Friday 25 September 2009

BLOGOFFEE-MORNING-DAY - ALL WELCOME















Welcome to my humble blogabode for coffee, chocolate, cake, shoes, and anything else that will help your day flow. This is now an official part of the Biggest Coffee Morning in the World, organised by and for Macmillan Cancer Support. you may well find the normal seriousness of this blog has come adrift. I've had a hard day. ["Today" being yesterday, technically].

By the way, apparently it was National Punctuation Day "today". I'd like to register my contribution to a subsidiary, [National Bracket Day]. [I find I'm using them more and more]. 

In honour of Blogoffing, I have just baked my own patent and trademarked [literally] "Brain Cake TM." If you would like the recipe, please go here. [Oh bugger  -  I just looked at that recipe again and realised that I forgot the linseeds. I've made it hundreds of time but I was making curry at the same time so things were not simple. Oh well, if you make it, don't forget the linseeds. They're the bit that especially make your brain work. In fact, if I'd had some first, I wouldn't have forgotten them ...] It is the only cake in the world which no one can make you feel guilty for eating. Research shows [my research] that eating two pieces makes your brain work twice as well as eating one piece. I admit that this rule cannot be continued indefinitely and that there will theoretically come a point at which one more piece will make your brain work less well than one fewer piece.

In the pic, you can also see Harvey Nicks coffee, but don't be decieved  -  it's just a tin; and you can see something in the background for later, much later.

Anyway, we haven't got all day.

What are we doing today?
Not doing the usual thing, which is listening to me pretending to be crabbit while revealing the mysteries of how to persuade publishers that your book is really what they have been looking for all their lives.

No, today we are having a blogoffee day. And this is what happens. And I warn you, it is not well organised or throught through. I'm having a difficult week and juggling too many things and not enough linseeds.

Choose one or more of these activities

Writers and book-loving bloggers  -  tell us about your blog or website. Give us a short (because brevity is a very important skill in a writer, and one that I have spectacularly not mastered) description of / plug for the blog/website, and its address. Ideally, give the address as a live link but if that is beyond you, no problem.

Anyone  -  and/or tell us about someone else's blog, ideally not one that someone else has just mentioned. Educate us, enlighten us. We'd like to know about booky or writery blogs, please.


Readers  -  what do you look for in a book? We're writers and we write for you, so tell us what you love and what you hate. As long as you don't hate anything I've done.

Everyone  -  THEN, because this is about sharing, read everyone's comments and promise to visit at least three of the other links that you've never visited before, or not recently, and leave comments there.If you're here early in the day you won't find so much choice, so COME BACK.

Twitterers  -  twitter away all day. Tell the world about interesting bloggers you met today. Retweet and tweeteme and all that stuff.

And finally  -  join a collaborative story.

Collaborative story RULES:
  • It's entirely optional, of course.
  • The starting sentence is below. Read the comments to see what others have added and then add one sentence.
  • When I say ONE, I'm not actually being literal. I don't want a story with loads of really long sentences. So, if you do a lovely brief sentence, you can have TWO. If you do really really short sentences, you can have THREE. The integrity and flow of the story is paramount. You're an artist, not a show-off. Yes?
  • You can take the story in any direction you like EXCEPT explicitly erotic (sorry!) or completely boringly stupid. Absurd, in the literary sense, is fine. But it must flow from the previous sentence and not illogically contradict what has gone before. I don't mind if it becomes absurd, gothic, amusing, tragic. I just want to see good writing and I want to be interested, gripped or entertained. What it does to the rest of you, I don't really care. This is my party and I can be entertained if I want to.
  • Story contributions should start with the word STORY in caps, just so we don't think you're recommending some bizarre blog
  • NB NB NB Story contributions should be in a separate comment from your other contributions
  • Because there's a danger of cross-posting (where two people follow the same sentence simultaneously) it's going to be chaos  -  who cares? We can deal with chaos.
  • copyright issues  -  I got quite tangled in the abstract possibilitieis of this so I have decided that this is the situation: we each have copyright on our own contributions, of course; however, if anyone would like to quote any part of the story other than his/her own (you know, because the story is going to be so incredibly amazing ...), anyone may, though not for financial reward, on condition that the extract is always credited as "a collaborative exercise on helpineedapublisher.blogspot.com where individual authors can be found". If you can actually credit a person's name for your extract, please do. I am not responsible for any plagiarism or theft of ideas  -  this is a game and by entering you indicate that you are relaxed. You can't sue me and anyway, I don't have any money. Any doubts, please ask.
  • please do not defame or offend any living person; obviously do not offend the taste of decent people  -  I am a decent person and prefer the f-word and similar not to be used on my clean and tidy blog; each writer takes responsibility for the legality etc of his/her own words.
  • basically [do you sense my panic?] I do not take any responsibility at all for what comes out of this. You're all grown-ups. More or less.
I'm regretting this already but your starting sentence is:
"Taking a deep breath and giving the wood-burning stove a quick anticipatory prod, Marilynne Wainwright, literary agent par excellence, opened the refreshingly clean and professional-looking package and pulled out the double-spaced, single-sided, A4 sheets within, sighing with relief and surprise as nothing untoward fell out: no extras, no photos, no sticky toffee gifts."


