May 12 – Update
May has been and gone.
We’ve experienced a bit of a hot spell here in the UK. Clear blue skies for the last ten days. Well, before today when the dark clouds loomed and it chucked it down. Summer over already? Hopefully not.
This month I’ve signed up for the August edition of Camp NaNo. I’m itching to get a new project underway and will take advantage of the NaNo challenge to write as much of a first draft as I can. I will post updates along the way to let you know how I’m getting on.
We’ve now had 145 downloads of our book: Just Get It Out There. Our collection of short stories and poetry. You can download your FREE copy here.
We had the first National Flash Fiction in May and I posted my story Birthday Surprise to my blog. Thank you for your comments and support. They are very much appreciated.
Onto the goals:
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1) Write more:
This month I’ve managed to write:
- 10,053 words;
- which is 33 pages;
- or 4 chapters of my book.
I’ve struggled to find time to write this month. Pokey excuse I know. Work has been ridiculously busy as the usual team of three has been the team of ONE. My colleagues were both off for two weeks so I’ve been none stop at work. In the end I wrote on 7 days (23%) as I decided not to even try to write in the evenings.
I have gone over the 80k words mark and now have less than 14k words left to *re-visit*
I aim to finish this second draft during June and will put it into a drawer for a couple of weeks before doing the next draft.
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2) Read more:
I set a target of 24 books in 2012, which is double the most books I have ever read in a calendar year. I’ve read another THREE books in May. Yay!
As last month’s FOUR books was a first. To manage another three this month is great. Two of the books were Catching Fire (Review here) and Mockingjay (Review pending) to conclude The Hunger Games trilogy. I also read Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz (Review here).
So I’m bang on target at TEN and I’m more than half way through my next book. I’m reading exclusively on my Kindle at the moment. I’ve downloaded another half-dozen books and find it so convenient and comfortable. And I was so against the idea when they first came out. Shame on me!
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3) Stay the same weight & Migraine watch:
The healthy eating plan continues, the odd curly wurly aside. 
The weather has been muggy and I’ve had a few small migraines. Touch wood I haven’t been affected too much.
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How are you doing with your goals for 2012?
Filed under: Camp Nano, E-Book, Novel In Progress, Reading, Recommended Books, Writing | 4 Comments
Tags: CAMP NANO, Catching Fire, challenges, DeanKoontz, Mockingjay, Odd Thomas, Reading, Writing
Format: Kindle Edition- File Size: 566 KB
- Print Length: 472 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1407109367
- Publisher: Scholastic Fiction; 1 edition (3 May 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon, Amazon UK
- Language English
Overview
Katniss survived the Hunger Games. Now the Capitol wants revenge. It’s payback time, and her chance of survival is even slimmer than ever… After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta have returned to District 12, hoping for a peaceful future. But their victory has caused rebellion to break out – and the Capitol has decided that someone must pay. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the other districts on the Capitol’s Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless they can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. Then comes the cruellest twist: the contestants for the next Hunger Games are announced, and Katniss and Peeta are forced into the arena once more…
My Rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5)
My Review
This is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy.
You knew that right? I thought so.
These three books are all the rage at the moment, have been for a while and I’m sure they will be for a long time. I read the first book as a number of people recommended it. After reading The Hunger Games I downloaded Catching Fire straight away.
This starts as the first book ends and immediately falls into the same style and breathtaking pace. If anything I enjoyed this more than the original. Maybe because the characters were already developed and I felt comfortable picking up the next part of their journey. I like reading books where I’m already invested in the characters.
I tend to read a book over a week or so, fitting it in around work, writing and watching television. I started reading Catching Fire on a Monday and finished it on the Thursday. I couldn’t put it down.
I downloaded the third book in the series before I finished this and I started reading it the next day. I NEED to get to the end of this story. If you only read one trilogy this year. Make it this one.
This is the EIGHTH book I have read for this challenge. I classified the first book of the trilogy as Young Adult and I’ve checked the categories used for this book on Goodreads and a LOT fit it into the Science Fiction genre so I am classing this as my Science Fiction entry.
Related articles
- Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (littlelindiline.wordpress.com)
- Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins (lucybirdbooks.wordpress.com)
- Book Review: “Catching Fire” (thecheapreader.wordpress.com)
- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (creativedeeds.wordpress.com)
- Catching Fire (girishkumar.me)
- Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (whoopeeyoo.com)
Filed under: E-Book, Reading, Recommended Books | 10 Comments
Tags: Catching Fire, Hunger Game, Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Reading, The Hunger Games universe
I’ve been nominated for some MORE awards.
