tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90323220694344151382024-03-18T09:05:54.748+00:00Sally PoytonWriter, Artist and Fairy Tale Enthusiast<br>
Follow my quest as a dyslexic writer battling with words to avoid the perils of the slushpileSallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-8410448053500148982024-03-18T08:47:00.006+00:002024-03-18T09:05:21.617+00:00Writing - So Much More than the Pursuit of Publication<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Writing - So Much More than the Pursuit of Publication</span></h1> <br />Sometimes as a pre-published author I get tunnel vision, believing success is only one thing – getting published. But it is so much more. It just takes a wide angled lens to appreciate just how much more. <br /><br />When you are on submission and the rejections are rolling in or worse, there is a void of rejections as is the modern way, and everyone seems to be getting contracts but you, it can seem as if success is binary, in print or failed. This is the time to take a step back and admire the view. Due to this exact reason and also not helped by a spell of bad health, this is what I have recently done. <br /><br />I have done this before and posted about all the ways that writing has enhanced my life and my family's in multiple ways - <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsallypoyton.blogspot.com%2F2019%2F10%2Ftwelve-years-of-writing-so-much-more.html&data=05%7C02%7C%7C42915d5ad4f94dc3876608dc386b90e9%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638447281858388622%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NbLOkStEmLKC1vstWkcM%2B5N3NAtdS1RT5L6tMFaQl4k%3D&reserved=0">read more here.</a> But this time I wanted to do it specifically for my current project/submission ‘Ashley Grimes Mammoth Whisperer.’ To see how writing the book has embellished by life, and it is a really lovely view with lots of accomplishments to feel good about. <br /><br />Firstly, I have rekindled my original love of illustration, as a direct result, as I started sketching the characters and settings. I am now working on developing a portfolio.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYzF54T1TVgLgLO0Dm5w4YOmNyTB6DD4lih8dGqjVSMq2Fq7jyvgdevGAaPwKfjwcsy-TBQCHuY3Ir41mYkABtS3-D2AT1sQ13M7tHHL__2q1dPlbeg2FFMUA6U9j3VqD5OMOE194Delmqu-z8_aPhITOnQwJf2_c0c-vouk63U-XiG1y9I1dQNigzx8n/s2412/i%20see%20space%20mammoth.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1700" data-original-width="2412" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYzF54T1TVgLgLO0Dm5w4YOmNyTB6DD4lih8dGqjVSMq2Fq7jyvgdevGAaPwKfjwcsy-TBQCHuY3Ir41mYkABtS3-D2AT1sQ13M7tHHL__2q1dPlbeg2FFMUA6U9j3VqD5OMOE194Delmqu-z8_aPhITOnQwJf2_c0c-vouk63U-XiG1y9I1dQNigzx8n/w400-h283/i%20see%20space%20mammoth.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Space mammoth - illustration by me - crayons, ink, ipad. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </div><br />I had an article of non-fiction about Mammoths and climate change published in the amazing children’s periodical The Changeling Magazine, along with one of my illustrations. <a href="https://sallypoyton.blogspot.com/2023/11/magazines-manchester-museum-mammoths.html">Read more here.</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2tWP4wJ_rdxiatPuLAyHStFqKhYLz7fVe4vl1xI3gYUjKO6wixhFU-EGrpIa4fAHju-F3iGdwpM3k7ape6B09lENZUb8Qjv4FQ__EBQrU0VkVDTL-NUQFYRSMdHWi6rpnYwOk3ELxLGnvr1CMsD_wPrIeWI8EbF32urOwUxYqMbV-h1SlgbujuPJqxFq/s4032/changeling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2tWP4wJ_rdxiatPuLAyHStFqKhYLz7fVe4vl1xI3gYUjKO6wixhFU-EGrpIa4fAHju-F3iGdwpM3k7ape6B09lENZUb8Qjv4FQ__EBQrU0VkVDTL-NUQFYRSMdHWi6rpnYwOk3ELxLGnvr1CMsD_wPrIeWI8EbF32urOwUxYqMbV-h1SlgbujuPJqxFq/w300-h400/changeling.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />I’ve also been invited to do library and museum events to talk children and adults alike abut mammoths and their theoretical use to help combat climate change.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggds4xiq6D1jtwnQIZOSaaA2_oNXsJBQ8GIiJNjXtFx2y6BGTUSQctMR-pQCizDS9YAZBq2KUnceLTwPk4qf-2F-yxS4IEYy4daOPGLo0xR08B9l_OfyMDZZcXpdlqoZ-6nzkPx-Xk4WQuDXmntYOYVkpBuxNUE-2ZlL4li95WlG-C5v3Oetvy2R0hwaM/s1024/mammoth%20evet%20and%20me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggds4xiq6D1jtwnQIZOSaaA2_oNXsJBQ8GIiJNjXtFx2y6BGTUSQctMR-pQCizDS9YAZBq2KUnceLTwPk4qf-2F-yxS4IEYy4daOPGLo0xR08B9l_OfyMDZZcXpdlqoZ-6nzkPx-Xk4WQuDXmntYOYVkpBuxNUE-2ZlL4li95WlG-C5v3Oetvy2R0hwaM/w400-h300/mammoth%20evet%20and%20me.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div>I’m now sometime referred to as Mammoth Lady or Mammoth Aunty (not actually by my a nephews or nieces!) which I love. Also, often people think of me when they stumble across a mammoth and send me photos/messages, which I adore. Who doesn’t like seeing a mammoth in the wild? Or send me mammoth things they've made - I love a surprise mammoth post!</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-Qj9r1fs29DKcqDZAfItIojSARZ7XpaXq63arEOjxBpJdb7SbA-7hNXOn4GRxSVIS3lD9UdgefZbrldTHLmVueYgaGcjFZ4N4yvPUvQZm2JVILfbQ18zJyxrsStgtn-ij1fvMvFX3WGoXMFUYnSHcsbX9PfT5wN4GN4qUQYRiTXyPtt8JHjDX2HEHWxA/s1791/gifts.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1791" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-Qj9r1fs29DKcqDZAfItIojSARZ7XpaXq63arEOjxBpJdb7SbA-7hNXOn4GRxSVIS3lD9UdgefZbrldTHLmVueYgaGcjFZ4N4yvPUvQZm2JVILfbQ18zJyxrsStgtn-ij1fvMvFX3WGoXMFUYnSHcsbX9PfT5wN4GN4qUQYRiTXyPtt8JHjDX2HEHWxA/w400-h338/gifts.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selection of handmade mammoth surprise post!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div><br /></div><div>I have had the privilege of messaging, meeting, and making friends with some lovely equally - possibly even more - mammoth obsessed people than me. Like Beth Shaprio, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology who wrote the book, ‘How to Clone a Mammoth,’ who very kindly checked the science in my manuscript. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlrF2LXlpjO9wyi8HwFqVsGWUWsnvWSlFfEDoid3dWJqRBZ6z7YWXHinzwYW9T7BRTh7FwFfy2Zgu7wlPc_jvU-sI3ASSwVCWm-AZ-z0Kpiv3oW4rAu2gwGgmZtSRGz_cJbP7CSMtdE_CXgYziB59YUwL1Tp_VQ8vjv4vGRNyH3RppQ6Ds9qOXMV10_QA/s5712/how%20to%20clone%20a%20mammoth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlrF2LXlpjO9wyi8HwFqVsGWUWsnvWSlFfEDoid3dWJqRBZ6z7YWXHinzwYW9T7BRTh7FwFfy2Zgu7wlPc_jvU-sI3ASSwVCWm-AZ-z0Kpiv3oW4rAu2gwGgmZtSRGz_cJbP7CSMtdE_CXgYziB59YUwL1Tp_VQ8vjv4vGRNyH3RppQ6Ds9qOXMV10_QA/w300-h400/how%20to%20clone%20a%20mammoth.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Also, thanks to my longest friend Vicky Stowell – thank you, Sally and Nev Hollingworth, who are the amazing paleontologist's who found the Mammoth of Graveyard near Swindon.</div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKntGUMEK9H_zD5_NaSMxNlIvwmQ8KEBGU4PVjN255w93SuDEcmbRJqPcyuR9vgAK30B1cMV-ItM5kEcEYoP7jbW-B02ZFVAUZWz2Kbg54cjVs6n6C2TMYh28PJr2nn01mqrIRlfi1n8SB7QuTs5u_u7xo4iDy5QKaaj-WLD5vqMiqMKbmxBYB1ikMO02/s2010/sally%20nev%20andme.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="2010" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKntGUMEK9H_zD5_NaSMxNlIvwmQ8KEBGU4PVjN255w93SuDEcmbRJqPcyuR9vgAK30B1cMV-ItM5kEcEYoP7jbW-B02ZFVAUZWz2Kbg54cjVs6n6C2TMYh28PJr2nn01mqrIRlfi1n8SB7QuTs5u_u7xo4iDy5QKaaj-WLD5vqMiqMKbmxBYB1ikMO02/w640-h304/sally%20nev%20andme.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me (middle) With Sally and Nev Hollingworth - (photo by Nev (thanks Nev))</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br />Lastly it was Sally and Nev who invited me to do something that I always wanted to do, go on a planetology dig. When I was a teenager, I desperately wanted to be a paleozoologist or anthropologist, but I was not permitted to take science and I was told by school I would never me allowed to do any scientific endeavour but to stick to art due to my dyslexia and dyscalculia. Of course at that tender age you believe it. So going to the dig was amazing. Full of lovely generous people. Although I personally didn’t find any bits of dead mammoth, I did help plaster a mammoth tusk ready for transport. Which was a real honour! </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxl2De4612vBkf0Mvb2JY_09NWGxtUo5LqqRE3hP1jU5GnbVjv5xt9EA9qp4VM_ZYApofyuMSxBAbt4XT64-Soi4kEux8PlCud1PkNH4bakyd8EW0C9HcZZh3YUkuZ9tj-WQO82bQPaaxmpP0KVfSr3Rv_AJsygG33oXOecoxTra7uOny-hMFJWZhEhs5G/s1728/plastering.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="819" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxl2De4612vBkf0Mvb2JY_09NWGxtUo5LqqRE3hP1jU5GnbVjv5xt9EA9qp4VM_ZYApofyuMSxBAbt4XT64-Soi4kEux8PlCud1PkNH4bakyd8EW0C9HcZZh3YUkuZ9tj-WQO82bQPaaxmpP0KVfSr3Rv_AJsygG33oXOecoxTra7uOny-hMFJWZhEhs5G/w304-h640/plastering.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me helping with the plastering - thanks to Sally H for photo.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div>So, when the rejections are rolling in, and my lack of perceived achievement gets me down, I have to think - if I gave up writing what else would I miss? The answer is - a lot. A lot of awesome stuff!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CqfdaqiN1twNOGw-WxcQQ1mZRDSQV4r6zGDE95pAu9SZe57K-iYgkhLhYWzF0hs5g-54APV4xmkui78kTccHOt4GepbnxqFdceEhRRqLCl7WQtUeeTeDHPcWj_36obBFccg5UeQNGq6NtRUsPe6Xp9a__xeETBVHJhkS00wRTgbNhm1t_8ILrcKHloyM/s4032/With%20tusk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CqfdaqiN1twNOGw-WxcQQ1mZRDSQV4r6zGDE95pAu9SZe57K-iYgkhLhYWzF0hs5g-54APV4xmkui78kTccHOt4GepbnxqFdceEhRRqLCl7WQtUeeTeDHPcWj_36obBFccg5UeQNGq6NtRUsPe6Xp9a__xeETBVHJhkS00wRTgbNhm1t_8ILrcKHloyM/w400-h300/With%20tusk.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the dig! Thanks Sally H for the photo!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-36555258997730432442024-03-12T09:18:00.000+00:002024-03-12T09:18:22.571+00:00Submission Impossible? 100 Rejections in a Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpOFYXm3d7wuommSc24hARh0dDXHhStsHZwTTTBaddcqUBukmMol-ZxmGWhGoegaiRGNpXOdoP7qI_XXR-4GpHy7f-WoKgdqnXwb1H_CnLTapN0jr2l6bN1IQ0kXwJBDmdtJ9b8nNIlABLtw3_k8PJUcgrZbeT0F0yq3QUxyE6gUX95WUemnh0kMauvys/s407/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="407" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpOFYXm3d7wuommSc24hARh0dDXHhStsHZwTTTBaddcqUBukmMol-ZxmGWhGoegaiRGNpXOdoP7qI_XXR-4GpHy7f-WoKgdqnXwb1H_CnLTapN0jr2l6bN1IQ0kXwJBDmdtJ9b8nNIlABLtw3_k8PJUcgrZbeT0F0yq3QUxyE6gUX95WUemnh0kMauvys/w400-h131/Untitled-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>I’ve made the decision that this year 2024, I’m really going to knuckle down and submit like I have never submitted before. In the past I’ve always approached my submission process with a tad less dedication than the writing itself. After spending hours (far too many to calculate) researching, plotting, world building, writing, revising and editing, (and repeating several times over), the submission always start with an enthusiastic flourish and then after a first dozen and half of rejections, I lose confidence, and everything just peters out. <br /><br />This year though, I believe my manuscript is in really good shape, and the feedback from peers and professional has been encouraging, so my aim is to be more tenacious in 2024. With that in mind I have set myself the target of receiving 100 rejections before we next sing Auld Lang Syne.<div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YIXFG1jOf-1B-90oz1XRxrDbM80TgLzeHKKPsXS6ItvbTTVr9DAmDL3ChH1r9WlpA2B5L_lyhdE4eQlVNoEnRuVs7ea3hZeb_yRiGqN51f3M3J32bbAe8BbEvgHicDR1np2aTii8DWHnGrwiCICpbRlg6fgvuQ91VUrpOZx3TmOsXsTAhDQRBindzLDy/s2412/sub%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2412" data-original-width="1700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YIXFG1jOf-1B-90oz1XRxrDbM80TgLzeHKKPsXS6ItvbTTVr9DAmDL3ChH1r9WlpA2B5L_lyhdE4eQlVNoEnRuVs7ea3hZeb_yRiGqN51f3M3J32bbAe8BbEvgHicDR1np2aTii8DWHnGrwiCICpbRlg6fgvuQ91VUrpOZx3TmOsXsTAhDQRBindzLDy/w283-h400/sub%201.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />To achieve this, I’ve built in dedicated time in my weekly schedule and have implemented some measures to visually show progress. In addition to my spreadsheet, I’ve got a glass vase and some crystal beads. With every submission I will add a blue (stripped agate) bead to the vase, and with every full manuscript request, long-listing, short-listing or honorary mention, I will add a pink (tigers eye) bead to the vase. This will mean that I will see the vase gradually filling up throughout the year. <br /><br />I am hoping that having this visual tactile log of my progress will also serve as a stimulus to keep me motivated and continue the endeavour of reaching my target. <br /><br />If by a miracle I get signed along the way I will think of a something extra special to add to the vase.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIWqO3CKg8w7L8x7ir7PypLuaMpIB890byhhKKRcBU-CgpsTDW1Vsa4YHauIjtHR0_T85AvkURtJShQO4VVDkErTNyTVPOQZ5YOJbqRuW3fXtvUirewvFTvTW7bjMY5kK0g3Ff4zYe2af6CEeBaZDnBkzY5tcyuwe6GWA3Ac6mui37iwCd7tyP_U-x35B/s2412/sub%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2412" data-original-width="1700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIWqO3CKg8w7L8x7ir7PypLuaMpIB890byhhKKRcBU-CgpsTDW1Vsa4YHauIjtHR0_T85AvkURtJShQO4VVDkErTNyTVPOQZ5YOJbqRuW3fXtvUirewvFTvTW7bjMY5kK0g3Ff4zYe2af6CEeBaZDnBkzY5tcyuwe6GWA3Ac6mui37iwCd7tyP_U-x35B/w283-h400/sub%202.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />**Edit** since initially writing this I’ve added my first pink bead! Fingers crossed!</div></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-38475768560727634522024-03-07T08:32:00.000+00:002024-03-07T08:32:06.565+00:00World Book Day 2024, Celebrating as a Pre-Published Author with no Small Children (anymore!)<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">World Book Day 2024, Celebrating as a Pre-Published Author with no Small Children (anymore!) </span></h1><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxrckryJOAkTeXtt9i9dwSuFu-WzxoVnmbPlLu1AYTaggit3FDFf162BVbokNbSHg4sbS8ppMSFTaaebsEuyFVFdKDWHHAMN9dQ2M2HB0IYQLSIB0iT90jy9P7hfB3y503gGGuPv-liK4kWhgMTnORnuATPMq7b5LLrtXo-h-DF-v1u1VwvqLP6V3Bz5e/s1179/wbd%20mammoth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1179" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxrckryJOAkTeXtt9i9dwSuFu-WzxoVnmbPlLu1AYTaggit3FDFf162BVbokNbSHg4sbS8ppMSFTaaebsEuyFVFdKDWHHAMN9dQ2M2HB0IYQLSIB0iT90jy9P7hfB3y503gGGuPv-liK4kWhgMTnORnuATPMq7b5LLrtXo-h-DF-v1u1VwvqLP6V3Bz5e/w400-h283/wbd%20mammoth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><br />Happy World Book Day everyone! <br /><br />World Book Day in years gone past was a big thing on our family calendar. Me writing, and immersed in the kid’s lit world, and two bookworm children excited about all the school WBD festivities. It was grand, read more<a href="https://sallypoyton.blogspot.com/2017/02/one-families-ups-and-downs-of-world.html"> [press here]</a>. <div><br /></div><div>But then the kids grew up so no more WBD dressing up scrambles, and me still being unpublished, having no events to attend. This can be difficult as it really makes the notion of success as a writer seem binary, published v’s non-published, as everywhere on social media there are authors doing events. I have in the past years used the days to dream how I would do an author event if I were published but it can be lonely <a href="https://sallypoyton.blogspot.com/2022/03/world-book-day-blues-and-dreams.html">[press here to read more]</a>, so this year I decided to be proactive. <br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">So my World book Day 2024 plan is… </span></h3><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Spread the love… </span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JxE-w-pqHfne5YQ8HABxV9qG18uXo-qzE7nkN_Obta_iFXhxmNtpAGcupZle6ERjxR8uoyyvV5hpOrSLOTkSAJDW-lmna4rH8j0_OEzsajhBdnmvYf_CZ-74-2QiCepUwUuKGkGe4sp_kUGOJA82VYUxdvhs_HZ5yaEVhqEyOAkI8rZKi3rmsINnXvoQ/s2856/WBD2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2856" data-original-width="2142" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JxE-w-pqHfne5YQ8HABxV9qG18uXo-qzE7nkN_Obta_iFXhxmNtpAGcupZle6ERjxR8uoyyvV5hpOrSLOTkSAJDW-lmna4rH8j0_OEzsajhBdnmvYf_CZ-74-2QiCepUwUuKGkGe4sp_kUGOJA82VYUxdvhs_HZ5yaEVhqEyOAkI8rZKi3rmsINnXvoQ/w300-h400/WBD2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Having been on the booksellers end of WBD, I decided to give a WBD Bookseller’s Survival Care Package to my local Indy bookshop. </li></ul><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>As I am literally across the road from a pre-school, and I make story sacks, I made and delivered a mammoth themed story sack for them which I will deliver on the day. </li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcg0vD9S0h2YHZyQIqpaYWU1mZCjm7evMDLE0HazbV6iEBlWU0VA6xFmOX5iYMasdGTvtr5ulCEWykajjNuZfET31ZlBBedYJxJ0GkTlnp4SeWE0tCxcnCtFVr-C3AKokL-jWEx6htAT53PB2EXNTAOuhWIgdevf4p9IN1TzHZTZ38530l3RgBUQ4QwPUZ/s2856/WBD3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2142" data-original-width="2856" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcg0vD9S0h2YHZyQIqpaYWU1mZCjm7evMDLE0HazbV6iEBlWU0VA6xFmOX5iYMasdGTvtr5ulCEWykajjNuZfET31ZlBBedYJxJ0GkTlnp4SeWE0tCxcnCtFVr-C3AKokL-jWEx6htAT53PB2EXNTAOuhWIgdevf4p9IN1TzHZTZ38530l3RgBUQ4QwPUZ/w400-h300/WBD3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I am going to spend some time doing reviews on Amazon /Goodreads for books I read recently. </li></ul><h4 style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;">For me… </span></h4><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I have a virtual coffee scheduled with another author/illustrator, to raise a cup of some caffeinated substance in celebration. </li></ul><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I will read. Read with abandon, without guilt that I could or should be doing something else! </li></ul><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A trip to a bookshop. </li></ul><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So that is my World Book Day shorted. What are you doing?</div></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-41081176067290613342024-03-03T18:09:00.000+00:002024-03-03T18:09:09.534+00:00 Dyscalculia Awareness Day - Daily life with Dyscalculia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1PUJaHB1c_L3r3o3USJn8BC24V_McfqpnwgUDjUzS5sywLxlkzzCCnR6VMMm3GN2nTFvgWtI2H8bvNhM8XgQ4o8C6bjCweyXd7ckQpGj_D_TUKe_2rs4QEZF1ayus8rUqqzvs770YIrPKaXGfZlbkxispZT4RAgRCh628iuzj5xu2vs8UrJsS8RmgXvW/s2047/423735840_928861165169658_5436783358429089338_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1443" data-original-width="2047" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1PUJaHB1c_L3r3o3USJn8BC24V_McfqpnwgUDjUzS5sywLxlkzzCCnR6VMMm3GN2nTFvgWtI2H8bvNhM8XgQ4o8C6bjCweyXd7ckQpGj_D_TUKe_2rs4QEZF1ayus8rUqqzvs770YIrPKaXGfZlbkxispZT4RAgRCh628iuzj5xu2vs8UrJsS8RmgXvW/w400-h283/423735840_928861165169658_5436783358429089338_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><br />Today March the 3rs is Dyscalculia Awareness Day. What (You may ask) is Dyscalculia? As most people indeed need to ask, and therefore this day is much needed. Dyscalculia is one of the neurodiverse diagnoses which is specific to people who have difficulty identifying, reading, sequencing, and understanding numbers, values, and mathematical processes. It is akin to dyslexia but with numbers. However, unlike dyslexia, which many people at least have heard of, but may not actually fully comprehend, dyscalculia is less well known. I have even spoke to teachers who don’t understand what it is and aren’t even aware of its existence. It is a bit rarer than dyslexia, which affects 9-12% of the global population, Dyspraxia is up to 6%. However up to 40% of people with dyslexia also have dyscalculia. I am one of the 40%.<br /><br />I wasn’t diagnosed with dyscalculia until aged 19, the same time I officially got diagnosed with dyslexia, however every teacher knew I had dyslexia as it was better known and understood, so individual teachers gave me extra support, and because I wasn’t officially diagnosed many of them wrote to the exam boards asking for me to get extra time, which I indeed received due to barrage of letters and evidence that each teacher individually sent them – for which I will forever be grateful. Despite this is still struggled a I was still on first readers ‘Billy Red Hat’ type book when I went up to secondary school, but at least it got recognised and I received helped.<br /><br />Math on the other hand was a different matter. I couldn’t learn my times table and frustration as to why, came out in discipline from my parents and epic temper tantrums and fits of violent outbursts from me, coining me the title problem child’. Learning math was incredibly difficult as numbers didn’t move on the page (as poetic descriptions) but every time I looked down from textbook to exercise book or board to paper, the numbers were in a different order. I can tell you getting the correct answer for a sum, when the number keep changing if very difficult and frustrating. Plus, I never got any help. No one in school had any idea about dyscalculia, not the math teachers, not Learning Support, not even the educational psychologist. I just got labelled lazy which added to the frustration as I was working so hard to try and master it.