Where does Macmillan Cancer Support come into it? Well, if you've had fun, learnt anything or feel for any other reason inspired to recognise the wonderful work that Macmillan do, then do consider making a donation directly to them by clicking here. It's entirely up to you.

Now, I'm off to start the comments going. [Which is impossible until I've posted this, so if you are visiting in the first few monutes, you'll find no comments and you can picture me frantically trying to come up with something while drinking first coffee of many]. Don't let me be alone  -  that would be really embarrassing.

124 comments:

Nicola Morgan said...

Morning all! Unless someone is commenting at this very moment, I think I've managed to get in first.

Since there's no point in my recommending my own blog, I'm going to suggest you drop in on Write For Your Life: http://writeforyourlife.net/  Some great tips and some things I'm going to be linking to over the next few weeks. It's beautifully clean and clear. And you can follow on Twitter too, which I'm just about to do.

Anyone for Brain Cake?

K M Kelly said...

Share the obsession with the Scribbling SeaSerpent

I'll have some brain cake!

Thomas Taylor said...

Oh, please come and visit my blog.
Bring your family and friends -- bring the dog!
There are drawings, there's writing,
There's booze and soft lighting,
And me (and I'm up for a snog).

Nicola Morgan said...

Cake coming up! Love the freshness and brevity of your blog - something I haven't managed. Love the idea of being a marine scientist by day and scribbling by night - sounds like a very healthy life-style. Trouble is, i don't much like seaweed or getting wet!

Simon Kewin said...

My blog is here. There's virtual cake on offer, along with me wittering on about writing and reading and books and that ...

Emma Darwin said...

Nicola, this is a great idea (specially the brain cake - yum!). My blog, This Itch of Writing is here: http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/

It does just what it says on the tin (talking of cake), with a nod to John Donne in the title, by scratching my own and my visitors' itch, by writing, talking about writing, reading writing, and sometimes hating writing.

Nicola Morgan said...

Thomas and Simon - already I am regretting this! I thought I'd just dip in and out during the day, but already I'm spending time reading interesting new blogs and getting invitations for extra-curricular activites. (No, is my answer, Thomas! But nice try.)

Thomas Taylor said...

*snaps fingers* Rats!

Nicola, thanks for the invitation to your blogoffee morning. And thanks too for your great blog -- I discovered it just when my writing was coming off the rails and it's been a great help.

Simon Kewin said...

STORY

But then she noticed a very strange thing about the text.

Catherine Hughes said...

Well, I'm different.

My blog isn't about writing (although writing does get a mention) - it's about living. More specifically, it's about trying to improve my life one small step at a time, under the shadow of long term serious illness, aiming to be the best mother (of four), writer, wife and person that I can be along the way.

It's here and your companionship and/or comments would be very welcome.

I'm off to explore the other blogs now. I may be some time, but I will be back! Mwah ha ha ha ha ha!

Keren David said...

Good morning! Mmm...lovely brain cake, milk, no sugar please..My blog is at www.wheniwasjoe.blogspot.com. I set it up as a shameless piece of self-promotion for my book, but find blogging completely addictive. A bit like cake...

Nicola Morgan said...

Emma, hi - I love your blog already so I don't need to go there just yet but I hope lots of others will. (Emma is a v successful and thoughtful writer).

Kate - my comment that started "Cske coming up" was aimed at you, but Thomas got his comment in first. I must remember to put names first.

All - it seems that each time I comment, someone else gets in first, and at this rate I'm going to be commenting all day and never catching up, so I am now going away for about an hour to do some real work, and I'll then see what mischief you've all got up to in my absence.

Thomas and Simon again - loved the pics on your blogs today!

Nicola Morgan said...

Catherine and Keren - see what I mean about you commenting while I'm commenting! Nice to see you. But i really am going away briefly now. Really.

Simon - yay, a story contribution and with instructions perfectly followed!

Back soon

Elen C said...

STORY

Though it was in Times New Roman, double-spaced, single-sided, with clear margins, there was something about it that raised the hairs on the back of her neck.

catdownunder said...

I have already written my 'scratching post' piece for the day. If you put your paw on my name and click it should get you there. I have made tuna sandwiches in honour of Nicola Morgan and the kettle is full of boiling water. Please come and visit. I promise not to scratch!

Anonymous said...

Hello all, just drinking the cold dregs of an earlier coffee so I don't get waylaid in the kitchen making a new one.

My blog is called Head above Water. It's dedicated to the headwrecked and floundering who are trying to make space for writing in their lives (I have four young kids so that's my chaos). Recent posts are about Procrastination and the Five Fives exercise to get into your writing head. And because I am a writing mother, there is also one on Semi-Colons and Sandwiches.

