Went to Hexham for a couple of hours today, and went in to Waterstones for a book on Counselling Skills (you’ll be pleased to know I found a good book for the bargain price of £9.99). I got to meet Steph, at last (the Manager, who was extremely nice and very helpful, and believed in Karma when all other Waterstones didn’t). Apparently, all the books I came in and signed in March sold out! I was speechless…for at least a second. Steph asked me if I’d mind signing their new stock. Mind? I was delighted to do so, despite the fact I was writing on books in the middle of the shop, in full view of everyone… and was looking messy with NO make-up on and frizzy hair (whoever said, “No change there, then,” please shush)!

There have been some problems with actually getting hold of stock of the book, for some reason - they have been trying to order more copies for a while, and they’d only recently come in (they’d originally ordered twenty, but had only been able to secure seven, at first). I believe that, somewhere down the line, there has been trouble contacting the publishers regarding the availability of stock (or lack of it). This is something I need to check out. All of this affects my sales, so I feel a bit disheartened if it is the case that I’m trying my best to promote the book and no-one can actually get hold of it! Perhaps it was just a one-off glitch?

I can’t hide the fact that I’m chuffed to bits, and I thank Steph for her support. I’m grateful with a capital ‘G’! Off to email Natalie now.

Hello! Hope you had a lovely Easter. We didn’t do much, but managed to find a quiz to go to on Easter Sunday - mid-way through, we were doing so badly that we were looking for ways to make a sharp exit. However, we (my parents, Gordon and I) made a comeback and finally WON a quiz…albeit by one point.

Back to the writing. I wanted to say that writing is a great hobby, because it doesn’t take up any energy and it costs nothing (I also love to pencil-draw portraits, which is almost free). Unfortunately, now I’m meant to be a writer, suddenly I’ve discovered that I’m meant to know about the art of writing, belong to groups/forums, have an agent, and be able to advise others (who probably know more about being an aspiring author than I do)! I only know a little about something, something about nothing, and nothing about everything else!

* A writer apparently must have a current copy of The Writers’ And Artists’ Yearbook, or similar - cost £15 (less online, or free if you can find it in your local library)
* I found an online writers’ community which was both friendly and helpful - cost £30 per year (worth the outlay, if I had it!) There are free groups via Yahoo which are equally as useful and friendly, but if you join these groups, you need to be prepared to contribute, and they all know more than I do about ‘the craft’, as they call it)
* Society of Authors - many people have advised joining the SoA, which seems like a good idea, but I think it’s around £85

I haven’t been able to save up for the above yet, but is it worth investing any more in this venture? Or should I say ad-venture? I’m not so sure - this feels more like my fifteen minutes of fame than the start of a career… Maybe that’s why my local shops aren’t taking an interest (Natalie still can’t get in touch with the lovely ladies at Waterstones in Newcastle or Borders in Gateshead). Good job that Waterstones in Hexham and Henry’s in Ryton stocked the book, or I would never have fulfilled my dream of seeing something I’d written on the shelves (that sounds like I mean graffiti, but I meant my book).

Fortunately, I have heard from Tony at the M.E. Assocation who has inforrmed me that I am featured on the cover of their magazine and have a full page article inside - I’m honoured, as the M.E. Association is a great organisation (www.meassociation.org.uk) and they have a very informative website. Apologies to the good people who are members of the Association and find a picture of me, looking up at them from their doormats, when they receive their quarterly copy of M.E. Essentials!

Between you and I, I’m more than a little uncomfortable that people seem to think it’s such a big deal that I’ve written a book, just because of this CFS/ME thing. There are people far worse off than I am, and achieve more with their lives. I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me, as I’m pretty happy, really. I know I can’t do as much as I’d like to (and get very frustrated about it, believe me) but I count myself as lucky compared to some people.

Let’s just agree that I’m so dull and boring that the CFS is the only thing that differentiates me from other writers!