<br /><br /><br /><br />But challenges were not excusive to math, one of the biggest and still most difficult tasks is reading clocks analogue or a digital. Trying to work out the time when numbers are creating havoc is impossible. And a 24-hour digital is no better, you can’t image how many times I have turned up to an appointment at the wrong time as I have misunderstood the time. either too early or too late. This also extends to dates. In my early twenties I turned up to a job interview on the wrong day as I miss read the date. They were surprised when I arrived and quipped I was early, explained how much early and proceeded to interview me. The first question; ‘what is you attention to detail like’. I didn’t get the job.<br /><br />Then there are phones, do you remember back in the 80s and 90s, when phones were attached to a wall, and you had to dial the number? Well, I do, and it is a horrific memory. I could dial the same number incorrectly serval times, resulting in an embarrassing exchange with the person I had disturbed on the other side. Resulting in epic meltdowns. As an adult the phone issue persists but know there is the technology to have all your number stored on your phone, and most numbers you can dial straight from the web on your mobile, which is much easier. But I still hate phoning people due to all the childhood trauma and avoid it where possible.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nQcl0Uo3ezyvp9ug38G7L9rvz71tvQjoYv9Nyq2rJste1Tt6ovkdW7Ai9BBJv9pmqOMPGfvQDirZUSGgn_fYAK72Nvr-9oDCSuebK_D4L_bVu2xZl161yiOUV5e2KyBD1SCOneGThT3YuVkaeEkKWlFoPB5xDkkm2iyTb2Y-lMdIOZa_GLwwYHdlbcJv/s2047/423737871_417463440793475_7565743637661612680_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1443" data-original-width="2047" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nQcl0Uo3ezyvp9ug38G7L9rvz71tvQjoYv9Nyq2rJste1Tt6ovkdW7Ai9BBJv9pmqOMPGfvQDirZUSGgn_fYAK72Nvr-9oDCSuebK_D4L_bVu2xZl161yiOUV5e2KyBD1SCOneGThT3YuVkaeEkKWlFoPB5xDkkm2iyTb2Y-lMdIOZa_GLwwYHdlbcJv/w400-h283/423737871_417463440793475_7565743637661612680_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Technology may help on some ways, like the phone, but with others it is getting increasingly difficult to navigate. This is because of digitalisation and the ever-growing reliance on pin codes both pure numerical and also letter and numbers (remember dyslexic too). I often can’t use my debit cards as I can’t get the four number correct. I once had a house with a pin-lock rather than a key, I spent hours locked out waiting for my husband to come home. So I come back to the tool that helps, by phone, as I note my pin code on there.<br /><br />Then there was France. A holiday with a friend and her son and mine. Which was lovely until, I had my phone stolen. Before you ask, no I don’t speak French. It was tricky enough mastering English (dyslexia). So I am stuck in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language and I can’t use my debit cards because I can’t get the number right. It was isolating, embarrassing and far from relaxing.<br /><br />But by far the biggest obstacle is that people are not aware of it, or its impact, and treat you as if you are deficient on the intelligence front. This is why the protagonist in my latest novel ‘Ashley Grimes Mammoth Whisperer’ has both dyslexia and dyscalculia.<br /><br />A few years ago, the BBC news ran an article about a professional dancer who has severe dyscalculia, I posted it everywhere, and many adults replied who also have it. They were all very interested to hear that I was writing a children’s book with the main protagonist that has dyscalculia. All of them wishing they could have a read a book as a child with someone like them reflected, so they knew they would have known they weren’t alone. So, I have worked really hard o make my own voice depiction as accurate authentic and positive as possible and am now embarking on submitting hoping it will find a home and maybe provide the sort of reading experience for children with dyscalculia that me and other people would have loved to have had as children. An acknowledgement and knowing they are not the only ones.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0P5voalOGqE1HcT8DxOUWpE7hG3F7TiML4bZ8NFR-KNDHdc1zAcXGCliWCPlcTDw_N59O9-oDYxjunjFFy9t4HWjFJdI6ONrjRJQ8kiPm8DtcVPx4vnhnztJeU0smkHHg7csZtW4-77BQkrMZWm97-nEmHVmqxgMzDc8BkUA42aiSelAXNBH6SXCMZWz/s2047/423599689_1816623315471979_8886187334094101722_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1443" data-original-width="2047" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0P5voalOGqE1HcT8DxOUWpE7hG3F7TiML4bZ8NFR-KNDHdc1zAcXGCliWCPlcTDw_N59O9-oDYxjunjFFy9t4HWjFJdI6ONrjRJQ8kiPm8DtcVPx4vnhnztJeU0smkHHg7csZtW4-77BQkrMZWm97-nEmHVmqxgMzDc8BkUA42aiSelAXNBH6SXCMZWz/w400-h283/423599689_1816623315471979_8886187334094101722_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-29097855583763576932024-02-28T10:59:00.000+00:002024-02-28T10:59:29.755+00:00Writing like a MammothFor the novel I am currently submitting, Ashley Grimes Mammoth Whisperer, I had to write convincing and authentic fauna, in particular mammoths. <br /><br />For context here’s the elevator pitch… <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: medium;"><b>Ashley Grimes Mammoth Whisperer</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;">Ash must save the herd of woolly mammoths that have been cloned to help slow global warming, from an evil big game hunting obsessed billionaire. By overcoming the difficulties of her dyslexia and dyscalculia and combining her skills in understanding mammoth behaviour with her friend’s, Ruby’s escapologist skills and Jack’s technical whizzery, the three children endeavour to save, a village, Ash’s dad and of course the mammoths!</span></i></div><br />Writing real and convincing animals can be difficult but is much easier if you have experience of keeping them or observing them in the flesh. This can be easy or tricky depending on the animal, dog – easy, Komodon Dragon – tricker, but a species which has long been extinct is impossible. <br /><br />This can be avoided by cheating. And yes, I initially tried to cheat, but having my main protagonist be able to talk to the mammoths. The problem was it undermine the concept and stood the book in a weird position of being too old for a Chapter Book, and too young for Middle Grade. Upon several lovely folk’s invaluable feedback, who suggested that I take out the Doctor Doolittle element (you know who you are and thank you so much), I made the decision to rewrite. This time with no anthropopeia in sight.<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJf0eSwLYLj023bLx4Qt1_q7UnnEtLMYkTltxIPMQZb7CsdpMl-0NkrLjdEC2GPwIwprp33-vA2Q-udyIBQXPD9wNbvrK8JG2sZNHhZNEmz-sX9a9B9c_gfnDrpCMvB76TiKCZGFJnZhgFs_ZK4T6_pq8pQN_SXzG_mg3w-VWbgwsu3cmb_h9vuZPXGhrN/s2048/329133202_1299505483940698_4036829669163552715_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJf0eSwLYLj023bLx4Qt1_q7UnnEtLMYkTltxIPMQZb7CsdpMl-0NkrLjdEC2GPwIwprp33-vA2Q-udyIBQXPD9wNbvrK8JG2sZNHhZNEmz-sX9a9B9c_gfnDrpCMvB76TiKCZGFJnZhgFs_ZK4T6_pq8pQN_SXzG_mg3w-VWbgwsu3cmb_h9vuZPXGhrN/w300-h400/329133202_1299505483940698_4036829669163552715_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><br />It was the right course of action and improved the manuscript immeasurably, putting it firmly in the desired middle grade age group, but initially starting the task was daunting. What so I know about how mammoth behave? Oe how they interact with humans? I had obviously already done some research, but this edit meant that it had to greatly upped – mammoth style. <br /><br />I do have animal husbandry experience – birds of various types, parrots, pigeons, even rheas. Reptiles – iguanas, chameleons, geckos. Fish. Small mammals – rodents, dogs, cats, sheep, alpacas. Yep, yep yep. <br /><br />So how then to work out how a long dead species would behave? It had to be two-fold firstly – find out what is known about mammoths and their interactions with out ancestors. Secondly looks at mammoths closest living relative, elephants and more specifically Asian Elephants.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzez_0hheQy5AfkCgnI3fMkC_OcE9Y1k3bRpbjoaAcutv2IrxKMi7gTS7j-NewIwKfp7_MSwDdj8aY2IYG_PjdAT9mP0Jpxocy_8VVxpKVB1SLhs0kzvRSKgZq9enuX_k4T0v38p5AdYaJbAIJp_pei_HREA0g3Jmxpu99bi5m075qB_4p6fC0VvpYNJI/s1124/331051130_5973010956108170_1679480315530577763_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzez_0hheQy5AfkCgnI3fMkC_OcE9Y1k3bRpbjoaAcutv2IrxKMi7gTS7j-NewIwKfp7_MSwDdj8aY2IYG_PjdAT9mP0Jpxocy_8VVxpKVB1SLhs0kzvRSKgZq9enuX_k4T0v38p5AdYaJbAIJp_pei_HREA0g3Jmxpu99bi5m075qB_4p6fC0VvpYNJI/w300-h400/331051130_5973010956108170_1679480315530577763_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />As I couldn’t afford a trip to India to meet actual elephants, then visiting a safari park to observe them from a distance would have to do. Plus watching every documentary, I could find on either elephants or mammoths.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvLPfyOn1l5dvC4xAjK24IY70_NgitQLhNBPkDV6pzRE1FuB_yU27QhvmMBOq8K9JxUI2l7JwKuk5T_v8_wS0dOdZAcLWkXKvta5YrnsWYN4DpQh2F5JQ4YhXjDoOfawNwFulFcKJrSQtQ4IrKvYwh1jXT_tpM6hPi5a4QI99JPaHURQisQJOCfp1BJeQ/s2048/270588440_4613474038771196_7202531702698884854_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvLPfyOn1l5dvC4xAjK24IY70_NgitQLhNBPkDV6pzRE1FuB_yU27QhvmMBOq8K9JxUI2l7JwKuk5T_v8_wS0dOdZAcLWkXKvta5YrnsWYN4DpQh2F5JQ4YhXjDoOfawNwFulFcKJrSQtQ4IrKvYwh1jXT_tpM6hPi5a4QI99JPaHURQisQJOCfp1BJeQ/w300-h400/270588440_4613474038771196_7202531702698884854_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />The next one was the biggy. I may not been able to stretch to a trip to India but I could justify investing in books. I researched books, and brought any I could on elephants behaviour, mannerisms, culture, society and interactions with humans.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdb1t5LFjEXZr_aLLClb6jWiehypu79DhukpVEUKc_tfP52Lcnt7jNVlO7KA5Udyc4khPuPmP_aisHUmJRie2r0KaoPiDIHDDy4uFm9yMUtFm7NjD3dHeGlhGG2oiDdUrFZqTLPRhCW3al6HbjN6__oQSddv5aIY906L_kPRrcQc23dmJY4jsblRX9NMOP/s4032/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdb1t5LFjEXZr_aLLClb6jWiehypu79DhukpVEUKc_tfP52Lcnt7jNVlO7KA5Udyc4khPuPmP_aisHUmJRie2r0KaoPiDIHDDy4uFm9yMUtFm7NjD3dHeGlhGG2oiDdUrFZqTLPRhCW3al6HbjN6__oQSddv5aIY906L_kPRrcQc23dmJY4jsblRX9NMOP/w300-h400/2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />This was fascinating, as I read biographies of Jumbo and then the autobiography of his keeper. Books on animal husbandry and zoology, general elephant behaviour. Guides on being safe around elephants on safari. I also looked for any books on paleozoology and evolutionary biology about mammoths. In addition, I also looked at neanderthals and their interactions with fauna, and mammoths specifically. <br /><br />Whilst I did this I was armed with many colours of highlighters and matching tag post-its. Why? Well, I love my emotional thesaurus for writing that I use all the time when writing in order to show characters emotions rather than tell, so I decided to create my own thesaurus of mammoths behaviours.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuy-_t6ERKAwYsIfGD_4WI3LoIQTwc3IrX_CXwV5WFXttEweu_rQkpxDauYJuT-qkBAboRiwUK7PbvsgpqJgU4AeJ6WEjMjA2lrucZMkqKzs7UKftZsCgz_lOB12Q_WdAVNSqHULx066eMYrpwX5GDwWxVMWrfnJksjxgSpi2FlYQBIcSxu1Qr_t6uX2U2/s960/326742841_708349227506867_3595921846033100207_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="960" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuy-_t6ERKAwYsIfGD_4WI3LoIQTwc3IrX_CXwV5WFXttEweu_rQkpxDauYJuT-qkBAboRiwUK7PbvsgpqJgU4AeJ6WEjMjA2lrucZMkqKzs7UKftZsCgz_lOB12Q_WdAVNSqHULx066eMYrpwX5GDwWxVMWrfnJksjxgSpi2FlYQBIcSxu1Qr_t6uX2U2/w400-h313/326742841_708349227506867_3595921846033100207_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />So anything of certain grouped behaviours or reactions, say anger and aggression, was highlighted one colour and a corresponding coloured tag put on the page. I also created a key, so I know which colour was which group of behaviours. This meant that while I was editing, I could find all the resources I needed for certain behaviours in my attempts to create an authentic and believable representation of the mammoths.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc2x5k-e4cxjMqJt5f6_QK9aJ26Iirs12XvUcHAU3FT2Vvyl9g9YfbYbxmLMNSX_eCfRymEc2Xg5RddD0nQWPD2KJCaf8y0Y-P3zHgu3McdzYXSCU-XV1us2od7n9nxjmWfT92KM1y6fiAml1Ft_2pngyYN6ggz53pAer9-cIa9PsZ8Lnnco4phcgCqpy/s4032/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc2x5k-e4cxjMqJt5f6_QK9aJ26Iirs12XvUcHAU3FT2Vvyl9g9YfbYbxmLMNSX_eCfRymEc2Xg5RddD0nQWPD2KJCaf8y0Y-P3zHgu3McdzYXSCU-XV1us2od7n9nxjmWfT92KM1y6fiAml1Ft_2pngyYN6ggz53pAer9-cIa9PsZ8Lnnco4phcgCqpy/w300-h400/1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />I also did the same for mammoth/human interactions, <br /><br />It was a lot of work, but I believe the books is much, much better as a result. And if I am ever lucky enough to so a sequel at least I already have the resource at hand. <br /><br /> </div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-85507040203173179702023-11-06T10:04:00.000+00:002023-11-06T10:04:54.663+00:00 Magazines, Manchester, (a) Museum, Mammoths and Me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCp9H78GYuAby3YqzEV7usYupM4uI47S8iUbbzlSpPsPfNB9rBHVmQz6s0ypfGAlSBU9aKN3sIaZMMSvYeuQVnY9h1N34TBgmWm56jHoTTSG-FYZTaq0KoaJs5k7Uywmt8P00M2a66vGF9YShUjcQG6Swi2Gjsn70z3wjdcFKgIh-Csxts3arczlyLEbLq/s4032/changelings%20mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCp9H78GYuAby3YqzEV7usYupM4uI47S8iUbbzlSpPsPfNB9rBHVmQz6s0ypfGAlSBU9aKN3sIaZMMSvYeuQVnY9h1N34TBgmWm56jHoTTSG-FYZTaq0KoaJs5k7Uywmt8P00M2a66vGF9YShUjcQG6Swi2Gjsn70z3wjdcFKgIh-Csxts3arczlyLEbLq/w346-h400/changelings%20mag.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After such a long gap in posting the proverbial blog bus
comes with two posts in quick succession. The last few months have been
busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Busy in the best of ways (covid
aside), with lots of small things to celebrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mammoth library event that I covered in
last week’s post, and now this small bundle of celebration worthy things that
cumulated in one magical mammoth day, in Manchester!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So being a pre-published writer/illustrator I’m always on
the trail of seeing my work in print. I try to grasp all the opportunities I
can. Subbing to agents, editors, pitch contests, feedback giveaways and when it
came up in the summer to the submission window open to neurodiverse creatives
for The Changelings Mini-Mag. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Changeling project was founded my writer Emmy Clark and
has produced the Changeling Annual, for middle grade readers full of
fascinating stories, articles, activities, and vibrant illustrations, all by
neurodiverse writers and illustrators from across the globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Mini-Mag is the first periodical. The
project has a close relationship with The Museum of Science and Industry of
Manchester.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was very honoured to have my ‘Rebuilding Mammoths’ article
and accompanying illustration picked to be included in the first edition which
has the theme of ‘Rebuild’, to tie in with the museum ongoing building work.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Wd_CtMEhvs9jBRl1L1qMsmkij1IBPWrGkup9k6SlFhzQlMRGLNfRfPB5h-XjXwbBPppdOk9gYDJJFtmFHSEELVSSPjk3H0a2_JwPzTV6dpUvvUYphonjdKVlceXBEum6X-XH8meNIM8jwXcE8SdGZF91gkkR04y79cIfjAKRgrD6ovAtwXCJ6X3r1aZB/s939/insta%20sally.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Wd_CtMEhvs9jBRl1L1qMsmkij1IBPWrGkup9k6SlFhzQlMRGLNfRfPB5h-XjXwbBPppdOk9gYDJJFtmFHSEELVSSPjk3H0a2_JwPzTV6dpUvvUYphonjdKVlceXBEum6X-XH8meNIM8jwXcE8SdGZF91gkkR04y79cIfjAKRgrD6ovAtwXCJ6X3r1aZB/w353-h400/insta%20sally.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was further excitement on receiving the virtual proof
copy of the Mini-Mag, and seeing the amazing diversity and quality of the other
features was humbling. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was even more delighted to be told that over the half
term, the Changeling Team alongside staff at the museum were running some
workshops inspired by my article. So, when I was invited, not even wild
mammoths could keep me away.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh89u_mDP5chjHzVRR4mtS1UQTFVnZAAdQ6KCe5OFe_KIMZDI03RStYJGEkozZqBoAQ4mURUFDEH07765m1hsqAsneZI79UU1hE3tkjDlG1bfQ5Gk9UeT7dZqQZelh8z6m15_LIj8sTw7pKLkX_DTA92j04CpKRRRnRar6qgoM3DUxy4EP8x8uvqkErHe/s961/Mammoth%20ws%20intsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh89u_mDP5chjHzVRR4mtS1UQTFVnZAAdQ6KCe5OFe_KIMZDI03RStYJGEkozZqBoAQ4mURUFDEH07765m1hsqAsneZI79UU1hE3tkjDlG1bfQ5Gk9UeT7dZqQZelh8z6m15_LIj8sTw7pKLkX_DTA92j04CpKRRRnRar6qgoM3DUxy4EP8x8uvqkErHe/w345-h400/Mammoth%20ws%20intsa.jpg" width="345" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They asked if I could make a video of me reading my article,
for them to play at the beginning of the workshops, of course I said yes! Then
I had to quickly learn how to film and edit! I set up my room with a backdrop
and balanced the iPad-and-the-pea style precariously on top of a table and
boxes. To ensure I didn’t forget what to say, stuck on the wardrobes A3 sheets
with my text printed on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
complete with props I filmed. And filmed. And filmed. Until I eventually had an
ok version. Lastly I edited in illustrations, and a video before sending on to
the Changeling editor to do a final cut – who added subtitles and music.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoaeCWUnZjBfNzOPUHfkFLo6pnFzukbBZyLThdkjcSdYcLJfQPF13tr9weA821_Ec_nYw4P1tSI9o-wEp313doM462UT05uk0IdinkN7m8MTNerIGg3MIwWlBfxVmAfJoSw030_snaygJVRT7uSIhMaah0D6Zn8No1I8I6mTU7mhzW6K2sPiws3VE1-5y/s1642/filming%20and%20editing%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="994" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoaeCWUnZjBfNzOPUHfkFLo6pnFzukbBZyLThdkjcSdYcLJfQPF13tr9weA821_Ec_nYw4P1tSI9o-wEp313doM462UT05uk0IdinkN7m8MTNerIGg3MIwWlBfxVmAfJoSw030_snaygJVRT7uSIhMaah0D6Zn8No1I8I6mTU7mhzW6K2sPiws3VE1-5y/w387-h640/filming%20and%20editing%20.jpg" width="387" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the day, my husband, son, and me, left at 6am and
travelled up to Manchester. We arrived to rain. Lots of rain! Us being soft
southerners hadn’t dressed accordingly, so by the time I got to the museum, my
jean’s had a tide line up to my knees, my shoes were waterlogged and I looked
like a drowned rat.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift0VIkt_4WCaFzbbwggbZzoqPYea7096iygmqZ6yhOTuXccq3YDL996qZb7PrGAtTu6egh2O1EfwtFoYBguE3LNQQ5oQhyUdalqncr-4arg-EeV7Fm4JJLr3XMpmHdnHuUSsiTU9X70-Y8Br-FaVVp4CED9C4lLNSW8Z65T3SQ8M9uQXK_PO8iQ5JCYEu/s4032/museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift0VIkt_4WCaFzbbwggbZzoqPYea7096iygmqZ6yhOTuXccq3YDL996qZb7PrGAtTu6egh2O1EfwtFoYBguE3LNQQ5oQhyUdalqncr-4arg-EeV7Fm4JJLr3XMpmHdnHuUSsiTU9X70-Y8Br-FaVVp4CED9C4lLNSW8Z65T3SQ8M9uQXK_PO8iQ5JCYEu/w400-h300/museum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">This made my nerves kick in. But I shouldn’t have worried,
The Changeling Team, Emmy, Jenn and Alex were lovely and made me feel
incredibly welcome.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MnHOHalEKD0GfCzDHIzghXKByKjClkzYmRcDFxPuSGEJJEUKk8kbWKAk7ESB1Ue8Mc-ZSM8uZzi3OMCd6xBUMOqzg90rav9bL0Ld1GJQyPb5xzhFXQn3HKXbVf2zrmmDN1v0oKPjCvC3g8dk3JoL6mTnA1R4iiOd8a7gGuSC1XirA1ZRrssKAqSDEFQF/s1280/Changelings%20team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MnHOHalEKD0GfCzDHIzghXKByKjClkzYmRcDFxPuSGEJJEUKk8kbWKAk7ESB1Ue8Mc-ZSM8uZzi3OMCd6xBUMOqzg90rav9bL0Ld1GJQyPb5xzhFXQn3HKXbVf2zrmmDN1v0oKPjCvC3g8dk3JoL6mTnA1R4iiOd8a7gGuSC1XirA1ZRrssKAqSDEFQF/w400-h300/Changelings%20team.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The team were super organised and had all the activities
prepared and everything set up by the time I arrived. Which gave us time for a
lovely chat, before the whirlwind began.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvJ3NcYr9tqI9G_FNAhvUvQdd9ptKWQvISCA7KQ5yScRTo9OShKivZIMaZTIoyWjt2Z_RISO-xD6zYKbAUtm3p_5lmMurPp3dcpCUvcfLpgAs2UpK0Q3jX2fJKki9IdNcfOsD7TlwtQJp44wLBPc9Vh9-DewjRC6eU-FXA3uWEZ35mJrZwxhl98RQm6n0/s1600/craft%20table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvJ3NcYr9tqI9G_FNAhvUvQdd9ptKWQvISCA7KQ5yScRTo9OShKivZIMaZTIoyWjt2Z_RISO-xD6zYKbAUtm3p_5lmMurPp3dcpCUvcfLpgAs2UpK0Q3jX2fJKki9IdNcfOsD7TlwtQJp44wLBPc9Vh9-DewjRC6eU-FXA3uWEZ35mJrZwxhl98RQm6n0/s320/craft%20table.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Across the two workshops more than 45 children with their
