Just a quickie. As I regularly tell people, I haven’t read Karma, in case I see something I want to change - given that it was more or less published ‘as written’, without the aid of an Editor. This morning, I was forced to look at the book, in order to select a few passages to read at the book group this evening. I saw so many little errors (which should have been picked up at the copy editing stage) that I wanted to cry! I admit to being somewhat of a perfectionist (well, as much as a scatterbrain like myself can be) so it really got me down - I don’t know if the book I was reading from was one of the early proof copies, or one that has hit the shops, but I can’t bring myself to check! I was really disappointed (and a bit embarrassed) by these errors, but then I got a text that said, “Think of all the people that have enjoyed the book.” That actually made me feel a lot better.

Still dreading having to read out loud…reminds me of school assemblies!

As you know, I thoroughly enjoyed being a featured author on a couple of book-related sites on the internet. I was able to sit, at my laptop (usually in my pyjamas), and answer the questions that were thrown at me, in my own time (writing and re-writing the answers until I was happy with them). Tomorrow, I’m doing it without the safety ‘net (ie the internet), as I am visiting my local library’s book club, where I will mingle with real people rather than virtual ones and I will be expected to answer their questions without the aid of a ‘delete’ button.

Nervous? Yep - for several reasons:

I don’t know what to wear (none of the fashion mags have done a feature on what authors are wearing these days, and I can’t get away with PJs).
I feel uncomfortable being ‘centre of attention’.
Sometimes, I can’t string a sentence together, particularly when tired…or nervous!

Still, like everything else, it’ll be an experience. I’m sure the group will be a friendly bunch and I hope they’ll be gentle with me.

That’s all from me, for now, except to say that you can read my thoughts on Rod Glenn’s Sinema by clicking on the link to your right and clicking on ‘Reviews’. I’ll let you know how the library event goes.

I finally got into the outside world today, after a week indoors, and it’s cleared my head enough to enable me to write a post! I think yesterday’s lovely sports massage helped too!!!

As you know, I’ve been contemplating the merits of entering various competitions for writers, and trying to weigh up whether the benefit outweighs the cost. I decided that, given my so-slim-they’re-size-zero chances of winning, I thought it best not to bother. That was until I had an email from the organiser of the RNA Award to remind me that the closing date was only two weeks away - now this was not an email encouraging me to enter, but a simple reminder, based on the fact that I’d sent an enquiry to ask if my book was even eligible. I decided that it was karma that this message arrived, so duly packaged up the requisite four books, and sent them off today. The cost equated to £29.96 (four books) and almost £8 in postage - I’m sure that big publishers enter for their writers, but this doesn’t happen for me. Maybe if I ever become a proper writer…

I’ve been discussing ‘cover quotes’ with another author online (y’know where one writer will write a comment on another writer’s book cover, praising the content). My publishers have encouraged me to find someone to do that for my own book, but I didn’t know how to go about it. There were a number of web articles I came across which promised this…for a fee. Spookily, that very same day, I had an email from a local author by the name of Rod Glenn, asking me if I’d consider looking at his manuscript with a view to commenting on it. I received it today, and can’t wait to start reading it, despite it being of a genre I don’t usually read. The more eagle-eyed among you will notice that there is a link to Rod’s site to the right of this blog, and there are details of his book, Sinema, on there.

And the reason for the the obscure title to this posting: I’m desperate to find out where my former hairdresser went to, after leaving the salon in which she worked. It’s not that I’m nosey (ok, I am a bit nosey) but she was a fabulous hairdresser and my mam misses her skills dearly. So, if you’re out there Alison from Prudhoe, get in touch via the contact me form and let us know if you’re still hairdressing!

Rather than scale the mountainous ironing pile, I decided to concentrate on activities I could do from the sofa: enquiring. I got an email this morning from the customer service department at WHSmith who gave me some different information from what the previous contact told me: apparently, each store manager has a local budget with which they can stock local books. However, this is at the discretion of the manager. All I can do is ask, so I’ve got a letter ready to send to WHSmith. To follow up from a previous post, I also have a letter of enquiry to send to Tesco’s book buying department, so I may finally discover what it takes to be included in their stores - I’ll keep you posted as to the outcome…of the enquiring, not the ironing (that’ll be there for months).

I had to check out eBay to find out a) if Karma sold and b) for how much. It did sell, and for the bargain price of 70p! Thank goodness it didn’t have a signature - it might’ve only sold for 30p, had it been defaced in this manner!!! I hope the seller actually enjoyed the book, as it certainly wasn’t a good investment…

I’m hoping to get a new digital camera soon, since the kind folks at Fuji are allowing me to trade-in my broken one, so the gallery might get an update once that arrives. I still haven’t used up the film on my disposable camera, so you’ll have to wait a little while longer to see my Borders photographs (that reminds me, I finally located Ron’s email address, so was able to thank him for letting me do the signing. Hope they sold the remaining books.)