Hi Everyone
Welcome to my Blog and I hope you enjoy reading about the birth of my first novel as I start it on its way. As a mother of a thirteen year old son I am under no illusions – this will be far the hardest task yet!
After a year of writing seriously I completed the fiction part of the course with Writers Bureau last Autumn. I cannot fault the great tutor I had there, Esther Newton, nor the course itself. During the year I had one major success and won First Prize in the Writing Magazine Short Story. This win was a real boost to my self-confidence as a writer – no longer were my family, friends and tutor my only champions. Since then I have written many more short stories. Whilst I have enjoyed writing these and sending them off to competitions and magazines with various success, I felt it was time to take the leap of faith and try for a novel.
To my project. A new year. A new start. I stood under the shower and thought. As all my best ideas emerge whilst submerged I have at times considered standing under a waterfall in the tropics whilst dictating into a waterproof microphone. Alas reality beckons so back to my five minutes of inspiration a day followed by a a few hours perspiration writing a day.
Come, join me. Once or twice a week I hope to update you all on how this trek is going. I am under no illusions – it will be a slog. Your support and encouragement will help propel me forwards in my commitment. Whilst I learn along the way, crossing numerous obstacles, I hope to help other prospective writers out there. I don’t want to disappoint. Enjoy and look forward to hearing from you.
Word count of first draft: 3,720 on 8th January 2015
“I have arrived I am home In the here In the now I am solid I am free in the Ultimate I dwell”
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Annika Perry 
Nothing like winning an Award to just inspire you to your best and highest writing. Well done. 🐞
Johanna, I haven’t read my first post for a long time! Thank you so much for your like and comment here. 😃😀 The win was amazing and for days afterwards I had that happy floaty feeling. More important it really did reinforce that maybe my family and friends were not just being nice and that I could perhaps write!
I love exploring those ‘first posts’ It really shows the tremendous amount of growth and change in the creativity and interests of the creators of the websites I follow.
I have some pretty awful ‘firsts’ and I initially thought that I would edit them, delete them…just ‘let them go’
the local Sedona mantra about just everything…but I am glad I did not. I look back at them now with affection as part of my cyberspace journey.
Write on, dear Annika. 🐞
Dearest Award Winning Author Annika!
I am very excited to hear about your new novel!
Enjoyed reading your short stories very much 🙂
Wanted more.
It was like eating a wonderful piece of chocolate….when I ate the last bite….I was a bit sad…..but glad I had the opportunity to taste and enjoy 🙂
With your novel it will be like an entire box of chocolates!
I can enjoy one or more chapters for several days until I finish the entire book!
Then to add your blog to the process! It is like watching the chocolates being made then eating them afterwards.
How wonderful is that?!?!
Thank you very much for allowing me to follow along.
Barbara, thank you very much. You write so beautifully. How about writing a short story or book yourself? As for the chocolates, what’s you favourite and I will try to oblige! It’s an honour to have you along on my writing adventure.
Great Annika,
I really think the idea of waterproof microphone and waterfall
is a brilliant idea.
You can do it; just go girl.
Mirja
Thanks Mirja.
Alternatively I could go outside and stand outside in the rain, hiding under a tree, scribbling away in a notebook.
Annika
Good luck with this; the Nobel Prize for literature awaits. No pressure!!
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Peter, although I am thinking on a much smaller scale! I’ll take it word by word for now.
Annika
This blog is really good!!!!