accompanying adults attended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First came
the video, it was weird and uncomfortable watching myself on screen, a very
squirming kind of torture. Then the grand Mammoth Mask Making commenced. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwaEAKNB3Pdmb6O4pv2MyXpZWaTskBcevc5ISkSyWBcmlpBuMNtUtOeZeT0Ose6ptbuQUFlgEjXS1U_rzYIftUcqDar3xukNek3ICfCnZD93GYtnJKTCjwMlT4HFyBi_E_lEqyCoXcUDd0tWEVZXvXED5y_S6gIwAqOYZgTDvAS1XGn66WXNnyR_lawfa/s2065/video.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1853" data-original-width="2065" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwaEAKNB3Pdmb6O4pv2MyXpZWaTskBcevc5ISkSyWBcmlpBuMNtUtOeZeT0Ose6ptbuQUFlgEjXS1U_rzYIftUcqDar3xukNek3ICfCnZD93GYtnJKTCjwMlT4HFyBi_E_lEqyCoXcUDd0tWEVZXvXED5y_S6gIwAqOYZgTDvAS1XGn66WXNnyR_lawfa/s320/video.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While the creativity was happening, I circulated around the
room, with a mammoth tooth I’d brought along, and talked to children and their
adults about their amazing masks, but also about general mammoth and cloning
facts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">In both session I had parents
initiate conversations about mammoth cloning and their proposed use to help
slow (or slop the acceleration) of global warming. The discussions evolved to
cover how the same technology is being used to help try save endangered
species, and how inspiring the next generation to look to STEM and use their
imaginations is so important for their future and that of the planet. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTzThFIWoZk_fk_K83slRuoIzMgorojQqd-h6OcVJYUrPN1swhkFdESSEHyhbC84Nbhtuv4NueoFDDfyuDDW0_bd3mhB471uGKTDIQApjMeNNUgkRamza1T3fyzRxW1N-yUsMhwieK8Ai4H5AUvnU6tD3e66id38Vx3K3wErlPcq-JSlePUSKOoq2NQLC/s1412/masks%20and%20crafts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="1234" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTzThFIWoZk_fk_K83slRuoIzMgorojQqd-h6OcVJYUrPN1swhkFdESSEHyhbC84Nbhtuv4NueoFDDfyuDDW0_bd3mhB471uGKTDIQApjMeNNUgkRamza1T3fyzRxW1N-yUsMhwieK8Ai4H5AUvnU6tD3e66id38Vx3K3wErlPcq-JSlePUSKOoq2NQLC/w350-h400/masks%20and%20crafts.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There were lots of smiles, and some truly momentous mammoth
masks, in a rainbow of colours and styles. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Changeling team were in their element,
encouraging children to be creative, and by giving each child attending a free
copy of the Mini-Mag – encouraging them to foster a love of stories too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When the workshops were over and everything cleared away, I
think we were all pretty tired. But the best was to come, as I was given a copy
of the physical magazine. Seeing one of my mammoths in print alongside my
article was a delight. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7hIfjzn_CT6S_OBsSKsYmmi-gl29S6EtX7nRmK9H1YxFuhG0NlH3lNTQPwbqxem453Axy6FIJ9WZbBIn9aIJPucI-t4rl9woBALYIzI9S2J8zBvxgqe42t2wb2jG-GJZYt9-EhoauevU4pY-8tHCok9ruAUjrKExD2aXyWlw3E4rzvhy4mj6jTVDXxnu/s4032/masks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7hIfjzn_CT6S_OBsSKsYmmi-gl29S6EtX7nRmK9H1YxFuhG0NlH3lNTQPwbqxem453Axy6FIJ9WZbBIn9aIJPucI-t4rl9woBALYIzI9S2J8zBvxgqe42t2wb2jG-GJZYt9-EhoauevU4pY-8tHCok9ruAUjrKExD2aXyWlw3E4rzvhy4mj6jTVDXxnu/w400-h300/masks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, I send my heartiest of thanks to The Changeling team;
Emmy, Jenn and Alex and to the lovely museum staff. Plus, a Big Mammoth Thank
You to all the children and adults who came to the workshops and made some
truly marvellous mammoth masks! <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-60656233189256691982023-11-01T09:09:00.005+00:002023-11-01T09:12:55.261+00:00My First Mammoth Event!<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtIH5xzBfR8UgxPerkAoh1iXep_6U4BjBhb5sHqfIC1Hi06ODV1NjGFH9Q4Kf3hytDAzN3iXxRGnC0HcnHOXBAhBQTJkODeX6W0KLnlHJEOqbLqvkFW0ql5rqvdhlD4S5o1UXawCB1FuwY4LRQcvD0iKh2Qw14TrRxgjJ-ZzUHNPX78XsR1bHD2YPOZny/s1024/mammoth%20evet%20and%20me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtIH5xzBfR8UgxPerkAoh1iXep_6U4BjBhb5sHqfIC1Hi06ODV1NjGFH9Q4Kf3hytDAzN3iXxRGnC0HcnHOXBAhBQTJkODeX6W0KLnlHJEOqbLqvkFW0ql5rqvdhlD4S5o1UXawCB1FuwY4LRQcvD0iKh2Qw14TrRxgjJ-ZzUHNPX78XsR1bHD2YPOZny/w400-h300/mammoth%20evet%20and%20me.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The first time I started writing about mammoths was in 2008,
it was a not very well conceived picture book. Fast forward a decade to 2018, and
whilst attending a writing for children course at the Oxford University Centre
for Continued Learning, I began writing a middle grade story about a
Neanderthal and a mammoth. This also went on to a draw of partly planned rough
drafts alongside my first mammoth manuscript.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then in 2020, whilst researching de-extinction for a YA
Neanderthal thriller, I read a book on the science of bring back long dead
species called ‘How to Clone a Mammoth’ by Beth Shapiro. Despite being about
bringing back many long dead faunas I got a bit distracted by mammoths. I think
it was the plan for mammoths to help in the battle against global warming, and
that there is already a home waiting for them, Pleistocene Park in Siberia,
which really caught my imagination.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92oE0Eni7cCkLIQn2la0aPBlxV1H2MZbtXYuq7wZwycFPR-CNnJWGk1uU70fFd_-K-auFGWnfwPkAyd3JkSdMAnt3fylIFdgNCOY95tPXr5ubA8vt7-OZrAsjDwTuryAgbS1pAgO6fFbKreQ8KwKFO5UqAhuEz886rfAttGH7KqRQdsTaxbsFvFmt6QEJ/s960/stampede.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="670" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92oE0Eni7cCkLIQn2la0aPBlxV1H2MZbtXYuq7wZwycFPR-CNnJWGk1uU70fFd_-K-auFGWnfwPkAyd3JkSdMAnt3fylIFdgNCOY95tPXr5ubA8vt7-OZrAsjDwTuryAgbS1pAgO6fFbKreQ8KwKFO5UqAhuEz886rfAttGH7KqRQdsTaxbsFvFmt6QEJ/w279-h400/stampede.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">A few nights later I dreamt a scene (corny but it’s true)
about three children studying ins a remote artic region, when the building
begins to shake as a massive herd of mammoth amble into view. This became the
starting point for my work in progress. In 2021 when I first succumbed to the
dreaded covid, while in isolation I began drawing mammoths, and an obsession
was well and truly born.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fCtVt99y7756iViYmUTl9nsr3A5fPchy2kJtY6rZK7zbLZaAN-b-bNYkQ3MzO46x2_wtoBgyGDlKUEFwsW6ueowSWltObCHXifFKNgSku_tvxwRVre-4hrz-JkC7LW0Xl-LhELDlQFe5HIdrGnh2RRpC2M_oc7o3pt5_sfQcStdrMtRt_dKv17Ai433x/s4032/sketching%20on%20bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fCtVt99y7756iViYmUTl9nsr3A5fPchy2kJtY6rZK7zbLZaAN-b-bNYkQ3MzO46x2_wtoBgyGDlKUEFwsW6ueowSWltObCHXifFKNgSku_tvxwRVre-4hrz-JkC7LW0Xl-LhELDlQFe5HIdrGnh2RRpC2M_oc7o3pt5_sfQcStdrMtRt_dKv17Ai433x/w300-h400/sketching%20on%20bed.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I am currently doing an edit on the book and hope to be out
on submission soon. But at the same time, I have building up a portfolio of
mammoth illustrations, and making friends with other mammoth enthusiasts.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;">This led to me being asked to participate in
a local town’s Jurassic Festival – YES, I KNOW MAMMOTHS AREN’T FROM THE
JURRASSIC PERIOD! But it is prehistoric!</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphu_AKT0jM3jbN4jFuR6QY8E5w5TIFhAZu7a1xYMk8x8lS1sZ0hZNOvR9Nl5oxfRxSpnRm0ubx3TuCIiIGIKbCq16_OkEZuGbhWxLoSvo6H63OA69pRqTXiFzL_4OanRRCg01X3r5LkOoW_XNJs-W7gdQ2Rai4C0MyfPNk6PpSOLntvcKNqlfV50AYOpO/s2016/display%20in%20the%20making.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphu_AKT0jM3jbN4jFuR6QY8E5w5TIFhAZu7a1xYMk8x8lS1sZ0hZNOvR9Nl5oxfRxSpnRm0ubx3TuCIiIGIKbCq16_OkEZuGbhWxLoSvo6H63OA69pRqTXiFzL_4OanRRCg01X3r5LkOoW_XNJs-W7gdQ2Rai4C0MyfPNk6PpSOLntvcKNqlfV50AYOpO/w300-h400/display%20in%20the%20making.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, with just a over a week to prepare, and shoestring
budget I set to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stated with a
display. It had to engage every age group from toddler to the elderly, and not
cost too much. Luckily, I managed to pick up a free exhibition display board
from a marketplace social media site. I used the boards to display information
about general mammoth facts, mammoth cloning, and the theories of their
proposed benefits to helping with the battle against global warming.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarwA4MLyHb92UNnV_EfiffWEiuIQLTw38n0bEmlBUmnqj47bitBG4BJAXBfAnj3akik5SOMBqR4-tDXmc0k93OHHWdIxhk4U9GDCKSQepnqnKMr-DISnDYb3nHAgEADYhxDk_lPOgb6qigoEjNUvp2rIvvu1JuB_UlSZsW8CeUqxDzPrTzs9qXed8ILYr/s4032/mammoth%20diaply%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarwA4MLyHb92UNnV_EfiffWEiuIQLTw38n0bEmlBUmnqj47bitBG4BJAXBfAnj3akik5SOMBqR4-tDXmc0k93OHHWdIxhk4U9GDCKSQepnqnKMr-DISnDYb3nHAgEADYhxDk_lPOgb6qigoEjNUvp2rIvvu1JuB_UlSZsW8CeUqxDzPrTzs9qXed8ILYr/w300-h400/mammoth%20diaply%203.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Then about
palaeontology and bit about one of the most exciting recently discovered
mammoth sites, The Mammoth Graveyard as featured in the BBC David Attenborough,
that was found by Sally and Nev Hollingworth near Swindon. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8WY_WVVBN0iX5cqQGDUt5BBX72hsCW2sBke1hN64pEIHSur0gquQLP2NShvn7NLANPQGS_EERtXsXPRt2UWbslpNbKUYoThq2xJsQkIhEDQZtwsknaqT2NxMbGj7eBteIH0Vd7Z8QvswIbg8nSi_zcr_0D-XRJtE9Nrox7s-24ZMm6McAvkAtvx4nMCj/s4032/mammoth%20display%202%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8WY_WVVBN0iX5cqQGDUt5BBX72hsCW2sBke1hN64pEIHSur0gquQLP2NShvn7NLANPQGS_EERtXsXPRt2UWbslpNbKUYoThq2xJsQkIhEDQZtwsknaqT2NxMbGj7eBteIH0Vd7Z8QvswIbg8nSi_zcr_0D-XRJtE9Nrox7s-24ZMm6McAvkAtvx4nMCj/w300-h400/mammoth%20display%202%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Lastly, I displayed
some of my mammoth illustrations.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiac5j7hU87lwJmYpB4_yTD5T3TvWrSzwQRwkCjwCFSNbMvud-1bFoq_HRm5reVk4IhMffHSJExUZKkyNIaHDtSVSryyS8-SJUcB4BqNGkQnpaND1lmHBk7H8trBPZ4lMilaA0et8TL7lmfdMwIc2vHK0WifcaYB04YdIKmgqd9b0v_rL2WZHGQ2Pd4756/s1679/sheets.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1679" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiac5j7hU87lwJmYpB4_yTD5T3TvWrSzwQRwkCjwCFSNbMvud-1bFoq_HRm5reVk4IhMffHSJExUZKkyNIaHDtSVSryyS8-SJUcB4BqNGkQnpaND1lmHBk7H8trBPZ4lMilaA0et8TL7lmfdMwIc2vHK0WifcaYB04YdIKmgqd9b0v_rL2WZHGQ2Pd4756/w400-h271/sheets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I desperately wanted people to interact and chat and ask
questions. So, I designed some craft sheets for children, design your own
mammoth – cold proofing an Asian elephant, 3D mammoths and mammoth
colouring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also created some takeaway
sheets, with information of local mammoth places to visit, free mammoth
documentaries to stream and recommended mammoth reading for all ages. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrt8PfKzoPuCiAT9fWF0AD4tVl_UG1UUypHEajbtmV_ubwM8H18HUBK3sALpl_47JaJxtwY6X_42bibDTWmg7LIQeZbpSTLr2SbE58pLDZmeC841cg9dImSYaWIOeSWluqY7xGkqvPTvVpfPnjzFZFpUW_l5MbP-AroN_zuAFzEpkeEevSFiWBag1tQuT/s3060/Mammoth%20Event%20takeawysheets.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2175" data-original-width="3060" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrt8PfKzoPuCiAT9fWF0AD4tVl_UG1UUypHEajbtmV_ubwM8H18HUBK3sALpl_47JaJxtwY6X_42bibDTWmg7LIQeZbpSTLr2SbE58pLDZmeC841cg9dImSYaWIOeSWluqY7xGkqvPTvVpfPnjzFZFpUW_l5MbP-AroN_zuAFzEpkeEevSFiWBag1tQuT/w400-h284/Mammoth%20Event%20takeawysheets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">On the day I managed to squeeze into my mammoth skirt and
set off. I set up the boards, crafts and also displayed various mammoth
fossils, bones, and models for people to see and touch.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I felt nervous, but I shouldn’t have worried, as people were
interested. Over the course of the hour and a half I spoke to as many adults as
children with an age spread of toddler up to approximately mid-eighties. The
conversations varied depending on who I was chatting too, with a lot of the
adults being intrigued by the cloning and asking more questions about global
warming and how cloning could be used in a broader sense to help endangered
animals, to children asking about mammoth / human cohabitation. At one point I
was even discussing the death of the last known living dodo and the chances of
bringing the species back from extinction! Both adults and children alike were
fascinated by the mammoth bones and fossils, the baby mammoth tooth causing
quite a lot of excitement.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LYvmuB9bJ2hnLXXtAhata19diZpHbSnPWAKQST7yPbHmvQIDeLphht_Z1TeTmUJ-jpgF4xtdvcjbUV0oMfT54r7iY0WUZjVYGiGfa7vc9JQiUDP9tlcIHTDwLWx9j0Vf7v7jWSlmo9J4wyJr8dhtY4ouPulr9dtRJgRK8xQ9pcQ6xd6KbWN9xpW7rqNz/s4032/mammoth%20display%201%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LYvmuB9bJ2hnLXXtAhata19diZpHbSnPWAKQST7yPbHmvQIDeLphht_Z1TeTmUJ-jpgF4xtdvcjbUV0oMfT54r7iY0WUZjVYGiGfa7vc9JQiUDP9tlcIHTDwLWx9j0Vf7v7jWSlmo9J4wyJr8dhtY4ouPulr9dtRJgRK8xQ9pcQ6xd6KbWN9xpW7rqNz/w400-h300/mammoth%20display%201%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I was pleased to see few children (and a few adults)
pick up the activities, especially the ‘design your own mammoth’ task, and I
took time to engage with them and tell them how the chosen dress-up items for
the elephants reflected how mammoths had evolved to adapt to survive in cold
regions. A lot of children took the sheets home to share with siblings. Quiet a
few people wanted to learn more so took the handouts about local mammoth places
to visit and free documentaries to stream and/or took the handout of
recommended mammoth books to read. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlyTN50ULA4fyUhCnwtJ4lhKJT4XlIw8ioAGo9zfF2oSuZAma-QmdVJBwJNziH-Cr5gyg6ROX58T7P6vXDuaRMoDIo9jmmxDzEQ_-VMCs_lbRezJHKj4qxuNdaEG_I2d1Vn-FStHsIhQA0nIExbMj22SFmO6yW6sq1CtAPbe3CH3mXL0EyE83ar96Wxmi/s1389/Publication3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1389" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlyTN50ULA4fyUhCnwtJ4lhKJT4XlIw8ioAGo9zfF2oSuZAma-QmdVJBwJNziH-Cr5gyg6ROX58T7P6vXDuaRMoDIo9jmmxDzEQ_-VMCs_lbRezJHKj4qxuNdaEG_I2d1Vn-FStHsIhQA0nIExbMj22SFmO6yW6sq1CtAPbe3CH3mXL0EyE83ar96Wxmi/w400-h248/Publication3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All in all I think it went well. I was delighted to share my
love for mammoth with other people.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-65108407772012954852022-11-25T12:28:00.000+00:002022-11-25T12:28:03.186+00:00Competitions - A two sided coin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb6h9jv-brLsM4SytZIm91--VAvIoAOyESUnohQc9osijyfRYAxAgBDp_HvkS0Q3tg3hD5ZgryRAo7SkA2TCC26hRESmEwZIH6KRFFkGmL4tL4wYOaWdxPFb_EykiaU3QjbaklQ7hW36zWK0bGBi2FXS4a6-U7to2qCVi8sAQ5y01MO9VN7rOiTQyzQ/s4237/Scan2022-11-25_121501(1)a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2358" data-original-width="4237" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb6h9jv-brLsM4SytZIm91--VAvIoAOyESUnohQc9osijyfRYAxAgBDp_HvkS0Q3tg3hD5ZgryRAo7SkA2TCC26hRESmEwZIH6KRFFkGmL4tL4wYOaWdxPFb_EykiaU3QjbaklQ7hW36zWK0bGBi2FXS4a6-U7to2qCVi8sAQ5y01MO9VN7rOiTQyzQ/w640-h356/Scan2022-11-25_121501(1)a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Writing competitions, they are a staple of the writer’s journey, and can be a spring board to representation and publication or simply a nice little boost of confidence and something to bolster your covering letter. But they can also be a source of heart ache. <br /><br />I’ve been plodding the road towards publication for a long time now. The pursuit of publication isn’t an expedition for the faint hearted; it is full of rejection and near misses. It is a path of resilience and a marathon rather than a sprint. Along the way there are many pit stops that can fuel your perseverance or drain it. <br /><br />Competitions are one of these pit stops. Sometime fate is on your side and you get a long-listing, honorary mention or readers favourite. It’s exhilarating and you celebrate. You need to for your mental health, in a business where there is so much NO, and success (for pre-published writers) is binary, you are either published or not, celebrating the small stuff is essential. So you raise a glass, and you post on your social media your little success with the others you’ve met along the way, as much as a thank you for their support as it is a celebration. <br /><br />But then there is the other, more frequent occasions, where the announcement comes out and you are not on it. Your heart sinks. Your hopes are dashed, and all you want to do is curl up in ball. But then inevitably, some of your friends made the cut, and you celebrate with them, even if you are wallowing with sadness and a wee bit of envy. I’ve entered dozen, maybe even hundreds of competitions over the years, and I’ve felt both side of the competition coin.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZMfQsNJ5W0_CFxicvoRv64kTG0k1zPzKIGmb_6ZArI_sJv4AxBLHJWc3150n6y0rvvJfPTQ6PwMFk7BsuTwDlIRi4Sq6NcC_VaiFgOTtS83ooGTxykb9rTSdVOfokDFgzMnEEOk31U-ASno4AiGZCmeNm_d0GwsW1TXrs0oTWwIdnyCR7dKEJBi76Q/s2072/yes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="1967" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZMfQsNJ5W0_CFxicvoRv64kTG0k1zPzKIGmb_6ZArI_sJv4AxBLHJWc3150n6y0rvvJfPTQ6PwMFk7BsuTwDlIRi4Sq6NcC_VaiFgOTtS83ooGTxykb9rTSdVOfokDFgzMnEEOk31U-ASno4AiGZCmeNm_d0GwsW1TXrs0oTWwIdnyCR7dKEJBi76Q/w380-h400/yes.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />This week for the first time in a long-long time, I got some unexpected news; I made the long list for the Searchlight Novel Opening Competition. I was obviously delighted and went on to social media to celebrate. People congratulated me, and it was a much need boost, as I’ve been struggling to keep the faith recently. However one writer congratulated me, but also said they’d entered the competition and not been so lucky.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_eDJDHGkjHvu0rCG3S49U7luRh_VaQTn8Ib4HDqSMVjoCY7NFmEbpFp7Xb3jY8PZQCdv5wy1AsiY7cvgKlBp27YTAygfmaPpGpvvSehi0Tq7-hadquxHRK3NJtgAKhpfBLA0cv7XdgqAVAWKmOHiZ2L_1gge1JrlZa2n-jRPqH_cVNW8wQ6irZV7Lw/s1986/Scan2022-11-25_121501(1)b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1951" data-original-width="1986" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_eDJDHGkjHvu0rCG3S49U7luRh_VaQTn8Ib4HDqSMVjoCY7NFmEbpFp7Xb3jY8PZQCdv5wy1AsiY7cvgKlBp27YTAygfmaPpGpvvSehi0Tq7-hadquxHRK3NJtgAKhpfBLA0cv7XdgqAVAWKmOHiZ2L_1gge1JrlZa2n-jRPqH_cVNW8wQ6irZV7Lw/w400-h393/Scan2022-11-25_121501(1)b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />I felt terrible. Guilty for gloating. After all I’ve been there many times. I didn’t intend to add to anyone’s disappointment. So I replied sending love and positivity. But one word resonated with me ‘LUCKY’. <br /><br />Yes this time I was. <br /><br />Yes, my manuscript was polished over a number of years. Yes, I spent a good few hours preparing it for the competition. But I entered multiple titles and only one got on. All the other books had equal amounts of hard work and preparation. The difference? In my opinion, the difference- is luck. The luck of a particular story being assigned to the right reader that connected and engaged with it enough to advocate on its behalf for a place in the long list. <br /><br />So yes, I was lucky, and I’m grateful. <br /><br />But I do know what I feel like to not get on a longlist, and wonder where my luck is. So to everyone who is traipsing the road towards publication I wish you oodles of luck. <br /><br />. <br /><br /> </div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-63111701843997606472022-11-23T11:28:00.004+00:002022-11-23T11:30:01.398+00:00 Move over NaNoWriMo, here comes NaNoSubMo!<p><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEmwqmLj6LQV3OHJZGVubSymVmw3_MGQmdFzE5Qfgl3iFPUdkN9vuVnXxz5OQVPwJ5tNkzD0bHIfj3vqAHqaWlD7iBOuEvSRMYsCphnpdwo6TQbFmkPwCzgimrIdAJMMGmZTF696cHITaVquX7ETmYiFi0U2lrxBVrI4uLtaRZpTHAuHQ9Yl9UfL63Q/s244/NaNoSubMOlogo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="87" data-original-width="244" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEmwqmLj6LQV3OHJZGVubSymVmw3_MGQmdFzE5Qfgl3iFPUdkN9vuVnXxz5OQVPwJ5tNkzD0bHIfj3vqAHqaWlD7iBOuEvSRMYsCphnpdwo6TQbFmkPwCzgimrIdAJMMGmZTF696cHITaVquX7ETmYiFi0U2lrxBVrI4uLtaRZpTHAuHQ9Yl9UfL63Q/w400-h143/NaNoSubMOlogo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>It’s November. That means one thing in the writing world, NaNoWriMo! National Novel Writing Month, where you commit, alongside thousands of other writers across the globe, to pen a novel in 30 days, by completing 2000 words every day. It’s a staple of the literary calendar and in many of the previous years has helped me out of a writing rut and got my creative juices flowing.