Yes!

All Done!

• Synopsis - yes.


• Cover letter - yes.


• Full manuscript -yes.


• Submission Chapters - yes.


• SAE -yes.


• Elbow, wrist and thumb strain - oh yes.

How strange "Yes" looks repeated like that!

For Literary Agents, the talented and generous Emerging Writer has a great post, she also has an excellent one on synopsis , she also has a poem in Poetry Ireland Review 103!

Rather than send a dozen off, for the moment I've decided on one agent. So off it goes...gently does it! Goodbye "Ghost Estate", and good luck!

I wouldn't have finished this novel without a deadline, or should I say without declaring my deadline to all and sundry (that's you blog reader!) Or the writers, Ronan, Helena and Brigid who kindly agreed to read the full manuscript. Or without Suzanne Power's encouragement way back at page one!

Thank you.

Olde Wifee Remedy

A remedy for writers wrist.. Go on, you know you want to!
Shake those phalanges!

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor R.I.P


She was beautiful, but I think it's sometimes forgotten
that this woman could really act.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.

A Page From My Notebook

My novel is written from multiple points of view (3) and I've now discovered (rather late in the day!) that they are unbalanced in terms of the space they take up.
One is fine, he has short narratives of 300 words interspersed at even junctures in the text. But the other two vary wildly in their word count. When I try to even them out so it flows better it messes up the plot. They are a couple living in the same house, so the content i.e whats happening next... flows fine but I want their sections to be more even. Will it work if I leave it as is? Or is there another solution! My (self imposed) deadline is eight days away. Any suggestions kind bloggers?

Big Moon

A video from the talented Cathy Davey to add to the full moon fever....

Yes, tonight the full moon is at its closest point in its orbit to the earth.
It will appear larger and brighter - it's only 221,565 miles away!

What does this all mean?!
Fiddler crabs will go mad, night sleepers will rise to hunt.
African dung beetles will walk in razor straight lines and
I'll gobble a batch loaf smothered in butter and goosegobs
while scribbling big mad full moon poems with jam on them.

Enjoy the fever!

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The Moon
You can take the moon by the spoonful
or in capsules every two hours.
It's useful as a hypnotic and sedative
and besides it relieves
those who have had too much philosophy.
A piece of moon in your purse
works better than a rabbit's foot.
Helps you find a lover
or get rich without anyone knowing,
and it staves off doctors and clinics.
You can give it to children like candy
when they've not gone to sleep,
and a few drops of moon in the eyes of the old
helps them to die in peace.

Put a new leaf of moon
under your pillow
and you'll see what you want to.
Always carry a little bottle of air of the moon
to keep you from drowning.
Give the key to the moon
to prisoners and the disappointed.
For those who are sentenced to death
and for those who are sentenced to life
there is no better tonic than the moon
in precise and regular doses.
Jaime Sabines

Orla Fay posted this beautiful poem in her comment, thanks Orla!

On Revision

Still on the theme of revision...! I love the first draft stage, it's as effortless as running downhill towards Johnny Depp. This last stage is more akin to combing nits out of Captain Jacks dreadlocks...and there's a little
voice whispering, ah leave it, sure what does it matter?

So near, but yet so far.

Solution:
Fall back on an excellent small town technique for getting people to do what they ought to. It's called shaming. So on the 31st March I'll have the novel finished and in the post (with unforged and ungoogled photographic
evidence on this blog). And in case your wondering, this is
not just excuse to include a photograph
of J Depp. Honest.

WOMENS DAY

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY

Amnesty International, Laois Branch will celebrate ‘International Women’s Day, 2011’ by hosting a literary and music evening in Kavanagh’s bar, Main St., Portlaoise on March 8th at 8pm. Contributors on the night will include former Laois Writers in Residence Jean O’Brien and Ann Egan.
Jean O Brien is the most recent recipient of the of the Arvon International Poetry Award(only the second Irish winner) and award winning Laois poet Ann Egan, recognised for her collections such as ‘Landing the Sea’, and ‘The Wren Women’.
A selection of local Laois Writers featured in the recent anthology “Laois Echoes with Fionn Mac Cumhaill” will join the platform to share their readings on the night. Music will be provided by Laois based singers, Nuala Kelly and Vivienne Graham. Tickets are €8 for what promised to be a great celebratory night of entertainment.
Laois Amnesty holds monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of every month in Kavanah’s bar in Portlaoise at 8pm and new members are always welcome. To contact Laois Amnesty call 087-0658467.

On Revision

"Revision is where fine art begins. It’s thrilling to take an ending and pull it backward like a shiny thread through the whole fabric of a manuscript, letting little glints shine through here and there. To plant resolution, like a seed, into chapter one. To create new scenes, investing a character with the necessary damage, the right kind of longing. To pitch out boldly and try again. To work every metaphor across the whole, back and forth, like weaving. I love that word “fabrication,” because making an elaborate fiction feels so much like making cloth.

Perfectionism is my disease. Revision is my milk and honey."

Barbara Kingsolver

This quote is taken, with thanks, from a link to a Kingsolver interview over at WomenRuleWriter. I 'll be holding fast to the metaphor of fabrication as I revise this weekend, I don't know if it's because of time spent at the loom, but this is the only quote I've read recently that has given me a real sense of how to progress.

Have a great weekend.

Stylish Blog Award

Thanks Ann and Mary for the Blog Award!
My Stylish Blog Award post got lost, not such a stylish thing to do... and is here

Poetry Manuscript Competition

Cork Literary Review
Poetry Manuscript Competition 2011

The prize includes the publication of a first poetry collection by the winning author and twenty free copies of the book. The overall competition winner and two runners-up will also be featured in Volume XV of the Cork Literary Review. Judge is Jean O Brien winner of the 2010 Arvon Poetry Award.

The purpose of this competition is to publish a full collection of poetry by an emerging poet. In the event that the winning poet is not able to provide the competition with a complete collection, the runner-up will be awarded the prize of a first poetry collection publication.

The closing date for the competition is 5.30pm on the 19th May 2011.

(The entry fee is 25 Euro... I'm saying nothing...)

Click here for more details and application form