Followers

Monday 12 December 2011

Counting our Blessings.

It's the time of the year to count our blessings.  Welcome to new blog followers.  Pop over here to see more on counting blessings.

www.susanjanejones.wordpress.com

See you in a bit.

Thursday 10 November 2011

All I want for Christmas.

Hello anyone visiting this blog.  When I put my name on Cally Taylor's list, I was on here by mistake.  So, all I want for Christmas is good health for all my family, world peace for everyone, and third thing is for all my lovely followers to pop over to the current blog which is here.

www.susanjanejones.wordpress.com

See you in a jiffy.  Doesn't that book look good.  Home for Christmas by Cally Taylor.

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Free tickets.

Hello everyone,
I'm giving away two free tickets to Shoreham airshow on my wordpress blog.  www.susanjanejones.wordpress.com

It's on 20th or 21st of August.  If anyone's interested have a go at my competition.  Good luck to anyone who enters.  It closes at 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

Saturday 16 July 2011

Hi everyone.

Just popped over to this blog to say hello to anyone who isn't subscribed to my new blog here.  Welcome to my blog Penelope, I'm not sure what your blog address is to follow you.  On the wordpress blog, just put in your email address then you will be able to follow posts on the new blog.  It takes a while to transfer to a new blog and wouldn't like to loose touch with my lovely followers.

 

Saturday 11 June 2011

My new blog

My new blog can be found here.  Hope to add all my existing followers to this one.  Please drop by and leave a link for me to add.  Thanks.

Thursday 2 June 2011

Getting a bit fed up.

Hi blog followers.

I'm getting a bit fed up of not being able to reply to your comments on my posts.  Thanks Patsy, Sally Frances and Rosemary for replying to the Candis post.  I'm hoping to have a go at submitting a story there, and it would be great to see your names up there.  Thanks Rosemary for the suggestions of Writer's Forum and Writing magazine.  There are lots of places to send stories when you think about it.  I am determined to get one published in People's Friend one day though..  It's become a bit of a mission now.  I'm thinking of continuing my blog on wordpress.  I've spent so much time trying to reply to comments that now it's gardening time.  Off to plant out chrysanths.   My wordpress blog is here.  Hope to keep in touch with all my lovely followers. 

Tuesday 31 May 2011

Candis News.

Had a rejection from Candis today, which is never nice.  It was only after I'd posted it out I saw the news that they no longer accept fiction.  There is a book club page where we are invited to submit a short story, word count 800 wds.  Also authour tips which are always helpful. 

We get a chance to comment on other submissions.  Might give it a go.  It's not the same as having a story in the magazine and getting paid for it, but always worth having somewhere to send stories to.

Saturday 28 May 2011

Oh my gosh!

Oh my gosh I've signed up to twitter.  Haven't a clue what I'm up to on there, and should be writing instead of blogging and twittering.  All good fun though. 

I'm twittering, (or will be when I get used to it) as Jonessuzy. 

Have a great bank holiday weekend everyone.

My Acumen poetry book came the other day.  I've got a letter printed in there.  Patricia Oxley the editor of Acumen asked in the last issue if poetry was a hobby or a way of life.  I'm a great lover of poetry, both reading and writing.  This was the gist of the letter.  I'm thrilled to have a letter in Acumen, can't seem to get the poetry she's looking for at the moment, but will keep trying.  I'm a writer, that's what we do.

Brixham Harbour.

Torbay poetry competition is now open for submissions.  Details can be found on Acumen website.

Isn't that town the quaintest place?  Gets into your heart as soon as you arrive there.

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Tagged by Patsy.

Hi Everyone,
I've been tagged by Patsy.  So now I need to reply to some questions, then tag three suspects.  Here we go.

Q1.  Do you think you're hot?

A.  Yes I would say so.

Q. 2.  Upload a picture or wallpaper you're using at the moment.

A.  Aren't fuchias beautiful?  Like pretty flamingos.

Q3.  When did you last eat chicken?

A.  Yesterday.  Cooked in gravy with onions, herbs and served with mash, carrots and peas.  Who thought up these questions???

Q4. The song you listened to recently.

A.  A night like this by Caro Emerald.  On her new C.D. Brilliant.  Wonderful music puts you in mind of the forties.

Q5.  What are you thinking as you do this?

A  I should be going to watch the apprentice and get some sweets and a cup of tea.

Q6.  Have you any nicknames?
A.  My daughter calls me minature mum.  Niece calls me chuck, quite a lot call me sweet pea. 

Now to nominate three blog pals to tag.

Here we go.

Teresa Ashby for those lovely stories
Jarmara Falconer for always being so caring.
Bob Scotney, for nominating me as Writer of the month for May on Writelink.

Monday 16 May 2011

Write something down everyday.


Here's a poem I wrote for a competition when I hadn't got a clue what to write.  It didn't win, can't think why?

Write it down.



Write something down every day,

I’ve read in all the books.

To succeed as a writer,

Is harder than it looks.

From when I was seven,

In Enid Blyton heaven.

I’d made up my mind,

To write books of that kind.

Rupert Bear lived his life in rhyme,

Speaking poetry all the time.

It looks easy, so here we go,

I don’t know what to put though.

If I wrote as much as I read

About writing, I would have written

Ten novels by now.

Keep writing things down,

Even if they doesn’t make sense,

Just put words onto the page,

Grow up and act your age.

But I still like those fairy stories of long ago.

That began with ‘Once upon a time’.

Hopefully they’ll make a comeback,

Like pink nougat and ginger wine.

I’ll enter a poetry competition,

And read up on the judge.

Maybe she’s a lot like me,

And loves vanilla fudge.

Or perhaps she’ll have gone to sleep,

Reading heaps of bleep bleep bleep.

She must get paid lots of money,

Or like pooh bear, preferring honey.

Or the judge may be a man,

Reading poems, fast as he can.

At the end of the slush and gub,

Grabs his coat, then off to the pub.

This writing game is wonderful,

It clears my mind completely.

I only hope to completely, complete

My novel one day.

But for now, I enclose this.

Thursday 5 May 2011

Simon Brett

Just discovered Simon Brett.  Writing in a similar style to P.G. Wodehouse and Agatha Christie.  Good fun and light hearted crime novel.  The book I'm reading at the moment is called Blotto, Twinks and the ex-king's daughter. 

The book begins with a body in the library.  Looking forward to seeing how Blotto and Twinks solve the crime.

Saturday 30 April 2011

Versatile Blog award.


Now it's time to pass the versatile blog award on to seven blogs I like.  Here they are, with no obligations to pick them up if you don't want to.

Sally Jenkins.  Always lots of useful information to find on Sally's blog.

sallyjenkins.wordpress.com

Pat Postner.  It was Pat who wrote those My Little Pony stories that our daughter loved reading.  Looking forward to her latest tales from Hingle.

writeupthehill.blogspot.com

Carola Dunn.  For those lovely Daisy Dalrymple mysteries. 

caroladunn.weebly.com.

Gail Crane.  Always interesting news to read on Gail's blog.  writing-bug.blogger.com

Lynn Hackles.  For all the advice and good fun.   lynnhackles.blogspot.com

Bob Scotney.  A fellow member of writelink, who has nominated me for the May Writer of the Month on writelink.  bobscotney.blogspot.com

Maureen Vincent Northam.  Always full of helpful advice, and a fellow member of Writelink.  Maureen and Lorraince Mace's book ABC Writer's Checklist is one of my favourite reference books that I keep to hand.  here is Maureen's blog.  writerschecklist.blogspot.com

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Versatile Award.

How cute is this award?  Thanks to Rosemary Gemmell for sending me this.  So now I need to put seven things you may like to know about me.  Then pass it on to seven people. 