<div><br />One year I started and completed a novel in NaNoWriMo and subbed it to The Chicken House and got on the longlist! It works ~ (or at least for me).</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HEoMNYW7pUp_VZvhNqA0IY6bmDZPq2mZUbqMCcmPb8g1kVuwCrQQlpkr-8YXLmR1iIgksmWFF_d5Q2QjLj9c1U21VPEDt1pH6lnkBnFk8ekO81rQGR-EuWrbRQRA8K-_b5qovoMSCMc0j4gFWvblrsp6x87VjDJBp9qDYUwt21JnMm83QmO9_7Gcsg/s1446/Untitled-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1446" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HEoMNYW7pUp_VZvhNqA0IY6bmDZPq2mZUbqMCcmPb8g1kVuwCrQQlpkr-8YXLmR1iIgksmWFF_d5Q2QjLj9c1U21VPEDt1pH6lnkBnFk8ekO81rQGR-EuWrbRQRA8K-_b5qovoMSCMc0j4gFWvblrsp6x87VjDJBp9qDYUwt21JnMm83QmO9_7Gcsg/w640-h306/Untitled-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />This year however I’m struggling with life throwing a whole load of hurdles at me from every direction, including a massive dose of brain fog. I haven’t subbed either of my completed manuscripts at all. So thinking outside the NaNOWriMo box, I’m creating my own version. <br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">NaNoSubMo. </span></h2><div><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUU_4an6FVlb9NbadJ3td3zy16QB7O0H5TxWnZJh31seKEtUl5l-fB0zGoFEy5T618g6rOYSfd095fB05LYKq8JT7CSbYnaAb3J9jpohBCcZFtIlAwNu14wjpJmWEEB8H_9UbqUYPheL1k73HOnirIj568ffVBuf3nvGqjNIN73iI5g8Sc55RgxptXsA/s257/NaNoSubMO.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="257" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUU_4an6FVlb9NbadJ3td3zy16QB7O0H5TxWnZJh31seKEtUl5l-fB0zGoFEy5T618g6rOYSfd095fB05LYKq8JT7CSbYnaAb3J9jpohBCcZFtIlAwNu14wjpJmWEEB8H_9UbqUYPheL1k73HOnirIj568ffVBuf3nvGqjNIN73iI5g8Sc55RgxptXsA/w400-h289/NaNoSubMO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div>I intend on submitting my manuscript to one agent/editor every day for the entire month. I’m hoping this will be as successful as the traditional NaNoWriMo has been for me in year past. That it will force me to push the brain fog aside, focus my mind, and to embrace this part of the writing process which is my least favourite. To get me back on a more proactive submission course.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4NAi7jCNspJv3oHAfi05lfd4KqneitpRyxIX1OVJLVGKhdONkSPHX2UiIzPXF8X1JY8Ooaim3DmWkkcwAk1Cqez5XDaV57Jo6Ao3L7Lt9RBcbVjO9nMe3S1hKNui9BwMDZC67lnPDBHxbiPjpQioPjoz6fXu-NGU5pkcLn3VGyI9w0R_v9melacohQ/s206/316183209_526809402671725_6936325372342165194_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="155" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4NAi7jCNspJv3oHAfi05lfd4KqneitpRyxIX1OVJLVGKhdONkSPHX2UiIzPXF8X1JY8Ooaim3DmWkkcwAk1Cqez5XDaV57Jo6Ao3L7Lt9RBcbVjO9nMe3S1hKNui9BwMDZC67lnPDBHxbiPjpQioPjoz6fXu-NGU5pkcLn3VGyI9w0R_v9melacohQ/w241-h320/316183209_526809402671725_6936325372342165194_n.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />So wish me luck and wish luck to all of you that are participating in NaNoWriMo!</div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-67358928911501917462022-11-22T11:17:00.012+00:002022-11-22T11:17:56.683+00:00News! A long Listing! <h4 style="text-align: left;">I am absolutely delighted to say I have a book on the 2022 Searchlight Novel Opening Award Long List! </h4><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCgEDjyhsKdBG55Lb862Vka_yCabJRKo6Apo6Np3D1-ye2D6_g44QjNOm-7pO_RiM05h3vZ3HE0BG_Shxrm9yncu__wl4bGLM4puF1ytXsMKBN9mQJFxrgtFsKIxl5VqYthLW4dGwMNs0qywsmdzzjdkid_tYJSrhoTgwyS6d3eoRuxFccocj0E0fGw/s1366/Serachlights%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="774" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCgEDjyhsKdBG55Lb862Vka_yCabJRKo6Apo6Np3D1-ye2D6_g44QjNOm-7pO_RiM05h3vZ3HE0BG_Shxrm9yncu__wl4bGLM4puF1ytXsMKBN9mQJFxrgtFsKIxl5VqYthLW4dGwMNs0qywsmdzzjdkid_tYJSrhoTgwyS6d3eoRuxFccocj0E0fGw/w362-h640/Serachlights%202022.jpg" width="362" /></a></div><br /><p>Congratulations to the rest of the long-listers and a massive <span style="color: #20124d; font-size: x-large;">THANK YOU</span> to the readers! </p>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-73337109313559876212022-09-15T14:35:00.000+01:002022-09-15T14:35:42.925+01:00Write, Read, Play. Pen, Books, TOYS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfw5USu2tOBV0BLoHOgPkpN4cTr43i1b__aFNcmPDaU9s6tzJW3MICAVR1WGZABE8AkGXLJScDqNO-MHxtsuRHiPbY1qF1D9MkT1VgXoCrfVjTQCp7vL5sXEhVeois0I7MkkuRJPYH6K4hzcatj_EOSv_t7L_rm4EYKvNYh35vNbkSgA72r8Wt2quuw/s5328/IMG_1519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="5328" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfw5USu2tOBV0BLoHOgPkpN4cTr43i1b__aFNcmPDaU9s6tzJW3MICAVR1WGZABE8AkGXLJScDqNO-MHxtsuRHiPbY1qF1D9MkT1VgXoCrfVjTQCp7vL5sXEhVeois0I7MkkuRJPYH6K4hzcatj_EOSv_t7L_rm4EYKvNYh35vNbkSgA72r8Wt2quuw/w400-h300/IMG_1519.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Writing kid’s books comes hand in hand with reading kid’s books, whether you are published or pre-published. It’s like breathing, reading is inhaling, and writing is exhaling. But here another thing which I believe to be intrinsically linked to with writing books for children – PLAYING WITH TOYS. <br /><br />It’s about two things, firstly channelling your inner child in order to write a more authentic children’s voices. The second is far more particle as toys can be utilised in the writing process.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6Qa_ZUTOOHZqN5rilQTFC1QI947MGISi-dfW5ozSnRyE8mObDHapd_FRGnEvJDNJ44FakMRF9zNIx728h1WapQtPjGSBIcDSjSxn6SBw_DAfg2asH4ipYEDVh2zeEUHeAAin7sJT6suzMJ32IrZv_raQAlaQcGAqVWm2oiPtk8T6HO9wwcDwTLFhyQ/s206/305045130_910843653209902_5730465564490313900_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="155" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6Qa_ZUTOOHZqN5rilQTFC1QI947MGISi-dfW5ozSnRyE8mObDHapd_FRGnEvJDNJ44FakMRF9zNIx728h1WapQtPjGSBIcDSjSxn6SBw_DAfg2asH4ipYEDVh2zeEUHeAAin7sJT6suzMJ32IrZv_raQAlaQcGAqVWm2oiPtk8T6HO9wwcDwTLFhyQ/w241-h320/305045130_910843653209902_5730465564490313900_n.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />Toys are a kind of time machine, helping your mind to travel back to your younger self. In fact for my birthday I was given a He-Man and Skelator, which I had wanted since I was six, and I instantly felt that I was that age again! <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7hqFL2UBw3SzyMZj5TVeDbgj_eNhU1WCUiKP005a6vnmoFEhjmcWGbO9_9GQpbDggSGTRMphbLTkmhXh5CfPlT2b9URfe3t04xbZ1YLIaH1YbdkPmFhuJBl0HZu99fWP77-HlrWsEX2VlFwB_HRGVt9gjB_Bt6xJPQ4XUYe51D677ya5OtfNfjZ_KQ/s4032/IMG_1334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7hqFL2UBw3SzyMZj5TVeDbgj_eNhU1WCUiKP005a6vnmoFEhjmcWGbO9_9GQpbDggSGTRMphbLTkmhXh5CfPlT2b9URfe3t04xbZ1YLIaH1YbdkPmFhuJBl0HZu99fWP77-HlrWsEX2VlFwB_HRGVt9gjB_Bt6xJPQ4XUYe51D677ya5OtfNfjZ_KQ/w400-h300/IMG_1334.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />This is why, when you look at the places I write, they always indulge my inner child. In fact we have one very grown up steam-punk style bookcase (kindly made by my husband out of scaffolding poles and 1930’s floorboards that we saved from landfill), but despite the fact that at a glance its appears very adult, when you look closely you’ll see Garfield lazing about, Orinoco taking a nap and even a dodo. Plus other toys and characters from the 1980’s. I even have the top draw of my desk stuffed full of toys. I do this as I find that being surrounded by tangible motifs of my childhood really helps me reconnect with my younger self, and therefore aids me in creating a more convincing child’s voice.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DTHU1yzTG0yzSeIwBC8gHm6uVOLsU-YzY2zQ8HjVA5nVKb1RqWgBCg2tE_SORrPy6IccBBut_JeMGr90HVL1Gm6QWte9UBvtNnqyPpxyAJztMVKC_Emesb7BPgZD7QDA_edHZNZB54mqp3WRmnXzEK3XJR8NaxNdsC2Cu5tux5KEQorPTFu1bu8CcQ/s206/draw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="155" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DTHU1yzTG0yzSeIwBC8gHm6uVOLsU-YzY2zQ8HjVA5nVKb1RqWgBCg2tE_SORrPy6IccBBut_JeMGr90HVL1Gm6QWte9UBvtNnqyPpxyAJztMVKC_Emesb7BPgZD7QDA_edHZNZB54mqp3WRmnXzEK3XJR8NaxNdsC2Cu5tux5KEQorPTFu1bu8CcQ/w301-h400/draw.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div> <br /><br />But toys are more than time machines; they often help me when I am stuck. Toys can be the ladder out of a plot hole, the device that saves you from the abyss of uncertainty, or help you navigate your fictional world, or even be the tools that construct it in the first place. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XQD9vxfNpq7YELjSgVgzXGEil40SwZC_K07GnQ43e7Eu1MRAI8r3Ms1Sb2IMY1y6q96GHzm0VsJIhTHCtmBWk0UzTzivts_7FPtadWkM7b1gcRkPLHFp-I1iHmb0eihqmPBhT-1VFdty9vYDLfv2KI8FgugwBKuqntNPd6j74QXGyPGVWcSUW4ijEA/s960/186481186_3904149949703612_8494193777342018617_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="960" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XQD9vxfNpq7YELjSgVgzXGEil40SwZC_K07GnQ43e7Eu1MRAI8r3Ms1Sb2IMY1y6q96GHzm0VsJIhTHCtmBWk0UzTzivts_7FPtadWkM7b1gcRkPLHFp-I1iHmb0eihqmPBhT-1VFdty9vYDLfv2KI8FgugwBKuqntNPd6j74QXGyPGVWcSUW4ijEA/w400-h246/186481186_3904149949703612_8494193777342018617_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Recently I was doing some edits on a WIP and I came to screaming halt, and stayed there stuck steadfast. It was a gapping plot hole that hinged on the motivations of the antagonist, and after struggling for weeks, I got the toys out. I started to play with toy animals and plastic soldiers. Within no time I’d worked out the solution and how the protagonist figures out who the baddy was. Maybe this was the freeing nature of imaginative flow. Maybe it was just the key which released what was already there. Either way it got out of the rut I had been stuck in for weeks.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLcc9EFaK710MvNn1VZQXeCQpZvfkC5fdSbAMSAVXMTeJbzvIO1OQM95oghWjSvFS8bfySJVHwKPu6cmVzY4qN8FVxnEBbg8nv9fX5rom-oH1UNiTMX4VPu366cxXERxeo2H60eUkQvoBFjkv1G49Sog1KleE6oD62pX1CCMuKHmSJBgZu3VRa3UfDQ/s1104/305966137_759934765118099_2730198407673009649_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLcc9EFaK710MvNn1VZQXeCQpZvfkC5fdSbAMSAVXMTeJbzvIO1OQM95oghWjSvFS8bfySJVHwKPu6cmVzY4qN8FVxnEBbg8nv9fX5rom-oH1UNiTMX4VPu366cxXERxeo2H60eUkQvoBFjkv1G49Sog1KleE6oD62pX1CCMuKHmSJBgZu3VRa3UfDQ/w398-h400/305966137_759934765118099_2730198407673009649_n.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />I also use toys for world building and understanding the geography of my world or in a recent case – the EARTH. One of my current WIP is about cloned mammoths living in the arctic tundra. So playing with mammoth figures on an old map helped me understand just how close Russia is to Greenland, and aided me in plotting the herd’s migration routes. I also used toy figures of artic animals to think about what other creature the mammoths may meet and interact with on their journey.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYaCJvtnNy39_RVoxYzsOq7Y5v4W07J65W2xlI_dXNcs8nTINd6BQSBrOaBK8KW1tbQQlTQ8kMCChkUmzTEJKXKqbCcEFS1l8D_jNvQKqSmDbXR4nV7sDdW53mqveGtaERIvytZvgLFcfLKaH3RZ0Sua7XBPICFxlOIXL7qq7SN5ftQVWmr8V8JNP_g/s828/305702335_843400137106143_6852848484223840585_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="828" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYaCJvtnNy39_RVoxYzsOq7Y5v4W07J65W2xlI_dXNcs8nTINd6BQSBrOaBK8KW1tbQQlTQ8kMCChkUmzTEJKXKqbCcEFS1l8D_jNvQKqSmDbXR4nV7sDdW53mqveGtaERIvytZvgLFcfLKaH3RZ0Sua7XBPICFxlOIXL7qq7SN5ftQVWmr8V8JNP_g/w400-h300/305702335_843400137106143_6852848484223840585_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />All in all I find toys a very useful tool in the children’s writers’ arsenal. If reading kid’s book is inhaling, and writing them exhaling, then playing with toys is that peaceful moment between the two where you relax and see things with clarity. They can help you craft believable children’s voices, and aid in world building, character development, break through the barriers of mental block, and raise you out of plot holes. So if you write and you don’t already, I urge you to grab a toy and play! <br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Playing. Happy writing!</span></h2><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-88386332896080612582022-08-24T14:38:00.002+01:002022-08-24T14:55:10.891+01:00Neuro Diversity, The Preverbal Swan, and the Humble Mobile Phone A few years ago, when I was working front of house at a museum, I attended a course on Deaf Awareness. The course was run a lovely man who was profoundly deaf. It was very illuminating, as there were so many things that caused deaf people issues that seemed so obviously but that we’d hearing people had never thought of. At one point he explained how mobile phones had revolutionised communication of the deaf community. This caused some stifled giggles from some of the older attendees, largely those that can recall the ‘Not the Nine O’Clock News’, Rowan Atkinson, Deaf Telephone News Skit – (it you know you know – and like me you’re old!) Thankfully the course leader laughed too, and said he’d had the exact same response when a deaf friend advised him to get mobile phone. However, it was not the ability to make calls on the go – but the innovation of text messages that had the positive impact. And of course this was greatly improved with the advent of smart phones and video calling meaning it’s possible to have conversations in sign language that has had the positive impact.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMthTFArZsgklrJC6kQpFrUmcxAewZVeW9dBrf3hPOkE1zX2dgfoavoMoMX7EbE08Fyja-q37KK33C18OjYGbpKraH-RKtJUmO0xnEbqzqm9iFE8gZ3MNJBFP0cebVHNsThbhZqbw6MePFz8vg_JGHDrL6AnShTVwEyE3g6Q6ut0diVKQy3l6j29wbw/s4032/not%20nine%20o%20clock%20news.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMthTFArZsgklrJC6kQpFrUmcxAewZVeW9dBrf3hPOkE1zX2dgfoavoMoMX7EbE08Fyja-q37KK33C18OjYGbpKraH-RKtJUmO0xnEbqzqm9iFE8gZ3MNJBFP0cebVHNsThbhZqbw6MePFz8vg_JGHDrL6AnShTVwEyE3g6Q6ut0diVKQy3l6j29wbw/w300-h400/not%20nine%20o%20clock%20news.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />Now I am not profoundly deaf (I am a little bit deaf) but I’d never compare myself to that or my Neuro Diverse issues with what the deaf community faces, but there are some similarities. For example how the mobile phone can help neuro diverse people navigate the modern world, and how many neuro-typical people are largely oblivious to their difficulties. <br /><br />I have dyslexia and dyscalculia. Most people have some idea of what dyslexia is, but few people have heard about dyscalculia or know that it affects your ability to process and understand numbers. Living with dyslexia and dyscalculia is a challenge in a world that is increasingly reliant on password, passcodes and pins numbers. Many of which are a sequence of letters, or letters and numbers.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoibfJnLPnaB8qAA0teHQaPDBq8IO4Au0SVBPPKttUuXAEd6VtgVi_B4aoFVbr94AzJzkW3q1iFv40kzuCv62oSjgLdsDxCAlyMZB-FRPOC8ZDdq4Zl1pa0lb0fyKsHHwSnlGzz1gNIBDvNhdL6c6-lP1yUW7Or3l3GH6ya9yu8NKR534_GfSEfFv3w/s4032/dysc%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoibfJnLPnaB8qAA0teHQaPDBq8IO4Au0SVBPPKttUuXAEd6VtgVi_B4aoFVbr94AzJzkW3q1iFv40kzuCv62oSjgLdsDxCAlyMZB-FRPOC8ZDdq4Zl1pa0lb0fyKsHHwSnlGzz1gNIBDvNhdL6c6-lP1yUW7Or3l3GH6ya9yu8NKR534_GfSEfFv3w/w300-h400/dysc%201.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />Having Dyslexia I have a dreadful short term memory. I can remember exactly three telephone numbers <br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #20124d;">My mobile phone number – but only if I recite in a particular rhyme.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #20124d;">My childhood telephone number - as it was the same for twenty years, but due to relocation is no longer belonging to anyone I know.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #20124d;">My parent’s landline, which they had for over nineteen years. However they disconnected it a few weeks ago.</span></li></ul></h3><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;">*I also do not know any pin number/passcodes. And if I do I can’t input them correctly. </span></h3><div><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNaIcwkUwBWhUI8eTc7PPrmWL7AqECa5APmBve-5ab8PlazhRYF7fLmeLtzgtHW4sp71EItGigPC8Ui2lVp9a7p1OP71JPK-yIklzT6X7OELLKu9VH8esNObfrr3EwVpUdbxey9yuhmLJVQjcvn7eG0NQA2y98VrKoauilyW3nmYCqkiGZ-5UbEOwgQ/s4032/dysc%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNaIcwkUwBWhUI8eTc7PPrmWL7AqECa5APmBve-5ab8PlazhRYF7fLmeLtzgtHW4sp71EItGigPC8Ui2lVp9a7p1OP71JPK-yIklzT6X7OELLKu9VH8esNObfrr3EwVpUdbxey9yuhmLJVQjcvn7eG0NQA2y98VrKoauilyW3nmYCqkiGZ-5UbEOwgQ/w480-h496/dysc%202.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div><br />So I rely on my digital Swiss Army Knife (to quote someone much cleverer than me), and use my mobile as a database. I save my codes and passwords on it, so I can easily find them or even copy and paste them. This is fine until something happens to your phone. <br /><br />Recently I was on holiday in France, with my son, and my friend and her son – and I lost my phone. I was stuck in foreign country where I didn’t speak the language, I couldn’t contact anyone as I don’t know any telephone numbers, and I can’t get any money out or pay for anything by card if a pin is required. Essentially I couldn’t function. This didn’t make for a relaxing holiday at all. <br /><br />The reason I’m writing this post is that many people didn’t grasp the impact of not having a phone had on me, and seemed to think I was overreacting. I had a lot of well-meaning comments like… <br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: x-large;">“it’s annoying but… it’s only stuff, it can be replaced.” </span></h2><br />People don’t see. It’s not a mere inconvenience, it takes away my ability to be independent and participate in modern life. It’s like taking away someone’s glasses. <br /><br />Having penned this blog on holiday. I was umming and erring about posting this blog. However earlier today another ND friend broke her phone and going through a similar ordeal. So I decided to be brave and put this post up. To highlight, that although neuro diverse people are articulate, intelligent and together people many of our struggles go unnoticed, like the preverbal swan, its invisible – nothing to see on the surface, and yet we have many many coping mechanisms set up so we can function. And so a broken or lost mobile phone may indeed be a whole lot more than an inconvenience. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> </div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-48299459150809414412022-08-16T16:22:00.001+01:002022-08-16T16:23:01.654+01:00Inspiration from Unlikely Places - The Humble Toilet Roll<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XgVNaBIR3el-wODoMdvkU1mWjaDRQzctvE2TU-rv_DzIT6dPYcqY2FgVhsijHGMtSlnhUwZLW8BZivuNCvA-oL9gbMid2fiDobqRGH7tcSlUkUdZNu5ptJrf_wsdmT5YmT73-LTwmAj2iu2UbwUm6omvgqFwQOBo53pdTnGKB1RG4hsf6u3H_0LFaA/s3486/title%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2674" data-original-width="3486" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XgVNaBIR3el-wODoMdvkU1mWjaDRQzctvE2TU-rv_DzIT6dPYcqY2FgVhsijHGMtSlnhUwZLW8BZivuNCvA-oL9gbMid2fiDobqRGH7tcSlUkUdZNu5ptJrf_wsdmT5YmT73-LTwmAj2iu2UbwUm6omvgqFwQOBo53pdTnGKB1RG4hsf6u3H_0LFaA/w640-h490/title%20pic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> The humble Toilet Roll. Source of inspiration and medium of creativity. From the main ingredient in a Halloween Mummy costume, to the staple of every junk modelling arsenal. It has inspired thousands of people with it’s versatility for years. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDktnOaxAW2wn5tA5bbTslanRKht8jbD_hP7I9nHGgnQ0zmkwjVCBZGB0gbYD3xvZfWqZNS_onPCNINHqUZK_duH2bnf6rEAn5uDcQVAHTAr5ChyrjgXDGn0DNdlGyCrOtmjWJOouULcLecmwe5lezES1slvfhWcQwVrnvJvtw0jPnM-6SEZdvaHOZ6Q/s4032/innertube.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDktnOaxAW2wn5tA5bbTslanRKht8jbD_hP7I9nHGgnQ0zmkwjVCBZGB0gbYD3xvZfWqZNS_onPCNINHqUZK_duH2bnf6rEAn5uDcQVAHTAr5ChyrjgXDGn0DNdlGyCrOtmjWJOouULcLecmwe5lezES1slvfhWcQwVrnvJvtw0jPnM-6SEZdvaHOZ6Q/w300-h400/innertube.