One of the Very Many Reasons that I Love Writing

Today I went on a treasure hunt in search of material for my novel and found something that I'd lost and hadn't been able to find for a long time. I could hear the tune in my head, but couldn't remember the band name. Masks led to Mummers led right back to the amazing tune below. Serendipity.

2010 SCBWI Writers' and Illustrators' Conference announced!

I'm very excited because I have definitely decided to attend the SCBWI Conference this year. It's being held 13-14 November and details can be found here.

The keynote author is the marvellous Marcus Sedgwick, and a host of other fab UK writers will be supporting - including Ellen Renner, Keren David and Candy Gourlay.  It's the 3rd conference, but the 10th year of British SCBWI so there'll be big celebrations!

Hope to see some of you there.

The Moonlocket - Druidstones

There are lots of stone circles in the Peak District - some are well-known such as the Nine Ladies Stone Circle on Stanton Moor, and others such as Nine Stones Close (to the far-left of the image) are found in more obscure places. On dark days, it's easy to mistake the rocks for people.

The druids have been associated with Derbyshire for many years, especially in the more remote regions of the county.  It's thought that they used these sites as places of worship, but no one really knows their true purpose.

The stones don't play a part in the my main novel, but they have a role in the backstory, which is slowly turning into a book in itself!

Guilty Pleasures

It's been an unproductive few weeks and I blame it completely on Escape to the Country and Celebrity Masterchef.  I'm lucky enough to get home at 5.30pm most nights, which means that I sit down for tea just in time for a double bill of comfort TV.  First, I'm off viewing dream homes around the UK with the lovely Jules and Alistair, followed by desperate celebs serving up fancy cuisine. An unbeatable combination, n'est pas?

Problem is that by the time the programmes have come to an end, it's 7.30pm and my energy reserves have usually dwindelled to a mere trickle.  It takes a superhuman effort to crank my brain into action after all that soporific entertainment, let alone come up with words that form sentences.

Luckily, Masterchef finishes this week so I'll only be left with ETTC, and back to my usual 7pm writing start.  Unless, of course, Come Dine with Me happens to be on the other side.

The Moonlocket - Inside the Dale

I love the landscapes that exist within dales.  Smooth grassy valleys close into dark tunnels. Sometimes a spring breaks through from a hillside, pooling against a mossy wall. This photo was taken in one of the lesser-known dales where there's no real path so only determined hikers tackle the route. I'm particularly excited by the glowing object to the centre left of the image. It's probably a seed or a fly, but I think it adds to the mystery of the place. Anything could exist in these secluded valleys.