WAY HAY!  I DID IT!!!!!!!  50,000 words in 48 hours!!!!! :-)

I have to admit it was one of the toughest challenges I have ever had in my life but it's one I feel very proud of.  I would definitley do it again, but only when, as in this case, I had pretty much a clear 2 days - even WITH with two clearest days I have had for a long time it was a close run thing.

It sounds like things are going really well for Paul in AMerica - they are working long hours to get this film made, especially as they are on a very tight deadline.

Well, this is just a short update but a much longer one will follow at the weekend.

Until then, feel free to leave a comment for Paul and I - and also in the Help Wanted section.

Take care!

Hi everyone!

This is just a short post - a few exciting things are happening at the moment.  I am doing an amazing challenge for the next two days - 50,000 words in 48 hours so wish me luck!  The way this works is that I work flat out as long as I can - I CAN take breaks but I will have to stop the clock during them and restart it when I'm ready to start again.  However, I do need to complete the 50,000 words in the 48 hours to win the challenge so I'll have to utilize my time wisely.  I know a few tricks to speed up the writing so I'll probably be using them all.  One good thing about posting about the challenge on the forums is that everyone knows I'm doing it so a) I'm accountable! and b) I can't back out even if the going gets tough.  Unusually for me I am going to write on the laptop - I prefer writing by hand but can't figure out how I could reach that amount of words (except, perhaps, if I write in shorthand) and also I have a problem with my hand - the treatment has worn off so writing is very painful.  At least using the laptop I can keep a check on my word count.  If I reach 50,000 words ahead of time (unlikely, I admit) I will try to carry on if I'm physically capable.  People have asked me what I'd do if the story I'm writing was finished before then - in that situation I'd simply start another one in the same document (that's unlikely though - especially as this is my first ever book for adults (as opposed to an adult book, if you see what I mean).  In answer to a question I was asked last week, the most amount I have ever written in one day was 25,000 words (yes, you read that right, TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND WORDS) so I'm pretty sure it can be done.  According to the rules I need to write an actual story - not simply write one word 50,000 times!  I also have to update here and post sections of hte story (the more sensible ones).  Why am I doing this?  Well, apart from the fact it's for a charity that is very close to my heart, it's a great way to get first drafts of books written.  The first draft is never great (as I discovered to my cost when I wrote The Wishing Tree in 3 months and sent it out after reading through it immediately ... no wonder that was never published with some of hte mistakes that contained ... BUT it is the skeleton and I can put the flesh on it and polish it up until it shines like the top of the Chrysler building in the midday sun a few months later. 

Paul starts filming today - we'll be thinking of you back here in cold, miserable England Paul, while you enjoy filming in temperatures of 80 degrees or more.  Jealous?  Who me?  You bet! :-)  Good luck to Bree and Scott (who has bravely stepped into the breach by playing a character at short notice) and MEGA THANKS TO TESSA (of course, to the rest of your lovely family as well) for everything - and especially what you wrote to me on Thursday.

Several people have said they are having problems viewing this site so I'm trying hard to fix the glitches.  I'm going to try republishing it live and see if that makes any difference.  Apologies for the technical problems - I'll have it fixed as soon as possible.  Please feel free to leave any messages for me on the website and I will respond.

Plenty more pages being added over the next week or so so keep your eyes peeled.  For now, though, I'd better hurry and get ready for that challenge.  Please let me know if you want to sponsor me!  It's for a good cause - the Alzheimers Society.

I'll drop by on Tuesday or Wednesday and let you know how I get on!  Massive thanks to everyone at NaNoWriMo for all their support.  Special shoutout goes to Rosie, Tenyo, Tessa, Lesley who I believe has just joined, the two K/Christines, Keri and all my writing buddies.  You guys will get me through this and your support has been invaluable ... this is the only chance I have to do the challenge so I'm going to clasp the opportunity in both hands.

Take care everyone, see you all soon!

Mel! 

Hi everyone!

Sorry it's been such a long time since I've updated this blog but so much has happened it's been impossible to write anything - I've had far too much on.  More pages will be added shortly.

Well, it's official - Paul has gone to America to make the horror film, The Shadows Edge!  Thanks, Tessa, Scott and family if you're reading this, for making this trip possible.  More news on how this is going will follow when I'm informed.

As for myself I've been very busy editing and writing - I've got writers cramp now!  I'm having to write my stories/books in shorthand!  The ideas are coming thick and fast and several of them will hopefully be published soon.

I've made some brilliant contacts with Katarina and Jodi London and we all look forward to a great future together. 

One word of warning - I put a request for musicians in Help Wanted a while ago and I would be very interested to know if anybody was actually contacted by the lady concerned (or contacted her themselves ...)  Paul and I went to London and it was a wasted journey because the meeting had been cancelled by the time we got there so we rattled around london for two days. 

My current challenge is to write a novel in 48 hours for the Alzheimers Society.  THat will be tough but I'm sure I can do it as I'll be well motivated.  It's a charity that is very close to my heart.  I will be posting my progress on this site so keep an eye on it to see how I do.

I will be taking part in NaNoWriMo again this year (I've talked a few more people into doing it as well, I think!)  I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to try to write this year but, although I love the YA genre, I would like to challenge myself to write a book adults are likely to read.  We'll see.  If you haven't heard of this madness before, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and takes place every November.  It was set up in 1999 by author Chris Baty to see if he and his friends could write 50,000 words in 30 days (that is about the same length as the novel Carrie by Stephen King).  Over the years it has attracted more and more people and now even schools are taking part so they created the Young Writers Program.  It's great fun (if chaotic) but you make a lot of friends on it (I made great friends last year - I'm still in touch with two of them and I don't know what I'd do without them).  The forums are fascinating and addictive - if you're procrastinating you could to worse than stumble through them.  I'm determined to read all of them one day ... the plot doctoring is a little like a live, interactive encyclopaedia!  Great fun.  Go on, give it a go!  You might enjoy it - I know I did.