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />One small cardboard toilet roll inner tube has countless possible futures… plant pot, pen pot - (thank you Blue Peter), bat, dog, crocodile. Kaleidoscope, rain-maker, telescope, binoculars, towers, turrets, hamster adventure playground. The possibilities are endless. <br /><br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oB6zKUWLXXNqL1GJfLEddQSbUs91tgax3p_tgXk-Dq_mgEMvE93ZDaCDNW_bZcYjgWDnAIZ1JNxpuXh-stg1q5UzqdA9L-0g-nM83fuPKsibytCZvZCk46JWocjM_-TKztszOULvTkVWUKCUwcVFqtRs2eJeN1JEFg__Ee5bfej2Gi0XK_seB8V3Rg/s1368/bog%20roll%20uses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oB6zKUWLXXNqL1GJfLEddQSbUs91tgax3p_tgXk-Dq_mgEMvE93ZDaCDNW_bZcYjgWDnAIZ1JNxpuXh-stg1q5UzqdA9L-0g-nM83fuPKsibytCZvZCk46JWocjM_-TKztszOULvTkVWUKCUwcVFqtRs2eJeN1JEFg__Ee5bfej2Gi0XK_seB8V3Rg/s1368/bog%20roll%20uses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oB6zKUWLXXNqL1GJfLEddQSbUs91tgax3p_tgXk-Dq_mgEMvE93ZDaCDNW_bZcYjgWDnAIZ1JNxpuXh-stg1q5UzqdA9L-0g-nM83fuPKsibytCZvZCk46JWocjM_-TKztszOULvTkVWUKCUwcVFqtRs2eJeN1JEFg__Ee5bfej2Gi0XK_seB8V3Rg/s1368/bog%20roll%20uses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1368" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oB6zKUWLXXNqL1GJfLEddQSbUs91tgax3p_tgXk-Dq_mgEMvE93ZDaCDNW_bZcYjgWDnAIZ1JNxpuXh-stg1q5UzqdA9L-0g-nM83fuPKsibytCZvZCk46JWocjM_-TKztszOULvTkVWUKCUwcVFqtRs2eJeN1JEFg__Ee5bfej2Gi0XK_seB8V3Rg/w400-h345/bog%20roll%20uses.jpg" width="400" /></a></blockquote><br />A toilet roll is a lesson - no a masterclass in inspiration and that it can come from the most unexpected places. <br /><br /> <br /><br />You’d think maybe a toilet roll muse would only be for children, parents and childcare professionals. I am a parent but one child is now safely into adulthood, and the other almost there, and I am not a childcare professional. But earlier this year I did find that a toilet roll became my muse. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho35Tt2KP5dmDKBvbgc9Sz-_XOb5b8y9r2iWbvAEY3wRMe_09ktcR3Esy_hYp0Z66y6OROf10aq-HYEVtMtl59Wnk4aEpVefUwHPs_oQSf1LUR2Xsuk6t8Hp5VW6dWEEsoCg8mpZDHMChZgU0d-cp4c-SLUGX4bIIb5XfNUUmy0MP5FPOnEYu2w_hK7A/s4032/posh%20bog%20roll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho35Tt2KP5dmDKBvbgc9Sz-_XOb5b8y9r2iWbvAEY3wRMe_09ktcR3Esy_hYp0Z66y6OROf10aq-HYEVtMtl59Wnk4aEpVefUwHPs_oQSf1LUR2Xsuk6t8Hp5VW6dWEEsoCg8mpZDHMChZgU0d-cp4c-SLUGX4bIIb5XfNUUmy0MP5FPOnEYu2w_hK7A/w300-h400/posh%20bog%20roll.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br /><br />I was on a retreat on my own. I had meant to be going on a retreat with my awesome critique group but covid had other plans, so I booked a couple of days away on my own to Holland House, to actually get my edits finished. While I was there unhindered by the to-do-list or nagging teens or needy builders I managed to get my edits completed, but I was also touched by inspiration whilst in the bathroom. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br />You see Holland house is dedicated to being as earth friendly as possible and uses bamboo toilet rolls which are individually wrapped in bamboo patterned paper. One of the patterns struck me as looking like fish scales. So when I unwrapped a new roll I saved the wrapping. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWpmoPnyzvpdJ6_INInJWdzYCLF5bkWEqWAXM8dIeHOM3N-LGzzGPMIT-Rmw2jQY_K71VEDwLpQCDhxBibLTV9YxkGz5bZTPCut-j5b2DAhsM1krDMhYhrxVZrH3K_fR7qdKBA6ycIZJWnQhpXH197VGFQ9ZVLa8Y4KwqESd7Qy-bgw_GLerLuDHTVQ/s1024/Retreat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="769" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWpmoPnyzvpdJ6_INInJWdzYCLF5bkWEqWAXM8dIeHOM3N-LGzzGPMIT-Rmw2jQY_K71VEDwLpQCDhxBibLTV9YxkGz5bZTPCut-j5b2DAhsM1krDMhYhrxVZrH3K_fR7qdKBA6ycIZJWnQhpXH197VGFQ9ZVLa8Y4KwqESd7Qy-bgw_GLerLuDHTVQ/w300-h400/Retreat.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br />While as was having some down time I was looked at the paper and reached for my my pens, pencils and glue, and doodled a mermammoth. I used the paper as the scales on the tail. I was having fun, so I thought why stop there? Soon I had a notepad full of unimammoths, pegumammoths and other mammoth-mythical creature mash-ups. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-ApdA-8aNHC17NOa54eW2WzD8ZQyaSzHoWuRAUI8awKGIPCjNPbla0MEdOcxz8F-xkDdIauvQNARcHxFneSIhn-YAk1YfXP458GoMMMDb6exFLmBcUWaj5M3xfzDHtpMjPlx_GI9LfgrOozNJRUoveelsPkEdTJBQCIZt3NC9EyyYjEcF3zhEPxfGw/s4032/mermammoth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-ApdA-8aNHC17NOa54eW2WzD8ZQyaSzHoWuRAUI8awKGIPCjNPbla0MEdOcxz8F-xkDdIauvQNARcHxFneSIhn-YAk1YfXP458GoMMMDb6exFLmBcUWaj5M3xfzDHtpMjPlx_GI9LfgrOozNJRUoveelsPkEdTJBQCIZt3NC9EyyYjEcF3zhEPxfGw/w300-h400/mermammoth.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></blockquote><br />These mythical-mammoths sat in my notepad for months until one day I they unexpectedly burst into my brain in a story, which I have now penned and in the process of editing. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLcANJqwR8rYwtruC9VdoIyHtxhjfEdglqFzlsT1SGCaUCRlCCpInjjkXFe81bVC_au5gwsHi1D-yBEKoo0miPGycsCTv2CUacRDg5BugrPeqyqPv-uTGZMzIHpiTAgsgx20D3adV4WnJ6s_djnAbPejPkwUqmWgwbgRlj7lerv-Hf5CEARZWWUiwIQ/s2048/295888468_5227471454038115_2066456635702663596_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="2048" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLcANJqwR8rYwtruC9VdoIyHtxhjfEdglqFzlsT1SGCaUCRlCCpInjjkXFe81bVC_au5gwsHi1D-yBEKoo0miPGycsCTv2CUacRDg5BugrPeqyqPv-uTGZMzIHpiTAgsgx20D3adV4WnJ6s_djnAbPejPkwUqmWgwbgRlj7lerv-Hf5CEARZWWUiwIQ/w400-h244/295888468_5227471454038115_2066456635702663596_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br />I didn’t think much about it until last week while I was away on holiday with several teens that didn’t belong to me (and one that did), when one of them came down poorly and had to stay a day at the apartment. They were feeling down, but are very arty, so I told them this story, and we looked around the apartment until we found something that could inspire them - a french language wild-west comic. They used the illustrations as the basis for many amazing fantastical beasts. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyN-5QR5vk2Iv5_3jW6mA5EN8CiswI-37MJdgwb4KW1rucNvNrlJVqLcDp1dtk3tjwGPCEekAa1mgAb9RLiROyGO5CBWdr1QoU1GwUxhBv_wY8uNRXtmYhE234l9rk3dJpeTm9YThHzSPbHNOY6H6XTcrWxu7yYGj-SiIXt2mMbH0T3dPebLy_gTcxQ/s4032/pegamammoth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyN-5QR5vk2Iv5_3jW6mA5EN8CiswI-37MJdgwb4KW1rucNvNrlJVqLcDp1dtk3tjwGPCEekAa1mgAb9RLiROyGO5CBWdr1QoU1GwUxhBv_wY8uNRXtmYhE234l9rk3dJpeTm9YThHzSPbHNOY6H6XTcrWxu7yYGj-SiIXt2mMbH0T3dPebLy_gTcxQ/w400-h300/pegamammoth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br />So to bring this full circle, a humble toilet roll gave me the inspiration for a new story, and inspired me to help find the best in a less than ideal situation that in turn inspired another creative. Reminding me that inspiration can come from the most mundane of muses.<div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisP2Avbzs8riUvolo857zC6jiwKeOHnbeDR1u9OUj0aH3atBZNAq3GkwkIEv5I-cl_avoPRE-G9CpaIpCf4SQMtq0dP7G0zeE5Az2cyXWc-_9mFv9NqOP4HlgKwlKvbr4dKjYbMM9Su3iq8I476axJ4AkP7Der_VJLU5Cb3GEOG6W4kYwUxmWSb8eC2Q/s3264/muse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2946" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisP2Avbzs8riUvolo857zC6jiwKeOHnbeDR1u9OUj0aH3atBZNAq3GkwkIEv5I-cl_avoPRE-G9CpaIpCf4SQMtq0dP7G0zeE5Az2cyXWc-_9mFv9NqOP4HlgKwlKvbr4dKjYbMM9Su3iq8I476axJ4AkP7Der_VJLU5Cb3GEOG6W4kYwUxmWSb8eC2Q/w361-h400/muse.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-74147504939523698392022-05-24T16:29:00.002+01:002022-05-26T11:21:25.482+01:00Out of the mouth’s of babes… confidence boosts from unlikely places<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnLVIA3tl6erjmFT_CIB0mam3egeDNjaXSkhelLlRg7ly0J5XdGD4dzVOLv2V2uCWZg4RyQdH17iBgqkP9z3Z9vPKiUmDSYvCFqr8MRd-cRK2QQHHy69q143jnk4qKE3L5XPd1XcOw3_-XZqT3kFAtltVKvqyFRGA88j79C6K60tEk6hV9OS1eoSG3w/s3780/Mammot%20shop%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnLVIA3tl6erjmFT_CIB0mam3egeDNjaXSkhelLlRg7ly0J5XdGD4dzVOLv2V2uCWZg4RyQdH17iBgqkP9z3Z9vPKiUmDSYvCFqr8MRd-cRK2QQHHy69q143jnk4qKE3L5XPd1XcOw3_-XZqT3kFAtltVKvqyFRGA88j79C6K60tEk6hV9OS1eoSG3w/w320-h400/Mammot%20shop%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Being a pre-published writer is a rollercoaster of emotions. From the highs fuelled by confidence boosting short-listings or full manuscript requests to the deep dive into depression caused by imposter syndrome and rejection. Sometimes the pursuit of publication grinds you down and you doubt your ability, and wonder if you have anything to give or say that readers will find interesting. This can be difficult to circumnavigate. <br /><br />For a while I’ve bumped between these two emotions, like a jack in the box. However I’ve had a few encounters that have reinforced my confidence and convinced me that my books do have something that would appeal to children.<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlowvqhE94bl-TaOzo9CQ0rBDTvroGJD3dP9Z84g79xnz0N7kckknxp3TRnlBr3fsQZ4BBKbdip92Dym8M8JDTRxodU_l_fPMXv5N7rXyA-balmmVQE6ASNs1yVG0kEUC_2y3Z3-5ANhLaY23zf_XV_ClaKT2aft5fhImI86nl5kWjeSYfOmJANRH5Q/s4032/Mammot%20shop%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlowvqhE94bl-TaOzo9CQ0rBDTvroGJD3dP9Z84g79xnz0N7kckknxp3TRnlBr3fsQZ4BBKbdip92Dym8M8JDTRxodU_l_fPMXv5N7rXyA-balmmVQE6ASNs1yVG0kEUC_2y3Z3-5ANhLaY23zf_XV_ClaKT2aft5fhImI86nl5kWjeSYfOmJANRH5Q/w400-h300/Mammot%20shop%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />Recently I’ve re-embraced by first passion for illustration, <a href="http://sallypoyton.blogspot.com/2021/10/isolation-breeds-illustration.html">*read about it here*</a> as a consequence I’m setting up an Etsy shop and am running a pop-up shop selling my work. This is the unlikely setting where these encounters took place as I had the pleasure of meeting some incredible children. The children in question were intrigued by my mammoths and we struck up conversations. <br /><br />One 10 year old, dyslexic boy was fascinated by mammoths, and by my illustrations. I showed him how to draw mammoths and told him about the science that has inspired my latest WIP. His mother has since contacted me to let me know that he (two months later) is still drawing mammoths, telling everyone about mammoths and enquiring about when my book will be published! Editors and agents feel free to contact me! <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OnFWrywWORo30LfdI8MEyxxqvQz93vhdj0uKp3-iOmM7QW5eg4uGTyriwvJxk9cCNrqNlYNBdRmMcWrUfDZylpVKanS7Di-6mPhOxZLR4xE_ZJZ2dmCyoLm1lj_sNKp8gPaWZ5wxdefW9H6IDm2vuWscDpM070GufbTaz4rbADEZEREohkeVtxzaKg/s1603/charlie%20drawings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="1603" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OnFWrywWORo30LfdI8MEyxxqvQz93vhdj0uKp3-iOmM7QW5eg4uGTyriwvJxk9cCNrqNlYNBdRmMcWrUfDZylpVKanS7Di-6mPhOxZLR4xE_ZJZ2dmCyoLm1lj_sNKp8gPaWZ5wxdefW9H6IDm2vuWscDpM070GufbTaz4rbADEZEREohkeVtxzaKg/w400-h289/charlie%20drawings.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at these AMAZING drawings by the 10 year old I mentioned.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Another 12 year old with dyslexia and dyscalculia was equally enthralled by mammoths and with my illustrations, we made a pact that next time he comes in I’ll teach him how to draw them, and he’ll show me how he draws goats!</div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjisO6FTb1IndgKaTMkTDxf-gYqpJjshCXRSR6DAIebW-L4KKvhUBzo6q9UlWMfgm0OzKCubuZVjjuEwEB4PPD1Dc8-sZlOetRR82dAMIZEnYSW275K4-WGt8A6MwKIJ7WklZFpKW1p-z4-uxafZN2gm2wRgI4eT6PinWpA8xy8uZvFwZIbB9PQM7IA/s4032/Mammot%20shop%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjisO6FTb1IndgKaTMkTDxf-gYqpJjshCXRSR6DAIebW-L4KKvhUBzo6q9UlWMfgm0OzKCubuZVjjuEwEB4PPD1Dc8-sZlOetRR82dAMIZEnYSW275K4-WGt8A6MwKIJ7WklZFpKW1p-z4-uxafZN2gm2wRgI4eT6PinWpA8xy8uZvFwZIbB9PQM7IA/w300-h400/Mammot%20shop%201.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />Another younger boy or 8 or 9, was conversing with me and when I mentioned the ‘Mammoth Rival Project’ and the idea that cloned mammoths could help with the battle against global warming, he got very excited and begun explaining back to me how scientists were looking for mammoth genomes in order to edit elephant DNA ! His mother’s face and amazing, she had no idea how passionate he was about genetics. He was therefore very taken with the concept of my novel. <br /><br />Amazingly most of the children I’ve spoken to are dyslexic and many have dyscalculia also, and all were very keen to read an own-voice book with a protagonist like them, just like mine!<br /><br />It bring me joy to know I’ve inspired them in some small way, and they have given me the affirmation I need needed to continue in the relentless endeavour of submissions. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglcCtQqhZtA6YkEEdL28BR2bthZfqhnpge3XULZ7MpJ5xmSJPE_1o5ZK1NkYrytnZ2tvgfokNcE-mFOomAuS_X_xEjqNEJF77BSTWBzN9ien5TKxiYO2CfyddalJRE1fjQmS9lPf84dtqLVMZGQbjm--kF4Pi2aA_Wy42H-tE0z1HcdTJhuETRBZ88A/s3408/Mammot%20shop%204.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3408" data-original-width="2727" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglcCtQqhZtA6YkEEdL28BR2bthZfqhnpge3XULZ7MpJ5xmSJPE_1o5ZK1NkYrytnZ2tvgfokNcE-mFOomAuS_X_xEjqNEJF77BSTWBzN9ien5TKxiYO2CfyddalJRE1fjQmS9lPf84dtqLVMZGQbjm--kF4Pi2aA_Wy42H-tE0z1HcdTJhuETRBZ88A/w320-h400/Mammot%20shop%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Submissions here I come! </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-84161111264176355532022-03-04T17:47:00.003+00:002022-03-04T18:06:12.194+00:00World Book Day Blues and Dreams<br />Yesterday was the 25th World Book Day. I love WBD but this year for me it was tainted with sadness and sweetened with dreams. You see I woke up to a Facebook memory reminding me that the last time one of my children dressed up for WBD was on it’s 20th anniversary five years ago. <br /><br />WBD was a really event in our house, the children, bookworms, who love dressing up would plan weeks ahead, and we’d beg, borrow, steal and fashion their costumes <a href="http://sallypoyton.blogspot.com/2017/02/one-families-ups-and-downs-of-world.html">See my post about it here</a>. Also having worked in bookshops, it’d be big for me too, as I attended in shop author events and assisted school visits across the week. Some years, when I had a contract - I actually did school visits as an author, promoting the love of stories, reading and running writing workshops. When I worked at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre we do celebration too.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1MDKC6wVDW1HuHaItnrKMHoOR_Apn4eR1_Axaa4a_tdwFaRYm9sl4lpTH2-AQ5L3FACcd5a2xvS6hOQq58SpmLtrBTLZOsF7o28qwbcjuKRn3gZJB3iC10Lp_ElWW7VCbiNoaG7wPOKB5N5XWh7ZYG0IF2QiWVXw814EgZvAjfI8WFJ1zkrz4AboJ7w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1MDKC6wVDW1HuHaItnrKMHoOR_Apn4eR1_Axaa4a_tdwFaRYm9sl4lpTH2-AQ5L3FACcd5a2xvS6hOQq58SpmLtrBTLZOsF7o28qwbcjuKRn3gZJB3iC10Lp_ElWW7VCbiNoaG7wPOKB5N5XWh7ZYG0IF2QiWVXw814EgZvAjfI8WFJ1zkrz4AboJ7w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />But this year, like the past few years, my children are too old and it’s not celebrated at their school, and I am no longer a bookseller or working at the museum, plus I am still pre-published so no author visits for me. So it feels like WBD is a party I’m not invited to. I found myself avoiding social media, as seeing all the posts of children dressed up, and friends preparing for this school visits was making me down. <br /><br />BUT THEN I STARTED TO DREAM. (Dangerous I know!) <br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;">What if, my current WIP was published, what would my WBD look like? </span></h3><br />I would like to think I’d be doing some school visits, to KS2 & KS3, so I started to imagine what my author visit would look like.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxYZLAGjBMwXXUWVFUeaFetAaTJjjMxrR5YCnVW6nRE_unYQLUCobxb6zvrrZJ1fuqk1ITqeSyNvmroUNReNgKzfM6ZP3ZA4-_OD2qUCVcEdXaK-xPcfqaLULra53CGmxO3J0MIe0KRfugoaU_q8SK2JgSSdRLv8ol-RPpa4VAEem5jvdIcYRUkPb9Xw=s1544" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1544" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxYZLAGjBMwXXUWVFUeaFetAaTJjjMxrR5YCnVW6nRE_unYQLUCobxb6zvrrZJ1fuqk1ITqeSyNvmroUNReNgKzfM6ZP3ZA4-_OD2qUCVcEdXaK-xPcfqaLULra53CGmxO3J0MIe0KRfugoaU_q8SK2JgSSdRLv8ol-RPpa4VAEem5jvdIcYRUkPb9Xw=w640-h338" width="640" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />Firstly - I’d have to look smart – as I work from home in a building site - I dress like a bag lady. This won’t do at all. So either I’d go for my mammoth 50’s skirt with a twin set. Or smart trousers and blazer, with the t-shirts a friend made me featuring the mammoth characters from my book. Either way I’d accessorise with the lovely pin badge my Son’s friend made me of another of my mammoth characters based on my illustrations. <br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;">What would I take with me?</span></h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Obviously my PowerPoint on a USB. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Some markers to draw. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">For KS2 a mammoth plush (I have many to choose from!)</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Some elephant poo paper.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">I’d probably get some inexpensive (black ink on coloured card) bookmarks printed with the book name blurb and my name on, and sign for each child. This way every child gets something even if they don’t buy the book, and if they want to buy it later they have all the details. This is a tip I learnt from Jane Clarke on one of the SCBW Professional Series (now industry insiders) session years ago.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Time line tape measure. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe a small fragment of mammoth fossil.</span></li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWS9GqVBHag14YU_PfvrpYfzdA7h_2CP-cu6qCglVm50ZELFD8ukDg7KcghAAMmd8y_1xwWzpdOo1NjNZMYkkw7fWWo5miGJAYZk-nxwSh7Gw73Fu1BakPkoEBZjsu_qmS04PJGRdHHkYNuMl4uBewsRaiTAEtzQ-fqHogyxWyLHUSHJV-LkqHBvUe5w=s4030" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="4030" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWS9GqVBHag14YU_PfvrpYfzdA7h_2CP-cu6qCglVm50ZELFD8ukDg7KcghAAMmd8y_1xwWzpdOo1NjNZMYkkw7fWWo5miGJAYZk-nxwSh7Gw73Fu1BakPkoEBZjsu_qmS04PJGRdHHkYNuMl4uBewsRaiTAEtzQ-fqHogyxWyLHUSHJV-LkqHBvUe5w=w640-h470" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span><span style="color: #351c75;">What would my talk be like? </span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkitBLONrzwFtbESGKzEZJipRZl87z9W3gm3gzB0kMZ48JjArD8enw83WhQkY12yg1ck7drN--VMAOtG9j1tm3WNkaU4C05EsWFEoT5c3c1WtDNJXi5WSG9VokSYa-p73HeNbHpPjmZResJDT27WRSXUl1ctb6DuhK2TXY1TDAr3HqBsmm1LsYmI0Akw=s1088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1088" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkitBLONrzwFtbESGKzEZJipRZl87z9W3gm3gzB0kMZ48JjArD8enw83WhQkY12yg1ck7drN--VMAOtG9j1tm3WNkaU4C05EsWFEoT5c3c1WtDNJXi5WSG9VokSYa-p73HeNbHpPjmZResJDT27WRSXUl1ctb6DuhK2TXY1TDAr3HqBsmm1LsYmI0Akw=w640-h474" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Obviously I’d read an extract from the book. Then I’d do my interactive PowerPoint presentation. Now my current WIP is a STEM Cli-Fi adventure. With an own-vice neuro-diverse element with the main protagonist having dyslexia and dyscalculia. Here’s the Pitch… <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>Ash and her friend’s, Ruby an escapologist, and Jack a technical whiz, must save the herd of mammoths that have been cloned to help slow global warming, from an evil big game hunting obsessed billionaire with unlimited resources. The children must work together and use their talents and their secret weapon – Ash’s ability to talk to the mammoths - to save the herd, themselves and the world.</i></span></div><br />The talk would cover, mammoths facts, cloning, how cloning mammoths could help slow global warming. How STEM solutions can help with climate change and to save endangered species. Also about Pliocene Park, in Siberia, where they have reintroduced animals that were native to the tundra to help stop global warming. I’d also cover a little bit about dyslexia and dyspraxia.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrakLh10rpOo1nZ7zS2HVtB53d4p11YHM50LvK7ANzTb_GohiUOeSHsdd6HG_6FUD0883GckMDhdjU3gZSPYQP1HCw-sZEVQQGiKrApiVD9SwYMotp4R9eCEHjZ9FpTXz6eT0dlDLoEmd9k_j_XTwH5rFOpo-y5r4LzjhdHLVgi5jJUsC78jjPNvdvpA=s1083" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1083" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrakLh10rpOo1nZ7zS2HVtB53d4p11YHM50LvK7ANzTb_GohiUOeSHsdd6HG_6FUD0883GckMDhdjU3gZSPYQP1HCw-sZEVQQGiKrApiVD9SwYMotp4R9eCEHjZ9FpTXz6eT0dlDLoEmd9k_j_XTwH5rFOpo-y5r4LzjhdHLVgi5jJUsC78jjPNvdvpA=w640-h486" width="640" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />I would as I go along, draw illustrations to explain points and use a combination of my own illustrations and other images for the PowerPoint. To end would be Q&A. this is where the elephant poo paper comes in because guaranteed there’ll be a question about Mammoths not being good for the environment due to the amount of farts they do, and I shall say, but with farts comes poo, and look what we can make from it! <br /><br />Anyways, this is just my little dream of how potential a future WBD may look like or me, and also how a school visit may be! Although I am a long way off, it was nice to spend a bit of time dreaming which made me feel a tad more connected with World Book Day.