I know, go figure!
Two more nominations for the Kreativ Blogger and three for the Versatile Blogger. I admit that I’m behind on acknowledging the blogging awards. Better late than never. I’ve created a page imaginatively called *awards* to show my appreciation and list all the awards and the fabulous folk who have nominated me.
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Christina over at The After-dream and Rebecca from A Word or More have nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger. I recommend you check out both blogs. I’ve had a total of FIVE nominations for this award. Wow!
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The RULES for this award are as follows:
1. Thank the person nominating your for the award: Check
2. List ten things about yourself: Here is the link to my previous acceptance.
3. Nominate SIX blogs you think deserve the Kreativ Blogger Award.
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My nominations for the Kreativ Blogger Award are:
1. http://coreymp.wordpress.com/
2. http://russelrayphotos2.com/
3. http://postadaychallenge2011.com/
4. http://leartisteboots.wordpress.com/
6. http://clairemca.wordpress.com/
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Thanks again to Rebecca and Christine.
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I’ve also received THREE more nominations for the Versatile Blogger award. Beth over at the The Vintage Style Queen, H Conrad Miller from A Side of Writing blog and Kourtney from Kourtney Heintz’s Journal. These bring my total to EIGHT and I’m chuffed to bits (very happy) to be honoured again. All three post great blogs. You should check them out.
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This rules for accepting this award are as follows:
1. Thank the award-givers and link back to them in your post. Check.
2. Share 7 things about yourself. Cheating check as my previous acceptances and nominations are here and here.
3. Pass this award along 10 or 15. Check. Well sort of. I’ve nominated 30 blogs before so am only nominating 6 this time.
4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award. Check.
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There is an official Versatile Award blog at: http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com. My six nominations are:
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1. http://kidsandwhatnots.wordpress.com/
2. http://literallyimpossible.wordpress.com/
3. http://azevedosreviews.wordpress.com/
4. http://barrycreative.wordpress.com/
5. http://hovercraftdoggy.wordpress.com/
6. http://mewriteyouwrite.wordpress.com/
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Thanks again to Beth, Kourtney and H. Conrad for the nominations.
Filed under: Blogging Award, Writing | 20 Comments
Tags: Blog, Kreativ Blogger Award, Site Award, Versatile Blogger
Going Camping. Nano style!
When I was a teenager me and a friend went camping a couple of times. We pitched-up at the seaside resort of Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire. We were 14 and it was a big deal for us to be let loose on our own. We ate chip butties for every meal (I’m not joking. Chips for breakfast is one of life’s great delicacies) and spent most of our time in the arcades. The thrill of Asteroids, Robotron 2084 (I LOVED that game) and Defender. 
The second time, we caught the tail-end of a hurricane. Now that was a weird holiday. I ended up clinging to a lamp-post in the early hours waiting for my dad to drive the 90 miles to rescue us when the tent flooded. Very wet holiday and surprisingly, we didn’t go again.
That seems such a LONG time ago. Wow. Nearly THIRTY years. Still, happy memories.
Anyway, the reason for that trip down amnesia lane is another type of camping. This is the challenge type of CAMP. You know the one.
For me, this is a year of the challenge. The Eclectic Reader challenge to read genres that I wouldn’t usually touch; doubling the number of books I read in a year to 24; and WRITE more.
I have decided to enter the Camp Nano challenge for August. I have some time off at the beginning of the month and as well as watching the Olympics (I thought about going, but the best seat is at home with the BBC!) I have time to get some serious writing done.
I should finish the second draft of my crime novel in early June and I am ITCHING to get into a new project.
Usually, I’d want to finish one project before embarking on a new one, but I want to write something else. I plan on putting the crime novel to one side for a couple of weeks so I can then read it with fresh eyes and want to do something else.
I like a challenge and Camp Nano seems like the perfect choice.
If anyone else is doing the challenge in August and they want to join me in a cabin (ooh matron!) then let me know and we can make arrangements.
Anyone else participating?
Related articles
- Camp NaNo: It’s Almost HERE!!! (hecticnovember.wordpress.com)
- Camp Nanowrimo!? (heatherj22.wordpress.com)
- Camp NaNoWriMo 2012 (thedarkglobe.wordpress.com)
- Camp NaNo Characters (thedarkglobe.wordpress.com)
Filed under: Camp Nano, Novel In Progress, Reading, Writing | 17 Comments
Tags: Asteroids, CAMP NANO, challenges, Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, London 2012, Olympic Games, Reading, Writing
- Format: Kindle Ed
ition - File Size: 509 KB
- Print Length: 466 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0553840479
- Publisher: HarperCollins (13 Feb 2009)
- Sold by:Amazon UK, Play.com, Amazon US
- Language English
- Official Dean Koontz website
Overview
“The dead don’t talk. I don’t know why.” But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it’s a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd’s otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo’s sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it’s different. A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world’s worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd’s deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.