1.  I love growing salad.  We have a greenhouse full of lettuce and baby tomatoes.  Once you've grown your own crunchy, tasty offerings there'll be no going back.  We have salad on the side with everything, except egg and chips of course.

2.  Once I wrote my autobiography.  It took around two years, and got a bit too involved for comfort.  It was interesting to do, but eventually got burned in our coal fire.

3.  This year I'm growing chrysanths.  I've had them before, but not grown them from tiny cuttings.  There's a specialist called Woolmans.  Looking forward to lots of cut flowers later on in the year.

4.  I've recently created a website.  You can have a look at it here.  It's still in the process of being updated and perfected, which may take some time.

5.  One of my favourite authours is Alexander McCall Smith.  I'm currently reading Miracle at Speedy Motors.  One in the long list of The No 1 Ladie's Detective series.  Escapist luxury.

6.  Earl Grey tea is my favourite drink as well as Red bush tea.   Off to make one as soon as I've written this list.

7.  Blogging is wonderful.  Thanks to all blogging friends who read my ramblings.  It's great fun to read other writers' blogs and learn something new every day.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I will pass this on to seven blogs I love next week. 

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Story on Cafe website.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE. 
Don't put all your eggs in one basket, you'll end up with this little lot.

My story is on the Creative cafe project website here . 

Hope you enjoy reading it.

Tuesday 19 April 2011

Spring Fever runner up.

My poem Love in a Rainbow has made it into the Spring Fever anthology due to be published in the autumn.  I came somewhere in the top ten I think.  Thanks for all who commented and voted for me. 

Sunday 17 April 2011

Competition.

I've just noticed a competition on 'What the Dickens' website.  250 wds, to the theme of 'Parting is such sweet sorrow.'  Entry deadline is 1st May.  Off to think up some ideas for this now.  The prize is £10.00 worth of goodies from the website.  I like everything there, so must have a go at this one.  Good luck to anyone who tries it.

Monday 11 April 2011

That's Life.

I have a letter in That's Life.  It's on the page with You've got Mail on top, near the back.  It's a story about a dog, or a man being mistaken for a dog.  They've called it Tea Rex.  Marc Bolan and T.Rex happens to be some of my favourite music, so I'm thrilled about them calling it that. 

That's Life.

I only sent it in a month ago, they told me they'd let me know if they use it.  They didn't let me know, but a cheque for £20.00 arrived on Saturday, so how great is that?

Keep sending out letters, it's a good way to keep practicing the writing, and earn a few quid at the same time.  Great thing about That's Life is, you can email the letter in, therefore saving on postage and envelopes.

Here's the chap who inspired this story, it is true, but a different dog.

Would you like a cup of Tea Rex?

Friday 8 April 2011

Writing from Life by Lynne Hackles.

Browsing among my bookshelf recently, I spotted a book by my blogging friend Lynn Hackles.  Writing from Life is all about how to turn your life into work that will sell.

It was interesting to read that Lynn had her first acceptance by Woman's Realm, same as me.  My letter was about garden thistles which looked unsightly.  As a gardener, I try to find a beauty in all plants.  For instance it's the emblem for Scotland.  Maybe someone from Scotland lived in our house before us, I doubt it though as this was a really ugly thistle.  I cut them, dried them in the shed, then sprayed them silver, and they were a unique Christmas decoration.  That letter earned £5.00.

Lynne's book is full of tips and great advice such as keeping a track on what you send out, where you've sent it and shopping for characters.  I'm lucky as I work in a shop.  I call it 'the little shop of inspirations.'  A lady came in the other day, one of those who looks like a man dressed as a woman, in a tight leopardskin coat, fake tan, tons of jewellery, bleached blond hairdo.  She was looking for someone, then went on to tell me she was 'bursting' for the toilet.  She seemed a bit strange to me, so I sent her along to the hairdressers up the way.  I thought of Writing from Life, and immediately knew she would go in the little book when she'd gone.

There is so much information and useful chapters to the book.  Every writer should have a copy on their bookshelf.  I'm sure everyone has it already.  If not, I would recommend it highly.  Thanks Lynn for writing this. 