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUAQZHXmGdjV_0G8-I-Aj3Z-9-OiRbyqDtjDQh4yQ_tQZ3Kg1td_ZRrAWmh34kYKQQEa2FqhuGm72g1emk8pXnnYJ0nFKNlxo2fB4MNxGFJ1oYgH9dgUFRInKxxlG9CQTeWmXQ3P6ClWPZ0wQM6hYcWZG-KbPm7-tz02YO79obvhWLLt9BuqFFYV7udw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUAQZHXmGdjV_0G8-I-Aj3Z-9-OiRbyqDtjDQh4yQ_tQZ3Kg1td_ZRrAWmh34kYKQQEa2FqhuGm72g1emk8pXnnYJ0nFKNlxo2fB4MNxGFJ1oYgH9dgUFRInKxxlG9CQTeWmXQ3P6ClWPZ0wQM6hYcWZG-KbPm7-tz02YO79obvhWLLt9BuqFFYV7udw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> </div></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-21878599968959252932022-01-21T13:27:00.008+00:002022-01-21T13:27:46.794+00:00Resolutions Déjà vu!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgepKEcWjBC-J-rDemzch55mAe9Uj6dgoQAefNcmWUSsKcOBFRhrWliVMehVt1McHiTEeN54Cmu_UPEJro5q36K6p2JmAwd02Pb0SNZWcv3Ueccscc7dQZVPCEqodorbN9LPeULzVjqnYrqDznVALm5QVrT_lqYr-19WJNeo1NQin4nZYp53cuHBH-qew=s1434" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="1434" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgepKEcWjBC-J-rDemzch55mAe9Uj6dgoQAefNcmWUSsKcOBFRhrWliVMehVt1McHiTEeN54Cmu_UPEJro5q36K6p2JmAwd02Pb0SNZWcv3Ueccscc7dQZVPCEqodorbN9LPeULzVjqnYrqDznVALm5QVrT_lqYr-19WJNeo1NQin4nZYp53cuHBH-qew=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br /><br />So another year - be it three weeks in! Another list of resolutions. But this year I’ve shaken mine up. <br /><br />A few years ago we started a new family tradition. We go out for brunch between Christmas and New Year (pandemic permitting) and we all write our ‘aims’ for the New Year. We than create a family list of New Year resolutions, along with our individual ones. <br /><br />My individual list is always the same. A rehash of every previous year. There are some differences, depending on what’s going on, like this year which is a BIG EXAM year for both kids, so I have ‘support kids through exams. And ‘Help them tradition to their next step’. But my person stuff is always the same. ‘Eat better’. ‘Look after myself’. <br /><br />My writer’s resolutions could be copy and pasted from any year. In fact whilst brunching we found my New Year’s Resolutions form 2017, they included… <br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Finishing editing book.</span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Enter more competitions. – (get long-listed!) </span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Submit to agents - (sign with agent!)</span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Submit to publishers – (sign a contract!)</span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Read more</span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Blog more.</span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Attend more writer events.</span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Social media.</span></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />In fact these were EXACTLY the same as I had written down for 2022 –well apart from the book I’m editing is different – but other than that identical. Actually it is pretty much a carbon-copy of every New Year’s resolutions list I’ve done since 2011. <br /><br />This is actually rather depressing. It means that for over a decade I haven’t actually achieved any of my resolutions. So for 2022 I have decided to simplify. Obviously I still have my list of aims and dreams, but I only have one resolution, which is simply… <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div> <span style="color: #351c75;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;">Be move creative!</div></span></span><br /> <br /><br />Why? Creativity is good for the imaginations - it feeds it, which is great for a writer and it’s good for mental health. <br /><br />SO WHY NOW? <br /><br />Well in September I succumbed to Covid. It was horrible. So was the isolation. One of the things that got me through it with my sanity in fact was drawing. This is a return to my roots, as I studied Art and originally came to the world of kids lit by a desire to illustrate. Re-embracing this part of me really made me happier. <br /><br />So my resolution for 2022 sis be more creative. Simple. Achievable. Of course I am still writing and pursuing publication, but hopefully when 2023 rolls around I will have at least one resolution that I’ve nailed! <br /><br />Happy New Year too you all. Good luck with you resolutions, dreams and aims for 2022! We can do it together!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3C5ouPPtvyTUbhsm2PJ0zIPxn9K5ZMOjRBGKAiEs4gikQcRSI3kymuO0Y73_75MZMb1gesIzB93sj0MygvHhdTFtgmmGRfL7WiSC6rawqhrtANlZVOCKLsYaOtO1G5OOSImML95sruvogjVPHQre-oEoE7TRLUp5kKFTHhq_IgcF7P6gwjTeL6UFOUQ=s2480" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1754" data-original-width="2480" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3C5ouPPtvyTUbhsm2PJ0zIPxn9K5ZMOjRBGKAiEs4gikQcRSI3kymuO0Y73_75MZMb1gesIzB93sj0MygvHhdTFtgmmGRfL7WiSC6rawqhrtANlZVOCKLsYaOtO1G5OOSImML95sruvogjVPHQre-oEoE7TRLUp5kKFTHhq_IgcF7P6gwjTeL6UFOUQ=w640-h452" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-28042083049817014332021-11-17T10:14:00.003+00:002021-11-18T08:13:57.281+00:00Pitch Perfect<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9O4qYWDiK4Q/YZTTuQRLm2I/AAAAAAAAEpU/shxlbrBnMHAR6zUzdZl7sTSPYGkGOViEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_7291.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9O4qYWDiK4Q/YZTTuQRLm2I/AAAAAAAAEpU/shxlbrBnMHAR6zUzdZl7sTSPYGkGOViEgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/IMG_7291.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tweet ready for a physical pitching competition</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br />I love a good pitch. I am actually pretty good at pitching too. To clarify - I’m obviously talking about pitching books NOT singing acapella. Believe me- no one wants to hear me sing, my husband (who is a trained musician and used to be a professional singing teacher) has told me; I quote … [I] ‘can’t carry a tune in a bag!’<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MuQBpc-gUVE/YZTUoUZq5pI/AAAAAAAAEp0/vQZfaT3GxXYPs9gxmiTo-zq62L6RjljuACLcBGAsYHQ/s468/winners%2Bbadge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="458" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MuQBpc-gUVE/YZTUoUZq5pI/AAAAAAAAEp0/vQZfaT3GxXYPs9gxmiTo-zq62L6RjljuACLcBGAsYHQ/w391-h400/winners%2Bbadge.jpg" width="391" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My badge for winning the short pitch comp at the 2013 SCBWI Winchester Conference</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </div><br />I can pitch a novel though. I tend to write high concept, commercial stories with a literary edge which I’m passionate about – and this luckily tends to makes it easy to talk about and make sound exciting. <br /><br />I also am in the habit of starting my new projects with a pitch. Usually an elevator pitch which is the essence of the book. In addition I write the synopsis (hole ridden though it may be) of where I see the story going and including key elements. I use this as a rough map whilst penning the first draft. Of course writing and creativity often take you to unexpected places (this is one of my favourite parts of a new project) so when I’m writing I tweak the pitch and synopsis. So all three, the manuscript, synopsis and pitch are constantly evolving.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OsYToYZAQQw/YZTT3lg4fII/AAAAAAAAEpc/o0cm2Nj_EXEuQmHHptC-ayzNmfx-ppHzwCLcBGAsYHQ/s700/twitter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="455" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OsYToYZAQQw/YZTT3lg4fII/AAAAAAAAEpc/o0cm2Nj_EXEuQmHHptC-ayzNmfx-ppHzwCLcBGAsYHQ/w416-h640/twitter.jpg" width="416" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />I often enter pitching competitions, especially twitter ones, not because I expect anyone to request to see my work, (as I always think my tweets get lost in a sea of pitches) but to force me to work and improve my pitch. With Twitter pitching events you have to keep your pitch tight, distilled down to bare essence of the story, PLUS leave room for hashtags that communicate the genre, sub-genres and age group of your novel. Also many twitter pitching events allow you to pitch the same novel multiple times as long as the pitch is different. This is great for forcing me to be creative and experiment until I have an array of pitches for each project. Also the feedback of comments and re-tweets (and if I’m lucky a ‘like’ from an industry professional) help me gauge which of these pitches works the best. This can also help to reassure me which pitch to use on submissions letters.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GimYacvsStQ/YZTT-85glII/AAAAAAAAEpg/S2QF_pixi9oQKuXsaouazXpKcifzQZeHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s991/golden%2Begg%2Bpitch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="987" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GimYacvsStQ/YZTT-85glII/AAAAAAAAEpg/S2QF_pixi9oQKuXsaouazXpKcifzQZeHQCLcBGAsYHQ/w399-h400/golden%2Begg%2Bpitch.jpg" width="399" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pitching at the 2019 Golden Egg Academy Big Honk Competition </td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </div><br />So I tend to do a lot of pitching events and I have more often than not had at least one ‘like’ from an industry professional, opening up an opportunity which after I’ve researched them, and I am ready, can be seized. <br /><br />I have also had some luck with other pitching competitions, at SCBWI and Gold Egg Academy events, some of which have resulted in requests to see manuscript , which has been great - always a little confidence boost if nothing else!</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSw-_uAXnrw/YZTUYkIxSfI/AAAAAAAAEps/uN60LMgEU74OEZX9NckA3z1c8OV_Wc54gCLcBGAsYHQ/s578/IMG_6478.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="395" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSw-_uAXnrw/YZTUYkIxSfI/AAAAAAAAEps/uN60LMgEU74OEZX9NckA3z1c8OV_Wc54gCLcBGAsYHQ/w274-h400/IMG_6478.JPG" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my prize for winning ten word pitching comp at the 2019 SCBWI Winchester conference.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </div><br />Here some of my tips for penning pitches… <br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Think of what the TAG LINE would be if your book was adapted into a movie.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Write it longer and edit if down. It doesn’t matter if it’s a paragraph, or even a full page. Get everything written down and then keep halving it until it is only a sentence. This will make you really think of what you can delate but still communicate what the main elements and ISP (Individual Selling Point) of your story.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">If you are gifted at grammar, grammatize the hell out of it, so it can be longer but still a sentence. For an example of a master of this read ‘Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh’ by Robert C. O'Brien – this is actually taught in universities to illustrate this exact point!</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">If you can add a good comparison quote do. Compare your project to things people know, don’t go for obscure compassions. Also don’t be afraid to use movies or popular TV shows if it fits better, for example… </span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">for my mammoth book…</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: medium;">Ice Age vs Doctor Dolittle with a dash of Jurassic Park</span></div><br /> <br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Keep a Pitch Document with all your pitches ready to copy and paste. In here you can have multiple versions of twitter pitches, elevator pitches, compassion pitches, or longer blurb type pitches.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Lastly, take your time. Do it over a week. Do some then leave it and come the next day with a fresh set of eyes and do some more edits. </span></li></ul><br /> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Happy pitching everyone!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: x-large;">And Good Luck!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-44784758917785884552021-11-08T13:27:00.002+00:002021-11-08T13:27:50.756+00:00#NaNoNoGO!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EjrMV4X-KT8/YYkkTiv9JCI/AAAAAAAAEoM/LsE1HSj7AAAE_VBvPWIB_hXD7cVyQmhuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Novembers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EjrMV4X-KT8/YYkkTiv9JCI/AAAAAAAAEoM/LsE1HSj7AAAE_VBvPWIB_hXD7cVyQmhuQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Novembers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />It’s November, which means National Novel Writing Month, or #NaNoWriMo. The annual staple of every writer’s calendar, where you write a first draft in a month, by setting a target daily word count and tracking your progress on the website. It’s also full of peer run events to help support each other on the month long writing sprint. <br /><br />Usually #NaNoWriMo is a fruitful time for me. In past years I have successfully started and completed first drafts. Or written a new project to the 3/4 stage, and finished it in the following months. On more than one occasion I used it to revisit a partially penned project that’s been stuffed in a draw but has been yelling in my brain for attention. <br /><br />#NaNoWriMo is a great tool for focusing my mind and sharpening my discipline – USUALLY. <br /><br />However this year for me it has been much more of a #NaNoNoGO!<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_pBxISpZMI/YYkkea8KwVI/AAAAAAAAEoQ/f0lxv_j7C5UB4s5SCQB4D8H8wN5I7m2bgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Halloween%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="274" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_pBxISpZMI/YYkkea8KwVI/AAAAAAAAEoQ/f0lxv_j7C5UB4s5SCQB4D8H8wN5I7m2bgCLcBGAsYHQ/w301-h274/Halloween%2B2.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />Firstly November snuck upon me. Despite having spent the day before celebrating Halloween and knowing it’s always followed my All Saints Day also known as November the first, the official start of #NaNoWriMo, I forgot! With both my teens being still home on half-term, and using every inch of available space to revise and do course work, I neglected to get prepared or write anything. <br /><br />Day 2 - I told myself was the day. I would use #NaNoWriMo to help me concentrate on finishing my current edit on my WIP. So with the offspring back at school. And all my stuff ready, and crucially my head in the right place; I embarked on my #NaNoWriMo journey. Life had other plans. A big disaster concerning my eldest school and her UCAS Application arose and demanded my immediate undivided attention. This took ALL DAY and drained me of energy. <br /><br />Day3 – brought drama with regards to the house renovations. <br /><br />Day 4 - was a delight with the lovely lingering effects of Covid19 – making my POTS worse and bringing on a dose of cotton-wool brain. PLUS a drama with my business that I had to rectify.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UFtjrIT5YdI/YYkkosc_vmI/AAAAAAAAEoU/3kp_t7zREQoKobMB2auivhxnXD4xKt9kQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/cafe%2Bdoodles%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UFtjrIT5YdI/YYkkosc_vmI/AAAAAAAAEoU/3kp_t7zREQoKobMB2auivhxnXD4xKt9kQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/cafe%2Bdoodles%2B2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />By Day 5 I was despondent and felt like a failure. I so I didn’t log on to the NaNoWriMo peer support group on Facebook that I belong to, due to embracement – stupid I know - as they are all so lovely and empathetic. So instead I decided I needed to do something to get out of my funk. Walking – my usual remedy – is out THANKS AGAIN COVID. So I took myself off out of the house of many distractions to be creative in a café, where I drew and doodled. <br /><br />This helped BUT is wasn’t words. I got 0 words written. 0 words edited. I still felt like a failure. But this I realised was me NOT looking at the wider picture. <br /><br />The wider picture looks like this… <br /><br />I am living with my family in a building site, which brings daily challenges, - no heating. Limited hot water – if any. Dust. Mess. Noise. Then there’s the drama of actually building. <br /><br />Both teens are gearing up to do there exams next summer, GCSE and A-Levels, so are stressed and revising. Plus my eldest is in the midst of UCAS Applications and entrance exams. So I am working extra hard to support them especially considering the chaos the house is in. <br /><br />My partners work has gone bonkers and he has to travel more now that life is returning to a pre-pandemic status quo. <br /><br />I’m suffering from the ever generous lingering gifts of COVID, which has made my existing health struggles worse and added new ones. <br /><br />I had forgotten that I am in fact NOT A SUPERHERO. It took the weekend to get myself out of the rut and for me to say, it’s ok to start again, and actually start #NaNoWriMo a week late. <br /><br />#NaNoWriMo is there to help not add stress. So I started my #NaNoWriMo today. So far I’ve edited two chapters and penned this post. Fingers crossed the rest of November will be this positive and productive! <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMERxLn528s/YYkk5A7ehmI/AAAAAAAAEog/4B-eGgQp33oUpFEYM7D_y5KsLmMRkmLrwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/day%2B1%2Bweek%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMERxLn528s/YYkk5A7ehmI/AAAAAAAAEog/4B-eGgQp33oUpFEYM7D_y5KsLmMRkmLrwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/day%2B1%2Bweek%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br /><br />So, for everyone who is participating in #NaNoWriMo, please remember… <br /><br /> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #20124d; font-size: xx-large;">BE KIND TO YOURSELF!</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-84555569309078376152021-11-02T15:08:00.001+00:002021-11-02T16:18:49.095+00:00Recycling Old Manuscripts (ten years on)…<p> </p><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Back in 2011 I did a guest post over on Notes from The
Slushpile about recycling old printed out copies of manuscripts<a href="https://www.notesfromtheslushpile.com/2012/03/procrastination-tools-for-writers-1.html"> to read press here</a>. The post was a
bit whimsical, a tad serious and whole lot of silliness. Firstly it did have
some useful ideas on how to re-use manuscripts rather than just throwing away in
the paper recycling bin, but also had some bonkers ideas too. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfKVYdtatkY/YYFSDrAuiNI/AAAAAAAAEm4/axiAP6CU6Gkt80lDVSVfuzuXcdTEe7kBACLcBGAsYHQ/s1376/Recyling%2B2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="1376" height="355" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfKVYdtatkY/YYFSDrAuiNI/AAAAAAAAEm4/axiAP6CU6Gkt80lDVSVfuzuXcdTEe7kBACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h355/Recyling%2B2011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fast forward ten years, and I am back thinking about the
same issue, because I’m having building work done of my house, and had to therefore
either store of get rid of all the prints out of old versions of all my books. As storage
costs, disposing of it won, however I didn’t want to just put it in the green
bin, so we did re-use it as much a possible.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FzMSaFTlQto/YYFS0Ss3wXI/AAAAAAAAEnY/eaolnuVylt4wzWx54s2LXryieuKDXaXVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/old%2Bms%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FzMSaFTlQto/YYFS0Ss3wXI/AAAAAAAAEnY/eaolnuVylt4wzWx54s2LXryieuKDXaXVQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/old%2Bms%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I write mostly YA – which are big books, and due to my dyslexia,
I find editing on the computer very tricky, as I need to use a ruler/finger to
track my reading, and especially with developmental edits I have to LITTERAL Cut
and Paste Roald Dahl style. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this is
lots of paper. Now I know some of you will be saying it is bad for the environment
(I know) but I do use rainforest managed paper. So ten years and nine book
later, each with multiple edits, and that is a lot of paper.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDHdFfrzi4w/YYFS5skPy8I/AAAAAAAAEnc/mbulBzy4ZwM8BnhUHYq4vCEIy1aB_-LKQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/old%2Bms%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDHdFfrzi4w/YYFS5skPy8I/AAAAAAAAEnc/mbulBzy4ZwM8BnhUHYq4vCEIy1aB_-LKQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/old%2Bms%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You may ask; how this can have changed since 2011? That surely
I’d be doing the same kind of re-using. You’d be right – but you’d also be wrong.
