Shelagh Watkins

Interview: Shelagh Watkins

2009-10-18T04:59:00.000-07:00

Susan Whitfield, author of three published novels, Genesis Beach, Just North of Luck and Hell Swamp, interviewed Shelagh Watkins on her blog on Monday 12th October:

Shelagh Watkins is writer, editor and publisher at Mandinam Press, and author of two books: Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine and The Power of Persuasion. She set up the Children’s Fiction group on LibraryThing, the Published Authors group on Goodreads, and the Published Authors Network group on LinkedIn. Shelagh also created the Published Authors Network on Ning and is administrator of the Published Authors forum. There are over four thousand members in the combined groups and networks. When she is not networking, administrating, publishing or editing, she miraculously finds time to write!

Susan: Welcome to my blog, Shelagh.
Shelagh: Hi Susan, Thank you for inviting me to be your guest.

Susan: When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?

Shelagh: I began writing in 1998 and wrote my first novel, The Power of Persuasion. The book, a work of literary fiction set in Scotland, takes the reader around the world from Europe to the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore, and then back to Scotland. I wrote my second novel, Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine, in 2002. Although a work of children’s fiction, the book is aimed at a wide audience: from nine-year-olds to ninety-year-olds!

Susan: When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?

Shelagh: The Power of Persuasion, which I submitted to all the major London publishing houses, was well received but failed to attract a single publisher. Along with the rejection slips, the advice from all the publishers was the same: I needed to find an agent. However, finding an agent proved to be as difficult as finding a publisher so I stopped writing. I did not write again until 2002 when my brother died and left two young children, then aged five and eight years old. I began writing again and, this time, I found a publisher. The second book, Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine, was published in 2005. Two years later, the publisher, PublishAmerica, gave me joint print rights and exclusive electronic rights to my novel and I self-published the book through Lulu.com and as an ebook on: Amazon’s kindle, mobipocket and Smashwords.

In 2007, I rewrote The Power of Persuasion, which took twelve months to complete. In January 2008, I set up Mandinam Press to publish the novel. Having learned how to self-publish, I used the experience to publish Forever Friends, an anthology of short stories and poems written by members of the Published Authors forum and network. The book was published in September 2008 and, this month, appeared in Today’s Chicago Woman magazine.

The only message I would pass on to anyone setting out with the idea of becoming a published author is to be realistic about expectations and do not have a preconceived notion about the number of sales a first time author should make. For some new authors, the number of books may be in the thousands but, for the majority of newcomers, the number of books sold is more likely to be in the hundreds. This means that royalties will be small − small enough to be disregarded as an increase in yearly income. It is far more likely that the expenses incurred in selling a few hundred copies of a book will far exceed the amount earned in royalties.

This situation is no different to those facing most talented individuals who pay traveling expenses and teaching/coaching expenses when pursuing their chosen career. It is the same with writers. Everyone has to learn and, as such, new writers should accept that the learning process will involve some costs.

Susan: Briefly tell us about your book(s).

Shelagh: Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine is a story of flight, fantasy, adventure and courage. Although Emmelisa Planemaker is a strong-willed little girl, she misses her dad, who died when she was only five years old.

Emmelisa and her brother Dell have a happy and carefree life until their father becomes ill and is forced to retire at the age of forty-three. After retirement, Mr. Planemaker decides to build a scaled, model airplane because he wants to build something lasting for his children but he dies before completing the task.

Three years later, Emmelisa is being seriously bullied at school by a group led by the notorious school bully, Mayja Troublemaker. When Emmelisa becomes increasingly withdrawn and unhappy, she seeks help and advice through the computer her father had used to locate specialist model aircraft companies in his quest to build a model airplane.

The computer is more than just a computer and full of surprises: Mr. A. Leon Spaceman being one of them! He guides the two children to Hardwareland, where they train to become astronauts and take on an extraordinary mission into space: to follow their father's TRAIL OF LIGHT.

Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine was a top ten finisher in the Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll 2005.

The Power of Persuasion is a tongue-in-cheek work of literary fiction set in Scotland. The title is taken from Jane Austen’s Persuasion. The satirical fictional story is about a journalist who stalks a reader (as opposed to a reader who obsessively reads everything written by a particular journalist). The reader, Beth Durban, is aware that she is being followed around and is totally bemused by the unwanted attention:

Beth Durban is persuaded to write a letter to the editor's page of a national Sunday newspaper in response to a film critic’s prejudice against adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels. When she receives an unexpected visit from the newspaper's critic, F. William D'Arcy, she is bemused but, after several sightings of the inquisitive journalist, she’s neither pleased nor amused.

Beth is so distracted by the unwelcome interest from such an arrogant man she fails to see that a close work colleague is falling in love with her. As a scientific researcher in a Scottish University, she has led a varied life travelling the world, spending time in New Zealand, Canada, Australia, America, Singapore and Israel. With such a full life, she has had little time to form any serious, romantic attachments that might lead to a permanent relationship.

When she decides to take driving lessons, Beth opens up new opportunities for herself and realises that perhaps she isn’t too old to find love after all.

The Power of Persuasion was a top ten finisher in the Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll 2008.

Susan: What’s the hook for the books?

Shelagh: There is an underlying philosophy to Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine that is left for readers to figure out for themselves. The opening chapters lay the foundation for the philosophical underpinnings of the book. Mr. Planemaker is dying. He knows this as do his family, friends and work colleagues. They are all trying to help in this last stage of his life.

In his dreams, the Dream House is his final resting place. In his first dream, when the children approach the door, the house disappears because the time is not right for them. They will not be stepping inside the house for quite some time. Bill Dare, who built the house, tells Mr. Planemaker that no one lives inside the house and no one has ever lived inside the house – this is the house of the dead, not the living. The door to the house is missing and cannot be closed or reopened: a one-way passage. Mr. Planemaker asks about the missing door and Mr. Dare explains that the door is actually there and those who can see it won't be able to walk into the house. In other words, the door is always closed to the living and only open for the dying.

In all his dreams, Mr. Planemaker asks about the children because every waking minute is spent thinking about his son and daughter and what will happen to them when he has gone.

At first, Mr. Planemaker is afraid and he doesn't want to step inside the house. It is grey and gloomy and unwelcoming. To allay his fears, the people who built the house – the architect, the builder and the workmen – are always cheerful and reassuring. They know the house is bleak and uninviting but the love and care they put into it overshadows the dull, plain appearance of the grey house.

When Mr. Planemaker meets Joy Nair, he is given his first glimpse of light inside the house. The light is warm and soft, and makes the prospect of stepping inside the hallway more attractive. However, he doesn't step forward because his thoughts are interrupted as he remembers the children. He still wants more time with them.

At the end of chapter five, he finally gives in and his last dream takes him through the door, not into darkness but into light. Before he finally slips away, he asks about the children and is told that they are going to be okay. With that last thought, Mr. Planemaker lets go of his grasp on life and steps into life after death. Now you must read the story to find out what happens to the children.

The hook for The Power of Persuasion is on the first page:

“Do you wake on Sunday mornings feeling bright and cheerful before you step out to buy your favourite Sunday newspapers, and spend the next four hours reading the print off the page? Does this weekly ritual result in a change of temperament – signs of irritability, aggressiveness and a distinctly argumentative frame of mind? I do. To be more accurate, I did. Everyone around me suffered from my inability to avoid the very thing that caused the Jekyll and Hyde mood swings. The news items didn’t affect me much, but the journalists with a point to make were my Achilles’ heel. To a man and a woman, I disagreed with all of them. We were as black and white to each other as the printed page before me. There was no grey area, no common ground and no compromise.