Well, I guess I had better get on with some more editing before I go to bed!  Don't forget to use our Help Wanted section if you need anybody to help in any way.

Well it's been a hectic couple of weeks here, hence I've not had time to write another blog until now (this will be fairly short too but I wanted to get it posted because I have a very busy week ahead - including a hospital appointment!

Most importantly is that Paul and I have been invited to the filming of a few TV programmes in Bournemouth on 21st June.  That will be a very early start as our coach leaves at 7.20 and we have a  9 hour drive (hope I can sleep on the way).

The filming is for a new TV company - Marble Media  www.brockiewoodtv.com - please let me know if you are interested in coming along if you live in the area (just drop me a line on the contact us page).  I will speak to the guys and see if I can wangle you an invite!  If there are any companies out there who would like a LOT of publicity, you can also contact me and I'll pass your details onto the relevant people.  Anyway, I digress!  This is a very exciting opportunity because we will be watching a number of shows being made - I love chat shows and psychic ones, both of which I believe are included.

In other news ... well it has been confirmed that Paul is going to be filming in America from September through to November!  This is prior to making his first feature film in which he has a starring role (I am referring to "The Other Child" by Jeremy Lubash, Haunted Garage Productions, filming of which will hopefully take place next year.

I've spent the last few days talking to several film companies and things are looking very good - any agents out there who want to make a quick buck or two, we would love to hear from you! 

I will be on Jason's radio show again on the early hours of Wednesday morning (I'm talking 1 a.m. to us) and I hope to reveal some exciting news then.  You can get the news first, and also find a website guaranteed to make you laugh at www.thebiggestnews.com . 

Congratulations to my niece who won 6 medals today - I'm very proud of you! 

Now for a question I'd like your help with!  I recently had a conversation with a well known publisher who shall remain nameless for the moment.  This guy said something  which struck me as very odd:  "Children are no longer interested in stories with a magical element and hate it when things that don't talk in real life suddenly develop the ability to express their thoughts."  Is he right?  I was surprised by that comment due to the success of the Harry Potter series, amongst many others (he later stated that this is the situation across the board - so why is there a series of children's books exclusively about Fairies?)

Let me know what you think - and please take a peek at the first chapter of The WIshing Tree and let me know what you think - feel free to be completely honest in your opinion - don't spare my feelings.  Does it make you want to know more?  If you DO want to know more then for a limited time only I am offering to send you a signed copy of the books.  This offer is valid strictly until 1st August 2010  If you want to see more, in a couple of weeks time I will be adding a new chapter via You Tube.  As for BAP The Amazing Car, we will be adding much more information as time allows.

Well that's all from me - next week I'll have a survey I'd love you to fill in.

Until next time - please take care.  If you need any writing done then shoot us an email and we'll see what we can do to help.
 
Remember:  It's the things you DON'T do in life that you rregret, not the things you do, do.

I

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Many people have suggested I start a blog but, being the technophobe I am I thought it would be too difficult!  Wrong!  This site has made it easy for me.

Just a bit about me - I'm in my 40's (enough said!) and a prolific writer.  My first book has finally been published and I have dozens more in the pipeline.   I started taking my writing seriously after a major accident left me in constant pain - it was as a direct result of this that I finished my first novel.  Everything else I'd had published to that point was short, usually articles for magazines and newspapers both here and in America.  My first article was published while I was working at a newspaper as a temp when I overheard a conversation which led me to believe nobody particularly wanted to do the interview.  i wasn't listening, but before I could stop myself I piped up that I'd do it.  Ooooops!  The Editor glared at me but I got my chance and came in on the following Thursday armed with pen and paper (I had no idea at that point that I could easily record the conversation - well I've always made life harder than necessary for myself).  I discovered then that I was interviewing Bjorn from ABBA Tribute Band Bjorn Again and it was the strangest interview I have ever done.)  I was given 24 hours to whip it into shape!  I wrote a hilarious article which was published iwth just one word changed.

Background

At that time I had been interviewing celebrities for almost 5 years including (but not exclusively) Dame Edna, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Brotherhood of Man, Sir Norman Wisdom and many, many more.  I am in the process of transcribing those interviews onto my computer now!  There are rather a lot of them!  If anyone wants to know more, contact me via the blog comments or the contact form.

I'm currently doing a lot of freelance writing - to find out more, click on the relevant pages.  The first (and only at the moment) page is The Wishing Tree but I will be adding more as soon as I get a chance and I will add samples of the books.  Finally, both Paul and I are regular guests on the Jason Rosenberg show so make sure you listen to www.thebiggestnews.com to hear more.  To find out more about Paul and how we ended up working together you'll need to log on and read his blog

Favourite Projects

Many people have asked what my favourite project is and I have to say it's BAP The Amazing Car which I've worked on with Paul almost from its inception right through to his present form.  So why have we not got BAP on our bookshelves and screens?  Well it appears that many companies are afraid of the competition because we know how successful he is going to be when he is relaunched shortly.  Please make sure you shoot over to the BAP page and keep checking in.  One of the children who gave us feedback told us (these are his own words - not bad for a 9 year old) that it's a case of market saturation!  The children LOVE BAP and I know some have made models of him as well as sent pictures into the BBC, but they are unable to purchase any of the merchandise (see the relevant page for details on that) because the market is flooded and it's the adults and producers/publishers who decide what they can see.  I can't walk down the street without somebody asking me about it!  Let's start a campaign so everybody knows who he is!  I'll be adding to the BAP page tomorrow. 

I'll close for now but I'll write more later!  Look out for Paul's blog over the weekend.