Sabine Dolls Is Out At Last.

At last Sabine Dolls has been released, but only in e-book format. Bluewood Publishing told me that it will be going to print, but not until they get some more money. Apparently, sales were bad last month. While feeling disappointed at the book isn't going straight into print, I do understand that there's a world financial crisis on and most people are cutting back on spending.

I await next month's sales with some concern. And of course, I hope that Bluewood doesn't go the same way as some other E-publishers, who tried, but couldn't quite make a go of things.

I'm now in the throes of trying to get exposure to the novel. I've sent it to Dear Author and Bluewood should be sending it to Smashwords and Coffee Time Romance. I hope that will be enough.

On a flippant note, "Lost" is coming to the end of the final season. I've been telling all my friends that I don't know what I'll do without it. I don't watch that much TV, but it has been a treat to be able to see somehing so imaginitive and well-acted.

Spring

I hate the winter so don't expect too much from me around that time. Now, though, it's warm, heady and full of buds and crocuses. Lovely.

So, what have I been doing? I've finished the final edits of Sabine Dolls at last and that should go out as an e-book soon. I've also completed my second novel: Parallel Triangle. I've been trying to get an agent for it, to no avail. I've learned not to expect too much in that area though, since getting an agent is, as far as I'm concerned even harder than getting a publisher. Anyway, there are quite a few new online UK publishers springing up, and most of them don't require you to be agented.

No matter how I try, I can't seem to get away from newspapers or the radio talking about the banking crisis. Seeing the bankers still taking their massive bonuses takes my breath away. How do they sleep at night. Quite easily is the answer to that, since they don't have a shred or altruism in them. What a disgrace when, all around us, people are having their homes re-possessed and these corporate bankers are creaming off all the wealth of the country.

I don't like Capitalism now. But then - what are the alternatives. If we were to install another "ism" into our daily lives, I daresay within a year, it would resemble the same structure. That is, one to two percent of the population with all the money and the rest scratching about to live decently.

So let's try and end on a positive note. Ah yes, I've got some good friends coming round for dinner this evening. That thought will keep me going for a while.

Gloom

I watched the much spoken about documentary "Collapse" last night, in which Michael Ruppert speaks of the decline of civilisation (If indeed we can correctly term it as such). The reason, according to Ruppert, is because we're all so dependent upon oil which, unless you've been asleep for the past thirty years, will know is fast running out.

I'm not one for gloom and doom prophesies as a rule. However, this man spoke from the heart, even crying at one point, about how he's been forced out on to the periphery simply because he had the courage to air his prophesies, which now seem to be coming true. What's the most alarming, for me, is that he's exposed how governments in the USA and the developed West have pushed the problems of dwindling Earth resources and the dangerous, unsustainable population explosion under the carpet. They simply aren't making provision for the masses, when the crunch comes. And dammit, they should be because a lot of people are going to die as a result!

I'm stocking up on candles, seeds and self-sufficiency books. Thank goodness I'm a veggie, that methinks, will make things a little easier, since keeping hens is relatively less complex than rearing meat. Oh, and I'm going to learn how to drive a pony and carriage! Happy New Year.

Sandy Hyatt-James

Impatient But Happy

I love this time of the year; especially living in Bulgaria where a white Christmas is usually a given. And I like the fact that Bulgaria, although a Christian country, doesn't do commercialism like Western Europe or America. Some of this could be that people just don't have any money here. Paying out large sums in advertising, to try and trawl in vast revenue for goods, therefore, is a waste of money.

On the subject of money, I read that the Bankers of RBS have quit because the Chancellor of the Exchequer has scuppered their chance of paying themselves huge bonuses. Well, boo-hoo! Their greed and insensitivity to ordinary people in this era of dearth takes my breath away! Let them go I say, and good riddance. Let's hope that those who take their place will be more adept at the job, have more of a social conscience and be prepared to work for more realistic rewards!

About writing: I hoped that "Sabine Dolls would be out by Christmas, but this isn't to be. Hopefully, I can get down to the editing with Bluewood in the New Year and get it out by the end of January. Also, I'm almost at the final edit stage of my new novel: "Parallel Triangle" but I can't really push that until I've got the first book properly out and up for sale. Methinks that 2010 will be interesting!

Sandy Hyatt-James

Autumn

Why is Autumn referred to as Fall by our American friends? When viewing the spectacular golds, russets and browns from my home, I can see nothing "downwards" about it. To me, it's such a special time of the year. It pricks at my imagination. Makes me think of misty forests, and mythological creatures. I want to sit by the fire, eating butter-melting muffins with my friends and tell creepy stories. Here's a short one to be getting on with:

Last November I went to a fancy dress dance with a new boyfriend and a group of friends. I went as Catwoman, but that's by the by.
When powdering my nose in the restroom, halfway through the evening, I noticed a woman standing at the mirror next to me. She smelled of Lavender. I admired her thirties style evening dress; said it put me in the mind of Ginger Rogers. She smiled, nodded, graciously and continued primping her hair, which, by the way, featured permed, blond curls.
She never once spoke to me. I didn't put this down to rudeness because throughout, she seemed intent on carefully re-applying her red lipstick.
My friend then entered the restroom and joined me at the mirrors. We chatted for a few moments. After the Thirties Woman left, I said, "I wonder where she hired that gorgeous dress?"
My friend looked this way and that. "What dress?"
"The one that woman was wearing."
"What woman?"
I gaped at her for a couple of seconds. "Er....the woman who was here putting her lipstick on. I can still smell the Lavender perfume she was wearing."
"I never saw a woman and I can't smell Lavender. Nobody wears Lavender scent these days anyway. She laughed. "I told you not to drink too much of that punch!"

So, that's my contribution to Autumn. Watch this space for another one next year.

Sandy Hyatt-James

My First Draft Completed

What a great feeling it is to have finished the first draft of a novel. Now, some authors might argue that putting the initial stuff down is the best part, but for me it's what comes afterwards that's the best. Now I can wait a little while, go back to the beginning and really start to "write" my book. I've been tempted to go back and perfect this and that over the past six months: the time it's taken me to to the draft, but being further along as a writer now, I think this way's going to prove to be the best.

While I'm about it, I may as well mention that "Sabine Dolls", my first novel has now been accepted by "Bluewood Publishing." I'm so excited about this! It cancels out the disappointment that I felt with the Mystic Moon debacle. I have a good feeling about these people, who seem committed to turning out the best books possible.

I saw the cover art for the book last week. Wow, just seeing the first draft of that really brought it home to me that I'm about to be published - at long last!

Sandy Hyatt-James

Just thought I'd say how difficult it is to write. I'm usually a plotter and plodder, but yesterday I motored along like a happy little dolphin. By the time I got to bed, I felt, well, pleased with myself at having written far more than usual. But, this morning, when I checked what I'd written I could only conclude yesterday's offering was excrement in the extreme.
The moral of this tale, where writing is concerned, is to do it little, often and well. Don't, as I did, slam it all down, then wring your hands and rend your clothing with embarrassment afterwards!

Be back soon.

S H-J