Today is August 14.
In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares—and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.
My Rating: ★★★★ (4 out of 5)
My Review
I grew up reading Dean Koontz books. In my early twenties I only read a couple of books a year, if that. The books I read were by him. Phantoms, The Servants of the Twilight, The Bad Place and Whispers were some of my favourite books of his, all early work.
For some reason I stopped reading his books. I cannot remember why, I just did. I even gave all my books of his away to a charity shop (it is good to support charity shops) so when someone suggested one of his books for this challenge I jumped at the chance. It was like putting on an old pair of shoes. Instantly comfortable. The writing style drew me in and remembered why I had enjoyed reading his stories.
This book’s written in the first person and is from the title character’s (Odd Thomas) point of view. The story unfolds over two days and what an action packed 48 hours we have in store. There are touches of absolute genius with some of the characters, particularly a silent former King.
This book has made me realise I was missing this genre. I will be downloading more horror and more Dean Koontz.
This is the seventh book I have read for the Eclectic Reading Challenge 2012. This is the book for the Horror category.
Filed under: E-Book, Reading, Recommended Books | 16 Comments
Tags: book review, Dean Koontz, Odd Thomas, Reading
As today is National Flash Fiction day I thought I would publish something on my blog.
This was a story I had rolling around in my head for a while and I wrote it especially for our e-book. (Link to download the FREE book)
Disclaimer – Any story that I put up on this site might have words or subject matter that some readers may find offensive. Other people might read on because of a warning.
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BIRTHDAY SURPRISE by Pete Denton
It was a noise that stirred Jane from her night’s sleep, but what kept her awake was the aroma of freshly ground coffee drifting into the room. She loved that first cup of the day. It was her husband’s job to stick the coffee machine on, especially as it was her birthday and the surprise needed to be organised. The banners and balloons would announce her age to the world: the big five-O.
She stretched her arms above her head and then propped herself up. She ruffled her long dark hair away from her face and took a deep breath. She heard another noise that made her look towards the door. It sounded like he was moving furniture around. Jane gave an excited giggle as she climbed out of bed and slipped on a long white-satin robe.
‘I don’t know what you’re doing down there, Ben,’ she said. ‘But it sounds exciting.’
They did everything together, Jane and Ben. They’d never spent a night apart in nearly thirty years of marriage. They seemed to be in each other’s pockets from morning to night; except for the morning of the birthday surprise. It had become a ritual. Their ritual and one she cherished. She would get some coffee and burst into the living room to celebrations and presents.
Jane stepped out onto the landing and listened as she moved down the stairs. She stopped at the bottom step as the board creaked. She could hear some muffled sounds coming from the front room. Then she heard another voice. It was definitely male and younger, though she couldn’t hear what was being said. Maybe Daniel had arrived to help with the decorations. She hadn’t seen her son for months as he travelled around Asia. He must have returned for her. She wanted to rush into the room there and then, but traditions must be followed. She needed to get her drink and allow them time to finish. If they didn’t appear she’d burst in for her surprise.
After a few minutes, she’d poured her coffee and stood in the hallway, smiling. Jane wondered whether Ben had outdone last year’s Prom tickets as she pushed open the door. The curtains were drawn and the lamp in the far corner switched on, she could see some paint on the walls; red or brown.
She heard the footsteps behind her.
She felt the pain across the back of her head and saw her blood spray across the birthday banners and balloons. As she fell to the floor Jane saw her husband sat in the chair across the room. His grey hair matted with his blood, eyes wide open, unblinking. She felt the point of a blade pressing against her skin. His breath was warm across her neck as the knife ripped into her back. She felt it the first two times as the life pooled out of her onto the carpet. Ben was already dead and she was about to follow. They did everything together.
Filed under: E-Book, Flash Fiction, Writing | 9 Comments
Tags: Creative writing, E-book, Fiction, National Flash Fiction, Writing
National Flash Fiction Day
Today is National Flash Fiction day in the UK.
I must admit that I had never heard of Flash Fiction until last year.
When my writing group were talking about publishing a book of our stories someone suggested we include Flash Fiction and I said “Wha’?”
During the OU Creative Writing course we had to write many stories around the 500 word mark and it is a good challenge for your writing to get a story across is so few words. I didn’t know it had a name or such an online presence.
