Inspiration...on wheels

No, this isn't our car. I wish it was, but it's not. A few weeks ago we saw it in a local park and I couldn't resist taking a few photographs of it. The shiny teal, brilliant chrome and roomy interior (yes, I took a peek inside!) made my heart flutter. I love old cars, just love 'em. They hold so many stories.

If this old Desoto could only talk, what would it say? Would it tell tales, or keep its "lips" sealed? Did it carry children in the backseat? Or teenagers? Bags of groceries in the trunk? Maybe that trunk held suitcases while the car carried its passengers on family vacations. And who knows? That backseat could have had some very romantic moments...at a drive-in, maybe? Or parked behind the high school bleachers? For all I know this car may have brought babies home from the hospital. Between us, I hope it did do just that--at least once or twice.

As I said, we saw this car a couple of weeks ago but it's still very much in my mind. I'm probably going to write a story because of this car. It's funny, too, because most times that's all it takes for me to begin to write a new story...just a passing thought, a scent in the air or something I've seen or heard. People ask, "Where do ideas come from?" and they don't believe me when I say, "From everywhere." But it's true. Just ask this car. It knows. I'll bet it does.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Me? I've got a story to start writing.

Once upon a time there was a handsome man, a smart, funny woman and a shiny turquoise car...

;-)

Publication Day

Tomorrow 30th May, is publication day for the above novel. If this were not real and in a t.v. show or a movie, they would show the author attending a glamorous party, eating nibbles and drinking copious amounts of expensive wine...the reality is very different. Celebrations in this house are saved for when the book is ACCEPTED, the rest is just hard work. Trying to get some publicity (I have been lucky this year with lots of coverage in my local paper and also in the local paper of where I used to live) and telling as many people as possible that the book is now available. The glamour is as much a fiction as my novel is! I guess if you are a best selling author then you get the party but the rest of us out there do their very best just to get noticed.

Don't think I am moaning about this, I don't mind at all. I am not one these days for glamorous parties, my figure won't allow me to eat too many nibbles and copious amounts of wine would do me no good at all...two glasses max, that is me these days. I am delighted my book is out there -
and pardon the plug - any passer by at this site - the book is available in book stores, from the publisher direct at www.halebooks.co.uk and of course that old faithful amazon.com!

Cheers - have to rush, laundry to do, supermarket to get to...see what I mean, glamour? What glamour?

Margaret

I Finished

I typed the last words on my novel today. Generally when I get to the end of a big writing project there is a let down. But today it felt so exhilirating to finish.

And though strolling violionists didn't serenade me as I did my victory lap around the keyboard, a couple equally good things did happen today. Margaret Blake's new novel, Breaking the Clouds came in the mail. What a beautiful book. And speaking of beautiful, Wild Rose Press redid my cover for Overdue for Love and e-mailed it. So I'm doing the happy dance down here in Florida.

Need I SAY MORE?

When it rains...

it pours, doesn't it? Goodness, the Larks are really getting hammered by life. It is impossible not to feel saddened by what's going on with Debbie, Kathy and Margaret. I'm honestly at a loss for words, something that doesn't often happen, I assure you. But what to say in the midst of so much pain and suffering, so much sadness? I can only hope and pray that beyond the rain clouds bright skies await for each of them and their families. And really, I hope the warm breezes find them soon. Really soon.

Here? Oh, let's just say we muddle through, take each day as it comes. We take pleasure in the good moments and know that the not-so-good ones will be bearable as long as we've got each other. So it's all good.

Now if we could only help the other ladies find their way to smoother times things would be really fine.

Hope you all have a weekend filled with happy moments.

Not much today

We all seem to be having woes lately. Lots of things happening in our lives, today I am no exception. My husband has gone into hospital so have not been able to blog, instead I am posting a picture of Lake Windermere on a late Spring day. Like us, it is not always so sad and misty, somedays it is blooming beautiful.

Margaret.

The Writer's Reaction

There are moments that forever change the landscape of your life. I know Debbie's family is reeling from one and mine is too.

Writer's react the same way as anyone else in the moment of trouble. They worry, they cry and they don't sleep much. What is different is that later -- sometimes much later -- they will write about their grief. They won't use the exact set of circumstances but will give the event a universality that readers can relate to.

I lost a much loved brother three weeks ago. His heart stopped. Mine felt as if a bomb had exploded in it. For a few days I didn't think I'd ever write again. A friend said to me, "He is still with you." I felt too bereft to accept that. But I did continue writing. For me, it is like breathing and I can't stop. So I decided to finish my novel and dedicate it to my brother -- something positive to do during my grief. But it all seemed so trivial.

And then yesterday a funny thing happened. I was writing in my hero's voice and I heard my brother Jack speaking. My hero's name is Yuma and his assistant was explaining to him that he couldn't fire someone just for being an idiot. Warnings must be issued. Yuma answered, "If I put my large hands around his ivy-league neck, I'm sure we'll get a proper resignation." It was my brother's voice. He didn't suffer fools gladly especially over-educated useless ones. I suspect this character was always a bit like him and I only realized it now. So though I'm still hurting, I'm beginning to accept what my friend said, 'He is still with me.'