The day I tore my dress

Here I am - all ready to go off to the library at Bury St Edmunds, to give an author talk. You can’t quite see it, but I have a third bag over my shoulder because I can’t travel light. I have ten notebooks to give out for the exercise, four copies or so of each of my books, plus pens, my notebook which contains all the notes from all my author talks, my own copies of the books annotated so that I can read bits out, a few items to make the book table look more interesting, five sets of story cubes, several pictures of people etc etc.

I am wearing a brightly coloured, recently purchased, long dress which feels really good. It has a floaty voluminous skirt with pockets, a cotton lining and the bodice fits nicely and is comfortable. I even have a cardigan that goes well. I am about to set off feeling less anxious than usual - eager and confident.

So off I went, after my casual photo shoot, and arrived early. There was plenty of time to set up in the bright airy room. Seven people came, all were eager to hear about me and my books and, with a bit of friendly persuasion, they all took part in the workshop. I even sold a few books. The only thing that went wrong was a tearing sound as I stood up from my metal-legged chair to help someone. I couldn’t see a tear around the hem of my dress that had been trailing on the floor so, being grateful that all was well, I carried on with my teaching. Afterwards I chatted to the librarians, went and had coffee, strolled around Bury, looked in some shops.

A few days later I wore the dress again for a meal out. It was admired by total stranger, who told me it was lovely and it suited me. I smiled and thanked her.  She hovered as if there was something else to say, before turning away. Back at home the next day, I was looking for the washing instructions to the dress and found a huge tear, not around the hem, but about five centimetres below the waistband at the back!

I am sure the day I tore my dress was the same day I was being at my author best - talking about books and sharing writing skills. I am very grateful for the cotton lining because my short cardigan stopped way above the tear. Even so, it’s a very humiliating experience to find you have been walking around in torn clothing.

Moral of the story? Never put faith in material things to boost your self-confidence - especially not if the material is lightweight cotton!

And on a more serious note: 

1 Peter 5:6,7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

The Book Blog Tour - review by Patrick Coghlan

Today is day five of the tour. However, there has had to be a change. The good news is that it is now an eight-day blog and we have an extra review of The Dangerous Dance of Emma JJ today, from none other than Patrick Coghlan.

If you are looking for Wendy H, Jones’ review - that will come on Monday 20th.

Patrick doesn’t have a blog, so here is his review, on my blog so that it gains a link:

• The Dangerous Dance of Emma JJ: Written by Annie Try

  The Dangerous Dance of Emma JJ is one of those really readable books: it

  flows, it feels very real, it is interesting and it is written as short informative

  diary entries. And, after reading it, it leaves the reader pondering over the

  lessons to be learned from it.

  Bit by bit, Emma’s history is revealed. We understand some of the issues she

  experiences with being a looked after child. She longs to be ‘Normal’ – but

  what is normal? She shares her vulnerability, and deepest feelings and fears

  with the reader. What a privilege. A diary is something so personal; which is

  probably never normally shared with anyone. I love Emma’s lists, at the end of

  many of the diary entries: I am a list person, myself. We see revised lists, as she

  processes what is happening in her life.

  The book highlights that language is not just words. Emma discovers the

  language of music and dance. It helps her to explore her emotions, to

  understand her relationships better, to feel good about herself, and God speaks

  personally to her through dance.

  Emma’s best friend Cass’s Christian faith is not spoken about much: apart from

  a few references to her going to church and praying about different things, not

  much is said. However, what speaks louder than words is the nature of the

  friendship that she offers Emma: her kindness, her sensitivity, her care, her

  thoughtfulness, her compassion, her generosity, and she is always a good

  listener. Her faith is evidenced in a beautiful lifestyle.

  We discover a lot about relationships, through Emma’s diary. She recognises

  that all relationships have positives and negatives. With family relationships,

  usually the positives outweigh the negatives. Even her mum, despite her failings

  is the only biological mum Emma will ever have. It’s that or nothing.
• Imagine Emma’s joy and excitement when she discovers that she has

  grandparents, and that they want to meet her – but even that comes with huge

  anxieties and unknowns.

  Then there is the Neurofibromatosis. Add that to the mix, and life becomes even

  more complicated.

  As we face life’s challenges and traumas, we can either crumple up underneath

  the pressure, or we can deal with them and be triumphant, despite those issues –

  and it really helps to have a Christian faith.

  Review by Rev Patrick Coghlan: Baptist minister, counsellor and author.

A bit of a day by Annie Try

It’s been a bit of a day. 

I’m writing this on Tuesday, 14th. It’s the third anniversary of the day my son died. It’s ok, I thought, three years is long enough to get on with the day, anyway I need to be in London.

I wobbled a bit on the train when, on checking my phone, I saw my granddaughter had put a photo of James, her Dad, on Facebook. I found one for her which I wasn’t sure she’d seen. I thought about the good times with him and kept it all together to go to my dance class.