How could there be compromise in a situation where they wrote and I read? In order to see one another’s point of view, I would need to explain mine. To inflict regularly my own half-baked ideas on my family would have been unfair, and yet they probably suffered more from my silent fuming than they did if I succumbed to soap box outbursts.

The more thoughts I kept to myself, the greater the irritation, but at least I did eventually begin to recognise all the symptoms of Sunday paperitis.” If you like the style of writing, you will want to read on …

Susan: How do you develop characters? Setting?

Shelagh: My characters are composites of people I know. I take characteristics of someone I know well and put those characteristics into a completely different character. A teenage girl with a bad attitude might be transfigured into a difficult young boy with a surly disposition. The appearance of the character will be very different to the real person.

Most settings are taken from real life where possible, otherwise I do extensive research to make the setting as real as possible. This was extremely important in the Power of Persuasion where every location had to be accurate whether I had visited the region or not. The reader must not be able to detect the difference.

Susan: Who’s the most unusual/most likeable character?

Shelagh: Cosmos, by a mile. He is so bright and all-knowing. He is always there if he is needed but he is never under anyone’s feet. He is the perfect companion. By the way, Cosmos is a cat, but an extremely bright one!

Susan: Do you have specific techniques to help you maintain the course of the plot?

Shelagh: No. The plot drives itself. All my brilliant ideas away from the word processor soon lose their brilliance when I begin to type. Writing seems to release a creativity that cannot be evoked any other way.

Susan: Do you have a specific writing style? Preferred POV?

Shelagh: Yes. My style of writing for children is very different to my style of writing for adults. There is a sharpness to my adult writing that is absent in my children’s novels.

Susan: Share the best review (or a portion) that you’ve ever had.

Shelagh: My best reviews are all for Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine, which appeals to just about anyone. The Power of Persuasion is really aimed at Jane Austen fans and not everyone is a fan! Consequently, I found these few words encouraging:

“I read your book some weeks ago and hope you do not mind, put some thoughts on paper:

I was intrigued the way you set out your book with the link of the mysterious appearances of D’Arcy. My very early and mistaken assumption was that Beth’s letter was equivalent to Elizabeth’s refusal of Darcy’s proposal of marriage by Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. If you saw the production with Colin Firth, he became frustrated at this and was obviously haunted by her.

I was particularly interested in the ‘snapshots’ – I could see where the university scenarios came from and those concerned with human interaction showed your perception of how we mortals behave. You must have done a lot of research on some of the geographical visits – I have been to most places so recognise the authenticity. Many of these could be expanded into short stories and then you could have your own anthology. Well done!"

Susan: What’s the most unexpected thing that’s happened to you as a writer?

Shelagh: I was amazed when a presenter from Preston FM community radio asked if I would be interested in a serialisation of Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine. The book was aired over ten weeks from May-July this year. Daily excerpts and a Sunday Omnibus edition totalled over thirteen hours of air time. It was quite brilliant. The narrator, Mike Gardner, did a superb job.

Susan: What are your current projects?

Shelagh: I am working on a sequel to Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine.

Susan: Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

Shelagh: On my website: http://shelaghwatkins.co.uk

Susan: Shelagh, I wish you the best with all of your many endeavors!

Shelagh: Thank you Susan for allowing me this opportunity to talk to your readers. It has been a real pleasure, and thank you to all the readers who dropped by to read this blog post.

Abe F. March: Guest Author

2009-10-03T06:29:00.000-07:00

Abe F. March: Guest Author | Visual Arts Junction

http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?p=3321

By Shelagh Watkins Today's guest, Abe March, has an interesting and varied background that led to the writing of his first book, To Beirut and Back.

