Since this is my last blog of 2018 I thought I would do a little bit of a roundup, and tell you my plans for 2019. I find making goals keeps me focused.
(This is brackets speaking, be warned she totally rambles on in this one… all about her, blah boring blah)
Well, I have a surprise for you later if you’re good…
(Ohhhh, tell me, tell me? Read on folks, Peachy’s life is totally worth reading about… she’s a fabulous fledgling author as described in one of her reviews and writes the most awesomest stuff, with proper good characters and she tells a pretty good story. I think I’ve pulled it back folks)
2018 has been a rollercoaster of a year, mainly starting at the end of March when I decided to write a book (more importantly you started this blog and I was born 😊 Your single biggest achievement in my mind) Well I’m not quite sure about that Brackets, but yes I also started this blog. The reason for this blog was to keep me focused on writing and share my experiences with other new writers to hopefully help them to avoid any mistakes I’ve made – especially on the self-publishing front, and maybe engage other writers to share their experiences. This hasn’t quite worked with regards to engagement, but I have had a steady flow of new followers each week.
So, without further ado, here’s my list of achievements for this year…
o Written a Psychological Thriller, edited it and submitted to 6 agents/publishers – so far 3 rejections – one had nice comments, so that was good.
o Started book 2 in the series approx. 30k so far
o Written countless stories – (She was going to add a word count but couldn’t be bothered to add them all up – she has like verbal… err problems… see kept it clean – there could be kids’ reading this!)
o Won 3rd place in the Newark Book Festival for my short story ‘A night lost to the past’ which I then turned into a 6-part story which I released each week on my blog. I then released it as an e-book to learn the process of self-publishing.
o Set up an Instagram and Twitter account – I would 100% advise that any new writers sign up to Twitter, the support and knowledge is amazing. People really go out of their way to help. Don’t be afraid to ask or offer a kind word and get involved in conversations. Also, I joined some of the Nottingham Writing Group Twitter evenings – these are great for chatting to likeminded people. I also join in on the People’s friend magazine twitter hours which I really enjoy and have made some good pals.
o Taken part in Webinars with publishers and authors. @IAMInPrint are worth looking up, some great webinars coming up in 2019.
o Created an Amazon author page and spent many many frustrating hours learning how to upload to create an e-book and paperback – I would advise anyone wanting to self-publish to watch all the videos before you start. It will make your life so much easier if you get the format right.
o I created a poll on Twitter and Facebook and people voted for a Christmas scary story. I then wrote A Novella ‘Game of Souls’ which has done amazingly well – I am so pleased, my Novella reached number 40 in Horror/Ghost best sellers and I beat a few of Stephen King’s books (That’s actually pretty cool) I’ve had some fantastic reviews and sales. Here’s the link if you want to buy a copy. https://amzn.to/2C8pAxi
o I volunteered to help at the Newark Book Festival and I am now on the board of trustees and we have many exciting plans for the 2019 festival! You can join up as a festival friend and get invited to meetings and get discounts on some ticketed events for the festival.
o Joined my local writing Group, Fosseway Writers and I now organise the events and help with the social media side.
o I was made redundant from my job as a Library Assistant in a College in July and decided to take time off to concentrate on my writing. Due to my other half providing so much support and sacrificing his dreams of his motorbike shed, aka Man Shed. I’m starting my #manshed campaign, so I will hopefully sell lots of books and he can finally have his man cave!
(hilarious, what about me? I provide all the entertainment on this blog. You would be nothing without me! Nothing! What do I get?? – hey why have you changed my colour? you’re kidding me?? All I get is a new colour scheme after everything that I have done for you?? I’m off to sulk… if I don’t come back let’s see how you do without me…)
o Not writing related but I achieved a bucket list goal of doing a skydive and raised money for a cancer charity for Myeloma Research in Sheffield.
Honestly, I feel tired. (you’re tired – I’ve got post viral fatigue after reading all that) I cannot believe I have achieved all this since April, plus all the other bits and bobs I haven’t listed. Entering competitions, reading everything I can get my hands on, researching publishers (please stop now, everyone’s decided to make an early new year’s resolution to unfollow you and never ever use technology again. That’s how much you’ve bored them) shut it Brackets – thought you were sulking!
(I decided the readers needed me, if they haven’t have died of boredom. I think you should add a noise to announce that I’m talking so that they can come back for the good stuff) Anyway, all this means that I’ve had a fabulous year, with lots of ups and down and many changes. But sometimes we need to take the opportunities life throws at us and run with it.
