Hello folks
It's just gone 8 o'clock on a rainy Wednesday evening in Shrewsbury and I've now written 29,438 words into a Microsoft word document entitled A Novel by A.L.Dyer.
The more I write, the crazier the dreams become. It may be something to do with sleeping in a narrow single bed that I affectionately dub, the fishfinger. My dreams are often epic adventures which involve me on exciting missions to achieve lofty goals. There is often double crossing, love and loss, hiding under something and finally having the visuals dramatically wrenched from me as I wake up. I then lie there thinking, yes, that's a story alright, that could be a film, that's amazing and by the time I plod to my laptop I can't see it anymore. I just hear the echoes of the protagonist whispering 'help' as the new consciousness of my waking life kicks in. Thank goodness for my journals, having those memory bites right now are invaluable.
Life continues in its cozy way here. The only drama is in my head, which is where it tends to reside any way, but I haven't met any men to fantasise about or women who may become nemeses, hence my word count increases. A small turn of fortune occured in Waterstones for my writing career. Luke, the Senior Bookseller for Fiction approached me on Wednesday when I was doing my 4 to 8 shift, stacking shelves, stacking shelves, and said, 'You're interested in writing aren't you?' I smiled and averted my eyes saying 'yes, well trying to'. I am endeavouring to be less bombastic while in the Shire, the shop is too small for hyperbole at any rate. He continues with 'Well there has been some water damage of a small selection of books so you can take them home if you like, they're in the box over there.' Over I wander, to discover that the only section of books that had been damaged were the 'How to write a novel' section. Turns out there are about ten of these books, ranging from how to write for children, to how to stroke readers' thighs with your words of erotic novella. I have gladly asked to take them all home with me at the earliest of conveniences.
Yes Universe, you may well be minus 3 of late, but you are most benevolent.
Hoping you are all experiencing wee gifts of late,
Alison
xxx
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Prose practice
Homebase. How to describe such a place? Homebase was a slum. A hot slum. A dirty late night, early morning slum. It was always very dark. There were giant day beds lain out where you could get jiggy. The toilets which were usually flooded were for furtive explorations. Anything went. There were poles to writhe around. Axxxxx and Jxxxx were already royalty. Each weekend someone’s credit card would be left behind. Usually Axxxxs’ as he was the most capable when high. The rest of us would just roll around on the beds in messy crocodiles of limbs. Gurning. Kissing. Dancing. Talking. Squeezing hands when you’d tried the E pill. Falling over when you’d eaten the K pill. Writhing in the toilets with the right coke. The dance floor was so small that it didn’t matter if you couldn’t stand up, the hoardes of sweating bodies kept you upstanding. And then it was but a 5 minute walk up the steps, beside the escalator to return to Escapades. Home. From Homebase.
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Sowing a book tree.
18,424 words!
It's hard to start up the engine but once it begins it does make a lovely sound. Trawling through old diaries is such a treat. Brings back the madness of my first few months in Hong Kong. This juxtapositions in a marvellous way to the sweetness of living in windy Shrewsbury with my mum. Remembering how mayhemic everything was with how calm everything is now.
Today, I journeyed down to Shrewsbury Abbey and lit at candle at 11am for the lost soliders of the first world war, and all previous and future wars. Seeing the riots in London last night reminiscent of this. Mobs. Rage. Hatred. Fury. How it appears in different forms under different names.
Yesterday, was my first day at Waterstones. My dream job. Surrounded in books. Talking about writers. This fits in rather well with the Buddhist concept of sowing seeds. As I sell books, so I help sell my own, yet unformed book. Whatever you wish to have in your life, sow the seeds for it. Thank you Waterstones.
Thank you book tree.
x
It's hard to start up the engine but once it begins it does make a lovely sound. Trawling through old diaries is such a treat. Brings back the madness of my first few months in Hong Kong. This juxtapositions in a marvellous way to the sweetness of living in windy Shrewsbury with my mum. Remembering how mayhemic everything was with how calm everything is now.
Today, I journeyed down to Shrewsbury Abbey and lit at candle at 11am for the lost soliders of the first world war, and all previous and future wars. Seeing the riots in London last night reminiscent of this. Mobs. Rage. Hatred. Fury. How it appears in different forms under different names.
Yesterday, was my first day at Waterstones. My dream job. Surrounded in books. Talking about writers. This fits in rather well with the Buddhist concept of sowing seeds. As I sell books, so I help sell my own, yet unformed book. Whatever you wish to have in your life, sow the seeds for it. Thank you Waterstones.
Thank you book tree.
x
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Mills & Boon meets Hustler
Hello lovely people out there on the interwebs,
Hope you are all fairing most well.