Guest Author: D.K. Christi

2009-09-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

Interview of DK Christi on Visual Arts Junction:

Guest Author: D.K. Christi

New Review of Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine

2009-07-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

Today, I received this review of Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine:

Fantasy is deftly combined with realism in this tale of two children, Emmelisa and Dell Planemaker. Science and metaphysics blend together as Dell and Emmelisa deal with troubles ranging from the tragic loss of their father to the agony of coping with school bullies. They begin to find solutions to these real problems when they happen upon their father’s old computer, and, with the help of their mysterious family cat, Cosmos, find themselves magically transported into the computer’s inner workings. They have entered a magical city where the buildings have names like the Central Processing Unit and the Read Only Memory building, where they and their readers incidentally learn the various parts of an actual computer and how the interconnected parts work to make the computer function. They are guided by a strange-looking individual named A. Leon Spaceman, and meet several of his companions. Eventually, they embark on a journey into space and a quest for their father’s “trail of light.”

Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine by Shelagh Watkins is available through amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. Watkins’s extensive knowledge regarding computer technology and the science of space travel combine with her imaginative story-telling skill as she weaves the children’s adventures with a fascinating primer where young people can learn about science as they get caught up in the travels of Dell and Emmelisa.

The metaphysical element is explored through the dreams of Mr. Planemaker and his children, and it is often difficult to tell where that element ends and the scientific one begins. The sometimes harsh realities of the children’s lives are tempered by the thoughtful manner in which their story is told, as well as through the solutions they find on their quest. The action of the story holds up through the book’s very last pages and its surprising ending. While the book was written for children, adult readers will also find themselves caught up in its ageless story.

Ann L Joiner
July 2009

Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine on Preston FM

2009-04-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

Preston FM is about to serialise Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine for the daily morning programme, Chat City.

The time: 8.20am every morning Monday to Friday

The place: Chat City on Preston FM

The starting date: May 11th 2009

5-8 min daily episodes will be repeated in an omnibus edition at 5pm each Sunday.

Listen live online on http://www.preston.fm/

Writing Community Unites to Write "Forever Friends"

2008-11-08T15:39:00.001-08:00

This collection of stories and poems, created by members of the Published Authors Forum on the world wide web, reflects the bond of friendship between writers from all over the world.

read more | digg story

Forever Friends

2008-11-02T05:15:00.000-08:00

Anthology by members of the Published Authors Network and Forum

The anthology is out at last! In May this year, members of the Published Authors Network and Forum came up with the idea of an anthology to celebrate friendship between writers on the world wide web. I edited the submissions and compiled the anthology, Forever Friends.

From the many submissions, I selected thirty-one short stories and twenty-nine poems from forty-seven contributors. The attraction of this collection of work lies in its diversity and variety of genres. From romance and mystery to fantasy and science fiction, there is something for everyone. While some stories are short and pithy, others are thought-provoking and satisfying. All are entertaining.

Forever Friends is a celebration of the power of friendship and human relationships. The breadth and depth of the stories cover all ages from young to old. Filled with love and respect for family, friends, pets and even a telescope, these stories are guaranteed to entertain the most discerning reader. Thoughtful poems of friendship and love will bring smiles or tears and encourage readers to read the next story. The fiction and non-fiction works in this book express friendship as timeless, enduring and forever.

Forever Friends View the book

Wales Book of the Year

2008-06-12T00:44:00.000-07:00

The Power of Persuasion is on the list for Wales Book of the Year, an annual prize administered by the Welsh Academy:

Yr Academi Gymreig – The Welsh Academy is the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society of Writers. The Academi runs events, courses, competitions (including the Cardiff International Poetry Competition run with the support of Cardiff Council and offering a first prize of £5000), conferences (see details of the forthcoming Belfast Meets Wales conference here), tours by authors, lectures, international exchanges, events for schools, readings, literary performances and festivals. The Academi is also responsible for Services to Writers and now offers bursaries, critical advice and administers the annual Wales Book of the Year award.

http://www.academi.org/about-academi/

The book can be found on Google book search. Click on "Preview this book" to browse through the book:

The Power of Persuasion

Bookmark II

2008-04-18T01:47:00.000-07:00

Presenting The Power of Persuasion

2008-03-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Delia Latham's Blog Tour

2008-02-23T02:13:00.000-08:00

I would like to welcome author Delia Latham. Delia's second book will be released in March. Follow the tour to learn more information about Delia and her new book, Goldeneyes.