Head Above Water
http://alisonwells.wordpress.com

Love to hear from you there!

Thomas Taylor said...

STORY

It was written in cheese!

Anonymous said...

Just saw Emma Darwin here as I posted. I recommend her site very highly!

Marshall Buckley said...

I'm going to comment before I've even read this entry!

I've posted a new Short Story on my blog to pass that time while you're munching your cake.

All welcome!

www.MarshallBuckley.com

Nicola Morgan said...

STORY
It was a long time since she had seen anything, let alone a covering letter, written in this fascinating though arcane language. Cheese was something which only she and a few others could speak.

Christine Coleman said...

My own blog (and here, following Nicola's lead, is my first bracket of the day:http://christinecoleman.net/) started off as a bit of navel gazing on ups/downs of my own writing 'career',(Fiction & poetry) but lots of other things have interrupted the flow.Today's post is an example - it's about the LibraryThing. Check it out if you don't know about it. It'll blowyour mind!
Wish I had time for cake - am dashing off to work now (luckily only part time, so I can be a bit flexible) Will be back again this avo to read everyone's comments and at least 3 blogs +donate to McM.
See you later

Kate said...

Hey,
My blog is here http://secretofficeconfessions.blogspot.com/

Virtual tea coffee and romance, falling over alcohol and bosses from hell

Kate x

Ebony McKenna. said...

STORY

Thick, cold dread spread through her body as she read the opening line.

'Your secrets are no longer safe.'

Simon Kewin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Natasha Solomons said...

Good morning! Oh this is so much better than getting down to some actual writing. And, erm, I'll have a piece of the gooey chocolate cake, please Nicola.

My blog is: natashasolomons

I blog about being a 'debut' writer (makes me sound like ballet dancer, I know - I'm not, wellie dancer perhaps) and the publishing process, and well gin. Big fan of gin, me.

Ebony McKenna. said...

Hi all - I'm Ebony. My first novel, Ondine, is coming out in Australia and UK (so I can say 'Worldwide release') on April 5, 2010.

Today on my blog I'm talking about lies, and how what we say, think and feel can sometimes all be different, all at the same time.

ooooh, cinnamon toast, don't mind if I do!

karen ball said...

Great blog, Ebony! You can read about my addiction to writers' retreats at www.karen-ball.com.

STORY

Her foot jangled nervously, the pink suede toe of her boot bobbing in and out of sight above the top of the page as she read on. No one could know, could they? She'd only ever told the man on the cheese counter in Harrods Food Hall.

Anonymous said...

Thanks to time zones, those of us in the Southern Hemisphere have been eating cake and drinking tea/coffee for hours now. My little effort to the cause can be found here:

Musings of a Penniless Writer.

I think there are a few fondant fancies left, if you're lucky!

Unknown said...

STORY

Yet there it was, her family tree, and just off to the left was great grandfather Rodey's name. The subscript beside it stood out bold and haunting, "WEREMOUSE."

HelenMWalters said...

Brilliant idea Nicola - I love finding new blogs to follow.

I'd like to plug the little book review blog that I co-edit. I'm not very good at links so I hope this works.



Anyone is welcome to contribute a review. It's a place where we talk about books we love.

Off to visit a few new blogs now!

Ebony McKenna. said...

This is such great fun. Thanks Nicola.

HelenMWalters said...

Oh dear, that didn't work at all. Whoops.

It's at http://bookersatz.blogspot.com

Ebony McKenna. said...

STORY

'Weremouse' explained so much. Especially the raging mood swings she experienced every month.

Unknown said...

Well, my blog is here => http://alimbtobepublished.blogspot.com/

It's a random spewing of thoughts while I procrastinate. Its new :P

Oh, I have another, but its just drawrings.

=> http://www.artofamanda.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lacer said...

STORY

Marilynne was actually barred from her local supermarket, as every full moon she went just that little too crazy in the cheese aisle.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lacer said...

Hi everyone

My name is Lacer and my blog lacer.wordpress.com is my meander through life as a mum of two small children whilst simultaneously trying to write children's books and set up a craft empire. My youngest has started nursery this week, so for the first time since he was still napping whilst his older sister was at nursery, I've had a block of time each day when I can write and it's been absolute bliss (I can't write in the evening, in the evening all I want to do is fall asleep). Anyway with all this lovely quiet writing time, my blog is being maintained a little less hyper-frequently, but there will be a post a little later today about how I've found my first week of proper writing time. Until then, well the last blog post was about a dead swan and me waxing perhaps to lyrically about grapefruit juice.

Anonymous said...

My apologies for spamming, Nicola. My tekkie genius ran away with me there as I tried to help readers with their coding.

To compensate, here is a link to a great blog by Alan Rinzler. Unfortunately he doesn't update as often as most, but the information and advice he gives out is gold.

The Book Deal

Anonymous said...