Quote of the day, courtesy of the lovely Ms Kan is 'Thou shalt not know exactly what thou dost, but thou shalt do it' which sounds like a mash up of the Bard and Gandhi so I approve mightily. It also cleverly encapsulates my life at the moment. I'm not in some high powered job, in my fancy flat, with my snazzy car and designer shoes but I really couldn't be happier.
Tomorrow, if you were to peak in at Waterstones in Shrewsbury you would see me there, as the newest bookseller, asking folks to 'Key in your pin number love' which wasn't a possibility when I left for Asian shores in 2002. The technology! And I have Mills & Boon meets Hustler fantasies of meeting a man who reads books in the Shire and possibly plays an instrument who may come seeking a book, and our eyes shall meet over a graphic novel... and well... you can imagine the rest. There'll be coffee and grimy bedsits and vast quantities of mulled wine to cope with the 4 degree temperatures we are blessed with in this green and pleasant land.
Writing a book while working in Waterstones just seemed to fit, especially a ye olde Waterstones with a tudor exterior and wiggly shaped rooms. I'm approaching the 15.000 word mark and smug as a bug in a rug. This must show as I was just carded in ASDA. Les, the check out man, deliciously asked for ID, I played along with the joke and laughed, he poker faced me and I gleefully presented my HK ID. He was befuddled. In my dream world, I shall befuddle at least one person a day.
"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
I'll let you know about the world of the bookseller soon.
Sleep well. Dream of things that make you curl and stretch.
xxx
Hope you are all fairing most well.
Quote of the day, courtesy of the lovely Ms Kan is 'Thou shalt not know exactly what thou dost, but thou shalt do it' which sounds like a mash up of the Bard and Gandhi so I approve mightily. It also cleverly encapsulates my life at the moment. I'm not in some high powered job, in my fancy flat, with my snazzy car and designer shoes but I really couldn't be happier.
Tomorrow, if you were to peak in at Waterstones in Shrewsbury you would see me there, as the newest bookseller, asking folks to 'Key in your pin number love' which wasn't a possibility when I left for Asian shores in 2002. The technology! And I have Mills & Boon meets Hustler fantasies of meeting a man who reads books in the Shire and possibly plays an instrument who may come seeking a book, and our eyes shall meet over a graphic novel... and well... you can imagine the rest. There'll be coffee and grimy bedsits and vast quantities of mulled wine to cope with the 4 degree temperatures we are blessed with in this green and pleasant land.
Writing a book while working in Waterstones just seemed to fit, especially a ye olde Waterstones with a tudor exterior and wiggly shaped rooms. I'm approaching the 15.000 word mark and smug as a bug in a rug. This must show as I was just carded in ASDA. Les, the check out man, deliciously asked for ID, I played along with the joke and laughed, he poker faced me and I gleefully presented my HK ID. He was befuddled. In my dream world, I shall befuddle at least one person a day.
"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
I'll let you know about the world of the bookseller soon.
Sleep well. Dream of things that make you curl and stretch.
xxx
Friday, 5 November 2010
Remember, remember the fifth of november
Words written now in the 5 figures.
Phew.
Debbie's birthday now - so serving cake in Altrincham.
Juggling a 7 year old terrorist who wants cake before sandwich and a technophile 9 year old who wants to know how to change her mum's wallpaper on the new birthday smartphone...
Ready for gunpowder, treason and plot...
Bang bang!
xx
Phew.
Debbie's birthday now - so serving cake in Altrincham.
Juggling a 7 year old terrorist who wants cake before sandwich and a technophile 9 year old who wants to know how to change her mum's wallpaper on the new birthday smartphone...
Ready for gunpowder, treason and plot...
Bang bang!
xx
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Guilt 1 - Procrastination 0
Today did not want to begin. It was super cold outside. I had a sore tummy. I have recently discovered the joys of bbc i player so can watch old episodes of Merlin. There was much on the side of procrastination. But I had guilt hanging over my head. Now as any good Roman Catholic I am rather good at ignoring and forging through regardless, but I knew I had pinky sworn to write something on this blog EVERY day. And I don't want to lie. So I HAD to write more of the novel. Ug.
Then HURRAH! Having rearranged the tardis that is my back bedroom, I had found a diary from 2001 and that fed me with quite enough to tippy tap into my hp laptop.
Word count today - 7,846 - over 15% done already of 50,000 target achieved already!
So now I am off to curl up like a squirrel under several duvets and read Mr Pip.
Good night
x
Then HURRAH! Having rearranged the tardis that is my back bedroom, I had found a diary from 2001 and that fed me with quite enough to tippy tap into my hp laptop.
Word count today - 7,846 - over 15% done already of 50,000 target achieved already!
So now I am off to curl up like a squirrel under several duvets and read Mr Pip.
Good night
x
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Crocodile? Dragon? Skinny hippo? Serpent? Stump?