After reading Lynn's book, I wrote a couple of letters and sent them out.  Surprise surprise, today I came home to a £20.00 cheque.  I've had to make an enquiry as to which letter it is.  Will keep you informed.  So now I have a character for my next story.  Watch this space...

 

Thursday 31 March 2011

Words with Jam.

My article on ten words that should be abolished is on page 25 of April Words with Jam, out now.  How exciting is that?  Off to have a read now.  Looks like a really good issue.  This is a magazine that gets better and more interesting as time goes on. 

Wednesday 30 March 2011

P.G. Wodehouse.

Reading Leave it to PSmith by P.G. Wodehouse.  This book is just as funny, clever and ridiculous as the others I've read.  He writes with such charming wit that the book is hard to put down.  I think everyone should have one of these on their bookshelf.

Thursday 24 March 2011

Writing Articles.

I've had some articles published, as seen on the viewer to the left of the blog.  Now off to write a story or two.  Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine while it lasts.  Good weather for planting seeds and spring - cleaning.

 

Monday 21 March 2011

World Poetry Day.

Today is world Poetry Day; does that mean anything?  To me it gives a chance to talk about Poetry, (though I don't need an excuse, as my blog followers know).  When I have an idea for a story, to get a clearer picture of my characters, and give me a deeper understanding of where I'm going, and what I'm trying to say, I write a poem about it.  For instance, here's one I wrote earlier.  The story is written, just needs altering quite a bit, and a character needs working on a bit more.  Enough waffle, here's the poem.  Hope you enjoy it.

 NAGGING MARINA.



Golden wood chip sprinkled around,

Evenly spaced, herbs in the ground.


Lavender, thyme, basil and sage,

Chamomile tea for calming the rage.


I strangled Marina and buried her there:

Deep in the ground, no-one’s aware.


Her constant nagging drove me nuts,

I put an end to the if’s and the buts.


                                                           Now Marina has gone forever,

Buried beneath the herbs and the heather.


Everyone loves my new herb plot,

Nagging Marina can lie and rot.

                                               -----------------------------------------------------
 
 
Photo courtesy of photostock.

Saturday 12 March 2011

People's Friend & Poetry.

Had a rejection from People's Friend this morning.  Reason being, the story was not appropriate for P.F.  So I've got this weeks magazine, and reading through the brilliant stories to see where I'm going astray. 

I've entered a poetry competition here Your comments or votes would be hugely appreciated, thank you in advance.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

St. Patrick's Day Pasties.

It's not long before St. Patrick's Day next week.  If you're celebrating the event, it's traditional in Ireland to have corned beef and cabbage.  Here's a great recipe to help the party go down well. 

Top tip.  These pasties are best made on a Monday when you have left over vegetables from the Sunday dinner.
Ingredients.
For the pastry.                              For the filling.

8oz Plain Flour                                 Tin of corned beef.
2oz stork margarine                           mashed potatoes.
2oz trex lard.                                      vegetables. carrots, suede, peas, cabbage.

Beaten egg for glazing.                                                            curry powder if you like it.
Pinch of salt.                                  

Method
Cut the fat into small squares, and rub into flour with salt.  Handle lightly with cold hands.  Make a well in the centre, and add cold water slowly and mix with a cold knife until it combines together.  Don't overdo the water.  Knead gently until it sticks into a ball.  Chill in the fridge while you combine the filling.  Mash all the vegetables together, season with salt and pepper, curry powder will give the pasties a tang if you like it.  Mix a small amount of gravy into the filling to stop the corned beef from going too dry.

Four a board, divide the pastry into four.  Roll out one of the pieces, then place a side plate over the pastry and cut round it.  Fill the circle with veg and corned beef, then using a pastry brush, paste the edge of the circle with egg wash.  Seal the pasty up and then paste egg wash all over.  Repeat with the other three.  Bake on a greased tray in a hot oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until they look and smell yummie.

