Bookcase Reorganising and a Tiny Shelf Tour

After an inexcusably long absence, all I have to offer is a video of me clearing up by bookcase...

Sorry.

End of January Update...

January is finally over! Phew. What a terribly long month it had been. 

I somehow managed to completely avoid my December Update (whoops), but this month I have plenty to talk about so I shan't shirk my duties this time. 

The BIG NEWS is that (dun dun duuuun), I have a new job! 

In a strange twist of fate, after months of applications and interviews and heart-beating frustration, I was approached by an agency looking for a graduate to enter an Insurance Broking firm. Somehow, in spite of never having even thought of such an avenue before, after two interviews, a half-hour written test (word meanings and spot-the-mistake a cake walk, spelling and maths more a treacle skid) and a grilling by the Managing Director, I somehow walked away with a job offer. So from the middle of February I'll be an Accounts Handler in the firm's charities and non-profits department. Mad, mad, mad. I shall be a Monday to Friday office girl! With pencil skirts and deadlines and meetings! How terribly, awfully grown-up.

And rather terrifying. Oh dear. 

I keep reminding myself that there was a reason they hired me and that they know what they're going and that I. Will. Be. Fine. But little waves of worry keep washing over me and I have tiny, half hour panics about such a huge career change. It's a very big, very sudden step that a month ago I didn't even imagine making. I want to do well, though and I really hope it will be fine (IT WILL). I'll try my best. 

Right, deep breath and Big Girl Pants back on. 

Writing wise, I've been pretty productive. My third New Years Resolution, to write every day, has been going well. There is one, little gap in the chain, but in my defence it was the day I got The Job, so I'm letting myself off the hook. 

(In case you're interested, I've been using the 'Don't Break the Chain' 2015 calender designed by Karen Kavett.)

Mostly I've been cracking on with The Sequel, writing little chunks to keep the plot moving. I've also done a few little writing exercises on the days I couldn't get to my previous writing or couldn't think of where to go with the story: describing characters in detail, creating scenery or, today, writing a blog post instead. Lots of little things to keep those writing muscles exercised. 

I've also, for what I think is now the eighth time, been reorganising the opening to Grey Sister. I mean really: what is wrong with me?! I just can't leave it alone! Ha ha. I'm wanting to get the new edits finished this week ready for new submissions before I start The New Job. 

New Job is going to take up a lot of time in the coming weeks (months, even). My greatest worry is that my writing and my ambitions for Grey Sister will fall by the wayside with all these new pressures. Progress may become very slow, but I desperately hope it won't grind to a complete halt. 

I've worked too hard to give up just because the real world gets in my way. 

New Year's Resolutions 2015...

My New Year's Resolutions for 2015!

1. Get a new job (blah blah, very boring and pretty obvious)
2. Read a book every week (52 before the end of 2015)
3. Keep submitting Grey Sister (don't give up!)
4. Write something every day (because every writer should)

I hope you have a lovely New Year and a completely wonderful 2015. 

Alys x

Merry Christmas...!

Seasonal salutations to you all! Hope you have a lovely time, with much merriment, yums and books in your stockings.

Vlog: Post Uni Blues...

End of November Update...

Don't look at the date of the post! I'm on time, honest! (Lies.)

November was pretty poor, writing wise. I didn't send off any submissions and I probably did less than 1000 words of The Sequel. It's been a mixture of laziness and busyness in the past few weeks. Plenty of nights I had time but just sat down in front of the telly or with a book and just didn't move. But I was applying for jobs and I also had an interview which consumed most of a Saturday, so it wasn't all bad. With Christmas up next, I've been doing lots of shop hunting for presents too.

Naughtily, I've been doing a lot of sewing this past month, which has consumed a lot of time. Though these Advent Calenders I made for the Small People in our lives were gifts, so I feel that's allowed.

The patchwork quilt I started making for myself was a little bit more of a time-waster though... but look how pretty! Here it's just loose, but it's all patched together now and I've started on (the incredibly tricky and time consuming) quilting stage. 

So, yeah. Bad month for writing. I knew Christmas was going to be a bother this year! I really don't know how much I'll manage to do in December either. Blurgh.

End of October Update...

Dang it. Dang it. DANG IT! I miss this post every month. Gyah.

October was another submission heavy month, with lots of responses (OK, rejections) coming back from agents. It was good to hear back from some of the submissions I sent a few months ago and get those cleared off the list. Any progress is good progress!

Writing wise, I'm finally starting to get into Grey Sister's sequel. So far I've got 15k+ words, which is slower progress than I'm used to, but I have a better idea of where I'm going next which it good.

I decided not to go in for NaNoWriMo again this year. I have so many other things I need to be concentrating on (cough, real world job, cough) that I just can't dedicate that much time to writing at the moment. And anyway: who put NaNo so close to Christmas?! When would I have time to start my seasonal crafting?

I'm hoping to send out plenty more submissions in November and try and get some more headway on The Sequel.

Rejection #9

Date Submitted: 28th September 2014

Date Rejected: 28th October 2014

Response Time: 1 month

Response Type: Form, no further request.

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"Many thanks for sending us the material for GREY SISTER but I'm afraid that we are going to pass."

Is it just me, or is that kind of a harsh way to say no? 

A Book Related Video...

I'm trying out some Booktubing over on my Youtube channel. Here's the Creatures of the Night TAG, with lots of lovely fantasy recommendations...

Check out Katytastic (the creator of the TAG).

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Get the Books!

Currently Reading - Storm Glass by Maria V Snyder

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The Ill-Made Mute by Cecilia Dart-Thornton

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

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Music from Youtube Music Archives.

Rejection #8

Date Submitted: 1st July 2014

Date Rejected: 14th October 2014

Response Time: 14 weeks (approx 3 1/2 months)

Form for Response: Form letter, no further request. 

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Another pre-recent edits rejection. Not a big surprise, especially as this was a big name agency. They did apologise for the late reply, which was very considerate.