June 2009 update

Spent an enjoyable day at the Society of Women Writers and Journalists' Summer Festival on Thursday. Nice lunch, lots of friendly writers to talk to, and to cap it all I got a highly commended in their novel competition for the opening of a new novel I have been working on. Meanwhile, I have been busily sending my number one novel - Losing Lucy - off to an assortment of agents, publishers and competitions over the last few weeks. A few rejections have already come back, but I remain hopeful! Follow my progress in my regular column in Writers' Forum magazine. I am still writing my non-fiction for the pre-school market, but the short fiction is certainly taking a back seat lately - a shame because I love doing it when I have the time and ideas. I also have a piece in the June issue of LINK, the magazine of the NAWG, all about the ups and downs of a week in my writing life. Just re-read it when the mag arrived on the mat and realised that I DO actually do something writing-related every day, just as I always planned to! I have been really enjoying being part of the judging process in the Poetic Republic poetry competition - where the entrants read and judge each other! Many will by now have been eliminated, but it's all still anonymous and secret, so who knows if my own poem is still in? Round 3 where only the best few will remain is coming up this month, with a winner due to be announced in July. Great fun reading random entries, warts and all, and a real eye-opener! I am hoping to write and sell an article about the whole project as soon as it is over. TIP: Never miss an opportunity to write about whatever of interest may happen to you - I don't!