Could I have mine with butter, please? And an Earl Grey. With milk, not lemon. I'm not posh.

Unknown said...

Busy already, Nicola. Looks like you'll be breaking bloggy records.

I'm just about to be visiting some of the blogs mentioned here. If anyone out there enjoys an irreverant look at life and writing and books and anything else really that takes my hump, you can click on my name or go to http://mickmal1.blogspot.com/

Sally Zigmond said...

Brain cake? I need more than two slices to get mine to work but the coffee helps a bit.

My blog, The Elephant in The Writing Room, is so named because the one vital reason for rejection (and that agents and editors rarely mention for fear of reprisal--or boredom or both) is that the writing stinks. Not only that but too many bitter, oft-rejected writers blames everything and everyone but their writing for this.

To misquote some president or other: 'It's the writing, stupid.'

My blog is also in the throes of discussing Literary Fiction (amongst other things like when will my novel be published) about which there seems a lot of confusion and not a little antipathy.

Oh and my novel, Hope Against Hope is not at all literary so you can buy a copy when it's published without any fear whatsoever. It's pretty straightforward historical romance (but with a small 'r' and a touch of humour.)

I'm not as crabbit an old bat as Ms Morgan but I'm working on it and I can't think of a more shiny example to follow.

I won't attempt to continue the story--I can't write Cheese (it comes out too Stiltoned) and I don't do brief.

Natasha Solomons said...

She sniffed the letter. Yes. Unmistakable. It contained the pungent whiff of emmental. But how did the letter writer know?

Kate said...

Sorry to double comment but I just wanted to say thanks for such a great idea. I am now enjoying reading through loads of these blogs when I really should be working!

Kate C

(There are two Kates here!)

Catherine Hughes said...

There are two Cats too!

Nicola Morgan said...

Crikey, i go away to write another blog post for you tomorrow on the subject of "do authors need social newtworking" and look what i find - a whole load of incredible social networking! I am now going to read some of your blogs - I hope you're all reading each others' and putting comments around the place.

First though, more brain cake.

Nicola Morgan said...

STORY
Helping herself to a gooey pat of her favourite gorgonzola, Marilynne made a quick decision. Opening the wood-burning stove, she began to slide the pages inside, watching them crinkle and melt, the ink shrivelling like her insides.

catdownunder said...

STORY
It reminded her of mellow, masterful, melting cheese.

Unknown said...

STORY

And then the hunger pangs set in. Her whiskers began to twitch... whiskers?! Was the full moon out already?

Kate said...

STORY

The sound of breaking glass behind her made her forget any thoughts of food...

David John Griffin said...

Hi all, I've been blogging for just over two weeks only but I've 22 posts, so I'd be pleased if you visit and hopefully find something interesting to read. I'll put the kettle on.

The Writer's Ladders

Also, any new followers/commenters welcome and appreciated!

Stroppy Author said...

Nicola, I am glad to hear those onions are for much later in the day. I don't like to think that your onion abuse has become so bad you would be induling before midday

Lacer said...

STORY

For crashing through the window behind her came Marmaduke Claws, disgruntled writer who had been rejected by Marilynne for the nineteenth time.

Stroppy Author said...

in indulging with a 'g', of course. But I don't do 'g' before midday

David John Griffin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
catdownunder said...

STORY
"Where is it?"

David John Griffin said...

STORY:

Marmaduke demanded.

'Where's what?' Marilynne answered, fear trembling her furred head. Her sight bounced from the angry visitor to the full moon tinting the shards of broken glass and back again.

Susan Wallman said...

STORY

"If you're talking about the front door, Marmaduke," said Marilynne, "it was repositioned round the other side of the house when we had the cottage rennovated."


Morning - actually it's more like lunchtime - I don't have a blog but I love reading other people's, especially on the subject of writing.

Susan Wallman said...

whoops - David you got there first.

Jo Franklin said...

STORY

'I meant my contract. The one you promised me when I took you out to lunch at The Ivy last week.'

litlove said...

I'd love people to come visit me if they feel like it. I blog about books and reading and writing (I'm an academic trying to move into the world of commercial non-fiction, not easy). It's all at Tales from the Reading Room (http://litlove.wordpress.com)

But if you'd rather, I'd warmly recommend the book reviews at A Work In Progress (www.danitorres.typepad.com) or A Novelist's Mind, the blog by Canadian writer Lilian Nattel (http://liliannattel.wordpress.com). Both are great.

Jo Franklin said...

No blog at this address I'm afraid. But I did wonder what you are all doing while drinking coffee with Nicola?
I'm typing up what I wrote in the library this morning. My current WIP is an adventure story for girls with a boarding school, drug dealer and estrangement from mother angle. I had thought it was for 9-12 year olds but there is a snog later on so maybe it will have to be 10-14yrs.

Ebony McKenna. said...

It's nigh-nighs from me over here in Australia.
This has been so much fun, thanks Nicola.

Nicola Morgan said...