But grief creeps in unwanted, so I became physically wobbly as well as emotionally but coped fairly well until my teacher reminded me it’s ok to be sad. I met a friend for lunch and that was good, in fact for a while I was able to think about her and her needs and chat about my book tour and how lovely it was that I had a great group of people helping me.

And then it was back to the station and homeward. I looked at some emails and answered the ones about writing. But then the train ground to a halt and it was announced that no trains could go through Cambridge because of a previous incident. At Royston we were instructed to leave the train and wait for a coach. The first arrived, to take one coach load. Then after another wait I was on the next coach which battled through villages and traffic jams to take an hour to reach Cambridge. I sat next to a lady who glowered at me, then declared she was very angry about travelling even before all this happened and would be grumpy. By the time we reached Cambridge she was able to laugh, had called me an optimist and was prepared to accept that we couldn’t do anything about the situation, except make the most of it. We waited for a train to take us onwards - when it came we filled it to capacity, only to be told after a lengthy wait to change to a different train as no driver could be found for the one we were on! Result: home two and a half hours or so later than expected.

When I arrived home the Flossie, our puppy, had chewed her bed and pulled out the brown filling all over the floor. And the fish and chips bought on the way back from the station were cold.

But, God has been with me today, comforting me when I needed it, helping me to listen when other people needed it, by my husband being on the station when I finally arrived there, and the dog choosing a bed to chew that is already too small for her. The cold fish and chips went down a treat - I was so hungry! The lady on the train had thanked me for being good company and I’d thanked her for the provision of sweets and tissues. I thank God for her.

And meanwhile my blog tour has ticked away in the background with two lovely reviews and I’ve been sent a third non-blog one, so promoting my writing has continued, despite not being able to write on the train.

And tomorrow (today, 15th) is the day of the Christian Book Blurb podcast, where I am interviewed by Matt McChlery. But since that was recorded a few weeks back, I can concentrate on recovering from today!

Here comes my book blog tour

It's happening!

My week of blogs about my new book was nearly a mid-week event, divided by a podcast.  But two volunteers this week filled the gaps and we are ready to go.

For those who aren't writers, let me explain.  This is a promotional week for my book, when people who write, or are good reviewers, review my book in their own blog, for their own readers, but then send it to me and I can send it on through my blog and all my social media links. 

I have people from all over the place reviewing my book, so if it were a genuine tour with me sitting in a bookshop waiting for people to come in and chat about my book, I simply couldn't do it. This way, I am being blogged about from Norfolk, Leicester, Cumbria, Dundee, Dorset and Suffolk. Plus the podcast is from Cambridgeshire.

As long as each of my reviewers like the book, that's fine. If they all hate it, I might have done more harm than good ...

This is where I would have put a very lovely text box full of information about the blog tour in a beautiful script, but unfortunately it squashed itself up into something nearly illegible and lost its beautiful formatting. Here it is - only while I've been moving it about it seems to have lost everything!

So I will show you a little more clearly:

Book Blog Tour - March 2023

13th  Georgie Tennant - Writer, speaker, teacher, giggler

14th  Emily Owen - Writer, speaker, inspirer

15th  Matt McChlery - Writer, podcaster, musician, songwriter,                     preacher, ace interviewer (Christian Book Blurb)

16th  Susan Sanderson - Poet, blogger, unofficial PA

17th  Wendy H. Jones - Writer, speaker, world tourer

18th   Claire F. Dunn - Writer, house restorer, encourager

19th   Ruth Leigh - Writer, speaker, queen of the craft fairs.

Well, it didn't exactly say that, it looked a little bit more official!

And I want to say thank you to each of them for brightening my writing life and making me feel I can do this writing stuff and I have good people around me to push me when I need it and to organise me (thank you Susan), support, inspire and encourage me. (And maybe take me on your travels one day Wendy?)

That's it for now, but I will post links on here and on Twitter and my Annie Try Facebook page and anywhere else I can think of, so that you can read the blogs from Georgie, Emily, Susan, Wendy, Claire and Ruth, plus listen to the podcast from Matt.

Thank you for reading,

Annie

What has my puppy taught me?

 

         Yes, you’ve read that correctly. What has Flossie, this bundle of fluff and mischief, taught me? 

1. That there’s lots to notice. She can find the tiniest piece of twig incredibly interesting, and bury her face in a shrub as if something really, really exciting is happening. Now, I don’t actually find a lot of pleasure in sniffing leaves or the ground myself, and I don’t usually carry twigs around using my mouth. But while she does these things I start noticing the buds on the trees are about to open, and there are one or two snowdrops appearing or the grey sky has a scrap of blue. Something exciting is happening!

2. It is important to stop to listen to the birds. She demonstrated this to me on one of her very early walks around the garden. It was just getting light and she sat down, put her head slightly to one side and listened. The dawn chorus continued with the calls rising and flowing - a harmonious cacophony. She is 10 months old now and still does it. I praise God for this moment at the start of the day.

3. The joy of darkness and the stars. Out we go in the evening and she will not stray far from me in the dark. But she looks up and I do too, into the deep, dark distance scattered with the pinpricks of light. So humbling and majestic.

