Contest to celebrate!

I’ve finally sent my query out into the world, and am holding my first ever contest to celebrate, or rather, Ginger’s contest to celebrate I’ll have time to feed him again (he does rather well for food I hasten to say, but look at that sweet little grumpy face). A strange but sweet serendipity means that this week I am also celebrating three whole years in blog-land, and finally (but no means least) this is a contest to celebrate you. Yup, you over there, behind your monitor (looking mighty fine today, may I add). I appreciate and read every comment you leave me, and love knowing you like this blog – it really warms my heart. So please enjoy this contest – I had a lot of fun collecting and contemplating the prizes.

There are four prizes to be won, in the order of below. All the prizes reflect me and my vintage / hoarding interests, or are dear to me (and my novel-to-be) in some way. As some of you already know, I collect second-hand Great Pan and Fontana imprints of Agatha Christie books as I adore the cover art (as well as the gorgeous stories). I also collect elderly Puffin children’s books, and am somewhat fascinated by old Ladybird books. I have a burgeoning china tea cup collection (now depleted by one cup!) and more than a healthy interest in vintage broaches. Have I whetted your appetite yet? *grins*

Click through on the pictures to see them in all their glory.

Prize One


China tea cup trio (Paragon) stamped ‘By Appointment of Her Majesty the Queen’
1950s broach (at least, antique dealer said 1950s!)
Agatha Christie ‘The Big Four’ (This edition 2nd printing Pan Books Ltd 1962)
Ladybird Books ‘What to Look for in Winter’ (This edition 1959)
Agatha Christie ‘A Murder is Announced’ (This edition 14th impression Fontana June 1980)
Mary Norton ‘Bedknob and Broomstick’ (This edition Puffin Books 1974)
Wild Flowers Cigarette Card Album (This is complete, dates from 1918 - 1939)

Prize Two



China cream jug (was told it dates from 1930s)
Agatha Christie ‘The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding’ (This edition Fontana 1963)
Agatha Christie ‘A Pocket full of Rye’ (This edition 19th impression Fontana 1975)
George Orwell ‘Down and Out in Paris and London’ (This edition Penguin Modern Classics 1969)
Ladybird Books ‘Fun and Games’ (This edition is 7b in the Key Words Reading Scheme, 1966)

Prize Three


‘Sweet William’ magnet (bought in Glastonbury)
John Wyndham ‘The Day of the Triffids’ (This edition published by Penguin 1981)
Agatha Christie ‘Evil Under the Sun’ (This edition 21st impression Fontana 1978)
Ladybird Books ‘The Story of Lighthouses, Lightships, and Lifeboats’ (This edition 1968)

Prize Four



Daphne du Maurier ‘The Birds, and Other Stories’ (This edition published by Penguin Books 1975, read my review here)
Agatha Christie ‘Five Little Pigs’ (This edition 14th impression Fontana 1975)
Ladybird Books ‘The Runaway’ (This edition 1948)

I will also be writing little notes about each prize, why I chose it, and what it means to me (and possibly the novel-to-be). Each prize-winner will also get a postcard about the novel-to-be, which reveals a secret! And that is all I am saying about that (zips mouth).

RULES

This competition is open to everyone no matter where you live in the world
You must be a follower of this blog. Be a ‘lovely folk’ and click the follow button!
You must leave a comment on this blog post

Extra entries can be gained by:
Linking to this blog post from your blog (+1)
Linking to this blog post by using the picture of Ginger on your side-bar or where-ever it fits! (+1)
Tweeting about this contest (+1)
Nb - if you do any of these things please let me know in case I miss them. Thanks!

Deadline is August 8th to give folk enough time to see it. Wish me luck with my query! And good luck to you too.

PS - I did originally put 'four' years being in blog-land, but that is because I am a muppet who cannot count. Hee!

A Year Old!

I distinctly remember telling myself earlier this week that I absolutely had to make a post Thursday… hence here we are, rather late on a Friday. But the wine has been poured – for my blog is a whole year (and a day) old! Cheers!

And here is the very first post, if anyone needs a refresher. Ah, back in the days when the flat was ‘our new flat’, and not the ‘very draughty, swallows electricity and burps out bills’ flat. Still it has been inspirational – and I have done what I set out to do a year ago, the novel is finished. I haven’t sent it anywhere yet, still polishing the synopsis and doing my agent research, but it’s almost ready to go. It’s like the pause for the final cigarette break before going over the top… that is what it feels like! But no matter what, I have a story I am very happy with, and that is the main thing.

It really does feel like this bit has come to an end now, as I start working full time at a lovely company on Monday. It is Job B, folks – and I have to say they romped home to a diamond finish this week – you couldn’t have wished for better pre-employee care, put it that way. It certainly put all my fears to bed – and perhaps the majority of those were really fuelled by the thought of leaving my little room to go into the big wide world again, to be honest. I think it’s quite easy to become a little agoraphobic working by yourself at home, and I do tend to get a bit like that. But I think (with me) a big amplifier of these feelings was the doubt about what I was doing… giving up work to write a novel? Literally spending all my life savings supporting myself? Was I insane? It’s hard to justify yourself when part of you wonders at the logic… still, I’d do it again.

Stages to writing a novel

Preparation!
I had been saving money to buy a flat, so did a year of living back with my mum in order to save as much as I could. I also worked full time (plus odd weekends), hardly bought anything, told everyone my clothes were ‘retro’ and ‘vintage’ when in fact they were just ‘old’. Then as it turned out I didn't buy a flat, but rented somewhere, and started this crazy notion instead.

Budget!
Work out a budget from your savings, and then spend time blowing it on Argos home delivery, and blackberries.

Faff!
Spend a while wondering what on earth you are doing, and where to start.

Research!
As no matter how much you do, you could always do more...

Get cracking!
Sooner or later you have to start writing, and after a while you discover that your muse is a contrary beast that only stirs late at night , or for chocolate.

Get stuck!
Writer's block? Stalled? Oh dearie me...

Inherit odd pets!
I mean, who ends up with a nest of ladybirds?

Go stir-crazy!
Sings: I like the printer, it prints for me - God made the printer and God made me...

The end is nigh!
Budget or novel, budget or novel ...

Finit!
Can it be true? My word, I think it is!

Quick - get a job!
And sing that song by the Silhouettes: Get a job, sha-na-na-na...

And there you have it folks - what to do in one year! Shall we do it again?