I took this photo of a woman doing Tai Chi on a beach inWest Sussex.I could do with some of her serenity right now. I am googly-eyed from spending all day staring at the computer screen studying for my hypnotherapy diploma. My brain is frazzled and it’s refusing to cooperate. I don’t think I have… Continue reading I’d like to feel this serene
In preparation for what I fear is going to be an imminent rejection, I thought I’d console myself with a list of famous rejected authors who have since gone on to achieve superstardom in the publishing world. Happily, there are quite a few of them. Here are some biggies: Beatrix Potter had so much trouble… Continue reading 10 famous writers who were rejected before making it big
We are now entering the supreme self-doubt zone (i.e. it’s the fourth week since posting my manuscripts to the publisher). No reply. What does this mean? Have they read them? Or are they buried in a mountain of paper on a desk somewhere? Worse, maybe they’ve read my stories but are now so weak from… Continue reading Keep doing your thing
Have you visited GapingVoid? Or better yet, have you read Hugh MacLeod’s book: Ignore Everybody And 39 Other Keys to Creativity? Hugh draws inspiring cartoons on the back of business cards. I like this one about going your own way because it nicely sums up what the heck I’ve been doing for the past 12 years… Continue reading Repeat after me…”I am NOT a freak!”
I went to the hairdressers yesterday and when I laughed at something the hairdresser said as she was cutting my hair, I noticed there were definite wrinkles around my eyes. Quite a few of them in fact. Good grief! (I have just read ‘Knocked Out By My Nunga-Nungas’ – for research purposes you understand – and… Continue reading Bad clothes day
This is one of my favourite quotes: “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to… Continue reading One idea
It has been almost two weeks since I sent my manuscripts to the publisher. I know that’s not a long time in the publishing world. I’ve read that you can wait up to 3 months to get a reply. 3 months?! I was hoping for a slightly faster response. Here’s why: Two years ago I… Continue reading Waiting…
OK, it's been a week since I sent off my manuscripts and, surprisingly, I have yet to wake up to see helicopters landing in my back garden with publishers leaping out waving multi-million pound contracts. Strange… I posted the manuscripts a week ago, last Friday... so they should have got there on Monday or Tuesday…… Continue reading The helicopters haven’t landed yet
I have finally done it. I have sent my two picture book manuscripts off to a publisher. I am now officially shitting myself. I am preparing myself for a 'thanks but no thanks' response. If I get anything else I will inform you straight away and major celebrations will… Continue reading Breaking news!
I went into Waterstones last week and fell in love. The object of my affection was a picture book called Love Monster by Rachel Bright. Things hadn’t been going well with J and I was feeling rather forlorn to put it mildly (OK, I was moping about thinking I would never find true love). I… Continue reading Love Monster
Katherine Bassford 