4. To keep precious items safe and to define what is precious. OK, this one is me being trained by the puppy’s bad behaviour. I’ve replaced two chewed laptop leads, several glasses cases, one pair of (my favourite) prescription glasses, a new book (just one when the house is full of books) and more pens and pencils than I can count. The list goes on. And bibles, cards, special ornaments etc go higher and higher.

5. That I must sit at a table if I want to write on my laptop or iPad. Otherwise she thinks I am doing nothing important and will try to play, or decide she needs to climb on my lap, adding her own heavy-pawed addition to my text on the way, somewhat interrupting my story and thoughts.

6. Calming down with music with birdsong. I tried this with her, building on her love of the dawn chorus. I started with YouTube music and found it worked with me too, especially if I allow her to sit on me while we listen and she can see the video of the birds. This time when I could gently stroke her was much needed in the first few months when I was searching for some bonding time to offset the sheer exasperation I felt when she chewed something else, jumped up to our startled visitors, chased our cat or puddled where she shouldn’t.

Looking back at this list, I can see that I am appreciating God’s creation more and have some new ways of being still and quiet.

But, let’s be realistic, I guess the most important thing Flossie is teaching me is that I’m not the patient person I thought I was!

I am now learning patience by training a very lively, naughty puppy, who nonetheless is teaching me too.

The great blog revival!

 ... or perhaps my title should be ‘My Great Blog Revival’.

Somehow I had lost the route to writing posts on this blog. The only place I could get to was morethanwriters.blogspot.com which is, of course, the ACW blog, where I post on 15th of each month. Meanwhile, all attempts to access this blog failed. What’s more, I found it impossible to set up a new blog with a similar name. Very strange.

Today I was absolutely determined to sort it out. I found annie-try.blogspot quite easily as usual, but once I found a way to post I was immediately moved to the ACW blog. I did manage to creep onto my details and change the outdated photo when I spotted the word ‘Edit’ and tentatively tapped on it. So I thought ‘Here I go, at last’, pressed ‘Post’ and jumped back into More than Writers. Which is obvious really, as I write as Annie Try on there too.

Time to stop and think. Perhaps I had only one account on blogger, but two blogs? With further investigation I found it is so! In fact, finally I have arrived at my original blog via More than Writers. Let’s hope I can find my way out again.

So let’s update you on my book news. 

In addition to Losing Face, published in 2012, I have written three books about the very interesting clients of Dr Mike Lewis, Clinical Psychologist. Each book contains a mystery, close relationships, healing and a touch of faith. They are standalone novels, but if you’d like to read them in order then start with Trying to Fly, then Out of Silence and finally Red Cabbage Blue. They are published by Instant Apostle.

In December 2022 my most recent novel came out, The Dangerous Dance of Emma JJ. It is written in diary form, with handwritten lists scattered throughout and follows the story of 15-year old Em. It is a voyage of discovery, as she tries to find out exactly what happened to cause the death of her late father. Her mother refuses to talk about him.

There are other questions about why she came into care and who else there is in her family. The search for where she really belongs is interwoven with her longing to dance.  She is not ready for what she discovers.

This book is suitable for most 13 years and older, including adults, and has hints for coping with anxiety and finding identity throughout. It is a story of faith, friendship and courage. 

I can report it has 100% 5* reviews on Amazon but, as I wrote in the morethanwriters.blogspot, that might change when I have more than one review! It’s early days yet.

I’d love to tell you what I am writing at the moment, but I’m not sure. I have several projects on the go - a sequel to Dangerous Dance, a dystopian novel The Post-bill Writings of Zak Greeson, and a book as yet unnamed on relaxation and prayer. But I am being prodded by readers to write another Dr Mike Lewis story too.

How shall I choose? I need to write 24/7 for the whole year to fulfil my plans, yet still I cannot prioritise!

I will let you know which one I choose to finish first.

Happy reading, or writing,

Annie

annie-try.co.uk

Dizzying depths

Whoa! The world won't keep still.  I managed to avoid falling on my dog and clutched at the bedroom doorframe, turning then throwing myself back on to the bed.  Pulling myself over I tried calling for help.  Even as I did so I realised how pointless this was, with my hearing-impaired husband at the opposite end of the house. In the end, I phoned my daughter to ask her to ring back so that my husband would pick up the phone downstairs and know that I needed help.

So no playing my cello in church today. I phoned Nigel, music leader and elder.  "Oh that sounds like labyrinthitis," he told me cheerfully, reciting names and symptoms of sufferers he knew.  The world was still swimming about so I was half-listening with my mind twirling around the word 'labyrinths'.  I knew that parts of the inner ear were called 'labyrinths' but I was thinking of depths and dungeons.

When I work with people with depression, I often describe how negative thoughts have us swirling into more negative thoughts in a downward spiral.  Climbing out is difficult, but involves countering those thoughts with positive ones.  Some people are stuck in the depth of their depression for some time.  The dizziness I experienced, where the world was distorted and unreal, mirrored their experience.  People trying to help them find that their suggestions become condemnations when received by the depressed person; the chaos of their minds causing confusion.

So what is the answer?  Can we talk about the love of friends and relatives, or of God?  The depressed person may feel as if he or she is not adequate to receive that love.  But we can be consistent, we can be there, showing the love of friends, of God.  The person may need the help of a doctor as well, but most of all he or she will need to know they are not alone.

Isn't that what we all need to keep us steady when the world is spinning around us?

Worth waiting for?

How long since I last blogged?  How long?  I could write a whole page about the way those slippery slithers of minutes and moments have disappeared, but  I will just apologise to anyone who has expected more frequent thoughts and scribbles.

It's not as if nothing has happened - life seems to have been jam-packed with events.  Some brilliant, others not so good.  But isn't it the way that sometimes those difficult moments turn out to be just rough boulders blocking our way to keep us going in the right direction?

I went to university late - with a husband and family of four lively children it was hard work.  I lived at home, travelling to Bristol University from Axbridge daily, usually arriving back in time to collect the children from school.  Although I had no idea where it was leading, I began a Psychology and Sociology degree.  Just before the last term of the first year I became very ill with - of all things - whooping cough!  I know this is a disease usually contracted by children, but I never do things in the right order.

I had around three months bedrest.  As my health improved, I began to think about my life.  Taking joint honours was busy but I loved it.  But something (or Someone?) was telling me that I should drop Sociology.  This was strange as I had demonstrated quite a flair in it.  I had been reading Social Administration as well and found it really easy, in fact I could go straight into the second year on the strength of the coursework marks.  Psychology was the challenging subject.  But in the Autumn I gently coughed my way through the Psychology exams, along with those students who were resitting.  I passed, so was allowed to transfer to the single honours course.

If I hadn't had whooping cough I would have continued with two subjects.  As time went on I learnt about clinical psychology; it was a revelation; I had found the career I really wanted.  I looked up the requirements for training.  I was amazed to discover that a joint honours degree in Psychology and Sociology would not have given me eligibility to apply for an M.Sc in Clinical Psychology but I had what I needed; a single honours degree in Psychology.

It has been tremendous to work with people to help them change and become psychologically well.  I love my work even though it is often challenging and sometimes can be exhausting.  It has developed my love of writing, too, as I worked on therapy books with other colleagues.  Nowadays I am working far fewer hours to leave time to write fiction, too.

I thank God that I learnt more than academic subjects in that time at university - I discovered that if I go forward but get it wrong, he is jolly good at making sure I stop in my tracks and listen for directions!

That's it for now, I'll try not to leave it so long next time.

Annie

.

Miracle? You judge.

Isn't it wonderful when something happens in your life that defies human explanation?  What happened to my nephew could be called God's perfect timing, an incredible co-incidence or a miracle.  You judge.

My nephew is a single parent in his mid-thirties.  He went for a scan because he has had digestion problems.  The scan didn't show the cause, but did go high enough to pick up an incredibly enlarged aorta.  Diameter 8 cm when it should have been 2.5 cm.  The alert doctors wouldn't let him home but sent him up in an ambulance to St George's where he became a peep show for students and other medical staff, because they had never seen anyone still alive with such a severe heart problem.  Within a few days he underwent major heart surgery.  It took 14 hours to make a repair, but the surgeons succeeded.  Basically, that scan and the operation saved his life.

Before the op the surgeon came round and said he was there to allay his fears.  My nephew said 'I'm not frightened, I'm into this God thing.  I am in His hands.'  The surgeon told him he was into God as well.  One other little attached miracle.  Prior to this he wanted some weights to save him the cost of the gym.  There was a little delay with this purchase, otherwise those weights would have been with him the morning of the scan.  Lifting those weights would have been the final straw for a heart about to rupture.

Now he is well on his way back to health.  He is looking forward to playing with his son and no longer feeling so tired.  His sense of humour has resurfaced as his pain has begun to reduce and he is looking forward to taking up sporting activities again.

I'm going to leave it there because anything else I say would look like insignificant rubbish against this powerful manifestation of God's love and grace.

Miracle?  Incredible co-incidence? Or God's perfect timing?  You judge.

Trampled stars

It's nearly over, the wonderful Christmas season.  I am having trouble concentrating as I start back to work with signs of Christmas all around me.  I work from home so there are the obvious distractions like the Christmas tree, left-over crackers, a too-beautiful-to-start gluten free Christmas cake and stars everywhere.  Let me explain, it's simple really.  I washed my Christmas tablecloths on 40 degrees instead of 30 which caused the thousands of gold stars to peel off, going everywhere when I shook out the tablecloths ready to hang them to dry.  The stars are rather resistant to being hoovered up so we have them trampled throughout the house, like little reminders of dreams and hopes that have littered our lives - still  beautiful to remember but no longer bright and shining.  Washed out pale reminders of our past.