Allow them to cool, and see how long it is before they've dissapeared.  Guaranteed to send St.Patrick's Day off with a smile.
I would have a picture, but they weren't around long enough.

Here's a grumpy pansy instead.

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Stylish blogger award.



Thanks to Teresa Ashby for awarding me with the stylish blogger award.  What a treat.  Here are seven things about me.

1.  I'm a mum to three grown up children.  They're daughter Ann who is 31, and working on the cruise ships doing beauty therapy.  Eldest son is in Exeter airport working as a fireman, but has got a job in Birmingham, just waiting for a date, so he will be coming home soon.  Our youngest son John-Aled works as a clerk checking in and out the lorries at TNT.  I wrote a poem about them.

Being Your Mum

My role as your mum is such a privileged one.
Three fine young people before me I see,
Each contributing to society.

Ann is all at sea, on the cruise ships,
Giving beauty treatments to the cruisers.

Iwan is off to Torquay, to make a fresh start,
Preventing fires in the nearby airport.

Aled is the top telephone man at T.N.T.,
Always there when needed.

So when you wrap it all up,
Ann, Iwan and Aled,

You’re the cream of the crop.

Xx I love you xx


2.  I adore poetry.  My Grandma was constantly doodling little rhymes and dittys.  She wrote funny poems that made me laugh.  I used to sit with her and do the same.  Mostly I enjoy nonsense rhymes, but they sort things out in my mind.  Sometimes I imagine I'm poet laureate for Warwickshire.  This poem was published in Quantum Leap small press poetry magazine, it's about a lady who passes by our shop each day.


Scratch card Annie

Walks like the tin man,
Scratching cards, fast as she can.
If she wins; back she goes,
Another scratch card, away on her toes.

She’s got blinkered vision,
All she lives for,
Is her two o’clock scratch,
Trying to catch
The winning ticket.

How she affords petrol, to run her car,
Or even food from the local Spar.
I really don’t know it’s a mystery to me.
Runs like clockwork, scratch card Annie.

She must dream of becoming rich,
But I know she wouldn’t ditch
That scratching habit, it’s more
Of an obsession.

Scratch card Annie learn your lesson.
Save your money, buy new clothes.
But she loves the thrill, and until
She wins ‘the big one’,
Scratch card Annie will carry on.



3.  I am a memeber of writelink  community where writers can blog, post work such as short stories, poetry or articles, then other members comment on them.  It's a friendly site, and I enjoy it a lot.
 
4.  I am hooked on P. G. Wodehouse novels.  They're full of wonderful characters like Gussie Finknottle, Madeline Bassett, Bertie Wooster of course;  not forgetting the ever knowledgeable Jeeves.
 
5.  I am qualified as a hypnotherapist, I had my own practice for two years.  My first client was an alcoholic.  I put him into a hypnotic state, did all I was trained to do.  When he woke up, I asked, "How do you feel now."  He said, "To tell you the truth I want to go home and have a drink!"  He was the worst client I had. 
 
6.  I work with my hubby in our shop in the middle of a housing estate.  People say, "Why don't you have a shop in town?"  We're both happier to be among the people, I call it our little shop of inspiration.  We meet some wonderful people, and hear lots of lovely stories.  Being handy for the residents on the estate keeps us busy.
 
7.  I love reading the tarot cards.  It always amazes me how accurate the reading are.  I used to do lots, but now only do it occasionally. 
 
Thanks Teresa for my award, now I will add mine to the list.  Don't feel obligated anyone.

http://www.patsy-collins.blogspot.com/
http://darkfantasy13writer.blogspot.com/
http://oliviaryanblogspot.blogspot.com/
http://francesgarrood.blogspot.com/
http://writingallsorts.blogspot.com/
http://jlpwritersquest.blogspot.com/
http://strictlywriting.blogspot.com/
http://susievereker.blogspot.com/

I know we're supposed to have 15, but here's 8 to have a look at. 