We decided to write a short story with a 500 word limit and four of them made it into our e-book Just Get It Out There, including my story, Birthday Surprise.
Back to the day, there is an official website at http://www.nationalflashfictionday.co.uk/ bringing loads of details about competitions and the events planned.
In honour of the first National Flash Fiction day I’ve decided to post my story: Birthday Surprise later today.
So, I urge you all to dig out a really short story and publish one on your blog today. Link back here and I’ll make sure I pop over to read it over a cold glass of orange and a curly wurly!
My stash of the wurly ones
Filed under: E-Book, Flash Fiction, Writing | 3 Comments
Tags: chocolate, Creative writing, Flash Fiction, Online Writing, Short Stories, Short story
- Format: Kindle Edition
- File Size: 542 KB
- Print Length: 454 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1407109084
- Publisher: Scholastic Fiction; 1 edition (3 May 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon UK
- Language English
Overview (courtesy of Amazon)
A fight to the death – on live TV. The game show where you kill or die, and where the winner’s prize is survival. In District 12, where Katniss Everdeen lives, life is harsh and brutal, ruled from afar by the all-powerful leaders of the Capitol. The climax of each year is the savage Hunger Games – where twelve boys and twelve girls from each District face each other in a murderous showdown. When sixteen-year-old Katniss is chosen to represent her district in the Games, everyone thinks it’s a death sentence. Only one person can survive the horrors of the arena. But plucky Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature…
My Rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5)
My Review
What can you say about this book?
There have been countless reviews and praise and it has even been made into a film. When a few people suggested this for the Eclectic Reading challenge I decided I would read it and immediately turned away from reading reviews of the book or film. I didn’t read the blurb on Amazon and I ignored EVERY post that has had The Hunger Games in the title (sorry).
I wanted to read it with an open mind. And I was NOT disappointed.
It is one of those stories that I had to keep reading. I’m surprised that I felt that way about a book aimed at young adults. I’m far removed from young. Young x2 would be more appropriate in fact you could stretch to young x3.
The story is an interesting premise and at times I got waves of Logan’s Run (remember that film and tv series?). It makes me appreciate my circumstances in the world I live in and feel guilt over people who have to fight for food each day. Though at least they don’t have to do that in this arena.
My prejudice at reading the YA genre has been laid to rest and I won’t be so blinkered in deciding what books to read in the future. This eclectic reading challenge has been an eye-opener and I still have some interesting genres to tick off the list.
Within an hour of finishing The Hunger Games I had already downloaded book two of the trilogy. I think that speaks volumes.
This is the sixth book I have read for the Eclectic Reading Challenge 2012. This is the book for the Young Adult category.
Filed under: E-Book, Reading, Recommended Books | 18 Comments
Tags: Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen, Reading, Suzanne Collins, Young-adult fiction
April 12 – Update
What a month we have had!
We’ve battled through the snow, high-winds and the type of rain that made Noah make plans for a big boat.
Over at the Steel City Writers we took on the A to Z Blogging Challenge and reached the dizzy heights of K before the wheels fell off. Maybe next year. I was planning on taking part in that challenge here on my blog, but at the start of April I was SO tired I (rightly) decided to give it a miss.
We have had 123 downloads of our book: Just Get It Out There. Our collection of short stories and poetry. You can download your FREE copy here.
Write more:
This month I’ve managed to write:
- 15,712 words;
- which is 52 pages;
- or 5 chapters of my book.
I’m not disappointed to have only written on 11 days this month down from 17 days in March. I needed to keep things ticking over and I’m happy to have done what I’ve done. I have now re-written 23 (and a bit) chapters of my book and reached 75k words overall. I only have 10 chapters left to rewrite (21k words) so I’m over three-quarters of the way towards COMPLETION.
There have been many, many times over the last six years when I doubted that I would ever do another draft of this book so I’m encouraged that at my current rate I hope to finish this draft in May or early June.
I have also had the honour of contributing my first *Guest Post* this month. My I Want Some More post was for the fabulous Dodging Commas blog. If you haven’t checked it out yet. THEN WHY NOT?
Read more:
I set a target of 24 books in 2012, which is double the most books I have ever read in a calendar year. That is two books a month and I’ve slipped for the last few months. Well not in April as I’ve read FOUR books.
Wow!
For me FOUR books in a month is a first. I’ve joined GOODREADS, if you’re on there let me know and we can ‘friend’ each other. If you haven’t checked out my reviews you can read the review of Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay and The Flower Bowl Spell by Olivia Boler. Review pending for The Hunger Games. The other read was a short book Spitting Devil by Brian Freeman.
