Friday Musings....

It's a Friday morning and I'm very glad for that. It's been a good week but I'm ready for a weekend now. I could use a little sleeping in and relaxing. Weekends are good for that.

As far as an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest update goes, I'm not going to plug my excerpt again. You can find it if you follow my blog. I've still been checking out the forums because it's nice to keep in contact with the other writers. Now, as a rule, writers are a competitive bunch. Being rejected stinks. Yet now, because of an error on Amazon's part, the 'clique' and all of its cronies are now ruling the contest 'a farce'. They're slamming many of the entries that made the quarterfinals, naturally stating that theirs were better. Perhaps they were, in which case I'm sorry for those that didn't make it. But here's the thing: Those of us that did make it may feel like we deserved it. I've worked so hard to try and get somewhere with my writing and, finally, I have. It may not be a major accomplishment in the grand scheme of things but, for me, it is. It's a validation for me, it's a reward for the several years of fighting an uphill battle to get my name out there. So, again, while I'm sorry that those forum-posters are so bitter and truly feel like their works, collected, are far superior to many of those that made it through to the next round, have a little compassion, please.

I know it's easier to see things through rose-coloured glasses when you're on the winning side of the street but it really is the first time I've stood there; I know the bitterness that comes with rejection but, more than anything, I think it's doing little but making those naysayers look petty and sour-grapey.

I could go on but I won't. I'm staying away from the forums for a while until the wrath has died down again. Those people are mean. I'm not going to plug my work on those forums at the moment because I know whatever reviews I got would be jaded and shaded with a side of bitterness. Last year, I thought about reviewing some excerpts but I knew, as soon as I downloaded the first one, that it would be a bad idea. My own rejection from ABNA 2008 was still too fresh and I couldn't have written a fair review.

I'm going wine tasting with a friend this weekend. It's at Jungle Jim's, that lovely big grocery store that goes on for acres and has its very own 'Sherwood Forest' full of good British food. I usually go armed with at least one shopping list from my family, most likely two. Add that to my own purchases and I never leave the store without spending a small fortune. Yet, it's such a lovely, comforting feeling to go into my pantry and see all those British products there. It gives me a tiny piece of home when I look at it and, even more, when I eat it. Heinz beans on toast, Marmite on toast, packets of Walker's Smoky Bacon Crisps, Branston Pickle, Strongbow cider....the possibilities are endless.

For the rest of my weekend, I'm going to write. That new novel is burning its way into my mind and giving me happy butterflies when I think about it. That's always a good sign that it's meant to be; it means I have a character just waiting to have his say and tell me his story. I know most of it but it'll be interesting to hear his point of view.

The weather is supposed to be nice again this weekend. I'm hoping to see some daffodils start to bloom in people's gardens. I caught sight of a crocus or two last week and even a hyacinth. Yet the daffodils seem to be biding their time. Hopefully this weekend, since Spring will officially be here. I can't wait.

Happy Friday.