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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.


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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.



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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.