Oh hell, just lost my comment before sending. Am having a fraught day with builders in and out and a daughter about to head off to uni, but I am having fun with you all too.

litlove - good to see you here. Your blog is seriously interesting, featuring serious books. Good luck with your move into commercial fiction, too!

Ebony - goodnight and thanks for visiting. Hope lots of people read you blog and enjoy your Ondine series.

Jo - love the sound of your WIP! Can't wait to read re the snog! My WIP is def YA, with a rather shocking - well, ok, very shocking - opening, aiming to rival Fleshmarket for shockingness.

Stroppy Author - oh yes, onions, yum.

Many - thanks for zany stories! I am afriad i can't alter the order so you'll just have to go with the flow.

david, catdownunder, Keren and Marshall, Christine, Kate, Natasha, Karen - off to see your blog when I've done this. (Did i miss anyone??)

Alisonwells / Catherine HUghes - 4 children each - that's a hockey team. Get together!

Catherine Hughes said...

An opening that outdoes Fleshmarket?? I don't think I could cope!! Wow.

Four kids is nothing. A friend of mine is about to have her seventh. We're really not into TV that much round here..!

(D'you know, somebody actually said that to me yesterday... "Don't you have a telly?" when I told her how many kids I had.)

Patience-please said...

STORY

"What is that smell? And what are you putting in the ... No! You wouldn't dare."

Patience-please said...

My blog is [in keeping with the brackets day, I'll say that I hope I get the HTML right, just as an excuse to use the brackets]
Patience-please, Days of Dog Poop and Writing Stories and Anyway I'll Never Have A Blog.

Thank you for hosting this fun morning, Nicola. My coffee tastes much more exciting!

Suzie F. said...

Good morning/afternoon/evening! That about covers everyone I think.
Thank you, Nicola, for hosting this wonderful blogoffee day. I don't have a blog yet, but I do have 4 kids and love to write (MG).

I'd like to recommend a blog I like called Literary Rambles. The address is http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/ (Sorry, I don't know how to set up the link) Casey's Agent Spotlights are a great source if you're looking for a children's lit agent.

And, of course, a plug for my friend Donna Hosie, who pointed me to Nicola's blog. I know she already stopped by, but here's the address again.

http://musingsofapennilesswriter.blogspot.com/

karen ball said...

Jo - I think your drug-fuelled snogging book sounds fantastic, too!

N.L. Lumiere said...

Just popped in for a second to say hello Nicola, everybody and, ooh, well, maybe just a tiny slice...mmff mff... wondered if you’d like to come over and comment on the horrors of looking for an agent, the wonders of hand-drawn animation and look at the art and photos http://bit.ly/1zlvRb

Penny Dolan said...

STORY

As the manuscript oozed and sizzled, the creature advanced.
Had this thing really, truly taken her to the Ivy? she wondered.

Surely then he had been sleek and handsome in a decidedly human way. But now she was facing a magnificently feline anger. His eyes glinted. His claws glinted. The collar round his neck glinted.

"Eek!" she squeaked.

That row of diamonds spelt out four distinct words. "A Gift From Harrods."



Happy afternoon tea-times, everyone. Great idea, Nicola!

Penny Dolan said...

STORY

Meanwhile . . .

Nicola Morgan said...

Hello Penny Dolan and lovely to see you here! Thanks for your excellent story contrib.

Karen - drug-fuelled snogging? On my blog? I think not!

Susie F - great blog link about agents there - thanks!

Patience - nice to meet you. Off to check your blog

All - I started making a list of all the links to put in a separate post but all the html went weird and I had to stop. I will try to do so another time, so keep the links coming. could end up being a large directory.

Marion Gropen said...

Well, it's morning here in NYC, even if y'all are done with the day. My blog is Publishing for Profit. I spent the first 13 years of my publishing career in mid-sized houses, doing finance and operations management, so I'm focused on the nitty-gritty hidden part of the process. (And I ADORE questions and topic suggestions, so if there's something you've always wanted to know . . . )

I love reading Nicola, and Jane, and many others, if only because it gives me a window on writing and being an author: a part of publishing I don't often experience.

Sulci Collective said...

STORY

A most strange phenomenon was taking place within the neglected wood-burning stove. As the embers diffused their feeble dying light, the cheese was recongealing itself. The words were reforming on the page. They would not be silenced. They demanded to be read. Halloumi? Marilynne mused to herself.

techtigger said...

The lighter side of advice for writers - Silliness, cartoons, and PUPPIES! wheeee!

http://techtigger.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/waiter-theres-a-troll-in-my-blog/

(and somewhere in there i even manage to give good advice, on occasion...)

Jo Franklin said...

Thanks Karen and Nicola for all your encouragement.
Sadly there was no drug fuelled snogging when I was at boarding school, so I am re inventing the past and enjoying every minute.

Sulci Collective said...

Writer with a peripatetic blog. Sometimes fiction, sometime considerations of the craft, occasional current events, other times improvisations around guest caller's offered gifts of words.

http://sulcicollective.blogspot.com/

Mary Hoffman said...

