Monday, January 28, 2013

Writing Market: What the Dickens? Magazine

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I'll mention right away that What the Dickens? magazine is not offering any payment at the moment, so it's up to you if it appeals as a writing market. They have a lovely new website and are currently looking for poetry, flash fiction, or short stories up to 2000 words on the theme of  'The Busker'. The deadline for the relevant issue of the magazine is 15th February.

The website offers several other ways for writers and creative people to get involved and it certainly appears to be doing its bit to promote the creative arts. There is even a Get Listed section which is free.

If you want to find out more, have a look at the What the Dickens? website.

Meanwhile, over on Romancing History, I'm celebrating 200 years of my favourite Jane Austen novel, Pride and Prejudice - it includes a link to a short YouTube video section of that famous 1995 BBC drama starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

Rosemary

Friday, January 25, 2013

Snow and Burns

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Well, the snow has finally well and truly arrived here at last. We've only had small drifts until today but the back garden is now nicely covered. I know many people are fed up with it all by now, but I love this weather. And it's a great excuse to stay indoors (apart from feeding the birds) and write without guilt. Might even get a short walk later to blow the cobwebs away.


This is Burns Night in Scotland, and it's also celebrated in many parts of the world. I've put a link on the Romancing History blog to the fascinating reconstruction picture of the poet's face, carried out by forensic scientists at the University of Dundee. A little different from the romanticised version!

Here's one of my favourite Robert Burns verses (from Address to the Unco Guid) which reminds us we all make mistakes:

'Then gently scan your brother man,
Still gentler sister woman;
Tho' they may gang a kennin wrang,
To step aside is human.'

Happy Burns Night,
Rosemary

Sunday, January 20, 2013

More Inspiration

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I was honoured to receive another Very Inspiring Blogger Award – this time from lovely Gill who is one of the bloggers at Novel Points of View. The idea is to share seven random things about myself, then pass the award on.

Since I’ve shared random information a few times before, I’m going to be different again and share some more inspiring quotes from my collection – with particular relevance to creative pursuits and nature this time. Hope some of us feel inspired by them, or perhaps one may spark a poem or story idea.

‘In her starry shade of dim and solitary loveliness, I learn the language of another world.’ George Gordon, Lord Byron

‘The woods were made for the hunter of dreams, the brooks for the fishes of song.’ Sam Walter Foss

‘Sit in reverie, and watch the changing color of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind.’ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘Moonlight is sculpture, sunlight is painting.’ Nathanial Hawthorne

‘Here will we sit and let the sounds of music creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night become touches of sweet harmony.’ William Shakespeare

‘To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.’ Chuang Tzu

‘It is not the language of the painters but the language of nature to which one has to listen.’ Vincent van Gogh

I’m not sure who has had this award by now, so please feel free to accept it if you feel inspired to share something on your blog.

Rosemary

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Fiction Market: The Fiction Desk

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Trying to organise my files, photos and information a little better before January is over, so I can update and find everything more quickly. My aim is to start sharing writing markets information again on a regular basis, which I used to do when I started this blog.

So to begin with, The Fiction Desk looks an interesting possibility for anyone writing short stories. They seem to publish ongoing anthologies, and stories of between 2,000 and 11,000 words should be submitted through their online submissions form. They do pay between £20 and £30 and run a Writer's Award.

They are running a Flash Fiction competition at the moment. Stories should be between 250 and 1,250 words. Entry fee is £3 and closing date is 31 January 2013. Full details of the competition and general submissions are on their website.

Good luck!
Rosemary

Friday, January 11, 2013

Motivation for 2013

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I’m sure I won’t be the only writer in need of some motivation after the over indulgence of the festive season. Maybe, like me, you need even more motivation to increase earnings this year after doing your tax return! Although I love inspirational articles in magazines, I don’t often take time to read books on the subject as I’d rather get on with the writing. But I’m really enjoying a particular book on kindle just now and thought I’d mention it here.


Carnegie’s Call by Michael Malone, subtitled 'Developing the Success Habit' and published by Argyll Publishing, is immediately relevant. The author profiles several successful people in an attempt to discover what inspired their motivation to succeed. I know Michael, who is also a poet and crime novelist, and interviewed him on this blog a while ago as Michael J Malone. It’s a measure of his own success that he is now published in more than one genre.

As might be expected from the title, the famous philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, is mentioned but so too are modern Scots who might inspire us to persevere with our goals and ambitions. Although a practical motivational book for everyone, it is essentially Scottish in its profiles and Michael’s own Scottish humour seeps through. We are often so backward at promoting ourselves in the UK, and perhaps Scotland in particular at times, that Carnegie’s Call might be the very inspiration we need to stop being so apologetic for any success.

As an added incentive, Carnegie’s Call is available on Amazon kindle for only .90p until the end of the month. Well worth the read for entertainment and motivation.

Rosemary

Monday, January 7, 2013

Jean's Holiday Blog Party

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I was full of good intentions about getting organised this morning, planning to focus again on the contemporary novel that got so far on during NaNo, but for some reason (lack of sleep, too much chocolate) my brain refuses to engage. I've also been sorting out the hundreds of photos on my computer so I can find what I need at any given time and I can't seem to move on until that's completed.

So, instead of stressing out about it, I'm going with the flow until I'm back to my slightly healthier routine. I've been finishing a couple of entries to post for the annual Scottish writing conference I attend each year. Since I'm not an adjudicator this year, I'm trying some different types of writing for a few of the competitions and the deadline is looming! I also just discovered that I was shortlisted in the Writing Magazine 1000 word story competition when I opened the new issue, so that was a lovely new year surprise.

Meanwhile, I like the idea behind Jean Bull's blog posts this week. Jean is promoting her book of short stories, Postcards and Suntan Cream, which should get everyone into holiday mode! To take part, with a chance to win a copy of Jean's book, you just need to leave a comment on Jean's blog this week and post a photo of your favourite holiday destination with a link back to Jean.

I always choose Venice as my favourite place (which it is) but as a change, I'm choosing Vienna. I've been there only for one week and would love to visit again. From the gracious buildings, cafes, fiakers (horse drawn carriages) to the Lipizzaner horses at the Spanish Riding school, it's a magnificent city and we found the people very friendly. Having trouble posting a photo so far but will try again soon.

So if you'd like to take part in Jean's Holiday Party, you can read her first post about the story settings here.

Rosemary

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Part Three of Gwen's Saga

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I hope everyone had an enjoyable start to 2013. At least the weather seems to be much milder than usual up here so there's no excuse not to get out and about and back to normal. I still leave the treee and most of the decorations up until twelfth night but by that time, I'm desperate to get them all away! It must be a legacy of the traditions surrounding that night, a theme I write about in the Victorian novella, Mischief at Mulberry Manor, when real greenery was used inside the homes.

But back to the start of another year. Although I don't make resolutions now, I do write down some of the projects to complete (hopefully) during the year. As I mentioned at the time, the NaNo expreience was so positive in November that I'm making sure I now begin the morning with whatever novel I'm working on, before getting waylaid online. We'll see what it does to my output this year!


Meanwhile, here's a lovely New Year gift. The third part of Gwen's great saga set in the Scottish Borders between the two world wars, A Maxwell Takes Flight, is free to download from Amazon UK and Amazon US until Sunday, 6th January.

Hope your year is full of health and happiness.
Rosemary