Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Cracking on

I am recovered and cracking on. I was writing all day yesterday. Every time I visit Calistro’s blog I realise plain, old-fashioned work is the way to get on. She might make jokes about the luck fairy, but that woman works hard. She puts the effort in. (I know some people work really hard and don’t get the rewards and that’s bum luck, but if I sit back and do no work there’s only one outcome.)

Anyway, I’m fairly sure you’ll all say 'whatever works for you,' but it appears that I need to get things right, before moving on… “Just get the story down first” doesn’t seem to work for me. I can’t bear all that mess. So I’ve finished Chapter One – for now – it’s certain to change again, but it’s done for now and not a first draft anymore. And I’m a couple of hundred words into Chapter Two.

I had made a comment on Sunday to Husband over lunch that I felt like going to Kinokuniya, one of the bookshops here and giving my bank card a bit of a bashing. (I imagine this was all part of the recovery programme) but Son’s ears pricked up and he asked if he could come… Now, I never say no to books for Son (or Daughter) but this was THERAPY. The damage inflicted to my bank account needed to be caused by books FOR ME. So I suddenly lost interest in going, since I’ve just purchased 3 books for Son online. As a reward to finishing chap 1, I went off today to Kinokuniya to do some abuse.

Here’s my booty:

16 comments:

Helen said...

Now they look interesting...particularly the top one (and Germaine's)

Rachel Green said...

Oh!

That reminds me that I have an ARC of Suicide Shop I haven't read yet.

Caroline said...

I LOVED the Suicide shop. Really loved it.

x

Carol said...

I've been dying to read The Suicide Shop for ages....they only had it in Thai the last time I went looking for it. I may have to go down there tomorrow and purchase a copy!!

C x

Jenny Beattie said...

Helen, I hope they all will be! But I do love Germaine Greer, although my mother trained me very carefully to think she was the devil in disguise.

Ooh, Rachel, where'd that come from?

Caroline, I think I knew of The Suicide Shop because of your blog!

Carol, oh lordy, you gave me a heart attack - I had to run and check out if I'd bought a Thai version. Phew it's in English. I got it in Emporium - they have lots.

Leigh Forbes said...

Yes. Yes. Hard work. That's what it takes!
And here I am...er...blogging.

Rachel Green said...

I won it in a bog commenter's drawing :) I think I was supposed to review it. Bad Rachel. I will, when i get to it. I have a huge reading pile.

Pat Posner said...

I'm like you - I have to get things right before moving on. I get annoyed with myself sometimes wondering why, when there's something I'm not happy with, I can't just leave a blank or a note to myself to re-work that bit later. Of course, even when I'm finally satisfied with a chapter, I know I'll probably still add or tweak bits when I go back to it at a later date, but I can accept that.
I love the way you rewarded yourself for finishing a chapter.

Jenny Beattie said...

Yeah, me too Leigh, and in between blogging, I'm at the widgety thing like a mad woman.

Ooh, a win, Rachel, fab. Caroline says it was great ... oh but you can see that - she said it here.

Pat, oh that's a relief. I was hoping I wouldn't be alone. I know it'll still need work but I just can't leave it in such disarray.

Lane Mathias said...

Nice pile!

Bookshops are pure therapy aren't they? Enjoy them and good luck with chapter two:-)

Anonymous said...

Well done on Chapter One and Good luck with Chapter Two. You'll have to let us know how the Suicide shop is such an intriguing title!
When I was in sixth form our school took us to see Germaine Greer speak I can't remember what she talked about but I know she scared us to death in the Q&A part!

Unknown said...

Yep, hard work is the way to go. Unfortunately, tonight, I've been playing with that new black boxes widget. But I'm glad I found your blog.

Jen said...

Now that does look like an interesting pile of books - I've not read any of those.

The Suicide Shop has a such a curious title, it's irresistible. Just goes to show how important titles are, I guess...

Marcie Steele said...

I have come from me to you via Caroline's widget thingie. La, la la. x

CL Taylor said...

Aw shucks JJ, you say the nicest things (not sure why I came over a bit American there but nevermind...)

LOVE the title "The Suicide Shop", so intriguing! I was going to write a short story called "The Suicide Club" and the first line was going to be "The leader of the suicide club keeps changing. They keep dying" but I didn't get much further than that!

Jenny Beattie said...

Lane, I just can't enough - and they are great therapy.

Marmite and Tea, yes, I'm not surprised she was terrifying - even at the age I am now, I bet she is.

Hi Ashley, it's lovely to meet you. Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm a bit hooked on the widget too.

Jen, it's a fab title isn't it? And it really is what it says it is.

LPlate, hello *waves*

Cal, well I mean it. You've worked hard and you deserve it.