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.

Rejection #7

Date Submitted: 29th September 2014

Date Rejected: 7th October 2014

Response Time: 5 working days

Form for Response: Form letter, no further request. 

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Given that this was a snail-mail submission and that the response came back in less than a week, I have the sneaking suspicion that I did something wrong in my submission... poop.

Nevertheless, the fact that the person who emailed me forgot change the name of the novel when she copied and pasted the form letter, suggests perhaps its not too much of a loss. 

To whoever wrote 'Lloyd's Book of Humour': I'm sorry they didn't like your book either. Perhaps we could form a support group?

Rejection #6

Date Submitted: 14th May 2014

Date Rejected: 7th August 2014

Response Time: 12 weeks (approx. 3 months)

Form for Response: Brief email (form possibly)

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Argh! How did I forget to blog this one? Much grovelling and many apologies. 

Possibly it has to do with my actually really wanting this agency to like me...

I sent this before my recent edits (and actually I think there were a few other amendments made in between as well). Further evidence that you should be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN of your manuscript before you submit. Though, I must admit, I did think it was ready. So, who am I to preach?

Anyway, I received a brief email from this (very small) agency quite some time after submitting. Although it seemed pre-composed, it did include statements like, "You're clearly very talented", and that the work had "an intriguing premise". I'd like to flatter myself that not every submission hears that! Ha ha. Such a big head I have!