Delia Latham is a former newspaper Staff Writer and a frequent contributor to her hometown’s regional publication, Bakersfield Magazine. She also writes greeting card verse, short stories, articles, and songs. Her editing and proofing skills have been utilized by numerous authors, including Dr. Chuck Wall, founder of the Random Acts of Kindness movement.

A debut novel, Almost Like a Song, was released in June 2006; Goldeneyes will be released in March 2008 by Vintage Romance Publishing. Delia’s work is included in an upcoming short story anthology, The Shortstack: 20 Stories to Fill You Up.

The author lives in Bakersfield, California with her husband, Johnny, a Pentecostal minister. Her four adult children and four “beautiful, absolutely perfect” grandchildren daily light up her life. She loves to hear from her readers.

Contact her through her website: Delia Latham's Books

or her blog: Delia's Blog

A man’s eyes are the windows to his soul … if he has one.

Deep in the darkness of a Depression-era night, a man addicted to alcohol sells something precious to obtain it. His vile action impacts the lives of two entire families, and it will be over two decades before the horrible wrong begins to be made right again.

Two young women – strangers to each other – unknowingly enmeshed in a Pandora’s Box of secrets that could prevent them from finding happiness with the men they love. Two adoring mothers who know more than they are willing to say. A newsman with a story he cannot tell. What is their connection, and who is the golden-eyed stranger who moves in the shadows of their broken lives?

Excerpt:

The old cuckoo clock on the shelf in the front room struck midnight. It’s persistent chirping irritated Jack Kelly’s already frayed nerves as he paced back and forth across the small room.

“Shut up! Shut up!” he growled beneath his breath, casting an anxious look at the crib in the next room. When no signs of disturbed sleep were forthcoming, he breathed a grateful sigh of relief. The last thing he needed right now was a squalling infant to further vex the burning demon within him. He had promised his wife he would not spend a cent on liquor. New babies meant new expenses, and those things must come first.

So far he had kept his promise; he’d had no choice. Every penny he earned with his hoe, day after blistering day in the cotton fields, was swallowed up in scratching out a meager existence. There never seemed to be a penny extra, to say nothing of the few dollars a bottle of whiskey would cost. With the addition of this new offspring, who knew when he would be able to quench the gnawing demon of thirst that drove him insane? He had to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. The arrival of more children would only make that job harder, and it was obvious Annie did not intend to stop at one pregnancy.

Another glance into the small bedroom revealed no unwelcome stirrings from the crib. A bright moonbeam, however, lay across the bed, and Kelly’s tormented gaze fell on the lovely face of the woman he had married. He had considered himself a lucky man when she said yes to his proposal, despite her goody-two-shoes, Bible-thumping parents. If he loved anything on this poor excuse of an earth, he loved Annie. She was a perfect wife.

Their home might be barely more than a shack, but it sparkled, and she was a real wonder in the kitchen. He could not remember her voice ever raised in anger, even when he had fallen through the front door, dog drunk, a week after she married him.

Kelly’s fevered mind wandered to his conversation with the poor fish in the cotton field. Had it only been eight or nine hours ago? It seemed an eon; every moment without the drink he craved was an eternity.

Poor fella don’t know how lucky he is. Only has to worry ‘bout that pretty little gal and hisself. I bet he could buy a bottle of whiskey if he wanted one!

With the thought, an idea was born, full-blown and itching for action. He actually stopped pacing for a moment, shocked to the core by the undiluted vileness of the seed taking root in his mind. He stood staring at the crib against the far wall and shook his head as if to toss out the evil thought.