Back in my teens I wanted to be a missionary, but this star became a trampled thought as I was distracted by boyfriends and my desperate need to fit in with everyone else.  I was a shy child, awkward with others.  This was probably not my calling.  I longed to write.  But I didn't practise, keep it going.  The star withered away.  But other desires and thoughts arose - I loved being a mother and was busy and fulfilled.  I looked after other people's children and hated them going back.  When the children were small, my husband encouraged me to take an evening off from babies and try evening classes.  I found I had a brain.  This was a star I needed badly, having been convinced I was the worse dunce in the whole of my school.  So then came university and training as a psychologist.  And gradually, very gradually, back to writing again.

I'm waiting for my writing star to shoot upwards, but maybe it will never happen.  Maybe it will glint brightly for a while, or become stronger and be joined by the resurrected missionary star as I reach others through written words.

But the best star of my youth, and of today, is the one that shone over the Christ-child and represents to me the reflection of my faith.

May your hopes, dreams and faith shine brightly at the beginning of this New Year.

Annie

Exciting times, inspiration and a new venture

What a stimulating summer!

I have had a lovely jaunt round Northumberland and the Lake District, with a little peek at Hadrian's Wall in between.  I'm no travel blogger, so I won't go into great detail, but I will say that one of the highlights for me was visiting John Ruskin's home by Coniston Water.  It is intriguing to walk around the home of a writer and discover that he has his chair placed exactly where I would choose to write in that house, furniture I would have chosen, rooms decorated in a style that resonates with me.  Even his collections of 'treasures' were rather like mine - interesting stones, sea shells, quirky bits and pieces from visitors and friends, plus the odd item of monetary value.  Then the garden was fascinating, too.  Built climbing up a hill, its nooks and crannies opening into glades with interesting natural sculptures - my favourite being a series of beautifully-carved wooden hands rising from the earth expressing praising, or stretching, or praying. A perfect place to write.

The Northumberland coast was inspiring, too.  A great sense of peace and the beautiful rolling sound of the sea.  Long stretches of sand - all very restful, helping tension and urgency to wash softly away.

But, I had set out with eight copies of 'Losing Face' in the motorhome, fully intending to march into one or two bookshops with review copes, thus conquering the north of England with brilliant marketing strategies that would ensure a steady stream of visitors southwards in 100 years' time to visit the home of brilliant writer Annie Try and discover her special places to write.  Alas, it was not to be.  We did not come across one large bookshop and those we saw seemed 'too specific' or 'too upmarket' or 'not really fitting in with my marketing plan' or, in fact, anything else that covered my loss of nerve to go in!

Meanwhile, coming ever nearer was an opportunity to be more involved in the Association of Christian Writers.  I went to the longest committee meeting I've ever been to on Saturday and was offered a place on the committee to become the Local Writers' Groups/Regional Events Co-ordinator.  Strange really, as I was very honest and told the committee I was extremely time-pressured.  But hey, it's not my time, it's God's and this is an exciting opportunity to help others with their writing.  So, look out - here comes the brand new LWGREC! (Must do something about that cumbersome job title . . .)

But, wait.  First things first.  I shall review everything in my life to carve out the time the job needs.  Some things must stay - my psychology clients and the training that goes with being a good clin psych, my large family, my church work, my writing, my friends, my novel.  

But most importantly, I must always keep those times of quiet, reflection and inspiration that provide the sweet oils for my life to run smoothly. 

Annie Try

I have a plan . . .

. . . and it goes like this:

Several reviewers have said that Losing Face should be on the National Curriculum.  I can't seem to find out how a book is considered for the NC, so I am going to start at the bottom and work up!

• Yes, I have already started with pupils, who say they like the book and have talked to their teachers
• I am sending out a review copy to each of those teachers who express any interest (within reason!)
• I propose to go into schools to do readings - overcoming my fear of being too old to read the part of a 15-year old
• I shall send a book to my old school.  They won't remember me, a few decades after I failed to achieve a great deal there, but it might encourage someone else who wants to write.
• I am following up the suggestion from the lovely Kate of Children@Heffers and going into some Cambridge Schools - she said she will recommend me
• I think I can track down at least one English Adviser who will be thoroughly lobbied
• And I will certainly find a signed copy for Michael Gove!!

Giving away review copies may be a trifle expensive but those of you who have read my previous blogs may notice that there is not a single instance of walking into a bookshop in this plan.  So I shall save on stress as well as fuel as it's miles to anywhere from my home.  Bookshops aren't all bad; I have had a really positive response from Waterstones in King's Lynn, Heffers in Cambridge and Soham Books in - guess where? - Soham, but otherwise there has been nothing much to encourage me.

So, on with the new plan, and if that doesn't spread the message to those who need to hear, well, I have a plan B . . .

But that's a long enough blog for today.  Enjoy your reading and may all your writings land neatly in front of eager consumers.

Annie

'Losing Face' and gaining respect

It feels soul-destroying - walking into bookshops, book in hand, trying to persuade the manager to stock it.  I am assured this is the best thing to do and it has worked in three places, to be fair, but sometimes years of work is treated very dismissively.  Why is this?  Booksellers are the same people who benefit from a writer's hard work and may make a very tidy sum from the novel, for all I know.  I don't understand their attitude.