Hello, or kallispera from Athens to all you bloggers, readers and eaters of cake. As for me I daren't have even a virtual slice (chips passed my lips at lunchtime!)

I'm not normally in Greece, just for a week, and am hitting the museums hard. Actually I think the archaeological one hit me today - am suffering from aching calves and feet. But it sparked all sorts of ideas for a book I thought was dead.

It will ceratinly have to remain on ice till mid 2011 at laest but that's the good thing about writing; ideas can be patient.

Meanwhile I blog about books (especially kids' and YA books), writing and the book world at
http://bookmavenmary.blogspot.com

Enjoy the coffee and cake - Nicola is a great hostess and wise blogger.

Rebecca Knight said...

All of these blogs are fabulous! I'm sure you'll see me hanging around quite a few :D.

My blog is Rebecca Knight: Writer In Progress, and is me documenting my journey to publishing my fantasy novel as well as discussing tips, tricks, and deep thoughts about the publishing industry.

I'm also in an awesome Blog Chain with several cool writers, so please check them out as well if you pop by :). The more the merrier!

Rebecca Knight said...

STORY

Claws advanced, foaming at the mouth. She tore her eyes away from the Cheese script bubbling in her hearth. There was only one thing that could save her now!

Pippa said...

STORY

A call from an editor. Any editor would do.

Juliet Boyd said...

Hello everyone. Only just got here. If you want a little rest and relaxation from reading, then come over to my blog and put your feet up for a few minutes.

I think I've worked out how to make this a link. If not the address is: http://woulditworkbetterif.blogspot.com/

Would it work better if...?

Juliet Boyd said...

STORY

The pungent aroma of bubbling cheese was becoming too much. Marilynne licked her lips in anticipation.

The pungent aroma of mouse was becoming too much. Marmaduke licked his lips in anticipation.

Then the phone rang.

Sally Zigmond said...

STORY

At the other end of the line, am impatient reader was frothing at the mouth. (a video-phone obviously for literary nit-pickers) 'When is this story actually going to get going?' she shouted. 'Bloody writers!'

Nicola Morgan said...

everyone, you absolutely have to go over to Juliet's blog and if you do nothing else today watch the third video. Watch the others too if you can, but the 3rd is awesome. Am I the only one who did not know such cleverness was even possible??

http://woulditworkbetterif.blogspot.com/

Nicola Morgan said...

STORY
"What story?" asked Marilynne, dislodging some rind from her teeth, and suddenly feeling somewhat dizzy.
"The one you sent me last week."
"Oh that! Ah, sorry. I was scraping the barrel a bit, I admit. Thing is, no one's sending me anything good at all at the mmoment. But I do have something rather interesting for you here. I'll send it off to you tomorrow. Excuse me but I'm feeling rather... rather..."

Pippa said...

Marilyn Weremouse swung the phone by its curly cord and clobbered Marmaduke hard, dispatching impatient reader and disgruntled writer with one mighty swoop.

She wasn't going to sit around sniffing cheese all day. She had a masterly weremouse plan to execute.

Pippa said...

Oops .. previous post was STORY, not a raving blog post.

Sorry!

Nicola Morgan said...

Just been to Marion Groen's blog - highly recommended for anyone wanting self-publish or be an "independent publisher". Very clear and businesslike info.

And Amazed and impressed by the huge number of great blogs that Juliet Boyd links to.

Love Kate's secretofficeconfessions - a riot!

I'm visiting all the others as fast as poss and leaving messages but i keep being interrupted by remembering I have a lot of work to do today ...

Please don't be offended if I don't get to you today.
Nx

Scott said...

You can just click on my name and find my blog(s), or go here for my writing blog - http://scott-awritersblog.blogspot.com/

My blog is about . . . As if I don't have enough to do . . . this blog will chronicle my journey as a writer from rough draft to completed (at least in my opinion) manuscript to query letter (ugh!!) to agent search and beyond.

My blog has morphed into something beyond it's original intent, but it is all about writing, inspiration, the process, the pitfalls, and everything else I can think to write about.

S

Nicola Morgan said...

A few more thoughts on some more of your blogs:

Alison Wells  (another mad woman with four kids) has a lovely blog and I love her Five ways to procrastinate procrastination: http://alisonwells.wordpress.com/

Marshall Buckley has written you a story and he's a new blogger and feeling nervous, so go and hold his hand or something. http://www.marshallbuckley.com/

Christine Coleman has done something difficult: she's impressed me with a poem. Visit her blog and see if it tugs at you too. It's her post on Sept 20th. http://www.christinecoleman.net/

As someone who has never worked in an office, I LOVE Kate's secret office confessions: http://secretofficeconfessions.blogspot.com/

As for Natasha Solomon's blog about being a debut writer, I find it hard to stop gazing in awe at the summerhousw. Natasha, if you tell me that's where you write, i will have to come and kill you. http://natashasolomons.wordpress.com/

More later. Must do some work. Funnily, I feel i've been very productive today, despite all the coffee and cake and socialising. Or maybe because of ...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the cake and coffee. Hopefully the brain food will help. I try to post a daily writing prompt on my blog (http://writeidea.wordpress.com) with the results at the end of the day. It doesn't always work, though.