My inner child and I had a FANTASTIC day, today! I finally got to meet Mark Jones when he arrived in Sunderland - he’s a genuinely nice man, and is a talented entertainer. I got to see Sooty’s Magic Castle (I know I’m 32, but for a couple of hours today, I was young again and I enjoyed every minute of the show). My companion (naming no names) was joining in the audience-participation bits with gusto! I have to point out that the child-to-adult ratio was not as I’d expected: I saw three adults to one small child, children who were barely out of prams (with parents who were clearly having a whale of a time) and an elderly couple who didn’t seem to have any children with them (though I’m a fine one to talk). I have spent the rest of the day annoying the dogs with my Sweep hand-puppet (they tired of it before I have, I’m sad to say). Was worth the bus and train journey to Sunderland. Unfortunately, I’ll not be going to the James Martin book signing tomorrow, but I think I made the right choice of excursions!

What does any of this have to do with book stuff? Not a thing, but I don’t care - there’s very little going on with the book at the moment. Following the Sunday Sun article, the book rose through Amazon’s rankings…but they have no books in stock (website states orders will be despatched in 2-3 weeks, which has probably put some people off). Don’t know if Waterstones (Newcastle) or Borders got in touch with Natalie, so can’t tell you anything about that.

Oh and I read an interesting article about the woman who selects the books for Richard & Judy - there’s no chance a book like mine would ever find its way on the show. Why, you ask…apart from the obvious? Because the cover is pink!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article607041.ece

I almost started working on one of the other books I have ideas for - had an excellent idea but, unfortunately, I was in the bath at the time. By the time I was dry, I’d forgotten what I was going to write. I have a lot of scenes in my mind, but they aren’t all from the same book - I know that sounds odd, considering there are no other books yet, but it makes sense in my strange mind! If I ever get a book deal (I need some motivation) I have something to work from…

One last thing, someone (and hope they don’t mind me mentioning this) commented that they don’t like to talk about illness, but I don’t seem to mind. I do, really. I spent years being embarrassed about being ill, and making excuses for myself. I hate being defined as someone who is ill primarily, and then whatever I’ve done is mentioned almost as an after-thought. However, I would be doing a disservice to everyone who has the same illness as I do if I pretended I was fine - we have a hard enough time trying to get people to recognise CFS/ME as a genuine illness, so how would it look if I ignored it too? *Just climbing down from my soapbox now, hoping I’ve cleared up any misunderstandings.*

Before you leave, check out the new piccies I’ve added!

Link to article on icNewcastle site

The link above will take you to the article printed in today’s Sunday Sun - I was very impressed with it, as it didn’t make me sound too ‘poor me, I’m not well’. I was happy to see the photo because one of my dogs, Holly, is in it: she was so good for the photographer (far more compliant than me, in fact). I am very difficult to take a good photo of, as I’m a blinker and I forget how to smile as soon as a camera is pointed in my direction. I involuntarily lose control of the muscles that control my mouth and begin to twitch - it’s not an attractive sight, and the photographer had his work cut out for him!

The only thing that was slightly inaccurate about the article is that I have worked since I was 19 (whenever I had a period of relative normality from the CFS) but I have had to give up several promising careers because of the illness. Maybe I’m not destined to be rich…

I was very tempted to take my copy of the newspaper into WHSmith and Waterstones in the Metrocentre and say, “This is me! Why don’t you stock my books?” but as you know, I’m far too shy for that…

I probably won’t be online much this week. Not sure I can afford to go and see James Martin in Leeds (though may be able to stretch to York) so I’ll get some rest, just in case. Am also hoping to get a chance to meet up with Mark, who’s at Sunderland in Sooty’s Magic Castle (4th April, Sunderland Empire). I used to love the Sooty Show, and think it’ll be great on stage, but my nieces and nephews are now too old to see such shows (shame, when their auntie isn’t!!!) Off to my mam’s now as it’s her birthday and we’re having a Chinese takeaway.

PS I’m not house-bound or bed-bound at the moment, as the article suggests (although I have been at times, often for weeks on end) - I spend the majority of my time lying on the sofa (as you can see from the photograph ‘The Real Me’) I am able to get out more in the winter months, when it is cold, as I find the summer warmth draining. I don’t leave the house much in the summer so maybe I can write another book!