Observations While Writing

(Because even when you have Freedom switched on there are always ways to procrastinate)

- The David Tennant Doctor Who figure is taller than the Matt Smith figure and for some reason I thought it would be the other way around. I should Google who is tallest. (To which the answer is a) yes David Tennant is taller and b) what an odd site and c) my Google-Fu found that in one click).

- Why have trays on your desk if you're not going to use them for anything sensible? And yes, labelling them WIP / Ideas / Guidelines / Writing Tips isn't much good if you're just going to throw everything into whatever tray you feel like.

- Making graphs is an awesome way to track your progress even if you're not making any progress because you're busy making graphs.

- Scribbling short story titles and throwing them into the trays would be awesome if you used the right trays or maybe had a short story title tray. Ooh, see now I have another reason to procrastinate and then later on I could blog* about all the silly things I write short story titles on like fruit pastille wrappers and gift tags and whatnot. You'd think there were no notebooks in this room.

- If you count all the unused notebooks in your office, you may find they total 30 (at least).

*I won't really blog about that... Although, in the words of James Bond, never say never.

I wonder which James Bond figure is the tallest?

Spark Point

My life in your hands, Amelia Pond

My Easter weekend was/is complete with the above, the rest is just fanciful trimmings.

We've lost our heatwave, so the reading has wandered a little and I've been hiding out in my study again pretending to get work done and at times actually getting work done. I'm rewriting a few short stories, pulling them apart and making something brand new. I've also been scratching plans for something other, but hush, we don't tempt the fates for fear they'll scratch out our eyes, pierce our brain and remove such delightful wonderings.

Assuming they're delightful at all, we are at *spark point* and everything is amazing, brilliant, 'OMG! Why didn't I think of that before' there.

Beware, the monsters are coming.

Scarborough on Alert, Me spotted on Beach

Walking along Scarborough's waterfront, thinking of the time travel story I'm working on (A World of Cardboard Houses - one draft down, several more to go), and Doctor Who's tardis lands in front of me. Well, it is a little in disguise, but I wasn't fooled. I looked in the window and saw the dude in there fiddling with his controls. Well, I hope it was the Doctor...

I suspect the town went on high alert the moment I stepped off the train, although I'm pleased to say that mostly it was a beautiful, brilliant, me-turning-lobster-pink day. I say mostly because the train crawled part-way home due to signal failure or something (I think it was the tardis taking off) and I did feel a need to step up to the driver's cabin and announce to the other passengers, "I apologise for any inconvenience, if I wasn't on board, you'd probably get home much quicker."

Here are some pretty pictures of my day out (note: me not on them).

Luna Park: I thought it kind of the people of Scarborough to

name an amusement park after a character

in my short WIP, 'Breath Echoes Deep'.

A hint of Scarborough Castle from far-far-below.

The reason I don't write traditional fantasy is because

I haven't the walking boots to climb up there

and climb the parapets.

King Richard III is reputed to have stayed here.

I believe he had smelly feet so we didn't

go inside.

The pirates came to shore to welcome me.

Thank 'ye pirates, but can I have

my rum back.

Bye-bye Beach.

A YESSSSS and a NOOOOOO!

First off the noooooo – where Cate waves her fists and wails because David Tennant last night announced that he is quitting Doctor Who.

Rumours abound as to his replacement (as always) with David Morrisey in the frame – yep, I can deal with him as he’s cute, a Liverpool boy (from my neighbourhood) and a fabulous actor; then we have James Nesbitt – oh God, please no, no, a world of no. For my money Philip Glenister (Life on Mars) would be the perfect replacement.

And as to the YESSSSSS – Gerard Houarner of Space and Time Magazine sent me an email this morning accepting my Liverpool based sci-fi story ‘Flying Dutchmen’. A world of happy.