Here is a picture of my favourite log.
See how country I've become :)
I have a favourite log! Do you?
What do you see?
All of my suggestions may be found in the title of this post.
Closer to modern civilisation however is the local Tesco Mega Store! That was my adventure for the day. Liz from number 7 drove me over. I usually just get to walk to ASDA. They stock Leopards Leap which has a picture of 3 leopards on the front, which is also the symbol for Shrewsbury. Three shrews would not hold such gravitas? Who can say. Not sure how many leopards Shrewsbury has ever seen, but there we go. I am drinking some now. It is nice.
Managed to write a few more words today so up to 5,272, wbich is more than the 1,667 recommended per day. Phew. Am being mainly distracted at present by BBC i-player and 4 on demand... you can watch any tv you missed... so that led to the weekend's Merlin and Pillars of Stone, I am going super old school now I'm back in the Shire... It's all that Norman stone work and thoughts of Vikings.
Highlight of the day definitely meditating this morning. It was all most golden and autumnal.
Tomorrow I shall be decorating a cake for a dear friend's birthday party.
Oh the burbs!
Merry Thors' Day
xxx
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Root Vegetables and Welsh Virgins
Good evening folks,
Day two is now over and my word count is standing at a rather tall, blonde and beautiful 4,059. I mainly feel retarded that I have taken this long to commit to writing something. I enjoy it so much, as I rather peversely used to enjoy writing essays and doing homework. I'm reminded of my favourite school projects where I'd do little drawings to annotate each page as well - so there were more than words. I remember my King Arthur project where I speculated where he was TRULY buried, being under ten at the time I'm sure I would have known the right answer. I also collated a book of big cats. Lots of fascinating facts about each cat and a remedial drawing as only someone who still can't draw stick figures in her thirties can achieve.
As for my writing today, not much has changed. I get more definite and more clear about what I'm saying as it appears on the page. I giggle when something funny happens and steam up when I remember some fantasy I created during the most innocent of scenarios. I have recently been introduced to a phenomenal illustrator, so there may even be pictures too! I'll post some images once they're ready.
As for today, I spent the morning buying roots vegetables with my mother (it's very cold and one must snort stew to stay alive) and exploring Shrewsbury Abbey, which is only a 5 minute walk from my house. It was built in 1083 by The Earl of Mongomery, one of William the Conqueror's best buddies. Ah, 1066. Of course Henry the Eighth smashed it up in the 1500s, but the original columns and arches remain? I love being so close to such history. Creations that live on. St Winifred's relics were stored here after she was beheaded by the bloke that fancied her when she wouldn't go out with him. Her head rolled down the hill and a holy spring began to bubble up. Her head was picked up by a priest, and popped back onto the body. She then did a few miracles here and there. A saint is born. She was Welsh, but then Shrewsbury is on the borders and the Abbey was the biggest one for miles back in the day so it seems fitting her bones found a home where she could be worshipped. She's still quite popular today. She got a new stained glass window back in 1992! Just say no, ladies.
Again, thank you so much for your emails of awesome, they are sooo inspirational. Today I would like to thank Su for the enLIGHTenment, Jason for the loomage, Gerald for the hyperbole, Laurence for the cheerleading, USA Kat for the bloggage and Christina for the continuum.
Sweet dreams,
A
x
Day two is now over and my word count is standing at a rather tall, blonde and beautiful 4,059. I mainly feel retarded that I have taken this long to commit to writing something. I enjoy it so much, as I rather peversely used to enjoy writing essays and doing homework. I'm reminded of my favourite school projects where I'd do little drawings to annotate each page as well - so there were more than words. I remember my King Arthur project where I speculated where he was TRULY buried, being under ten at the time I'm sure I would have known the right answer. I also collated a book of big cats. Lots of fascinating facts about each cat and a remedial drawing as only someone who still can't draw stick figures in her thirties can achieve.
As for my writing today, not much has changed. I get more definite and more clear about what I'm saying as it appears on the page. I giggle when something funny happens and steam up when I remember some fantasy I created during the most innocent of scenarios. I have recently been introduced to a phenomenal illustrator, so there may even be pictures too! I'll post some images once they're ready.
As for today, I spent the morning buying roots vegetables with my mother (it's very cold and one must snort stew to stay alive) and exploring Shrewsbury Abbey, which is only a 5 minute walk from my house. It was built in 1083 by The Earl of Mongomery, one of William the Conqueror's best buddies. Ah, 1066. Of course Henry the Eighth smashed it up in the 1500s, but the original columns and arches remain? I love being so close to such history. Creations that live on. St Winifred's relics were stored here after she was beheaded by the bloke that fancied her when she wouldn't go out with him. Her head rolled down the hill and a holy spring began to bubble up. Her head was picked up by a priest, and popped back onto the body. She then did a few miracles here and there. A saint is born. She was Welsh, but then Shrewsbury is on the borders and the Abbey was the biggest one for miles back in the day so it seems fitting her bones found a home where she could be worshipped. She's still quite popular today. She got a new stained glass window back in 1992! Just say no, ladies.