Suzie F. said...

STORY

With shaky hands, Marilyn reached into the bottom drawer of her desk and found her secret stash of aged whiskey. She poured the golden liquid into a glass and lifted it to her lips. The whiskey slid easily down her throat. Leaning back in her leather swivel chair with eyes closed, Marilyn whispered, "That's better. Now for a bit of fun."

K M Kelly said...

What a fabulous blogoffee morning - thank you so much Nichola - I've found some wonderful blogs today!! Thanks again

Michael Shawn Keller said...

Hello... Love the blog and the opportunity to be welcomed to give a plug for my blog!! My blog is www.lifeinaweek.com, my name is Mike Keller and the blog scene is very new to me so I am learning the ways and finding the "good blog vibes" to watch. My blog tells about my first book "Life In A Week" A book about being really happy which I wrote when I quit drinking alcohol (13 months ago)and wanted to replace a negative habit with a good one, writing. I wanted to be able to help others through the rough patches of life without being preachy or annoying. The book is actually more about helping each other and living life with a brightly lit heart.
Let me know what you think of the blog and please leave me constructive critism as well (if needed!) I would love to hear from everyone.
Thankyou,
Mike Keller
www.lifeinaweek.com

Rebecca Knight said...

Secret office confessions is an awesome site :D!

Also, congrats to Natasha on her gorgeous book cover!

Nicola Morgan said...

Just been to Michael's blog, drawn there by his story of how he overcame one bad habit (over-use of alcohol) with a good one (writing) - I think he should be very proud of himself, and I am aware that regularly on this blog i make comments along the lines of "hooray for sparkly wine". I do of course realise that for many people it is not "hooray" at all. Good for you, Michael.

I also love the idea behind the WriteIdea http://writeidea.wordpress.com/ - a daily writing prompt. I think I could get into that!

Marshall Buckley said...

Just wanted to say that only half of me is a new, nervous blogger (I am two people, if that makes sense!)

But, thanks for the kind words :)

Nicola Morgan said...

Just enjoyed a deep and thoughtful piece on the sulcicollective blog - http://sulcicollective.blogspot.com/ - thanks for joining us. You're clearly a lover of words.

And Bookmaven, we do not need to think of you having a loevly early autumn in Athens, if you don't mind. It is very cold and nasty here. Pah. But your blog is always worth reading - mind you, we could cause havoc on it in your absence ... All, esp YA/children's authors, Mary is a v successful author so you should go check her out for useful views.

Techtigger - another new face - please don't get too bouncey and tiggerish all I'll come over all Eeyore on you.

Jean said...

This is a marvelous idea for finding more good blogs! I'm sure I will not be able to stop at reading just three.

My blog is Pondering.......
http://beauvoirglass.blogspot.com

Mostly poetry, occasional short fiction, some memoirs (early in the life of the blog).
Visitors and comments are always welcome.

Now, I am off to read many, many new blogs!

Sulci Collective said...

STORY

If Mescal can have a shrivelled worm to enhance it's intoxication, then what would the addition of a redoubtable mouse bring to a blended malt? Marilynne (now sober enough to recall how her name was spelled), pincered thumb and index finger around the rubbery tail of weremouse and dangled it over her tumbler full of golden nectar. It was at that moment a transformation took place that...


Thanks for the name check and comment by the way. I can see this sight is going to be fun.

Sulci Collective said...

Arghh, that should of course have read 'site'

Christine Coleman said...

I am reeling with total admiration. I've been enthralled, by reading Alison's chilling story, Bog Body. The opening sequence, showing the little girl's experience of being an outsider at a new school,is beautifully drawn, as are all the details of the peat bog and the lumbering bullies.The menace is palapable.It's one of those stories that will haunt a corner of my mind for a long time. No wonder it won a prize. Alison is a writer to keep an eye on.

Christine Coleman said...

Now thatI've finished reeling in admiration of Bog Body, I want to say a huge thank you to Nicola for organising this event - and especially for saying nice things about my poem - I'm very flattered that it's impressed you!
I've dipped into lots of lovely blogs, but only made a couple of comments so far as I've been too busy reading them.
my daughter and her boyfriend are about to arrive for the weekend from their just-bougth-living-togetehr house in London
That's the door bell now! Byeee!

catdownunder said...

STORY
She dropped the weremouse into...

The Voice said...

Hi, my blog is way over there, under The Voice and deep in Texas. I have three other voices in my head. I love to cross the waters to read your blog.

One of my other favorite blogs is: http://blog.marketingtipsforauthors.com.


See you later.

Sarah said...

