That Time of Year Again

Where has this year gone?

It will be the eleventh anniversary of our move to this house on Halloween. I was five months pregnant and didn’t feel well at all. I remember the removal men arriving and I told them I felt ill. They made me sit on a box in the middle of the lounge and direct operations from there!

I can’t believe that Friday is 1 November and the start of NaNoWrimo, or the November 50,000 word writing challenge. This will be my fourth year. I shall be drafting a novel set in the Blackcountry in World War One and featuring a heroine called Millie. The working title is Millie’s War. If you are doing Nano this year please look me up and add me as a buddy.

I mentioned in my last blog post that I’d made three submissions of my writing work. The first two came to nothing and as I’d heard that the shortlist for the third had been announced, I thought it was three down. Imagine my surprise to look at the shortlist for the Festival of Romance New Talent Award for the first chapter of a novel and finding my entry, as Jayne Hall, “Rock, Paper, Scissors” listed! Squeeee.

I’m all booked into the festival so that I can attend the reception for those shortlisted. It is lovely to know so many on the list. A shout out to Elizabeth Lamb, Catherine Miller, Bella Osborne and Lucie Wheeler. Good luck to us all!

If you’ve had a recent success please share below.