Now that I am trying to encourage bookshops to stock Losing Face, I am sorry I waited for a publisher and did not self-publish years ago.  For one thing, there is a little flurry of books about facial disfigurement around at the moment, whereas there was very nothing recent around when Losing Face was just finished.  So I am competing with established novelists.  Secondly, several places have asked me whether I will leave them some books on sale or return.  I can't do that, because my contract forbids me to sell them to the book trade, which in effect I would be doing.

Ah well, at least I saved money by finding a publisher which has made it easier to leave review copies.  And I am discovering which bookshops need persistent targetting because they are so good that they sell me a book or two while I am doing my pitch for my own!  And when managers or staff have read it and given me positive feedback, or even thanked me for coming in to show them my novel, it has helped to restore my self-respect.  Meanwhile I have messages coming in from people sharing my book with others because they liked it so much they want them to read it. 

Also, I can know without a doubt that my soul is certainly not destroyed - whatever it feels like!   So I shall lift my head high, follow what is the right path next and carry on pushing this strange, unsentimental, psychological, challenging and sometimes funny little offering until it is where my Soul-keeper would like it to be.

Annie

Still launching

I've had a busy time - but sadly not with writing! 

One of our sons, plus his wife and child, are temporarily living with us after a disastrous house saga involving two house moves in three weeks.    Meanwhile, the writing day I was organising, with some help from others, was a great success but left me exhausted.  At the same time, my day job intensified. Then there were (are!) a few things at Church that claimed (claim) urgent attention. 

This sounds like a list of excuses for my writing being at an all-time low, but somehow I have managed to set in place just enough to ensure Losing Face is gradually taking off.  I have a book event in Littleport on Saturday, when I will be 'presented' by Soham Books and hopefully sign many, many copies of LF.  I sold none at the Norfolk Christian Writers' Day, but nonetheless arrived home with one less copy than I took.  I expect someone will realise they owe me some money.  I don't think anyone connected me with the novel, as I was very busy running around and organising things (under my regular name, not my maiden name) and just FORGOT TO SAY!  Don't tell my publicist, but I am really not very good at self-promotion.

Despite my shortcomings, there seems to be a stealthy spreading of comments about the book across the Net, partly due to complimentary copies sent out by the aforementioned publicist.  A steady ripple of reviews and invites to do guest blogs flows into my inbox.   Sales are happening through Amazon and the bookshops.   Also, I have carried on becoming a minor local celebrity - the feature in the local paper was exactly right, with the main emphasis on the endorsement by two charities: Changing Faces and The Katie Piper Foundation.  The interview on Radio Norfolk went surprisingly well - apart from Stephen Bumfrey using my married name and not Annie Try.  Several reviewers have mentioned that this is an important book and should be on the school curriculum as well as read by adults, all of which has delighted me because I really want it to help people think.

My trips to Waterstones in Cambridge and Norwich have achieved nothing so far, but wasted review copies. However, on a very wet day, I dripped into Heffers (Cambridge) - a wonderful independent bookshop. The children's department manager read it, is very enthusiastic and is not only selling it but has asked me to talk in schools.  It is a very strange feeling to have all this praise for something I have made up.  It feels like cheating, somehow.  People ask me if it is exciting - it was, but now I really don't know - I feel as if I could be on the edge of something but may topple either way.

But it is all fine - I can hang onto my faith and I believe that God knows what's right for me and for Losing Face.  So it doesn't matter much whichever way I topple; like a wobbly toy I will regain my equilibrium!

May those who write be immersed in the joy of discovering beauty in their art and those who read enjoy great tales,

Annie

Flowers, photos and incredible weather

Yesterday.  The garden looked fantastic - two gazebos on the lawn, plus a tent for the children's entertainer.  Croquet set out ready to play.  Beautiful bunting, zigzagging across between the trees, borrowed tables and chairs spread out in the leafy shade.  My family preparing the food in the background.  A sense of excitement.  The time had come.  My book launch celebration event.

It was a great day.  We sat in the sun and lazily chatted, drinking elderflower spritzers and even a little champagne.  Two teens from my family read from Losing Face and the local press sent a photographer.  People who said they would definitely come didn't, but others turned up who hadn't promised anything, which led to some long overdue reunions.  Flowers and cards arrived from friends.  There were no major disastors - the threatened power-cut was over before the guests arrived and I even managed to use the right names (for myself and the book buyer) when signing. 

Not everything was perfect; I have learnt not to make events so long or in such a large area that there is never a crowd, however many come.  And I really must work hard at not over-catering.  Even if everyone with an invite had come, there would still have been too much food.  Although it was good to share the party food that never left the fridge with those at church today. 

I have an interview on Radio Norfolk tomorrow and another one for the local paper later in the week.    Being in the limelight doesn't come naturally for me, but by God's grace I shall cope with this very necessary publicity.   It will be a few weeks before I can regain my writing time, especially as I am very busy with Norfolk Christian Writers too, at present, as we prepare for our first writing event, The Write Idea, on 16th June. (For details email  hobdayangela@yahoo.co.uk )

Thank you to all my family and friends who worked so hard to make yesterday a success.  And thank you to all those who bought the book - I was so encouraged that people want to buy it.