“You’re crazy,” he whispered. His heart pounded painfully against his chest; little beads of sweat dotted his forehead and chin. “You’ve done gone stark, starin’ mad!”

And perhaps he had, for suddenly he found himself across the room, gazing down into the hand-me-down crib. He was horrified at the darkness within his imagination, yet knew full well he hadn’t the strength of mind or will to resist its powerful pull.

One more almost desperate glance at his wife’s face … if she would only wake up he would have to forsake this notion, and perhaps he could rid himself of the unforgivable intent. Indeed, Annie did stir a little and drew a deep sigh, almost as though she heard his desperate mental cry. But hers was the sleep of utter exhaustion and she slumbered on.

A few moments later, Kelly slipped silently out the back door of the little shack, clutching a tiny pink bundle in his arms and blinking back the tears of shame and self-loathing that sprang unbidden to his eyes.

Delia's Blog Tour Schedule (don't miss out!)

Mar. 4 – Dee Owen – Dee's Blog
Mar. 5 – Tabitha Robin – Tabitha Robin
Mar. 7 – Tori Close – Tori Close
Mar. 10 – Jennifer Hudson Taylor – Jennifer's Blog
Mar. 12 – Debra Ullrick - Debra's Blog
Mar. 17 – Miralee Ferrell – Miralee's Blog
Mar. 19 – Bonnie Winters - Bonnie's Blog
Mar. 20 – Cynthia Hickey – Cynthia's Blog
Mar. 24 – Pamela James - Pamela's Blog
Mar. 24 – 28 – Tracy Ruckman – Tracy's Blog
Mar. 25 – Christa Allan - Christa Allan
Mar. 31 – Gina Conroy – Gina Conroy
April 20 – Marian Merritt – Marian Merritt
April 27 – Margaret Daley – Margaret's Blog
Throughout February and March – David G. Boggs – David G. Boggs David's Blog

My Poem Editor's Choice

2008-02-08T02:32:00.000-08:00

My poem has received this award:
Hope for a Safer Place has been awarded our prestigious Editor's Choice Award because it displays an original perspective and unique creativity -- judged to be the qualities found most in exceptional poetry.

Shelagh Watkins
2007

Thanks to everyone for voting!
~Shelagh

A wish for peace this Christmas

2007-12-09T10:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas is only two weeks and two days away so I thought I would send my best wishes for peace this Christmas.
A. Leon Spaceman sends his best wishes too!

The Power of Persuasion cover

2007-10-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

The Power of Persuasion is in the final stages of proofreading, so I thought I would give you a sneak preview of the cover:

Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine

2007-08-18T07:20:00.001-07:00

I've just produced a promotional video for Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine. It's only my second attempt and I aim to improve! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Bookmark

2007-08-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is the first bookmark design for Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine. The second design will be here soon!

e-zine: The Infinite Writer

2007-08-04T01:58:00.000-07:00

My flash fiction story, Not a Hill of Beans, is on The Infinite Writer e-zine for the month of August. If you have written a flash fiction/short story or a poem, check out this e-zine and consider submitting your work:

The Infinite Writer

Reasons manuscripts are rejected

2007-07-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is a blog about a blog! If you love writing but have difficulty coping with a constant flow of rejection letters and emails, I think I've found someone who can help you!

For first-time authors, finding an agent or publisher can be almost impossible and without guidelines, new writers keep making the same mistakes, which leads to more rejections. If you would like advice about how to present your work to improve the chances of success, check out Elizabeth Lucas-Taylor's MySpace blog:

Reasons manuscripts are rejected

A button for your web sites

2007-06-04T05:48:00.000-07:00

I've just created a button link to my web site:

To create a button for your site, click on the button maker link at the bottom right of this page.

2007-04-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

My first short story accepted!

My first short story was accepted by Universe Pathways Magazine.