In ten years, my offspring have grown and are now teens. Teens change
everything.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Football boots…</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P_YaGXvF904/YYFSLJXRn5I/AAAAAAAAEm8/l_dICkv4iKsJEgJ-wfQ1xUD8ICMDLt3qACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/boots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P_YaGXvF904/YYFSLJXRn5I/AAAAAAAAEm8/l_dICkv4iKsJEgJ-wfQ1xUD8ICMDLt3qACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/boots.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yep, my manuscript has been used on multiple occasions to
help my son dry his football boots. (This will be particularly funny to anyone
who actually knows my son!) <o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Planting…</span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OAXcdXo3LsY/YYFSZHUGZzI/AAAAAAAAEnE/fEGh32p77g4F68LQpXgxXS1dwGrKgAA8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1295/plants.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1295" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OAXcdXo3LsY/YYFSZHUGZzI/AAAAAAAAEnE/fEGh32p77g4F68LQpXgxXS1dwGrKgAA8wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h209/plants.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yes, in 2011 we were using the manuscript to make pots for seedlings. We still do this, but we also use it for projecting the floor when
the teen is tending to his plants and cuttings.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Art…</span></h3><div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-psvmP9PebPM/YYFSiPm3RSI/AAAAAAAAEnM/aYMVb2YkDb4x-y1kNvrNF7_spwPHKsyHwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1107/models.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="933" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-psvmP9PebPM/YYFSiPm3RSI/AAAAAAAAEnM/aYMVb2YkDb4x-y1kNvrNF7_spwPHKsyHwCLcBGAsYHQ/w338-h400/models.jpg" width="338" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My youngest is doing GCSE Art, and one of the projects was sculpture.
This was done in the lockdown, so sourcing materials was tricky. But there was
no reason to panic when you have a box full of old manuscripts that can be
used!<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #20124d;">FIRE…</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is the season for bonfires, and my manuscript apparently
burns well. Although as we currently have no heating, I am wondering if we should
have kept some! <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iphx8ibxipU/YYFSrwooB5I/AAAAAAAAEnU/X0VAKLKej-UwUMnXP3eLzxjflcd-qTofQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1646/FIRE%2BA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1646" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iphx8ibxipU/YYFSrwooB5I/AAAAAAAAEnU/X0VAKLKej-UwUMnXP3eLzxjflcd-qTofQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h278/FIRE%2BA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Any other ideas on how to re-use, re-cycle or re-propose old
manuscripts, would be gratefully received. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-50103910140803843012021-10-21T10:31:00.002+01:002021-10-21T10:33:38.566+01:00Isolation breeds Illustration<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5yErH8F6d1s/YXEwC8Re2eI/AAAAAAAAElE/9DwrQFSE5IAB9cXh-lWAvrEhFqCW3vAHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/sketching%2Bon%2Bbed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5yErH8F6d1s/YXEwC8Re2eI/AAAAAAAAElE/9DwrQFSE5IAB9cXh-lWAvrEhFqCW3vAHQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/sketching%2Bon%2Bbed.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />They say necessity breeds innovation, but my recent experience of Covid19 has altered this well known saying to, ‘Isolation breeds Illustration.’<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OrsojJS7H88/YXExwkQTa0I/AAAAAAAAEl8/bCw1iIjTVM4ak2rLvYoqiSz1twLFVOeBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OrsojJS7H88/YXExwkQTa0I/AAAAAAAAEl8/bCw1iIjTVM4ak2rLvYoqiSz1twLFVOeBQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/me.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />After eighteen months of manging to avoid the dreaded Corona Virus, my teen son caught it at school and brought home and very generously shared it with me, whilst my daughter was off school suffering from flu. My husband sensibly slept on the floor in the Livingroom and worked from the shed, and therefore managed to avoid succumbing to it.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WeyZ_cAtvEU/YXEw-rpDD4I/AAAAAAAAElU/qaHxnBOF_KYNBYf4X8AvcTHLiCJooYZxACLcBGAsYHQ/s714/7%2Bdays.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="714" height="277" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WeyZ_cAtvEU/YXEw-rpDD4I/AAAAAAAAElU/qaHxnBOF_KYNBYf4X8AvcTHLiCJooYZxACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/7%2Bdays.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </div>Covid aside (it is horrible even if you are double vaccinated), the isolation was long, not helped my Track and Trace making an error and making me isolate for 12 days rather than 10. Usually this would have been fine, but with the children both isolating and schooling virtually we didn’t have enough devices in order for me to continue editing my WIP.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvN1mT5-1yM/YXEw3izEsjI/AAAAAAAAElQ/PjiGWlxjd_4hJSrISOzcNSr1BlNEIb7OACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/kepping%2Bbusy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="2048" height="238" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvN1mT5-1yM/YXEw3izEsjI/AAAAAAAAElQ/PjiGWlxjd_4hJSrISOzcNSr1BlNEIb7OACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h238/kepping%2Bbusy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><br />I can tell you from experience, there are only so many times you can sort out the wardrobe, or dust the house plants before you start going crazy. Of course I took the time to read, but I needed to be creative, and that’s when I picked up a pencil and returned to my roots.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iPcPCSWOaUo/YXExYEaw5HI/AAAAAAAAElo/gFLLhHkbDakNfjsPWZg-hBV1n_L1gvs9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/illustrations.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iPcPCSWOaUo/YXExYEaw5HI/AAAAAAAAElo/gFLLhHkbDakNfjsPWZg-hBV1n_L1gvs9ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/illustrations.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />For anyone who doesn’t know, I come from an art back ground. My degree is in fine art, and I have been a successful professional artist some of my work is part of the Magg Collection housed in the Ferne Gallery in Hull. I originally got into the children literary world by endeavouring to pursue a career in illustration.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ga_TIz49fYY/YXExIejkU6I/AAAAAAAAElc/qBdjidLpbnMLke-nYxPPPelrTXy62tFnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s780/How%2Bto%2BCatch%2B%2Ba%2BKangaroo%2B1%2B-%2BSally%2BPoyton.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="780" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ga_TIz49fYY/YXExIejkU6I/AAAAAAAAElc/qBdjidLpbnMLke-nYxPPPelrTXy62tFnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/How%2Bto%2BCatch%2B%2Ba%2BKangaroo%2B1%2B-%2BSally%2BPoyton.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><br />The illustration I loved and I got to the point of having meetings with agents, and not quite getting taken on but having the door open to go back when I’d improved my portfolio. Many of the agents having seen a rhyming part-illustrated PB text I’d penned about catching a kangaroo, advised me to write too.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUoIbU7CTjk/YXExhIqYDzI/AAAAAAAAEls/lfvyK4V8d5wBNe1GD7be-LK4E5Vj8T3WQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/sketch%2Band%2Bipad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUoIbU7CTjk/YXExhIqYDzI/AAAAAAAAEls/lfvyK4V8d5wBNe1GD7be-LK4E5Vj8T3WQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/sketch%2Band%2Bipad.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />However having two small children, and living in a touring caravan while the ramshackle house was being knocked down and re-built (before it fell down on its own accord) I had no room to set up and draw/paint. Remember this was when digital art was in its infancy and before I-pads were a thing. So I took the multiple agents advice and picked up a keyboard and began to write.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xFq1AoU7gTE/YXExnQr28II/AAAAAAAAElw/pKYLiVLB0FMBExLU00ohQWJubpjKkPDogCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ipad%2Bisolation.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xFq1AoU7gTE/YXExnQr28II/AAAAAAAAElw/pKYLiVLB0FMBExLU00ohQWJubpjKkPDogCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/ipad%2Bisolation.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />The space issue and the call to the dark side – sorry writing – got me distracted and illustration took a back seat that was until I was prisoner in my own room for twelve days.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBijHXAacIU/YXEx2qywG4I/AAAAAAAAEmA/s0fJPSHgnX8_MODxNhhj354460XcqUpUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s750/4%2Bdays.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="750" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBijHXAacIU/YXEx2qywG4I/AAAAAAAAEmA/s0fJPSHgnX8_MODxNhhj354460XcqUpUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/4%2Bdays.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> </div><br />So isolation boredom got me doodling. Sketching. Developing characters, and eventually constructing compositions. This along with lots of encouragement from the lovely folks of the writing/illustration community – thank you are all my personal cheerleaders and it’s much appreciated - made me think maybe I should take the illustration thing more seriously. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grWHCYuvKGw/YXEyDLq1zUI/AAAAAAAAEmM/m80rFjWiZRccv1aMhQoSygealxbe7RWxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/stampede.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="670" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grWHCYuvKGw/YXEyDLq1zUI/AAAAAAAAEmM/m80rFjWiZRccv1aMhQoSygealxbe7RWxwCLcBGAsYHQ/w279-h400/stampede.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />So I am back writing AND illustrating and I love it. Of course I have LOTS to learn about illustration but that is a challenge I’m very happy to embark on. Be it a bit SCARY. <br /><br />So that is my story, it took a global pandemic to get me doodling again, and so I can report isolation really does bred illustration. <br /><br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdo50uhGbzI/YXEyXyFmaoI/AAAAAAAAEmc/GIiXnnprmLgFbfST8C_h4GFR0PhVzRtHACLcBGAsYHQ/s720/Ash%2Band%2BNayala.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="503" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdo50uhGbzI/YXEyXyFmaoI/AAAAAAAAEmc/GIiXnnprmLgFbfST8C_h4GFR0PhVzRtHACLcBGAsYHQ/w280-h400/Ash%2Band%2BNayala.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;">A BIG </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">THANK YOU</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;"> to very one who encouraged me to illustrate - you know who you are!</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-12603081804858973132021-09-20T13:04:00.003+01:002021-09-20T13:38:03.033+01:00Pondering the Ethics of Cloning Mammoths for this new Millennia + the Wobbles of a Neuro Diverse Writer.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAu2bIPKLLI/YUh3LK4WaPI/AAAAAAAAEjw/tAw_Hwbvi5MNFnT-7TFgMU3lw-cK03BtwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mammoths%2Bspet%2B21%2Ba.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAu2bIPKLLI/YUh3LK4WaPI/AAAAAAAAEjw/tAw_Hwbvi5MNFnT-7TFgMU3lw-cK03BtwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Mammoths%2Bspet%2B21%2Ba.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br />Any one that knows me will tell you I like mammoths. In fact they’d probably say that is a mammoth understatement. So I am very excited about the recent mammoth news. You have probably seen the headlines that a company has <a href="https://amp.theguardian.com/science/2021/sep/13/firm-bring-back-woolly-mammoth-from-extinction?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR00lqsdFZqKaVfz7pkwGugHVj9NKlbieqnFuWU4fjwYNzZ-Qk_xV0BRMLQ" target="_blank">donated fifteen million dollars to George Church’s Mammoth Rival</a> Project to speed up the process of cloning a mammoth by editing the genes of modern Asian elephants. This is to create a kind of elephant-mammoth hybrid, capable of enduring Siberian winters, in an effort to curb the rate of global warming; The creatures will do this by roaming tundra breaking up the blanket of snow that insulates the ground, warming up and causing the permafrost to melt, that would release locked methane gasses into the atmosphere. <br /><br />I am excited as this is the inspiration behind my current middle grade WIP. I actually came on the premise of the novel by accident whilst researching for a YA Sci-Fi Thriller about Neanderthal cloning, when reading about the science of de-extinction in Beth Shaprio’s book ‘How to Clone a Mammoth’. Of course Neanderthals are great, especially as almost everyone on the planet (except for those in the African Basin) have a percentage of Neanderthal DNA, but let’s face its mammoths are cuter, they have just more appeal, so I got distracted. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Oe4c3igJ1w/YUh3TzfICvI/AAAAAAAAEj4/NLd18wyQ8x8HxD9v7TLyVYNvtY--saI1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/resaerch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="301" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Oe4c3igJ1w/YUh3TzfICvI/AAAAAAAAEj4/NLd18wyQ8x8HxD9v7TLyVYNvtY--saI1gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h301/resaerch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />The distraction was that mammoths have a potential to help with the global warming problem and also a protentional place ready to house them in the form of the<a href="https://pleistocenepark.ru/?fbclid=IwAR2uzdieTZLoJqA7ZMnwgwZFYijKSKE01Ur-5-qc0qDQhc7WFJzhvEWpQE0" target="_blank"> Pleistocene Park</a> in Siberia. I thought that children of today with their concern for the planet, its non-human inhabitants and an increasing love to STEM subjects would find this interesting. The fact there are scientific solutions to the massive issue of global warming, that could work in combination with other methods , like eating less meat , changing to greener power and reducing plastic. <br /><br />Of course I don’t actually think we should necessarily turn to cloning extinct creatures, after all there are other non-extinct species that can do the same thing like camels and bison, which are already being re-introduced to the tundra as part of the Project at Pleistocene Park.<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GCZl_cuVVT0/YUh3g0J1FiI/AAAAAAAAEkA/c0Lft9bDghIGjE-spSL8TiARuStygBlMQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mammoths%2Bspet%2B21%2Bb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GCZl_cuVVT0/YUh3g0J1FiI/AAAAAAAAEkA/c0Lft9bDghIGjE-spSL8TiARuStygBlMQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Mammoths%2Bspet%2B21%2Bb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br />Also there are a great many ethical issues to consider, like the welfare of the modern Asian Elephant mothers, and should we be editing the genes of an already endangered species rather than helping the breading of that host species. <br /><br />However, I would hope my story may inspire children to look into cloning, as it's methods can be utilised to help endangered species. Like, Elizabeth Ann, the black-footed ferret, who was cloned from a ferret that died more than 30 years before she was born. This kind of cloning means you can inject genetic diversity into dwindling population giving them a better chance of regaining numbers and avoiding extinction. This is work that is supported by the <a href="https://reviverestore.org/">Revive and Restore</a> initiative. <br /><br />So of course the mammoth news, is exciting but uncomfortable, both due to the big question SHOULD WE. But also on a more selfish and personal note for me. I have been writing this novel for a while, and very few people I spoke to about it, had ever heard of the Mammoth Revival Project. But now it’s big news, and with me having issues with spelling and grammar due to Dyslexia, I can take a little longer than most to get my work submission ready. So, I’m worried someone will now see this news, and work this concept up into a submit-able manuscript and pit me to the post whilst I’m still making mine conform to the English language. It may sound like I’m being ridiculously paranoid, but this has happen many times in the past, so it is rather raw injury. <br /><br />So that is me, done, and off to feverously try and get my manuscript polished ready for submission. Wish me luck! <br /><br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3X39QBZgGY8/YUh3oWuP8cI/AAAAAAAAEkI/WX4isharqQwyh1o4oCCmscaCB1d8N415gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mammoths%2Bspet%2B21%2Bc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3X39QBZgGY8/YUh3oWuP8cI/AAAAAAAAEkI/WX4isharqQwyh1o4oCCmscaCB1d8N415gCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Mammoths%2Bspet%2B21%2Bc.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-33684349878154422192021-07-19T11:49:00.003+01:002021-07-19T15:15:52.582+01:00Maptastic World Building.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KhGU6wiNKr8/YPVYVTZOD_I/AAAAAAAAEio/90ox-Og6uRkGMMyNGyhE9TX9mVXJR7VugCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/North%2BAmerican%2BContinant%2B-%2Bworld%2Bof%2BMammoth%2BWhisperer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1445" data-original-width="2048" height="357" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KhGU6wiNKr8/YPVYVTZOD_I/AAAAAAAAEio/90ox-Og6uRkGMMyNGyhE9TX9mVXJR7VugCLcBGAsYHQ/w554-h357/North%2BAmerican%2BContinant%2B-%2Bworld%2Bof%2BMammoth%2BWhisperer.jpg" width="554" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I love a good map. The first map I ever saw in a book, was Tolkien’s map of Middle Earth in The Hobbit, when my mother red it to us when I was a child. I loved the map, and would study it for hours. You see I couldn’t re-read the book myself due to my low-reading age due to my undiagnosed dyslexia, BUT I could stare at the map and imagine myself going on the journey and experiencing Bilbo’s adventures. It was a visual tool that allowed me entrance back into the story.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mPBjwJAeTM8/YPVWojSaKKI/AAAAAAAAEh0/XvZW0aX0dacUjxOhocrCRopSwGu9FHjkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/middle%2Bearth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mPBjwJAeTM8/YPVWojSaKKI/AAAAAAAAEh0/XvZW0aX0dacUjxOhocrCRopSwGu9FHjkQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/middle%2Bearth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div> <br />The next map I saw was when I was in my mid-teens was of One Hundred Acre Wood by E.H. Shepard. I loved it for its intricacy and pen-man ship, but it was a bit of a shock, as I already had seen it in bright Disney animation, with Poo jumping between the pages, the original is however much more intriguing and inviting, which is probably why the original fetched £430,000 at auction in 2018! <br /><br />When I was at school I was good at both geography and art (both of which I went on to study at degree) so of course everyone put two and two together and thought I should pursue a career in cartography of course none one took into account my bad sense of direction, or the fact I didn’t know (and still don’t) my left from my right. However how that I’m writing and world building, I find map-making hugely helpful. <br /><br /><blockquote style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;">‘I wisely started with a map and made the story fit,’</span></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;"> J. R. R. Tolkien, 1954 </span></blockquote><br /><br />Unlike the very wise Mr Tolkien, I usually start with a story, then when it all starts to get complicated, I put pen to paper and draw a map, (and characters and landscapes). But the map is probably the most helpful, and the only thing you can’t get anywhere else, unlike characters, where you can get photographs from the internet (or like Roald Dahl did, keep a stock of photos cut out from magazines and newspapers.)</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NGDkeISveq4/YPVW3cYf8DI/AAAAAAAAEh4/wdZ3OxTXktwC1k-kRLOqrlsdj5G9ORRqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/bone%2Bfactory.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NGDkeISveq4/YPVW3cYf8DI/AAAAAAAAEh4/wdZ3OxTXktwC1k-kRLOqrlsdj5G9ORRqwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/bone%2Bfactory.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />I have tried my hand at cartography for a few of my books, one a sci-fi fantasy YA, it was more of a drawing of planets and more recently I have tried my hand at a more traditional map for my WIP mammoth book, of both the geographical area and the main complex. It is so helpful to actually see where everything is in realisation to each other, and for unlocking key aspects of plot. Of course some writers like Terry Pratchett can keep it all in their heads, and never make a mistake, but for me I need to see it to really write it. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HuQvYF-MJNE/YPVXB2GHCbI/AAAAAAAAEiA/HqRwn2x0YDcRdI9w3zzU1ALbzZI_MWcUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mammoth%2BWhisper%2BMRP%2Band%2BAPT%2BMAP%2Bcomplete%2BMAY%2B21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="2048" height="283" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HuQvYF-MJNE/YPVXB2GHCbI/AAAAAAAAEiA/HqRwn2x0YDcRdI9w3zzU1ALbzZI_MWcUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h283/Mammoth%2BWhisper%2BMRP%2Band%2BAPT%2BMAP%2Bcomplete%2BMAY%2B21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />One thing I have discovered is that although I’m an artist by training (one thing I can do is draw!) Sadly my maps aren’t spectacular. In comparison however my 15 year old son, is a very talented map-maker. He had previously been commissioned to draw maps for peoples Dungeons and Dragons quests, and his world building is fantastic. He starts with maps, and then works on the biomes, eco-systems, faunas, flora, cultures, histories, cuisine, fashion, languages and mythologies. All these things are rooted and inspired by the original map and type of biome he’s created. I am in no way envious of his commitment or talent honest!</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lqi6Rro0DI/YPVXKVpZfUI/AAAAAAAAEiI/8ZG8WqU7_sg47CCzBkAI9qoHE7ZZ2-kFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1754/spikes%2Bmaps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1754" height="283" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lqi6Rro0DI/YPVXKVpZfUI/AAAAAAAAEiI/8ZG8WqU7_sg47CCzBkAI9qoHE7ZZ2-kFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h283/spikes%2Bmaps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son's world building & Map making</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </div><br />In fact I think maps are an essential part of world building – just as much as mind-maps as an essential part of plotting. Like Tolkien’s map of Bilbo journey ‘there and back again’ in The Hobbit helped me enter Middle Earth, creating map helps me enter the world and experience it, and even envision the environment , making it easier to describe but crucially see how the biome will influence the plot .</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3L9tpTYNCRM/YPVXYIQnoLI/AAAAAAAAEiQ/egQvQh9gLKkfJfdLYi36XT6_yrtzXpAqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/map%2Bbook%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3L9tpTYNCRM/YPVXYIQnoLI/AAAAAAAAEiQ/egQvQh9gLKkfJfdLYi36XT6_yrtzXpAqQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/map%2Bbook%2B2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />So if you haven’t tried drawing a map yet, I totally encourage you to do so, it really doesn’t matter about how well you draw (after all Tolkien wasn’t a great artist and his maps are possibly the most famous in fiction!) If you need any more encouragement I suggest you have a look at the beautiful celebration of fictional maps, in the lovely book The Writers Map edited by Huw Lewis-Jones, that explores fictional maps, and how to create them.