Writers, lamps and Goldenford

A fairly quiet day today. Full of rain and darkness. Goodness me, how poetic I am, ho ho – but it’s true. According to the weather forecast, it’s going to rain at least until Friday, so we’d better get used to it. It makes the concept of hibernation so much more appealing.

Work-wise, I’m waiting around for papers to fall from heaven for the rapidly approaching meetings. If I don’t get stuff out by tomorrow (my last day here this week), people will start to hyperventilate. And that will include me. But there’s not much I can do if they’re still being written elsewhere. We do so like to take things to the wire here in academia, you know.

This lunchtime, I had the University Writers’ Group for their usual monthly slot. Which included some manuscripts to look at and a writing game I’d worked out beforehand to keep people entertained. I do find running a writing group very scary, but I hope they get something out of it. I know I do. Numbers were rather scarce though - which seems to be the case across the board for these arts-type groups since the restructuring. Unless of course it is me ... Anyway, we're going to be doing some marketing after Christmas, so maybe a few more writers will turn up. I hope so - it's more fun with more people(as it were)!

Meanwhile, we’ve decided we might get free-standing desk lamps for us all in the office, as the windows are mirror-coated in order to ensure privacy (not that we do anything too wild in here, I hasten to add!) – which means it can get very dark indeed. So we’re trying out the one lamp we currently have in rota to see what we think. Today it’s my turn and actually I rather like it. There’s a nice little pool of light over my phone and mug which is bizarrely comforting. Also, the lamp is quite modern – black and shaped like the Starship Enterprise (my real home …), so I think I’m definitely going to order one. I’ve always known my true home is in space. The other joyful thing about it is it has two settings – bright and extra bright. Much like a hairdryer, if you see what I mean. I have no idea why that makes me feel happy, but it does. Lordy, somebody pass me a normality pill. Again. I shall only really start to worry though if the lamp starts communicating with me …

Tonight, I’ll be minuting the Goldenford meeting – am hoping to get some decisions on the Thorn in the Flesh blurb and when the launch might be. And I still have some edits to receive which I’ll then need to work on. The timing’s going to be quite tight if we’re looking at a February/March publication date, but it’s do-able.

Here’s a piece of flash fiction for the Writewords Flash Fiction Group 2 challenge, which is for something on one of the Seven Deadly Sins. You’ll probably not have to ask which one – I hope!

Such an effort

I don’t know, I’m supposed to be doing something, but I really can’t imagine what. And it can’t be that important anyway, as surely in that case I would have remembered it? Yawn. Oh excuse me, talking to you is just so exhausting, you can’t imagine. In fact everything’s exhausting and some days I just can’t be bothered to move. Yes, this sofa is wonderful. You should try it – if I could only find it in myself to shuffle over and let you have some space. But I can’t. You’ll just have to stand. Oh well. Whoops, another yawn. So sorry. How long have I been here? You know, I really can’t tell – it seems like an eternity. And maybe it is – I’m sure I’ve been here since the beginning of time. It feels that long anyway. Who did you say you were by the way? I know you’ve told me before but frankly I wasn’t really listening. Oh. Say that again, would you? I see. The Grim Reaper. Nice name. Hmm. I suppose I should be running but, as I’ve said before, everything is such an effort …



I’ve also made an appointment at the University Health Centre as my eye is playing up. Which it sometimes does. I’m hoping it’s not iritis, as I’ve had that before and it’s not nice – the cure’s almost worse than the disease too! Anyway, we’ll see. (Update on this one: I have a nasty stye in the lining of my right eyelid, so I've got some drops to put in to persuade it to disappear - the stye, not the eye! Cue Lord H holding me down while I scream - I'm not good with eyes. I hope the neighbours don't ring the Police ...)

Oh and I’ve just finished reading Matthew Sweeney’s latest poetry collection, Sanctuary. Sorry, but I didn’t rate it much. Seemed a bit meaningless to me, and very unfocused – though, to be fair, there were one or two poems I really liked. The one about the wild boar was stunning. Shame the rest didn’t follow suit.

And I've had two rejections (groan) - one from Mslexia (surprise, surprise ...) and one from the Frogmore Papers mag. Sigh. But the good news is that one of my flash fiction pieces has been accepted by the MMUniversity student-run mag and will be coming out in December. Hurrah! Which - astonishingly - gives me a 100% flash fiction success rate: the only two pieces I've ever submitted have both been accepted. Hell, I'd better not submit any more - I don't want to break my run ...

Today’s nice things:

1. University Writers’ Group
2. Goldenford
3. Writing.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers