Storytime

Last weekend I went along to see PMJ or Scot Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox. It is a group that rework pop songs into vintage genres, usually swing and jazz. It was something new to me. And frankly I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would (I"m not that keen on jazz). But WOW, this ensemble had some amazing voices. The renditions of pop songs such as Radiohead's Creep, Jet's Are You Gonna be My Girl and Guns N Roses Sweet Child of Mine were awesome. Of course this is not a new thing. Taking something, often classic, and rejigging it. Giving it an update or a new twist. There have been so many novels (short stories and poems) using fairytales as bases. Whether it has been the traditional Cinderella or Red Riding Hood...mermaids and beasts....wicked witches and princesses locked up in towers, or Snow Queens on the hunt. Some have worked a lot better than others. Some have been so close to the original you want to ask the question 'why bother?...

So the plan/ goal/ concept for this month's writing was to GET MY BUTT INTO GEAR AND FINISH THIS DRAFT OF THE NOVEL. Hmm, you say. Not too bad when I've had two weeks off work. (Mind you I played more in the garden then with a computer). And I was only concentrating on a few things this draft. First was tense. I have some of the novel in present tense, others in past perfect but on looking at it as a whole, I think it all needs to be in past tense. So I'm working through, changing the tense. Easier said than done, it's more than a change from explore to explored..it's also run to ran etc etc and it affects so much of a sentence. You really have to look at a whole paragraph to see if it's working. I've also added a few chapters to build a character's growth. Which, I know, will have to be worked on later. But my main object was to get the tense down...and then work from there. BUT...OMG...I have so picked up on so many stereotypes...so man...

Spring, especially the past few days, is here. Glorious sun, the days are slowly warming, the blossom is out, flowers everywhere are suddenly doing their thing. The world seems to have a skip in it's step. I don't know about you but winter makes me want to hibernate. I want to rug up, snuggle under a blanket and either read for hours or binge on bad TV.  Winter's grey skies are dark and containing. Bring on a bit of blue sky and sunshine and it all seems so much easier. Mind you, you then see things to do... Cobwebs..dust bunnies...windows...weeds.... But amongst all that, spring has a way of making me face my writing with more enthusiasm. Perhaps it's the sense of renewal and rejuvenation. Spring has so much promise and I think I relate to it. I also try to spend as much time as I can out in the garden. Weeding, mulching, weeding, planting, weeding. All in preparation for the heat of summer. This not only helps to boost my mental health, but i...

Lately, I've spent my Fridays with a young man. A very gorgeous young man... We have a lot of fun together. There is much playing...much wrestling...much reading of books...much getting food everywhere. It is full on and then we have a quiet time. And so I have been making myself mega organised. I take my breakfast and lunch down with me...so we breakfast together, we play....then when it is nap time I actually get out my lap top. Yep, I have managed to get myself semi organised and get to do some work while he's having his first nap. It's usually a very short one but I do get some work done. Then it's up and more play... more food...more wrestling...more reading....hopefully there's another nap in there somewhere and I get more writing done. I am making the time work for me. And frankly it's working really well. This, alas doesn't equate with being at home. Too much stuff to do, too many distractions. And at the moment I'm...