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSfO3w6zAns/YPVXdnn3JsI/AAAAAAAAEiY/TZiQbOl7CNkXJKqXAwVDvaUK2_5EgR_bQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/map%2Bbook%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSfO3w6zAns/YPVXdnn3JsI/AAAAAAAAEiY/TZiQbOl7CNkXJKqXAwVDvaUK2_5EgR_bQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/map%2Bbook%2B1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-63692328933714501032021-07-15T14:37:00.002+01:002021-07-15T14:37:33.352+01:00The Rubber Ball of Doubt<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Six-TKwyxOo/YPA4bh0XpkI/AAAAAAAAEgk/7IJThmNbZSo113GALqexmGTfy5cYo3ezwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1203/doubt%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1203" height="325" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Six-TKwyxOo/YPA4bh0XpkI/AAAAAAAAEgk/7IJThmNbZSo113GALqexmGTfy5cYo3ezwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h325/doubt%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br /><br />This week I had a serious dose of the Doubts. It’s a feeling I and many writers (especially pre-published) know well, as it happens again and again. In my mind doubt is made of rubber and like the song says, ‘Rubber ball keeps on bouncing back to me.’ <br /><br />One day I’m full of confidence, sure that I’m a good writer, convinced that my latest WIP has commercial appeal, a unique concept and a strong voice and plot. Optimistic that if I keep honing my craft and keep submitting that one day it’ll happen, I’ll get picked up and get my book in print.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inrL0gp4dKk/YPA4is1S2JI/AAAAAAAAEgs/3yGD4xijP8EmCA8jcyjeSoxcQMINylRQACLcBGAsYHQ/s978/doubt%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="978" height="363" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inrL0gp4dKk/YPA4is1S2JI/AAAAAAAAEgs/3yGD4xijP8EmCA8jcyjeSoxcQMINylRQACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h363/doubt%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />The next day I’m anxious and depressed mess as doubt crashes my positive party. Suddenly it’s, ‘My writing isn’t good enough.’ ‘My writing will never be good enough.’ ‘My extra issues that my dyslexia pose are getting worse raising the hurdles higher and unsurmountable.’ The universe and time are conspiring to make sure that my dream of becoming a published author is never happens’. <br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;">So why is it that one day I’m so optimistic and the next I’m full of pessimism? </span></h3><div>It only takes one thing, like a… <br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A rejection that I’ve not indigested the feedback. (Once I read the comments and understand them, usually I can throw thee rubber ball away again.) </li></ul><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A long-list missed. </li></ul><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A spelling or grammar mistakes which I have found after I have pressed send on the submission.</li></ul><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br />So why does it get me so down with doubt? </span></h3><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>All the voices of all the people that have told me am not allowed to write because of my dyslexia comes flooding back into my write telling me ‘ I can’t write.’ Then all the other voices telling me what I can’t do because of my dyslexia join the party too. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ihvMTyUDZsA/YPA0Bq649rI/AAAAAAAAEgU/RuyBzi_GufcwguQ8Azqgp22U4yZBUTZFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1212/dreams%2Bdashed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1212" height="382" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ihvMTyUDZsA/YPA0Bq649rI/AAAAAAAAEgU/RuyBzi_GufcwguQ8Azqgp22U4yZBUTZFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h382/dreams%2Bdashed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></li></ul><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Knowing that NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY, my spelling isn’t getting better, and I will never be able to get my manuscript void of all dyslexia-isums. And despite being far away from the bread line that I can’t afford to get every submission copyedited. </li></ul><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The niggling worry that despite the current move of inclusivity within the industry for diverse authors, including neuro-diverse writers, that although there are other dyslexic writers that are successfully published, that my dyslexia is pretty bad and maybe I’m just too far up the spectrum to get published. </li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VXfSTizrWu8/YPA5jY8uxcI/AAAAAAAAEhM/FTz60T8gUd8gRd6XNO8PQ8Tt2uLuZSupgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1552/throw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1552" data-original-width="1504" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VXfSTizrWu8/YPA5jY8uxcI/AAAAAAAAEhM/FTz60T8gUd8gRd6XNO8PQ8Tt2uLuZSupgCLcBGAsYHQ/w388-h400/throw.jpg" width="388" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />So when all these doubts pile up, I have to pull myself up. I look at things logically, and see that the facts haven’t changed. I’ve have still had competition long-listings, short-listings and wins, which seems to confirm I’m not totally bad at writing. I still get more bespoke responses from submission that standard ones. I’m still working and improving my craft. I’m still dyslexic, but the industry is make positive steps to try and make it easier for people like me to get published.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzRrR9wbqPc/YPA4sKJfIeI/AAAAAAAAEgw/YBMW8LGMAd8zfCCxbXvRBgh2G6lxVMwRACLcBGAsYHQ/s981/doubt%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="981" height="330" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzRrR9wbqPc/YPA4sKJfIeI/AAAAAAAAEgw/YBMW8LGMAd8zfCCxbXvRBgh2G6lxVMwRACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h330/doubt%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;">So why when I tell myself all of these things and throw that ball of doubt away, does it always come bouncing back with more velocity? </span></h3><div><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLZk3XclSdo/YPA4_0bHisI/AAAAAAAAEg8/PtRzPnSfw0wxmAzK6B5IS05G4Kvcw8hJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1332/doubt%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1332" height="368" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLZk3XclSdo/YPA4_0bHisI/AAAAAAAAEg8/PtRzPnSfw0wxmAzK6B5IS05G4Kvcw8hJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h368/doubt%2B4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div><br />I don’t know why the rubber ball of doubt seems to hit harder each time, but I do know this; The children’s writing & illustrating community is so supportive of each other, that when I get too tried to throw that rubber ball away, someone, will say, ‘hay, take a break,’ and they throw the ball away for me instead. <br /><br />So sometimes I get down, but I love writing, and I’m surrounded by wonderful supportive people, and we all help one another when that ball of doubt land in our court. So writing onwards I go… <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sPVPqCbtLMU/YPA5ExDDqhI/AAAAAAAAEhA/TJ6v3ls8lekqSo56htmAd3lZPBkcOlSSQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1530/doubt%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="1509" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sPVPqCbtLMU/YPA5ExDDqhI/AAAAAAAAEhA/TJ6v3ls8lekqSo56htmAd3lZPBkcOlSSQCLcBGAsYHQ/w395-h400/doubt%2B5.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div></blockquote><div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-47631097915941062972021-07-06T11:35:00.001+01:002021-07-06T11:37:06.100+01:00Clearing the Cotton Wool (in a vain hope to boost my creativity)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDU0Ybz94Y/YOQyRrIiUUI/AAAAAAAAEfw/pMiXdP1MZOAYxNasLpgM5umpMviWSZ81gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1642" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDU0Ybz94Y/YOQyRrIiUUI/AAAAAAAAEfw/pMiXdP1MZOAYxNasLpgM5umpMviWSZ81gCLcBGAsYHQ/w321-h400/9.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br />Lately I’ve been struggling to get my brain in gear and enable me to be productive. I can’t seem to stick to task, or achieve the momentum of creative flow, even decide on a course of action or remember anything. Many of you will know the feeling - the feeling that your brain is clogged up with cotton wool. <br /><br />This is me presently – struggling with cotton wool brain and it is SOOOOOOO frustrating. The issue is made worse as my POTS (Postal Tachycardia Syndrome) making me tired, light headed, giving tummy issues and BRAIN FOG (which is another way of describing Cotton Wool Brain.) Add to this my dyslexia, causing me difficulties with my short term memory and concentration it all adds up to one thing, a bad case of cotton wool brain and reduced creativity. <br /><br />This results in my confidence taking a hit which causes my mood to plunge which means I get anxious about not being creative enough. This then makes me doubt my ability to write and to navigate around the substantial extra hurdles my health issues and neuro diversity place on the path to publication. All of this of course makes my cotton wool brain to get worse. <br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;">So How to Clear the Cotton Wool from my Brain? </span></h3><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #351c75;"><b>Exercise</b> </span>is one of the best ways to relive POTS related symptoms including brain fog. However POTS also makes me medically exercise intolerant as my heart is already strained by just keeping me upright. Add to this my dodgy hips making most exercise impossible, and hyper flexibility which mean I can and have broken bones and dislocated joints my standing still - let alone moving or exercising. This makes exercise a challenge. Despite all the challenges my health issue present on my ability to exercise, I do walk everyday - as long as it’s on flat ground and good terrain. Of course some days it my hips are bad I can’t walk at all.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSL8jwt3x2Q/YOQw8ZiiyII/AAAAAAAAEe4/mO5eYxaG1FEm3yFrsfCe3E5I0I6JvJ-IACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSL8jwt3x2Q/YOQw8ZiiyII/AAAAAAAAEe4/mO5eYxaG1FEm3yFrsfCe3E5I0I6JvJ-IACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/7.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><span style="color: #351c75;">Lists and Post-its.</span></b> I have to-do lists and post-its everywhere. this is to try and focus my brain on the most important tasks and to combat my bad short term memory - to try and reduce the possibility of me forgetting anything.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bAzBIIzljas/YOQxVgdxKPI/AAAAAAAAEfM/sJznziBp8GUNB1St4bm2OXq37lw05UIkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/postit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bAzBIIzljas/YOQxVgdxKPI/AAAAAAAAEfM/sJznziBp8GUNB1St4bm2OXq37lw05UIkwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/postit.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #351c75;"><b>Eating better.</b> </span> Eating better, can help ease my POTS symptoms including the cotton wool brain. This of course takes time to plan and prepare, but the benefits are worth it. Just look at Deliciously Ella, who had really debilitating POTS which she managed through diet.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7tux6vKlw1g/YOQxPUVZmhI/AAAAAAAAEfE/MkoyJ84lL4kTuRflYUJg7TzTVk6j-_RvACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ella.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7tux6vKlw1g/YOQxPUVZmhI/AAAAAAAAEfE/MkoyJ84lL4kTuRflYUJg7TzTVk6j-_RvACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/ella.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><span style="color: #351c75;">Better Sleep.</span> </b>This is obvious, but when I have a bad case of cotton wool brain, it usually comes with a bad bout of POTS and hyper flexibility - which means more pain. Joints, Hips, and a bad tummy which makes sleeping difficult. Also due to my hyper flexibility I can’t take any sleeping aids, as these relax the muscles, and if I do, I can’t walk in the morning. So this is difficult, and any tip gratefully received.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WxcmUGMUP70/YOQxed-iOAI/AAAAAAAAEfQ/00s1BHCc3vgjbfule2ktbvMntA-5_X3bQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WxcmUGMUP70/YOQxed-iOAI/AAAAAAAAEfQ/00s1BHCc3vgjbfule2ktbvMntA-5_X3bQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><span style="color: #351c75;">Getting Out.</span></b> Sometimes the best was to clear the cotton wool is to force its out. If I change the environment, by going anywhere that isn’t home, there are fewer distractions. This means if I take a note pad and pen, and put that pen to the paper, I actually write. It may be BAD writing, but l think of it like panning for gold; you have to work through a lot of dirt to get the nougat. This forces the rain to cast aside the cotton wool enough to stick to task. Even if the output isn’t the best quality, it is a start and the next time I try and write it is easier.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_F14ivMLHg/YOQxmZazu_I/AAAAAAAAEfc/Y8A_uSYvfTcIw4vnY69y-P4Ii4jwfdEmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_F14ivMLHg/YOQxmZazu_I/AAAAAAAAEfc/Y8A_uSYvfTcIw4vnY69y-P4Ii4jwfdEmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />All in all cotton wool brain is frustrating. Sometimes it is a massive challenge to clear it all. But then I’m a dyslexic trying to make a career in writing, so challenge is something I rise too – although slightly slowly and wobbly , I do rise. <br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AX9qlccDXMU/YOQxsQ5vEPI/AAAAAAAAEfg/sl9cPnO2zf81c9IuhHYcmhluqVn7CIMlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AX9qlccDXMU/YOQxsQ5vEPI/AAAAAAAAEfg/sl9cPnO2zf81c9IuhHYcmhluqVn7CIMlgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032322069434415138.post-47462109868806843222021-03-01T09:29:00.006+00:002021-03-01T10:55:12.279+00:00A Year of Lockdown Reading - ( ALMOST!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qwjl7JDE4M0/YDyxZYWovHI/AAAAAAAAEZs/EdSoD6cHjW0fjcUgs73M_B-v2Z8umgz5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Lockdown%2Breading.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qwjl7JDE4M0/YDyxZYWovHI/AAAAAAAAEZs/EdSoD6cHjW0fjcUgs73M_B-v2Z8umgz5gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/Lockdown%2Breading.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The pandemic has changed reading habits. I have some friends who’ve expressed concerns that during the Covid19 chaos and subsequent Lockdowns, that they’ve stopped reading. Others seem to be overjoyed at rediscovering books and the places they take you, that if only temporally, it gives you an escape from reality <a href="https://epigram.org.uk/2020/07/23/literature-through-lockdown-what-we-can-learn-from-our-readings-of-the-classics/" target="_blank">(press here to see more).</a><br /><br />Book sales are up and according to reports its mostly classic titles or books by establish authors that people are purchasing, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/25/book-sales-surge-self-isolating-readers-bucket-list-novels" target="_blank">(press here to find out more</a>). As people use the extra time to catch up on the reading they’ve always meant to do, or crave the familiar and revisit old favourites. <br /><br />There, been some big stories, from celebrities learning to love reading again,<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/dec/28/your-worries-disappear-east-17s-tony-mortimer-on-discovering-reading-as-a-50-year-old" target="_blank"> (press here)</a> to illiterate adults who have spent lockdown learning to read<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-54870696" target="_blank"> (press here).</a><br /><br />One thing is certain, for better or for worse the pandemic and lockdown has changed peoples reading habits. I’ve bucked the trend. I am not reading less, or more. I’ve also not returned to old favourites, or embarked on devouring classics. But my reading habits have changed. <br /><br />Usually I exclusively read kids and YA fiction, however I’ve found that I’m reading less children’s books, I just can’t seem to finish them (don’t worry I’m passionate about kids lit, so I’m sure it's temporary), and I have opted for an eclectic mix of books which is actually a balance of adults fiction and non-fiction. <br /><br />So the books that have got me through the pandemic so far are …<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-haUYqjoUzbg/YDywlMV9zEI/AAAAAAAAEZg/023FlIutojEVw_xSrJZWYJ7Jn8XwaCzhACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/neanderthals.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-haUYqjoUzbg/YDywlMV9zEI/AAAAAAAAEZg/023FlIutojEVw_xSrJZWYJ7Jn8XwaCzhACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/neanderthals.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div> <br /><b><span style="color: #20124d;">The Smart Neanderthal, Clive Finlayson </span></b>– A non-fiction book about the authors research into Neanderthal, and primarily their relationships with birds, from the evidence found within the caves of the Gibraltar Rock, and how’s it challenged and changed the way Neanderthal, are viewed. <br /><br /><b><span style="color: #20124d;">How to Think like a Neanderthal </span></b>– Thomas Wynn and Frederick L. Coolidge – a non-fiction book that examines the anthropological evidence about Neanderthals and how this can be assembled to give us a greater understanding about how they lived and possibly how they thought.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9rlCCLShMLQ/YDyu2dFmo1I/AAAAAAAAEYY/5snbgVrRwcgvhNDu04dwx5VxmChoWlD4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/resaerch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9rlCCLShMLQ/YDyu2dFmo1I/AAAAAAAAEYY/5snbgVrRwcgvhNDu04dwx5VxmChoWlD4gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/resaerch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br /><b><span style="color: #20124d;">How to Clone a Mammoth, The Science of De-Extinction</span></b> - Beth Shapiro – A non-fiction exploration about genetic and cloning and how it can be applied to help endangered animals and combat global warming. <br /><br /><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Mammoths, Ice age Giants- Adam Lister</span></b> – non Fiction beautifully illustrated book crammed full of facts about this ice-age mega-fauna. <br /><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><br />Get a Grip on Genetics</b></span> – Martin Brookes - A beginner’s guide to genetics in easy to consume bitesize chunks.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #20124d;">The Hedgehog Handbook</span></b> – Sally Coulthard – A beautiful charming non-fiction book, with a month by month account of a hedgehog’s life in the wild. Juxtaposed with facts about their dwindling numbers, challenges, and what we can do to help, paired with exquisite illustrations.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EoASTAQu8z0/YDyvLdu3EEI/AAAAAAAAEYo/eK6jyfUmvxonlrzbYkeWS5k0h__0tlBGACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Headgehog%2Bhandbook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EoASTAQu8z0/YDyvLdu3EEI/AAAAAAAAEYo/eK6jyfUmvxonlrzbYkeWS5k0h__0tlBGACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/Headgehog%2Bhandbook.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>Jumbo , This being the True Story of The Greatest Elephant in the World</b></span> – Paul Chambers – A nonfiction biography about the world most famous ever elephant<span style="text-align: start;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J2Ly7DCH8U8/YDyu_NVr6mI/AAAAAAAAEYc/Mit67JRtQkghxJrLvrLd4MpIr5uBOFHIACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/jumbo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J2Ly7DCH8U8/YDyu_NVr6mI/AAAAAAAAEYc/Mit67JRtQkghxJrLvrLd4MpIr5uBOFHIACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/jumbo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br /><b><span style="color: #20124d;">The American Gods Quintet </span></b>- Neil Gainman – finally getting around to reading the two novels and two novella, that have been recommended to me by so many friends. Loved being immersed in the deliciously dark and bonkers world of forgotten deities</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IO70fVT_J_s/YDyvgR-4XOI/AAAAAAAAEY4/NpnVK7HQdcgttMh40RoZMg358GJppWVMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/American%2BGods.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IO70fVT_J_s/YDyvgR-4XOI/AAAAAAAAEY4/NpnVK7HQdcgttMh40RoZMg358GJppWVMwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/American%2BGods.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is only three books here because one of the novella's is in the back of American Gods novel.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </div><br /><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>The Constant Rabbit</b></span> – Jasper Fforde – A trippy trip to an alternative version of the UK, with talking animorphised rabbits. Bonkers and brilliant.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0VWWPYw_EU/YDyvnnaHvwI/AAAAAAAAEY8/cQ8wGolKFJEs51ImY4KETRT63zY8zIZJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Constant%2BRabbit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0VWWPYw_EU/YDyvnnaHvwI/AAAAAAAAEY8/cQ8wGolKFJEs51ImY4KETRT63zY8zIZJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Constant%2BRabbit.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><br /><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Mammoth </span></b>– Chris Flynn; A creative non-fiction/ fiction (I’m not sure) biographical account of one American Mastodon’s existence in life and after death when his soul is woken as his fossilised remains are unearthed. Recounted by the creature himself, to other artefacts as they await the action where they'll be sold off. This is charming, original and such a breath of fresh air. A true masterpiece.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jkm02DQApSU/YDyvt7g5NtI/AAAAAAAAEZA/tHadS7iUQiIHONUeHS3Z9LPBfdUHEG_2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mammoth%2Bfiction.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jkm02DQApSU/YDyvt7g5NtI/AAAAAAAAEZA/tHadS7iUQiIHONUeHS3Z9LPBfdUHEG_2QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/Mammoth%2Bfiction.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br /><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>The Library of the Unwritten</b></span> – A. J. Hackwith; Step in into the library in Hell where all unwritten books are stored, sometimes waking up, manifested into one of the characters and are restless (or mad) as their story arch's haven't been finished. Plus a war brewing between Heaven and Hell that only a Librarian, a muse, a woken book and a demonized soul of a teenage boy can prevent.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYszm84mjZ0/YDyv0exCahI/AAAAAAAAEZI/hkGFOjkyptscgcDwADrx7YR8JnbztMQFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Library%2Bof%2BUnwritten.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYszm84mjZ0/YDyv0exCahI/AAAAAAAAEZI/hkGFOjkyptscgcDwADrx7YR8JnbztMQFgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/Library%2Bof%2BUnwritten.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br />If you need any motivation to crack on and get an unfinished manuscript completed, then read this. After reading this, I picked up a story I started in 2013 and finished it, as so not to torment my characters! <br /><br /><b><span style="color: #20124d;">The Boy the Horse the Fox and the Mole</span></b>: I was so late discovering this book, but it is so beautiful, and the perfect antidote to the pandemic, which the whole family fell in love with it, so we brought copied an got them sent to friends and family.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J1GxeGXAqUg/YDyv9jcmx-I/AAAAAAAAEZU/dHHCC1XTwvw94nkYA4vsXGFrCFS52KnSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s3024/boy%2Bfox%2Bmole%2Band%2Bhorse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J1GxeGXAqUg/YDyv9jcmx-I/AAAAAAAAEZU/dHHCC1XTwvw94nkYA4vsXGFrCFS52KnSgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/boy%2Bfox%2Bmole%2Band%2Bhorse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br /> <br />These books really helped me get through the pandemic so far , I don’t know exactly why my reading habits during these strange times has changed, or why I’ve changed the ratio of my reading to be more non-fiction, but it has indeed changed. One thing I’m grateful for, is that I am still reading. As Mason Cooley said, ‘Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” <br /> <br />Also, I know this may not look like much reading, but I am dyslexic and my reading is painfully slow! <br /><br /> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com0