Just got in from work... This is a great party!

My critique group's blog is Slushbusters. Our blog has author interviews and general "writerly" stuff.

Nicola Morgan said...

Took me a while to find Bog Body but wow, yes - beautiful. Here it is: http://www.tribune.ie/arts/article/2009/aug/02/bog-body/

Alison, if you can find a way to channel that power into a novel, you'll be made. Lit fiction is very very hard to get published, especially at the moment. once you've got the power of the language, as you absolutely have, it's all a matter of finding the story that will carry the reader for many hours. (Apologies if I've missed something and you already have published a novel ... It's been a long day!). Thanks for drawing it to my attention, Christine and others.

Off to read Jean's and others

Nicola Morgan said...

Love the slushbusters - how to beat the slushpile TOGETHER!

Nicola Morgan said...

Have had fun reading The Voice, and Jean too. So many people I've come across today, all writing for different reasons and at different stages. Some for publication, some not, some clearly headed towards publication if they want it and others maybe just going to enjoy the process.

Some of you are thinking of your readers and have a real voice that many readers will want to hear, others maybe struggling for something to say or how to say it. Some self-publishing bods amongst you, some successfully and others not yet there. But what a variety of real writers with real reasons and real heart. And some real skill too. Some of which at least deserves to be heard.

And clearly I have now had more than coffee to fuel me so i will just shut up. Except to say thank you all for joining in and we haven't finished yet because I know you Americans are still in the middle of your day ...

Another post is going up on soon - about the importance of networking!

catdownunder said...

Thankyou for all the work you put in Nicola. It was a purrfect party! I hope it raised some money Upover as well as Downunder.

David John Griffin said...

Yes, thank you Nicola, including allowing me to advertise my blog.

Didn't the day go well!

Melinda Szymanik said...

Is it later yet? Its saturday morning here so definitely not the right time for that bottle at the back of the picture. Hope I'm not too late to join in.

I write for children - from picture books to YA, short and long. I like to waffle on about the joys of writing and the realities of getting published in a small place like NZ. We just had the most excellent children's writers and illustrators conference in NZ last weekend and I've been doing a debrief.

meet me here http://www.melindaszymanik.blogspot.com/

Jean said...

I wanted to leave the info for a wonderful blog. And, he just happens to be posting chapters to a terrific story. The blog is:

Sippican Cottage
http://sippicancottage.blogspot.com

Nicola Morgan said...

Got up early this morning to tidy up after the party. Yes, David, it did go well! Thanks for your contribution. I'm still trawling through people's blogs, too.

Hi Melinda - nice to see you. I've just been over to your blog and seen your sensible words.

Anonymous said...

Can I have all the brain cake that's left?
I don't blog about writing, but I post mostly satire with a dose of humour on Random Writing Journal at robinwalker99.blogspot.com. Not sure how to do the link thing, so hope it works. So far I follow 2 blogs - Nicole and one other that is already here, so can't contribute another this time round.
This is a great idea. Thanks.

Robin Walker said...

Rats and dammit. Anonymous is me, Technoblunderfingers.

Kate said...

Hi,

just wanted to say thanks for a really fun morning and for helping me find some great new blogs to follow

Kate x

Nicola Morgan said...

Jean - hello and thanks for that link. Off to check it in a minute

Robin - sorry, cake all finished but nice to see you here. Off you visit you too!

And kate - thank you! It was fun

Catherine Hughes said...

Hi Nicola.

Thanks for all the new followers you have led to my blog - I really appreciate that.

Duly inspired, I've been writing today about making a plan to finally finish the current WIPs - my motivation has taken a bit of a battering lately but I'm on the case again now.

So cheers - the Blogoffee morning has been a thoroughly productive and helpful one from my POV.

Anonymous said...

Just back from mother and baby conference to which I took my 22 mth old as he had an important paper to present...Just wanted to say thank you to Christine Coleman for her lovely comments on my story (which hasn't won the award yet, just nominated, here's hoping). And thanks again to Nicola for arranging the get together. It's through events like these I feel more and more a real writer in a generous and supportive community.

Anonymous said...

Sorry I am S-o-o-o- late joining the blogoffee day ... well, let's not beat about the coffee-bush, I totally missed it. That is because I am very busy becoming a Writing Fellow, and was probably talking to hundreds of students while the last of the cake was being eaten. Love the blog, Nicky.
Mine's a kind of 'in praise of anyone and anything creative as long as I think it rocks' blog. It's at:

http://www.franzeskaewart.com/weblog.html

Nicola Morgan said...

ohhhh, Franzeska, lovely to see you - I think everyone's gone though! Never mind, I still have cake, and I'm planning to gather ALL the links in a couple of weeks and put them all into one post for everyone to browse through again. It was an amazingly big party, as you can see, and I am delighted you found your way through the technical probs. Did you ever discover what the reason was?

Everyone - go see F's blog: she's a v successful and hard-working children's author and she does clever things with puppets.