Again, thank you so much for your emails of awesome, they are sooo inspirational. Today I would like to thank Su for the enLIGHTenment, Jason for the loomage, Gerald for the hyperbole, Laurence for the cheerleading, USA Kat for the bloggage and Christina for the continuum.
Sweet dreams,
A
x
Monday, 1 November 2010
THANK YOU
Sooooo...
Written the first 2,148 words to the strains of Sigur Ros... so if strange selkies and faerie folk appear in the book I wouldn't be overly suprised... so far I've been pondering travel and remembering the first 24hours in Hong Kong back in September 2002. I've not even met you HK people yet? Imagine?!
Thank you so, so, very much for your kind and lovely words of encouragement regarding this project. I'm going to put them all on one sheet and print it out so I can read over them again when considering bailing.... which I shan't... lest the Goblin Faerie Queen seek comeupance.
Alongside writing, I'll also be working at Waterstones in Shrewsbury over Christmas, first day next Wednesday when I shall begin singing the minimum wage blues... thank the elves for MPF refunds!
Here goes the thank yous...
Thank you Nari, England is misty, mellow and not disimilar to comfort eating vast amounts of Yorkshire Pudding, thank you Kelly, I'll doubtless be fact checking on your website, thank you Peter, thank you Lavinia, superb advice, I de-dongle and cannot reinsert til 2,000 words exist, thank you Vicky, thank you Kat, haiiigh faaive, thank you Jill, one of my all time favourite Goethe quotes, thank you Clare and Tony, so glad to have you both as shipmates for November's literary bootcamp, thank you Tina J, always an inspiration, thank you Alice, meow and purr, thank you Carla Bear, thank you Tina C, happy Japaning, thank you Tom, I'll holdyou to that! :), thank you Ryan, Fist & Finger indeed, thank you Louise, your words make me all fuzzy inside, thank you Tamara, thank you Al Squared, fine words indeed, thank you Laurence, ha!, thank you Fiona, marvellous email danke!, thank you Tanya, how lovely, a great inspiration to me indeedie!
And now, I can get back to the fabulous business of perusing facebook for all those phenomenal Halloween costumes. Anyone would think there were a surfeit of little monsters in Hong Kong? Devil worshippers... the lot of you!
And then watch the big silence about folks doing a vipassana benedictine monk style - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vjcp5/The_Big_Silence_Episode_1/
Happy writing kisses
xxx
Written the first 2,148 words to the strains of Sigur Ros... so if strange selkies and faerie folk appear in the book I wouldn't be overly suprised... so far I've been pondering travel and remembering the first 24hours in Hong Kong back in September 2002. I've not even met you HK people yet? Imagine?!
Thank you so, so, very much for your kind and lovely words of encouragement regarding this project. I'm going to put them all on one sheet and print it out so I can read over them again when considering bailing.... which I shan't... lest the Goblin Faerie Queen seek comeupance.
Alongside writing, I'll also be working at Waterstones in Shrewsbury over Christmas, first day next Wednesday when I shall begin singing the minimum wage blues... thank the elves for MPF refunds!
Here goes the thank yous...
Thank you Nari, England is misty, mellow and not disimilar to comfort eating vast amounts of Yorkshire Pudding, thank you Kelly, I'll doubtless be fact checking on your website, thank you Peter, thank you Lavinia, superb advice, I de-dongle and cannot reinsert til 2,000 words exist, thank you Vicky, thank you Kat, haiiigh faaive, thank you Jill, one of my all time favourite Goethe quotes, thank you Clare and Tony, so glad to have you both as shipmates for November's literary bootcamp, thank you Tina J, always an inspiration, thank you Alice, meow and purr, thank you Carla Bear, thank you Tina C, happy Japaning, thank you Tom, I'll holdyou to that! :), thank you Ryan, Fist & Finger indeed, thank you Louise, your words make me all fuzzy inside, thank you Tamara, thank you Al Squared, fine words indeed, thank you Laurence, ha!, thank you Fiona, marvellous email danke!, thank you Tanya, how lovely, a great inspiration to me indeedie!
And now, I can get back to the fabulous business of perusing facebook for all those phenomenal Halloween costumes. Anyone would think there were a surfeit of little monsters in Hong Kong? Devil worshippers... the lot of you!
And then watch the big silence about folks doing a vipassana benedictine monk style - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vjcp5/The_Big_Silence_Episode_1/
Happy writing kisses
xxx
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