(You RUN! Run… OMG I just split my brackets…)
So, onto 2019 plans…
o Starting the year off with a few creative writing/story courses/events in Derby. I plan to attend a few more later in the year.
o Finish the chapters for the book collaboration with my writing group, which should be published in July, ready for the Newark Book Festival. 12-14th July for anyone that fancies a fabulous time.
o Try and increase my engagement with readers of my blog.
o I will finish book two by the time I go to New Zealand in February – book 3 will be based in New Zealand so I want to make sure I have Book two finished – but won’t be edited.
o I’ve started a fantasy/role-playing story, which I’m really excited about. I’m going to try and upload some of this to Wattpad in the new year.
o Delete the brackets and make this a serious writing blog (WHAT! Where’s my surprise?? You only said that to make me read this drivel?? Didn’t you…)
o I will be in Singapore/New Zealand/Sydney for 6 weeks. Wi-fi and time allowing I will try and do some blogging whilst there – which has some relevance to writing!
o Depending on what happens with regards to a publishing deal, I will either re-evaluate my novel and submit to other agents/publishers or I will aim to get a professional editor to help me knock it into shape to self-publish.
o (I will promise just to be even funnier – actually scrap that as that’s totally not possible. I’m so funny I split my own sides.. come on you must be laughing right now. If you’re not, you need to sort out your sense of humour – because I will tell you now, I’m the funniest thing on the interweb. And this is free quality comedy entertainment. Laurel and Hardy have nothing on me – I think I need a side-kick in 2019! Yes!!!)
Well about that. I have your surprise…
(Ohhh I cannot wait, an early Christmas present…)
(((Yo Ho Ho, it’s Santa Pirate… no wait… That’s a different day… Ho Ho Ho, it’s Santa Brackets)))
(What?? This is my present? Triple Santa Brackets in red! I think someone needs to speak to WordPress. There is only room for one set of brackets on this blog! I was joking about wanting a side-kick)
(((Now, now… be a good Brackets Boy! Speaking of that, I’m just going to check my ‘Naughty and Nice list’…)))
(List? Oh no. Not another list maker? Peachy is obsessed with lists. Why is this my life! Why was I assigned to this blog? Wait… naughty list? Me? I will 10% be on the nice list. I’m supportive, funny, funny again, witty, intelligent)
(Someone edited that I obviously meant 100% on the naughty list)
(Scrap that I meant nice list. I bet you’re messing with my words – that’s so mean Peachy)
I haven’t had this much fun in ages. Pay-back time Brackets. Love Peachy
Santa looks up from perusing the verrrrry long list, giving Brackets a glare over his reading glasses. Then goes back to reading, stroking his white beard and going hmmmm
(((You appear to be on my Naughty List! Multiple times. Care to explain yourself?)))(That’s very easy actually. My writer Peachy makes stuff up all the time! She’s a total control freak and puts words into my brackets. I mean, come on, the woman is an Author, she makes things up for a living. Well, I say a living…if she doesn’t get a publishing deal she will be back to work in April and then she will be even more cranky than normal! So, as you can see Santa, I have a lot to put up with and throughout it all, I maintain my dignity, self-respect and am always good, always funny – especially the funny part. So, you can just swop me onto the Nice list…)
(((Wellll, she’s allowed… she’s a writer! And I hope you weren’t lying to Santa Brackets, just then! Besides, I wasn’t talking about any of that. I’m talking about the… 5 drunken benders, 4 nudie flashes, 3 French maids, 2 turtles that you stole from the Zoo and 1 pub crawl… THAT’S what Santa Brackets is talkin’ abooot)))
(How do you know about those?!?)
(((Santa Brackets knows EVERYTHING!)))
(((Also, someone told…)))
(You mean… Peachy grassed me up? Surely, she wouldn’t betray me like that? What happens on the blog night stays on the blog night out. She promised me! Just like in her Christmas Story. I’ve been betrayed by my own creator, I feel so used.)
(((It was an anonymous message left on Santa’s phone… also, Mrs Santa Brackets says to stop calling the House at North Pole. You’re scaring the Elves, she says. Besides Christmas Wishes are best written in a letter and no amount of begging on the answering machines is going to help your Naughty case. And no, I don’t have the board game, ‘Game of Souls’… totally sold out, very popular… oh wait, you’re pulling Santa’s leg, right?)))
(I get the blame for everything! I’m like the nicest brackets on the keyboard! The stories I have to overhear – you wouldn’t believe it! I think someone should check her internet history!)
