Wednesday 25 May 2011

A Distracted Writer

writer2.jpg
I am meant to be working on a novel I am writing. It doesn't have a title yet, but it's about twin sisters. I am about 40,000 words into it,  which I consider to be about half way, probably a little less than half way. No one has looked at it yet, which is a little scary. I am still very much in first draft mode and quite stuck as to how the second half of the book should unfold. I am finding it just so hard to concentrate. The passage that I am meant to be writing about takes place in LA, so I am spending time reading blogs about LA, looking at clips of LA on youtube, and generally farting about. 

I would love to know if there are any bloggers out there who live in LA? 

Just another excuse to ask them lots of questions and not really get down to writing.

I have been watching Jamie's Food Revolution on television, partly because it's set in LA. He seems like a passionate, genuine guy on a mission. 


Tuesday 24 May 2011

Neom Organics for insomniacs

During my role as Beauty and Health writer for International Life, I discovered a brand that I really love and use: Neom Organics.  At Christmas, I gave my friends and family their reed diffusers for making rooms smell wonderful; they are ingenious and really stylish and produce three subtle smells, depending on which one you choose. All the products are organic, but also luxurious and beautifully packaged. Their bath oil and skin cream is sensational and  is perfect if you want to feel gorgeous and pampered. They have just come up with a new concept -  a box containing a candle, bath oil, body moisturizer and pillow spray to help people like me, who have trouble sleeping. Magic. I really like to know that I am covering my body with something that doesn't contain synthetic smells and toxic ingredients. 




Thursday 19 May 2011

Wicked Young Writers Award

This is a great writing competition for children, and the dead line is at the end of July. I've just been reading the anthology with all of last year's finalists and the standard is high.  So high in fact, it's hard not to believe that some of them have had some help. The youngest category is 5-11 and goes up to age 25. 

My son will be entering his poem about a made up monster!

Wednesday 18 May 2011

75 Words

Creative writing website for authors and readers. 75 words, changing daily. Submit your
paragraph today.


The opening few lines (slightly edited to fit 75 words) of my new novel, Seven Days One Summer, posted on this site today (Wednesday)

Is It Just Me Or Are Fad Diets a Waste of Time and Money?

I had lunch with a friend the other day. While I tucked into a substantial salad she sipped a sad black tea and boasted that she had lost 9...