So with April gone I have read 7 of the 8 I should have read so I am very happy with that. If I can read three in May I’m back on track.
Stay the same weight & Migraine watch:
The healthy eating plan continues, more or less. I gain a little here and lose a little there. At least I have finished all my Easter eggs though I have a PILE of Curly Wurly’s that won’t eat themselves.
I have had a few of migraines this month and a few potential migraines that fortunately didn’t get beyond the first phase. I forgot to take one of my tablets one morning and have had three days of migraines since. 
That’ll teach me!
How are you doing with your goals for 2012?
Filed under: E-Book, Novel In Progress, Reading, Recommended Books, Steel City Writers, Writing | 15 Comments
Tags: Brian Freeman, Curly Wurly, Dexter, Dexter Is Delicious, Hunger Games, Jeff Lindsay, Migraine, Reading, Writing
This is my 50th post. YAY!
I started blogging back in September last year and didn’t think I would get to the half-century. Thank you for all your comments and encouragement, they have helped me with my journey.
I am a bit behind with acknowledging some blogging awards, so I thought I would celebrate this post to pass on my thanks to Dolly over at AllAboutLemon who has nominated me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Her blog is a FANTASTIC and I recommend you check it out. Very Inspirational herself, which was why she was nominated.
I have read a few posts recently highlighting divided opinion on blogging awards. Some people don’t like them and others love them. I take the approach that they can help introduce you to new bloggers and for this award I’ve been able to pass on thanks to those bloggers who inspire me.
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Rules for this award:
1.Thank the person who nominated you. Thanks again, Dolly.
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Pass the award to 7 nominees…
7 things about me:
1. I love my magnolia tree. It burst into bloom recently. It’s a shame that the flowers don’t last long enough.
2. I love ketchup.
3. I had a piece of snooker chalk embedded in my eyelid when I was 8. I wrote about this for a Life Writing assignment for my OU creative writing course, maybe I’ll share that with you some time.
4. I think hayfever is very naughty. It makes me cry.
5. I worked at Sheffield Magistrates court on work experience after I left school. That was an interesting experience though most of the time MIND-NUMBINGLY boring.
6. I like driving the little golf buggy almost as much as actually playing golf.
7. I used to make a wicked Lemon-curd ice-cream. I haven’t made this for a few years, maybe I will make another one soon now I’ve thought about it again!
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My 7 nominations are:
1. http://jelizabethhill.wordpress.com/ Julie is on her writing journey and her posts have inspired me to open Word and do some more writing, another couple of hundred words.
2. http://secretlifeofamanhattancallgirl.wordpress.com/ Stella Marr’s blog is an inspiration. To read what other people have had to overcome makes me appreciative for what I have.
3. http://dodgingcommas.wordpress.com/ Dodging Commas was one of the first blogs I followed. Stef has posted some great grammatical advice but also truly inspirational posts on uprooting herself to Singapore to live and teach.
4. http://shannonhowell.wordpress.com/ Shannon M. juggles family life with writing at times when most people would still be asleep. Her blog has some great observations on a writing life. And she is a statistician to boot.
5. http://limebirduk.wordpress.com/ The LimeBird Writers have great advice, stories and prompts. Many different writers posting to help boost your creative juices.
6. http://kourtneyheintz.wordpress.com/ Her blog is a great read anyway, but the climb through the rounds of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest is another inspiring journey a writer is on. Keeping my fingers crossed for you, Kourtney.
7. http://lineofserenity.wordpress.com/ Joyce’s aim is to spread good news daily and I look forward to reading Funny Friday each week. Everyone should aim to spread good news.
Thanks again to Dolly for the nomination. For the record if it hadn’t been you that nominated me, you would have been one of my seven nominees and I’m not just saying that
Thanks for reading and here’s to the next 50
Related articles
- Another Award….Very Inspiring Blogger Award (jhasmoments.wordpress.com)
- The Very Inspiring Blogger Award (leartisteboots.wordpress.com)
- Versatile Blogger Award Nomination (jillgallagher.wordpress.com)
Filed under: Blogging Award, Writing | 28 Comments
Tags: Blog, blog awards, inspiration, Very Inspiring Blogger Award, Writing
Hello and welcome to my blog!
My name is Pete and I decided to start blogging to track my progress as a writer. I recently completed a Diploma in Creative Writing and it's spurred me on to get my work published.
I write short stories, Flash Fiction and some scripts. My main focus at the moment is a Crime Fiction novel. More on that as we go on.
I hope you enjoy.
FREE e-book anthology: Just Get It Out There
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