(((Better not be G-rated stories, Brackets. Anyway, maybe I might be willing to slightly overlook your naughty ways if you promise to be a good lil’ Brackets Boy for the whole of 2019. And not cause The Writer any more grief. Do you think you can do that?)))
(Well, I will have to have a long think about that, because I really enjoy giving my writer lots and lots of grief and get a lot of pleasure out of winding her up. Can I still be sarcastic and funny? Also, I agree that ‘Game of Souls’ is a cracking scary Christmas story – she keeps getting 5* reviews so she must be able to tell a story – I was NICE – see I totally deserve the Nice list!)
(((Okay, you did 1 Nice Thing… plus a bunch of Naughty Things… so I am willing to leave 1 present under the tree for you on Christmas Eve. Tell Santa Brackets the 1 thing you would like for Christmas)))
(OMG I love Santa. Oh, the pressure of choosing one thing! Oh, I know, can I have my own blog or keyboard so that I can write in my own words?? OH wait. I know can I stop the writer using the delete button as well?)
(((Sorry, Santa’s Elves are not contracted to make speciality keyboards with no delete keys. They only make toys. It’s in the contract. And don’t you remember what happened when you got a puppy for Christmas five years ago, you promised to look after it but 6months later, you made Her do it! So, NO own blog for you! Choose again.)))
(She totally made that up! I wasn’t even alive then! I love puppies and cats, especially Eddie her god cat he’s amazing! He looks like ‘Street cat named Bob!’ I cannot believe elves cannot make a keyboard! What the heck do they teach them in elf school nowadays? Honestly, the education system is going down the pan…)
This is me, taking the blog back… I’ve just deleted the three-page rant from Brackets. You’re welcome.
(Actually, wait… where did my rant go??? Peachy!!!!!! Actually, all I want for Christmas is for people to buy ‘Game of Souls’ so she can buy her OH a shed, and then maybe she will have more time for blogging when he’s in his shed, then I get to talk more! It’s win win. Can you make it happen Santa?)
*Santa thinks* (((Tell you what I’ll do… I’ll leave a shed in your Christmas Stocking and you can gift it to her for the OH, then The Author will have the writing time and she’ll leave you alone AND you would have done a 2nd Nice Thing for someone… flat pack shed from IKEA all right with you?)))
(OMG I don’t care what anyone says about you Santa. All this breaking into people’s houses and stealing their food and drink, then drink driving with the reindeer and not to mention not paying for the Elves for their labour. I think you’re the best. Thanks, Santa Brackets that’s the best Christmas present ever. I promise to be good from now on…)
(((Right-eo, so if you’ll just put that in writing and sign the contract… you know, for blackmail purposes… err, I mean, just so all the I’s are dotted, and t’s are crossed.)))
(I will get my people to speak to your people to arrange the boring stuff. Happy Christmas Santa Brackets. It’s been a blast. Oh, can you also make more people follow the blog! People just don’t realise the comedic genius they’re missing out on – they need Brackets in their lives…)
(((Yeah, Brackets rock… and Santa Brackets is the coolest of the lot… pity I only come around once every year… so just remember, Little Brackets, be a good Brackets, don’t upset The Writer, and also… I have your signed confession, I mean Good Brackets Contract… and if you are bad, well then, next year at this same time.. you’ll be getting a lump of coal! Or some brussel sprouts, as your present. Santa Brackets always knows if you’ve been Naughty or Nice; mainly because he’s got eyes and ears everywhere… oh and stop trying to hook up with Mrs Santa Brackets, she’s happily married, thank you very much! Good night and good cheer and thanks for the brandy *hic* and the chocolate truffles *pats belly*… so damn stinking sick of milk and cookies, let me tell you…)))
Santa Brackets gets in his sleigh and flies away…
(((and Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Drunk, wait, Good Night! Yo Ho Ho, no wait, Ho Ho Ho, yeah, that’s it)))
(Oh good he’s gone. Totally sucked him in! As if I’m going to be good for a whole year! At least I got what I wanted… now where is Mrs Santa Brackets number…)
Thank you for reading, this has been brought to you by;
Brackets – Played by himself
Blogger/Writer – C.L.Peache
Santa Brackets – Fabulous Lita Locke
If you want to catch up with Santa Brackets A.K.A Lita Locke and her fabulous stories find them here… https://www.litalocke.com/ or on Twitter @LitaLockeAuthor
It’s been a blast, thanks for staying with me for the journey. Hope everyone has enjoyed their year. If you need any help or support with anything writing-wise, let me know.
Happy Christmas xxxx Peachy and Brackets signing off for 2018 xxxx
C.L. Peache 