Annie

Carefully excited

I have discovered that, when recovering from a nasty bout of bronchitis, it is quite difficult to dance around with excitement without descending into a frantic coughing fit.  So I am blogging about it instead, to let you know that I am carefully excited about the enthusiasm for Losing Face from three sources - no four! What an answer to prayer.

The first is the local Waterstones.  A review copy was received very warmly and LF will now be stocked in King's Lynn, with a recommendation being written that can be accessed by other stores.  The second is the charity BAAF - some of you may remember I went with my sister Pat on a trek along the Great Wall of China (not all of it!) to support their work with children who cannot live in their birth families.  The issues for teenagers in the care system are a feature of Losing Face, so BAAF were pleased to receive a copy for review.

Then today I have had feedback from the CEO of Changing Faces.  He is so enthusiastic he is going to blog about it - but best of all he is going to recommend Losing Face to those who may benefit from it most.  Young people who have maybe had an accident that has left them with some facial scarring, or have struggled with adversity.

Finally, I coughed my way into Pilates at the end of the session on Friday, too ill to take part but just to let people know about the book.  I was really touched by the way these wonderful ladies responded, encouraging me, making suggestions about who else should know and which bookshops might put on a signing event. 

So thank you to all who are urging me on to publicise and not just hope the book will sell itself.  Especially thank you to Dominic James, my publicist who gently asks where I am sending my review copies - such a polite prod in the right direction - and to Sarah, my writing daughter-in-law, who quite firmly suggested I should go into Waterstones.  And, of course, thank you to everyone else who has encouraged me along the way. 

What have I learnt on this part of the writing journey?  Don't hide away - tell everyone even if it feels uncomfortable.  You may be surprised at the reaction.  If your book has a message that needs to be spread, follow the God-given opportunities and look-out for those that are yet to be revealed.

But then, hiding away does seem rather inviting, especially if with pen and paper or my laptop.  Mmmm . . . where can I go?   There's a problem with the heating in my study.  Airing cupboard, perhaps?  See you later.

Happy writing, reading and many blessings,

Annie

Non-writing writing time

It has been a strange block of time since I last blogged.  Writing has been a high priority on my weekly lists but has translated itself into all sorts of other projects - bits and pieces needed for Church, reports for work, going to someone else's reading to try to learn how to promote my writing, putting together an article, attending the Association of Christian Writers' Day and working on the equivalent for Norfolk Christian Writers.  Fortunately, another member of the group has put together a facebook page for NCW and has taken great strides in advertising the event.  But it took a whole designated writing day to look at shortlisted venues.  Once that was agreed I was enthused - so for much of the time since my mind has been filled with ideas on how and what to teach.

Then, of course, there has been time spent on spreading the word re Losing Face and planning for the day when I have to start 'selling myself'.  Only 64 days to publication!  Preparation has included a practice run reading an exerpt from my manuscript to my writing buddy; I thought that went better than expected and looked up at her with relief probably written all over my face.  I had thrown myself into the task, even trying to emphasise some bits with movement.  There was a pause while I waited for her comments.  Then very carefully she suggested that my previous thought of recruiting real teens to read it was an excellent idea.   Was I that embarrassing, I wonder?  It's a good job I wasn't reading from Dancing in the Dark - there's a lot of leaping about in that novel which certainly wouldn't have suited my great age and may have ended in tears.

So maybe it's okay that I haven't sat and scribbled.  I have learnt how not to read my manuscript, have gained the valuable insights of other writers, thought a lot about what we scribblers need to know and how to teach writing.  I'm sure it's all moulding me into some sort of shape.

Trouble is, I now look back at my work-in-progress, Dancing in the Dark, and I have literally 'lost the plot'.  But maybe when I have remembered who's who in the novel, thought about the characters I am trying to portray and filled in all the little missing links and details, I will find that this varied and interesting past few weeks has added a few different dimensions to my writing.

But before I go, here is the information you may need about the forthcoming Christian writers' day.  It is called The Write Idea  and will be held on 16th June 2012 in Norwich Central Baptist Church from 10am - 4pm.  It is open to all writers and will cover a wide range of genres.  Although it only costs £15 per ticket, it will be a really valuable day.  For further information please visit Norfolk Christian Writers on facebook, or email us at  hobdayangela@yahoo.co.uk or hobdaysarah@hotmail.co.uk.

