, so this is how it goes. You can vote for me and my book! Anyone in the world! Just find this: http://www.coventry.gov.uk/youngpeoplebookawards2014. Click on the Read it Or Else category and click on Vote. You can even leave a comment! It's all happening from Oct 7th.  Thanks folks.

Well as you may have seen from my tweets today, I'm pleased to say that Anthem for Jackson Dawes has been doing OK in the awards stakes. I have to thank so many people and have done in my tweets, but really, if New Writing North hadn't encouraged me with an award over ten years ago, then my book wouldn't be on the long list for the UKLA award for 2014 ( selected by teachers) and on the short list for the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards for 2014 (selected by the good people of Coventry, though if you want to vote that my book stays in rather than out then perhaps you can vote for me even if you don't live there. Not sure. Check it out.) But without the editing advice I've had along the way, from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy and James Catchpole, my agent, and finally from Emma Matthewson, who was part of the Bloomsbury team which took it up, then the book wouldn't have come this far. So a huge thanks to all. Now, I know they're just lists at the moment, this is me tethering myself to the ground again, but it's fab to be on them, and hopefully Anthem for Jackson Dawes will shuffle up the rankings and not be languishing, like Sunderland AFC is at the moment. Meanwhile, soon to speak to my editor about book two. Title will be revealed when we're all happy with it. Heading for a re-draft, I know, but read it through over the past couple of days and have identified some sluggish areas still. Thought I'd got rid of them. But I'm sure Ellen will have flagged up those areas, and probably some more, for attention. Believe it or not, this is the bit I really enjoy: trying to get it as right as possible; having another set of eyes to find the good bits and the not so good bits. And this is where I can get the language sounding the way I want it. Suppose it's not just the story, it's the way it's told, that I'm interested in, and hope you will be too when it comes out next year.  Also out next year will be the French and Dutch versions of Anthem for Jackson Dawes. I'll be interested to see what titles they'll use and just to see the words on the page. Been away researching book three, in case you're wondering about the huge gaps in this blog. I've been living by the sea, listening to its roar, examining sea weed and shells and lots more. With no computer and very little film watching, it's been nice. Read SO many books. Yes, that's research too. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Even if it doesn't look like hard work. Well, that's it for now folks. Hoping you'll wish me luck! Fingers crossed and everything!