 


Monday 28 February 2011

Writing Style.

Only by writing and then more writing can we find our writing style.  P. D. James quotes this in the Mslexia diary.  I haven't a clue what my style is, that's if I've even got one, so once again I've sent an enquiry for an article to People's Friend, and typed up another story. 

I know they like nostalgic articles, so it's an idea I have for writing about our holidays when I was young in the sixties.

Tuesday 22 February 2011

People's Friend.

Had my story back from People's Friend today.  The Editor told me that the storyline was too weak to hold the readers' interest.  Although this is not an acceptance, it gives me a good idea where I can improve that story.  Will file it away for a while, then work on it again. 

Here's a great recipie for banana pancakes.  They're lovely, I had some last night.





BANANA PANCAKES







Utensils

Sieve, frying pan, mixing bowl, plastic or glass jug, whisk, spatula for turning.

Ingredients

4oz plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 Egg

½ pt milk.

For filling

Bananas – 1 per person. Sugar for mashing. Lemon wedges/ Extra sugar.

Oil or butter for frying.

Method.

Sieve flour and salt into a bowl. Beat egg and milk together in a jug. Make a well in centre of flour, add milk and egg. Mix well to form a thick batter.

Heat a splash of oil or butter in small frying pan. Add two large spoons of pancake batter. Cook on medium heat for two minutes until bubbles appear in your pancake. Mash banana with sugar and spread onto pancake. Fold in half and flip over until light brown on both sides. Keep warm under a medium grill until all batter has been used.

Serve on a warm plate with Devon ice-cream. On a side dish, lemon wedges and extra sugar.

Makes 4 large pancakes.

Alternatives to Banana are apple, blackberries, strawberry jam.

For luxury pancakes, drizzle with golden treacle.


---------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 20 February 2011





I write like
H. P. Lovecraft
I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!



 
 
The Dictionary Game.
 
 Mom and Dad worked on the market when I was a child.  If it was frosty and cold, me and my Sister would go to Gran's.  She lived a few streets away and would always have a coal fire burning, warm apple pie in the oven and lots of fun and games for keeping us entertained.
 
One of my favourites was the 'dictionary game.'  Gran would get us to look in the dictionary, find a word we didn't know; learn it, write it down.  Then make up a sentence with that word in.  When we had five words each, we would then make up a story using all of these words. 
 
She constantly sent stories of to 'Revellie' newspaper.  When I am in-between writing, or just a bit stuck, I still play 'dictionary game.'  I love learning new words, and when I read a story in 'My Weekly', 'Take a Break' or other of my favourite magazines, it's great to find a word I've not heard before, then it's out with the dictionary so that I can use it myself next time I write.

Friday 18 February 2011

Take a Break.

I love to read Take a Break, and the Fiction Feast.  Always full of great stories written by my favourite writers'.  Today my story came back to me.  One of those brown envelope days.  Previously, whenever I've had anything published, which has always been articles never stories (yet), I've had a phone call or email.  So, I guessed that it was a no.no.  However, the optimist in me has to find something positive in this rejection.  I sent the story on the 10th January.  Sometimes a story can come flying back so fast I often wonder if it even touched down on the editor's desk.  This one looks 'well thumbed' so I think they liked it.  (ever optimistic).  So, I'll now check it over, re-print, and try somewhere else. 

No. 1 Positive thought.  They kept it for over a month.
No.  2     "      "           Words with Jam accepted an article to be published in April issue.
No.  2.     "     "      My family still think I'm great.

Finally,  Norah McGrath from Take a Break didn't say, "Don't ever send a story here again."  so it's not the end of the world.  Thank you blogging friends for reading.

Tuesday 15 February 2011

It's a dog's life.

This gorgeous golden labrador came to us when we were on holiday sitting at an outdoor cafe.  Just about to eat our kit-kat and drink frothy coffee, he came putting his paw up for chocolate.  Chocolate isn't good for dogs, so we told him "no."  Then he went into a bit of a sulk.  Imagine if everyone gave him food?  He's so cute, I'm going to put him in my next story.  His name will be 'Sandy.'  I know he's going to get up to lots of tricks.  