Happy scribbling,
Angela

Twirls, whirls and graceful slides

As January quietly slides into February, my writing is picking up again after a foot-dragging time after Christmas.  Dancing in the Dark is now pirouetting gracefully towards its final bow.  In fact, the last chapter is written - I often write the best bits first.  The novel is turning out to be a little longer than orginally envisaged, so I still have two or three chapters to fill in the gap.  They are rather like those creams and toffees that everyone leaves in the bottom of the tin of Quality Street - not quite the treat I would like but being fairly satisfying to finish.
     After overcoming a little bump in plans for Losing Face (my original marketing lady is going on maternity leave!) all is ready to run smoothly under the expert guidance of my multi-tasking editor.  Now is the time for a lull before the rising whirl of activity as we work towards the publication date of 25th May.  I am toying with the idea of having a big launch party on 26th, at my home.  There is some uncertainty about this because I would like all my friends and family to populate the readings I will be doing in various bookshops, so I don't think I can expect them to attend both.  Or perhaps a party will stimulate their interest in seeing me doing a reading and book-signing? 
     But what next? With Dancing in the Dark reaching the editing stage, I need to be making decisions.  I have other novels waiting to be finished - only one of those is for the young adult market and that is extremely complicated.  The one with the most written so far needs some research which may be beyond me unless I travel very widely and the final one is only about 10,000 words so far, but is taking me on an interesting journey into crime fiction.
     So who knows?  Only the great Creator and Author of all Things.  There may be a new novel just bursting out of the wings of my imagination to take centre stage.
     Happy writing for those who are entrenched in that noble art and enjoy your reading to those who join us in our imaginery dance.
    Annie

Tangled Writing

Here we are in 2012 with Christmas receding as a memory, only retrieved by baubles discovered shining under the sofa or when a Christmas pud from a hamper gift is served up thinly disguised as a fruity dessert for an ordinary Sunday.  Life begins to pick up its everyday rhythm, with normal tasks to be completed.
       I have a weekly list - to be fair it sometimes stretches into two, or even three weeks.  It becomes a glorious mess of arrows and loopy lines linking the different areas of my life: writing, church, psychology, home.  For example, those thank-you letters which await my attention, are they 'Writing' or 'Home'? And bits and pieces I write for Church - maybe even about counselling others, or a psychological article for a Christian magazine - where do I put those?
       But even within those items which definitely belong in 'Writing', there is a woven, tangled web.  One example: today I was looking up diseases.  It was research for my novel-in-progress, Dancing in the Dark, but the information is helping me to think about other work I am doing - particularly the pending 'Ask Angela' for Caring magazine.
       Then there are the two novels that are dominating my life at the moment.  Losing Face now has a publication date, 25th May (I am shouting this from the rooftops!) so my task is to move into my role as a published novelist including publicising it.  Meanwhile, I am working out the finer details of what happens to the same characters next, as I finish and edit Dancing in the Dark.  The two novels are dangerously merging into one in my mind, as I read backwards and forwards between them, seeking consistency.  But there is a bonus - out of their converging stories, the characters become even more 'real'.  I will just have to be careful to avoid lifting the curtain on Dancing in the Dark, when discussing Losing Face.
       So my prayer is that I will have wisdom day-by-day to become more organised to make good use of my time, yet accept, enjoy and discover the benefits from the chaotic, interesting, wonderful confusions of life.  
      Happy writing,
     Annie

Dancing in the Dark

When I last blogged, I was just over a week into the November writing-a-novel-in-a-month challenge.  At that time my draft was called Em the Gem - a dreadful working title that made me cringe everytime I opened up the document.  So I spent a little of my precious writing time just scribbling potential titles over sheets and sheets of rough paper,  until I came up with Dancing in the Dark.  With the new title, I began to expand the theme, emphasising Em's love of dance and the way she saw it as an expression of her own life.  Then I was away, writing avidly, with Em's backstory unfolding as she renewed contact with lost relatives and became more aware of her own identity.


Which is all a rather grand way of saying that I became immeasurably immersed in what I was writing and completed the whole 50,000 words.  Not all of it will be useable - but isn't that true of any first draft?  The story is not quite finished, maybe four more chapters will do it, but I haven't been able to resist beginning a little editing on the work so far.  So was it worth the effort?  Well, I have learnt that I can write while I keep everything else going (excluding most housework!), I can think and type away in the warmest room while others are watching television, I can be encouraged by a simple graph monitoring my progress and I benefit from linking up with writing buddies.  I now feel that writing is an integral part of my life, and not just a hobby.  I am eagerly planning to complete Dancing in the Dark next, as it has become my longest work-in-progress (I have three others!). 


Meanwhile, there is exciting news about Losing Face.  The proofs are all done, the novel has reached its final stage and I have chosen the image for the cover.  I have no publication date yet, but when I do have one, I shall be shouting it from the rooftops - and probably remember to write it here, too.  Although, all new ventures bring fresh challenges.  With the impending publication of this first novel, I am beginning to become a little concerned about doing readings in bookshops.  Can I make myself sound like a 15-year old girl?  Should I try?   Advice please, from any who have walked this road before me!


But, for the time being, my priorities are Christmas and all the preparations; carol singing, playing the cello, preparing for visitors, cooking, giving presents and generally celebrating the birth of Jesus.


After all, the birth of that particular extraordinary baby is the most exciting news of all.


Happy celebrations and may all your writing be beautiful,


Annie