Fish

Ok so I am really excited now. Here I was enjoying, appropriately enough, a nice piece of smoked trout, when I decided to check up on the Fish Short Story comp (yes I do eat while sitting at the computer, and yes I know its not good for my keyboard, but for some reason on Thursdays time seems to run away and I end up having to do several incompatible things at once.)

Anyway where was I? Oh yes, Fish. Well they've only gone and posted up the short list - and one of my stories is on it! I really did think that the long-list would be my limit, but knowing I've made the last 27 (yes I have counted them) is fab. More than anything else it means that David Mitchell author of the amazing Cloud Atlas and the fabuloso Black Swan Green, as one of the judges, will be reading my words. He may hate them, he may mock them, he may cast them to one side (the side where the bin is) but the important thing is - he will read them. Oh dear I really am far too excited and have written this too soon after my discovery (ie immediately). I have given myself the hiccups.

I am going to try to recover by finding out the likelihood of my survival if I crash-landed on the moon.

44%

Apparently this counts as a FAIL, which on the moon probably means a slow lingering death. Ah well so much for my new career as an astronaut - I'd better stick to sitting on my bum at the computer trying not to lose bits of food in the keyboard.

Sewing a story

I was sewing last night. Not something I do very often but when I do I enjoy it. I was making felt Christmas tree decorations (as you do, last minute and all that) and while my mind drifted in and out with the needle I had a thought, and then another and then a whole run of them - all about my novel and all incredibly useful. A lot of loose ends (to push the metaphor) were tied, several connections made and a whole new lovely character walked in.

So many times I have tried to write and it hasn't come and so many times I have looked despairingly at my pile of sewing projects (rag rugs, half made bags, dresses and tablecloths that I am trying to turn into skirts) and decided that I haven't got time to finish them . The answer it seems is simple, get on with the sewing and while my body is distracted my mind can deal with the writing - how productive is that!