Sunday 13 February 2011

How to write a Mills & Boon.


If you ever fancied trying your hand at a Romantic Novel.  Take a look at this article from the Saturday's Telegraph magazine.  Romantic fiction. 

Here's a pair of poems to celebrate Valentine's Day.  They're written for my lovely husband who is the cream of the crop. 






You

Are all

I need love.

You make me feel

Special, like no-one else has done before.

You’re the man I love, the one I adore.

You will always

Be the one

For me

Love.



----------------------------------------------------------------------



You

Are all

I need love.

Your arms around me make me feel complete.

I want you to know there’s only one man

For me to love,

And that man

Is you

Love.

Thursday 10 February 2011

People's Friend.

Just finished typing out a story for People's Friend.  I've listened to advice of the experts, like Teresa Ashby and checked and edited, and re-typed until I'm completely satisfied that this is the best I can do.  So it will go off in the post tommorrow, and hope the editor Angela Gilchrist likes it.  Wish me luck.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Words with Jam.

Recently I made a list of ten words and phrases that really annoy me, and should be abolished from the English language.  All too often in the media and among politicians and journalists a word or phrase can catch on, and then be spoken far too readily.

My list of ten was typed up, and I sent it off to the editor at Words with Jam who emailed right back and said they had a great laugh at the list, and would like to publish it in April issue of WWJ.  It's a lively and forward thinking ezine, and they welcome book reviews, articles on writing and much more.

I'm thrilled to have placed an article so quickly.

Friday 4 February 2011

Letter to Saga.

Sent a letter off to 'Saga' magazine today about the benefits of getting older.  Sending some poems off to 'The North' poetry magazine tommorrow.

This cute little marmalade pot is ready and waiting for the Seville marmalade that is bubbling away on the stove.  Hopefully in the morning, me and Alan will be enjoying some yummie marmalade on our toast.
There's another benefit of getting older.  You can make marmalade and not care if you feel like an old woman.  The anticipation of that tangy marmalade outweighs the cares.

Monday 24 January 2011

Valentine Roses.

There is nothing so romantic as a bunch of red roses.  Does this picture inspire you to write a romantic short story or poem?

Maybe you could write a 'Mills & Boon' classic? 

romantic writing.

With the Royal Wedding approaching, I think we should all begin our romantic novel.  Hope the picture provides some ideas.

Let me know.

Spring Poetry Competition.

The very best writers' web site is running a Spring Poetry Competition. 

Cash prizes, what are you waiting for?  Have a go.  "You have to be in it to win it." - as Dale Winton says.

Tuesday 18 January 2011

Read my letter complaining about Marvel milk packaging here.



Your comments and votes would be appreciated.  Thanks.



http://www.complaintletter.org.uk/too-much-spilt-milk/.

Wednesday 12 January 2011

100 stories for Queensland.

Having a go at the charity book of stories in aid of Queensland.

100 stories for Queensland.

Monday 10 January 2011

True Story for Take a Break.

Typed up a true story for Take a Break.  Add a few photographs to go with it.  Entered a poetry competition with Gardener's World and sent a fiction story to Fiction Feast.  Also entered a complaining letter competition complaining about Marvel milk lids.  They keep coming off.

Friday 7 January 2011

Try new Genres for 2011

TRY NEW GENRES FOR 2011






Try new genres for 2011,

Write about health and the beauty of Devon.

Create a crime solving detective

With spiky hair and studs in both cheeks.

Try some poetry and tips of the week.



Whatever you do, write every day.

Send out ideas and maybe some jokes.

Animal stories and practical tips,

Write about finance or memorable day trips.



All in all it’s just a plan,

I’ll try to stick to it if I can.

New genres would be good.

Better than being stuck in the mud.





Susan Jones.