Special thanks to George Sotirhos at Universe Pathways for reading my story and accepting it for the English version of the magazine.

Issue 5 of the English magazine with my story inside can be previewed on lulu.com:

Universe Pathways preview

My story, Leo's Daughter: Mistress of the Web, is on page 167.

You can find Issue 5 of the English magazine here:

Universe Pathways: Issue 5

2007-02-01T06:38:00.002-08:00

Me and a pop star...

I suppose that should be a pop star and me, since Mark Owen is far more famous than me. But we are both from Lancashire and we did appear together on the front page of a newspaper magazine -- Mark on the left and me on the right. If it's too small, click on the picture to see a bigger image. This is old news that recently became new when Take That decided to re-form and release a new CD. They used to write and perform songs for a young audience and recently made a come back writing for a more mature audience. There's the similarity. Not the fame, fortune and acclaim but reinventing themselves. My first book was aimed at a young audience -- although it can be read by 10-80 year olds -- and now I am rewriting a novel, The Power of Persuasion, aimed at a more mature audience. There the similarity ends. But I can dream.

2007-01-23T03:42:00.000-08:00

My first short story

I know this is a tad late, but a belated happy New Year everyone! There is no excuse for it -- everyone is busy at this time of year and telling everyone you're busy is like telling everyone you're alive.

Anyway, talking of telling, I have a favour to ask about storytelling:

I have added my first short story on gather.com. Please check it out and tell me what you think. It is my first attempt at writing a short story, so the next one shoud be better! Click on this link to read the story:

Leo's Daughter: Mistress of the Web

2006-10-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

Something new...

Something new at last! I have just set up a new group, Children's Fiction, on LibraryThing for readers of all ages.

Please take a look and if you join, you will be made very welcome!

Children's Fiction Group

2006-09-29T01:10:00.000-07:00

More information

The heading to this post is correct but the information isn't new. At least, not new to the 'net. I seem to have added information all over the web: my website, on-line bookstores, forums, myspace, on-line newspapers and libraries.
All the information is about writing with a little bit about why I write. So, why do I write? I'm not sure. A bit like climbing mountains I suppose. Have keyboard, will write.
I don't write to influence, impress or educate anyone. I write because not writing would mean not expressing any ideas.
So here I am, sharing my ideas.
I'm not exactly full of ideas today so this blog entry might be brief.
I'm digressing again. This is supposed to provide more information and I've provided very little.
I've already mentioned New Zealand. Not the only antipodean region I've visited. I had a great time in Australia on a couple of occasions. The first time I visited Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and somehow ended up on a round trip from Coolangata airport to Melbourne and back in a day. But that's a long story. I'll save that for another blog entry.
I've done quite a bit of travelling around the world and I've lived in three countries in the UK. I was born in England, lived in Scotland for twenty-six years and I now live in South Wales.
More about me later.

2006-09-20T06:14:00.001-07:00

More about me

This is supposed to be about me, but I lead such an uneventful life that there's little I can say. Well, I suppose I could say a great deal because I'm a writer and writers always have a great deal to say about everything and anything. But then you would all fall asleep!

What you really want to read about is all the amusing moments of my life: the times I've fallen flat on my face, walked into gents' lavatories and all that stuff. Well, I did once walk into a men's public lavatory (in New Zealand) but it was empty. I walked in, used one of the loos, washed my hands and walked out again. Then I saw the sign. There was no wo in it. And no-one around to say, "Woa there, look at the sign!"

Not a very busy place New Zealand. Five million people and ten times as many sheep. It's worth a visit though. The landscape is spectacular and you can drive for miles on empty roads.

I digress. I'm supposed to be talking about me not New Zealand. Maybe in my next blog I'll tell you a little bit more about me.

2006-09-09T01:16:00.000-07:00

My first blog

This is my first blog. I'm Shelagh. That's the Irish spelling of Sheila. I'm from the UK and my first novel Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine was published in 2005.