Who was driving and where were they headed?...

From today's TV3 news headlines e-mailout "Police Find 14 Sheep Crammed Into a Car" - as a writer for children I love this kind of headline. Of course, as an animal lover, my first thought was for the welfare of the poor creatures, but the second thought following swiftly after the first was, which sheep was driving, and where were they headed? A bar perhaps...? Okay maybe not a bar if its a story for children but this is a headline ripe with possibilities. Trouble with me lately is that story ideas are popping out like, well, popping corn. I've had three new novel ideas in the last week (one the result of deciding I rather liked the word Runny as a character's name). And like me, my ideas are annoyingly impatient. I have two other must-do projects on my plate at the moment and these ideas keep bouncing excitedly into my mind's eye. I love new ideas, I just wish they had better timing. I am at the hard part for both projects which renders me especially distractable. And being generally undisciplined just adds a degree of difficulty. I need to be locked in a cell, or become a hermit or take Holy Orders.....

And no matter how pressing my deadlines are, as expectations continue to be inversely proportional to reality I have been desperately craving distraction in the form of good-dumb-fun movies. I've recently seen Iron Man 2 and Prince of Persia and while neither are optimal examples of their genre or form I have thoroughly enjoyed them none-the-less. They are pure escapism with my favourite kind of leading guy (buff, handsome, witty and smart and not Tom Cruise) and those hours in the cinema have been most fortifying.

And now, courtesy of the miracles of modern technology, this week you can find me in several locations at once. I shall be, as always faithful friends, burbling on here at my very own blog while simultaneously guest blogging over at UK blog Tall Tales and Short Stories.

Hello out there...

You win some, you lose some. This little chick, still in egg, got all the way to the acquisitions meeting but fell off the table and broke. I have had a number of positive remarks regarding this particular manuscript but then for various reasons they still say no. Its fair to say I'm disappointed. The agent has smacked some sticky tape on the crack and its off to another publisher. The more I hang around in this business the more I appreciate how slow it all goes. I think this manuscript has legs so I will continue to have faith. I will try and bolster my patience with some patience bolstering vitamins...

In better news, as the result of my son's rubbish collecting habits and my eavesdropping on idle 11 year old boy chit-chat, I have a new story idea. I like it. It could be loads of fun and action. Question though - can I wait to finish my YA before I get started on this? And do I stick with the boy protagonist or should I make it a girl this time. My inclination was to have a boy but I'm not sure if its intuition or habit speaking.

And yesterday my SO and I talked holiday. I am desperate for one and our conversation has given me hope. I do love anticipation... especially when its about a holiday.

And last but not least I have a challenge for anyone reading. If you haven't already - say hi! Introduce yourself! Leave a comment! I'd love to know who you are...